EP122: Dr. Dean Ornish on Heart Health: How his PMRI Lifestyle Medicine Program can Reverse, Treat and Prevent Chronic Diseases

Blue Soul CHATS™

Renee chats with Dr. Dean Ornish about Heart Health, Prevention to most diseases and their program at PMRI Lifestyle Changes has even reversed diseases in many cases. We chat about his latest book, the important role of diet in the equation and other changes we can make to stay healthier and live well. It begs the question that so many ask about longevity and lengthening the time we live. Should we not also be asking, how well do we live when we are alive, not just how long? It’s a great discussion that extends beyond diet, exercise and lifestyle and also talks about meditation and still moments as a way to feel happier and stay well.

For over 44 years, Dean has directed clinical research demonstrating, for the first time, that comprehensive lifestyle changes may begin to reverse even severe coronary heart disease, without drugs or surgery. Medicare created a new benefit category, “intensive cardiac rehabilitation,” to provide coverage for this program. His research showed that comprehensive lifestyle changes affect gene expression, “turning on” disease-preventing genes and “turning off” genes that promote cancer and heart disease, as well as the first controlled study showing that these lifestyle changes may begin to reverse cellular aging by lengthening telomeres, the ends of our chromosomes which regulate aging (in collaboration with Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn, Nobel Laureate in Medicine & Physiology).

Your hosts for Blue Soul CHATS™ are modern mystics, authors, teachers, and retreat leaders Renee & Anthony. They are the voices behind Blue Soul Earth® and Study with Spirit® courses and workshops. They lead sacred retreats around the world and are hosts and producers of Blue Soul Summit®, an online video series where you can watch the video interviews you see here on the podcast, often with free gifts and resources from the speakers. Check out www.bluesoulsummit.com to register for the latest season (video interviews are free for a limited time window). Find out their other offerings at www.bluesoulearth.com, www.studywithspirit.com and www.bluesoulmedia.com