The Dean Ornish Diet

The Dean Ornish Diet The # 1 Rated Heart-Healthy Diet by US News & World Report 2013 What? Dr. Dean Ornish is a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, founder of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sauslito, California, and a well-known pioneer whose years of research trials demonstrated that a low-fat, low-sodium, vegetarian diet (similar to the TLC, DASH, Volumetrics diets), and healthy lifestyle changes could reverse heart disease. He is also an author of several books, including the most recent The Spectrum, which is a diet and lifestyle program that can be individualized to suit most people. For instance, the book was designed so plans can be personalized to your own genes, needs, and preferences, for example losing weight, preventing or reversing: diabetes, heart disease; and preventing and treating prostate or breast cancer. The diet also allows for restrictions and preferences, including: vegetarian/vegan, gluten-free, low-salt, Kosher, and Halal. The Spectrum has no rules, no forbidden foods, and no guilt; it is just a guideline for determining where you fall on a continuum, and encouragement towards making healthy lifestyle changes. This program has been scientifically proven that the degree that you move in a healthful direction along this spectrum, you re likely to look better, feel better, lose weight and gain health. Dr. Ornish recognizes that pleasure works as a better motivator than guilt, and therefore, this program thrives off of the joy from feeling and looking better and not on the fear of dying. How? Ornish is best known for his plan to reverse heart disease. Ornish and a team of researchers were first to demonstrate that heart disease can be reversed without the use of drugs or surgery, but through a healthy diet and lifestyle changes alone. Based on his findings in all his 35 years of research, the more people changed their diet and lifestyle, the more their health improved. So instead of saying eat this and not that, he categorized foods on a spectrum from most healthful (Group 1) to the least healthful (Group 5). Most healthful foods include vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, and soy products; whereas least healthful foods include red meat, deep-fried foods and sources of Trans fats (egg yolks, hot dogs, butter, cream). Nutrition Utilizing Dean Ornish s, The Spectrum, you find yourself on the nutrition spectrum based on the foods you tend to eat most often. Then, decide based on your preferences, as well as your health needs, how motivated and willing you are to move towards the more healthful (Groups 1-3) options. Nutrition Guidelines for Reversing Heart Disease: Calories unrestricted UNLESS weight loss is desired

o Small frequent meals spread throughout the day helps to avoid hunger and keep energy levels constant. o Portion control helps in achieving & maintaining a healthy weight & controlling blood sugars. Less than or equivalent to10% of calories from fat and very little to none saturated fat Most foods without any cholesterol or refined carbohydrates, oils, excessive caffeine o Less than or equivalent to 10 mg cholesterol per day o Simple carbohydrates (sugar & white flour) are low in fiber and provide calories that don t fill us up; they are absorbed quickly, causing blood sugars to spike and insulin surges that may cause weight gain o Refined carbohydrates are deprived of many vitamins, minerals, & health promoting phytochemicals Nearly ALL animal products banned (Meat, poultry, fish) o Except: egg whites and no more than two servings of nonfat yogurt/milk per day o Red meat is rich in artery-clogging saturated fat Emphasis is on fiber and complex carbohydrates o Whole grains, fruits, vegetables keeps us full longer Sugar permitted to no more than 2 servings/day (including nonfat sweets) o 1 T or 12 grams of sugar Moderate salt use (< 2,300 mg), unless medically indicated otherwise Allowance up to 2 ounces alcohol per day but NOT encouraged o 1 drink = 12 ounce beer, 5 ounces wine, 1.5 ounces liquor o Women < 1 drink; men < 2 drinks Recommends a low dose multivitamin & mineral supplement with vitamin B12; omega 3 (fish oil) supplement, and possibly calcium and/or vitamin D. *This diet regimen combined with social support, stress-management techniques, moderate exercise, smoking cessation formed the basis of Ornish s famous 1990 s heart-healthy reversal experimental trials. Nutrition Guidelines for Preventing Heart Disease: Includes the above guidelines and Higher fat-foods (nuts, avocados, plant oils low in saturated fat & rich in omega 3 fatty acids canola oil can be added OCASSIONALLY Fish can be enjoyed in small amounts: salmon, mackerel, halibut, for example. Or one can consume fish oil (omega-3) capsules, as omega-3 fatty acids decrease cardiac death, lower triglycerides, lowers risk of some cancers for instance. Nonfat dairy products & egg whites can be included Lean poultry can be added OCCASIONALLY IF a vegetarian diet is not acceptable.

Unlike other diets that focus just on food and nutrition, the Ornish program emphasizes the importance of social support, stress-management, and moderate exercise, in addition to food and nutrition as a guide toward achieving any goal (from weight loss to preventing or reversing chronic diseases). Social Support: enjoy being with friends & family and lean on them for your support in making these lifestyle & diet changes Stress Management: Deep breathing, meditation, & yoga emphasized Exercise: Aerobic activity, resistance training, & flexibility highly encouraged Benefits to CVD Prevention & Risk Reversal Clinically shown to reverse artery blockage Lowers blood pressure Lowers both total cholesterol & LDL, bad cholesterol Lowers triglycerides Can prevent or help to control Diabetes May promote weight-loss *Bonus: May prevent & treat prostate and breast cancers

Dinner Snack Lunch Breakfast Meal Spectrum Heat Disease PREVENTION Sample Meal 2 Egg White Vegetable Scramble 1/3 C. Each Blueberries, Strawberries, Raspberries Spectrum REVERSING Heart-Disease Sample Meal 1 ¾ Egg White Zucchini Frittata 1/3 C. Each Blueberries, Strawberries, Blackberries Nutritional Content of the Reversing Heart Disease Sample Calories Prevention Diet 1,875 Reversing Diet 1,850 Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 Recommendations Women Age Kcals 21-25 2,000 26-50 1,800 51 + 1,600 Fat 16% 11% 20-35% ½ C. Nonfat Milk ½ C. Nonfat Milk Saturated Fat 2% 1.5% Less than 10% 1 Slice Whole 1 Slice Whole Trans Fat 0% 0% N/A Grain Bread Grain Bread 1 C. Tea or Decaf Total Coffee 60% 71% 45-65% Carbohydrate 1-1/4 C. Roasted Tomato Soup 2-1/2 C. Asian Noodle Salad topped w/ 5 Grilled Shrimp 1 Slice Whole Wheat Peach Griddle Cake 2/3 oz. Dark Chocolate 1-7/8 C. Mango Beet Salad 1-7/8 C. Vegetarian Chili 1 Slice Corn Bread 3 Apricots 6 Whole Wheat Pita Bread Wedges 10 Raw Almonds ½ C. Red Grapes w/ ½ C. Plain Nonfat Yogurt 3 oz. Wild Salmon w/ 1-1/2 C. Sweet Corn, Black Bean, & Tomato Salad 1-1/4 C. Butter Lettuce/Pear Salad w/ Honey- Infused Vinaigrette Sugars 4% (Added only) 4% (Added only) Fiber 56 g 44 g Women Age Fiber 19-30 28 31-50 25 51 + 22 N/A Protein 24% 18% 10-35% 5/8 C. Green Pea Guacamole Sodium 2,232 mg 1, 621 mg Men Age Kcals 21-40 2,400 41-60 2,200 61 + 2,000 Men Age Fiber 19-30 34 31-50 31 51 + 28 Less than 2,300 mg; Below 1,500 mg for ages 51 + Potassium 4,703 mg 5,243 mg At least 4,700 mg Calcium 1,026 mg 1,110 mg Age 19-50 51 + 1-7/8 C. Fennel & Arugula Salad w/ Fig Vinaigrette Vitamin B 12 8.54 mcg 2.6 mcg 2.4 mcg 2 C. Whole Wheat Penne Pasta w/ Roasted Vegetables Vitamin D 14.7 mcg 15.3 mcg 15 mcg Calcium 1,000 mg 1,200 mg 5/8 C. Peach Bread Pudding 1 Glass of Wine or Sparkling Water 2-1/3 C. Fruit & Yogurt Trifle 1 Glass of Wine OR Sparkling Water *C= cup, w/= with, kcals= calories, g=grams, mg=milligrams, mcg=micrograms This balanced, sound menu promotes heart health ONLY IF the diet s rules are followed! Table adapted from http://health.usnews.com/best-diet/ornish-diet/menu Cons Difficult to stick with the diet o Rated #23 out of 29 diets as easiest diet to follow

o Hard to stick with diet that restricts to 10% of daily calories from fat Must follow a rigorous version of the diet plan to actually reverse heart disease The sound, balanced menus promote heart health ONLY IF the diet rules are followed precisely Weight-loss is likely IF a menu filled with foods from the healthiest 3 nutrition groups, which emphasize fresh produce, whole grains, & fish; AND IF you are exercising regularly Expensive o Fresh produce, whole grains, & fish o The Spectrum program guide $27 Inconvenient o Time consuming Requires you to follow recipes and make all foods Abundant amount of recipes to read through and choose from o Sometimes difficult to find restaurants that will cater to special requests Key Points Having a social support system can powerfully and positively impact your health If you indulged yesterday, make more healthy choices today If you didn t have time to run yesterday, make it a must-do today It s not all or nothing, it s about choosing smaller portions, eating in moderation, and choosing foods on the healthier end of the spectrum (Groups 1-3) o For example: if you are going to eat more indulgent (Group 4-5) foods, have them with healthier ones & eat the healthier ones first Your overall approach is what matters most; only you can decide what s right for you; only then is it sustainable o How much you want to change is up to you o You decide what & how much you do of exercise & stress management techniques o Find a combination that works for you References: http://health.usnews.com/best-diet/ornish-diet http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/06/ornish-diet-heart-health-us-news_n_1188205.html http://www.ornishspectrum.com/proven-program/nutrition/