ATLANTA, Jan. 04, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- U.S. News & World Report has awarded the Ornish Lifestyle Medicine Diet the No. 1 ranking for the Best Heart-Healthy Diet for the seventh year in a row, every year since the publication’s rankings began. The Ornish Lifestyle Medicine™ program – now part of Sharecare through its 2016 acquisition of Healthways – is supported by nearly 40 years of rigorous clinical studies by Dean Ornish, M.D. and colleagues, and addresses the root causes of heart disease by using lifestyle changes as a less invasive and more effective treatment option than drugs or surgery.
The U.S. News rankings are determined by a panel of nationally recognized health experts in diet, nutrition, obesity, food psychology, diabetes and heart disease. The experts reviewed information on 38 diet plans, scoring each in nine categories: overall, weight-loss, fast weight loss, easiest to follow, diabetes, healthy eating, heart disease, and plant-based. In addition to the No. 1 heart healthy diet ranking, the Ornish diet ranked third for Best Plant-Based Diet and fourth for Best Diabetes Diet.
Dr. Ornish’s whole foods plant-based nutrition plan is naturally low in both fat and refined carbohydrates; and is only one of four equally important components of his transformational Ornish Lifestyle Medicine program, which remains the number one Intensive Cardiac Rehabilitation program in the country.
“My colleagues and I are honored to be recognized by U.S. News for the seventh year running, and appreciate their commitment to helping people understand that comprehensive lifestyle changes can not only prevent but also reverse the progression of heart disease, as well as enable people to reduce or discontinue medications for lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels,” said Dr. Ornish. “While the science is complex, our application of it is both straightforward and practical: eat well, stress less, move more, and love more; and the more closely people follow our program, the more they improve.”
Since 2013, Dr. Ornish has partnered with Healthways, a Sharecare company, to deliver this nationally-renowned comprehensive heart disease reversal program to patients through health systems, hospitals and physician groups. With 25 sites around the country, this revolutionary program is reimbursed by Medicare and many major insurance companies for clinically eligible individuals. These partnerships demonstrate the shared vision of Sharecare, Dr. Ornish and providers to help people live healthier and more fulfilling lives, going beyond physical health to improve overall well-being.
About Ornish Lifestyle Medicine™
The first and only program that is scientifically proven to reverse the progression of heart disease. Ornish Lifestyle Medicine has spread across the country and begun to revolutionize the way that Americans treat heart disease. Today, the program is reimbursed by Medicare and many other commercial payers, offered in more than 14 states, and delivered with a turnkey process that is optimized by years of operating knowledge. Most importantly, since 2014 alone, it has helped thousands of people from across the country take back their lives. For more information, visit https://www.ornish.com/.
About Sharecare
Sharecare is the digital health company that helps people manage all their health in one place. The Sharecare platform provides each person – no matter where they are in their health journey – with a comprehensive and personalized health profile, where they can dynamically and easily connect to the information, evidence-based programs and health professionals they need to live their healthiest, happiest and most productive life. With award-winning and innovative frictionless technologies, scientifically validated clinical protocols and best-in-class coaching tools, Sharecare helps providers, employers and health plans effectively scale outcomes-based health and wellness solutions across their entire populations. To learn more, visit www.sharecare.com.