About Us
Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr.
Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., received his B.A. from Yale University and his M.D. from Western Reserve University. In 1956, pulling the No. 6 oar as a member of the victorious United States rowing team, he was awarded a gold medal at the Olympic Games. He was trained as a surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic and at St. George’s Hospital in London. In 1968, as an Army surgeon in Vietnam, he was awarded the Bronze Star.
​
Dr. Esselstyn has been associated with the Cleveland Clinic since 1968. In 1991, he organized the first National Conference on the Elimination of Coronary Artery Disease, which was held in Tucson, Arizona. In 1997, he chaired a follow-up conference, the Summit on Cholesterol and Coronary Disease, which brought together more than 500 physicians and health-care workers in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. In April, 2005, Dr. Esselstyn became the first recipient of the Benjamin Spock Award for Compassion in Medicine.
​
He received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Cleveland Clinic Alumni Association in 2009. Dr. Esselstyn has also received the 2015 Plantrician Project Luminary Award, the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine 2016 Distinguished Alumni Award, and the American College of Lifestyle Medicine 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award.
His scientific publications number over 150. In 1995 he published his bench mark long-term nutritional research arresting and reversing coronary artery disease in severely ill patients. That same study was updated at 12 years and reviewed beyond twenty years in his book, Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease, making it one of the longest longitudinal studies of its type. In July of 2014 he reported the experience of 198 participants seriously ill with cardiovascular disease. During 3.7 years of follow up of the 89% adherent to the program, 99.4% avoided further major cardiac events. Dr. Esselstyn presently directs the cardiovascular prevention and reversal program at The Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute.
Dr. McKinney grew up in rural Nebraska and attended Doane College where she was an Academic All-American in Track and Field as a heptathlete. She attended the University of Nebraska College of Medicine and completed her residency and fellowship training at the University of California-Irvine.
​
Dr. McKinney is a triple board-certified physician in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery and Lifestyle Medicine who is also certified in Herbal Medicine and Cannabinoid Medicine. She is both a Fellow and a member of the Board of Directors of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and is a Certified Physician Executive, authoring multiple textbook chapters and papers on the subjects of Lifestyle Medicine and Planetary Health.
Dr. McKinney founded the Institute for Human and Planetary Health at Doane University to improve both human and planetary by harnessing the power of plants, grown sustainably, for both medicine and food as a way to prevent and reverse disease.
Dr. Alex Renshaw
Dr. Renshaw grew up in the heart of Nebraska and went on to play college football at the University of Wyoming. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Doane University. Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine is where his passion really grew to become an orthopedic surgeon. After completing his five year residency in Orthopedic Surgery in Columbus, OH, he decided he wanted to specialize in arthroscopic and reconstructive surgery of the shoulder and elbow with a sports focus. While completing his shoulder and elbow fellowship in Dallas, Texas, he was able to care for the Dallas Mavericks and athletes from Southern Methodist University.
Given Dr. Renshaw's extensive knowledge of the human musculoskeletal system, he firmly believes a plant strong diet is essential to the human body. From better post-operative outcomes, to maintaining better physical conditioning, Dr. Alex believes the key to a long life is based on diet and lifestyle. Dr. Alex incorporates a plant strong diet into his and his family’s own life!
Dr. Renshaw is a member of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, American Osteopathic Association, and the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.
Dr. Jenna Renshaw
Dr. Renshaw grew up in Wyoming and graduated from Doane University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. She knew from a very young age she wanted to be a dentist. She attended Creighton University School of Dentistry to obtain her Doctor of Dental Surgery where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. She practices general dentistry while making wonderful plant strong meals for her family and friends. She firmly believes a plant strong diet benefits your entire body including your entire mouth! She has witnessed the amazing benefits on her own children. Her goal is to educate more people and take the 'work' out of meal planning a plant strong diet!
Dr. Renshaw is a member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, is mom of 3 girls and a great whole-foods, plant-based cook!
See Dr. McKinney in Eating You Alive
See Dr. Esselstyn in Forks Over Knives