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The Spectrum: A Scientifically Proven Program to Feel Better, Live Longer, Lose Weight, and Gain Health
by
Dean Ornish,
Art Smith
From the author of the landmark bestseller Dr. Dean Ornish’s Program for Reversing Heart Disease comes an empowering new program that enables you to customize a healthy way of eating and living based on your own desires, needs, and genetic predispositions.
Dr. Dean Ornish revolutionized medicine by directing clinical research proving–for the first time–that heart disease a...more
Dr. Dean Ornish revolutionized medicine by directing clinical research proving–for the first time–that heart disease a...more
Paperback, 416 pages
Published
December 30th 2008
by Ballantine Books
(first published December 26th 2007)
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Few months ago I decided to eat more healthy. As a scientist I started from searching the scientifically proved way to improve my diet and I found this book. It is well explained material to create your very own special diet. Author says that everyone is different and so everyone needs different food to sustain his needs. I like to have choose other than either follow the instructions or die and this book gave me exactly this. Almost all advices are confirmed by scientific data which is great be...more
Dr. Dean Ornish is very easy to read. He has a light hearted manner and seems like a genuinely nice person with a good sense of humor. He doesn't inform with a heavy hand, but lays out all the facts for you to choose just how healthy you want or need to be. He speaks in layman's terms and if I ever have a chance, I would definitely like to meet him. The book has a bunch of recipes with a few color photos, but they looked very tofu/ack to me, which is why I gave 4 stars instead of 5.
Eve
rated it
·
review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Anyone interested in improving one's health
Recommended to Eve by:
A friend
A friend of mine had mentioned Dean Ornish on various occasions, but it was President Bill Clinton's interview with Wolf Blitzer that inspired me to pick it up at last. Lower my cholesterol, prevent heart disease and maybe lose some weight? Sign me up! This book has made it easy for me to eat healthier (and meat free), although I still have some ways to go regarding cutting down my fats.
The first half of the book is very readable and positive, and the second half is comprised of recipe...more
The first half of the book is very readable and positive, and the second half is comprised of recipe...more
This is an excellent book--I gave it 4 stars because it tends to be repetitious in places. Ornish talks about the relationship of diet and lifestyle to health, mapping out a spectrum of healthy food choices as well as lifestyle choices, and encourages you to determine where you are and where you want to be.
Interesting concepts. I like Dr. Ornish's idea of the spectrum rather than just "good food/bad food". This book seems geared more towards people who are already suffering from serious diseases. But I learned a lot about what causes heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Also feel more inspired to eat even more nutritionally.
As with any book on nutrition however, it is important to be well-informed and not take one single book as the one and only bible.
As with any book on nutrition however, it is important to be well-informed and not take one single book as the one and only bible.
To be honest, I skimmed most of this book...I am not a bid self-help book reader. The science behind why and what we should eat got a little bit much, so I picked out the things I didn't know that much about to read, and skipped the rest. I did like the charts on how there isn't food that is off limits, just food that is on the better end of the spectrum (fruits and veggies) and food that is on the poorer end of the spectrum (bacon..bummer, and things high in fats and sugars)...most of it comm...more
It's a really good book that offers a lot of food for thought, not only in what to eat (plant-centered, unrefined foods) but also in how we deal with stress, connection, and activity.
Patricia
rated it
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review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anyone
Recommended to Patricia by:
I saw this book at Costco and bought it
Based on extensive scientific research on thousands of subjects, and quoting results of other's research, Dean Ornish's methods and findings held enough credibility for me that I don't think I will buy another nutrition/diet book (unless it is one of his). His program incorporates nutrition, exercise and stress-reduction to stay healthy, lose weight and prevent or reverse diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia. The book held a few surprises (chutney is ok, ch...more
Book is a bit hokey in parts but he has good, solid nutrition advice and a fair number of healthy recipes. I ended up buying this one to keep on my shelf.
Almost done with this book, although it will probably be a book I'll be picking up often to refresh my memory. Much up-to-date information on health topics.
Honestly, his work is fantastic and has helped me a lot but this approach seems like bit of a cop out trying to appeal to a broader audience
I would have given this book 5 stars ... its very informational, very interesting, and you don't get the feeling he's talking down to you, like a lot of other health books. I really liked the 5 Groups of food and the other well researched and documented info.
I didn't give it 5 stars because there is no diet. Yes, yes, I know that may be the main appeal of the book to many people ... but I already know which foods are more healthy, and "try" to eat that way ... but I don't! ...more
I didn't give it 5 stars because there is no diet. Yes, yes, I know that may be the main appeal of the book to many people ... but I already know which foods are more healthy, and "try" to eat that way ... but I don't! ...more
Excellent advice for good health... eat a plant based diet, exercise, meditate and have love in your life!
Full of valuable information and reciepes. Enjoyed reading testimonials.
A very good introduction to the concept of integrative medicine (mind and body, and the nutrition and spirituality that feeds them) and how it has been proven to help fortify people against heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. My only gripe is that the book is quite long and could benefit from a more streamlined organization. I consider testing a good number of Art Smith's recipes my overdue homework. They all sound yummy, superbly healthy, and appear to be quite straightforward to make.
Someone gave this as a gift to my husband when he was in the hospital with his heart attacks/surgeries. What a great book! It is filled with advice for how to eat to avoid disease and I lost 15 lbs and my husband lost 30 lbs just from reading the book and trying to incorporate the suggestions. A great gift for the recovering heart patient or anyone who doesn't want to be a heart patient. Get the recipe book that goes with it, there aren't enough recipes in the book.
Excellent health info on food and living a healthier life! It's filled with inspiring and amazing stories of how people who thought they were hopeless and destined to death by heart disease or obesity can turn around their health by eating the right foods and light phyisical activity. It inspired me to make healthier choices. Good recipes too!
I really like Dr. Ornish's approach to nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. It's not an all-or-nothing program, but rather making small choices and changes that can make a big difference in cholesterol levels, prevention of heart disease and other overall health issues. I have used some of his recipes and have found this book very informative.
This book was one of the few books that makes you feel like you have control over your health. Without being judgemental or preachy, Dr. Ornish describes the ways that one can improve their health by a diet low in fat and sugar, exercise and stress relief. Definitely learned a lot!
Dr. Ornish emphasizes the importance of enjoying food. But the book can be boiled down to: Eat food, not too much, mostly plants, exercise, and reduce stress by meditating or yoga. -- Or is that Montel Williams quoting someone else?
I love the playful way it's written. It doesn't seem to drone on and on about what's good for you and contradict itself the way other diet books can. Also, he doesn't sound like a crazy person (see: The Dorm Room Workout).
I turned this back into the library b/c I ran out of time and basically the book bored me.
excellent book - not so much a diet as a road planning for living ...
More evidence for eating a low fat vegetarian diet.
Not as fun to read as "Healthy at 100" but good info. More of a reference book with half recipes from Oprah's chef, etc.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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| Not just another diet book | 1 | 0 | Jan 31, 2008 11:52am |
