Dr. Dean Ornish's Lifestyle Program Component: Nutrition.

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WebMD Live Events Transcript

Event Date: 09/15/00

How does good nutrition effect your health? Jennifer Grana, RD, a practicing registered dietitian for the Dr. Ornish Heart Reversal Program joins WebMD for a discussion on how nutrition fits into Dr. Dean Orish's Life Style Program as a key component.

The opinions expressed herein are those of the guest's alone. If you have questions about your health, you should consult your personal physician. This event is meant for informational purposes only.

Moderator: Hello and Welcome to the Dean Ornish Auditorium. Today we are delighted to have with us Jennifer Grana, RD, a registered dietitian with the Ornish Program for Reversing Heart Disease. 

Welcome to the program Mrs. Grana. It's a pleasure having you here. Before we get started taking questions, can you please tell everyone a little bit about your background and area of expertise?

Grana: I am a registered dietician, graduated from University of Pittsburgh Rehabilitation and Health Sciences, and have a degree in nutrition and dietetics. I'm employed by Highmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield in Pittsburgh, and we have the license to duplicate the Dr. Dean Ornish Program for reversing heart disease, and have been for about three years now. I attended Dr. Ornish's retreat in California almost a year ago as part of my training, and currently serve as a nutrition expert here in Highmark, where we do a year-long program, and the week-long retreat model.

Moderator: There are lots of member questions that have been sent in so let's get started. One member would like to know how you get people to stick to the Ornish Diet when it seems so restrictive?

Grana: That's a great question. People are apprehensive at first if they can follow strict guidelines. I put emphasis on the whole program, the nutrition is not the only component but one of four. By practicing the other three components besides nutrition, the stress management, exercise, and group support, that makes adhering to the diet a lot easier. Because I do feel that stress plays an important role not in only heart disease but in overeating. A lot of us eat because we're angry, stressed, etc., and by getting hold of those emotions it's easier to follow a low-fat vegetarian diet. Exercise as well. If you've just gone on a 30-minute walk, you are less likely to sit down and eat potato chips or a hamburger. Group support helps as well because you realize you are not the only one going through the program and you can make connections with people having the same difficulties. Speaking in terms of the diet itself, once you make the commitment to do the program, cleaning out your pantry helps. If you don't have the food there, you are less likely to eat it. Also, getting a consistent meal pattern down helps to adhere to the guidelines as well because -- an example would be if someone is really busy, having breakfast on the go, skip lunch, they may be more apt to stop on the way home for fast food because they are so hungry. What's nice about the diet is that you can eat as much as you want to, as long as it's the right types of foods. So going hungry doesn't happen often. As long as you are sticking to whole grains, fruits and veggies, it is unlikely that people go hungry.

Moderator: Can vegetarians get enough protein?

Grana: Yes. They certainly can. Which is another big concern about people entering into the Ornish program. I think it's just a change in mindset. People think if they don't see a piece of chicken, fish or steak that that means there will be no protein in their meal. Instead of eating those types of animal products, we focus on beans, peas, lentils, legumes, and soy products as well which are great sources of protein. What a lot of people don't realize is that your average American may eat from 90 to 120 grams of protein, when on average a normal healthy adult only needs 60 to 70 grams of protein a day. Even though vegetarians may not be eating as much protein as on a meat based diet, they're still getting adequate protein. Another point I emphasize is that protein is found in other foods other than beans. Whole grains are an adequate source, and the Ornish program allows for two servings of a fat-free dairy product, which can also be a good source of protein.

Moderator: What is a vegan diet, and how does it differ from a vegetarian diet?

Grana: A vegan diet is total exclusion of all animal products. Therefore, any foods or products made with animal products are off. How that differs from vegetarian diets geared toward nutrition component is that the Ornish program allows for fat-free dairy and egg white products. You can still be vegan and follow the Ornish program. You would just want to stay away from the fat-free dairy and egg whites.