Love and intimacy are at the root of what makes us sick and what makes us well...I am not aware of any other factor in medicine-not diet, not smoking, not exercise-that has a greater impact. Dean Ornish More Quotes by Dean Ornish More Quotes From Dean Ornish The healing power of love and relationships has been documented in an increasing number of well-designed scientific studies involving hundreds of thousands of people throughout the world. Dean Ornish healing numbers people Over time, years of meditation gave me glimpses of the interconnectedness and interdependence of all life. I experienced that on one level we are alone, separate, apart from everyone and everything; on another level, we are the Self in different disguises, different names and forms, a part of everyone and everything. This experience of interconnectedness is part of spiritual traditions and the perennial wisdom in virtually all religions and cultures. Dean Ornish self spiritual years Joy of living is sustainable; fear of dying is not. Dean Ornish fear-of-dying dying joy In general, losing weight is a good thing for those who are overweight, but it's important to lose weight in a way that enhances your health rather than one that may compromise it. Dean Ornish important weight may I'm a big admirer of Walter Willett's work. I think he's done some really important research. He and I agree on most things. Dean Ornish important done thinking When most people think about my work, they think about diet. To me, diet has always been the least interesting part of it. Dean Ornish people interesting thinking With everything that you can imagine at our fingertips, many of the social interactions that help tie people together in a community have faded away. Are communities traditionally built on relationships, trust and familiarity a thing of the past? Dean Ornish ties people past Curious patients are more receptive to new ideas, and those who engage their health practitioners in a dialogue are much more likely to adhere to these recommendations. Dean Ornish curious patient ideas One of the reasons my father ... became a dentist was so he could always be home for dinner and spend weekends with his family. At one point he had thought about being a musician, but he said, I'm not going to do that because I'd be on the road all the time and I wouldn't be with my family. Dean Ornish weekend home father The Internet has transformed many parts of our daily lives, touching everything from how we find information to how we go shopping, get directions, and even stay in touch with friends and family. Dean Ornish shopping family-and-friends touching Whether you're six or sixty, if you go on a diet and lifestyle program and feel constrained, you're likely to go off it sooner or later. Offering a spectrum of choices is much more effective; then, you feel free and empowered. Dean Ornish six choices offering Our survival depends on the healing power of love, intimacy and relationships. As individuals. As communities. As a country. As a culture. Perhaps even as a species. Dean Ornish community healing country Whether it's by helping us search for health-related information, connecting us with doctors through online portals, or enabling us to store and retrieve our medical records online, the Internet is starting to show the promise it has to transform the way people interact with and improve their own health and wellness. Dean Ornish doctors people promise We all know we're going to die one day, but who wants to think about it? What's sustainable is joy, pleasure and freedom. Dean Ornish one-day joy thinking I grew up in Texas, eating meat five times a day, and I liked meat. But I began being a vegetarian when I was 19 because I found that I felt better. Dean Ornish vegetarian texas meat Meaning is malleable: take it out, you get nihilism and despair. Put it in, you get sacredness and something most special. Dean Ornish despair special nihilism I am as non-accepting of medical quackery and unscientific approaches as anybody else. I've grown up as a card-carrying scientist, and I know the power of science to answer questions, and for many questions I don't know of anything better than scientific approaches to answer them. Dean Ornish medical answers cards Awareness-mindfulness-is the first step in healing. In Counterclockwise, Dr. Ellen Langer eloquently describes how becoming more aware of our beliefs and expectations allows us to powerfully transform our lives for the better. A pioneering, beautifully-written book. Dean Ornish healing expectations book I usually find that the process of discovery is more interesting than the answers. Dean Ornish answers discovery interesting It’s a virtuous cycle, you feel so much better so quickly that it becomes positive reinforcement. Dean Ornish lifestyle