I’m 65 Years Old and I’ve Never Felt This Good Physically in My Life
by Rachel Lehmann-Haupt
Name: Bob
Age: 65
Health Challenge: High blood pressure
Greatest Motivation: The [program] taught me how to really genuinely relate to people on a personal level. They taught me how to live a new life at 62. And at 65, I’m having more fun than I’ve ever had in my life. I feel better with the program and the exercise and the diet, and the relationships that I’ve been able to develop.
His Story: The way I heard about the program was from a friend of mine, David. He had a massive heart attack and [his doctors] had written him off. They basically told him to “go home, sit down in your chair and wait to die because you’re done.” There was not a whole lot that they could do. He then got involved with the Ornish Lifestyle Medicine Program. (Intensive Cardiac Rehabilitation) Five years later, he’s running marathons. They’ve given him a perfect bill of health. That was all because of the Ornish Lifestyle Medicine Program and he won’t pull any punches on that. He told me “this is what you need to do.”
“You’re not giving something up. You’re adding to your life.”
I was looking at high blood pressure, potential diabetes, and down the road, I didn’t know what I was looking at. I didn’t want to do medications because I know just enough to make it scary. But because of David and his story, I knew that I had to do something. My lifestyle wasn’t that bad. I was a former runner. I was pretty aware of nutrition and all that. What I didn’t know is that I didn’t know what I was doing. I was fortunate to be in the program. They taught me to eat right. They taught me how to release my stress rather than keeping it in. They taught me how to really genuinely relate to people on a personal level. They taught me how to live a new life at 62. And at 65, I’m having more fun than I’ve ever had in my life.
I feel better with the program, and with the exercise and the diet and the relationships that I’ve been able to develop. I feel better than I’ve ever felt in my whole life. Everyday I talk to someone about this program. It’s a mission of mine because it’s changed my life. It gave me life and that is so cool! I recommend it to everybody. I tell people that you’re replacing the bad lifestyle with a better lifestyle. You’re not giving something up. You’re adding to your life. And if you are giving anything up at all, it’s just a little bit of poison. You’re adding to life and building for your future. I flat out, totally guarantee that you’ll feel better. I’m 65 years old and I’ve never felt this good physically in my life. I don’t remember ever feeling this good. Do it.
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Albert Bivas April 17, 2015
All this through the internet/and online is a little allright but it is better “one-on-one”/or “face-to-face”. It seems that online/internet is not as productive if any. I live in New York City and I would like a program in that city where I can go. You apparently had such program at “Beth Israel” in New York City but that have been discontinued. Do you have another one in that city to replace it? I heard that Medicare now pay for your program. How to go about it etc…?
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Rachel Lehmann-Haupt April 20, 2015
The Dr. Dean Ornish Program for Reversing Heart Disease is the first integrative lifestyle program for reversing heart disease and other chronic conditions that Medicare is covering under the specially created category of ‘Intensive Cardiac Rehabilitation’. The Ornish network is growing rapidly, including national partnerships with many private insurers such as Highmark Inc, WellPoint and HMSA. Some of these private insurers are also reimbursing for patients who have risk factors for coronary heart disease, and other conditions such as diabetes and early prostate cancer. Browse our locations directory to see Ornish Program sites we may have near you.