Bill Clinton on Heart-Healthy Eating: No Meat, No Milk, No Eggs

Looking back at his days in the White House, former President Bill Clinton is remembered for many things—his love of hamburgers and donuts being one of them.  Fast forward to 2011. In a one-hour special that aired on CNN, Clinton talks with Dr. Sanjay Gupta about his dietary transformation to vegan eating, explaining: “I like the vegetables, the fruits, the beans, the stuff I eat now.”

With a family history of heart disease and after two invasive heart surgeries, Clinton drastically revamped his diet in an effort to heal himself. His decision stems from guidance offered by Dr. Dean Ornish and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, both of whom have conducted extensive research and concluded that a plant-based diet can prevent, and in many cases actually reverse, heart disease.

Bill Clinton Promotes Healthier Lifestyle

As the saying goes, an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Since adopting a nearly all-vegan diet, Clinton says he has lost more than 20 pounds, feels healthier than ever and has more energy. In fact, the far-reaching health effects of our dietary choices have had such a profound impact on Clinton that the Clinton Foundation is now teaming up with the American Heart Association to encourage students in more than 12,000 schools to eat healthier and exercise more — two important steps each of us can take to help prevent various ailments.

For more information about heart-healthy foods including free recipes, visit TryVeg.com.