Obesity, Diabetes and Nutrition -- Dietary Guidlines by Dean Ornish, MD

Source: The Spectrum; and Dr. Dean Ornish’s Program for Reversing Heart Disease.

Dr Ornish arranges food in five groups creating a spectrum of food choice; Group 1 being the healthiest, and Group 5 the least healthy. He briefly describes the foods in these groups as follows:

********************************

Group 1 foods are predominantly fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lagoons, SI products, not fat dairy products, and eight lights in a natural forms, as well as some good facts they contain omega-3 fatty acids.

Group 2 foods are also predominately panel plant based, but somewhat higher in fat (predominantly my saturated fat and polyunsaturated fat) sees such as avocados, seeds, and nuts. All else are included, but in small amounts, since they are so dense in calories.

Group 3 include some fish and seafood, some refined carbohydrates and concentrated sweeteners (in moderation), some oils that are higher in saturated fat, oils that have a higher ratio omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acids, some reduced fat (2%) dairy products, margarines free of trans-fatty acids, sweeteners containing high fructose corn syrup, and foods containing more sodium.

Group 4 foods contain additional fat, higher fat animal protein, and fewer protective protein, and fewer protective nutrients. These include poultry, fish that are higher in mercury, whole milk, and whole-milk dairy products, margarine, mayonnaise, doughnuts, fried rice, pastries, cakes, cookies and pies.

Group 5 foods include red meat in its various forms, egg yolks, fried poultry, fried fish, hot dogs, organ meats, butter, cream, and tropical oils.

The good news is that diabetes is usually preventable or even reversible for those who are willing to go far enough toward the healthy and of the spectrum, both adults and kids.

If you’re trying to stop or even reverse the progression of coronary heart disease, prostate cancer, diabetes, or other serious chronic diseases, you’ll probably need to eat most of your foods from the healthiest and of the spectrum. These foods for the basis of what I call the Reversal Diet.

In summary, the Reversal Diet:

• is very low in fat and has almost no cholesterol
• has less than 10% of calories from fat, and little of it is saturated
• excludes foods high in saturated fat (such as avocados, nuts, and seeds)
• Is high in fiber
• allows but does not encourage moderate alcohol consumption (less than 2 ounces per day)
• excludes all oils and all animal products except nonfat milk and yogurt
• allows egg whites
• excludes caffeine, other stimulants, and MSG
• allows moderate use of salt and sugar
• Is not restricted in calories

… the Reversal Diet consists primarily of complex carbohydrates, also known as starches. Vegetarian foods in a natural former primarily complex carbohydrates-for example, greens, beans, vegetables, fruits, and so on. Complex carbohydrates are very filling. In contrast, simple carbohydrates, such as alcohol, honey, and sugar, are empty calories - that is, calories without any nutritional value-so it’s easy to eat a lot of calories without being aware of it.