May 2017

The Perfect Health Diet is a book written by husband and wife, Paul and Shou-Ching Jaminet. This couple has a qualified scientific background, their Ph.D.s, and a passion for diets and health. They began their research on the impacts of different food groups on diseases, immunity, and health. Their research covered everything from how we contract certain diseases to the potential health benefits obtained through the consumption of certain foods or lack thereof.

This book is available for purchase online on several different websites. Amazon, being among the most popular of the sites, has the paperback version priced at $11.68 and the hardcover for $19.04. This reasonably priced guide was published in December of 2013. Ultimately, their goal in creating this Perfect Health Diet book was to give the reader tools to achieve optimal health, whether they suffer from disease or not.

As far as the descriptive diet that they recommend, it is very similar to the well-known paleo diet. One of the minor differences is that in the Perfect Health Diet you are allowed to consume minimal simple starches such as white rice and potatoes, whereas starches are banned in the paleo diet. For those of you that are not familiar with the Paleolithic or “paleo” Diet, it is a restrictive diet in which starches, grains, legumes, sugars, and unhealthy fats (ex. vegetable oil) are not permitted.

The Perfect Health Claims

As printed on the front cover of the book, the Perfect Health Diet claims to teach you how to “Regain Health and Lose Weight by Eating the Way You Were Meant to Eat”. This claim seems plausible, seeing as how we should all be well aware of the importance of nutrition and healthy eating habits for our well-being. However, after looking into the feedback from readers and the content of the book itself, their “way we are meant to eat” statement definitely does not apply to everyone. 

Does The Perfect Health Have Scientific Backing?

Considering both authors that collaborated to create this Perfect Health Diet are scientists as well, I would consider their research and findings to be sufficient forms of scientific backing. According to a customer review on Amazon, the information provided in the text was very credible.

“The Perfect Health Diet is an extremely well referenced and supported diet book. I have read maybe fifty health and nutrition books, many in the “low carb”, “paleo”, “traditional eating” and “whole foods” categories. This book is the best that I have read.”- Eckthelion, an Amazon Customer

When research has been carried out for as long as 7 years, which the Jaminet’s claim to have spent on the research for this text, the evidence and conclusions made are usually considered to be true. Although, this is not necessarily always the case. According to a critical Amazon customer review, there were a few instances in the book in which the authors did not live up to their expectations in the least.

“Some of the misinformation is this book is almost unbelievable, given that both authors are ostensibly educated and have been researching diet extensively for years. “ –Cynthia L., an Amazon Customer

Is The Perfect Health Effective?

Although there is a pretty sufficient amount of scientific backing as to the diseases and the role of food discussed in the book, whether or not this diet is the “perfect” diet is still very much in question.

What the recommended diet comes down to is one that is high in protein and low in carbohydrates. While this may be healthy for some, it is definitely not healthy for absolutely all. Aside from the food groups fitting “perfect” for everyone (or not), the effectiveness is questionable when you consider how difficult it is for many to just jump right into a diet of this sort. Going in cold-turkey can sometimes be rallied and motivated, but it gets tough when the cravings begin to creep in and you attempt to live a lifestyle of only these food groups for long periods of time. That being said, as far as this program being effective for the reader to achieve what they really are aiming to is nowhere near guaranteed.

What are The Perfect Health Side Effects?

The negative side effects recorded had to do with people that tried re-introducing certain food groups after completely eliminating them from their diet. Even though this is not referred to as an elimination diet, it is important to keep your body balanced. The balance helps to ensure that the proper bacteria stays where it belongs and gives strength to your immune system. If you follow a restrictive diet for a few weeks and really cut back on food groups (especially carbohydrates), chances are the side effects are going to be rough.

Whether you develop intolerance and are irritated by the foods from the point of eliminating them on, or you begin to notice a fluctuation in weight and energy levels, you will suffer.

The Perfect Health Support

The Perfect Health Diet website offers different ways for readers to stay involved and active in their commitment to the new lifestyle. One way is to sign up for the “Perfect Health Newsletter.” This newsletter is e-mailed to its recipients along with a complimentary e-book that is granted upon signing up for the newsletter.

The Perfect Health Diet is present on several social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Google+, etc. Besides contacting the Perfect Health representatives on social media, there are a few e-mails provided such as [email protected], as well as a few different places to post comments and concerns throughout the website.

The next option they provide on their website is the “Perfect Health Retreat”. This retreat really drives home the support that this couple hopes to achieve in empowering their readers. They feature several videos of past customers that have attended this retreat along with their stories and experiences on the website. This is a retreat in which participants have the opportunity to really take all that they have gathered from the book to the next level. Attendees have the opportunity to further their knowledge in a daily educational program, proper cooking instruction classes, personal health coaching, movement classes three times a day, evening relaxation classes, and free time to enjoy the nearby ocean. Not sure how I feel about this, it seems like an interesting option and I have yet to see it offered with any of the other diet programs out there.

Bottom Line

The Perfect Health Diet is a book created to help inform individuals of supposedly the proper diet to achieve weight loss and optimal health. Although this diet seemed well-researched and credible upon first glance (seeing as how it was written by scientists with a passion for health and diets), it was not held in such a high regard after all. This is not to say that it is not ideal for some, but it is most definitely not the “perfect” option for all. There may have been some very qualified scientific research conducted in the making of this book, but as for the diet plan, it was just not fitting. If the book was geared towards diseases, foods, and immunity primarily then I may have had a different opinion. As far as a weight loss program, we suggest that you not spend your time reading this book and instead continue to look into other options that may be more fitting.

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Resources

1. “Perfect Health Diet: Regain Health and Lose Weight by Eating the Way… › Customer Reviews.” Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: Perfect Health Diet: Regain Health and Lose Weight by Eating the Way You Were Meant to Eat. Web.
2. “Perfect Health Diet – A Diet for Healing Chronic Disease, Restoring Youthful Vitality, and Achieving Long Life | Perfect Health Diet.” Perfect Health Diet. Web.

The Pritikin Principle Diet was created by Nathan Pritikin. According to his story, he traveled around the world to different cultures in which heart conditions were not so prevalent to gather his findings. This was supposedly sparked by his personal suffering from a heart attack when he was in his 40’s. He claims that by following a diet that is low in fat and protein, while high in fiber, people will not face such risks of heart disease.

The Pritikin Principle Starter Pack is sold for $349.95 at a “special” price when supposedly the regular price is $100 dollars more.  This package consists of one 30 minute over the phone consultation, one week of frozen meals, a one-year online Pritikin membership, and a book. To put this into perspective, by simply following this frozen dinner meal plan and reading a book within a week you are not going to see the results you were hoping for. Therefore, $350 dollars is an extremely steep price for far from guaranteed results.  After a week, you will then only have access to your online membership. Once a member you have access to recipes, purchasing weeklong meal plans at a price of  $225, a weight loss tracker, and a patient portal. What makes this diet program anywhere worth that expensive price?

This original diet was created a while back, around the year 1970. Since then, Nathan’s son has taken over and the diet has been altered. Although this diet was originally created in hopes of lowering chances of disease, it now claims to aid in weight loss. As time has passed and there have been numerous other studies on nutrition and how our body functions, this diet gets a rap for being old news and some of the original findings do not comply with the findings about healthy diets today.

Pritikin Principle Claims

Adapting to a lifestyle of eating foods that are low in fat and protein, while high in fiber can be quite a challenge. Not only to break habits, but on our energy levels as well. Now that the Pritikin Principle has loosened the reigns and allows nuts and seeds, the task is not as immense but still very difficult. So what makes it worth it?

The Pritikin Principle claims to be one of the healthiest diets on the market. It is more so geared towards alleviating and preventing disease rather than the weight loss factor. When Nathan Pritikin originally created this diet, he claims his intentions were as follows.

“All I’m to do is wipe out heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, and obesity” – (Nathan Pritikin, Founder).

In developing this program what he intended to achieve, in turn is what the claims hold for those participating in the Pritikin Principle Diet. Specifically, claims include; reducing triglycerides, reducing bad cholesterol, chronic inflammation, weight loss, etc. Although this is what the goal may have been, in doing some further research it does not seem as though these claims are really met in this program.

Does Pritikin Principle Have Scientific Backing?

Following the several claims made, there is indeed some extent of scientific backing for each of these claims. This Pritikin Principle Diet has been featured in multiple medical journals and studied by many recognized research institutions. Some of these institutions include UCLA, Harvard, and Stanford.

As part of the research, I found that some of the guidelines that this diet sets are actually faulty. For example, what we know about the importance of the proper fat in our diets from several studies that have been conducted in recent years. Nowadays, the “good fats” such as fatty omega 3’s found in salmon, and fats from avocados and nuts, are critical for proper brain function or feeling full for a sufficient period of time. Therefore the Pritikin Principle Diet that calls for a low fat diet is actually not the best for you.

Is Pritikin Principle Effective?

The Pritikin Principle Diet has extended from a published book, into a diet program with frozen meals and online membership, and later into a full fledge center. The Pritikin longevity center claims to be a location in which you can enroll and stay at for a period of time and that is where they guarantee the most results. However, if you do not have the time or money to enroll in a full on stay at a diet location, the at home program is your only option. If you are thinking that reading a book within a week and eating the frozen meals they send you with this program is enough to reach the results that they claim, you may want to reconsider. What if you have any allergies to the only food options they send you? What if you don’t see any significant changes in the first week and are forced to spend another $225 to get the meal plan for the next week?  There are hardly any testimonials shown on the website, but in their defense they do provide scientific proof which does not make me automatically count out the effectiveness. 

What are Pritikin Principle Side Effects?

As science has improved over the years, since the original Pritikin Principle Diet was developed there are definite some faults with the strict diet. As far as eating healthy and exercise, if everything is done in proper balance, there should be minimal side effects.

The issue lies with the lack of fats and protein that the diet calls for. With slight changes to the guidelines in recent years, there is more animal protein and fat allowed in the plan, but still needs to be reconsidered. The original diet excluded most fats and this can have a negative side effect on our brain functions and mental conditions such as depression. In today’s day and age there have been several discoveries made regarding the benefits of animal protein, general protein, and “good fats”. By limiting the intake of such nutrients our bodies may suffer the side effects rather than reap the benefits.

Pritikin Principle Support

The Pritikin Principle Diet is originally distributed in the form of a book. It takes a lot of self-discipline to achieve the benefits and follow the diet properly. The Pritikin Principle offers a newsletter, email form for inquiries, and phone number (888) 254-1462. These forms of support (besides the newsletter) are all geared towards making a reservation for a stay at their facility or inquiries regarding the in-house rehabilitation programs. However, they do not specify any one on one support for the at home program or membership besides the initial 30 minute consultation upon signing up. This leaves the consumer primarily on their own if one is not interested in going through with the full on overnight stay. That being said, there is also not any Money-Back Guarantee mentioned on the website. 

Bottom Line

The Pritikin Principle Diet was originally developed in the 70’s in the form of a book and has evolved into an at home weeklong program, online membership, or overnight stay program.  Ultimately, this diet is very involved and far more complex than just following the steps to make some changes and achieve optimal health and weight loss. Although there is a large amount of scientific backing for this diet, it is research that can be done on your own and may not necessarily require the full on $350 weeklong program or stay at the Pritikin facility that they promote. If you are looking to lose weight, keep it off, and start a new lifestyle I would suggest that you save the money and find a program that will no doubt give you what you are looking to achieve.

Resources

1. “Articles by CategorySuccess Stories.” Pritikin Weight Loss Resort. Web.
2. “Pritikin Diet Revisited.” Body Soul. Web.
3. “Scientifically Proven Results.” Pritikin Weight Loss Resort. Web.
4. “What Foods Are Allowed When Starting the Pritikin Diet?” Live Healthy. Web.

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