Plant Based Nutrition
Adopting a whole food, plant based, vegan diet is one of the most powerful things you can do to improve your health, wellbeing, and quality of life. As a patient, we will help you understand the relation between the food you eat, and its impact on your health. We will help you learn to use food as medicine, so that you can prevent, halt the progression of, and reverse chronic diseases; and achieve optimal health. You truly are what you eat.
What does whole food, plant based (WFPB) mean?
A whole food, plant based (WFPB) diet focuses on whole, minimally processed plant foods, such as fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Animal products (meat, dairy, eggs, etc.) are avoided, and processed foods are minimized.
What is wrong with animal products and oils?
When you are a patient, we will go into further detail about this subject. From a health perspective, one of the main points is this: Heart disease is the #1 killer of Americans. The most likely thing that you and the people you love will die from is cardiovascular disease. There is only one diet that has been clinically proven to REVERSE cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis (the build up of plaque in your arteries that narrows and decreases blood flow to vital organs, including the heart itself) - and that is a whole food, plant based diet that avoids animal products and oil. There are many other reasons to eat a whole food, plant based diet; but based on this fact alone, it should be the default diet for every single person.
Do I really have to fully change my diet to be a patient?
The technical answer is no. Any change you make towards eating more whole plant foods and less animal products, oil, and processed foods will positively impact your health; even if you don't completely give them up. That being said, you will get the best results and positive health impact from eating a totally whole food, plant based diet. And, for some patients suffering from chronic diseases, only partially changing your diet may not lead to the desired reversal of disease. However, I truly believe that as time goes on, you will start to notice how good you feel when you eat whole food plant based meals, and how unpleasant you feel when you stray from your diet; and will start changing your food choices to be closer and closer to a completely whole food plant based diet. Nothing tastes as good as healthy feels.
What is the difference between vegan and WFPB?
Veganism is an ethical position to prevent the exploitation of animals; and avoid the consumption of and use of animal based products.
Whole food, plant based (WFPB) is a health based decision to avoid animal products, oil, and processed food to improve health and wellness.
There are similarities: Both vegan and people who follow a WFPB diet do not eat animal products such meat, eggs, or dairy. There are also differences: Vegans do not use leather for ethical reasons, whereas a WFPB person may. WFPB people avoid fried foods, even if they do not contain animal products, whereas a vegan person may not. These are just a few of very many examples.
We believe there is a great opportunity to incorporate both, as they are not mutually exclusive. After adopting a plant based diet due to health concerns, a patient may start to more clearly see the ethical implications of animal agriculture; and care about both their health and the well-being of animals. After adopting a vegan diet due to ethical concerns, a patient may start to see the positive changes in their body and health; and care about both the well-being of animals and the way a WFPB diet can improve the health of themselves and their loved ones.