In our May episode, we marked Hypertension Awareness Month with Dr. Robert Ostfeld, a cardiologist at Montefiore Medical Center. Dr. Ostfeld shared how his patients naturally lowered their blood pressure by adopting a plant-based diet and offered tips for eating more plant-based foods. In this month’s Key Note, he explains how getting proper sleep can reduce stress hormones that contribute to high blood pressure.

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Robert Ostfeld, MD, MSc, FACC, is the Director of Preventive Cardiology at Montefiore Health System and a Professor of Medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Ostfeld treats patients with adult cardiovascular disease, including coronary artery disease, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and erectile dysfunction with a focus on prevention and treatment through lifestyle change. He works closely with his patients to help them adopt a plant-based diet.

Dr. Ostfeld received his Bachelor of Arts in the Biologic Basis of Behavior from the University of Pennsylvania, graduating Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa and his Doctor of Medicine from Yale University School of Medicine. He then did his medical internship and residency at the Massachusetts General Hospital and his Cardiology Fellowship and Research Fellowship in Preventive Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, both teaching hospitals of Harvard Medical School. During his Cardiology Fellowship, he earned a Master’s of Science in Epidemiology from the Harvard School of Public Health.

Dr. Ostfeld’s research focus is on cardiovascular disease prevention and reversal through lifestyle modification. Ongoing topics he investigates include the impact of plant-based nutrition on erectile function, coronary artery disease, angina and heart failure. His work has been published in peer-reviewed journals, books, articles, and clinical statements and has been presented nationally.

Dr. Ostfeld is board certified in Cardiovascular Disease and Echocardiography, and he is a member of numerous professional societies, including the Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine and the American College of Cardiology.