Book Review

“I Got Out Of My Wheelchair From Your Book!”

I’m  63 years old, a heart patient with kidney failure 4 times, five by-passes, heart attack, two pace makers, was on two insulin shots a day, cholesterol medication.  I never smoked, drank alcohol, nor drank coffee in all these years and I’ve been real sick for ten years.  I met Dr. Lundell and finally his words and presentation sunk into my head that I had to make dietary lifestyle changes.  I made this decision, began taking massive doses of fish oil, CLA and other supplements Dr. Lundell recommends and 7 days later when I tested my blood sugar, it came down from the normal of 250-300 down to 100.  I took myself off insulin and a month later, the VA officially took me off.

The VA is my primary care facility because I’m retired Navy.  Within a few months, the VA took me off cholesterol medication when it became normal.  And the most amazing of all, I’ve been in a wheelchair for years and just through the changes Dr. Lundell recommends, I was able to get out of my wheelchair and stay out of it.  There was a time I was so lethargic I couldn’t keep my head up and now I feel absolutely wonderful, like a 50 year old again, excited about life again.   If anyone would like to talk to me, I would be happy to share how wonderful my health has become since following Dr. Lundell’s recommendations. Dick Wright, AZ.

…..”The First Thing I Did Was Throw Out Lipitor”

There were so many amazing aspects to your book, where to begin? The first thing I did was throw Lipitor in the trash, ordered your recommendations, and attacked the pantry.  I saw the war going on you so aptly described, envisioned clearly how items we call “food” appear as a foreign invader for the body to attack-just as the body is suppose to but to think non-food, some concoction in a package does this!

Then I got mad at the food industry, the government, the people who profit from our ill-health and I’ll never let them profit from me or my health again.  I am one of those who relied on low-fat to lose weight and only gained-for years.  Thank you so much for your book.  How brave you are to tell it like it is.  I also follow doctor’s orders-and my doctor said Omega-3 would not help all that is wrong with my health. Had I not read your book, I’d still be taking Lipitor and creating heart disease-not stopping it.  Thank you so much.  J. Penn, Nashville, TN

…”I Haven’t Words For How Wonderful I Feel….”

I had the first heart attack at age 53 with bypass surgery.  Ten years later, second surgery. 12 years on statin medications.  And now, your book confirms what I have felt for a long time–statin medications are useless in heart disease.  I began your recommendations six weeks ago.  My c-reactive protein is now .88 and began at 3. 2.  I am no longer concerned with any cholesterol number and forego those tests.   Your book gave me the understanding I needed to take control of my heart and health and tell me doctor emphatically what I no longer would do or take.

I haven’t words for how wonderful I feel now.  At my age, 72, it has been many years since I could say that.  There are no words to thank you for being so brave to write this truthful book.  You are an amazing human being and doctor.  Thank you.  Gerald Stone, New York, NY

“After Reading Your Book, We Changed Our Lifestyle”

Just want to tell you how much I needed your book and how much we enjoyed it.  I was wounded in the military a number of years ago and have been using a wheelchair ever since. That type of Lifestyle limits my exercise so I was starting to run into real problems including heart disease. After reading your book we changed our life style. Got a few pounds to come off and need to lose some more.

Thanks for your time you spent writing this book, and I’m looking forward to your next one.  R. Rice, Tempe,  Arizona

“Your Book Has Completely Inspired Me….I Loved Your Book!”

First I loved your book! I teach anatomy and physiology at the college level, have a master’s degree in exercise science, and have been a conditioning specialist for over 25 years. Your book has completely inspired me to continue to try to change lives w/ healthy living w/ the proper education. I definitely will be sharing a great deal of what you have written so that I too can change lives and help others!  D. Johnson, Cleveland, OH

“I Am Putting All Your Recommendations Into Practice Now”

First of all, thank you for a great book with great wisdom. Thank you for your approach to preventive and integrative medicine. I am about two thirds through your book and cannot put it down. I am putting all your recommendations into practice now. S. Koker, Chicago, ILL

” Your Book Enlightened Me and Gave Us Much Hope”

My 57 yr old husband had a heart attack & emergency bypass (6) surgery,  a complete shock!  He has low blood pressure, normal cholesterol, normal weight, but sedentary lifestyle. Your book enlightened me and gave us much hope but I am afraid to talk to our cardiologist who I think will not agree with your approach.  Can you recommend someone?  THANK YOU!  D. Willis, Seattle, WA

“I, Too, Had Normal Cholesterol, 180 When I Had  Severe Blockage and Bypass”

I am one of your 5,000 patients. 11 years ago I had the left main coronary artery bypass done by you and then the fluid around the heart, and you took care of that with the “window” and drainage of this side effect.  I, too, had normal cholesterol, 180 when I had severe blockage and bypass. I am just doing beautiful and healthy!  No chest pain, and hopefully no more bypass.  If I ever have one again, I hope you are still around. You are a considerate, kind man.  Now I’m going to buy your book.  M. Bostick, Arizona

“Your Book Will Profoundly Change The Way I Live”

Thank you for your book!  It was easy to understand and so encouraging. I will read again to make sure I didn’t miss anything.  Fortunately 20 years ago [I am 66 now] I read an article about omega 3 fish oil and have taken it since. On my last blood screen test my HSCRP was 0.06.  Thanks again for your concern.  Your book will profoundly change the way I live from now on. S. Woods

“Thank You For Your Bravery In Going Against
Conventional Wisdom And Revealing Truth”

I first heard of your work when you were interviewed on Christian radio. I was intrigued and ordered your book. It is a wonderful revelation to my husband and me. We have struggled through many years of trying to learn more about medicines and the bad side effects as well as learning about healthy foods. What your book says makes logical sense to us. My husband had quadruple heart by-pass surgery at the end of the year 2000. His cholesterol numbers have been normal throughout his adult life. Thank you for your bravery in going against conventional “wisdom” and revealing truth. We believe you because my husband has suffered the ill effects of conventional approaches to heart and cardiovascular problems.  D. Wise. Atlanta, GA

“Truly a Great Book by a Great Doctor”

Truly a great book by a great doctor. I could not lay the book down until I had devoured it cover to cover.  My husband had a heart attack with angiogram and two stents.  He has been following your recommendations for 1 1/2 months. It truly is a Godsend to us.  He is doing very well.  Please tell us where you are located.  We are considering moving there, just to have you as his doctor.  R. Clark, Houston, TX

“We Thank God You Had The Courage To Reveal The Truth”

My husband Marshall, and I are so thankful for Dr. Lundell and the great service he has provided for us by writing his heart book. After years of great health, to our surprise in January 2008 Marshall had angioplasty which resulting in 2 stens and SIX drugs to be taken twice daily. We researched the dangerous side effects of the drugs and determined to find a better way.  We prayed and searched for an answer. Our friend gave us Dr. Lundell’s book which was so interesting I could not put it down, but read it thru immediately. We thank GOD that he had the courage to reveal the truth to us…..we only wish that we had read the book BEFORE the problem!

On March 1, 2008, Marshall went off the drugs (we gave the book to the cardiologist here). Last week Marshall’s lab work results were: ALL VITAL SIGNS EXCELLENT.  Thank you Dr. Lundell for helping us …..you truly are a doctor who lives the words: ‘First of all do NO harm!’ We thank you with all our heart. May GOD richly reward you. Gratefully, Marshall and Rose Cardiff, Tuscon, AX

“….Thought Provoking And Easy To Understand”

I just finished your book (in 1.5 days) Thought provoking and easy to understand for the lay person who I hope follow your recommendations.  As nurse specializing in perioperative cardio-thoracic surgery and a reader of many articles on the subject of heart disease, I totally agree with you. Lets hope that many people read your book and begin to awaken to the changes they need to make.  M. Pammer

The fine print required says “in a large clinical study 3% of people taking a placebo had a heart attack and 2% of those taking Lipitor had a heart attack.”  Let’s do the math.

For every 100 people in the trial that lasted 3 l/2 years, 3 people on the placebo and 2 people on Lipitor had heart attacks. That is one less heart attack for every 100 people.

In other words, 100 people had to take Lipitor for 3 l/2 years to prevent one heart attack. What this really means is, 99 out of 100 people taking Lipitor received no benefit.

There is a little known statistic, “Number Needed To Treat,” (NNT) defined as the number of patients who need to be treated in order to prevent one bad outcome. In the case of Lipitor, 100 patients needed to be treated for 3 l/2 years to possibly eliminate one heart attack.

Let’s compare that number to today’s antibiotic treatment to eradicate ulcer causing H. pylori stomach bacteria. The Number Needed To Treat H. pylori is 1:1. That means if you give the antibiotic to 11 people, 10 will be cured.

Several recent scientific papers peg the NNT for statin medications at 250. That means 249 of 250 would receive no benefit. Dr. Jerome R. Hoffman, Professor of Clinical Medicine at UCLA asks:

“What if you put 250 people in a room and told them they would have to pay over $1,000 per year for a medicine they must take every day that might give them diarrhea and muscle pain and that 249 of those people would get no benefit, how many would take that?” Very, very few.                                

Marketing Over Medicine

Drug companies have a responsibility to their shareholders to make a profit. We need drug companies to develop new medicines; however, when they grossly overstate benefits and spend enormous dollars influencing physicians, it leads to potential corruption.

The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) 2004 guidelines lowered the targets for cholesterol treatment and recommended more Americans take statins. The panel that issued the guidelines was comprised of 9 experts, 8 of which had ties to the drug industry.

We physicians who speak out take great risks as medicine and government agencies do not like criticism. For example, Dr. Henry C. Barry of the Michigan State University College of Medicine recently stated, “The NCEP guideline and process went awry.”

Dr. Barry and 34 other experts sent a petition of protest to the National Institutes of Health  saying the evidence was weak and the panel biased because of its ties to the drug industry.

Dr. Rodney A. Hayward, Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School said, “current evidence supports ignoring LDL cholesterol altogether.”

In response, The National Cholesterol Education Program stated strongly, “Dr. Hayward should be held accountable in a court of law for doing things to kill people.”

We might expect this kind of harsh response from zealots and extremists but not from government agencies or scientists. If we spent just a fraction of the money we now do on cholesterol testing, cholesterol lowering drugs and doctors visits, on educating people about proper diet, exercise and weight loss, we’d be far healthier.

–Dr. Dwight Lundell