Diabetes and heart disease top the worry list when it comes to poor diet, lack of exercise, and obesity. Eat too much, move too little, and pack on the pounds and you risk developing both diseases. Make a commitment to health and you're likely to ward them off, even reverse their onset. Six diabetics featured in the documentary Raw for 30 Days did just that by embracing a vegan, organic diet of uncooked nuts, seeds, and veggies. By the end of their study period, all had gone off insulin and most lost 25 pounds. Amazing. But not easy.

A raw diet is hard core, says Andrea Giancoli of the American Dietetic Association. This way of eating -- marked by consumption of mostly plant-based foods that are not heated above 115 degrees -- has backers who say it helps ease conditions from migraines to arthritis. But it leaves out a lot of foods, says Giancoli who maintains that a balanced diet must include both raw and cooked foods.

Going raw is also hard to stick with. So until research confirms it's the way to go, your best bet is to eat a diverse and healthy diet with the power to sustain you through life.