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You may have heard the remarkable news that former US President Bill Clinton has reversed his  heart disease (and shed 24 pounds in the process) by changing his diet. In a recent interview he gave CNN's Wolf Blitzer, Mr Clinton credited his improved health to following the advice of Dr Caldwell Esselstyn (Author of Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease) and Dr Dean Ornish (author of the The Spectrum: A Scientifically Proven Program to Feel Better, Live Longer, Lose Weight, and Gain Health).

The Spectrum
The Spectrum Diet and Lifestyle Program evolved from Dr Dean Ornish's extensive research into how your diet and your genes interact. The starting point is to identify what your genetically defined health risks are and customise the plan to your personal needs and goals (e.g. lower your cholesterol, lose weight, reduce your risk of prostate cancer, etc).

Foods are classified according to how healthy they are (group 1 being the most healthy, group 5 - which covers such foods as french fries and hot dogs - is least healthy). Depending on how quickly you want to achieve your goals, you make choices from each of these groups. However, Dr Ornish does not believe in guilt and encourages people who follow the plan to satisfy their cravings without going overboard.

What differentiates the Spectrum Diet from other diet plans designed for heart health is that, for one thing, it distances itself from the "one-size-fits-all" approaches and encourages personalisation.

More interestingly though is that Dr Ornish is following a growing trend of mainstream medical professionals who are realising that health requires a holistic approach. This is shown, for example, by his emphasis on addressing stress and incorporating exercise and meditation into your life style. In fact, the book includes a bonus DVD of guided meditation by Dr Ornish's wife Anne Ornish.

Sound Scientific Basis
The results of the Spectrum Diet are quite impressive as well. The change in diet and lifestyle truly allows the body to address the disease that it is facing and activates its innate ability to heal itself. According to the author, 82% of individuals who are able to stick to the stricter end of the Spectrum find that their heart disease reverses itself.

To find out more, watch the interview.

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