I have one question for you, are you familiar with the work of Dr Dean Ornish and are his claims on diet credible? And if they are reasonable, then his claims should be shared more widely in this time of crisis. 

He claims that changing your diet can slow down or even stop the progression and reverse the following conditions in most cases.

Type 2 diabetes, 

Heart disease,

Obesity,

High blood pressure,

Early-stage prostate cancer,

If you are on medication to control your blood pressure, diabetes or other diseases, you may need to stop or reduce your medication, so it is vital to consult your doctor if you start eating more healthy to see if you need to reduce your medication.

Can you really reduce or get off your medication for many of the top diseases? Is this a credible claim?

Whom can you trust to give you accurate nutritional advice for you and your family?

 Often people seek advice from their doctor and or their dietician; however, dieticians and doctors often give entirely different information, sometimes within the same practice, that often conflicts with their own published guidelines and scientific studies.

A growing number of experts say that heart disease/heart attacks are almost entirely preventable, and heart disease can be reversed in most cases by eating a low-fat plant-based diet. 

I could pick several people whom I think are credible, but one person who stands out as a source of credible information on diet and lifestyle is Dr Dean Ornish.

Can you trust him as a source of information regarding your health? If you follow his advice, he claims that you can be almost guaranteed not to get a heart attack and at the same time reduce your risk of some cancers and perhaps reverse or slow down the progression of your already established heart disease, certain cancers, and type 2 diabetes.

If you don’t know who Dean Ornish is, here is some information about him.

His research and writings have been published in the leading peer-reviewed medical journals, including the Journal of the American Medical Association, Lancet, and New England Journal of Medicine. His work has been featured in all major media, including cover stories in Newsweek, Time, and U.S. News & World Report.

 He has received numerous awards, including the 1994 Outstanding Young Alumnus Award from the University of Texas, Austin; the National Public Health Hero Award from the University of California, Berkeley; a U.S. Surgeon General Citation; a Presidential Citation from the American Psychological Association; the Plantrician Project Luminary Award; and the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, which deemed him the “father of lifestyle medicine.”

    Dr Ornish’s TED talks have been viewed by more than 7 million people. He has written a monthly column for Time, Newsweek, and Reader’s Digest magazines, is a LinkedIn Influencer, was the medical editor for the Huffington Post (2009–2016), and co-chaired Google Health with Marissa Mayer (2007–2009).

    He was appointed by President Clinton to the White House Commission on the Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy and by President Obama to the White House Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health.

    The “Ornish diet” has been rated “#1 for Heart Health” by U.S. News & World Report every year from 2011 through 2017. The author of six books, all national bestsellers, Dr. Ornish was recognized as “one of the 125 most extraordinary University of Texas alumni in the past 125 years”; by Time magazine as a “Time 100 Innovator”; by Life magazine as “one of the fifty most influential members of his generation”; and by People magazine as “one of the world’s seven most powerful teachers.”

So that is a brief introduction to Doctor Dean Ornish and what he has been doing over the last 40 years. I found this impressive. What was even more impressive was the list of people who have endorsed his latest book titled UNDO IT.

Here are some of the endorsements to Dean Ornish latest book, UNDO IT. They include 15 Medical doctors 2 of which were surgeon generals in the US , From Eric Schmidt, CEO, Google/Alphabet to a professor of genetics at Harvard Medical School, 

        “If you want to see what medicine will be like ten years from now, read this book today.”

     —Rita F. Redberg, M.D., editor in chief, JAMA Internal Medicine

     “The Ornishes’ work is elegant and simple and deserving of a Nobel Prize since it can change the world!”

     —Richard Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.S., seventeenth Surgeon General of the United States, distinguished professor, University of Arizona

     “This is one of the most important books on health ever written.”

     —John Mackey, CEO, Whole Foods Market

     “Dr. Dean Ornish pioneered the revolutionary field of lifestyle medicine: using lifestyle changes to prevent and reverse—UNDO!—heart disease, type 2 diabetes, prostate cancer, high blood pressure, depression, weight gain, high cholesterol, and other chronic diseases. His new unifying hypothesis is truly game-changing and can save your health and your life.”

     —Kim A. Williams, M.D., President Emeritus, American College of Cardiology

     “Once again, Dr. Dean Ornish, this time in a very productive collaboration with his wife, Anne Ornish, gives us clear mind and body recommendations to make our lives longer, healthier, more productive, and more joyful. Our research together showed that intensive lifestyle changes can slow, stop, or even reverse the progression of very early-stage prostate cancer.”

     —Peter Carroll, M.D., M.P.H., distinguished professor and chair, Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco

     “This book will change your life. After forty years of research, the Ornishes have distilled their findings and the medical literature into a fact-based, simple recipe for a longer, healthier life. Every day people ask me how they can activate their longevity genes to reverse ageing and stave off age-associated diseases. Now I can say, ‘Go read Undo It!’ ”

     —David A. Sinclair, Ph.D., A.O., professor of genetics, Harvard Medical School

         “My friend Dean Ornish has dedicated his life to making the world a better place by directing over forty years of pioneering research to prove that real foods and other lifestyle changes—including loving and supporting one another—can reverse most chronic diseases and global warming, as well as free up significant resources to feed the hungry. These findings are empowering and inspiring millions of people with new hope and new choices. Highly recommended!”

     —Marc Benioff, CEO, Salesforce.com; owner, Time magazine

     “Dean Ornish is from the future!”

     —Jack Hidary, senior adviser and quantumagician, Google X

     “A century after Einstein, physics is still looking for its unified field theory, but we now have a unified theory for lifestyle medicine with Dean and Anne Ornish’s profound program. They provide a beautiful, virtuous circle that combines the latest scientific evidence on health with deep insights into human psychology and well-being.”

     —Ray Kurzweil, inventor and author of New York Times bestsellers The Singularity Is Near and How to Create a Mind

     “In their brilliant new book, Dr. Dean Ornish and Anne Ornish help us see that relatively simple ingredients—real food, physical activity, and loving relationships—hold the key to better health. They offer a refreshing and remarkably clear prescription for how we can reverse chronic disease and live healthier, more fulfilling lives.”

     —Vivek Murthy, M.D., M.B.A., nineteenth Surgeon General of the United States

     “This book is a lifesaver! Dr. Dean Ornish and Anne Ornish provide simple, important steps anyone can follow to live a healthier life and assure personal happiness. The best part is that we can all use this gift as a guide to correct some bad eating and lifestyle habits and get a fresh, new start. We just have to commit, act on it, and live.”

     —Beyoncé Knowles-Carter

     “My good friends Dean and Anne Ornish have written the definitive, scientifically proven book on how to actually reverse most chronic diseases by changing your lifestyle. If you read only one book on health and healing this year, this is it.”

     —Tony Robbins

         “With the cost of chronic disease care placing a major burden on our society, the Ornishes’ easy, evidence-based program couldn’t be more welcome. It combines the most advanced findings of medical science with practical guidelines that anyone can follow to lead a longer, happier and healthier life. Everyone needs to read this book and follow its good advice.”

     —Delos M. (Toby) Cosgrove, M.D., CEO, The Cleveland Clinic

     “If people follow the revolutionary program outlined in this brilliant and game-changing book, we can undo most chronic diseases, reverse global warming, and feed the hungry. Side effects to watch for include more energy, inner peace, and better sex. What are you waiting for?”

     —James Cameron, director, Avatar, The Terminator, and Titanic, and Suzy Cameron, author, OMD

     “Dr. Dean Ornish’s forty years of revolutionary scientific research proving that comprehensive lifestyle changes can often reverse most chronic diseases essentially created the field of lifestyle medicine, which is the most exciting movement in medicine today. His new unifying theory is elegantly simple, profound, and life-transforming.”

     —Michael Greger, M.D., F.A.C.L.M., author, How Not to Die; founder, NutritionFacts.org

     “As knowledgeable and experienced practitioners in lifestyle medicine, Dean and Anne Ornish provide readers with not only their valuable perspective on health but also immediately practical guidance for lifestyle changes, including user-friendly (and delicious!) recipes.”

     —Elizabeth Blackburn, PhD, who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2009 for discovering the molecular nature of telomeres, the ends of chromosomes that serve as protective caps essential for preserving genetic information, and for co-discovering telomerase, an enzyme that maintains telomere ends

     “Dean Ornish’s inspired research has revolutionized the world of medicine, proving that even our most difficult illnesses can be reversed. This ground-breaking book may be the most practical and helpful book you will ever read.”

     —Neal D. Barnard, M.D., F.A.C.C., George Washington University School of Medicine

         “Undo It! is a magnificent book. You will be deeply grateful for its wisdom, and your body will thank you for the rest of your life.”

     —John Robbins, #1 New York Times bestselling author; president, Food Revolution Network

     “Dr. Ornish’s pioneering research used high-tech scientific measures to prove, for the first time, the power of low-tech lifestyle changes to reverse the most common chronic diseases. In this book, he and Anne clearly show you why and how. Highly recommended!”

     —Eric Schmidt, CEO, Google/Alphabet

     “Because of Dean and Anne’s amazing work, my father pursued a plant-based diet combined with daily exercise and lots of time with family and friends, resulting in a turnaround in his health. We’re thankful for Dean’s work and care, and you will be too when you feel more able to live out loud. Run, don’t walk, to buy this generous, practical, lively book. It will change your life.”

     —Jacqueline Novogratz, CEO, Acumen

     “This is the only book you need to buy to change the way you eat and to add ten good years to your life. Buy this book, read the book, and then buy another copy of the book and give it to someone you love. This book is both a treasure trove and a treasure.”

     —George Halvorson, CEO, Kaiser Permanente

     “I was fortunate to have Dean Ornish come into my life when I needed his guidance the most. After suffering a heart attack and going into cardiac arrest, I was in uncharted territory and Dean was my beacon of light. All the things in Undo It! are the guidelines that he gave me to get me back on course, for which I am forever grateful. I encourage everyone to listen to and do everything Dr. Ornish has to say.”

     —Bob Harper, #1 New York Times bestselling author

     “No one has done as much as Dean Ornish to define, study, and prove the lifestyle formula for reversing chronic disease and cultivating vitality. Here, he and Anne share the clear, simple, empowering, and complete details of that formula with you. This book is a gift you give yourself and the people you love.”

         —David L. Katz, M.D., M.P.H., director, Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center; president, American College of Lifestyle Medicine

     “Dr Dean Ornish and Anne Ornish have written a breakthrough, evidence-based book that provides a clear guide for living a longer, better life. From the team who first proved that lifestyle changes can reverse heart disease and other chronic illnesses, they now reveal how social connectedness and even love are the next blockbuster drugs.”

     —Dan Buettner, National Geographic Fellow and New York Times bestselling author of The Blue Zones

     “Undo It! is the key to transforming your life in every good way—your health, your love life, and your sense of aliveness. Immerse yourself in the healing that this book promises to unleash. You are in the hands of experts here; I know of no greater authorities than Dean and Anne Ornish, and I heartily recommend giving yourself over to their wisdom.”

     —Kathy Freston, New York Times bestselling author of The Lean, Quantum Wellness, and Clean Protein

     “If a book has the name Ornish on it you can be assured that reading it will be rewarding. Highly recommended!”

     —William C. Roberts M.D., editor in chief, The American Journal of Cardiology

     “Heart disease is the number one killer of women today—yet it’s preventable and even reversible for almost everyone by making lifestyle changes. In this powerful book, Anne and Dean Ornish show us how and why.”

     —Barbra Streisand, founder, Barbra Streisand Women’s Heart Center, Cedars-Sinai medical center, Los Angeles

     “Dr. Ornish’s research shows how real foods can reverse most chronic diseases. Real foods can be delicious and nutritious if you buy that food from people who take care of the land.”

     —Alice Waters, founder, Chez Panisse

         “We are all indebted to Dr. Ornish, who pioneered the importance of lifestyle, including the use of a diet of whole plant-based foods to help reverse heart disease. Reading this book may well save your life.”

     —T. Colin Campbell, author, The China Study

     “Dr. Dean Ornish saved my father’s life with his teachings. If I can recommend this book to help save just one other person’s father or mother, daughter or son, it will be worth it. Give it a try. You’ll see….”

     —Blake Lively

     “Dean and Anne Ornish have written a masterful roadmap for health, healing, and happiness. Undo It! is a must read.”

     —William W. Li, M.D., president, The Angiogenesis Foundation

     “In Undo it! Dean and Anne Ornish surgically cut through the confusion, chaos, and complexity of healthcare to deliver the answers you need and deserve. Clear, real, honest, and actionable lifestyle solutions that will change your life forever and are simple enough to start today.”

     —Scott Stoll, M.D., F.A.B.P.M.R., Olympian; co-founder, The Plantrician Project, International Plant-Based Nutrition Healthcare Conference

     “Dean and Anne Ornish are the new dynamic duo!”

     —Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood

     “Undo It! is a masterful book that provides a pathway to achieve the transformative benefits of the authors’ lifestyle approaches to improving health and well-being. This is a must read.”

     —Ralph Snyderman, M.D., chancellor emeritus, Duke University

     “This book by Dean and Anne Ornish is an excellent summary of what people can do to live healthier, happier lives—eat well, move more, stress less, love more—what an inspiring message from a husband-and-wife team!”

     —Patrick Conway, M.D., C.M.O., Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; CEO, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina

         “As usual my friend and mentor (this time with his wife, Anne) leads the way with practical science-backed advice that will help you lead a long, healthy, fulfilling, and joyful life. Every human should read this book, and it should be mandatory reading for everyone in educational institutions.”

     —Deepak Chopra, M.D.

This is an impressive list of prominent people from other medical professionals, including the health care industry, respected academics, well-known personalities, all of who have gone on the record as endorsing the views of Dr Dean Ornish. 

Coupled with almost 40 years experience in this field, I would suggest that if you wish to regain your health or stay healthy, that Dr Dean Ornish is a very credible source of lifestyle information.

Dr Ornish’s almost 40 years of research has scientifically proven that the integrative lifestyle changes he recommends can:

• Improve chronic conditions – such as heart disease, diabetes and prostate cancer
• Change gene expression, turning on health-promoting genes & turning off disease-promoting genes.
• Lengthen telomeres — the ends of chromosomes — which begins to reverse ageing on a cellular level

When we become more aware of how powerfully our choices in diet and lifestyle affect us—for better and for worse—then we can make different ones.

When you make healthy choices, you feel better quickly. This allows us to connect the dots between what we do and how we feel. Feeling so much better, so quickly, re-frames the reason for changing from fear of dying to joy of living.