Plant Based Diet

The Facts

Doctors should be providing their patients with instruction to convert to plant-based eating.  More and more experts are saying this.

Physicians should consider recommending a plant-based diet to all their patients, especially those with high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or obesity. Phillip J. Tuso, MD, The Permenente Group

The studies are showing plant-based is the way to go for patients with cardiovascular issues. The evidence is stronger now than ever.  Dr. T. Colin Campbell has made it very easy for doctors to further their education on nutrition with his course on Plant Based Nutrition.

Our new program takes the patient through all the steps of transitioning to a plant-based lifestyle.  The doctor can choose to have the patient go through the program with a group of peers for support, or if needed the help of a health coach.  Most doctors don’t have the time to hold their patient’s hand and follow up to be sure they’re getting it right.  That’s where this program and/or health coach comes in.

The latest evidence comes from a study published in The Journal of Family Practice last summer led by Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., another long-time proponent of plant-centric diets. The study, which included 198 people with documented cardiovascular disease, found that 177 were able to stick to the diet for an average of almost four years. During that time, only one person had an event (a stroke) that was deemed a recurrence of the disease. In contrast, 13 of the 21 people who didn’t stick to the diet experienced a cardiovascular event. Harvard Health Publications

There are some doctors who are just darned frustrated…

Studies show that vegetarians and vegans have lower rates of heart disease and cancer, and that nearly 15 percent of all planet-warming greenhouse gases comes from raising cattle, pigs, poultry and other animals. The upshot is that the estimated greenhouse gas emissions of a vegetarian diet are half those of a meat-based diet.

further

People who consume meat generally have worse health outcomes, particularly in terms of heart disease, stroke and cancer. On the flip side, clinical trials show that people who eat mostly plants have better health outcomes. And the evidence goes further than just suggesting an association — it shows that plant-based diets directly cause better health.

The USDA guidelines clearly state that saturated fats should be reduced. We know most of the saturated fat in our diets comes from animal sources, and yet the guidelines don’t take that next logical step and tell consumers to eat less meat. I am bothered by the lack of an explicit message around meat. Randall Stafford, MD, PhD, Stanford Prevention Research Center

There are many famous people who’ve excelled physically and mentally.

“It is my view that the vegetarian manner of living, by its purely physical effect on the human temperament, would most beneficially influence the lot of mankind. So I am living without fats, without meat, without fish, and am feeling quite well this way. It always seems to me that man was not born to be a carnivore.” Albert Einstein

Who can argue with Albert Einstein?  How about Sir Isaac Newton, Leonardo DaVinci, Thomas Edison, and more?

Why?

There are many different reasons for choosing a plant based diet.  Your doctor may have told you it was imperative to make lifestyle changes.  You, yourself, may be tired of feeling bad or scared of how your family medical history may show up without lifestyle changes. Could be you don’t want to eat animals and it could be that you want to leave a better earth for your children.  Below is a short list of benefits to a plant-based diet.

Yourself

1. Lower Cholesterol
2. Lower Blood Pressure
3. Lower Blood Sugar
4. Lower Cancer Rates
5. Lower Weight
6. Can be less expensive if you eat local and in season
7. Clearer skin

The Environment

1. Lower greenhouse gas emissions
2. Lower water use
3. Lower energy use

 Animals

1.  Animal cruelty in food industry
2.  Animal lives

Mentors

There are many famous people who’ve excelled physically and mentally.

“It is my view that the vegetarian manner of living, by its purely physical effect on the human temperament, would most beneficially influence the lot of mankind. So I am living without fats, without meat, without fish, and am feeling quite well this way. It always seems to me that man was not born to be a carnivore.” Albert Einstein

Who can argue with Albert Einstein?  How about Sir Isaac Newton, Leonardo DaVinci, Thomas Edison, and more?

Brendan Brazier, a plant-based athlete since age 15, shows that it doesn’t slow you down.

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