Evidence-based diet and exercise combination programs:
Diet and exercise combination programs such as the Pritikin Program, The Dr. Dean Ornish Program, and the Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes Diet have all been traditionally prescribed for coronary artery disease, but will also improve many of the risk factors for ischemic stroke. The basics of these programs are included below.
The Pritikin Program evidence-based benefits:
A study using 67 patients with metabolic syndrome to investigate the effects of Pritikin therapy for 12-15 days showed improvement in most heart disease risk factors, including body mass index (3% reduction), blood pressure, glucose and LDL cholesterol (10%-15% reduction), and triglycerides (36% reduction). Additionally, 37% of subjects no longer met the criteria for metabolic syndrome as determined by the National Cholesterol Education Program. HDL cholesterol decreased by 3%. (13)