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Eat More and Lose Weight with the Ornish Diet :
In 1993, Dr. Dean Ornish
came out with a book entitled Eat More, Weigh Less. The primary focus
of the book was to urge people to boost their consumption of whole
grains, fruits, and vegetables while decreasing their consumption
of fat. Ornish subsequently made headlines by becoming a dietary consultant
to McDonald’s, helping the hamburger giant to develop the fruit
and walnut salad which now appears on the restaurant’s re-vamped
menu.
Ornish’s work began in 1977 when he was studying ways to combat
heart attacks. He hypothesized that heart disease could be successfully
treated by cutting the fat in a patient’s diet, as well as reducing
the amount of unrefined carbohydrates he or she consumes. During his
research, he noticed that his patients lost about 25 pounds each and
managed to maintain the weight loss for five years.
Ornish offers two different diets, the Reversal Diet and the Prevention
Diet. Those who suffer from heart disease and who are trying to decrease
their risk of another heart attack would conceivably benefit from
the Reversal Diet, while the Prevention Diet is designed for people
who have high cholesterol levels, but who have not developed heart
disease. Both versions are vegetarian, consisting of 10 percent fat,
20 percent protein, and 70 percent carbohydrates.
If you decide to follow the Ornish diet, you will be eating a great
deal of fiber, little fat, and a great deal of vegetables. Under the
Cornish program, you can eat as many beans, fruits, grains, and vegetables
as you want. However, non-fat dairy products such as milk, cheese,
and yogurt should be eaten sparingly. The same holds true for fat-free
desserts and yogurt bars.
Still, under the Ornish plan, you will be giving up a great deal.
For instance, you will not be permitted to eat meat of any kind, including
fish and chicken. You must also pass up oils, avocados, olives, nuts,
sugar, and anything that consists of more than two grams of fat for
each serving. The diet also forbids the consumption of alcohol. The
doctor recommends eating a number of small meals so that you will
feel hungry less often. Following this plan, less than ten percent
of your calories should come from fat.
Ornish recommends at least 30 minutes of exercise each day, or an
hour of exercise three times each week. He also encourages some type
of stress management, such as meditation, massage, or yoga. Why? In
his book, Ornish writes, “When your soul is fed, you have less
need to overeat. When you directly experience the fullness of life,
then you have less need to fill the void with food.”
Supporters of the Ornish plan are enthusiastic about its effect on
the body. It can successfully combat heart disease, prevent cancer,
alleviate the symptoms of diabetes, and help stabilize high blood
pressure. In fact, one doctor has said that the Ornish program succeeds
because it has a clear scientific basis. Also, the diet is convenient
to follow because it does not involve counting calories.
The major disadvantage of the Ornish plan is that it is highly restrictive.
This can make it difficult to stay with over the long haul. A number
of dieters may be uncomfortable eating food that is so low-fat. The
diet also represents a radical change from the typical American meat-and-potatoes
fare.
In addition, Ornish fails to recognize that some types of fats are
actually good for one’s health. For instance, monounsaturated
and polyunsaturated oils can protect against heart disease. Therefore,
Ornish’s prohibitions against fish and nut consumption would
seem to be counter-productive.
Is the Ornish diet worth the trouble? If you must not only manage
your weight but struggle with heart disease as well, it might be just
the diet you need. Also, if you have medical reasons for losing weight,
the program is certainly one you should consider. However, if you
have difficulty sticking with specific menus—and you love meat—the
Ornish diet may be too hard to deal with. When you decide to undertake
the Ornish diet, you are making a commitment to vegetarianism. The
diet provides you with less protein than the typical diet, which could
sap your energy. Thus, a good rule of thumb is to discuss the plan
with your family physician to determine if it’s appropriate
for your case.
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