Loma Linda Review

What You Should Know

Loma Linda University LLU is a Seventh-day Adventist educational health-sciences institution with more than 4000 students located in Southern California. More than 55 programs are offered by the school including Allied Health Professionals, Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Public Health, Religion and Science and Technology.

Loma Linda University offers weight management programs which include the Optifast diet, a 26 week supervised program for people 50 pounds over weight or more. The university also offers the Lean Choices diet which is a 12 week class for individuals who simply want to improve their overall health and weigh. The program addresses incorporating exercise, making the right food choices and the psychology of eating. In addition, Loma Linda offers nutrition and diet counseling as well as fitness testing.

Product Features

The Optifast diet was a popular diet option for a short time due to talk show host Oprah Winfrey and her success on the plan. The 26 week program includes 12 weeks of a very low caloric meal replacement plan based on a vegetarian lifestyle which then transitions into a more moderate mixed calorie plan. The weight management plan includes a team of doctors, nurses, dieticians, exercise specialists and psychotherapists. Weekly group and individual visits are required to progress on the plan.

The Lean Choices diet is a 12 week plan which focuses more on individuals who are interested in a making more health conscience food choices and incorporating exercise into their lives. The program begins with an individual nutrition assessment with a dietician creating a foundation for effective weight loss. If desired, meal replacements and food supplements can augment the program.

Advantages

• Loma Linda is a medically assisted program.
• The Loma Linda plans include education on food and exercise.

Disadvantages

• The Optifast diet is a dangerously low calorie plan and may not be a long term alternative for weight loss.
• The Loma Linda program requires weekly group and individual visits to the clinic.
• The Optifast diet is a vegetarian plan and may not be suitable for everyone.

Conclusion

The weight loss plan promoted by Loma Linda University LLU is a vegetarian plan. Many Seventh-day Adventists practice vegetarianism or they may restrict the amount of meat they consume. According to their own studies, the physicians at Loma Linda University believe that eating a vegetarian diet can reduce your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, prostate cancer, colon cancer and obesity. That may seem logical for some since a vegetarian diet typically is low in cholesterol and saturated fats. However it is obvious that most vegans find it difficult to get all the nutrients from the food they consume and may find that it is advisable to include supplements in their diets. While many may lose weight on the Loma Linda diet plan, it is a dangerously low calorie plan which has been known to cause adverse side effects such as dizziness, weakness, hunger pangs and low energy levels. Merely increasing fruits and vegetables and limiting fats and sugars in your diet will result in weight loss for most individuals.