Ornish Diet: Making a Stand Against Heart Disease

By: Brandi Goodman

Ornish-Diet-Making-a-Stand-Against-Heart-Disease

If you want to reduce your weight or control an area of your health, you have many options among diets From which to choose. Such a menu can make it challenging to know which is best for you. The Ornish diet may not have even been on your radar; this lesser-known vegetarian diet is rarely discussed. If you’re looking to make a stand against heart disease, you may want to consider the Ornish diet and all it entails.

What is the Ornish diet?

Dr. Dean Ornish created the Ornish diet, a vegetarian diet subset, to improve heart health and reduce the risk of heart disease. The Ornish program is intended as a nine-week program to fight either coronary artery disease or Alzheimer’s disease. The focus on vitamin—and antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, lacking processed items, is said to help fight cell damage and promote overall health.

What foods are included in the Ornish diet?

The Ornish diet encourages you to eat as a lacto-ovo vegetarian. The focus is on fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and soy products. You should avoid meat but can eat eggs in a limited capacity. This diet also wants you to follow a low-fat plan, avoiding nuts and oils. It’s one of the lowest-fat diets, and you should consume less than 10 percent of your calories from fat sources. You must avoid eating all processed foods and sugary items.

Who is at risk for heart disease?

There are many people at risk for heart disease in the United States. According to the U.S. News and World Report, more than 600,000 people die from heart disease each year. It accounts for roughly 25 percent of all deaths, making it the No. 1 killer of adults.

Some of the risk factors for heart disease include:

High cholesterol
High blood pressure
Obesity
A lack of physical activity
A poor diet
Alcohol and tobacco use
A family history of heart disease
Diabetes

Individuals who have just one of these risk factors increase their chance of developing heart disease. With several of these, you have an even higher chance of experiencing serious complications related to your heart and your overall health. Do what you can to limit your risks, including following the Ornish diet.

How does the Ornish diet help with heart disease?

Heart disease is dangerous to your overall well-being. It can increase your risk of heart attacks and stroke. The plant-based nature of the diet helps tremendously with heart disease. Suppose you’re looking to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease. In that case, you need to focus on vegetables, fruits, and whole grains that work to reduce your LDL or bad cholesterol levels and boost your HDL or good cholesterol levels. The nutrients provided by this diet and the avoidance of processed junk can help reduce inflammation, a common concern for heart health. It also boosts circulation and reduces plaque buildup.

Is the Ornish diet sustainable for long-term health?

Though the Ornish diet may not be sustainable long-term for everyone, it can work well for many people. Its limiting nature may be hard to maintain, and it can be tough to stick to eating such a small fat content daily, but the healthy eating encouraged by this diet should be followed long-term, perhaps with a few changes.

Can the Ornish diet help with weight loss?

Because the Ornish diet focuses on whole foods and avoids processed sugar, it can work wonders for those who want to lose weight. The primary objective is often to boost heart health, but if weight loss is a side effect, it’s all the better. Maintaining a healthy weight is another way to improve cardiovascular and overall well-being.

What role does exercise play in the success of the Ornish diet?

Any diet alone is not enough for ultimate wellness. Pair your diet with exercise for true success and even better weight management. Getting in 30 minutes of exercise daily, at least five days per week, is necessary. These recommendations ensure you receive adequate movement each day to reduce your risk for heart disease, obesity, stroke, inflammation, poor joint health, and certain cancers, such as breast, bladder, colon, and lung cancer.

How do lifestyle and stress management play a role in the Ornish diet?

If you work on overall lifestyle changes and stress management, you'll experience even bigger health benefits. Getting adequate sleep, plenty of exercise, managing your stress levels, and avoiding alcohol and smoking can all help you feel and look your best. When paired with a healthy diet like Ornish, you have an even better chance at success and reducing your heart disease risk factors.

Risks and challenges associated with the Ornish diet

Any time you limit your eating habits, you increase your possibility of missing out on valuable nutrients your body requires. If you limit your fat intake significantly while on the Ornish diet, including healthy fats, you may experience a deficiency in fat-soluble vitamins, such as Vitamin E, A, D, and K. You may need to take a supplement or two to compensate for it. It is always best to consult your doctor before starting a new diet to ensure it is safe.

How the Ornish diet compares to other heart-healthy diets

The Ornish diet is lower in fat than many other diets. Still, it is similar in effects to the Mediterranean diet, DASH diet, paleo diet, flexitarian diet, and other heart-healthy choices. With a focus on whole foods, these diets can work wonders for your overall well-being.

How chiropractic care complements the Ornish diet in promoting overall wellness

You need more than just a diet plan to improve heart health and overall wellness. Exercise, adequate water intake, and healthy daily habits contribute to well-being. Add chiropractic adjustments to the mix as well. They can help ease stress that leads to inflammation, improve mobility so you can exercise better, enhance nervous system functioning, help regulate the heart, and help you on your overall journey to better health. As your partner in health, the Joint Chiropractic encourages you to lead a healthy life, including following a diet plan and improving your heart health.

The information, including but not limited to text, graphics, images, and other material contained on this page, is for informational purposes only. The purpose of this post is to promote broad consumer understanding and knowledge of various health topics, including but not limited to the benefits of chiropractic care, exercise, and nutrition. It is not intended to provide or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your chiropractor, physician, or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this page.