The Engine 2 Diet: The Texas Firefighter's 28-Day Save-Your-Life Plan that Lowers Cholesterol and Burns Away the Pounds

I'm a genetic time bomb. Cardiovascular disease is present in both my parents and their parents and their parents... You get the idea. I was diagnosed with carotid artery disease at 47. While my cholesterol has remained controlled by medication and a heart healthy diet, ultrasounds showed that they have not stopped the progression of plaque build up in my arteries. Clearly, I needed something more.I found and read Rip's father's book, Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by Caldwell Esselstyn, and LOVED the information and the strait to the point "what" and "why" of a vegan, no-oil life style. Though I couldn't imagine life without cheese and milk products, I understood that if I was going to change my fate, something this "drastic" was required. So, I adopted the diet based on the information available in his father's book and began to see DRAMATIC results about 2 weeks into the diet. After 60 days, I lost 24 pounds. But it wasn't about the weight loss for me. While the compliments are wonderful on my new appearance and it's exciting to be 2 sizes smaller, the real changes (I hoped) were happening on the inside. Today, I got confirmation from my doctor that my total cholesterol has dropped from 188 to 119 and my LDL from 119 to 56. Nope, not a typo... 56!! Dr. Esselstyn's diet has turned out to be a godsend.You're probably thinking: what does this have to do with The Engine 2 Diet?Confession: If you're considering changing your health like I did, I will and must admit to being a little frustrated... Initially. Having lived my entire life eating a lighter version of the Western Diet: fruits or veggies at every meal, minimal red meats, heavy on the grilled chicken, turkey and fish, low sodium and low fat milk, cheeses and ice cream (remember, CV disease is a family way of life) I didn't have a large understanding of the variety available in a plant based diet and how the heck to prepare these items, let alone make them taste GOOD. Tho there are a few excellent resources full of recipes and how to cook and bake for vegans online, there were always the questions in my mind: "How do I do this without the oil?" and "Will this even turn out right without the oil?" So I found myself in a "safe rut" with few and limited players on my plate and in my bowl that tasted good and were diet allowed. Boring! The Engine 2 Diet has served to shed light on all my gray areas of understanding and has put variety back into my life. This book is a MUST for your new lifestyle. Rip explains a lot of the new foods and terminology you'll encounter and he tells you how to prepare them, too. I struggled in the early days (and still do sometimes) trying to figure out what's OK to include or skip. Rip put's it here in black and white. I keep this book on my phone as a resource when shopping or cooking and it's made things so much easier. So, so much easier. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK.Words of Encouragement:Reading Labels Sucks. But it is a necessary evil. And yes, even a single drop off oil is a drop too much. So many things contain oil... Especially the ones that are supposed to be "good" oils (olive, canola, soy...) Hang in there. It gets easier and subsequent trips to the grocery store gets easier as you learn your safe labels. Don't worry about not getting enough fats in your diet. Plants and grains contain plenty in their "natural" packaging.Don't Skimp on High Protein Veggies, Grains and Beans. This is easy to do especially if you have a busy lifestyle. Grabbing a quick piece of fruit and coffee for breakfast for instance, IS diet friendly, but you just fasted for 6-8 hours while you slept. Sure you'll lose weight, sure you're cholesterol will drop... BUT you run the risk of increasing your triglycerides with your carb only intake. Increased triglycerides can lead to diabetes. Better to eat some cereal or oatmeal with that fruit. I use a disposable bowl for oatmeal to eat at red lights when I'm in a real hurry. Thankfully, this isn't too often.

My 34 year old husband was diagnosed with benign high blood pressure 2 years ago. He's not over weight. He's actually very active. Our diet has never been 'bad'. But, we did indulge on pizza, burgers and ice cream on occasion. When his blood pressure went up and he started having problems he was 32. We seen a cardiologist and they said his heart and pipes looked fine. They couldn't give us a reason for his high blood pressure. So, they put him on meds, gave us a 'heart healthy diet plan' and pushed us out the door.We started the new diet and after 6 months, nothing. So, I started looking for other options. First, the low carb lifestyle. Not only DIDN'T it work but it made us feel horrible!We switch to vegan about 11 weeks ago. After 2 weeks I had dropped 10 lbs. My husband 14lbs. I started monitoring our blood pressure. I went from and average bp of 128/76 down to 102/68. My husband, still on meds, went from 138/89 to 125/80. That was just 2 weeks! We should have had a full blood panel done, but we didn't. So, I don't have a marker for our cholesterol levels. But, I can tell you this much. I have lost almost 30 lbs and my blood pressure is what it was in high school. My husband is doing great. We go back to the Dr. next week and I have a feeling we will be lower his meds.I have suffered from IBS and stomach problems since I was about 10 years old. I have been on all kinds of meds for it. Not until I eliminates animal- based foods (this means dairy too) did I start feeling better. I mean NO MORE ISSUES!!! I can eat at work without being afraid I'm going to get sick. No more pain or discomfort. No more IBS! Listen, if you have ever suffered with this you know that going 11 weeks with no problems is a miracle!Engine 2 is bringing a whole new level to our diet now. The fact the we have now eliminated processed oils. Ok, look, this is NOT a low-fat diet. You still eat fat. Just in its raw, natural forms. Did you know that if the label on your evoo doesn't say 'organic' AND ‘ cold-pressed’ there is a good possibility it was extracted with hexane? That goes for a lot of nut and seed oils. Do your research!!! Not to mention how heat destroys and changes the oil itself. If you need more proof read the China Study by T. Colin Campbell or Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by Caldwell B. Esselstyn. This is DATA, not opinions.I work around people who indulge on S.A.D. diet food constantly while complaining about all of their illnesses. There are no prescriptions that cure high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes or heart disease. They just mask your problem.God has given us everything we need to heal ourselves right outside our doors. Yes, it takes effort and time. But, what's your health worth to you? Think about this... Why is preparing plant-based food SO much easier than animal-based? Think about the process. The WHOLE process, not just picking up a package at the store.God has made us the stewards of this wonderful planet. If you really did the research on EVERYTHING you eat I think you would go plant-based fast.

Having received my latest Q Ratio % and with a health service keen to pump you full of statins I was keen to research less drug fuelled paths and more preventative natural remedies.This was amongst a number of volumes purchased to drive up the motivation.In truth I was disappointed.It seems to struggle in its direction between populist easy answers and medical data led logic.It is, by nature of its author and focus audience, very “American” which though understandable (and an obvious focal point for the need to investigate alternatives to the costly drug biased American way to deal with an obesity/cancer/heart disease pandemic) is frustrating for a European reader to re-qualify facts and quoted data into relatable measurements and targets.The biggest deflation, and frustration, though is left for the ending and the recipe section.After reading the extolled virtues of a fully plant-based diet, allied to reduced/zero added fat and complementary exercise, as a lifetime health programme you’re are then confronted with conflicting recipes at the end.Breakfast Tacos extols the virtues of 1/2 tube of vegetarian breakfast sausage, then there’s an Omelet (sic) with egg replacer, branded pancake and muffin mixes, vegetarian hot dogs for lunch and a plethora of burger substitutes, sloppy joes & burritos with meat substitute.I’m sure all this stuff is valid for transitioning, much as the omnipresent Braggs Liquid Aminos could be, but when the primary message in the opening chapters appears channeled towards plants deliciousness and how it’s possible to thrive with all the essential nutrients, minerals and vitamins using just the infinite variety of plants, seeds, nuts, grains and legumes then it’s a bit of a “whoa there” moment when (admittedly a small minority) recipes are thrown up suggesting the opposite.I’ve soldiered through to the end but feel it will sit idly on our library shelves, in contrast to others like How Not to Die, as it merely supplemented the messaging of others rather than supplanted it (pun intended).I’m sure there are those that will be enthused and fired up by the message but for me it didn’t “grab”.I guess that’s the underlying reason why there’s so much choice (and my particular copy was mint) in the used section available on Amazon.

This past February the 12th, Rip Esselstyn appeared on the Dr. Oz show in a segment promoting vegan nutrition. Three Chicago firemen carrying excess body fat, and elevated blood pressure and cholesterol levels, will return to the show in sixty days so viewers can see the effects of Rip's "plant strong" dietary intervention on these markers for chronic disease. Dr. Oz seems pretty confident that these firemen will be able to lose the weight they need to lose, and eliminate any future need for these kinds of medications. By continuing to embrace Rip's dietary intervention long-term.While the vast majority of North American seniors have been placed on some sort of drug for the rest of their lives, Dr. Oz quite bluntly states to one firemen, "Thirty-seven year old men should not be on medications for things like cholesterol! Unless they've done everything else possible. Just because you don't want to be on anything for your whole life." When mainstream television shows start promoting vegan nutrition to their viewers, and mainstream doctors start discouraging people away from prescription drugs, I guess the (health care) sky really must be falling.For those not already on-board with the message, this book can be a valuable resource for implementing a dietary transition to plant-based eating, and will be particularly helpful for those North Americans who have difficulty dispelling some widely held cultural notions. Such as our perceived need for cow's milk to prevent bones from becoming fragile and frail, and animal protein for building and maintaining strong muscles.It's somehow fitting that while Rip's great grandfather co-founded the Cleveland Clinic, now world renowned for the most technically advanced surgical interventions for heart disease, his father, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, a traditionally trained general surgeon working at the same hospital,  Prevent And Reverse Heart Disease  became one of the pioneers in a surprisingly simple approach that bypasses the need for open heart surgery, and effectively eliminates the need for mechanical interventions. As he's fond of saying, "Heart disease is a food-borne illness!"Also recommended,  The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-term Health  and  Eat to Live: The Revolutionary Formula for Fast and Sustained Weight LossPrevent And Reverse Heart DiseaseThe China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-term HealthEat to Live: The Revolutionary Formula for Fast and Sustained Weight Loss

I found this a really good book and made a lot of fantastic points for health, wellbeing and weight loss. I'm now reading his father's book which is also great.The only thing I would say would be helpful for a book that does sell outside the US is more input for other countries. He talks about certain kinds of breads for example that are ok per this book, but we don't have that brand here and it takes a little detective work to find out what type of bread that is, what it's ingredients are and what the UK equivalent might be.A simple solution would be a explanation of what style of food it is when mentioned to make it easier to find outside the US.Also the recipes were very much geared to Texas likes and didn't really take in to account a more international palette and it would have been nice if a healthy chef had consulted on that side of things to give some other ideas.However - that doesn't change the principals of the book that a plant-based eating style is incredibly healthy for the body and that eating junk and processed foods plus too much animal foods takes a toll on our health.Once you have the guiding principals it's not hard to look online (such as Pinterest) for inspiration for whole food plant based recipes, or raw vegan or however you choose to apply the information to your own diet.

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Good guide book. I really liked this because it was in plain English and does not bog you down with the heavy science and technical info. You can get that by reading the China Study. This is more of a practical guide to getting started but also addresses the many myths that we have all been lead to believe. It gives practical examples that are easy to follow. I have been doing it now for two months and feel great. You do not have to be in bad shape to feel the benefits of this. For example I am 55, have a resting pulse rate of 67, a BMI of 22 and my blood pressure is 112/68, height 6'2,' weight 170lbs and reasonably active. Yet within a month of starting this my energy went way up and my thinking was much clearer. Don't miss the meat, cheese, butter, etc., (okay I miss my eggs a bit). But Avocado toast is amazing, the chilies and lasagna are great and the stir fries, and potato fries are outstanding (put LaGrill meat spices on the potatoes Mmmm). My son was the one that actually started this in our house and now the entire family is on board to some degree.. Try it for a month and feel the difference.