Ornish Lifestyle Medicine™ transforms retired pastor's life

Complications from high blood pressure, diabetes and weight control caught up with Eldon Stoltzfus, Goshen, when he was standing in a buffet line one evening in March. He collapsed and ended up at Goshen Hospital’s Emergency Room with life-threatening heart problems.
 
Stoltzfus needed three stents to open blocked arteries and restore blood flow to his body. His Interventional Cardiologist Abdul Basit, MD, at Goshen Heart & Vascular Center also recommended cardiac rehabilitation to help lower Stoltzfus' risk for future heart problems. Unfortunately, cardiac rehabilitation had to be postponed due to COVID-19.
 
"I started out on my own at home riding a stationary bike," Stoltzfus said. "In June, I switched to riding a recumbent bike outside for an hour or more a day."
 
When cardiac rehabilitation services were resumed, Stoltzfus enrolled in Ornish Lifestyle Medicine at Goshen Heart & Vascular Center, the only facility in Indiana to offer the intensive program. For nine weeks, the program focuses on exercise, stress management, group support and nutrition to address the root causes of heart disease.
 
The nutrition component of the Ornish program incorporates a whole-food, plant-based plan abundant in nutrient-rich whole grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes and limited amounts of nuts, seeds and nonfat dairy products.
 
"This was a major lifestyle change for me," said the retired pastor and former chaplain at Goshen Hospice. "I was a kid on a farm, and meat was part of every meal of the day."
 
To help Ornish participants succeed, spouses are invited to attend the sessions on nutrition and food preparation. Rachel Stoltzfus noted that their years of living in Haiti on a diet rich in rice and beans helped them make the transition to meat-free eating. In addition to enjoying sharing recipes with their friends who follow a plant-based diet, Rachel has noticed her blood pressure is now within the normal range.
 
In addition to the change in diet and exercise, Stoltzfus now practices yoga for an hour every day to help manage stress.
 
Five weeks into the program, Stoltzfus feels his whole life has improved. And his numbers back up this improvement: his total cholesterol went from 147 to 94; his triglycerides dropped from 111 to 51; and his heart ejection fraction (which measures the percent of blood being pumped out with each contraction) went from 25 to 60 percent. He's lost 10 pounds and knows he'll lose more. His blood sugar level dropped to its lowest in over a decade. With his blood pressure in the normal range, Stoltzfus hopes his doctors will agree to cut back his medication eventually.
 
Now when people ask about his health, Stoltzfus is quick to praise the holistic approach and the team effort that are hallmarks of the Ornish program.
 
"I had a lot of anxiety in May and June," Stoltzfus said. "This program has made me feel more positive, more resilient and more clear-headed."