Pritikin diet
Encyclopedia
The Pritikin Program for Diet and Exercise was created by Nathan Pritikin
. The book based on the diet became a best-seller and was entitled "The Pritikin Program for Diet and Exercise."
, Gary Null, and Dr. Tarnower of the Scarsdale Diet.
The Pritikin Program was often described by Nathan Pritikin, its creator, as “mankind’s original meal plan.” That’s 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.
. The recipes were written by June Roth.
Published by Grosset & Dunlap, the book sold more than 10 million copies in paperback and hardcover, and was on the New York Times Bestseller Top Ten list for more than 54 weeks.
, 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.
Nathan Pritikin
Nathan Pritikin was an American nutritionist and longevity research pioneer.Pritikin was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. He attended the University of Chicago from 1933 to 1935 but did not achieve a degree...
. The book based on the diet became a best-seller and was entitled "The Pritikin Program for Diet and Exercise."
Overview
Pritikin was regarded as one of the major diet gurus of the early 1980s, a class which also included Dr. Robert AtkinsRobert Atkins (nutritionist)
Robert Coleman Atkins, MD was an American physician and cardiologist, best known for the Atkins Nutritional Approach , a popular but controversial way of dieting that entails close control of carbohydrate consumption, emphasizing protein and fat intake, including saturated fat in addition to...
, Gary Null, and Dr. Tarnower of the Scarsdale Diet.
The Pritikin Program was often described by Nathan Pritikin, its creator, as “mankind’s original meal plan.” That’s 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.
Book release
The book based on the diet became a best-seller on the New York Times Bestseller list and was entitled The Pritikin Program for Diet and Exercise, and was co-authored by Patrick M. McGradyPatrick M. McGrady
Patrick M. McGrady was a science writer best known for his work as the Founding Director of CANHELP, a cancer information and referral service, and co-author of The Pritikin Program for Diet and Exercise which he wrote with Nathan Pritikin....
. The recipes were written by June Roth.
Published by Grosset & Dunlap, the book sold more than 10 million copies in paperback and hardcover, and was on the New York Times Bestseller Top Ten list for more than 54 weeks.
Supporting research
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 diseaseHeart disease
Heart disease, cardiac disease or cardiopathy is an umbrella term for a variety of diseases affecting the heart. , it is the leading cause of death in the United States, England, Canada and Wales, accounting for 25.4% of the total deaths in the United States.-Types:-Coronary heart disease:Coronary...
, type 2 diabetes, hypertension
Hypertension
Hypertension or high blood pressure is a cardiac chronic medical condition in which the systemic arterial blood pressure is elevated. What that means is that the heart is having to work harder than it should to pump the blood around the body. Blood pressure involves two measurements, systolic and...
, and obesity
Obesity
Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it may have an adverse effect on health, leading to reduced life expectancy and/or increased health problems...
. The Pritikin Program has been documented to improve cholesterol
Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a complex isoprenoid. Specifically, it is a waxy steroid of fat that is produced in the liver or intestines. It is used to produce hormones and cell membranes and is transported in the blood plasma of all mammals. It is an essential structural component of mammalian cell membranes...
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.
- 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. The people in this study were not initially following the diet at home, they were studied before and after several weeks of a residential course where their meals were prepared. However, follow-up revealed that they had continued to follow the diet on returning home. While they had been suggested candidates for bypass surgery before the intervention, five years later the likelihood of them requiring coronary bypass had dramatically decreased.
- In 2005 UCLA researchers studied the health indicators of overweightOverweightOverweight is generally defined as having more body fat than is optimally healthy. Being overweight is a common condition, especially where food supplies are plentiful and lifestyles are sedentary...
youngsters, ages 9 to 15, who participated 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 cholesterolCholesterolCholesterol is a complex isoprenoid. Specifically, it is a waxy steroid of fat that is produced in the liver or intestines. It is used to produce hormones and cell membranes and is transported in the blood plasma of all mammals. It is an essential structural component of mammalian cell membranes...
levels of children but also a wide range of other biomarkers linked with heart disease. Researchers found improvements in insulinInsulinInsulin is a hormone central to regulating carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the body. Insulin causes cells in the liver, muscle, and fat tissue to take up glucose from the blood, storing it as glycogen in the liver and muscle....
, triglycerides, blood sugarBlood sugarThe blood sugar concentration or blood glucose level is the amount of glucose present in the blood of a human or animal. Normally in mammals, the body maintains the blood glucose level at a reference range between about 3.6 and 5.8 mM , or 64.8 and 104.4 mg/dL...
levels, and inflammatory markers like C-reactive protein and oxidative stress.