And what I've learned along the way
I never set out to be a plant-based nutrition expert. For most of my career, I was a research
librarian. Then, in my 50's, close family members died of Alzheimer’s, lung cancer, and heart
disease. I wondered why my family had such bad luck.
I was eating a Mediterranean diet of fish, chicken and vegetables, with very little red meat, and like my mother I did yoga and got exercise. When my mom was a teacher in the 1950’s , she even rode her bike to school (much to my embarrassment). In her early 70s, she swam two miles a day, took long walks, played bridge, and ate a very sensible diet. She got Alzheimer’s.
My brother survived Hodgkin’s lymphoma at 19 and went on to be publisher and a gifted
musician. He lived a great life until his heart failed at 62. I tried to save him by researching the
heck out of heart disease. I learned a lot, but I couldn’t save him.
In my studies, I discovered all sorts of interesting people: Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Dr. John McDougall, Dr. Michael Greger, and most importantly, Dr. T. Colin Campbell, who wrote The China Study, the first definitive, scientific look at the effects of plant-based diets.
Animal Proteins & The China Study
I was so fascinated by what I learned about Dr. T. Colin Campbell's work, that I took a course with him at Cornell University. Here's some of what I learned:
Animal protein elevates cholesterol levels, a precursor to heart disease.
Animal protein increases production of growth hormones, which have been shown to elevate cancer growth.
Animal protein increases likelihood of osteoperosis. Despite what we’ve been taught, milk doesn’t build strong bones — just the opposite.
Animal protein increases the likelihood of type two diabetes, especially when the protein comes from dairy.
Animal protein increases rates of cell division, which is strongly linked to Alzheimer’s, kidney stones, and other degenerative diseases.
I also learned that every single plant has protein in it. So unless you're starving yourself, it's virtually impossible not to get enough protein. If you eat a wide variety of plant foods, you will get all the minerals, vitamins, and amino acids you need.
Making the Switch to Plant Based
So, I changed my diet. And after a year, I felt like a different person. My taste buds changed, and I realized I had felt slightly nauseated for my whole life. I had more energy. I had no aches and pains. I had mental clarity. I was a believer.
And I was lucky that my husband agreed to go along with me. I decided that if was going to only be eating plants, I’d better learn how to cook them right, so I took a plant-based chef course, and my husband liked the food — even if he admitted to the occasional extra-marital lamb chop.
People kept asking me about my plant-based diet: can plant-based diets cure disease?
I wasn’t comfortable giving medical advice, so I sought out more training, this time at The Mayo Clinic’s Wellness Coaching program.
Plant Based Diets and Behavior Change
The Mayo Clinic's Wellness Coaching Program is focused on behavior change - making
strategic, small changes that can have big results. Changing our diet means changing behaviors
to improve health and life expectancy, and I learned that he biggest improvements
in health come from making small, measurable changes over time rather than big changes all at
once.
“Vegan” does not mean “healthy,” (Oreos are vegan), and what we really should be going for is
whole foods from the plant world. Like the food writer Michael Pollan says “if it comes from a plant, don’t eat it; if it is a plant – eat lots of it. Here are some facts to ponder:
63% of the American diet comes from processed food, and only 6% is Whole Foods Plant-Based.
80% of chronic diseases are lifestyle-related and not dependent on genetics.
Americans eat nearly 100 more pounds per year of meat and cheese than we did in the early 1900’s.
Consuming animal products (meat, fish or dairy, or “anything with a mother or a face”) is associated with many of the diseases we most fear: cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, stroke, diabetes, osteoporosis, and more.
And finally, if we want to prevent climate catastrophe, food has a lot to do with it — and plant based diets are the least harmful to the planet.
What I Do as a Plant-Based Wellness Coach
After getting certified through The Board of Medical Examiners, I opened Well Being Cuisine with the goal of not making people vegans, but helping them understand why eating less meat and eating more fruits and vegetables is important for long-term health.
Working towards a Whole Foods Plant Based diet is not about perfection. It doesn't bother me when I’m a guest in someone’s home and they say “oh, no, I made the soup with chicken stock!” It doesn’t matter - this isn’t a strict religion and no one needs to be perfect. I try to be mostly plant-based most of the time.
We have an opportunity three times a day to make choices about our health and our planet. I’m passionate about helping more people enjoy the health benefits that come from eating a plant- based diet, and I love discussing these topics. Let me know your thoughts and questions. I’ll be back soon with more ideas for eating for health, plus some recipes.
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