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The Pritikin
Program for Diet and Exercise was created by Nathan Pritikin.
The Pritikin
Program was often described by Nathan Pritikin, its creator,
as mankinds original meal plan. Thats because the focus of the
Pritikin diet is unprocessed or minimally processed straight-from-nature
foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes (such as black beans
and pinto beans), whole grains such as brown rice, starchy vegetables
like potatoes and yams, lean meat, and seafood.
The Pritikin
Program also emphasizes another key characteristic of humankind
up until the last century: plenty of daily exercise, including
at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise like brisk walking,
weight training two to three times weekly, and stretching, optimally
every day.
Research
Supporting the Pritikin Diet
In several
studies published since 1975, scientists at UCLA and other research
institutions have found the Pritikin Program effective in preventing
the major diseases that afflict modern society, such as heart
disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. The Pritikin
Program has been documented to improve cholesterol profiles
better than cholesterol-lowering drugs like statins, and has
also been found to lower blood sugars, normalize blood pressure,
and shed excess weight.
- A meta-analysis
of 864 type 2 diabetics found that 74% on oral medications
left the Pritikin Longevity Center within three weeks free
of these drugs, their blood sugars in normal ranges, and 44%
on insulin left insulin-free. [1]
- In this
same article, another meta-analysis of 1,117 hypertensives
found that 55% normalized blood pressure and no longer required
anti-hypertensive drugs within three weeks of starting the
Pritikin Program.
- In 2005
UCLA researchers studied the health indicators of overweight
youngsters, ages 9 to 15, who paticipated in a two-week family
program at the Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa in Aventura,
Florida. Finding that diet and exercise can improve not only
the cholesterol levels of children but also a wide range of
other biomarkers linked with heart disease. Researchers found
improvements in insulin, triglycerides, blood sugar levels,
and inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein and oxidative
stress.[2]
References
- Roberts,
Christian., and Barnard, R. James. (2005-01). “Effects of
exercise and diet on chronic disease.Journal of Applied Physiology,
98 (1): 330.
-
UCLA Study Shows Diet/Exercise Program Greatly Improves Heart Health
of Overweight Kids - Apr 29, 2005
External
links
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