This is a must have for anyone with a heart. If you are having heart trouble, it runs in the family or you want to prevent heart trouble this is a book for you. Get it now and save a life namely yours.

Even when I was in great shape, riding a bike 130 miles a week, my HDL was dangerously low and my HDL/LDL ratio was awful–it runs in the family. More recently, when the side-effects of statins forced me to quit taking them, my ratio got even worse. One of the websites I consulted about statin side-effects mentioned Dr. Sinatra, and after reading what he had to say about CoQ10 and statins, I bought this book about a month ago.

It’s too soon to know if the recommended diet and supplements, combined with the exercise I was already doing, will help, but so far, it looks good. Niacin can double HDL, but when I tried it before, it made my skin so dry it bled. That hasn’t happened this time, presumably because of the other supplements, like fish oil, recommended by the book. My family doctor had recommended niacin, but not fish oil, CoQ10, or the other supplements that Dr. Sinatra uses. But when I asked my doctor about CoQ10, he admitted it might be helpful when taking statins. And when I’ve asked the two MDs in the family about things I’ve read in the book–CRP, Lp(a), corony calcium testing, etc.,–they always confirm what Dr. Sinatra wrote.

I can’t imagine this book won’t be helpful to almost anyone concerned with cardiovascular health.

Follow-up report: Last week I met with a local cardiologist to discuss bloodwork done the week before. Two months after reading this book and acting on its recommendations, and without taking statins, my HDL was up 41%, my LDL down 27%, and my total cholesterol/HDL ratio down 40%. The local cardiologist also reviewed the dozen or so supplements I’m taking based on the book, and apart from switching me to the prescription form of niacin, also recommended by Dr. Sinatra, he saw no reason to change anything I was taking. This is a great book.

I am still reading and refering to this book

It is stuff you will know if you have heart desiese but it can remind you to keep honing the self care ,

I am hoping to avoid by-pass surgery

I am glad I bought it. It is practical and Helpful I a don’t need alot of boring science that is what the Docs get into. I just want to know what I as a Patient can do to have a better quality of life and that is what this book delivers

Take A Load Off Your Heart by cardiac health expert Joseph C. Piscatella (President of the Institute for Fitness & Health, Gig Harbor, Washington) and Barry A. Franklin (Director of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program and Exercise Laboratories at William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Michigan) is a very practical and “user friendly” guide to for the non-specialist general reader seeking to improving their cardiovascular system. A little extra effort in looking after oneself now can save an immense amount of money, pain and grief in the future. Take A Load Off Your Heart features 109 easy-to-follow tips ranging from walking briskly, to drinking black tea, to improving the daily diet, to making exercise a regular habit. Written especially for those seeking to improve their daily lifestyle routines, Take A Load Off Your Heart is a “must-read” for all in these heart health conscious times.

I found this book helpful – the diets great – the advice about other life factors good – and it gave me an over-all education about all the different treatments now being used. The book seems logical and simple. It makes good sense.

Of course, like most people I bought this book when I was already in trouble with the old heart.

It’s too bad this book won’t be read by every primary care physician and every cardiologist and every patient with heart disease, but it should be. The collaboration of two leading edge cardiologists has resulted in a book full of the latest approaches to managing plaques and heart disease. This book moves beyond Dr. Sinatra’s first classic, The Sinatra Solution, and focuses on the problem of plaque build-up in your arteries. The latest theory of inflammation as the cause of hardening of the arteries, as well as many other chronic illnesses is addressed here with dietary changes, supplements, and medications. For example, when to use statins alongside the natural supplements for reducing cholesterol and other risk factors for plaque formation is clearly discussed. It’s wonderful to read what these two doctors do for their patients outside the box set by the FDA in defining the indications for prescription medications. From my own experience their approaches do work for many people. I will be recommending this book to many patients and featuring it on my website.

Bob Sager, MD, DABFM

I was recently diagnosed at the age of 41 with congestive heart failure. It came on fast, and I was not prepared for it. I have been researching on the internet the procedures, drugs, and supplements that might be effective in treating my condition, but the information is all over the place and difficult to bring together. In “Reverse Heart Disease Now”, there is a lot of information on suppplements as well as conventional therapy, with excellent suggestions on dosages and what benefits might be expected. I read the book all of the way through and gained a better understanding of my own condition. In these days of fast and prepared food, stress, polution, etc. having this knowledge is a must even if there are no symptoms. I wish that I had come across this book 5 years earlier!

This cardiologist has written what is probably the most accurate and up to date (as of 2007) book on heart disease and how to prevent/reverse it. This guy definitely knows his stuff! I’ve studied heart disease for over 20 years and this is the best, most informative, and most accurate book I’ve ever seen! This guy knows his stuff!

I bought this book after my husband had his first heart attack and decided not to get depressed but to fight the condition or reverse it as much as possible. For some odd readon, my husband did not read this book, I did. It is well written and explains how heardening of the arteries and Heart Diseast can be Reversed and you will Never find this out from your “Trusted Cardiologist” as I asked him after I read the book and he did not think it could be done. This book contains a lot of information about your body, nutritional suppliments, dietary habits that will taks work to change, exercise – just have to do it or die, just incorporatinv a different lifestyle. I have started to incorporate this lifestyle myself and am incouraging my husband to also do it. I go shopping with him now and mostly put frest fruit and vegetables in the cart. We eat long cooking oatmeal for breakfast. My husband did not think this tasted very good, so I got a recipie with cherries as a bottom layer, then non-fat yogurt, then the oatmeal sprinkelet with cinnamon. He likes this better. Dr. Whitaker’s book explains a whole new lifestyle to incorporate in order to Reverse Heart Disease. I already feel better on this life style and can walk farther than I could formerly as I led an inactive life. It just takes the will to want to change eating habits and the mental capitity to realize you are NOT on a diet…but a lifestyle change for the remainder of your life. Incorporate both physical excercise and mental excercise and community into your life. Learn how to lessen stress. There are classes, books, and self help tapes, and just going walking for a brisk walk per Dr. Whitaker, makes stress less. I am trying to incorporate a 30 minute walk on all non-rainning days at work during lunch. It does relax me for the afternoon. He also mentions Chelation Therapy and a few other Alternative non-invasive therapys to assist in helping make the arteries better. I am currently looking into Chelation Therapy. Our Cardiologist said Chelation had not been proven to help Heart patients at all. However, I have read studies that show otherwise and it is non-invasive. I was very hopeful of my husband living a long and active life after reading this book. I am looking into changing Cardiologists and Health Insurance Companies. I have located, Via Dr, Whitaker, three doctors who do Cheletation Therapy within a reasonable distance. I Recommend everyone who has had a Heart Attack and lived through it and everyone with high colestrol read this book. It may ending up saving your life.

Having been on his program for 3 months I have normal numbers! I had been told that there was nothing more that they could do. I had 4 heart attacks with bypass surgery and stents put in to save my life. I went from an A1C of 12 down to 7.1 in three months with strick diet and many many supplements but it’s working.I had been taking every diabetic pill and insulin known to man to no avail. My heart related tests are normal after being over by hundreds. They gave great advise you have to be in charge of your own health what works and doesn’t. I am thankful and highly recommend the book.