Ornish Diet: What To Know

Overview

The aim:

Variable. Can be tailored to losing weight, preventing or reversing diabetes and heart disease, lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, and preventing and treating prostate or breast cancer.

The claim:

It’s scientifically proven to make you “feel better, live longer, lose weight and gain health.”

The theory:

The more you change your diet, the more health benefits you reap. If you’re only looking to lose a few pounds, a couple of this-for-thats might do the trick. But if you want to reverse heart disease – which research shows may be possible at the rigorous end of this diet’s spectrum of choices – you’re looking at big changes. For most programs, though, you have plenty of room between all and nothing. If you indulged yesterday, make more healthful choices today; if you didn’t have time for a run yesterday, make it a must-do today. What matters most is your overall approach – if it’s doable and pleasurable over the long haul, you’ll stick with it for life.

Balanced Diet

These diets fall within accepted ranges for the amount of protein, carbs, fat and other nutrients they provide.

Pros & Cons

• Solid nutritionally
• Your heart will love you

• Staying the course could be tough if you're aiming to reverse heart disease
• Not exactly cheap