The McDougall Program for a Healthy Heart: A Life-Saving Approach to Preventing and Treating Heart Disease

by John A. McDougall

Designed to produce dramatic health improvement in two months, a healthy eating program focuses on helping those who have already had, or are in danger of having a heart attack, but is also useful as a guide to the prevention of coronary disease. Reprint.

Genres: Health, Self Help

Paperback

First published February 1, 1996

About the author

John A. McDougall was an American physician, author, and advocate of low-fat, plant-based nutrition. After surviving a stroke at 18, he pursued medicine, ultimately creating the McDougall Program, a starch-based vegan diet aimed at preventing and reversing chronic disease. His bestseller The McDougall Plan popularized his nutritional philosophy, emphasizing unprocessed starches, vegetables, and fruit while eliminating all animal products, oils, and processed foods. Over his career, McDougall published multiple books, sold more than 1.5 million copies, and co-founded Dr. McDougall's Right Foods.
McDougall ran a 10-day residential health program in California and appeared frequently in media to promote dietary change. He also served on the advisory board of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and was a plaintiff in a lawsuit challenging federal cholesterol guidelines. In 2018, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.
Though praised by supporters for his unwavering commitment to diet-based healing, McDougall also faced criticism for promoting what some experts labeled as a restrictive “fad diet.” Concerns included potential nutritional deficiencies and the exclusion of entire food groups like nuts and oils. Nonetheless, studies reported health improvements among adherents, and the American Heart Association acknowledged partial alignment with its dietary guidelines.
McDougall's work significantly influenced the plant-based movement and helped reshape public understanding of nutrition’s role in health. Despite controversy, his emphasis on whole foods and dietary simplicity made lasting contributions to preventive medicine and lifestyle change.

Reviews

[Christie · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was diagnosed with high cholesterol a few years ago, I was already vegetarian and my dr said that giving up dairy and eggs would only lead to a 10% reduction in my levels so why both? Unfortunately (or fortunately, as the case may be), Dr McDougall has a completely different opinion. He has stopped the progression of and reversed heart disease completely by having his clients adapt a whole foods, plant-based diet. Clogged arteries have become less clogged or completely unclogged. Cholesterol numbers have dropped to less than 150 from numbers in the 200's and 300's. I am going to try this out and see if I can prevent future heart disease and get my number down below the magic 150 (he says if you have your total cholesterol below 150 you will not get heart disease).

[Ashley Hooker]

Now that I have won over my husbands heart - I want to save it!

[Adrienne Carmichael · Rating 5 out of 5]

John McDougall is with PCRM and the one to read for heart-healthy eating.