It all started with my grandmother.
At just sixty-five, his grandmother, Frances Gregor was given what felt like a death sentence by her doctors. They told her she had reached the very end of the line—no more treatments, no more hope. The weight of those words could have crushed anyone’s spirit, yet she refused to accept that her story had to end there. Through sheer determination, a healthy diet, and a mindful lifestyle, she defied all expectations and rewrote the course of her life. Against the odds, she lived for another thirty-one rich and vibrant years, cherishing every moment with her six beloved grandchildren. The woman whom doctors said had only weeks to live didn’t just survive—she thrived, reaching the remarkable age of ninety-six. Her near-miraculous recovery became a beacon of hope and inspiration, not only to the family but especially to one of her grandchildren, Michael. Witnessing her resilience sparked in him a deep passion for healing and medicine, inspiring him to dedicate his life to helping others. Today, Michael Gregor, M.D., is a respected physician, author, and international speaker, known for his work in nutrition, food safety, and public health. Thanks to the strength and spirit of his grandmother, he was gifted the irreplaceable privilege of seeing her long enough to graduate from medical school—a testament to the power of hope, health, and the bonds of family.
How did this happen?
Soon after she was discharged from the hospital to spend her last days at home, a segment aired on 60 Minutes about Nathan Pritikin, an early lifestyle medicine pioneer who had been gaining a reputation for reversing terminal heart disease. He had just opened a new center in California, and Frances, in desperation, somehow made the cross-country trek to become one of its first patients. This was a live-in program where everyone was placed on a plant-based diet and then started on a graded exercise regimen. They wheeled her in, and she walked out.
Drugs are given to try to slow the progression, and surgeries are performed to circumvent clogged arteries to try to relieve symptoms, but the disease expected to get progressive, eventually kills you. Now, however, we know that as soon as we stop eating an artery-clogging diet, our bodies can start healing themselves, in many cases opening up arteries without drugs or surgery. I don’t say this and have no medical qualification, however Michael does and this is his story.