[Tom_ZeCat]

A dear friend whom I was briefly involved with romantically has had a heart attack. It was serious enough that they air lifted her to a hospital where she underwent an angioplasty that saved her life. I talked with her on the phone. She knows I'm a vegetarian, but she had never heard of Dr. Ornish's research on reversing heart disease. She sounded interested. When I offered to send her his book, she enthusiastically said she would read it. I bought her a copy today. I'm going to send it to her on Monday, along with a couple videos, one by Dr. Ornish and another by Dr. Klaper. If you've ever seen the Dr. Klaper one, you know it's an eye opener. It's the one where he shows all the muck that builds up in arteries.

Here's the letter I wrote to Stace about this. Let me know if you think I'm introducing the materials that I'm sending in a good way.

Quote:

Hey, Stace, as promised heres the Dr. Ornish book on reversing heart disease, as well as a DVD with a couple videos on the subject, one by Ornish and another by Dr. Klaper. The one by Klaper has some disturbing parts, but its well worth watching for its valuable information.

I love all my friends whether theyre vegetarian or not. You shouldnt do a vegetarian diet because I do one or to please me. The point is to help you heal your heart disease, and the Dr. Ornish one is proven to do so. Not all vegetarian diets are ones with a lot of junk food still clog arteries, despite being vegetarian. The Dr. Ornish way has been scientifically proven over and over to both prevent and reverse heart disease. Youve got all the info you need in his book! The decision on whether to go on it is yours and yours alone.

When you read through it, you may get excited about how youre going to heal yourself. However, dont decide to do it and immediately quit taking your meds or quit going to see your cardiologist. Your doctor should still help you. If he or she is a knowledgeable cardiologist, he or she will strongly support your going on the Ornish diet. You can help yourself far more by eating this way than any doctor can help you with any treatment. However, that doesnt mean you shouldnt keep up with the doctors treatments for you. With doctor supervision over time, you should be able to get off meds and just protect yourself with the Ornish diet and exercise plan. However, it will take time. Dont put yourself at risk by instantly going of your meds.

One thing I can guarantee you is that you can find plenty of great tasting and satisfying foods that fit the Ornish plan. One of the most destructive myths is that only unhealthy food tastes good. There are recipes in the book. Ive also collected many over the years. Let me know if I can help you in any way.

Whether or not you do the Ornish diet is up to you. The point of my sending this info to you is not for me to push my ways on you. The point is to get you info that can help you and then let you decide what to do. Youre ill and Im sending this because Im concerned about you. I love you and I miss you. I hope youre able to restore your health.
Love, Tom

I hope my approach is good and not preachy or scare-based. She's very afraid right now. I'm freaking out some too because she nearly died and she's an important person to me. She lives in Colorado, where I used to live and is an amazingly talented singer and songwriter, and someone I care about deeply. I thought about including info about how some families support a person though healing their heart disease. However, I believe she can figure that out or ask further questions. I wanted to keep my remarks to the point. There's also a very good vegetarian society in Colorado, but I think I can give her that info later if she wants it.

So let me know. I intend to send the materials tomorrow afternoon (Monday).

 

[AeryFairy]

Doesn't sound at all preachy or overbearing, but it does sound a little like a sales pitch. Maybe that's just me.

 

[karenlovessnow]

I think it depends on what your relationship is now and how often you speak to her. If your conversation on the phone included other topics unrelated to her diet, then the letter sounds ok...like you are following up on a bit of information that might be helpful to her. If you do not speak to her that often and are only in contact now that she has had a heart attack, then it does seem a little over the top, and like Aery said, sales pitchy. The fact that you are asking for opinions leads me to believe it might be a bit much, otherwise, you would feel more secure in what you wrote. It is really hard to give advice when you don't know the people involved.
I do think you have, succesfully, conveyed that you care about this person...hopefully, she will take the information in the manner in which it is intended. I hope she recovers quickly!

 

[Mrs. T]

I think it sounds perfect. I wouldn't change a thing.

 

[Purp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AeryFairy

Doesn't sound at all preachy or overbearing, but it does sound a little like a sales pitch. Maybe that's just me.

I agree with AeryFairy, it does sound like you are shilling this person's book. I tend to be wary of diet books by Dr's, simply because too many are just simply, "Please pay me money so I can ruin your health" type deals (Dr. Adkins, for example). I'm sure her cardiologist(s) and other doctors and nurses will have a nutritionist who will help her with her diet. That is, they know what happened, what her eating habits are, her exercise habits are, etc. And work with that. They will also tell her to take it slowly (the way we all did when we all became veg*ans). Just be a good friend and let her know you are there, don't preach if she doesn't want or need it. Good luck to your friend.

 

[affidavit]

I think the way you talk about them, it makes the doctors sound like quacks. That's probably also part of the 'it sounds like a sales pitch' idea