You can reverse prostate cancer and many of the diseases
associated with aging by changing your diet.
Sounds unbelievable, but it's true.
It's a finding reported by Dr. Dean Ornish in his new book
The Spectrum.
I've already told you how Dr. Ornish showed 30 years ago
that it's possible to reverse heart disease by eating a
plant-based diet, exercising, meditating, practicing yoga,
and being part of a supportive group.
In The Spectrum, he goes even further.
He shows that these same principles of healthy living can
also reverse cancer and other diseases of aging.
And he explains exactly why this is possible.
His findings are nothing short of groundbreaking. And with
the current dismal state of our healthcare system, they're
more urgently needed than ever before.
This country pays $100 billion a year for invasive bypass
surgeries that aren't very effective and don't even extend
life. We spend $15 billion a year for Lipitor, which comes
with plenty of unpleasant side effects.
But now Dr. Ornish has shown that his program of lifestyle
changes is more effective and a lot cheaper than drugs and
surgery. And the side effects -- like weight loss and extra
energy -- are positive ones.
Astounding Results
Patients everywhere -- including my own -- have been seeing
real results from Dr. Ornish's program.
One of my patients is a 65-year-old man who had both heart
disease (which was being "treated" with drugs and
angioplasties) and prostate cancer.
But we got him working to improve his nutrition and
exercise. After 5 years, tests showed that the blocked
arteries in his heart were dramatically better. And his
prostate cancer was gone, too.
He even called me on his birthday that year to say that he
felt healthier at age 70 than he had at 60. He was off all
medications and feeling great.
This is what's possible when you change your lifestyle.
Because, as Dr. Ornish explains in The Spectrum, when you
change your lifestyle -- the foods you eat, the activity
you get, the way you manage stress and relationships -- you
also change your genes.
Compelling Research
Dr. Ornish's program really works -- and he's done the
research to prove it.
For example, he studied 93 men with prostate cancer who
were practicing "watchful waiting" (waiting to see if their
cancer worsened before getting conventional treatment).
Half the group kept their usual lifestyle. The other half
followed the lifestyle program described in The Spectrum.
The results were stunning. Dr. Ornish found that prostate
cancer growth was reduced by 70 percent in the group that
followed his program.
Four years later, only six of the lifestyle program
patients needed conventional treatment -- compared to 21
control patients.
Those results are impressive, but even more intriguing is
the evidence that Dr. Ornish's approach can actually affect
your genes.
As I've explained before, changing your lifestyle can
switch different genes on and off. Using food to do is
called nutrigenomics.
In The Spectrum, Dr. Ornish talks about research on
telemores -- the little repair systems on the end of your
chromosomes that protect your DNA. The shorter the
telomeres, the shorter your life.
The research he describes found that mothers who felt the
most stressed actually had the shortest telomeres -- equal
to about an extra decade of aging!
So Dr. Ornish applied his comprehensive lifestyle changes
and found that the telomerase (the enzyme that keeps
telomeres healthy) was higher.
The result? Reversal of the aging effects of chronic stress!
Let me repeat: You can reverse the effects of stress on
your genes -- and on the aging process - just by changing
your lifestyle.
As Dr. Ornish describes in The Spectrum, this means eating
a plant-based diet of whole foods, getting regular
exercise, and managing stress.
I could continue to tell you how instrumental Dr. Ornish's
work has been, or how it has arrived at the time when we
need it most.
I could tell you that he has been a fearless advocate for
good health and that he's overcome countless obstacles to
change medicine, healthcare policy, and the insurance
industry.
On a personal level, I could tell you that I've rarely met
a more courageous person with a more generous heart.
But don't take it from me. Take a look at his work.
It's all there, in his new book, The Spectrum.
Again, I urge you to read this powerful account of Dr.
Ornish's research. While you're at it, share a copy with
your doctor, your loved ones, and even your congressperson.
Remember, you can change your genes -- and your life -
simply by changing the way you live.
----------------------------------------------------
Mark Hyman, MD is a pioneer in functional medicine,
practicing physician and best-selling author. A sneak
preview of his book "The UltraSimple Diet" is available.
See The UltraWellness Blog for more on Nutrigenomics:
http://www.ultrawellness.com/blog/
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