On Fri, 14 Jul 2000, Gawen Harrison wrote:

> I would bet my next paycheck that there are no credible studies to support
> his work.

The study that he bases his reputation on was a clinical
intervention study in which he was able to demonstrate a small
but significant reversal of atherosclerosis, an actual shrinking
of plaques.  His program, however, involves at least three
components: his low-fat vegetarian diet, a program of yoga
exercises, a meditation program.  I think there was a fourth
component, but I'm not recalling it at the moment.  Although
Ornish insists that all four components are necessary to reverse
heart disease, he has no data at all to support that claim.  In
particular, we don't know how people on a different sort of diet
would have done using the non-dietary components.  This is not
empty speculation, since there is plenty of evidence pointing to
non-dietary factors in heart disease.

Todd Moody
[log in to unmask]