Heart disease is not an inevitable part of aging. It is largely preventable, and in many cases reversible, when we focus on the root causes instead of just managing lab numbers. The most powerful tools for protecting your heart are not found in a procedure or a prescription. They are built into the choices you make every day.
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death, yet most conventional approaches focus on managing numbers rather than addressing the root cause. Cholesterol drugs and elective stents can be lifesaving in emergencies, but they often fail to prevent future heart attacks or stop the disease process itself.
In this episode of the Eat to Live Podcast, Dr. Joel Fuhrman explains what actually triggers a heart attack and why our current medical model often misses the most important drivers of risk. While medications and procedures have a role, lasting protection requires understanding what is happening inside the arteries and how lifestyle directly influences that process.
Most heart attacks are triggered when a blood clot forms on fragile, newly formed plaque, not from long standing calcified blockages that appear on standard heart tests. This helps explain why someone can have reassuring lab results and still benefit enormously from lifestyle based prevention.
One of the most overlooked contributors to heart disease is visceral fat, the metabolically active fat surrounding the organs. This fat behaves like an inflammatory organ, releasing compounds that damage blood vessels, accelerate plaque formation, and increase clot risk even in people who appear thin or have normal cholesterol levels. Diets high in refined carbohydrates without fiber further intensify this inflammatory environment.
The hopeful truth is that the body responds quickly to positive change. A nutrient rich way of eating that emphasizes green vegetables, beans, berries, nuts, seeds, and adequate omega three intake can stabilize blood vessels, calm inflammation, and lower heart risk far faster than most people expect. When visceral fat is actively being lost, cardiovascular risk drops rapidly.
Dr. Fuhrman’s approach is not theoretical. Thousands of patients have reversed heart disease, lowered cholesterol without medication, reduced visceral fat, and restored vascular health using the Nutritarian approach.
Medications and procedures do not address the root cause
Cholesterol lowering drugs and elective stents may relieve symptoms or help in emergencies, but they do not reliably prevent future heart attacks or reverse arterial damage.
Most heart attacks are caused by clots, not blockages
The majority of heart attacks occur when a clot forms on vulnerable plaque, not simply because an artery is narrowed.
New plaque is more dangerous than old plaque
Soft, newly formed plaque is unstable and prone to rupture. Older calcified plaque is generally more stable and less likely to trigger a heart attack.
Visceral fat is a major driver of heart disease
Fat surrounding the organs releases inflammatory compounds that damage blood vessels and promote plaque formation, even in people who are thin or have normal cholesterol levels.
Green vegetables function as powerful heart medicine
Leafy greens strengthen the blood vessel lining, reduce inflammation, and support nitric oxide production, improving blood flow and vessel stability.
Losing visceral fat lowers risk quickly
Actively shedding visceral fat rapidly reduces inflammation and clot risk, leading to meaningful improvements in heart health in a short time frame.
Omega three status matters more than cholesterol alone
A higher omega three index is strongly associated with a dramatic reduction in cardiovascular death, highlighting its central role in controlling vascular inflammation.
References
Boden WE, O'Rourke RA, Teo KK, et al. Optimal medical therapy with or without PCI for stable coronary disease.N Engl J Med 2007, 356:1503-1516.
Khan SU, Singh M, Lone AN, et al. Meta-analysis of long-term outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention versus medical therapy in stable coronary artery disease.Eur J Prev Cardiol 2019, 26:433-436.
Rajkumar CA, Suh WM, Francis DP. Upcoding of Clinical Information to Meet Appropriate Use Criteria for Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes 2019, 12:e005025.
Mauriello A, Servadei F, Zoccai GB, et al. Coronary calcification identifies the vulnerable patient rather than the vulnerable plaque.Atherosclerosis 2013, 229:124-129.
Thomas IC, Forbang NI, Criqui MH. The evolving view of coronary artery calcium and cardiovascular disease risk.Clin Cardiol 2018, 41:144-150.
Yang C, Shi X, Xia H, et al. The Evidence and Controversy Between Dietary Calcium Intake and Calcium Supplementation and the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Cohort Studies and Randomized Controlled Trials.J Am Coll Nutr 2020, 39:352-370.
Mensah GA, Arnold N, Prabhu SD, et al. Inflammation and Cardiovascular Disease: 2025 ACC Scientific Statement.JACC, 0.
Recinella L, Orlando G, Ferrante C, et al. Adipokines: New Potential Therapeutic Target for Obesity and Metabolic, Rheumatic, and Cardiovascular Diseases.Frontiers in Physiology 2020, Volume 11 - 2020.
Powell-Wiley TM, Poirier P, Burke LE, et al. Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association.Circulation 2021:CIR0000000000000973.
Zhou H, Urso CJ, Jadeja V. Saturated Fatty Acids in Obesity-Associated Inflammation.J Inflamm Res 2020, 13:1-14.
Gao S, Zhao D, Wang M, et al. Association Between Circulating Oxidized LDL and Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: A Meta-analysis of Observational Studies.Can J Cardiol 2017, 33:1624-1632.
Lidder S, Webb AJ. Vascular effects of dietary nitrate (as found in green leafy vegetables and beetroot) via the nitrate-nitrite-nitric oxide pathway.Br J Clin Pharmacol 2013, 75:677-696.
Huang CS, Lin AH, Liu CT, et al. Isothiocyanates protect against oxidized LDL-induced endothelial dysfunction by upregulating Nrf2-dependent antioxidation and suppressing NFkappaB activation.Mol Nutr Food Res 2013, 57:1918-1930.
Wang Q, King L, Wang P, et al. Higher Levels of Urinary Thiocyanate, a Biomarker of Cruciferous Vegetable Intake, Were Associated With Lower Risks of Cardiovascular Disease and All-Cause Mortality Among Non-smoking Subjects.Front Nutr 2022, 9:919484.
He Q, Wang L, Fang Y, et al. Relationship of small dense low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level with pre-diabetes and newly detected type 2 diabetes.Scientific Reports 2025, 15:19500.
Reynolds A, Mann J, Cummings J, et al. Carbohydrate quality and human health: a series of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.Lancet 2019, 393:434-445.
McBurney MI, Tintle NL, Vasan RS, et al. Using an erythrocyte fatty acid fingerprint to predict risk of all-cause mortality: the Framingham Offspring Cohort.Am J Clin Nutr 2021.
Carvalho F, Lahlou RA, Silva LR. Phenolic Compounds from Cherries and Berries for Chronic Disease Management and Cardiovascular Risk Reduction.Nutrients 2024, 16.
Xu L, Tian Z, Chen H, et al. Anthocyanins, Anthocyanin-Rich Berries, and Cardiovascular Risks: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 44 Randomized Controlled Trials and 15 Prospective Cohort Studies.Frontiers in Nutrition 2021, Volume 8 - 2021.
Becerra-Tomas N, Paz-Graniel I, C WCK, et al. Nut consumption and incidence of cardiovascular diseases and cardiovascular disease mortality: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.Nutr Rev 2019, 77:691-709.
Fuhrman JH, Ferreri DM. Nuts And Seeds For Heart Disease Prevention.International Journal of Disease Reversal and Prevention 2020, 2:8.
Joel Fuhrman, M.D. is a board-certified family physician, seven-time New York Times bestselling author and internationally recognized expert on nutrition and natural healing, who specializes in preventing and reversing disease through nutritional methods. Dr. Fuhrman coined the term “Nutritarian” to describe his longevity-promoting, nutrient dense, plant-rich eating style.
For over 30 years, Dr. Fuhrman has shown that it is possible to achieve sustainable weight loss and reverse heart disease, diabetes and many other illnesses using smart nutrition. In his medical practice, and through his books and PBS television specials, he continues to bring this life-saving message to hundreds of thousands of people around the world.
Heart Attacks Are Preventable: Why Stents Miss the Real Problem and What to Do Instead
February 11, 2026 by Joel Fuhrman, MD
Heart disease is not an inevitable part of aging. It is largely preventable, and in many cases reversible, when we focus on the root causes instead of just managing lab numbers. The most powerful tools for protecting your heart are not found in a procedure or a prescription. They are built into the choices you make every day.
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death, yet most conventional approaches focus on managing numbers rather than addressing the root cause. Cholesterol drugs and elective stents can be lifesaving in emergencies, but they often fail to prevent future heart attacks or stop the disease process itself.
In this episode of the Eat to Live Podcast, Dr. Joel Fuhrman explains what actually triggers a heart attack and why our current medical model often misses the most important drivers of risk. While medications and procedures have a role, lasting protection requires understanding what is happening inside the arteries and how lifestyle directly influences that process.
Most heart attacks are triggered when a blood clot forms on fragile, newly formed plaque, not from long standing calcified blockages that appear on standard heart tests. This helps explain why someone can have reassuring lab results and still benefit enormously from lifestyle based prevention.
One of the most overlooked contributors to heart disease is visceral fat, the metabolically active fat surrounding the organs. This fat behaves like an inflammatory organ, releasing compounds that damage blood vessels, accelerate plaque formation, and increase clot risk even in people who appear thin or have normal cholesterol levels. Diets high in refined carbohydrates without fiber further intensify this inflammatory environment.
The hopeful truth is that the body responds quickly to positive change. A nutrient rich way of eating that emphasizes green vegetables, beans, berries, nuts, seeds, and adequate omega three intake can stabilize blood vessels, calm inflammation, and lower heart risk far faster than most people expect. When visceral fat is actively being lost, cardiovascular risk drops rapidly.
Dr. Fuhrman’s approach is not theoretical. Thousands of patients have reversed heart disease, lowered cholesterol without medication, reduced visceral fat, and restored vascular health using the Nutritarian approach.
→ Read real patient success stories
Key Takeaways
Medications and procedures do not address the root cause
Cholesterol lowering drugs and elective stents may relieve symptoms or help in emergencies, but they do not reliably prevent future heart attacks or reverse arterial damage.
Most heart attacks are caused by clots, not blockages
The majority of heart attacks occur when a clot forms on vulnerable plaque, not simply because an artery is narrowed.
New plaque is more dangerous than old plaque
Soft, newly formed plaque is unstable and prone to rupture. Older calcified plaque is generally more stable and less likely to trigger a heart attack.
Visceral fat is a major driver of heart disease
Fat surrounding the organs releases inflammatory compounds that damage blood vessels and promote plaque formation, even in people who are thin or have normal cholesterol levels.
Green vegetables function as powerful heart medicine
Leafy greens strengthen the blood vessel lining, reduce inflammation, and support nitric oxide production, improving blood flow and vessel stability.
Losing visceral fat lowers risk quickly
Actively shedding visceral fat rapidly reduces inflammation and clot risk, leading to meaningful improvements in heart health in a short time frame.
Omega three status matters more than cholesterol alone
A higher omega three index is strongly associated with a dramatic reduction in cardiovascular death, highlighting its central role in controlling vascular inflammation.
Joel Fuhrman, M.D. is a board-certified family physician, seven-time New York Times bestselling author and internationally recognized expert on nutrition and natural healing, who specializes in preventing and reversing disease through nutritional methods. Dr. Fuhrman coined the term “Nutritarian” to describe his longevity-promoting, nutrient dense, plant-rich eating style.
For over 30 years, Dr. Fuhrman has shown that it is possible to achieve sustainable weight loss and reverse heart disease, diabetes and many other illnesses using smart nutrition. In his medical practice, and through his books and PBS television specials, he continues to bring this life-saving message to hundreds of thousands of people around the world.