by Frank Grillo
The Shock: When a Cyclist Hit a Wall at 99%
I’ve always defined myself by endurance. As a dedicated cyclist,
training and racing were non-negotiable parts of my life. I had
trained my heart to be a machine, pushing it to its limits for
decades.
So, when my performance started to drop 11 years ago—when I
was 52—I was confused. I was getting progressively slower, and
eventually, I couldn’t keep up with my friends on a simple group
ride. I chalked it up to age.
The truth was far more shocking.
After a series of tests, the diagnosis hit me like a sprint finish:
Severe Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). Despite my fitness, my
family history of heart disease had caught up to me. My main
coronary arteries were severely clogged:
● A 99% blockage in the Left Anterior Descending (LAD)
artery (the “widow-maker”).
● A 70% blockage in the Right Coronary Artery (RCA).
● An 80% blockage in the Left Circumflex Artery (LCA).
My heart, the engine I relied on, was suffocating. I immediately
received four stents in my LAD artery. But the other two major
blockages remained, and I was told I needed to return in three
months for more surgery on the RCA and LCA.
- The Invisible Hero: My Heart’s Natural Bypass
Faced with the prospect of lifelong interventions, my cardiologist
gave me a critical piece of information.
“Collateral circulation probably saved your life.”
That’s what my cardiologist told me. I learned that the
human heart has an innate backup plan. When a main
coronary artery slowly clogs, the heart can grow or
enlarge existing, tiny blood vessels (collateral vessels) to
create alternate routes for blood. It’s a natural bypass.
Think of it like this: My main highways (coronary arteries) were
completely blocked. But thanks to this natural process, my heart
paved brand new side streets and back roads, eventually
widening them to handle heavy traffic and deliver life-giving blood
to the muscle beyond the clogs.
I realized my body was already trying to save me. My job was to
give it the tools and signals to complete the work. - The Power Switch: Switching to Whole Food, Plant-Based
My diet prior to the diagnosis wasn’t overtly “bad,” but it was a
pretty typical American diet, which contained enough animal
products, dairy, and processed fats to fuel the progression of my
disease.
To achieve true healing, I needed a complete overhaul. I
immediately committed myself to a Whole Food, Plant-Based
(WFPB) diet, following the principles of Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn
and Forks Over Knives.
This wasn’t just a diet change; it was medicine. While exercise
is the signal for new paths to grow, the WFPB diet became the
foundation that made healing possible. It did two crucial things:
- Stopped the Damage: It eliminated the source of
cholesterol and inflammatory fats that were actively clogging
my arteries. - Healed the Vessels: It provided the nutrients needed to
repair the delicate inner lining of the arteries, allowing the
vessels to be responsive to the body’s healing signals.
Me, nine months before (2014) my 4 stents at 178lbs. (with Bob Roll!)
The Menu: Before and After the Reversal
The change wasn’t about deprivation; it was about replacing disease-promoting foods with healing ones. The difference was stark:
The proof: Three months later.
Three months later, I returned for the scheduled stenting of the
RCA and LCA.
After they performed the angiogram, the surgical team told me
something astonishing: I did not need the stents. My heart had
already begun to heal itself. The severe blockages were no longer
an immediate threat, thanks to my body’s rapid repair and the
likely development of new blood flow paths—all spurred by just
90 days of dedicated nutrition.
This immediate, dramatic success was the motivation I needed to
commit to this plan for life.
Exercise: Reinforcing the New Roads
With my arteries no longer being actively damaged by food, my
lifelong endurance exercise could finally work as a therapeutic
tool.
I kept cycling and training, knowing that every pedal stroke was
an active investment: the physical stress of riding generates the
necessary force to push blood and expand the new blood paths,
reinforcing my natural bypass. My heart—now nourished and
repaired by a WFPB diet—could properly respond to the demands
of cycling by creating and maintaining its invisible repair network.
Me, After at 148 lbs! I am climbing a lot faster now! (With my better half, Karen!)
The Results: 11 Years Later, My Heart is Rebuilt
Fast forward 11 years. I am 63, still training, still riding my bicycle,
and feeling better than I did in my 40s. I have climbed some of the
highest mountains in the Alps, and just eight months post-op, I
completed a self-supported bikepack from Buffalo to NYC in five
days.
Two weeks ago, I went in for a nuclear stress test—my personal
check-up on whether this demanding lifestyle truly worked. The
results were astounding:
● I lasted 15 minutes on the treadmill, hitting 15 METS (a
measure of energy expenditure), with a max heart rate of
165 BPM.
● The tests showed no evidence of significant heart
blockage.
● My overall heart function is completely normal, and my left
ventricle is functioning exceptionally well.
The conclusion is clear: The combination of dedicated endurance
training and a radical dietary shift not only prevented further blockages but stimulated my body to reverse the severe blockages. My heart has not just recovered; it has rebuilt itself.
Key Takeaways for Heart Health
● Heart Disease is Not Always a Dead End: Your body
possesses an incredible, innate healing ability called
collateral circulation—the creation of natural bypasses
around blockages.
● Exercise is the Builder: Consistent endurance exercise
(like cycling, running, or brisk walking) generates the
necessary blood flow and pressure (shear stress) to signal
your heart to actively grow and enlarge these collateral
vessels.
● Diet is the Foundation: A whole-food, plant-based diet is
crucial. It halts the progression of the disease and repairs
the inner lining of your arteries (the endothelium), allowing
your vessels to be responsive to the growth signals from
exercise.
● Proof is Possible: Never underestimate the speed of your
body’s response. Dramatic healing can begin in as little as
three months when you commit fully to the right lifestyle
changes.
● This is not an Easy Transformation: But it is possible.
Dedication to the process and a lifelong commitment to food
also has other benefits. You will feel great, sleep and
recover better. It also sets you up to recover better and
faster from all illness that will inevitably come up in your life.
About the Author
Frank Grillo is a dedicated endurance athlete and cyclist who
refused to let a severe diagnosis of Coronary Artery Disease
define his future. After undergoing stenting for a 99% blockage,
he adopted a whole-food, plant-based diet and maintained a
rigorous training schedule.
His post-surgical achievements include climbing some of the
highest mountains in the Alps, bikepacking through Spain in 2023,
and just eight months after his initial procedure, he
completed a self-supported bikepack from Buffalo to NYC,
430 miles, in five days. Eleven years later, he continues to train and ride at a high level at 63, demonstrating the profound, life-saving power of lifestyle intervention in heart health. He hopes his story inspires others to explore the heart’s incredible capacity for self-repair.