Customer Reviews

Before It Happens To You: A Breakthrough Program For Reversing Or Preventing Heart Disease

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I find it fascinating that two respected and reputable New York cardiologists, Peter Salgo in "The Heart of the Matter" and Jonathan Sackner Bernstein in "Before It Happens to You," have come out in the same month with books espousing the unusual, rather heretical view that most Americans, even those regarded as healthy, would benefit from taking the popular cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins. The two books differ in several ways -- Salgo also focuses on aspirin and an infection that many Americans may harbor, Bernstein on the benefits of ACE inhibitors, etc. -- and I think the Bernstein book is a little more repetitive than the Salgo book and perhaps written on a slightly more casual level. But what's remarkable, to me at least, is that these books agree on the usefulness of statins, in fact on the crucial NEED for them: that is, the need to take them NOW instead of waiting till you've suffered a heart attack (when these drugs are generally prescribed). The two physicians are bluntly dismissive of the conventional wisdom that one should attempt to control cholesterol primarily by exercising more and altering one's diet. They don't say that these are bad choices, simply that they don't help very much; exercise and diet are relatively ineffective because 80 percent of one's cholesterol level is genetically determined and is not amenable to lifestyle changes. Salgo and Bernstein are, I think, rather courageous in advocating a solution so unfashionable; indeed, they are "thinking the unthinkable" -- that there IS a sort of pharmacological "quick fix" that happens to be safe and inexpensive; that swallowing some pills every day will actually lengthen our lives; and no doubt there are many well-meaning souls who will try to shout them down. I suspect, though, having read both books and having found them both persuasive, that Americans might well live significantly longer if they followed these doctors' advice.

This is the book that the medical establishment didn't have the guts to write.

Sackner Bernstein outlines in crystal clear language how a few common, proven prescription drugs can dramatically decrease your chances of dying from a heart attack (the #1 cause of death in the USA).

This is a calm, focused, thoughtful book, with no hype, no vague promises and plenty of data. The author encourages you to share it with your doctor--the two of you should figure out if this is really for you.

Forget about Atkins. If you really and truly want to be around for your grandkid's wedding, this is the book you need to read, and you need to read it now.

Seth Godin

Thank you Dr. Sackner Bernstein for writing such a clear and concise guide to prevention of heart disease. I saw myself in the pages of this book over and over, and have made changes that will help me see my children's children. If ten stars were available, this book would deserve them. I am buying a copy for everyone I love and want to stay healthy. A masterful medical mind has developed a program that any one of us could follow.

Few books can change lives like this one will. Even fewer books can save a life. Give this as a gift to anyone who is ignoring the fact that his or her blood pressure or weight is a little high or that they have high cholesterol. This book explains it all in simple non-medical terms. The advice--if you can't successfully exercise and diet (and many of us can't), take the drugs, but don't ignore the numbers--is something to live by. One sour note--drugs can't do it all and shouldn't be expected to--there should be a more thorough explanation of how diet and exercise help or replace the need for drugs. I also wonder if the author has a large financial stock holding in drug companies.

I found this book very easy and informative reading. For those of us just starting out in the "healthy heart" investigation, it seems to be a clearly written how-to manual of an "immediately usable" alternative. I personally cannot find the time to exercise as necessary to maintain a really healthy system, and along with at least a good diet this seems like a safe program with pretty immediate benefits. The challenge will come in presenting this to my doctor, but Dr. Sackner Bernstein has anticipated this with a great section on how to discuss it with your physician and how to be firm in the face of some expected skepticism. He has either provided proven data in the book that I can show my doctor, and/or has given some sources that I plan to use to make my case. I'm looking forward to getting these test done and seeing the benefits from the program. I've already recommended the book/program to some friends and they seem to feel the same as I do.

After years of asking is my blood pressure and cholesterol okay, finally an answer and what to do about it. Like my doctor always said, we are in charge of our own health. Don't wait for the government to worry about YOU.

As the book says (not a quote) We all have heart disease by the time we are in our 40's, if not sooner. As if that is the natural state of the world and nothing can be done to prevent that.

Let's assume it's true that the drugs will prevent you from dropping dead from it as soon as you would without them. No argument with that. He supports his argument pretty well.

The one point I would argue with is the assumption that heart disease is a natural fact of life. It is not. It is the result of the way we eat and live in this culture. Read Atkins and Esselstyn Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease: The Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven, Nutrition-Based Cureabout that.

He takes a very practical approach to treating heart disease which is that most of us are unable or unwilling to eat a very low fat diet and maybe exercise. If that is you, this is probably your best shot. If you can change your diet and get out and move, do that.

This is a clearly written, thought-provoking book that makes a compelling case for the proactive use of drug therapy to ward off heart disease. Bernstein's suggestions are practical and easy to follow, right down to advice as to how to discuss these ideas with a family doctor. A must-read for everyone who isn't content with the current state of reactive, status-quo health care as managed by insurance companies!

Before It Happens To You: A Breakthrough Program For Reversing Or Preventing Heart Disease by Jonathan Sackner Bernstein (Director of Clinical Re-search and Director of the Heart Failure Prevention Program at North Shore University Hospital in New York) is a straightforward guide to working with one's doctor and making healthier lifestyle changes for one's personal needs in order to keep one's heart healthier and less susceptible to problems such as heart attack or stroke. A no-nonsense account which is especially appropriate for non-specialist general readers of all background and occupations, Before It Happens To You is exceedingly useful as a basic primer for healthy living and highly recommended for community library Health & Medicine reference collections.

This book makes it all seem so simple. Take a handful of prescription pills everyday and continue living your fast food life full of stress and everything will be okay. I took this book to my doctor and he scolded me about being taken in by something like this.

I wish what Dr. Bernstein says was true, that I could take a few pills and not have to worry, but my doctor (who I trust for years and years) told me that this was the worst kind of thing to believe - I have to get back on my excercise program, eat right and take care of myself.

He said it was sad because so many people would probably follow this advice becasue they were lazy and hoping for an easy cure and that they would pay the price (in their health and wallet) in the long run.

He told me to read "Dr. Dean Ornish's Program for Reversing Heart Disease: The Only System Scientifically Proven to Reverse Heart Disease Without Drugs or Surgery" and not to get hooked on DANGEROUS DRUGS WITH NASTY SIDE EFFECTS.

So my opinion is to skip this book and take care of yourself and don't try to find the easy way out because there really isn't one.