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Reverta!

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Dean Ornish é médico, autor mundialmente renomado e pioneiro da Medicina do Estilo de Vida. Dirigiu pesquisas revolucionárias provando pela primeira vez que as mudanças no estilo de vida podem, muitas vezes, reverter a progressão de diversas doenças crônicas e auxiliar em uma melhor qualidade de vida. Tais informações científicas foram obtidas após quarenta anos de pesquisas na área médica. Muito sobre o seu trabalho foi publicado nas principais revistas médicas dos Estados Unidos e do mundo.

Reverta é o primeiro programa cientificamente comprovado que ajuda a REVERTER doenças crônicas, assim como PREVENIR, TRATAR e REDUZIR os sintomas de doenças como: câncer, hipertensão arterial, diabetes, obesidade, depressão, ansiedade, demências, doenças autoimunes, doenças cardíacas, e até mesmo RETARDAR o processo de envelhecimento das células, AUMENTAR A LONGEVIDADE saudável e otimizar as quatro áreas importantes da sua vida:

Alimentação
Gerenciamento de Estresse
Atividades Físicas
Vida Sentimental

320 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2019

1855 people are currently reading
6049 people want to read

About the author

Dean Ornish

71 books164 followers
Dean Ornish is an American physician and researcher. He is the president and founder of the nonprofit Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California and a Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. He is a well-known advocate for using a plant-based diet and healthy lifestyle changes to treat and prevent heart disease.

Dean Ornish earned a B.A. in Humanities summa cum laude from the University of Texas in Austin, where he gave the baccalaureate address. He received his M.D. from the Baylor College of Medicine, he was a clinical fellow in medicine at Harvard Medical School, and he completed an internship and residency in internal medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 214 reviews
Profile Image for Steelwhisper.
Author 5 books439 followers
October 18, 2019
- Eat well a whole foods, plant-based diet naturally low in fat and sugar and high in flavor.

Tell it as it is: just a Vegan diet. With all attached pros and cons.

- Move more moderate exercise such as walking

Basically fine advice, though people already having diseases will find it difficult to move. Without legs or ankles swollen with edema, for instance.

- Stress less including meditation and gentle yoga practices

Not everyone has a stressfree life or even just one in which he can reduce stress. Some stresses, actually a lot of stresses are inherent to people's life history. Or their situations. And yoga doesn't cure everything.

- Love more how love and intimacy transform loneliness into healing

This one is ridiculous. We live in a world of ever growing numbers of single, unattached people without anyone to talk to, never mind be loved by or intimate with. And as a rule the neighbour next door or the person you meet on the commute is not likely to cuddle up to you. Ever. There are people paying for a massage, just so someone touches them once in a while.


No contention, if one eats more veggies and healthy food than meat, moves about as much as one can, tries to reduce the pressures of one's life and looks for meaningful human interaction, one already does a lot for one's health. However, only a very self-centred or very rich person can get the idea that this is easily procured or a matter of simple decision.
Profile Image for Yodamom.
2,200 reviews216 followers
January 25, 2019
I believe in life style medicine, which is what Dr. Ornish offers in this book. I chose it over traditional medical practices whenever I can. I am a life long vegetarian part time vegan now so his diet choices are not far off from my daily diet. I have read his previous books but really enjoyed the way this one was set up with a quick start easy program. It is really so simple and written so clearly. There was a more personal touch feel to this book, with his wife's involvement. It really in complete with exercise suggestions and recipes. I will purchase a copy of this to give to my mother who goes to a Dr. that never tells her to change her lifestyle, he just gives her a new pill. Bravo Dr. Ornish I love how you set this one up.
Thank you to the publisher for gifting me a copy for an honest review
Profile Image for Dragos Pătraru.
51 reviews3,694 followers
May 17, 2020
Tot mai mulți oameni își dau seama că izolarea asta vine la pachet cu niște provocări greu de trecut. Vedem mari campioni care se filmează în timp ce se antrenează în casă și acestea sunt exemple bune. Doar că oamenii vor vedea asta și chiar dacă vor încerca și ei, o zi, două, vor abandona, pentru că pur și simplu nu sunt obișnuiți cu mișcarea. Neavând acest obicei cultivat în timp, nu vor putea sub nicio formă să și-l impună acum, când sunt atât de stresați și când mai toate deciziile lor sunt luate de mintea emoțională, de cimpanzeul din noi. Astfel, cred că soluția este la bucătărie, nu în camera de zi devenită, pentru câteva ore, sală de sport.
Mai mult, cu acest coronavirus, încerc să fac recomandări utile pentru această perioadă. Dat fiind că victimele virusului sunt oameni care au tot felul de boli cronice, foarte prezente și la noi din cauza dietei alimentare și a stilului de viață, cred că mulți vor fi bucuroși să afle că unele dintre aceste boli sunt reversibile dacă ne schimbăm modul de viață. Pentru că medicii tratează de cele mai multe ori efectele, nu cauzele. Deci, nu putem doar preveni bolile, printr-o dietă bazată de legume și fructe, exerciții, un bun management al stresului și conexiuni sociale solide, putem chiar să le dăm comanda ”undo” acestor boli care ne slăbesc serios rezistența, iată, în fața unui virus.

Am auzit-o pe doamna Simona Tivadar făcând o glumă idioată la radio, zilele trecute, lăsând să se înțeleagă că vegetarienii au un handicap în lupta cu coronavirusul. Și-am mai auzit prostia asta imensă (toate studiile serioase despre sănătate spun că, din contră, o dietă fără carne și lactate îți oferă o stare de sănătate mai bună) de la doamna Monica Pop, care îi sfătuia pe oameni acum vreo lună să mănânce carne când ies din casă, dacă vor să țină virusul departe. Câtă lume șoimănită la cap! Medici, tati! Medici care scriu cărți fără bibliografie!
Vi-l recomand și pe dr. Michael Greger, cu două cărți, v-am mai spus despre ele: How not to Die și How not to Diet. Cum să nu mori este tradusă și la noi.
Și ca unul care a citit în ultimii cinci ani probabil de 50 de ori mai multe cărți și studii despre nutriție decât acești medici care știu ei foarte bine doar pentru că au făcut acum 30 de ani o facultate în care nu se predă nimic despre nutriție, vă spun doar atât: dacă suplimentați ceva în această perioadă, atunci suplimentați consumul de legume și fructe, dacă se poate, cât mai aproape de starea lor naturală. Urmăriți de luni până joi Starea sănătății, pentru idei și referințe științifice, de la oameni care chiar se pricep. Să vă fie bine.
Profile Image for Elizabeth A.
2,139 reviews119 followers
February 14, 2019
I'll summarize this one for you:
- Eat well: a whole foods, plant-based diet naturally low in fat and sugar and high in flavor. The "Ornish diet" has been rated "#1 for Heart Health" by U.S. News & World Report every year from 2011 to 2017.
- Move more: moderate exercise such as walking
- Stress less: including meditation and gentle yoga practices
- Love more: how love and intimacy transform loneliness into healing

Here's the thing, I'm completely on board with this program, and have been for a while. This book recycles much of what he has published before, and is not well written to boot. The section I found most useful were the science sections, which he suggested that readers might want to skip. What? That kind of dumbing down is part of the problem. This is a book for adults, so I'd expect to be treated as one.

I'd give the message/ideas 5 stars, but this actual book only rates 2. Again, he's preaching to the choir here, so if you've never read any of this stuff, it might work better for you. I'd however recommend picking up The Spectrum: A Scientifically Proven Program to Feel Better, Live Longer, Lose Weight, and Gain Health. Same author, but so much better written.

Also, the authors of this book summarize the main ideas really well on the Rich Roll podcast. You can watch or listen here: https://www.richroll.com/podcast/dean...
Profile Image for Donna.
4,539 reviews161 followers
January 20, 2019
I always find the research and studies fascinating in this type of book. I've read many similar books in last two years. So with this one, I'm thinking this was just another one of those. It didn't stand out in any unusual way. It had the same message which I've already completely embraced in my own life. It was a nice reminder though.

I think this book would be great for those who are just starting out with the idea that this type of eating can solve some serious medical issues. Dean Ornish is very personable as he talks about this approach and about his past health problems. He included his wife in on this book, which I'm not sure was completely successful, well at least in the audio version. As I listened to it, she seemed like she was just reading the info. Overall, 3 stars.
Profile Image for Melissa.
1,223 reviews36 followers
February 10, 2019
A good book for someone interested in becoming vegan. But they lost me when they suggested that if you can't find something at a restaurant to eat that fits into their very restrictive diet, that you should just figure out what ingredients they have in the kitchen and have them whip up something special for you. If they don't have an ingredient you'd like, ask and see if they just happen to have it in the kitchen. Then dictate how you want it cooked and make the server repeat it back to you until they get it right. As a former server, please don't do this Just stay home and cook your own food.
Profile Image for Paige .
84 reviews9 followers
March 26, 2019
It's a stealth vegan book that tries to scare you into their idea of what you should eat using vague claims. There's a reason they don't talk about what their magical cure all is until halfway through.

What got me was the claim that vegan diets are the only healthy way to live, when in fact they're incomplete. You absolutely must take supplements like B12 to live on a vegan diet. In addition, our ancestors evolved to eat meat. Cooked meat is part of what allowed us to develop compelx brains. To say that's the primary contributing factor to modern health issues and must be completely eleminated is laughable.

I'm all for a reduction in meat consumption, to improve both our collective health and the Earth's climate. I would love for the majority of the world to ease into a primarily plant based diet, with perhaps some days of meat each week. I think as a whole we eat entirely too much meat, far more than we need to.

But to have the authors try to scare people into vegan life by using fear tactics and vague health claims is ridiculous. In my opinion, it only hurts the cause in the long run.
Profile Image for Barbara.
615 reviews8 followers
July 3, 2019
An extremely detailed book that recommends changing your lifestyle to eating a plant based diet with low fat and low sugar. Dr. Ornish has proven in the past that following this type of diet can reverse chronic disease including severe heart disease, Type 2 Diabetes, certain cancers and many other inflammatory conditions.

He makes it sound so simple, but I feel that a busy family with children and working parents will find his plan a struggle. In my opinion, it seems to be more feasible for empty nesters or single people to follow. He claims that not only should you change your diet, but you should do moderate exercise, practice meditation and yoga, love more and be more intimate. This is not so easy for many people to follow!!

Anyhow, I still enjoyed the book very much and especially like the recipe section with meal plans and tips for eating out and stocking your kitchen. A worthwhile read if you are trying to improve your health.
Profile Image for Sharon.
1,674 reviews39 followers
February 19, 2021
I think the authors do a commendable job explaining how many diseases can be reversed through diet and lifestyle intervention. I also believe that a whole foods plant-based diet is the key. I also found it interesting how they presented data against the high-fat movement. They also talk about exercise and stress reduction in our 24/7 world, which is critical. I understand that this makes things easier for people, however, my one criticism is that they suggest eating some prepared foods which I don’t agree with, processed foods should be eliminated. As Michael Pollan said: plants but nothing from a plant.
Profile Image for Sosanna Olson.
125 reviews33 followers
February 2, 2019
Excellent book that gives you all the details on getting healthy with a WFPB diet. It includes recipes, exercises and wellness tips such as meditation and yoga. I highly recommend this book.
Profile Image for Sanford Chee.
556 reviews100 followers
December 29, 2021
Recommended by William Green

Eat well, move more, stress less, love more.

Stanford Coursera Course: Cooking for Busy Healthy People by Maya Adam, MD
https://www.coursera.org/learn/cookin...
Maya's receipes
https://d3c33hcgiwev3.cloudfront.net/...

How Cooking Can Change Your Life - Michael Pollan
https://youtu.be/TX7kwfE3cJQ

James Barber the Urban Peasant cooking videos
https://www.youtube.com/user/UrbanPea...

TED Talk: 'A cleanse won't detox your body, this is what will' -Dr. Jen Gunter
https://www.ted.com/talks/jen_gunter_...

Rotary 30 day plant rich diet challenge
https://portal.clubrunner.ca/659/site...

ESRAG
https://www.esrag.org/
ESRAG plant rich diet task force FB
https://www.facebook.com/ESRAG-Plant-...

Reversing the Reversible with Diet - by Dr. Sudhir Sethi
https://youtu.be/ODC-oPaY9QI

Hunger-fullness scale
1. Ravenous
2. Overly hungry
3. Hunger pangs
4. *Hunger awakens
5. *Neutral
6. *Just satisfied (70% full)
7. *Completely satisfied
8. Full
9. Stuffed
10. Sick

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” -1 Corinthians 13:13
Profile Image for Jan Mage.
53 reviews
September 10, 2021
I expected super low fat vegan concepts and there they were. I am not vegan but it is interesting to see where I might find a healthier and still tasty way to eat more in a whole food plant inclusive way. The exercise part was better than expected. Much of it is quite good and serves as instructions for those unfamiliar or a reminder for others on the importance of eating well. But let me tell you, those two are so fascinated, proud, and consumed by how eating vegan makes you have hard ons that last forever (I mean, really - a study on length and frequency???!) and how it makes you desire inventive sex (throughout the book popping up all over the freaking place). There they really lost me. If it wasn't for the exercise part and general info, I'd have given it a two star rating. If you want to learn how to eat vegan for health - you will enjoy this book. But don't harass the servers and cooks at restaurants in the manner they suggest doing. If you can't eat there without causing a scene, cook at home.
Profile Image for Chris Worthy.
175 reviews20 followers
July 2, 2019
This is a terrific primer on lifestyle medicine: eat plants, move your body, manage stress, and love your people well. If you want to change your health and your life, watch “Forks Over Knives” and add this book to your reading list.
Profile Image for Harlow.
274 reviews9 followers
Read
May 3, 2025
I admire Dr. Ornish and follow them on social media. Their Ornish Program is covered by Medicare and many insurances. Their Alzheimer’s RCT is more evidence for lifestyle choices.

I’ve been following Dr. Fuhrman ETL lifestyle for years, and have read Dr. Esselstyn, Jr., Dr. David J.A. Jenkins (Portfolio), etc. so I wasn’t sure if I would learn anything new from this book or if it would be too “woo woo.”

Dr. Ornish plan is whole food, plant based aka real food. Non fat dairy and egg whites are okay? I like they don’t label foods as good or bad. The book confirmed statins may increase risk of diabetes.

“If it’s reimbursable it’s sustainable” (chapter 3). This was very timely, as I recently chose between a cardiac CT scan or Lp(a), neither is covered by insurance. Recent research published in European Heart Journal advocates testing for apoB [VLDL, LDL-c, Lp(a)]. Grateful I’m metabolically healthy. I’m focused on prevent, not reverse.

Chapter 5, Move More, states there are three types of exercise (endurance/cardio/aerobic, resistance/strength, flexibility). There are four, balance gets forgotten often. Move More, my new mantra?

Chapter 6 covers stress and gives meditation tips, suggestions for those meditation isn’t for me excuses, etc. I don’t think I have stress, we’ll see what the Oura ring I was gifted last month reports.

Chapter 7 is the “woo woo” chapter. It’s one of my favorites, especially since it started with a Maya Angelou quote I like. I loved the story about the book title. I AM . . . Very Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, I discovered it thanks to Gerry R. (Meetup 2018), and was reminded thanks to the Ornishes.

I loved the experiences from Lifestyle Program patients, shared throughout the book.

I didn’t read chapter 8, appendix A and B. The dining out tips were practical and excellent (chapter ?). Lots of resources!

EDIT: CAC score 0 except for left main 1.71 (0-400+)
My new primary says prescription for statins?
I want her to say, let’s find out why your LDL-c is 135.
14 reviews
September 3, 2024
Interesting tips for reducing risk of cardiovascular disease and dementia.
7 reviews1 follower
January 4, 2021
Undo It! Is the latest unremittingly enthusiastic, optimistic and upbeat book from the husband and wife team, Dean Ornish, MD and Anne Ornish. Dean is the well-known author of six bestselling books with loads of TV appearances and accolades. Anne is a yoga expert and program developer for the growing Ornish Lifestyle Medicine empire.

This is a very big book (both physically and in topics). Dean and Anne (as they refer to themselves) attempt to cover everything having to do with health and wellness. That’s a lot and it feels like it. It sat on my shelf for about six months because of its daunting size. Don’t make my mistake, this is an easy book to read and the back half is all recipes.

They write alternately, Dean giving the technical, medical background of gene expression, the plasticity of the brain and why loneliness causes chronic emotional stress. The first portion of the book is all about how chronic disease has embedded itself into our lives and how we can “undo it.”

Anne focuses more on living life — exercises, what to eat in a restaurant, how to connect with people — which is why it’s so easy to skim. I’m already a devotee of healthier living. I don’t have to read Dean’s explanations of why it’s better to lower your cholesterol through lifestyle changes instead of statins. And while I know I should take a walk instead of snacking, reviewing Anne’s suggestions of mindfulness before, during and after eating, for example, are helpful.

I did like this quote early on about what Dean believes doctors tell patients: “Take these pills every day for the rest of your life. They won’t make you feel better — and they may even make you feel worse. But they will help prevent something really bad like a heart attack or stroke from happening years down the road that you don’t want to think about.”

Dean notes: “…most physicians believe their patients will take a cholesterol-lowering drug like statins or blood pressure medications that they prescribe but think their patients are unlikely to make sustainable lifestyle changes.” Dean argues why doctors don’t have faith in their patients’ desire to live a healthy lifestyle.

Fewer than half of the patients prescribed presentative drugs, according to Dean and several studies I’ve read elsewhere, aren’t taking those drugs a year later. Dean further claims that 85-90% of those taking his 9-week course maintain the healthy lifestyle he taught them a year later (the claim is unsubstantiated).

A small bone to pick with Dean: 85-90% of people sticking to anything for a year seems like an overstatement. However, those taking his 9-week course are likely highly motivated by their personal health scares. To which Dean (in my imaginary conversation) might point out that doctors don’t often give patients the information or support needed to make appropriate lifestyle changes. If patients were given the facts, the options and the support, many more people might choose to live a much healthier lifestyle.

As a free gift, I’ll give you a cheat sheet. Here’s the program in summary:
*Eat a whole-food plant-based diet
*Do moderate exercise frequently
*Manage your stress
*Seek out love, social support and intimacy
If, like most of us, you need some reminding, refreshing and some good tips and recipes, you’ll enjoy the book and get just a little exercise lifting it.
Profile Image for Irida.
105 reviews
February 3, 2019
I would like to thank the publisher, Ballantine Books and Netgalley for providing with an ARC of “ UnDoit! “By Dean.Ornish M.D. and his wife Anne Ornish.

The premise of the book is that we can reverse or “Undo” chronic illnesses and other damages that we have done to our body by years of living an unhealthy lifestyle and eating an animal protein diet.

The authors, describe how we can reduce the need for prescription drugs by just eating well, move more and reduce stress through meditation and love more by connecting with our loved ones and friends and community. They cite a lot of research to back up theirs claims.

The book also provides some wholesome recipes and also meal plan and a list of pantry item to buy to start the Ornish’ Program’s way of eating well. I found this very useful for the reader because it contains includes a list of commercially produced food items, which helps to make starting this lifestyle easier and less overwhelming. Most integrated lifestyle self help books focuses only on buying Whole Foods, and recipes from scratch which can be a daunting undertaking for most people.

I have been living this kind of integrated lifestyle since January 2018 and i have never felt better and have lost a good amount of excess weight and have been able to keep it off as well as lowering my cholesterol. So, I really appreciate this book and will continue to reduce my consumption of animal protein. This book is a great reminder to keep going toward an all vegan diet sooner than later.

I took one star away because I found the citations of research a bit excessive and tedious and some parts of the boom quite repetitive. I think some of the research could have been in an appendix to enhance fluidity and continuity of reading.

All in all a great book and highly recommend it, because from my personal experience I can say that it works, I have never felt better and look great despite being age 50+ and my labs shows good results.
Profile Image for Lana.
358 reviews21 followers
January 2, 2019
I have read all of Dean Ornish’s books on Veganism and watched his documentaries. I already believe in the power of eating a Whole Foods plant-based diet, but I needed a boost to get my diet back on track. I’ve been in an eating slump. Unfortunately over the last few months I haven’t been eating vegan. Reading this book with my husband has been really helpful in getting back on track and knowing what benefits this diet can have for my body.
This book talks about all the benefits of adopting this lifestyle change and how you can avoid taking medications for some of your medical problems by simply eating the right foods. Who wouldn’t want to cure or reverse your diabetes, cancer, or heart disease?
Even if your familiar with Ornish’s Whole Foods Plant-Based Diet, this book is a great reminder and motivator to stay focused on your health by eating right!
Thank you so much to Random House and NetGalley for this powerful book in exchange for my honest review. My opinions are my own.
This will be featured on my blog January 5, 2019.
www.colecampfireblog.com
LanaLCole@yahoo.com
Profile Image for Haymone Neto.
330 reviews5 followers
December 27, 2023
Li a pedido do meu cardiologista. Pulei as receitas e as descrições dos exercícios. Gostei das partes mais científicas, em que os autores tratam da questão da inflamação. Parece-me um livro mais voltado a quem foi diagnosticado com doença crônica do que ao público em geral. Quanto ao modelo de alimentação proposto, me parece difícil adotá-lo plenamente. Trata-se de uma dieta ainda mais restrita que a vegana. Além disso, não leva em conta a cultura alimentar de cada região. Em todo caso, a ideia de uma medicina do estilo de vida é muito interessante, e parece ir de encontro a um modelo de atenção à saúde que parece mais atento à doença que à prevenção.

(Ademais, é preciso destacar que a edição brasileira do livro é muito ruim: muito mal traduzida, mal revisada e mal preparada. As vírgulas parecem ter sido jogadas a esmo. Algumas frases não têm pé nem cabeça. Outras aparecem repetidas. Sério, a editora deveria recolher todos os exemplares, mandar para a reciclagem e imprimir tudo de novo.)
962 reviews27 followers
January 5, 2019
From start to finish, this massive book is bursting at the seams with plenty of information on how to be the healthiest you can be. The authors, Dean and Anne Ornish, do an excellent job of presenting a complete plan that has been backed up by research and many years of experience with people who have resolved health problems by going with a vegan diet.

Not only does the book explain why this plan works, it includes information on Yoga with actual positions to try; resistance bands and exercises to use them with; walking and running; Meditation, along with four different ones to experiment with; and mindful eating along with ideas of how to incorporate it in your meals. On top of all that, almost half the book contains recipes for everything from breakfast to desserts. .

This is the most complete health care program I have ever come across, and it is for sale for a very reasonable price!

Profile Image for Ren.
1,290 reviews15 followers
December 3, 2018
I've been familiar with Dr. Ornish and his teaching for years, but not everyone makes the right choices for their health even if they have the information. So what do you do when you've found yourself in the position of dealing with chronic health problems? You can take medications. Then take medications to fight the side effects of those original medications. Or... you can change how you live and improve your health by supporting your body in healing itself. This book discusses how some simple changes can help you turn your health around. Great information and recipes.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this information book in exchange for my honest review.
Profile Image for Paul Bard.
988 reviews
December 16, 2021
Great help in adopting a wholefood plant based diet, learning to view stress as enhancing, extending the days fuse with lifestyle medicine, and working with support groups effectively.

We imagine we know this stuff. The Ornishes KNOW this stuff, inside and out. You'll definitely have a new experience of them reading this book.


Five stress reducers: stretching, breath, meditation, guided imagery, progressive relaxation.

Tips on working with a group: identify feeling, express, listen empathetically.. principle: feelings connect, thinking isolates. Listen with eyes ears and heart.

Self compassion is "what am I not paying attention to that I need to?" and "How can I nourish my happiness and health today?"

Appendix A and B are also tremendous helps in food.
Profile Image for Raya Sun.
103 reviews10 followers
January 12, 2022
This book was recommended to my parents by their doctor, so I was interested to read it. Written from an encouraging approach instead of fear makes this a hopeful read. It's also written in a style suitable for lay people which is greatly appreciated.

Most meaningful quote for me:

"Even a single meal high in animal protein and fat can significantly decrease blood flow to your brain and to your heart."

Great information for a holistic approach to self care and reversing chronic conditions.

This book is not only for reading, but for doing.
Love the included recipes, can not wait to try some. . .
Profile Image for Shaina.
114 reviews10 followers
February 27, 2019
Loved this book! So many great things to try & so much info is packed into it. I'm actually planning on re-listening to it soon so that I can absorb even more of it. The audio book was great & I'm normally not a big fan of books that are narrated by the authors. This was well done & very enjoyable with tons of suggestions that are super easy to begin implementing right away (& the science to back them up)!
Profile Image for Jill Andrews.
567 reviews
June 8, 2021
For me this is a lengthy reinforcing of what I already know, with a common sense approach, rather than any ground breaking ideas.
Profile Image for Jan Peregrine.
Author 12 books22 followers
July 26, 2022

After forty odd years of promoting a low-fat whole foods, plant-based diet, Dean Ornish MD has teamed up with his partner in nutritional 'crime' Anne Ornish to relate their combined wisdom in 2022's Undo It! How Simple Lifestyle Changes Can Reverse Most Chronic Diseases. It's one of the most helpful, impactful books I have read on how to live your best, most healthy life. If I have a major criticism, it's that they don't include pictures of their delectable, professionally tested recipes.

I don't recall if Dean explained just how he realized a low-fat whole foods, plant-based diet was best for our health, but he probably read the scientific literature, experimented, and observed the significantly positive results compared to an animal-based diet. He includes the clinical studies throughout the decades using people with chronic diseases that seemed irreversible, but were indeed reversible with the right diet, one best designed for us.

It wasn't long, though, that Dean understood that other lifestyle factors play a very large role in enhancing and sustaining our health. It's not just what we eat that's important, but that we move around more, love more, and stress less.

Moving around more means some aerobics like walking, strength training, and stretching every day.

Loving more means connecting with people who share your feelings, like in a family or community.

Stressing less means you don't let yourself stress out in stressful situations.

I love how, I think, Anne explained that being empathic doesn't mean agreeing with somebody, but being willing to see things from another person's perspective.

Significantly, it's how we react to stressful situations that determines how stress affects our health. If we let them get to us, inflammation, depression, and compromised health (immune, heart, brain) will likely occur. The Ornishes describe the benefits of yoga, meditation, breathing methods, and guided imagery, as well as how to do them.

The Ornish Lifestyle Medicine program has been approved by Medicare for a decade because of its astounding results in the health and happiness of patients who signed up for it. Most not only stuck with the program for a year, but still belong to their intimate community groups.

The recipe section covers every kind of food dish you would want to eat, as well as their recommendations for healthy, low-fat, commercial products to make the diet simpler.

The basic premise of the book is to encourage people to do or eat what they most enjoy so they will want to stay with the program. It's not about finding fault or trying to correct you as that doesn't work. It's rather about finding balance through being open to new ways of understanding ourselves and integrating our lifestyles to reflect that new, positive outlook.

I think Undo It! Is a great guide to a healthier, happier you. Please give it a read. If you're already healthy, they explain you can make gradual changes to your diet (I'm not giving up an occasional avocado), but if you need to undo chronic disease, you'd best make big changes right away for faster results to motivate you.
Profile Image for Phyllis.
508 reviews22 followers
November 29, 2019
From page 1, I expect every sentence or two to be lurking with trademarks and special Ornish phrases. The book is written in an incredibly annoying style, much like advertising copy.

Sure, it’s great to tell people to eat carefully (vegan, in this case), exercise moderately, reduce stress, and not be lonely. While it can be helpful to reread these messages from time to time, no one can simply turn to themselves and say “Self, UnDo It!” PF course, if one enrolls in the Ornish program, there will be great success!

There are also decades of research showing that high protein diets are good for humans and that high carb, especially high sugar/highly processed foods are the enemy to good health. Low-fat diets have not proven to be better for health; women, in particular, need more fat in their diets than men. The vegan diet doesn’t provide important nutrients like B12 and doesn’t work for diabetics. The Ornishes seem not to understand that there are many human illnesses that are inherited that can’t be reversed by doing a few neck stretches.

I suggest reading other titles than this one for inspiration.
Profile Image for The_J.
2,273 reviews7 followers
January 7, 2021
Taking the Omni- out of Omnivores! It would seem if you take these arguments to their logical conclusions, carnivores are fools, don't let something else work to concentrate the energy from the sun. But these guys will be so old fashion once the scientists manage to gene splice chlorophyll in Humans. Solar Power all the way! But on a more serious note, is it perhaps indolence that is the destroyer of any potential system? Whether you call it stagnation or inactivity, this would appear to be the great destroyer. But ironically is that that same creation of spare time, which has allowed the great advances from yurt to landing on the Moon. I guess there is always a cost, the question is how to minimize the cost of success.
Profile Image for ضحى الحداد.
Author 3 books637 followers
August 6, 2024
This is the second Dean Ornish book I read and I don't know why his writing isn't clicking with me
This book dicusses four main ideas for a healthy life
1) Eat Well: by eating a plant based diet
2)Move More: by doing moderate exercise
3) Stress Less: by applying meditation and breathing techniques
4) Love More: by joining support groups and serving your community

the overall idea is nice, but tbe writing style wasn't my style, maybe somebody wi benifit from it but not me
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