Caldwell Esselstyn

Caldwell Blakeman Esselstyn Jr. (born December 12, 1933)[1] is an American physician, author and former Olympic rowing champion.

Caldwell Esselstyn
Esselstyn in May 2019
Born (1933-12-12) December 12, 1933
New York City
NationalityAmerican
Alma materYale University (AB, 1956)
Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine (MD, 1961)[1]
Known forForks Over Knives
Spouse(s)Ann
ChildrenRip, Jane, Zeb, and Ted[2][3]
AwardsGold Medal, 1956 Olympic Games – Men's eight
Scientific career
FieldsCardiology
Plant-based diet
InstitutionsCleveland Clinic
Websitewww.dresselstyn.com
Caldwell Esselstyn
Medal record
Men's rowing
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
1956 MelbourneMen's eight

Esselstyn is the author of Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease (2007), in which he argued for a low-fat, whole foods, plant-based diet that avoids all animal products and oils, as well as reducing or avoiding soybeans, nuts and avocados. The diet has been advocated by former U.S. President Bill Clinton.

Background

Esselstyn was born in New York City in 1933.[1] He graduated from Yale University in 1956[4] where he was a member of Skull and Bones.[5] He also competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, winning a gold medal in the "eights" as a member of the American team.[6]

Esselstyn received his M.D. from the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in 1961. During this time he met and married Ann Crile, the granddaughter of George Washington Crile, founder of the Cleveland Clinic.[7] Esselstyn was an intern (1961–62) and resident (1962–66) at that clinic.[1] In 1968 he completed a tour as an Army surgeon in Vietnam where he was awarded the Bronze Star.[1] Upon his return he rejoined the clinic and has served as the President of the Staff and as a member of its Board of Governors. He served as the President of the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons in 1991. In 2000 he gave up his post at the Cleveland Clinic.[8]

Esselstyn has served as a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of Nutrition Action magazine, published by the Center for Science in the Public Interest.[9] Esselstyn is also on the advisory board of Naked Food Magazine, for which he is also a regular contributor of articles espousing a plant-based diet.

Diet work

Esselstyn promotes his diet with claims it can prevent coronary disease and cardiovascular disease. The diet excludes all animal products and oils and recommends foods such as fruits, vegetables, pasta, and especially cruciferous vegetables.[10]

His work received media attention when former U.S. President Bill Clinton cited it, along with work by Dean Ornish and The China Study as the basis for his change of diet in 2010[11] and yet more in late 2011 when Clinton discussed his diet with CNN and other media outlets.[12]

Esselstyn was also one of the doctors featured in the 2011 documentary, Forks Over Knives.[13]

With regard to Esselstyn's claims, Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association, said: "Diet alone is not going to be the reason that heart attacks are eliminated."[14]

Harriet A. Hall has written that the claims made by Esselstyn are misleading and that the evidence on which it is based is "pretty skimpy".[10] Steven Nissen of the Cleveland Clinic said that his claims are unproven because there isn't data from rigorous clinical trials to support them.[8]

Awards

In 2005 Esselstyn received the Benjamin Spock Award for Compassion in Medicine (he was the award's first recipient), and in 2009 the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Cleveland Clinic Alumni Association. In 2010 he received the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame Award.[7]

Bibliography
  • Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease: The Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven, Nutrition-Based Cure. Penguin, 2007 ISBN 978-1-101-21583-8

References
  1. Curriculum Vitae
  2. "Meet the Esselstyn Family" by Gretchen Schisla
  3. Esselstyn, A. The Daily Beet: An Answers Some Questions. 04 November 2016
  4. "Official Website: Biography". Archived from the original on August 23, 2012. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
  5. "C. B. Esselstyn Jr. Fiance of Ann Crile". The New York Times. May 1, 1961. p. 33.
  6. "1956 Summer Olympics – Melbourne, Australia – Rowing" Archived December 8, 2007, at the Wayback Machine (Retrieved on May 15, 2008)
  7. "About Dr. Esselstyn". heartattackproof.com. Archived from the original on May 11, 2012.
  8. Harlan Spector for the Cleveland Plain DealerJune 09, 2008 Ex-surgeon Caldwell Esselstyn Jr. espouses a noninvasive cure for heart disease Archived May 7, 2016, at the Wayback Machine
  9. "Scientific Advisory Board" (PDF). Nutrition Action. Center for Science in the Public Interest. January 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 19, 2010. Retrieved January 26, 2011.
  10. Hall HA (November 23, 2010). "Bill Clinton's Diet". Science-Based Medicine.
  11. Philip Sherwell for The Telegraph. October 3, 2010 Bill Clinton's new diet: nothing but beans, vegetables and fruit to combat heart disease
  12. David S. Martin, CNN August 18, 2011 From omnivore to vegan: The dietary education of Bill Clinton
  13. Angela Hickman (May 16, 2011). "The food revolution of Forks Over Knives will not be processed". National Post. Archived from the original on June 29, 2013. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
  14. David S. Martin, "The 'heart attack proof' diet?", CNN, November 25, 2011.
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