Free essay about eating for health, not weight: a summary

[Date (January 1, 2014)]

An article written by Dr. Dean Ornish, the founder of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute and a faculty in Medicine at the University of California, identified the chief differences between diet and weight loss. In his work entitled ‘ Eating for Health, Not Weight,’ he argued about the mistaken belief that shedding of pounds is equivalent to an increased well-being.
In his study, he described the low-carb butter-and-meat Atkins-type of diet as a possible source of cardiovascular risks among other detrimental health factors. Potential health hazards posed by the aforementioned diet as well as the key principles of staying healthy were revealed in his non-profit research. He founded a thirty-five year study of different types of food regimen. The results showed that most patients who ate plant-based meal as well as roasted vegetables has successfully stopped and overcame the progression of different types of diseases such as coronary problems, chronic inflammation, prostate cancer, and type-2 diabetes. Moreover, it was proven to potentiate development of good genes and disabling out of the bad ones to contribute optimal condition among individuals. These were changes on five hundred gene expressions in the course of three months. The long-term effects of this type of diet also showed evidences of increased telomerase known to be responsible for longevity.
Dr. Ornish and his team discovered about the ill-effects of the low carb Atkins-type diet and prescription of amphetamines for weight loss. While it resulted to a fast mass reduction and calorie-burning properties, it presented an increase of stress hormones which in turn deprive the body of a healthy metabolism. The Atkins-type of diet was found to raise the chances of a blocked coronary artery. In his article, he mentioned a dissertation involving thirty-seven thousand men and eighty-three thousand women from Harvard-sponsored Health-Professionals Follow-up Study and Nurses’ Health Study, respectively. This was conducted for many years and it shed light about the consumption of red meat. The latest records uncovered that unprocessed red meat, a significant portion suggested by the Atkins-type diet, promoted heart diseases, cancer, type-2 diabetes, and premature death.
They have concluded that the right diet consisted of low unhealthful carbs and low saturated and Trans fat. It was strongly interjected that an attention to these kinds of studies are a maximum priority to minimize the alarming rate of health care expenses. He pointed out that Medicaid was shouldering a considerable bulk because of coronary diseases. Dr. Ornish professed it prudent to educate the public at large as a first step to a healthier and low-cost living.
I scanned items which can enlighten a reader about food intake. This article is an important read because it can serve to cultivate awareness about the misguidance of poorly-investigated diets. It is a reminder that responsibility falls heavy when it comes to lifestyle decisions. I mainly chose this article because the author is an established researcher and a physician who had the background to convey credible data and findings for public dissemination.
We are in control of our lifestyle. In the United States alone, health topic issues were always linked with the alarming rate of obesity. Numerous countermeasures have been conducted for the long-winded search for an effective program. An array of practices was made readily accessible to make us look thin. However, we must bear a skeptic mind when we select what guidelines to follow time and again. Ultimately, it boils down to the traditional rule of the thumb that vegetables are a vital staple. Low-carb, high-protein diets may achieve the desired figure but it bridges long-term damages to the body. The study delivered the fundamental principles we should simply preserve each time we browse a menu.

Work Cited

Ornish, Dean. ” Eating for Health, Not Weight.” Nytimes. com. The New York Times Company, 22 Sept. 2012. Web. 09 Nov. 2014. .