My doctor wants me to do the "Ornish Diet"

To prevent heart problems after my endocarditis last summer, my doctor thinks I should do this Dr. Ornish program. Parts of it seem interesting. Moderate exercise--nothing too intense, just consistent. Daily stress relief practices including meditation. Going to a support group--the hospital will start one soon. But here's the tough part...a VERY low-fat vegetarian diet. Less than 10% of calories from fat This'll be tricky.

I'm veg, so that's not going to be a problem. But keeping fat that low will be a challenge. My doc says the basic guideline is not to eat anything with more than 3 g of fat per serving. Nothing fried, few oils. Ornish doesn't believe olive oil is healthy, but allows flaxseed oil--even encourages it. LOTS of fruits, veggies and legumes. Allows only non-fat dairy. I don't eat much dairy anyway--none in my home, which is vegan.

Here's the thing I like...I can eat as much as I like of the foods allowed on the diet. Fruits and veggies can be eaten any time and in any quantity. So can other foods if they fall below the 3 g of fat rule. The diet encourages grazing over eating large meals, because people fail at diets when they get hungry. The key to this is to not get hungry.

So, I stopped at the store on my way back to the office, and bought some flaxseed oil, little boxes of raisins to keep in my desk drawer, and some low fat breakfast bars to have in the house for when I feel like a snack.

Now I have a book to read about all this, too. I didn't realize my doc was still so worried about my cardiac health, but she seems to be quite concerned. My last echo showed something that concerned her, but not something to do surgery for...yet.

Here's the irritating thing...alothough my cholesterol can get up there (plant sterols have been helping to keep it down), and I have a history of trouble with triglycerides, my blood pressure is low, I don't eat meat, I don't smoke, my weight is just where it should be, and my bmi is 23. And yet, I have to worry about these things more than some people I know who are obese and completely sedentary!! It's so frustrating!!

So, here's my question. Has anyone here done "Ornish"? If so, how'd it go? What were the challenges for you...any advice?

Thanks.

Critters
back to work after lots of interruptions today

Except McDougall is a bit stricter, it doesn't allow any oil or refined starches at all. I wasn't doing bloodwork so I don't know how my cholesterol etc did.

I had a really hard time getting used to the different mouth feel of food with no oil in it. It took a lot of spices to keep things from seeming too bland.

Weird that a heart-healthy diet would allow any dairy at all, I'd think the cholesterol would make that a no-go. :shrug:

She thinks it's a concession to people who don't know how to get protein without animal foods. Again, that won't be a huge issue for me. I've got the "protein from legumes" thing down pat....although I have to give up peanut butter, which may kill me. And I have to check Boca burgers. Not sure how much fat they have.

Makes me realize how many fried foods and fatty foods I eat. I'm concerned that things will seem bland. And eating out--I have LOTS of meetings over lunch in restaurants--will be even more difficult. I'm hoping this book will give me some helpful ideas.

is a book Ornish wrote. He proved that a radical dietary change, and I think he includes some kind of exercise program in there too, can reverse heart disease.

what a revolutionary concept!

too funny



:rofl:

I just decided to try and eat more reasonably over time, and at the right times. I didn't care about fat content, all carbo, blah blah blah blah. I just tried to understand what I had been doing, and managed to change it.

I lost over 40 pounds.

Everyone needs to find their own way, but damn, am I happy that my personal way worked.

:eyes: