Open Your Heart to others!
Help get the word out! Please post the flier on the last page for others to see at your doctor's office, library, supermarket, etc.
OSGGR
c/o Abby Stern
4 Sand Brook Road
Pittsford, NY 14534
OSGGR will be meeting in the Auditorium
The next RESTAURANT NIGHT. . .
• • • will be at the
Corn Hill Cookery
on Wednesday, January 14th
5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Bring a friend. Sit with and meet other Ornish members.
Two Ornish friendly dishes will be on the menu!
Call for reservations at 546-2940
Located at 321 Exchange Boulevard
OSGGR is a nonprofit organization based on Dr. Dean Ornish's book Reversing Heart Disease by diet, exercise, stress reduction and psychosocial methods. Please join us at the OSSGR meetings.
Speaker: William J. Hall, M.D.
Vice Chair, Department of Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center
Director, Geriatrics Programs and Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics
TOPIC:
"Chronological vs. Biological Age and the Ornish Program"
Monday, January 12, 1998
7:30 P.M. to 9:30 P.M.
Monroe Community Hospital. (Directions - From 390 go North on East
Henrietta Road. Left to MCH. Right to Parking Lot #1. Enter through the "Hope
Entrance Center for Lifetime Wellness." Walk straight to end of corridor. Right at end
of corridor. Auditorium is on the right.
Meetings are held on the second Monday of the month at Monroe Community Hospital. Members-Free. Guests-$3.00
For additional information, call Ed Ehlers at 336-9847, or visit our web page at http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/2435/
MEMBERSHIP
We are on target for our membership goals. As you can see from the table below our goal was to have 200 members by January 1, 1998 and we have 206. In the way of background, at our first formal meeting in January 1996 we were surprised and pleased to have 100 people attend. An inspirational moment hit us and we said why not have 100 members in one year and eventually 1,000 members. Our steering committee agreed it was a worthwhile goal. Our next milestone is to be at 400 members by January 1, 1999. A question worth asking is how important is it to continue to grow. It seems most organizations plateau at certain numbers and have a difficult time just maintaining membership.
I think the difference between growing and not is the difference between being a fringe group or agents for change. I don't know of anyone on the Ornish program who has not felt better and many have had tangible improvements.
The fourth part of the program Dean originally called "Group Support." Then, in his latest book, Everyday Cooking he called it "psychosocial" to expand spiritual and egalitarian concepts.
It feels natural and healing to want to share these concepts with others. Here are some ideas to encourage growth...
1. Every member bring in a new member. If 200 members did that we would be at 400 in one year.
2. Give or sell the book "Reversing Hearth Disease" to others - The latest smaller print book only costs $7.00 which is a much better gift than a $3 or $4 Get Well card. I keep a few extra copies in my car.
3. New approaches - We got some good ideas from our small group meetings, such as a weekend retreat or hooking up live with PMRI in California at one of our meetings, or maybe with Dean. We need more fresh ideas and help to implement them.
4. Publicity - We need someone to head publicity and get us more and better coverage.
5. Post the flier attached to this newsletter and reread the article on page 3 under POST IT.
I don't think we would be at 200 now if we did not set our long term sights at 1,000. If we grew and how much depends on the collective time and energy we put into it.
MEMBERSHIP SCOREBOARD
Members as of 1/1/98 = 206
Goals: 1/1/97 - 100 (accomplished)
1/1/98 - 200 (accomplished)
1/1/99 - 400
1/1/00 - 800
1/1/01 - 1,000
The Rochester Ornish Support Group was initially formed by heart patients who had read Dr. Dean Ornish's book "Reversing Heart Disease Without Drugs or Surgery."
We believe heart patients including people who want to lose weight and reduce their risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, etc. can benefit from our healthy programs and approaches to becoming responsible for their own health.
Membership in the Ornish Support Group is open to anyone who has an interest in improved health through diet, exercise, stress reduction and group interaction.
Membership in this nonprofit group entitles you to a monthly newsletter and invitations to monthly meetings and group events.
Name(s)_________________________________
Address__________________________________
City ___________________ State ____ Zip _____
Telephone number ________________________
Individual Membership $15/year
Joint Membership (one address) $20/year
Renewal
Please return your completed application
and check to: The Ornish Support Group
c/o Abby Stern
4 Sand Brook Road
Pittsford, NY 14534
The following survey is optional:
(the intent is to understand our membership and document the beneficial benefits of the Ornish Program.)
Do You Have Heart Disease? Yes/No
If yes, your name:_________________________________
When was Heart Disease detected? ___________________
Type of Heart Disease? ____________________________
Operations & dates? _______________________________
Please provide information on the following if you are already on the Ornish diet:
% of days that you completely follow diet _____%
Exercise: Hours/week ___________
Stress Reduction: Avg. Minutes daily _____
Avg Days/weekly_______
Group interaction: Avg. Hours/wk ________
Have you found the Ornish Program beneficial: Yes/No
Please explain: ____________________________________
________________________________________________
If you are not already on the Ornish Program, what do you hope
to accomplish? ______________________________________
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
Ed Ehlers' Corner
Why Go to the Ornish Retreat?
Let me give you the answer from a participant I met at one of the retreats. Before I do, let me set the stage. Dean has a saying that "most people don't really care if they live to 88 or 89 and that what is most important is how healthy they live the rest of their lives, unless you happen to be 88 or 89." This participant who is a geneticist and cofounder of the Nobel Prize Sperm Bank happened to be 89 years old. I asked him his thoughts on Dean's joke. He laughed and said, "Ed, the way I see it I am enjoying life so much that I want to keep it going as long as I can."
I think that is a great reason for anyone to attend. I plan to return to the retreat from July 19-25, 1998 and would love to have some fellow Rochesterians join me. Unfortunately, it is expensive. The costs are $2,900 for one and $5,100 for two plus $750 for the Claremont Resort and Spa. When you include airfare at about $500 per person, the total costs are $4,150 for one and $6,850 for two.
On most other vacations there are usually unanticipated expenses while here since you go from about 7 AM to 10 PM, it is hard to spend extra money even if you wanted to.
In hopes that others in Rochester are interested I requested 30 extra brochures on the program that will be available at the librarian's table. I am willing to bet that if you go you will take your current Ornish program to a higher level and thoroughly enjoy the week as well.
POST IT!!
On the last page of this newsletter we have a flier that we need your help to distribute at libraries, doctor's offices, health clubs, supermarkets, etc. We listed the meetings from January thru June so the flier will not be obsolete for quite a while. Imagine the impact we can make if we have 1,000 or more fliers posted throughout the area. Please try to get a few posted and give a list to any steering committee member on where they were posted.
To obtain extra copies either make them yourself from the original attached to this newsletter or pick up extra copies from the librarian's table at any of our general meetings.
CALENDAR
January 12 William J. Hall, M.D.,
"Chronological vs. Biological Age
& the Ornish Program"
February 9 Pauline Zimmer, RN
"Visualization & its importance
to the Ornish Program"
March 9 Mark Sandler &
Carrie Gaynor, Yoga Instructors
"Interaction between yoga
& the Ornish Program"
April 13 Wayne Wallace, M.D.
"A cardiologist speaks & answers questions
about the Ornish Program"
May 11 Robert Klein, M.D. &
David Stern, M.D.
"Two physicians refer to recent studies
on homocysteine, cholesterol
& the Ornish Approach"
June 8 Dolly Dickson &
Allyson Prace
"A survival program for non-cooks
on the Ornish Program"
January 14 "Restaurant Night"
Corn Hill Cookery
321 Exchange Blvd
Congratulations to Everyone!!
We're
Celebrating
Our 2nd
Anniversary!!
FOR RELEASE: 4:00 p.m. ET, Mon., Dec., 1, 1997
American Heart Association journal report:
Mental stress response linked to blood vessel blockages
DALLAS, Dec. 2 -- For the first time, in a large study, researchers have linked an exaggerated response to mental stress to blood vessel blockages that can trigger heart attacks and strokes. The findings appear in today's American Heart Association journal Circulation.
The study of 901 Finnish men found that those with the most extreme blood pressure responses on a mental stress test had the thickest blockages from atherosclerosis in their carotid arteries, the vessels that feed blood to the brain. The association was strongest among men younger than 55.
In the study, mental stress responses were associated with the same degree of atherosclerosis risk as smoking and elevated cholesterol in the younger men, suggesting that cardiovascular reactivity to stress may turn out to be a new risk factor for heart disease and stroke, says the study's lead author, Thomas Kamarck, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology, University of Pittsburgh. Since all of the measures were taken at one time, the researchers cannot yet conclude that the responses to mental stress cause the atherosclerosis. Further research is needed to determine if mental stress response predicts future development of plaque.
Just like elevated cholesterol, mental stress over time may injure blood vessels and promote atherosclerosis in susceptible individuals, Kamarck says.
"Frequent and prolonged periods of elevated blood pressure during mental stress may promote mechanical injury to the endothelial lining or cause release of stress hormones that can promote the build up of plaque," say the researchers. They note that further research is needed to determine the cause of the association observed in this study.
The new study builds on existing evidence that individuals who show exaggerated responses to stress ("Type A", or hostile individuals) may be at higher risk for heart disease and stroke than more relaxed individuals.
The latest study seeks to further pinpoint the "unhealthy" characteristics of "stress-prone" individuals who have been previously identified by questionnaires or interviews.
The test used in this study requires a person to perform a series of mental tasks that require a range of cognitive and memory skills. Each task is designed to stimulate a state of mild mental stress. The difficulty level was adjusted to maintain performance of less than 60 percent accuracy rate so that the person remained challenged throughout.
"Cardiovascular reactivity" was measured by examining the acute changes in blood pressure and heart rate produced by the tasks.
The participants in the study -- who were enrolled in a heart disease investigation called the Kuopio Ischemic Heart Disease Study -- all had carotid ultrasound testing. This non-invasive test provides an X-ray image of the thickness of the carotid artery wall, a measurement called mean intimal thickness which is thought to be a reflection of atherosclerosis in the vessel. The carotid ultrasound is a widely accepted tool used to estimate atherosclerosis in other blood vessels in the body.
Men who were in the highest quintile for cardiovascular reactivity had a mean intimal thickness of .89 mm, compared to .85 mm in the lowest fifth. An increase of .1 mm of intimal medial thickness has been associated with an 11 percent increased risk for heart attack in previous studies. Future research is needed to determine whether cardiovascular reactivity predicts heart attacks or other results of atherosclerosis, says Kamarck.
Researchers don't know why the association was not found in individuals older than 55. Since this sample of Finnish men was particularly prone to heart disease, some of the most susceptible individuals may not have survived into their 60s. The survivors may have been less prone to develop disease regardless of their stress reactivity.
Researchers don't know why people differ in their cardiovascular reactivity to acute stress. Evidence suggests that about 50 percent of the differences may be due to genetics, but chronic stress exposure may contribute in some cases as well.
Coauthors are Susan Everson, Ph.D., M.P.H.; George Kaplan, Ph.D.; Stephen Manuck, Ph.D.; J. Richard Jennings, Ph.D.' Riitta Salonen, M.D., Ph.D; and Jukka Salonen, M.D.; Ph.D., M.Sc.P.H.
###
The "Store Walk & Talk"
at Lori's Natural Food Center
Come experience a lively, fast-paced, informative one-hour guided "walk & talk" through Lori's. The shopper is guided by Allyson Prace, a Registered Dietitian/Registered Nurse specializing in whole foods nutrition. "STORE WALKS" serve as a general introduction to a natural foods market for those looking to eat more healthfully or can be tailored to the shopper's specific nutritional needs:
* Ornish diet * high cholesterol * weight management * food allergies * vegetarian * lactose intolerance
* diabetes * gluten-free * soy foods * cancer
* fibromyalgia/CFIDS * osteoporosis * macrobiotic
Participants receive a printed packet that includes shopping information, food storage tips, cooking charts and recipes.
Location: Lori's Natural Foods Center
Genesee Valley Regional Market
900 Jefferson Rd.
(across from Kinko's Copy Center)
Cost: $25.00 per person for a 1-hour session
($5.00 co-payment only for Blue Choice,
Blue Choice Option, Greater Rochester
Health Plan, Premier Health Plan and
Strong Care members)
Contact: Lori's Natural Foods Center at 424-2323 to schedule with the dietitian.
Cholesterol High? Want to try
Dr. Ornish's Diet for
Reversing Heart Disease??
Come to a two-part class designed for individuals interested in transitioning to the Ornish Diet or for those on it who need a refresher!
Part 1: Thursday, February 12 6:00-8:00 pm
•overview of the Reversal Diet guidelines
•supplement recommendations
•how to use the Reversal Diet Food pyramid
•food label interpretation
Part 2: Thursday, February 19 6:00-8:00 pm
•living day-to-day/ "survival skills"
•meal planning
•store tour
All participants will receive an information packet containing recipes.
Instructor: Allyson Prace, Nutrition Advisor for the Ornish Support Group of Greater Rochester
Fee: $50.00 per person (includes both classes)
Location:
Lori's Natural Foods Center Education Room
Genesee Valley Regional Market, 900 Jefferson Road
To Register: Contact Lori's at 424-2323
Class size limited.
OSGGR Steering Committee:
Ed Ehlers,
President
Robert F. Klein, M.D.,
Medical Advisor
Abby Stern,
Treasurer
David Stern, M.D.,
Website
Allyson Prace, RN/RD,
Nutrition Advisor
Melissa Cadregari,
Exercise Specialist
Dolly Dickson,
Advisor
Florence Kaplow,
Newsletter
Our Next Meeting ... will be on Monday, January 12th at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Monroe Community Hospital. Our speaker, Dr. William Hall will talk about the difference between ones chronological and biological age. Since time keeps marching on, not much can be done about our chronological age but people vary greatly in their biological age. He will explore why some people age at different rates than others.
Dr. Hall, as professor of Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of Rochester Medical School and the Director of the Monroe Community Hospital Wellness Center, is very well qualified to speak to this subject.
RESTAURANT NIGHTS EXPANDED!!
Instead of going to just one restaurant that serves Ornish approved meals, we are expanding it to other restaurants. We will continue to have Restaurant Night on the Wednesday after the general meeting as follows:
January 14 - Corn Hill Cookery - Vegetable Cakes, etc.
546-2940
February 11 - Mamacita's - Sweet Potato & Black Bean Burritos
232-1420
March 11 - Tony Grana's - Rice Risotto, Beans over Pasta
467-4360
Call to reserve your place and mention that you are following the Ornish diet.
These Restaurants are willing to support our members' diets. Please support them in return.
We know that we have 206 members, what we
don't know is:
How many have heart disease?
How many have seen improvements and what kind?
What percent follow the diet?
What is the hardest part of the program to follow?
To find the answers to these questions and lots more, we will be sending out surveys in January.
Please cooperate and return them so that we can better understand ourselves.
A new day, time and location!
What to expect during each class:
* Gentle stretching and strengthening postures, chosen especially
for our group.
* Abdominal breathing, deep breathing and alternate
nostril breathing techniques.
* Progressive deep relaxation with directed visualization.
Class Session: 8 evenings January 11 through March lst
New Class Day & Time: Sunday from 5:30 to 7:00 P.M.
Class Fee: $75 for the 8 week class schedule
or $11 per evening (payable at each class).
Class Registration: Call Carrie Gaynor at 473-4048
Class size: maximum of 15 people
Class Instructor: Carrie Gaynor, RN
Recommended Reading: Dr. Dean Ornish's Program for
Reversing Heart Disease Chapters 3,5,7, & 9
Last session's yoga group found that Mondays were just too busy. A Sunday Evening class fit the needs of people currently coming to class. This next class is open to new and continuing students.
For this reason, the class location has changed to the YOGA & WELLNESS CENTER'S yoga room. There is plenty of safe convenient parking in the Blessed Sacrament Church parking lot. Use lot A, Rutgers St. entrance. Our yoga room is located in the SYNERGY Studio on the 2nd floor of the Genesee Co-op building, 713 Monroe Ave.
What to bring to class:
* a light stomach
* loose comfortable clothing - changing room is available.
Do You Want to Prevent or Reverse Heart Disease
Lose Weight, Lower Cholesterol and Feel Better?
Then come to a OSGGR meeting (Ornish Support Group of Greater Rochester) on the 2nd Monday of each month.
Meetings are held on February 9, March 9, April 13, May 11, June 8 at the Monroe Community Hospital Wellness Center from 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm.
Monroe Community Hospital. (Directions - From 390 go North on East Henrietta Road. Left to MCH. Right to Parking Lot #1. Enter through the "Hope Entrance Center for Lifetime Wellness." Walk straight to end of corridor. Right at end of corridor. Auditorium is on the right.
OSGGR is a nonprofit support group based on the best selling book "Reversing Heart Disease Without Drugs or Surgery" by Dean Ornish, M.D.
For more information, call Ed Ehlers at (716) 336-9847.
January 12 William J. Hall, M.D.,
Director of Lifetime Wellness Center - Monroe Community Hospital
Topic: Chronological vs. Biological Age and the Ornish Program
February 9 Pauline Zimmer, RN and Massage Therapist
Topic: Nurse Zimmer will lead the audience through
visualization and explain its importance to the Ornish Program.
March 9 Mark Sandler, Yoga Instructor and
Carrie Gainer, Cardiac Nurse and Yoga Instructor
Topic: The interaction between yoga and the Ornish Program wil
be discussed and demonstrated.
April 13 Wayne Wallace, M.D.
Topic: A cardiologist speaks and answers questions about
the Ornish Program
May 11 Robert Klein, M.D. and David Stern, M.D.
Topic: Two physicians will share how recent studies on
homocysteine, cholesterol, etc. agree with the Ornish Approach
June 8 Dolly Dickson and Allyson Prace, RN, RD
Topic: A survival course for non-cooks on the Ornish Diet