Undo It! audiobook cover - How Simple Lifestyle Changes Can Reverse Most Chronic Diseases

Undo It!

How Simple Lifestyle Changes Can Reverse Most Chronic Diseases

Anne Ornish and Dean Ornish

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Undo It!
Core Philosophy+
Disease Mechanisms+
Pillar 1: Plant-Based Diet+
Pillar 2: Exercise+
Pillar 3: Stress Management+
Pillar 4: Social Connections+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 7
Why do the authors recommend making radical, comprehensive lifestyle changes all at once rather than taking a gradual approach?
  • A. Gradual changes are too difficult for doctors to track medically.
  • B. Radical changes produce quick, positive results that serve as a sustainable motivator.
  • C. Fear of death is the only way to maintain a strict new regimen over time.
  • D. Gradual changes confuse the body's metabolic rate and cause weight gain.
Question 2 of 7
What is a surprising truth about chronic diseases that makes a 'one-size-fits-all' lifestyle solution possible?
  • A. They are all caused by the exact same genetic mutation.
  • B. They share the same underlying biological mechanisms, such as inflammation and oxidative stress.
  • C. They can all be cured simply by removing refined carbohydrates from the diet.
  • D. They are exclusively the result of modern environmental toxins and pesticides.
Question 3 of 7
According to the text, why are plant-based proteins generally healthier than animal-based proteins?
  • A. Plant-based proteins contain higher levels of AGE (advanced glycation end products).
  • B. Animal-based proteins are entirely devoid of any nutritional value.
  • C. Plant-based foods provide health-boosting antioxidants, while meats lack them and contain harmful oxidants.
  • D. Plant-based proteins are easier for the body to break down into essential simple sugars.
Question 4 of 7
How does exercise contribute to increased longevity at a cellular level?
  • A. It destroys damaged chromosomes before they can replicate.
  • B. It lengthens telomeres, which are the protective caps on cells' chromosomes.
  • C. It permanently disables the process of apoptosis, preventing cell death.
  • D. It replaces older cells with new, synthetic proteins.
Question 5 of 7
What surprising biological factor contributes to the happiness-boosting effects of exercise?
  • A. It decreases the overall size of the gastrointestinal tract, reducing physical discomfort.
  • B. It increases the population of beneficial gut bacteria that produce feel-good neurotransmitters like serotonin.
  • C. It completely suppresses the amygdala, temporarily eliminating all feelings of fear or sadness.
  • D. It increases the production of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in the brain.
Question 6 of 7
What measurable neurological effect can result from meditating 30 minutes a day for eight weeks?
  • A. A reduction in the size of the amygdala, the brain's emotional center.
  • B. An increase in the size of the brain's physical pain receptors.
  • C. The complete deactivation of the sympathetic nervous system.
  • D. A decrease in the size of the left prefrontal cortex.
Question 7 of 7
According to a 2013 study mentioned in the text, what is a counterintuitive but highly effective way to mitigate the health risks of stress through social connection?
  • A. Isolating oneself to avoid taking on the emotional burdens of others.
  • B. Frequently asking friends and family for favors to reduce your own daily workload.
  • C. Providing support and helping out friends, family, or neighbors.
  • D. Engaging strictly in digital or virtual social networks rather than in-person ones.

Undo It! — Full Chapter Overview

Undo It! Summary & Overview

Undo It! (2019) reveals the astonishing power of making simple lifestyle changes that can not just prevent, but even reverse a wide range of chronic diseases. That might sound like wishful thinking, but it’s backed by a rich array of research that has been published in peer-reviewed scientific journals and reflects a growing consensus within the mainstream medical community.

Who Should Listen to Undo It!?

  • People with chronic diseases
  • People looking for motivation to change their diets or exercise habits
  • People who suffer from stress or loneliness

About the Author: Anne Ornish and Dean Ornish

Dr. Dean Ornish is a clinical professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, and the University of California, San Diego. His research has been published in leading peer-reviewed medical journals such as the Journal of the American Medical Association, the New England Journal of Medicine and the Lancet. He is the author of six bestselling books, including Dr. Dean Ornish’s Program for Reversing Heart Disease (1990) and The Spectrum (2008).

Anne Ornish is the vice president of program development at the Preventive Medicine Research Institute, which investigates how diet and lifestyle affect health and disease. She is also the digital director of Ornish Lifestyle Medicine – an organization that offers a nine-week lifestyle medicine program implemented by hospitals, clinics and physician groups around the United States.

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