Kelly McDonough, RN, BSN — Intensive Cardiac Rehab is the first scientifically proven program
to actually reverse heart disease.
Andrew Freeman, MD — Intensive Cardiac Rehab is designed for people who have had cardiac
events, bypass stents, heart surgery.
This program is not selling snake oil or anything crazy.
We are literally selling a lifestyle approach that is really simple and probably the way
we were intended to live.
Derrick Walker — It works.
It actually works.
It has benefits that you can see pretty quickly from being happier because I'm healthier,
I feel better, I'm able to do more with my family, and I'm able to produce more for work
so I'm all around better.
Kelly McDonough, RN, BSN — Intensive Cardiac Rehab is a comprehensive program using four
elements: exercise, nutrition, stress management and love and support.
Participants can expect to come in and do aerobic exercise.
We're trying to get them motivated to want to exercise their own when they're not here
with us once they leave our program.
Derrick Walker — I do something active every day, walking or bike riding.
I've seen quite a bit of improvement with that, and I feel pretty good about it.
Cole Adam, RD — The diet we recommend is a low fat, plant-based, whole foods diet.
The overall evidence is pretty clear that type of diet can not only prevent and treat
heart disease, but can actually reverse it.
Derrick Walker — I'm okay with being a vegan.
I enjoy how it makes me feel.
I don't think I will go back to something that takes away from that.
Cheryl Spriggs — Stress is unavoidable.
We all have stress, but it's a matter of how we deal with it.
Here we teach participants how to reduce their stress through gentle stretching, through
breathing exercises and gentle yoga poses.
Derrick Walker — It prepared me to opt out of doing bad things for myself when I would
get stressed like eating or drinking or worrying myself to death.
Cheryl Spriggs — I love that in this program I see people come in and start practicing,
they start meditating and realize they really enjoy it.
It makes them feel better, almost instantly.
Stacy Forget, LPC — The need for love and connection is just as important as the need
for food, shelter and water.
We help the participants learn how to open their hearts metaphorically, become more emotionally
connected with themselves and other people in their lives.
Derrick Walker — We were put in a group where nobody knew anybody else.
As the program progressed, it forced us to have interaction with each other and then
after we let down our guards then we really developed very good relationships with each
other.
Stacy Forget, LPC — After being in the support group for a few weeks you can see the joy
that people start feel when they realize they're not alone.
Cheryl Spriggs — The staff here is living this lifestyle themselves so we can answer
questions, we're here for support, the participants are here to support each other.
Stacy Forget, LPC — All of us can relate to making a change in our life and difference
we felt when we felt supported in making the change and when we didn't feel supported.
One really key part of this program that is different than many other lifestyle change
programs is the support that is provided after the nine weeks.
It's really important to the staff here as well as to the Ornish team that our folks
continue on with this for the rest of their lives and the alumni community creates a network
of support and resources that will carry you through as long as you want to use it.
Andrew Freeman, MD — Do you want to be miserable on a lot of medications and having chest pain
all the time or instead do you want to be vibrant and dancing and enjoying your grandkids
or great-grandkids, whatever it may be?
The amazing thing about this program is that it's only two months, but it shows people
how to live for a lifetime.
Derrick Walker — The gift of life is something that you would appreciate even more with this
program.
If living longer is what you want than this program is what you need.