Refusing to accept his doctors’ standard recommendations of the time – bedrest and medication – Pritikin began researching cultures around the globe and discovered that those who consumed largely plant-based diets and exercised regularly had essentially no heart disease.

Visionary

Nathan Pritikin’s vision of a world without heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and obesity began in the 1970s. After researching populations around the world, Nathan discovered that individuals' consuming a largely plant-based and got regular exercise had essentially no heart disease. He was convinced that this lifestyle was the solution to preventing heart disease and a multitude of other chronic health conditions.

Tenacious

As a layman, Nathan’s hypothesis was quickly dismissed by the medical community. But thanks to Nathan’s tenacity, his health-promoting theory stood the test of both time and research. Since 1981, there have been over 100 peer-reviewed and published research studies proving the efficacy of the lifestyle that Nathan Pritikin staked his name upon.

Groundbreaking

Nathan wrote his first book in 1974, Live Longer Now and opened the first Pritikin Longevity Center® in 1975. The residential model continues today at the Pritikin Longevity Center in Miami, Florida. This life-changing program is now available across the country in facilities licensed to deliver Pritikin ICR - the comprehensive cardiac rehab program that helps cardiac patients reduce their risk of having another event. That’s powerful.

Nationwide Expansion

Today, licensed providers are operating Pritikin ICR programs across the country. Just this past year, we surpassed 1.25 million sessions and that number continues to climb.

Brief Timeline

Below is a timeline of events that has contributed to the adoption of the Pritikin ICR program across the country.

1974

Nathan Pritikin Publishes First Bestseller

Nathan Pritikin has written several books for the general public on nutrition, exercise, and health that were international bestsellers, including Live Longer Now, The Pritikin Program For Diet and Exercise, The Pritikin Weight Loss Manual, and Diet For Runners.

1975

Pritikin Longevity Center Opens

In 1975, Nathan Pritikin opened the Pritikin Longevity Center®, a medically supervised health resort and residential program of nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle-change education.

1981

Research Begins at UCLA

In 1981, research began at UCLA on the effects of the Pritikin program, leading to more than 100 peer-reviewed published scientific studies.

2010

Pritikin Receives Medicare Approval

It was this research that resulted in Pritikin’s 2010 Medicare approval for a new benefit class called Intensive Cardiac Rehab.