Pritikin: The Man Who Healed America's Heart 0878577327

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Pritikin: TheManWhoHealed Americas Heart by TomMonte

withIlenePritikin

oe

RodalePress,Emmaus,Pennsylvania

Copyright© 1988byTomMonteandIlenePritikin Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproducedor transmittedinanyformorbyanymeans,electronicormechanical,including photocopy, recording,oranyinformationstorageorretrievalsystem,without thewrittenpermissionofthepublishers. PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmericaonrecycledpapercontaininga high percentageofde-inkedfiber. Bookdesign:AceyLee Photographs: courtesyofIlenePritikin

Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Monte,Tom. Pritikin,the man who healed America’sheart.

Includesindex. 1.Pritikin,Nathan. 2.Nutritionists-United States-Biography.3.Health reformers-UnitedStates-Biography.I.Pritikin,Ilene. II.Title.RM214.62.P75M66 1988 = 613.2'092'4[B] 87-2432]

ISBN 0-87857-732-7 hardcover 2468

10 9 7 5 3 1 _ hardcover

RodalePress,Inc.,publishesPREVENTION®, the betterhealthmagazine. Forinformationonhowto orderyoursubscription, writeto PREVENTION®, Emmaus,PA18049.

flee. 97

CPAPSA

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Notice If you hhis book is not a medicalmanual or guide to self-treatment. competent shouldseek suspectthatyou have a medicalproblem,you

medicalhelp.

Dedication L thememoryof Nathanand thehealthof theworld'schildren

Foreword PartI: Pritikin-TheMan ofGlory Chapter 1: AMoment .

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dIy (6S89Ss concen emaex easaes» Chapter 2: THOME

Dreaming Chapter 3: California anExperiment, a Cure .. Chapter 4: ADiagnosis, DiseaseSurfaces Chapter 5: AMystery 2

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Chapter 6: AllGoalsTurntoHealth Chapter 7: TheTurningPoint-PritikinGoesPublic Chapter 8: ABreakthroughforDiabetics........

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106 113 Chapter10: HeartHealthand thePritikinProgram 130 CenterTakes Root Chapter11: TheLongevity 136 Pioneers”.............. Chapter12: The“Pritikin 149 at the“Lourdesofthe Pacific”......... Chapter13: “Miracles” 166 Chapter14: Pritikinversus the Medical Establishment........ 176 ACounterattack—and Worldwide F ame Chapter15: 187 Chapter16: MoreStoriesofHopeand Success.... 197 Chapter17: PersonalTroubles.................. 202 Chapter18: AManin Demand................. 218 Nathan-andOthers-Sound Off...... Chapter19: 220 Chapter20: BigHopes,LittleTime . 239 W orld Medical the f rom Acceptance a nd Chapter21: Respect 250 Chapter22: TheDiseaseHeCouldn'tCure 263 Program................... Part2: Pritikin-The 264 Chapter23: TheDietthatFightsDisease 281 GoDown Chapter24: WatchYourWeight

Inventor, Businessman... .. Chapter 9: Innovator, o

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Chapter25: ThePritikinDietforOptimalHealthand WeightLoss *

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284 296

Foreword

As NathanPritikin'swifeand lifepartner,itwasmygreatprivilegeand adventureto watchand help him emergeas an influentialnutritional scientist,reformer,and advocateofa lifestylethat profoundlybenefited

thehealthofmanythousands ofpeople. FormuchofthealmostfourdecadesthatNathan's lifewasmylife,we

enjoyedrelativeprivacy.Thisbegantochangeafter1976whenhe started hisfirstLongevity Center,and especiallyafterthe publicationin 1979of hisbook,ThePritikinProgramforDietandExercise,whichhadmillionsof

readersinmanycountries. Ashegainedthepublic's attention, theworld’s claimonhimgrewprogressively greater.

It wasmyjoy,and his,thathis perseverance and hardworkhad an impacton the livesofsomany.Beforehis 65thbirthdayin 1980,almost fiveyearsbeforehisdeath,I preparedtocommemorate thedayinthemost appropriatewayI couldconceive.Iwrotetoallofthepeoplewhohadbeen

patients atthePritikin Longevity Centers, suggesting thattheysendNathan

a birthdaylettertellinghim howtheirhealthhad changedasa resultof followinghis diet and exerciseprogram.Therewas an avalancheof heartwarming letters,as I expected.Onegratefulwriterput it thisway:

“When onemanisresponsible forsavinganotherman’slife,itseemsonly fittingthathe shouldknowaboutit.” | Now,afterNathan'sdeath,it'stimethateveryoneshouldknowaboutit. Tome, he belongednot onlyto the familythat lovedhim but to the thousandshe helped-andtotheworld,too.

ThechoiceofTomMonteas Nathan's biographer seemeda logical

one.Tom,a journalistand author,had interviewedNathanmanytimes overtheyears.TomadmiredNathanand understoodhisgoals.Nathan,for

vi

Foreword

Vil

hispart,likedTom,andfelttheyoungwriterhad a finegraspoftheissues Nathanwas promoting.In 1984,a year before Nathan'sdeath, Tom approachedhim on the matterofbeing hisbiographer.Nathanhad an interest,butfelta biographywaspremature.Hewantedhis largestudybecompletedfirst.Thatprojectis nowwell study’”-to the“plasmapheresis

onitsway,andthestoryistoldinthesepages. onpapersosoon lifetogether withTominputtingNathan's Working

deathhasnotbeenanordealforme.Rather,ithasgivenme afterNathan’s Intheprocess,themeaningofNathan'slifehas serenityand gratification. complexpersonalityincludedshortcomN athan's emerged. moreclearly ings,but to a remarkabledegree he possessedinsight,courage,vision, Fromhiscallowyouththroughhisdemandinglife,he and determination. grewin characterin a waythatcan be an inspirationtoanyofus. believerwhocaplone,nonprofessional Hisis an incrediblestory—a leaders, government s cientists, medical turedthe attentionofphysicians, individuother any andthegeneralpublicaroundtheworld.Moresothan

ofpeoplein habitsofmultitudes albeforehim,hechangedthenutritional lives o r improved insaved consequence The Statesandabroad. theUnited

canonlybe guessed. Nathan'slegacyis his program.Evenin deathhisinfluencecontinues, reachinglargerand largercircles,much in the mannerofpebbles concentricpatternswhenthrownintoa pond. spreadingever-widening ItwaswithloveandpridethatI participatedinthe tellingofNathan's remarkablestory.Anditis withthedeepestheartfeltgratitudethatI take this opportunityto thank the many peoplewho believedin Nathan's named dream,workingbesidehimoverthe years.Whetherindividually story. his partof in thesepagesornot,allofthemare truly IlenePritikin SantaBarbara,California

March,1987

p| RT]

Man Pntikin—The

CHAPTER

AMoment ofGlory

On a sunnydayinApril1984,a thin,wiryman,no morethan fivefeet, eightinchestall,withwavyblackhairanda tight,seriousface,hurriedto thepodiumatNewYorkCity'sMountSinaiMedicalSchoolandprepared to speak.Hisaudience,composedof nearly400doctors,scientists,and otherhealthprofessionals fromalloverthenation,shiftedabout,manyof themstillamazedthattheprestigious MountSinaiwoulddeigntocosponsor a medicalconferencewiththemantheywereabouttohear.Hewas,after all,a layman.Moreimportantly, he wasthecreatorof a healthprogram

thattreatedseriousandlife-threatening illnesses, notwithconventional methods, butwithadietandexercise regimenthathadbeencredited with

literallythousandsof“miracle”cures.It wasthe sameprogramhe had used to successfully treathis ownheartdisease. Formuchofthepastdecade,he had carriedon a verypublicbattle withthe leadinggovernment and privatehealthagencies,as wellas with

theAmerican Medical Association, inanefforttochangethewayserious

diseasesweretreated.Between1976and 1984,hehaddevelopeda large © and influentialfollowingthat includeda growingnumber of medical doctorsand scientists.Ashis influencegrew,he becameas controversial

as themessagehe triedtospread:thatdietwasboththecauseandthe

cureformanyofthemostwidespreaddiseasesofmoderntimes.Thevast majorityof physiciansand scientistswere stillnot readyto acceptthat premise,despitethe ever-increasing scientificevidencethatsupportedit. Indeed,manyofthe doctorsand scientistspresentin thisroomhad long

regardedhimasan enemyofestablishment medicine.

Andyet,here he wasin the SternAuditoriumatMountSinai,looking at his audiencewiththatfamiliarexpressionof impassive,unshakable

2

Moment ofGlory

3

whichhadcarriedhimthrough onlyonhismessage, focused confidence, andpersonalattackstohiscurrentstatusas the a gauntletofcriticisms

leaderofthedietand healthrevolution. ForNathanPritikin,it hadbeen a longand remarkablejourney. ChicagoTribunereporterJonVan,whowaspresentat theconference,

ofMount aboutthesignificance Dr.JeremiahStamler askedthevenerable of the Aschairman Pritikin. Nathan workwith to w illingness Sinai’s

Departmentof CommunityHealthand PreventiveMedicineat Northwasalsooneoftheconference in Chicago,Stamler-who westernUniversity speakers-wasregardedas one of the leadingfiguresin cardiovascular diseaseresearch.

Stamlertold thatPritikinhasbecomeaccepted,” “It'sextraordinary

Van.“It'sa goodsignthat MountSinaijoinedPritikinin sponsoringthis conference.” MountSinai’swillingnesstoworkwithPritikinwasindeeda sign,if

washighlycriticalof world,forPritikin tothescientific nota statement upon reliance medicine's Hequestioned therapies. manycurrentmedical

drugs and surgeryand maintainedthat, in most cases,his program shouldreplaceexistingmedicaltherapiesas a treatmentforheartdisease,

disorders. gout,andotherserious diabetes, adult-onset highbloodpressure, m Pritikin aintained Americans. morethan50million afflict Suchillnesses medicaltreatmentfailedtogetat therootcausesofthese conventional diseasesand, in addition,hadseveresideeffects. Hehadstruckat theveryheartoforthodoxmedicine,and offeredan alternativetothetherapiesmedicalsciencewasmostproudof.Accepting him intothebrotherhoodofthescientificcommunitywastantamountto and the legitimacyof acknowledgingboth Pritikin’saccomplishments hiscriticisms. Formany,thiswas a particularlybitterpillbecausePritikinwas a self-trainedscientistwith onlytwoyearsof collegeat the Universityof

Hisstudyof healthbeganas a hobbywhilehe wasin high Chicago.

school.Hehad trainedhimselfinmedicineand nutritionduring40years ofintensivestudy.Buthislackofformalcredentialsmadehimananathema to themedicalcommunity.ManydoctorswonderedhowPritikinhad the audacitytoaddressthemedicalprofessionat all,muchlesscomeupwith analternativetherapyand thenapplyitopenlytothousandsofseverelyill people.Tomanyphysicians,he wasan outlaw. ButPritikinhada geniusformovingintocomplexandtechnicalfields and solvingintractableproblems.Longbeforehe had startedhisformal careerasa nutritionistand healthproponent,Pritikinhad flourishedinthe

Heheldmorethantwodozenpatents andengineering. fieldsofelectronics in electronics,engineering,physics,and chemistry.He added to or re-

4

Pritikin

shapedeveryfieldheentered.Andyethehadnoformaltraininginanyof theseareas.

WhenMountSinaiagreed tocosponsora medicalconferencewith Pritikin,theprestigiousinstitutionwasacknowledging whatmanyleading scientistsalreadyknew:NathanPritikinhad becometoo importanta figuretoignore.

Pritikin hadspokeninfrontofhundredsoflargeaudiences atmajor

universities, buthehad neverbeforebeenaskedtoparticipateina medical forumwithhighlycredentialedpeople.Thismedicalconferencewas the

equivalent ofhisbeingadmittedtoaneliteclub.Still,Pritikin wasbyno meansreadytoplaybytheclub'srules.

Thespeech he wasabout to give wasnot the one that had been approvedbyMountSinai’sconferencechairman,Dr.VirgilBrown.Brown had givenhisapprovaltoa speechondiabetesNathanhad submittedfor approvalweeksbefore.Thiswasthe speechthathadbeenannouncedon

theconference program,andtheonehisaudienceexpected tohear.But

Nathanhad no intentionof deliveringthat talk.He had some of the leadingscientistsin the countryin frontofhim and he wasnot aboutto wastethe opportunity.Pritikinwasaboutto launchyet anotherstinging

attackon the scientificestablishment, includingthe AmericanHeart Association, forwhichBrownservedas chairmanofitsCommittee on Nutrition. In thepast,Pritikin hadattackedthescientific community for pouringmillionsofdollarsintothesearchfora pharmaceutical solutionto illness,whena dietaryonealreadyexisted.

In 1984,therewaslittlequestion amongmostleadingscientists thata low-fat, low-cholesterol diet-suchas theoneadvocatedby Pritikin-could preventheartdisease,aswellasothermajorillnesses. Therewaseven considerableevidencethatsuch a dietcouldbe effectiveas atherapy

againstcertaindiseases,includingheartdisease.Onepieceofthe puzzle

remainedin doubt,however: Noonehad evershownthatthe fatand cholesterol depositsin thecoronary arteriesofhumansactually regress

ona low-fat, low-cholesterol diet.Suchastudyhadneverbeendone.These deposits,knownas atherosclerosis, are the majorcauseofheart attacks and strokes.Reversalof atherosclerosis usinga low-fat,low-cholesterol

diethadbeenfoundinthecoronary arteriesofmonkeys, andmanyre-

searchersalreadybelievedthat reversalwastakingplacein humanson Pritikin’s diet.Butno studyhad beendoneas yet to proveit. Unbeknownst to his audience,Pritikinalreadywas attemptingto providesuchproof.Hehadbeenworkingquietlywitha groupofscientists

at a majoruniversity hospitalin an efforttoprovethata low-fat, lowcholesterol dietreverses atherosclerosis inthecoronary arteries ofhumans.

He hopedtohavepreliminaryresultssometimein 1985or 1986.If his researchrevealedwhathe had predicted,the leadinghealthagencies wouldbeforcedtorecommendalow-fat, low-cholesterol dietasthetreatment

Moment ofGlory

5

inmanycasesofheartdisease.Drugsandsurgerywouldbe ofpreference formostpeople.Thiswouldopenthe approaches regardedassecondary

wayfordietas a treatmentforotherillnesses.Hewasalreadyusingdiet diabetes,gout, totreathighbloodpressure,angina,adult-onset effectively be effectivein itcould believed he diseases,and and otherdegenerative the treatmentofcertaintypesof cancer.In any event,his studywould surelychangethewayheartdiseasewastreated.Whenthathappened,he disease,and alsowouldhavegiven wouldhavedefeatedcardiovascular communitywhoresistedhis scientific inthe proofto thoseremaining message:thatdietwasboththe causeand the cureofthe leadingkiller

diseaseintheWestern world. didhehavethetime?Hehadneverfeltthepressof But,hewondered,

timeathisbackashedid now.Hehad onlytolookathiswhitefingernails orfeelthe discomfortcausedbyhisswollenanklestobe remindedofthe diseasethatwasragingin his bloodstream.

Centerin In 1976,justmonthsafterhe hadopenedhisLongevity the diagnosed had inLosAngeles a physician California, SantaBarbara,

presenceof an uncommonformof leukemia,a conditionhe had kept secretfromallbuthisfamily.Theoriginsofthediseasewentbackto 1957,

forachronic toundergox-raytreatments himself theyearhehadallowed rightsince. quite b een Hiswhitebloodcellcounthadnever skinproblem. wouldbemade. Butitwasnearly20yearsbeforethediagnosis Forthenexteightyears,theillnessremainedundercontrolwithonly

Butinthe earlypartof 1984it struck medicalintervention. occasional again,witha vengeance.Hisredbloodcellcountbegandroppingrapidly,

withincreasingly Hestruggled causinganemiaandchronicweakness. edema,and theswellingpreventedhimfromrunningor uncomfortable evenstayingon his feettoolong.Nathanrealizedhe wouldneed blood soonifhe andhismedicalconsultantsdid notcomeup with transfusions an effectivetreatmentforhisillness.

tonow.Hehadachieved Therewassomuchforhimtobeattending

offamewasthattherewere but the consequence worldwiderecognition, demandsmadeuponhimeveryminuteofeveryday.Hewasmovingata

pace,enoughtobringdowna healthyman,muchlessone frightening allthathe hoped whowasbattlingcancer.Wastheretimetoaccomplish leukemia? forandstillfindan answertothe

Nathanlookedoutathisaudienceandthenathisspeech.Themessage wasas familiartohimas an oldfriend.

he “ThemajorcauseofdeathintheUnitedStatesisfoodpoisoning,”

beganinthatsonorousvoice,deep,rich,andmasculine.“Itisnotthekind of foodpoisoningyou usuallythink about.Our foodpoisoningcomes fromthe normalfoodsin the dietthatweeat. .. .” Nathanhad forgottenhispersonalconcerns,ashealwaysdid.Thejoy and the challengeofthemissionhadovertakenhimonceagain.

CHAPTER

TheEarlyYears

N. athan Pritikin-inventor, businessman,and medicalploneer-wasa personof enormousparadox.Tothosewhocameto him seekinghealth advice,Pritikinwastheconsummate healer:kind,compassionate, infinitely tolerant,a man who possessedan encyclopedic knowledgeof many subjectsin healthandmedicineandan equallyremarkablememory.For thosewhowatchedhimspreadhismessageon televisionor sawhimgive publiclectures,he oftenappearedangry,relentless,even arrogant.He

possessed a warrior’s courageandloveofa fight.Inbusiness,Pritikin presentedyet anotherpersonality: reticent,elusive,and supremely independent. Hewasa manwhokepthisowncounsel-his associates rarelyknewwhat he plannedto do next-and he seemedto be able to miraculously bouncebacknomatterwhatthecrisisor obstaclethatstood

in hisway. BecausePritikinwasso differentin eachmilieu,peoplewho knew himonlyin businessfoundithard to understandhowthousandsofmen and womensolovedor admiredhim.Thosewhosawhimon televisionas he attackedthemedicalestablishment hadtroublepicturinghiscompassion.

Andthosewhowitnessed hisselfless serviceandbroadunderstanding of healthhaddifficulty envisioning thehard-driving businessman whowas alsoNathanPritikin.

Andyet,he wasall thesethingsin fullbloom,changingrolesas the situationdemanded. Beneaththesepublicpersonasexistedagentle,privateman.Heloved punsand littleplayson words.Hewasremarkably detachedfromthose who workedwithor for him, affordingthem the same freedomand privacyhe soughtforhimself.Atthesametime,he waspossessedby an

6

EarlyYears

a

enormousambitionanda drivingneedtobe in controlofhislife.He

business,or engineeringrefusedto letexpertsin any field-medicine, havecontroloverhisjudgment.Heguardedhisvisionashis mostprized possession.Andwithit,he changedeveryfieldhe entered. Therootsoftheseseeminglydisparatequalitiescan be tracedinpart to his childhoodand familylife.Pritikinwasthe progenyof distinctly ofboth. differentparentsand thusinheritedand adoptedcharacteristics and o f Jacob theoldest was H e 1915. 2 9, bornonAugust was Nathan fact the b y distinguished birthwas His EstherPritikin’sthreechildren. sac amniotic bythe thatheemergedintotheworldwithhisheadcovered

seesthisasagood thathadbeenwithhiminthewomb.Jewishtradition His personage. special birthofa t he t osignify God, omen,a signfrom

brotherAlbertwastwoyearsyoungerthan Nathan;his sisterRuthwas sevenyearshisjunior.AllthreechildrenwerebornandraisedonChicago's

WestSide.

Jacoband EstherwereEasternEuropeanJewswhohad cometothe UnitedStatesas infantswiththeirparents.Jacob'sfamilyarrivedfrom Russia,in 1891,whenhewasone;Esther'sfamilyarrivedfromPoland Kiev, twoyearslaterwhen she, too,wasa year old. Bothfamiliessettledin Jewishneighborhoods. Chicago,in predominantly manwho,throughyearsof JacobPritikinwasa timid,hard-working

salesman. managedtobecomea highlysuccessful dedication,

In 1901,whenhard timeshit his family,Jacob-atthe age of 11-was forcedtoleaveschoolandsellnewspapersandshineshoeson the streets

heworkedalldayandattendednight Asa youngteenager, ofChicago. typing,shorthand,and businesslaw.Atthe schoolto learnbookkeeping,

Inc.,and ageof 19,he wenttoworkforGeneralOutdoorAdvertising,

stayedwiththe companyfor the next46 years,retiringin 1955 after becomingone ofthemostsuccessfulsalesmeninthe company’shistory. Jacobhad sizablesavingsand ownedtwo Duringthe Depression, Illinois,a smallapartmentbuildingsinChicagoand a houseinMaywood, Chicagosuburb. Jacob underwroteall of Nathan'searly venturesin thefirsttwofieldsheentered.Atonepoint, andengineering, photography

Jacobloanedhim whenNathanwasjust startingoutin engineering, Nathan andtoolsandtorenta factory. $68,000topurchaseequipment paidbackeverypennyhis fatherloanedhim. Jacob'sparentsand three ofhis fivesisters,wholivedin the same apartmentbuildingwherehe and Estherlived,exertedan inordinate

overJacobandhisyoungfamily. amountofinfluence

EachdayafterworkJacobwouldgofirsttohisparents’apartmentand discusswiththem the day’seventsbeforegoinghome to his wifeand children.Hisparentshad to be consultedon virtuallyeverydecisionhe

8

Pritikin

andEsthermade,includingwhentopurchasenewshoesorclothingfor theirthreechildren.

Jacobmaintained a deepfearanddistrustofauthority figures.He workedfordecadesundera manwhowas a staunchanti-Semite; his employeroftenreferredtohim as “thatdamnedJew.”Jacobtoleratedit

becausehewasafraidoflosinghisjobandbeingunabletofindanother

one.Laterinlife,he becamecynicalaboutpowerfulpeopleandinstitutions and frequentlytoldhis childrento “trustno one.” | Jacobworkedlonghoursand spenta great dealoftimeawayfromhis family.Hiscooldemeanorand preoccupation withhisjob made hima ratherremotefiguretohischildren.He workedhard, had strongideas about integrity,justice,and responsibility, and frequentlylecturedhis childrenon thesesubjects.

Jacobwasshortandslender-five feet,fiveinchestalland140poundswithadignified bearingandan explosive temper. Hepossessed a strong

senseofrightand wrongwhich,whenviolated,touchedoffan emotional tiradethatcouldnotbe appeaseduntilit had run itscourse.In the early yearsofhismarriage,he wouldoccasionally loseallcontrolofhimselfand throwdishesaboutin a rage. Nathanwouldrecallthe timehe and his

motherhidbehindacloseddoorashisfatherthrewdishesatthemfrom

theotherside. AndyetJacoblovedhis familyand wantedtoprovidethemwithas muchmaterialcomfortandsecurityashe could.Hecompensated forhis —

inability toconvey warmthbyhiswillingness toloanmoneyandtohelp

peoplefindwork.

Ofall the peopleJacobsupportedandcaredabout,Nathanwas Clearly hisfavorite. AsNathangotolder,Jacobcametorealizehisoldest

sonhad bothcourageand ambition,traitsJacobadmiredinanyone,but almostidolizedin hisson. AletterfromJacobtoNathanwritteninlate1944,whenNathanwas 29,revealsJacob'shighambitionsforNathan,andJacob'sdesiretoclaim forhimselfsomeofhisson'sbetterqualities.Nathanhadjustpaidbackthe finalinstallmenton a loan fromhis father,whichNathanhad used to investin his photography business,calledFlashFoto. I just receiveda check for $2,260to pay balanceof loanof $3,400 ($1,140paid 11/3).Youcan beassuredthatthisisthe greatesthappinessin mylife-asI thoughtthisis anotherloss—you suresurprisedme.ButI know

thatyouinheritthegreatworkofa hardworkeranda go-getter. Youcanbe sureI aminbackofyouofeverydollarIowntoassureyoursuccess, Nate.I

wanttotakeoffmyhat to you.Youare a go-getter.Myinvestmentinyouis reallydrawingdividents[sic].. ..1assureyou,youareonthewayup.Atleast one ofmy childrenwillmakeme happy.I wishyou great happinessand

EarlyYears

9

and hopeyou[have]greatsuccess.Don'tforget1amalways prosperity o f thinking you.Godblessyouandgiveyougoodhealthandsuccesstoyou myhard workingson-yourwifeand ourdeargrandson.... MotherandDad

hisfather Astheyearswentby,andNathanbecamemoresuccessful, ventures business Nathan's t hrough livevicariously wouldincreasingly and success. Nathansawhis fatheras an honestand capableman whowaskept fromrealizinghis fullestpotentialby hisowntimidityand by peoplein

tothepressure outbursts tyrannical hisfather’s higherplaces.Heattributed fromhis r eceived he wasunderat workandtotheabusehe regularly bigotedemployer. Nathan,too,cametodistrustpeoplein positionsofpower,an attitude heightenedby the factthat he grewup in Chicagoduring the 1920s,

manygovernment crimecontrolled 1930s,and 1940s,whenorganized andthirties,Al ruledthecity.Duringthetwenties andvirtually officials into Prohibition mostfamousgangsters-turned Capone-oneofAmerica’s capital a sthe recognized waswidely andChicago industry, a profit-making oforganizedcrime.

keptajournalasahighschool Inthefallandwinterof1930,Pritikin In it he recordedmanyof his innerthoughtsand classassignment. Pritikin,Chicagolookedlikea grimplace ambitions.Tothe 15-year-old tomakea living.OnOctober13,1930,Nathanwrote: don't willbeelectedthisyear.I personally I wonderifJudgeShulman thin[k]so, becauseof all the crookedthingshe’s[done]already.Eventhe chiefof policeand the mayorand ever[y]high officialis crooked.What chancehas an honestman in Chicago?

DuringPritikin’syouth,everymajor institutionwas under attack.

madeinroadsintotheschoolsystems, theoryofevolution Darwin's Charles resultingin the famoustrial of John T.Scopes,whowas arrested for AsifDarwin's teachingevolutiontoschoolchildrenin Dayton,Tennessee. Sigmund convictions, religious many undermine to theorieswerenotenough oflong-held erosion causedfurther intothepsyche Freud'sinvestigations

ofChicago oftheUniversity In1927,ArthurH.Compton beliefs. religious

asa diagnostic ofx-raytechnology wontheNobelPrizeforhisadvancement theriseof signaling discovered, hadbeen penicillin device.Bythe 1930s would p hysicians future, near withinthe and thenotionthat, antibiotics not S cience, sickness. panaceato mostofhuman havea pharmaceutical questions. religion,promisedto answerhumanity's

confer Nathanlearnedearlyinlifethata degreedidnotnecessarily grandfather, his when old years 13 was however.Pritikin infallibility,

10

Pritikin

SamuelPritikin,fellgravelyill.Nathanjoinedhisfamilyinprayervigilsfor

thedivinerestoration ofhisgrandfather's health.Meanwhile, a doctorwas

summonedtothehouseand,afterexaminingand treatingtheoldman, he announcedthatthepatientwouldsoonbewell.Severaldayslater,Sam Pritikindied. ForNathan,thedeathofhisgrandfather wasa profoundexperience.

Doctors, herealized, weren'tinfallible, a thoughtthatstayedwithhimfor

therestofhislife.

Nathan'smotherwaseverybit as softand nurturingas his father

wascoolandexacting.

EstherPritikinwasthethirdofsixchildrenborn toNathanandYetta Leavitt. TheLeavitts wereOrthodoxJewswhoobservedthekosherdietary laws.

Esther, whowascalledKitty throughout herlifebecause ofherfondness

forcats,had largebrowneyes,darkwavyhair,anda fullfigure.Shewas warmand compassionate, and followedher traditionalupbringingby takinga submissive anddutifulroleinher relationship withJacob,whom shemarriedin 1914at theageof 21.

Perhapshermoststrikingcharacteristic washersimplicity. Many

yearslater,afterNathanhadbecomean adult,he wouldsayhis mother’s intellectual development hadstoppedwhenshewasa teenager.Fromthat pointon,herlifewasdevotedtokeepingthepeaceinher home.Sherarely

uttereda criticalwordto anyone.Shemanagedto findreasons-and excuseswhennecessary-for theworstkindsofbehavior. Hersubmissive andretiring exterior wasonlyonesideofherpersonality. Awayfromhome,sheblossomed. Shelovedtodanceand participate inall typesofsocialgatherings. Atweddingsandpartiesshewouldcomealive, dancingforhours-mostly withher sonsand otherrelatives.In contrast,

herhusbandwouldretiretoa safepartoftheroomor simplytoleratethe eventsuntilthe end ofthe night.Beneathher submissive exteriorKitty had a simplezestforliving.Shewassomethingofa dreamerwhofanta-

sizedaboutlivinga morechallenging andadventurous life. Inthe1920s,adoctortoldKitty thatwholegrains,wholegrainflours, andfruitwerebetterforone’shealththanrefinedfoodsandwhitesugar.

Shetooktheadviceto heart,and usedwholegrainsin hercooking,and raisinsto sweetenher desserts.Shesubscribedto magazinesthattouted healthfoodrecipesandlater,beforeNathanbecamea famousnutritionist, wasan ardentsupporterofAdelleDavis,one ofthepioneersofnutrition educationwhomNathanwouldlaterrepudiateforhermanyunscientific claims. Nathantookan extremelyprotectiveroletowardhismother.Jacob's sistersoftencriticizedKitty,whichat timesbroughther to tears.Young

EarlyYears 11

tohisauntsapartments wastorunupstairs tosuchevents response Nathan's andthreatened scoldthem.Hesawhismotherasvulnerable andfiercely andsoughttoprotecther againstsuchattacks.Ata youngage hewascast thatwouldremaina in the roleofprotectorofthe weak,a characteristic fundamental part ofhim. Asa youngman,Nathanalreadywasindependentanddistrustfulof

forthose Hefeltcompassion institutions. figuresandpowerful authority

weakerthanhe was,and vowedtoalwaysbe his ownperson.In fact,he wasneveremployedby anyonebut himselfduringhis entirelife.

ScienceanEarlyInterest

Jacob,Esther,andtheirthreechildrenlivedon the WestSideof buildingtheyowneduntil1929,whenthey Chicagoin the apartment a suburb ofChicago.Thefamilytookup boughta homein Maywood, whitestuccohouse that had a residencein the small,three-bedroom

was14yearsoldandbegan Nathan garageanda smallbackyard. one-car duringtheseyearsthat Itwas Maywood. in School High Proviso attending ofhimlaterinlifebeganto manyofthetraitsthatseemedsocharacteristic

emerge.

Pritikinwasa goodbutselectivestudentinhighschool.HegotAsand

technical Heenjoyed andLatin. mathematics, sciences, Bsinallthephysical photography. was o fschool andhissingularloveoutside subjects, In his early teens,he tookan interestin healthand anatomyand taughthimselfthenamesofall206bonesinthehumanbody.Heenjoyed

andwouldspend FieldMuseumofNaturalHistory goingto Chicago's Latin,and science, the to hoursstudyingthe exhibits.Hebelonged

clubsatschool,andservedasthepresidentofthephotography photography clubduringhisjuniorand senioryears. in his On September30, 1930,atthe ageof 15,Nathansummarized gave especially lifethat intellectual budding his journalthe threeareasof himpleasure: Notabad dayinmystudies.ThemoreItakegeometrythemoreI likeit. It seemsso easy.It'stoo bad Mr.Daviswouldn'tgoalittle faster.I looked forthe firsttimein mylife.Whata thrill!Isaw...a througha microscope

good.Especially ispretty magazine Mechanic” eye.The“Popular grasshopper’s abouttakingpicturesfromthe air.Thesciencebooksas a ruleare always goodreadingmatter.

He discoveredearlyin lifethat hard worktended to makethings easier.Ashe notedon October6: It seemsthat in any easysubject,there are manyfailures;but, in a subjectthatishard,therearen'tmanyfailures.

12

“Pritikin

On October 9: If]missa dayortwoofLatin,itallseemsveryhard.ButifIkeepupwith

myworkeverything iseasy. Evenat 15,Pritikinwashighlyambitiousandeagerto learn.Hesaw

thatknowledge andhardworkhadmanyfringebenefits. OnOctober8, 1930,he confided tohisjournal: Itseemsfunnythatonlyonehalfyearago,Iwaspopularformydum|[b]ness. When I transferredtoProviso,a newchangecameoverme.I decidedthatI hadneg[I]ected mylessonslongenough.Takinga newinterestinmystudies, Ibeganto learnthe secretofpopularity. Hardwork!Afterbecomingknown in everyclass,I foundthat anyperson,if willingto do a littlehome and brainwork,can be welllikedaroundtheschool.

Heexpectedhishardworktopayoff,butwhentheresultsdidnotlive

up tohisexpectations, he refusedto throwup hishandsin defeat.On October21,afterfindingouthisgradesat school,hewrote: I'malmostdisgusted.Onlyhonorarymention.I expectedtobe anhonor student,sure!Butthat'swhathappenswhenyougettoomuchconfidencein

yourself. Whatwasworrying meallthetimewasthemarkI wastogetin zoology. I'llhaveto raisemymarktoa | [theequivalent ofan Ain most schools], andsurprise MissShepard. I'mgoingtostudy“from dawnofdaytill night”. . . I'llusethe old motto,“IneverfailifItry.”

Nathanwasa seriousand ambitiousstudentin theareashe enjoyed,

butdevotedminimalattention orenergytothosesubjectshecaredlittle about.HebarelygotbyinEnglishandthesocialsciences. Onhiscollege

entryexaminations he scoredaB in biological sciences,aC in thesocial sciences,and a Din English. Hishigh schoolgradesand testscoresaccuratelyreflectthesharply

contrasting aspectsofhisnature.Throughout hislife,hehadlittleinterest

in the“soft”scienceslikesociologyand psychology. Hehada passionfor historyand politics,butrarelyread fictionand maintainedonlya distant appreciation ofthearts.Heenjoyedpopularmusic,lovedrhythmicsongs thathe coulddanceto,and onceclaimedSpikeJones-themusicianwho

usedeverything fromkitchen paraphernalia tofoghorns asinstruments-as oneofhisfavorite entertainers. Ashegotolder,however histasteinmusic

matured,andan ariafromTurandotcouldbringtearsto hiseyes.Nathan regardedtheartsas aworlduntothemselves, a worldhe respectedbutdid not understand.

Asayouth,Pritikin lovedmanyindividual sports,including running,

swimming, and sometrackand fieldevents,buthad no interestin team

EarlyYears 13 competition.He oncejokinglydescribedbaseballto his son Kenas “a

gameinwhichoneteamthrowsaballtoasecondteam,whichtriestohit theballasfarasit can,forcingthefirstteamtorun aftertheball.After they'vefinallycaughtuptoit,theythrowitbacktothesecondteam,which hitstheballagain.Hasn'tanybodylearnedanything?” Thoughhe waswelllikedin Pritikinwasintrovertedand self-aware.

ashedidforthe inaccessible, hekeptacertainpartofhimself highschool,

restofhis life.Ashis brother,Albert,put it,“Nathanwasfriendlywithout beingpersonal.” Evenasa child,Nathanrarely,ifever,dwelledonemotionalissues.His responseto virtuallyeveryproblemwas to turn his attentionto some intellectualchallenge.

he problems,” “ThewayI cheermyselfupistosolvesomegeometry twentyminutesinMr.Davis['] wroteinhisjournalattheageof15.“After

roomI [am]filledwithlifeand forgetaboutthe boywhodepositedhis orangesand wastepaperin the basketofmybike.” When he wantedto escape,he read booksor wentto the movies. orperhapsbecauseofit,Nathan's ofhispersonality, Despitetheseriousness he lovedBusterKeaton-calling boy, a A s favoritefilmswerecomedies. him the “mostcomical,mostingenious,best,funnyfaced,dishpanned

later,asan adult,enjoyed on themarketofshowstoday”-and comedian starringDannyKaye. andanything musicalcomedies to Nathanhadanexcellentsenseofhumor,whichhe usedeffectively about personalquestions lightenthe moodduringa crisis or todeflect himselfor others.He could turn whatinitiallyappearedto be a grave matterintoan ingeniouswitticisminan instant.FamilytherapistJeanne

wifeduringthelast20yearsofhis RandGreen,a closefriendofNathan's

life,believedhe usedhis senseofhumorto keepfromdealingwithhis emotions,whichhe kepttohimself. Pritikinwas not withoutstrongfeelings;he cried openlyat joyous occasions,such as his daughter'smarriage,or at sad or movingevents.

saidhis filmswouldbringtearstohiseyes.HissonRobert Evenemotional

fatherwasverysentimental,but couldnot expressit inwords.Herarely toldanyoneofhisappreciationforthem,andneverexpressedhislovefor peoplein words.Once,whenRobertwasa smallboy,Nathansenthim a postcardwhileon oneofhistrips.Heconcludedthepostcardwithjustthe

Pritikinhad a mentalblockaboutusingthe Daddy.” words,“Goodbye,

wordloveto anyone,includinghis childrenor his wifeIlene. He oncesentIlenea dozenroses-forNathan,an unusualgesturein itself-witha cardsignedonly,“Froma secretadmirer.” Despitehis inabilitytoconveyhis lovein words,peoplecameaway fromhim having felt his compassionand kindness.Likehis mother,

14

Pritikin

Nathanprojecteda patientand caringpersonality. Butlikehis father,he

couldonlyexpressitinsilentactsofgenerosity. Evenwithhischildren, Pritikin couldbemysterious andinaccessible

at times.Theyhad todrawhimout ofhisworldand intotheirs.Butonce theydrewhimout,he gavethemhis fullattention.“Dadcouldblockout everythingand concentrateall his attentionon whateverwasin frontof

him,”saidKen.“Whether itwasa problembroughttohimbyoneofhis children,orsomething he wasworkingon,itseemedlikenothingelse

matteredat thatmoment.Myfatherwasnot the kindofmanwhotalked abouthimself,though.If youaskedhima questionabouthimself,he'd answerit,buthedidn'tvolunteer. Hewasveryproject-oriented; histhoughts wereon whateverproblemhe wasdealingwithat the time.” Nathanflatlyrejectedhis father’sviolenceand temper,however. Throughout his life,he refusedtoraisehisvoiceinangeror demonstrate anylossoftemper.Bythetimehewas18,Nathanhadadopteda philosophy

ofnonviolence andtooka pacifist's viewtowardworldaffairs. Hisjournal reveals hischangeofheartbetween theagesof15and18.OnOctober17, 1930,whenhewas15,Pritikin notedthegrowing tensions andhostilities

arisingin Germany.Hewrote:

I happenedtoreadabouttheGermancountrytryingtoexiletheJewish

People.Ithinkitisa shame!I don'tseeanyreasonforsucha [prejudice]

againstthe Jewishnation.Id liketoput a bombunder him[Hitler]or them [theGermanleadership].

ThreeyearslaterPritikinreviewedhisjournaland,inan addendum, recordedhis changedattitudetowardhis earlierexpressionofviolence. Aprologueforthe Nazis-however, I havegrownmoretolerantand worldly.Ifconfrontedwiththe sameproblemtoday,myverdictwouldbe eitherreversedorneutral,but not forceful.

Ashe gotolder,Nathancametoseehisfather'speriodiclossesof temperorviolent outbursts asJacob'spersonal failures. Hisfatherhadlost

controlofhimself,somethingNathanhaddecidedearlyin lifenevertodo. Rationalbehaviorand masteryoverhis bodywerecentralthemesin Pritikin’s life.Hecametobelievemostbehavioris learned,and therefore couldbe relearned.Tastefor food,for example,was morea matterof

cultureandearlytrainingthanbiological necessity. With alittle timeand

patience,he believed,a personcouldlearn toenjoynewand unfamiliar foodsjustasmuchastheoldones.(Years later,hewouldconvincethousands

ofotherstobelievethesamething.) Asa youth,Nathan's desiretocontrolhislifebeganbycontrolling his

emotions.Yearslater,afterhe wasmarriedandhad a family,his children

EarlyYears 15

by)thefactthatNathan frustrated wouldmarvelat(andweresometimes wouldneverlosehistemperorraisehisvoiceinanger.“Abombcouldgo offin the livingroom,fourofus couldbe involvedin a rumblein the middleofthediningroom,and dinnercouldbe burned toa crisp,and

Dadwouldbecoolasa cucumber, offreadinga medical journalinhis getthatguyangry,nomatter couldn't recalledhissonRalph.“You study,” howhardyoutried.” Nathan'sdrivingneedtocontrolhimselfwoulddictatethekindoflife he led,aswellas the kindofdeathhe wouldlaterexperience.

AClosenesswithNature

joinedtheBoyScoutswhenhe was12yearsoldandwas Pritikin

introducedtothewondersofnatureand thejoyofachievement. EachsummerhisscouttroopwouldgotoCampOwasippi,Michigan, whereNathanreveledin thebeautyandwonderof nature.In thesame

River,” “BigTwo-Hearted ErnestHemingway's thatinspired country verdant Nathanlearnedto swim,hike,tell storiesby the campfire,and track animals.Hegotthechancetotesthimselfagainsttheelements-hisbrother Albertremembersthe time he roweda boatnextto Nathan,whowas tofallin lovewiththe swimmingfivemilesjust toseeifhecoulddo it—and stars.Aswithallaspectsofnature,Nathanwasfascinatedby theheavens. HissonJack remembersNathan'sjoyat gettingup withhim on several to gaze througha telescopeand watchMercury occasionsat 4:00 A.M. rise. When Jack wantedto photographthe moonduring an eclipse,

andtogethertheytracked telescope, a largebinocular Nathanpurchased

theeclipsethroughthenight. Pritikinwouldcometoseenatureastheultimatetruth.Everyimportant ideahe hadas anadulthe helduptonaturetoseeifitcorrespondedtohis viewofnatural law.Asfar as he wasconcerned, nature held allthe secrets.

Science madenatureaccessible. giveevidenceofthe Butthewonderofnaturedidnotnecessarily

existenceofGod,Pritikinbelieved.SuchquestionsastheexistenceofGod he maintained,andwerethusirrelevanttohisthinking. wereunknowable,

said. oneneedstudyonlynature,Pritikin humanexistence, Tounderstand In 1983,PaulRifkin,authorofTheGodLetters,a bookthatespoused high Massachusetts atheism,wroteto Nathanposingas a 13-year-old N athan in God. he believed schoolstudent.RifkinaskedPritikinwhether wrotethefollowingreply: DearPaul, WhenI wasa boy,I believedinGodandcontinuedmybeliefuntilIwas 13yearsold,whenIwasinmyfirstyearinhighschoolandwasintroducedto

16

Pritikin

thetheoryofevolution.Seeingtheevidenceastohowmanhasevolvedfrom fish-likecreaturesand earlierfroma singlecellimpressedme. Butwhat convinced mewasthegrowthofahumanfrom a singlecelltofulldevelopment. Duringonestageofthisdevelopment, thefetushasgillsjustlikea fish.Ina moreadvancedstate,thefetushasatail likea monkey. | Onecantracetheentireevolutionofmanfrom a singlecell,throughthe fishand mammals,and finallyto man, by studyingthe developmentof a humanchildbeforeitisborn. Once I understoodthis,I no longer required the explanationof a supernaturalbeingtoexplaintheoriginoflife. Thereare manymysteriesthatremain.Butifyoubelievein a god,you needtoaskwhomadegod,andwhomadethebeingthatmadegod?Believe onlywhatcanbe observedor proven. | Withallgoodwishes, NathanPritikin

Whilehedidnotbelieveina supremebeing,Pritikin nonetheless left

openthequestionofwhethernature,astheoriginoflife,or the“who”that made man, had a divinestatus.Nathan'sbrotherAlbertindicatesthat Nathanheldnaturein suchawethathisappreciationforit approacheda kindofpantheism. ForNathan,naturewasthe realmin whichscienceand artbecame one.Plantshadevolvedto theirpresentformfora functionalpurpose:to facilitatelife.Treesand flowersnot onlywere beautifuland inspiring forms,butalsowerelivingsystemsdesignedtopromotelifein themost efficientwaypossible.

Nathanwasmentortoa numberofyoungmenwholaterwentonto

becomedoctorsor scientists.One ofthemwashis nephew,Dr.Stephen Kaye,whowouldlaterhelp Pritikinstartthe LongevityCenterin Santa Barbara.KayeonceaskedNathanwhetherhe believedin God.Pritikin’s answerwas,“Ifthereisa God,thenGodisnature,or naturalphenomena.”

Pritikin believed thattruthwasanunfolding processofnature.Hesaw

that this processhad an inevitabilityand a power.“Youget an inner strengthbyknowingyouhavetheanswer,”PritikintoldKaye. ThiswascertainlyNathan'sattitudelaterinlifewhenexpertseverywhere weretellinghim thathisideasaboutdietand healthwerewrong. Pritikin’s viewsincludeda deep socialresponsibility towardpeople. In fact,he associatedcharacteristicssuch as generosity,honesty,and unselfishnesswithsaintliness. PritikingreatlyadmiredIlene’sparents,Nathanand RoseRobbins, who seemedto embodymany of the characteristicsPritikinrespected most.Hewas especiallyfondofIlene'sfather,who latein lifeachieved successas a buildingcontractorin Chicago.NathanRobbinswasa kind and wiseman whomNathansoughtout foradviceand who came to Pritikin’s aidmanytimes.

EarlyYears 17 In a rare displayofappreciation,Nathanwrotetohisparents-in-law

onDecember 26,1970,expressing hisgratitudeandloveforthem.

DearMotherandDad, Attheendofan oldyear,onesitsbackandreflectsontheeventsofthe pastmonths.Thegoodtimes,thesadness,thejoys,thesorrows,yourfriends, andyourfamilyallgothroughyourthoughts.Today, as I thinkaboutthese things,mymindgoesbackmanyyears.I haveneverwrittentoyoubefore, butdon'tfeelbadly,I haveneverwrittentoIleneeither.I'mnotinthehabitof writing,buta lettercanexpressyourthoughtsbetterthana conversation. WhenI thinkaboutyouandDad,andtherelationshipwehavehadall theseyears,I findithardtobelievethatparentslikeyouexistin thisworld. Yourkindness,consideration,thoughtfulness in everyactionmarkyouas

religious saintswhodevotetheirlivestohelpinghumanity. Except thatyou dothesegenerousactsnotbecauseofreligionbutoutofthegoodness of

yourhearts. Ofcourse,I appreciateyourmanygiftsofmoneyand materialthings, but morethan thatyourconcernand interestin all ofour wellbeingis somethingthatcannotbe measured.Yourlivesaredevotedtohelpingand beingconcernedwiththeproblemsofothers,donemanytimesbysacrificing yourownenjoyments. Mygoodluckin havingyouasin-lawsisthebestthingthatcouldhave happenedtome.Ihopebothofyoustaywellandhappywithyourfamilyand childrenfornextyearandmanyyearstocome.Weallappreciateyou.Happy NewYear. Nathan(&Ilene&allofthechildren)

Evenasayouth,Pritikinwasambitiousandstruggledforachievement, and the BoyScoutsprovidedhim withan outletfor his yearningto

distinguish himself. Hejoinedthescoutsattheageof12,andby15had

achievedtherankofEagleScout,thehighesthonoravailabletoboysin scouting.Mostscoutsneverattainthisrankaftermanyyearsinscouting; Pritikinwasabletodoitin near-recordtime. ScoutinggaveNathanclearlydefinedtasksand,in itsmeritbadges and levelsofachievement,a well-delineated ladderto success.Pritikin regardedscoutingas a good crediton his record.He was eager for experienceand thechancetomakea nameforhimself.

Ina lettertohisparentsdatedAugust10,1931-19daysbeforehe

turned16-Nathanappealedtohisparentstochangetheirdecisionand lethimstayat campforanothersession.Hewrote: DearParents: Our [news]paper, “TheBlackhawkFlash,”has been copiedinto 500 copiesandhasbeensentouttoeveryscoutexecutiveinthecitythatmeans anythingatallinscouting.I wroteoutthewholepapermyselfthatday,and Albertdrewthecartoon.Inshort,wewroteoutthewholepaperourselves.|

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Pritikin

am sendingan enclosedcopyofthe firstpageofthe mimiographed[sic]

sheetthateverybody incamphasnow, because theyhaveabout30scoutmasters

andofficersin campnow.InthatwayI havea goodstartingettingajobin campnextsummerand stayingup freeofchargeallsummer.Albertwon firstprizein a swimmingrace, Sunday.Send somemoneyas soonas possible,becausewearedeadbroke,andowea friendofmine40centsfor fourdaysnow. Arewegoingtostaythe fourthperiod?Whenyoudecidethatweare sendtwocheckstotheorderofOwasippiScoutCampsfor$20apiecetousin a fewdays,thatis,byWednesday, orThursdayattheverymost.I havewritten a lettertoHERBERT HOOVER, OURPRESIDENT atWASHINGTON forajob withanotherEagleScoutatBlackhawk. Weexpecttogetajoborgoonatrip withsomefamousexplorerthatgoeson anytripworthwhilein thefuture, becauseallthementhatgoonanytripworthwhile useEagleScoutsexclusively. Iamworkingforthemeritbadgesinnaturethatarerequiredforsucha trip. IfIcanstaythefourthperiod,I candomoreworkinthesetwoweeksthanI

couldintwoyearsathometoachieve thenecessary knowledge thatsucha triprequires. Thinkofallthepublicity onegetswhenhegoesonsuchtrips.

Heis knownall overthe U.S.and in thatwaythinkofhoweasyyoucan succeedinyourlife'swork.Whynotgivemetheopportunity asitisonlyonce in a lifetimethatanythinghappenstocomealong.AsI toldyouin mylast letter,foran adventurewhichI shallhaveas soonas I comehome,I will

receivea goldmetal[sic].That'smystart,whynotletmereceivea finished polishon suchknowledge, sothatwhenthetimeshallcome,I willbe

absolutelyprepared.Inaweek,Hooverwillsendmeananswer,andputme onhislistforEagleScoutsthatwanttobeconsideredongreatthingsdone. RECONSIDER Nathan

Suchfortitude pleasedNathan's father, whoplacedenormous pressure

onhissontosucceed.JacobsawinNathanthepotentialtogofarbeyond hisownsuccessandmadeitcleartohissonhewantedNathantofulfillhis father’sambitions.ButNathan'spropensitiesandhisfather’sambitionfor himwerein conflict. Whenhe was15,ittookhima monthtosavethreedollarsfromhis allowancetopurchaseacrystalradioset.Theradiowasnotonlya fascinatingdevicebut alsoa meansoflisteningtopeoplein neighboringcities and states.Ashe savedhismoneytopurchasetheradio,he notedin his journal: I'mthinkingofgettinga shortwavelengthset.[['ll]be abletouseitin camp,oronhikes.I'dbeabletotuneinplentylongdistancestationstoo.And thatissomethingnoteveryonecanhave.

Afewweekslater,Nathanboughtthecrystalset.Whenhebroughthis prizehomeand proudlydisplayedittohisparents,hisfatherflewintoa

EarlyYears 19

rageandthrewtheradiotothefloor, smashing ittobits.Hedidn'twanthis sonwastinghistimeonsuchfrivolous pastimes.

JacobwantedNathantobea lawyer,nota scientist.Hehopedhisson wouldattendthe University ofChicagoto studylawafterhe graduated fromhighschool.Inthemeantime, JacobmadesurethatNathanunderstood whichofNathan'sinterestspleasedhisfatherandwhichonesdidnot.

AsNathansadlyconfessed tohisjournalonNovember 3, 1930:

Afterreadinganaviationstory,Iwanttobecomeanaviator. Afterreading a“buggy”story,I wanttobecomeascientist.ButsinceIknowthatmyparents wouldn'teventhinkofit,I'llneverbe anythingIwanttobe;but,everything theywantmetobe.

Nathanwas not one to be put off,however.He had tremendous persistenceandthekindofmindthatrefusedtobedirectedbyothers.He wasan unconventional thinkerfromthestart.

“Mr.Davissaysit isimpossible totrisecta givenangle,”wrotethe youngstudentin 1930,whenhewas15.“Thatdoesn'tbotherme,I’m goingtoworkon itanyhow.”

Photography: HisFirstSuccess Outsideofhisschoolwork, themostimportantthingin Pritikin’s life wasphotography. He boughthis firstcamerain November1930,and the months leadingup toitwerefilledwithanticipation.

OnSeptember 29,heconfided tohisjournal:

WonderifI'llevergetmycamera.Everyonetellsmyfatherthis:“He'stoo youngforsuchacamera,”“O,he'llwreckitanyhow.” Thoseblabbermouths, I wi(sh]theywouldshutup.

Despitehisdetractors,Nathanwasconfidenthewouldgethiscamera and studiedeverythinghe couldaboutphotographywhilehe savedhis allowance.OnOctober16,he notedin hisjournal: Ihavepassedthe$20markina fightfora camera!!!Notbad,butit'slittle overhalftheamountanyhow.Itshouldn'ttakememorethantwomonthsto savethenecessarymoney.WhenI getthecamera,I'mgoingto“snap”the

teachers inaction,Ishouldbeabletodoitwitha3.5Wollensak lens.I'llusea 1/200thofa secondata 45degreeangle.Enlargethepicture,andgiveitto myteachers.Willtheybe surprised?

Hewasreadytosacrificehismostcherishedpleasurestospeedthe growthofhissavings.OnOctober26,he wrotein hisjournal: IguessI'llgetmycamerain twoweeksorso.WhenIgetit,Ill belowin funds,buttocomplywiththeoldsaying,“Savenotforfleetingpleasures,but

20

~—s~Pritikin

foreverlastingpleasures.”I'vecutawaysomany“fleetingpleasures{"] thatan icecreamsodaissomethingofindefiniterarity,and a thingoftheby-gone

days.Itwon'tbelongnow! AsNovember arrivedandhissavingsgrew,Nathan's excitement swelled. OnNovember1,he wrote: Wondersofnature;speed;everything.Nextweek!Andthentheworld shallbemine.OnSaturday,myambitionsshallbefulfilled. Onlyfourdollars betweenus.Fourlittle. .. measley[sic]dollarbillsareall.HowcanIthinkof anythingelse?Mywholesoulisin thisenterprise.

He did not fulfillhis ambitionsuntilnearlythreeweekslater,on November17,whenhefinallypurchasedhiscamera.Justbeforehewent to the camerastorethatday,he recordeda dittyin hisjournalthathe wassingingtohimself. Wandering downalanewithyourbreeches fullofpain,andaboy'sbest

friendis his mother,his mother.It seemsfunnythatI shouldbe musical today,but I am,yes,and whyshouldn'tI be.I'mgettingmycamera.What a dream,whata dream!

Thecamerapurchasedwasa 35-millimeter AgfaMemo,a small, versatile camerathatwasa cheaperversionofa popularLeicamodel.

Threeyearslater,whenhe was 18,Pritikinrereadthisjournaland under severalentrieswroteshort notes that reflecthis more mature attitudesand new priorities.Soundingslightlyself-conscious, Nathan wrotethefollowing addendumundertheNovember17,1930,entry: Youthful bubblesofenthusiasm,whichIdon'tthinkI'lleverexperience again.November17,1930wasthelasttimeIwaseverthrilledexceptinlove.

Despitethedullsoundofdisillusionment thatresonatesin thisnote,

photography provedtobeoneofPritikin’s mostgenerousbenefactors. It gavehimthemeanstostarta successful business(thefirstofmanythat

wouldfollow)and theconfidencetomoveintoothertechnicalfields,includingchemistry, physics,andengineering.Photography wasanexciting, endlesslychallengingdisciplinethatawakenedhisinventivegeniusand formedthetechnicalbasisformanyofhisinventions. At 18,Pritikinwashard working,determined,and somethingofa loner.Thequotehe choseforhis high schoolyearbookcapturedthe thingshevaluedmostinhimself:“Hedoeshistasksfromdaytoday,and meetswhatevercomeshisway.”

Following hisgraduation, Nathanwasgiven a scholarship to the

University ofChicago,wherehe enrolledin September1933.Thatsame

EarlyYears 21 | year,heandhisbrotherAlbertopenedPritikinPhotographers, specializing inphotographing banquets,conventions, baseballteams,andsocialclubs. Assoonas theyopened,Nathanbegantodesignnewcamerasand alternatinglensestocreatehisdesiredeffects.Albertrecallsthatlongafter he retiredto bed at nightNathanwouldstillbe up, processingfilmor

workingwiththecameras.Theworkpaidoff.NathanandAlbert,still teenagers, werebothearning$25aweek,whichin 1934wasmorethan

manyadultswereearning. Thatyear,Albertleftthebusiness,andNathanhiredhisfriendLeonard Dubintoassisthim.PritikinalsorenamedthebusinessFlashFoto.While heworkedlonghoursathisphotographyoffice,heattendedtheUniversity of Chicagofulltime.He had acquiescedto his father’spressureand majoredinprelawwiththeintentofbecominga lawyer,buthe couldnot keephimselffromtakingmoresciencecoursesthananythingelse.Science andmathematicsweretheonlysubjectsheexcelledin;he failedEnglish compositionand, duringthe 1934autumnsemester,scoredDsin hu-

manities andsocialscience. Inthespringof1934,Pritikin tooksevencourses, passingthemall.It

washismostdemandingsemester(thetypicalworkloadformoststudents is fourto fivecoursesper semester)and seemedto drain him of any

enthusiasm forcontinuing hisformaleducation.

Ashis businessbecameincreasinglydemanding,Pritikinbeganto spendmoretimeathisphotographyofficeandlesstimeathisstudies.He alsowasinvestinghissalarybackintothebusiness,whichmadethefive dollarsa weekhe waspayingforroomandboardat theuniversityseem likean increasinglyunnecessary-andunprofitable-investment. Hehad norealdesiretobecomea lawyer,andwhilehe couldhaveturnedtohis fatherforfinancialassistance,it wouldonlyhavemeantthathe would

havetocontinuepursuinga lawdegree.Pritikin officially withdrew from schoolattheendofthe1935springsemester. Hehadcompleted thefirst

twoyearsat theUniversity ofChicago. Oncehe leftcollege,Pritikinplungedhimselfintothe businessof makingFlashFotoa success.Thebigproblemwithhisbusinesswasthat he neededmorephotographerson his staffto increasethe numberof conventions andbanquetshephotographed.Buthecouldn'taffordtohire skilledphotographers. AbeAsher,a friendand formeremployeeofPritikin'sat FlashFoto, recalledNathan'ssolution.

“Nathan invented a self-focusing boxcamerathattook12-by20-inch

printsthat couldbe used by anyonewalkingin offthe street.He also formulateda lightingsystemthatwasstandardizedsothatanyonecould setup thelights.Thenhe cameup withtheideaofprocessingthefilmin

22

~=«~Pritikin

thestationwagonthatwehad parkedoutsidethehotelsothatwedidn't havetorunbacktothedarkroom.He’dbeinthestationwagonprocessing thefilm,andwe'dsellthephotographsrighttherein thehotel.” SoonPritikin had15photographers andsalesmenworkingthebanquets and conventionswhilehe drovehis “darkroom”fromhotel to hotel, processingproofs.Itwasn’texactlya Polaroid,but it wasfastenoughto keepmanybuyersfromhavingsecondthoughts.

Nojobwastooriskyortoofar-fetched forNathan's tastes.Throughout hislife,Pritikin hadhadaninnerearproblem thatfrequently causedhimto

benauseatedwheneverherodeasa passengerincars,buses,orChicago's elevatedtrains.Hehad especiallystrongreactionswhenhe rodein the backofcabsthatcametosuddenstops.Yet,whenanassignmentcalledfor aerialphotographsof the city,Nathanhiredan airplanewithan open cockpitand orderedthe pilotto flyupsidedownso that he couldget unobstructedshotsofthecity.Yearslater,hewouldcomicallyrecallbeing sickaftereach snap of the camera.One of his favoritephotographsof himselfshowshimstandingtenuouslyatopa 25-footladder,settingupthe lightsfora highschoolgraduatingclassphotograph. Pritikin’sresourcefulnesspaid off.Soon,FlashFotowasChicago's secondleadingbanquetandconventionphotographyservice,withorders

pouringintoshooteverything fromclassreunions tomedical conferences. Themedicalconferences becameincreasingly appealing toPritikin.

Hecouldn'taffordtopaythehighadmissionfeestosuchconferences,so he madea practiceofarrivingthroughthekitchendoorsalongwiththe diningattendants.Hetookanemptyseatin thebanquetroomandlistened intentlyas thedoctorslecturedoneverythingfrombrainsurgerytoheart diseasetoproctology. Moreandmore,he enjoyedpickingupbooksonmedicalspecialties and health.Itwasjusta hobbythen,a diversion,he thought. In 1936,when he was 21, Pritikinmet RoslynSmith,better knownto

her friendsas Babe.Shewasa 19-year-old brunettewithHollywood beautyandalighthearted, adventurous spirit.Inloveforthefirsttime,the

smittenPritikingrewa thin,dappermustache-similartotheonewornby ClarkGableat the time-anddressedin smartsuitsand sportsclothes.

(Bothofthesewerefactshighlyuncharacteristic ofhiminlaterlife.Hewas

alwayscleanshavenand preferreddressthatwasthemostutilitarian.) The twocarriedon an intenseromance,much to the dismayof Nathan'sparents,whothoughtthatat 21 he wastooyoungtobe serious withanyone girl.EvenNathan'sfriendswarnedhim aboutgettingtoo deeply involvedwith Roslyn,telling him that they seemed entirely incompatible. Hewasseriousandambitiousanddevotedtohiswork:she wasmoreinterestedinhavingfun.NathanandRoslynwerenottobe put

EarlyYears 23

off,however, andin April1937thetwoeloped.Whentheyreturned,

Nathan'sparentsacceptedRoslynastheirdaughter-in-law andaskedtheir sontohavea formalwedding,whichhe andRoslyndidon May22. Themarriageprovedtobeadisaster. Thetwowerehighlyincompatible. WhileNathantriedtoimproveuponthesmallsuccessheandhisbusiness had sofarachieved,Roslyncomplainedthathe spenttoomuchtimeat

work.Gradually, theirinterestswentin separatedirectionsandthey becameincreasinglydivided.In 1941,Roslyngavebirthtoa son,Jack,

butthemarriagecontinued todecline.Asitdid,Nathanturnedincreasinglytohisworkforescape,spendingevenlongerhoursathisofficeand eventuallyrentinga roomnearbywherehespentoccasionalweeknights. Roslyn,meanwhile,fellinlovewithanotherman.NathanandRoslynwere finallydivorcedin 1943,and in an uncontestedproceeding,Nathan obtainedcustodyofJack,whowascaredforby Nathan'smotherwhile Nathanwasatwork. The divorcedevastatedPritikin.He becamedeeplydespondent. PhotographstakenofhimduringthisperiodshowhimholdingJackasif thetwowerelostatsea.ThereisadeepsadnessonNathan'sfaceandmore

thanahintofresignation. Heconfided tohisbrotherthathisconfidence in

hisjudgmentofpeoplein general,and womenin particular,had been seriouslyshaken,ifnotentirelyeroded.Hefeltthathe hadmadea major

decision-marrying Roslyn-without looking belowthesurface. Heblamed

himselffornotseeingwhatapparentlyhadbeenobvioustoothers:heand Roslynwerepoorlymatched. Fortherestofhislife,Pritikinwouldmaintainhewasa poorjudgeof character.Nathan'sdefensewastoguardhisemotionsandhisprivacyall themore,andtodevelopa certaindetachment aboutpersonalrelationships.

Nathan,the Inventor Following thedivorce, Pritikin buriedhimself inhiswork.Hebeganto

lookaroundforbiggerchallenges,and whenthe UnitedStatesentered WorldWarIIin 1941,he foundone. Likehispersonality, Nathan'sattitudestowardthewarwerecomplex. HethoroughlydespisedAdolphHitlerand theNaziattempttoconquer Europe.Butherecognized thattheU.S.positiontowardGermany-especially thatofseveralU.S.industriesbeforethewar-wasanythingbutpatrioticor anti-Hitler. In fact,it waswidelyreportedHitlerwasinvestingin U.S. companiesandtradingwithmanyAmericanfirmstosupporttheGerman

military buildupbeforethewar.Hitler's “NewPlan”in 1934andhis“Four

YearPlan”in 1937gavetheReichthepowertonationalizeprivateGerman

investments in theUnitedStatesandfunnelmoneytotheNazicause.

Moreover, Hitlermanipulatedinvestments intheUnitedStatesandinvested

24~—s Pritikin inindustriesthatwouldprovidewarmaterieltotheGermanarmy.Many Americanbusinessmenwereknowinglyabettingthe Nazis,a problem thatforceda Congressional investigation in 1940underSenatorBurtonK.

Wheeler. Nevertheless, Hitlercontinued toholdmajority stockownership,

licensingrights,and tradeagreementswithU.S.industries-allofwhich heusedtosupporttheGermanwareffortagainstEurope-untiljustbefore theUnitedStatesenteredthewarin 1941. Pritikinwasstaunchlynonviolentbut alsopoliticallysophisticated. HerealizedthatformanyAmericanbusinessmen,WorldWarIIwasnota moralissuesomuchasa financialone,andthatcertainAmericancorporationswouldsupportHitleras longas it waseconomically profitable. Whenit ceasedtobe profitable,thesecorporationswouldraisethe flag andbethemostvocalofpatriots,Pritikinbelieved.Asaresult,Pritikinsaw thewaras economically motivated,and althoughtherewereimportant moralissuesathand,theseweresecondarytotheprofitconcernsofmany majorcorporations. AlthoughNathanwasoutragedbytheduplicityofthesecorporations, he wishedtodowhathe coulddobesttocontributetotheeliminationof the Nazis.Afterthe UnitedStatesenteredthe war,he wentto military officialsand askedwhichof the essentialwar industrieswerehaving troubleproducingqualityproducts.

HelearnedthattheAirForcewashavingtroublewitha certainvital partoftheNordham bombsight. Thepart,calleda reticle,wasa circu-

lar pieceof glasswithparallelengravedlinesspacedone-thousandth ofan inchapart.Bylookingthroughthe reticle,the bombardiercould

judgedistances onthegroundandthuscouldsighttargets.Reticles also

wereusedin microscopestodeterminethesizeofcellsandmicroscopic particles. TheAirForceofficertoldPritikinthereticlesbeingproducedwere highlyinaccurate.Nomethodhad beencreatedyettoensureaccurate spacingbetweenthelinesat suchminutedistances.In theearly1940s, reticleswereproducedbyusinga stylustoengravethelinesintoglass. Theprocesswasdonemechanically, butbecausethelineswereengraved soCloselytogether,anyvibrationin theroomwouldaffectthestylusand

throwofftheline.Thiswaspartiallycompensated forbyplacingthe

engravingmachineonhydraulicsupportswhichabsorbedmostvibration, butlittlecouldbedonetotrulyeliminateallvibrationandthustherewasa highdegreeoferrorin thereticles. Theexistingtechnology wasalsoslow.Themostadvancedmachinery couldturnoutonlyfourtosixreticlesata time. Pritikinknewnothingaboutreticlesorthetechnologythatwasused toproducethem.Nevertheless, he feignedconfidenceandpromisedthe

officers thathecouldproduce asuperior product inquantities fortheAir

EarlyYears 25

whichimmediately Hethenwenthomeandbegantostudythesubject, Force. surprisedhimwithitstechnical difficulty.

Nathanwaschallengedbythepuzzle.Thefirstthinghedidwastoask RobertScott,a photographerwhoworkedforhimat FlashFoto,to take overhisbusinessin exchangefora percentageoftheprofits.Thatfreed himfromhisdutiesat FlashFoto,and forthenext12monthshe studied

thereticleandthetechnology necessary toproduceit.Mostofhistimewas

spentattheJohnCrerarLibrary,now a partoftheUniversity ofChicago, whichspecializedin technicalsubjects.He pored overbookson such subjectsas metaland glassetchingand engraving,photoengraving,

printing, lithography, intaglio, letterpress, rotogravure, electroplating, and emulsions Healsobecameexpertin photographic deposition. metallic andthelatesttechniquesinhigh-resolution photography. Whenhewasn't studyingthe materialin the library,he wasconductingexperimentsin eachoftheseareasat hisFlashFotoofficeon NorthDearbornStreet.

Pritikinknewthatifhe weregoingtoimproveupontheexisting

reticle,hewouldhavetocomeupwitha newwayofputtingan imageon glass.Somealtogethernewapproachwasneeded.Bytheendof1942,he hadan idea. Hebeganbyreproducingtheexactimageofthereticlehewantedon

pieceofpaper.Atthatsizehecouldensurethatthe a largesix-foot-square ofthe Hethentooka photograph andparallel. straight lineswereperfectly

imageandreducedit to littlebiggerthana postagestamp,thusbringing ofaninchofeachother.(Hecouldchange thelineswithinone-thousandth thedistancebetweenthelinesbychangingtheoriginaldrawingorchanging thedegreetowhichtheimagewasreduced.) Thesmallimagewastheexactsizeandpatternofthereticlehewanted to put on glass.Hethenblackeneda sheetof glasswitha light-sensitive chemical,calleda resist.Anyimageoflightshinedupontheresistwould be held, or “fixed,”in the resist.Pritikinthen placedthe negativeof his reticleoverthe resistand shineda lightthroughthe negativeand

Thiscausedtheexactimageofthereticletobefixed ontotheresistbelow. glass.He thenwashedawaytheportionoftheresist in theresist-covered not fixedby the light.Whatwas leftwasa blackimageof the reticle formedbytheresiston theglass. Atthispoint,Pritikinsprayeda mixtureofhydrofluoricand sulfuric acidsovertheimageofthereticle.Theacidsetchedtheglassonlyin the placesnotcoveredby the resist,carvingtinyopaquelinesbetweenthe lines.Pritikinthenwashedawaytheresistentirely,leaving resist-covered behinda perfectimageof the reticle,witha seriesof clearand opaque lines,eachonespaceda thousandthofan inchfromanother. Thismethodcould ensureaccuracyof the lines downto one tenthousandthofan inch,somethingunheardofbeforePritikinhadtackled

26 _—s~ Pritikin

theproblem.Just as impressivewasthe factthatin thesameamountof timeit tookhisnearestcompetitorto producesixreticles,Pritikincould makea hundred.Hewasgivena lucrativecontractfromtheAirForceand

asecurity clearance thatgavehimaccesstoclassified documents. Hewas

alsogivenexemptstatusfromactivemilitaryduty.Withthehelpofa loan fromhis father,he purchasedthe necessarytoolsand factoryspaceto producelarge quantitiesofreticlesfortheNordhambombsight.Hesold FlashFotoand openedDearbornPhotographers,whichstartedturning outreticlesin 1943as quicklyas his 50-personstaffand factorycould producethem.

A Mind for Medicine Pritikin'sdesiretoexplorenewfieldswasnotlimitedtomechanical

areas. Inthe1930s,Nathan begantowearglassestocorrecthisnearsighted-

ness.EarlyinWorldWarIIheheardthatyoungmenwithpoorvisionwere usingspecialeyeexercisestoimprovetheireyesightinordertoqualifyfor flightschoolin the Air Force.The exercises,collectively knownas the

BatesMethod (namedfortheirinventor, Dr.William H.Bates), werebeing usedsuccessfully to restore20/20vision.Pritikinbegantheexercises,

practicedthemfaithfully forseveralmonths,andcompletelyrestoredhis sight.By1942,he hadgivenup hisglassesand neverworethemagain. Pritikinbecame very excitedabout the BatesMethodand the

regenerative capacities oftheeye.Hetaughthimself thephysiology ofthe eye,studiedoptometry, andcouldeventually tellthecorrection ofa lens simplybylooking atit.(Years laterhewouldwriteaboutvisioninconnec-

tionwithnutrition.)Healsopromotedthe BatesMethodto anyoneand everyonehe met who waswearingglasses.Morethan 40 years later

Charlotte Dubin,wifeofNathan's employee Leonard Dubin,wasstillfree ofherglassesafterPritikin taughthertheexercises in 1944.Pritikin also

taughttheexercisesto DanielBerger,an electricalengineerwhoworked for him in the 1950s.Bergercontinuedto enjoy good eyesightand freedomfromglassessome30yearsafterhe learnedthe BatesMethod

fromPritikin. Charlotte DubinandBergerstatedthatinthe 1940sand 1950sPritikin wasan ardentproponentoftheexercises andhadmany

students.“Hewoulddropeverythingtoteachtheexercisestoanyonewho wasinterested,”recalledMrs.Dubin. Nathan'ssuccessfuluse oftheBatesMethodwashisfirstexperiment withhisownbody.Theexercisesgavehiman awarenessof thehealing powersof the body,an awarenessthatwouldlater formthe basisofhis thinkingabouthealth.

EarlyYears 27 ThestudyoftheBatesMethodandthephysiology oftheeyecameata

timewhenhisinterestin thehumanbodywasbecoming increasingly serious.Heseemeddriventoknowmore. | Hehad studiedanatomyin high schooland wasfascinatedby the heartand circulatorysystem.Throughhistwentiesand thirties,he had becomeincreasingly interestedinhowtheheartbecameill.Theunderlying

ofthe believedthen,wasa “hardening causeofthedisease,scientists arteries” aroundtheheart,whichoccurred gradually andnaturally asone

gotolder.Asthearteriesgrewharder,theyclosedofftheflowofbloodto the heart,suffocatingit,and causinga heartattack.Theconditionwas complicated bystress,scientistsbelieved.Theyassumedthatthepressure

oflivingina modern,industrialized society, withitsfast-paced lifestyles andintensity, taxedtheheartandcirculatory systemtoitslimits,causing

furtherdegeneration. In 1942,whenhewas27,Pritikinformulateda simplehypothesis. He believedthatifagingand stresswerethemaincausesofheartdisease,

deathsdue to heartdiseaseduring thenthereshouldbe widespread World WarII.Thisepidemic, heassumed, wouldbemostsevereinWestern Europe,wherethefightingwasmostintense.Whatcouldbemorestressful, he presumed,than regularbombingand the threatof an advancing

enemyarmy.

Pritikin’s seriousstudyofheartdiseasebeganwiththishypothesis. His workon thereticlehad providedhimwitha militarysecurityclearance whichgavehimaccesstocertainclassified documentsandmilitaryrecords. He had no interestin the classifiedmaterial,but he did requestand inWestern ratesofcivilianpopulations on themortality receiveinformation Europe.Whathe discoveredsurprisedhim. Peopleweren'tdyinginrecordnumbersfromheartdisease,ashehad assumedwouldbethecase.Onthecontrary,themortalityratesfromheart nationsactuallydeclined, diseaseinmanyofWesternEurope'smostwar-torn anddeclinedsignificantly. In fact,autopsiesdone on Europeanciviliandead duringthe war yearsshowedamarkeddecreaseinatherosclerosis, orcholesterol deposits is the Atherosclerosis heart. the arteriesleadingto withinthe coronary underlyingcauseofmostheartdisease. Pritikincontinuedtofollowtheresearchduringtheyearsimmediately followingthe war and read that heart diseasealso declinedamong concentrationcampvictimswhohadsurvivedtheordeal.

Despitetheravagesofthewarandthe AllofthisbaffledPritikin.

horrorsof thedeath camps,allof whichwereamongthe moststressful eventsin humanexperience,heartdiseaseratesactuallydeclinedamong manycivilianandprisonerpopulations.

28

_s~Pritikin

It was verypuzzling.Pritikinwonderedwhat couldhave brought

aboutthisremarkable decrease inheartdisease. Ashestudiedtheproblem

further,hefound-asdida handfulofotherresearchers-thatheartdisease deathsdroppedin countrieswhichwereput on forcedfoodrationing. Countriessuch as Austria,Belgium,Sweden,and Norwayrestrictedthe dietsoftheircivilianpopulationsbylimitingtheavailability ofmeat,eggs, anddairyproducts.Thesefoodswerenotavailablein theirprewarquantities becausefarmershad been conscriptedintothe army.Mostof themeat, eggs, and dairy productswere fed to the soldiers,while the civilian populationswereforcedtosubsiston theirmoretraditionalpeasantdiets, composedlargelyofbread,vegetables,potatoes,and grains. Asimilarphenomenonoccurredamongconcentration campvictims, whowereforcedto liveon littlemore thangrain porridgeduringtheir internment.Thosemenandwomenwhosurvivedtheordealhada much lowerincidenceof heartdiseasethan civilianson unrestricteddiets. Themain constituentsthatmeat,eggs,and dairyproductshavein common,Pritikinlearned,arefatandcholesterol.Wholegrainsandtheir flourproducts,vegetables,andfruitsarelowin fatandfreeofcholesterol. Furtherresearchseemedto implicatefatand cholesterolas having somethingto do withthe onsetof heart disease.Earlystudiesdoneon

animalsrevealedthat as fatand cholesterol intakeincreased,blood cholesterol becameelevated andheartdiseaseratesclimbed. Thereverse

effectalsoseemedtooccur:asfatandcholesterollevelsdecreased,sotoo diddeathsdue toheartdisease. Thesamethingseemedto be happeningin humansduringWorld WarII.

Duringtheyears1939to 1944,Norway experienced a 2 percent

dropin deathsduetoheartdiseaseforevery2 percentdecreasein fatand cholesterolin the civiliandiet.In 1944,the decreasein heart disease deathsreachedalmost10percentwhen,thatsameyear,thefatcontentof thediethaddroppednearly10percentaswell.

WhenthewarinEuropeendedandfoodrationing wasstopped, the

deathsdue to heartdiseaserosesteadilyat thesameratethatthefatand cholesterolcontentofthedietincreased.(Researchers woulddiscoverthat from1945to 1958,therewasa 700 percentincreasein deathsamong

Europeans duetoheartdisease.)

Pritikinrealizedthe WorldWarII data did not supportthe current scientifictheories.He speculatedthatperhapsheart diseasewas not a consequenceof aging or stressso much as it wasa consequenceof a high-fat,high-cholesterol diet. He had no ideawhathe woulddo with suchinformation,exceptperhapsto correcthisowndietto avoidillness. Yetthe wholesubjectfascinatedhim. The fact that the WorldWar II

EarlyYears 29 evidencedid not supportthe prevailingscientificviewgreatlyexcited Pritikin.It waslikeso manyothertechnicalproblemshe had already encountered: thefundamental ideasseemedincomplete atbest,or,perhaps, altogetherwrong.Hewantedtofindoutmore. In 1944PritikinsubscribedtotheJournaloftheAmericanMedical Association, andfromthatpointonheseriouslybegantostudymedicine andhealth.

ANewMarriageand a NewBeginning

By1944Pritikinhademergedasa stronglyindependent, creative thinkerwhobroughta freshperspective tothetechnicalproblemshe

confronted. Hewasalsoemotionally woundedandleftwiththeresponsibility ofraisinghissonJack,whoatfouryearsofageneededa mother.Nathan alsoneededthe companionshipof a wife,but wasskepticalabouthis abilityto findtherightperson.Bythe end of 1944he had a successful businessgoing,andhe begantolookforsomeonetobe hissecondwife. In the earlyspringof 1945,he met IleneRobbins,a 23-year-old graduatefromthe Universityof Chicago.The twomet at the Jewish People’sInstituteat theYMCA on DouglasBoulevardin Chicago,where

Ilenewaspresiding overa meeting toraisemoneyforthewareffort. Atfive

feet,seven inches, Ilene was nearly as tall as Nathan.Seriousand bespectacled, Ilenehaddarkhair,a slenderfigure,anda readysmile.She wassmart,attractive,and confident-qualities Nathanadmired.Afterthe meetingNathanintroducedhimselfandeventuallyaskedherout. Thetwofoundtheyhadalotincommon.Ilenehadadegreeinbotany, lovednature,and appreciatedmanyof the technicalsubjects,suchas chemistryandbiology,thatweresomuchapart ofNathan'sworld.They hadsimilarsocialviews,butofthetwo,Nathanwasfarmoreunconventional and,at times,evenradical. Ilenecamefroma veryproperand traditionalJewishbackground. Herfather,alsonamedNathan,hadbeenacarpenteranda cabinetmaker who,togetherwithhissonSidney,createdoneofthemajorconstruction companiesinChicago.Initially, Ilene’sparentsdidnotapproveofNathan. At30,he wassevenyearsolderthanIlene,hadbeendivorced,andwas responsibleforraisinga child,factsthatdid nothingto endearhim to Ilene’sparents. Despiteher parents’disapproval,Ileneinsistedonseeinghim.They tooklongwalksalongLakeMichigan,whereIlenecameto appreciate Pritikin’s capacityforclear,logicalthinking.Hiscontrolledexteriorand methodicalapproachto liferevealedhis practicalnature,and yet his

efforts weredirectedtowardhisloftygoalsanddreams.

ToNathan,Ilenewasstrongand dependable.Sheunderstoodhis

30 ~—Ss Pritikin

ambitionsandcouldmakethoughtfulcontributions tohiswork.Ilenewas

absolutely dedicated tohim,butspokehermindandneverwasapprehensive

aboutdisagreeingwithhim, sometimespassionately. Ilenegotto know Jack,andcametoacceptthe ideaofbecominghismother. Bythe end of 1946,Nathanwasreadyto askIlenetomarryhim,but not beforehe put to rest the last of his doubtsabouther and his own judgment.Sohe puther toatest. Ona coldnightin thedeadofwinterin 1946,NathandroveIlenetoa remotearea of town,wherehe contrivedtohavethecar stall.Hemade severalattemptstostartthe car,allofwhichseemedtofail,and thentold Ilenethatthe twoofthemwouldhavetowaituntilthecarwouldstartor helpcame.Therewasno telephonenearby,sotheywouldjusthavetowait and hope thecarwouldeventuallystart.Thetwosattherein thecoldfor threehourswhileNathanobservedIlene’sreaction.Ilene,havingaccepted the situation,triedtomakethebestofit.Aweeklater,he proposed.They

weremarriedonNovember 1,1947.

AftertheyweremarriedNathan'sbetterqualitiesbecameapparentto Ilene'sparents,and soonPritikinandhisfather-in-law becameascloseas fatherandson.

Whenthewarendedin 1945,reticleswerenolongerin highdemand and Pritikinhad to findotherworkto keephis factorygoing. HechangedthenameofhisbusinessfromDearbornPhotographers

toGlassProducts andexpanded intootherfields.Usingthesamephotoresistmethodheusedtomakereticles, Pritikin beganturningoutprecision

radiodialsand edge-lightedglassplatesforthe radioindustry.Theglass plateswiththeirengravednumberswereusedtoshowwhereon theband eachradiostationcouldbe found.Alightwasplacedbehindtheplateto illuminatethenumbers. Usingthe same technology,Pritikinproducedprintedand inlaid circuits.Healso createda commutator,or multicircuitswitch,that was usedin governmentweatherballoonstorecordatmosphericinformation atvariousaltitudes. Thedevice,whichwaspurchasedbyBendixCorporation, wasstillin use in the 1980s.Andthen,in 1948,he startedworkonwhat

wasforhimthemostchallenging andfrustrating engineering project: an

improvedelectricalresistor. Aresistoris a devicethatcontrolsthevoltageofan electricalcurrent. The currentthat flowsfroma wallsocketto an electricalapplianceis usually110or 220volts;however,therearepartswithinthemachinethat cannotsustainthatmanyvoltswithoutburningout and thereforeneeda resistortolimitthe voltscomingintothe partsin ordertoworkproperly. Resistorsare foundin mostelectricalequipment.

EarlyYears 31 In the 1940s,resistorsweremadeof carbontubing.Awireran into

thecarbon oneend ofthecarbontubeandouttheother.Inbetween,

wouldlowerthe voltageby creatingresistance.However,the carbon resistorwashighlysensitivetoheatandhumidityandthereforetendedto breakdownunderanythingbutoptimalconditions.Itwasalsounreliable in theconsistencyofitsresistance. Again,Pritikincameup withan altogethernewapproach. Hebeganbydesigningandbuildinganenormouscamera,threefeet wideand sixfeetlong,capableof high-resolution photography,and of Heput thecameraon reducingthephotographstoprecisespecifications. a trackso that he could moveit back and fortheasily.He then had a draftsmandrawa multiwavedline thatresembleda radiowave;theline

and length ofthickness wasdrawnaccordingtotheexactproportions Pritikinhadordered.Heusedhiscameratotakea pictureofthewave,and reducedittothedimensionshe desired.

resist,which witha chemical a sheetoftin-oxide thencovered Pritikin

he had createdhimselfafterlaboringonit formonths.Hedevelopedthe pictureof the wavehe wanted,and he placedthe negativeinsidethe cameraand shined a light throughthe negativeand onto the resistcoveredtin-oxide.Thelightfixedthe imageof the waveontothe resist. on the He couldrepeatthe processto produceas manywave-images

resistashewanted.

Pritikinwasthefirstto use tin-oxideasa base.Themetalwashighly tohisprecisespecifications. andcouldeasilybeshapedaccording conductive Sometimeshe electroplatedsilveror nickeloverthe tin-oxidewave Hecutoutthewavepatternandembedded patterntoimproveconductivity. he madethe orglass.Herewasanotherinnovation: it in plastic(Bakelite) wavepatternflushwiththeglassand thenplacedanotherpieceofglass overthepatterntoserveas insulation. Workingwithceramicsengineers,Pritikinmade hisownglassand

Theglasshousedthe furnaceinordertomaketheglassnonconductive.

resistorandpreventedit fromshockor frombeingcontactedbyhumidity.

anditwasreadyforuse. toeitherendoftheresistor wires Hethensoldered

Thethicknessand lengthofthewavecausedtheamountofresistance Pritikinwanted;theresistancecouldbealteredbychangingthethickness andlengthofthewaveimage.Becauseit wasmadeofmetal,it washard, resistorcould durable,and dependable.Unlikecarbontubing,Pritikin’s withstandall typesof environments.As a result,the parts withinthe electricaldevicethatthe resistorservedwerealsomoredependable. hisinlaidcircuits,commutators, Inearly1949,Pritikinwasadvertising extremefinenessof conductivity, andvariableresistors,whichhad high detail,and firmanchorageinthe glassor plasticbase.Hisproductswere

32~—s—~ Pritikin reportedintheleadingtradepublications andPritikinreceiveda thousand inquiriesfrommanufacturers and consultingengineersthroughoutthe

world. Intime,hiscustomers wouldincludeNational CashRegister, General Motors Laboratories, Bendix, Honeywell, andmanyothermajorcorporations.

TheAirForcebecameinterestedinPritikin’s designand askedhimto produce aresistor thatwouldmaintainan evenhigherdegreeofstability overa longperiodoftime. Pritikinhopedtolimitthedegreeofchangeinresistanceto 1percent, no matterwhatthe environment. Suchan accomplishment wouldgive himanexclusivepatentonthemostsuperiorproductavailable. Yethewas unabletosucceedevenafterconsultingthe finestmindsin thefieldand pouringseeminglyendlesstime,energy,and moneyintothe search. Theresistorprovedtobe Nathan'sholygrail,an elusivegoalthathe wentinquestofbutnevercaptured.Itseemedsucha simpledeviceon the

surface: controlthenumberofvoltsinagivenelectrical circuitbycreating preciseresistance. Thecompelling simplicity oftheideaseemedtodraw himin,butthetaskwasfarmoredifficult andfrustrating. Heseemedtobe

wrestlingperpetuallywiththe problem,even unconsciously. Alwaysa doodler,he nowtookpencilin handwheneverhe wason the telephone and drewconfigurations curiouslylikeresistors,changingtheirshapes andplayingwithnewdesigns,untilhisdoodleslookedlikeancient markings on megalithicstones.Hewoulddrawtheseintricatepatternsfortherestof hislife,stillpursuingtheperfectdesignlongafterhehadlefttheelectronics field.Eventually, hisdrawingsbecameso fascinating-like the mysterious

drawings oftheIncas-thatIleneturneda groupofthemintoa collage, haditframed,andhungitonhisofficewall.

Yet,despitethetwodecadesand severalfortuneshespentin research and development, Pritikinneverachievedthekindofstableresistancehe waslookingfor.Andhis dreamsofthe perfectresistorprovedtobe more a trialbyfire-causinghimfrustration, lostincome,anda lengthylawsuitthanan electronicrainbow.

In 1949NathanhiredHaroldWeinstein,a studentatIllinoisInstitute ofTechnology, on a part-timebasistohelp himworkon theresistor.Ilene had been friendlywithWeinstein'swifeand had introducedHaroldto Nathan.WhenWeinstein graduatedfromcollegethefollowing year,Pritikin hiredtheyoungengineerfull-time. Weinsteinwassupervisedby Pritikin andcarriedouthisinstructionsduringtheworkonthe resistor.InMarch 1951,NathanaskedWeinsteintowriteout an agreementassigningall futurepatentrightstoPritikin.Weinsteinreplied,“Certainly youtrustme morethan that.”Pritikinunwiselydroppedthe issue. Bytheendof 1951,animprovedresistorhad beencreated.Ithad not

EarlyYears 33

thathe had hopedfor,but it wasan yetachievedthelevelofstability wasreadyto Byspring1952,Pritikin devices. overexisting improvement Wisconsin, of Milwaukee, Company Allen-Bradley w ith deal a consummate forthesaleofhisrightstotheresistorhe had created.

walkedoff Weinstein however, werefinished, thenegotiations Before

tellingthe hisjobwithoutnoticeand had a lawyercontactAllen-Bradley and o ftheresistor theinventor was Pritikin, not Weinstein, companythat Allensue. w ould Weinstein Pritikin, a dealwith thatiftheyconsummated BradleybrokeoffnegotiationswithPritikin,and NathantookWeinstein

tocourt.

Thecasetooknearlytwoyearstodecide.Thelengthycourtbattlewas slowedby thepresentationofseveralhundredpagesofdocuments,most

thathewasanestabtodemonstrate byPritikin ofwhichwereprovided wasforcedtoprovidesuchdoculishedinventorandengineer.Pritikin mentationbecauseWeinsteinclaimedPritikinhadnoformaleducationin engineeringor electronicsand that Pritikinhad learnedwhathe knew aboutthesefieldsfromWeinsteinhimself.WeinsteinclaimedPritikinwas incapableofcomingupwiththedesignoftheresistorbecausehe lacked the formalbackgroundnecessaryto understandtheconceptsinvolved. As the case draggedon, slowedby manydelaysand seemingly WeinsteinofferedtosettlewithPritikin.Hisdemands endlesstestimony, weresimple:A paymentof$25,000wouldkeephim out ofthe resistor fieldfortwoyears;$50,000wouldkeephim out forfouryears.Nathan of the resistorduring thoseyears,and couldhavesole proprietorship Weinsteinwouldagreenot to use or shareNathan'sprocesses. on research Nathanwasalreadyin debtafterspendingexorbitantly himto p ressed h isattorneys mounted, legalfees Ashis and development. their bepaid wouldnever they settle accepttheoffer,afraidthatifhedidn't hisclient s ent l awyer offer,Pritikin's legalfees.AfterreceivingWeinstein’s a stingingletter: ThetimeI havespentinthislitigation,evenat a reducedperdiemwhich I havebeenchargingyou,nowamountsto$15,000.Youhavenotbeenableto meetour chargesastheywerebilledand the prospectsare thatyouwillbe lessableto meetthemin thefuture.Yourstatuswithyourpatentlawyersis equallybad. If proofwereneeded your presentdebt situationand your thatyoucannottaketheriskofpursuing presentincomeshouldbeconclusive ofsettlement.... 1amleaving thelitigationcoursewherethereisa possibility tobegonethebalanceoftheweek.The hereThursdaynoonforWashington caseissettoproceedbeforethe Master[judge]on Monday,May25. Sober reflectionwillsurelyconvinceyouthatonlyoneanswerispossibleandthat isthatyoumustaccepttheofferedsettlement.

ForPritikin,the issueat hand waspainfullyclear.He knewthatifhe

34 = Pritikin

acquiescedtoWeinsteinand paidthe settlement,it wouldbe tantamount toan admissionthatWeinsteinwastheinventoroftheresistor.Pritikinhad risentoprominenceintheelectronicsand engineeringindustrythehard way:withoutformaleducationand on the strengthof his creativity. By

letting Weinstein claimcreditfortheresistorNathan wouldbebroadcasting to the industrythat he had no realskillsor understandingand thathis accomplishments werereallythoseoftrainedpeoplehe hadhired.

On the otherhand, his lawyerhad made it abundantlyclear that Pritikin'stoppriorityshouldbe payinghisattorney'sfees—not justice.The existingcoststhreatenedto bankrupthim as it were,and pressingthe matterwouldonlydeepen his debt.Pritikin’s attorneyprovidedno real hope of a quick resolutionof the case.Settlementseemed to be the prudentcourse. | Butprudencealonerarelywasa determining factorinPritikin’s mind, especially whentheissueathandinvolvedwhathe consideredan injustice. Whenhis attorneyreturnedfromWashington thatThursdaymorningin

May1954,Nathan's answerwaswaiting: hewouldpursuea judgment

in court. Itis likelyNathansomehowmanagedtodrawthe moneyout ofhis companytopayhislegalexpenses,butinanyevent,hegothisattorneysto stayon thecase. Twomonthslater,SuperiorCourtJudge AlfredJ. Cilellaruled in Pritikin’s favor.In his lengthydecision,Judge Cilellastatedthat Pritikin hadinventedthephoto-resist methodwhichwasa fundamental partofthe resistorproductionin 1942,whenhe producedthe reticlefor the Air Force.Thejudge wrotethat Pritikinwasa “self-educated technicianand

scientific researcher, thatalthoughhe wasgraduatedfromhighschool

and attendedthe UniversityofChicagoforonly‘shortof twoyears,’he acquiredan intensiveknowledgeof photography, electroplating, metal and glassetching,largelythroughpersonalunsupervisedstudy... .” Pritikin, thejudgewrote,wasregardedbyvariousmanufacturers, including the Air MaterialCommand,as a source of resistors,inductors,and commutatorsas early as February1949.Finally,Judge Cilellaruled Pritikinwasentitledto the ownershipofhis inventionand thatno claims byWeinsteincouldbe madeagainstit. Pritikinwenton toproducehisresistorsand continueto searchfora betterdesign,but it wouldnot be the lasttime someonewouldtry to underminehiscredibilityon thebasisofhisformaleducation,orthelack ofit.

CHAPTER

California Dreaming

lifeinways The years1955to1957markeda turningpointinNathan's hewouldneverhaveguessed.His40thbirthdaybroughtwithit a period ofchangeonthehorizon.Thisperiodsaw andintimations ofintrospection himmakehisfirstimportantstepstowardtheimprovementofhishealth, thesingularmistakethatwouldultimatelybringabout and,paradoxically, hisdeath. Despitethe fact that he ownedhis ownbusinessand had made importantcontributionstohisfield,Nathanhad notachievedthekindof successhehad dreamedofand workedsohardfor.ThePritikinslivedin a

a apartmentin theSouthShoredistrictin Chicago, large,seven-room

apartmentsandsingle-family withcomfortable neighborhood middle-class homes.Theyhada live-inmaid,whohelpedIlenewiththe housekeeping and the children,and manyofthe luxuriesthat definedthe American dream.ButPritikinwantedmore.Helongedforfinancialindependence, moretimeto devoteto his researchprojectsand hisfamily,anda release fromthetensionsand pressureshe currentlywasfacing. Forallhishardworkand inventivegenius,Pritikin'sbusinesswasstill struggling.Theelectronicsand engineeringindustrywasbecomingmore and he feltenormouspressuretocomeup withnewideas competitive, thatwouldkeephisproductsindemand.Hewenttoworkbefore8:00A.M. and didn’treturnhomeuntilwellpast7:00PM.Hewasundercontinual pressuretohavehisproductsreadyintimetomeetproductiondeadlines conductandsatisfyhiscustomers.Mostweekendsheworkedatthefactory, on newproductsortryingtoimproveoldones.Heseemed ingexperiments tostruggleon slipperyground. “Welivedbetweensuccessand disaster,”Ilenerecalled.“Wewere

35

36 ~—s— Pritikin

constantlythinkingthatsuccesswasjustahead,andfailureabouttocatch

us frombehind.Asitturnedout,neitherthinghappened.Wejustkept

going,withoutfailingor achievingthe final successthat Nathanwas alwaysdreamingof.” OneofPritikin’s moreimportantdreamsat the timewasto get outof Chicago.Eversince he wasa boy,Pritikinhad abhorredthe Chicago winters.Eachwinterseemedto get moreintenselycold,the windmore

bitingandbitter.Everything hedidbetween October andMarchseemed

moredifficult,fromstartingthe car togettinghomefromthe office.And eachsuccessivewinterseemedtoget longer. He alsowantedto livein a healthierenvironment. He dreamedof livingin a climatethatprovidedcleanair,plentyofsunshine,andnatural beauty.He yearnedto escape the city,withits unendingconcreteand long,darkshadowscastbyloomingbuildings.Chicagowasfastbecominga gloomystateofmind. In additionto his own personaldesireswas the factthat he had a growingfamily.By1955,Nathanand Ilenehad fourchildren:Jack,14, Janet,6, Robert,4, and Ralph,1.Ayearlatertheywouldhaveonemore child,a boytheynamedKenneth.Nathanwantedto finda morehospita-

bleplacetoraisehisfamily. Nathan's brother, Albert, hadmovedtoBakersfield, California, in 1941,

andthefollowing yearNathanvisitedhim.NathanfellinlovewithCalifornia and toldAlbertand othersthathe thoughthe wouldmovein a year

or two.

Whenthe winterof 1945wassettingin, Pritikinwrotea lettertothe weatherbureauinWashington, D.C.,requestinga summaryoftheweather patternsin Honolulu,LosAngeles,Miami,SanDiego,Phoenix,HotSprings (Arkansas), Brownsville (Texas), PalmSprings(California), and Chicago, thelastto be used as a meansofcomparison. Hehad finallydecidedon

California bythetimehe marriedIlenein 1947,andwastellingfriends andassociates thata movetoCalifornia wasimminent.

Heand Ilenemadeseveraltripsto southernCaliforniain theearly 1950s.Theydroveup and downthecoastlookingat communities where theythoughttheymightsettle.Nathanapproachedthequestionofwhere torelocatewithhisusualscientificscrutiny.Hesubscribedtogovernment publications forclimateand weatherpatternsforcitiesand townsfrom san FranciscotoSanDiego. In November1953,PritikinwrotetoProfessorA.J. Haagen-Smit at the CaliforniaInstituteof Technologyfor informationon the effectsof smogon plantlifeandanimals.Haagen-Smit sentPritikinsomeinforma-

tionon smogin LosAngeles, butnothingonitseffectsonplantsand

animals.Instead,he referredPritikintoDr.PaulKotinat theUniversity of

California Dreaming= 37

Afterposingthesamequestionto Kotin,Pritikin SouthernCalifornia. received a shortnotefromKotinstatingthatstudiesattempting toanswer theseveryquestionswerenowbeingdone,butthatnothingwasavailable on thesubjectasyet.Unsatisfied, PritikinruledoutLosAngeles. Eventually, heandIlenedecidedonSantaBarbara,asmallcitywhich, in 1955,had a populationof 50,300.SantaBarbarais locatedon the

Itis nearly100milesnorthofLosAngeles. southerncoastofCalifornia, builtonajaggedcoastline thatstretches west,sothatthecityisbordered to

the southby the ocean,and to the northby the SantaYnezmountain range.Characterized byitsSpanisharchitecture,withitsclay-tiledroofs andstuccofacades,SantaBarbaraisbuiltonthefoothills oftheSantaYnez and theshelfthatrunstothesea.Theclimateisnearlyideal-thetemperaturerangesfroma winterlowof45degreestoa summerhighinthe80s andlow90s.Therearecooloceanbreezesandlittlerain.NathanandIlene fellin lovewiththecity. Nathanworkedfuriouslyto gain the capitalnecessaryto movehis businessto SantaBarbara.In themeantime,he spoketo keyemployees about going with him when the timecame to move.Mostagreed to relocate.

AMeeting thatChanged a Life

Whilehe preparedtomakehismovewestward,Pritikincontinuedto followthe scientificliteraturelinkingdiettohealth.Hewasparticularly interestedin theworkdonebyDr.LesterMorrison,a LosAngelesphysicianandheartdiseaseresearcher.LikePritikin,Morrisonwasimpressed bythemortalityratesamongEuropeancivilianson restricteddietsduringWorldWarII.In fact,Morrisonwassointriguedbythephenomenon that he decidedto conducthis ownstudyto see if he could duplicate theresults. Morrisonbeganhisstudyin 1946by placing50 ofhispatientsona restricteddietthatmoderatelylimitedthefatandcholesterollevelstothat comparabletothe Europeanregimen.Hetookanother50patients,allof whomwere followinga typicalAmericandiet thatwashigh in fatand cholesterol,and placedthem in the studyas well.Hethenfollowedthe mortalityratesofbothgroupsforthenext12years.Attheendof8 years, only24 percent(about12people)on thehigh-fatdietwerestillalive;56 percent(about24 people)on therestricteddietwerestillalive.(Attheend of12years,all50patientson thehigh-fatdietweredead,while38percent,

about17people,onthelow-fat dietwerestillalive.)

Asof 1955,Nathanhad been followingMorrison'sstudy fornine yearsand waswellawareof itsresultsto that point.Healsorealizedits implications.In the fallof thatyear,PritikincalledMorrisonand asked

38

Pritikin

ifhe couldcometoLosAngelestomeetMorrisonanddiscusshisresearch.

Pritikin wasalreadyplanning a businesstriptoLosAngeles andwantedto knowmoreaboutMorrison's work.Morrison wasgladtooblige.Thetwo

agreedtomeeton December21, 1955. Thenightbeforehe wastomeetMorrison,Pritikinsatin a LosAngeles hotelroom,calledroomservice,andordereda hotfudgesundae.Pritikin lovedicecreamand ateabouta pintofita day.Eversincehewasa boy,ice creamhadbeenhisfavoritedessert.Forhim,thecreamyrichness,loaded with fat and sugar,was the mostsatisfyingtreat.Lately,however,his enjoymentwasbeinginfringedupon bygrowingsuspicions.

OnthebasisoftheWorldWarIIexperience anda numberofsmall

studiessuchas Morrison's, Pritikinhadcometobelievefatandcholesterol werethe underlyingcausesof heartand arterydiseases.Theprevailing viewamong doctorsand scientistswas that agingand stresswerethe

causes ofheartdisease andthatdiethadnothing todowiththeorigins of

theillness.ButPritikinbelievedtheprevailingviewdidnotseemtohave thesupportoftheevidence. DespitehisgrowingdoubtsaboutthehealthfulnessoftheAmerican diet,Nathanhad notyetchangedhiseatinghabits.Theverythoughtof

changinghisdietwasunpleasantforhim.Oneof hismostenjoyable pastimes wastogooutwithIlenetoa seafoodorethnicrestaurant fora

gourmetdinner.AmonghisfavoritedisheswerelobsterNewburg,eggplantParmesan,steak,androastbeef.Heloveddairyproductsand used sixpats of butteron his bakedpotato.He also had a compellingsweet tooth.Besidesicecream,he especiallyenjoyedpecanpieand baklava,a flakyGreekpastry.Thethoughtofgivingup suchfoodspainedhim.Allthe pleasureshe associatedwitheating,withgoingout to restaurants,would suddenlybe gone,he feared. Andyet,likea seasonedtracker,he continuedto stalkthescientific evidencelinkingdiet to health,connectingsmall bits of information, watchingforcorroborating evidence,contactingresearcherslikeMorrison.

Thetrailwasstrong.Heknewhe'dhavetochangesooneror later.The

questionwas,when. Byalloutwardsigns,Nathanwasin excellenthealth.Hehad a thin,

wirybuildandyouthful goodlooks.Hisalert,slightly slantedeyeswere

chargedwithenergy:when happy,his eyesand widesmileseemedto explodewitha childlikedelight;whenconfrontinganadversaryor facing a seriousissue,thoseeyesgaveoffa razor-sharpstarethatpenetrated confusionor pretensionlikea knifethroughtherind ofa melon.Pritikin exudedstrength,confidence,and health. Still,as he spoonedthecreamydessertintohis mouth,Pritikintold himselfthiswouldbe hislastsundae.Icecreamhad lostitsinnocence.

California Dreaming 39

officeon dayatMorrison's metthefollowing andMorrison Pritikin to heart diet l inking evidence Theydiscussedthe Boulevard. Wilshire disease.Bothmen believedfat and cholesterolin foodsraisedblood cholesterolandcausedplaque,or cholesteroldeposits,tobuildup within

thewallsoftheartery.

Cholesterolis a waxlikesubstanceused in cell constructionand metabolismand in theformationofhormones.Smallamountsare necesBeyondthesesmall,healthyamounts, saryforhealthycelldevelopment. dietarycholesterolandfatraisebloodcholesterol.Doctorsmeasureblood cholesterolin milligrams(mg.)of cholesterolper deciliter(dl.)ofblood,

toindicatethepercentage isoftenwrittenasmg.%, andbloodcholesterol ofmilligramsofcholesterolina deciliterofblood. In 1955,doctorsroutinelymaintainedthata cholesterollevelof300 mg.%wasnormal,and wellwithina saferange.Atthat time,theroleof cholesterolin theetiologyofheartdiseasewaslargelyunknown. Therewasverylittleevidenceto determinewhata safecholesterol levelwas,but Morrisonbelievedthat a safe cholesterollevelwas 220 mg.%.Hisassessmentwasbasedon theWorldWarII data and hisown study.Anythingabovethis rangewouldbe increasinglydangerous,he

wasscantonthispoint,nooneknewfor Sincetheevidence toldPritikin. levelbecamehazardous. surehowhighonecouldgobeforethecholesterol ItwasduringtheirdiscussionaboutcholesterolthatMorrisonasked Pritikina fatefulquestion:“What'syourcholesterollevel?”Pritikindidn't know;he had never had it checked.

“Ifyou'regoingtostudyheartdisease,youhavetoknowyourcholesterol level,”PritikinrecalledMorrisontellinghim. acquiescence,Morrisoninstructedhisnurseto takea WithPritikin’s bloodsamplefromPritikinand to have his cholesterollevelanalyzed. Afterthebloodsamplewastaken,MorrisonaskedPritikinif he'd liketo

havea stresstestdone.Nathansaidyes.

Astresstestrevealstherelativestrengthoftheheartasa persongoes

Thetestis doneby froma restingstatetovaryingdegreesofexercise.

attachingelectrodesto the person'sarmsat thebiceps,or onthe chestin theareaoftheheart.Theelectrodesareattachedtoan electrocardiograph.

Eachbeatoftheheartsendsa signalthroughtheelectrodesto the

whichtranslatesthebeatsintoa jaggedlinewritten electrocardiograph, Ifthe heartbeatis normal, on graphpaper,calledan electrocardiogram. if thereis the presence steady; a nd consistent be linewill thejagged exercise,which irregularduring of heartdisease,thebeatswillbecome in turn willbe reflectedin the irregularitiesof thejagged line on the electrocardiogram.

byhavinga personstep In 1955,a routinestresstestwasperformed

40

Pritikin

up anddownona two-stepboxforabouta minuteanda half.Itwascalled the MasterTwo-Step method.Today,stresstestsare done on treadmills whichcan controltherateofexercisefroma slowwalktoa fastrun. Nathansteppedup anddownon the boxrapidlywiththeelectrodes monitoredtheactivity attachedto hischest,whiletheelectrocardiograph ofhisheart.Afterthetestwasperformed,he put hisshirtbackon while Pritikin’s cholesterol Morrisoninterpretedthegraphresults.Meanwhile, levelcamebackfromMorrison’s lab. Morrisontold Pritikinhis cholesterollevelwas 280 mg.%,which Morrisonsaid wasin the “highnormal”range.Pritikin'sstresstestwas levelchecked normal.MorrisonsuggestedthatPritikinhavehischolesterol againina fewmonths.Shortlythereafter,the twoparted,agreeingtostay in touch. apparentlynormal DespiteMorrison'slackof alarmand Pritikin'’s

stresstest,Nathanwasconvinced thathischolesterol levelwasclearlyin thedangerous rangeandmightbeleadingtoa heartattack. Hewondered

againhowmuch longerhe couldgo on eatinga high-fatdietbeforehe sufferedfromserioushealthproblems.On the flightbackto Chicago, Pritikinconsideredhisoptions.Therewereno dietsin 1955thatclaimed topreventortreatheartdisease.Heguessedthathemighttrytoduplicate theEuropeanregimenduringWorldWarII,butwonderedifthatmight havedeficiencies. Whatwastheidealdietforhumans?Doessucha thing exist?Thesequestionsintriguedhim.Ifcertainfoodspromoteillness,than surelyothersmustpromotehealth. BythetimetheflightlandedinChicago,however,Nathan'sconcerns

Itwasalways forhishealthhadgivenwaytothoseforGlassProducts.

harder going back to Chicagoafterbeing in California,especiallyin December.Forthe nextyear,he struggledto increaseproduction,save money,and finda solutionto theproblemsofthe resistor.Hisbusiness continuedtothrive,andgraduallyhemanagedtoaccumulatetheneeded

however, evadedhim. cashtomakethemove.Theresistor’s solution,

abouthisdietorhiselePritikin decided topostpone anydecisions

vatedcholesterolduring1956,butintheearlypartof 1957he didmake

onehealthdecision hewouldlaterregretmorethananyother.Sincehis knownaspruritisani, mid-thirties, Pritikin hadsuffered fromacondition in thebacterialenvironment or analitching,causedbyan imbalance

withinhisintestines.Theconditionaroseafterhewasgivenantibioticsfor thattheantibiotics, aparticularly intractable sorethroat.Pritikin latertheorized whichindiscriminately destroybacteriainthebody,killedmanyfriendly bacteriain his intestines.Hebelievedthis causedan imbalancein the intestinalenvironment, resultinginthespreadofmanyunfriendlybacteria, are recogwhich,among otherthings,causedthe itching.(Antibiotics nizedtodayas a threattointestinalflora.)

California Dreaming 41

aboutthe analitching;hisdoctor Pritikinconsultedhisphysician noneofwhich preparations, andexternal a seriesofointments prescribed

waseffectivein treatingthe problem.Thedoctorthen prescribedsmall anantifungaldrugtakenorally,butthisresulted dosagesofmeprobamate, body.Thedoctorthen advised in skineruptionselsewhereon Pritikin’s Nathantotakea seriesofx-raytreatmentsto destroythefungus.Pritikin wasconcernedthex-rayswouldbehittinga partofthebodyverysensitive to radiation.Hisdoctorassuredhim, however,thatthe treatmentswere safe.Afterconsideringtheadvice,Pritikinreluctantlyagreedto undergo thex-raytreatments. physician, Accordingtohismedicalrecordsanda letterfromPritikin’s

on x-rays doses(rads)ofunfiltered absorbed 88radiation Nathanreceived

January12,1957.Hegotthesamedosageofx-rayson January19and an additional44 rads withthesamequalityx-rayson February16. Twodayslater,a bloodtestrevealedthat he had an elevatedwhite count.A year later,Pritikinwouldbe informedhe had monoclonal a conditioncharacterizedby an elevatedlevelof macroglobulinemia, globulins,or aggregatedproteinsandwhitebloodcells,thatformclumps in thebloodstream.Itisablooddisorderthatin itslaterstagescanbecome leukemia.

was wouldcomelater.Byspringof1957,Pritikin Butthatinformation 2, June on A nd w est. migration long-awaited his finallyreadytomake

with 1957,Nathan,Ilene,the children,and GlassProducts-complete severalhundredtonsofequipmentand abouttenkeyemployees-moved to starta newlife.Anda revolution. toSantaBarbara,California,

ADiagnosis, anExperiment, a Cure Moving | fromChicago'sdeathlycoldwintersand endlesssweepofgray toSantaBarbara’swarmsunshine,oceanvistas,and lowwhitebuildings was,forNathan,likecomingoutofa tombto a newlife.Helovedbeing closetonature.Thetalleucalyptustrees,statelypalms,andwidevarietyof flower-bearing trees and bushes-all of which flourishedbeneath the imposingpresenceoftheSantaYnezmountainrange-gaveSantaBarbara a radiant,exoticglow.Meanwhile,the relentlesslappingof the ocean againstthecity’sbeachesprovideda constantreminderofthe fierceand primalheartbeatofnature.

Nathanbecameacutelysensitive tothefragrance offlowers andthe

developmentofplants.Cloudsand weatherpatternsintriguedhim.He continuedtoworkobsessively athisbusiness,but therewasa newdesire toenjoylife.Heand Ilenetooktennislessonsand playedregularly;he accompaniedthe familyto parksand on picnics.He evenbicycledten milesbackand forthtoworkeachday.Meanwhile, hecontinuedtofollow the heartdiseaseresearchand regularlycorrespondedwithMorrison. Thefindingswereintriguing. Nathanhad read that at the turn of the centurySir WilliamOsler,

a Britishresearcher, hadfoundatherosclerosis wasfarmoreprevalent amongtheEnglishrichthanthepoor.Oslerconjectured thatthedietof

thearistocracymightbecausingthedisease.Therich,heobserved,atean abundanceoffattyfoods,whilethepooratemoregrainsand vegetablesfoodslowin fatand freeofcholesterol. In 1933,a RussianscientistnamedAnitschkow reportedthatwhen

rabbitswerefedeggs,meat,andmilk,theydeveloped atherosclerosis; however,when the rabbitsate vegetables,theydidn’tget the disease. 42

ADiagnosis 43

Anitschkow demonstrated itwasthefatandcholesterol inthefoodsthat causedtheatherosclerosis intherabbits.

Otheranimalstudiesshowedthatwhenanimalsare feda high-fat, high-cholesterol diet,theirbloodcholesterollevelsincrease,but when theirdietsarechangedtolowerthefatandcholesterolcontent,theirblood cholesterollevelsalsodecrease. Pritikinalsowatchedwithinterestasthefamedepidemiologist Ancel Keysbegan his seminalworkof examiningpopulations,their eating habits,and diseasepatterns. In 1956,Dr.N.Kimura,a Japanesephysician,comparedtheautopsy

recordsof 10,000JapanesekilledduringWorldWarIIwiththoseof

Americanskilledduringthe sameperiod.Kimurafoundthe Japanese hadaremarkableabsenceofatherosclerosis, whiletheAmericanssuffered a high degreeof the illness.He effectively correlatedthe twodifferent diseaseratestothedifferingamountsoffatandcholesterolinthedietsof theJapaneseandAmericans. ThefatcontentoftheJapanesedietwasabout10to 15percentofits totalcalories,whilethe fatcontentof the Americandiet comprisedas muchas45percentofitstotalcalories—almost half!(Ayearlater,Keysand

Kimura wouldfindthatwhenJapanesemigrated totheUnitedStatesand adoptedmoreAmerican-like eatingpatterns,thusraisingtheirfatand

cholesterol intake,theirratesofheartdisease-andcertaincancers-increased tothatofAmericans.Inshort,theJapanesehadnogeneticimmunityfrom coronarydisease;theevidencesuggestedtheirdietsprotectedthemfrom

theillness.)

|

ThattheAmerican dietmightbecausingillnesswasa revolutionary

thought.Foronething,theAmericandietand foodsupplywererevered throughouttheworld.Americawasthebreadbasket,thecountrywiththe

mostsuccessful agriculture systemin history. TheAmerican dietwas

consideredsecondto none.Indeed,scientistsat the timebelievedthat,

asidefromobesity, theonlyproblems associated withdiet-eveninThird

Worldcountries-werethoseresultingfromnutrientdeficiencies: pellagra, causedby lackof niacin;beriberi,froma deficiencyof thiamine;and blindness,froma lackofvitaminA. Inlightoftheseproblems,fortification offoods—adding nutrientsthat hadbeenlostduringprocessing-becamemorewidespread. Asidefromthe problemsof nutrientdeficiencieswasthe general problemof hunger in underdevelopednations.(Hungerin the United Stateswentlargelyunnoticedduringthe 1950s.)Imagesofbloatedbellies and humansreducedto skinand bonespromptedthe birthofC.A.R.E. and U.S.grain shipmentsoverseas.Americanscameto thinkof themit wasduringthe 1950s selvesas thebest-fedpeopleon earth.Moreover,

44

Pritikin

thatAmericansdevelopedtheirloveaffairwithprotein,and particularly withredmeat,a foodthatcametosymbolize nutritionalsuperiorityaswell asAmericanaffluence. reverItwasthisconcernforlackofnutritionand theoverwhelming ence for the Americandiet that led the UnitedStatesDepartmentof Agricultureto developnutritionalguidelines-the “BasicFour Food Groups”-in1956.The BasicFourwere meat,dairy foods,fruitsand vegetables,and breadsand cereals.Theguidelineswerean overnight success.Theywereeasytoteach-nohomeeconomicscoursewouldbe withoutthemas an instructionaltool-andthefoodindustrylovedthem. potentialofthe TheNationalDairyCouncilinstantlysawtheprofit-making BasicFourandcrankedupanentirenutritioneducationcampaignaround them.The DairyCouncilquicklybecamethe leadingsourceof nutritioninformationin the UnitedStates,toutingthe nutritionalbenefitsof dairyfoods.

dietwasunquestioned by By1958,thehealthfulness oftheAmerican

thevastmajorityofscientists,doctors,andlaypeoplebecauseitprovided an abundanceofnutrition.Andsoitwasalmostheresytothinkthisdiet mightbe causingwidespreaddiseaseand evendeath.Butthatwasthe

inthe ideabeginningtotakeholdamonga smallhandfulofscientists

world.Pritikinwasamongthefirsttoseesucha possibility andtoappreciatetheearlyscientificstudies.

Diagnosis:HeartDisease Intheautumnof1957,Pritikin begantomakesmallchangesinhis

diet.He ate red meat onlytwoor three timesper week,reducedthe amountofbutterheate,substitutedskimmilkforwhole,atelesschicken, andeliminatedalleggyolks—egg yolksbeingveryhighincholesteroland fat.He alsointroducedwholegrain breadsand pastasto his diet and startedtoeatmorevegetablesand fish. Thesedietarychangesweresmall,by any standard.Pritikin'sdiet remainedessentiallythesameasthatofmostAmericans,withtheexception of egg yolks,perhaps,and the substitutionof wholegrain flour products.Atthe outsetof 1958he wasstilleatingall typesof red meat,

includingbeef,lamb,andpork;he continuedtoeatbutter,thoughin

smallerquantities.Pritikinwantedto makeprudentchangesgradually. On February11, 1958,he wentto SansumMedicalClinicin Santa Barbarafor a thoroughhealth examinationand astress test.He was

examined byDr.DaleCreek,aninternist atSansum. Although Creekwas

retainedas Nathan'sphysician,he wasassistedfromtimeto timebyDr. ClaytonH.Klakeg,alsoa physicianat Sansum.Accordingto theSansum medicalrecords,CreeknotedNathan'stwoprimaryhealthconcernsathis initialvisitas chronicpruritisaniand an “abnormalEKG.”

ADiagnosis 45

Theabnormal EKG Creekreferred towastheelectrocardiogram given Pritikin byLesterMorrison morethantwoyearsbefore,whenMorrison

saidPritikin’stestwas“withinnormallimits.”Sincethattime,however, NathanhadtaughthimselftoreadEKGsandnoticeda smallabnormality intheEKGtracingsMorrisonhaddoneforhim.PritikinhadreadtheEKG asshowingtheearlystagesofheartdiseaseandtoldCreekofhisobservations.

HealsotoldCreekhehadmadesomechangesinhisdietthathehoped

wouldhelphimavoidheartdisease. Asa resultofPritikin’s concerns,Creekperformeda seriesofblood testsandanEKG.HealsosentPritikintoa Sansumdietitiantohavehisdiet evaluated.

TheSansumdietitian recordedthatPritikin's breakfast typically con-

sistedofcitrusfruitand cookedoatmealwithnonfatmilk;he sometimes atewafflesand hotcakesmadefromwholegrainflour.Healsodranka glassofskimmilkandoccasionally atesomewholewheattoastwithjam. Forlunchhe oftenhad fishsalador a meatdish.Atdinner,he atefishor meat,potato,cookedvegetables,salad,somefruitor sherbetfordessert,

andanotherglassofskimmilk.Hefrequently atenutsasasnack.Thedietitiannotedhedrankaboutaquartofmilkperday,ateonlysmallamountsof salt,neverdrankalcoholor caffeinatedbeverages,and tookonlysmall amountsofwater.

Underthehead“deficiencies,” thedietitian wrote,“Eggsespecially,” andthenseveralspacestotherighta questionmarkbeforetheword

“fluid.” Thedietitianalsonotedinhersummary:“Ratherstrictlow-fat diet.”

Pritikin hadtroublefiguring outwhatwassostrictorparticularly lowinfat

abouthisdiet.Afterhewasthroughwiththeevaluation,Pritikinwassent backtoCreek,whohad theresultsofNathan'sbloodtestand EKG.

Hisbloodcholesterol was210mg.%-~a significant dropincholesterol

sincehisprevioustesttwoyearsbeforebyMorrison.Creeksaidthathis cholesterollevelwasnormal.ButPritikinwastroubledby the Sansum record which stated that a “normal”cholesterollevelwas anything between150mg.%and 300mg.%.Basedonhisreadingoftheliterature, Pritikinbelieveda cholesterollevelof300mg.%causedrampantathero-

sclerosis andwasprobably life-threatening.

TheEKGrevealedPritikindidindeedhaveheartdisease.TheSansum recordstated:“Posteriorwallcoronaryinsufficiency,” a formof heart diseasecharacterizedbya lackofbloodgettingtotheback,or posterior, partoftheheart.Thelikelyreasonforhisheartcondition,Pritikinrealized, wasthathe hadadvancingatherosclerosis in oneor moreofthearteries leadingto the heart.At leastone of his coronaryarterieswas being blockedbyplaque,orcholesteroldeposits,reducingtheamountofblood and oxygengettingtotheheartmuscle.Hisheartwassuffocating. Asa resultof the diagnosis,Creekand Klakegprescribeda drug

46

Pritikin

calledAtropine,whichaffectstheflowofbloodtotheheartbyinfluencing thevagusnerve,locatedintheneck.HisdoctorshopedthattheAtropine wouldincreasethebloodflowtotheheart,thusovercoming theinsufficiency. Pritikinwasorderednottoexerthimself.Hewastoldnottowalkmore thanfouror fiveblocksa day,totakenapsduringtheafternoons,and to eliminateallstrenuousexercise,includingbicycleridingand tennis. Pritikinreactedtotheadvicewithdisbelief.HetoldCreekandKlakeg he had no symptomsofillness.Theyremindedhim heartdiseasewas, afterall,a silentkillerwhichoftenshowednooutwardsymptomsuntilone wasstruckdown.If he did not followthe advice,theywarnedhim,he mightone day findhimselffacedownon the sidewalkas a resultofa heartattack. PritikinleftSansumClinicthatdayafraidand dejected;he hadjust cometoCalifornia, wherea newlifeseemedtobeopeninguptohim.Now

hewasbeingtoldthathehadtobehaveasifhewere20yearsolderthan hewas.Butmorepuzzling newsawaitedhim. Threedayslater,onFebruary15,Creekdida bloodtestonPritikin

knownasan electrophoresis, whichrevealsthebalanceofproteinsinthe blood.Theseproteinsconsistofalbuminsand a varietyofglobulins,or aggregatesofproteins.In healthyadultsthereare fewerglobulinsthan

albumins, theratiobeingatleasttwoalbuminstoeverysingleglobulin.

Animbalanceofproteinscan indicatethepresenceofcancer,hepatitis, cirrhosisoftheliver,andotherseriousdisorders.Adiagnosisismadeon thebasisofwhichproteinisimbalancedand towhatdegree. Pritikin’s electrophoresis analysisshowedtherewasa distinctimbalance in his proteins.SansumClinic'srecordreads:“Thereis a gamma

component intheprotein electrophoretic pattern,” meaning histestshowed anabnormally highlevelofgammaglobulins, ora typeofglobulinthat

containsandsometimessecretesantibodies.Thisabnormallyhighlevelof globulinsis sometimescalleda “spike.”Clearly,there was something wrongwithPritikin’sblood,but therewastoolittleinformationforhis

doctorstomakeadiagnosis asyet.Nevertheless, ahighgammaglobulin rate suggeststhe potentialformultiplemyeloma,leukemia,and other formsofcancer.Apartfromtheheartdisease,heshowednoothersignsof illness;allhisothertestswerenormal.

From1958on,Pritikin's electrophoresis testswouldconsistently show thisspike.Thatyeartheabnormality wassmallandnotreatment was

suggested.Hisphysicianswantedtohaveelectrophoresis testsdoneperiodicallyto monitorhis bloodcondition.Theywouldhavetowaittosee whatchangestookplace,ifany.Nothingmorewasmadeofthetest.Itwas puzzling,butevenPritikindidnotconsideritimportant. As for the heart disease,neitherCreeknor Klakegbelievedthat

ADiagnosis 47

Nathan's condition wasespecially severe.HisEKG didnotdemonstrate an especially acutecoronary insufficiency, according toKlakeg's assessment.

Aslongashefollowed hisdoctors’advice,theredidn'tseemtobemuchto worryabout.Infact,bothphysicians expressedmoreconcernoverPritikin’s attitudetowardhisdiseasethantheillnessitself.

Inaddition, Creekwasconcerned aboutPritikin's dietandonMarch

5, 1958,notedinPritikin’s patientrecordthathecautionedNathanabout hislow-fatdiet.HewasafraidPritikinmightbe deprivinghimselfofvital nutrients.Creekwrotein Pritikin’s record:“Betemperatein all things-

including temperance.” Ayearlater,Klakeg expressed concern overPritikin’s attitude.Ina March18,1959,lettertoLesterMorrison, Klakegnoted Pritikin's “rathermarkedoverconcern withhisheartstatus,andthisishis primaryproblem.” Theseratherpatronizingcommentsby CreekanidKlakegillustrate thevastlydifferentattitudestowardheartdiseaseanditstreatmenttaken

byPritikin andhisdoctors. ForPritikin, theconventional approachfailed to addressthe underlyingcauseof the illness.It merelyrestrictedhis movementsandtinkeredwithhisnervoussystem.Unlesshechangedhis diet,he believed,the cholesterolwouldcontinueto accumulatein his

bloodandfurthercloghisarteries. Theproblem wouldonlygetworse.In time,moremedication andrestrictions wouldbenecessary, untilhisarteries

becamesoclosedfromplaquethathe sufferedeithera heartattackor a stroke.Theconventional approachseemedtoguaranteesuchan end.

Pritikin didhisbesttoconvertbothCreekandKlakeg tohispointof view;heexplained theliteraturelinkingdiettocardiovascular disease, andsentthemadditional studiesinsupportofhisargument. Andwhile theyrecognizedNathanwaswellreadonallsubjectsdealingwithheart disease,theychosetoignorehispleas.Instead,theapproachtheytookto Pritikin's heartconditionwasdirectlyinlinewithstandardmedicalpractice.

Neitheronesuggested headopta low-fat, low-cholesterol diet.Pritikin’s desiretochangehisdietasatreatment ofhisdiseasewashisownpersonal preference,and whileCreekcautionedhim aboutpossiblenutritional

deficiencies, bothdoctorsseemedtogoalongwithPritikin’s desireto

changehiseatinghabits.Infact,atthattimetherewaslittle,ifany,support withinthemedicalprofessionforalteringone’sdiettotreatheartdisease.

(TheAmerican Medical Association didnotendorsetheconceptofeating

lessfatand cholesteroluntil 1972,and eventhen the AMArefusedto suggesthowmuchofareductioninthesefoodsAmericans shouldobserve.) PritikintooktheAtropineandrestrictedhisactivities. Hegaveup his tennisgames,stoppedbicyclingtowork,and triedtotakean occasional napintheafternoons.Hedidhisbestnottoexerthimself.Meanwhile, the Atropinesostronglyaffectedhisnervoussystemthatitcausedhiseyesto

48

Pritikin

dilateand forcedhim to wearsunglassesthroughoutthe three-month periodhe tookthedrug. Itwasn'tlong,however,beforehe rebelled.Everythingin hisbackgroundasaninventorandapioneerinotherscientificfields,aswellashis understanding ofhealth,insistedhefindanotherapproachtohisproblems. Theonlyapproachhecouldbelieveinwasonethataddressedtheunderlyingcause,whichhe believedwasdiet. Butwhere shouldhe begin?Pritikinshared Creek'sconcernfor dietarydeficiencies. Eggs,meat,anddairyproductsareallhighinfatand cholesterol, buttheyarealsorichinprotein,iron,vitaminB,andcalcium. Howmanyfoodscouldhe reduceor eliminatebeforehe begantolose needednutrients? Andyet,he couldnotremainon theAtropine.Hiseyeshad grown increasinglysensitivetolight,causingheadachesand irritation,andthe

sunglasses wereuncomfortable. AttheendofApril1958,he stopped takingthedruganddecidedtotreathisdiseasewithamorerestricted diet.

Hewantedtocreatea dietthatwouldbelowinfatandcholesterolbut metallnutritionalneeds.Forthathe neededan expert. InMay,Nathancontacteda nutritionistattheUniversity ofCalifornia

atLosAngeles (UCLA) foranappointment todiscusshisdiet.Ashestrode alongtheuniversity's well-manicured lawnsandintothehallowedhallsof academe,Pritikinwasconfidenthe and thenutritionistcoulddevisethe perfectdiettotreathisheartdisease.

Onceinthenutritionist's office,Pritikin explained hisdilemma. He toldthescientist hewantedtocreatea dietforhimselfhecouldfollow without fearofmalnutrition. Heaskedifhecouldhireagraduatestudent tohelphimdo it.Thenutritionistsaiditcouldn'tbe done. Thenutritionisttoldhimloweringcholesterolbydietwasdangerous, becauseitrequiredthatone“cutoutfoodshighinfatandcholesteroland

thesearethebestfoodsthebodycaneat.

“You've gottohavethosefoods,”thenutritionisttoldhim. Pritikinrespondedby sayinganimalstudieshad shownthatwhen foodshighinfatandcholesterolareloweredinthediet,bloodcholesterol

drops,whichhebelieved reducedthechancesofsuffering aheartattack. Thenutritionist countered thattheelimination ofsuchfoodswouldleadto

malnutrition. Also,loweringbloodcholesterolwouldhavenoeffectonhis heartdisease,thenutritionistsaid.One'scholesterollevelisdetermined by heredityand, althoughit couldbe modifiedby diet,such altering wouldbe dangerous. “Wecan'thelpyou,”thenutritionist ttold Pritikin.“It’stoodangerous; youmightkillyourself.”

Hisrequestfora graduatestudentwasdenied.

ADiagnosis 49 PritikinleftUCLAwiththestrongimpressionthattherewasa great

dealnutritionists didn’tknowaboutdietandhealth.Morethanhalfthe peoplein theworldeata dietthatis lowin fatandcholesterol and

adequateinalltheessentialnutrients.Pritikinwantedtoeatthesameway theydid.Hewonderedwhatwassodifficultaboutthat. NathandecidedthatifUCLA wouldnothelphim,thenhewoulddoit

onhisown.Hegotbooksonbloodchemistry andnutrition andfoundout thelevelsofnutrients thoughttobenecessary tomaintain health.Hethen

gotCreektogivehimanopennotetohaveregularbloodtestsperformed, and withinweeksof his meetingwith the UCLAnutritionist,Pritikin showedupattheBlanchard-Dickson Laboratories inSantaBarbarawitha listof25bloodtestshe wantedperformed.Inadditiontoacompleteblood

count,he wantedhisbloodvaluescheckedforpyruvicacid,fibrinogen, vitamin Aandcarotene, protein, folicacid,ironandiron-binding capacity,

totallipids,protein-bound iodine,creatine,uricacid,macroglobulin, calcium, vitaminB,erythrocytesedimentationrate,sodium,carbondioxidelevels, magnesium,freethyroxine,andleucineaminopeptidase. Heplannedto

havethesetestsdoneeverymonthorsotomonitortheeffects ofhisnew

dieton hisbloodvalues. Dr.JohnP.Blanchard,whoranthelaboratory, didn’tquiteknowwhat tomakeofPritikinand hisratherlengthyrequest.AccordingtoPritikin,it

tookBlanchard nearlyanhourtofigureouthe wouldneedfouror five ouncesofbloodtoconductallthetestsPritikin wanteddone.Hethensent

Nathantothelabtechniciantohavehisblooddrawn. Pritikinexpectedhis bloodto be drawnin a syringe,but the lab techniciantookout a transfusionneedle,tellinghim,“Wecan'tget that

muchbloodfroma syringe.”

Thetechnicianattacheda rubberhoseto oneendof thetransfusion needleandinsertedthehoseintoabottle.Hetheninjectedtheneedleinto Pritikin’s veinin the arm.Nathanturnedwhitewatchinghisblooddrip intothebottle. Seeing“mybloodcomingoutin suchvolume,I nearlyfaintedon the chair,”Pritikinrecalled.

ThetechniciannoticedNathanbecomingilland reassuredhim:

“Dontworry,”he said,“aslong as you'resittingdown you can't hurt yourself.”

APersonalExperimentwithDiet Forthe nextten years,Pritikinkeptmeticuloustrackof his health throughbloodtestsandurinalysis.BeginninginMay1958,Pritikinaccumulatedall hismedicalrecordsto dateandrecordedtheinformationon sheetsofnotebookpaperwhichhe tapedtogethersideby sideto form

50 ~—s Pritikin

11-inchby 15-inchsheets.Hedrewverticallinesoverthehorizontallines

alreadyonthenotebook papertoforma graphdesign.Atthetopofthe graphcolumns, hewrotethedateofthebloodandurinetests;thedateson

his recordsbegin in 1955(he recordedthe bloodtest givenhim by Morrison)andrun throughthelate 1950s,1960s,and 1970s.Onthefar left-handside of the sheets,at the top of the page,he wrotethe word

“blood” andthen“O-Group” (Pritikin hadO+blood).In theleft-hand margin,he listedalltheelementsin hisbloodthathe regularlyhad tested-morethan50bloodconstituentsinall.Includedinthelistwerehis redbloodcellcount,whitebloodcells,hemoglobin,platelets,lacticacid, rouleauxformation, fibrinogen, fastingglucose,nonfasting glucose,sodium, potassium,chloride,carbondioxidelevels,vitaminAand carotene,vitamin B,folicacid,iron,iron-bindingcapacity,calcium,cholesterol,total lipids,triglycerides, uricacid,neutralfats,and manyothers. Hisurinechartwasequallydetailed.

ByJune 1958,at theageof 43,Pritikinstartedto makedaring changesinhisdiet.Heatelittleelsebutlentilbeansforweeks;thenhe switchedtobrownrice foranother week;then he added beef.Forthe most

part,hisdietwascenteredaroundwholegrains,vegetables,andfruits,but he wouldchangethe proportionsof thesefoods—increasing fruitfora

time,orrice,orbeans-orsimplyaddbeeforfishorpoultryfora week.

He'dcheckhisbloodvaluesandeliminatethefoodhewasexperimenting with,orbringitbackintobalancewiththerestofhisdiet.Hetriedtoisolate theeffectsofeachfoodonhisbloodchemistryandhisoverallhealth.He wouldcarryon thisdiligentexperimentation forthenextdecade.

Pritikin recordedsuchdetailsas“eating10datesafterdinner”, “start— fruitat 1,000calories55percenttotalintake.” Oneofhisnotes,recorded onDecember 17,1968,states,“threeweeksonfruitat55to60percentof totalcalories,1,000-1,200caloriesfruit.” Hestudiedhisbody'sreactiontoeverychangein diethe made.On January29, 1969,hewrote:“22daysondriedfruit,12dates,60percent

calories ondriedfruit;calories1,800,wasthirstylasttwoweeks,constant drytastein mouth.” Hischolesterollevelroseand fellwithhisdietarychanges.Henoted hischolesterolhighof280mg.%in 1955.Fromthereitdroppedsteadily

to 102mg.%on December 24, 1963,afterhe startedlegumesas his exclusive proteinsource.Hischolesterol levelshotbackupto158mg.%

afterhe eliminatedbrownriceandstartedtoeatonemealofmeatorfish perday.Fromtherehischolesterolgraduallydeclinedto 118mg.%after hediscontinuedmeatandresumedhisnormaldietofgrains,vegetables, fruit,and occasionalservingsoffish. Overtheyears,Pritikincametohavesucha thoroughknowledgeof

ADiagnosis

51

hisbodythathewouldbeabletopinpointobscureaspectsofhisdietas

thesourceofa givensymptom.Later,hewouldalsobeabletodothesame forpatientsand fordoctorswhowroteto himdescribingpatientsymptomsthatseemedtohaveno cause.

Pritikin's thoroughinvestigation ofhowfoodaffectedhisbodyre-

vealshis remarkableabilityto lookat himselfobjectively. Herefusedto turn awayfromunpleasantor evenfrighteninginformation.Unlikethe typicalpatient,whosurrenderstohisdoctor'sadvice,Pritikintooka cool andsystematic approachtohishealth.Histhoroughnessandhighdegree

ofobjectivity enabledhimtomakerationalassessments basedonthe rawdata. Thisisnottosayhewasn'tafraid-yearslaterhewouldadmitasmuch whenhe toldaudienceshowhecreatedhisprogram-—but hisfeardidnot

stophimfromdoingwhathethoughtbest.Andgiventhechoice,hefelt muchmoreconfident inhisownplanthaninorthodox methods, which promised nocureandrequired himtotakedrugsandrestrict hismovements.

IfNathanwassecurein his decision,Ilenewasanythingbut.Ilene had grownaccustomedtoher husband'sunconventionalideas,but this timeshefelthe wasreallystretchingit.Whydidn'the takehismedicine and be done with it?The disease did not seem life-threatening;many of

her friendshad high bloodpressureor someother formof coronary diseaseand theyseemedcontentto followtheirdoctors’orders.There

weretimeswhenIlenewondered ifNathanwasjustbeingdifficult. “Tthought,‘Who ishetochallenge themedicalworldandgooffina

verystrangedirection?’ ”Ilenerecalled.ItseemedtoherthatNathanwas being extreme anda littlepeculiar; she also feltuncomfortablewithwhat

sheconsidered hisbasically antisocial behavior.

|

Besides,Nathan'schangeofdietleftIlenea littleoffended.Shetook pridein themealssheprepared.Ilenereadtheconventionalcookbooks, spenta lotoftimein the kitchenpreparingheartyand gourmetdishes, and feltshewasprovidingthebestmealsshe couldforher family.Now Nathanhadturnedawayfromthepotroasts,thebeefstews,andthemeat loavesand startedtoeatwhathe wascallinga “peasantdiet.” Ilenewasperplexed.Whathad gottenintohim? AsNathansaidto Dr.John McDougall,physicianand author,in a videotapedinterviewin 1982:“MywifethoughtI neededa psychiatrist morethanI dida medicaldoctor.”

Nevertheless, Ilenewentalongwithhim,preparinghisbrownrice, vegetables, beans,andfish,or,whenhewasexperimenting, makingsome specificfoodin thequantitieshe wanted.Ashisexperimentingbeganto showresults,however,her skepticismslowlydissipated.

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‘Pritikin

“Nathandid what he had to do at all times,”Ilenerecalled.“He conductedhisownlife.Herelieduponmeforcompanionship, buthewas veryself-directed.” Pritikindidnotenforcehisviewsonhisfamily,oranyoneelseforthat matter.He believedpeoplewouldchange when theywantedto. He maintained this attitudeespeciallytowardhis children, who lookedat his

changein eatinghabitswitha combinationofwonderand humor.

“Wekindofaccepted thathewasright,”recalledhissonRalph.“Dad

wouldexplainwhathewasdoinginthemostrationalwaysothatevenus kidscouldunderstand.Prettysoon,everyonein thehousewantedtoeat whatDadwaseating.” Bythesummerof 1958,Pritikinhadsomestrongscientificevidence forhisdietaryprogram.TheFraminghamHeartStudy,whichexamined

theriskfactors intheonsetofheartdisease amongresidents ofFramingham,

Massachusetts,publisheddata showingthat the higher one's blood cholesterollevel,thegreatertheriskofheartdisease.TheFramingham Study,an ongoingstudybegunin 1948,revealedthatpeoplewithcholesterollevelsof256mg.%andoverwere15timesmorelikelytosuffera

heartattackthanthosewithcholesterol levelsbelow193mg.%.

In thatsameyear,Dr.J. B.Hannah,a physicianwhoworkedfora NorthernRhodesianminingcompany,reportedthattheBantus,a raceof peoplewhopopulatesouthernAfrica,experiencevirtuallynoheartdisease.

They subsist on a low-fat,low-cholesteroldiet, eat mostlywhole grains,

vegetables, andfruits,andsuffernoneofthecommondegenerative diseases thatplaguethemodernindustrializedworld.DuringHannah’sfive-year study,in whichhe followedthe death ratesof both Bantusand whites beingtreatedin NkanaNuneHospital,nota singleBantudiedofheart

disease.Amongtherelatively smallpopulation ofwhitestreatedatthe hospital, 23Europeans diedofheartdiseaseduringthesameperiod.And

despitetheirvegetariandiet,Hannahreported,the Bantusexperienced no nutritional-deficiency diseases.

Dr.H.M.Whytestudiedtheaborigines inNewGuinea, whoalsoeata

dietlowin fatand cholesterol,and discoveredthesamephenomenon:a remarkablylowrateofheartdisease.Whytealsodiscoveredthatas the NewGuineansgot older,theirbloodpressuredecreasedby aboutten points.In the UnitedStates,bloodpressuretendsto increasewithage, thusincreasingtheriskofheartattackand stroke.

Asa resultoftheseandotherstudies,Nathanbecameintensely

interestedin thelivesofso-called“primitive” peoples.Allovertheworld, populationsexistedlargelyon vegetariandiets,supplementedby small amountsofanimalfoods.Theycarriedontheirlivesoutsidetheinfluences

oftechnology, includingfoodprocessing. Theyatea dietthathadbeen

ADiagnosis 53

handeddowntothemthroughthemillennia, andtheirphysical health seemedtoreflectthebenefitsoftheirdietsandlifestyles.

ThenativepopulationthatwouldlaterinspirePritikinthemostwas clearlythe TarahumaraIndiansof centralMexico,a tribe of 50,000. Pritikinwouldpointtothemasthebestexampleofwhathumanphysical

staminawascapableofon a simplediet.TheTarahumara, whowere studiedin the 1970s,eatmostlycorn,wildplants,squash,beans,and

smallamountsoffishandmeat.Animalproductsareconsumedmoreasa condimentthana staple.Theyarea farmingpeoplewhoenjoyplayinga gamesimilartokickball,buttheirwoodenballiskickedformorethan100 mileswithoutstopping.Thepaceis6to7milesperhour,andresearchhas

shownthattheonlyreasonaplayerdropsoutofthegameisforlegcramps

or theneedtourinate.Otherwisetheykeeprightonrunning.AsPritikin wouldwriteyearslater,the Tarahumara“leadus to concludewe have hardlyscratchedthe surfaceof man’sphysicalcapabilitywhenin his healthystate.”

Thestudyofnativepopulations madePritikin questionmanyofthe fundamental ideasinnutrition. Hewondered iftheRecommended Dietary

Allowances (RDAs), theU.S.standardforhealthylevelsofspecificnutrients, weren'tinflated.He also questionedthe Westernworld’sdependence uponmeat,eggs,and dairyfoodsforessentialnutrientssuchascalcium andprotein. TheBantus,forexample,eatonlyabout350mg.ofcalciumperday. TheRDAforcalciumintheUnitedStatesis800mg.to 1000mg.Andyet, Bantumothersbearand nursean averageofninechildrenand haveno calciumdeficiencies.

Hediscovered thattraditional peoplesaroundtheworldstopdrink-

ing milkaftertheyare weaned,and yet theysufferfromno calcium deficiencies. Wheredotheygettheircalcium?Pritikinwouldfindfromhis studiesof nutritionthat manygreen vegetables,such as collardand mustardgreens,are loadedwithcalcium.A cup ofmilkcontainsabout

300mg.ofcalcium, whileacupofcookedcollardgreenscontains about

320mg.ofcalcium;a cupofcookedmustardgreenshasabout280mg. Fishalsocontainscalcium,aswellasotherminerals. Adietconsistingofwholegrains,vegetables, andfruitscancontainall thenecessaryvitaminsandminerals,Pritikinwouldlearn,withthepossi-

bleexception ofBj2,whichisalsoavailable invegetables thatarenotwell

rinsedorpeeled,suchascarrotsorpotatoes.VitaminB)2existsincommon bacteria,whichare presentin fermentedfoodsand foodsthatare not peeledorwashed. Animalfoods,ofcourse,arerichinBiz.TheamountofB:2requiredis sominimalthatittakesbetweenfiveand tenyearsfora Bi2deficiencyto manifest, butNathanregularlyatefishand,forthetimebeing,experimented

54~~ Pritikin

withleanmeat,sohedidnothavetoworryaboutlackingB)2.

Nathanconcludedthattheso-called primitives, suchastheBantusand NewGuineans,don'tsufferfromnutrientdeficiencies, becauseunrefined, naturalfoodscontainadequatenutrition. Butwhataboutprotein?Surelya dietlowin meat,eggs,and dairy productswillbe low,andpossiblydeficient,in protein. Whenhe researchedthe literature,he foundjust theopposite.The averageAmericandiet,consistingof foodsfromthe BasicFourFood Groups,derivesbetween17 and 25 percentof its totalcaloriesfrom protein.Hediscovered,however,thatstudiesdoneonmeneatingaslittle

as6percentoftheirtotalcalories inproteinshowed noproteindeficiency. Healsofoundthatwhenhumansconsumemorethan15percentprotein, theirbodiesbegantoloseminerals,especiallycalcium,iron,zinc,phosphorus,andmagnesium. PritikinbegantosuspectthatthetypicalAmericandietwasnotjust

excessive infatandcholesterol, butalsoinprotein andrefined carbohydrates.

Thewholedietwasoff,he realized,causingmyriadproblems.Andhehad justscratchedthesurface.

Thatsummerof1958,Nathan's programhadbeguntoshowsome goodresults.Hischolesterol levelhaddroppedto160mg.% andhisblood

valueswereconsistently normal. “Itreallywasnot that complicated,” Pritikinwouldsayyearslater aboutchanginghis diet.“Aftera coupleofmonths,I realizedI wasno differentthananyoftheanimalstudies.Thesamewayanimalsdroptheir

cholesterol level,sodohumans.Ineverdidrunintodeficiencies, orhave anyproblems atallwithgettingadequatenutrition. Iwasjustfrightened

unnecessarily.” Nathancontinuedtorefineandadherestrictlytohisdietforthenext year.Hehad alwaysbeen spryand energetic,but he foundhis energy

levelsconsistently highandhisendurance betterthanever.Hediscovered thatcomplexcarbohydrates-or longsugarmolecules foundin whole grains,vegetables,and fruits—provide farbetterfuelforthe bodythan simplesugars.Thesugarorcarbohydrates fromwholegrains,forexample, burn slowly,providingthebodywitha long-termenergysupply.Simple sugars,ontheotherhand,providea quickburstofenergythatisburned rapidly-muchlikepushingthegaspedaltothefloorofone’scar-resulting in a netlossofenergyanda conditionknownas hypoglycemia. Hewasawareofanincreaseinmentalclarityandanoverallfeelingof well-being. Nathanwasconvincedthathe wason therighttrack. Ayearlater,onAugust29,1959-Pritikin's 44thbirthday-Creekrana

seriesofbloodtestsonNathanandfoundhischolesterol levelwas155 mg.%,his calciumwas 10.5mg.%(normal),and his hemoglobinwas 14.7grams(normal).Aftermorethana yearon hisdiet,theseandother

ADiagnosis 55

bloodvalueswereallwellwithinhealthyrangesandhischolesterol level

waslow. Hedidnoexerciseatallduringthisperiod.Hethoughtitbesttoavoid physicalexertionuntil his EKGshowedthat his heart conditionwas improving,and by December1959,he hoped his EKGwouldshow exactlythat. Unfortunately, thetest,doneonDecember21,1959,atSansumMedicalClinic,showednorealimprovementinhiscoronaryinsufficiency. His EKGstillshowedthepresenceofheartdisease.

Onceagain,CreeksentPritikin totheSansum dietitian tohavehisdiet

assessed.Accordingto the Sansumrecordtakenthatday,Pritikin’s diet typicallywasmadeup ofthefollowing: Breakfast usuallyconsistedofoatmealorseven-grain cerealwithskim milk;healsoatea wholecitrusfruit-eitheranorangeora grapefruit-ora slicedmelonfivetimesperweek;hotcakesmadewithwholegrainflour onceaweek;smokedfishwithwholegraincerealonceaweek,andaglass of fruitjuice daily.(Eventually, Nathanstoppeddrinkingfruitjuice.He maintainedthebestwaytoeatfruitwastoeatthewholefruit;thisway,one gotallthenutritionandfiberavailablefromthefood,whichdidn'thappen

fromdrinking justthejuice.) Forlunch,he atesalmonor tunafishsandwiches onwholegrain

bread; brown rice or corn or potato;cookedvegetables;salad greens with

dressing;fruitjuice,lemonade,orwater;and fruitfordessert. Fordinner,Pritikinatefishfourtimesperweek,oftenasa casserole; he alsolikedshellfish.Dinneralsoincludedpotatoorbrownrice,cooked vegetables,salad,and sometypeoffruitdessert. Heatewhatthedietitiancalled“moderate”amountsofsalt,“small” amountsofoil(usuallycornoil),fourormorebananasa week,nutsdaily, and drank“moderate”amountsofwater.Hispracticewastodrinkonly whenhe wasthirsty. Obviously, he had deviatedconsiderablyfromtheBasicFour. Atthe bottomof the Sansumrecord,the dietitiannoted Pritikin’'s deficienciesas“milk,egg,meat.” Nathanwasdisappointedbythelateststresstest.Whatwashe doing wrong?Hequestionedwhethera cholesterollevelof 155mg.%waslow enoughtoreversehiscondition,andwhetherhe hadgivenhisprogram enoughtime.Howlongdidittaketoreverseheartdisease? Despitethe hourshe spentwrestlingwiththesequestions,Pritikin

remained convinced hisapproach wascorrect. Onceagain,heporedover

hisrecordsandmadeadjustmentsin hisdiet.Heeliminatedallnutsand theoccasionalpieceofmeathewaseating.Heateonlysmallamountsof leanfishandpoultry,alongwithampleservingsofwholegrains,Maslak, beans,and fruit. Byearlyspring1960,hischolesterollevelhadfallento 120mg.%.In

56 ~—s Pritikin June,Pritikinwasreadytotryanotherelectrocardiogram. Nathandidn'tknowwhatto expectfromthisEKG-surelyhis own

reading ofhishealth wasgood, butthelastEKG testoffered norealreason forhopeandsohewentintothetestwithanattitudeofacceptance. Tohis

greatsatisfaction, thetestwasnormal.TheJune 15EKGtestrecordstates: “Definite improvement sincethetracingofDecember15,1959... Normal electrocardiogram.”

Next,A PersonalExerciseProgram Nathanwaselated.Hehadalreadyprovenhecouldlowerhischolesterol levelby diet withoutsufferingfromdeficiencydiseases.Nowhe had shownthatbyloweringhischolesterollevelandkeepingitlowforaperiod oftwoyears,hehadimprovedthehealthofhisheart.Asfarasheknew,he wastheonlypersontohaveconsciouslydonethis.

Therewasstilla longwaytogo.TheEKG wasagaindonewithonly

minimalexertion,indicatinghis heart wasgettingenoughbloodand oxygenaslongashedidnotperformanykindofextendedexercise,such as runningor calisthenics.Exercisewouldcausethehearttobeatfaster, requiringmorebloodto passthroughthe coronaryarteriesand to the heart.Nathanrealizedtheremuststillbe atherosclerosis in hiscoronary arteriesthat wouldlimitthe amountof bloodflowto the heart, thus creatinginsufficiency. Inshort,he hadmadeprogress,buthewasn'tfully curedyet.

Itwastimetobroadenhisapproach, hedecided. Pritikin's studieshad ledhimintoanareathatwaslittleunderstood: theeffects ofexercise onthe

circulatorysystem.Hehaddiscoveredresearchshowingthatwhendogs wereforcedtoexercise,theygrewnewcapillariesintheirlegsandchestto betternourishthecells.Themoretheywereexercised,themorecapillariestheydeveloped.ThisintriguedPritikin.Couldthehumanbodygrow newcirculationwithexercise? Thestudysuggestedto him that if he coulddevelopan exercise programforhimself,he mightbe abletogrownewcirculationinpartsof his bodythatwerenot gettingsufficientbloodand oxygen,including

theheart.

Thestudyondogs wasdonein Germany.Nathanhad had hiscopy translatedintoEnglish.Heknewofnootherstudydemonstratingthatnew circulationcouldbeproduced,exceptinthecaseofcoronarycarepatients whohad recentlysuffereda heartattack.Thesepatientsoftengrownew coronaryveinsand capillariesas the bodyralliedto keep itselfalive. Pritikinwonderedif therewasotherresearchthat mightindicatethat exercisehelpedto developnewcirculation.Onceagain,he neededan expert-orsohe thought. Creekrecommendeda well-known circulationexpertata largeCalli-

ADiagnosis 57 forniauniversity. Pritikincalledtheresearcher,who,forpurposesofthis

book,willbe calledDr.Smith,andmadean appointment withhimto

discusstheliterature. Shortlythereafter,thetwometinSmith'simpressiveoffice.Graduate degreesand variousboardappointmentshung on the doctor'swall.A floor-to-ceiling bookcase,eachshelffilledwithbooks,ranalongawallthat was15feetlongand8 feethigh.Themanhimselfsatimperiously behind a largedesk,withanairofimpatienceandauthoritythatseemedtohurry Pritikintothepoint. Nathanexplainedwhyhe hadcome.“Iwanttogrowcollaterals,” he said.Collaterals aresecondaryoraccessorybloodvesselstotheheartand otherpartsofthebody.

Smith dismissed theideaasridiculous. “You can'tgrownewcapillaries,” hetoldPritikin. “You onlyhavewhatyouwerebornwith.”

Nathanheldup hisstudyandexplainedtheresultsoftheresearch. “Firstofall,that'saboutdogs,nothumans,”saidSmith.“Andisthisthe onlystudyyoucouldfind?”Pritikinsaiditwas,butthatheplannedtokeep looking. “Whataboutpeoplewhohavea heartattack?”Pritikinremindedhim. “Theygrowcollateralsrighttherein thecoronarycareward.” “That'sthe onlyexception,”Smithstated.Whenthe bodyis near death,itwillgrownewcollateralstokeepitselfalive.

Pritikin suggested thatifdogshavebeenshowntogrownewcapillar-

iesfromexercise,perhapsitwaspossibleforhumans,too. Growingimpatientnow,Smithpointedtohisenormouswall-length bookcaseandsaid:“Thatwilltellyouthatyoucan'tgrownewcapillaries.” Pritikinlookedat the bookcaseand at his studyand was “very discouraged.” Whatthescientistwastellinghim,inessence,wasthatheartdisease couldnotbe cured.Therewereonlytwowaystogetmorebloodtothe heart:grownewbloodvesselsorreverseatherosclerosis-that is,clearthe artery'spathwayofplaque.Studiesdoneonmonkeysat theUniversity of Iowahad shownatherosclerosis couldbe reversedin primatesgivena low-fat, low-cholesterol diet,but the sametypeofstudyhad neverbeen

doneonhumans,andveryfewscientists believed reversal ofatherosclero-

sisin humanswaspossible.Iftheexpertswereright,thenPritikincould not grownewcirculationor reversehis atherosclerosis—and he could not improvethe conditionof his heart.Onceagain,he facedanother brickwall. Hewenthomethatdaythinkingthatexercisewasoutofthequestion. Inthefollowing weeks,hecontinuedtoreadtheliteratureonexercise and foundtwomoreanimalstudiesdemonstratingthe growthof new bloodvesselsasa resultofexercise.Heconsideredhisconversation with

58

Pritikin

Smith,and Smith’senormous bookcase; he considered the warnings of

CreekandKlakegnotto exercise;and he thoughtabouttheanimal studies. Andthenhedecidedtostartexercising. ThefirstthinghedidwastogobacktoCreekandaskpermission to haveelectrocardiogram stresstestsdone at CottageHospitalin Santa Barbarawheneverhewantedthem.HeexplainedtoCreekthathewanted tobeginexercising,butneededtokeeptrackoftheeffectsofexerciseon hisheart.Theonlywayhe coulddo thatwastohaveregularstresstests performed.It wouldtaketoolongto haveto set up appointmentswith SansumClinic,he said;he wantedthe testsdone quicklyin order to monitortheconditionofhisheartaccurately. HetoldCreekhehadtaught himselftoreadEKGtracingsandwouldtakeresponsibility ifsomething happened. Creekdidn'tlikeit.HehadwarnedPritikinat lengthaboutthedangersofstressinghisheart;moreover,he didn'tknowifPritikinwascapa-

bleofreadingEKGtracings. Afterconsiderable debate,thetwowentto Cottage Hospital, wherePritikin wasgivenastresstestthathereadaccuratelyforCreek.Finally,CreekrelentedandgavePritikinan opennoteto haveregularstresstestsperformed. Pritikinstartedhisexerciseprogramslowlyand cautiously.Hewas

afraidthattheexpertswereright:ifhe overexerted himself,hewould bringonaheartattackthatcouldbefatal.Sohedecidedtostartwithshort distances.Hebeganbywalkingthe totalofsixblocksper dayin three walksoftwoblockseach.Afterhearrivedathisofficeinthemorning,he’d walka blockor so and thenreturn.Hewalkedagainat noonand once morein theeveningsin hisbackyard.Afterhe’dwalka block,he would

stopandcheckhispulse.He'dcountthenumberofbeatsperminuteand checktoseeifthepulsewasconsistent. Pritikin carriedonthisroutineforaweek,afterwhichhetookastress

testat CottageHospitalthatshowednodeteriorationofhisheart.Forthe nexttwoweeks,heincreasedhisdailydistancestoeightblocksperday.He hadanotherstresstestthatagainshowedthathiscoronaryinsufficiency wasnoworse.Threeweekslater,he wasup toa totalofnineblocks,and onceagainhisstresstestshowedhisheartwasnoworse. Forthenextmonth,hewalkedforabouta quartermilea daywithout stopping.Heincreasedit to twoquarter-milewalksper dayforanother monthandhadanotherstresstest.Thetestshowedthattheabnormality in

hisheartwasstartingtodisappear; hisheartwasgettingmoreblood.

He wasclearlymakingprogress.He wastemptedto increasehis distancesmarkedlybuthe refusedtobe hurried;he wasstillconcerned aboutthe consequencesofpushinghimselftoohard.Nathanwaspreparedto takethe slowand incrementalapproach.Patienceand persis-

ADiagnosis 59

tencéwouldleadtothegoal.Besides, therewasstilla knifepoisedat hisheart.

Pritikingraduallyworkedhiswayup towalkinga mileanda halfper dayata moderatepacewithoutstopping.Inthemeantime,he continued hisstudyoftheliteratureon bothdietand exercise. Theresearchdetailingtheeffectsofexerciseonthebody,andparticularlyontheheartandcirculatorysystem,wasstillinitsinfancyintheearly 1960s,but the studiespointedin the samedirection-atleastas faras

Pritikin wasconcerned. In 1955,Dr.ClaudeBeckdemonstrated thatoxygendifferentials withintheheartareresponsible foragreatnumberofheartattacks. There

are threecoronaryarteriesprovidingbloodandoxygentotheheart.The heart is oxygenatedunevenlywhen one or twocoronaryarteriesare blockedwithplaqueto a greaterextentthan the remainingarteryor arteries,thereforecreatinga conditionwherebypartoftheheartissuffocatingwhilethe other parts are gettingsufficientoxygen.Whenthis _ conditionoccurs,the electricalcurrentsconstantlymovingthroughthe heartand causingthehearttobeatalsobecomeuneven.Unevenelectrical currentscan throwthe heart muscleinto a spasm,whichcauses

uncoordinated beatingtooccur,oratypeofheartattackcalledfibrillation.

Becknotedtheheart'sconditionis moredangerouswhenit is unevenly oxygenatedthanwhenthearteriesare uniformlyclogged. Thisstudyshowedwhyburstsofexercisein peoplewhoare notwell conditionedoftencausesuddendeathdue tofibrillationoftheheart.

_(Years later,Pritikin wastosoundthealarmtorunnerswhoatediets

highinfatandcholesterol. HisbookDietforRunners,whichwaspublished in 1985,reportedmanycasesofrunnerswhowerestruckdownwithheart

attacksbecausetheyatea diethighin fatandcholesterol and then stressedtheheartbyrunning.)

Otherstudiesshowed thatthecondition oftheheartcanbeimproved bya programofgradualexercise.

In 1957,R.W.Ecksteincomparedthearteriesoftwogroupsofdogs; onegroupwasexercisedregularlyand theotherwasallowedtorest.He

foundthatdogsthatwereexercised grewnewbloodvessels totheheartat amuchgreaterratethanthoselefttorest.

In 1958,Dr.PaulDudleyWhite,whowasPresidentDwightEisenhower's personalphysician,surveyed335formerathletesandfoundthatnoneof thosewhomaintained vigorousexercisehadsufferedheartattacks. (Research

hassinceshownthatexercise aloneisnotenoughtofullyprotectaperson fromheartdisease causedbyatherosclerosis. Onlyalow-fat, low-cholesterol dietwilldothat,butexercise willhelptomaintain thehealthoftheheart andforestall a heartattack.)

60 = Pritikin J.Teppermanreportedin 1961thatratsmadetorunonemileperday

for36daysexperienced a 27percentgrowthintheircoronary vascular

system,orwhatisknownas thecoronarytree. Thefollowingyear,H.L.Taylorand hisco-workersstudiedrailroad workersand foundthatclerkswhoremainsedentaryexperiencetwiceas many heart attacksas railroadswitchmen,whosejobs are physically demanding. Theseand otherstudiesreinforcedPritikin’s confidencein his programand kepthimexercisingdespitethewarningsofdoomthatcame fromhisdoctors. Bythe fallof 1961,Pritikintooka stresstestthatwasalmostnormal atCottageHospital.Nowhe knewhe hadnearlybeatenhisheartdisease. He feltit wastimeto increasehis exerciseroutine.Eachday,afterhe

completed hismile-and-a-half walk,hewentintohisbackyard andran10 to20steps.Asalways, hewalked andraninlongtrousers andstreetshoes.

Afterhe ran the 20 steps,he'dcheckhispulse.Allwaswell. Aftera coupleof weeksof running 20 stepsin his backyard,he graduallyincreasedhis distancesuntil he reacheda quarter-milerun withoutstopping. Andthen his kneegaveway.Hewasrunninglapsin his backyard whensuddenlya searingpainstabbedthroughhisknee,buckledit,and senthimtotheground.Hegotup limping,hiskneein agony. Aftera fewdays’rest,Pritikinwenttoan orthopedicsurgeonin Santa

Barbara,whoexaminedthe kneeandaskedif he hadbeenplaying football withhischildren.No,Nathanreplied.He'dbeenrunning.

“Running?” thedoctorasked.“Youcan'trun;you're46yearsold.You'll wearoutallthecartilageinyourkneesifyourun.Bythetimeyou're50, you'llneed a cane to get around.Ifyouwantto exercise,you'llhaveto swim.Peopleover40 can'trun.” Nathandid not enjoyswimmingand, as a result,did not thinkhe couldbringhimselftoswimenoughtoproducesecondaryvesselgrowth. “Ican'tgrowanycollateral circulation byswimming,” Pritikin responded. “Growcollaterals?Whatdoyoumean?”askedthedoctor.

Pritikin lookedatthephysician, realized hedidn'thaveasympathetic ear,andchangedthesubject. | “Can'tI changemyshoesormygaitorsomethingtomakeitpossible torun?”he asked. “No.Peopleover40 can'trun.” TheverdictsoundedfinalandPritikinwasdisappointed.Hehadjust startedtoenjoyrunning.Heguessedhe'dhavetogobacktowalking,but hisdreamsofeverattaininga highdegreeoffitnessseemedtoevaporate in thedoctor'soffice.

ADiagnosis 61 Threeweekslater,his kneewashealed.On a warm fallevening,

Pritikin walkedoutofhisbackyard anddecidedtohaveonemorequick runwhilehehadsomeconditioning.

Beforehe ran,he uncharacteristically kickedoffhisshoes.Heran a fewlaps.Hefeltnopaininhisknee,sohe rana fewmorelaps.Andthen he realizedhisproblemwasnothisknee. “Atthatpoint,I realizedthatyoucan'trun in streetshoes,”Pritikin wouldrecallyearslater. Therewasnorunningcrazein 1961,norwastherethesophisticated runningshoe that wouldcomemore than a decadelater.So Nathan designedhis own running shoe and brought his design to a shoe

manufacturer, whomadesneakers withspecifically designed solesPritikin hadordered.

“Ineverhada kneeproblemagain,”recalledPritikin. Fromthatpointon,Pritikinwasliterallyoffand running.Alongthe windingroadsofSantaBarbara,runningin longtrousersand his spe-

ciallydesignedsneakers, Pritikin wasindeedananomaly, amansomuch aheadofhistimethatthosewhodrovebyhimashejoggeddidn'tknow

whattomakeofhim.Motorists wouldoftenstopandaskifheneededhelp; washe fleeingfromsomedanger?“No,I'mfine,”hewouldtellthem,and keeprightongoing. Hisconditioning improvedrapidlyandthemilesbegantopileup-one

milea daythisweek,twothenext,threea monthlater.Andhelovedit.

Runningput himin touchwiththewondrousendurance,coordination, andutilityofthehumanbody.“Manwasmadetowalk,”heusedtosay,but

runningwasforhima moreexcitingexpression ofwhathumanswere

capableof.Physicalconditioning wasmorethanaconcept-itwasawayof reachinga highstateofbeing.Hemarveledat theincredibleabilitiesof thehumanmachine,everysysteminfinitely complexyetsubtlycoordinated, doinga milliontasksat once,and yetdoingthemtogether.Topushthis beautifulmachine,tomakeitperformfeatsofenduranceandgracethat

werebeyonditsprevious limits, wasforPritikin analmostmagical capacity ofthe humanbody.Properlynourishedand conditioned,therewasno tellingwhatthebodyand mindcoulddo.Itwasthismysteryofhuman potentialthatPritikinwasin searchofas muchas anythingelse.

Prognosis: NoMoreHeartDisease

Thenewprogramresultedina remarkableimprovement inhisstress tests.BothhisrestingEKGand hisMasterTwo-Step stresstestno longer detectedanytraceofcoronaryinsufficiency. Therewereonlytwoexplanationsforhisaccomplishment: eitherhe had grownnewcirculationthat

provided increased bloodflowtotheheart,thusovercoming hisinsufficiency,

62 = Pritikin

or he had reversedhis atherosclerosis, clearingthe artery’spathwayof

plaque.Thelatterpossibility wasfarmoreastonishing thantheformer,

andsoPritikinassumedthemoreconservative pointofview:hemaintained thathegrewnewcirculation, sincehecouldnotprovehehadreversedthe atherosclerosis. Reversalhadneverbeenshowninhumans.Nevertheless,

hedidinfactthinkreversal ofatherosclerosis waspossible, andevenlikely ona lowfatandcholesterol diet,buthedidn'tknowhowlongitwouldtake

toaccomplish.Forthetimebeing,he wascontenttosayhe hadreversed hisconditionbygrowingnewcirculationandtoleavethelargerquestion tofurtherstudy. Pritikin’srecoverylefthim witha feelingof rebirth.Bythe spring of 1962,he wasexercisingdaily,wasin excellentphysicalcondition, andwasmaintaininga dietbasedprimarilyonwholegrains,vegetables, fruit,andsmallamountsoffishandpoultry.Moreover, itwasa dietheenjoyedeating.

Pritikin realizedthathisbattlewithheartdiseasewasoffargreater significance thanoneman’sstruggleagainsta life-threatening illness. Morethan one millionpeopledied of heart diseaseeach year in the UnitedStates,and another40 millionsufferedfromit. Heartdisease accountedformorethan $40billionin researchand treatment,to say nothingoflostproductivityand human suffering.Illnessesofthe heart

andarteries represented thesinglegreatest plaguehumanshadeverfaced.

Hesawtheestablishedmethodsoftreatingcardiovascular diseaseas utterfailures.Aslongas thecauseofthe illnesswasnotaddressed,the diseasewouldcontinuetospreaduncheckeduntilitdestroyedthepatient.

Moreimportant wasthefactthatmostcardiovascular diseasecouldbe prevented. Peoplecouldeliminate thethreatofthediseasefromtheirlives

bymakingsignificantchangesin diet.In addition,thousandsofpeople withheartdiseasecouldbe savedbyadoptinga low-fat,low-cholesterol diet,Pritikinbelieved.

Whenhe considered thescopeoftheproblemandthestandard

treatmentofthedisease,he realizedthathismethodfortreatinghimself had far-reachingimportance.Hewonderedifhe couldsomehowstandardizehis approachto makeit simpleto understandand easyto use. Beforehecoulddothat,hewouldhavetoknow a lotmoreabouttheeffects ofhisprogramonotheraspectsofhealth.

Beginning inlate1963,Pritikin intensified hisstudyofnutrition and

analyzedeveryfoodheateforitsnutritionalcontent.OnApril3, 1964,for

example,he notedthathe ate22 oranges,150gramsofoats,and8 ouncesoflentilsforbreakfast. Theorangesgavehim300international units(I.U.) ofvitamin A,0.15mg.ofthiamine, 0.05mg.ofriboflavin, 0.3 mg. of niacin,and 80 mg. ofvitaminC.Theoatsprovided1.0mg.of

ADiagnosis 63

thiamine, 0.2mg.ofriboflavin, and1.5mg.ofniacin. Thelentilscon-

tained1.25mg.ofthiamine, 0.54mg.ofriboflavin, 5.0mg.ofniacin,11

mg.ofvitaminC,and 1,270I.U.ofvitaminA. He carriedon the samekindof analysisforlunchand dinner.He wantedtoknowthevalueofeveryfoodavailable.Hecalculatedthetotal nutritionalvalueofhisdietand thencomparedit tothe Recommended DietaryAllowances. Nathanfoundthathisdietwasequalor superiorto thenutritionalcontenttheRDAsrecommended. Ashe wouldsayoverand overagaininyearstocome,unprocessed foods—“food asgrown”wasthewayhe likedtoputit-werefarsuperiorin nutritionalcontenttorefinedfoods,whichlosevitamins,minerals,protein, and fiberduringprocessing.

From1964totheearly1970s,Pritikin experimented withhisdietto comeupwitha regimenthatpromotedoptimalhealth.Hestartedhis

searchby tryingto formulatea dietforhimself,but thatled himto the largerquestionofwhatmightbetheidealdietforpeople.Thebasisofthis beliefwastwofold:thescientificevidencesupportedtheviewthatcertain foodspromotedhealthwhileotherspromotedillness;the secondwas

simplelogic.Likeeverything elseinnature,humanshadevolved over

millionsofyears,constantlyadaptingto the environment,gainingnew abilities,losingoldones.Itstoodtoreasonthatthehighlyspecializedbody had grownaccustomedto, and dependentupon,certainfoodsin the environment.Atthesametime,itwouldfindcertainotherfoodsforeign

and,ifeateninsufficient quantities, evenpoisonous. Pritikin likedtouse

theexampleofcyanide,whichispresentinminutequantitiesinapricots. Becausethe quantitiesare so small,the bodycan toleratethe cyanide withoutadversesideeffects.Fatandcholesterolcanalsobeeateninsmall quantities,he maintained,butwhenthesequantitiesare exceeded,they becometoxic.Later,hewouldcointheword“lipotoxemia” toindicatethe poisoningofthebodyfromexcessivefatsand cholesterol. Basedon the scientificevidenceand the practicalexperienceof nativepopulations,Pritikinbelievedgrains,vegetables,andfruitwerethe centralfoodsforhumans.Thesewerethe foodsnaturehad providedin abundance.Certainotherlow-fatanimalfoods,suchas fish,leanmeat,

poultry, andskimmilk,couldalsobeconsumed, butinfarlowerquantities. Themoderndiet,whichisrichinanimalfoods-including beef,pork,

eggs,butter,cheese,andwholemilk-aswellashighlyrefinedfoodssuch asprocessedgrains,simplesugars,andartificialingredients,isananomalywhenlookedat fromthepointofviewofevolution.Itisonlyinrecent historythatsuchfoodshavebecomeavailableinthesequantities—as inthe caseofbeef-oravailableatall,asin thecaseofartificialcolors,flavors,or preservatives.

64 = Pritikin Heacceptedthatthe bodywouldeventuallydeclineand die-these wereasnaturalasbirth,hesaid—but thelifespanofhumansshouldbefar

longerthan60 to70years,he maintained. Giventherightfoodsand sufficient exerciseandrest,thebodyshouldsurvive120years,Pritikin believed. ByFebruary1966,Pritikinbelievedhewasreadyfortheultimatetest:

a stresstestdoneona treadmill. Treadmills hadbeendeveloped during

the 1960stomechanically replicatevaryingdegreesofstressontheheart andcirculatorysystem.Thepersonsteppedupona treadmillandwalked or ranatthespeedatwhichthetreadmillmoved.Meanwhile,an electrocardiogrammonitoredthe beatingof the heart. Stresstestsdone on treadmillsare extremelyaccurateand sensitivetomethodsofdeterminingtherelativehealthoftheheart.

Theonlytreadmillreadilyavailable toPritikinin 1966wasin the

universitylaboratoryoftheveryscientistwhofiveyearsearlierhad told Pritikinthathe couldnotgrownewcirculation:Dr.Smith. Earlyin February,Pritikinwentbackto Smithand askedhimif he couldhavea stresstestdoneonthescientist'streadmill.Smithagreed,but toldPritikintobringalonga cardiologistbecauseSmithdid notwantto takeresponsibility ifPritikindroppeddeadon histreadmill. OnFebruary16,1966,PritikinarrivedatSmith'slabwitha cardiologistand wasreadytotakehisstresstest.Yearslater,Nathanrecalledthe eventsofthatdayin detail,and notwithouttouchesofabsurdcomedy. AccordingtoPritikin,thetreadmillhe wasabouttogetonwasenormous:threefeetbytenfeet.“Itlookedlikeittestedcows,”Nathanrecalled. “Areyougoingtorun in longpants?”SmithaskedPritikin.

“Talways runinlongpants,”Pritikin replied. “It'sdifferent here,”Dr.Smithsaid.“When yourunoutside, yougeta

breeze,but hereyou'restandingstillwhileyourun;youwon'thaveany breezethatyoucreate.Onlythetreadmillmoves.” HethengavePritikina pairofshortstowear;Nathanput themon and thentoldthedoctorand hisnursestandingbythathe wasreadyfor thetest. “Notyet,”saidSmith.“We'vegottotakesomepreliminarytests.” “Whattests?”Pritikinasked.“Ijustwanttorun on thetreadmill.” “Thisisa scientificlaboratory;wehavetorun sometests,”saidSmith.

Thescientist thenexplained thatPritikin’s temperature wouldhave tobetakenandhe’dhavetobeweighed; bothtestswouldbedonebefore

he goton thetreadmilland againimmediatelyafterhe gotoffit. “You're goingtogainsometemperatureandwehavetoseehowmany degreesyougain,”Smithsaid.

ADiagnosis 65 Pritikinacquiescedand openedhismouthforthenurse.Thenurse

promptly toldhim“Wedon'ttaketemperature thatway.It'snotaccurate enough.Bendover.” “Well,forthesakeofscience,”Nathanreplied,and bentover.A few minuteslater,thenursetoldhimthathistemperaturewas99.5degrees. Sheexplainedtherectaltemperatureisonepointhigherthannormal. “Thankyou.I'mverygladtoknowthat,”Pritikinsaid. Thenurseproceededtoweighhim.Thenhe wastoldtogeton the treadmill. Thisparticulartreadmillwasa verysophisticateddevice.Theelectrodesthatwereattachedtothebodywerewiredtoaradiotransmitterthat senta signaltotheelectrocardiograph, whichmonitoredtheheart.There

werenowiresbetween Pritikin andthetreadmill torestrict hismovements. Moreover, thistreadmill registered atwo-inch tracingeverysecond, meaning thatthe electrocardiogram papertraveledtwoincheseverysecond andthereforewasabletogiveveryprecisereadingsoneverysinglebeat of the heart.(Mosttreadmillstodayprovideonlyone-inchtracingsper minute.) Pritikinwasthenaskedwhatprotocolhewantedtouse.Heexplained thathewantedtorunat8!2milesperhour,or 1milein7 minutes,andhe wantedtorun for20 minutes,or approximately 3 miles.That’swhathe wasaccustomed todoing.HealsoaskedthattheEKGtaperuncontinuously sothathehada recordofeveryheartbeat.ThescientistagreedandPritikin steppedup on thetreadmill. Themachinebegantorollslowlyand Pritikinwentfroma walking pacetoa briskrun withinminutes. “Iwasverygladthattheyhad me put shortson,”Pritikinrecalled.

“Eventhoughyou'rerunning,you'restandingstill;there'snowindatall.

Thesweatcamedownmein sucha furythatmysocksweregettingwet.” After20minutesthemachinebegantoslowdownandsoonstopped. Sensinghe had accomplishedwhat the expertssaid was impossible, Pritikinwasburstingwithanticipation. “Iwasvery,veryhappywhenthetreadmillstartedtoslowdown.I can't tellyouhowhappyI wasthatthe treadmillstartedto slowdown,”said Nathan. HegotoffthetreadmillandwaseagertoseetheEKGtracings.“Iwas tryingtocatchmybreathwhenthenursesaid,‘Bendover.’” Aftertakinghistemperatureagain,thenursetoldhimhistemperaturehadrisenseveraldegrees. “Don'tworry,it'llcooldownlater,”Pritikinassuredher.Hewasthen weighedandtoldhe hadlosttwopounds,whichhe facetiously promised todrinkback.

66 ssPritikin Meanwhile, Smithwaslookingatthetracingsfromtheelectrocardio-

gram,“justlikeabrokerinastockmarketoffice wherethetickertapeisall overthefloor,”Pritikinrecalled. Pritikinaskedhimifhe sawanysignofcoronaryinsufficiency. “Notyet,”Smithsaid. Thetwoofthemlookedthroughthetapetwicebutcouldfindnotrace

ofcoronary disease. TheEKG notedthatPritikin's heartbeat hadgottenup to177beatsperminuteandstayedthere.Nota singlebeatrevealed any

hintofcoronaryinsufficiency. Therewere onlytwowaysthat Pritikincouldhaveovercomehis coronaryinsufficiency: eitherhe reversedhisatherosclerosis or he grew newcirculation. Pritikinlookedat Smithandasked,“Whydon'twefindanycoronary insufficiency? Theonlywaythatcouldhappenis if I havemoreblood [goingtotheheart].”ThequestioncameatSmithlikea long,threatening sword. “Well,youmusthavemoreblood,”thescientistsaid. “Wheredoyouthinkitcamefrom?”Pritikinaskedslyly,asifinching theswordclosertoSmith.“IsitpossibleIcouldhavedevelopedcollateral circulation?” Smithgruntedand said,“Well,it'spossible.”

CHAPTER 5 AMystery Disease Surfaces I can'ttellyouhowelatedIwas.I knewInolongerhadcoronary insufficiency andIwasfinishedwithmyheartproblem.Fromthatpointon,I

knewIwouldtrytoconverteveryoneintheworldtoa newwayofliving.” ThosewerePritikin’s thoughtsafterhecompletedhistreadmilltestin

Dr.Smith'slaboratory. Itwasas ifhe hadpassedthrougha doorthat separatedsicknessandhealth.Henolongerthoughtofhisheart-that mostcentraloforgans—as diseased.Onthecontrary,hisheartwasstronger andmorealivethanithadbeenin 20years.AndsowasNathan.Hewas

runningthreemilesperdayandeatingfoodheenjoyedandknewtobe _life-sustaining.

Equallyexhilaratingwasthe factthathe had onceagainstumbled ontothefrontier. Throughstudy,andtrialanderror,Pritikinhaddeveloped a programto treatheartdisease,the numberonecauseofdeathin the UnitedStatesand mostof the Westernworld.FortymillionAmericans sufferfromillnessesoftheheartandarteries;onemilliondieeachyearof suchillnesses.Thecostofcardiovascular disease,in termsoftreatment, research,andlostproductivity, isa staggering$50billionannually.Pritikin had foundan answertothemostwidespreadillnessin humanhistory. Moreover, hisprogramcausednoneofthesideeffectsofdrugsand surgery,nordiditrequireapatienttobecomelessactive.Justtheopposite-it increasedactivityand improvedoverallvitalityand strength. Pritikinrealized,too,thatunderhisguidancetheaveragepatientwith coronaryheartdiseasecouldrestorehisorherhealthalotfasterandmore efficiently thanhehimselfhad.Pritikinwouldlatersaythatwhattookhim eightyearsoftrialand errorto accomplishcouldnowbe donein nine 67

68 ssPritikin

months.Hewouldalsoshowthatwithinweeksofbeginningtheprogram, theaverageheartdiseasepatientwouldbegintofeelrejuvenated. Pritikin's victoryoverheartdiseasewasnotwithoutitsshadow,however. Hisbloodtestshadcontinuedtoshowa disturbingimbalanceofproteins

eversincehisoriginalelectrophoresis testatSansumClinicin 1958.On June30,1960,Pritikin's bloodtestsreportstatedthathis“serumprotein

electrophoresis revealsa fairlyhomogenouscomponentinthe'M’zone.” ThismeantthatNathan’s gammaglobulinswerestillelevated.Hisdoctors diagnosedhim as having“paraproteinemia,” meaningthathe had an

abnormalproteininhisbloodinquantities notnormally observed. InFebruary1965,anotherbloodtest-anerythrocyte sedimentation

rate(orsedrate,forshort)-indicatedthatwhatevertheproblemwaswith Pritikin's blood,itmightwellbespreading.Thesedrateshowshowquickly red bloodcells(orerythrocytes) settletothebottomofa testtubein one

hour.Normally, redbloodcellsremainsuspended inthebloodbyvirtueof theelectrical balanceandtheoverall healthoftheplasma,redbloodcells, andotherfactors. Inahealthyman,nomorethan15millimeters (mm.)of red blood cells will settle to the bottom of a test tube in one hour; in a

healthywoman,nomorethan25mm.Nathan'sFebruary1965sedrate was44mm.,wellabovenormal.

Thesedrateisnonspecific, meaningthatittellsaphysician ifthereis

somesystemicproblemsuch as infectionor evencancer,but willnot indicatewhatspecifically mightbe wrong. InSeptember1965,NathanconsultedDr.DavidH.SolomonatUCLA, complainingoftendernessofhisleftbreast.Solomondida seriesoftests

on Pritikinbutcouldfindnothingto indicatetheoriginsofthebreast tenderness. Solomon didfindthatPritikin hadaslightlyelevated levelof

estrogensinhisurine,butsaidthiswas“notreallydiagnosticofanything.” SolomonsuspectedPritikinmighthavecomeintocontactwithestrogens, butinhisreporttoanotherphysicianwhowasalsoseeingPritikin, Solomon

wrotethathe couldfindnothingin Pritikin’s dietor environment that

might be the cause of his breast tenderness,elevatedsed rate, or paraproteinemia.Solomonnoteddarkly,however,thatthesesymptoms mightbe “partof a generalizedsystemicillnessof somekind as yet undiagnosed....”

In 1966,Pritikin begantoexperiment withhisdietagaintoseewhat effects itmighthaveonhiselevated sedrate,gammaglobulins, andother

bloodvalues.Hisrecordsshowthat on April21, 1966,he eliminated brownriceand addedonemealoffishor red meatdaily.Woulda more

traditional American dietimprove hisbloodcondition? he seemedtobe asking.However, afterincreasing animalfoodsforfivemonths,hisblood conditionshowedno improvementand evenseemedtoworsen.

Mystery Disease 69

OnSeptember 26,1966,Pritikin consulted hemotologist Dr.JackW.

Shields,a SantaBarbaraphysician,whorecordedhisfindingsina letterto Nathandated October20, 1966.Afternotingthat Pritikinhad been “keepingratherextensiverecordson all[his]bloodchemistry,” Shields wrotethatPritikin'ssedratewasnowat50mm.,up6 mm.sincehisblood

testsayearbefore.Shields alsodiscovered anincreaseinthewhiteblood cellsinthebonemarrow. Hewrote:“There isamildnonspecific increase in normallymphocytesin themarrow,estimatedapproximately 25 percentoftotalcells.Thisismorethanweseeinmostpeoplenormally,butis notgreatenoughtobe consideredofanydiagnosticsignificanceat the

presenttime.”

Pritikin’s gammaglobulinswerealsoslightlyelevatedsincehe had begunthemeat-centered diet.Hischolesterollevelwasalsoup,from119 mg.%inAprilto 158mg.%inAugust,andthenbackdownto 144mg.%in Septemberwhenhe begantogooffthemeat. AfterhisexaminationwithShields,Pritikinwentbacktohisstandard dietofwholegrains,vegetables,beans,fruit,and fish.

FiftyandFeelingYounger

ThoughPritikin's testsrevealedthepresenceofsometypeofabnormalityinhisbloodvaluesandhiswhitecellcountinhisbonemarrow,

doctorscouldnotasyetdiagnosehiscondition. Indeed,referencestoPritikin’s strikinggoodhealthturnupagainand againin hisphysicians’ reports.WroteShields:“Itismyfinalimpression, firstofall,thatyoucontinueinexcellentgeneralhealth.Wenotethatyou havea persistentlyelevatedsedimentationrate,a mildbut questionably significantincreaseinGammaMglobulin . .. Wenotethatthereisa slight marrowlymphocytosis, but feelthatthisis ofno diagnosticsignificance and canmakeverylittleofitat thepresenttime.

“Ireallyhadnospecific recommendations tomakeforyourcontin-

uedprogramexceptthatwecheckyouperiodicallywithrespecttothese

abnormalities andevaluating theirsituation...”

Pritikinhimselfcouldmakenothingofhisbloodvalues.Hewas50 yearsoldin 1965,but he lookedtenyearsyounger.Hishairshowedno signsofgray.Hisskinwastightandsupple,withlittleornowrinkling.He wasthin and wiry,but did not appear frail.Hiseyesradiatedwiththe vitalityhe trulypossessed. ThosewhoworkedforNathanat hisengineeringfirmremembered himasamanwhorarelywalkedtohisgivendestination; heraneverywhere. . He was exceedinglynimble;his bodypossesseda certaingrace and

agilitythatgavehimtheappearance ofbeinglight,flexible, andhighly charged.Hemovedquicklywhenhemoved;heseemedcompletely atrest

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whenhestopped.Helikedtotakeoffhisshoesonceheenteredhishouse andshufflequicklytohisfrontdoortoletsomeonein,orwheneverhehad togofromoneendofthehousetotheother.Athisoffice,and laterathis Longevity Center,Nathanwouldraceupanddown aflight ofstairsasifhe weredancing.Hewassolightoffootthatthesemovements wereunobtrusive. Andyet,hisbloodconditionpersistedand graduallyworsened.Two yearslater,onSeptember12,1968,Shieldsperformedthesamethorough examinationon Pritikinagain and discoveredan elevatedlevelof

macroglobulins inhisblood.Likegammaglobulins, macroglobulins are aggregated proteins,butofmuchgreatersizeandweight.Whenthey appearinthebloodinabnormalquantities,theysuggestthepotentialfor a numberof diseases,includingdisordersof the immunesystemand leukemia. Thenormallevelofmacroglobulins in menrangesfrom0.07grams

to0.35grams.Pritikin’s macroglobulin ratewas0.7grams,ortwicethe

amountconsideredas theupperlimitofnormal. Nevertheless,his other testswere normaland Shieldsstatedthat “yourgeneralhealthcontinuesexcellent.” Forthenexteightyears,Nathanwouldmonitorhisbloodvalueswith

thesameresults: elevated sedrate,gammaglobulins, andmacroglobulins. Thesebloodvaluesremainedstable,thoughhedidexperience periodic and inexplicableboutsofmildanemia.Pritikin'shemoglobinduringthe late 1960susuallyhoveredat about 13 grams,about 1 gram below normal.Throughthe 1970s,itwoulddropto 10gramsandstaythere.He

sufferednoneofthetypicalsideeffectsofanemia,however, suchas

lethargyor fatigue.Heremainedhighlychargedand extremelyactive. Doctorsmaintainthat a personcan livefordecadeswiththeseblood valuesand nevermanifestanysignofa life-threatening illness.Itwasfor thisreasonthathisphysicianstooka wait-and-see positionwithhisblood

abnormalities. Forhispart,Pritikin believed thathewouldjusthavetolivewiththe

abnormalities,thoughtheypuzzledhimand he continuedtohaveregularbloodteststoseeifanychangestookplace.

Theimportance ofthesesignsin Pritikin's mindpaledbeforethe

overwhelmingsignificanceofhis programto treatheartdisease.Ashe said,hewantedto“converteveryonein theworldtoa newwayofliving.” Andnow,he wouldsetouttodojust that.

AllGoals TurntoHealth

By 1966,Pritikin’s passionatestudyofhealth,nutrition,and medicine

hadcompletely overtaken him.

Thatyear,Nathanwithdrewfromfull-timeworkat his engineering firm.Thelongstrugglestokeephisbusinesscompetitive had finallypaid

offina seriesofexpansions, increasedsales,anda newplant.In 1960

PritikinrenamedthecompanyIntelluxand,in 1964,movedthebusiness fromitsoldand dustywarehousein SantaBarbaratoa brandnewplant, whichPritikinhadbuiltandbeautifully landscapedinneighboringGoleta. There,he employed130peopleand continuedto providehigh-quality electricaldevicesto largecorporationsand the U.S.Government,with annualsalesofnearly$2million.In 1966,he gavethe dailyoperation ofthecompanyovertomanagementandturnedhisattentiontohisstudy ofhealth.Hehad no ideaasyetwheresuchknowledgewouldleadhim,

buthispassionforthesubjectlefthimnoalternative buttofollow what hewasnowcallinghisnew“avocation.”

Telling theworldabouthisprogramwasnotgoingtobeeasy,however. Shortlyafterhis treadmilltest,Pritikinattendeda partyat whichhe overhearda man tellingsomefriendsthathe hadjust been diagnosed as havingcoronaryinsufficiency. Hewashavingchestpain,themansaid, and hisdoctorshad placedhimon medication. Later,Nathanbuttonholedthe man and askedhim ifhe wantedto curehiscoronaryinsufficiency. “Sure,”themanreplied.“Areyoua doctor?”

“No,” saidPritikin. “Areyoua Ph.D.?” themanasked. “No.”

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“Thendon'tbotherme,”themansaid,irritatedthatPritikinwould presumeuponhim.“I'vegota doctorandhe'stakingcareofme.” TheexperiencewassosurprisingtoPritikinthatitcameas a minor awakening.“Irealizedthatmyadvicereallywasn'twantedbecauseI had no credibility,” he recalled.Thatsomeonewouldrejecthis ideason the

basisofhisformaleducation, orthelackofit,wasremarkable toPritikin.

Beingsoaccustomedhimselftoexaminingdataand appraisingiton its merits,it had not occurredto him thatpeoplewouldtakeinformation on healthonlyfroma healthprofessional. Pritikinwouldfind,however, thatmanymorewouldlistenthanwould turnaway.

FromtheOrdinarytotheExtraordinary: PritikinSuccessStories Forthenexttenyears,Pritikinwouldprivately advisethesickby telephone orinhisstudy.Hebegangivingadvicetorelatives, friends, and

friends-of-friends, butsoonthenumberofpeoplehe sawgrew.Hecounseled peoplewitha widevarietyof illnesses,oftenconsultingwitha client'sphysicianabouttheadvicehe wasgiving.Heprovidedalladvice forfree.

MostofPritikin's clientssuffered fromformsofheartdisease,suchas coronary insufficiency, angina,orhighbloodpressure. Othershadadult-

onsetdiabetes—which oftenaccompaniescoronarydisease-andstillothers sufferedfrom gout, kidneystones and gallstones,arthritis,and claudication(adiseasecharacterizedbyseverelegpain,causedbypoor

circulation).

In additionto peoplewiththeseillnesses,Pritikincounseledmany peoplewithbizarreor inscrutableillnessesthatwouldnotyieldto standardmedicaltreatments.Hisrecordsshowthathesawa womanwhohad beenvomitingalmosteverynightforthe previousthreeyears.Another woman,whoall her lifehad enjoyedbeing in the sun, wassuddenly

unabletotoleratethesunformorethantenminuteswithoutterrible

headachesand a painthattraveleddownher noseto her frontteeth.A manfromOxnard,California, justsouthofSantaBarbara,cametoPritikin

complaining ofperpetualdrowsiness. Themostroutinetasks,suchas shavinginthemorning, requireda herculean effortandforcedhimtolie

downafterhe wasfinished. Forthosewithmostformsofheartdisease,gout,adult-onsetdiabetes, andclaudication, Pritikin's adviceseemedtoworkmiracles.OneofNathan's patientsat thetimewasEulaWeaver,an 81-year-old womanwhoPritikin laterturnedintoa minorcelebritybypresentingher casehistorybefore layand professionalaudiencesallacrossthecountry.

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Aspiritedanddetermined woman,Mrs.Weaver wassuffering from heartdisease, severeanginapain,hypertension, arthritis, andclaudication. Shecouldn't walkmorethan100feetwithoutanginaandlegpain.Mrs.

Weaverhadalreadybeenhospitalizedonceaftersufferinga heartattack. Shehad towearglovesin thesummertimebecausepoorcirculationleft her handspermanentlycold.WhenEulaWeaverhobbledintoNathan's study,shedidn'tknowwhattoexpector tohopefor.Shehad seenmany doctorsalreadyand had takeneveryconceivablemedication,without success.Pritikinrecommendeda dramaticchangeindiettooneconsisting entirelyofwholegrains,freshvegetables,and fruits.Healsoadvisedher on howtopreparethefood.Aftershehadbeenon thedietfora time,he

counseled hertobegintakingshortwalks. Shefollowed hisinstructions to theletter.Ayearlater,shewasoffallmedicationandwasjoggingdaily.At 85,Mrs.WeaverenteredtheSeniorOlympicsandwontwoawardsforthe 800and 1,500meterraces.Shecompetedsixconsecutiveyearsandwon 12awardsin all.

Evenwithoffbeatdiseases,Pritikinoftenexperiencedremarkable success.FortheOxnardmansufferingfromcontinualexhaustion, Pritikin's methodssucceededwhereothershad failed.AfterfollowingNathan's

advicefora month,themanwrotethefollowing lettertoPritikin:

Overa monthago,I spoketo youon the telephoneconcerningmy continuousdrowsiness. Perhapsitmaybeofinteresttoyoutoknowwhathas happenedsinceI lastspoketoyou... LastSeptember,Istartedbecomingdrowsythroughoutthewholeday.I wouldliterallyfallasleeponthejobandwasworkingatanefficiencyofless than 50 percent.I alsobecameveryweak.Walkingup one flightofstairs wouldexhaustme,aswouldjuststandingup.Thefewminutesofstanding up requiredforshavingsoexhaustedmeIwouldhavetorestimmediately aftershaving. OneLosAngelesphysiciantoldmeIhadnarcolepsy[anillnesscharacterizedbythe uncontrollableneedforsleep]and prescribedRitalin.ALos AngelesneurosurgeonprescribedDexedrine[anamphetamine].MyEEG [electroencephalogram] wassimilartothatofa personhavingconvulsions. AnotherLosAngelesphysiciantoldmeI hadAddison'sdisease[pernicious anemia]and prescribedDecadron,then Dilantin.Noneof thesemedicationsdid anygood.ThethirdLosAngelesphysicianthenstatedthatI was losingvitaminsandmineralsbyhemorrhagingintothecolon.Hesuggested removalofthecolon. When I first spoketoyou,I mentionedthatI alwayshad twoeggsfor breakfastaccompaniedby cheese,margarine,whitebread,and pastry.In general,I atea lotofcookies,cakes,andsweets.Yousaidthatsucha dietwas raisingthefatlevelin mybloodtosuchan extentthatmybrainwasbeing

74~~ Pritikin deprivedofsufficientoxygen,causingthedrowsiness.Yourecommended

thatIswitch toa dietofromaine lettuce, oatmeal, brownrice,andfreshfruit.I

triedthisdietonSaturdayand Sunday.I didnotswitchovertothisnewdiet graduallybutwentintoitsuddenly.TheresultwasthatbyMondaymorningI had substantialcramps,diarrhea,and wasextremelyweak. I feltso poorlythatI wentto an Oxnardphysician.He toldme I was anemicandhadonlyhalftheamountofbloodinmybodyasIshouldhave. HeprescribedStuart'stherapeuticvitamins,ironsulfate,anda lowresidue diet.Withina fewdaysthecrampsanddiarrheadisappearedbuttheextreme drowsinessremained.WhenIspoketoyoua secondtime,yousaidIshould haveswitchedovertothedietyourecommendedgradually.

Ithenstudiedthedietyousentme,andstoppedeatingthefollowing:

eggs,margarine,sweets,anythingmadewitheggs,milk,and shortening, peanutbutter,jelly.I switchedtosourdoughbreadand pitabreadand pea soup.Inaddition,Itakedailyvigorous20-minute walks,asyourecommended.

Theresulthasbeenthatthedrowsiness hascompletely disappeared! (letter writer'semphasis] In addition,mystrengthis returningandI evenfeel energetic. I shallalwaysbe gratefulto you for pointingout whichfoodswere makingme drowsy.Nowthat the drowsinessis gone,I am able to work efficiently againand feellikea completelynewperson....

It was during the late 1960s,when Pritikinwas advisingpeople regularlyon theirhealth,thathe begantodevelopa keeneyefortelltale signsofillnessbyobservinga person'sface,eyes,andmanner.Yearslater, he wouldtellIlenehe couldn'tlookatanyoneanymorewithoutprivately

assessing theirhealth.

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InDecember1969,Nathan'ssonRobertandhisfriendDickBrotherton, both18atthetime,walkedintothePritikinhome.Nathanwasperchedon a stoolatthekitchencounterengagedinhisdailyroutineofeatinglunch

whilereadinga medical journal.Whenthetwoyoungmenenteredthe room,PritikinwassurprisedtoseeBrothertonwearingeyeglasses. _“What'swrong?”NathanaskedBrotherton.Hehad neverseenhim wearingglassesbefore. “Thedoctortellsme I needglasses,”Brothertonsaid.

Pritikinhadan eyecharthangingon thewallin hislibrary.He escortedBrotherton intothelibrary,toldhimwheretostand,andthen

askedhimtoreadthechart.NathanexaminedthelensesofBrotherton’s glassesas theyoungmanreadthechart. “ThedoctortellsmeI'mfarsighted,” Brothertonsaidafterhe finished readingthechart. “That'sridiculous,”saidPritikin.“Youreyestestperfectly,betterthan normal.”

AllGoals

75

Aftera fewminutesofquestioning, Pritikinthenproceededtotell Brotherton howtheeyefocuses. HetoldBrotherton thatallheneededtodo

wasexercisehiseyestorestorehisvision.Atthatpoint,Pritikingavewhat cametobe knownas hispatentedcommandbeforehe gavehisadvice: “Here'swhatyoudo,”saidPritikin.

HetoldBrotherton toreadforaslongashecouldeachday.Whenhis eyesweretired,heshouldrestthem.Whenhiseyesfeltfullyrested,he

shouldresumereadinguntilhiseyesweretiredagain,atwhichpointhe shouldstopreading.He shouldread forat leastone extendedperiod eachday. ThesecondexercisePritikingaveBrothertonwasto liein bed and

tracethedimensions oftheceilingwithhiseyes.“Make squareswithyour eyes,”Pritikinsaid.“Dothisforfiveminutes,twicea day-oncein the

morningandagainatnightbeforebed.”Doitfora month,andyoureyes _willbe fullyrecovered,Nathantoldhim.In the meantime,don'tbother wearingyourglasses;they'llonlymakeyoureyesweaker,he said.

DickBrotherton laughed.Hehadjustbeengivenawhirlwind tourof

theworkingsofhisowneyes. “Whatdo I dowithmyglasses?”he asked. Nathanwasalreadywalkingtowardhisstudy.“Keepthemasasouvenir,”

Pritikin replied. Inamonth,Brotherton’s visionwasfullyrestored, andheneverwore

glassesagain.

One womanNathancounseledforyears struggledwithmultiple

sclerosis. LauraOrnsteinwas51whenshemetNathanata dinnerpartyin

SantaBarbarain August1970.Mrs.Ornsteinhad been sufferingfrom multiplesclerosisfor nearlyten yearsby then, and she had recently reacheda lowpointin her degenerationprocess.Just beforemeeting

Nathan, shewashavinggreatdifficulty walking morethan100feet.Atthe

end ofher workdayat NewYork'sNassauCountySocialServices,Mrs.

Ornstein couldbarelywalktohercarintheparkinglotbehindheroffice

buildingwithouttheaidofa friendwhohelpedher keepher balance. ShecametoCaliforniathatAugusttovisithersister,Eddye,andthen

metNathan.In his forthright and confidentway,PritikinaskedMrs. Ornsteinifshewouldliketostoptheprogressionofherdisease.Shesaid shewould.“ThencometomyhousetomorrowandI'llgiveyoua program

tohelpyou,”hetoldher.

LauraOrnsteinand her husbandBobarrivedearlythe nextdayat Nathan'sfrontdoor.Heescortedthemintohisstudywherehealreadyhad anenormouspileofscientificliteraturelaidoutonhisdesk.TheOrnsteins

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~—s~Pritikin

and Nathantalkedforfivehours,duringwhichtimePritikinconvinced themthatthefatandsaltcontentofMrs.Ornstein’s dietwascontributingto

thedegenerative processofherillness.Heexplained thediseaseindetail andthenusedmetaphorstomakeitunderstandable.Pritikinsaidthatthe nervoussystemislikewireswithinsulationaroundthem.Mrs.Ornstein's

nervoussystem, hesaid,hadtheinsulation removed inplaces,whereit

wasCreatingshortcircuits,thusimpedingthe flowofenergyalongthe nerve.Thiscreatedher problemsinwalkingand keepingher balance. Pritikinmaintainedthatfat,cholesterol,and saltwerecontributing to the illness.He feltif LauraOrnsteinwereto stopeatingthesefoods, her conditionwouldimprove.Mrs.Ornsteinrecalledthathe neversaid the illnesswouldbe cured,but thatthe degenerationprocesscouldbe haltedand that her conditionwouldevenimprove-towhatextent,he didn'tknow. He outlined his low-fat,low-cholesteroldiet for them; he told her

specifically toavoidanimalprotein, nuts,eggs,butter,andanyotherfoods

containingfat.Shemusteat grains,vegetables,and limitedamountsof fruit.Healsosaidthatshe mustbeginwalking.“Walkas faras youcan untilyoucan'twalkanymore,”Pritikintoldher.“Thenrest,andthenwalk backhome.”Hetoldhershewouldhavetowalkeverydayinordertosee progress. “Laura,you'llfindthatyourprogresswillbe twostepsforwardand onestepback.Butyou'llseegradualimprovement andyourdiseasewon't getworse.” Pritikin'sadvicewasin starkcontrasttotherecommendations ofher

physicians, whotoldhertherewasno cureor treatmentformultiple sclerosis andtheonlythingshecoulddowasrest.Exercise ofanykind

exacerbatedtheillnessandhurriedthedegenerationprocess,herdoctors said.This,Mrs.Ornsteinhaddiscovered, wasthestandardapproachtothe illnessin 1970. Despitethe revolutionaryapproachPritikinwasadvocating,Laura Ornsteinbelievedhim.Shewenthometo NewYork,and immediately wentonthediet,followingittotheletter.Meanwhile,shestartedwalking eachdayand graduallyher conditiondidindeedimprove. “In1970,I hadnoticedthatmyrighteyehadbeguntodriftoutward

_andIhadspells whereIwould stumble,” sherecalled. “After Iwasonthe

diet fora fewmonths,I couldwalkby myself.I didn'tneed assistance. PrettysoonI couldwalka quartermileand thena halfmile.” Mrs.Ornsteinsawotherimprovements, as well.“IfeltlikeI had lots moreenergy,unlimitedenergy,really.”Hereyestoppeddriftingand her gazebecamestraightand true. Forseveralmonths, Laura Ornstein called Pritikinweekly;afterward,

AllGoals

77

shetelephonedhimonceamonthforseveralyears.Sheregularlysenther bloodrecordstohimand he providedallhiscounselforfree. Aftera coupleofyears,Pritikinsetupanappointment forMrs.Ornstein toseeDr.RoySwankat theUniversity ofOregonMedicalSchool.Swank pioneeredthe use of a low-fat,low-cholesterol dietand exercisein the

treatment ofmultiple sclerosis. Hisdietaryprogram, however, wasnotas

lowinfatandcholesterolasPritikin’s. LikePritikin,Swankwasa maverick whoseemedtobebreakingalltheestablishedrulesofmedicaltreatment ofmultiplesclerosis.Mrs.OrnsteinsawSwank,whoevaluatedher and kepther on the low-fat,low-cholesterol diet.Healsoencouragedher to exercise. In 1978,afterPritikinhad openedhisLongevity Center,Lauraand _BobOrnsteinvisitedNathanat hishome.Pritikinhadseveralphysicians visitinghimonthedaytheOrnsteinsarrived.NathangreetedtheOrnsteins warmlyandtheninvitedLauraOrnsteintotellthedoctorshercasehistory.

Aftersheconcluded, Pritikin askedhertowalkacrosshislivingroomfor thedoctors. Thelivingroomwaslarge-justover30feetlong.Shegotup

fromherchairandwalkedperfectlyacrosstheroomandthenbackagain. Pritikinbeamed. “Hewasso proudofme,but notas muchasI wasofmyself,”Mrs.

Ornstein recalled.

FromthatlowpointshereachedinAugustof 1970,LauraOrnstein steadilyimproveduntil she reacheda plateauat whichshe wasselfsufficientandabletowalkaloneabouta halfmileat a stretch.

“IthinkIcouldwalkfartherifIpushedmyself andIthinkmycondi-.

tionwouldfurtherimprove,” shesaidin 1986,“butIneverfelttheneedto

pushmyself afterIgotbetteronthediet.”

Intheearly1980'stheMultipleSclerosisSocietybegantorecognize thatalow-fat, low-cholesterol dietwaseffective formanypatientsinslowing thedegenerationprocessand,forsome,evenproducinganimprovement oftheircondition. Pritikinsawhundredsofpatientsfrom1966to 1976.Itwasduring theseyearsthathedeveloped hisapproachtoillnessandhisownmotivational techniques. Pritikinaskedhis clientsto keeprecordsofwhattheyate overthe courseofa day,and sometimesa week,aftertheyadoptedhisprogram.

Common dailymenusincludedoatsandorangesforbreakfast; romaine

lettuce,a varietyofgreenvegetables,andwholewheatbreador a whole grain-suchas brownrice-forlunch;brownrice,potato,carrots,green vegetables,andsourdoughbreadfordinner;fruitfordessert.Pritikinalso allowedpeopletoeathoopcheese,a skim-milk cheeseexceedinglylowin

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‘Pritikin

fatand cholesterol.Otheranimalfoodshe suggested,ifdesired,werea varietyof fish,includinghalibut,flounder,cod,snapper,seabass,and others;thewhitemeatof chickenor turkey,withoutthe skin,and small amountsofleanredmeat,usuallynomorethanthreeounces(ifa person

desiredredmeat).

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Pritikinplaceda greatdealofemphasisonbloodtests.Veryoftenhe had hisclientssendhimtheirbloodrecords,bloodpressurereadings,

and stresstestresults,if suchtestshadbeenperformed. Thoughhe

consideredallthedataavailablefrombloodtests,hesawbloodcholesterol levelasthekeyindicator.Itgavehiminsightsintohowsicka personwas, and whatthe personmighthavebeen eatingovera periodoftime.As dietaryfatand cholesterolincreases,so toodoesthecholesterollevelin theblood.Increaseddietaryfatandcholesterolgiverisetoawholehostof illnesses,includingheartdisease,adult-onset(ortypeII)diabetes,and certaincancers.Conversely, thereductionoffatandcholesterolcanpreventtheseillnessesand,in thecaseofheartdiseaseand diabetes,often reversethem. Pritikincounseledmostofhispatientsforonlybriefperiodsoftime. Oncea personadoptedhisdietandexerciseprogram,he or sheusually experiencedrapidresultsand nolongerneededNathan'sguidance. Therewerepeople,however, whocouldnotfollowPritikin'sadvice.A physicianwhohadretiredtoSantaBarbarawhomNathancounseledfor twoyearsappearsto havehad greatdifficultystayingon the program. Accordingto Pritikin’s records,Nathanfirstsawthe man in November 1967,whenhischolesterollevelwas360mg.%.ByJanuary1968,after beingonthedietjusttwomonths,thedoctor'scholesterollevelwasdown to250mg.%,a dropofmorethana third.However, hewasunabletomake substantialprogressfollowing theinitialdrop;hischolesterol levelclimbed backup to 260mg.%byNovemberofthatyear,wentbackdownto224

mg.% inApril1969,butroseto253mg.% byDecember 1969.Pritikin saw thedoctorregularlyandcounseledhimtodo hisbestto stayon the

program,buthecouldn't.Inearly1970thephysiciandiedofaheartattack. Itwasnotin Pritikin’s natureto cajoleor pressurea clientto make changes.He respondedto the specificcomplaintat the time,gavehis

advice, andletthepersondowhatever heorshewantedtodoafterward. If

theclientwantedtocomebacktohimformoreadvice,Nathanwashappy © togiveit.Heneverturnedanyoneaway,eveniftheclientclearlyhadfailed to followthe advice.Pritikinwaspreparedto go righton advisingthe personas longas thepersonwantedsuchadvice.

Patience BornfromCaringDetachment

TherootofPritikin’s patiencewashisdetachmentfrompeople.Withoutbeingcriticalorjaded,Pritikindidn'tbecomepersonallyattachedto whatotherpeopledid.Hemaintainedthattheactionsofothershadonlya

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minorinfluence oneventsthatwereimportant tohim.Anything thatwas importantto himwashisresponsibility, Pritikinbelieved. Healsofelt

peoplewouldnaturallyadopta morehealthfuldietiftheywereproperly educatedondiet’seffectson health.Itwassimplya matterofputtingout theinformation, and lettingnaturetakeitscourse. Hemaintained,too,thathisactionsspokelouderthanhiswords.“Be anexample,”heoncetoldhissonRalph,whenaskedhowhegotpeopleto changetheirbehaviorpatterns.“Neverlecture.” Thesecharacteristics combinedtogivePritikina ratherneutraloutlookonpeople.Therewereonlya handfulofpeopleinhislifeforwhomhe hadstrongfeelings.AshissonRobertsaid,“Peopleusedtocomeuptome

andaskmewhatmyfatherthoughtofthemandIwouldsay,‘Hereally likesyou,’or‘Herespectswhatyouaredoing,’ butthetruthofthematter

wasthatmydaddidn'tthinkmuchaboutpeopleorwhattheyweredoing. Helovedhumanity,buthe didn'tgetclosetomanypeople.” Nathan'sdetachmentgavehima kindofhumorousperspectiveon

life.Whenconfronted withanything butalife-threatening issue,hewould

oftenmakea punoutoftheproblem.HisdaughterJanetrecallsthatshe wouldveryoftenhavetoaskhimtobeseriouswhenshecametohimwith a problem.Atthatpoint,hewouldbecomerational,serious,andfocused, buthe wouldhavetobe convincedfirstthattheproblemwarrantedthat

kindofattention.

Nathan'ssonKenrecallsthetimehisfatherworkedformonthsonan experimentathiselectronicsbusiness.Whentheexperimentwasaboutto finallyreachfruition,thewholeeffortbrokedownina seriesofdisasters. Kenhad been workingwithhis fatheron the projectand feltdejected aboutthefailure.Nathan'sreaction,on theotherhand,wasrationaland light.Heverycalmlyexplainedwhatto do nextand then madea joke aboutthe ongoingproblemstheywerefacing.Kenaskedhim howhe couldhavesuchan attitudein thefaceofsuchfrustratingdifficulties. “Myfather’sreactionwasthathe had been throughso manysituationsthatweremuchdarkerthanwhatweweregoingthroughatthetime and thathe didn'tthinkthematterwassograve.”

Therewasoneothercharacteristic thatseemedtogivehimenormous

patiencewhenitcametoadvisingpeople:he lovedcounselingothers.As

Ilenerecalled, “Nathan lovedtohelppeople,andhelovedteaching. He

enjoyedbeingthe personwiththe answers.He woulddescribeto the personhis or her conditionin verysimple,understandableterms,and afterhe hadfinishedtalkinghewouldloveitwhenthepersonsatbackin

wonderandsaid,‘Really?’.”

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Evenwhentelephonecallsfrompeoplehewascounselingthreatened toupsettheharmonyofhishousehold,he refusedtolimittheamountof timehe gavetoothers. VeryoftenPritikinwouldgetcallsjustwhenthefamilywasabouttosit

80 ssPritikin

downtodinner.Hewoulddropeverythingandtakethecall,whichwould oftenrun 30minutesormore.Ileneoftenpressedhimtolimitthetimehe

spentonthetelephone, atthedinnerhourespecially, butheabsolutely refusedtocutanyoneshort.

ARemarkableMindforRemarkableDetail

Whenitcametohisstudyofhealthandanatomy,Pritikin’'s intellectual

curiosity knewnobounds.Everything aboutthehumanbodyfascinated him-theheart,vessels,blood,bones,individualorgans.Eventhefingernailsexcitedhiscuriosity.Hewonderedwhyhe had ridgesin his nails, when mostother peopledid not. Heread the availableliteratureon fingernailsasifthesubjectwouldrevealsomegreatsecret.Hedidn'tseem tocomeup withanything,buthe continuedtopuzzleoverhisridges. Hemadea greatstudyoftheteethand gums.Pageafterpageofhis notesrevealhe wentfroma verybasicunderstandingtoa sophisticated

knowledge ofthestructure andbiology oftheteethandgums.Twopages ofhisnotesarededicated tothenamesoftheteethandthe“definitions of

positions”: “cervical-neckoftooth;corneal-exposedabovethe gingiva; mesial-towardthe midline(center);proximal-surfacethatis nexttothe adjacenttooth..." andsoon.NathanstudiedthebookOralHistology and Embryology, byOrban,withfervor.In noteswrittenin tiny,detailed,and highlylegiblehandwriting,Pritikinrecordedeveryfactin the bookhe regardedas important. AsamplingofPritikin’s notesrevealstherespecthe had forOrban's highlytechnicaltreatise. P.55-Enamel isthehardestcalcified tissueinthebody.... Maxthicknessis .100inchesovermolars.Composed of96 percentinorganic, 4 percentorganic.... Enameliscomposedofrods(.0001diameter)cemented togetherwitha cementinginterprismaticsubstance....P.114-Dentinis considereda tissue.Dentallymphcirculatesin the dentin.Originatesin pulp,goesthroughthedentinand returnstopulp....

Pritikinmademorethan 100suchnoteson thebiologyoftheteeth and gums.Mostofthesenotesarehighlytechnical;theyare punctuated bygraphsanddrawingsPritikinmadetobetterillustrateandunderstand theworkingsofthe teethand gums.Hestudiedthe teethon molecular

andmacroscopic levels. Afterreadinghisnotesonemightbeledtothink

thathewasconsideringgoingintodentistry.Buthe hadnosuchinterest. Pritikinwasmerelystudyingthissubjectinthesamewayhestudiedevery subject:witha passionforthoroughnessand an insatiablehunger for knowledge. Hejoinedthishungerwitha remarkablememory.Partofhismethod forretaininginformation wastowriteitouthimself,ashedidwithOrban’s book.Oncehe hadwrittenitdown,itremainedwithhimindefinitely. But

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evenwithoutwritingthe pointshe wantedto retain,he possessedthe

capacity torecallscientific studiesandobscuredetailsyearsafterhehad

firstencounteredthem. AshissonRobertgotolder,he alsobecameinterestedinscienceand wouldtellhisfatherabouttheliteraturehehad beenstudyingatthetime. “HewouldcorrectmeonstudiesIhadjust gotdonereading,studies

hehadn'treadfortenyears,”Robertrecalled.

TheFoundationIsLaidfora HealthRevolution

In 1970,Nathanwasinvitedtojoin a smallgroupof localscientists and laypeoplewhowishedto advancethestudyofaging:howand why humansget old and die. The group held regular meetingsand soon becameincorporatedasthe Longevity Foundation(norelationshiptothe Longevity CenterthatPritikinwouldeventuallycreate). Pritikinhad littleinterestin what he consideredthe lesspressing

issueofhowandwhypeoplegetold.WhiletheLongevity Foundation

focusedmostof itsattentionon the searchforbiochemicalmethodsof extendinglife,Pritikinemphasizedtheneedformakingthe mostof the naturalcapacitieshumansalreadypossessed.Nathanstressedthatpeoplegetoldprematurelybecauseoftheirdietsand sedentarylifestyles. Fat and cholesterol,he said,burden the bodyand causeit to fallvictimto degenerativediseasesthat otherwisewouldnot occur in the human organism.Hemaintainedthatlifeis actuallycutshortbythetypicaldiets oftheWesternworld.Humanlife,he said,wouldlastnaturallyto 100and beyondif thebodywerefedtheproperfoodsand exercisedregularly.

Oneofthemembers oftheLongevity Foundation, mathematician Jon

Leonard,tookaninterest in Nathan'sideas.WhenPritikinintroduced Leonardto the great libraryofresearchhe had accumulated,Leonard suggestedthattheywritea booktogetherundertheaegisoftheLongevity Foundation.Pritikinagreed.In the earlypart of 1971,Leonardbegan layingthegroundworkforthewritingofwhatwouldbecomethebestseller LiveLongerNow.LeonardwasassistedbyJ. L.Hofer,alsoa memberofthe LongevityFoundation.Tohelp Leonardunderstandthe studiesand put themin properperspective,Pritikinbegan to writea summarybased upon his compilationof the research.He assimilatedall the relevant medicalliteraturethathehadcollectedovertheprevious25years—a body

ofinformation thatbythistimefilledtworoomsofhishouse-andbeganto

writea technicaltreatiseondiet'srelationship totheleadingkillerdiseases. Pritikin’s writingswereoriginallymeantto help organizeand interpretthestudiessothatLeonardcouldputthemintoa readabletextforthe layperson.However, thetasksoonbegantoobsesshim.Hiddenawayin thequietestroominhishouse-hisbedroom-andseatedin a comfortable armchair,Nathanworkeddayandnight,assemblingandinterpretingthe

82 _—s— Pritikin studies,writingand rewritinghisfinelyhonedanalysis,likean attorney

marshaling theevidenceforanintricatecase.Hisinnumerable studies

were arrangedon the floorall abouthim, organizedin piles.Allthe studyinghehaddoneduringtheprevious2!2decades,alltheknowledge he had accumulatedto thatpoint,wassuddenlygivenvoice.Eachday Ilenewouldtypehisnotes,andtogethertheywouldedithismaterialuntil

itsatisfied themboth. Withintwoyears,heproduced threevolumes thatwouldbecomethe

foundationforhisapproachtovirtuallyeverydegenerativediseasefacing the modernworld.Thesethreevolumeswouldbe the basisforall his lecturesat the LongevityCentersand his manypresentationsthatwere yetto comebeforelayand professionalaudiencesaroundthe country. Theideaspresentedherewouldchangethelivesofthousands-including hisown. Therangeofillnessesheaddressedinthesethreebooksisastonishing:

heartdisease (including atherosclerosis, angina,andhighbloodpressure), adult-onsetdiabetes,thecommoncancers(includinglung,colon,breast, and prostate),gout,arthritis,kidneystonesand gallstones,and many illnessesaffectinghearingand sight,includingglaucoma. Theseillnesses,Pritikinstronglymaintained,hadtheiroriginsinthe

dietsthataretypical inWestern industrialized nations, suchastheUnited States. Pritikin evensuspected thatsicklecellanemiaandmultiple sclerosismighthavea dietarycomponent,and discussedthisin hiswriting. Pritikin'sdocumentationwasexhaustive.Theheartdiseasebookcontains207 technicalreferences;diabetes,206;cancer,91; arthritis,65; gallstones,28; sightand glaucoma,79; hearing,10;exercise,47; and dietaryrecommendations, 58.ThemedicalliteraturePritikinbasedhis argumentsonoriginallyappearedin manyofthemostprestigiousmedicaljournalsintheworld.Someofthepublicationshecitesmostfrequently includetheJournaloftheAmericanMedicalAssociation, NewEngland JournalofMedicine,AmericanJournalofClinicalNutrition,Archivesin Pathology, Lancet,AnnalsofInternalMedicine,andmanyothers.Thefact thatall of Pritikin’spointsare supportedby existingmedicalliterature alreadypublishedunderscoresa pointhe madeformorethana decade, namely,thatallthescientificevidenceneededtomakeclearanddefinitive

conclusions abouttheoriginsofdegenerative diseasesandtheirtreatmentshadalreadybeendone.Allonehad todowastoseethecommon threadsthatran throughtheexistingresearchandassemblethemintoa coherentwhole.Atthatpoint,Pritikinsaid,theconclusionswouldbecome obvious.Thisiswhathe had done.Ashe wrotein theintroductiontothe threevolumes: Canvalidinsightsbe drawnsecond-handbyonewhomerelysurveys the researchof others?Thatthiscan be done-at timeswithbrilliantand

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revolutionary results,isbeautifully illustrated bytheworkoftwoeminent biologists, Watson andCrick,whocollected andanalyseddatafromwork

entirelydonebyotherinvestigators, thencameup withtheirrevolutionary interpretationofthe structureofDNA,whichgavebirthtomolecularbiology;therewasno first-handobservationorresearchinvolved.

Headdressedeachillnessaccordingtoa fairlystandardizedstructure.

Hebeganbydiscussing thediseasein general,andthehumanand

animaldatalinkingit to dietas a causalfactor.Hethenplungedintothe biologicalmechanismsforthe disease-howcertainconstituentsin the dietaffectthebodyon a cellularlevel,thusgivingrisetothe illness.He showedhowthediseasecouldbe preventedand,in manycases,howit couldbe reversedbymakingchangesin thediet.

Pritikin thencritiqued thestandardtherapies usedagainsttheillness, includingbothdrugsandsurgery.In thecaseofpharmaceuticals, he

analysedeachdrug commonlyprescribed,howitworked,and whatits sideeffectswere.Healsoassessedsurgicalprocedures-including bypass surgeryand hearttransplant-aswellas coronarycareunits,theirproceduresand thedrugsusedin thetreatmentofacutecoronarycases. Pritikin’sexhaustiveanalysistakesthe reader throughthe disease process(whichoftenstartsin infancy,as in the case of cardiovascular disease)andshowsthatineachcasetheprincipalcausesaredietary-not fatalisticheredityor thewearofaging. In theintroductiontothethree-volume set,Pritikinstated: Thecivilizedworldisconfrontedwitha giantparadox:asthebenefitsof moderntechnologyandadvancedmedicinebecomemorereadilyavailable to the inhabitantsof thesedevelopednations,lifeexpectancydrops.The immensehospitalcomplexes,the increasingnumberofcare centers,the sophisticatedand expensivediagnosticequipment,the huge and costly researchprogramsdesignedto developdrug curesand to ferretout the causesofthe diseasefatalitieswhichcut downso manyevenbeforethey havelivedtheirpromisedthreescoreand tenyears,and oftenin thevery primeoftheirlives—all ofthisistonoavail.Thevariousdegenerative diseasesatherosclerosis, includingcoronaryheartdisease,hypertension,diabetes, cancer,glaucomaandarthritis-proceedrelentlesslytoclaimmanymillions ofvictims.Ifnotfatal,thesediseasesmaybeseverelycrippling,butmillions sufferquickand unsuspecteddeaths,and millionsmoresufferslowagony, uncertaintyand equallyuntimelydeaths. Definitive solutionshavebeenprovidedbymodernmedicineformany ofthehealthproblemsthathaveplaguedmankindhistorically-most ofthe infectiousdiseases,maternaland infantmortalityin childbirth,surgical repairsnecessitatedbyinjuriesor congenitaldefects,etc.;butthecauseor causesofdegenerativediseasesremainlargelya mysteryfromthe standpointofmost-layand professionalalike. In theabsenceofaccepteddefinitiveviewsconcerningthecause(s)of

84 =‘Pritikin thecommondegenerativediseases,speculationabounds.Theseareamong the widelyheldviews:1.Thedegenerativediseasesare mainlya natural consequenceofagingandthereisnowaybywhichtheseprocessescanbe prevented;2.Heredityisa majorfactorinmanyoftheseconditions-suchas coronaryheart diseaseand diabetes-andagain,one acceptsthe consequencesfatalistically; 3. Manyofthesediseasesare associatedwithemotionalfactors,suchastensionofmodernlifeandstrainedfamilyrelationships; 4. Thereis muchdiscussionthatautoimmuneetiologiesare the factorin arthriticdiseases,and soon. Adherentsto theseviewsregard the degenerativediseasesas being largelyoutsideofourcontrolsofaras preventionisconcernedand lookto drugsandsurgeryastheprimaryresourcesfortherapy.Thelackofsuccess ofthisapproachisreflectedin thegrowingdegenerativediseaseepidemic and themortalityratesforthesediseases. Alargeand convincingbodyofscientificevidence,the subjectofthe chaptersthatfollow,pointsin anotherdirectionentirely.Theweightofthis evidenceindicatesthatthecommondegenerativediseasesare largelydue to nutritionalfactors,and do not require explanationin termsof such conceptsasheredity,inevitability ofaging,stress,etc.Whileacknowledged byonlya smallsegmentofthemedicalprofessionpresently,recognitionof the validityof the evidenceupon whichthis viewpointrests is gaining momentum. Theevidencedemonstratesthatthecureformanyofthedegenerative diseasesalsohas a nutritionalbasis:as the offendingdietaryfactorsare removedfromthefoodregime,thesymptomsofmanyofthedegenerative diseasesregress,oftencompletely.

Pritikin'shypothesiswassimple:commonfoodsin thedietsofWesterners-especiallyintheUnitedStates—are eateninexcess,causingawide rangeofillnessesandprematuredeath.Themostdangerousconstituents intoday’sdietsarefatandcholesterol,foundmostcommonlyinredmeat, dairyproducts,and eggs.Hecreatedtheword“lipotoxemia” todescribe thepoisoningofthebodybytheoverconsumption offatsandcholesterol. He likenedthe consumptionof fatand cholesterolto that of cyanide,

whichisfoundinverysmallamountsinlimabeans.Aslongashumans consumeonlyminutequantitiesofcyanide,the poisonhas no adverse effects.However, whenthequantityofcyanideconsumedexceedsa cer: tainlevel,itbecomeshighlytoxic.Fatandcholesterolaresafewheneaten in verysmallamounts,he said,but extremelyharmfulwhen takenin largerquantities.

Inaddition,mostpeopleeatan overabundance ofprotein,refined

grains,salt,andsugar.Thesealsocontributetothedegenerativeprocess, thoughtheyare usuallylesstoxicthanfatand cholesterol.Thestandard Americandiet,richin all theseharmfulconstituents,poisonsthe body

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andcausesa variety ofdiseases, including heartdisease, cancer,diabetes, gout,kidneystonesandgallstones, arthritis, andothers.

Interestingly, Pritikinbelievedtheseseeminglydiverseillnesseswere in factonlyone singledisease,manifestingitselfina varietyofsymptomstates,whichwehavecometocallheartdisease,cancer,diabetes,and by someothernames.Inanycase,theyallspringfromthesameorigin:a diet

highinfat,cholesterol, refinedfoods,salt,andsugar.Heshowedthata

changeindietwouldnotonlypreventthesediseases,but-formillionsof people-wouldcurethem. Pritikinrealizedthat thesewere revolutionaryideasand expected manyscientiststo reactwithincredulity. Ashe furtherstatedin the introductionofhisthreevolumes: Sucha postulationlinkingdietand thescourgeofdegenerativediseases mayseemfar-fetched, untilonereflectsuponsomebasicbiologicalfacts.All animals,manincluded,havea dietthatemergedfromthelong-termexperience of the speciesin natureovermanythousandsofyears.Now,man no longereatsfoodshisbodywasdesignedto eat,but hascreateda synthetic diet-the penaltyof whichis to endure the adverseeffectsof short-term experience.Themoreman’sdietdepartsfromfoodstowhichhe isbiologicallysuited,themoretheadverseeffects.

ThoughPritikinwouldcometoknowfirsthandjusthowstartlingwere his ideas to thevastmajorityof researchers,there wereenoughpublic statementsbyspokesmenofthemedicalprofessionby 1972toanticipate accuratelythescientific community's reactiontohisdiet-health hypothesis. That same year,Dr.PhilipWhite,head of the AmericanMedical Association's Departmentof Foodsand Nutrition,stated,“Thereis no assurancethat a casualchange in diet willbe ofanybenefit,and little assurancethata significantchangewillbe,either.” Dr.DonaldS. Fredrickson,whowouldlaterbecomedirectorof the NationalInstitutesof Health(arguablythemostpowerfulscientificpositionintheUnitedStates),saidin 1972:“Iadmithere toa biasofonelong preoccupiedwith geneticallydetermined hyperlipidemia(elevated cholesterollevel)... Theproblemin the majorityofthe‘mostsusceptible’ isnottobe solvedbygeneraldietaryadvice.” Dr.E. C.Naber,at OhioStateUniversity, echoedtheconcernsmany researchershad fordietaryloweringof fatand cholesterol,a concern Pritikinhad personallydealtwithin 1957,namelythe possiblelossof importantnutrientspresentin thetypicalAmericandiet.Nabersaid,“Itis tooearlyto tellhowlargea part cholesterolplaysin heart diseaseand

drasticattempts toavoidfoodshighinitareprobably harmful.”

Thesemenwereamongtheleadersofthescientificcommunitywho

86 ss~Pritikin wouldsetpublicpolicyandwhowouldformtheintellectualandpolitical

resistance toNathanPritikin-and others-who wouldtrytochangethe eatinghabitsofAmericans. Ashe wouldproveoverthenext14years,Pritikinwasundauntedin thefaceofsuchpowerfulopponents.Hebelievedinhismessageandhis abilitytoconveyittoscientistsand laypeoplealike.Moreimportantly, he maintainedthefirmconvictionthatoncepeopleappliedtheseideas,the effectiveness ofhisdietwouldbe persuasiveenough. Ashe furtherwrotein hisintroduction: Themessageofthisbookisthis:oneneednotfallpreytothedegenerative diseases. Coronaryheart disease, diabetes, arthritis, glaucoma, hypertension,gout,angina,and somecancersare all entirelyavoidable. Thereisa pricetopayforhealth:thisisa returntosimplerfoodsanda more activeexistence.Ifyouarenotpreparedtopaythisprice,thereadingofthis bookwillnotbenefityou;ifyouare,theevidenceassembledinthechapters

ofthisbookwillconvince youthatyouwillberewarded withthegoodhealth

andlonglifewhichnatureintendedforyouasyourreturnforyourinvestment.

Thecompletionofhisthree-volume setondiet'srelationshiptodegenerativediseaseswas,forPritikin,a majorachievement. Aftersearchingthe scientificliteraturefor25 years,he wasawareofno othertextthatprovidedsuchacomprehensive analysis.Whileindividualresearchersinthe

fieldsofcardiovascular diseaseordiabetes orcancerhadseentheimportanceofdietwithintheirownspecificfields,noone-toPritikin’s knowledgehad scientificallydocumenteddiet's relationshipto all the common

degenerative diseases. WithPritikin’s analysisinhandandhisguidancereadilyavailable, Jon LeonardmovedquicklythroughLiveLongerNow.Leonardand Pritikin hopedforawideaudiencefortheirgroundbreaking book.Meantime, Pritikinwrotetoa numberofleadingscientistsinthefieldsofcardiovasculardiseaseand diabetesaskingthemtoreviewLiveLongerNowpriorto

publication, butafterseeingthemanuscript eachscientist declined Pritikin's request.Grossetand Dunlap,a NewYorkpublisher,acceptedthemanu-

scriptinthespringof1973andscheduled itforpublication thefollowingyear. Pritikin’s uniqueanalysiswasfinallygoingpublic.

CHAPTER

TheTurning Point— PritikinGoesPublic

[,n thefallof1973,Nathanreceived aninvitation froma friendtoattend a medicalmeetinginLosAngeles. Thefriendwasa medicaldoctor.He knewNathanwelland wasawareofhis longstandinginterestin health and nutrition. DuringtheirdrivefromSantaBarbara,Nathannoticedthathisfriend

hadbroughtwithhima largebagcontaining hislunch.Pritikin thought

littleofit sincethe medicalmeetingwouldprobablyallowfora lunch break.Theyarrivedat themeeting,tooktheirseats,and startedtolisten tothefirstspeaker.Thelecturerhadjustcompletedhisopeningremarks

whenPritikin’s friendremoveda largebasketofchickenlegsfromhis lunchbagand startedeatingthem.

_ Surprised andamused,Pritikinturnedtohisfriendandsaid,“You obviously likechickenlegs.”

“Ihatechickenlegs,”thefriendreplied. “Butyou'vegotat leasttenchickenlegsin thatbasket,”Pritikinsaid. “That'sbecauseI'vegothypoglycemia,” thefriendanswered.“Ihave toeatchickenlegs.” “Don'ttellmeyou'reon thathigh-proteindiet,”Pritikinsaid. “OfcourseI'mon a high-proteindiet;that'stheonlydietthereis for hypoglycemia. I'vehad it fortenyears,”saidthefriend. “Andyou'llhaveit fortherestofyourlifeifyoucontinuetoeatthat diet,”Pritikinreplied. Thedoctorinsistedhisdietwastheonlyanswertohisproblem,which

hesaidwasacute.HetoldPritikin hesuffered fromfatigue, nausea,and

dizzinesscausedbythehypoglycemia, and thatit had affectedhismedicalpractice.Thefatigueforcedhimtonapatnooneachdayand tolimit 87

88

Pritikin

the numberof patientshe scheduled.He fearedif he did not eat this high-proteindiet,whichhe detested,he mighthaveto furtherreduce hispractice. Pritikinaskedhimtotrya differentdietthatwouldreducetheamount ofproteinhe had beeneating,but sharplyincreasetheamountofcomplexcarbohydrates, whichPritikinsaidwouldgivehimmoreenergy.

ThefriendbecameannoyedwithNathan’s persistence. “Look, I got

mydietfroma doctorwhohasbeentreatingthistypeofproblemfor25 years.I'mnotgoingtochangenow.” IttookPritikintwomonthstoconvincehis friendtogo throughthe pertinentmedicalliteraturethat Pritikinhad been collecting.Together theywentoverhundredsof studies.Finally,in the winterof 1973,the doctoragreedtostartPritikin’s dietaryprogram. Tendayslater,he calledPritikinon the telephoneand announced thathe feltmuchbetter.He saidthathe no longerfeltthe need to nap

intheafternoon. Hehadplentyofenergyandfeltwonderful. “You're cured,”Pritikin pronounced joyfully. “Gooutandplaytennis.”

TheBigBreakthrough

Pritikin’s friendwouldnotlettheexperiencedrop,however. Hewanted Nathantotalktothedoctorwhoprescribedthehigh-protein dietforhimin

thefirstplace.Thefriendsaidhewouldsetupanappointment withhis physician,Dr.WilburCurrier,wholivedin Pasadena,California,so that Nathancouldsharehisideaswithhim. Shortlythereafter,Curriercalled Pritikinand askedhim how he scientifically justifiedgivinga high-carbohydrate diettoa personwitha

bloodsugarproblem. NathantoldCurrierofsomeofthestudiessupporting such a dietin

the treatmentof hypoglycemia, as wellas adult-onsetdiabetes.Currier wasunconvincedbuthe agreedtoseeNathan;he askedPritikintobring someofthemedicalliteraturethatsupportedhisideas. PritikinwasnervousaboutseeingCurrier.“Noone had evercrossexaminedmewhowasa physician,” he laterconfessed.Andhehadevery intentionof showingup wellarmed.Pritikingatheredmorethan 100 scientificstudiesinvestigatingthe relationshipbetweendietand health withan emphasison sugarmetabolism,and droveto Pasadenato see

Currier. ThetwometatCurrier’s club.Nathanexpected totalktoCurrier

forabout45minutes.Theytalkedforsixhourswithoutstopping.Currier wassoimpressedbyNathanandhisideasthathetoldhimhewasgoingto changehisentirepracticetoincludePritikin’s dietaryrecommendations. CurrierwantedNathantocometohisofficein Pasadenaand actas his consultant.TherePritikinwouldsee patientswithCurrierand ad-

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visethe doctoron the dietaryinformationeachpatientshouldreceive.

Pritikin agreed.

A fewdayslater,NathanjoinedCurrierat his office.Pritikinasked thedoctorwhathe shoulddo.ThefirstthingPritikinshoulddo,Currier told him,was to put on a whitecoat.He then toldPritikinhis plan. NathanwouldjoinCurrierin hisexaminingroomwhilethedoctorsaw patients.Afterlisteningto each patient'sproblem,Nathanand Currier wouldstepoutsidetheoffice,atwhichtimePritikinwouldtellCurrierwhat kindofnutritionaladvicehe shouldgivetheparticularpatient.Thetwo wouldthengobackintotheofficeand Currierwouldprescribethediet. Nathan,amusedandincredulous,agreed. Theplanworkedfine,accordingtoPritikin,andaftera coupleofdays ofthis,Currierhadthesystemdownand NathanleftPasadena. Afewmonthslater,inJanuary1974,LiveLongerNowwaspublished andJonLeonardtraveledaroundthecountrytopromotethebook.Leading newspapersand magazineswrotemostlylukewarmreviewsof the book.However, saleswerebriskand eventuallyitwouldreachtheNew YorkTimespaperbackbestseller’s list. Thatsamemonth,Nathanreceiveda callfromCurrier,whoinvited himtospeakatanupcomingmedicalconferencearrangedbyphysicians belongingtotheInternationalAcademyofPreventiveMedicine.Currier wasanOfficer ofthemedicalsocietyandwouldbeelectedpresidentatthe conference.Themeetingwasto takeplacein Marchin MiamiBeach, Florida. Pritikinwaswary.Howmanypeoplewouldattendthe meeting?he asked.Andwhowouldmakeup the audience,laypeopleor physicians orboth? Curriertoldhimthattherewouldbe severalhundredhealthprofessionalsin theaudience,themajorityofwhomwouldbe medicaldoctors, and thatdoctorsand Ph.D.'swouldbe thespeakers. “Whowillyou havethat has no credentials,likemyself?”Pritikin asked. . “You'll betheonlyone,”Curriersaid,“Butweneedtoshakethemupa littlebit.” Withgreattrepidation, Pritikinagreedtodoit.Hehadneverappeared beforea medicalaudienceand he wasunderstandablynervous. Meanwhile,LiveLongerNowwasstirringup moreinterest.A few daysafterCurriercalledhim,Nathangotanothercallfroma physicians’ groupcalledthe AmericanAcademyof MedicalPreventics.They,too, wantedPritikintogivea talkat theirmedicalmeeting,whichwastaking placeinMiamiBeachthesameweekCurrier’sgroupwasmeetingthere.

Onceagain,Pritikin agreed.

90_~—s Pritikin Forthe next twomonths,Nathanand Ileneworkedtirelesslyon

Nathan's talks.Asshewoulddoformanyofhisspeeches, Ileneeditedand

typedthetwotalksnearlya dozentimes.Nathancompiledhundredsof studiessupportinghisbasicpointsandrehearsedthespeechesinfrontof Ileneoverandoveragain.Thesetwospeecheswouldchangebothoftheir livesforever.

Whilehewasintheelectronics andengineering business, Nathan's

andIlene’slivesdidnotroutinelyintertwine.HewastherewhenIleneand familymembersneededhim,butitwasusuallyuponrequest.Hedevoted longhoursand manyweekendsto his businessesand his studyofthe medicalliterature.Ileneraisedthechildren,whileNathanconcentrated on hiswork. However, withtheirfivechildrenwellontheirwaytoadulthood,Ilene nowunstintingly turnedherattentiontoNathanandhiswork.Thespeeches

hewasabouttogivewouldmarka turningpointintheirlives.Fromthat

timeon,theirworldswouldjoin.IleneandNathanwerenolongerseparated by the responsibilities of theirmutuallyexclusiverolesas parentand scientist-businessman. Hisdreamtoreshapetheworldaccordingtohis ownvisionnowbecamehers.Intheyearsahead,Ilenewouldbecomehis editor,consultant,and confidante.In the earlydaysof the Longevity Center,shewouldorganizethekitchens,createmenusand mealplans,

andgenerally oversee thequalityofthemealstheywereoffering. Though

theemphasiswasalwayson Nathanand hisideas,Ilenehelpedtotailor histalkstomakethemmoreappealing,literate,andunderstandabletothe layperson. Theirabilitiesseemedto complementone anotherperfectly.While Nathanpossesseda brilliantmindanda creativegenius,he nevertheless wasa poorjudge ofcharacter.Peopleoftendid thingsthatsurprisedor baffledhim.Hewasa persondirectedtowardthe masses.He had an enormouscapacitytoinspireandleadpeopleinthedirectionhewanted

themtogo,butitwasneverhisfortetounderstand individual human

behavior.ThesewereIlene'sstrengths.Ilenehad a penchantforunderstandingpeople-whattheywantedand needed.She was shrewdyet retiring,alwaysavoidingthelimelightthathe traveledinbutkeepingan eyeonhowhewaspresentinghimself,andwhatotherswereupto.While Nathan'swritingtendedtobe bluntand pointed,Ilenepossessedan ear forawell-turned phraseandthequalitiesofadiplomat.ShemadeNathan's broadsidesmorepalpableand,at times,perhapsmorepalatableto his audience. Findingaplaceinhisworldgavehergreatsatisfaction andfulfillment. Asshewouldsayyearslater,“IwasneverhappierthanwhenIworkedwith

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91

Nathaninpreparingthematerialwithwhichhe woulddobattlewiththe

medicalworld.Iworkedwithhisnotes,polishing themintoa formthatI thoughtwoulddojusticetohispointofview.”

Medical World TakesNotice WhentheyfinallyarrivedinMiamiBeachfortheMarch21conference,

NathanandIlenehadtwosuitcases withthem:oneverylargecaseweigh-

ing80 poundsthatcontainedNathan'sreferences,and another,smaller case containingtheirclothes.Aftertheyarrivedat theirhotel,Nathan arrangedhisreferencesinorder“sothatIcouldimmediatelygettothem incaseanyonechallengedmeonanypoint,”herecalled.Hewantedtobe

preparedfortheworst.Howwouldthedoctorsreactto histalk?he

wondered.Wouldtheyattackhimoutright,orpolitelyquestionwhereon earthhe hadgottenthiscrazyidea. Theconferencebegan the followingday.Asexpected,about300

physicians andscientists gathered in thelargeauditorium tolistentothe speakers.

Whenhisturntospeakarrived,Pritikinmountedthedaisandputhis speechon thelectern.Hewastedno timein gettingtothepoint. “Itis a privilegefor me to addressyour organization,” he began. “WhenDr.Currierextendedtheinvitationtospeaktoyou,Iwasimpressed withhis unusualopen-mindednessfor tworeasons:One, I am not a memberof your professionand two,the viewsI wishto presentrun counterto the high-protein,low-carbohydrate approach,a dietarypracticethatmanyofyouhavebeenemphasizing.

“Alargeaspectofyourconcernhasbeenthenutritional deficiencies.

Myviewsdealwiththedangerofnutritionalexcessesthat is,withexcess intakeoffats,simplecarbohydrates andcholesterol.Itismythesisthatthe high fatcontentof Westerndietsis the primarycause of mostof the degenerativediseasesrifein mostofthedevelopednationsin theworld. Simplecarbohydrates andcholesterolarepotentsecondaryfactorsinthis

worldwide crisis.”

|

Itwasa themehewouldreiterateintalkaftertalkfortherestofhislife. Whenhe finallyfinishedhisspeech,he nervouslyawaitedthedoctors’response.

Nothing happened. Pritikin askedforquestions. Nota singlequestion

came.Thesilencewasloud. “Ihadneverseensuchglumlooksonsomanyfacesbefore,”Nathan recalled.“Icouldsee thattheywerenot takingseriouslywhatI said.It didn'tlooklikeanyonewasevenlisteningto me. I couldsee I wasnot wanted.” Disheartenedandletdown,Nathandescendedfromthedaisandtold

92 ~—Ss— Pritikin

Currierthathe feltheshouldleaverightaway.Theconferencewasscheduledforanothertwodays,butNathandidn'tfeeltherewasanyreasonfor himtoremain.

“Don't gojustyet,”Curriersaid.“You're scheduled togiveaworkshop.”

Workshopswereinformalmeetingswithsmallgroupsof doctorswho wouldaskquestionsanddiscussa particulartopic.Pritikindidn’tbelieve there wouldbe enough interestin his ideas for anyoneto attendhis workshop,buthe agreedtostay. Thenextday,he reportedtothesmallroomwherehisworkshopwas tobegivenandwasshockedtofinditpackedwithphysicians. Alltheseats weretakenand stillmoredoctorsstoodup alongthewalls.Therewere morethan50peoplepresentand itwasstandingroomonly. Nathanopenedthe door,sawthe crowdand closedit immediately. He hurried to the secretaryand toldher that she had givenhim the wrongroom.

“I'msupposedtogivea workshop,” he said.“Halfa dozenpeople arounda smalltable.” Thesecretarylookedpuzzled.“Thereareonlytwoworkshopsscheduledforthishour—yours and someoneelse's,and that’syourroom,”said thesecretary.

Disbelieving, Pritikin walked backtotheroomandstoodinfrontofhis

waitingaudience.Notsurewhattodo,he askedforquestions.About20 peopleraisedtheirhandsand thequestionsbegancoming. “Andthen I realizedwhatwaswrongthe day before.Thekindof nutrition[wastalkingaboutwassodifferentfromanythingtheyhadever

heardthattheydidn'tknowwhattoaskme.Andnowthequestions came

outlikea torrent.” The followingday,he gavehis talk to the AmericanAcademyof MedicalPreventicsattheDeauvilleHotelinMiamiBeach.Afterhistalk,a groupofenthusiasticdoctorsgatheredaroundhim.Manyofthe physi-

clanswondered ifguidelines foradietarytherapysuchastheonePritikin

haddescribedwereavailable.TheprogramPritikinhaddescribedwould be helpfulformanyof theirpatients,the physicianssaid,and evenfor themselvesand theirfamilies.

Sensing anopportunity, Nathanresponded onthespotbysuggesting

that he and the physicianscombineforcesto conducta large study. Pritikinproposedthattheypooltheirpatientsand use his low-fat,lowcholesteroldiet on thosesufferingfromheart diseaseand adult-onset diabetes.

Manyofthephysicians likedtheidea,andNathancollected business

cards.Hetoldthemhe'dbe backin touch. Pritikinhad been a hit.Whilehe had maintainedforyearsthathis

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ideaswerefreshandworthyofattention,thiswasthefirsttimehehadput themoutpubliclybeforea medicalaudiencethatcouldjustaseasilyhave pulverized themiftheywerewithoutfoundation. Justtheoppositehappened. Henotonlymanagedto educateand inspirehis listeners,but he drew

themtohim.Nowhehadhisfirstchanceatdoinga crediblestudythat couldbringhisprogramwiderattention.

FirstStudyLaunch: TrialandError

Whenhe returnedto SantaBarbara,he obtainedmailinglistsfrom bothgroupshe hadaddressedand senthisproposaltothephysiciansto do a large-scaleexperimentthat wouldstudythe effectsof a low-fat, low-cholesteroldiet on adults with coronaryheart disease,angina, hypertension, claudication, andadult-onsetdiabetes.Hisideawastohave thedoctorsprescribethedietstotheirpatients,monitortheirresponses, takebloodsamples,andsendthebloodtoBio-Science Laboratories inLos Angeles.Bio-Science hadagreedtofurnishreportsonallthepatientsand keeptrackofpatientrecords. . Pritikinwasfloodedwithphysicianinquiriesand requestsformore information.Nathanand Ilenerespondedtotherequestsbysendingan information kitthatcontaineda 20-pagemanualforphysicians,including 92 referencesofstudiesthatprovidedthescientificbasisforthedietary program;an 18-pagePatient'sManualwithan explanationofthediet;a tableoffoodstouseandtoavoid;a samplemenufora dayandsomebasic recipes;a monthlydietarydiaryto be keptby patients;someexercise instructions;and severalcase historiesof peoplewhohad high blood pressure,angina,and adult-onsetdiabetes,and whohad been treated successfully on theprogram. Pritikinhadhopedtointerestleadingscientiststoparticipateasadvisoryboardmembers;however,despitehisefforts,hewasunabletoenlist the helpofanyofthe rankingresearchershe contacted.Nathansinglehandedlysupervisedthestudyandkepttherecords,withhelpfromIlene. HecalledtheprojecttheLowFatand CholesterolStudy,or LFCforshort. Thestudyofficiallygotunderwayin May1974,whena handfulof physiciansstartedplacingpatientson the programand followingtheir responses.Eventually, 21doctorsfrommanydifferentpartsofthecountry andnearly1,000patientsparticipatedintheLFCstudy,whichwouldrun foroneyear,toJune 1975.ThestudywouldcostNathanand Ilenemore

than$25,000, muchofwhichwenttotypesetting, printing, andmailing themanualsand othermaterials.

Theprojectgota majorboostwhentheJournaloftheAmerican

MedicalAssociation(JAMA) publishedan announcementin itsSeptember 2, 1974,issueforthestudy,whichNathanhad sent.JAMAprinteda

94

Pritikin

pictureof EulaWeaverrunning in her joggingclothes,alongwitha description of her condition before and after she adopted the low-fat,

low-cholesterol diet.TheJAMA articlestatedthatinterested doctors could

writetoPritikinforstudykitsthatincludeda completemanualfordoctors and patients. Thanksin largeparttotheJAMApublicity,Pritikingothundredsof requestsformoreinformationfromsuchdiverseplacesas theassistant

WhiteHousephysician inWashington, D.C.;themedicaldirectorofthe

MedicalServicesDivisionof the Cityof LosAngeles,whoconsidered placinga groupofpoliceofficersand firefighterson the diet;and the NorthAmericanReassuranceCompany,a largeinsurancecompanythat recognizedthe potentialbenefitsto policyholders.Noneof thesehighrankingbusinessandgovernment officials participated inthestudy,however. Infact,Nathanranintoinsuperableproblems,themostimportantof whichcameoutofa generallackofunderstandingofhisprogram.Itwas soradicallydifferentfromorthodoxmedicaltherapiesandtypicalAmericaneatinghabitsthat,undertheconditionsofthestudy,misconceptions and poorimplementation byphysiciansand patientsseemedinevitable. Peopledidn'tknowhowtomakethefoodanddoctorsdidn’tknowhowto treatpatientswiththeprogram. AstheWhiteHousephysicianputitin a lettertoNathan: Thankyouverymuchforsendingmethematerialon theLFCStudy.It lookedveryinteresting, andIthinktheconceptmayprovevalid.Unfortunately, thepatientpopulationthatIdealwithiscomposedprimarilyof“workaholics” whofrequentlydo not eat regularly,let alonehavethe opportunityfora fifteen-minute walkaftereachmeal.

Pritikinunderstoodthedoctor'sposition,eventhoughitwasbasedon thealtogethererroneousperceptionthatpeoplewhoworklonghoursdo nothavetimetoeatwellandexercise.Nathanhimselfwasaworkaholic, a

manofincredibleproductivity; however, he alsofoundtimeto eata

_healthydietand exerciseregularly. Moreimportantly, itwasNathan'spositionthata programofsound dietandregularexerciseactuallyenhancesproductivity, sinceitreduces sicktime,increasesenergy,and promotesmentalclarity.He sawthe typicalAmericandietas antitheticalto productivity, becauseit reduces energylevelsandleadstosickness,disability, andprematuredeath.From the standpointof productivity, a diet made up of wholegrains,fresh vegetables,fruit,andrestrictedamountsoflow-fat, low-cholesterol animal foodswasthedietofchoice.Pritikinalsomaintainedthatoncea person becameusedtothenewwayofeating,he or shewouldspendno more timepreparingthe foodand consumingit thantheywouldiftheywere eatinga typicalAmericandiet.Andinthelongrun,itwastimewellspent.

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Thebiggestproblemthestudyfaced,however, wastherelative lackof nutrition knowledge physicians possessed. Usingdiettopreventortreat

diseasewasas foreigntomanyas thelunarsurface. Uptotheearly1980s,doctorsweregivenlittlenutritioneducationin medicalschool.Whiletheyweretaughtaboutvariousdietarycomponents, suchas vitaminsandminerals,theirnutritionaleducationfocusedprimar-

ilyondeficiency diseases.Pritikin's approachwasbasedontheconse-

quencesofconsumingtoomuchofcertainfoods,nottoolittle. Breakdowns incommunication andconfidencebetweendoctorsand theirpatientsoccurredregularly.Physicianswereoftenunsureofwhat effectsthedietwouldhaveonthosewhohadjustbeguntheprogram,nor didtheyknowhowandwhentoreducetheirpatients’medicationsasthe

symptoms abatedonthediet.

|

Intruth,Pritikinpossessed a rareknowledge. Veryfewpeoplehad

experimentedwithdietin the mannerthathe had,and fewerstillknew howto treatillnessusingdietalone.Physicianshad to stayin constant touchwithNathaninordertounderstandwhattheirpatientsweregoing throughon hisdiet.Pritikin’s correspondencewithdoctorsparticipating in the LFCstudynot onlyrevealshis vastknowledgeof nutritionand medicine,butalsohisconfidencein hismethods. Toa physicianin BloomingGlen,Pennsylvania,Pritikinwroteon October 27, 1974:

Enclosed isyourdataformforpatient32-002M7 1andtheECGtracing.

Afterfourweekson the LFCdiet,his [thepatient's]bloodpressurecould return to normalwithoutthe Hydrodiuril[hypertensivemedication].Try takinghimoffthehydrochlorothiazide sinceitisraisinghisuricacidlevel.

7.5mg.% istoohighandifheisoffthedrug,uricacidwilldropbelow6mg.%

and his arthritisshouldimproveenoughso that Indocin[medicationfor arthritis]maynotbe required. Atalevelof6 mg.%,Tylenol insmalldosagescankeephimcomfortable.

OnNovember24, 1974,hewrotetoa doctorinGainesville, Georgia, whorequestedhisguidance: YoumayconsidertheLFCregimenforpregnantwomen.Itisalmosta guaranteeforpreventionoftoxemia,aswellastoarrestandreversediabetes duringpregnancy. Itisquiteeffective inlowering thehyperlipidemia associated withthe thirdtrimesterof pregnancy,and willkeepthe newborns’blood levelsin properrange.

Toa physicianin Bellevue,Washington,on September15,1974,he wrote: Enclosedisdataform[patient]42-007M57.Hereportsblurredvision, headache,and posturaldizziness.Theseallcouldbe causedbytheniacin.

96 = Pritikin Suggestdeletingniacinfora three-week trialtonoteifsymptomsdisappear.

Hewillnotrequirea vasodilator ontheLFCdiet.

_ Patient42-004M46hasa drasticrisein triglycerides whichhasraised thecholesterolanduricacidlevels.Heshouldbecloselyquestionedastohis dailyfoodintake.Eithera highquantityoffruitor simplecarbohydratesin the formof honey,sugar,etc. can have this effect.Lethim writedown everythinghe eatsfor2-4days;thenmailit tome... Thetriglyceriderise couldbeduetoa recentinfectionorfever.Hashehada recentillness?Keep

meadvisedonhim. | Pritikinalsowroteletterstopatientsdirectlyandpublisheda newsletter entitled“LFCStudyProgressReport:Newsaboutthe Low-Fat, LowCholesterolStudy,”to keepphysiciansinformedand to inspirethemto staywiththe program.He did everythingin his powerto keepup the complianceofboththephysicansand thepatients. Butto littleavail.Patientcompliancewasdiscouraging-amere 5

percent.ByMarchof1975Pritikin triedtorounduptheresultsofhisLFC studybycirculating a questionnaire amongthestudy'sphysicians to

ascertaintheeffectsofthedieton theirpatients. Therewas somegoodnews,however.Forthosewhomanagedto changetheireatinghabitsandsticktotheprogram,theresultswerevery good,thephysiciansreported.Manypatientswereindeedabletoreverse seriousdiseases,andthosephysicianswhousedtheprogramwereableto weanpatientsfromdrugtherapies. Pritikinwas not at all discouragedby the resultsof his study.He remainedconfidentof the essentialefficacyof his approach,and was buoyedby the resultsof thosewhowere able to followthe program. Moreover, hehadlearnedagreatdealincarryingoutthestudy.Now,more than everbefore,he realizedthatpatientsneededclosersupervisionif theywereto sticktothe program.Theyneededto understandfullywhy theyshouldeat thisway,and howto preparethe newdiet.Hebegan to considerotherwaysof applyinghisapproach,waysthatwouldallowfor closermonitoringof patientsso thatthe programwouldhavethe best chanceat treatingseriousdiseases. It wouldn'tbe longbeforean opportunityto dojust thatwouldpresentitself.

CHAPTER

ABreakthrough forDiabetics One oftheleadingmedicalscientistsintheUnitedStateswouldoneday saythatNathanPritikin’s roleinchangingmedicinewassimilartothatof thelittleboyin thestory“TheEmperor'sNewClothes,”inwhicha young boydarestosaywhatnooneelsewill:theemperoriswearingnoclothes. Whilethe majorityofscientistsand doctorsweregoingalongwith conventional thinking,Pritikinhadtheinsightandthecouragetospread a revolutionary approachtodisease.Andthenhewentontoprovehewas right.Nothingin Pritikin’shealthcareerbetterexemplifiedhis pioneer thinkingthanhisapproachtodiabetes. Diabetesisthethirdleadingcauseofdeathin theUnitedStatesand muchof the Westernworld.It is an illnesscharacterizedby the body's

inability toconvert sugarinthebloodstream tofuel.Without fuel,cellsdie.

Therearetwotypesofdiabetes.TypeI,orjuvenilediabetes,ischaracterizedbya failureofthe pancreastoproduceinsulinand oftenoccurs earlyin life.In typeII,or adult-onsetdiabetes,the pancreasis able to produceinsulinbuttheinsulinisunabletoconvertbloodsugartofuelfor cells. Nineto ten millionAmericanssufferfromtypeII, or adult-onset, diabetes.Onetotwomillionsufferfromjuvenilediabetes. Bothformsofdiabetescausea widevarietyofotherillnesses,includingblindness,gangrene,palsy,andhearingloss.Theyarealsoassociated witha higher-than-average rateofheartattacksand strokes.Eventhose whotakeoraldrugsor insulinare at high riskofcontractingall these illnesses. In 1974,when Nathanset out to change medicine'sapproachto diabetes,theAmericanDiabetesAssociation (ADA) wasadvocatinga diet 97

98 ssPritikin highin fatand proteinand lowin carbohydratesas partofthediabetic's

treatment.Thespecific dietaryrecommendations in 1974were40per-

centofcaloriesfromfat,20 percentfromprotein,and 40 percentfrom carbohydrates. (Thoserecommendations didn'tchangeuntil1979.) Therationalebehindthisdietwasthatifdiabeticscouldnotmetabolizesugar,thenallcarbohydrates-bothrefinedand complex-hadtobe limited.Themostimportantgoalsof the diet were to controlcalories (obesityincreasestheseverityofthedisease)and limitsugars. Inadditiontodiet,physiciansprescribedoraldrugs,suchasOrinase, Diabinese, orTolinase, whichstimulatereleaseofinsulin fromthepancreas, theorganthatproducesinsulin. Finally,insulinwas also administeredto both type I and type II diabeticswhodidnotrespondadequatelytodietor drugs. ThedietrecommendedbyADA,Pritikinargued,actuallywasincreasing the incidenceof the diseaseor makingit worseamongthosewho alreadysufferedfromit. Pritikinmadea radicaldistinctionin thetypeofcarbohydratesconsumedbydiabetics. Heagreeddiabeticsshouldavoidsimplecarbohydrates, suchas tablesugar,butmaintainedthatthevastmajorityofthediabetic

dietshouldconsist ofcomplex carbohydrates, fromgrainsandvegetables.

ThisdietcouldreversetypeIIdiabetesandrestorehealth,hebelieved.In mostcases,drugs-whichhavesevereside effects-orinsulinwerenot necessary. | Althoughdietcouldnotreversejuvenilediabetes,Nathanmaintained itcouldpreventmanyoftheotherillnessesnormallyassociatedwiththe

disease,suchasheartdisease,blindness, andgangrene.

|

Nathanalso encourageddiabeticsto walkdaily.He said it could improvecirculationand metabolismand controlweightand appetite.

Onceagain,Pritikin hadunearthed theresearchtosupporthisthesis. Hehadfoundnumerous studiesdoneattheearlypartofthetwentieth

centurydemonstrating thatahigh-fatdietwasactuallythecauseofdiabetes. Theresearchershad foundthatwhen healthypeopleare placedon a

high-fat diet,theycanbemadediabetic. Ontheotherhand,diabetics who

eat a diet lowin fat-andhigh in complexcarbohydrates-canactually reversethedisease. Thekeyquestionwas,howcouldhe getdoctorsandscientiststolook at thisevidenceand testthehypothesis.TheleadingresearchersandexpertsinthefieldbelievedexactlytheoppositeofwhatPritikinwassaying. Heconsideredvariouswaysofpublicizingthedietand theresearch he hadcollected,butrealizedthescientificestablishmentwasunlikelyto beconvincedbya layman.No,hewouldhavetofindanotherwaytoprove hisprogramworked.

ABreakforDiabetics 99 Thebestwaytoconvincethescientificworld,Pritikinbelieved,wasto havean eminentlyrespectedscientisttestNathan'sdietasa treatmentfor diabetes.Donebytherightinvestigator, sucha studywoulddrawa great dealofattentionfromthescientificandmedicalcommunities,andcould

perhapschangethewaydiabetesistreated. Intheearlyspringof 1974,Nathanwroteletterstoresearchers at

manyleadinginstitutions, includingStanfordUniversity, theUniversity of Washington, SansumClinicinSantaBarbara,andtheCityofHoperesearch centerin Duarte,California.Herepresentedhimselfas a memberofthe LongevityFoundationanda scientistinterestedin diabetesresearch.In severalcases,hesentthescientistshisvolumeondiabetes(fromhisthreevolumework),whichdocumentedthecauseofmostdiabetesasa high-fat diet.Pritikinwassodeterminedthata studybedonethatheofferedtohelp raisethe moneyneededto do the research.Scientistsat Stanfordwere interestedin his ideas,but said theywouldneed $30,000to fundthe

research.Pritikin setouttofindthemoney. Oneofthefirstplaceshecontacted wasthephilanthropic offshoot of

theMcDonald's hamburgerempire,theKrocFoundation. TheKrocFoundationwasfoundedbyRayKroc,adiabeticwhoalsocreatedtheMcDonald's hamburger, and itwasrun by his brother,Dr.RobertL.Kroc,a biochemist.

TheFoundationwasinterestedin newdrugsor surgicalproceduresfor diabetes,butPritikinpursuedthematterbecausehewashopefulhecould obtainthefundingfromthemandhesawa certainjusticeinhavingsome oftheMcDonald'sfortunegotowardfindinga dietarycureforan illness he believeditsownfoodwashelpingtocreate.Following an exchangeof numerousletters,Pritikinand RobertKrocengagedina livelytelephone

discussion on the subjectofdiabetes.Afterthetwohad talkedfora

while,KrocfinallyaskedPritikinwhetherhe wasan M.D.or a Ph.D.

Nathananswered thathewasneither;headdedthathehadnodegreeat

all.Withthat,the conversationcametoan abrupthalt,Pritikinrecalled yearslater. Onephilanthropistwasinterestedin Pritikin'sideas.Thatmanwas RichardBerk,a trusteeattheDavidand MinnieBerkFoundationin New York.TheBerkFoundationfundedhealth-relatedresearchand had a particularinterestin findinga cure for diabetes.Pritikinsent Berka number of studiessupportinghis ideas,as wellas his speechto the InternationalAcademyof Metabology, givenin March1974in Miami

Beach.InMay1974,BerkwrotetoPritikin inbewilderment:

YouraddresstotheInternational AcademyofMetabology indicatesthat scientistshavedonesimilarstudiesformanyyears.Whathashappenedthat thesetheoriesare notknownand are contradictedbyalmosteverymajor diet being recommendedtoday....I am thoroughlyconfused,so please

100=‘Pritikin bearwithme.Toomanydiets,somanydifferentsuggestions,andnowyour approachwhichisnew,at leastas faras I amconcerned.

Pritikinrespondedbysayingthatfor50yearsdoctorsand scientists havelaboredunder the mistakennotionthatdiabeteswascausedby a defectivepancreas.Thisledtoendlessresearchand therapiesthatnever addressedtherealproblem:fatin thebloodstreamrenderedthebody's

insulininert,thusmakingit impossible forinsulintomakebloodsugar available tocells.Ahigh-fat dietwascausingtheonsetofadultdiabetes,

Pritikinstated.Hepointedoutthatrecentresearchhadshowntheaverage diabeticactuallyproducesmoreinsulinthana nondiabetic.Thesestudies showedthattheproblemwithdiabetesisnotsomuchthepancreasasthe effectiveness oftheinsulin. Duringthese50years,studieshad shownrepeatedlythatthedrugs used for diabetesdo not preventthe ravagesof the disease,and, in addition,oftenhaveseveresideeffects. Themostexhaustive studyperformed intheUnitedStatesexaminingthesideeffectsofdiabetesmedication,the University GroupDiabetesProgram,concludedthatevenwiththeuseof thedrugs,diabeticshave250percentmoredeathfromheartattacks,as

wellasotherseriousdisorders. AsPritikin provided morestudies, theBerkFoundation becamemore

enamoredof his ideas,and evensuggestedthat the foundationmight supporta studyexamininghishypothesisifhe couldgetonegoing. In the meantime,StanfordscientiststoldPritikinthattheywereno longerinterestedin doingthekindofstudyhe hadin mind.Pritikinwould havetolookelsewhere. In May1974,PritikintelephonedDr.JamesW.Anderson,chiefof Endocrine-Metabolic SectionattheUniversity ofKentucky MedicalSchool. Andersonwasan internationallyrecognizedresearcherin the fieldof diabetes.Hehad studiedtheeffectsofsimplesugars(orsimplecarbohy-

drates)ondiabetes andfoundthatwhensimplesugarmakesupasmuch

as80percentofthetotalcaloriesinthediet,manydiabeticsactuallyneed lessmedication,suchas oraldrugsand insulin.Ona dietof80 percent sugar,the levelof fatin the dietis reducedto 10to 15percentof total calories—a verylowlevel.Pritikinhadbeensayingforyearsthatit wasn't sugarthatwasthemaincauseofdiabetes,butfat,aconclusionAnderson's researchseemedtosupport. Anderson'sworkhad actuallycontradictedthe long-heldbeliefthat carbohydrateswereharmfultodiabetics. In histelephoneconversation withAnderson,Pritikinsuggestedthat Andersondo a study using Pritikin’sdiet as a treatmentfor diabetes. Andersonlikedtheidea. °

ABreakforDiabetics 101

ABittersweetSuccess On May13, 1974,PritikinwroteAnderson a letterand includeda protocol,ora descriptionofthestudyhe hadinmind.Theletterreviewed theresultsofearlystudiesshowingthata high-carbohydrate, low-fatdiet reversedadult-onsetdiabetes. Pritikinthen describedthe studyhe wanteddone.A number of diabeticswhowereusingoraldrugsor insulinshouldbe placedon the ADAdietforoneweekand monitoredtoseewhateffectsthediethadon theirbloodsugarlevels.Aftertheweekwasover,two-thirds ofthesesame patientsshouldbe placedon the“experimental” or Pritikindietforone yeartoseewhateffectsthisdiethadonthediabeticcondition.Hedescribed theexperimentaldietas“foodsin theiroriginalstate,and approximately 12 percentprotein, 10 percent fat,and 78 percent slowlyabsorbed carbohydrates. Nosimple,quicklyabsorbedcarbohydrates [suchastable sugar,or sucrose,whichAndersonhad used before]willbe used and cholesterolwouldbe limitedto 100mg.perday.” Pritikinstatedthat the patients“shouldbe housedin a controlled environment,preferablya metabolicward.” Healsosuggestedthatallsubjectsshouldtakethree20-minutewalks perday,oneaftereachmeal. OnJune 6, 1974,AndersonwrotebacktoPritikin,“Iamveryinterestedin participatingin a studysuchas theoneyouhaveoutlinedand wouldverymuchliketodosomedetailedstudiesonhospitalized patients.” Andersonconcludedhisletterbysaying,“Ithinkitwouldbeextremely beneficialforme if you couldcomethroughLexingtonand we could discussthisin greaterdetail.” OnJune24,PritikinwrotebacktoAndersontellinghimthathecould be inLexingtonsometimeintheearlypartofJuly.Thetwofinallymeton July2, 1974.Theydiscussedtheirprospectiveeffortstogether,and the researchup to that point.PritikinsharedwithAndersonhis bookon diabetes,whichoutlinedallofNathan'sideasontherelationshipbetween dietand adult-onsetdiabetes. On July 10,Andersonwrotebackto Pritikintellinghim he would need $10,000to do the study.Themoneywouldgo towardpayingthe salaryofa Ph.D.in nutritionforoneyear. Andersonalsoincludeda revisedprotocol,whichwasessentiallythe sameasPritikin’s earlierversionsubmittedtoAndersoninMay.Anderson describedthe experimentaldietas a “high-carbohydrate diet”thatwill “contain75percentofcaloriesascarbohydrateandwillexcludesucrose and simplesugarsin as faras possible.Thisdietwilllargelyconsistof starchesand otherpolysaccharides. Theproteincontentwillbe 15per-

102= Pritikin

centofcaloriesandthefatcontent10percentofcalories.Thecholesterol

contentwillberestricted to100mg.perday.”

ThiswasessentiallythesamedietPritikinhadsuggestedtoAnderson originally. OnJuly20,PritikinwrotebacktoAndersonthatthe“experimental designis fine”and thathe hoped“tohavefundsforyouin sixto eight weeks.”Pritikinhad been writingto the BerkFoundationand wasnow hopingitwouldsupportAnderson'sresearchwitha grantfor$10,000. Berkrespondedpositivelyto Pritikin'sovertures,and in September

the BerkFoundation gaveAnderson$10,000as a resultofPritikin’s lobbying onhisbehalf.InhisletterofthankstoRichard Berk,Anderson

wrote,“Igreatlyappreciatethe$10,000whichtheDavidandMinnieBerk Foundationhascontributedtomyresearchindiabetes.AsNathanPritikin and I haveindicatedto you,we thinkthisis a veryimportantarea of

researchin diabetesandonewhichwillhavean important impacton

the treatmentof manydiabeticsin the future.”He concludedthat he wouldkeepBerkinformed.Atthebottomofthecarboncopyoftheletter, whichhe sentto Pritikin,Andersonwrotein longhand,“Thanksagain,

Nathan. Jim.”

|

Nathanwaseffusivein hisgratitudetoBerk.Ina lettertoBerkdated OctoberI, 1974,Pritikinwrote,“Needlesstosay,yourgrantisappreciated morethanIcanexpressinwords.ItrepresentsthefirstfundsIhaveever obtainedforhealthcauses.” ThestudyAndersonwasabouttoundertakewastherealizationofa dreamforPritikin.Hisideaswerefinallybeingtakenseriouslyand,ifthe studyresultsturnedoutas he thoughttheywould,hishypothesiswould be proventrue. AndersonwantedtobeginthestudyinJanuary1975.OnOctober23, 1974,PritikinprovidedAndersonwithmealplansandsuggestionsforthe research. “Enclosedare threecopiesof the proposeddiet,”Pritikinwrote.“I decidedto makeit cholesterol-free to improvethe bloodlipidsin the fastestpossibletime.Thelowerthelipids[bloodfats],themoreefficientthe

insulinshouldbe.”Herecommended thatpeopleinthestudytakewalks

andthennotedthat“specialprecautionstoavoidanyinfectionproblems-

respiratory, etc.-should bemade.Patient{s] shouldhaveadequatesleep

everynight.Careofthefeet,due toblistersorotherproblemscausedby walking,etc.,mustbe closelywatched.Ifa toebecomesinfectedor ifthe patientcontractsany infectionthatwillgeneratea fever,the increased insulinrequirementwillnegate the experimentalresults,at least for severalweeksuntilthepre-infection statusreturns.”

ABreakfor Diabetics 103

Thestudyfinally gotunderway.Thirteen diabetic menwerefollowed foroneyear.Allofthemwereonoraldrugsorinsulin:fivewereondrugs

andeightrequireddailyinjectionsofinsulin. Pritikin’sexpertisein all areas of diet,nutrition,and healthwere

offeredtoAnderson without restraint. Hisonlyinterestwasinseeingthat nothinginterfered withthestudy’s results.Heregularly discussed various finepointsofnutrition andmetabolism withAnderson throughout 1975, whenthestudywasconducted.Andersonreciprocated bykeepingPritikin wellinformedaboutthe progressofthe studyand thankinghimin his lettersforhishelp. Withinweeksofbeginningthe“experimental” orPritikindiet,allthe menshowedimprovementin theircondition.Allthemenon oraldrugs

wereabletostoptakingthedrugs,andfouroftheeightmenoninsulin wereabletostoptakingtheinsulinentirely.Eventually, a fifthmanondaily injectionsofinsulincouldreducehisinsulinbynearlyhalf.

Thestudyshowedthatthehigh-carbohydrate, low-fat dietwasclearly

the treatmentof choicefordiabeticson oral drugs,and for someon insulin. Andersonwasscheduledtogivea talkin JapanonAugust7, 1975, wherehe plannedtoreportthe preliminaryresultsofthestudy.Pritikin apparentlyaskedAndersonspecificallyto givehim(Pritikin)creditfor originatingthedietand helpingwiththestudy. OnAugust5,NathanwroteDr.MelvinL.Weidman,a physicianwho headedtheKirstenFoundation,locatedin Manhasset,NewYork,which

hadalsobecomeinterested inPritikin’s ideas.Pritikin’s letterstatesthat,

“Anderson's wholeapproachnowis touseour diet,confirmourresults, andexplorewhatmakesthedietwork.I phonedhimandhepromisedme thatfromnowonhewillcreditmynameastheoriginatorofthenewdiet, andwillstartwithhisJapantalk.” Andersondidmakea passingreferencetoPritikinin hisJapantalk, sayingthatthe dietAndersonusedin hisstudywas“similarto the one usedbyNathanPritikinand hisassociates....” Nomentionwasmadeof Pritikin'sparticipationin the study,however,or thathe helpedraisethe moneyto conductthe research.In fact,thiswouldbe the last public

reference he would make to Pritikin.

_ Privately,however,in correspondencewithPritikin,Andersonwas givingPritikincreditforthedietaryregimenusedinthestudy.OnOctober 30,1975,AndersonwrotetoPritikintogivehimthelatestprogressreport

himbysaying,“Whenthese onthestudyand seemedto congratulate patientswereswitchedtoa 75 percentcarbohydratedietsimilartothat whichyouadvocatewhichcontainedlargeamountsofstarchandgener-

104= Pritikin ous amountsof dietaryfiber,each one showedimprovement.In each instancetheplasmaglucosevaluedroppedtounder 100mg.%andwe wereabletodiscontinueallinsulinor oralagenttherapy.” Anderson'sstudywaspublishedin theAmericanJournalofClinical NutritioninAugust1976.InitheexpressedhisthankstotheBerkFoundationforitsfinancialsupport,butmadenomentionofPritikin.Hedidmail Nathana copyof his paper in advancewiththe words“Nathan,Best

regards,Jim”writtenonit. Theresults ofAnderson's studyshowed thatthePritikin dietsignificantly

improvedthehealthofthediabetics.OntheADAdiet,the 13meninthe studyallneededsometypeofmedicationtotreattheirdiabetes.Onthe dietsuggestedbyPritikin,9 ofthemenwereweanedofdrugsorinsulin entirely,anda tenthhadhisinsulinrequirementcutin half.

“Official” NewDietReflects Pritikin Program

Anderson wentontousethehigh-carbohydrate, low-fat dietinnumerousstudiesafterhis1975collaboration withPritikin. Theresearchhada

majorimpactonthescientific community, andwasinstrumentalinchangingthedietaryrecommendations oftheAmericanDiabetesAssociation.

The1979guidelines bytheADA urgeddiabetics toeatupto60percentof

theircaloriesfromcarbohydrates andaslittleas20percentfromfat.Itwas thefirsttimetheADAchangeditsdietaryrecommendations in 50years. Andersonservedon theADAcommitteethatchangedtheguidelines. PritikinwasgratifiedthatthestudyandAnderson’s subsequentwork hadhadsuchapowerfulinfluenceonthescientific community. Therewas no doubtthat,as a resultof the research,thousandsof diabeticswho followed theADA'‘s advicehadbeenhelped.However, Pritikinwashurtby Anderson'sfailuretomentionanyassociationwithhim.

Yearslater,Anderson maintained thathehadintendedtodosucha studybeforePritikincontacted himandthatPritikin’s contribution was

minimaltoinsignificant. HeinsistedthatPritikinhadlittletodowiththe researchand that Nathanexaggeratedhis role in the study.In short, Pritikindidn'tdeserveto be mentioned,Andersonfelt.He did admit Pritikinwasa controversialfigureand thatitwasnotpoliticallywiseto associatewithhim,especiallyafterPritikinopenedtheLongevity Center in 1976.Andersonalso acknowledgedit was Nathanwho raisedthe moneytodo thestudy,withoutwhichtheresearchcouldnothavebeen done-atleastnotthen. Andersonlatermodifiedthedietsomewhattoinclude70percentof itscaloriesincomplexcarbohydrates, 9 percentfat,andabout21percent protein.HerenamedthisdiettheHFCDiet,orhigh-fiber, high-carbohydrate diet.Healsoemphasizedtheroleoffiberinthediet,whichdistinguishedit

ABreakforDiabetics 105 emphasison complexcarbohydratesand fat.However, from Pritikin’ss

in thediet whenaskedbya reporterin 1980whichoftheconstituents

playedthemajorrolesin thetreatmentof diabetes,Andersonstatedthe fiberplays“aminorrole:themajorinfluencehere is probablyincreased complexcarbohydrateand limitedfat.Thedietused9 percentfatand 70 percentcarbohydrate,theHFCdiet.” Andersoncontinuedto pursue Pritikinforfinancialsupportof his research,andPritikinmanagedtoprovideAndersonwithanother$10,000

Boardof forotherstudies.Andersondidagreeto serveon Pritikin’s

Centerin January1976, AdvisorsafterNathanhadopenedtheLongevity Anderson otherreasons.” and butresignedninemonthslaterfor“personal nevermentionedhis collaborationwith Pritikinin his publicwritings or talks. It wouldnot be until 1981 thatPritikinexpressedhis desireto be givensomecreditfor his role in the landmarkresearchon the low-fat, carbohydratediet.Ina letterdatedApril27, 1981,Pritikin high-complex wrotetoAndersonsaying: WhileI wasin Londona fewdaysago,I metwiththepublishersof[Dr.]

a Mr.Dunitztoldmehewaspublishing book,MartinDunitz. DenisBurkitt's

bookforyouondiabetes.I knowthatyouhavehesitatedoverthepastyearsto mentionanyassociationwithmein anyofyourmedicalarticles,sinceyou feltitwouldnotbe appropriate. Yourbookforthe layman,as opposedto a scientificarticle,wouldnot inhibityoufromrecountingmyroleinyourstartingtheuseofthehigh-fiber, high-carbohydratediet.A paragraph or two wouldprobablycovermy contribution.IunderstandfromMr.Dunitzthatthebookwillbe typesetin the nextperiodofweeks.AlthoughI havenot discussedthiswithhim,it ifyouwish wouldbe an opportunitytoincludementionofourcollaboration

todoso.

Anderson chose not to mention Pritikinin his book.

CHAPTER

Innovator, Inventor, Businessman

T houghhealthand nutritionwerePritikin’s avocationsand,in fact,the fieldshelovedthemost,itwastheelectronicsindustrythatwasthesource ofhisincome. By 1974,Pritikinowneda controllinginterestin fivecorporations. Theseincluded:NaleneIndustries(namedbyjoiningthe“Na”fromNathan and “lene”fromIlene),a companythat made high-precision dies and die-stampedmetalparts;RencoCorporation, whichmadeatypeofoptical

encoder,a deviceNathandesignedthatgavecommands toautomated

machinesand computers,tellingthem whatto do and when to do it; PenexCorporation, a companythatproducedretractable,porous-tipped pensthatwasstillintheresearchanddevelopmentstages;EpodEngineering,whichmademeasuringinstruments; andfinally, hisflagshipcompany, Photronics. PhotronicswasPritikin’s lastofa seriesofbusinessesintheelectronic and engineeringfieldsthatevolvedfromGlassProducts,whichhe started inChicagoin 1948andmovedtoSantaBarbarain 1957.Pritikinchanged the name of GlassProductsto Intelluxin 1960and finallymovedthe

company toGoleta, theneighboring suburb,in 1964.HesoldIntellux to

HarveyRadioin 1967and retiredthatyeartooverseehisotherbusiness interestsand concentrateonhisstudyofhealthand nutrition.In 1972,he “wandered”backinto the electronicsindustry,as he put it,and formed Photronics,whichpickedup whereIntelluxhad leftoff. Photronicsproducedelectronicdevicesand printedcircuits,including thecircuitboardsinhand-heldcalculatorsandthememorybanksfor computers.In 1975,Photronicsemployednearly 150people,had $4 millionin grosssales,and had a $2millionannualpayroll.

106

Innovator 107

Nathanhadhisfingersinhalfadozenotherenterprises, Meanwhile, ofliquidcrystals(whichareusedin includingrealestate,production makingnumeralsappearon watchfacesand otherdigitaldisplays),and severalinventionsthenunderdevelopmentat thesametime. patentsand 24 foreignpatents.Amonghis By1975,he had 19USS.

were:a newmethodformakinginlaidcircuitsthatwereflush inventions in 1954);a newmethodformaking base(patented insulation their with andthe resistor electrical animproved in 1955); (patented printedcircuits

whichwasfollowed technologyforproducingtheminexpensively(1958), byseveralotherimprovedversions,all ofwhichwerepatentedthrough the 1960s; thin films.that were used as electrical conductors and the

circuits anewprocessforembedding toproducethem(1964); technology and in insulatedbases,makingthemresistantto heatand moisture, protectingthemfromshock;and betterinlaidcircuitsand methodsfor producingthem(1965).Otherinventionsfollowed whichwerevariations on thesesamethemes.

industryas theelectronics throughout waswidelyrespected Pritikin

oneoftheleadersin hisfield.In September1977,whenhe wastospeakto inSantaBarbara,NathanAssociation Manufacturers theWesternElectronic as “anextremelyinnovapublicity premeeting 62-washeraldedin then tivetalentin theelectronictechnologies.”

however. businessman, typicallysuccessful buta wasanything Pritikin

Hecametoworkmostdaysona bicycle.Hereplacedhissportsjacketwith a labcoatoncehe gotinsidethebuilding,andeveryonein theplacecalled himbyhisfirstname. Hisdresswasalwaysunderstated.Evenafterhe startedtheLongevity

knownfigure,hedressedinmodestsuits Centerandbecamea nationally

and sportsjackets.Herarelyworea tie.Hisclotheswereboughtoffthe alittle toobigforhisslenderframe.Because seemed rackandoccasionally ofa footinjurythathehadsufferedasa child,heoftenworesandals,which gavehisfeetgreatercomfort. Pritikinlookedmorelikea universityprofessorthan a hard-driving businessman.Hisutilitarianapproachtoclothingandsimpledietcaused associatesto seehimas monkishandevenascetic.This manyofPritikin’s wasenhancedby the factthat his personalitytendedtobe seriousand completelywithoutartifice.Hewasso totallyfocusedonwhateverhe was withIlenewould doingthatevenat homethemaintopicofconversation invariablybe hislatestproject. Thoughhewassimplein hisstyleofliving,hewasdownrightreckless whenitcametopouringmoneyintohisinventions. ForNathan,moneyallowedhimcreativefreedomand thereforewas essentialtohishappiness.Hisideaswerethethingshe prizedthemost,

108= Pritikin

and he neededmoneyto bring themto fruition.“Ifit [aninventionor a businessventure]wassomethingNathanwasinterestedin-evenwhenit wasanideathatothershadgivenupon-he didn'tseeitas a risk,”recalled hisattorney,HowardParke.“Hehad greatfaithin his abilityto makehis ideaswork.” Strictlyspeaking,Pritikinhad littleinterestin businessforits own sake;he sawbusinessas the playgroundforhis ideas,the matrixfrom whichhiscreativityflowed. Despiteall his successes,manypeopleregardedPritikinas a poor businessman,and indeed,his prioritieswere such thatprofitsand the securityofhisbusinessesweresecondaryto findingwaystocapitalizeon hislatestinvention.Nooneknowshowmanyfortuneshe pouredintohis searchfortheidealresistor,a projectthatspannedmorethan20yearsand neverachievedthesuccesshe hadhopeditwould. Hewasforeverin the laboratorycarryingoutexperimentsor in his

officedevisingnewones.Pritikin’s attitudewasalwaysthathiscurrent invention wouldbehistickettogreatsuccess. Hiscrowning achievement

wasalwaysjust overthenexthill.Asa result,Nathanfinancedhisideas withtheattitudethateachonewouldbringthelong-soughtpayoffhe had dreamedof.Butas Ilenesaid,“Weneverachievedthe ultimatesuccess

Nathanwasalwayshopingfor,nordidwefallvictimtothedisasterthat seemedtothreatensooften.”

(Afewtimestheycameclose.In fact,fiveyearslater,in 1979,Pritikin’s personalfortuneand his entirehealthempirewouldbe threatenedat its rootswhenhe wasforcedintopersonalbankruptcy.)

Yet,despitethevicissitudes ofhisbusinesses andpersonalhealth, Pritikin remained remarkably composed, whichalways seemedtoamaze

hisfamily.Oneofthewayshedealtwithstresswastowalkthetrailsofhis five-acreestate. In 1960,Nathanhada large,five-bedroom homebuiltinMontecito, a beautiful,woodedsectionof SantaBarbara.Thehouse,whichhe helped

design,wasbuiltonthesideofagradualrise.Thesidesofthehousefacing

south and westwere constructedalmostentirelyof glass,allowingthe sun-which shines nine days out of ten in Santa Barbara-topour in throughoutthedaylighthours.Ilenedecoratedthehousewithcontemporaryand Orientalart fromIndia,China,andJapan.

Thelandwasdenselypopulated byCalifornia liveoaksanda wide~

varietyof flowersandbushes.Nathanhad fernsplantedalongthetrails, whichhe had meticulously maintained.In manyplaces,thepathswere coveredbya carpetofmoss.Theywoundthroughthegardenbeneaththe

towering oaks,overa ravine,andthroughvariousthickets.

Nathanseemedto losehimselfhere. He'dwalkalongthesepaths, inspectingand admiringnew life.Therewas such a balancebetween

Innovator 109

well-ordered plantsandwildshrubbery thatitcreatedtheillusion ofbeing

removedfromSantaBarbara,fromcivilization itself.Itwaswildandalive andhe lovedit. : Sometimeswhilehe walkedthe trailsone of his childrenwould accompanyhimtodiscusstheirlivesoraskabouthis.Astheywalkedand talked,Nathan'sattentionwouldoccasionally, and quite suddenly,be

diverted bya smallflowerorthegrowthofayoungplant.

“Hehad a wayoftuningintonature,”recalledhisdaughter,Janet, whooftenaccompaniedher fatheron thesewalks.“Hewouldsuddenly becomeveryawareofa flowerora plant.Ifitwerea flower, hewouldclose hiseyes,takeawhiffofitandsigh,asifhehadexperienced abit ofecstasy, and then he wouldmoveon. He couldblockout everythingwhenhe walkedhistrails.Hewashappyandyoucouldseeit.Afterward, hismind wouldbe movinga milea minuteagain.” Oncehiswalkswereover,hewasbackonthejob,seeminglyrejuve-

natedandevenplayful. “Throughout hisbusinesslife,myfatherwasfacedwithcountless

predicamentsanyofwhichcouldeasilybe calleda crisis,”saidJanet. “Therewasnevera time1canrecallwhenDadseemedundulyanxious,let alonefrenziedorhysterical, aboutaworkcrisis.Infact,sometimesevenif] knewtherewereproblems,hewouldstillbewhistling, joking,orsmiling, orperhapscommentingonawonderfularomainthekitchenorfragrance of the flowersoutside.AndI don'tthinkit wasnecessarilya matterof ‘puttingon a happyface’fortherestofus;I trulybelievehe wasableto separatethedismalstateofhisbusinessfromlifeitselfandwhathevalued most-—family, nature,smallpleasures.” | Pritikinwasthe kindof fatherwhobore his burdenssilentlyand cheerfullyin frontofhisfamily.Herarelysharedhisdifficulties withhis children,andwhenhedid,hispurposewastoreassurethem.Heshielded thefamilyfromtheproblemsofhisworldandletthechildrentendtotheir ownlives. TwoofNathan'ssons,Robertand Ralph,sawtheirfather’sattitudes towardlifein termsofthesporttheybothloved,whichwassurfing. EversinceRobertand Ralphhad been in theirearlyteens,they thoughtnothingofgettingupat4:00AM.ifthesurfwas“up.”By5:00AM., theywouldbe intheoceanandperchedontheirboards,waitingeagerly forthewatertoriseup andcarrythemlandward. Surfingisallbalanceandinstinct,a willingnesstoletgoandgamble

wheneverything rationalistellingyoutoholdbackorholdon.Forthose whocanputfearaside,andletinstinctandbalanceguidetheminside a canopyofsaltwaterand glitteringsunlight-inside theverycupof the wave-well,any surferwilltellyou thereis no experiencelike“beingtubed.”

110 = Pritikin

secretly,Robertand Ralphreferredto their fatheras the greatest surfer,despitethefactthatNathanhadneverbeenona surfboard-indeed, nevergotintotheocean.ToRobertandRalph,Nathanlivedalloflifelikea surfer,alwaysheadingforthedangerouswaters,alwaysreadytogamble everythingon the prospectthathis nextproject-hisnextwave-would carryhimallthewaytoa remoteshorethatonlyhe couldsee. Nathan,Ralph,and Robertsharedan insider'sjokeaboutsurfing,

because-onitssurface-itrepresentedeverything thatwasoutsideof

Nathan'sworld.Nathanhad takentheworkethictoitsouterlimits,while surfers—who viewlifeas somethingto be enjoyed,ratherthan labored over-—were tryingtoturnthegoodlifeintoan art form. Eventually, thewords“thesurf'sup”tookonagenericmeaninginthe Pritikinhousehold,a shorthandwayofsayingthatsomethinggoodand propitioushunginthebalanceorwasabouttohappen.“Thesurf'sdown” meanttheopposite:difficulties, troubleon thehorizon.Itwouldbe this verymetaphorthatNathanwouldusetotellRalphthathislifewascoming _toan end.

AnUnusualBoss Whenhewasn'tdreamingupnewideasintheelectronics field,and

workingslavishlyto implementthem,Pritikinwasin hisofficereading medicaljournals.Heestimatedthata thirdofallhistimeatGlassProducts, Intellux,and Photronicswasspentreadingthe scientificliteratureon nutrition,health,andmedicine. | Hisemployeeswerewellawareofhispassionforhealthandnutrition. In the February1975issueof TheReadout,the Photronicsemployees’ monthlynewsletter, Nathan'slongstandinginterestinhealthandtheLong BeachStudywerethesubjectofan article: EvernoticehowNathanPritikin bounces aroundtheplantasthoughhe wasmadeofIndiarubber?Askhimwhatkeepshimfeeling sofitandyou're likelytogeta 15-minute lectureontheevilsoffatandcholesterolinourdiet and theneedtogetadequateexercisein the maintenanceofgoodhealth andwardingoffdiseasesofaging,likehearttroubleanddiabetes. Lastyear,hisideasfoundtheirwayintoprintin a bookpublishedby GrossetandDunlapcalledLiveLongerNow.

Thosewhoworkedwithhimandknewhimwelluniformlystatedthat Pritikinwasa geniuswhenitcametofindingcreativesolutionstotechnicalproblems.Hewasalsoa workaholic. Hearrivedattheplantearlyinthe

morningandstayed,ontheaverage, until7:00PM.

Conversely, hewasdisproportionately lackinginmanagementskills. Infact,hehatedtomanagepeople,andinsteadhiredotherstooverseehis operationswhilehe focusedhisattentionandmostofhisbusinessprofits

Innovator 111

on researchand development.PeoplewhoworkedforNathanat Glass Products, Intellux, andPhotronics statethathewasextremely mild-mannered andhatedconfrontation. Herefusedtodisciplineorfireanyone,nomatter what an employee'sworkhabits.HisbrotherAlbert,who workedfor Nathanformorethan25years,recallsthatevenwhena groupofemploy-

eeshadgatheredtogossipduringworkinghours,Nathanwouldleave themtotheirscuttlebutt untiltheydecidedthemselves togobacktowork.

Ifhe had a questionforan employeewhohappenedtobe socializingon companytime,he wouldinterruptwitha sincere,“Excuseme.”Pritikin’s secretaryat GlassProducts,GloriaHarms,recalledthewayNathanhandleda femaleemployeewhohad a longstandingproblemwithalcohol, whichcausedher to callin sickfrequently.Wheneverthe womantelephonedNathan'ssecretarytosayshewouldn'tbecomingtoworkthatday, Pritikinwouldtellhissecretarytocallthewomanbackevery15minutes untilsheagreedtocometowork.Thewomanwouldinevitablyrelentand

cometotheoffice. Pritikin saidnothingabouttheepisodes, according to

Ms.Harms. * GloriaHarmsremembersthe daywhenone ofNathan'semployees wasin troublewitha creditorwhothreatenedlegalactionagainstthe man.Pritikintelephonedthecreditorandaskedhimifhewoulddropthe

chargesifPritikin paidthedebt.Pritikin thengothisemployee toagree

thathe wouldpayPritikinbackin monthlyinstallmentsfromhissalary. Ms.Harmsrecalled,however,thatPritikintookoneinstallmentpayment outoftheemployee'ssalaryand forgavetherestofthedebt. Whenit cametomanagingpeople,Pritikin’s onlytoolwastime.He neverthreatenedor cajoled.Hesimplyendured;he waitedthe human problemsout.Accordingtohissecretary,hisstandardanswertoanyone whocomplainedaboutanotheremployee'sworkhabitswas:“Heneeds

time”or“Sheneedstime.”Hebelieved thatmosthumancharacterflaws thatgotinthewayofworkwouldeventually goaway, orthepersonwould

decideonhisorherowntoleavethecompany.Hisstockreplytoanyone whoaskedhim how a particularbusinessproblemwouldturn outwas simply,“We'llknowin90days.”Meanwhile, he turnedhisattentiontothe technicalaspectsof his businessand let the personalityproblemstake careofthemselves. Thisattitudesprangin part fromhisinherentlackofconfidencein handlingrelationships,and particularlypersonalityconflicts.Insteadof trying to correct such situations,he respondedwith toleranceand compassion,choosingtosaynothingandwait.

Hisrefusaltoconfrontpeopleopenlygothimintoendlesstrouble

withbusinesspartners,however.Hisattorney,HowardParke,said that Nathanwouldparticipateinimportantbusinessconversations seemingly

112 Pritikin ina stateofcompleteagreementwithhispartners.Aftertheconversation wasover,however,Pritikinwouldgooffanddojustwhathewanted.Some ofhis businesspartnerssaidPritikinat timeswasdifficultto pin down, becomingremoteor elusive. TedBarash,a marketingexpertand themangivencreditformaking WeightWatchersa success,wentintobusinesswithPritikinto formthe PritikinBetterHealthProgram,whichsoughttoprovideweekendseminars on the Pritikinprogramaround the country.Barashand Pritikin negotiatedformonthsbeforeNathanwaswillingtosigna contractgiving Barashtherightstobeginmarketingtheprogram.Barashrecalledhow Pritikinpostponednumerousmeetingswithattorneysand principalparticipantsformonthsonend,costingBarashandPritikinmanythousands ofdollarsin legalfeesand losttime. “Nathanwas a genius,”Barashrecalled.“Hedeservesenormous credit.Butlikeallgeniuses,hehadmajordeficiencies.” Clearly, thegreatest ofthesewasinbusiness.AccordingtoBarash,Nathanwouldsignpapers he shouldnothaveand,atcrucialtimes,changehismindin midstream, holdingupa projector turningitin a newdirection. Parke maintained that the chief source of conflictbetween Pritikin

and his businesspartnerswas the factthat Nathantendedto be softspokenandindirect,andasa resultpeopleoften“heardwhattheywanted to hear.”Frequently,however,the sourceof the troublewithbusiness partnersorassociateswasPritikin’s unwillingness tostatehisaimsplainly. He couldalsobe stubborn.Evenwhenhe deliberatelybroughtin expertstoadvisehim,saidParke,heoftendidexactlytheoppositeofwhat he wasadvisedtodo. Compassionateand tolerantwithweakness,oftena poorjudge of character,a geniusinventorwhocared littleforbusiness,remotewith peers,andaggressivewithantagonists— NathanPritikinpossesseda com-

plexcharacterwithremarkable paradoxes. Tomostofthepeopleinhis

life,Pritikinrepresentedtheembodimentofpaternalsolicitude,offering jobs,money,andbetterhealth.Withpartnersinbusinessheoftenbecame guardedand elusive,seekingalwaystomaintainhisindependenceand controloverhisbusinessaffairs.Whenitcametodealingwithadversaries and powerfulinstitutions,Pritikin’s mildmannertooktheoffensive.The warriorsideofhisnatureemergedandhewouldfightendlesslyforwhat he believedwasright. In August1974,Nathanturned59.Hedidn'tknowit then,but his greatestbattlesstilllayahead.

CHAPTER 10 FHleart Health andthePritikin Program On January5, 1975,Pritikinstoodinthelivingroomofa smalltwo-

bedroomhouseinLongBeach,California, lookingat 13severelyillmen. All 13 were on completedisabilityfromthe VeteransAdministration; somewerenotveryfarfromdeath. Theyrangedin age from50 to 70.Asa group,theysufferedfrom heartdisease,anginapain,highbloodpressure,cerebralischemia(lack ofbloodtothebrain,oftencausedbyatherosclerosis), diabetes,arthritis, gout,congestiveheartfailure,elevatedcholesterollevels,elevatedtriglyceridelevels,and xanthomas(nodulesof fleshthatappearon the body

causedbyfattydeposits intheskin).Mostofthemencouldn't walkablock

withoutseverechestand legpainfrominsufficient circulation. Thegroup ranged in educationallevelsfroma coupleof college graduatesto one man whohad leftschoolafterthe thirdgrade.Their occupationsbeforegoingoncompletedisabilitywereequallyvaried.One of the men in thatlivingroom,AlexBerger,whoin 1975was62, had retiredfromthe U.S.Armywiththe rank of fullcolonel.Another,Sam Freedman,68, wasa retiredjournalist.Mostof the men,however,had workedasmanuallaborers—sheetmetal workers,gardeners,andshipyard workers.Severalhad had longperiodsofunemployment. Onemanhad madea fortune,lostit,and had spentseveralyearslivingin flophouses

andYMCAs.

“Itwasa realcrosssectionofsociety,” AlexBergerrecalledin 1986. “Someoftheguyswerereallybeatenup bylife.” Theywerenotaninspiringlot,buttoPritikinthesemenwereadream cometrue. Nathanwasaboutto placethese 13men-plus6 morewhowould

113

114 =Pritikin

followtheprogramathome-onhisprogram,andthenfollowtheirprogressforsixmonths.ThemenwouldreceivenotreatmentexceptPritikin’s dietand exerciseregimen.Theexercisewouldconsistentirelyoftwoto three15-minutewalksperday.Themenwouldincreasethedistancethey walkedas theirconditionimproved. Themenwouldalsobe encouragedtostopsmokingcigarettesand

drinkingalcoholforthedurationofthestudy.

Attheconclusionofthesix-monthstudy,thehealthofPritikin’s group wouldbe comparedtoanothergroupof 19menwhoreceivedthestandard medicalcare forheartdisease,claudication,and diabetes.Thissecondgroup,calledacontrolgroup,wouldalsobeencouragedtowalkdaily and to stop smokingand drinking.Theywouldconsumea standard Americandiet,madeup of 20 percentprotein,40 percentfat,and 40 percentcarbohydrate. Nathansawitas a chancetoproveonceand forallthathisdietwas

moreeffective inthetreatment ofthesediseases thanorthodox medicine. Iftheresultswerewhathehoped,itwouldbea landmark study.

Still,bythelooksofthings—especially in theexpressionsofdoubton thefacesofthemenwhonowlookedbackathim-itwasnotgoingtobean easytask.Butthen,fewthingsin thisstudyhad beeneasysofar.

AStudyBeginsinLongBeach

Theprojecthad startedbecauseof a fortuitouscoincidence.Five monthsearlier,in August1974,Dr.John Kernhad happenedacrossa taperecordingofPritikin'smemorabletalktotheannualmeetingofthe AmericanAcademyof MedicalPreventics,whichhad takenplacethe

previous MarchinMiamiBeach.Theconference officials hadrecorded

thetalksgivenbythespeakersandmadethemavailablebymailorderto doctorsaroundthe country.Kern,chiefof GeneralMedicineat theVA Hospitalin LongBeach,California, wasintriguedbyPritikin’s thesisthat

dietcouldpreventandevenreversemanydegenerative diseases, includ-

ingatherosclerosis. Kernhad been studyingthe effectsof chelation—an experimental therapybasedon thehypothesisthatcertaindrugscaneliminateplaque fromthe arteries—and vitaminand mineraltherapyon atherosclerosis.

AfterhearingPritikin's talk,however, Kernbecameexcited bythepossibility of using diet as a meansof treatingheart disease.He telephoned Pritikinand thetwometlaterthatmonth. Attheirmeeting,Kernsuggestedhe and Pritikincollaborateon a

studytestingtheeffectiveness ofdietasatreatment forheartdisease. The

planwassimple:twogroupsofmenwithprovencoronaryheartdisease wouldbestudied.OnegroupwouldgetPritikin’s dietandexerciseprogram,

HeartHealth 115

whiletheothergotconventionalmedicaltreatment.Aftera periodofsix months,bothgroupswouldbe comparedtoseewhateffects,ifany,the Pritikinprogramhadhadontheexperimentalgroup,ascomparedtothe standardtherapygroup. TheVeteransAdministration wouldprovidethe patientsforboth groupsand all the necessarymedicaltests,includingbloodand EKG

stresstestsandangiograms, Kernsaid.Anangiogram isa testdoneto

ascertainthe degreeofatherosclerosis cloggingthearteriesand where theblockagesarelocated.Thetestisdonebyinjectingradioactive dyeinto the bloodstream;the dye collectsin the arteriesthroughoutthe body. X-raysare then able to revealthe extentto whichatherosclerosishas accumulatedin the arteries.Thetestcan revealthe conditionof main arteriesthroughoutthe body,includingthe femoralarteriesin the legs and thecoronaryarteriesoftheheart.(Thereis somerisktothepatient. Angiogramshavebeenresponsibleforbringingon heartattacksand a smallpercentageofpatientshavediedfromthetest.)

KernsaidtheVAwouldprovidebefore-and-after angiograms; thatis,

eachpatientwouldreceivean angiogramat theoutsetofthe studyand anotherattheconclusionoftheproject,toseewhatchangestookplacein thearteriesofbothgroups. Anothermeasurementforthe patientprogress,Pritikinand Kern decided,wouldbe claudication, an illnessofthecirculatorysystem. Claudication isoftencausedbyatherosclerosis blockingthearteries at theperipheryofthebody.Thelackofcirculationresultsinpainin the limbs,andespeciallyinthelegswhenwalking.Peoplewithsevereclaudicationcannotwalkmorethan a shortdistancebeforetheysufferfrom acutepaininthelegsandareforcedtostopwalking.Claudication would serveas a goodtestdisease,becauseit waseasyto gaugewhethera functionalimprovement hadbeenmadeontheprogramsimplybymeasuring the distancethe men couldwalkat the outsetof the studyand comparingittohowfartheycouldwalkat theconclusionofthestudy. PritikinandKernwantedthemeninbothgroupstobewell-matched, meaningthateachmanin Pritikin’s groupshouldhavea counterpartin thecontrolgroupwitha similarillnessata similarstageofdevelopment. Ideally,a manintheexperimentalgroupwitha 50percentclosureofthe femoral(thigh)arteryshouldbe comparedwitha man in the control groupwithapproximately thesamedegreeofclosureinthesameartery. Thiswouldprovidea clearcomparisonbetweenthetwotherapiesapplied in thestudy. Pritikinrealizedfromthestartthathewouldneedhelpadministering andsupervisinghisprogram.Heneededsomeonetoensurethatthemen atetheproperdiet,tookdailywalks,andmaintainedtheprogram.Healso

116=Pritikin neededhelpsiftingthroughthemorethan800relevantpatientrecordsat theVAHospitaltofindatleast20well-matched pairs.Therewasonlyone

personwhohadthenecessary expertise andtimeavailable tohelphim,

and thatpersonwashissonRobert. Bornon August29,the samedayas hisfather,RobertPritikinwas abouttoturn23yearsoldin thesummerof 1974.Likehisfather,Robert wasfascinatedbyscience.Hisdegreein biologyand hisfamiliarity with

thescientific literature ondietandhealthmadehim a naturalprotégéto

Nathan.ButRobertwasnowinBali,Indonesia,ona surfingholiday,with noimmediateplansofreturning. Initially, NathanwantedRoberttocomehometobecome a traveling fellowfortheKirstenFoundation,a NewYork-based philanthropicinstitutethatwasinterestedin Nathan'sideasregardingdiet'srelationshipto diabetes.ButnowNathanneededRobert'shelptoconductwhatNathan wasCallinghis “LongBeachStudy.”Sincethe KirstenFoundationwas interestedinfindinga curefordiabetes,andsincetheLongBeachStudy wouldexaminethe effectsofdieton diabetics,Pritikinproposedto the KirstenFoundationthatitpayRobert'ssalarywhileRobertsupervisedthe study.Thefoundationdirector,Dr.MelvinWeidman,agreed. Knowing: howmuch this studymeantto his father,Robertreadily acquiescedtocomehomefromparadise.

NewLifefortheSeverelyIll Together, RobertandNathanfound38VApatientstoparticipateinthe study,and dividedthemintotwogroupsof 19each.Nathanhad blood testsperformedattheVAHospitaloneachofthepatientsandnowturned totheVAforangiograms.That'swhenthingsbegantogetdifficult. TheVAnowrefusedtoadminister theangiograms. VAHospital director, Dr.WilbertS.Aranow,preventedthe angiogramsbecauseseveralVA patientshadrecentlydiedwhilethetestswerebeingadministered. Aranow

wasnowcuttingbackonallsuchtests. Buttherewasanotherproblem: KernandPritikin hadn'tgonethrough

formalchannelsforVAapprovaloftheirstudy,andalthoughKerncould providecertaintestsandfacilities onhisownauthority, hecouldn'tdeliver theangiogramshimself.NathanaskedVAofficialshowlongitwouldtake togetVAapprovalforthestudy-whichwouldguaranteethetests—but the answerwasdaunting:theprocesscouldtakeup totwoyears. “Allmypatientswillbe deadby then,”PritikintoldtheVAofficials. Thatdidn’tseemtoimpressthemmuch,however. Nathansuggestedthathewouldpayfortheangiogramshimselfand askedhowmucheachtestcost.Theanswerwas$1,200;with38 menin hisstudy,thatwouldcometomorethan$45,000-toomuchforPritikinto forkoverhimself.

HeartHealth 117

Pritikinrefusedtogiveup.HetoldRobert,“Don'tworry.Givemea few

daysand I'llhavethewholethingputbacktogether.” Asusual,his

perserverancepaidoff. Afterbeingrefusedassistancebylocalhealthinstitutions, Pritikingot LomaLindaUniversity-aSeventh-dayAdventisthospitalin Riverside, California-toperformtheangiograms.LomaLindaadvocateda vegetariandietandsawPritikin’s studyasachancetotesttheeffectiveness ofsuch a programon seriousillnesses.Pritikinhad hisangiograms. Butnowhe had anotherproblem:whereto conductthe study.He wantedtouse theVApersonnel and kitchens,but dismissedthe ideawhen

he foundthat the availablekitchenswere onlyequippedto feed the thousandsofpeoplewhowereinpatientsattheVAcomplex.“Thesmallest pottheyhadwasfourfeetlong,”Pritikinrecalled.Remarkably, theVAhad no smalltestkitchenin theirentirefacility. NathanandRobertworkedoutanelaborateneighborhoodschemein whichthemenwouldbe dividedintosmallgroupsandtaketurnseating at one another'shomes.The logisticsof that plan proveduntenable, however,and Nathanultimatelydecidedtorenta housewherehewould installRobertas thesupervisorand cook. Thathousewaslocatedat2020KallinAvenueinLongBeach,nearthe

VAHospital. TheplanwasforRobert tospendtheweekdays withthemen,

fromSundaynightto Fridayafternoon.Nathanand Ilenewouldarrive FridayafternoonandrelieveRobert,whocouldthentaketheweekendoff. Robertwouldsee that the men got theirmeals(hecookedthe foodor reheatedmealsalreadypreparedbyIlene)and supervisetheexerciseof themenduringtheweek.Robertkeptalltherecordsonthemen,coordinatedthe testsat the VA,and answeredquestionsaboutthe program whenevertheyarose. EvenwithRobert'ssalarybeingprovidedbytheKirstenFoundation,

thestudywasstillgoingtobeexpensive. Feeding19menforsixmonths

plusrentinga housein LongBeachcametowellover$20,000. Nathan'sattemptstoraisethemoneythrough50privatehealthfoundationswerequicklydenied.Hewasn'ta medicaldoctoror a Ph.D.or affiliatedwitha university. TheNationalInstitutesofHealthinformedhim thatit wouldtakenine monthsbeforethe bureaucracycouldrendera decisionon his grant request.Once again,the “damn-the-torpedoes” streakemergedin him;there wasnothingelse to saybut “fullspeed ahead.”Hewantedthisstudydone,andifthatmeantpickingupthecosts, sobe it. Nathandidgetsomehelp,however.Sincethestudywasdesignedto

showthehealthbenefits fromeatingalow-fat, low-cholesterol diet,several

foodcompaniessolicitedbyPritikinprovidedquantitiesofwholegrains, breads,ricecakes,crackers,cannedtomatoproducts,nonfatmilkand

118 =Pritikin hoopcheese,fruit,andherbalteas.AmongthesecompanieswereErewhon,

FisherMills,ElMolino, theHolGraindivision ofGoldGrain,Chiquita Brands,Hunt'sFoods,Pure Gold,KnudsenDairy,and Celestial Seasonings. Pritikinrespondedtoeachcompanywithebullientgratitude.

Thesuccessoftheprogramwasgreatlyhelpedbyyourcontributionto thestudy.Youmaynothavebeenawarebutwehad no outsidefundingto feedthemen,andwithoutcontributionssuchasyoursthestudymightnot havebeenpossible. It shouldbe pointedout that foodwasofferedto us thatwe refused becauseitdidnotmeetour nutritionalstandards.Yourproduct,ofcourse, did,and itisourpleasuretoletthescientificworldknowthat.

Pritikindidturnawaya largeappledistributorwhoofferedPritikina

freesupplyofapplesfortheduration ofthestudy, becausetheappleswere covered withawaxpolishthatNathan suspected mightbeunhealthful. He

checkedwiththeJohnsonWaxCompanyinRacine,Wisconsin, wherethe waxforappleswasmade,and foundthat the applewaxhad a strong chemicalresemblancetowaxusedtoshinecars.Hedecidedtopasson theapples. Asa final measureofsupport,Nathanenlistedhisnephew,Dr.Stephen Kaye,a medicaldoctor,toassistinprovidingregularmedicalcheckupsfor themen. ByJanuary5, 1975,everythingwasin place:themenwerepresent; Kernand Kayewerestandingby,readyto keeptrackof theirpatients; Robertwasready;thefoodwasavailable,andNathanwaschafingatthebit togetstarted.Hehad 19sickpeopletotreatand totransform. Thatday,thestudybegan. Becausemostofthemhadnowhereelsetogo,themenbeganshowingupatthehouseat6:30inthemorning.Robertwouldbeuponlya few minutesbythenandpreparingbreakfast.Onebyone,theywouldappear in thekitchen,sitdown,and starttalkingtohim. “Wehad guyswhowerein theirseventies,soour grouphad representativesfromWorldWarI,WorldWarII,and theKoreanWar.”Forsix

months,Robertlistenedpatiently toeverykindofwarstoryimaginable. Heheardthe seeminglynever-endingaccountthatran fromVerdunto Normandytothefreezingcoldalongthe38thParallel.Formanyofthese men,theirbestyearswerebehindthem,andtheyrelivedthemendlessly, frombreakfasttilldinnerand thenthroughtheeveningsnack. Breakfastusuallyconsistedof crackedwholewheator rolledoats, slicedbanana,andskimmilk.Bothgraincerealsgotheapingtablespoons ofbranflakessprinkledonthem.Themealwasaccompaniedbya cupof herbtea.

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Afterbreakfast, Robertsentthemenoffontheirwalks.Therewasa

parknearbyand thehousewassituatedin a pleasantneighborhood.At the outsetofthe study,mostofthe mencouldbarelywalka fewblocks withoutsevereclaudicationpain.Soontheywouldreturn,complainingof legpainandwantingtheirmorningsnack,whichconsistedofa pieceof

fruit-anorangeorhalfa grapefruit, usually. Aftertheirsnack,themen walkedagain.Likethe formersoldiersthattheywere,theymarched reluctantly afterRobert's coaxing. Nearlycrippledwithlegcramps,they quicklyreturned,mostofthemwonderinghowinheaven'snametheyhad evergotthemselvesinvolvedin suchmadness. Lunchwasatnoon.Itusuallyconsistedofa varietyofgreens,soups,

wholegrains,andbread,andwasfinishedoffwithoneofseveralherb

teas.Specifically, thePritikinsprovideda greensalad,usuallymadeupof romainelettuceand othervegetables;oneof severalsoups,including vegetable,minestrone,lentil,splitpea, bean, and potato;a varietyof

grains,including brownriceandbulgurwheat;occasionally somenonfat

hoopcheeseservedon a sandwichmadewithwholewheatbread. Afterlunch,the men tookanotherwalk.At3:00PM.,theyreturned forsoup. Dinnerwasservedat 5:00PM.Atypicaldinnerconsistedofa salad, beans,wholegrains,andanherbtea.IleneandherassistantEstherTaylor, whoworkedforthePritikinsandwouldeventuallybecomethefirstchefat theLongevity Center,converteda numberofethnicdishesintoPritikinstylemeals.Theymadeenchiladas,tostadas,lasagne,andfalafel,usinga varietyofbeans,wholegrainproducts,andvegetables. Themenwerescheduledtoleaveat6:00PM.andreturnhome.Robert providedthemwitha snackforlaterat night,whichusuallyconsistedof ricecrackersanda pieceoffruit.Again,manyofthemhungarounduntil

Robertchasedthemoutaround8:00.

Atthe outsetofthe study,the mencomplainedregularlyaboutthe foodandoftenpokedfunatit.Theyhadspenttheirliveseatingeverything imaginableand nowsuddenlytheywereeating“birdseed.”Grainsand beanswerepeasantfood-notAmerican.Crieswentout foremergency hamburgersand frenchfries.Smokersdriftedoffintothebushesin the parktosneaka fewpuffs.Fewgaveup beerandalcoholinitially.Forthe mostpart,though,complianceamongthe 13menwhocametothehouse eachdaywasexcellent.Theyatethefoodtheyweregivenand tooktheir

walks,eventhoughtheydidn'tknowwhattoexpect,ifanything.

Astheweekswentby,Robertsettledin to hisjob. Hepreparedthe meals,didthecleaning,sentthemenontheirwalks,andkepttrackoftheir progress.Heansweredtheirquestionsonhowthedietwouldhelpthem asa therapyagainsttheirvariousillnessesandkeptthemfocusedonwhat theyweretryingtoaccomplish.Hescheduledtheirappointmentsfortheir

120 Pritikin physicalexaminationsandbloodtestsat theVAand madesuretheygot therebydrivingmostofthemtothehospital.Hewasstudycoordinator, big brother,fatherconfessor,analyst,chiefcook,and maid rolledintoone.

Heworkedhardat keepingmoraleup,but thecultureshockofthe programcausedtensionstobuild.Personality conflictsbegantodevelop. AsAlexBergerpointedout,the men werefroma widevarietyof

backgrounds andeducation levels. Therewerenaturalantagonisms. Com-

ingtothesamehouseeverydayformealsbroughtthemintoclosecontact withoneanother;forsomeofthemen,thatmeantbeinginthecompanyof peopletheydidn'tcarefor,andina coupleofcasesactuallydespised.Like cagedanimals,theytoleratedeachotheruntileventuallythegrumblings turnedtooutrightconflict. AsNathanwouldrecallyearslater,“Twoofthemen,in theirsixties— onewithcongestiveheartfailureand theotherwithseriousangina-got intoa fistfight.” Thetwowerepoundingeachotherwhensuddenlythey

werebothstruck, simultaneously, bysevereangina,astabbing painthrough theheart.Theythrewtheirarmsaroundeachother-notin hostilityanymorebutin fear-andheld ontooneanotherfordearlife,afraidtoletgo lest they falldowndead. “Theywere so gaspingfor breath,”Pritikin recalled,thatRobert“couldhardlygetthemapart.”Theothermenstood

aroundtheminshock,watching helplessly asthetwocombatants gasped forlife. Withconsiderableeffort,Robertmanagedto fighthiswaybetween thetwoandseparatethem.Theirchestsheavedfuriously. Forseveraltense moments,no one knewwhatwouldhappennext.Butsoonthe tension

passed.Thetwomenstartedtobreatheeasier.Everyone begantorelax.

Butthefightawakenedthementotheseriousnessoftheirconditions. Theirveryliveshung by a fewtenuousthreads.Manyweresuddenly forcedtodecidewhetherthisprogramwassimplya socialobligation,to be carriedout as if it werea troublesomebreakfromthe routine,or a

seriousattemptatgettingwell. Oneofthemeninvolved inthefightdecidedtoleavethestudy.Two monthslater,he wasdeadofa heartattack.Anautopsyrevealedthathe

haddiedoffibrillation (heartspasm),morethanlikelycausedbyhis

returntosmokinganda high-fatdietafterleavingthestudy.(Remarkably, theautopsyanda subsequentangiogramshowedsomeregressionofthe man’satherosclerosis inthefemoralarteries.Theresultsoftheangiogram laterperformedatLomaLindaUniversity wouldbedisputedbyNational Heart,Lungand BloodInstituteas inconclusive, however.) Themenwhotriedtomaintaintheprogramat homedemonstrated poorcompliance,and mostleftthestudy. Intheend, 12menstayedwiththeprogram.Theyhadnowhereelse

togoandlittletosupportthemontheway.Therewerethreesquaremeals

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waitingat 2020KallinStreeteveryday,an assortment ofsnacks,and Robert's company. Besides, thefoodwasgrowing onthem.The12remaining mendidindeedgiveup theirstandardwaysofeating,aswellassmoking andalcohol.Theyadheredstrictlytothedietand exerciseprogram. Everyweekend,NathanandIlenewouldarrivewithbagsofproduce

andlargecontainers offrozensoupsanddinnerentreesthatRobert would heatduringthe week.Robertwouldthen leaveforthe weekend.Ilene preparedthemealson Fridaynight,Saturday,andSundaywhileNathan saweachmanprivatelytodiscusshisprogresson theprogram. “WhenNathanarrived,”Bergerrecalled,“hewouldgo overeach

person's fileindepthwiththem,covering everyaspectoftheprogramand anysymptoms he mightbe experiencing. Hewastotallydedicatedto

everypersonin thestudy.” WhenNathansaweachman,he ferretedouteverylittledetailabout the man’shealth,his personalproblems,his complaintsaboutthe programor hisgeneralcondition.Asalways,Pritikinwastotallyfocusedon thepersoninfrontofhim,givingtheimpressionthatnooneelsemattered butthisman.Onebyone,theyleftPritikin,convincedthatbetterdaysand greaterhealthwereat hand.Alltheyhad todowassticktotheprogram

andkeepwalking andtheywouldseeresults.Later, hegavethemthefacts

relatingdiettohealthand theinformationwaspowerfulin itself. “Heknewthe informationso wellthatyou believedhim,”Berger recalled.“Heconvincedyouthatyouweregettinga newleaseonlife.” Bythesimplestrengthofhispersonality, Pritikingainedeachman’s implicitconfidence.Healsoinspiredthem. “ByFriday,everyonewasreadytoquit,killthemselves,orgobackto drinking,smoking,andhigh-fatfoods,butbySundaytheywereenthusiasticandreadytogobackat it,”saidBerger. Atnight,Pritikinwouldgivea lectureondiet'srelationshiptohealth and the benefitsofexercise.In his lectures,he showedthe men in simple

yetgraphictermsjustwhatwashappeningtotheirbodiesonhisdietand exerciseprogram.Inhisstep-by-step approach,Pritikinshowedthemen howtheirformerdietshadcausedtheirillnesses,and howtheircurrent eatingand exercisehabitswererestoringtheirhealth.Pritikinin effect convincedeachoneofthesementhathewasindeedfortunatetobea part ofthisprogram. Theparticipantsrespondedwithrespectnotonlyfortheprogrambut forthemanwhohadcreatedit. “Themen werelikelittlechildrenaroundmy father,”Robertsaid. “Theywereon theirbestbehavior.Theyhad thesensethattoactrudeor disruptivein frontofhimwouldbe theworstkindofembarrassment.” Still,therewereproblemsPritikincoulddonothingabout.Mosthad

122 =Pritikin

to do withthe VA.DespiteKern'sparticipation,Pritikin’sstudygot an extremelylowpriorityatthelaboratoriesattheVA.Pritikin’s patientswere thelastpeopletogetbloodandothertestsperformed,and,iftheanalysis wasto be done lateon a Friday,the vialsof drawnbloodwouldoften mysteriously disappear.Pritikinwasforcedto havehis mencomeback time and again to have the same test performedin order to ensure accuraterecordkeepingof their bloodvalues.Gettingthe laboratory technicianstoruntreadmillstresstestsgottobesodifficultthatKerntook todoingthetestson theweekends.Heran thetestshimselftoavoidthe resistancehe and NathanweregettingfromtheVA. Meanwhile,neighborsbegan to complainaboutthe strangemen gatheringeverydayinfrontofthehouseat 2020KallinStreet.Whenthe neighborsfoundoutthatPritikinwasrunninga clinicin thehouse,they threwa collectivefit.Theyhad theLongBeachHousingAuthoritysend

cease-and-desist orderstoPritikin. Housing authority officers beganshowingupweekly withsummonses orderingRoberttoclosedownthehouse immediately. Robertrespondedbytellingtheofficersthattheywouldhave to takehimtocourttogethimoutofthe house.Itwouldbe at leastsix monthsbeforethecasecouldbe heard. “Bythattime,we'llbe outofhere,”Roberttoldtheevictors.“Sowhy

don'tyousaveeveryone theheadaches andlegalexpenses andleaveus

alone.”Logicdidn'tseemtoimpressthem.Cease-and-desist orderscontinued toarrive. Eventually, Nathanwentto the housingauthorityand triedto con-

vincetheLongBeachofficials oftheimportance ofhisstudytothegoodof theworld.Hetriedtoworkthesamemagiconthemthathedidonhis

men,buttonoavail.Finally, hefellinwithRobertandthreatenedtogethis lawyersinvolved.Ultimately, theLongBeachauthoritiessawthewisdom ofleavingthePritikinsalone,aslongastheyvacatedthepremisesbylate June.

Astheturmoilsettleddown,theprogramwasabletoreturntoits

uninterruptedhealthyroutine,and by February,it wasshowingsome results. “Ina month,mostof the men wereofftheir medication,”Berger

recalled.“Peoplestartedtofeelbetter,andgradually westartedtosee miracles rightinfrontofoureyes.”

Pritikinwroteenthusiastically toa doctorintheearlypartofthestudy aboutthe resultsso far.In his letter,he statesthe “results[ofthe Long BeachStudy]todatearephenomenal.Thecontrolsareunchanged,butof the[Pritikin] dietgroup:the9 hypertensives [9menwhohadhighblood pressureat theoutsetofthestudy]are normalwithoutdrugs;the[adultonset]diabeticsare offalltheirdrugs,includingtwodiabeticswhohad

HeartHealth 123

been on insulinfrom 10 to 15years;severearthritishas disappeared; walkingcapacityhas increasedfromblocksto miles;bloodlevelsof cholesteroland triglycerideshavedropped30 to70percent.” On February24, PritikinwrotetoDr Weidman,directorofthe Kirsten

Foundation,witha progressreporton thediabeticsin thestudy.

BothW.K.andC.Q.[twomeninthestudy]haveadvancedatherosclerosisandhavehadarterialreconstruction workdone.Theirangiogramsshow considerablearterialstenosisand occlusion.W.K.couldn'twalk200 feet withoutholdingontoa fenceor othersupport.Hisbalancewaspoorand endurancezero.Nowhe walks5 mileseveryday.C.Q.had claudication problemsnotasbadasW.K.’s andhasincreasedhiswalkingcapacityto8 to 10milesper day. Anotherdiabetic,E.B.,on Orinase[anoraldrug fordiabetes]hasnow normalized,andstillanother,J.K.,whohadbeenspilling[sugarthroughthe urine]fora yearanda half(2hourpostprandial311mg.%)isnowspill-free.

Robertkeptrecordson the men,but SamFreedman,thejournalist, keptan extensivedailyjournalofhisexperiencein thestudy. Whenhe enteredthestudy,Freedmannotedthatat 63yearsofage, hewasfivefeet,fourinchestallandweighed162pounds.Hecouldonly walkthreeblocksbeforehissevereanginaand claudicationpainforced himtostopexertinghimself.Inadditiontotheheartdiseaseandangina, Freedmanhad highbloodpressure,kidneyand urinaryproblems,and wasoverweight.He was takingnitroglycerintabletsto keep his heart pumpingduringanginaattacks;Aldomet,a medicationforhighblood pressure;Ismelin,forhighbloodpressurespecifically causedbyatherosclerosisblockingbloodflowthroughthe kidneys;and Hydrochlor,a diuretictoassistthefunctionofthekidneysand bladder. On January20, Freedmannotedin hisjournalaftertakinga short walk:“chestpain, severe,15 minutesduration;abortedwithone tab nitroglycerin.” Healsowrotethathe hadcalfpaininhisleftlegcausedby theclaudication.OnJanuary27,afteranotherwalk,“anginalparoxysm, painfulandparalyzing,extremeleftpulmonaryarea.... Abortedby 1.015 gr.nitroglycerin.” OnFebruary1,however,hewrote:“Noregression.Leftlegstronger.” OnFebruary3:“Leftlegfeelsbetteronwalkingtoday....Notablethat I wasabletowalk21 blocks.Havejustreturnedand legfeelsgood.” OnFebruary6:“... Offallmedicationat thistime.Effectofterminationawaitedin nextbloodpressurereading.” OnFebruary8,he wrote:“.. .Feelingofwell-being. Slightlessening ofnocturia[frequenturinationat night.” OnFebruary9:“Improvedrenalfunction.Parabolicarcofurinehas

124 Pritikin

resumednormality,withfulland strongerflow.Nocturiahas lessened.

Termination ofdiuretic[drug]lastweekshowsnoilleffectnow.”

Twodayslater,Freedmanwrote:“Thefoodregimenherehasresulted inan improvedgastrointestinal condition,witheliminationallthatcanbe desired.Thereisdiminishingflatulence.Sleephasalsoimproved,ending someinsomniain the earlyAM.hours.Thereis nowno doubt that a saltlessdietary,simplenonfat,andwalkingcandowondersforthebody. Thebloodpressure,no longerunderAldomet,Ismelin...iswellwithin normallimits.Diastolicconsistentlyholdsat 80 to 74 and systolic,on February10test,155.Nowon nomedication[emphasisFreedman’s].”

OnFebruary19,Freedman notedthathisbloodpressuretestwas

138over65,anotherlargedropinjust sevendays. On March20, he recordedhis weightat 130pounds,a lossof 34 poundsin lessthanthreemonths. OnMay3,Freedmanmarveledathisever-improving kidneycondition. “NowIriseoncea night,whereasformerlyitwas3 or 4 times.Couldthis mean that the kidneyischemiawhichobviouslyexists[hisangiogram indicatedadvancedatherosclerosis in thekidneys]haslessened?” OnMay14,justthreeweeksbeforethestudywastoend,Freedman madea summaryentryin hisjournal. Seldom,if ever,sufferfromfatigue,nowthatdietis so beneficialand

frequent; alsomarkeddecreaseinweightfrom164Ibs...to126today....

Seldom,ifever,feelhungeronthisdietary.Findsimplestfoodssatisfying and donothaveanyvaguecravingsforindefinablefoodelements.ThisIbelieve is significant,indicatingcompletenutritivevalueof dietaryused in this regimen.Theamplesalads,twicea day(atleastoncea day)providethe vitaminsandmineralsamplyneededtofuelthesystem.I attributethisasthe mainfactorforlackoffatigueand nervousness.Nomedicationshavebeen foundnecessarysince mid-February. Therehas been no recurrenceof anginapectoris,whichformerlywasfrequent,occurringatrest,andatnight in bed. Therehas been no edema,and kidneyfunctionhas improved. Elimination hasbeennormal... .Avoiding allfats,sugars,whitebread,salt, alcohol...and tobacco.Drinkingwaterand nonfatmilk.Nopreservatives

infood.

Thecompletecessationof substernalpain episodesmaybe highly significantas tocause.Probablytheremarkablyloweredcholesterolis the primaryfactor.

Whenhe concludedthestudy,Freedmanwaswalkingmorethan 5 | milesper day.Berger,whocouldwalkas manyas 3 milesin a dayat the outsetofthestudy,finishedthesix-month programwalking15milesa day. Aseachmanbeganto see thebenefitsofthe program,moraleand enthusiasmmadequantumleaps.

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Diabeticswere offoral drugs and insulin;hypertensiveswereoff medicationwith normal blood pressures; all the men withangina experi-

encedcompletecessationofthepainfulattacks;themenwitharthritisno longerneededmedicationforpain.

HeartDisease:“It’sGone!” Onedayin February1975,a strangershowedup at thedoorstepof the 2020 KallinStreethouselookingforNathan.Theman’snamewas LeonPerlsweigandhehadjustbeentoldthatheneededbypasssurgeryif he wasgoingtocontinuelivingmuchlonger.

Perlsweig wasa 54-year-old LosAngeles attorney. Silver-haired and handsome,thefive-foot, six-inchPerlsweig couldbarelywalka block

withoutsufferingfromsevereangina pain causedby the exertion.In January,1975,the painwasgettingworse.ThecoolLosAngelesnights causedhis bloodvesselsto constrict,furtherreducingthe amountof oxygento his heart and bringingon the angina.Perlsweighad been takingnitroglycerintabletsforhisanginaandnowhewastakingthepills morefrequently—and morefearfully. Thetimehad cometo do something.Perlsweigwentto the UCLA medical center for an examination, where doctors performed an

electrocardiogram, a treadmillstresstest,andanangiogramonhim.Then theygavehimthe shockingdiagnosis.Oneofhiscoronaryarterieswas nearly100percentoccluded,anotherwas89percentclosed,anda third was79 percentblocked.Hisdoctorinformedhim thathe wouldneed triplebypasssurgeryin ordertogoon living. Perlsweigspent the nexttwoweeksconsideringthe surgery.One afternoonthatmonth,he readan articlein theNationalEnquirerabout EulaWeaverandherremarkableexperienceusingthePritikinprogram. ThearticledetailedMrs.Weaver'slonghistoryofheartdiseaseandother illnesses, aswellasherfullrecoveryandhersuccessintheSeniorOlympics. PerlsweigcalledMrs.Weaverandengagedherina lengthyconversation abouther healthand the Pritikinprogram.AftertalkingtoMrs.Weaver, Perlsweig wasconvincedthattheprogramwasindeedresponsibleforher recovery. Thenextcallhe madewastoNathan.Thetwoagreedtomeetat theLongBeachhouse. Aftertalkingto Pritikin,Perlsweigwas skeptical.His doctorshad informedhimthathe neededbypasssurgerytosurvive,butPritikinwas sayingthata simpledietand exerciseprogramwasallthatwasneeded. CouldPritikinbe right?he wondered. PerlsweigwenttoKernformoreinformationabouttheresultsPritikin washavingwithhis LongBeachpatients.Kernexplainedthat he was lookingat chelationand vitamintherapy,as wellas comparingPritikin’s

126 =Pritikin

ideaswitha controlgroup.Perlsweigaskedhimwhichofthe therapies

seemedtobehavingthebestresults.

Kern“hemmedandhawed,”Perlsweigrecalled.“Hetoldmeitwastoo earlytotellwhichtherapywashavingthebestresults.Butasa lawyer,I'm prettygoodat using my cross-examination techniqueto pin a person downandgethimtotellmethetruth.Andso,aftertellinghimthatIrealize it'stooearlytogetfinalresults,andthatwemustbe cautious,I asked,‘Up tillnow,whohasthebestresults,Pritikin’s groupor theothertherapies?’ Andhe toldmethatPritikin’s grouphad farand awaythebestresults.” Perlsweigconsideredhis options.“Pritikinwasnt askingme to do somethingthat was so radical,like have bypasssurgery.”He started thediet. Perlsweig atethewholegrainsandvegetablesPritikinhadprescribed. Heavoidedallmeat,dairyproducts,eggs,and refinedgrainsand took walkseachday.Periodically, he checkedwithNathanon hiscondition. “Hewasquitethoroughandverypatient,”PerlsweigsaidofhismeetingswithNathan.“Andhe reallygaveof himself.I offeredto pay him severaltimes,butherefused.”Itwasn’tlongbeforePerlsweigbegantofeel theeffectsoftheprogram. “Iknewin 30daysthatIwasgettingbetter,”he said.Theanginapain began to recede until it disappeared.His overallvitalityimproved dramatically. Intwomonths,he lost18pounds,hisweightdroppingtoan optimal139.Perlsweigdiscontinuedthenitroglycerin andotherdrugshe had been taking,and graduallyincreasedthe lengthand speedofhis

walks. Fourmonthslater,hewentbacktoUCLA medical centerforanother EKG anda treadmill stresstest.

Beforehisphysician conductedthetreadmillstresstest,hetoldPerlsweig that therewasno cure forhis coronarydisease.Onceyou haveit, the doctorsaid,youhaveitforlife.Hedidn'twantPerlsweigtobedisappointed whenhistestsshowedno realchangein hiscondition.Perlsweiggoton thetreadmilland startedtowalk... and walk...and walk.Perlsweigfelt great.Meanwhile,his physicianexaminedthe EKGtracingsand marvelledat Perlsweig’s results.Hisphysiciancouldnot findany traceof coronaryinsufficiency.

“WhileIwastakingthetest,mydoctor,in a veryundignified and

unprofessional manner,keptonrepeatingthesamewordsoverandover again,”Perlsweigrecalled.“Hekeptonsaying,‘It'sgone,it'sgone;it'snot supposedtobe gone,but it’sgone.’” Aftera yearon the diet,Perlsweigwasrunningninemilesper day. In 1987,he wasstillon the programand stillrunningup to fourmiles per day.

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Creeping Criticism NotallofPritikin’s patientsexperiencedsuchremarkablerecoveries. On July 10,Nathanwroteto Weidmanagain,givingan updateon thestudy’ssuccessratewithitsdiabetics.HetoldWeidmanthattwojuvenile diabeticsin the studyhad had relapsesand had fallenbackon insulin

afterbeingoffthesynthetichormonefora shorttime.Pritikinwould

concedelaterthathisdietwouldnotcurejuvenilediabetics,thoughhefelt theycouldbe helpedandwouldneedlessinsulinontheprogram.Still,a completerestorationofhealthwouldbeimpossibleusingjustthedietand exerciseprogram,he wouldlatersay.Pritikin’s realsuccesswithdiabetics

camewiththosewhosuffered fromadult-onset diabetes. Peoplewiththis disease-both obeseand leanadult-onsets-could be restoredto what

_ Pritikintermed“normalfunction,”meaningcompletefreedomfromoral drugsor insulin. Despitehis disappointmentwithjuvenilediabetics,Pritikin’sprogram did showsomeremarkableresultsand demonstrated-atleastto Nathan-howpowerfulhisdietandexerciseprogramwasforpatientswith heartdisease,highbloodpressure,angina,and foradult-onsetdiabetics. In his write-upof the LongBeachStudy,Pritikinreportedthat the controlgroup made no significantchangesin high bloodpressureor diabetes.Theydidshowa 448percentimprovementinwalkingdistance, animpressive feat,giventhehigh-fatdiettheyconsumed.Pritikinattributed thisimprovementtothefineCalifornia weather,whichpermittedthemen towalkin pleasantconditionsforsixmonthsoftheyear.

TheLongBeachexperimental groupshowed a 6,000percentincrease

in walkingdistance-thegreatestimprovementof walkingdistancein patientswithclaudicationrecordedanywherein thescientificliterature. Pritikinalsoreportedremarkableimprovement inpatientswithcoexisting diseases.Onehundredpercentofallpatientswithanginawerereturned tonormaland weanedofalldrugs.Thesamesuccessratewasachieved withallpatientssufferingfromgout,arthritis,andelevatedbloodlipidsthat is, cessationof symptomsand eliminationof medication.Seventyfivepercentofall the hypertensiveswererelievedofsymptomsofhigh bloodpressureand takenoffall medication.One hypertensivepatient whowasweanedofhisdrugshad beenon antihypertensive medication for20years. Twoofthemen-includingthemanwhodied-showedsomereversal ofatherosclerosis in thefemoralarteries,locatedin thethighs. Forthe nextseveralyears,Pritikinwouldclaimon the basisof his LongBeachStudyresultsthathisdietwasreversingatherosclerosis. He

128= Pritikin

wouldbe widelycriticizedfor this claim,sincereversalhad not been shownin thecoronaryarteries. ButhiswasnottheonlycriticismleveledagainstPritikin’s study.Dr. RobertLevy,directorof the NationalHeart,Lungand BloodInstitute, wouldlaterpointoutthatthestudyhadneverbeenapprovedbytheVA;he wouldalsocriticizeitbecausethecontrolandexperimentalgroupswere neverwellmatched.He questionedPritikin’sclaimof reversalin two patients,statingthat the angiographicstudieswere poorlydone and inconclusive. Levyalsocriticizedthestudyfornotbeing“double-blind.” A double-blindstudyisoneinwhichneithertheparticipatingscientistsnor thepeoplebeingstudiedknowwhichoneisgettingthespecialtteatment-in thiscasea low-fat, low-cholesterol diet-andwhichoneisnot.Thisprevents eithergroupfrombeingprejudicedbyexpectationsas totheoutcomeof the study.In the LongBeachStudy,the men in the experimentalgroup

clearlyknewtheyweregettingNathan's dietandexercise program, asdid

theresearchers.Levywouldlaterconcludein essencethatthestudywas meaningless,regardlessof the positiveresults.ButPritikinpointedout thatitwouldhavebeenimpossibletoconducta double-blindstudy,andin anycasepriorknowledgeofthedietcouldnotaccountforsuchoutstandingresults. ItwastruethatthestudyneverreceivedVAapproval.Pritikinconceded, too, that the controland experimentalgroupswere poorlymatched. Moreover,he had conductedthe studyunder extremelydifficultconditions,giventheresistancefromtheVA,theLongBeachHousingAuthority,

thelackofmoney, andtheneedtogetmaximum resultsina veryshort periodoftime.Reversal ofheartdiseasein monkeysusuallytakesas

longas 18monthstoaccomplish.TherewasnoreasontobelievePritikin couldaccomplishthe samefeat-evenunder the best of conditions—in sixmonths.

Nevertheless, theprogramhadanincredible impactonthehealthof

themenin Pritikin’s group.Infact,theresultsweresogoodthat,asJohn Kernwouldsayyearslater,Pritikincouldhavebeenjustifiedin simply callingtheprojecta “pilot”study,ratherthana “controlleddouble-blind.” ThestudyshowedtheimpactofthePritikindietandexerciseprogramon severelyillmen.Althoughitwasflawedfromthepointofviewthatitwas

notdouble-blind andyes,theangiographic studiesmaywellhavebeen

difficultto interpret,the studyneverthelessdemonstratedthatthe programwouldrestoreseverelyillmentohealthina matterofmonths.That wasno smallaccomplishment. Pritikinexpectedsincerescientiststobe abletolookpastthestudy'sflawsandseeintothesubstanceoftheresults. AswouldbecomeeminentlycleartoPritikinlater,Levyand otherscien-

HeartHealth 129

tistsrefusedtodothis.Indeed,thestudy'sflawswouldbeusedtodismiss

notonlyitsresults,butalsoitsbasicpremise:thatdietcouldbe usefulin thetreatmentofheartdiseaseandotherseriousillnesses. Overthenextdecade,LevyandPritikinwouldbecomebitterenemies. Theirpointsofviewwoulddelineatethe debatebetweenthe scientific

establishment, muchofwhichwassearching forapharmaceutical answer forillness,andthemavericks, thosearguingfora nutritional solution.

Despitethecriticismsofhisstudy,Pritikinwasoverjoyedwiththeresultsoftheprogram.AsheandKernreviewedthework,Pritikinmentioned in passingthata rehabilitationcenterusingthe low-fat,low-cholesterol

dietandexercise program wouldbeagreatsuccess. Thethoughthadbeen givenvoicebeforeNathanrealizedthesignificance ofwhathehadsaid.

CHAPTER ]] TheLongevity Center lakesRoot

A stheLongBeachStudywrappedup,theideaofestablishinga rehabilitationcenterusingdietand exerciseas therapytookholdofPritikin.He

toldhisnephew, Dr.Stephen Kaye, ofhisideaandsuggested thatKayejoin himintheenterprise. Kayeagreed. StephenKayewasthesonofNathan's sisterRuthandherhusband

David.He had just graduatedfromthe Universityof ArizonaMedical Schoolin 1974andplannedtoenterprivatepractice.Growingup,Stephen had becomea kind of protégéto Nathan.Stephen'sfatherhad long workedfor Nathan,and Stephenwouldoftenvisitthe plantto talkto

Nathanabouttheprojectshewasworking on.

“Helovedto teachyoungpeople,”Kayerecalled.“Heapproached everythinglogicallyandmethodically. Hebecamea kindofmodelforme, thewayhe thoughtabouta problemandthenproceededtoworkitout.”

Asa teenager, StephenbecameNathan's “research gofer,” gettingpapers outofthelibraryforhisuncleonanynumberofsubjects, frommedicine toengineering.In timeKayealsodevelopedan interestin bothareas. Eventually, Stephenwenttomedicalschool,whereheappliedNathan's

ideastosomeofhispatientswhileinresidency training.

WhentheLongBeachStudybegan,Kayewasa naturaltoassistinthe project.Hewasa youngmedicaldoctorwhowasintimatelyfamiliarwith Pritikin’s approachtohealthproblems.Now,whenNathanwasconsidering openinga rehabilitationcenter,Kayeseemedlikethe perfectphysiciantoworkwithPritikin. Butthequestionremained:HowcouldPritikinpublicizetheresultsof

theLongBeachStudyandopenthekindofcenterhedreamedof?The

answerwasnotlongin coming.

130

Longevity Center 131

Inthesummerof1975,Dr.JohnKernandPritikin wrotea seriesof

abstracts—short summariesdescribingthestudyanditsresults—-and submittedthemtotheAmericanHeartAssociation (AHA) andothermedical groups.Whenanabstractisaccepted,thereisoftentheopportunityforthe scientistsinvolvedinthestudytopresenttheirresultsatmedicalmeetings. Becauseofhispositionat theVeteransAdministration hospitaland otheraffiliations, Kernwashighlycredentialed,andthuswaslistedasthe seniorauthoron the papersubmittedto theAHA.Twomoreabstractssubmittedtophysicaltherapygroups,theAmericanCongressofRehabilitationMedicineand the AmericanAcademyof PhysicalMedicineand

Rehabilitation-listed Nathanas theseniorauthor.RobertPritikinand

StevenKayewerelistedasco-authorsonallthepapers. TheAHAhad no interestin the LongBeachStudyand dismissedit witha perfunctoryreply. Yearslater,NathanwouldbitterlycommentthattheAmericanHeart Associationpublishedabstractsthat sameyear on such topicsas the amountofcholesterolin a guineapig'sliver,employmentopportunities forthosewhohadjust experiencedbypasssurgery,and the amountof collagenin a rat'stail.Theseweremoreimportant,Pritikinnoted,thana therapythatcouldget75percentofallhypertensives offmedicationand freeof symptomsin sixweeks.(Thatsameyear,in fact,the AHAhad launcheda campaigntofinda cureforhypertension, a leadingriskfactor in heartdiseaseand stroke.Approximately 25 millionAmericanssuffer fromhypertension,or highbloodpressure.) However, theAmericanCongressofRehabilitation Medicineaccepted thepaperand-as fatewouldhaveit-askedNathan,as seniorauthor,to presenthisfindingsattheirannualmedicalmeeting.Themeetingwasto be heldin Novemberat theHyattRegencyHotelinAtlanta,Georgia. Nathanapproachedthemeetinglikea generalabouttocapturethe highground.HehadbroughthisdaughterJanetwithhimtohelpcarry outhisplan. Janet,26yearsofage,hadassistedintheLongBeachStudyfromtime totimeandwaswellacquaintedwithherfather’sideas,havinglistenedto themformanyyears-especially atdinnertime.Sheunderstoodhiswork andtheevidencesupportinghisbasicpoints.Pritikin’s planwasforJanet totrytostirupinterestinherfather’spresentationamongnewspapersand localradioshowsby tellingthe pressthatNathanPritikinwasaboutto presenta radicallynewtherapyforheartdisease,highbloodpressure, diabetes,andclaudication. Hisnewapproachwouldprovidehopefortens ofmillionswhocurrentlysufferedfromthesediseases.Janetwouldalso seethatreportershadcopiesofNathan'sspeechtorefertolaterwhenthey

wrotetheirstories.

|

132 Pritikin

Forhispart,Nathansetouttodeliverthespeechofhislife. Therewassomeinitialresistancethatwouldhavetobe overcome, Pritikinbelieved.Thedoctorsandphysicaltherapistswhomhewouldbe

addressing weremoreaccustomed todealingwiththehardwareofthe

physicallyhandicappedthantheyweretohearingaboutdiet.True,both Pritikinandthetherapistsexpoundedthevirtueofexercise,butinNathan's view,exercisewasanimportantbutstillsecondarytherapytoproperdiet.

ThePressSpreadstheWord

PritikingavehistalkonNovember19,1975.Hedidn'tmincewords. Hestatedflatlythata low-fat, low-cholesterol dietcouldreversecoronary heartdiseaseandthatforthemillionsofpeoplesufferingfromcardiovascularillnesses,the dietand exerciseprogramused in the LongBeach Studywasthebesthopeforrecovery.Healsotalkedaboutthedietand exerciseprogram'seffectson adult-onsetdiabetes,hypertension,and claudication. Alloftheseillnesses,hesaid,werecausedbydietaryfactors, and properdietcouldreversethem. Meanwhile, Janetworkedthemedia. Thefollowing day,theleadheadlineon thefrontpageoftheAtlanta

Journalread:“HeartDiseaseBreakthrough OffersHope.”

.

“Webeat out Franco'sdeath as the lead story,”Nathanrecalled triumphantly. Thewireservicespickedup the article,and newspapers aroundthe countrytrumpetedthe remarkablenewdiet and exercise programadvocatedbyNathanPritikin.

Thousands oflettersfromalloverthecountrypouredintoSanta BarbarainquiringabouttheprogramPritikinhaddescribed. Hundreds

morehad gone to the VAHospitalin LongBeachbut, accordingto a secretarythere,manyofthemwerelostbeforetheycouldbeforwardedto Pritikin.Virtuallyeveryonewhowroteto Pritikinwantedto knowmore abouthisdietandwheretheycouldgotobeginsucha program. “AndI happenedtothink,”Nathanlaterrecalled,“thiswouldbe an idealtimetoputitinpractice.IfIwaitforthemedicalcommunity, itwillbe 200years.I betterdoitmyself.Ina week'stime,I madeup mymind.” Suddenly,thepotentialpatientsweretherewaiting.Heknewhe had toactquickly. Asusual,Pritikindecidedtogoforbroke:hewouldopenthe Longevity CenteronJanuary5, 1976-amonthanda halffromthedayhe gavehisspeechinAtlanta. Quickly,he wrotebackto the peoplewhohad inquiredaboutthe therapyand toldthemhe wasabouttoopena clinicusingthedietand exerciseprogramhedescribedinhisAtlantaspeech.Theclinic,whichhe calledthe LongevityCenter,wouldopenin January.Iftheywereinter- _ estedin attending,theycouldcontacthimformoreinformation.

Longevity Center 133 Eventually, ninepatientsand sevenspousescommittedtotheJanu-

aryprogram.(Pritikin realizedrightfromthestarthowimportantthe

supportofthe patient'sspousewasin makingsuchradicalchangesin dietandlifestyleandsoheencouragedbothpatientandspousetoattend theprogram.) Therewasstillmuchtobe done. Californialawforbidsmedicaldoctorsfromworkingfora layperson.

Thelawis intendedto preventanyonenottrainedin medicinefrom influencinghowa doctortreatsa patient.Pritikinhadtofindawayaround the lawifhe wasto openhisownrehabilitationcenterthatwouldtreat severelyillpeople.PritikindecidedthathecouldcontractwithKayetodo

allthemedicaltestsandphysicalexaminations, whileNathanranthe otheraspectsofthebusiness, including thelectures, exercise supervision,

personalcounseling,foodpreparation,and hotelaccommodations. The ideawasforKayeto remainself-employed, but maintainan exclusive contractwiththeLongevity Center.ItwasaloosearrangementthatPritikin hopedwouldwork. Nathanthenrentedenoughroomsand officespaceat the Howard Johnson'sMotorLodgeoffHighway101nearGoleta,a suburbofSanta Barbara,to provideforhis patients.Kayewouldalsooperateoutofthe HowardJohnson'smotel,providingon-siteaccesstothedoctor. Ileneagreedtosupervisethemenuplanningandmealpreparation, and EstherTaylor,the Pritikins’housekeeper,wasenrolledto cookthe meals.Nathandecidedthateachsessionwouldrunfor30days,assuming ofcoursethatthefledglingprogramsurvivedformorethanonemonth.

(Helaterchangedthelengthofthesessionto28days.)

NathanaskedRoberttojoinhim.WithRobert'sscientificbackground andhisexperienceon theLongBeachStudy,he wasa naturaltoeventuallyworkwithhisfather.ButRobertneededa break.Aftersixmonthsof working12-hourdayswiththeLongBeachmen,Robertdecidedthathe wasn'treadytojumpbackintothesameroutinealloveragain.Eventually, hewouldgobacktocollegefora master’sdegreeinbusiness,butmeanwhilehe neededtimetothink. OncehisplansfortheLongevity Centerwereinplace,Pritikinconsideredotherpossibilities topropagatehisideas.Hewantedtodomorethan simplytreatpeople.He wantedto changethe waymostdegenerative diseasesaretreatedintheentireUnitedStates,and,indeed,intheWestern world.Todo that,he wouldhavetochangethethinkingofthescientific and medicalcommunities.Andthatcouldbe done onlyby providing scientificproofofhistheories. Whatbetterplacetoprovidesuchproof,hethought,thantheLongevityCenter.TheLongevityCenterseemedto meetall the requirements

134 Pritikin

necessaryto makeit an outstandingresearchcenter:It wouldhavea populationofpeoplewitha varietyofprovenillnesses;the treatmenthis patientsreceivedwouldbe limitedtohisdietandexerciseprogram;and sincethesepeoplewouldbe housedand caredforunder onerooffora

periodof30days,doctorscouldeasilymonitor theirprogress, orthelack

ofit.Ifhisresultswereasgoodasheexpectedthemtobe-atleastasgood as thoseexperiencedin theLongBeachStudy-hecouldprovideconsistentscientific documentation ontheefficacyofhisprogramasa treatment ofsevereillness. Originally, heenvisioneda nonprofitresearchcenterthatcouldattract foundationgrants fromleadinginstitutions.Thesegrantscould fund researchdoneat theLongevity Centerbyeminentscientiststhroughout theworld.Buthereagain,he ran intolegalproblems.Therehabilitation centerwouldhavetobe a profit-making enterprisein ordertoremaina viablebusiness,especiallyat theoutsetwhenitwouldhavelittle,ifany,

outsidesupport. Therealities ofkeeping thecenteraliveprohibited Pritikin fromjoiningtherehabilitation centerwitharesearchfoundation. Instead, heformedaseparateentity,calledtheLongevity ResearchInstitute,whose functionwouldbetoconductresearchattherehabilitation center,aswell assupporttheresearchofoutsidescientistssuchasDr.JamesAndersonat the UniversityofKentuckyMedicalSchool.Hewouldalsoholdannual conferencesat whichpaperson diet'srelationshipto diseasewouldbe given.Theworkof the LongevityCenterand its successwithpatients treatedtherewouldbereportedalso,thus1DeteHEyscientificawareness ofthecenter’swork.

BylateDecember, Pritikinhadformeda boardofdirectorsanda

boardof advisorsforthe LongevityResearchInstitute.He had several well-credentialed relativesjoin the boardof advisors.He alsohad the supportofmedicaldoctorswhohadworkedwithhimontheLowFatand Cholesterol (LFC)studyandotherprofessionals whomhehadinfluenced overtheyears.TheseincludedDr.Anderson; Dr.WilburCurrierofPasadena; Dr.ThomasBasslerofInglewood, California; longtimefriendDavidFields ofSantaBarbara,whohada Ph.D.ineconomics;andLeonPerlsweig, the LosAngelesattorneywhomNathanhad helpedduringtheLongBeach Study. Verysoonafterhe had formedhisinitialboardofadvisors,Pritikin gainedthesupportofDr.HughTrowell, a Britishphysicianwho,withhis colleague,Dr.DenisBurkitt,did the pioneerresearchlinkingthe presenceoffiberin theAfricandietwiththeabsenceofintestinaldiseases.It wasBurkittandTrowell whoestablishedtheimportanceoffibertohealth. Trowellwaslistedon the LongevityResearchInstituteletterheadas a

Longevity Center 135 foreignadvisor;he eventuallywasjoinedbyBurkitt,whomTrowellintro-

ducedtoPritikin andwhowouldalsobecomea keysupporter ofNathan. ThustheLongevity CenterandtheLongevity ResearchInstitutewere born. Likea magnetthat attractsiron filings,Pritikinwasattractingthe supporthe neededtoundertakehismomentousenterprise.Therewasa standingarmynow,readytomarch. ByJanuary1, 1976,everythingwasset-orsoitseemed.

12 The“PrittkinPioneers” On January5, 1976,thefirstninepatientsandsevenspousesarrivedat thenewlycreatedLongevity Center.All16peoplewouldparticipateinthe programequally,thoughineachcasethemenweretheprimarypatients, whilethewiveswereinbetterhealth. The 16“PritikinPioneers,”as theycalledthemselves,werefromas nearby as Santa Barbara,and as far awayas Houston,Atlanta,and Philadelphia.TheirillnesseswerethesameoneswithwhichPritikinhad grownaccustomedto dealing:heart diseaseand angina,high blood pressure,adult-onsetdiabetes,claudication,and arthritis.Of the nine men,sevenhad been scheduledforcoronarybypasssurgeryby their physicians. Thatwasthe verdictfacingJackApplebaum,a 77-year-oldretired dentistfromSantaMonica,California. Applebaumhadplannedtoundergo the surgerythatveryJanuary,but decidedin Decemberto attendthe Longevity Centerinstead.Hearrivedtaking12to20pillsperday,depending on howbadhisanginapainwas.Ifhisconditiondidnotimproveduring his month-longstayat the LongevityCenter,he planned to undergo bypasssurgeryshortlyafterhe leftSantaBarbara. KenRobbins,a 67-year-old Houston,Texas,resident,wasinmuchthe sameshape.Anangiogramperformedat MethodistHospitalin Houston revealedthreeseverelyclosedcoronaryarteries.Hisdoctorsscheduled himfortriplecoronarybypasssurgery.Hehadangina,claudication,and arthritissoseverethatwalkingmorethana shortdistance-fromhisfront doortohiscar,forexample-wasoutofthequestion. GeneCorleywasonly45yearsoldwhenhe arrivedatthecenter.He had had his firstheartattackat theage of38 and had sufferedanother 136

“Pritikin Pioneers” 137

whenhe was44. Afterthatsecondheartattack,he had had coronary

bypasssurgery.However, anangiogram donein 1975showedthatthe

bypasshadcompletelyclosedandthathe hadan aneurysm(asacformationcausedbyweaknessin thewall)in theleftventricleofhisheart.He sufferedsevereanginapainandcouldn'twalkmorethan200or300feet

withoutchestpain.Hewastaking17pillsa daywhenhe arrived.His

doctorstoldhimthathe wouldsoonneedanotherbypassoperation. Theotherswereinmuchthesameshape.Theywereskeptical, hopeful, and scaredall at once.Theydidn’tknowwhatto expect;mostof them neededa miracle.

Eachpatientpaid$2,500forthe30-daysession; spousescameforan

additional $700.Bypasssurgeryin 1976costbetween$10,000and$20,000 (dependingon howmanyarterieswereinvolved), but healthinsurance coveredthe costs,in mostcases.Pritikin’s programwasnotcoveredby insuranceand,as a result,eachpatientwasclearlyriskinghismoney,if

nothislife.Bypasssurgeryposeditsownrisks,ofcourse.Theonlyhope

forthesePritikinpioneerswasthatNathanhadananswerfortheirillnesses. Ifhe did,thenthecostwasworthit-butitwasstilla big“if.” TheywerehousedinthebackoftheHowardJohnson'sMotorLodge. OnthefirstnightNathanintroducedhimselfanddescribedtheprogram.

Asalways, Pritikin wasupbeat.Helaidoutthefactsabouttheprogram

andwhatitwoulddoforthemiffollowed conscientiously. Herealizedthat if his programwasgoingto work,each patientwouldhaveto wantto change-hecouldn'tforcethem,nordidhe wantto.Pritikinbelievedthat giventhefacts,anyonewouldchange.Asfarashewasconcerned,itwasa

matteroflifeanddeath.Ashetalkedabouttheprogram,heintroduced someofthestaffmembers. Dr.StephenKayewouldprovideweeklyphysicalexamsandvarious bloodandtreadmilltestsinhisoffices(analysisofbloodwasdonebylocal laboratories). Eachpatientcouldalsoconsultthedoctorbetweenscheduledvisits,whileNathanwouldcounseleverypatientpersonallyonhisor herspecificillness.Ilenewouldoverseethekitchenandseetotheirdietary needs,and EstherTaylorwouldpreparetheirmeals. Overthe periodof their 30-daystay,therewouldbe a totalof 22 lecturesontherelationshipbetweendietandhealth,includingseveralon foodpreparation.Allsmokingwouldhavetostopthatveryday,Pritikin told them. He explainedthat smokingrapidlyincreasesthe rate of atherosclerosis. “Youcan’tsmokeand getwell,”he said. Whenhe startedto talkaboutthe importanceofwalking,he could

almostfeelthecollective concernamonghispatients. Mostofthepatients dreadedthethoughtofexercise,evenan exerciseas seeminglyinnocuousas walking.Asitwas,manyofthemcouldnotwalkmorethana city

138 =Pritikin

blockwithoutsufferingsevereangina,a painthatseemedtopressin at the centerof their chestslikea knifeslowlypiercingthe breastbone. Walkingwaslikeopeningthedoorofdeath.Justtalkingaboutexercise inspiredfear. Pritikinassuredthemthattheyshouldnotoverexertthemselves.He advisedthemtowalkas faras theycouldand thenrest.Aftertheyhad rested,theyshouldwalkbacktothecenter.Heaskedthemtostaywithina blockoftheHowardJohnson'sforthefirstfewdays. Andsoitbegan.Theyfolloweda mealschedulethatprovidedeight

servings throughout theday,beginning at7:45A.M. withahotgrainbreak-

fast.Thebreakfastusuallyconsistedofoatsor crackedwholewheat,with herbtea.Acitrusfruitwasservedatabout9:00,followed bya tossedsalad at 10:45.Oneofa varietyofsoupswasservedan hourlaterandsteamed vegetableswereservedat 12:45PM.,followedbypotatoor cornat 1:30. soupwasservedagainat 3:00,and finallya fulldinnerat around5:30. Thedaywasconcludedwithsomekindoffruitsnackat around8:00or 8:30aftertheeveninglecture.Themultimealplanwasdesignedtokeep peoplefrombeinghungryandtobringthemtogetherforsocialcontact. Aftereach mealand snack,the patientswalkedaroundthe block;

eventually theygraduated tolongerprescribed routes,whichNathanhad

mappedout.Theshortestinitialpathwas0.7miles;thelongestwas3.3 miles.Everyonewasinstructedtowalkalongtheseroutesuntiltheyfelt readytomoveontosteeperandmorechallengingpaths.Everywalkwas clockedand recorded,whichhelpedthepatientsseetheirprogressand encouragedthem to maintainas briska walkingspeed as possibleto improveconditioning. ForJackApplebaum,theprogramwasnothinglessthana “lastresort.” Yearslater,he recalledin a letterthe progressionofhis illnessand his experiencesat thatfirstsessionat theLongevity Center. In1965Iwasforcedtoretirefrommypractice ofdentistry duetoangina

pains.Iwasunabletoclimbthe24stairstomysecondflooroffice.Ihadchest painswhilewalking,excite[d]or aftereatinga big meal.Thiscondition graduallygotworse,especiallywhilewalkingshortdistancesin the cold weatherinChicago.... In 1972... contactedacardiologist whowashighly

recommended. Heprescribed medication consisting of4Inderal,4Isordil

forthe heart,2 Esidrixtabletsforhighbloodpressureand 2 Benemidto counteracttheuricacidcausedbytheEssedrixtablets.AllinallIwastaking between12to20 tabletsa day.

In 1975,hisdoctorrecommendedbypasssurgery. I had [a doctor's]appointmentforNovember[1975]and the doctor askedmeif]hadmadea decisionashewouldlikemetogotoBirmingham,

“Pritikin Pioneers” 139 Alabama,forthebypasssurgery.Mywifeaskedhim‘whyBirmingham?’ He

saidthatiswherehewouldgoifhehadtohavebypasssurgery. Itoldhimit

wastooclosetoThanksgiving and thatIwoulddecideaftertheholiday.. .I cameback in Decemberand he wantedto makearrangementsfor the surgeryandI toldhimit’stooclosetoChristmasand theNewYearholiday andIwouldwaituntilthenewyear.HesaidtocomebackinJanuary.Inthe meantimean articleappearedin the LosAngelesTimesin Decemberof

1975soonafterI hadseenthedoctor. Thearticle[quoted Pritikin assaying] thatheartcondition couldbe reversedwithdietandexercise. I tookthe

articleand showedittomycardiologistandhiscommentwasifIwantedto wastemymoneythatwasup tome.

ThearticleApplebaumsawwasanAssociated PressreportofNathan's

November 1975talkinAtlanta, wherePritikin reportedhisLongBeach Studyresults.ApplebaumcalledPritikinathome,butNathanwasawayat thetime.Janettooka messageandsaidher fatherwouldreturnthecall. Afewdayslater,NathancalledApplebaumathisSantaMonicahome and said he was in LosAngelesand couldstopby to talkabouthis

programifApplebaum wasinterested. Applebaum was.

OnceatApplebaum's, Pritikindescribedthecauseofheartdiseaseas anexcessoffatandcholesterolinthedietwhichelevatescholesterolinthe blood.Thischolesterol,he explained,createsatherosclerotic plaquethat

clogsthearteriesthatnourishtheheartwithblood.Whenthefatand

cholesterolare reducedin the diet,he said,the bloodcholesterolgoes downandcirculationtotheheartandotherpartsofthebodyareimproved. TheApplebaumsarrivedattheHowardJohnson'smotelthatJanuary notknowingwhatwouldtakeplacethere. “Wewereveryskepticalat first,”recalledMurielApplebaum.“Itwas thetimewhenallthecultswerepopularandwereallydidn'tknowwhatto expect.”Withherhusbandrecentlydiagnosedasneedingbypasssurgery, shewonderedmorethanoncewhethertheywouldevenbecominghome fromSantaBarbara.“ItoldmydaughterwhereeverythingwasbeforeIleft becauseI didn'tknowwhatwouldhappentous,”sherecalled. Despitetheirconcerns,theApplebaumswerehopeful,too,at least untilJackApplebaumfacedthe“littlehill.” “TherewasthislittlehilloutsidetheHowardJohnson'sthatwehadto walkup, and I couldn'tdo it,”he recalledin 1987.“When I tried, I got terriblechestpainsand myeyesstartedtotear.1camebackand toldDr. Kayeand he toldme to drivemycar up the hilland then walkafterI reachedthetop.Butaftereatingthefoodandwalkingfortendays,Iwas able to climbthe hill.Andthat wasa real.accomplishment.” Thehill becameApplebaum'sinspiration.Hehadproofofhisprogress. Applebaum'sconditionimprovedsorapidlyand soremarkablythat

140 Pritikin

he wasabletogiveup allmedicationbythethirdweekat thecenter.“I walked165milesduringthemonth,andonmylastdayIwalked8milesat

two-hour intervals. Formethatwasgreat...,”hesays.

Fouryearslater,at theageof80,he reportedthathe wasstilloffall medication,withtheexceptionofan Isordiltablet“nowand then”foran occasionalanginapain. In 1987,at the age of 87, Applebaumwas stillmaintainingthe program“about75 to 80 percentof the time.”Hewaswalkingseveral milesa weekandwasstillferventlysayingthat“Iwouldn'tbealivetodayif itweren'tforNathanPritikin.” Asof 1987,JackApplebaumhadneverhadthebypasssurgery,and hadno planstohavetheoperation. ForKenRobbins,a 67-year-old Houstonresident,theexperiencewas equallyrewarding.Sufferingfromacuteanginaand fromarthritisin his

knee,Robbinshadbeenscheduledtohavebypasssurgerybeforehe arrivedat theLongevity Center.Whenhe leftfourweekslater,he was

walkingsixtosevenmilesperdayandnolongersufferedfromeitherthe anginaor thearthritis. GeneCorleywasonly38 yearsoldwhenhe had had hisfirstheart attackin 1969.Forthenextfiveyears,he sufferedfromarrhythmiaand

“almost constant angina.” Yearslater,Corley wrote:

Aftera weekin the hospitalwithintenseangina,an angiogramindicatedthatI had a majorarteryaboutto closeoff,so bypasssurgerywas scheduled.Isuffereda massiveheartattackseveralhoursbeforesurgery....An

angiogram in1975showed thebypasscompletely closedandananeurysm

on theleftventricle.DuringthatyearI experiencedpericarditis[aninflammationofthesacthatenclosestheheart]andbriefcongestiveheartfailure. Afterbeingtoldthattherewasnothingelsethatthemedicalorsurgicalfield coulddo forme,I madethedecisiontotrythePritikinprogram. Atthe beginningof the sessionI frequentlydevelopedanginaafter

walking300feet.Whileatthecenter,I increased mystaminauntilI was walking12to 15 milesper day,withanginaonlyon steepinclines.Also,I discontinuedall my medicationwhileat the center,whichhad included Lanoxin,Isordil,Persantine,Valium,andaspirin,totaling17pillsperday.I lost 18 pounds whilethere,and my problembloodfat levelsdropped

substantially.

BythetimeI leftthecenter,I haddevelopeda senseofwell-being, both physicallyandmentally,thatIhadnotexperiencedinyears!Myfriendsand familycouldhardlybelievemychangeinattitudefromcompletehopelessness toa trulyoptimisticoutlooktowardlife.

“Pritikin Pioneers”141 |

“Nathan wasanincredible motivator,” Corleysaidin 1987.“He'dsit downwitha bowlofoatmealeverymorninguntilitgotcoldwhilehe

talkedtoeveryone.Heshoweda realinterestineveryone.Hewasspecial tous,and I thinkwewerespecialtohim.” TheSantaBarbaraNews-Press photographedCorley,hiswife,Martha, andanothercenterpatient,HenryDucotofModesto,California, actually joggingalongthestreetsofSantaBarbara. Corleywas able to maintainthe programstrictlyfor three years

without anysignofillness,buthestartedtodriftfromthedietafter1980.

In 1982,hehadabypassoperation.In 1987,hesaidthathestillmaintained

theprogramasbesthecould-though notnearlyasstrictly ashedidinthe

yearsimmediatelyfollowinghisexperienceatthecenter.Still,“Iwouldn't be alivetodayifitweren'tforNathanPritikin,”he said. Bythe secondand thirdweekof the program,all the patientshad begunto feelan extraordinarychangecomeoverthem.Manypatients, whoearlierhadbeenafraidtoexercise,nowbegantofeela strangeand wonderfulconfidenceintheirbodies.Notsincetheyhadbeenyouthshad theyfeltthe almostintoxicatingexhilarationofsuchphysicalvitality.As muscletone improved,as oxygenreachedareas of their bodieslong starvedforbreath,as poundsdroppedoffand newreservesof energy chargedthroughtheirlimbs,theLongevity Centerpatientsbegantofeel asiftheyhaddiscoveredthefountainofyouth.Earlyfearsandskepticism thattheprogramwouldn'tworknowgavewaytoa kindofgiddyeuphoria. Buttherewasmorethansimplya physicalor biologicalresponseto the program-therewasa kindofemotionalbondingtakingplace.The Pritikinpioneerswereallinthesameboat,a boatthat-priortotheirarrival attheLongevity Center-hadbeensinkingfast.Pritikin’s ninepatients(the spousesgenerallywerenotas sick)mayhavehaddifferentbackgrounds and arrivedfromdifferentpartsofthecountry,buttheyhad oneterrible thingincommon:theywereallbeingstalkedbydeath.Eachofthemhad hisorherownversionofthesamehorrorstory:steadydecayofthebody, heartpalpitations, anginapain,doctors,growingdependencyupondrugs,

fearofparkingthecartoofarfromtheirdestination, anda consuming

dread of the inevitabledaywhentheirheartwouldstop.Deathwasso closeat hand that mostof themcouldn'tevenhavegas painswithout interpretingthemasintimations ofdoom.Andnowthisstrangeturnaround. Fearsthat had been withthem foryearswerenowbeing replacedby feelingsofexhilaration. | Astheweekswentby,theattitudesofthepatientstowardtheprogram and towardNathanchangeddramatically.

142 =Pritikin

“Webecameveryattachedto Nathan.Hewassucha sweet,gentle

personthateveryone gotattachedtohim,”saidMurielApplebaum.

Mealtimes:Hasslesand Humor Whilehispatientsweremakingremarkableimprovements, Pritikin wasdoingeverythinghe couldthinkof to keepthe centerfrombeing closeddown.Shortlyafterthecenteropened,inspectorsfromthe Santa BarbaraBoardof Healthdemandedthat he stopusingthe apartmentsizedkitchenHowardJohnson'swasrentinghim becauseit wasnever intendedtoprovideanythingmorethancoffeeand teaserviceformeetingsthattookplaceinthemotel.Thetinykitchenhadnoventingoverthe stovetopreventfirethatmightignitefromcookingfatsor grease.When IleneexplainedthatthePritikinsweren'tusingcookingfatsin theirfood preparation,the health officialsdismissedthe pointas irrelevant.An inspectorsaidthatevenreheatingoffoodwasoutofthequestionin the kitchen.Moreover,the kitchen’sdishwasherdid not reach sufficiently hightemperaturesrequiredforrestaurantdishwashers. Thehealthdepartment'sverdictwassimpleand harsh:eithermakethestructuralchanges in 30 days—an impossibletaskevenif the HowardJohnson'sand the Pritikinswantedtodosucha thing-orclosedowntheoperation. Therewasonlyonethingtodo:keepthepatientsinthemotelandfind a kitchennearbywheretheycouldpreparethemealsand thentransport thecookedfoodbacktothemotel. Forthenexttwoweeks,Ilenesearchedthesurroundingareaforanew cookingfacilityand eventuallyfoundone:Angelo’sItalianDelicatessen. Locatedon busyHollisterAvenuein Goleta,Angelo’sdeliwasthe LongevityCenter'sperfectopposite.Specializingin coffeeand pastries, well-marbled meats,a varietyofsalads,andsandwiches-pastrami, salami, andcornedbeefwerefavorites—-Angelo’s cateredtoa breakfastandlunch crowdand toneighborhoodshoppers.Foodwaspreparedinthekitchen behindthe delicounters.Angelo’sgavepermissionto use the kitchen duringthe timesthe deliwasn'tbusy-earlyin the morningand laterin theafternoon. Eachmorningaround6:30,a Pritikinbreakfastchefarrivedtocook themorning'shotcereal,whichwasthenbroughttothecenter.Esther,the Pritikins’ housekeeper,arrivedat about10:00A.M. topreparethegrains, vegetables,andsoups.Thefoodwasthebasisoftheprogram,andasfaras Estherwasconcerned,therewasnomoreimportantjob in theuniverse. Fora personwhosawfoodas medicine,cookingatAngelo’swas,at times,likeperformingsurgeryina barn.Aslunchtimerolledaroundand Angelo’sstartedtocrankup the short-orderoperation,Estherknewshe

“PritikinPioneers” 143

neededtobeoutofthedeli,oropposing worldsoftheLongevity Center andAngelo's wouldcomedangerously closetocolliding. Sometimes she

didn'tmakeit.WhileEstherboiledherbrownriceorsteamedhervegetablesinthemostexactingwaysheknew,hotpastramiwouldbe sizzlingin itsownfaton the grillnextto her.Soonhotpastrami,cornedbeef,and hamburgerswouldbe sendingfatflyinglikemissilesin all directions,

causingEsthertostandguardoverherpotsasiftheywerebeingassaulted.

WhenEstherfinishedher cooking,the largethermosesand other foodcontainerswereloadedintotheLongevity Center'svananddrivento thecenter.Backat HowardJohnson's,Ilenewaitednervously.Ifthefood was1Qor 15minuteslate,thepatients-whowereunawarethattheirfood

wasbeingpreparedelsewhere andthendelivered tothemotel-started grumbling. Walking causedthemto workup quitean appetite,and everyonetookthescheduleseriously,especiallysincetimespentwaiting forfoodcouldhavebeenbetterspentwalking.

Thisisnottosaythattheguestswerecrazyaboutthefood.Atthe

outsetoftheprogram,thepatientsfoundthefooduniformlyunpalatable. Applebaumsaid it was simply“terrible.”Anothersaid that the meals weremeanttosatisfyNathan'stastebuds,whichwereveryuniquetaste buds,indeed. Nathan,Ilene,and EstherfoundthatpreparingthePritikindietfora groupwasa lotmoredifficultthancookingat home.Achefwashiredto helpEsther,butthecookingonlygotworse.EvenNathancouldn'tbearthe newchef'sfood. “Onedaywewerehavingsoup,”recalledMurielApplebaum,“and Nathanusedtoeatwithallofus.”Afterthegroupstartedtoeatthesoup, eachpersonbegantolookup and castsuspiciouslooksat oneanother, saidMrs.Applebaum.“Nathantastedthesoupandasked,‘MyGod,what happenedtothis?’” Thenextday,thenewchefwasgone. Anotherday,the menu announcedchickensoup for dinner,and everyonelookedforwardto dinner withgreat anticipation.“Whenwe wereeatingthesoupthatnight,noonecouldfindanychickeninit,”said Mrs.Applebaum.“Finally, someonecalledout,‘Ifounda pieceofchicken, I founda pieceofchicken!’” TheincidentpromptedJackApplebaumtoannouncethathe had a recipeforPritikinchickensoup: “Filla potwithwater,put it in the sun,and swinga chickenoverit. Servewhenready.” Forthe nextseveralyears,Ileneand Estherwouldworktirelesslyto developsatisfyingdishesusingwholegrainsand vegetablesand small

144 Pritikin

amountsof low-fatanimalfoods.Theybeganby makingethnicdishes, particularlyMexican,Italian,andChineserecipes,andsubstitutinghealthfulfoodsforthosethatwererichinfat,cholesterol,sugar,andsalt.Itwasan effortthatrequiredyearsoftrialand error. “Wereallywantedtomakethefoodtastegood,becausewedidn'twant thepeopletofeelbadaboutwhattheycouldn'thave,”saidEsther.“Butit tooka longtimetolearntobalancethecooking,nottoomuchofonespice, buta balanceoftastes.” (Eventually, professionalchefswouldtakeoverthejob of creating Pritikin-style mealsandrecipestosuitthetastesoftheaverageAmerican. ) Oncethefirstsessiongotgoing,however,thekeyissuewiththefood wasnotsomuchthetastebutwhetheritwasontimeandwhetheritcame insufficientquantities.Aspeopleexercisedandbegantofeelbetter,their appetitesgotstronger.Theydidn'tlikeitwhentheirmealswerelateand

theydidn'tmindlettingpeopleknowit.Likehungrypeoplealloverthe world,theyweregratefulforthefood,andtheyateitwithenthusiasm,

neverrealizingthatthefoodhadbeenpreparedin a worldmostofthem hadjust leftbehind. Pritikinpreachedthattastepreferenceswerelearned,notgenetic-—

otherwise, howcouldtherebesuchvariedcuisine amongsomanyculturesandthatanyonecouldlearntoenjoysimplefoodsandcookingasheorshe atethesefoodsmore.Tosomeextent,hewasright:bythesecondandthird weekoftheprogram,peopleenjoyedthefoodmuchmorethantheyhad duringthefirstweek.Butatthoseearlysessions,thefoodhada longway to go beforeit wouldbe trulyenjoyableformostpeople,as Ileneand

Estherknew.

FromDespairtoElation

Asthevitalityofyouthseemedtogalvanizetheirbodiesand hearts, the patientstookon manyof the qualitiesof children.Theystartedto becomecompetitiveabouttheirwalkingdistances. “Thepatientwhohad arrivedat the centerwithsevereanginaor claudicationandwhowasnowwalking10or 15milesperdaywasa real celebrity,” Ilenerecalled.“Peoplewerecheeringoneanotheron.” Apartfromthe measurableprogresseach personmade werethe myriadaccomplishments thatcouldnotbe measured:therestorationof vitality, personalconfidence,a positiveoutlookonlife.Peoplelookedand feltyearsyounger.Theyarrivedafraid,theirfutureprospectsgrim.They leftthe centerfeelingthattheirliveshad been restored.Suddenly,they

hadcontroloftheirlivesagain.

TheresultsfromhisfirstsessionparalleledthoseoftheLongBeach Study.Ofthe 16peopleatthecenter,15lostweight-thelargestweightloss

“Pritikin Pioneers” 145

being22 pounds.Everyonewaswalkinga minimumoffivemilesa day; mostwerewalkingtenormore.Bloodcholesterollevelsdropped25percenton the average;highbloodpressure,adult-onsetdiabetes,angina, and arthritiswereallbeingcontrolledbythedietand exerciseprogram alone.Noneofthe 16peopleontheprogramrequiredmedication. Allwere

enjoying whatNathan begancalling“normal function,” meaning thateach ofthemcouldliveasiftheynolongerhadtheunderlying disease. Thesessionsin Februaryand Marchweremuchthe same.People arrivedwiththesamefearsandskepticismandleftwiththesamephysical andemotionalrenewal.Eachsessionseemedtohaveitsownuniquesetof challenges,problemsand miracles. Graduationdaywasfilledwithtearsofgratitudeand flightsoffancy. PeoplewrotepoemstothePritikinsandperformedtheatricalpresentations, mostofthemparodiesofNathanandhispatients.Infact,intheyearsthat followed, Pritikinwouldbetheperennialfavoriteforjokestersandparodists. Hewouldreceivedozensof“honorarydoctoratedegrees”fromgrateful center participants,and wouldhave enough poemsand skitswritten abouthimtorivalSantaClaus. Indeed,mostpeoplewhowentthroughthecenterbelievedNathan Pritikinhad savedor substantiallyimprovedtheirlives. ForthePritikins,eachperson'stransformation waslikewitnessinga miracleunfold. “NathanandIwatchedpeoplearriveinfearand,withsteadyprogress, becomealmostdeliriouswithjoy,”Ilene recalled.“Thegroup setting requiredthemto spend30 daystogether,eating,walking, sharingtheir fearsandtheirhopes.Allofthisproducedclosebondsamongpeoplewho had previouslybeenstrangers.This,ofcourse,isa veryrareexperience formanyadults. “ForNathanand me,it wasso movingand inspiringto watchthis

cycleofemotions aspatientswentfromfeartoelation.”

Nathancouldn'tgetoverthechangein theattitudesofthepatients. Theplayfulnessand competitiveness amongthepatientscausedPritikin tobegincallingthecenter“summercampforgrown-ups.” Asusual,Pritikinmadeajokeabouttheevents,butbeneathhisjests wererealfeelingsofaccomplishment in hiswork.

“Nathanwouldlatersaythatin thepasthe hadbeenan inventor

solvingproblemswithinanimateobjects,”Ilenesaid.“Nowhe would bringhisproblem-solving skillstopeople'shealthconcerns.Nothinghe haddonein thepastmatchedhisworkat theLongevity Centerforsheer joyand satisfaction.” Pritikinwasn'tsure where all this was leading,but he was more

146 Pritikin convincedthaneverthatthistypeofprogramwouldultimatelyreplace mostdrugsand surgeryas the treatmentofchoiceformostdegenerativediseases.

AShockingDiagnosis:“Leukemia”

TheAprilsessionhad just begun when Nathanroutinelysent off anotheroneofhisbloodsamplestoa SantaBarbaralaboratory. “Wehad been runningbloodpanelson everyone,”StephenKayerecalled.“And Nathan'swasamongthem.”Pritikinoftenaskedthathisbloodbetestedto checktheaccuracyandconsistencyofthelaboratoryhewasusing.However,whatcamebackonApril6 wasdevastating. Kayereceivedthebloodreports.Heread the reporton Nathanand then hurriedinto Pritikin’soffice.Kayesat downon the other side of Pritikin’s desk,steadiedhimself,andsaid:“Igotyourbloodsamplesback. I havetotellyouthatthere’sa problem.Itkindoflookslikeleukemia.” Kayeand Pritikinwentoverthe reportin detailand then beganto discusswhattodo. Thefirstthingtheydecidedwastohavea thoroughexaminationdone at CottageHospitalin SantaBarbara.Pritikinwouldhavetohavea bone

marrowbiopsyandothertestsdonetoascertainhiscondition. Nathan immediately madetheappointment, andfora fewminutesheandKaye

discussedthekindsoftherapiesthatmightbe available. “Duringthe wholetimewe talked,”said Kayeyearslater,“Nathan completelymaintained calm. There was no denial; he was not detached.

Heheldcloselytologic,becausethatwastheonlytoolhe had thenthat couldsavehislife.” NathanandKayewenttoCottageHospital, wherePritikin wasexamined. Bloodtestsandothertestswereadministered.Thediagnosis:“acutelymphaticleukemia.” Itwasadeathsentence.ThemostPritikincouldhopefor was 30 days,perhapstwomonthsat the outside.Therewasonlyone

treatment, theexamining specialist informed him.Hewouldhavetohave massive dosagesofradiation, whichwoulddestroyhisbonemarrow. The

radiationwouldbe followedbybonemarrowtransplantation, which,the doctorhoped,wouldeliminatethecauseoftheleukemia. Suddenly,it all added up. Theimbalanceof proteins—the so-called spike-thathad been presentin Pritikin’sbloodsince 1957had finally turnedtoan acutephase.HementionedtoKayethathe hadbeenfeeling tiredoflatebutbecauseofthedemandsofhisscheduledidn'tthinkmuch ofit.Hislatestbloodtestsshowedthathe wasseverelyanemic,a consequenceoftheleukemia,whichalsoexplainedhisrecentfatigue.

“PritikinPioneers”

147

PritikinwenthomeandtoldIleneofthedoctor'sdiagnosis.Thetwoof themstoodin theirlivingroomand heldoneanotherand cried. Aftertheygota grip on themselves,Ilenetelephonedthechildrento comehome.Kenwasat schoolinthe SanFranciscoareaand Robertand Jack were away.Janet and Ralphwere in SantaBarbara.Thechildren weretoldoftheirfather'sillness. “Wewereallina stateofhysteria,” recallsJanet.“Thefamilywasinthe gripofterriblefearandshock,butthenmyfatherandRobertsetouttofind an answer.” RobertwasthendispatchedtodoacomputersearchatUCLA medical libraryon alltheavailablemedicalliteratureon leukemia. OnceNathanplungedhimselfintothejob offindingan answer,an atmosphereofcrisismanagementsetin. “Therewas no hand wringing,no fatherlygoodbyes,no fanfare,” recalledJanet.“Justa raceagainsttime.”

soon,Pritikin decidedthatthebestplaceintheareatoreceivetreat-

mentforacutelymphaticleukemiawastheUCLAMedicalCenter,where the finesttechnologyand expertphysiciansperformedthe treatment. Nathanand Ilenewentto UCLAat theend ofApril.ThePritikinstooka hotelroomand expectedto be admittedto UCLAMedicalCenterafter NathanwasexaminedbyUCLA physicianDr.DavidGolde.Goldespecializedin thediagnosisand treatmentofleukemia. Andthentheunexpectedandseeminglymiraculousthinghappened. GoldeexaminedNathanand changedthediagnosis.Pritikindidn'thave acutelymphaticleukemia,Goldesaid;hehadchroniclymphaticleukemia. Thoughultimatelyfatal,thisdiseasewasfarlessvirulentthanthe acute

form.GoldesaidthatPritikin couldliveanothertwotothreeyears.Though

he wasnevercertain,GoldecametobelievePritikinhad a formofleukemiacalledhairycell,a chronicleukemiacharacterizedbyitssmallhairlikefolliclesat theoutsideofthecell.Itis morerare thanotherformsof leukemia.Goldesaidthatthediseasecouldbe treatedforsometimewith drugtherapy. ReliefwashedoverNathanand Ilenelikehealingwaters.AsIlene laterwrotein her diary,“Fromthe death sentenceof ‘acutelymphatic leukemia,’ weweregiven,instead,a rayofhope,foratleasta fewyearsof lifetohopefor.”Goldetoldthemtheaveragesurvivalrateforthisdisease, was21monthsand,as Ilenewrote,theyclungtothe“tenuouspossibility thatin thatperiodoftimeNathan,withthe bestmedicalhelphe could muster,wouldfindawayofprotractingthatsurvivaltimeintomoreyears.” Goldeprescribeda chemotherapyagentcalledchlorambucil, which

148 Pritikin

had been shownto be effectivein the treatmentof the illness.Nathan

begantakingthedrugimmediately, andoverthenextfewmonthsitdid bringhisbloodproteinsandwhitebloodcellsintobalance.

Nathanwas60 yearsoldand contemplatinghisownmortality.One afternoonthatspring,whilehe and Ilenesatintheirlivingroom,Nathan confidedthatlifehad beengoodtohim.Hehad no complaints.Hewas

satisfied withwhathehaddone.

Hereadeverythinghe couldon leukemia.AswastypicalofNathan, he decideditwasessentialto keephis illnessa secret.Hebelievedthat peoplewouldnot understandthe true causeof his illnessand would wronglyassociatehis illnesswithhis program.Theadversepublicity woulddestroyhis diet and healthregimenbeforeit had a chanceto demonstrateits effectivenessagainstdisease.He fearedthat his ideas wouldneverseethelightofday. He and Ilenerealized,however,that had they knownof Nathan's leukemia,theywouldneverhavestartedtheLongevity Center.Theywould havepreferredthat Nathanspendhis remainingyearstryingto finda solutiontohisillnessandspendingtimewiththefamily.Butthiswasnotto be.Despitethedemandson histime,whichhe couldhavebeendedicating to findingan answerto hisdisease,Nathanand Ileneweregrateful that thingshad workedas theyhad. The LongevityCenterhad been launched.Andlikea hugeshipthattransportedpeoplefromthecolonyof thedyingtothelandoftheliving,therewasnocallingitback.

CHAPTER 13 “Miracles” atthe “Lourdes of thePacific” The ironyforPritikinwasthatas deathhovereddangerouslyclose,he hadat thesametimeachieveda remarkableintegrationin hislife.

PriortotheLongevity Center,Pritikin’s energieswereparceledout —

amongseveraldifferentbusinesses,halfa dozenprojects,andhisperpetualstudyofhealthandmedicine.Therewasnevera singularfocus,never anyoneendeavorthattoweredoveralltherest. ButwiththebirthoftheLongevity Center,Pritikinhad foundtheone vocationthat woulddemandall of his variedabilities,his remarkable intellect,hispatienceandcompassion,hisdoggedperseverence,andhis seeminglylimitlesssuppliesofenergy.Pritikinthehealer,theinventor,the revolutionary, themanwitha dreamfora betterworld,hadfinallyfounda

jobthatwouldbeasdemanding ofhimashewasofhimself. AsIlene

wouldsayyearslater,“WhentheLongevity Centerwascreated,itwasasif themanysmallertributariesinNathan'slifehadalljoinedintoonemighty river,whichcarriedNathantowardhisdream.” Oncehis coursewasset,he wentaboutthe businessof findinga permanenthomeforthecenter.Thejobwasfarmoredifficultthanhehad earlierimagined.HewantedtoremaininSantaBarbara,butonepossible siteafteranotherfellthrough.Zoninglawsandcomplaintsfrompotential neighbors-peopledidn'tliketheideaoftheirneighborhoodteemingwith sickpeoplewalkingthe streetsallday-weretheprincipalobstaclesthat kepthimfromfindinga permanentsite.Eventually, hegaveuplookingin SantaBarbaraandarrangedanagreementwiththeHolidayInninVentura, a community30milessouthofSantaBarbara.Hemovedthecenterthere in June 1976,but it lastedonlytwomonths.Thefacilitiesavailablefor mealpreparationand forservingweretotallyinadequate,and Pritikin's

149

150= Pritikin peoplewereconstantlyshuntedabout.Pritikinneverfeltwelcome-the centerwassomehowalwaysinthewayofthehotel'soperation—and bythe

middleofthesummerPritikin hadnegotiated anotherdeal,thistimewith

theMarMonteHotelin SantaBarbara. TheLongevity CenterwouldremainattheMarMonteforthenexttwo years,and despitethe seeminglyendlessconflictsbetweenNathanand MarMonteownerBuddyTaub,the hotelwas,in manyrespects,ideally suitedforPritikin’s Longevity Center.TheMarMonte(whichwasbought in 1984 by the Sheratonhotel chain)was a large hotel,with 200 rooms,a

restaurant,pool,andlounge.Locatedon CabrilloBoulevard, directly acrossthe streetfromthe beachand facingthe ocean,the MarMonte seemedtobeperpetuallybathedinsunlight.Guestsofthecenteronlyhad towalkacrossthestreettobe onthebeautifulbeaches,wheretheycould

walkformileswithnothingmoretodistractthemthansunbathers, sea gulls,andtheceaseless lappingoftheocean.

TheMarMontewasafar largerhotelthan the HowardJohnson's MotorLodgeandthusallowedPritikintooccupymorerooms-heneeded onlyabouta fourthoftheroomsavailable-andtotakeon morepatients. As a resultofthe remarkablereports'aboutwhatwashappeningat the Longevity Center,moreand morepeoplewantedtoattendtheprogram. TheAugustsessionhad50patientsandsoonthecenterwouldaccommodateup to 75 in a singlesession.Bythe end oftheyear,Pritikinwould beginoverlappingthesessionssothata newmonth-longprogramwould starteverytwoweeks.Withtheoverlappingsessions,therewouldbe no

fewerthan100peopleatthecenterduringanygivenmonth-andsometimesthatnumberwouldswellto 150. Initially,therewasonlyone problemwiththe MarMonte:the hotel had beguna thoroughremodelingprogram,whichrequiredmonthsof heavyconstruction.Theserenityof SantaBarbarawasbeingshattered dailybytheracketofjackhammers,electricsaws,welding,andthesound ofnailsbeingpoundedintowood.Wallswereexposedand plasterdust filledtheair. Pritikinworriedabout the effectof the constructionnoiseon his patients;hewasconcernedthattheconstantclamoranddisruptionmight interferewiththehealthimprovements ofhispatients.Butnothingofthe kindhappened.Peoplecontinuedtoimproveasquicklyand asdramaticallyas theyhad before. One day towardthe end of summerthat year,Nathanand Ilene crossedpathsinoneofthehallwaysoftheMarMonte.Nathanlookedup attheceilingas plasterdustfelland hammerspounded.“Thisfoodmust beverypowerfultomakepeoplegetwellundertheseconditions,” hesaid

“Miracles” 151

toIlene.Theybothlaughedandwentbacktowork.

ThereweretimeswhenNathanseemedas surprisedas anyonethat theprogramwouldhaveas dramatican effecton healthas itdid.Asthe remarkablecasehistoriesbecamemoreconsistent,IlenerecalledNathan gleefullysayingfromtimetotime,“Itworks,itreallyworks.” Bytheendofsummer,Pritikinwasreadytoexpandhismedicalstaff and began lookingaround for a new medicaldirectorto replaceDr. StephenKaye,whohadresigned.Dr.DonaldMannerberg,a physicianin Houston,Texas,whoheadedthe medicalarm of the KennethCooper

AerobicsClinic,heardthrougha friendthatPritikinwaslookingfor

someonetosupervisethemedicalprogramat theLongevity Centerand decidedtotalktoPritikinaboutit.Mannerberg,an internist,had a very traditionalbackgroundasa physician.Hehadbeenpracticingmedicine

for12yearsbeforehearingabouttheLongevity Center,andhadused nothing butconventional treatment-drugs andsurgery-to treathispatients.

HisexperienceattheCooperClinichadledhimtoappreciatethebenefits ofexercise,thoughhe stillreliedon orthodoxtherapiesin thetreatment ofdisease. MannerbergcalledNathanthatsummerfora descriptionofthejob. Thetwodiscussedthe positionand PritikintoldMannerbergaboutthe resultshe washavingwithhispatients.Mannerbergwasintrigued.But beforehe cametoSantaBarbaratotalktoPritikin,he askeda fewofhis medicalcolleagueswhattheythoughtofPritikin’s ideas.Theresponses werefairlypredictable:Pritikinwasa quackandacharlatan,Mannerberg

wastold.HewasadvisedthatifhejoinedPritikin, he’dbethrowing away

hiscareer.Mannerberg,however, sawnoharminatleasttalkingtoPritikin and decidedto visithim in SantaBarbara.He arrived“veryskeptical” aboutwhathewouldfind.Whenhe satdownwithNathanandwentover thepatientrecords,however, MannerbergbecameconvincedthatPritikin wason tosomething.Hetookthejob. “ItwasthebestthingI everdidin myprofessional life,”Mannerberg wouldsayyearslater.“MyexperienceattheLongevity Centerchangedthe wayI practicedmedicineand theresultswehadwereamazing.”

“Medical Failures” GetImpressive Results

Thevastmajorityof the peoplewho cameto the LongevityCenter wereseriouslyill,whatMannerbergand othersat the centercalledthe “medicalfailures.” Pritikinhada statistical analysisdoneonthecenter'sfirst893patients andtheprogresstheymade.TheanalysiswasperformedbyLomaLinda

152=Pritikin University inRiverside, California. Thepatients’medicalhistoriesatadmissiontothecenterwereas follows: @ Twothirds ofthepatients(590people)sufferedfromatherosclerotic heartdiseaseandnearlyhalf(423)hadhadatleastoneheartattack. (36hadhad threeor moreheartattacks.) @ Morethan athird of Pritikin’spatients(324)had high blood pressurethatwasbeingcontrolledbymedication.

@ 198(22percent)sufferedfromintermittent claudication (poor

circulationin thelegs,causingseverepainwhenwalking).

@ 259(29percent)wereobese(20percentaboveidealweight).

@ 107(12 percent)sufferedfromadult-onsetdiabetesthat was beingcontrolledbydrugsor insulin. @ 178(20 percent)sufferedfromarthritis,eitherrheumatoidor osteoarthritis; another57(6percent)sufferedfromgoutyarthritis.

@ 393(44percent)hadpositivetreadmillstresstestswhenthey

wereadmitted(meaningtheydemonstratedcoronaryinsufficiency), whileanother87 (nearly10percent)wereborderlineorequivocal. Thepatientshadbeenthroughthetraditionalseriesofdrugs-many

weretaking12pillsor moreperdayforheartdisease,diabetes,and

otherdisorders. Manyhad been told by their doctorsthat they needed coronary bypasssurgery.Othershad alreadyhad thesurgerybutwerein danger of sufferinganotherheart attack.Bythe timetheyarrivedat the LongevityCenter,mostof thesehad littlehope ofregaininganythingthat resembledhealth. “Thesewerethe‘death'sdoor’people,”recalledDavidFields,Nathan's friendand a Ph.D.economist,whowasthe center'sadministratorfor

nearlytwoyearsinSantaBarbara. “Somepeoplearrivedinwheelchairs; othersneededhelpwalking downtheblock.Mostofthemwereseverely ill.” FrancesGreger, fromNorthMiami, Florida, arrivedinSantaBarbara at oneofPritikin’s earlysessionsin a wheelchair.Mrs.Gregerhad heart disease,angina, and claudication;her conditionwas so bad she could no

longerwalkwithoutgreatpaininherchestandlegs.Withinthreeweeks, shewasnotonlyoutofherwheelchairbutwaswalkingtenmilesa day. CharlesTobolsky, a 69-year-old retiredconstructionworker,wastold byhisphysicianin MapleShade,NewJersey,thathewas“awalkingtime bomb.”Anangiogramperformedat HahnemannHospitalin Philadelphiashowedthreeseverelyclosedcoronaryarteries.Hewastoldthathe

neededbypasssurgerytosurvive. Inthemeantime, hisphysicians told himnottowalkupa flightofstairsmorethantwicea day,nottodriveata (continuedonpage 161)

“Miracles” 153

Nathanatage4 withhismother,Esther,knownfondlyasKitty, andhiskidbrother Albert,2.

154 =Pritikin

Nathan'selementaryschoolgraduationpicturein 1929,whenhe was14.Nathan beganshowingpromiseasa scientistinhiselementaryschooldays,eventhough hisfatherencouragedhimtogofor a degreein law.

“Miracles” 155

Nathan(secondfromleft)tookthefamilyphoto,above,in 1934whenhe was18 and anamateurphotographerItdidn’ttakehimlong,though,toturnprofessional. Below, heposesona Chicagostreetwithhisbusinesspartner,LeonardDubin,and a symbolofthesuccessoftheirFlashFotoCompany.

156= Pritikin

In 1945,Nathanwasamanintransition—newly divorcedandasinglefather.Attop, he is shownwithhis motherandfather,JacobandKitty.Above,left,he sharesa pensivemomentwithhis4-year-old sonJack.Withinafewyears,however, Nathan waswellintoanotherofhissuccessfulendeavors—Glass Products.Aboveright,he attendsa partyfor hisstaff.

“Miracles” 157

Nathan,hiswifeIlene,andtheirsonRobertposeoutsidethehouseusedasa base for Pritikin’slandmarkLongBeathStudyin 1975.ThisstudywasNathan'sfirst importantproofthatthereis a linkbetweenheartdiseaseanddiet.

158 Pritikin

In January1976,a group of ailingmen and theirwivesbecamethefirst enrolleesin Pritikin’sLongevityCenter.Althoughtheyshowedimpressiveresults, Nathan's“interference” in themedicalworldwasblastedbydoctorsnationwide. Ileneand Nathanare to the leftin the photo above.Below,Nathanlecturesa classon thebeachinSantaMonica,afterthecenter’smovetoitspresentlocation in 1978.

“Miracles” 159

Nathanandhis wifeIleneloveddailyjogs on the beach.ForNathan,losinghis abilitytorun duringthelaterstagesofhis cancerwasheartbreaking.Henever, however, toldanyonewhyhe wasn'trunninganymore.Hemerelytoldfriendsthat “runningis a thingofthepast,now.”

160=Pritikin

Alwayshis patients’biggestsupporter,Nathanoftenparticipatedin cooking classes,asshownaboveleft.Hewasalsoalwaysthepictureofhealthandvitality, as thecoverphotoforhisbookThePritikinPromise,aboveright,wellillustrated. Below,he is picturedwithoneofhis biggestsupporters,formersenatorGeorge McGovern.

“Miracles” 161

speedgreaterthan40milesperhour,andnottodrivealone.Worstofall, forTobolsky, hewasorderedtogiveuphisgolfgame.Theswinging ofthe

- clubandtheanticipationoftournamentsgavehimanginapainandwere ruleddangeroustohishealth.Hecouldn'twalk100yardswithoutchest pain.Hewasgivena varietyofmedications,includingnitroglycerinfor hisangina. Tobolsky alsosufferedfromdiabetes,whichhehadhadforthepast13 years.HewastakingOrinaseand Diabinesetohelpcontrolthedisease. Beingtoldtogiveupgolfwasshattering. “Emotionally, Iwasdevastated,” Tobolsky wrotetwoyearslater.“Manytimes,undercertainconditions,I

hadperiodsofcryingduetomyfeelings ofutterimpotency.” InJune1976,Tobolsky readanarticleinthePhiladelphia Inquirer

aboutheartdisease.ThearticlementionedPritikin'sclaimthatdietcould bean effectivetreatment.Tobolsky contactedNathananddecidedtogoto SantaBarbaratotrytheprogram.Beforeheleftforthecenter,heaskedhis cardiologist aboutthePritikinprogram.Thedoctor“ridiculedit,”Tobolsky recalled,and calledtheLongevity Center“aracket.” InAugustofthatyear,Tobolsky wasattheLongevity Centereatingthe Pritikindietand takinghisdailywalks.Bythetimehe left,he wasoffall

medication, including thatforhisdiabetes, andwaswalking eighttoten

milesper day. Whenhe returnedto NewJersey,his cardiologistat Hahnemann Hospitalrefusedto lookat his recordsfromthe LongevityCenterand “dismissedme.”The doctoralso wrotea letterto Tobolsky's personal physiciantodothesame,inordertoavoidanyresponsibility intheeventof Tobolsky’s death.Hispersonalphysician,however,remainedimpressed bywhatTobolsky had accomplishedat theLongevity Center. Fouryearslater,attheageof73,Tobolsky wasstillmaintainingthediet andplayinggolf.Hewasalsocompetingintournaments.In 1980,Tobolsky wrotetoNathanthat“Ihavewongolfchampionshipsatmygolfcluband everymanthatIhavebeaten[hasbeen]manyyearsmyjunior,somemore thanhalfmyage....” DuaneE.Bluhmhadhisfirstheartattackin 1959attheageof37.After sufferinghis thirdheartattackin 1976,he retiredat the age of 54. He

couldn't walkdowntheblockwithout suffering fromseverechestpain.In thesummerof1976,heheardabouttheLongevity Centerandwasoneof

75peopleintheSeptembersession.Whenhearrived,hewastakingnine pillsa dayforhisheartdisease.Threeweekslater,hewaswalking15miles a dayandwasoffallmedication. Oneafteranother-somanyofthestorieswerethesame.Theyarrived seriouslyill,and, in manycases,incapacitated.Theywenthome feelingreborn.

162 =Pritikin

“Forthe firsttimein my professionallife,I couldtakepeopleoff medicationand makethemwell,”Mannerbergrecalledyearslater. LomaLindaconfirmedMannerberg'sassertion.The university foundthat: @ Theaveragedropin cholesterolwas25 percent.Ofthosewho arrivedatthecenterwitha cholesterollevelbetween260mg.%and 279 mg.%-atveryhigh riskof havinga heart attack-theaverage patient'scholesterollevelwhentheyleftthecenterwas 190mg.%,

wellbelowthehigh-risk category. Pritikin was,inessence, cuttingin

halftheriskofhavinga heartattack. @®Ofthe218confirmedhypertensives takingdrugstocontroltheir highbloodpressure,186(about85 percent)leftwithnormalblood pressuresand offalldrugs.

@ Halfofalltheadult-onset diabeticsusinginsulinwhenthey arrivedleftthecenterwithnormalglucoselevelsandno longer

needinginsulininjections;ofthosetakingoraldrugsforadult-onset diabetes,80 percentleftthecenterdrug-free. @ Seventypercentofthosewhoarrivedtakingmedicationforgout leftfreeofseveresymptomsand offmedication. Reportsof Pritikin'ssuccesseswerespreadingquicklythroughout late 1976andinearly1977.ThatyeartheAirLinePilotsAssociation and theAviationInsuranceAgency,Inc.,begansendingpilotswhohadbeen groundedbecauseofpoorhealthto the LongevityCenter.TheFederal Aviationadministrationsetshealthstandardsforairlinepilots,and each yearpilotsare requiredtoundergophysicalexaminationstodetermine their health status.Thosewho failthe physicals—-often for high blood pressure,diabetes,orangina—have theirflyingprivilegesrevoked.Unless theyregaintheirhealth,theircareersas pilotsare usuallyover. TheAviationInsuranceAgencysentmorethana hundredgrounded pilotsfromallthemajorcarrierstotheLongevity Center,withremarkable results.“Nineoutoftenpilotswhowenttothecenterreturnedtopasstheir

physicals, andhadtheirflyingprivileges restored,” Dr.CharlesGullett, a

physicianattheAviationInsuranceAgencysaidin 1986.“Everypilotwe sentwhohada positiveattitudetowardthecenterwasreturnedtohisjob aftertakingtheprogram.”Indeed,theGrayEagles,RetiredAirlinePilots Association, dubbedtheLongevityCenterthe“InstituteforMiracles”for savingthecareersofsomanypilots.

AdditionalInspiration PatWalterswasawaitressattheMarMontecoffeeshopwhenPritikin opened his center there.Eachday she watchedthe LongevityCenter

“Miracles” 163

guestsand staff,and thoughtaboutwhatwasgoingon overtherein the

largediningroomnexttothecoffeeshop.Asshepouredcoffeeand offered cheeseburgers tohercustomers, PatWalters gotadailyeducation in the Pritikinprogrambywatchingtheprogressofthe Pritikinpatients and overhearingbitsof informationfromthe guestsas theypassedin thehallway.

Ms.Walterswasin her latethirtiesand hadalreadyraisednine

children.Shewasa gregarious,warm,energeticwomanwitha shrewd eyeforsizingup a person'scharacter. Onedayinthespringof 1977,PatWalterswalkedup toIlenePritikin and askedfora job withthecenter.IlenetalkeditoverwithNathanand

theyhiredher toactas liaisonbetweenthestaffandtheguests.Ms. Walters supervised thediningroomandmingledwiththeguests,listening to their complaints,notingtheir requests,givingencouragement, cheeringthemon whentheywalkedan extramile.PatWalterswasthe perfectdenmotherandtroubleshooter. Everylittlerequestwasnotedand

attended to:Another pillow mysteriously arrivedintheroomoftheperson

who had mentioned that he hadn't slept well the night before; Nathan

wouldinquireabouta particularperson'sproblem,afterPatWaltershad overheardthepersontalkingaboutit;oneoftherecipesservedwouldbe modifiedatthesuggestionofoneofthepatients.PatWalterssawitasher responsibility tomakepeoplea littlehappierwhiletheychangedthevery foundationsoftheirlives. “Thesewereverysuccessfulpeoplewhocame to the center,”Ms. Waltersrecalledin 1986.“Theywerehighlyeducated,self-mademenand womenwhocametoNathan.Inmanycases,theywerecaptainsoflarge industries,entertainers,peoplein government,whowereusedtobeing powerful.Now,allofa sudden,theirdiseasehadmadethemweak,andit wasa humblingexperience.Thesepeoplewerescaredto death.Many wereinoperable.Nothingcouldbe done.AndNathanwasbasicallytellingthemthat‘youmaybetherichestmanintheworld,butnowyou'vegot toeat likea peasant.’Theycamewillingtodo anything,toeatanything, justtogetwell.Myjobwasmakingthattransitionfromsicknesstohealtha littleeasier,a littlemorecomfortable.” PatWaltersdescribedtheatmosphereofthecenterasbeinglikethat

ofwatching ababylearntowalk.“Some peoplearrivedwhocouldn't walk the lengthof the room,and then you startseeingthesepeoplemake progress.Atthebeginning,someonewouldsaythathe hadsleptallright lastnight.Thensomeonewhohad arthritiswouldsay,‘Look,| can move myfingers,”and thenanotherpersonwouldsay,‘LookhowfarI walked today;I walkeda wholemileand didn'thavetostoponce.’Peoplewere gettingstandingovationsforcomingoffmedication.Thecamaraderie wasincredible.”

164 Pritikin

Nathanwasin his element.He lectureddailyand sawpatientsfor

individual counseling inhisoffice.Inbetweenpatientshetalkedonthe

telephonetosickpeopleallacrossthecountry,tellingthemwhattoeatfor theirparticularconditionsand givingsuggestionsfortheirdoctors.His correspondencewith peoplewho could not come to the center was voluminous.Hesentletterstoscientistsanddoctorsdescribingtheresults

oftheprogram. Herequested thatthescientists cometoSantaBarbara and

examinehis records;he askeddoctorsto referpatientsto him.Healso wrotetomembersofCongressrequestingthatthelawmakers fundresearch examiningtherelationshipbetweendietand health. Inaddition,Pritikingavelectureslocallyondietandhealthtolayand medicalaudiences.InlecturesatCottageHospital,he invitedphysicians to examinehis patientsand their records to see for themselvesthe effectiveness ofhisprogram.

“This wasNathan's reasonforbeing,” PatWalters recalled. “Hehadthe abilitytoforgethimselfandhisproblems andbemoreconcerned about theotherperson'sproblems. Peoplewouldstophimin thehallor the diningroomandtalkabouttheirproblemsandhewouldgiveadviceuntil theyweresatisfied.Helovedtopuzzleoverpeople'sdiseases.” AllofPritikin’s yearsofstudywerefinallybeingputtofulluse.

AManofIncredible Knowledge

Accordingto Don Mannerberg,Pritikin’sknowledgeof medicine rivaledthatofmostmedicalspecialists.“Nathancouldholdhisownina discussionwithspecialistsin heart disease,diabetes,and manyother

fields,” saidMannerberg. “Hewasbrilliant. Healsohada photographic memory. Hecouldrecallstudiesormedicalinformation betterthanany-

oneI had evermet.” Dr.MonroeRosenthal,whobeganat the LongevityCenterasa staff physicianandeventually becameitsmedicaldirector,recalledthatPritikin’s “medicalexpertisewasequaltoanyM.D.’s. Hislibraryat SantaBarbara

wasincredible. Professors ofmedicineatHarvarddidn'thaveaccessto

literatureNathanhad.” DavidFields,Pritikin’s administrator, wasan acquaintanceofoneof the premierdiabetesresearchersin the UnitedStates.Fieldsinvitedthe diabetesresearcherand Nathanfordinnerone nightso the twocould

sharetheirideas.Pritikinandtheresearchertalkedforfourhoursthat night,debatingtheirrespective pointsofview.Thescientist, whofavored

the use of drugs in the treatmentof all typesof diabetes,refusedto concedeto Pritikinthatdietcouldbe moreeffectivein the treatmentof

manydiabetics. Whenthetwopartedcompany thatnight,Fieldstooka

shortwalkwiththescientistandaskedhim,“WhatdoyouthinkofNathan's ideas?”Yearslater,Fieldsrecalledthescientist'sresponse:

“Miracles” 165

“‘Dave,’ hesaid,‘I'vestudieddiabetesmyentireprofessional lifeand nobodyinthecountryknowsmoreaboutthisillnessthanIdo.AndI've

nevermetanyonewhoknewmoreaboutdiabetesthanNathanPritikin. ButdoyouknowwhatwouldhappenifIstartedprescribinga dietformy patients?Theywouldstopcomingback.Becausetheywanta pill,or they wantinsulin.Theydon'twanta diet.That'swhytheycometome,becauseI

givethemwhattheywant.’” Pritikinwasawarethatthistypeofthinkingwasan obstaclebut

realizedthat in the lastanalysis,laypeoplecouldalterthe directionof medicinebydemandingnewapproachestodisease.Tochangemedicine, he wouldhavetochangethethinkingoftheaveragepatient.

Pritikin versus theMedical Estabhshment Pitixins moveintothedoctor’sdomainofhealthcarehadalltheaudacityandbravuraofanoldwesternmelodramainwhichan unknownloner ridesintotownand takeson thelocalgang. Itwasn'tlongbeforethefireworksstartedtofly. ShortlyaftertheSantaBarbaraNews-Press rana storyontheLongev-

ityCenterin March1976,a localphysician wrotea longlettertothe

newspapercondemningthecenterand Pritikinforhisclaims.Theletter, in part,isreprintedhere. Regarding yourstory“Longevity CenterClaimsReversal ofHeartDisease” whichappearedin the News-Press on March14,I, as a physicianin this community, feelcompelledtostatemyviewsconcerningMrPritikin's approach tocoronaryarterydisease. . .[Ellipsesprintedbynewspaper.] Tosimplifythepreventionofcoronaryarterydiseasetomerelylowering cholesteroland exercisingis nonsense.Accordingto the MRFIT [Multiple RiskFactorInterventionTrial]governmentstudyonheartdisease,coronary

heartdiseaseisa“multifactorial condition.”

Furthermore,manyriskfactorshavebeenidentified,but theseare not all of equivalentimportancein populationgroupsor individuals.Those consideredto be of greatestinfluenceare age, sex,hypertension,high cholesterol,diabetes,and cigarettesmoking.I am certainthatMr.Pritikin doesn'tclaimtobe abletocontrolthefirsttwo(ageand sex). Insteadofcharging$2,500per“patient,” whichcanonlybeaffordedby a veryminuteportionof our population,Mr.Pritikinmightdo betterto promoteteachingsoundnutritionto teenagerswhiletheyare acquiring theireatinghabitsandbeforedamageoccurs,ratherthanpreyonthefears oftheolderpopulationwhoare lookingforinstantcures. Itisentirelypossiblethatthepersonwhogoestothe“Longevity Center”

166

Pritikinvs.Medicine 167

witha positive attitudethathewillbehelpedwillexhibitsomeshort-term changes.Heisripetosuggestion. Hischestpainmaytemporarily lessen.

Therecouldbe lessleg cramps.Aswithan effectivediet,therewouldbe weightloss. Butitisnotscientifictoconcludethatthesepeoplehavebeen“cured.”I haveseen patientsin mypracticewhohavelowcholesterols(below160

mg.%} whoinspiteofthathavehadmassive heartattacksandotherswith

veryhighcholesterolswhodidnot.Toapproachcoronarydiseasefromonly oneaspectismyopic! Thecauseof coronaryarterydiseaseor hardeningof the arteriesis probablynot cholesterol,but moreimportant,a defectin the wallof any arterywhichcausesthecholesteroltobe deposited.Whenwefindoutjust

whatcausesthisdefectwemayhavea cure.Thecentertakesa band-aid approach....

“Nameonfile.”

Pritikinrespondedtothedoctor-whomhe referredtoas Dr.X-with

hisowndetailedreply. Hebeganbypointing outthattheMRFIT study,donebytheNational

Heart,Lungand BloodInstituteat a costofover$100million,“hopesto demonstratewhethera reductionofheartdiseasedeathscanbe effected byloweringthreeriskfactors:elevatedcholesterol, elevatedbloodpressure, and smoking.” Oneofthemajorgoalsofthe MRFIT studywastolowercholesterol levelby 10percentin sixyears.Pritikinwasableto accomplishthatin Sixdays!

Pritikin wrote:

Inthelast30-daysession,12drugcontrolledhypertensives startedwith averagebloodpressuresof 141/82.After30days,thesepatientsnolonger areondrugsand theiraveragebloodpressuresare 119/67-a 100percent reversalof hypertensionby our program,even thoughsomehad been drug-treatedforyears. Chestand leg painsare due to insufficientbloodsupply.Asthe pain disappearsand adequatebloodflowreturnsin responseto our program, the improvementscan be quantitatively measuredbyEKGtracings.Since Jan. 5, ten candidatesforcoronarybypasssurgeryhaveall improvedso

muchthatnonerequiressurgery, including somewhoseveingraftshave

closed.Theseimprovementsare confirmedby electrocardiograms taken duringtreadmilltesting.

Asforthedoctor'sstatementthatcholesterolisprobablynotthecause of heart disease,Pritikincounteredthat the Journalof the American MedicalAssociation (JAMA) hadreportedthat80percentofheartdisease deathshaveat leastoneofthreeriskfactors:elevatedbloodcholesterol,

168 Pritikin

smoking,and high bloodpressure(JAMA,227:1243,1975).He mar. shalednumerousstudies,allofwhichshowedthatelevatedcholesterol wasa majorcauseofmostheartdisease. Hepointedoutthathe hadbeengivingfreelecturesonthesubjectof dietandhealthregularlysince 1964andhadrecentlylecturedat Cottage

Hospital inSantaBarbara.

Finally,Pritikinstatedthathe had invitedphysiciansto cometo his center to examinehis recordson severaloccasions,and thatDr.Xwas stillwelcome. Thephysician's lettertotheeditorwassignificant becauseitrepresented theviewsofmanyphysiciansand scientistswhobelievedthatdietaryfat andcholesterolhadlittleornothingtodowithheartdisease.Theybelieved defectinhumanarteries, otherfactors,suchasagingandsomemysterious

weretheprincipal causesofthisdisease. Asaresult,thesehealthprofessionalsviewedPritikinnotonlyaswrong,butdangerous. Hewasusing

dietand exerciseas a therapy,whenmanyphysiciansbelievedthatsuch thingshad littletodowiththecauseofthedisease,muchlessthecure. Pritikin’s rebuttaltoDr.Xwaseffective, however,and fromthatpoint on hisenemieschangedtheirtactics.Shortlythereafter,a letterwascircu-

latedwithinthemedicalcommunity statingthatdoctorsshouldbeonthe

lookoutforanyinformationthatcouldbe usedto“get”Pritikin.Theletter staffat fellintoNathan'shandsandwascirculatedamongtheprofessional theLongevity Center.Everyoneat thecenterwassuddenlyon guard.

California Challenges HisCredentials

Bythelatespringof 1976,Pritikin wasinformed thattheCalifornia

ofhim BoardofMedicalQualityAssurancehadlaunchedaninvestigation on twocounts:first,thathe waspracticingmedicinewithouta license; and second,that as a laymanhe wasbreakingthe lawby employing

physicians. Bothcountswerepossible felonycharges.TheBoardofQual-

ityAssurancesupervisesthepracticeofmedicineinthestateofCalifornia and has the powerto investigatedoctorswho offerfalseor dangerous therapies,or laypeoplewhopracticemedicinewithouta license.Investigationsare usuallylaunchedafter a complaint-oftenmade bya local

physician-is filedwiththeboard.Oncea chargehasbeeninvestigated

fullyandtheboardissatisfiedthatacriminalacthasbeenperpetrated,the evidenceis then turnedoverto the countydistrictattorneyforuse in

prosecution. (Adoctorfoundoffering unsubstantiated treatments could

losehisor her license.) Theinvestigationof Pritikinwas alreadyunder waywhen Dr.Don

Pritikinvs.Medicine 169

Mannerberg arrivedinAugust1976torunthemedical armofthecenter. AsMannerberg sawit,therewasonlyonewayto avoidprosecution: Nathanhadtobecarefulhowhecounseledpeople,andanentirelynewcorporaterelationshipwouldhavetoexistbetweenthedoctorsandthecenter. Mannerbergwouldworkwiththeinvestigators forthenexttwoyears, assuringthemthat Pritikinwasnot diagnosingpatientsor prescribing

medicine. Pritikinwasturningoverallpatientstothemedicalstafffor

testing,diagnosis, andtreatment, saidMannerberg. Inaddition,Mannerberg soughtlegalhelpin establishinga corporatestructurethatwouldmake the medicaldoctorsworkingwiththe centera separateentity,thatcontracteditsservicesouttoPritikin’s Longevity Center.Mannerbergandhis

five-physician staffcalledtheirnewcorporation DeNovo,meaning“the

new”medicine. Afternearlytwoyears,the investigatorsseemedsatisfied,but the messagetoPritikinwasclear:he wason noticeandbeingwatched. “I don'tthinkNathanever appreciatedhowvulnerablehe was to

beingshutdowninthoseearlydays,”Mannerberg saidin 1986.“Hewas

reallyoperatingon theedge.” In fact,the chargeof practicingmedicinewithouta licensewould shadowPritikinfortherestofhisprofessionallife.Heinsistedon seeing patientrecordsandcounseling patientspersonally. Oftenhefirmlydisagreed withmedicaldoctorsoverhowtoproceedwitha patient'streatment.This broughtPritikinintoregularconflictwiththephysiciansonhisownstaff, even thosewho respectedhim deeplybut saw his involvementin a patient'stherapyasjeopardizingthecenter.Still,manyofthe Longevity Centerphysiciansovertheyearsdidnottakekindlytobeinginstructedby a layman. SaidDr.Rosenthal, a staffphysicianandlaterdirectoroftheLongevity Center'smedicaldepartment:“Itwasverydifficultformostphysiciansto acceptthe factthatsomeonewhowasnotan M.D.couldtellthemwhat todo.” Asinallotheraspectsofhislife,Pritikintendedto“livedangerously,” despitetheprobebytheQualityAssuranceBoard.Notonlydidhewantto counselpeople,buthe alsowantedtotreatanyonewhowalkedinoffthe street,no matterhowsickthe personwas.Hehad an unshakableconfidenceinhisprogramandhisownabilities,andhebelievedthataslongas theprogramwascarriedon properly,itcouldhelpalmosteveryone. “Wewerereallyproudofthetreatmentwewereproviding,” recalled Mannerberg.“Although weweretreatingseriouslyillpeople,weonlyhad one death during the twoyears I was at the center And that was an 86-year-old womanwhodiedin her sleepofa rupturedaneurysm.”

170 =Pritikin

still,Pritikin’smedicalstaffwasoftenjustifiablycautious.Had the Longevity Centerhadanydeathsthatseemedsuspicious totheinvestigators, thestateboardwouldsurelyhaveendedPritikin’s careerin healthcare. ItwasbecauseofthesuccesstheprogramhadachievedthatPritikin had suchconfidencein it,but hisdifferenceswithhismedicalstaffover whocouldbehelpedbytheprogramwouldremaina fundamentalpartof hislifeat thecenterrightup tothetimeofhisdeath. Inthespringof 1976,NathanwasinvitedbacktoCottageHospitalto talkto localphysiciansabouthis program.Thelecturecameshortlyafter Pritikin'sexchangeofletterswithDr.X,andNathanwasclearlya hottopic withintheSantaBarbaramedicalcommunity. Somemighthavethoughtit waslikewalkingintothelion’sden,butPritikinseizedanyopportunityto spreadhismessage.

Pritikin presentedtheevidence linkingdiettoa varietyofillnesses, including heartdiseaseanddiabetes. Whenhispresentation wasfinished,

he askedforquestions.Atthatpoint,onephysicianstoodup and began beratingPritikinforhis views.Thedoctorbecameincreasinglyangryas he bitterlydenouncedPritikin.Thesituationmighthavegottenout of hand wereit not forthe factthatPritikinremainedabsolutelyunruffled.

Anotherdoctorwhowaspresentin theaudience-aphysician notconnectedtotheLongevity Center-recalledPritikin’s responsetothedoctor's angryattacks. “Nathanwascool,”thedoctorsaid.“Heneverlosthiscomposure.He stuckto the factsofhistalkandnevergotpersonal.In fact,in alltheyears

thatIwatched Nathan, Ineveroncesawhimlosehistemperorcomposure.” Pritikin letthedoctorexhausthiscriticisms andthencalmlyletthe

meetingcometoaclose.Heneveraddressedthephysician's personalattacks. Nathan'sbattlewithlocalphysicianswasessentiallya tempestin a teapotin comparisonto thelargerfronthe wasaboutto open.In fact,as soonashe startedtheLongevity Center,Pritikintookonthe largestmedicalinstitutionin thecountry,theNationalInstitutesofHealth(NIH)andits enormoussubdivision, theNational Heart,LungandBloodInstitute(NHLBI).

CriticismGoesNational Pritikinbegan his nationalcampaignto changethe waymedicine treatedheartdiseasebysendingDemocratic Congressman RobertLeggett, ofCalifornia, informationonhisprogramand thescientificevidencethat supportedtheuseofdietasa meansofprevention andtreatmentofillnesses. He alsosenthis LongBeachStudyand threepatientreportsfrom peoplewhohadrecoveredfromseriousillnessesusingthePritikinprogram. Nathanwroteto Leggett:“Inourexperience,anginacanbe reversed

Pritikinvs.Medicine

171

sorapidly, nolongerrequiringdrugs,eveninmanypatientswithsevere

angina,thatcoronarybypass(openheart)surgeryisnolongerconsidered. In additionto the possibilityof deathdue to the operation,the bypass closureproblems[fromcontinuedaccumulationofcholesteroldepositsin thearteries]needtobetakenintoaccount,since20percentofallbypasses

arereportedtocloseinthefirst12months.”

Leggett,in turn,sentPritikin’s materialtoDr.RobertLevy,directorof NHLBI, and askedthatDr.LevyrespondtoPritikin’s points. Rightfromthestart,LevydismissedPritikin’s claimsasunsubstantiated andanecdotal.LevywrotebacktoCongressmanLeggettthatPritikin'sdiet andexerciseprogramhadresultedin“someexpectedchanges”inpatient conditions,but“itwillstillneedtobe seenhowmanyofthepatientswho haveundertakenthe30-daylive-indiet-exercise programunderMr.Pritikin’'s directsupervisioncontinueon thisregimenaslongasa yearafterward.”

Levywrote:“Patients canshowsymptomatic improvement in their diseaseandsomeofthisimprovement canbefoundundersupervised exerciseregimens.Whilethedrasticdietaryprogramwouldbe likelyto lowerplasmacholesterol,itwouldnotbe possibletoaccepttheevidence presentedas proofofreversalofatherosclerosis.”

OnFebruary 3,1976,LevywrotetoLeggett, saying: “Webelievethat

someoftheimprovementin symptomsand exercisetoleranceis understandable; however,these data are not sufficientto establish that specific

improvementin the underlyingatherosclerosisfromthe diet-exercise regimenhasresulted....” Thesetwoissues-thequestionofwhetherpeoplecouldstayon the dietandthefactthatreversalofatherosclerosis hadneverbeenprovenin humans-becamethebasisforcriticstodismissPritikin’s work. In 1976,scientistshad yet to conducta definitivestudyshowing reversalofatherosclerosisin humanson a low-fat,low-cholestero! diet. Reversalhadbeenshownon sucha dietin monkeys,butmanyscientists maintainedthattherewasno “finalproof”thatwhatwashappeningto monkeyswashappeningin humans,too. Butin theearlyrounds,Levywentstillfurther.Revealinghislackof knowledgeofnutritionand the Pritikindiet,Levywrote,“Italsowould requireclosemedicalsupervisionto assurethat such a dietdevoidof animalproductssuppliesadequatemineraland vitaminrequirements.” Undaunted,PritikinwrotebacktoLeggett,answeringeachpointof criticismraisedbyLevy.“Dr.Levycharacterizesthethreecasehistoriesas havingimprovement ofanginaandstresstreadmilltest,”wrotePritikin.“It wouldbe morecorrectto sayeliminationof anginaand a completely normalstresstreadmilltest.Theseresultsinspiteoftwocaseseachwitha 100percentoccludedcoronaryartery....

172 =Pritikin

“Dr.Levymightbe interestedin knowingthat a diet devoidof all animalproducts,whichwe do not advocate,is morethan adequatein everymineraland vitaminrequirement.Ifthe fruitsand vegetablesare washed,thenvitaminB)2wouldberequired.Animalproductsarelacking invitaminsA,C,E,andmostminerals.”Pritikinconcludedhisletterwitha pointedremark. “Medicalsupervisionwouldberequiredonlyina diethighinanimal protein.AmillionU.S.citizensdieeachyearfromcardiovascular diseases on thisdiet,and themedicalcostisenormous... .” Leggett,too,wouldnotbe put off.On February25, 1976,the congressmanwrotea stingingletterto Dr.Levy,stating:“Ido believethat

[Pritikin]is conducting continuous medical research withan outstanding

cadreofprofessionals. Whilehissuccesscouldbeignoredbyyourinstitute, I do believeyou havean obligationto investigate,albeitan unconventionalprocedure.” Levyhad no alternativebut to followthe congressman'srequestto examinePritikin'swork. On March8, Levywrotebackto Leggettstatingthathe wouldbe “pleased”totakePritikinup on hisinvitationtohaveNHLBIrepresenta-

tivesvisittheLongevity Center. “Itwouldbeanimportant medicalcontri-

butionifthebenefitsreportedareachieved”he stated,“andparticularlyif theycanbesustainedbeyondtheperiodofsupervision withintheLongev-

ityResearch Institute.”

On March31, 1976,Levysentfourmedicalconsultantsandastaff memberfromNHLBI totheLongevity Centerin SantaBarbaratoreview Pritikin’srecords.Noneof Pritikin’s resultsseemedto impressthe visitingscientists. OnJune 29,LevywrotebacktoLeggettreviewingtheinvestigators’ findings.Heconcededthattherehadbeen“asignificantdecline”inblood

cholesterol levels, “someweightloss,”and“someimprovement” inblood

pressureamong the patientsat the LongevityCenter.However,“It is unlikelythatmanypersonswouldbe willingandable tocontinuesuch dietaryrestrictionsverylongafterleavingthe supervisedenvironment providedbyMr.Pritikin’s staff.. . .” (Ayearlater,in 1977,PritikinwouldgetLomaLindatobegindoing follow-up studiestodeterminetheextenttowhichpeoplemaintainedthe programonce theyleftthe center.LomaLindaemployedprofessional surveytakerswhoused bothquestionnairesand telephonefollow-ups. Thesurveyfoundthat 80 percentof the LongevityCenteralumnihad

stayedontheprogram approximately 80percentofthetime.However, the

datawouldberegardedas“soft”tomostscientists,particularlytothoseat NHLBI, becauseitdidnotevaluatebloodlipidlevelsandbecausepeople

Pritikinvs.Medicine 173

couldsaythattheynolongeratecertainfoods, eveniftheyhadgiventhem

up thatveryday.Inshort,allPritikinhadwasthewordofhisalumnithat theywerestayingon thediet.Andthatwasn’tenoughformostscientists.) Levystatedthat the diet“doesnot appear to be practicalformost personsto follow”and that“NHLBI cannotendorseor recommendthe program....” LevywentontosaythatifPritikinwouldliketoconductresearchasto whetherhisdietwasactuallyreversingatherosclerosis, hecouldapplyfor a grantat NHLBI, whichwouldbe reviewedforpossibleapproval.

Inshort,aslongasPritikin hadnotprovenreversal ofatherosclerosis, or thatpeoplecouldstickto hisregimento sustainitsbenefits,Levy

pronouncedPritikin’s workmeaningless. Pritikinargued that there wasan enormousamountof good that couldbe done forpeoplewithouthaving“finalproof”thatthe dietwas reversingthe underlyingatherosclerosis. NHLBIseemedimperviousto this point, however.

OnJuly30,1976,LevywrotetoLeggett:“Togainscientificormedical acceptanceforthepotentialvalueoftheDiet-Exercise Program,Mr.Pritikin wouldfirsthavetoshowthata significantproportionofparticipantsinthe 30-dayprogramcanbe maintainedon sucha regimenafterleavingthe controlledsupervisionhis staffprovides.If theseparticipantscan continuesucha programforayearitwouldbepossibletodeterminewhether thesymptomatic improvements observedinthesupervisedenvironment are sustained.” NathanwantedLevytosurveyhisalumnitoseewhatcompliancewas beingobserved,but Levyhad no interestin suchresearch.NHLBIhad alreadypouredmorethan$250millionintotwomajordiet-related studies studies—the MRFIT (mentionedinDr.X’slettertotheeditor)andtheLipid ResearchClinicsCoronaryPrimaryPreventionTrial,or LRC,forshort. Unfortunatelyfor the Americantaxpayer,MRFIT(as we willsee later) wouldprovetobe an enormouswasteofmoneyand a majorembarrassmenttoNHLBI andtheAmericanscientificcommunity. TheLRCstudy,on theotherhand,wouldvindicatePritikin.

McGovern SenateCommittee ShowsSupport

RobertLevyandotherscientists atNHLBI maynothavebeenimpressed withPritikin’s work,butanothermaninthefederalgovernmentwas.That manwasDemocratic SenatorGeorgeMcGovern ofSouthDakota.McGovern waschairmanofthe SenateSelectCommitteeon Nutritionand Human Needs,whichhadbegunhearingsin 1968ontheproblemofhungerand malnutritionin the UnitedStates.McGovernhad initiatedthe hearings afterseeinga CBStelevisionnetworkdocumentaryon hunger which

174 Pritikin

reportedthat as manyas 25 millionpeoplein the UnitedStateswere malnourished.ThescenethatmovedMcGovernthe mostshowedchildrenin a schoolcafeteriagoingwithoutlunchbecausetheyhadno food or moneyto buy it. McGovernset to work.Fiveyearslater,he and his committeehad helpedto createsuchfederallysubsidizedprogramsas theSchoolLunchprogram,whichguaranteesthatnochildinschoolwould go withoutlunch;the WICprogram,whichprovidesfoodforwomen, infantsand childrenwhocannotaffordit;andthe FoodStampprogram, whichprovidesfederalsubsidiesforlow-income peopletopurchasefood. Aftertheseprogramshadbeenenacted,theSenateSelectCommittee stumbledupontheissueofnutritionand itsrelationshiptoillness.From 1973to 1978,thesubcommittee listenedtoexpertwitnessestellthemthat sixofthetenleadingcausesofdeathintheUnitedStates-including heart disease,thecommoncancers,anddiabetes—were alllinkedtothetypical Americandiet.Theprincipalcomponentsin the dietthatwerecausing theseillnesses,McGovern's committeefound,werefatand cholesterol. By1976,theSelectCommitteehadlistenedtohundredsofwitnesses and formulatedits basic ideas.And then they foundout aboutwhat Pritikinwasdoing.Pritikinwasputtingintoactionwhatmanyscientists werejustbeginningtoacknowledge. “Ina sense,Nathan'sworkcorroboratedours,”recalledMcGovern in 1986.“Wewerelookingforsupportforthe testimonyweweregetting fromour expertwitnesses.Theclosestthingwecouldfindin supportof whattheexpertsweresayingwasthePritikinprogram.”

McGovern wasnotawareofPritikin’s workwhenhe directedthe

committeethrougha labyrinthinesearchofthe scientificliterature,but theirpathsweredestinedtointersect. “Wecameat our ideasfromindependentroutes,butweconfirmed eachother'sfindings,”McGovernsaid.“IwentouttoSantaBarbaraand spentthreeorfourdayswithNathan.Youcouldn'thelpbutbe impressed withwhathe wasdoing.” Inthespringof 1977,theSelectCommitteepublishedDietaryGoals for the UnitedStates,a landmarkdocumentrecommendingthatAmeri-

canschangetheireatinghabitstoinclude morefish,whole grains, vegetables,

and fruits.DietaryGoalsalsourgedpeopletoreducefatandcholesterol, salt, sugar,and refinedgrains, such as whitebread. The committee recommendedthatpeopleconsumefewertotalcaloriesin ordertocontrolorreduceweight,consumeonlymoderateamountsofalcohol,ifany, and stopsmoking. | DietaryGoalswasthefirstgovernmentreportthatactuallyaddressed thequalityofthetypicalAmericandiet.Anditcameas a shocktomany areasofthefoodindustry,includingthemeat,dairy,and eggproducers,

Pritikinvs.Medicine 175

whoraiseda furoroverthesubcommittee’s recommendations. Thecon-

troversy overthereportgaverisetoagreatdealofpublicity, whichhelped

to awakenpeopleto the threatposedby a diethigh in fat,cholesterol, sugar,salt,and refinedflourproducts. Despitethe McGovernreport and the earlypress reportson the Pritikinprogram,thescientificestablishmentwasinnowayreadytogive

credittoNathan. Bytheendof1976,theNIH-andmuchofthescientific community—had closedthedooronPritikin.Asfarasmanyestablishment scientistswereconcerned,hisworkwasa deadissue. Butnotquite.ForPritikinhadjustbeguntofight.

CHAPTER 15

A Counterattack— andWorldwide Fame

I Pritikinhadanyhopeofbeingacceptedbythemedicalestablishment, he quicklybecamedisabused. TheAmericanHeartAssociation (AHA) joinedin the fraybyopenly criticizingPritikin’s programinthepress.AHAnutritionistMaryWinston calledPritikin’s diet“unrealistic” andstatedthat,“Untilhe[Pritikin] shows usmorethananecdotalevidence,thereisnothingtoevaluatehisworkon.” Butgettinghisworkpublishedinthescientific presswasanothermatter. “Trying togetourdatapublishedwasterriblypolitical,” saidDr.Hans Diehl,directorofresearchattheLongevity Center.“Wewerebeingturned

downbecauseofwhowewere.”

NathanhadhiredDiehl,ahealthresearcherfromLomaLindaUniversity, inthesummerof 1976toorganizethedatathecenterwascollectingand get it publishedin reputablescientificjournals.However,Diehl’sfirst paperondiet'seffectsonhighcholesterollevels,diabetes,andanginawas

turneddownbyeveryjournalhesubmitted itto.

ThepaperwaseventuallypublishedinthebookWesternDiseases,by Dr.DenisBurkittand Dr.HughTrowell,twoeminentBritishscientists. Burkittand Trowellhad earlieralliedthemselveswithPritikinbybecomingadvisoryboardmembersforPritikin’s LongevityResearchInstitute. PritikinandDiehlcontinuedtotrytopublishtheresultsoftheirwork inthescientificpress,butitwouldbeyearsbeforemedicaljournalswould evenconsidera papercomingoutoftheLongevity Center. Pritikinwasnotthetypetowaitaroundpatientlyforacceptancefrom the medicalcommunity.He was a born promoter,a man who could magicallyinspirehopeor rage,dependinguponwhohe wastalkingto and whateffecthe wantedtoachieve.

176

Counterattack

177

Theveryfirstnewspaper coverage Pritikin received forthecenterwas

fromhis localpaper,the SantaBarbaraNewsPress.Thesecondwasa nationalpaper-theNationalEnquirer. Fromthestandpointofcredibility, thepublicityfromtheEnquirerwas hardlyideal(PritikinwascompetingwiththelatestUFOsighting).Butthe exposurewasenormous.TheNationalEnquirerstoryreachedfivemillion

readersfromalloverthecountryandmanyofthosepeoplepassedthe

articleontofriends.MailpouredintotheLongevity Centerfrompeoplein allcornersofAmerica. Soon,othernewspapersandmagazinesstartedwritingarticlesabout Pritikin.AndNathantookfulladvantageoftheforumtolaunch a fewwellplacedvolleysofhisown. HecalledtheMcDonald'shamburgerempire“abusyorganization bentondestroyingourpopulation... .”Hesaidthat“iftheRussianshadto formulatea drinktowipeouttheAmericanpublic,they'dhaveinvented Coke.”He calledice cream“a chemicalfeast.It'sa case of completely destroyingan alreadydangerousmilkproduct.”Asforpizza,he tolda reporterthat“Ican'timaginetheItalianscouldhaveinventedthissuicide dish,becausetheyare suchnicepeople.” PritikinharshlycriticizedtheAmericandietand the medicalestablishmentforfailingtoalertthepublicaboutthedangersofa diethighin fat,cholesterol,sugar,and salt. “There'ssupposedto be somethingso sacredaboutthe American diet,”Pritikintoldonereporter,“andtheAmericanpublicissupposedto be sostupidthattheywouldnotchangeone iotaofthediet.That'swhat they [the scientificestablishment]would have us believe,at least.”

He pulledno puncheswhen it came to tellingthe press that his program,formany,couldbe an alternativetobypasssurgery. “Weknowwehaveapossiblealternative tocoronarybypassoperations,”

Pritikin toldreporterBennoIsaacsinNewWestmagazine. “Wepredict90

percentsuccess.We'vehad almost100percent,but I'monlysaying90. Imagine.Thereare about 50,000to 100,000peoplewhogo through coronarybypasssurgeryeachyear-atacostofnearly$1billionannuallyandwithwhatwenowknowaboutdietandexercise,manyofthemreally don'thavetohavethisoperation!” He repeatedoverand overagainthat“it'sridiculousthata million peopleshoulddie eachyearfromheartdisease.Probablyhundredsof millionsofpeopleintheworldexistonthelow-fatdietandtheysimplydo notgetheartattacks.” Pritikinmercilesslycastigatedthe medicalestablishmentforitsattachmentto drugs and surgery.He boldlystatedthe reasonsurgeryis pushedmorethandietisbecausesomedoctorsweremoreinterestedin

178 =Pritikin

the moneytheymadein open-heartsurgerythanwithother,lesslucrativetherapies. Pritikinwasnotalonein callingattentiontothepromiscuoususeof bypasssurgery.ThefamousDr.ChristiaanBarnard,whopioneeredthe hearttransplant,saidin 1976that“thereasonthe bypasswasdone so frequentlyin the UnitedStateswasthat it is a simpleoperationand a moneymaker.” (In 1981,a cardiacsurgeonwritingin theNewEnglandJournalof Medicineestimatedthat the averagesurgeondoing coronarybypass operationswasmaking$350,000ayearonthatoperationalone.In 1976, therewereapproximately 80,000bypassesperformedintheUnitedStates, eachonecostingbetween$10,000and $20,000.Threeyearslater,there werenearly100,000.In 1984,Dr.JosephBoyle,outgoingpresidentofthe AmericanMedicalAssociation[AMA]calledon doctorsto policetheir professionwithgreaterscrutinyin ordertoweedoutphysicianswhose

incomes, inBoyle's words,were“outrageous.”}

“TheNationalInstitutesof Healthknowsfullwellwhatdietcan do againstheartdisease,yettheycallformorestudies,”saidPritikin. Dr.RobertLevyoftheNational Heart,LungandBloodInstitute countered Pritikin’s publicrelationseffortbydismissinghimin thelaypress.

LevytoldtheWashington Post:“You provesomething bycontrolled

scientificstudies.Wewouldhopewecoulddothatsomeday.Iconsiderit inappropriatetoputthoseanecdotalclaimsinthepressandthelaypress at that,notthescientificpress.” Burkitt'sresponsetosuchanargumentseemedtrenchant.“Tosayyou mustupholdactionuntilthecaseis fullyprovenisa totallyindefensible stand.It’slikerefusingtothrow a lifejackettoa drowningmanbecause youre notcertainitcansavehim.” Pritikinarguedpubliclythatdoctorswouldnotchangeuntillaypeople demandeda newtypeof healthcare-one thatemphasizedprevention andreliedmoreondietandlifestyle.Formanyyears,Pritikinmaintained thatthiscouldnotbeaccomplishedwithouta majoroverhaulofthemedicalestablishment. “It'skindof likehavinga kingon the thronewho is a bad king,” Pritikinoncesaid.“Youhavetotakethekingoffthethronebeforeyouhave

a newgovernment, andnewwaysofdoingthings.”

Thisoverhaulofhealthcarecouldbe accomplishedonlybyeducatingmedicaldoctors,scientists,andthelaypublicontheefficacyofdietas a treatmentagainstdegenerativedisease.Peoplehad tounderstandthat drugsand surgery-whileoccasionallynecessary—had severeand often negativesideeffects,Pritikinargued.Moreimportantly, theydidnotgetto the root causes of the disease; diet and exercise did.

Counterattack 179

“Ourhopeistoeducateenoughpeopletostarta grassroots movement,” he said. Thoughhe waseminentlyquotableand evenentertaining,Pritikin did makeone tacticalerror whenhe claimedthathisdietcouldreverse atherosclerosis in thecoronaryarteries.In fact,therewaslittlescientific proofofthis,and no “finalproof”thatit wastakingplacein humans.(A handfulofstudieshadpurportedtoshowreversalofatherosclerosis in the coronaryarteriesofhumans,but thesewerelargelydismissedbyestablishedresearchersas unreliableor poorlydone.)Scientistssimplydidn't knowwhatwashappeningin thecoronaryarteriesofpeopleon a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet. Pritikindrewan enormousamountof criticismfromdoctorsand scientistsforthisassertion.Forthosewhowerelookingforammunitionto use againsthim, the reversalstatementwasall theyreallyneeded.For years,scientistscriticalof Pritikinwoulduse his unsupportedclaimto dismisshim. Bytheendof 1977,Nathanmodifiedhisclaimtosaythathispatients were“restoredtonormalfunction,”meaningthattheir healthhad been restoredto thepointthattheycouldlivetheirliveswithoutthesymptoms ofheartdiseaseandotherdegenerativeillnesses.Hecouldprovethatby showingthatbloodpressureand cholesterollevelshad returnedto normal,and thattreadmillstresstestsdemonstratedimprovedbloodflowto the heart.In addition,peoplecouldperformbetterin allaspectsof life. Theyphysicallyfeltbetter. still,therewerethosewho believedthatevenhis mostfar-fetched statementmightwellbe true. SaidDr.WilliamCastelli,directoroftheFraminghamHeartStudyand HarvardMedicalSchoolprofessor:“Myfeelingisthatifangiogramswere performedonhispatients,Pritikinwouldbe abletoshowreversibility [of atherosclerosis].”

Dr.PeterWood,deputydirectorof the HeartDiseasePrevention Programat StanfordUniversity, toldNewWestmagazinein 1977:“I wouldn'tbe theleastbitsurprisedifallhisclaimsturnouttobe true.”

“60Minutes”and Stardom DespitePritikin'sincreasinglycontroversialstands,it soonbecame apparentthatdismissinghimwasgoingtobeimpossible,especiallyafter

October16,1977,whenhebecameanovernight celebrity. Thatwasthe nightthe populartelevisionmagazineshow“60Minutes”broadcastits firstoftwotelecastson theLongevity Center. Accordingto staffmemberswhowere at the LongevityCenterin

180 =Pritikin

1977,the “60Minutes”teaminitiallyarrivedin SantaBarbaratodo an

exposéonPritikin andthecenter.

“Aftertheyhadbeentherefora while,theytoldusthattheyoriginally intendedtodo the showwithMikeWallacedoinghisinvestigation with hiddencamerasand the wholebit,”recalledDonMannerberg.“Itwas onlyaftertheyhadbeenhereawhileandseenwhatwewereaccomplishing thattheychangedtheirmindsand had MorleySaferdo theinterview.” “Therewasno doubtaboutit,”recalledDaveFields.“Theycameto investigateus and exposeus as charlatans.” Regardlessof the originalintention,the showcouldnot haveprovideda moreglowingreport. The“60Minutes”pieceexaminedthreepatientswithseriousheart diseasewhoweretoldbytheirdoctorstheyneededopen-heartsurgeryto replace cloggedarteries.The three patientswere.MaxEisenberg,a

58-year-old Chicago travelagent;DanAllen,54,whorana shrimpbusi-

nessinTexas; andClairShaeffer, a 54-year-old NewYorkelectrical contractor. The“60Minutes”reportcalledallthree“fairlyhopelesscases.” MaxEisenbergtalkedabouthis inabilitytowalk200 or 300yards withouttakingtwoorthreenitroglycerin tablets.Hetalkedabouthisfears ofdeathand theeffectsofhisdiseaseon hismarriage“duetomyfearof havingsexualintercourse.” DanAllenchosetheLongevity Centerasa last chanceagainstbypasssurgery.ClairSchaefferhadbeensodistressedby hisillnessthatafterhe had suffereda heartattackthehospitalstaff“took meoutofintensivecareup tothe 15thfloor,andthatnightIwokeupwith terrificpain.Ididn'tevenwanttotrytogeta nurse.Ijusttriedtogetoutthe

window. Ididn'twanttogoon.Fortunately, Ididn'tgetthewindow open.” AllthreepatientswereflowntotheMiamiHeartInstituteby“60 Minutes”to be examinedby a physician,appointedby the show,who wouldascertaintheirconditions.Therewaslittlethatcouldbe donefor them.AttheMiamiHeartInstitute,Dr.DavidLehrdiagnosedthethreeas

beingfairlytypicalheartdiseasepatients. Oncamera,Lehrexpressed his

frustrationswiththelimitsofwhattraditionalmedicinecoulddoforheart diseasepatients. “Well,yougo systematically througha wholebatteryofdrugs,”said Lehr,“someofwhichare verynew,newlydevelopeddrugslikeInderal

andtheIsordils, thatitreachesa stageafteryou'vegonethroughthoselast

ritesofmedicationsand thepatientstillhaspainand thepatientmayor maynotbe amenabletosurgery,thenyou'refrustrated,you'restopped. Youreallyhavenothingmoretoofferotherthansympathy.” Thiswasthestatethethree“60Minutes”patientswereinwhenthey atrivedat the LongevityCenter.AftershowingLehr,the programcut to Pritikin.SaidNathan:“Wecantakethemostseriousheartdisease[patients]

Counterattack 18]

and returnthemin manycases to normalfunction,and bring them to

suchnormalfunctionthattheycanoperatecompletely as if theyhad

noproblem.” “60Minutes”followedthethreementhroughtheprogramas theyate thedietand tooktheirdailywalks.Theshowreportedthateachman had improvedhisabilitytowalkfrommereyardsto tenmilesperdaywithout chestpain. Fourmonthslaterthe threewerereexaminedby Lehr who proclaimed them“remarkably improved, clinically.” Theunderlyingdisease had notdisappeared,accordingtoelectrocardiogram tests,butall three had been abletogiveup theirdrugs,dramaticallyincreasedtheamount of activitythey coulddo withoutchest pain,remarkablyloweredtheir cholesterollevels,loweredtheirbloodpressures,andlostweight.Inshort, eachof themen saidhe couldresumehisnormallifeonceagain. Theshowwasa bombshell.TheSantaBarbaratelephoneoperators couldnothandleall thecallsdirectedtothecenter.Phonelinescoming

intoSantaBarbarawerejammedfordays.

Inadditiontothe“60Minutes”broadcast,majornewspapers,includingtheNewYorkTimesand theWashington Post,didarticleson Pritikin andhisprogram.TheWashington PostarticlequotedtheBritishmedical journalLancetas sayingthatalthoughtherewasnotenoughhumandata tosupporttheclaimofreversalofatherosclerosis inthecoronaryarteries, animalstudieshad shownthat such a claim is possibleon a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet.In otherwords,Pritikin'sboldestclaimmightnotbe ascrazyas somescientistswouldhavepeoplebelieve. Allacrossthecountry,magazinesand newspapersbeganreporting theLongevity Center'sprogram.Pritikin’s famespreadtoothercontinents, includingAustralia,Europe,and Africa.TheUmhlangaRocksTimesof SouthAfricadida storyquotingoneofhispatientsassayingthatPritikin “deservestheNobelPrize.” Pritikinhad been launched.Withina matterof months,his name becamea householdwordamongpeoplewhowereill,orknewsomeone whowas. Whatwasclearatthispointwasthatthosewhosoughttodismissthe diet-health connection asmeaningless nowhadaformidable enemy.Nathan wasnotjust anotherdietproponent.Hepossessedcertainabilitiesthat madehimuniqueand,fromthestandpointofhisantagonists,difficultto dealwith. First,he had a thoroughcommandof the medicaland scientific literaturerelatingdiettohealth.Moreover, hewasfluentinthephysician's tongue.Buthe wasalsoa uniqueblend of professionalscientistand layman,a manwhohadspentnearly40yearsasan engineer,searching

182 = Pritikin

forsolutionstoverypracticalproblems.Hiswasnotalifespentinanivory tower,removedfromthe commonman. On the contrary,Pritikinsaw himselfas the commonman. Forfourdecades,the expertshad been tellinghimthathisideaswereempty,andforasmanyyearshe hadbeen provingthe expertswrong.Thoughhe possessedrare abilities,Pritikin hadnoidentification withan eliteprofessional class,butlookeduponthe medicaland scientificestablishmentwithskepticism. Itwasthiscombinationofengineerand commonman-plusa penchantforstatingthingsboldly-thatservedhimsowellwiththelaypress. Pritikinwasable to makecomplicatedsubjectsunderstandableforlay audiencesandjournalists.Hewasa masterteacher.He possessedthe abilitytotranslatetechnicalandabstrusesubjectsintoeasy-to-understand language,and givehis listenersthe sensethatthey,too,had an understandingoftheirhealthconcerns. Andthenhe wentone greatstepbeyond.Heappliedthe available

knowledge ina therapeutic setting.

“Nathanmadethequantumleapfromtheorytopractice,”recalledDr. HansDiehl.“Hehad tremendousabilitytomotivatepeopletoeata diet and followa simplelifestyle.Hehad a veryclearconceptofthe diethe wantedpeopleto followand he wasableto communicateit to people. WhenI cametoworkat the Longevity Center,I couldn'tbelievepeople wouldfollowsuch a diet,but aftera fewweeksof listeningto Nathan and watchingthe resultshe washaving,I realizedthatit couldindeed be done.” Thiswasan unprecedentedaccomplishment. Noonehad takenthe scienceofnutritionandusedittotreatsomanyillnessessosuccessfully. Thissingularachievementmadehim a powerfuladversaryto the medicalandscientificcommunity. Thelivesofthousandsofpatientswho wentthroughtheLongevity Centerservedaslivingproofthathisprogram worked.Thesepeopleformedan ever-increasing armyinsupportofhim. Pritikinforcedthescientific worldtoreexaminenotonlytheroledietplays in the onsetand treatmentof disease,but also the waythe medical establishment approachedtheproblemoftreatingdegenerativedisease. Andsomehow,he camealongatjusttherighttime.

Science Forced to TakeNotice WhenPritikinarrivedon thescene,thescientificworldwasconcentratingmostofitseffortsonfindingabiochemicalanswertoheartdisease, cancer,diabetes,highbloodpressure,arthritis,and otherdegenerative illnesses.Tomostscientists,nutritionanddietwerenotconsideredimportantorexcitingareasofstudy.Promptedbythediscoveryofantibiotics and theso-calledwonderdrugsofthe 1930sand 1940s,scientistsenvisioned

Counterattack 183

thedaywhendrugscouldbeinventedtocureeveryknownillness.The microscopic worldwasfarmoretantalizing thantheworldofnutrition

and diet. Inaremarkably revealingstatement, DrDonaldS.Fredrickson, director oftheNationalInstitutesofHealth(NIH),describedtheattitudeofscientists toward diet research versus other therapies. In 1978 Fredrickson,

whoas directorof NIHwasarguablythe mostpowerfulscientistin the country,toldSenatorGeorgeMcGovern’s SenateSelectCommitteeon Nutritionand HumanNeeds: | “Themajorthingthatmovessciencetodayis technicalopportunity.

Immunology hasmovedlikea rocketbecausetherearetechniques for measuring antibodies andtheirrelationship todiseaseandtohealth.And

whenwegettechniquesformeasuringnutritionalstatusthatarefarmore microscopicthantheyareinregardtowhetheryouhada coronaryoryou havea tumorofthebowel,thenwewillbegintoseemovementthere,too. Andthatisthecrucialthingthatdeterminesthemovementin science.”

Thestudyofnutritionwasanaltogether unwieldy subjectformost

laboratoryscientists.One high-rankingscientist,formerlyof the NIH, describedwhy:“Drugsand surgeryfallmorein the natureof modern science.Wedon'treallyknowthatmuchaboutnutritiontodayand the hard-nosedscientiststaysawayfromnutritionbecauseitsveryhard to isolatewhat[anutrientlike]calciummightdo.ButwithPritikinpushing diet,allofa suddenNIHhad a problem,becausedietisnota laboratory problem-it’snot a virusor a germ-it'sa culturalproblem, a lifestyle problem,and that'sbeyondthecapabilitiesofbasicbiomedicalscience.”

Tomostphysicians, especially in thelate1970sandearly1980s,

nutritionwas an altogetherforeigndiscipline.Accordingto an AMA surveyreportedin 1979,only30ofthe125U.S.medicalschoolsquestioned had requirednutritioneducationcourses.Afterinvestigatingmedical schoolcurricula,Democratic SenatorPatrickLeahyofVermontdiscovered thatmedicalschoolstudentsweregivenmoreinstructionin howto set feesthantheywerein nutritioneducation. Physiciansand scientistshad little,ifany,appreciationforthescientificstudiesbeingdonebya minorityofresearchersovertheprevious60 years.Onceconfrontedwiththisinformation, thescientific worldrebelled.

Theydemandedmoreproof-even “finalproof”-andin themeantime

maintainedthatthelinkbetweendietandhealthwasonlya “hypothesis.” Andyet,therewasa vastamountofscientificevidenceaccumulated that testifiedto the efficacyof diet in the preventionand treatmentof illness. In assessingthat evidence,Dr.JeremiahStamlerof Northwestern University MedicalSchool,wrotein 1978:

184 Pritikin

“Thetermshypothesisandtheorybothhaveprecisemeaningsinthe

languageofscience. TheRandom Houseunabridged dictionary states‘A

hypothesisis a conjectureput forthas a possibleexplanationofcertain phenomenaor relations,whichservesas a basisofargumentor experimentationbywhichtoreachthetruth,’and ‘Atheoryproperlyisa more

orlessverifiedorestablished explanation accounting fora knownfact

or phenomena.’ “Giventhevastbodyofconsistentinformationfrommanyresearch methodologies on therelationshipbetweenlifestyle[includingdiet]and atherosclerotic disease,it is inappropriateto use the termhypothesisin speakingaboutthisgeneralareaofknowledge.” Stamlerpointedoutthatifotherscienceswereheldtothesamerigors as the researchconnectingdiet to heart disease,“theentirebodiesof knowledgeacquiredin moderntimesbygeology,astronomy,and evolutionarybiologywouldhave to be classifiedas hypothesisrather than

theory,sincetheyrestalmostexclusively onobservational, ratherthan

experimental,data.Itwouldhavetobe thehypothesisofgravitation,not the theoryof gravitation;the hypothesisof relativity,not the theoryof relativity;thehypothesisofevolution,notthetheoryofevolution.” Inshort,dietwasbeingscrutinizedmorerigorouslythanmostother

scientific studies,and,byfar,morerigorously thanmostdrugsrushed

ontothemarket. Theevidencelinkingdiettoillness,therefore,facedseveralenormous obstructions withinthescientificcommunity:itwasforeigntomanyphysiciansand scientists;the methodologiesused in the studyof diet and

healthdidnotfitintothescientific laboratory model;andintheirigno-

ranceoftheresearchandnutrition’s potentialasa therapeutictool,many scientistsanddoctorsclamoredformoreresearch,andeven“finalproof,” beforetheywouldacknowledgethebenefitsofa low-fat,low-cholesterol, high-complex carbohydratediet.

Pritikin simplycaughtmostdoctorsandscientists bysurprise.

‘Veryfewpeoplerealizedwhatdietand exercisecouldaccomplish untilNathancamealongand didit,”saidoneNIHscientist. In the absenceofanyrealappreciationforthe efficacyofnutrition, andtheenthusiasmforbiochemistry, theclaimsmadebyPritikinseemed outlandishat first.Manyscientistshadtoseetheproofbeforetheywould accepthim. “Levywasdoingwhatanyhard-nosedscientistwoulddo,”saidCastelli yearslater.“Heneededtoseethehardevidencebeforehe waswillingto recommendthatdietreplaceexistingtherapies.” ButasStamlerpointedout,thekeyquestionwas:Howmuchevidence didthescientificworldneedbeforeactioncouldbe taken?

Counterattack 185

Pritikinpresentedoneotherissuethattendedtocomplicatematters forthescientificworld:he possessednodegrees. In a worldthat spins on the twinpolesof higher educationand prestigiouscredentials,Pritikinwas an anathema.Hisveryexistence withintheworldofhealthcaredrovemanydoctorstofitsofrage.Itwasas if he bypassedthe acceptedchannelsand somehowmanagedto beat

everyone tothetop.

Asan NIHscientistexplained,credentialsarenotmereribbonsonan inflatedchest;theyare essentialtothelivelihoodofscientists. “Credentialsare fundamentalto gettinggrants and movingyour career ahead in science,”said the NIHresearcher.“Unlessyou are a well-established, credentialedscientist,yourchancesofgettinga grant and doingyourresearchare limitedbecausethereis somuchcompetitionforgrantmoney,and thereisn’tthatmuchtogoaround.Credentials area meansofevaluatingwhothepersonis,sonaturally,peopletakethese

thingsveryseriously. It'sveryimportant tostaywithintheclubandwatch

yourp'sandq's.Ofcourse,thisshapesthekindsofstudiesthataredone. NowherecomesNathan,whois nota doctoror a credentialedscientist, and he contradictsthemedicalcommunity. Thefirstreactiontohimwas ‘Howdarehe sayanything?’ Andhe madeitevenmoredifficultbygoing rightto the public.Andit wasperfectlytimed,becausethe publicwas readyforit.”

Likerevolutionaries everywhere,Pritikinbrokethe rules.Naturally, he incurredthewrathofthosewholivedwithintherulesandexpectedto benefitby them.Butunlikerevolutionaries whocomefromwithinthe system,Pritikinwasa completeoutsider,andassuch,an embarrassment tothosewhomaintainedthatthesystemitselfwasnecessarytoproduce qualifiedscientistsand,moreimportantly, answersto society'sillnesses. Pritikin’s successcalledintoquestionsomeofthefundamentalmethods andattitudesscientistsanddoctorshadcometoacceptandliveby.Inthat way,hisveryexistencewasa healthythingforthehealthcaresystem,and thoseitserved. soonNathanPritikinrepresentedthedividinglineformanyscientists anddoctors.Ashebecameincreasingly popularandpublicized, hereceived an attendantamountofcontemptand reverencefromprofessionals and laypeoplealike.Hebecamesocontroversial thatmanyscientistsinestablishedpositionscouldnotassociatethemselveswithhimforfearoflosing theirjobs. Onewell-known scientist,whohad beenlistedon Pritikin’s boardof advisorsfor the LongevityResearchInstitute,was approachedby his superiorsand told flatlyto disassociatehimselffromPritikin.Another

186 =Pritikin

admittedthathe refusedto put Nathan'snameon a studyPritikinhad

contributed tobecauseitwouldhavehurtthescientist's credibility andhis

chancesofgettingfutureworkpublishedin scientificjournals. Therewouldbeotherdefections. FromthetimeheopenedtheLongevity ResearchInstitute,Pritikinheld annual meetingsat whichleading scientistspresentedpaperson theirwork.Amongthe speakersat the

meetings wereTrowell andBurkitt, aswellasDr.JamesAnderson, from

theUniversity ofKentuckyMedicalSchool.Oneyear,Pritikininvitedone ofthetopresearchersincardiovascular diseasetospeakattheLongevity ResearchInstitute'sannual meeting.Theresearcheragreed to givea paper,and the arrangementsweremadeforhispresentation.However, justdaysbeforetheannualmeetingwastobe held,thescientistwastold byhissuperiorthatifhe spokeat Pritikin’s Longevity Center,hisfunding wouldbe cutoff.TheresearchertoldPritikinhe couldn'tmakeit. In 1978,UCLA scientistDr.JamesBarnard,whohadpublishedinthe

scientific literature formorethana decade,washiredtodoresearchfor

the LongevityCenter.Barnardconducteda studyusingPritikinpatients andthensenthispaperofftoa numberofscientific journals,allofwhich rejectedit.Barnardwasshockedthatthepaperhadbeenrejected.Hetold Nathanthathe believedthe paperhad been rejectedbecausePritikin’s namewasonit.“Wecanfixthat,”PritikintoldBarnard.“Takemynameoff it.”Barnarddid and submittedit to anotherscientificpublication,the Journalof CardiacRehabilitation, one of the leadingscientificjournals reportingtheworkincardiovascular diseaseresearch.Thereitwasaccepted. OnlywhenBarnardwasproofreadingthegalleysbeforepublicationdid he put Nathan'snamebackon thestudy.Hethencalledtheeditorofthe journaland toldhim thathe had mistakenlyleftPritikin’snameoffthe studyandwasnowplacingitbackon thepaper.Theeditoragreed. ThehazingofPritikinwouldcontinue.However, as he becamemore successfulandgainedwiderpublicity,theoppositiontohimbecameless and lesseffective. Thatdidn'tstophiscriticsfromtrying.

: CHAPTER 16 More Stories ofHope andSuccess i nMay1978,Pritikin movedtheLongevity Centertoalargehotelonthe

beachinSantaMonica,90milessouthofSantaBarbara.Thecenterwould be thesoleoccupantofthenewfacility. DespitehissuccessinSantaBarbara,Pritikinneverfeltathomeatthe MarMonteHotel.HeandMarMonteownerBuddyTaubranintoendless disagreementsoverhowmuchrenttheLongevity Centershouldpay.In early1978,TaubraisedbyhalfPritikin’s monthlyrentof$51,250.Pritikin decideditwastimetolookforanewhomeforthecenter.Longevity Center employeesdemandedthatPritikinremainin SantaBarbaraand Pritikin himselfpreferredto remainthere,sinceSantaBarbarawashis home. However, afterscoutingSantaBarbaraandneighboringGoletaformonths in searchofa permanentlocation,nothingturnedup.

InMarch1978,LosAngeles businessman andrealestatedeveloper

DavidRoberts approachedPritikin aboutforminga partnership. Inexchange forsharedownershipin thecenter,Robertswouldprovidea largefacility in SantaMonica,previouslyownedbythe Synanondrug rehabilitation group.Thoughbadlyinneedofrefurbishing,thebuildingwasperfect.It comprised130,000squarefeet,with125guestrooms,a large,modern kitchen,an enormousdiningroom,a ballroomthatseated500,a theater witha stage,a gym,a swimmingpool,and numerousofficesandlarger roomsthatcouldbeusedforclassesandmedicaloffices.Thebuildingwas locatedrightonSantaMonicabeach,whereparticipantshadonlytowalk outthebackdoortobeinfrontoftheocean.InApril,PritikinandRoberts. agreedto becomepartners,and in May,Nathanmovedthe centeren massetoSantaMonica.Pritikinofferedallhisemployeesthesamejobsin SantaMonica,butthemovewasunwelcomeandmostofhis50employeeschosenottojoinhim. 187

188 Pritikin OnceinSantaMonica,Pritikin'sstaffburgeoned.Eventually thecen-

ter’sstaffwouldswellto250,including cooks,housekeepers, kitchenand

diningroomattendants,nutritionists, exercisephysiologists, a coupleof researchscientists,and tenfull-timemedicaldoctors. InordertoensurethattheprogramwasrunproperlyinSantaMonica, Nathanand Ilenemovedintothenewfacilityand remainedtherefrom

Monday throughFridaynight,whentheyreturnedtotheirhomeinSanta

Barbara.Ilenecontinuedtosupervisethekitchen,menuplans,andfood preparationtalks.Nathanran the program,counseledpatients,gave lectures,and maintainedhis freneticpaceas publicspokesmanforthe useofdietasa treatmentfordisease. Bylivingin thecenterfivedaysa week,thePritikinshad fullygiven themselves overtotheprogram.Itwastheirlifefromearlymorningtilllate at night. “Iwouldgo up to our roomat the end of the day,”Ilenerecalled. “Nathanwouldstillbeseeingpatientsorgivingalecture.Atfirstweateour mealsinthediningroom,butsoonNathanwouldbebesiegedbypeople anditbecameimpossibletoeat,sowebegantoeatinhisofficeandlater,in ourroom.Afterdinner,Nathanwouldoftenlecture,andseepeoplewho

hadquestions, andeventually hewouldcomeuptoourroom.Hewould havetomakesomephonecallsthen,andbythetimehewasfinished he

wasexhausted.” Eversincethe“60Minutes” broadcast,Pritikinwasmoreandmorein demandforspeakingengagementsand fortelevisioninterviews.Many medicalanddentalgroupsrequestedthatPritikinprovidelecturesonhis approachtodegenerativediseases.Dentalsocieties,in fact,becameone oftheleadingsupportersofPritikinand hisprogram. “Dentistsunderstandtherelationshipbetweenhealthandwhatyou putinyourmouth,”Pritikinoncecommented.“Myideasarenotsoforeign tothem.”

Withtheincreaseinthenumberofguestroomsandavailable space, theLongevity Centertookonmorepatients.Andtheremarkable case historiesgrewmorenumerous.

NoMorePain,NoMorePills,NoMoreWheelchair MinniaBiener,ofElizabeth,NewJersey,wasoneofseveralpatients whoarrivedattheLongevity Centerinawheelchairin 1978.In 1980,she wrotetoNathantowishhima happybirthdayandtodescribeherremarkablerecovery: Mylifehasanewmeaning andIhavenewjoyinliving. ForeightyearsI wasconfinedtobedwithseverepain,unabletowalkanddependentonthe use ofoxygen.DuringthattimeI washospitalizedseventimes,suffering

MoreStories 189 threemyocardialinfarctions[heartattacks].Ihadtheadditionalproblemof beinga diabeticand highbloodpressurevictim. ManytimesI entertainedthethoughtofdeath.Thereseemedtobe no purposein livingwithpainand causingdistresstomylovedones.WhenI reacheda pointwheretheDemerolpillswhichI had beentakingforpain werenolongertooeffective, panicsetin.IndesperationI calledmydoctor

andpleadedforsomecourseoftreatment, otherthancomplete bedrest, heartmedication andDemerol. Hisresponse washeregretted nothingmore couldbedoneandhisexactwordswere“youbetterfaceit,youarenotgoing

togetbetter,learntolivewithit.”

It wasin a stateof depressionthat I firstsaw“60 Minutes”on CBS presentingNathanPritikin{’s] Longevity CenterProgram.I begantohavea

glimmerofhopewhichbecamestrongerwhenI sawtheDavidSusskind

programon theairwithfiveformerpatientsoftheLongevity Center.Each oneofthesehandicappedheartpatientswerereturnedtonormalfunction becauseof you. It was during this programit seemedto me you were reachingouttomewiththemessage“don'tdespair,youcanbehelped." I felt theexcitementofoptimismrun throughme,and in mymindI wason my

waytoSantaMonica.

Andsoitwasthata shorttimelater,fullofhopeandexpectation, Iarrived at the centerin mywheelchair.I wasin thatchairforfivedayswhenyou approachedme and wheeledme overtoa secludedarea.Itwasthenyou startedme on myfirstwalkinglesson.Fromthatpointon, I feltyouwere takinga personalinterestin me,encouragingmeeachtimewemet. Lateron, as I met otherpatients,manyof themexpressedthe same feelingthat your interestin them waspersonal.Youcan'timaginehow gratefulweallwereforyourcompassionandyourcaringattitude. Itseemedlikea miracletomeattheendoftwoweeks,Iwaswalkingfora periodoftenminutes.I walkedwithpainin myunusedlegs,butI walked. When| arrivedat thecenter,I wasloadedwithmedication.I took160 mg. of Inderal[forhypertension]daily,100mg. of Cardilate[forangina pain],100mg.ofApresoline[forseverehypertension], 250mg.ofDiabinese

[fordiabetes], 5mg.ofValium [foranxiety] several timesa dayandQuinamm

forlegcramps.Also30 mg.ofDalmaneforsleep. UponmyfirstvisittoDr.[Sam]Cherney[Longevity Centerphysician], he immediately tookmeoffDiabineseandgraduallyreducedtheApresolineto zero.HecutdownonmyInderal.Aftera fewdaysIwasabletoeliminatethe Valium,Dalmane,and Quinamm. WhenI leftthecenter,1wascompletelyfreeofpain,nolongerhad leg cramps,andonlytookareducedamountofInderalandCardilate.Attheend ofmyfourweeks,I waswalkinga quartermilefourtimesa day,witha great

feelingofwell-being.

WhenIcamehome,Iwasdelightedwiththereactionofmydoctor.After a thoroughexam,includinga cardiogram,he saidwithsurprise,“Minnia,

forthefirsttimeinyears,yourcardiogram isnormalandI amelated.”I

continuedmakingprogress.Mylifestylechanged.Wemovedto Florida,

190=Pritikin whereI walktwomileseverymorningat 6:30,everydaywitha feelingof gratitudetoyou.Forthefirsttimeineightyears,Iamleadinga normalsocial life.. .lam presidentofa 450-memberwomen'sclub.Ihavebeenabletodo thechoreographyfora hometalentshow,a farcryfrombeingunabletowalk at all.PeoplefindithardtobelieveI wasincapacitated. Whatdo I believein?I believein “Miracles” and I believein “Nathan Pritikin.” Withgreataffectionandgratefully yours, MinniaBiener

MinniaBienerturned 74 in 1987and she wasstillfollowingthe Pritikinprogram,walkingabouta halfmileperdayandridingherstationarybicycle.In 1987,Mrs.Bienerrecalledthedetailsofherwalkinglesson withNathan. “Hecameuptomeandturnedtomyhusbandandsaid,‘Doyoumind

if takeMinniaforafewminutes. I'llbringherrightback.’ Andhetookme

overto the sideand he said that the carpetwasverythickso if I fellI wouldn'thurt myself,but he wouldn'tletme fall.Hehad me takea few stepswhilehe heldon tome,and afterthathe said,‘Now,Ithinkyou're ready for the gym.’Andthat'swhen I startedto workwitha physical therapiston thetreadmills.”

Attheendoftwoweeks, Mrs.Bienerwaswalking aboutahalfmiletoa

mileper day.Aboutthattime,Pritikincameup to her and askedifshe wouldtellher storytotherestoftheLongevity Centerparticipantsat his lecturethatday. Therewereabout250peoplein theroomwhenNathanaskedMrs. Bienertostandup and tellher story.

“Itoldeveryone thatIwasmakingprogress. AndI'llneverforgetthe

lookonhisfacewhenIspoke.Hissmilewassobroad,itwassomething.” NoteveryonePritikinwascounselingatthetimeactuallycametothe center.Ona regularbasis,Pritikinadvisedhundredsofpeoplewhonever set footin the center,eitherbecausetheycouldn'taffordit or because Pritikintoldthemtheydidn'tneed it.In fact,muchofPritikin’s daywas spenton thetelephonewithpeoplecallingforhealthadvice.

Hypoglycemia SymptomsGone StanKellerhad been an attorneyin the entertainmentbusinessfor nearly20yearsbeforecontractinghypoglycemia thateventuallybecame soseverethathecouldnolongerconducthispractice.Hebecamedeeply depressed,devoidofenergy,andsufferedfromcoldsweatsanddizziness. Forthenext14years,hewenttoa seriesofdoctors,psychotherapists, and

nutritionists withoutanysignofrelief.In 1978,hewaseatinga highproteindietandtakingmassive dosesofvitamin andmineralsupplements.

MoreStories 191

Heheldtothisprogramreligiously, thoughitgavehimlittlereliefandhe stillwasunabletoreturntowork.

Keller’s wife,Wilma,had read Nathan'sbookLiveLongerNow,and herbrother,a dentist,hadrecommendedshecallNathantoaskhisadvice aboutStan.Wilmadid.Sheexplainedher husband'sseveresymptoms

andthedietandvitamintherapyhewason. Forthenexthour,Pritikinoutlineda dietandexerciseprogramfor

StanKellerthat,inWilma'’s words,“gaveus thelifeback.” StanKellerfollowedtheprogramoutlinedbyPritikinandintendays waswellagain,havingregainedhisenergyand lostallthesymptomsof hishypoglycemia.

Pritikinmightneverhaveheard fromthe Kellersagain if Wilma hadn'tdecidedtwoweeksafterherhusbandstartedtheprogramthatshe wantedtoworkforPritikin.

TheKellers hadhadalonginvolvement associalactivists andWilma

wasaboutto beginworkingforEdmund“Jerry”Brown,whowasthen governorof California.Buthavingseen in her ownexperiencewhat Pritikinwasaccomplishing, WilmaKellerdecidedshewasgoingtowork forhim. short,spry,andenergetic,WilmaKellerwasasemotionalas Nathan wasreserved.Shehadenoughenergyandenthusiasmtobringa smileto thefaceofthemostbittermisanthropeanda glimmerofhopetoa lostdepressive.Andindeed,shedidmanagetolandajobattheLongevity Center. AtfirstshewenttoworkforDr.HansDiehl,directorofresearchatthe

center,butWilmawantedtobe closertoPritikin. Shefeltherabilities

wouldbe betterused on “thefrontlines,”wherePritikinwasdealing firsthandwiththesick.WilmaaskedPritikinifhedidn'tneedan assistant inhisownoffice.Healreadyhada verycompetentsecretary,sohe asked

Wilma, “Canyoudoa newsletter? Doyouhaveanyexperience atthat?” “No,”Wilmasaid. “Doyoutakedictation?” he asked.

“No,”Wilmaanswered.

“Doyouhaveanysecretarialskillsthatwemightuse in theoffice?” askedPritikin. “No,”saidWilma. Pritikinseemedperplexed.Hedidn’tknowquitewheretoplaceher. “I'ma peopleperson,”saidWilma.“Icouldhelp you withpublic

relationsandbea bufferbetweenyouandthepeoplewhowanttosee

you.I couldorganizeyourtimeand yourappointments.Letme havea three-month trialwithyouand I'llcreatea placeformyselfthatwillhelp ” :

you.

192= Pritikin

Perhapsbecauseofherenthusiasmandbecausehe hatedtosayno, Pritikinagreed.Wilma’stitlewassecretary,becauseNathanhad no idea whatshewasgoingtoend up doingwhenhe agreedtohireher.

Butinthesixyearsthatfollowed, Wilma Keller becameanindispensible

girl FridayforNathan,shepherdingpeoplein to see him,organizing

alumnimeetings, keepingintouchwithformerpatients, andorganizing fund-raisers forresearch. PatWalters, whohadrisentoprogramcoordina-

tor at the SantaMonicacenter,and WilmaKellerbecamethe center's motivationalone-twopunch.WhilePritikinand the professionalstaff administeredtheintellectualnutsandboltsoftheprogram,Ms.Walters and Ms.Kellerprovidedthe enthusiasmand the emotionalsupportso manypatientsneeded. Eventually, StanKelleralsocametoworkforNathanashislegaladvisor.

Withthecenternowinalargerfacility andtakingahigherprofile, the riskstoPritikin andhisstaffwereenormous. ButPritikin's successagainst

theseeminglyincurableillnesseswas,attimes,uncanny.Hecontinuedto attractthosewithsevereheartdisease,highbloodpressure,typeII(adultonset)diabetes,gout,claudication, andarthritis.Buttherewerealsomany relatedillnesses, someofthemseemingly intractable afteryearsoftreatment. Awomaninherlatesixtiesarrivedafterbeingunabletospeakorwalkfor severalyears.Shewasvirtuallycomatose.Hersuccesson the program wassoremarkablethatby the timeshe leftthecentershewasthinking lucidly,as wellas walkingand talking.On the concludingnightofher session,a birthdaypartywasgivenforamannamedHarryintheballroom ofthecenter.Attheendoftheevening,thewomangotup fromherchair and walkedacrossthe ballroomfloorto the amazementof everyone presentandwishedHarrya happybirthdayina voiceloudenoughtobe heardbytheentirecrowd.

Woman's SightReturns

NancyWashburn,a 29-year-old nursewhohadbeena diabeticsince childhood,hadlostthesightinbothhereyesasa resultofhemorrhaging causedbythediabetes.Mrs.Washburnhadundergoneasmanyas5,000 lasertreatmentsinherrighteyeandnearly6,000inherlefteyebeforeshe lostthesightinbotheyes.Surgerywasperformedthatrestoredher sight temporarily, butsubsequenthemorrhagesleftherblindinbotheyesafter theoperations.

Herdoctorattendeda medicalmeetingin LosAngelesat which Nathanlectured. AfterPritikin’s talks,Mrs.Washburn’s physician discussed

her casewithNathan.Pritikinbelievedthe programwouldhelpMrs. WashburnrecoverhersightandaskedthedoctortohaveMrs.Washburn

MoreStories 193

callhim.WhileNathandidnotbelievehecouldweanMrs.Washburn of herdependency oninsulin(juvenile diabetesisextremely intractable, evenwithimproveddietand exercise,Pritikinfound),he didbelievethe programmighthelpher withher sightand perhapsreduceher insulin needs.Healsobelievedhe couldhelpher avoidthe manysideeffects, includingkidneydamageand heartdisease,thatare so commonwith

diabetes. Mrs.Washburn calledPritikin andenrolledintheMarch1983 sessionat thecenter.

Whenshearrivedatthecenter, Nancy Washburn couldseenoimages.

Thesightinherrighteyewaspermanentlygone.Herlefteyewasincapableofseeingthedetailsofobjects.Eveninawell-lighted room,everything wasan opaqueblur.Occasionally, veryintensecolorssuchas redwould emergeasa hazyimage,butthesourceofthecolorcouldnotbeascertained. Eachday,sheatethefoodandwalkedonthetreadmill,talkingtothe peoplewhomshecouldnotseeoneithersideofher.Shewalkedforhours and miles,hopingthatshemighteventuallyregainhervisionin her left eye.Nathanwashopefulaswell,buthe thoughtitmighttakemonthsfor

hercirculation to improveso thatbloodcouldpassthroughthetiny capillaries thatnourishtheeyes.Oncethisoccurred, Pritikin believed the

sightin her lefteyecouldbe restored. Asthe weekswentby,NancyWashburnexperiencedno improvementin her sightbut sawa markedimprovementin her vitality,blood values,and kidneyfunction.Theswellingthathad been chronicbefore shecametothecenterwasrecedingand her insulinrequirementswere beingreduced. Still,whentheprogramconcluded,shewenthomewithhersightno better,butwithPritikin’s encouragementtobe patientandtocontinueon thedietand exerciseprogram. Threemonthsaftershe concludedthe program,the sightin Mrs. Washbutrnr's lefteyebegan to return.Atfirst,she couldonlymakeout imagesontheperipheryofhervision,butgraduallytheclarityworkedits wayin towardthe center.Fourmonthsaftershe began the diet and exerciseregimen,NancyWashburncouldseeagain. Shehadalsoreducedherinsulinneedsby25percentand,according to her physicians,her kidneyfunctionshad stabilized.In 1987,Nancy Washburnr's sightinherlefteyewas20/40,whichwascorrectedto20/20 witheyeglasses.Shehada driver'slicenseand wasa practicingnurse.

AFolkHero Reportsof theseand other remarkablerecoveriesmade Pritikina nationalcelebrityin the popularmedia.ArticlesaboutPritikinand the Longevity CenterturnedupinsuchwidelycirculatedmagazinesasTime,

194 Pritikin

Newsweek, NewYork,Woman'sDay,FamilyCircle,Runner'sWorld,and manyothers.Thecenterwasuniformlyportrayedinanextremelypositive light,and itwasn'tlongbeforetheLongevity Centerwasbeingcalledthe “U.S.versionofLourdes.” ItsoonbecameobviousthatPritikinwasnotgoingtojust fadeaway,

thathiswasnotanother“faddiet”likesomanyothersbeforehim.In

responsetothegrowingpublicpressuretoinvestigatePritikin’s program, Dr.RobertLevyanda teamofphysiciansand scientistsfromtheNational Heart,Lungand BloodInstitute(NHLBI) descendedupontheLongevity CentertoexaminePritikin’s dataonJuly18,1978-twoyearsafterNHLBI's

originalreview.

Accordingtoa transcriptofthatmeeting,thediscussiononceagain centeredon patientcompliance.LevydismissedPritikin's1977Loma Lindacompliancestudiesbecausethey had been conductedby tele-

phoneinterviews, whichwerenotscientifically valid.(Peoplecouldsay theynolongeratemeatordairyfoodsbecausetheyhadgiventhemupon

the dayofthe telephonecall,Levysaid.)Asone scientistsaid,Pritikin’s evidenceofcompliancewas“verysoft.”LevymaintainedthatPritikinhad notproventhatpeoplecouldstayonthedietandasa resultNHLBI could not recommendthatdoctorsbeginusingdietand exercisein placeof drugsand surgeryas a treatmentforheartdisease,or anythingelse,for thatmatter. Therewasstillthe questionofwhatexactlywastakingplacein the coronaryarteriesofpatientsona low-fat, low-cholesterol diet.Noonehad provenscientifically thatdietcouldreversecoronaryatherosclerosis. Levy concludedthatPritikinandhisstaffshouldconducta prospectivecompliancestudy,thatis,a studythatwoulddesignatea groupofpatientsatthe outsetoftheprogramand followthemforseveralyearstoseehowwell theyremainedon theprogram.Thatwouldbe an expensiveand tedious project,butitwastheonlysortofproofthescientificestablishment would accept,accordingtoLevy. PritikinwasundauntedbythelatestmeetingwithLevy.Hewashavinga growingimpactontheAmericanpublicwithouttheassistanceofthe

federalgovernment. Andintheend,itwouldbethepublicthatchanged

medicine.Laypeoplecoulddo thissimplybydemandingthatmedicine paygreaterattentiontodiet,bothasa meansofpreventionandtreatment. Somethingelse:was happening.NHLBImay have been officially unimpressedwithPritikin’s work,buthe had clearlygrabbedtheleadin thefighttomakedietan importantissuein themindsoflaypeople,and indeed,a growingissueamongmedicaldoctorsand scientists. In fact,the more NHLBItried to belittlePritikin’swork,the more Pritikinappearedto be the man tryingto helppeoplein the faceofre-

MoreStories 195

sistancefrompowerfulinstitutions. Thiswasclearlytheperceptionofthe nationalmedia,forwhomPritikinwasfastbecominga kindoffolkhero. ItwasonlythreemonthsafterLevyandhisscientistslefttheLongevity Centerthat“60Minutes”struckagain.On October22, 1978,“60Minutes”broadcastwhatCBScorrespondentMorleySafercalleda “medical checkup”onthesamethreepatientsthetelevisionshowhadreportedon

before:MaxEisenberg ofChicago, DanAllenofTexas, andClairShaeffer ofNewYorkCity. Theshowopenedbyupdatingtheaudienceonthemedicalhistories ofthethreemenand theirremarkablefunctionalrecoveryas a resultof thePritikinprogram. “Well,thatwasayearago,andwereportedatthetimeallthreewerein goodshape,on thedietandvirtuallyfreeofmedication,” reportedSafer. “Wetook a lotofcriticismatthetimefromdoctorswhosaida fewweeksor a fewmonthsmeansnothing.Somesaidmostpatientswouldnotstayon

thediet,itwastoosevere. Andanyway, withthecarefreelifeofthecenter,

theywereboundtofeelbettertemporarily. Fairenough.Therewasstillno

trackrecordonClairShaeffer, MaxEisenberg, andDanAllen.”

Theshowthenreportedthatallthreemenhadcontinuedtoremain onthedietreligiouslyandhadcontinuedtoimproveinvirtuallyallareas

oftheirlives.Asithaddonea yearbefore, “60Minutes” flewthethreemen totheMiamiHeartInstitutetobereexaminedbyDr.DavidLehr.Lehrhad examinedthemenbeforeandaftertheirvisitstotheLongevity Centerand wasnowin a positionto determinehowmuchimprovementhad been

madeduringtheprevious yearwhilethemenmaintained thedietand

exerciseprogramon theirown.

SaferaskedLehr,“Would youdaretosaythatthey'recured?”

“Afunctionalcure,yes,”saidLehr.“Ascientificstandardsetbymedicinebythetestsweuse,no.”Hewentontosaythatlargestudieshavetobe designedusinglargegroupsofpeoplewithdocumentedheartdiseaseto seeifitreallyholdsformorethan3people.“Ifitholdsfor40people,then maybethe governmentwillget in and do it on thousandsof people,” he said. Saferasked,“Dr.Lehr,whatwouldhappen,doyouthink,ifeveryone inthiscountryovernightwentontoa-changedtheirlivesandstayedwith thissortofdietand thissortofexercise?” “Well,overnight,the nextmorning,nothingwouldhappen,”Lehr replied.“Overa periodof years,the population,if theydroppedtheir cholesterolandotherfatstolevelsof 150[mg%.perdeciliterofblood]and thetriglycerides waydown,wemightseecardiovascular diseasedropoff thefaceoftheearth,ourearth,muchlikethosepopulationsin theworld thateatthisdietwhodon'thavethediseasesnow.”

196= Pritikin

Theshowcut to MaxEisenberg,whosummedup the benefitshe derivedfromtheprogram. “Idon'tpanicanymore,”saidEisenberg.“WhenIusedtohavepain,I panicked.‘I'lldropdead!’Now I don't.I havefaith.I knowmycapacity.No morefear.” Likethefirstshow,thisonehadanexplosiveimpact.Intheweeksthat followed,Pritikinand theLongevityCenterweredelugedwithcallsand

letterswantingmoreinformation aboutthedietandexerciseprogram.

ProducerHarryMoses,whoproducedthe showon Pritikin,toldWilma Kellerthatthe programhad generatedmoremailthananyotherso far broadcastby“60Minutes.” WhateverPritikin'scriticsmighthavebeensaying,the“60Minutes” broadcastconveyeda simpleyetprofoundmessage:NathanPritikinwas makingpeoplewell,and whilethere were manyquestionsyet to be answered,therewaslittledoubtthattheprogramworked. Itwasa messageanyonecouldunderstand.

J ore 17 PersonalTroubles

F romeveryoutwardmeasure,Nathanhadachievedenormoussuccess.

Someone elseinhisposition mighthaverelaxedandlettheshipcontinue on course.ButPritikinwasdriven.Ashe and the centergainedwider publicacclaim,Pritikinseemedallthemoretakenupbyhislargergoal:to

changethewaymedicinetreateddegenerative disease.Pritikin wasso

focusedon thislargergoalthat the alluresof fame,power,or prestige seemedlostonhim.Infact,Pritikinwascompletelyoutoftouchwithany senseofcelebrity,eitherhisownor someoneelse's. From1979on,the LongevityCenterbecamea meccaforpowerful peoplein the fieldsof entertainment,business,and government.But Pritikin,whowassototallyoutoftouchwiththepopularculture,hadtobe informedbyWilmaKellerorPhyllisMajor,hissecretary,whoa particular personwas.Ratherthantrytocultivatean advantageamongtherichand famous,Pritikinwentthroughhisdayas ifwearingblinders.

“Everyone wasthesameasfarasNathanwasconcerned,” recalled

WilmaKeller.“Hedidn’tknow,nor did he care,if someonewasrichor famous.Once,I had totellhimwhoBarbaraStreisandwas.” Moreover,as increasingdemandswere made upon his time,he seemedforeverin a hurry.Pritikinliterallyran around the Longevity Center,goingfromoneappointmenttothenext.Oncehewasinhisoffice orlisteningtoa patient,hewasentirelyfocused,butbetweendestinations onehad tokeepup withhimwhilehejoggeden route. “Nathanwasalwaysin a rush,”recalledactorLorneGreene,who

attendedtheLongevity Center. “Ifyouwantedtotalktohim,youhadto

keep moving.It was not a sedentaryconversation,it was a moving conversation. Buthewouldcomeupwith alot ofinterestingdetailswhile

197

198 =Pritikin

he wasmovingaway.Heneverleftyouwithoutsomething.Buteveryone wantedtoseehim.Hewastheman,andtheotherswerepaleincomparison.”

Business GoesBankrupt Whilehewasattendingtotheillnessofhundredseachmonth,Pritikin hadplentyofhisowntroublestocopewith-including personalbankruptcy. AfterPritikinstartedthe LongevityCenterin 1976,he devotedless and lesstimetohis otherbusinesses,especiallyPhotronics.Meanwhile, Photronicsfelldeeperanddeeperintodebt.Pritikindecidedtosiphonthe profitsoftheLongevity CenterintoPhotronicstokeepthecompanyafloat. Butthebusinessneededmore,andPritikinwasforcedtoborrowmoneyto makethePhotronicspayrollandkeepthecompanygoing.Ina desperate attempttokeepthecompanyalive,he obtaineda largeloanbyusinghis homeas collateral.ButPhotronicswasdoomed,and at theend of 1978,

thecompany wentbankrupt.

In January1979,oneofNathan'smajorcreditorscalledin hisloan andthreatenedtoforeclosebytakingpossessionofhishouse.Inorderto avoidlosinghishome,NathanplacedhispersonalfinancesinChapter11 ofthebankruptcycode,thusgivinghimalittle timetosettlehisdebtswith theprofitsoftheLongevity Center.ThecourtsassessedPritikin’s totaldebt

at$1.23million, whilehispersonalassetswere$1.25million. WhilePritikin triedtoreorganize hisfinances andpayoffhisdebts,

hisstockholdersat Photronicssuedhimin ordertograba percentageof the LongevityCenter,whichtheyclaimedPhotronicsownedbecause Pritikinhadoncesigneda contractstatingthatallofhisfutureinventions werethepropertyofPhotronics. Nathan'sattorney,HowardParke,arguedthatPritikinhadturnedover onlytherightstoelectronics-related inventions.Thelegalbattleshungon formonths,whilethefateofPritikin’s controloftheLongevity Center,his home,and hispersonalfinanceshung in thebalance.A superiorcourt judgefinallyagreedwithPritikinandruledthatPhotronicshadnoclaim ontheLongevity Center.IttookPritikinnearlyayeartogetoutfromunder theChapter11;he paid 100centson thedollaron debtsthateventually amountedto$1.5million.

Nathan'sSecretIllness Despitethe enormityofhis financialproblems,Pritikin’s mainconcernwaselsewhere.Hiscancerhad beguntoshowsignsofreturning. Pritikin'sleukemiahad beenin remissionsince1976,withthehelp ofthechlorambucil chemotherapy agenthehadbeentakingintermittently sincehe wasdiagnosedat UCLA. Nathandid notwanttotakethedrug, however,and in 1979he discontinueditentirely.

PersonalTroubles 199

Therewaseveryreasonto stopthechemotherapy,as faras Pritikin

wasconcerned. Hefeltwell,hadseemingly limitless energy,andfeltno

needtoslowdown.Hemaintainedwhatcanonlybedescribedasa torrid schedule.Hehad beentakingonlysmalldosesofthechlorambucil,and wasregularlyinconflictwithhisphysician,Dr.DavidGoldeatUCLA, over howmuchofthedrug he shouldbe taking.Nathanarguedforreduced amountsand usuallygothis way,sincehe wasthe one controllingthe amountofthedrug he took. Despitehisabundantenergy,however,Pritikinhadbeguntolookill. Hisskinwaspaleanda littleyellow.Peopleregularlyaskedhimaboutthe

pallidcastofhisskin.Hewouldsaythathisworkprevented himfrom gettingmuchsun.UponmeetingPritikin, onedoctornoticedtheyellow colorof his hands and askedhim if his hemoglobinwaslow.Pritikin acknowledgedthatit was,but thathe wasmonitoringit and itwaswell withinnorma!limits. In fact,Pritikin'’s hemoglobintendedtobe at thelowend ofnormal,

usuallyhovering atabout10mg.% (normalhemoglobin rangesfrom10 mg.%to 14mg.%).Hishemoglobinremainedin the low-normalranges throughoutthelate 1970sand early1980s. From 1976onward,Nathansoughtto keephis illnessa secretby

usingthealiasHoward Malmuth whenbeingtreated.Hechosethename

because,ashesaid,itwaseasyforpeopletoforget.Hedesperatelywanted tokeephisillnessfromthegeneralpublicbecausehe fearedthat,as an exponentof health,he wouldloseall credibilityif his illnessbecame publicknowledge.Hedid notwantto haveto explainthathe had con-

tractedtheblooddisorderbeforehehadchangedhisdiet.OnlyPritikin’s

doctorat UCLAwassupposedto knowwhoHowardMalmuthwas,but wordleakedoutand newsofNathan'sleukemiacirculatedasa rumorin LosAngelesmedicalcirclesthroughoutthelate 1970sand early1980s. In 1979,a doctorapproachedWilmaKellerandtoldherthatPritikin sufferedfromleukemia, butWilmarefusedtobelieveorrepeatthestatement. Thatsameyeara patientat the LongevityCenter,whowasfromthe Los Angelesarea,approachedPritikinand bluntlyaskedhimifhe suffered fromcancer.Nathan'sresponsewasthathisbloodwasbeingtreatedfora

proteinproblem, whichwasbeingcontrolled bymedication. Thatwasall

Pritikinsaidand thepatientseemedsatisfied. Forhis part,Pritikinalwayswishedhe lookedhealthier.Hisenergy and endurancewerehisonlyoutwardsignsofgoodhealth,and indeed peopletended to overlookthe colorof his skin and marveledat his seeminglylimitlessvitality.Still,Nathanwasnota self-conscious person, andtheissueofhisappearancewasalwaysa smalloneforhim.Nomatter whetherhischeekswerepaleor rosyred, Pritikinknewthathis knowl-

200 Pritikin

edgeandhardworkwerehismostimportantpersonalassetsinspreading

hismessage. Asfortheprogram, itsbasiceffectiveness spokeforitselfin thelivesofthosewhoadoptedit.

Buthisillnessshadowedhimlikea terribledebtthatcouldonlybe paidwithhislife.Afterhe wasdiagnosedas havinghairycellleukemia, Pritikinstayedcontinuallyabreastofthescientificliteraturerelatedtohis

disease.Hemaintained a steadycorrespondence withGolde,whowas sendingNathan scientific papersonhisdisease. Inthemeantime, Nathan's

son Roberthad done a computersearchat UCLAmedicallibraryand Nathanwashavingitcontinuallyupdatedwithnewandadditionalscientificpapers.Ashehadwithhisheartdisease,Nathankeptdetailedrecords ofhisbloodtestsand othertests.Hemadegraphsand charts,tryingto relatethe tiniestsymptomto his behaviorpatterns,particularlyhis diet andexerciseroutines.Butnopathpresenteditself,andNathanconfessed

toIlenethattheleukemia boredhimforitslackofinteresting research. Pritikin letnooneknowhisinnerconcernsabouthisdisease.

“Nathanlivedin hisownprivateworld.Hewasincrediblydetached abouthisdisease,”Ilenerecalled.“Hewouldmakehisobservationsand keephis records,but no one reallyknewwhathis innerthoughtswere abouthisillness.WhenthechildrenorIwouldaskhim,hewouldalways reassureus bysayingthathe wasfeelingwelland thatan effectivetreatmentwouldbe found.Andwealwaysbelievedhim,becausehe always seemedtohavetheanswersforeveryone.” ButPritikinwasnotfindingan answer.Asthecenterbecamemore successfuland he more in demand,he devotedlessand less timeto

findinga solution tohisleukemia. Ilenewouldpresshimtospendmore

timeinvestigating hisdisease.Hewouldpacifyherbysayinghewasgoing todothatathisfirstopportunity. Butsomethingalwayscameup toclaim his attention.Thedemandson himwerequicklybecomingenormous, and he gavehimselfoverto thementirely.Hewaspushingin another direction,tryingtoconvincetheworldthatheartdisease,diabetes,certain formsofcancer,arthritis,andgoutcouldwellbeeliminatedbyadoptinga moresimplediet. Inthespringof 1980,hishemoglobinstartedtodropprecipitously. It

gotbelow9mg.% andthenfellto7mg.%. Goldeinsistedthathehavehis

spleenremoved.Asplenectomyisperformedtoimprovethebloodcount, which,in Nathan'scase,meantincreasingthenumberofredbloodcells andhemoglobin.Pritikinresistedtheoperation.Hedidn'tliketheideaof losingan organandthoughthe mightbeabletofindan alternativetohis fallinghemoglobin.Buthisbloodcountwasdroppingfastand foronce he had no readyanswer.

PersonalTroubles 201

InJuly1980,Pritikin wasadmittedtoUCLA Medical Centerunder thealiasHowardMalmuth andunderwent surgerytohavehisspleen

removed.Theoperationprovedsuccessful:Pritikin’s red cellcountshot backup and hishemoglobinwentbackto 10mg.%. Onceagain,Pritikinkeptthetreatmenta secret.Withinweeksofthe operation,he wasbackat theLongevity Centerandwasas busyas ever. However, from1980onward,therewouldbe a growingperception amongthoseat theLongevity CenterthatPritikin’s schedulewasbecomingincreasinglydemanding,and perhapsgettingoutofcontrol.Hewas tryingtodotoomuchin tooshorta time,theywouldsay.

Yearslater,whenpeoplehadtheluxuryofhindsight, manywould lookbackandspeculate thatNathanmusthaverealized thatwithinhima

biologicalclockwasticking,alwaysremindinghimthatdespitehisseeminglylimitlessenergy,he didnotpossesslimitlesstime.

CHAPTER 18 AManinDemand

[ nOctober1979,Grosset andDunlappublished ThePritikin Program for

Dietand Exercise.Thebook,writtenwithPatrickMcGrady,provideda simpleand straightforward discussionon theeffectsofdietand exercise on health. It containedmore than 200 pages of recipes and menu suggestions,anda sectiondirectedtohealthprofessionalson thescientificbasisofthePritikinprogram.Itwas,in short,theperfectmanualfor anyoneinterestedin the regimen.Thatturnedout to be quitea lotof people.Thebooksoldmorethan350,000copiesinhardbackandanother 1.74millionin paperback.The hardcovereditionwouldstayon the

NewYorkTimesbestseller listformorethana year.Thebookwouldbe published throughout EuropeandinAustralia, whereitstartedanactive andsizablePritikinmovement thatincludedAustralian PrimeMinister

RobertJ. Hawke. Grossetand Dunlaparrangedan extensivemediatourforPritikin, whichlastedthrough 1981withthe publicationof ThePritikinPermanent Weight-Loss Manual(Grosset&Dunlap,1981),whichalsobecame a bestseller. Withthe publicationofthesetwobooksand the subsequentmedia toursarrangedbyhispublisher,Pritikinbecameoneofthemostin-demand interviewsubjectsonbothradioandtelevisioninthecountry.Inlessthan

a month-May11toJune5, 1981-Pritikinappearedon 27 television

programsall acrossthe nation,fromthe “TodayShow”in NewYorkto “GoodMorningHouston” to“SeattleToday.” Inaddition,hewasinterviewed on another23 radioprograms,and bynearlyas manynewspapersand magazines.Onmostofthesedays,he rushedfromonestudiotothenext. Thatyear,Pritikinappearedon morethan 50 televisionprogramsmanyofthemnationalshows,suchas“MervGriffin,” “MikeDouglas,” and

202

ManinDemand 203

“Good Morning America”~and morethan50radioprograms. Inadditiontothebooktours,Pritikinwasbeingaskedbylayand

medicalgroupstogivepresentationson hisdietand exerciseprogram. Thesebecameso numerousthathe toldIlenethat,if he wantedto,he couldbegina wholenewcareerjustonthespeakingcircuit.In 1979and 1980,he provideddietand healthlecturesto 32 medicalgroupsalone,

including talksatmajorhospitals andmedical centersfromcoasttocoast.

HewasalsoaskedtospeaktodoctorsatAmerican HeartAssociation meetings. Ina three-month periodin 1981-fromSeptember10toDecember7Pritikingave21lecturescoasttocoastinsuchcitiesasSanFrancisco, Kansas

City, BocaRaton(Florida), SantaMonica (California), SanDiego, Secaucus (NewJersey), FarRockaway (NewYork), NewYorkCity,NewOrleans, Milwaukee, Chicago, Glendale (NewYork), andLongBeach(California). Inadditiontoallofthis,Pritikinwasthefeaturedspeakerfornumerous dentalgroupsand universityaudiences,includinglecturesat the University ofPennsylvania and GeorgetownUniversity.

Oneofthegroupsheparticularly enjoyed speaking beforewasmedi-

calstudents,whomhelecturedatYaleandUCLA medicalschools.Pritikin sawthisashisopportunitytoinfluenceyoungdoctorsbeforetheybecame entrenchedinorthodoxpractices;talkingtomedicalstudentswasawayto shapethefutureofmedicine. Whenhewasn'tgivingpubliclectures,Pritikinmaintaineda 12-hour dayat the LongevityCenter.Sincehe livedat the centerfromMonday throughFriday,hisdaysbeganearlyand endedlate. Accordingto his secretary,PhyllisMajor,whoprepareda lengthy reportonPritikin’s typicalworkroutinein 1982,Nathanbeganhisdayat 6:30eachmorning,whenhe dida four-tofive-mile run alongthebeach. Afterhis run, he ate breakfast.Pritikin’stypicalbreakfastconsistedof brownriceand slicedbananas.Helovedriceandalthoughhischoiceof grainsvaried,brownricewashisfavorite. Pritikindidnotbelievehisdietwasatallaustere.Infact,heandIlene had adaptedsomanyethnicdishes,madewitha widevarietyofspices, condiments,and sauces,to the Pritikinregimenthathe consideredhis dietvariedand satisfying.

Whenever heateinrestaurants, heusuallychoseItalianorChinese

cuisinebecausehecouldgetpasta,rice,andplentyofvegetables.Pritikin wasunusuallydemandingin a restaurant.Heknewjustwhathe wanted andhowthefoodwastobeprepared,andhedidn'tleaveanydoubtinthe

waiter’s orwaitress's mind.

“Mydadwasthekindofguywhohadwaitershoppingwhenhecame intoarestaurant,” saidRobert.“Hewouldsay,‘Here'swhatIwantandhere's howI'd likeit prepared.’Becausehe wasso clearaboutit and because

204 Pritikin peoplelikeddoingthingsforhim,he generallygotwhathe wanted.” WhenPritikinfoundhimselfin a restaurantthatofferedonlytypical Americanfare,he keptthemealsimple.

“OnetimeNathanandI wenttolunchonbusiness,” recalledhis

attorney,HowardParke.“Wewenttoa localrestaurantand therewasn't much on the menu he couldeat, so he ordereda smalldinnersalad, whicharrivedwithwiltedlettuce,andhe hadan earofcornwithnothing on it,and I thought,‘Howcanhe eatthat?’” ActorLorneGreeneand hiswifeNancyaccompaniedNathanon an airplanetripfromLouisianatoLosAngelesin 1980.Whenthestewardess beganservinglunchontheflight,“Nathantookouta smallbrownpaper bagfromhisbriefcase,” recalledGreene.“Hetookouta coupleofslicesof wholewheatbread,addedsomelettuceandaslicedtomatofromthesalad onhistray,and madehimselfa sandwich.I thought,‘Yes,that’sprobably thewaytodo it.’”

Though hestucktohisdietrigidly, Pritikin didhaveapowerful appetite. “Sometimes Nathan wouldgettheseirrational foodcravings,” recalled

PhyllisMajor.“Hewouldeata wholeloafofbreador a wholepackageof rice cakesor severalbananas.He wouldsuddenlyget this enormous appetitethathad tobe satisfied.” Nathanespecially enjoyeddessertsandbecamefondof“fruitsmoothies,” hisversionoficecream,thathe and Ilenemadein a foodprocessor. Pritikindideatfishandonsocialoccasions,whentherewasnothing else available,he wouldeat chicken,but otherwisehe maintaineda vegetariandietthatcenteredonwholegrains,potatoesandvegetables.

Afterhefinished eatingbreakfast, hisdaybegan.At7:30Pritikin was makinglongdistancephonecallstotheEastCoast.Twomorningsper

week,at 8:15,he gavelecturestothepatientsat thecenter.Ontheother mornings,he sawpatientsand wouldcontinueseeingthemthroughout therestoftheday.Betweenpatients,he tooktelephonecalls.Hereceived nolessthan40callsperday,andaccordingtoPhyllisMajor,“Onseveral

occasions | talliedas manyas 60 to 70incoming/outgoing calls”in a

singleday. Pritikinate lunch at his desk and continuedworking.He would invariablyhavetomovea pileofpaperstocleara spaceforhimself.

“Papers werealways allovertheplacewhenNathanwasathisdesk,”

recalledMs.Major.“Itriedtoorganizehimbuthecouldn'thavesomeone elseorganizehiswork.Hehad to haveeverythingthathe wasworking withoutinpiles,buthe hadnotroublefindinganything.Hereliedonhis _memory.Hedidn'ttakenotes,buthehadanincrediblememory;hecould alwaysrememberwherea particularpieceofpaperwasinoneofhispiles on hisdesk.”

ManinDemand 205

Pritikinmaintaineda relentlesspacethroughthecourseofhisday. Whenhewasn'tatworkinhisofficeorgivingalectureinoneofthelecture roomsat thecenter,he literallyran fromappointmenttoappointment. Pritikinfinallystoppedfordinnerat7:00PM.Dinnerwouldbebrought up tohimin hisroom,number415.Eachnight,he wouldmakeseveral phonecalls.HewouldleavenotesforPhyllisMajorto followup on the followingday.Threetimesper month,he wouldgiveeveninglecturesto thecenterparticipants. In additionto allofthis,Pritikinhad severalprojectsgoingthathe keptabreastofconstantly. In 1977,hestartedhavinghisownbreadbaked accordingto his recipeforLongevityCenterpatients.By1981,Pritikin hadtheIntercontinental BakingCompanymarketingseveralofhiswhole grainbreadsinsupermarketsunderthePritikinname.Healsohada line ofsoups,saladdressings,and saucessoldin supermarkets.Atthesame

time,Pritikin hadDickBrotherton, hissonRobert's collegefriend,workingononeofNathan's ideasforpackaging Pritikin mealsthatwouldnot

need refrigerationand rehydrationoncethe packagewasopened.The projectnevercametofruition,thoughNathanpouredmorethan$200,000 intothefood-packaging idea. Meanwhile,Pritikinstartedthreenewcenters.In 1978,he opened anotherPritikincenter in Orlando,Florida(thecenterwaseventually relocatedtoHallandale, Florida), featuringthesamelive-in, 26-dayprogram, witha professionalstaffand medicaldoctors.Hewouldopena vacation programin Hawaiiin 1979,whichprovidedhotelrooms,classesin the Pritikindiet,and Pritikinmeals,but no medicalfacilities.(Theprogram closedin 1986.)In 1982,he startedanothercenterin Downingtown, Pennsylvania. TheDowningtown programwas,afterSantaMonica,the largestofthePritikincenters.Ittookin 45 patientsper 26-dayprogram, andlikeSantaMonica,ithada fullprofessional andmedicalstaff.Pritikin maderegularmonthlytripstotheDowningtown centertogivelectures, welcome new participants, and congratulate the graduates. The Downingtown and Floridacenterswouldeventuallyofferboth 26-and ]3-daysessions. ThoughNathanaddresseda widevarietyofchallengesduringany oneday,he especiallyenjoyedseeingpatients. “Ithinkthatseeingpatientswasthe mostfun forhim,”saidPhyllis Major.“Helikedtohearabouta patient'sprogress.Hehad a sixthsense aboutwhattheproblemswere,too.” Pritikin’s commitmentto hisworkwasnothingshortofawesomein theeyesofhisstaff.Thosewhoworkedcloselywithhimwereinspiredby theamountofworkhe tookon eachday. “Wereallythoughtweweredoingsomethingspecialwhenhewasat

206 Pritikin the center.”saidMs.Major.“Itwaslikebeingpartofsomeveryspecial mission.” DespitePritikin’sobviouslycompulsivenature, he maintaineda calmexterior. “Nathanwasdriven,yet he wasalwayscalm,”said Ms.Major.“He neverseemedfrazzledorhigh-strung.Hecalmlywentabouthisbusiness,

butwithsucha singularfocus.Hewasalways goingstraightahead.”

Asan employer,Pritikinnevercriticizednorcomplimenteda person

forhisor herwork.Pritikindrovehimselfrelentlessly, thuscreating a

formidableexample.Accordingtohisstaff,thiscausedthosewhoworked forhim to tryto pleasehimand eventobe appreciatedby him,but no outwardsignofappreciationwaseverforthcoming. Inthissense,Pritikin wasadifficultmantoworkfor,becauseherarelyacknowledged theefforts othersweremaking.Justashecouldnottellpeopleofhisloveforthem,he wasequallyreticentwhenitcametosayingthankyou. Hevaluedloyaltyinhisstaffaboveeverything,however,andhe gave the same in return.Wheneversomeonecriticizeda person to whom Nathanwasloyal,he simplyturnedawayor refusedtobelievethecritic. “Nathancouldn'tbear gossip,”said PhyllisMajor.“Ineveryoffice there'salwaystheofficepoliticsand gossip,buteverytimesometypeof gossipcameup in conversation, Nathanwouldmakehimselfscarce.”

Nathanand Ilene WhilePritikin’s staffwasgalvanizedbyhishighenergyandrelentless workroutine,hisdailylifeleftlittletimeforhisfamily.ThoughIlenestayed atthecenterduringtheweekwithhim,shesawlittleofNathan.Theironly realtimetogetherwasin scatteredhoursovertheweekends,and their 90-minutedrivestoand fromSantaBarbara. In 1980,whenNathancontractedwithGrossetand Dunlaptowrite thePritikinPermanentWeight-Loss Manual,Ilenedecidedthatthecenter had becometoodemanding.Shestoppedgoingto SantaMonicaand insteadremainedat homein SantaBarbara,whereshe workedon the bookwithotherstaffmembersatthehouse.Nathanwouldcontinuetolive atthecenterfromMondaythroughFridayforthenextthreeyears. Theyear 1980markeda turningpointin theirlives.Sixyearshad passedsincetheyhad embarkedtogetheron theiradventurein health care.Itwas1974whenNathanandIleneworkedfeverishly onhisfirsttalk beforea medicalaudience.Thatspeech,giventotheInternationalAcademyofPreventive MedicineinMiamiBeach,Florida,markedthefirstreal recognitionPritikinreceivedinhisnewcareer.Fromthatpointon,Nathan and Ilenewere a team.Theycomplementedeach other:Nathan,the visionary, ever-expansive leader;Ilene,ever-grounded, steady,anddevoted. Together,theyworkedtoachievethe samedailygoals,reachingtoward thesamelargerdream.

ManinDemand 207

In 1975,Nathanand Ilenecelebratedhis 60th birthdayand the

successoftheLongBeachStudy,thefirstrealproofthathisprogram

worked. Yearslater,[Ilenerecordedhermemoriesofthat60thbirthdayandthe giftshegaveNathan. “Tocommemoratehis60thbirthday,Isoughtexpressionformydeep

feelings abouthimandmyhappiness inbeinghislifepartnerina new way,bytryingmyhandatpoetry. Carriedawaybythespiritofcreativity, I didallbutmakemyownpaperandink,writingmylinesinmybestscript onvellumpagesembellishedwithmyprimitiveilluminateddecoration, thenbindingthepagesbetweenhardcovers.Aprivategift,reflectingour privateworld.”

Thepoem,entitled, “ForNathan,at60,”readasfollows: Thecliffsofourlivesareeroding, Timecrashesagainsttheirface Eachgrain,a sentientmoment

Freed,gentlywaftstothebase. Nomeredebris,thistalus Ourpastliesembeddedthere Transmutedrock,butnotmute Theseparticlesoncewereaware. Putyourarmsaroundme;gazeatourlandscape Iloveourcliffs,yoursandmine Thesoftslopeofmemoriesatitsfoot Atitscrest(foryou!),a fragrantpine. Thatprecipicethatrendsthesky I'llstilldaretoriskwithyou Thoughmountainclimberswearenot (It'sclearly“foliea deux”).

Later, whenwe'veweariedsome We'llexplorethememoryslopeatthebase Ourprivate“dig”-terraunique We'retheonly“scholars” whocanmaptheplace. Erodingcliffs,a growingslope Vitalforcescomplementary Isitpresumptuoustosaythesame Ofthetwoofus,youandme?

From1975to1980,NathanandIlenestruggled together tospreada message theybothfervently believed in.Whathadoriginally been“Nathan's

crazyideaaboutdiet,”asIlenehadthoughtbackinthelate1950s,turned

208_ Pritikin into their mutualmission.For Ilene,thosefiveyearswere filledwith

struggleandhappiness. Theymettheworldanditsseemingly endless

challenges together. His successes were her successes; his failures her

failures.Therewasnoseparatingthetwoofthem.Thedifficulties theyhad facedtogetherhad temperedthemas one. Butby 1980,thingshad changed. “Bythe timeof Nathan's65th birthday,our ‘terraunique’was no longera privatelandscape,”wroteIlene.“Itwasaspeopledasa Breughel paintingofa peasantfairandjust as fullofvitality.In thosefiveyearsin whichhe had movedfromquietscholarto veryvisiblereformerofthe

American lifestyle, itwasa sourceofprofound joyforhim-asitwasfor

me-thathisimpactonthehealthofsomanywassobeneficial.Iprepared to commemoratehis specialday in the mostappropriatewayI could conceive.I wroteto all the peoplewhohad gone throughthe Pritikin LongevityCenters,suggestingtoeachthattheysendNathana birthday

letter,tellinghimhowtheirhealthhadchangedasa resultoffollowing his

program.Therewasanavalancheofheartwarminglettersinresponse,as I had expected.Nathancouldhavehad no finerbirthdaypresent. “Onegratefulwriterputitthisway:‘Whenonemanis responsiblefor savinganotherman’slife,itseemsonlyfittingthatheshouldknowaboutit.’”

Thetwoverydifferent birthdaygiftsservedasa metaphorforhow theirlivestogetherhadchanged.Fiveyearsbefore,thegiftwasa private

expressionoflove.By1980,Ilenejoinedher lovewiththatofthe many whohad beenhelpedbyher husband. Nathanhadbeentakenoverbyhiswork.AndsoIlenesteppedaside.

SheremainedathomeinSantaBarbara, helpinghimtowritehisbooks

andawaitinghisreturneachweekend. Veryoften,hismediatripsinterrupted hisweekendsat home,butlikeeverythingelse,Ileneacceptedthis. Nathankept tellingIlenethat he wouldphase himselfout of the centerassoonashecouldfindsomeonetotakehisplace.Inthemeantime,

thetwoofthemdreamedofbuyingarecreation vehicleandtraveling. But eachMonday, NathanwasinthecarandofftoSantaMonicawherehis

workawaitedhim. “Everytimehewentoutourfrontdoor,”Ilenerecalled,“hebelonged totheworld.”

AMALaunchesAttack

Theyear 1980startedoffwithanothervolleyofcannonfirebetween

Pritikinandthescientific-medical establishment. TheJanuary4, 1980 issueoftheJournaloftheAmericanMedicalAssociation (JAMA) carrieda reviewofthePritikinProgramforDietandExercisein its“Questionsand

ManinDemand 209

Answers” column.Thereview,writtenbynutritionistThereseMondeika,a registereddietitian,waspromptedbya letteraskingthejournalitsopinionof“themerits”ofthePritikinprogram.Ms.Mondeikausedtheletteras an opportunitytobitterlyattackPritikin’s ideas. Afterdescribingtheprogram,Ms.Mondeikawrote: Thediseasesaddressedby the Pritikinprogramare highlycomplex, multifactorial, and inadequatelyunderstood.In additiontodiet,someofthe riskfactorsassociatedwithdegenerativediseasesaresmoking,overeating, inadequateexercise,and alcoholconsumption.Geneticinheritancealso

mayplaya role.Theprogramdealswithmanyof theseriskfactorsand

thereforemayhavesomebeneficialeffect.However, claimsof spectacular reversalsof seriousillnessesor of preventionof diseasein symptom-free adherentsoftheprogramhaveyettobeestablishedscientifically. Untilthen, the Pritikinhypothesisregardingdiet and diseasemust be considered experimental. Thebookcontainsmanyerroneousstatements. Forexample,thediscussion ofproteinscontainsa statementthatunrefined,minimallyprocessedgrains, roots,vegetables,and fruitsare muchbettersourcesofproteinthanmeat, fish,eggsandmilk.Itisfurtherstatedthatallnaturalfoodgrowncontainsall the aminoacids,“essential”and “nonessential” in sufficientquantitiesto satisfyhumanrequirements.Thesestatementsconflictwithscientificfact. ThePritikindietformulais alsoadvocatedforpregnantwomenand burn victims.Consideringtheincreasedneedforproteinduringpregnancyand in patientswithextensiveburns,followingthisadvicewouldbe contraryto propernutritionalcare. Foodadditives,accordingto the program,shouldbe avoided.The authorspointoutthatsome3,500newchemicalshavefoundtheirwayinto our food-and“thatourbodiessimplyaren'treadyforthem.”Whiteflouris notrecommended becauseofthe“dangerous chemicalsusedinthebleaching process.”Suchinaccuratestatementsthroughoutthebookdonotqualifyit as a reliablesourceofnutritioninformation. | Thisbook,the authorsstate,is intendedprimarilyforthosewhoconsiderthemselveshealthyorwhohaveminorproblemssuchasmildhypertensionorborderlinediabetes.Personstakingprescriptiondrugsarewarned nottoattemptthePritikinprogramwithoutmedicalsupervision. Onewonders, then,whythePritikinProgramforDietandExercisewaspublishedinbook formandwrittenforthelayman.

TheAMAthenpublisheda pressreleasethatquotedMs.Mondeika’s criticisms.Thepress releaseran the headline(incapitalletters):“DIET BOOK OFFERS UNSOUND ADVICE, AMAEXPERT SAYS.” Thereleasewas turned over to the AssociatedPress,which in turn wired the storyto newspapersall over the country.Thetypicalheadlinesin newspapers from coast to coast read: “Diet Plan Claim Hit in Article”;“Nutritionist

“ChallengesPritikinDiet”,“PritikinDietPlanQuestioned.”

210 Pritikin TheChicagoSunTimesaddedtotheAPstorybycallingintoquestion

Pritikin's credentials. Thestoryran undertheheadline:“AMA Expert Assails Pritikin Diet.” TheJAMA article,whichthestorywasbasedon,did not mentionPritikin’slackofcredentials,but theSun Timesstuckon a paragraphat theend ofthestorythatread:“Criticsalsohavechallenged Pritikin’scredentials.Nota physician,he spent mostof his lifeas an independententrepreneurdevelopingelectronicgadgetry.”

TheSunTimesversionofthestorywaspickedupbyothernewspa-

persand widelycirculatedaswell. Pritikinrespondedto the JAMAarticlewith a lengthyand welldocumentedreply.HeaddressedeachofMs.Mondeika’s criticismswith thescientificevidencesupportinghisstatements. HewrotethatMs.Mondeika“disagreeswithmyclaimthatvegetable proteinsare as gooda sourceof proteinas animalprotein.Orthodox nutritionaldogmabasedontheworkofOsborneandMendelisprobably the sourceof her views.Theirinfluentialand standard-setting bodyof workwasbasedon studieswithratswhosenutritionalneedsdifferfrom humansbothinregardtothequalityandquantityofproteinrequirements. Ratsthrivepoorlyonhumanmilk,whichhasone-fourththeproteinofrat milk,butyourbabiesand minedo splendidlyon it. “Muchresearchdemonstratestheadequacyofvegetableproteinsas comparedtoanimalproteins.J.Knappandco-workers (American Journal

ofClinical Nutrition 26:586-90, 1973)showthatinfantsfrom5-14months oldsufferingfromdiarrheaand admittedtoa hospitalin CorpusChristi,

Texas, faredbetteronvegetables andgrainsthanon[cow's] milkintheir

post-recovery period.Notonlywere there no growthrate or nitrogen retentiondifferencesamongthebabies,butthepercentageofureaexcretionwaslowerin thevegetableproteingroup.” Pritikinwentontolistfourmorestudies,twopublishedintheJournal ofClinicalNutrition,anotherdoneat PurdueUniversity andyetanother done at DukeUniversity, all showingsuperiorproteinmetabolismin humansonvegetabledietsas opposedtoanimalprotein. Hecommentedthathigh levelsofproteinon a dietrichin animal foodsincreasesthebody’slossofcalciumandcausesosteoporosis. “Eskimos eat 25 percenttotalcaloriesin protein,mostlyin animalprotein,and consumeupto2,500mg./dayofcalcium,”Pritikinwrote.“Theyhaveeven

moreosteoporosis andbreastcancerthandoAmerican women,whose

rates of these diseasesare amongthe highestin the world.... Bantu womenhavealmostnoosteoporosisorbreastcancer,yetthe 10,000,000 BantusinSouthAfricaliveona 12percentproteindiet,primarilyvegetable protein,withonly350 mg./dayof calcium.Bantuwomenbear an averageof nine childrenand breastfeedup to twoyears.Mydietary guidelinesparalleltheBantudiet,nutritionally. ...”

ManinDemand 211

Pritikinalso notedthat animalproteinsourcesare rich in fatand cholesterol,whichlead toillnessand thus makethemlessthan idealin comparisontovegetablesources. AsforJAMA‘criticismofPritikin'’s concernaboutadditives,Nathan wrote:“Theremaining‘erroneousstatements’attributedto mybookby your reviewerhave to do withconcernI expressedovera foodsupply adulteratedwithsome3,500chemicalsand withchlorine-bleached flour and withmystatedpreferenceforunadulteratedfoodand stoneground whole-wheat flour.DoestheAMAreallyprefertheformer? I findthathard tobelieve!” - Pritikinconcludedhis letterby sayingthat the “AMAhas done a disserviceto itsreadersand the Americanpeoplewithits recklessand indiscriminateattackon the PritikinProgramfor Diet and Exercise.” But,he said,the physicianswhowerefamiliarwiththe dietwould“not be misled.” JAMArefusedtoprintPritikin’s rebuttal. Pritikinreceiveda numberoflettersfromdoctorswhowereoutraged by the JAMAreview.One doctor,fromAnchorage,Alaska-whomailed Pritikinhisreplyto the JAMAarticle-wroteto Ms.Mondeika,saying:“I hopeI am overmy‘rage’at yourarticlein January4, 1980issueof the Journal.”Thephysicianrecountedhisfrustrations withmedicinewhenhe had to treatbothhisparentsforheartdiseasewithdrugs,onlyto findthat hisparentsgotprogressively worse.Ataloss,thephysicianboughta copy ofLiveLongerNow.In hisletter,he stated: I founditto be equallyas goodif notbetterthan mostof thebookswe usedin medicalschoolas regardstheseadult-onsetdegenerativediseases. Atleastithada logicalreasonfortheonsetand propagationofthediseases. I began goingto the medicallibraryto lookup the referencesto read, Xerox,and studyto be sure thatMr.Pritikinwasn'tjust dreamingup some wildideas. I contactedMr.Pritikinand he sentmesomereportsonworkthathad beendoneat thenewlybegun“Longevity Center.” In Mayof 1976,aftermuch difficulty, I persuadedmy father,an old dyed-in-the-wool pill-pushingphysician,thathe wasgoingtotakemotherto NathanPritikin'sLongevity Centerfora month.Shewas“offherrocker”[the physician'smotherhad had two heartattacks andhad sufferedfromapparentsenility],hadangina,and arthritis.Mostofthe timeshedidn'tknowmy brothersor me,whereshewas,oryou nameit,shedidn'tknow.Inretrospect

I am notcertainhowmuchof thiswasiatrogenic [causedbymedical

treatment]due toher husbandbutif it wasitwasbecausehe wastryingto keep up withher complaintsof hip, shoulder,and chest pain using the “shotgun” theoryoftherapy.Thatpluswhatotherdoctorswereprescribing. .. . Onemonthlatermotherwashomeandbackamongthelivingatage 74. Shewasn't‘hittingon alleight’butshewashittingon sevenand whenshe

212 = Pritikin wentshewashittingon lessthanoneor two.A remarkablechangeforthe better,and she wasoffthe heart medication.Nochestpain,virtuallyno

arthritis, andmentally veryacceptable. Theonlyproblem washowtostayon

thefoodprogram.Wehavedonemoderatelywelloverthelastfouryears,but itwouldhavehelpedifone couldhavewalkedintoa restaurantand said “GivemeyourPritikinspecial”and knownthattheamountoffatsand oils wereata minimum....

ThephysicianthenwentontoexplaintoMs.Mondeikathescientific basisoftheprogram.Thedoctorconcludedhisletterbysaying: Medicaldoctorscan’tthinkor discussnutritionbecausetheyaren't taughtthatand dietitians/nutritionists can'tdiscussdiseasebecausethey aren'ttaughtthat,andbotharetaughtthattherelationshipbetweenthetwo, nutritionanddisease,isonlycasualand“forgetit.”Shakeyourselfloosefrom the IvoryTower,doalittle morereasoning,doalittle research,doa little studying,keepan openmind,and letus seeifwecan'tbringbothcamps

togetherina meaningful relationship. ... Nathanisprobably thebestedu-

catedmaninbothdisciplinesofanybodyin thiscountryortheworld.Heis theEinsteinofthemedicine-nutrition fieldand I thinkhe deservesrecognitionforthatand I thinkhe deserves alot ofit as wellas thewholehearted supportofthemedicalcommunity. ...

Interestingly, sixmonthslater,theAmericanDieteticAssociation (ADA) publisheda positionpaperon dietsbasedsolelyonvegetablefoodsand statedthat“TheAmericanDieteticAssociationrecognizesthat mostof mankindformuchof humanhistoryhas subsistedon near-vegetarian diets.Thevastmajorityofthepopulationoftheworldtodaycontinuesto eatvegetarian orsemi-vegetarian dietsforeconomic, ecologic, philosophical, religious,cultural,or otherreasons.” TheADAreportedthat“well-planned vegetariandietsareconsistent withgoodnutritionalstatus.... Furthermore,a totalplantdietarycanbe madeadequateby carefulplanning,givingproperattentionto specific nutrients....” Pritikinwasnot advocatinga totalvegetariandiet-thoughhe had long pointedout that much of the worldsubsistsverywellon such a diet-sincehepermittedtheuseofsmallportionsoffish,poultry,andother low-fatanimalfoods. TheJAMAattackon Pritikindidlittletoslowhimdown,however. Nomatterwhattheopposition,Pritikinbelievedimplicitlythatitwas justa matteroftimebeforemostAmericanswouldeata Pritikin-like diet. In February1980,he testifiedas an expertwitnesson healthbeforethe SenateSubcommitteeon Healthand ScientificResearch,and toldthe senators,“Iamcertain,infiveyears’timeinthiscountry,50percentofthe peoplein thiscountryaregoingtobe on a largeaspectofthisdiet.”

ManinDemand 213

It wasthatkindof confidencethatpropelledPritikinintohis most

ambitious-and certainly hismostaudacious-project asahealthpromoter. InJanuary1980,Nathanlauncheda campaigntoconvertthetownof Natchitoches, Louisiana,tothePritikinprogram.

AGoodIdeaGoesBad Locatedon the Cane River,just 70 miles south of Shreveport, Natchitoches(pronouncedNackitash)is one of the state’soldesttowns, havingbeen settledin 1714 by the French and Spanish.Its many 19th-century housesand cobblestonestreetsreflectnotonlythe town’s charmbutalsoitsstrongtieswiththeOldSouth.

Louisiana Governor EdwinEdwards hadbeenconvinced bya close friendthatthePritikin program couldwipeoutmostcardiovascular disease

andadult-onsetdiabetesifitwasadoptedbya largepopulation.Edwards becameexcitedabouttheideaofapplyingPritikin'’s programon a large scaleand choseNatchitochesasatest sitefor“ProjectLife,”as Pritikin’s

experiment cametobecalled,becauseoftheexceptionally highmortality

ratefromheartdiseaseand strokeamongits 19,000citizens. Thegoalwasto reducethe mortalityratesfromheartdiseaseand strokeby 10 percent in one year.Ruston,Louisiana,about 70 miles northeastofNatchitoches, wasdesignatedasthe“control”group,sinceit

wasaboutthesamesizeasNatchitoches. Ruston residents wouldreceive

no informationaboutdiet and healthand wouldthereforeserveas a comparisonpopulation. Thegovernorprovided$40,000inpublicfunds;Pritikincontributed another$15,000.HethenhiredlocalsociologistC.B.“Lum”Ellis,Ph.D., andhiswife,DonnaEllis,Ph.D.,toeducatethetowninthePritikindietand exerciseprogram.LumEllisorganizeda groupofvolunteerswho,with Longevity CenternutritionistChristineNewport, providedcookingclasses, publiclectures,and radioand televisionshows.Alocalbakeryagreedto providePritikinbread-bakedaccordingto Nathan'sspecifications—-and storeownersstockedup on Pritikinstaples,includinggrainsand nonfat dairyproducts. Noonethoughtitwasgoingtobe easy.Natchitoches wasfamousfor itsmeatpie-madewitha deep-friedcrustandlotsoffattybeefandgravy. Thespecialtiesthatwerefavorites amongthelocalcitizenswerefricassees, crawfish,friedchickenand friedchickensteaks,cajunspecialties,and shrimpjambalaya.Notexactlyin thePritikinline. Nathan'sdiet ofwholegrains,vegetables,fruit,and low-fatanimal productsseemedasforeigntothesepeopleasTokyo. ButPritikinthought hecouldwinoverthegoodpeopleofNatchitoches withfivepromisesthat couldbe realizedbyanyonewhofaithfullyfollowedthePritikinprogram.

214 Pritikin

Thebig five,as LumEllislikedto callthem,were:longevity, bettersex,

clearerthinking,feelingbettereachday,andsavingmoney(between $1,500and $2,000annually,accordingtotheLongevity Center). “Ifthosefivethingswon'tfly,nothingwill,”saidEllis. Pritikinalsodevelopeda pointsystemtoprovideincentive:eliminat-

ingeggswasworth9points,avoiding butterandmargarine wasworth4 points,eliminating creamwasworth3 points,andsoon.Thepeopleof

Natchitoches wereaskedtoscorea totalof90to 100pointstograduateto goodhealth. Thestudybeganon January21, 1980,a daythe governornamed “NathanPritikinDay”inthestateofLouisiana.Itwaskickedoffwitha gala banquetat NorthwesternStateUniversityin Natchitoches, wherevolunteerchefsprovidedlocalcitizensand variousdignitaries—including the governorhimself-withwhatwasmeanttobea Pritikinfeast.Thebanquet turnedouttobe thefirstofa seriesofdisasters.

Themealstartedoffwitha broccolibisque,which,to everyone's

horror,wasscorched.Nathan,Ilene,GovernorEdwards,and Lumand DonnaEllisallsattogetherat thesametable.Aftershebeganeatingthe soup,DonnaEllisturnedto her husbandand whispered,aghast,“The soupisscorched,Lum!”ShethenlookedoveratIleneandNathan,bothof whomwerehavingtroublegettingthesoupdown.SoonNathanstoodup and announcedthatthesouphad beenburnedand thatpeopleshould noteatit. Lateron, someonesaid the soup tastedlike“boiledcigarettes,”a quotethatwaspickedup by thewireservicesand reportedaroundthe

country, andfromthere,itwasalldownhill. Governor Edwards-in anobviousattempttoplayitsafebeforethe

votersof Natchitoches-was nowbackingoffhiswholeheartedendorsementofPritikinandlatertoldthepressthat,“IthinkI'djustassoondieten yearsearlieraseatthatstuff-butitisa nobleexperiment.” Thatquotewas alsowidelyreported. LumElliswasan affableand well-likedman aroundtown.He had grownup innearbyJonesboro,Louisiana,andbecamea Baptistminister intownbeforehe movedtoNatchitoches andbecamethepresidentofthe NatchitochesChamberofCommerce.Heeventuallytaughtsociologyat

Northwestern StateUniversity in Natchitoches, andremainedanactive

and popularmemberofthecommunity. Elliswasan enthusiasticspokespersonforthe Pritikinprogram.He spokewithrealinspirationaboutthebenefitsoftheprogram,including the oneshe had experienced:he had lost25 poundsand had seenhis cholesterolleveldropfrom250mg.%to 170mg.%.Hefeltlikea newman, he said,and,judgingby the wayhe looked,peoplebelievedhim.But convincingotherstochangewasanothermatter.

ManinDemand 215

“Weapproachedthe problemof changingpeople'sdiet fromthe

pointofviewthathumanbehaviorislearned,” LumEllisrecalledyears

later.“Ifyougrowup likingsteak,youcanlearntolikeotherthings.”But gettingthe peopleof Natchitochesto go throughthatlearningprocess wasn'teasy. “Wewereupagainstfourthings,”Ellissaid,“Thefirstonewasculture,

whichwas a bigbattle.Eatingisa socialkindofexperience andfatty foodsare ingrainedas partofthe Louisianaculture.Thesepeoplegrew up eatingthisdiet;it is the dietof theirparents.Andtheirparentsbeforethem.”LumEllisexplainedthattryingtochangethewaysomeofthe localpeoplewereeatingwasliketryingto makethemgo againsttheir

ownheritage. ThesecondproblemthePritikin programfacedwastheopposition

fromthe foodindustry,namely,the beef,egg,and dairyindustries.The localandnationalcattlemen’s associations weresoinfuriatedbyPritikin’s studythattheysponsoredassociationmeetingsinNatchitoches andhired a medicaldoctorfroman out-of-state universityto comeintotownand

expoundthevirtuesofcholesterol andfat-rich foods.Pritikin suggested a

debatebetweenthecattlemen’'s doctorand eitherhimselfor a physician familiarwiththePritikinprogram,butthecattlemen’s doctorrefused. Thefoodindustryproponentsdidn'tstopthere,however. Theyattacked Ellisand Pritikinviciouslyin the pressand in localtalkssponsoredby thegroup. “You'dhavethoughtI wasa communist,”saidEllis,afterpersonally beingattackedbyspokesmenforthecattlemen.Thefoodindustryalsogot localpoliticiansinvolvedin the battleagainstPritikin,denouncingthe wholeprogramas a publicrelationstool. ThethirdbigproblemfacingPritikinandElliscamefromlocaldoctors. “Therearemoreignorantdoctorsthanthelawallows,” Ellisrecalled.Local physiciansargued in favorof the localdiet and pronouncedPritikin’s programa fraud. “Therealproblemwasthatanybodywhoisnota physicianwhotalks

abouthealthandwellness isgettingontheir[thedoctors’] turfandthey

don'tlikeit,”saidEllis.“Therearea lotofdoctorswhoespeciallydon'tlikeit whenyoutalkaboutpreventionbecauseall they'reinterestedin is pre-

scribingdrugsandusinga knife.”

Thefourthmajorproblemtheprogramfacedwasthesizableamount ofilliteracyandpovertypresentinNatchitoches. “Forthepeoplewhocan't read,a recipedoesn'tmeana thing,”saidLum.“Unfortunately, thepoor havethehighestmorbidityandmortalityratesfromthesediseases,butit's veryhard tochangethesepeoplebecausethey'reveryattachedtotheir friedchicken.” “Thepoorpeoplewouldcomeinandsay,‘I'ldoanythingtogetridof

216 Pritikin

myhighbloodpressure,but don’tmakemegiveup myfriedchicken,'"

DonnaEllissaid.“Butitwasthefriedchickenandalltheotherfattyfoods thatwerekillingthem.” Pritikinmade Natchitochesfamousfor the study.Allthree major televisionnetworksreportedPritikin’s project.Television andradioshows fromalloverthecountrycameto Natchitochestodo reports.“Canada's

versionofthe‘Tonight Show’ flewmeuptheretobeinterviewed,” recalled

LumEllis.In addition,themajornewspapersand magazines-—including TimeandNewsweek-did articlesontheprogram.Despitetheopposition andsomeearlysetbacks, Pritikin wasstillfullofconfidence, tellingNewsweek inMarch,“We'regoingtodemonstratethatanypopulationinthecountry canchangeitsdietand improveitshealth.” Butsuchwasnottobe. TheAssociatedPresscirculateda storythat wasprintedacrossthecountrythatquoteda localstoreownerassaying,

“IfI gottoeatsomething thatchokesme,I'djustassoonstayfat.”The Rockford, IllinoisRegisterStarranthestorywiththeheadline,“Fried Chicken WinsoverPritikin Diet.”

Manyof the press reportscharacterizedNathanas a “California

nutritionist,”or “guru,” out to make a fast buck on the publicity,even

thoughthepublicitywasoverwhelmingly negative.CalvinTrillinsatirized

theprojectinTheNewYorker. WroteTrillin: “Except forthefactthathehas beencaughtwearinga necktie,NathanPritikin, whoclaimsthathecan

reversecardiovascular diseasethroughdietandexercise,hasmostofthe characteristicscommonto the sortofself-ordainedSouthernCalifornia healthsavantswhosometimesmanageto energizein me an otherwise

dormantaffection fortheAmerican Medical Association. ...” Countered LumEllis: “Nathan wasthemostunpretentious, unpromoting personI eversaw.” Still,tonewspaperand magazinewriterseagertofitPritikinand his projectintoa formulaarticle-eitherhumorousorcritical- Nathanbecame the“California guru”usingunfoundedclaimstofoistan unpleasantdiet ontheinnocentfolksofNatchitoches. Anygoodthathe mighthavebeen doingwaslostunderdeadline. Butinthelastanalysis,Pritikinhadbroughtthewholeproblemdown onhimself.Hehadvastlyunderestimatedthedifficulties ofchangingthe eatinghabitsofa regionalpopulation,especiallythosesovastlydifferent

fromhisown.Onceagain,hispoorjudgmentregarding humanbehavior-

and especiallythe emotionalaspectsoflong-standingdietarypatternshad gottenhimintotrouble.Natchitoches wasnotSantaBarbaraor Los Angelesor NewYorkor Chicago.Itpossessednoneofthecosmopolitan attitudesnor tastesof a big city.Itsculinarytraditionwentbackto the

eighteenth century. Thattradition wasreinforced notjustbytimebutby familyties.

ManinDemand 217

Bytheend of 1980,whenitwasapparentthatthe“nobleexperiment”

wasnotgoingtoeffecta 10percentreduction ofcardiovascular disease deaths,GovernorEdwardslamentedthat Pritikinwouldhave foundit easiertoconvertpeople“inotherpartsofthecountrywherethefoodis no

goodanyway."

Therewasa silverliningin thedarkcloud,however. A testgroupof15 peoplewho were followedcloselyby physiciansthroughoutthe study

recordedremarkable improvements inhealth.Ontheaverage, thegroup

lost 17.8pounds,experienceda decreasein bloodcholesterolof 23.4 percent,sawdiastolicbloodpressuredrop 8.4 millimetersof mercury (mmHg)and systolicpressure fallby 28 mmHg,and experienceda decreasein serumtriglyceridesof77.5mg.%. In addition,Northwestern StateUniversity dida followupstudyand

foundthat34percentofthosesurveyed in Natchitoches hadincreased

theirexercisehabitsasa resultoftheprogram.Thesurveyalsofoundthat 32percenthad changedtheirdietstoincludefewerfat-and cholesterolrichfoods. “Igota lotofpeopleexercising,” Pritikinwouldsaylaterina humorous acknowledgement ofhisfailureto achievehisloftiergoals. “I thinkwe had a seriousimpact,”said Lum Ellis.“Thepeopleof Natchitochesbecame more nutritionallyconsciousand now the daily mediaissupportingthatconsciousness. It'sbeingreportedeverydaythat

dietaffectshealth.Butbackwhenwestartedtheproject,itwasentirely

newtopeople.TheproblemwasthatNathanwasthreedecadesaheadof everyoneelse.”

CHAPTER 19 Nathan— andOthers—

SoundOff

F rom1980onward,Pritikin continued tobeinhighdemandfortele-

visionand radiointerviews.Thiswasa ratherremarkablephenomenon becausePritikinoftenwasterribleon television.He occasionallycame acrossas angryand, at times,so aggressivethathe borderedon being offensive.Sometimeshe crossedthatborder.In 1981,Pritikinappeared onapopularNewYorktelevision showandattackeda leadingdietproponent bysayinghisdietwaskillingpeople.Thatstatementlandedhima mulltimillion-dollar lawsuit.(Thesuiteventuallywassettledoutofcourt.) OnMarch27,1984,PritikinandMountSinai’s VirgilBrownappeared togetheron TedKoppel's“Nightline.” Pritikinwasso intellectuallyaloof thathe threatenedto turn a nationalprogramintoan esotericmedical debate.Afterlisteningto Pritikintalkfora fewminutes,Koppelwarned thatthediscussionthreatenedtogoovertheheadsofhisaudience. Pritikinfeltbadlyabouthisperformanceon“Nightline” andadmitted as muchtoWilmaKellerafterhe returnedtoSantaMonica. “Hewaskindofsheepishwhenhe firstcameup to me and said,‘I didn'tdo sowell,did I?’Thenhe madeajokeandwebothlaughed.” WhilePritikingainedmanysupportersforhisdirectwayofspeaking, thosewhowereclosetohimwerewaryoftheeffectsofhissharptongue. “Wewerecontinuallytryingtogetmyfathertomoderatehisattacks," recalledhissonKen.“Wetriedtogethimtounderstandthathisattacks werenotalwayshavinga beneficialinfluenceand thatsometimesthey werebackfiring,but in thebeginninghe couldn'tbringhimselftokeep fromcriticizinginstitutionswhichhe sawas contributingto the spread ofdisease.” LorneGreenetried to help Pritikinimprovehis performanceon televisionbycoachinghimonhispresentationandhisbreathing.Butthe

218

SoundOff 219 taskprovedtobeimpossible. AfterworkingwithNathanforaboutanhour

oneday,Greenewalkeddejectedly outofPritikin's office,throwing his

pencilintotheairinagestureofsurrender.AshepassedbyWilmaKeller's desk,he mutteredthatPritikinwas“hopeless.” “Nathanwastoobusy,”recalledGreene.“SomeonefromWashington

orfromTimbuktu wouldbecalling. Thephoneconstantly wasringing.He hadnotimetoimprove hisstyle.” ThefactthatPritikin waswellawarethathewasbeingabrasivein

manyofhis televisioninterviewsledsomepeopletobelievethathisapproachwascalculatedtogainthegreatestamountofpublicityforhiscause. “Hadmydadgonealongandmademoderatestatements, hismessage

wouldneverhavegottenthekindofpublicity hewantedittohave,”said

hissonRobert.“Inmanyways,mydad'sapproachwasbrilliantpromotion.” Despitethe threatoflawsuitsor personalcriticism,Pritikindid not hesitatetolaunchanothersalvoin thepressatthenextopportunity. And sometimeshe wentrightforthejugular.“I'mmoreand moreconvinced

thattheNational Institutes ofHealthisthemarketing armofthepharmaceuticalindustry. NIHknowsfullwellwhatdietcando,”hestated. ThesubstanceofPritikin’s criticismswereas follows: @ Thatmillionsofdollarswerebeingspentonunnecessary research.

InthecaseoftheNational Heart,LungandBloodInstitute (NHLBI),

whichwasbeingfundedbythe U.S.government,millionsofdollars in taxpayers’ moneywasbeingwasted. @ ThatNHLBIwasnot doing anythingto alertthe publicto the hazardsof the Americandiet. He believedthat callingfor more

researchbeforealertingthepublictothedangersoftheAmerican

dietwasalmostcriminal. @ Thatthedietaryrecommendations bytheAmericanHeartAssociation(AHA) and otherscientificgroupsdidn'tgofarenough,and

therefore wouldbeineffective intheprevention ortreatment ofheart

disease. @ Thatrendering diettherapyineffective, drugsandsurgeryremained the preeminentmeans of treatmentfor heart diseaseand other degenerativeillnesses.Theseapproacheswerenotthe idealmethodsoftreatment,however,sincetheyhad severesideeffects.Sometimes,thesesideeffectswerefatal. Despitehis polemics,Pritikinclearlyservedan importantfunction. Thescientificestablishmenthadprovenentirelyunabletopoliceitself,he claimed,especiallyin itsfailuretomakeconsistentand clearstatements ondiet'srelationshiptohealth.From1977,whenDietaryGoalswasfirst published,to the middle‘80s,the publicstatementsmadeby scientists wereoftenveryconfusingand sometimesevenirresponsible.

220 = Pritikin

Government Report, StudyDiscredited InMay1980,theFoodandNutrition BoardoftheNational Academy

ofSciencespublisheda reportstatingthatfatandcholesteroldidnotpose a healththreatandthatpeopleneednotrestrictconsumptionoffoodsrich in fatand cholesteroltoavoiddisease.Dr.AlfredE.Harper,a biochemist whochairedtheFoodand NutritionBoard,toldtheNewYorkTimesthat the board “wantedto allayapprehensionaboutdiet,”and statedthat

“People shouldnotbeafraidoffoodandwhattheyeat.”

Thereportcontradictedvirtuallyeverythingthat had been known abouttherelationshipbetweenfat,cholesterol,and heartdisease. Thescientificcommunityat largereactedtothereportas ifitwerea lepercomehome.EvenDr.RobertLevyoftheNHLBI criticizedthereport, tellingthe NewYorkTimes,“It'strue thatnot all the factsare in, but to

recommend doingnothinginthemeantime isinappropriate. Theexisting information indicates thatAmericans shouldhedgetheirbetsandseeka dietlowerin saturatedfatsand cholesterol,at leastuntilmoreevidence isavailable.” Otherscientistswerelessdiplomatic.Theypointedoutthattheboard had heavytiestothefoodindustry.Twoofthesixmemberson theboard

werefoodcompany executives. Othermembershadservedaspaidconsultantstothefoodindustry, including theeggproducers. TheNewYork TimesreportedthatHarperearnedup to 10percentofhisincomeas a consultanttothe PillsburyCompanyand Kraft,Inc.Kraft,ofcourse,is a majorproducerofcheeseandotherhigh-fatand-cholesterol dairyproducts.

Dr.Robert E.Olson, whowrotethefinalreport,wasapaidconsultant tothe American EggBoard,whichsponsored consumer information oneggs.

TheNationalAcademyofSciencescommitteehad no cardiologists, epidemiologists, or publichealth expertson it, and did not take into consideration anyhumanpopulationstudiesthatlinkdiettoheartdisease.

Thereportwasa sham.

Theserevelationsexposedtheenormousconflictwithinthemedical and scientificcommunitiesoverdiet'srolein thecauseofdegenerative disease.Moredamagingwasthe factthatthe publicnowsawhard evidenceofhowindustrytiesseemedtoinfluencetheoutcomeofinforma-

tionthatdirectly affected theaverageAmerican's health.

Unfortunately, thecontroversywouldcontinue. In 1982,the NHLBIannouncedits long-awaitedfindingsfromits MultipleRiskFactorInterventionTrial.The study,knownas “Mr.Fit" (MRFIT), tooktenyearsandcosttheAmericantaxpayers$115million.In theend,however,thehugeexperimentturnedouttobea colossalwasteof

moneyandbecamea worldwide embarrassment tothevauntedAmericanscientificestablishment. Attheoutsetofthestudy,12,866men,ranginginagefrom35to57,

SoundOff 221

wererandomly selected overa four-year period.Themenwereallathigh riskofhavinga heartattackorstroke. Allofthemenhadatleastoneofthe threeleadingriskfactorsforheartdisease:theyeithersmoked,had high bloodpressure,or had an elevatedcholesterollevel. Themenweredividedintotwogroupsofabout6,400each.Thefirst group received“specialcare,”whichconsistedof counselingto stop

smoking andreducefatandcholesterol inthediet.Thegoalwastoreduce

theircholesterollevelby 10percent,a reductionsosmallmanywondered “Whybother?”sinceit wouldclearlydo littletowardpreventingheart diseasedeaths. Ifthedietaryadvicedidn'twork,thosewithhighbloodpressurewere givendrugstolowerbloodpressure.The“specialcare”groupwasencouragedtotakethedrugsiftheirbloodpressuresdidnotcomeundercontrol. Unbeknownst to the scientists,the drugswouldturn out tobe an unexpectedbutmajorcauseforconcern. Thesecondgroup,composedof6,438men,receivednospecialadvice outsideofthe “usualcare”receivedfromtheirphysicians,whichcould

includegeneraldietaryadvicetoreduceweight,anddrugs.Thedrugs

werenotemphasized,however,as theywerein the“specialcare”group. Bothgroupswerefollowedforthenextsixyearsat 22 clinicsacross thecountry.

Theresultsleftscientists scratching theirheads.

Thestudyshowedthattherewasnosignificant improvement ofhealth in the“specialcare”groupas opposedtothatofthe“usualcare”group. Therewasno significantdifferencebetweenthegroupswithregard todeathsdue tocardiovasculardisease.Andthe totalmortalityfromall causeswasactually1percenthigherin the“specialcare”groupthanin the“usualcare”group. Inshort,theNHLBI “specialcare”didlittleornothingtolowermortalityrates. Infact,thestudyrevealedthereweremoredeathsamongthosewith high bloodpressureand abnormalelectrocardiograms who tookthe antihypertensive drugsthanamongthosewhodidnottakethedrugs.The studyfoundthatthe morethe drugswereemphasized,the higherthe mortalityrateseemedtobe. Afterreviewing thedata,Dr.JeremiahStamler, chairmanoftheDepartment of CommunityHealthand PreventiveMedicineat Northwestern University in Chicago,soundeda warningaboutthe useofdrugsin the treatmentofhighbloodpressure. “Hypertensionmustbe controlled,”Stamlersaid.“It'sbad news-a

majorriskfactorin heartdisease.Butthelessonistotreatthepatient

nonpharmacologically, using lifestyleinterventions.Then,if you must

_ prescribe drugs,useaslowa doseaspossible.”

Ineveryway,MRFIT revealedthattheso-calledspecialtreatmentwas

222 Pritikin an utter failure.Despitethe “specialcare,”there was littledifference

between thetwogroupsinlowering bloodpressureandbloodcholesterol and in cigarettecessation. Forallthetime,money,and carefulplanningput intothestudy,the outcomewasembarrassinglysimple:thebesttreatmentmedicinecould providehad littlepositiveeffecton heartdisease.Evenworse,the study showedsuchtreatmentmightalsobe dangerous. Thescientificcommunityturnedon itselfwhenthe study'sresults wereannounced.

TheJournaloftheAmerican Medical Association (JAMA) editorializedthattheresultsofthestudyactuallybackfired, contradicting many

cherishedmedicalpractices.“Theresultsflyinthefaceofcurrentmedical dogmaand practice,”JAMAstated.Thejournalpointedout thatsince nutritionhad suddenlybecomean importantsubjectin the laypress,

manypeoplehadbeenchangingtheirdietswithout theirdoctor's advice, prejudicing theresultsofthestudy,sincenoonecouldguarantee thatthe

“specialcare”groupwouldget moreor betternutritionadvicethanthe “usualcare”group.Inotherwords,thewordon dietand cigarettesmokingwasout.Asa result,thestudy,withitsenormouscosts,couldnolonger be wellcontrolled.

Theprestigious Britishmedical journalLancetwrotethat.“Onecan onlyoffersympathy totheinvestigators, whohavesopainstakingly conducted

and analysedthisvastefforttosolittlescientificprofit.Theresultsprove nothing,and wemustturnelsewheretoanswerthequestion,Doespreventionwork?” TheMedicalTribunewrote:“Butwhatsticksinthecrawisthe[factthat

amongpeoplewithECGabnormalities andhighbloodpressure]fatal outcomefromcoronaryheartdiseasewasmorecommonintheSI[special care] group than in the UC[usual care] group.”

Thestudyrevealedhowfarbehindthetimesthescientificestablishmentreallywas.For$115million,NHLBIand itscollaboratorsproved

nothing,exceptperhapsthatcurrentdrugtherapyandspecialcareby

physicianswasdangeroustoone’shealth.Theaveragepersonwasprobablybetteroffgoingintoabookstoreandbuyinga $15best-selling dietand healthbook.

HeartAssociationMakesBoldMoves Incomparisontothesefiascos,theAmericanHeartAssociation looked likeanangelofmercy.TheAHAhada longhistoryoftellingtheAmerican publictoreduceitsleveloffatandcholesteroltopreventheartdiseaseand othercardiovascular illnesses.ButeventheAHAwouldnotbesparedthe imagethattheywerewoefullybehindthetimes.

SoundOff 223 Pritikinwasa constantthorninthesideoftheAHA.Ontelevisionand

radioshows,innewspapers andmagazines, inspeechesbeforelayand

professional groupsfromcoastto coast,Pritikinlaunchedonebroadside afteranotherat the organization.Hewasofteninvitedto speakat local AHAmeetingsin large citiesaround the country.He nevermissedan opportunitytotelltheAHAmemberswhathe thoughtabouttheirdietary recommendations. advice. Pritikinoncesummarizedhisfeelingsaboutthe AHA’s “It'slikecigarettesmoking,” Pritikinsaid.“TheSurgeonGeneraldoesn't recommendthat peoplereducesmoking,he saysstop smoking.Heart

diseaseisthesameway.Weshouldn't begivingpeopleadietthatwilldo

themnogoodand tellthemthatit willmakethembetter.Weshouldgive thema dietthatwillpreventdiseaseand reversethe symptomsand let themdecideiftheywanttofollowitor not.” attacks. Notsurprisingly, the AHAfeltthestingofPritikin’s DuringtheyearsthatPritikinmounteda publiccampaignforbetter dietaryrecommendations to the generalpublic,the AHAseveraltimes reviseditsdietarystatements. TheAHAoriginallyhad recognizedthelinkbetweendietand health

in 1957,andendorsedtheconceptofcholesterol-lowering dietsin 1961.

In 1973,theAHArecommendedthatAmericansreducetheirconsumption of fatfrom45 percentto 35 percentof totalcalories.Peoplewere urgedtoeatno morethan300mg.ofcholesterolperday,andtoincrease their consumptionof naturallyoccurringcomplexcarbohydratesfrom fruits,vegetables,and grains. In 1978,theAHAlowereditsrecommendation onfat,statingthatfat shouldmakeup nomorethan 30 to 35percentofthe totalcaloriesinthe diet.Theorganizationheldfastto itsrecommendationthatno morethan 300 mg.ofcholesterolbe eatenper day. In 1984,theAHAchangeditsdietaryrecommendations onceagain,

thistimeoffering “aprogressive approach,” ora three-step, phasedprogramthatgradually reducedfatintakefrom35percentofcaloriesto30 percentandfinallyto 20 percent.Carbohydrates wereto be increasedin

thesameway,from45percentto50percentandthenfinallyto55to60

percent.Cholesterolwasto be reducedfrom300mg.to 250to 200mg. andthento 100mg.perday.In short,theAHA’s idealdiethad60 percent ofitscaloriesfromcomplexcarbohydratesand 20 percentfromfat,with only 100mg.of cholesterolper day.In otherwords,the AHAdietwas gettingprogressively closertoPritikin’s. Nathanhadbeensayingsincethe 1960sthat the ideal diet shouldbe composedof 80 percentcomplex carbohydrates,10percentfat,and 100mg.ofcholesterolperday. In 1986,theAHAgotevencloserto Pritikin,againrecommendinga

224 = Pritikin

phased-inprogramthatloweredfatstillfurtherandrecommendedmore

complex carbohydrates. Inoneofthegreatironiesinthebattlebetween Pritikinandthescientific establishment, theAHAusedoneofNathan's

publishedstudiesas supportforitsrecommendations. Bythe early 1980sit wasclearthatPritikinhad capturedthe high groundand itwasjust a matteroftimebeforethescientificcommunity wasforcedtoacknowledgetheessentialsoundnessofhisprogram.

|CHAPTER 20) BigHopes, LittleTime

[ n thesummerof1983,whenhewas68yearsold,Pritikin realizedthat

hiscancerwasbeginningtoreassertitself.Ithappenedslowlyandatfirst almostimperceptibly. Henormallyran aboutfivemileseachday,sometimesmorewhenhehadthetime,butbyautumnhestartedtofatigueafter threemilesandhadtroublegoingbeyondthatdistance.Insteadoffilling himwithenergy,runningwasmakinghimincreasingly tiredduringtheday. Nathanconsultedhis physician,Dr.DavidGoldeat UCLA,who performedanotherseriesoftests.ThesetestsrevealedthatPritikinhadtwo

separatemalignancies. Goldediagnosed himashavinghairycellleukemiaandwhathe termeda non-Hodgkin's lymphoma,ora malignancyof

thelymphsystem. Themalignancy inthelymphsystem wascharacterized bythepresenceofmacroglobulins (abnormally largeproteinmolecules) that werebeginningtoproliferate,thus crowdingout the other cells. Meanwhile,the whitecellcountin his bloodwasalsoincreasing.His hemoglobinatthetimewasremainingsteadyataroundtengrams,about fourgramsbelownormal. Theyearbefore,GoldehadrecommendedNathanseea secondphysi-

cian,Dr.KenFoon, oftheNational Cancer Institute inWashington, D.C.Foon

specializedinbiologicaltherapiesforcancer,suchastheuseofantibodies and interferon.One of his particularinterestswasthe developmentof highlyspecialized antibodiesforpatientswithleukemiasandlymphomas. Ever since he met Nathan in 1982, Foon had been attempting to

createantibodiesforNathan'sillness.NathanmetwithFoonperiodically

throughout 1983and1984tocheckonFoon’s progress.

UponmeetingNathan,Foonwasimmediately impressedbyPritikin’'s medicalknowledge.

225

226 Pritikin “Nathanwasthetypeofpersonthatonewouldhavetodescribeasa

zealot,” Foonwrotein 1985.“Whatever hedid,hedidfully,thoroughly,

and withan enormousenergy.Hisinterestin his diseaseled him to exploreeverypossibleavenue.”FoonstatedthatNathanwas“sobright and well-read”that Fooncoulddiscussthe scienceof leukemiawith

Nathanasifheweretalkingtoanotherexpert. In1983,however, Foonwas a longwayfromperfecting theantibodies

he wantedtousetotreatNathan. Goldeurged Nathanto begintakingthe experimentaldrug interferontotreathisdisease.Interferonhadbeenshowntoincreasethered bloodcellcountandbringtheredandwhitecellsintobalanceinpatients withhairycellleukemia.ButPritikinwasundecided.Theliteratureseemed weaktohim,and he wantedtoknowmore. Hehadstoppedthechemotherapyagentchlorambucilin 1979,and

hadhisspleenremoved in1980,buthehadavoided anytreatment since then.Hedidn'tliketakingdrugsofanykindandwasn'tinahurrytobegin

a newtherapynow.GoldecontinuedtosupplyNathanwithalltheavailableinformationaboutinterferonwhilePritikinconsideredhisoptions. Meanwhile,other symptomsbegan to surface.ByNovember,the cancerstartedto blockhis lymphsystem,causinghis lymphnodesto swell.Theswelling,whichbecameacutein thegroinarea,wouldcause the lymphnodesto becomeas largeas twoinchesin diameter.It also causedhisanklestoswell,especiallyafterstandingforanylengthoftime. Atnight,hewouldliedownandelevatehisfeet,whichsomewhatreduced theswellingand thediscomfort. ByDecember,theswellinghadbecome sogreatthathe had togiveup running. ThosewhoworkedcloselywithNathanbegantoaskhimwhyhehad stoppedrunning.

“Oh,runningis a thingofthepast,now,”he wouldreply,almost

wistfully. ButIleneandthechildrenknewhowmuchhelovedtorun,and, in thewordsofhissonRobert,Nathan'sinabilitytorun “waseatinghim up inside.” Hekepthispaina secret.Hesharedhisinnerworldwithnoone,not evenhisfamily. WheneverIleneoroneofhischildrenwouldcometohim withtheirconcernsabouthishealth,hewouldcalmlyassurethemthatall waswelland thathe hadthingsundercontrol. Yearslater,hisdaughterJanetwroteofherfather’sbehavioreachtime shetoldhimofher concernsforhishealth. “Myfather'swaywastoremainlow-key, unflustered,” recalledJanet. “Hiscalm,reassuringwordswouldplacateourfearsandbolsterourhopes.

“There weretimes,however, whenmyaggravation withhisbehavior becameverystrong.Occasionally hisattitudesmacked ofakindofdenial of the seriousnessof his situation,and I wasafraidthathis takingthe

BigHopes 227

mattertoolightlycouldultimately hurthim.Butthen,thistendency ofhis wasinextricably tiedtohiseternaloptimism. Thisoptimism wasnofacade; itwasreal.MostlyIsawitasa goodthing,becauseitgavehimthestrength andserenitytoforgeahead,oftenunderterribleodds.Andneedlesstosay, itwasalwaysnicetohear thatrose-coloredreportfromhimaboutwhateverweasked,evenifitdidn’tcometrue.”

Nathanhadbeenkeepinghisowndetailedbloodrecordsbetween

1976and 1980,butthenhe abruptlystopped,apparentlylosinginterest in keepingtrackofhisdiseaseafterthe 1980splenectomyimprovedhis bloodcount.Therearenomorechartsorgraphsamonghisfiles,nomore ofhismeticulousnote-taking onhisbodysigns.However, hecontinuedto haveregularbloodtests,whichin 1983showedthat his hemoglobin

hovered atborderline. Despite thelowhemoglobin, Pritikin felthisconditionhadimprovedsincethesplenectomy. Buttherewasmoretoitthanthat. Thescientificstudieson leukemiathat he had been so diligently

keepingtrackofwerenotleadinganywhere. AsPritikin’s sonRobert indicated, thescientific evidence linkingdiettoheartdiseasewasfarmore

advancedwhen Nathanbegan to studythe illness-evenin the early 1940s-thanthestudyofleukemia.Therewassomethingaltogetherlogicalabouttheprocessofatherosclerosis. Leukemia,ontheotherhand,was morepeculiarandunpredictable.Noneoftheleukemiastudiesseemedto suggesta possiblesolutionandtoomanystudiescontradictedoneanother. Pritikincontinuedtoread the researchthatGoldesenthim.Hehad his brotherAlbertdoinglibraryworkforhim,too,butbetween1980andthe

fallof1983,Nathanwasclearlyplacinghisemphasis elsewhere. NooneknowswhetherPritikinhadalreadydecidedthathisdays werenumbered atthispoint,buthissecretary, Phyllis Major, clearlysawa changecomeoverhimin 1983.Pritikin begantakingonmoreworkthat

year;he seemedto letgo ofanythingpersonalin his life.Hewasnota socialpersontobeginwith,buthepossesseda lightnessofspiritthatgave himan amiable,approachableair. Butbysummer,Phyllisbecameawareofan altogethernewintensity and seriousnessaboutPritikin. “Therewasa qualityof‘toomuchness’abouthim,”sherecalled.“He wastryingtodo toomuch.Hetookon toomuchduringtheday.Hewas reachingouttoobroadly.Therewasa sensethattimewasrunningout,

thoughnobodyknewwhyhewasbehaving thisway.Healsoseemedtobe teachingeveryone automatically.” Athome,hetriedtoplaydownthedangers.HetoldIleneandthe childrenthatifthingssuddenlygotbad,hewouldbegintheinterferon treatments,which,eveniftheydidn'teffecta cure,wouldslowthedisease processlongenoughforhimtocomeup withanothertherapy. Hisfamilybelievedthathecouldcomeupwitha cureforhisleukemia

228= Pritikin whileatthesametimedevotingprodigiousamountsofenergyandtimeto

hisotherprojects—a testimony towhattheythoughtofhim.

|

“Nathanhadhadtheanswersforsomanypeoplethatwejustbelieved that,withthe bestmedicalassistance,he wouldcomeup withanother answerforhisowndisease,”recalledIlene.

SaidJanet:“Dadhadbeenlikeacatwhoalways landedfeet-first after afall.Things couldgetverytenseanditcouldbeaclosecall,butsomehow

he wouldfinda waytopulla rabbitoutofa hatatthemostcriticaltimes. Thiskindoflarger-than-life thinkingwasan afflictionweallsufferedfrom toa degreein relationtomyfather.”

ToThousands,“aHero” By1983,Pritikinhad achievednothinglessthanherostatusin the mindsof thosewhoknewhim well,workedwithhim,or cameto him

seekinga recovery fromillness. Indeed,Pritikin wasoftenreferredtointhepress—including Timeand

Newsweek-as a“guru”tothethousandsofpeoplewhofollowed hisprogram. Thewordcouldnothavebeenmoreappropriate.Hewasthefocusofso manypeople'spsychologicalprojectionsthat,as the yearswentby,he increasinglywasregardedin spiritualor mysticalterms.

“Nathan hadanability thatisreferred tointheEastas‘one-pointedness,’”

recalledPhyllisMajor.“Whatthatmeansisan abilitytofocusentirelyona singleobjectso that all other distractionsare eliminated.One almost becomesone withthe objectthatone is concentratingon.Youcouldn't helpbutbe impressedwithhisabilitytofocus.Whileeverythingelsewas fallingapartaroundhim,hewasutterlycalm,becausehewasconcentratingon thethingthatwasrightin frontofhim.” “Nathannevertalkedaboutreligiousor spiritualmatters,”recalled legal advisorand formerpatientStanKeller.“Butbecausehe was so giving,peopleatthecenterwouldalwaysseehimin spiritualterms.One

timea rabbifromNewYorkCitycametothecenterand,afterwatching Nathan, therabbisaidthathewantedtomakeNathananhonorary rabbi.

Andin his unassumingway,Nathansaid,‘Ifit makesyouhappy,be my guest.’Andso he did. Wehad a big ceremonyat the centerthatwas translatedfromthe Hebrewand Nathanwasmadean honoraryrabbi. Andafterthathe wentbacktowork.” In 1983,Kellerarrangeda meetingbetweenNathanand thefamed IndianguruMuktanada,whohadencouragedoneofhisdisciplestoseek Pritikin's helpinovercoming arecentheartattack.Nathan,KellerMuktanada,

anda coupleofMuktanada’s disciples metattheguru'sashraminLos

Angeles.PritikinandMuktanadasatoppositeoneanotheronpillows.The twotalkedaboutdietand health.

BigHopes 229

AtonepointMuktanada statedthatwhiledietandexercisewere

helpful,therewasalso“karma”thathad tobe takenintoaccount. “What'skarma?”Nathanasked. MuktanadapointedtoKellerandsaid:“Askyourfriendonthefloor.” KellertoldNathanthatkarmameantthat“Whenit'syourtimetogo,you

go.”TowhichPritikin responded, onlyhalfinjest,“Oh,no-yougetonmy diet,you'llliveforever!”

Everyonelaughed. Muktanadaassured Nathanhe was eatinga diet verysimilarto Pritikin's. Aftertheyhadtalkeda whilelonger,theyparted,butnotbefore MuktanadahuggedNathanand toldhim,“Mr.Pritikin,youand I are on thesamepath.”

Becausehehadimprovedorrestoredthehealthofliterallythousands ofpeople,he wasoftenreveredas a miracleworker. MuktukMarston,a retiredArmyofficerandexplorerwhoorganized

military expeditions ofAlaskan Eskimos duringWorld WarII,cametothe centeraftersuffering a heartattackattheageof87.Heneededcardiac shocktreatmentsand a long listof drugs to keephis heart pumping.

Marston, whohadlivedaremarkably adventurous life,wasnotthetypeof manwhocouldacceptdependency ofanykind.Large, gruff,andimposing,

Marstonwasusedtolivinglifeon hisownterms.Butaftersufferingthe heartattack,he couldn'twalkmorethan 100feetwithoutgaspingfor breathandhavingtorest.He'dratherdiethanbebedriddenanddependentupondrugs,he said.HiswifeinsistedthattheycometotheLongevity

Center, andMarston agreed.

Onthedayhearrived,Marstonmetamanwhohada gangrenousfoot andwhohadbeenorderedbyhisphysicianstohavehislegamputated. Twodaysbeforethe operationwasto be performed,the man choseto cometo the LongevityCenterinstead.Overthe next month,Marston watchedasthegangrenousfootgraduallybecamewell.Meanwhile, Marston wasastonishedby his ownimprovement.He waswalkinggreaterdistanceseachdayand rapidlyregaininghishealth.Bythetimethe26-day sessionwasover,Marstonwaswalkingmorethana milea dayand the manwiththegangrenousfootwascompletelyhealed. “Hisfootwasascleanasababy’sfoot,”Marstonsaid.“That'sa miracle. I don'tcarewhatyousayaboutit.Thisprogramisdoingthesamedamn thingthatthatgreatman[Christ]wasdoing2,000yearsago.Thisman

Nathanisdoingthesamethingrighthere,now,curingpeoplewhoha

givenup.” : Forhispart,Pritikinnevertalkedabouttherespecthe wasaccorded bythosewhocametothecenterand thosewhoworkedforhim,but on

230 Pritikin severaloccasionshe confidedto Ilenethathe had cometo understand

howreligious movements gotstarted, thatis,byacharismatic figurewitha

revolutionary idea. Pritikinneverlackedforyoungprotégés.Hedrewgreatsatisfaction fromteachingyoungpeople,especiallyyoungdoctorsand scientists.In fact,he hadan incalculableimpacton thecareersofhundredsofyoung

doctors,including hisnephew, Dr.Stephen Kaye. Manyoftheyoungphysi-

cianshe influencednevermetNathan,butheardhimlectureorfollowed hiswork.However, dozensofotherssoughtPritikinoutand studiedhis programfirsthand.Dr.JohnA.McDougall, authoroftheTheMcDougall PlanandMcDougall Medicine,derivedhisinspirationtogointothestudy ofnutritionfromPritikin.Dr.StephenInkelesbecameboard-certified in nutritionand internalmedicineafterhe readPritikin’s bookLiveLonger Now.InkeleseventuallycametoworkattheLongevity Centerandwasone

ofthephysicians Pritikinpointedtoasanexampleofthedoctorofthe future,usingdietandexercise astherapyagainstsomeofthemostdread diseases. Pritikinintroduceda newkindof medicinethatwasbasedalmost entirelyonnutritionandexercise,andmanyyoungphysicians,concerned

aboutthesideeffectsofdrugsandlookingforwaystopreventdisease, jumpedonthebandwagon asifitwereananswertoalong-awaited prayer. Inthelatefallof1983,Nathanstoppedgoingtothecentereachweek. HeworkedoutofhisstudyathishomeinSantaBarbara,whereseveralof

thebedrooms inthehousehadbeenconverted intooffices forthosewho

_worked forhimthere.

Thatyear,NathanhadplacedthecenterinthehandsofhissonRobert and its chiefadministrator,KevinWiser.Underthe new arrangement, Nathanwasstillcloseenoughtokeepa handinthingsand hevisitedthe

centerseveraltimesper monthto givelectures,talkto patients,and congratulate thegraduates. Whatoccupiedmostof Pritikin’s timewasthe PritikinResearch

Foundation.Nathanhada staffoffivepeoplegoingfull-timeinhishome, workingwithhim on his books,research,and myriadother projects.

Amongthepeopleworking forhimwereNanBronfen, a nutritionist and

writer;NellTaylor, Nathan'ssecretaryandlibrarian;andNathan'sbrother Albert.Nathanalsohad Dr.MilesRobinsonworkingon positionpapers,

doingresearchinthemedical literature, andwriting sections ofhisbooks. Robinson, whomovedtoSantaBarbaraafterbecominginterested in

Nathan'swork,wasa formerWashington-based physicianand medical consultantonthestaffof U.S.SenatorsPaulDouglasof Illinoisand Ed-

wardLongofMissouri.

Meanwhile,Nathancontinuedhis remarkablyactivescheduleof

BigHopes 231 publiclectures,andtelevision, radio,andprintinterviews. Healsoworked

feverishly ona seriesofprojects, including hisnewbook,DietforRunners.

SpecialAdviceforRunners

Asonewholovedrunninghimself, Pritikin maintained along-standing interestinthesport,particularly endurancerunning.Hedrewhisexample fromthe TarahumaraIndiansof centralMexicoand other native peopleswhowerecapableofrunningincredibledistances(theTarahumara menareabletorun 100mileswithoutstopping).Pritikinmaintainedthat thebestdietforrunnersisonelowinfat,cholesterol,protein,andsimple sugars.Theidealdiet,he said,is madeup primarilyofcomplexcarbo-

hydrates-from wholegrains,vegetables, andfruits-which providelong-

termenergyand endurance.In short,the Pritikindiet.Sucha regimen, whichis supplementedbysmallquantitiesoflow-fatanimalproducts,is richin vitalnutrientsand lowin fat.

Pritikin wasthefirsttosoundthealarmtorunnerswhoeattoomuch fatordietsdeliberately richinprotein.InThePritikinPromise,Nathan

warnedrunnersthatvigorousexercisecoupledwitha high-fatdietcould lead to heart attackand death. He cited the case of GoodloeByron,

49-year-old U.S.Congressman fromMaryland whohadrunsixBoston

Marathons.Byronhad been warnedby his physicianthat despitehis apparentgood health,he had faileda stresstreadmilltestand had a cholesterollevelof305mg.%-dangerously high.Byronignoredthedoctor’swarningsand on October12, 1978,he diedof heartdisease.The pathologistdoingtheautopsyon Byronstatedthattheatherosclerosis in thecoronaryarterieswas“extensiveand diffuse”and thatByronclearly haddiedfromtheillness. Pritikinwent on to warn that high-fatand high-proteindiets are extremelydangeroustoathletes.Excessproteingivesrisetohighlevelsof

ammoniain thebloodstream. Ammonia molecules, whichare highly

toxic,join toformurea,whichcan causegoutand damagethekidneys. Sincelarge quantitiesof waterare necessaryto rid the bodyof urea, high-proteindiets also result in dehydration,Pritikinsaid. Athletes, particularly,mustbe concernedaboutdehydrationbecauseanyreductionin thewatercontentofthebodythrowsoffthecoolingsystem,thus increasingtheriskofheatstroke. High-fatdietsandatherosclerosis aretheunderlyingcauseofventric-

ularfibrillation, a kindofheartattackthatresultswhentheheartis unevenly oxygenated andthenplacedunderstressduringexercise. The unevenoxygenflowchangesthe electricalcurrentsin the heart and

resultsinuncoordinated beating. Astheheartmuscleisexercised during running, more blood and oxygenare required and, as a result,the

232 Pritikin uncoordinatedbeatingbecomesmorepronounced.Ventricularfibrillation is oftenthe resultand is veryoftenfatal.Ventricularfibrillation, Pritikinsaid,isthenumberonecauseofrunners’death.

AfterThePritikin Promise waspublished, Pritikin gotacallfromJim Fixx,famedrunnerandauthorofTheComplete BookofRunning(RandomHouse,1977).Fixxcomplained bitterly toPritikin, tellinghimhewas scaringpeopleawayfromrunning.He said that Pritikin’schapteron

running,whichwasentitled“RunandDieontheAmerican Diet,”was hystericalin itstoneandwouldsurelyfrightena lotofrunners. “That'smyintention,”Pritikinreplied.HetoldFixxthatanyonewho

eatstheAmerican dietandrunsisfoolishly takinghislifeinhishands.

PritikintoldFixx:“Toomanymen havealreadydied becausethey believedthatanyonewhocouldrun a marathoninunderfourhoursand

whowasanonsmoker hadabsolute immunity fromhavinga heartattack.” Pritikin's viewsnevercarriedmuchweightwithJimFixx,despitethe factthatFixxusedPritikin asaresourceforhissecondbestseller, JimFixx’s SecondBookof Running(RandomHouse,1980).StillFixxremained personallyunconvincedofPritikin’s ideas. In 1984,JimFixxdiedofa massiveheartattack.Hischolesterollevel

atthetimeofhisdeathwas253mg.%, alevelheartspecialists sayiseight timesmorelikelyto causea heartattackthana cholesterol levelat 160mg.% orbelow. Nathanarguedthatmisconceptions hadcausedmanyathletestofail to appreciatethe advantagesof a high-carbohydrate, low-fatdiet. He maintainedthatcomplexcarbohydratesprovidethegreatestendurance ofanyfoodsincetheyare long-burningsourcesofenergy,unlikesimple sugars,proteins,or fats.Moreover, complexcarbohydratesburncleanly, leavingbehindonlywaterand carbondioxideas by-products,both of

whichareeasilyeliminated bythebody.

Asusual,Nathanlookedto natureto confirmscienceand his own ideas.Ashe put it in hisbookDietfor Runners:“Carbohydrates provide

greaterendurance forotherspeciesaswell.Carnivorous animalscanrun

withgreatspeedbuttheirenduranceisminimal.Cats,forinstance,have

theabilitytorunfasterthanalmostanyotheranimal.Thecaracallynxand thecheetahhavebeenclockedatupto65milesperhour,butonlyfor shortdistances.Catsarerenownedfortheinordinateamountoftimethey spend sleeping.However,herbivores,whichmakeup the bulk of the animalkingdom,havefargreaterendurance.Giraffesandracehorsescan notonlyrun 45milesperhour,butcansustainthisspeedforlongperiods oftime.”

Pritikinconcludes thispassagewithhischaracteristic humor:“The

BigHopes 233

enduranceofmanandpig,twoofthe fewomnivorous animals,lies midway betweenthatofthemeat-andtheplant-eaters.”

Pritikinwasneversatisfiedsimplywritingabouthissubjectsorshowingthemtobe scientifically true.Hehadtoprovehisideasinreallife.So in 1982,he sponsoreda groupofathleteswhowouldcompetein what has been calledthe mostgruelingofallcompetitivesports,the Hawaii

IronmanTriathlon.

Thetriathlonrequiresthateachathletecompetein a 2.4-mileocean swim,a | 12-milebicyclerace,anda 26.2-milemarathonrun,eachevent takingplacerightaftertheother.Pritikinhad a specialkitchensetup in Hawaiisixweeksbeforetheeventforhistriathletes,includingprevious

champions DaveScott,ScottTinley, andScottMolina. OnOctober 9,1982,thedayoftheevent,thetemperature wasalmost unbearable,reaching 115 degreesFahrenheiton the blacktopof the streets.Nathanwasveryexcitedabouthisathletes’chancestodowell.He

believed fervently thatunderthemostadverse conditions theywouldhave theedge,sincetheirbodieswouldhavethemostenduringfuel.Andhe

wasright. DaveScottplacedfirstin the 1982Triathlon,witha record-setting timeof9:08:23;ScottTinleyplacedsecond,at 9:28:28;and ScottMolina placedfourth,witha timeof 9:40:23.On the samehigh-carbohydrate,

low-fat diet,Scottfinishedfirstagainin 1983,withTinleysecond.Scott

finishedfirstagainin 1984,shatteringhisowncourserecordwitha new timeof8:54:20.Tinleyagainfinishedsecond. “Nathanwasoverjoyedwiththeperformanceofthetriathletesonhis diet,”recalledIlene.“Hewantedpeopletoknowthatthiswasnotjustadiet forsickpeople,but foreveryone,evenhigh-performance athletes.” Theideaof the high-carbohydrate, low-fatdietcaughtlikewildfire amongmanytopathletes.TennischampionsMartinaNavratilova, Chris EvertLloyd,andIvanLendlarejusta fewofthestarathleteswhoexcelled ondietsbasedonwholegrains,freshvegetables,and fruits.

PritikinProgramHospitalized

ThatfallPritikinwasalsoworkingfeverishly on hisnewPritikin Hospital Plan,whichopenedinNovember 1983atMetropolitan Hospital

inSpringfield, Pennsylvania. Thehospitalprovidedaneight-dayintensive Pritikinprogramof diet and exerciseforinpatientcare.Theprogram addressedthesamedisordersastheotherPritikincenters,providingthe samegeneraldietandexerciseprogram,butdiditoverashorterperiodof time.Inaddition,allotherpatientsatthehospitalhadthechoiceofeating Pritikinmealsinsteadofthestandardhospitalfare. Whileall of theseprojectswereimportantto Nathan,theirsignifi-

234 Pritikin

cancepaled in comparisonto his loftiestaim,whichwas his plan to conducta studyshowingthatatherosclerosis couldbereversedbyloweringbloodcholesterol. Ayearbefore,Nathanand Robertweresittingin the studytalking aboutheartdiseasewhenRobertmentionedcasuallythatitwastoobad doctorscouldn'ttakecholesterolout of the bloodin the samewaythat dialysiscanreplacethekidneyfunctionandremovewasteproductsfrom

theblood.

TheideastruckNathanlikelightning.Whilehe firmlybelievedthat dietalonecouldcausecholesteroltodropsufficiently toproducereversal of atherosclerosis, he graspedat the possibilitythat reversalcouldbe expeditedby filteringcholesterolout ofthe blood.Pritikinwasalready awareof a technologybasedupon plasmapheresis,the separationof plasma,the paleyellowfluidportionofwholebloodfromthe cellular

bloodconstituents, whichwasbeingusedtoseparatebloodconstituents, suchasimmunoglobulins. Nathanwondered ifthissametechnology-ora moreefficientkindwhichwouldnotrequireseparatingouttheplasmacouldbeappliedtotesthismostfar-reaching hypothesis: thatbylowering cholesterolsufficiently, atherosclerosis couldbereversed.Whilehecould alsodo thiswithdiet alone,or diet and lipid-lowering drugs,he was

excitedbythetechnology becauseit couldlowercholesterol levelsso

rapidly,andthereforecouldproduceresultsin a muchshorterperiodof time.Patientscouldhavetheircholesterollevelslowereddramaticallyin anhour;reversalofatherosclerosis—which mightotherwisetakeeighteen monthsor longer-couldbe accomplishedin lessthana year. Pritikin’s ideawasto placea groupofpatientswithextremelyhigh

cholesterol levelsonthePritikin diettokeeptheircholesterol levelsfrom rising.Theywouldsimultaneously undergoregularblood-filtering treatmentstoremoveLDLcholesterolfora year-longenough,hebelieved,to

demonstrate reversalofplaquesbyangiogram. Oncehe showedthat atherosclerosis couldbe reversedby loweringbloodcholesterol, he wouldhaveprovided the“finalproof”thattheunderlying causeofheart

diseasecouldbe eliminated.Themethodcouldalsoprovelifesavingfor the occasionalintractablecaseswherepeoplewithdangerouslyhigh cholesterollevelswerenotrespondingfastenoughtodietalone. Thetechnologythatmadeallofthispossible-calledLDL-apheresis, orselectiveremovaloflow-density-lipoproteins fromtheblood-wasstillin itsinfancywhenNathanbecameinterestedinit.Pritikinstudiedthework

oftheearlyresearchers whowereCanadian, German, andJapanese.He

alsotelephoned,met,andcorrespondedwithseveralofthem.Eventually, he decidedtocontinueworkingon and improvingtheexistingtechnology.Meanwhile,he developedhis ownapproach,in whichthe LDL-

BigHopes 235

cholesterol wouldbe filteredfromthebloodwithoutseparating outthe

plasma.Tofacilitatehis efforts,he enteredinto an agreementwithan Americanfirm,CobeLaboratories, and embarkedonajoint development programwiththem.Healsoenlistedhisson,Robert,and DickBrotherton toworkunder histechnicalguidanceon his experimental projects.

Whiledevelopmental workwasproceeding, PritikinwenttoRush Presbyterian Hospital inChicago toworkoutdetailsfora majorstudyin

whichLDL-apheresis wouldbe usedtoreverseatherosclerosis. Thestudy nevergot offthe ground at Rush,but EvanstonHospital,an affiliateof Northwestern University, calledPritikinand expressedinterestin doing thestudy.

Inthefallof1983,NathanmetDr.PeterDau,a physician andexpertin

plasmapheresis at EvanstonHospitalin Chicago.Overthe next three months,the twoworkedoutan extensiveprotocol.Theythensubmittedit tothe Foodand DrugAdministration forapproval.Itwouldtakemonths beforethe protocolwasevenconsidered.

NathanScoresa Personal Victory

InJanuary1984, Nathangotgoodnewsfromanunexpected quarter. TheNational Heart,LungandBloodInstitute(NHLBI) announcedthe findingsfromitsten yearLipidResearchClinicsCoronaryPrimaryPre-

ventionTrial(LRC). Thestudy,whichcosttheAmerican taxpayers $150 million, provided“finalproof”thatlowering bloodcholesterol reduced the riskof heartattackand deathsdue toheartdisease. Thestudywasconductedovera ten-yearperiodand involved3,806 menbetweentheagesof35 and 59,allofwhomhadcholesterollevelsof

265mg.% orhigher. Themenweredividedintotwogroups.Onegroupreceived dietary

instructionmeanttoslightlylowercholesterollevel,plus a placebo.The second,or experimental group,receivedthesamedietaryinstructionand a drug calledcholestyramine. Neithergroup knewwhethertheywere receivingthedrugor theplacebo. Thedrugplusthesmallchangesindietreducedthemen’scholesterol

levels by19percent to28percent, depending onhowdiligently themen

tookthedrug.Manyhad toreducethequantitiesofthedrugbecauseofits severesideeffects. Afterten yearsofresearch,the study'sresultsshowedthat the dietand-druggrouphad fewerheartattacksand deathsdue toheartdisease thanthe diet-and-placebo grouphad.Thestudyshowedthata 1percent reductioninbloodcholesterolresultedina 2 percentreductionintherisk

ofheartdisease. Thatmeantthatifa personreducedhischolesterol level

by25percent, hischances ofhaving heartdisease werecutinhalf.

236_= Pritikin For Pritikin,the LRCstudy was vindication.Nathanalwayshad

evidenceoutlineda simpleequation:a thatthescientific maintained

dietraisesbloodcholesterollevel,whichcauses high-fat,high-cholesterol heartdisease.Theoppositewasalsotrue:a dietlowin fatandcholesterol resultsin a lowerincidenceofheartdisease.Pritikinhadseenthissimple relationshipbetweencholesterollevelanddegenerativediseaseformore

than30years,buthere,finally, wastheso-called smoking gun. thatchor ealized h asfinally ofHealth Institutes “I'mgladtheNational

lesterolhas somethingto dowithheartdisease,”he saidlater.“Theonly thingthat'sunfortunateis thatit tookthem$150millionto discoverit.” ButPritikinwasnot going to overlookthe sideeffectsof the drug, especiallywhendietwasjustas effectiveat loweringcholesterollevelas drugs,buthad no sideeffects. Whenthestudywasreportedin theJournaloftheAmericanMedical Associationon January20, 1984,the scientistsnoted,“Veryearlyin the

anginaattacks, period,thenumberofCHDevents[heartattacks, follow-up

and otherrelatedincidencesofcoronaryheartdisease]washigherinthe group,butbytwoyearsthetwocurves[betweenthedrug cholestyramine and placebogroups]wereidentical.” Thescientistsfurtherreportedthat“inthe firstyear,68percentofthe

side at leastoneGI[gastrointestinal] groupexperienced cholestyramine d iminished with43percentoftheplacebogroup.These compared effect, equalpercentages in frequencysothatbytheseventhyear,approximately and placeboparticipants... weresoaffected." ofcholestyramine Thekindsofsideeffectsfromthedrug thatthescientistswererefer-

gas,nausea, orbloating, belching andheartburn, ringtowereconstipation a greaternumber of “operationsor proceduresinvolvingthe nervous system,”a greaterincidenceof gallstonesand gallbladderdisease,a greaterincidenceof respiratoryillnesses,and finally,“variousGItract group.” cancersweresomewhatmoreprevalentin thecholestryamine manyside so SaidPritikinafterreadingthe study:“Thedrug has

thatyou'renotgoingtogetmanypeopletostaywiththatapproach. effects

Inthefirstyear,68percentofthedruggrouphadsevereabdominalpains; 27percenthadheartburn;16percentsuffered 39percenthadconstipation; fromregular nausea.The drug group experienced50 percent more ulcersthantheplacebogroup;140percentmoregastritis[inflammation of the stomach lining]; 175 percent more ulcers; 100 percent more gall-

stones;300percentmorepancreasdisease.” has been Infact,the scientistsmentioneddarklythatcholestyramine foundtobea promoterofcoloncancerinanimalstudies.Theresearchers

thatfurtherstudyshouldbedoneonthedrug. suggested

Pritikinpointedoutthatthereasonthesideeffectsdroppedoffafter

BigHopes 237

thefirsttwoyearsofthestudywasbecausethemencouldn'ttoleratethe prescribed dosagesofthedrugandbegantoreducethedosagesontheir

own.Thescientistsnotedthataswell.Infact,27percentofthementaking thedrugdroppedoutofthestudy. Pritikinmaintainedthatthedietusedinthestudywasessentiallythe AmericanHeartAssociation (AHA) diet.Sincethatdietcouldreducethe cholesterollevelonly4percent,itwasessentiallyanineffective treatment, thusguaranteeing relianceuponthedrugforseriousreductionofcholesterol. “Since1961,the AmericanHeartAssociationdiet has uniformly

failedinhavinganeffectonhumanheartdisease,” saidPritikin. ButwhatreallyriledPritikin wastheinference thatcholestyramine

wasthepreferredmethodoftreatment, and thatpeoplewithcholesterol levelsof265mg.%orhighershouldgoondrugtreatmenttoreducetheir riskofdisease. “Theprincipalrecommendationbythe NationalInstitutesofHealth wasthis:Thatanyoneinthiscountrywithacholesterollevelof265[mg.% ]and that'sup tofourmillionpeople-shouldimmediatelygoon thedrug on a dailybasisfortherestoftheirlives. “Torecommendthatkindofprogramforfourmillionpeopleiscriminal.”

Pritikin wasfamiliar withcholestyramine, andhadevenrecommended

itsuseinthepastforshortperiodsoftimefora handfulofpatientswhose

cholesterol levels wereexceedingly highandcouldnotbelowered sufficiently withdiet.Butto makea blanketassertionthatthe drug be widelyprescribedwas,forhim,dangerousadvice.

Ina sense,Nathanwashavingitbothways:Hehadclaimeda per-

sonalvictoryon the basisof the rawdata,but he also pointedto the scientificcommunity'sdependenceupondrugswhendietcouldbemore effective, andwithoutthesideeffects.Hewasstillpushingforthescientific

establishment's complete acknowledgement thatdietwasthemethodof choiceformostpeoplein thetreatmentofheartdisease. Indeed,evenDr.ClaudeLenfant,whotookoverforDr.RobertLevyas directorof the NHLBI, acknowledgedthatthe newdata suggestedthat

manycoronary bypassoperations nolongerwerenecessary.

SaidLenfant:“Whileunderscoringthe benefitof such surgeryfor

many,thefindings suggested thatthemedical management wouldbejust

as effectivein about25,000casesduringthe nextyear thatotherwise wouldresultin bypassoperations.” ThoughPritikincontinuedtokeepa lashtothebackofthescientific establishment, herealizedthatthisstudyhadvindicatedhim.Hewasable tolowertheaverageperson'scholesterollevelby25percentinfourweeks’

time-almost twicewhattheLRC scientists managedtodo-without theuse

ofdrugs.Moreover, thelong-standing criticismthathe hadnotprovenhe

238 =Pritikin was reversingatherosclerosiswas suddenlyfullof holes.Pritikinwas preventingheartdiseaseandheartattacks.BytheNHLBI's ownstandard,

he wascuttingtheaverageLongevity Centerparticipant's chancesof havinga heartattackinhalfinlessthana month!

Afterthe studyresultswerein, Pritikincontactedthe MountSinai MedicalSchooland proposedthattheschoolco-sponsora medicalconferencewithhisPritikinResearchFoundation.MountSinaiagreed.The medicalschoolappointedDr.VirgilBrown,chairmanoftheAHA’s NutrtionCommittee, tobetheforum’sdirector.Allpapersandspeakerswould beapprovedbeforehandbyhimtoensuretheirmedicalveracity,a standardpracticewithsuchconferences.Therewas,however, onenonstandard request:that Nathannot use the conferenceto promotethe Longevity Center,whichwasregardedasabusinessandthereforea partisaninterest.

Heagreed.Theconference wassetforApril27. Intheeyesofthescientific establishment, Pritikin hadarrived.

J cs ?1 Respect andAcceptance

fromtheMedical World By 1984,the workNathanPritikinhad begun more than 30 years beforewasalmostin fullbloom.TheLRCStudyand the acceptanceby MountSinaiMedicalSchooltoco-sponsor a medicalconferencewithhim

scientific evidence hadconvincingly demonstrated thebasicsoundness ofhisapproach, andhigh-ranking scientists inthenationwereacknowledginghimastheleadingexponentofthelow-fat, low-cholesterol dietin the treatmentofdegenerativedisease.Asfaras Pritikinwasconcerned,

however, hisgreatestachievement layjustahead.Hewantedtoprovethat

loweringbloodcholesterolcausedreversalofatherosclerosis. Thatproof wasverymuchin sightwithhis cholesterol-lowering studyat Northwestern University’s EvanstonHospital,Pritikinbelieved. Allhe needed was time.Buttimewas becomingan increasingly questionablecommodity.Thelymphswellingand edemaweregetting

worse.ByMarchof1984,hecouldnolongerstandformorethan20to30

minuteswithoutsufferingextensiveswellinginhislowerlegsand ankles.

Hewondered howmuchlongerhecouldgoonbeforehewouldhaveto begintreatment onceagain.

BythetimetheMountSinaiconference arrived,nothingcoulddampen

hisspirits.Hearrivedin NewYorkCityonApril25,readytotakefull

advantageofthefactthatsomeofthemostpowerfuldoctorsand scientists in thecountrywouldbe listeningtohimspeak. Theone-dayconferencewas to be held on April27. On April26, Pritikinhosteda preconferencedinnerfor35 conferenceparticipants. Themenuincludedmushroom-barley soup,tossedsalad,choiceofdressings, chickenteriyaki withsauce,steamedsnowpeas,brownrice,freshpineapple, and dinnerrolls.Fordesserthe provideda “Pritikincarrotcake”-oneof

239

240 “Pritikin

Nathan'sfavorites-andPostum(coffeesubstitute)or chamomiletea.The

Pennsylvania, CenterinDowningtown, mealwascateredbytheLongevity andwasan enormoushit.Thosewhoate thedinnerrealizedthatthe Pritikin dietwasnotsoasceticafterall. scientists, gavehisspeech.The400doctors, day,Nathan Thefollowing whocametolistentohistalkexpectedhim andotherhealthprofessionals to discussthe riskfactorsof adult-onsetdiabetes.Thatwasthe talk he

butNathanhadnointerestin toDr.VirgilBrownforapproval, submitted audibeforecountless hehadgiven speech thesame basically repeating

encesalready.HebeganbyrelatingthestoryofwhatFinlandhaddoneto correcttheincrediblyhighheartdiseaserateamongitscitizens. “Theworstepidemicofdeathsin theworldfromordinaryfoodshas beenin eastFinland,”Pritikinbegan.“Theyhavethe highestcholesterol

intakeinthisworld,becausetheyliveondairyfoods.Infact,theoneswho Leanand intheirthirties. havethehighestdeathratearethelumberjacks

strong,theyeat 5,000caloriesa dayofcheeseand eggs.Asa result,the diet in eastFinlandmakesthat area numberone in the worldin heart arterieswere diseasedeaths.Youngmen dyingof cholesterol-clogged thisenormous of Because leavingwidows,manywithyoungchildren.

thegovernregionpetitioned intheNorthKarelia hardship,thewidows menttodosomethingaboutthetremendousepidemic. “Thegovernmentdecidedto do somethingaboutit. Theysecured Dr.PekkaPuska,justoutofschool,and theysaid,‘Dr.Puska, 28-year-old

forthe 180,000peoplein budget.Godo something hereisa $150,000 goesin thiscountryfor Doyouknowhowfar$150,000 NorthKarelia.’

healthcare?Ourbudgetforheartdiseaseinthiscountryis $700milliona year-$150,000is pettycashforpostage.Dr.Puskahad no preconceived notionsand, notbeing taughtanythingaboutnutritionin school,said,

I can.’Heconcluded andlearnwhat I'llgotothemedicalliterature ‘Well, thatexcesscholesteroland fatseemedtoberesponsibleforheartdisease. Andsohe decidedto followthatidea.Hegotthepublichealthauthorities in NorthKareliato advocatethecuttingdownof fatand cholesterol.He decidedto try to convincethe peopleto stop eatingso manyeggs;he

insteadofwholemilk.Heeventookthelardoutof low-fat recommended theirfavoritesaunasausagesandputmushroomsininstead.Nowthatwas a sacrifice! “Injustfiveorsixyears,NorthKarelia,whichhad hadthenumberone

deathratefromheartdiseasein eastFinland,becamenumberfivein heartdiseasedeaths.Dr.Puskawasthenabout33or34yearsold,andhe

budgethas not accomplishedin Finlandwhat our $700-million-a-year accomplishedin thiscountrysimplybecausehe tooktheavailableknowledgeand appliedit.”

Respect andAcceptance24]

Pritikin thenlaunched hisattack ontheAmerican HeartAssociation

(AHA) and itsrecommendations on fatandcholesterol. “In 1956,Dr.NormanJolliffe,DirectorofPublicHealthin NewYork City,decided to try the polyunsaturated fatapproach[thekindof fats advocatedby theAHA]and devisedthe Anti-Coronary Diet.He started witha 30 percentfatdiet and about300 milligramsof cholesterol[per day],whichis the sameas theAmericanHeartAssociation1984recomHepersonallycloselyadheredtoit.Dr.Jolliffediedofa masmendations.

siveheartattackin 1960.Unfortunately, hediedofmoderation.” Pritikinoutlinedtheresultsofthe(MRFIT) andLRCstudies,which

showedthe inabilityof the AmericanHeartAssociationdiet to lower

cholesterol. Therecommendation comingoutofthosestudieswasthatif

the dietdid not lowercholesterolsufficiently, drugs shouldbe used. Sucha recommendation, Pritikinsaid,wouldputmanymoremillions

ofAmericans ondrugsin additionto themillions whoarealreadyon

them. Forthosewithhighbloodpressurealone,thenumbersarestaggering. “Accordingly, 60 millionpeoplepay $30billiona yearfordrugs.That's nothingcomparedtothesideeffects.On thesedrugs,forexample,men aftertwoyearslosetheirsexualpotency,but that'sno problem.Planned

Parenthood isthrilledaboutthat.ThePritikin dietcanget85percentof drug-takinghypertensives backto normal,offalldrugs,in threeweeks.”

WhenhewasfinishedwiththeAHA,hedirectedhisattacktotheAmeri-

canDiabetes Association (ADA). Pritikin pointedoutthattheADA hadjust

recentlystarteda largecampaigntodiagnoseand treatthe existingten millionadult-onset, or typeII,diabeticsin theUnitedStates.Theirmethod oftreatment,however,isa dietthat“hasbeenusedovera periodof 20or moreyears,and it doesnotget themofftheirmedications. ...” TheADAbooklet“tellsphysiciansif theycannotlowerbloodsugar enoughon theAmericanDiabetesAssociation diet,thentheymustputthe patientson drugs.Theyrecommendthe oraldrugs for the wholeten millioniftheycan'tgettheirbloodglucosedownenoughbytheAmerican DiabetesAssociation diet,a dietthathas alreadyfailed.Wouldyouliketo

knowwhoisfinancing thetotal$4million costofthiseducation program?

Itis UpjohnPharmaceutical Company,theworld'slargestmakeroforal drugsfordiabetics. .. . hypoglycemic “We[the PritikinLongevityCenter]reportgettingtwoout of four

[adult-onsetdiabetics]off insulin in three weeks,and 90 percent of those

on oralmedications givingup theirdrugs.... “Tam alittle bitupset,obviously, becauseI seethreeprincipaldiseases allbeingdirectedtowardsdrug therapy.Yet,scientificevidenceis clear

thatthesimplePritikin dietary program, published inthemedical literature,

242 ~=Pritikin

can eliminatethe need fordrugs in the high-cholesterol group,in the

hypertension group,andinthediabeticgroup....” Pritikin concluded forcefully: “Tthinkit'sironicthatthehealthagenciesresponsible forprotecting

our healthare,in effect,destroyingour healthand shorteningour lives. A millionand a halfpeopleare dyingeach year prematurelybecause theirfoodsupplyis poisonedwithexcessfatand cholesterol.Fifteenmillionpeoplehavesufferedand diedprematurelyin the lasttenyearsbecausevitaldietaryinformationhas been withheld.Weintendto correct thattragedy.” AfterNathanfinishedhistalk,Brownacknowledgedtheimportance ofPritikin’s criticismsoftheAHAand thescientificestablishment. “TthinkitisveryimportantforpeoplesuchasPritikintoholdustotask and sayhereistheidealoverhere,”saidBrown. Twoyearslater,BrownwouldpraiseNathanforhis“totaldedication” ofdietplaysan exceedingly in“raisingtheawarenessthatthecomposition heart disease.”Brown treatmentof and etiology the in importantrole theworld.”As clearlyfeltthroughout “influencewas statedthatPritikin’s forNathan'scriticisms,Brownwrotethat“Ibelievethatbyexpressingthis view,he furtheredthegoalsoftheAHAbyhelpingtocountertheopinion ofthosewhowishtodonothing.” OnApril28,the nightaftertheconference,Nathanhosteda banquet at whichSenatorGeorgeMcGoverntalkedabout the enormousstrides

madein lessthana decadein educatingthepublicontherelationship “toaconsiderable true,”saidMcGovern, dietandhealth.“That's between

.. .”McGovern extentbecauseofthetenacityandcourageofNathanPritikin. statedthatPritikinwas“preachingthetruestgospelofgoodnutritionand thebasisfora longand healthylife.” Hetoldthepackedbanquethall that“Whilehe is smallin physical stature,inmyjudgmentNathanPritikinisa toweringgiantin intelligence, in imagination,and in courage.” Amonthlater,Brown,Dr.WilliamE.Connorofthe OregonHealth and Pritikinwereaskedto writearticlesfortheNew SciencesUniversity, YorkTimesontherelationshipbetweendietand health.Theirarticlesran sidebysideunderthecommonbanner:“ThreeExpertsDiscussCholesterol."

StillOne GoalShort

in wasnowregardedasamonganelitegroupofresearchers Pritikin Nathanwaswiththekindof Ilenerecalledhow“delighted” thecountry.

recognitionhewasgetting.Butnoneoftheattentionputhimoffhisloftiest goal:provingreversalof atherosclerosis. gaveitsapprovalto use the Afterthe Foodand DrugAdministration

RespectandAcceptance 243

proposedLDL-apheresis experimentto reverseatherosclerosis, Pritikin

beganpushingplasmapheresis expertDr.PeterDauhardtogetthestudy underway.Therewerenumerousholdups,however. Dauhad troublegettingpatientstovolunteerforthe study.Patients hadtoundergoangiograms beforeandafterthe studytosee iftherewas anyreversalofplaquein thecoronaryarteries.

Therewereseriousquestions overhowmanyplasmapheresis treat-

mentseachpatientwouldreceiveper week.Itwasfinallydecidedtogive eachpatientonetreatmentweekly,thoughNathanat firstthoughtthattwo wouldbe necessarytokeepthe cholesterollevelsufficiently low.Finally, therewereendlessproblemsofgettingthevarioushospitaldepartments-

cardiology, hematology, labs,andothers-toworkina coordinated mannerforthestudy. Allofthestudysubjects weretofollow thePritikin dietas

well,soNathanhad toteachthe programto staffmembersandcooksat thehospital.

Nathanpushedthrougheachof theseproblemswithhistypical determination. “Nathan wasa realdriver,” saidDau.“Hewouldnottakeno foran

answer.” Infact,theextenttowhichPritikinwaspushinghimselfcausedDauto watchin amazement.

“When I first startedworkingwithhim,I juststoodbackandsaid,

‘Wow, thisisa motivatedguy,’”saidDau. “Nathanhad a maniaaboutheartdisease.Hewaswillingtopay the

priceintermsofcommitment andenergytoseethata curewasfoundfor heartdisease.Sixhundredandsixtythousandpeopledieofheartattacks eachyear,sothescopeoftheproblemisenormous whenyouthinkabout

it.Hewouldcallup and say,‘Oh,youdidn'thavethatdoneyesterday?’ or ‘Peter,ifwehavethatpieceofinformation now,whycan'twebegintoday?’ Histemperament wasalwaysmatter-of-fact. Hisattitudewasthatifthiswas giventoppriority,heartdiseasewouldbe eliminated.” Asmuchashewasdrivinghimself,he wasalsotryingtomotivatethe doctorsand scientistswhowereparticipating in the study. “Hewasleadingus doctorsdownthe roadtoregression.He wasso

wellversedwiththeliterature thathewasnotjustcompetent withdoctors, hewasleapingpastthem.ThereasonNathan wasabletodoallofthis—and

tolecturedoctorson health-wassimple:he wasa genius.There'snoother waytoput it.Heknewmorethanmostdoctorsand thatwasconvincing.” Thereseemedtobe noend totheobstaclesfacinghimand thestudy, however, and Daufinallyprojectedthattheywouldn'tgettheirfirstpatient

starteduntilthefallof1984.

NathanoriginallyhadplannedthatheandIlenewouldliveforseveral

244 Pritikin

monthsatEvanstonHospitaltooverseethestudyand thedietaryprogram

Hetold toensurethatit wascarriedoutaccordingtohisspecifications.

Dau on numerousoccasionsthat he plannedto“moveout to Evanston and setup shop.”Butas his illnessgotworse,it soonbecameimpossible forhim tospendmorethana fewdaysawayfromSantaBarbara.Pritikin

neededtimetorestandtostudyhisdiseaseifhewasgoingtofindaway outofhisdeepening problem. In fact,after the MountSinaiconference,Pritikinwantedto slow down.Hisbodywasdemandingit, and-just as important-hewasmentallywearyofhisrelentlesspace.Hewaslookingformorepeaceinhislife.

Ileneforyearsthathewouldslowdownandthat Hehadbeenpromising the twoof themwouldspend more time together.Asa result,he was regularlyturning down invitationsto speakpublicly.Often,he would announce proudly to Ilene that he had just turned down another invita-

tiontolecture.NathanwantedIlenetoknowthathe wasfinallykeeping

hispromise.Onalittle cardthatnotedhisupcomingtalkatLouisiana 21,hehad whichwasscheduledforSeptember (LSU), StateUniversity

writtenthe words,“SwanSong.”Asfar as he was concerned,the LSU presentationwastobe hislast. His Cuttingbackonhisschedulewaseasiersaidthandone,however.

andno matterhowmuchhe triedtoget wereenormous commitments theSanta at work-particularly machinery a whole freetime,therewas centers-thatwasdemandinghispresence. Monicaand Downingtown Centerin 1984,remembers TerryGraves,whorantheDowningtown Nathan'sattemptstoreducehisworkload.

“Thatwholeyear[1984]he wouldalwayscallmeupbeforehewas “AndIwould tocomeoutandtryandgetoutofit,”sherecalled. scheduled alwaystalkhimbackintoit... .AndthentheSantaMonicaCenterwould Whyaren'tyouhere carryingDowningtown. callhimup and say,‘You're

forhim." Soitwouldforcea doublecommitment asmuchasyouarethere?’ was P ritikin that knewatthetime family Nooneoutsidehisimmediate sick,butsoonhissonRobertbegantostepinand tellpeoplehisfatherjust wasn'tavailable. ButevenRobertcouldn'tkeephisfatherfrommaintaininga demand-

as sawmanyofhiscommitments ingworkandtravelschedule.Pritikin

personalpromisestofriends,peopletowhomhewasloyaland couldnot

ofwhomNathanwas trueofTerryGraves, letdown.Thiswasparticularly

to veryfond.BySeptember,he wasstillgoingmonthlytoDowningtown month,Ms. That people. media local a nd talkto the centerparticipants

anda scheduleofpatientconsultations Graveshadsetupa demanding television interview forhim.

“Ididn'tknowhe wassick,butI knewhewaslookingworseandworse.

Respect andAcceptance245 Heusedtoweara brownjacketa lot,butashe gotmorepalehe didn'tlook

goodinit,soItoldhimnottowearit,”sherecalled. “When hearrivedatthe

airport[inPennsylvania thatmonth]the firstthinghe didwasstandthere in his dark slacksand nice softtweedjacketand say,‘Isthis okay?’He lookedso comicalsayingthat,thatIjuststoodthereandapplaudedhim.”

Pritikinhad turned69 on August29, and thatseptemberTerry Graves hadplannedasurprisepartyforhimattheDowningtown Center.

Thepartywastotakeplaceafterhe hadseenpatientsanddonea TVshow. “Hewasverypalewhenweweredoingthe TVshowandtheyhad to usea lotof makeupon him,”sherecalled.“Hewasalsolosinghis voice consistently. He wasputtingin 12to 14hoursa dayworking,buthe becameveryinsistentaboutthe timehe neededto sleep.Hewouldalways tellmehe neededeighthourssleep,andifsomethingdidn'tfitwitheight hourssleep,he wouldn'tdo it.Before,he wouldstretchhimself,butnow he wouldn't.” Thenighthe hadcompletedhisworkat Downingtown, he sat in his

roomatthecenterreading.HissonKenwaswithhimattheDowningtown center.TerryGravesandKenhadconspired tobringNathandownstairs

fora surprisepartythatevening.Nathanwaswearingrunningclotheseventhoughhe hadn'trun in morethan nine months-andTerrykepton

sendingwordup toKento haveNathanchangehisclothesbeforehe

came downstairs. Afterhe had been askedseveraltimesto change,he finallytoldKen,“TellTerryI caneatdinnerin theclothesIamwearing.”A fewminuteslater,he wasescorteddownstairsand as he walkedintothe largediningroomofthe center,a band struckup “HailtotheChief’and

about100peopleyelled“Surprise!” and“Happy Birthday!” TerryGraves wasstanding athissideapplauding him.Nathan-holding backthetearsturnedtoherandsaid,“Ishouldhavechangedmyclothes.”

ABattleforLife In October, Pritikin’s hemoglobin hadfallentoa low8.5grams.He

wasnowin desperatestraitsand had to concentrateon his disease.Dr. DavidGolde,his physician,had been pressinghim to begininterferon treatments.Theinterferonhad been successfulin raisingthered blood

cellcountforsomepatients withhairycellleukemia. Bythistime,Pritikin wasin a corner.Witha hemoglobin of8.5andfalling,he neededtodo somethingimmediately. Robert,Jack,Ken,Janet,andKen'sfiancée,Trisha

Thompson, allwerepressedintoservice todolibraryresearchforNathan. Desperate fora solution andbelieving thattheinterferon washarm-

lessatworstand potentiallylife-sustaining at best,he agreedtobeginthe treatments.Nathanwouldadministerthe therapyby injectinghimself withthe dosagesofinterferonthreetimesper week-Sunday,Wednesday,

246= Pritikin

andFriday-overa ten-weekperiod.Thefirsttreatmentwasscheduledfor

butthescheduled anniversary, 37thwedding 1,hisandIlene’s November

startingdatehadtobepushedup toOctober29 becausehishemoglobin wasdroppingsorapidly. Despitethehopeshis physicianshad forthe therapy,the interferon

hisredbloodcellsviciously Thedrugbegantodestroy wasthefinalstraw. ofdeath. andbroughthimtotheveryprecipice recordofhis reactionto extensive and Pritikinkeptan ongoing theinterferon. onOctober29,and twohourslater Hetookhisfirstdoseat 11:30A.M. hisnormalpulserateof64 wasinthethroesofa ragingfever.By4:15PM., He sufferedchills and beats. 100 to jumped beats per minutehad at 12:30PM.and by injection tookan convulsions.On October31, he robeon,and blue comforter, x 4:00he wrote,“sleepundermaxcovers:2 sweaterand greenblanket.” Aseachdayoftreatmentpassed,thesymptomsonlygrewworse.The

Thechillsand gotas highas 104degreesFahrenheit. feverstypically

tremorsgrewmoreviolent.At nighthe wouldlie in bed withhis teeth chattering,hisbodyshakingwildly.

4,hewrote,“Uncontrollable onNovember Aftertakingan injection overseveral temperature his recorded chills.”He shaking;involuntary hoursuntilnearlysevenhoursafterthedosage,itreached104.5.By4:45 that afternoon,he wrote:“Removedblanket,robe, and sweaterabout 3:30.”HetookTylenolwhenhe couldn'tbear the chillsany longer.He the chills,and thedosagesand the timeshe graphedhis temperatures,

wascompletely Hisbody'sreactiontotheinterferon tooktheTylenol. unexpectedandhe wastryingdesperatelytounderstandit. wasthe factthathishemoglobinwasdropping Worstofall,however, On November6,hishemoglobinhad fallento7.4grams,7 precipitously.

gramsbelownormal. recalledDr.Ken “Hewasgettingverylowdosagesofinterferon,” His dosages. tosuchlow a shedid r eact Foon.“Ihaveneverseenanyone reactionwasterrible.” “unusual Foonsaidthathe knewofno scientificreasonforPritikin’s reaction”totheinterferon.“Iwouldsurmisethatthiswasa manwhotook verygoodcareofhimselfandwasunusuallysensitive.Hisbodywasfinely tunedandyoucouldn'tmesswiththatbalance.” bytheinterferononthedayshetook Nathanwasliterallyincapacitated

thedrug.Ilenewouldscreenpeopleawayfromhimonthesedays.She now,evenonthedayshehadn'ttakentheinterferon. actedasgatekeeper thatfalltoworkforNathan hadreturnedtoSantaBarbara Graves Terry at the PritikinResearchFoundationin his home. “Youjust couldn'tseeNathanon certaindays,”she recalled.“Atfirst,I

. Respect andAcceptance247 justacceptedit,butitwasunlikehimtobe unavailable to me.something wasup butno one knewwhatitwas.” PeopleassumedthatNathanwashard at workon oneofhis projects or thathe wassimplyexhaustedfromhis recenttravels. “Wereallydidn'tthinkitwasanythingmorethanexhaustion or a cold

thatNathanwassuffering from,” recalledStanKeller“Hewasworking so hardat thetimethattherewaseveryreasontobelievethathe should betired.”

Thefamilywasprotecting himasbesttheycould,buthestillwantedto do morethanwaspossible.ThatNovember, he had scheduleda triptothe cityofQuebec,Canadato talkto a Canadianresearcherabouthis LDLapheresisproject.WhenJanetfoundouthe wasplanninga longtrip,she washorrified.ShecomplainedtoIleneandNathan,buthe insistedthatif his bloodcountincreasedhe wasgoing. “Dadwantedto go aboutbusinessas usual,Carryingon with the charade.I wasangryand adamantthathe notgo,andin the endhispoor bloodcountclinchedthe cancellation ofthetrip.”

AfterNathan'sbloodcountfellto 7 gramsin November it never

returnedtonormal. One daythatmonth,TerryGraveswentintoNathan'sstudyand saw thathis skincolorwasunusuallyyellow.“Isaid,‘Nathanare youallright? Doyou havehepatitisor something?’ Hejust sloughedit offand went

abouthiswork.”

ByDecember3,his bloodcountwasat 6.5;on December21, itwas

9.6;and on December 27, it had fallento 5.

“InDecember, Nathanstartedtotalkin moreurgentterms,”recalled.

DickBrotherton, whowasworkingon Pritikin’s LDL-apheresis design. “Whenever he'dcallabouttheLDL-apheresis project, he'dsaythingslike,

‘We'vegotto hurry,we haven'tgot much time’or ‘We'rerunningoutof time.’” : Thatmonth,he startedto getperiodsofdespondency, especiallyafter experiencing a particularly bad dayofsideeffectsfromthe interferon. “I remembergoingoverto the housethen,”recalledTerryGraves. “AndI wasusheredintohisbedroom,whichneverhadhappenedbefore, andhewasslumpedin hischairandI couldsee thathe wasdepressed.I had neverseen him likethatbefore.He didn'twantto get up outofhis chair.Something waswrong.Everything washaltedthen;he wasn'tgettinganyphonecalls;no publicity.Iaskedhim,‘Areyouallright?’Andhe

said,‘Ijusthadmyphoneunplugged soIshouldbeallright.Icouldeither unplugmy phone or hire a psychiatrist, and I figuredI'd unplugmy

phonebecauseit'scheaper.” Hewasquicklylosingweight.He lookedgauntandweak. Inevitably, his spiritswouldbounceback.Themorningnewsshow

248 = Pritikin

“GoodMorningAmerica”askedhim to appear in Januaryas part of a

lifeovertheprevious serieson thepeoplewhohadchangedAmerican

decade.AndNathanagreedtoappearon theshow,despitehiscondition poorappearance.Ilenegentlybutfirmlyadvisedagainst andhisobviously it,tellinghimthathe couldnotappearontelevisionlookingashe did.He agreed.Still,he valiantlytriedto keephis spiritsup whilehe copedwith the brutalsideeffectsofhisdiseaseand the treatments.

“Weallhoped Ilenerecalled. ontheoutside,” optimistic “Heremained wouldreacha turningpointandbringhisbloodcountback theinterferon

up, but bylateDecemberit wasclearthat the interferonhadbeenjust a terriblenightmare.” In December,Pritikinwasdiagnosedashavinghemolyticanemia,a diseasein whichthe red bloodcellsare destroyedbyantibodiescreated bytheperson'sownwhitebloodcells.WhenIleneaskedhimwhathemolytic anemiawas,his facecloudedoverandhe said,“Oh,that'sbad.” Withthe diagnosisof hemolyticanemia,Nathanknew that in all probabilityhe faceda deathsentence.Forthe nextmonthand a half,he wouldresistthe diagnosis,hopingagainsthope that he did not have hemolyticanemia. HenevertoldIleneor thechildrenwhathesuspected,however.Itwas

onlylaterthatIlenewouldlearnhisrealconcernabouttheanemia. InDecember, hestoppedtheinterferon.

hemoglobinhad droppedallthe wayto4.5 On January3,Pritikin’s gramsand he wasfeelingfaintand sufferingdizziness. Bythattime,hehadalreadymadeplanstoreceivebloodtransfusions.

Foronething, thanexpected. Buteventhatturnedouttobemoredifficult

anadequatedonorhadtobefound.NeitherIlenenorthechildrenhadhis bloodtype,whichwas0 positive.Hedid not wantto resorttothe UCLA bloodbankbecausehewasafraidofhepatitisandAIDSinfection.Janet's husband,SteveTrent,had Nathan'sbloodtypeand wasable to donate blood,but moredonorswouldhavetobe found.NathanandIleneplaced

inan thelocalYMCA TimesandIlenecontacted anadintheLosAngeles

effortto recruitpotentialdonors,explainingthat she wastryingto help

afriend.

|

leukemiamadetransfusionsall the moredifficultbecause Pritikin’s the antibodiesinhisbloodwereantagonistictothebloodofseveralofhis prospectivedonors.Finally,a seriesofappropriatedonorswasfound.But bloodtransfusionswereonlya stopgapmeasure,sinceitwasclearthathis immunesystemwasdestroyinghisownredcells. Goldeprescribedsteroidsin ordertoslowthedestructionofredblood cells,but this therapybackfiredhorriblyas well.AfterNathantookthe

ofredbloodcellsbecamemorerapid.Thestesteroids,thedestruction roidsalsocausedtheonsetofseverediabetesand veryrapidweightloss.

Respect andAcceptance249 Hewouldneedinsulinnow.Thediabetesalsocauseda chronicthirstthat

hecouldn'tseemtoquench.

Foonwas stillmonthsawayfromhavinghis antibodiesreadyas a therapyforNathan'sdisease.Pritikinhadread aboutanotherexperimentaltherapyforleukemia,calledPentastatin,whichwasbeingusedbyDr.

Alexander SpiersatAlbanyMedical CenterinAlbany, NewYork. Pritikin hadcontacted SpiersinlateDecember andmadeplanstogotoAlbany to

receivethe treatmentunder the doctor'ssupervision.Pritikinwouldnot arriveinAlbanyuntilJanuary21.Inthemeantime,hecontinuedtokeep hisillnessa secretandtriedtomaintainsomesemblanceofhisschedule. (Itwasin connectionwiththe Albanytrip thatNathanhad intendedto appearon “GoodMorningAmerica,” whichairsfromNewYork.)

Withtimerunningshort,hepressedPeterDautomoveaheadonthe

atherosclerosis reversalstudy,butthereweremoredelaysanditwouldnot be untillaterthat Januarythat the firstpatientwouldbe enrolledin the study.Pritikin’sownLDL-apheresis designwas stillin the development

stages,butmovingaheadunderRobert's andDickBrotherton’s efforts. Brotherton wenttoQuebectoworkwithLupien’s staffandrunsometests

ofthedevice.Nathananxiouslyawaitedwordon his progress. Meanwhile, theLongevity Centerwasin themidstofa newexpansion effort.Thecenterhad plans to open severalfitnesscentersaround the country,thefirstofwhichwastoopenonJanuary19inPacificPalisades, just outsideSantaMonica.Thefitnesscenterswerenot live-inprograms, but localhealthcenterswhere peoplecouldcome during the day or eveninghoursforexerciseand adviceaboutdiet. OnthatSaturdaymorning,January19,Pritikinwasonhand toopen

hisnewPalisades FitnessCenterwitha ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Nathan'svoice was weak and, for many,could barely be heard. Therewasnomicrophoneavailableandmanyofthe 100guestspresent for the ceremonycouldn'thear most of whathe said because it was simplyinaudible. Afterthe ceremony,StanKellergreetedhim.Thetwoshookhands, but Nathandidn'tsaya word.Hejust fixedKellera lookthat frozein Keller'smind.“Therewasa lookin hiseyethat I hadneverseenbefore,” recalledKeller.“Lookingback at that moment,I supposeNathanwas sayinggood-bye.” _ WilmaKellerhadarrangedtohavea videotapedinterview withPritikin doneatthecenterafterthe ceremony,butRobertstoppedhisfatherfrom doingit.ItwasobviousthatNathanwasinno conditiontodoaninterview, thoughPritikinwasrefusingtoacknowledgethat. Aftertheceremony,NathanwenthomeandpreparedtogotoAlbany withIlene.AsTerryGraveswouldsaylater,theribbon-cutting ceremonyat thenewPalisadesCenterwas“hislasthurrah.”

:CHAPTER 1 TheDisease HeCouldn’t Cure

Nathan andIleneleftfromSantaBarbaraAirportforAlbanyonJanuary 21, 1985.PritikinwasgoingtoAlbanybecausehe hopedthePentastatin woulddo threethings:reversethehemolyticanemiacausedbytheinter-

causedbythesteroids, andragingdiabetes feron,haltthemusclewasting and,finally, treatthemalignancy inhisbloodstream. Nathan in Albanywassuccessful, Theyhopedthatif thetreatment couldreturnhomeandcontinuetakingthetherapyonhisown.Hewould administerithimselfbyinjection,as he had theinterferon. Pritikinwasextremelyweakandcouldbarelyliftthesmallestpieceof

luggageheandIlenehadbroughtwiththem.Ilenehadtocarrythelarger, heavierbag.BeforetheyleftfortheirflighttoAlbany,a fellowpassengerat theairportturnedtohiswifeandmadeajokeaboutNathanandIleneand theman,Nathanstartedlaughing theirincongruousburdens.Overhearing aswell.“Didyouhear thatguy?”NathanaskedIlene.Despitehisdesper-

atestraits,Nathansawthehumorintheincident, too. WhentheyarrivedatAlbanyairport,a cabtookthemoverthesnowcoveredstreetsto their roadsidemotel.Nathannoticedthat the motel diningroomwasin an adjoiningbuildingsomedistancefromthe lodge. Theparkinglotand groundswerecoveredwithsnowandice.Whenthe

said,“No,thiswon'tdo.Take cabdriverwasabouttoletthemout,Pritikin us to thebesthotelin town.”Hewastooweakto dealwithcoldand the layoutofthemotel. Thecabdriverbroughtthemto theAlbanyHilton.Theysignedin as

thealiasNathanhadearlier continuing Malmuth, Mr.andMrs.Howard

adopted.NotevenDr.AlexanderSpiersknewat firstthatit wasNathan Pritikinhe wastreating.EventuallyNathantoldSpiers,butaskedhimto

250

IncurableDisease 251

keeptheinformation private.Nathanhadgrowna mustachetofurther concealhisidentity. Soontheweightlosswouldbecomesoseverethat

his emaciatedbodywouldfurtherhide any physicalsignsof the old NathanPritikin. Onceinsidehishotelroom,heresumedhismeticulous recordkeeping. Asthedayswentby,Spierswouldprovidehimwithextensivebloodtest

recordsandNathancouldfollow hisdepressed andfluctuating hemoglobinlevels,aswellas thereticulocyte count,whichshowedtherateat

whichnewyoungred bloodcellswerebeing formedby his body.He recordedallhissymptoms,thetimestheymanifested,andtheirduration. Hetriedtocorrelatehissymptomstothelifespanofhisredbloodcells;the

normallifespanis30days.Hewaslookingforclues,hopingforanysign thatthetreatmentmightbelengtheningthelifespanofhisredbloodcells. Bythetimehe arrivedinAlbany,he hadalreadylost25poundsand, sincehe had only7 percentbodyfatto beginwith,it waspure muscle mass that he was losing.The weightlosswas caused largelyby the

steroids, butevenafterhestoppedthemhecontinued towasteaway.

Overthenextseveraldayshe underwentextensiveexaminationand testingbySpiersathisoffice,whichwasinawingconnectedtotheAlbany MedicalCenter.

Heimmediately begangettingbloodtransfusions and,ironically,

LDL-apheresis treatments,whichweremeanttoremovethelargeprotein molecules,ormacroglobulins, fromhisbloodstream. Eventually hewould receivethreePentastatintreatmentsaswell,whichalsowereadministered byinjection. . Hewasgettingprogressively weakerandattimesevenfaint.Inoneof his earlymeetingswithSpiers,Pritikinwent into the bathroomfor a momentwhileIlenewaitedforhim outsidein a receptionroom.After waitingseveralminutes,Ilene grew concernedand went towardthe bathroom,onlytofindNathanin an adjoiningroomlyingonan examiningtablebeinglookedoverbySpiersandan attendant.Whenshetalked

tohim,IlenelearnedthatNathanhadfaintedinthebathroom andfallen

facedownon the tilefloor,breakinghis fronttoothand splittinghislip. SpiersfoundthatPritikin’s bloodpressurewasextremelylowand gave him fluidintraveneously, whichrestoredhis bloodpressureto normal. Spiersexaminedthetoothandnotedthattheremainingstructurewasstill soundandthatitcouldbecappedeasily.Heevenrecommendeda dentist forNathantoseebeforehe returnedhometoCalifornia. Ilenewasupsetbytheepisode.ShefeltthatNathan'sdangerouslylow bloodpressureshouldhavebeen recognizedearlierduring the office visit.In thatway,he couldhavebeenprotectedfromsuchfalls. “WhenIexpressedmydistresswiththisunnecessaryaddedinsultto

252 = Pritikin

allhewasexperiencing, hewouldmakelightofit,saying, ‘Oh,it'snothing,’ or‘Itwillhelpmydisguise.’ WhenIwouldsaytohimhe'dhavetohavethe toothcappedbeforehereturnedhome,asitreallyruinedhisappearance, he wouldindicatetomethathe reallywasn'tvainand itdidn’tmatter.” Hisdeteriorationwascausinghimincreasingdiscomfort. Therelentlessthirstcontinued.Hebegandrinkingwholebottlesoffruitjuice,which wassomethinghe neverdidin thepast.Therewereotherproblems.He complainedthateverythinghe drank,includingwater,tastedsickeningly sweet,whichwasanotherreactionfromthediabetes.Eventually hefound thatthe drinksdidn'ttasteas sweetwhentheywerecold,so he needed

everything iced.Hismouthwasexcessively dry,butnoneofhisdoctors

couldaccountforthissymptom. Therewereoccasionalbreaksin the intensityofthe situation,small oasesoftimeforhimandIlenetobe togetherandtrytoforgettheircrisis. Ilenerecordedthosemomentsin her diarymonthslater. “Wedid havea fewnormalmealstogetherat theHilton-almostour last,”shewrote.“TheHiltonhasa beautifulintimatediningroomandwe had fouror fivedinnersthere.Averytall,blonde,friendlyhostesswould greetus eveningaftereveningand directus toa cozyniche. “Wefeltquitethe romanticcouple.I wouldusuallyput on one or

anotherofthetwodressesI'dbroughtwithme,plusthelongpearlsI'd

takentoserveasmyonepieceofjewelryforthetrip.Ourmealwasusually thepoachedsalmontheyfeatured,plustheirgooddinnersalad.Asthey didn’thavebakedpotatoesoranacceptablealternative, we'dusuallycarry downa loafof Pritikinbread-whichI'd foundin a ratherwell-stocked

healthstorein Albany-and Nathanwouldmakesandwiches withthe salmon. “Therewasa nice-looking youngmanwhoplayedpianoas weate, ratherruiningthemusiche playedwithhisinnatelyunmusicalsenseof rhythm.Wemoanedwhen lovelytuneswere massacredby him,and

laughed abit, too.”

Afterten daysat the Hilton,theymovedto a one-bedroomsuiteat Jeremy'sInninAlbany,whereIlenecouldcooktheirmealsin thesmall kitchen.Ileneboughtsomegrainsthatsheboiledonthestove,hopingto

reversetheprecipitous weightloss.

AlbanywascoldanddarkthatJanuary.Therewasconsiderablesnow andiceonthegroundandtheintensityofthewinterseemedtoshutthem in allthe more,closingthemofffromthebrightnessofthe sun and the activelifestyletheyhad cometolovein California. Nathan's“sad,sadfacereplacedtheanimated,thoughtful,sometimes

impishfaceI knewasmyhusband's,” Ilenewrotelater.“once,sittingin

oneofthetwoarmchairsinourmotelroom-sittingsidebyside,holding

IncurableDisease 253

hands-helookedatmeandsaidsimply:‘Lookatyou;you'reintheprime

ofyourlife.Andlookatme.” Hetriedtoburyhimself inhischartsandnotes.For“light” reading,he

hadbroughtwithhima medicalbookthathehadwantedtoreadforsome time.Thebookwasa reviewofmedicalphysiologyhe had purchasedattheUCLA bookstore. Hehadalsobroughtseveralotherbooksthatdiscussed

histypeofillness,whichhethoughtmightbehelpful. Whenhewasn'treadingorresting,hewastestinghimself: takinghis

temperature,notinghissymptoms,recordingthebloodtestresultsSpiers had providedhim.Thefevers,chills,and tremorscontinued,thoughnot as severelyas theyhad duringtheinterferontreatments.

Hewasgettingweakerfast.Heneededhelptomakeitfromtheirroom tothecabthatwouldtakethemtoSpiers’ office. Bythetimehegotthere,he

wasexhausted. Spierssoonconcludedthat Pritikinin factdid not havehairycell leukemia,butwhathecalleda “spleneticlymphoma,macroglobulinemia,

withcirculating cellsthatlookedlikehairycellsbutwerenot.”Inaddition, Pritikinsufferedfromhemolyticanemia,whichwasdestroyinghis red bloodcellsandwouldsurelyhavekilledhimwithoutbloodtransfusions. The Pentastatinwas designed for hairy cell leukemia,but after diagnosingPritikinas havingthespleneticlymphoma,Spiersconsulted

withtheNational CancerInstitute (NCI) todetermine ifPentastatin would be usefulinPritikin’s case.NCIscientistssaidthatitmightbe helpfuland Spiersadministeredsmalldosesofthedrug threetimes. Eventually, SpiersstoppedthePentastatinandbeganregulardosages

ofanotheranticancer drug,calledcyclophosphamide. Spiersfoundthat

Pritikin'sconditionmadea slowimprovementon the newdrug.Buthe wasbattlingsomanyotherproblems,mostofwhichweresideeffectsfrom the interferon,steroids,and the hemolyticanemia.Theanemiacaused

liverandseverekidneydamage-sosevere,in factthatPritikinneeded

kidneydialysistosurviveand had tobe hospitalized. Forthekidneydialysis,whichhe receivedeveryotherday,a catheter tubewasinsertedintohisleg.Thetubecausedslowbleedinginthearea, leavinga largebloodstaininhisbedbeneathhisleg.Onceinthehospital,

hecontinued toreceivebloodtransfusions. Healsoreceivedonemore

Pentastatintreatment. Itsoonbecameapparentthathewasbeingkeptalivebyartificial means. Ilenevaliantlytriedto keephis spiritsup by remainingoptimistic herself.“Isimplydidn'tpermitmyselftoreflectonthepossibleseriousness ofthesituation,” shewrote.“Ilivedfromminutetominutelikeanautomaton, tryingtobecheerfulandalwaysoptimistic. Itendedtohisneedscheerfully and brisklyor to tasksthatneededto be done,mentallypreoccupying

254 = Pritikin

myselfwithreading.TheStoriesofJohn Cheeverservedme well,each storybeingbriefbutcaptivating. EarlierIwouldbringtheNewYorkTimes intoourroom,buttherattlingofthepagesannoyedNathanashisphysical conditionworsened,andheaskedmetostopturningthepages.IreadThe NewYorker, too,and onceread aloudto hima remarkableaccountofa

blindboyfromIndia,whoattheageof15camealonetotheUnitedStates toenrollattheArkansas SchoolfortheBlindbecausehisIndianfather

yearnedtohavetheboyhaveabettereducationthanavailabletotheblind inIndia.Hisinterestfora whilewasmaintainedand Iwasthrilledthathe couldfora fewminutesbementallyremovedfromthemiseriesofthetrap thatcircumstanceshad createdforus. “Earlier, beforethenoiseofthepagesturningbotheredhimtoomuch, hewouldaskmetosummarizeforhimtheimportantnewsasreportedin theNewYorkTimes,and I woulddo so.Evenin thosecriticaldays,his

interestinthestateoftheworldburnedbrightly.” Pritikinrefusedtoeatthehospitalfood.Instead,Ilenemadehim oatmeal atJeremy's Innandbroughtittohiminsufficient quantities each

day.Hehadcalculatedhowmanycaloriesheneededtosustainhiminthe hospitaland whatamountshe wouldneed to eat at specificintervals.

sometimes Ilenehadtofeedhimbecausehelackedthestrengthhimself. Eachday,NathanorIlenewouldtelephone thechildren. Usually they

wouldcallRobertorKen,whowouldthenrelaytheinformationontothe otherchildren.Whenevershecalled,Ilenetriedtoputthebestfaceonthe facts,alwaysendingwithanoptimistic notethatNathanwouldpullthrough. ThechildrenwantedtocometoAlbanytosupporttheirfather,buthe

refusedtoletthemseehimlikethis.HetoldIlenethathedidnotwantthe childrentocometothehospital; theirpresencewouldjustdistracthim

fromstudyinghisillness,he said.IlenerelayedNathan'srequestand the childrenreluctantlyrespectedhiswishes.ButitwasclearthatPritikinwas protectinghisfamilyandhimselffromtheemotionalburdensthatwould

becreatedifhischildrenwerepresentatthehospital. Hehadalways been the patriarch,the onewhotookit uponhimselfto finda solutionto the majorproblemsthefamilyfaced.Butnowhewaswhollydependentupon Ilene.Hecoulddonothingforhisfamilyorhimself.Hislifewasoutofhis control.Thiswasnotthewayhe wantedtobe seenor remembered.

Hisbodycontinuedto wasteaway.Bymid-February, he hadlost

nearly40 pounds sincehe had begun the interferonmore than two monthsbefore.Nothingbrokehisheartmorethantheweightloss. “Thegauntbodythatconfrontedhiminthemirrorwouldbringhimto

tears,”Ilenewouldwritelater.Because hiscasewassointeresting, teams

IncurableDisease 255

ofyoungphysicianson thehospitalstaffwouldcometo hisbedsideand

askhimtodescribethehistoryofhistreatment. Whenhegottothepart

thatinvolvedtheuseofsteroidsandtheconsequentweightloss,hewould inevitablybe broughttotears. “Hecomparedhimselfto a Germanconcentrationcamp victim,” Ilenewrote.“And,in fact,the almost25-poundweightlossin less than three weeksdid make his alreadythin body lookpitifullyemaciated. Thiswasa particularlybrutalpunishmentofhisdisease.Thebodyhe had studiedsomanyyearsand takensuchmeticulouscareofwasbeing destroyedrightbeforehiseyes.Hesimplycouldn'tbear to speakaboutit.

Despite hisweakness, hecontinued toworkaslongashecouldonhis

notes.Hewasstilltryingtoseea patternin hisillnessthatmightleadhim toa solution. Buttheonefactthathe couldnotreconcilewasthehemolyticanemia. AsIlene wrote:“Thealmostfatal(in his mind)diagnosisof hemolytic anemiawasone he foughtagainstmentally.I thinkto himthatwaslike admittingto himself:‘Thisis theend.’Hecarefullygraphedhishemoglobin level,takingintoaccountthedrop to be expectedas the transfused cellsdied offat their anticipatedrate.Severaltimeshe toldme thathe thoughthedidn'thavehemolyticanemia.Hewantedsomuchtodisbelieve thatdiagnosis.” Hewasnotalone.Ilene,too,wantedto believehe couldstillfindan

battlingagainstthefacts. answer. Sheremainedsanguine,

One of the doctorson the AlbanyMedicalCenterstaffmusthave noticedthatIlenewasnotdealingwiththeperiloustruthofher husband's circumstances. Thedoctor,whohad seenNathanearlierin theday,walked up to Ileneand toldher flatly:“Ithinkyoushouldknowthatyour husband’sprognosisis terrible.”HiswordsshockedIlene.Shehurried to Spiersand asked him directlywhat he thoughtof Nathan'scondition. Spiersequivocated,sayingthatNathan'sconditionwasguardedbutthat

therewerestilllotsofthingsthatcouldbedone.

IleneacceptedSpiers’pronouncement,but thecruelblowfromthe otherphysicianbroughther facetofacewithrealityandwasthefirststep towardpreparingher fortheworst.Monthslater,shewouldsaythat she sawa certainkindnessin the doctor'scrushingwords,becausewithout themshewouldnothavebeentheleastbitpreparedforwhatlayahead. Still,the signs were there. It soon becameapparentthat Nathan's kidneydamagewaspermanentand thatif he didsurvivetheimmediate crisis,he wouldneed kidneydialysisfortherestofhislife. In a soft,understatedway,he startedto complainabouthissuffering.

256_~= ‘Pritikin

Thefactthathe understatedhiscomplaintsseemedtomakethemallthe

morepowerful toIlene.Hebecameincreasingly weakandhadtostop keepinghisrecords.

NooneoutsidehisimmediatefamilyknewthatPritikinwasatAlbany MedicalCenter.WhenNathanwantedtokeeptrackofwhatwasgoingon at theLongevity Centeror elsewhere,he calledor had Ilenecall. Hehadbeenin regulartouchwithDickBrothertontokeeptrackof the progressofhis LDL-apheresis design.Brothertonwasrunninginto snags.Thedelayskepthimfromconductinga seriesofimportanttestson the equipmentthat wouldlet them knowif it wouldworkat all. On February19,NathancalledDickBrothertoninQuebecandaskedhimif he ran theexperiment. “No,”Brothertonsaid.HetoldNathanthathehadrunintosomeprob-

lemswiththefiltering deviceandthathethoughthewouldbereadytorun theexperiment thefollowing day.Brotherton noticedimmediately that

Pritikin'svoicewasextremelyhoarseand almostinaudible. “What'swrongwithyourvoice?”Brothertonaskedhim. “Oh,I'vegota littlelaryngitis,that'sall,”Nathansaid. “Ihopeyou'regoingto see a doctor,”Brothertonsaid.Therewasa pausebeforePritikinspokeagain. “Doyou thinkit'sgoingto work?”Pritikinasked.Thequestionhit Brotherton likeanelectricprod.ItwasutterlyunlikePritikintoaskBrotherton ifthedevicewasgoingtowork,sinceitwasPritikinwhodesigneditand maintainedsucha faithin thedeviceallthewhile.ToBrotherton,being askedthisquestionbyPritikinwaslikea generalaskinga footsoldierifhe thoughttheycouldwinthewar. “Ofcourseit'sgoingto work,”Brothertonsaid,tryingto reassure Nathan.“We'llmakea fewchangesanditwillwork.It'sjustgoingtotake sometime,that'sall.I'llrun theexperimenttomorrowand I predictwe'll havegoodresults.” BrothertonaskedNathanwherehe was.Pritikinsaidhe wouldtell Brothertonwhathe wasdoinglater.Suddenly,Ilenewason the phone and sayinggoodbyeto Brotherton.Twodayslater,Pritikin’s inventionto removecholesterolfromwholebloodworked.Buthe neverheard the goodnews. Atthispoint,theveryqualitiesthathad propelledNathanPritikinto accomplishso much nowconspiredto bring abouthis end. Hisoverwhelmingneedtobeincontrolofhislifewasincompleteconflictwithhis currentcircumstances.Hecouldno moretoleratebeingkeptalivebya dialysismachineanddrugsthanhe couldbeingchainedtohisbed.The

IncurableDisease 257

lifehe loved-with allitsfreedomandactivity, hisdailyrunsandhis crusadeforgoodhealth-was gone. NathantoldIlenethathewantedtobeginworkingonhisnotesagain. Hewantedtocutupandreassemblepartsofhischartsandaddnewdata.

HetoldIlenehewouldneedarazorbladeoranExacto knifetodothejob. Shesuggested heusea scissors, butPritikinsaidthatscissorswouldn't work,sincehewouldhavetopokeaholeinthepaperinordertocutout

tinysectionsthatwerepartofhischartsand graphs.Hetoldher he also wouldneedsometapein ordertopastethechartbacktogether. Ilenepurchaseda throw-away shaverwitha razorblade,but when

sheshowedittohim,herejectedit.Nathanwasbecoming increasingly irritable, a characteristic sounlikehimthathebegantoupset,andeven frighten, Ilene.Anurseoverheard himcomplaining abouttherazorand

askedwhathe wanted.Ileneexplained.Tryingto be helpful,the nurse offeredNathana scalpel.Hiseyessuddenlybecamewidewithrecognition. Hetookthescalpeland placeditin an insidefolderofhisnotebook, whichcontainedhis manygraphsand his noteson his symptomsand bloodtests. Apartfromhis periodicboutsofirritability, Pritikin'’s demeanordid notchangeverymuch.“Hewasverycourageous,”saidSpiers.“Heknew howbadthingswereandhe nevermanifestedfearorpanicatanytime.” Nathanremainedaspleasantaspossibletothosearoundhim,whichwas nowasmuchhisnatureashisguise.Hedidnotwanttoalertanyonetoa changeinattitude.“Noonesuspectedwhathemightdo,”Spiersrecalled. Nathanparticularlywantedto keepIlenein the dark and toldher nothingofthe plan he wasworkingout in his mind.Asalways,he was takingfullresponsibilityfor what lay ahead, and once again he was in control. Ileneslepton a cotin the hospitalroom.Whenshe awokeon the morningofFebruary21,herspiritswereimmediatelybuoyedbythesoft, warmsmilethatradiatedfromhimwhenhe lookedat her.“Lookat Mr. sunshine,”Ilenesaidwhenshesawhim. Theyspentthedayasifinawarmembrace.Forthefirsttimeinweeks, Nathanseemedatpeace.Hesmiledoften.Severaltime,tearscametohis

eyeswhenhelookedatIlene.Therewasaglowabouthim,Ilenerecalled, as ifhe had turneda corner. “Iremembersayingabouthis smiling,‘You'resmilingso much,it's likesunshine,’”recalledIlene.“Butitwasreallymorelikea sunshower, for therewerehismistyeyes,too.” Latethatafternoon,NathantoldIlenethathe wouldliketobe alone between7:00and8:00PM.torest.Ileneshouldgodowntothecoffeeshop andhavesomedinner,hesaid.At8:00,theycouldbeginworkingtogether

258 =Pritikin

onhisnotes.Ileneagreed,knowinghowexhaustedhebecameattheend oftheday.

Inthelateafternoon, hismannerchanged.Heaskedthenursetoput

a signonthedoortellingpeoplehe didnotwanttobedisturbedbetween

7:00and8:00pM.Afterthesignwasplacedthere,heaskedIleneifthe

nursehadsignedhernameontheorder.Ilenelookedatitandsaidthatit had notbeen signed.Nathanbecameinsistent.Tellthe nurseto signit,

hesaid.

Reluctantly, Ilenewenttothenurseandsaid,“Willyoupleasesignthe ‘Donotdisturb’signon myhusband'sdoor?He'sbeingverydifficult.” Thenurseobligedwitha smile.Ileneandthenursebothrealizedthat hewasnotfeelingwellandthattheyshouldplacatehim.Ilenewentback intohisroomand satdownnexttohim. “Let'sjustsitquietlyandlookatthatwall,”hetoldher.Therewasa wall

opposite Nathan's bedandhefixedhisgazeonit.

Therewasa momentofcalmnow;theparadeofdoctors,nurses,and technicianswhoseemedtobe ever-presenthad retreatedfromthem. “Whydon'twecallthechildren?”Ilenesaid,gratefulforthequietbut baffledbyhisstrangesuggestion. Nathanagreed.Hehad spokentoKenearlierthatdaysohe triedto

callJackandJanet,butneitheronewashome.ThenhecalledRalph.

NathanaskedRalphabouthis wife,Shelley,and theirone-year-old son, Willie.Ralphassuredhimthateveryonewaswell.Ralphaskedhimhow he wasdoing. “Thesurfisgoingdown,Ralph,”Nathansaid.

“No,Dad,thesurf'scomingbackup,it’scomingup,”Ralphsaid,

tryingtoreassurehim.Nathandidnotcommentand Ralphcontinuedto trytoreassurehisfather. Thecrypticmessagehunguncomfortably in Ralph'smind. AftertalkingtoRalph,NathancalledRobert,withwhomhehadspoken thepreviousday.Robertsaidhe hadneverheardhisfatherdepressedas he hadbeenthedaybefore. “Iwasoutofityesterday,” Nathanreplied. RoberttoldhisfatherthathewantedtotellkeypeopleattheLongevity

Centersomething abouthisfather’s condition. Nathansaidheshouldwait a littlelonger. “Whatare you goingto do if somethinghappensto me?”Nathan askedhisson.

Robert assessed theLongevity Center's currentbusiness status,which

he concludedwasfine,buthe didn'tknowhowthepublicwouldreactif somethinghappenedtohisfather. “Butwhataboutallthescientific paperswe'vepublished?” Nathanasked.

IncurableDisease 259

“That'sthescientificcommunity, Dad,”saidRobert.“We'refinethere.

ButIdon'tknowhowtherestofthepublicwouldreacttous.Butyou'renot

goingtodie.You'regoingtomakeit.Yourdoctortellsmethatyourkidney and liverfunctionsareimproving.” Apausefollowed. “Dad,wereallylove youandwe'reallpullingforyou,”saidRobert.“Don'tgotryingtofindoutif

there'sa heavenupthere.” “Iknow,” Nathansaid.“Ireallyappreciate that.”Afteranotherpause,

Nathansaid,“Whatifsomeonepullstheplug?” Haltingly, Robertsaid:“It'llbe a wholenewworldwithoutyou,Dad.” “Yeah,” Nathansaid.“It'llbe a wholenewworld,a wholenewworld.” Heaskedto speakto Robert'swife,Christine,butshewasn'thomeat thetime,sohe askedRobertto sayhelloforhim.Withthat,theconversationended. At7:00PM., NathanremindedIlenethatitwastimeforhertogotothe coffeeshop.Hetoldher thathe wastired,but thathe wouldbe readyto

startworking at 8:00.

Ilene'sspiritswereliftedbyhisattitudeduringtheday.Hisrenewed interestinstudyinghisillnessseemedtosignala returnofhiswilltolive. BeforeIleneleft,Pritikininsistedthatsheplacehisnotebookon thetable

thatstraddledhisbeddirectlyinfrontofhim.Ileneresisted.Shesawno

reasonwhyhe shouldneed the notebookon his tablenow.Hebecame firmand insisted.Onceagain,Ileneplacatedhim. Hisirritableflare-upwasaltogetherunlikehim.Ilenedidn'tlikethe

sound of his voice;there was something there that she couldn'tmake out,

somethingthatperhapsshewouldn'tdareletherselfthink.

“Sometimes youfrightenme,”shesaid.

Oncethenotebookwasonhistable,heseemedtorelaxandresumed hisairofpeace.Theysattogetherfora fewmoreminutes.Ina reassuring

tone,NathantoldIlenetogoandhaveanicedinner.Thetensionhadgone

outofbothofthem.JustbeforeIlenegotup togo,Nathanaskedthatshe pulltheprivacycurtainclosed.Hethoughthe couldrestbetterthatway. Ilenepulledthecurtainshutand lefthim,feelingreassuredonceagain. she spent an hour eatingdinner in the hospitalcafeteria.Afterdinner,

she calledJanet againand gaveher an optimisticreport.“Thingsare

lookingbetter,” Ilenetoldherdaughter. “Dadistakinganinterestinhis

conditionagain,andinfollowinghistreatment,”shesaid,referringtohis desiretoworkonhisnotes.Nathanwasrallyingonceagain,shereported. Aftershehungup,shereturnedtoNathan'sroom. Hisbodywassittingupinbed,grayandlifeless,ina poolofblood.He

hadcuthisarteriesattheelbows.

Ilenescreamed.A teamof doctorsand emergencymedicsrushed

260=Pritikin into his roomand began to administeremergencycare, but he was alreadygone.Therewasno note.Hehad saidallthegood-byeshe had wantedtosay. Later,afterthe causeofdeathhad beenestablishedby thecoroner andthesheriff'soffice,anurseapproachedIleneandofferedtogointothe roomwithher tobid Nathana lastgood-bye.Togethertheywentin and IlenestrokedNathan'shandandtearfullykissedhimgood-bye. Robertand Kentookthe firstplane to NewYorkand arrivedat 10:00A.M. thefollowing day,February22. Thatday,Dr.JeffreyD.Hubbard,pathologist atAlbanyMedicalCenter, performedan autopsyon Nathan'sbody. Hubbardbelievedthathe wasperformingan autopsyon Howard Malmuth,anditwasn'tuntillaterthathe learneditwasNathanPritikin. In his autopsyreport,Hubbardwrotethat the patient“hasbeen

followed since1958forlymphoproliferative diseasehavingfeaturesof lymphoma andmacroglobulinemia.”

AfterexaminingPritikin’s heartandcoronaryarteries,Hubbardnoted, “Coronary arteriesshowminimalyellowdiscoloration oftheintima[inner liningof the arterywall]but thereare no plaquesand the lumensare widelypatent[openandsmooth].”

Inhissummary, Hubbardconcluded, “Absence ofatherosclerosis,

exceptforsmallfattystreaks,isunusualin a manofthisage.”

Lettersfromscientistsallovertheworldpouredin tothe Longevity CenterpraisingPritikinforhiscontributiontothehealthandwell-being of

anentiregeneration.

Dr.GeorgeSheehan,a medicaladvisorto runners,wrotein the March| editionoftheNewYorkPost:“Pritikinwasa majorforcebehind ournationalfitnesscraze.

“Nathanhasgoneaway,buthistheoriesaren'tgoingtogoaway.A combined programofexerciseanddietisheretostay.Hestartedit.”

Dr.ErnstWynder,presidentoftheAmericanHealthFoundationand oneofthepremiercancerresearchersin theworld,wrotethatPritikin’s “majorscientificdiscoveries willwithstandthescrutinyoftimeandabove all,ifproperlyapplied,providesomanyofuswitha healthierand more usefullife.” On February28, a memorialservicewasheld in SantaMonicaat whichGeorgeMcGovern providedtheeulogy. “Whatisthemarkofa greatman?”McGovern asked.“Agreatmanis

onewhocommands theresources ofhisbody,mind,andhearttoaworthy purpose.WhohasmetthattestbetterthanNathanPritikin?

IncurableDisease 26]

“When a reporteraskedme ifNathanwerecontroversial, | laughed and said,‘Ofcoursehe was controversial. So was LouisPasteur,and ThomasEdison,and MadameCurie.Youshowme an originalthinker witha mobilizingvisionand I'llshowyou a controversial figure.’Thatis anothermarkofa greatman.” The July 4, 1985issueof the NewEnglandJournalof Medicine containeda completereport of Pritikin’scoronaryautopsy.The article reviewedPritikin'shistoryofheartdiseasedatingbackto 1955,whenDr. LesterMorrisonfirstdiscoveredhis coronaryinsufficiency, and Pritikin’s longbattlewithleukemia,datingbackto 1958.Afterreviewingthedataof his diseaseand the stateofhis coronaryarteriesat his death,the report notedthat“ina man69yearsold,thenearabsenceofatherosclerosis and the completeabsenceofitseffectsare remarkable.” FollowingNathan'sdeathand the publicationofhisautopsyresults, many of the nation’sleadingnewspapersand magazinesran articles reportingtheremarkablestateofPritikin'sheart.USATodayran theheadline:“DidPritikin’s Low-Fat DietSaveHisHeart?”MedicalWorldNewsran itsstoryundertheheadline:“Pritikin: Vindication fromtheGrave?” Beneath the headline,the magazinereported:“Thediet guru's autopsyresults reveala ‘remarkable’ cardiovascular system.”TheLos AngelesTimes statedinitsheadline:“Autopsy ofPritikinMayRenewDebate.”TheTimes beganthe storywith,“Nutritionguru NathanPritikinmet his death by suicidein the faceoftwodifferentkindsofleukemialastFebruarywith

arterieslikethoseofa childandaheartlikethatofayoungman,according toresultsofhis autopsybeingpublishedtodayforthefirsttime.” ByMay1985,Pritikin’sstudyat Northwestern wasOfficially under

way.Patients wereenrolledinthestudytoseeiflowering cholesterol levels couldreverseatherosclerosis. Itwouldbea fullyearbeforepreliminary

resultswerein,butthedoctorswhoworkedwithNathanwerehopefulthat itwouldprovidefinalproofthat the underlyingcauseofthe mostheart diseasecouldbe reversed. Butintheend,NathanPritikin,andthethousandsofmenandwomen he helpedrestoreto health,were the best proofof whathis diet and lifestylecoulddoagainstthe mostwidespreaddiseaseofmoderntimes.

p!RT2

Prinkin—The Program

CHAPTER “)2 TheDiet thatFaghts Disease 1. a great extent,your health is in your ownhands.Youcan make

yourselfhealthieror sicker,dependingon thefoodsyoueatand the

exerciseyoudoor failtodo. Sinceitwasfirstintroducedin 1976,thePritikinProgramhasbeen effectivein helpingtens of thousandsof peopleimprovetheir health. Manyofthosepeoplein ill healthhad beengivena poor prognosisfor

stillothersweregivenupfordead.Andyet bytheirphysicians; recovery thesimpleprogram theywereableto regaintheirhealthbyfollowing NathanPritikincreated. Today,manyphysiciansare recommendingthe PritikinProgramas a safe,sane,and effectivewayto fightheart disease,promotehealth,

tothe andloseweight.Eachyear,thousandsofpeopleareconverted Pritikin lifestyle. If you,too,wouldliketo improveyour healthor loseweight,the PritikinProgramcan be yourally.It is a simple,easy-to-follow guideto betterliving.

role theimportant youshouldunderstand youbegin,however, Before of isa discussion disease.Following dietplaysincausingandpreventing majordiseasesthatafflictmanypeopletoday-thesamediseasesthatthe Pritikindiethas been successfulin fighting.Whetheryou haveone or none,youshouldreadaboutthemall.Itjustmaygiveyoutheincentiveto

changeyoureatinghabitsforthebetter.

Beforeyougoonthisdietorbeginanexerciseprogram,however, you to follow shouldcontinue whoareill Those shouldconsultyourphysician. theadviceoftheirdoctors.Thisguideis notmeantas a replacementfora physician'scare.

Nowlet'sbeginwitha lessononheartdisease.

264

Fighting Disease 265

DietandArteryDisease Heartdiseaseisdeadly.Itis theleadingcauseofdeathin theWestern world.Illnessoftheheartand arteries,collectively calledcardiovascular diseases,causesoneoutofeverytwodeathsin theUnitedStates,accounting for 1 milliondeathsannually.Another40 millionAmericanssuffer

fromcardiovascular diseases, including anginapectorisandhighblood

pressure. Theunderlyingcauseofmostcardiovascular diseaseisatherosclerosis, a conditioncharacterizedbycholesterolplaquecloggingthearteriesto theheart,brain,andtissuesthroughoutthebody.Approximately 800,000 Americansdieeach yearfromillnessesrelatedtothisdisease.

Theprocessofatherosclerosis oftenbeginsin childhood, andsome-

timesevenin infancy.Itis a diseasethatprogressesgraduallythroughout lifeuntilit eventuallykills,usuallyby blockingbloodflowto theheartor brainand causinga heartattackor stroke.

Studies ofhumansandanimals, aswellashumanpopulation research, havefounda definitelinkbetweena diethighin fatandcholesterol and

thedevelopmentofatherosclerosis. Conversely, researchhasshownthata dietlowin fat and cholesterolis a protectivefactoragainstthe onsetof heartdisease,includinghighbloodpressure.Here'swhy.

Scientists haveshownthatwhenyoueata diet richinfatandcholesterol

bloodcholesterolrises,causingplaque,or cholesterol“boils,”to formin thearteries. Asyour cholesterollevelrises,so toodo your chancesof havinga heartattackor stroke.Ontheotherhand,as yourcholesterollevellowers, yourchancesofsufferinga heartattackor strokedecrease.TheAmerican

HeartAssociation saysthata 1 percentdropin cholesterol equalsa 2

percentdropinyourchancesofhavinga heartattack. MostAmericans-infact,mostoftheWesternindustrialized world-eat much toomuch fat.It’sestimatedthatsome40 percentor moreoftheir dailycaloricintakeis consumedin the formof fat.Manypeoplealso consumefartoomuchcholesterol-asmuchas 400to600mg.eachday. Wheredoesthisfatandcholesterolcomefrom?Animalfoods,mostly. Redmeat,eggs,anddairyproductsareallrichsources.Thewhitemeatof poultryand many fish-suchas halibut,cod, flounder,and others-are moderatetolowin fat.Plantfoodshavenocholesterol, butsome,suchas

nutsand avocados, arehighin fat.Ifyourfavorite foodsfitintothese

high-fatcategories,youcanfigureyou'rea candidateforhighcholesterol. And it's this high consumptionof fat and cholesterolthat begins the processofatherosclerosis. |

266 =Pritikin

Theearlystagesoftheillnessbeginwhenlargequantitiesoffatget

intothebloodstream, causingtheredbloodcellstoadheretooneanother,

or clumptogether.Thisconditionis referredtoas “rouleauxformation,” becausetheredbloodcellsclingtogethertolooklikea“rollofcoins”(or,in French,a “rouleaux"). Evena singlehigh-fatmealcan producethisclumpingofred cells.

Aftera fattymeal,largequantitiesofmicroscopically small,sticky,fat balls(calledchylomicra) pourintotheblood,causingredbloodcellsto

clumptogether. Theseclumpsof red bloodcellsare toolargeto passthroughtiny capillaries.Normally,a red bloodcell in 7.5 micronsin diameter.A capillaryis 3.5to4 micronswide,butthenormaldisk-shapedredblood cellcanpassthroughthistinypassageway bybendingorfoldinginhalfat thecenter.Butwhentheyareclumpedtogether,thisflexibility isgone.It's as ifa roadblockhasbeensetup.Itmakespassagetothetissues-which

needtheoxygenandnutrients carriedbythebloodforsurvival-difficult

or evenimpossible. Thecellsthatdomanagepassagegetthroughcarryinga diminished oxygensupply,the sameas youwouldifyou had to leavea backpack behind to squeezethrougha narrowspace.The tissuesfed by such sludged-upbloodendupbeingoxygen-deprived. Iftheconditionpersists,

cellsthroughout thebodycandieof“starvation.”

Oneoftheorgansthatisaffectedthemostisthebrain.Thereduced supplyofpreciousoxygencausesthebraintobecomesluggishandtired. Thinkingbecomescloudyandslow.Thisiswhyyoumayfeelfatiguedand

lethargicaftera high-fat meal.Thislackofenergycanbecomechronic

whenhigh-fatfoodsare consumedregularly. Butthisisn'ttheonlybadsideeffectofa high-fatdiet.Thehighlevelof cholesterolthatfattyfoodscontainputsyouat riskforplaquebuildupin thearteries.Theexcesscholesterolneedsa placetogoasitrollsthrough

thebloodstream. It'seventually dumpedinvariousorgans,suchasthe spleen,liver,kidneys, heart,andlungs.Thisisthebeginning ofwhatwe

knowas atherosclerosis. Cholesterolbuildsupbecauseitcannotbeburnedbycells,although smallamountsare eliminatedeachdaythroughthebowels.Underoptimalconditions,thebodycan causea net lossofup to 100mg.per day, thuscreatinga conditionwherebythebodyisactuallyeliminatingmore cholesterolthanitistakingin.Butthatamountofcholesterollosscanonly happenwhenminimalamountsofcholesterolare consumedeachday. Formostpeople,however, thisisnotthecase.Theyeattoomuchcholesterol.

So,insteadofthebodyefficiently eliminating thispotentially harmful substance, itstartstocollectit,storingitinthe“best” spots-thetissuesand

Fighting Disease 267

bloodstream. Ascholesterol accumulates in theblood,itbeginstoform plaquesinthearteries.

Theprocessbeginsas the cellswithintheinnerliningofthe artery becomeengorgedwithcholesterol,thus causingthemto swell.Atthis pointtheyarecalled“foamcells.” Asthefoamcellsmultiply,theyforma “fattystreak“;eventuallythey

growtoform a full-fledged plaque,whichappearssimilartoa boil.The

plaque, whichis fullof ever-expandingfoamcellsand dead cellular material,growsandbeginstoobstructtheflowofbloodthroughtheartery. Eventually, theplaqueitselfbursts,sendingdebrisintothebloodstream. Bloodrushes to the ruptured area and forms a clot, which may further

narrowthe channelof theartery,producingtotalor partialblockage which-ifit'sa coronary artery-cancausea heartattack.Meanwhile, the

escapeddebris(calledemboli)mayblockthe flowof bloodwherethey finallylodge,withsuch dire consequencesas lossof vision,stroke,or evendeath. Thebodycan grownewbloodvesselstotheclotinthe rupturedarea to maintaina bloodsupply,but the damageis alreadydone. Thenew vesselsare weakand pronetohemorrhaging. Iffatandcholesterollevelsin thebloodremainhigh,plaqueswillcontinuetogrow,threateningtocloseofftheflowofbloodin thearteriesevery-

where:totheheart,whichleadstoa heartattack;tothebrain,leadingto a.stroke;or to other parts of the body,causing death to tissues elsewhere.

Advancingatherosclerosis andthecontinualproductionoffoamcells withinthearteriesis theconditiontakingplacein mostpeopletoday.Too much fatand cholesterolleads to toomuchplaque.Toomuch plaque leadstoa healthcrisis.Orevendeath. Therearemanystudiesthatshowthattheprocessofatherosclerosis is preventable-and,perhaps,even reversible.Preventionand recovery ofhealthare accomplishedby reversingtheprocessthatcausesdisease. Insteadof a diethighin fatand cholesterol,youshouldeata dietlowin fatand cholesterol.Andthere are populationsof peoplewhoproveit | canwork. Manytraditionalandprimitivepopulations, suchas theJapanese,the TarahumaraIndians,andothers,enjoya lifeoflittleheartdiseaseandfew other degenerativeillnesses-aslong as they maintainthe low-fat,lowcholesteroldietsoftheirancestors. TheJapanese,forexample,didn'tsufferfromcoronaryheartdisease untilsomeof theirpeopleadoptedan American-like diet.Aslongas the Japaneseremainontheirtraditionaldiet,theyarefine;whentheycometo the UnitedStatesand begin to eat morefatand cholesterol,theysuffer

268 Pritikin

muchhigherratesofheartdisease,diabetes,and cancer.

CertainAmerican populations, suchastheSeventh-Day Adventists, whoeatlowfatandcholesterol diets,alsohaveamuchlowerincidence of coronarydisease,cancer,and otherdegenerativeillnesses. Researchalsoindicatesthatthosewithheartdiseasecanrecovertheir healthand maybe able to reversethe underlyingcauseof the illness.

Studies doneonmonkeys havedemonstrated repeatedly thatatheroscle-

rosiscanbe eliminatedfromthecoronaryarteriesbyeatinga dietlowin

fatandcholesterol.

In 1970,M. L.Armstrongand his associatesshowedreversalof atherosclerosis intherhesusmonkey.Armstrongfed30monkeysa highfatdietfor 18months.Attheconclusionofthisperiod,he examinedthe coronaryarteriesof 10monkeysand foundthattheirarterieswere50 percentclosedfromplaque.Thisfirstgroupof 10monkeyshe calledthe

“baseline group.” Armstrong thentooktheremaining 20monkeys andplacedthemon

twodifferentdiets-10 of the monkeyswere fed a low-fatdiet withno cholesteroland theother 10atea 40 percentunsaturatedfatdiet(using vegetableoils)andnocholesterol.Hefedthetwogroupsofmonkeysthese

separate dietsfor40months. Hethenexamined thearteries ofbothgroups. Armstrong foundthatthemonkeys onthelow-fat andno-cholesterol diethadreversedtheirplaquesbya fourthofthatshownbythebaseline monkeys.Inshort,theyhadeliminatedmuchoftheirarteryplaque. Themonkeysonthehighunsaturatedfat,nocholesteroldiethadalso

reversedtheiratherosclerosis, butnotasmuchasthelow-fat group;the highunsaturated fatmonkeys reversed theirplaquebyabout20percent ofthebaselinegroup. Thestudyshowedthatbotha low-fat dietandadietofunsaturatedfats reversedatherosclerosis in monkeys,butofthetwo,thelow-fatdiethada

muchgreaterreversaleffect. Armstrong's workhasbeenrepeatedagainandagain,mostnotably at

theUniversity ofChicagobyDr.RobertWissler, whohasshownatherosclerosiscanbe createdand reversedin monkeysusingdietalone. In 1977,Dr.DavidBlankenhornattheUniversity ofSouthernCalifor-

niademonstrated reversal ofatherosclerosis inthefemoral arteries (located inthethighs)inhumans.Blankenhorn broughtaboutreversal ofatherosclerosissimplybyloweringcholesterollevels.Reversalofatherosclerosis in the coronaryarteriesin humanshas notyetbeen proven,but many leadingscientistsbelievethattheevidenceshowsitcanbe done. Monkeyshavea metabolismsimilartothatofhumans,andtheyreact

toa high-fat, high-cholesterol dietashumansdo:theirbloodcholesterol levelsincrease,plaqueformsin the arteries,and eventuallytheysuffer heartattacksor strokes.Thediseaseprocessappearsto be the samein

Fighting Disease 269

bothmonkeys andhumans.Inthesameway,whenpeopleadopt a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet,theyexperience a strikingimprovement inhealth;

their bloodpressuresand cholesteroloftendrop, and overallvitality, mentalclarity,andenduranceincrease.Whilescientistsdon'tknowasyet whatexactlyistakingplacewithinthecoronaryarteriesofpeople,allthe

signspointtoreversalofatherosclerosis, asitdoesinmonkeys.

NathanPritikinfoundthat in order to cause the greatestloss of cholesterolfromyourbody,yourdailycholesterolconsumptionshould notexceed100mg.perday.Thetotalcaloriesoffatinyourdietshouldnot

exceed10percent.Translated intolayterms,thismeansnomorethan threeouncesperdayoflow-fat animalfoods.Therestofthedietshould

consistofwholegrains,freshvegetables,and fruit.Theseare thebasics thatmakeup thePritikindiet. Whenadiet lowin fatand cholesterolis consumed,thecholesterol

contentofthebloodisreducedandcirculation improves. Cellsthatwere

starvingforoxygenandnutrientsarenownourished.Circulation increases totheheart,brain,and tissuesthroughoutthebody. MostoftheheartpatientswhofollowthePritikinProgramexperience a remarkablerestorationof health.Thesymptomsof heartdiseaseare

reducedandofteneliminated. Bloodcholesterol levelsgo downand bloodpressureimproves. Italladdsuptoa reducedriskofheartattack

and stroke,an abundanceofvitality,mentalclarity,bettersleep,optimal weight,improvedbowelfunction,and manyotherpositivesideeffects. Afterstudyingthe effectsof the PritikinProgramon thefirst 893 patientstocometo thePritikinLongevityCenterLomaLindaUniversity foundthattheaveragedropin bloodcholesterolafteronlyfourweekswas 25percent.Ofthosewhoarrivedwithcholesterollevelsbetween260mg.% and 279mg.%—a cholesterollevelthatputs a personat extremelyhigh riskofhavinga heartattack—the averagepatient'scholesterollevelat the conclusionoftheprogramwas190mg.%,whichput thematey lowrisk ofhavinga heartattack.

ThePainKnown asAngina

Angina pectoris isacharacteristic painthatsettlesinthechestaround

theheartarea.Itcanrangefrommildtosevere.Itisa conditionassociated withinsufficientoxygento the myocardium,the cardiacmusclethat comprisestheheartwall.Painoccursbecausetheheartisbeingsuffocated.

Studiesshowthata reduction ofoxygentotheheartiscausedbya

high-fat,high-cholesterol diet.Lipids,orfats,reducetheamountofoxygen inredbloodcellsbycreatingtherouleauxformationmentionedearlier.In

addition, atherosclerosis reducestheamountofbloodandoxygentothe

270 =Pritikin

heart and other tissues.Together,theysharplyreduce the quantityof

oxygen available throughout thebody,including theheart,causingangina

pain.Theyalsoreducethequalityoflife. Studieshaveshownthat a singlehigh-fatmeal willbring on the symptomsofanginaamongpeoplewhoalreadyhavetheillness.Thetiny fat ballscalledchylomicrathatpour into the bloodas a fattymeal is digestedcause evengreaterred bloodcell clumping,therebyfurther lesseningtheiroxygen-carrying capacity. In animalstudies,thisdrop in oxygenlevelin the bloodhas been showntobe ashighas 35percent.Theactionofthefatinfluxmaybe all thatis neededto triggeranginasymptoms;youdon'thavetobe under physicalor emotionalstress. Simplecarbohydrates,such as sugar,can havethe same effectif ingestedin sufficientquantities,becausetheyincreasetriglycerides,a

typeofbloodfat.Thechylomicra, whicharetheprimarycauseofthe anginasymptoms, arecomposed substantially ofthesetriglycerides. Triglycerides, Pritikinmaintained,independentlyraise the risk of bothheartdiseaseand anginapain. ThetreatmentPritikinrecommendedforanginais the sameas that

foratherosclerosis: a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet,emphasizing complex carbohydrates foundinwholegrainsandvegetables. Thiswouldincrease theamountofoxygenavailabletotheheartandotherorgans,thuselim1natingthe pain thatresultsfromcoronaryinsufficiency, or inadequate oxygenationofthecardiacmuscle.

BetterBloodPressure Highbloodpressure,orhypertension, isthemostcommoncardiovasculardiseasein theUnitedStates.Itisa majorriskfactorin thedevelopmentofatherosclerosis, and oftenleadstoheartattackor stroke.Studies

showthatasbloodpressureincreases, sotoodoesmortality. It'sdoubly

dangerousbecauseyoucanhaveitand notknowit. Highbloodpressurecancausea numberofseveredisorders,includingdamagetothekidneys,pancreas,and theretinaoftheeye.Coupled withatherosclerosis (asit mostoftenis),highbloodpressurecan cause

aneurysms, or“blowouts,” ofarteriesleadingtothebrain;thisresultsin a stroke.

Bloodpressureisconsidered “high”whenitexceeds140/90.Many

insurancecompaniesstatethat bloodpressureis high when diastolic pressure-thesecondofthetwonumbers-isabove85.

Bloodpressureiscausedbythebeatingoftheheart.Thediastolic

phaseoccurswhentheheartisexpandinginordertobecomefilledwith

Fighting Disease 271 blood.Atthispoint,theheartrelaxes,butpressureremainsinthearterial

system. Thesystolic phaseoccurswhentheheartcontracts, forcingblood topassrapidlythroughout thebody.

In theUnitedStatesand muchoftheWesternworld,bloodpressure increaseswithage.Butit appearsthatitdoesn’thavetobe thisway.Bythe timeAmericansreachtheageof65,three-quartersofthemhaveelevated bloodpressure,butin nonindustrialized societiesolderpeopleshowthe samebloodpressureasinfants.Inotherwords,highbloodpressureisnot a naturalconsequenceofaging. Studiesshowthereare threecausesofhighbloodpressure:atherosclerosis,excessiveintakeofsalt,anddiseasesofthekidneysandadrenals. Of these,atherosclerosisand excessivesalt intakeare responsiblefor abouttwo-thirds ofallhighbloodpressurevictims.Ahigh-fatdietcauses

bloodpressuretoincreaseinanumberofways.First,rouleaux formation,

or aggregationofred bloodcells,increasesbloodpressureby causing blockagesatthetinypassageways ofcapillaries.Theclumpsofredblood cellscannotpassthroughthe capillaryand thuscreatea bottleneck,or blockage,preventingbloodfrompassingfreelyalongitsway. Atherosclerosis increasesbloodpressurebyreducingthediameterof thebloodvessel,thuscausingpressuretobuildwithinthevessel-much likesqueezinga hosewhenthe wateris running.Atherosclerosis also causesblockagesin therenalvesselswithinthekidneys,thuspreventing

bloodfromflowing freelythroughthekidneys’ tinyfilters.

A high-fatdiet alsocausesbloodplateletsto secretethe hormone thromboxane,whichcausesarteriesto constrict,furtherelevatingpressurewithinthearterialsystem.

Thepresenceofhighlevelsofsodiumfromsalt,causeswaterreten-

tionin thebody,thusincreasingthepresenceofwaterin thetissuesand bloodstream.Thisincreasestheplasmavolumeandthusincreasesblood pressure. Saltand fatact togetherto increasebloodpressure,but eitherone alonecancausethedisease. Populationsthatdo not sufferfromatherosclerosisare alsofreeof highbloodpressure.TheonlyexceptiontothismaybetheJapanese,who

consumelargequantities ofsalt.Amongthem,programstoreducesalt intakeinthepopulationhaveeffectively reducedthebloodpressureofthe participants.Foodshighinfat,cholesterol,andsaltarethereforethemost

dangerousforthoseconcerned aboutlowering bloodpressure.

LomaLindaUniversity foundthat85percentofthosewhoarrivedat thePritikinLongevity Centertakingmedicationfor high bloodpressure leftthecenteroffallmedicationandwithnormalpressures.

272 =Pritikin

Dietand Diabetes Diabetes isanextremely seriousdisease.Itafflicts between|1million

and 12millionAmericansand isthethirdleadingcauseofdeathin the UnitedStates,followingheartdiseaseand cancer.Diabetesisassociated witha widerangeofotherillnesses,includingatherosclerosis andother formsofheartdisease,blindness,gangrene,progressivelossofhearing, impotence,and palsy.Undercertainextremeconditionsdiabetescan causecomaand death. Ifyouhavediabetes,it meansyoucannotadequatelyutilizeblood sugar,whichis neededas fuelforthe functioningofcells.Withoutfuel, cellsdie.Becausediabeticscannotmakesugaravailabletocellsin adequateamounts,thesugarlevelrisesinthebloodstreamandisfilteredout throughthekidneys,resultingin sugarspillingintotheurine. Therearetwotypesofdiabetes:juvenile,ortypeI,andadult-onset, or

typeII.Juvenile diabetics produceinadequate amountsofinsulin,orlose theabilityentirely. Insulinisthehormoneusedbythebodytoconvert

bloodsugarto energy.Juvenilediabeticsexperiencerapidweightloss and requireinsulininjectionsin orderto metabolizesugar.Oneout of everytendiabeticsin theUnitedStatesisajuvenilediabetic.

Thevastmajority ofdiabetics—about 11millionintheUnitedStates-

are adult-onset.Thisdiseaseoccursin adulthoodand is associatedwith obesity,thoughmanyadult-onset diabeticsarelean.Adult-onset diabetics runallthesamerisksofcontractingrelatedillnessesasjuvenilediabetics; theyarepronetoheartandvasculardisease,poorcirculation,blindness, gangrene,anddiabeticcoma. Juvenilediabetesis much harder to treatsuccessfullythan adult-

onsetdiabetes.ThePritikinProgramhelpstostabilize sugarlevelsand reduceinsulinrequirements injuvenilediabetics, butitcannotrescuethe

juvenilediabeticfromhisorherdailyneedforinsulin.Adult-onset diabetics,

ontheotherhand,havebeensuccessfully weanedfromdrugsandinsulin

withtheuseoftheprogram.

Formanyyears,researchersbelievedthatdiabeticssimplycouldnot produceinsulin.As a result,insulinwas administered-andstillis—to manydiabetics,whileothers,withlessseverecases,receiveoraldrugs. Around1970,it wasdiscoveredthatadult-onsetdiabeticsactually

produced moreinsulinthannondiabetics. Thiswasasurprising discovery

becauseithadlongbeenthoughtthattheproblemwithdiabeticswasthey didnotproduceenoughinsulin,and thereforecouldnotutilizeexisting bloodsugarasa fuelforcells.Research,however, showedthattheinsulin producedbythesediabeticsisineffective in makingsufficientquantities

Fighting Disease 273 ofglucose,orbloodsugar,availabletothebody'scells.Somethingin the

complex chainofeventsthatenablesthebodytoturnsugarintofuelfor cellsgoeswrong. | Scientists arestillnotsurewhatexactlycausesdiabetes.Whenyoueat a mealcontainingcarbohydrates,eitherfromunrefinedplantfoodsor

simplesugar(suchasa candybar),thebodyproducesinsulin,which travelsthroughthebloodstream andattaches itselftocellsatcertainsites,

calledinsulinreceptors.Theinsulinthen signalsthe cellsto produce glucosetransporters,whichareproteinmoleculesthattransporttheglucoseintothecell.Thecellusestheglucoseforfueltocarryonitsmyriad functions. NathanPritikincreatedananalogyforpeopletovisualize whatistaking placeinsugarmetabolism. Hesaidthatthecellwaslikearoomwithmany doors,someofwhichweremeanttoallowsugartoenter.Insulinwasthe gatekeepertothecell,allowingsugartoenterasitwasneeded.

Research hasshownthatfatinthedietsomehow prevents theinsulin fromdoingitsjob.Fatcausesthisprocessofsugarmetabolism tobreak

down,thoughexactlyhowitdoesthisisstillunknown.Pritikintheorized thatfatmaybeinterferingwiththeseinsulinreceptormechanisms(there are manysitesforpotentialproblemsalongthisdelicatechainofevents insugarmetabolism). Hespeculatedthatthefatgetstothesedoorwaysof thecellfirst,thuspreventingtheinsulinfromactingasa gatekeeperinto thecell. Herecognizedthatthereare manypossiblewaysthatfatmayinterferewiththemechanismsofsugarmetabolism. Perhapsitaffectsthecell's abilitytoproduceglucosetransporter molecules, orchangesthetransporter

molecules themselves, makingthemunabletobringglucoseintothecell.

Thereareotherpossibilities, whichscientists,includingthosecurrentlyat

theLongevity Center, arestudying.

Whatisknown is thatas the fatcontentofthedietincreases,sotoo doesthebody'sinabilitytometabolizesugar.Themorefatoneeats,the morelikelyoneistocontractadult-onsetdiabetes. Forcenturies,andupuntilveryrecently,however, diabeticdietswere basedona high-fatcontentbecauseitwasthoughtthatitwasnecessaryto restrictcarbohydrates. Thisnotionwasderivedfromtheearlyobservation thatsugarwaspresentintheurineofdiabetics.Therefore, itwasreasoned, diabeticscannotmetabolizesugaror foodsfromwhichsugarisderived, thatis, carbohydrates.Restrictionof carbohydratesin the diabeticdiet requiredthatfatcontentbe increased. Researchdonein theearly1900sshowedthatmanyhealthypeople

couldbemadetotestdiabeticsimplybyplacingthemonahigh-fat diet.

Yet,peopleputona low-fatdietcouldnotbe madetotestdiabeticevenif

274 =Pritikin

feda poundofsugara day.Otherstudiesshowedthathigh-carbohydrate diets in whichfat was restrictedhad been successfullyused to treat diabeticsduringtheearlypartofthe20thcentury. Inonestudydonein 1935,Dr.H.P.Himsworthfoundthatwhenhe placedhealthyyoungmen on a high-fatdiet for a week,theytested diabetic;however,afterhe tookthesameyoungmenoffthehigh-fatdiet andplacedthemon a low-fatregimenfora week,theytestednormal.

ThesestudieslargelyhadbeenignoreduntilPritikinrediscovered

themandbegantoapplytheirfindingstothosewithadult-onset diabetes. Heshowedthata dietmadeup mostlyofcomplexcarbohydratescould eliminatethesymptomsofdiabetes. Thereis an importantdistinctionto be made betweencomplex carbohydrates, foundinwholegrainsandvegetables,andsimplecarbohydrates,suchastablesugarorhoney.Thesetwodifferenttypesofcarbohydrateshavevastlydifferenteffectsonthebody. Acomplexcarbohydratemoleculeconsistsofa largegroupofsugar molecules,allboundtogether.Theselargemoleculesrequireenzymesin the intestinesto breakthemdownand makethemavailableas blood sugarforfuelforcells.Theprocessis a gradualone,in whichsugaris

madeavailable tothecellsin a steadyflow.Asa result,ona complex-

carbohydratedietthereis a continuoussupplyofenergyovera longer periodoftime. Simplecarbohydrates, ontheotherhand,arecomposedofone,two, orjust a fewsugarmolecules.Theydonotrequiretheworkofintestinal enzymestobreakthemdowntobecomeavailableasbloodsugar.Simple carbohydrates,such as thosein a candybar, begin to pour into the bloodstreamtheminutetheyenteryourmouth.Youexperiencea burstof energy.However, theavailablesugarisburnedquickly,whichcancausea suddendropinbloodsugartobelownormallevels.Thesuddenabsence

ofavailable bloodsugar,orfuel,mayleavesomepeoplefeelingfatigued,

lethargic,andevendizzy.Thisconditioniscalledhypoglycemia.

Oncetheyarein thebloodstream, simplesugarsareconverted to

triglycerides, or bloodfats,iftheyare notburnedas fuelor eliminated throughtheurine. Simplesugarsthuscontributetothediabeticstate,thoughnotnearly as muchas fat. Theeffectsofcomplexcarbohydrates versussimplesugarsaredrasticallydifferent.Complexcarbohydrates, foundinwholegrains,vegetables,

andfruits,createlong-term energyandendurance, whilesimplesugars giverisetoquickburstsofenergythatdonotsustainthemselves, but

quicklyburnandresultinlowerthannormalamountsofenergy.Simple sugarscombinedwitha high-fatdiet increasethe risk of adult-onset diabetesbyraisingbloodlevelsoffats.

Fighting Disease 275 LomaLindaUniversityreportedthathalf ofallthosewhoarrivedatthe LongevityCentertakinginsulinfor their adult-onsetdiabetesleft the centeroffinsulinandfreeofdiabeticsymptoms.Fully80percentofthose takingoraldrugsfor theirtypeIIdiabetesleftthecenteroffalldrugsand symptom-free.

Reducethe RiskofCancer Studieslonghaveshownthata dietrichin fat,cholesterol, and fiber-deficient foodsisaleadingcauseofcommon cancers: colon,breast,

andprostate.In 1979,theSurgeonGeneralpublishedTheSurgeonGeneral’sReportonHealthPromotionandDiseasePrevention, statingthatthe typicalAmericandiet,richin fat,cholesterol,and sugarand lackingin

fiber,wasresponsible formostofthecancerintheUnitedStates. In1982,

theNational ResearchCounciloftheNational Academy ofSciences published Diet,Nutrition,and Cancer,a reviewofthe evidencedemonstratingthe dietaryfactorsthatcausecancer.TheNationalResearchCouncilstated

thata causalrelationship doesexistbetweenhighlevelsoffatinthediet

and the incidence of prostate,breast, and colon cancer.

Inthecaseofcoloncancer,thecombination offatandlackoffiber

(refinedgrains,such as whitebread and otherrefinedflourproducts, havethefiberremovedduringprocessing)producetheperfectconditions withintheintestinesfortheonsetofcancer.Fatincreasesbileacids,which

in turncreatestheenvironment preferredbyanaerobicbacteria.The

bacteriathenconvertbileacidsintocarcinogens. Lackoffiberlengthensintestinaltransittime,the timerequiredfor ingestedfoodtomovethroughtheintestinaltract,increasingtheamount oftimethattoxinsare presentin thesystem. Populationstudiesin Japan and in Africahaveshownrepeatedly thatpeopleon dietslowin fatand rich in fiberfromwholegrainsand vegetablessufferalmostno sign of coloncancer.Breastand prostate cancerare equallyrare amongpeoplewhoconsumethislow-fat,lowcholesteroldiet. In the case of breastcancer,high levelsof fatin the dietincrease hormonelevels,especiallythatofestrogenandprolactininwomen.Estro-

genlevelshavebeenfoundtobehighinwomenwhoeata high-fat diet.

Bacteria,whichthriveon bileand fat,produceestrogen,whichin turn seemstoadverselyaffectreproductiveorgans,createcysts,and increase prolactinlevels. Prolactinis the hormoneresponsiblefor the productionof milk. Womenonhigh-fatdietshavebeenfoundtohaveabnormallyhighlevels ofprolactin,evenwhennotlactating.

Childrenon high-fatdietsalsoshowhighlevelsofprolactinand

estrogen.Researchershaveshownthathighprolactinlevelscreateimbal-

276 = ‘Pritikin

ancesin breasttissueand the endocrinesystemearlyin life,perhaps predisposingyoungwomentocancerlateron.

Prostate cancerisalsoa fat-andhormone-related disease.Incoun-

triessuchas Japan,prostatecancerwasunheardofpriorto the 1950s. ResearchhasshownthatasmeatconsumptionincreasedinJapanduring the 1950sand 1960s,prostatecancerincreasedwithit. Manystudies haveshownthatdietsrichin fatand cholesterolare directlyassociated withhigherratesofprostatecancer. Whatitallboilsdowntoisthis:Thereisnogeneticimmunityamong the peoplewho traditionallyhavebeen free of the commoncancers. WhentheJapanesemigratetotheUnitedStatesandadoptmoreAmericanlikediets,theirratesofcolon,breast,and prostatecancerallriseto the levelsapproachingthatofAmericans.

Animalstudieshaveshownthatlow-fat, low-cholesterol dietsseem toprotectagainstcancer,evenwhenaknowncarcinogen isinjectedinto

thebloodstream. Dr.JeremiahStamler,ofNorthwestern University inChicago,studied therelationshipbetweenlungcancerand smoking.Stamlerdiscovered somethingthatatthetimeseemedpeculiar.Althoughsmokingisa known carcinogen,a powerfulindicatoras towhetherthesmokersin thestudy

gotcancerwastheamountoffatandcholesterol inthediets.

Stamlerfoundthatinsmokerswithcholesterollevelsof220mg.%and below,only5in 1,000smokersgotlungcancer.However, insmokerswith cholesterollevelsbetween220 mg.%and 250 mg.%,18per 1,000got lung cancer.In smokerswithcholesterollevelsover275 mg.%,37 per

1,000contracted lungcancer.Inotherwords,a “straight-line relation-

ship”appearstoexistbetweentheamountoffatandcholesterolinthediet andtheincidenceoflungcancer.Thisandotherresearchindicatethatfat and cholesterolseemtomakeothercarcinogensmorepowerful. ResearchdonebyW.Addelmanand publishedin theNewEngland JournalofMedicinein 1972reportedthatfourpatients,allofwhomhad cancer-threewithprostatecanceranda fourthwithanovariantumor-all experiencedcompleteremissionsoftheircancersafterdramatically reducingtheircholesterollevels. Thedietsoftraditionalpopulations—low infat,cholesterol,andsugar andrichin wholegrains,freshvegetables, fruit,andfish—long haveprotectedpeoplefromthewidespreadincidenceofcancerthatis common todayin ourmodern,industrializedsociety.ThePritikindietis a replica ofthistraditionalregimen. Scientistsnowsay that such a diet maydo much towardpreventingcancer.

Fighting Disease 277

RelieffromGoutand OtherFormsofArthritis Goutisapainful jointproblem thatusuallysettlesinthebigtoe.Itwas a ragingprobleminsixteenthandseventeenth-century England, where

thearistocracyatemeatthreetimesa day.Twentieth-century Americahas also sufferedfromthe illnessbecause,likethe rich of Shakespeare's England,mostAmericanscanaffordtoeatmeatin greatquantities. Thevillainassociatedwiththispainfulinconvenienceisuricacid,a productofproteinmetabolism. Bloodlevelsofuricacidincreaseinpeople whoconsumea dietrichin animalprotein,especiallyorganmeats. ~ Whenuricacidiselevated,itcollectsaroundthejointsandcrystallizes. Whitebloodcellseatthecrystalsin an efforttoeliminatethemfromthe body.Thisisoneofthenormalfunctionsofwhitebloodcells:toeliminate

unwanted substances, including pathogens andbacteria, fromtheblood itself.Thesewhitebloodcellshave“stomachs” calledlysosomes, which

attempttodigesttheuricacidcrystalswiththeirpowerfuldigestive juices. Thedigestivejuicesoflysosomesaremorepowerfulthantheacidsofthe humanstomach.Uricacidcrystals,however,are indigestibleand,once insidethelysosomes, puncturethestomachsofthewhitebloodcells.This causesthe digestivejuicesto spillout of the cellsand intothe spaces betweenthejoints.Pritikinsaidthattheseacidsattackthejointsandbring onthepainfulsymptomsofgout.Thediseaseactuallyisbroughtonbythe high proteinlevels.Treatinggout requireseliminatingtypicallyhigh levelsofanimalproteins,especiallyorganmeats.

Manyofthosewhohavesufferedfromotherformsofarthritis,including rheumatoidarthritisand osteoarthritis, and whohaveadoptedthe

Pritikin Program haveexperienced remarkable reduction andevencessa-

tionofthesymptoms ofthedisease._

Scientistsarestillstudyingwhya low-fat, low-cholesterol dietmaybe effectivein the treatmentof arthritis.Thereare severallogicalreasons thatmayexplainwhysucha dietimprovesarthritispain.Forone,the PritikinProgramhas been provento dramaticallyimprovecirculation throughoutthebody,includingthejoints.Thisincreasestheflowofoxygen totheaffectedareasofthebodyandhelpsreduceedema,orswellingfrom

bodyfluids,whichtendstoreduceoxygenlevelsinthetissuesandincreasepain. Highlevelsoffatin thebloodstreamcauseredbloodcellstosludge

andblockcapillaries. Thiscreatesswellingin thejointsandprevents oxygenfromreachingthese areas.Lackof oxygencausestissuesto becomeinflamedandpainful.Swellingalsocausesstiffnessinthejoints. Thepresenceofuricacidcrystalsfromhighproteinintakemayalso

278=Pritikin playa rolein theonsetofrheumatoidarthritisandosteoarthritis, as they

doingout.Thecrystals causethewhitebloodcelltobecomepunctured

andspillacidinthejoints.Swellingmayfurtheraffectthewhitebloodcell bycausingittoexistinanoxygen-depleted environment, thuscausingthe whitecellto burstopen and spillits digestivejuicesintothe sensitive synovialliningofthejoints. Theseillnessesneedmorestudy,butpeoplewhohavesufferedwith

arthritis andhaveadoptedthePritikin Program haveconsistently reported

improvements in theirconditionsaftergoingon theprogram.

ImprovePoorHearing Hearinggraduallydeteriorateswithagein theUnitedStatesand in muchoftheWesternworld.Mostpeopleacceptthelossofhearingasan aggravatingsideeffectofaging.NathanPritikindidnot.Hemaintained

thatagingisnotthecauseofmosthearingloss.Heclaimedthatdietis. Tobackuphisbelief,hepointedtostudiescomparing thehearingof

UnitedStatescitizenswiththatofAfricans.Theyconsistently showedthat Africantribespeoplepossessbetterhearingat the age of 70 than the averageAmericanat20.Aninterestingobservation, withouta doubt.How canthisbe? Researcherscomparedthe hearingcapabilitiesofpeoplelivingin Wisconsin-thedairy-producing capitaloftheUnitedStates—with theAfrican tribespeople,the Mabaans.Theresearchersfoundthat a random samplingof 30-to 35-year-old Wisconsinites showedsuchhearingloss thatnotoneMabaanatanyagecouldbefoundwithcomparablyimpaired

hearing. Similarstudieswereconducted comparing thehearingcapabilities ofFinnishpeoplewiththoseofYugoslavians. Finlandhasthehighestper capitarateofcoronaryheartdiseaseintheworld;theaveragecholesterol levelinFinlandis290mg.%.TheaveragecholesterollevelinYugoslavia is approximately 180mg.%.ResearchersfoundthatFinnishchildrenbegin tosufferhearinglossattheageof 10andby 19havedistinctlyimpaired capacitytohearthe 16,000to 18,000cyclespersecondrangeofsound. NosuchhearinglossexistedamongYugoslavians. Otherstudieshaveshownthatbyreducingfatandcholesterolintake, hearingcapabilities markedlyimprove.Pritikinarguedthatmanytypesof

hearingdisorderswereduetopoorcirculation in thehearingorgans.

Plaquedevelopmentinthebloodvesselstotheinnerearlimitsbloodand oxygentothehearingorganand reducesitssensitivity tosound. Pritikinfoundthata low-fat, low-cholesterol dietwouldrestorehearingcapabilityenormously.

Fighting Disease 279

GuardagainstEyeDisease Fiftypercentof all blindnessis the resultof impairedcirculation, Pritikinbelieved.Andtheusualcauseofthepoorcirculationisa high-fat, high-cholesterol diet.Thedegreeofblindnessdependslargelyon how badlythecirculationtotheeyehasbeenaffected.

Pritikin calledtheeyesthewindows ofthebody.“Through themthe

internalcirculationandmostofthevascularproblemsarisinginthebody canbestudiedwithminimaldangeranddiscomfort tothepatient,” hewrote. Astrikingexampleofhowtheeyeservesasa windowtothebodyis theemergenceofanopaqueorgrayishcircleor semicirclearoundtheiris oftheeye.Physicians refertothisabnormalconditionasthe“arcussenilis” (arc of age),and thosewho developit suffera much higher rate of coronaryheartattacksthanthosewhodonot. Arcussenilisemergesinmenandwomenolderthan40,whengreat

quantities ofcholesterol havebeenconsumed, causingplaquedevelopmentinthecoronary arteriesandelsewhere inthebodyandthedevelop-

mentofthisvisibledepositofcholesterol, triglycerides, andphospholipids in thecorneaoftheeye.Oneoutofthreepeopleolderthan40 havethis telltalesemicircle aroundtheiris,reflectingtheiradvancedatherosclerosis. Theatheroscleroticprocessdevelopingthroughoutthe bodymay harm the eyesin severalways.Veryoften,fragmentsbreak offfrom atherosclerotic plaqueselsewhereinthebody,finallylodgingthemselves inandaroundtheeyes,reducingbloodflowtothem.Thesecanbeseenby an ophthalmologist ascrystalsofcholesterolfloatingwithintheeyeitself. Veryoftenthecrystalscutoffbloodtoa partoftheeye,resultinginpartial blindness.Sometimes, largefragmentsofplaquescanbreakoffandblock the largevesselin theeyecalledthecentralretinalartery;whenthisis blockedcompletely, thereistotallossofsight. Glaucomaisaverycommoneyedisorderamongolderpeopleandis thechiefcauseofblindnessamongU.S.adults.Glaucomais causedby vascularchangesintheeye,a symptomofwhichiselevationofthenormal pressurewithintheeyeball,calledtheintraocularpressure.Thispressure iskeptconstantbyfluidswithinthestructureoftheeyeball,butbloodthat hasa highfatandcholesterolconcentration cancausethepressuretorise. Elevationofintraocularpressureis usuallyaccompaniedbyvisualfield changeslimitingtherangeofvisionandevenproducingtotalblindness.

Plaquebuildupinthevesselsoftheeyecausesa reduction ofblood flowandan increasein pressurewithintheeye.Whentheretina,the

photographicplateoftheeye,isaffectedbya reductionofbloodflow,less bloodreachestheopticnerve,towhichit is connected.Theopticnerve

280 ‘Pritikin ~ sends impulses fromthe retina to the brain, so when lessblood reaches it,

visualchangescharacteristic ofglaucomaresult.

Pritikin believed thatthehigh-fat, high-cholesterol dietconsumed in

Westernsocietiesis thebasiccauseofmostglaucoma,and describeda numberofcomplicatedmechanismsthathe believedwereresponsible forthe raisingofintraocularpressure.Oneofthesehas to do withthe interferenceofthecontinuousfluiddrainagefromtheeyes.Thefluidsin theeyeballsmustbe drainedandreplenishedata constantratetomaintainthe necessaryintraocularpressure,as wellas the cleanlinessand healthoftheeye.Thisfluidisfilteredbya meshliketissueintheeye.Ifan accumulationoftinyparticlesoffatand cholesterolblocksthedrainage outletinthemeshlikefilter,thefluidbacksupandpressurebuildswithin theeye. Anotherrelatedfactor,Pritikinsaid,had todowiththereducedoxy-

gencontentoffat-laden blood.Thiscausesa corresponding increasein

the blood'scarbondioxidecontent,resultingin dilationof the blood vesselsofthe eye,increasingthe pressurewithinthe eye,and,in turn, raisingintraocularpressure. Stillanothermechanismis theelevationofcortisollevelsdue tothe

highfatcontentof thebloodon a Westerndiet.Cortisol, chemically classified asasteroid(likecholesterol), isnormally produced bythebody. Pritikinmaintainedthatincreasedamountsofcortisolisproducedinthe bodyon a high-fatdiet.Thecortisol,he said,affectsthe meshlikefilter

intheeye,causingittoswellandbecomeblocked, thusincreasing intra-

ocularpressure. Inhisextremelydetailedandheavilydocumentedargument,Pritikin showedthatthehighincidenceofglaucomaorofcataracts,commoneye diseasesin theWestis tiedtoourhigh-fat,high-cholesterol diet.

Obviously, dietisn’ttheonlyanswerforblindness. Therearemany reasonswhyeyediseasesmayoccur.Butbyreducingtheamountoffat

andcholesterolinthediet,thesymptomsofglaucomaandotherformsof blindnesscausedbypoorcirculationcanbeprevented,Pritikinbelieved. Pritikin’s answertoa rangeofdegenerativediseases-heartdisease,

adult-onset diabetes, arthritis, cancer,diseasesofsightandofhearing-

washislow-fat, low-cholesterol diet,whichhedevisedbasedonhisunderstandingofnutritionandthedietsofpeopleswhodonotsufferfromthese diseases.Hefoundittoberemarkablyeffective inthethousandsofpeople

whoturnedtohisprogramtoturnawayfromdisease.

Watch YourWeight GoDown Weight losscomesnaturallyon the PritikinProgram.That'sbecause itspotlightstasty,nourishingfoods,suchaswholegrains,fruits,andvegetablesand snubsthe typicalAmericandietthathas been a menaceto ourhealth. Whereintheworldisobesitymostprevalent?Righthereathome!We in the Westsufferfromwidespreadobesity,whilepeoplewho livein nonindustrializednationsand consumea diet made up primarilyof wholegrains,vegetables,and fruit-inotherwords,“starchy”foods—have littleor no incidenceofobesity.TheAmericandiet,rich in fat,refined foods,and sugar,is the idealregimenforcausingoverweight.Let'ssee whythisisthecase. Foodis usedby the bodyas fuel.Weightgainoccurswhenweeat morethanthebodyneedsas fuel.Thesurplusis storedas fat.Exercise burnsfat,buttoomanyofusleadrelatively sedentarylivesand,therefore, needevenfewercaloriesthanweareconsuming. Ideally,you shouldeat foodsthatprovideonlyenoughcaloriesto meetyourenergyrequirement.Ifyouare overweight, you'llneedtoeat fewercaloriesthanyounowdo,sothatyourbodycanburnthesurplusfat thatyouhavestored. still,dietsthatrequireyoutogo hungryforanylengthoftimeare

difficult ifnotimpossible tomaintain. Prettysoon,you'reeatingeverything in sightbecauseyousimplycannotfastforever.Whatyouwantis a diet thatyoucaneatuntilyouare satisfied,butonethatdoesnotprovidean

excessofcaloriesthatultimately wouldbestoredasfat.

Theonlywaythiscanbe doneis toeata dietthatis richin bulk-to createa feelingoffullness—but relativelylowincalories,inordertoavoid weightgain.ThisispreciselywhatthePritikinProgramprovides.

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282 =Pritikin

Thestomachhasa volumeofaboutfourcups.Whenit is filled,the stomachsignalsthebraintostopeating.Thestomachdoesn'tknowhow manycaloriesare in a specificfood,nor doesit care.Whatmattersis whetherthereisa sufficient quantityoffoodtocreatethefeelingoffullness. Fatsand oilsare caloricallydense:a tablespoonof fat has twice the caloriesof the sametablespoonof brownrice or a sliceof whole wheatbread. Oneofthemostcommonanddestructivemythsincontrollingweight is thatwholegrainsand vegetables-foods commonlycalled“starchy”are higherin caloriesthan animalfoodssuchas dairyproducts,eggs, andmeat. Manypeoplethinkthattheyshouldavoidfoodssuchasbrownriceor wholewheatbreadinordertoavoidcalories.Instead,theymistakenlyeat cheese,steak,pork,orsomeotherhigh-fatfood.Andtheygetseveraltimes thecaloriestheyneed. Aneight-ounce cupofcookedbrownrice,forexample,hasabout232

calories. Thesamesizeservingofromainelettucehas10calories, Brusselssprouts56,andcollardgreens63.Theequivalent sizehamburger has

about648 calories,whilean eight-ouncecup of cheddarcheesehas 450calories. Thesameistruefordesserts.Fruithasnowherenearthecaloriesof sugarydesserts.Anapplehasabout73calories;aneight-ounceservingof icecreamhasabout330. Whole,unrefinedfoodsare idealforlosingweightor maintaining optimalweight.Unrefinedfoodsarerichinfiberandwater.Fiberprovides bulk,givingthefeelingofbeingfullaftereating. Refinedfoods,ontheotherhand,aredisastroustothosewhowantto

loseweight.Refined foodshavethevitamins, minerals, fiber,andprotein removed duringprocessing. Whatisleftbehindisthecalorie-rich, refined

carbohydrate.Ifyouwereto comparea givenvolumeofnatural,unrefinedfoodtoa refinedfood,youwouldseethatthewhole,naturalfoodis madeup of fiberand othernutrientswhichprovidebulkbut minimal calories,whiletherefinedfoodhastheseconstituentsstrippedawayand ends up caloriedense. Forexample,theaveragewholesugarbeet,richin fiberandwater, weighsabouttwopoundsandhasabout500calories.However, whenthe sugar is extractedfromthe beet during processing,what is leftis a high-calorie foodproduct:twopoundsofsugarnowcontains3,500calories! Generally,the morerefineda foodis,the morecaloriesit contains. Thisisespeciallytruewhensuchfoodsarecombinedwithfatsintheform ofcheeses,cream,butter,and oils,as in manypreparedfoods. In orderto avoidan abundanceofunnecessarycalories,youmust

WatchYourWeight 283 avoidfattyfoodsandhighlyrefinedfoods.Naturalfoods,orwhatPritikin used to call“foodas grown,”are rich in fiber.Thisprovidesbulkand feelingsofsatisfaction, signalingthebrainthatwearefull,withoutloading us downwithcaloriesin theprocess. ThePritikindietisidealforlosingweightandkeepingitoff.Forone thing,youcaneatasmuchandasoftenasyoulike;youdon'thavetostarve yourselfin order to loseweight.Onceyou are downto your optimal weight,yourbodystabilizes andyourweighttendstoremainfairlyconstant. Thosewhoare alreadyat theiroptimalweightwillstaythereon the

PritikinProgram. ThereareenoughcaloriesinthePritikin diettomain-

tainoptimalweightandprovidean abundanceoflong-lasting energy. In additiontothediet,the PritikinProgramencouragesyoutotake brisk,dailywalks,whichwillspeeduptheprocessofweightloss,improve muscletoneandcardiovascular fitness,andhelptopreventmanyserious illnesses. Tofindouthowitallworks,turntothenextchapter.

ThePritikin Diet jorOptimal Health andWeight Loss The Pritikindiethascomea longwaysinceNathanPritikinfirstserved hisversionofahealthfulmealtohisfirstpatientsathisLongevity Centerin _ January1976. Assickastheywere,manyofthepeopleatthatfirstsessionfoundabit ofhumorinwhattheywereexpectedtoeat.OnemanjokedthatNathan's chickensoupwasso chickenlessthatitwasmadebywavinga chicken overa potofwaterwarmingin thesun.Byanyone'sadmission,thefood

wasblandanduninspiring. Buttherewasareasonforit.Nathan's primary goalatthetimewashealthfulness, nottaste.Pritikin maintained (correctly, ashispatientsfoundout)thattasteislearned,notinherited.Newtastescan be developed.As these peoplefeltthemselvesgrowingstrongerand healthier,theyfoundthe reasonforit all-the food-wasn'tall thathard toswallow. Butthatwasmorethana decadeago.Overtheyears,professional chefsand nutritionistshavetakenNathanPritikin’s basicfoodprinciples andcultivatedthemintoa tasteexperience.Theyexperimentedwiththe sauces,spices,andcondimentsofothercultures-Mexican,Chinese,and Italian, for example-to add flavorand bring out the maximum taste of

naturalfoods.Today, whenpatientscheckintoa PritikinLongevity Center,

theyexperience thePritikin Programatitsbest.Thoughthebasicguide-

lineshaveneverchanged,newresearchhas promptedadjustmentsin servingsize,suchas forfruitsand shellfish.Youshouldfindit muchto yourliking.Today’s Pritikindietnotonlyfostershealthandvitality, itisalso deliciousand satisfying. You,too,can experiencethe same healthfulnessby followingthe principlesofthePritikindiet,whichfollow. Someideasonhowtoprepare

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TheDiet 285

interesting andtastydishesare given.Butdon'thesitatetoexperiment withthemyourself. Theideaistotakehealthful foodsandturntheminto somethingyoucanenjoy.Thepayoffis optimalhealthandweightloss.

TheDietBasics I. WholeGrains.Doyoulovetoeatbread?Pastatoo?Suchthingsare the backboneofthePritikindiet. Twoor moreservingsofwholeunrefinedgrains—brown rice,wheat, millet,barley,oats,and buckwheat-should bepartofyourdailydiet.They

canallbefoundinsuchthingsaswholegrainbreads,pastas,cereals, and ricedishes.Theyareimportant becausetheycontainappropriate amounts

offiber,vitamins,minerals,and protein.Theyalsocontainan abundance ofcomplexcarbohydrates, whichgivelong-termenergy. 2. Vegetables.Youcaneatvegetablestoyourheart'scontenton the Pritikindiet.Theoneexceptionisolives,whichareexcludedbecausethey are highin fat.In theearlydays,Pritikinwouldjoke thata personcould safelyeatoneoliveperday,andhisstaffcarriedthejokeon bycreatinga recipefora one-olivetamalepie. ThePritikin-recommended vegetables aretheleafygreens.Thisincludes romainelettuce,mustardandcollardgreens,spinach,kale,broccoli,and otherdarkgreens.Yourvegetableselectionsdon'tneedto be exclusively green,however.Potatoes,yams,carrots,andsquashareallnutritiousand are encouragedeating.Youshouldeatat leastonesix-toeight-ounceraw saladdaily.Trytopreparetherestofyourvegetablesin a varietyofwaysto avoidmonotony. 3. Fruit.AllfruitsarepermittedonthePritikindietwiththeexception ofavocados, whicharehighinfat,anddriedfigsanddates,whicharehigh in simplesugars.Threeto fivepiecesof fruitshouldbe includedin the dailydiet.Fruit,however,shouldnotcomprisemorethan 20 percentof yourdailycalories. Fruitislimitedbecauseit containsbothcomplexand simplecarbohydrates.Simplecarbohydratescan elevatetriglycerides,or bloodfats, meaningthatanoverabundance offruitin thedietcouldraisethechances

ofheartdiseaseanddiabetes.

Pritikinhimselfloveddesserts,and he becamea whizatwhippingup tastyfruitdessertswithablenderorfoodprocessor.Nathanfoundouthow tocreatesmoothand creamyfruitdessertstoreplacehisformerlove-ice cream. 4. Meat,Poultry, Fish. ThePritikindietrecommendsrestrictingflesh foodtonomorethan3!2ounceseachday. Pritikinhimselfpreferredlean fishand the whitemeat of poultry,

286= Pritikin becauseof itslowerfatcontent,and encouragedthe samehabitin his patients.Heallowedpatientstoeatrange-fedbeef;unlikethemarbledor fattybeeffoundinmostsupermarkets, it’sfatcontentiscomparabletofish

andthewhitemeatofpoultry.

Shellfishandshrimp,whicharehigherincholesterol,arepermitted onlyin smallquantities(meaningnoteveryday)asa substituteforother cholesterol-containing foods. Threeouncesoffish,chicken,orrange-fedbeefperdayshouldkeep yourtotalcholesterolintakebelow100mg,.,theupperlimitthebodycan toleratebeforeplaquebeginstoformin thearteries.Thisisbecausethe bodyisbuilttoeliminateup to 100mg.perdayofcholesterol. Whatisn't sentfromthebodyisdistributedthroughthebloodstream. 5. Milk.Milkproducts—even skimmilk-shouldonlyhavea limited rolein the diet,Pritikinbelieved,becauseoftheirhighproteincontent.

Theviewthatlargeamountsofproteinareneededinthedietwasassailed byPritikinasa greatmyth.Hepointedoutthatattheperiodofgreatest growthinthehumanlifecycle-infancy-the proteincontentofbreastmilk isonly6 percent.Nathanarguedthatmilkwasan inappropriatefoodfor humanconsumption afterweaning.Hepointedoutthatmostofthehuman populationaroundtheworlddoesnotdrinkmilkafterweaning,butthese peoplesufferno mineraldeficiencies. Nonfatmilkproducts,however,are permittedon thedietin limited quantities.Low-fat yogurtandcertaincheesesmadewithskimmilkcanbe eatensparingly. 6. Beverages.Coffee,tea,andalcoholarenotrecommendedonthe

Pritikin Program. Pritikin viewed caffeine andalcohol asdrugsandbelieved

theyhaveadverseeffectsonhealth. Fruitjuicesarepermittedinlimitedquantity,forthesamereasonfruit is limited-tokeeptriglyceridesdown.Thebest drinkis water,Pritikin maintained,butneedbeconsumedonlywhenyourethirsty.Hesaidyou getplentyofwaterin thefruitsandvegetablesyoueat.Also,thefactthat thedietisnaturallylowin saltreducesyourneedforwater. 7. Supplements. Pritikin wasopposedtotakingnutritional supplements. Heconsideredtheman artificialwayto nourishthe bodyand feltthey werepotentially dangerouswhenconsumedinamountsthatareexcessive. Hemaintainedthata dietlikehis,one thatcontainedwholefoods,can supplyallthevitaminsandmineralsa personneedsiffollowedproperly. Whatall this breaksdownto is a diet that'scomposedlargelyof complexcarbohydrates-some 80 percentofyourdailycalorieson the Pritikindiet-shouldcomefromwholegrains,fruits,andvegetables.Proteinconstitutes10to 12percent;fat10percentorless.Thisisthedietthat populationssuchas theTarahumaraIndians,theJapanese,and certain Africannations—people whohavebeenspotlighted inthisbook-successfully

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eatwithout showing signsofanydegenerative diseases. Onthecontrary, it promotesoptimalhealthandpreventsmajorillnesses.

FoodstoAvoid Somefoodsare totallyprohibitedon the Pritikindiet becausethey containtoomuchfatand cholesterol,whichcontributetodisease.These include: I. RedMeat.Lamb,pork,duck,goose,grain-fedor fattybeef (the typetypicallysoldin supermarkets), and organmeatsare alloff-limits. 2. WholeMilkProducts.Thisincludesmostcheeses,wholemilk,

creams,powdered milk,andbutter.Nonfat milkproducts, asmentioned above,can be eatenin limitedquantity. Nondairy creamersare also

prohibitedbecausetheyare highin fat. 3. DessertsandSnacks.Includedin thiscategoryare allpuddings, sherbets,ice cream,cannedfruitin syrup,gelatindesserts,friedfoods, includingpotatochips,all bakeryproductscontainingshorteningand sugar,candy,and softdrinks,especiallycolaswhichcontaincaffeine. 4. NutsandSeeds. Nutsand mostseedsare,ingeneral,off-limits on the Pritikindiet,due totheirhigh fatcontent.Chestnuts,whichare lowin

fat are permitted; and ground seeds can be used in small quantities as

seasonings. 9. Salt.Alltablesaltand allsaltyfoods,suchascrackers,pretzelsand

smokedfish,shouldbeavoided.

HowtoFollowthePritikinProgram

Let'sassumethatyou wishto startthe Pritikindiettomorrow. What shouldyoudo? Agoodfirststepwouldbe toclearout allthe forbiddenfoodsfrom yourrefrigerator, freezer,and pantry.Yourgoalisto eliminatefoodshigh in fat,cholesterol,refinedsugar,and salt.It mayhurt a bit,but be relentless;ifit'sbad foryou,getrid ofit. Throwoutallthe no-no's-thebutter, margarine,cheeses,cream,oils,saladdressingswithoils,peanutbutter, saltycrackers,and the frozen,canned,and packagedfoodsladenwith harmfulingredients.Outgoestheicecream.Outgoesthewholeor low-fat milk.Out go the potatochipsand cookies.Out go thebutterycrackers. Andsoon.Checkthefoodslistedaboveunder“FoodstoAvoid” and make

sureyoubanishthemfromyourkitchen.

Nowhere'sthegoodpart.Startbuildingyourhealthykitchenwiththe vastarrayof foodsthatare goodforyou.Theideais to stockpilehealthy foodsand makethem appetizingand pleasing,sowhenyou'rehungry you'llwanttoreachforthem.

288 Pritikin Startfirstby purchasingnonperishables,suchas grainsand grain products:brownrice,wholerolledoats,wholegrainpasta,wholegrain breadand crackerswithoutfats,oils,and sugar,and soon.Choosesaltfreeor low-saltproductswheneverpossible.

Next,theperishables. You'llbe shoppingforprovisions fromthe

producesectionforavarietyofvegetablesandfruitsandfromtherefrigeratorsectionfornonfatdairygoods,ifyouwishtoincludemilkproductsin your diet. Permitteddairy foodsincludenonfator skimmilk,nonfat yogurt,hoopcheese,cottagecheeseunder | percentfat,and greenor sapsagocheese(askimmilkhardcheese). Frozenfoodsyoumaywishtopurchaseincludevegetableswithout sauces,andfruitsandfruitjuiceswithoutaddedsugar.Youmayalsowant tostockup onherbsand spicestoaddinteresttoyourmeals. Younowhavea modelPritikinkitchen,or somethingcloseto it.

Perhapsyouaren'tquitereadytogiveitallup-likeyourmorningcupof That'sallright. cookie. coffeeorasinglepersonalevillikeanafter-dinner OnceyougetstartedonthePritikin dietandstartfeelingthebenefitsin termsofyourenergyand well-being, you'llfindtotalconversionto the programmucheasier.

Planning YourMeals

Togetyourprogramofftoitsbeststart,youshouldmakeeveryeffortto workouta waytospendsometimepreparingyourdailymeals. Ifyouare satisfiedwithsimplefoodsand liketo keepyourkitchen timeto the minimum,youcan keepyourmenuplain.Alittlepoached

fish,somesteamed vegetables, andapotatoisagoodexample oaf typical plainPritikin dinner.Butifyouenjoyworking withfoodandhavethetime

to experimentand prepare,then pleasedo so.Just rememberto keep withintheguidelinesmentionedabove.Youmayevendecidetoalternate yourattentiononthefooddependingonyourmoodandinclination-one day plain,one day fancy.Butlet'sfaceit: a smallamountof cooking isunavoidable. Animportantruleisthis:Don'tjustthinkthreemealsa day.Thebest waytokeepawayhungeris toeateveryfewhours.Thismeanskeeping plentyofsnacksonhand.Low-calorie snacksarebest,especiallyifweight lossisyourgoal.Forweightwatchers,slicedrawvegetables, a smallgreen salad,orabowlofsoup,especiallythinsoups,areideal.Afewwholegrain crackerscanbeusedtoaccompanythesefoods.Foractivepeoplewhodo notneedtoloseweight,breadmakesa convenientsnackfood,butitwill tendtoincreaseyourdailysaltintakesomewhatifconsumedin excess. Rawfruitsare goodsnackfoodsforeveryone,as longas recommended

fruitallotments arenotexceeded.

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Ifyourgoalis toloseweight,eat a rawsaladand low-calorie soupat

yourmainmealeachday.Thiswillhelpmakeyoufullwithoutloading

up on someof the higher-calorie foods,suchas beans,peas, potatoes, and corn.

PrepareandExperiment

Keeping a fewcooked staples, suchasbrownriceorbeans,onhandin

yourrefrigerator willhelpmakemealpreparationfaster.Ifyou'venever cookedbrownrice or beans,nowis the timetolearn how.Youmayuse long-,medium-or short-grainbrownrice(thecookedtextureofthe long-

grainispreferred bysome), andanyofseveral different kindsofdriedbeans. Pinto,red,orkidneybeansareallfavorite choices. Cooklargebatchesthat canbe keptin the refrigerator forthreeto fourdays,or evenlonger.

Cookedbeansand ricemayalsobe frozen,thendefrostedbeforeusing. Potatoes,too,are a goodcookedstaple.Cookunpeeledred orwhite potatoes;peelwhilehot,ifdesired,and coverandstorein therefrigerator

forusealoneorinsaladsorsoups.

Ina pinch,youcan heatand use thericeand beansas is,seasoning the beanswitha littlecommercial tacosauce.Oryoucan add the riceor beans tovariousdishesyoumake.Thepotatoes,too,can be eatenas is, perhaps slicedand toppedwith an instantdressingmade by mixing

nonfatyogurtwith a littleDijonmustard. Oryoucanplacetheslicesona Teflon panandbakethemuntilbrowned tomakemockfrenchfries,eating

themwiththe yogurt-mustard dressingifyouwish. Youcan use the combinationof nonfatyogurtwith alittle Dijon mustardin so manywaysthatyoumaywanttopreparea quantityand keepitonhand asoneofyourrefrigeratorstaples.Notonlyis itexcellent onanykindofpotato,includingbakedpotatoes,itisalsodeliciousonsuch steamedgreenvegetables asbroccoli, greenbeans,cabbageandartichokes. Youcanuseit,too,as“tartarsauce”forpoached,broiled,orbakedfish,asa sandwichspread,and asa dressingfora fishsalad. Soupsare anothergoodthing tokeepon hand. Ifyou havebeena soupmaker,youcan easilyadaptmanystandardrecipesby simplyomitting ingredientsthat are Pritikinno-no'sand supplementingflavor,if necessary,withpermittedseasonings.Ifyou'venevercookedsoups,try yourhandatsomesimplerecipes,likesplitpeaorlentilsoup.Youcanturn leftovervegetablesintoa quicksoup by addingthe vegetablesand the liquidin whichthey were cookedto a soup baseof canned,chopped tomatoesortomatopurée(preferablyunsalted),thinnedwithwater,then seasonedtotaste. Nowlet'stakesomeofthe imagination wehavejustinspiredandsee howyoucanuseitduringmealtimes.

290= Pritikin

Breakfast-Think Big

ornoneatall,you're Ifyouareinthehabitofeatinga smallbreakfast in fora greatbigchange.OnthePritikinProgram,a fillingbreakfast isimportant. Theverybestbreakfastis a hotcookedcereal,suchasold-fashioned wheatcereal.It stayswithyou forhours, rolledoats or a good-quality keepingyoufromtemptationwhenthedoughnutsor croissantscalloutto youduringyourmidmorningbreak. Beingtoobusy in the morningis no excuseformissingout on a cookedbreakfast.Ifyouplanit intoyourschedule,itdoesn'ttakethatlong topreparea cookedcerealin the morning.A cookedcerealis routinely servedat the Pritikincentersin the morningbecauseit providessuch excellentnourishmentandpreventsbloodsugarfromdroppingquickly. Giveit a try.Youcan cookit with a littlechoppedfruit(apples,pears,

and soon)or raisins,andserveitwith peaches,bananas,nectarines,

nonfatmilkand cinnamon,ifyouwish. Youcan have Whatifyouhatecookedcereal?Therearealternatives. an acceptablepackageddry cereal(lookforhigh fiber,lowfat,and no sugaronthelabel),eatingitwithslicedfreshfruit,nonfatmilk,anda few raisins.Oryoumayoptforcoldcookedbrownricethathasbeen stashed toppingitwithslicedfreshfruitandadashofcinnamon. inyourrefrigerator, In fact,coldcookedbrownricewitha slicedbananawasNathanPritikin's favoritebreakfast. toast(madewitha good Ifyouwantanothercoursewithyourbreakfast,

toyourcookedordrycereal. wholegrainbread)isafineaccompaniment (nosugar)jam,or some Fora spread,layerit lightlywithanacceptable

choppedor puréedfruit.Orthinlyslicea bananalengthwise home-cooked on topofyourtoast,mashit a bit,thensprinkleon somecinnamon. Pancakesandwafflesmadewithwholewheatflourandtoppedwith freshfruitsor low-fatcottagecheeseare anotheroption.

LunchChoices

Yourmealdesignforlunchmayvary,dependinguponwhetheryou eat at home,pack a lunch forworkor school,or eat in a restaurant. (Dining-out suggestionsare givenlaterin thischapter.) Thinkoflunchasyourvegetarianmeal.Ifyou'relikemostpeoplewho wishtoeatsomeanimalfoods,you'llwanttosaveitforyoureveningmeal. Butdon'tfeelyou'remissingout.Vegetarianlunchescan be interesting and appealing. Let’ssayyouhaven'tdone anycookingin advance,so thereare no beans,rice, potatoes,or soup on hand, and you don'twant to do any cooking.In that case,you can stillmake a perfectlyacceptablelunch consistingofa fewslicesofa goodwholegrainbreador somewholegrain

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crackers,somerawvegetables, suchas cut-up,rawcarrots,celerysticks,

tomato,cucumber, or otherchoices,andsomefreshfruit.Youcaneven

slicea bananalengthwise on somebreadfora bananasandwich.Youmay wantto adda littlenonfatyogurtor a skim-milk cottagecheese. With a littleeffort,youcanimproveon thisbasiclunchconsiderably,

especially ifyouhavesomeoftherecommended cookedstaplesonhand. Ifit'sa saladyou'dlike,youcanquicklymakemanydifferent kinds.

Fixa tossedor green saladwitha varietyofrawvegetables, usinglotsof dark greenlettuce,such as romaine,then giveitmoresubstance,ifyou wish,by tossingin twoofyour cookedstaples-ahandfulof beansand somechunksofcoldpotato.Dressthe saladwitha nondairy,no-oilcom-

mercialsaladdressing, ormakeyourownbycombining a good-quality

vinegarwitha littlefrozenapplejuice, water,and some seasonings.If you'd prefer a Russian-style dressing,makeyour own by combining nonfatyogurtwitha littletomatopurée,usingdriedherbsforseasoning. Ormakea bean or ricesaladwiththecookedbeansor riceyouhave

onhand.Chopupsomecelery, greenonions,andgreenpepper,mixwith thebeansorrice,anddresswitha nondairy, no-oildressing.

Anothergoodluncheondish madewiththe cookedbeansisa bean dip.Mashthecookedbeans,seasonwellwithchilipowder,cumin,onion powder,andotherseasonings ofchoice,andservewithoven-toasted corn

tortillas, madebybakingcorntortillas onanovenrackuntillightly brown,

then brokenintochipsize,ifdesired. Youcanalsouse thebean dipas a sandwichspread.Andhere are a fewmoregoodsandwichideas.Slicered onionsand tomatoes,layeron breadwithlettuceand spreadthebreadwithadressingofnonfatyogurt mixedwitha littleDijonmustardor tomatopurée. Ifyouwishtohavesomeanimalfoodat lunch,adda fewthinslicesof whitemeatofchickenor turkey.Ormakea tunasaladsandwich.Tomake the tuna salad,mixsomechoppedceleryand greenonionsintowaterpackedtuna,adding alittle cookedriceasa fillertoreducetheamountof

tunaneeded.Dressthesaladwithnonfatyogurtthathasbeenmixedwith

a littleDijonmustard.Ormakean egg-whitesandwichbycookingan egg whiteina no-stickpan.Serveon breadalongwithslicedtomatoes,lettuce, anda littleDijonmustard.

DinnerPossibilities If you'regoing to eat animalfood,saveit foryour eveningmeal. Chickenor fishisyourbestbet.Asimpleplannotinvolvinganyadvance preparations wouldbe tobroil,bake,or poachafish filletor halfa chicken breast.Accompany the mealwitha bakedor steamedpotatooryamand

steamedvegetables. Greens,suchasmustardgreens,collards, andkale,

arehighlyrecommended onthe Pritikindietbecauseoftheirnutritional

292 Pritikin value,and areespeciallyimportantifyouare noteatingdairyfoods(they

provideneededcalcium). juiceinstead Whenbroilingfish,basteitwithalittlelemonortomato ofbutter.Youcanalsousetheseliquidsinbakingfish,oryoumaypreferto topthefishwithslicedtomatoesandonionsandsomedriedherbsorother pineapplejuiceare Whitewine,orangejuice,andunsweetened seasonings.

tosomefishandchickenmeals. toaddflavor usedsparingly alsoexcellent theskinandanyadheringfat. remove always chicken, cooking Before

Whenbroilingit,bastewithdefattedchickenstock,ifyouhaveit.(Many Pritikincooksliketopreparechickenstockinquantityandkeepitonhand inthefreezerinicecubetraysasa staple.Ithas otheruses,too,suchasin Youcanalsobastechickenwithvegetablestockorvegetastir-frycookery.) blejuices. Thereare manydeliciousrecipesforbakingchickenPritikinstyle, and you maybe able to adapt othersfromstandardrecipesby simply deletingingredientsthatare not permitted. Otherfavoritedinnerentreesarebasedonpastadishes.Somepeople findwholewheatpastaunpalatableatfirst,but mostgrowtopreferit.You cannedtomatoproducts, canpreparea simplespaghettisaucebysimmering

wine, suchas tomatosauceand tomatopaste,witha littleBurgundy severalbay including andseasonings, choppedonionsandmushrooms,

leaves.Youcanalsousealittle groundbeeforturkeyinthe sauce.Before serving,sprinklethepastawithsapsagocheese.Somestandardspaghetti saucerecipescan readilybe adaptedtoPritikinguidelines,eliminating oil, butter,or cheese.Spaghettisauce is a good recipe to prepare in

quantity andfreezeforfuturemeals.

youhavestill Ifyouhavecoldriceorbeansstoredinthe refrigerator, Make“fried meal. yourdinner f or otherinterestingentrée possibilities cooking and rice”by cuttingup a varietyofvegetables,Chinesestyle, thembrieflyin a smallamountofliquid,such asnonfatchickenstockor —

stockor evenwater,addingchoppedfreshgarlicand other vegetable suchasgratedfreshgingerora littlesoysauce.Whenthe seasonings, liquidis evaporatedand vegetablesare tender-crisp,stirinlotsofcooked rice.Heatgentlyand stiruntilriceiswarmedthrough. Makeyourbeansintoa quickovencasserole,addinglotsofchopped seasonings,or use this bean mixturefor vegetablesand Mexican-style tacodishes.Simplyoven-heatcorntortillasuntilwarm,thenfillwiththe warmbeanmixture.Servethebeandisheswithricethathasbeenheated.

There’sRoomforDessert

Fruits,rawand cooked,are thetraditionalPritikindessert.Butbesure amountoffruits.Forvariety,cut not toexceedyourdailyrecommended

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up an assortmentof fruitsto makea fruitsalad,mixinginalittle frozen fruit,such as blueberriesor cherries,and toppingit witha littlenonfat yogurt.Youcan alsomixfreshand frozenfruitwithsomecoldcookedrice foran unusualbut tastydessert. Favoritesnacksareair-popped popcornand fruitsmoothies, madeby blendinga frozenbanana,a littlesweetliquid,suchas frozenapplejuice or frozenfruitand berryjuices,and otherfrozenfruits,suchas cherries or strawberries.

Do'sandDon'tsofDiningOut

Whendiningoutyouneedtobe careful-chefs havewaysofsneaking thingsyou'veneverdreamedof intoyourdishes.Sinceyouroptionsare oftenlimitedin a restaurant,you canstretchyourlimitsa bit-as longas

youdon'tdoittoooften.Forexample, youcan'taskthewaitertogiveyou

onlythreeouncesoffish,butyoucanaskhimtokeepitsimpleandfreeof butterand otherfats.Sincea typicalservingofthesefoodsinmostrestaurantsin sixtoeightouncesor evenmore,youcandividethe servingwith

yourdinnerpartneror takethesurplushomeina doggiebag. Good“safe” accompaniments ina restaurant wouldbeaplainbaked

potato(ordertwoifyou'rehungry)anda greensalad,servedwithlemon or red-winevinegar.SomepeoplewhofollowthePritikindietcarrytheir saladdressingwiththemina smallsealedcontainerforuseatrestaurants.

Atlunch,youcanorderabreastofturkeysandwich, without butteror mayonnaise, onsourdough breadora wholegrainbread.Request thatthe

chefbe lighton the turkeyand heavyon thelettuceand slicedtomatoes. Oftenyoucan finda suitablesoup(vegetable witha brothbase)in a restaurant.Ifyou are eatingin a naturalfoodsrestaurant,youalsomay

havethechoiceofmanyvegetableorgrain-based dishes.Chinese restau-

rantsofferthe possibility of orderingmixedvegetables, cookedwithout oil,withorwithout a littlechickenor seafood,and a largebowlofrice.

PutWalkingintoYourLife

OnthePritikinProgram,an eatingprogramisn'tcompletewithoutits traditionalaccompaniment-exercise. Nathanrecommended thathispatientstakeup walkingas a formof therapeuticexercise.It'ssomethingjust abouteveryonecan do and itis the leastlikelyofallexercisestocreateproblems.Whilehe himselfloved running, and many of thosewho followhis programjog or run, he cautionedagainstrunningforseveralgroupsofpeople.Forthosewhoare considerably overweight, runningcancausebodilyinjurybecauseofthe extrastresson the weight-bearing joints;and forthose not followinga

294 ‘Pritikin

disease, healthfuldietor thoseinthehigh-riskcategoryforcardiovascular

itcanevenresultinsuddendeath. needstobenonstopanddoneatareasonably walking Tobeeffective, A totalof60minutesofwalking of20minutes. briskpacefora minimum per day fiveto sevendaysper weekconstitutesa reasonablewalking program.Thedailywalkingcanbedoneat onetimeorin severalsessions. Aten-minutewarm-upwalkat a slowpaceshouldprecedethe brisk

slowcool-down yourexerciseperiodwitha five-minute walk.Conclude walk.Thewarm-upand cool-downperiodsare importantbecausethey allowtheheartrate andbloodpressuretoincreaseand decreaseat safe problems. rates,reducingthe chancesof cardiovascular disease,high blood havingheart If you havebeen diagnosedas get of36,youshould pressure,highcholesterol,and/orare overtheage | yourdoctor'sapprovalbeforeembarkingon an exerciseprogram. Thereisthe programin a nutshell.It'seasytofollowbecausethere's noironcladprescriptionto eat a certainfoodona certaindayata certain time.Bystickingwiththehealthyfoods-thewholegrains,vegetablesand foodsfruits-andavoidingthe bad foods-thehigh-fat,high-cholesterol validprogramtoimprovehealth be ona scientifically you'llautomatically Program. a ndyou'reonthePritikin exercise a little Add andpromotewellness. Andonyourwaytobetterhealth.

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Books byNathanPritikin

Ifyouwantmoreinformation aboutNathanPritikin’s ideason dietand health,youcanrefertoanyofhisbooks.Theyare:

DietforRunners.NewYork: Simon&Schuster, 1985. TheOfficial PritikinGuidetoDiningOut. Indianapolis, N.Y.: BobbsMerrillCo.,1984.(Coauthored withIlenePritikin.) ThePritikinPromise:28Daystoa Longer,HealthierLife.NewYork: simon&Schuster,1983. ThePritikinPermanentWeight-Loss Manual.NewYork:Grosset& Dunlap,1981. ThePritikinProgramforDietandExercise.NewYork:Grosset&Dunlap,

1979.(Written withPatrick M.McGrady, Jr) LiveLongerNow.NewYork: Grosset &Dunlap,1974.(Written with JonN.LeonardandJ. L.Hofer)

death,the On June 19, 1987,just twoyearsafterNathanPritikin’s

Journalof the AmericanMedicalAssociationannounceda studythat inthecoronaryarteriesofhumans. showedregressionofatherosclerosis andhisassociates studywasdonebyDr.DavidBlankenhorn Thetwo-year ofSouthernCaliforniain LosAngeles.Blankenhorngot at theUniversity

by26percent, ofhispatients hisresultsbyreducingthebloodcholesterol

a dropsimilarto theone achievedat thePritikinLongevityCenters.The the scientistsloweredbloodcholesterolbyusingdietanddrugs.However, dietalonecouldachieve studymadeclearthata low-fat,low-cholesterol thesameresults. studyprovidedthe long-awaited“finalproof”that Blankenhorn’s could,in fact,be reducedand eveneliminatedfromthe atherosclerosis coronaryarteriesofpeoplesimplyby loweringbloodcholesterol. Thestudymadefrontpageheadlinesaroundthecountrybecause,for the firsttime,it showedthat the underlyingcauseofmostheart disease couldbe cured. In 1966,NathanPritikinmadethe sameclaimthatcoronaryatherosclerosiscouldbe reversedbyloweringbloodcholesterol.Pritikinbased hispremiseon theavailableresearch-mostofwhichhad been doneon animals-andthefactthathewasabletocure himselfofcoronaryinsuffidietand exerciseprogram. ciencywithhis ownlow-fat,low-cholesterol Pritikinmadethe claimagainin his book,LiveLongerNow,whichwas publishedin 1974.A yearlater,he believedthat he had demonstrated

in in twomenwhoparticipated ofcoronaryatherosclerosis regression

Pritikin’s LongBeachStudy. believed Manyscientists forhisstatements. Nathanwaswidelycriticized him. it todismiss used they t hat thathisthesiswassofar-fetched Twentyyearslater,NathanPritikinhas been vindicated.

296