Tag: plant-based diet

Kickstart Insulin Function with Plant-Based Foods

December 5th, 2016 by Neal Barnard, MD, FACC

vegetablesDiabetes rates are on the rise and Washington is no exception: one in three adults has elevated blood sugar and a third of children are on their way to full-blown diabetes, which, at $85,000 or more over the course of a lifetime, is expensive to treat. Our medical systems aren’t equipped for this influx and our bodies can’t handle it.

The question isn’t “How did we get here?” but “How can we fix it?” And fast.

One solution is to kickstart insulin function with plant-based foods. Regardless of your health insurance plan, this option is already available: Continue reading “Kickstart Insulin Function with Plant-Based Foods”

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Fats: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

April 18th, 2016 by Neal Barnard, MD, FACC

soybeansThe latest news – which is creating a buzz on Capitol Hill, stealing headlines, and dividing our country into multiple camps – isn’t the 2016 presidential election: it’s the war against fat. How low should we go? Which kind is best? And what are the long-term outcomes of adopting a low-fat, moderate, or high-fat approach?

The mystery surrounding fat, which comes in three forms – trans, saturated, and unsaturated – is out: eat a whole-food, plant-based diet to fast-track your health, attack arterial plaque, and slash the risk of both heart disease and an early death. Continue reading “Fats: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”

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Summer Staples to Stabilize Blood Sugar

June 2nd, 2015 by Neal Barnard, MD, FACC

vegetablesResearch has shown that plant-based diets are powerful in many ways, from trimming away excess pounds to reducing cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar. A new study shows that they also help with late-stage diabetes. Researchers tested a vegan diet for people with diabetic neuropathy, often experienced as numbness or as a stabbing, tingling, or burning sensation in the feet or hands. Participants in this 20-week study lost 14 pounds, improved diabetic neuropathy pain, and lowered LDL cholesterol and blood pressure. By improving blood sugar control, they also reduced the risk for other diabetes complications, including stroke and kidney failure.

Perhaps surprisingly, the participants found the diet easy to follow. One of the keys to success is planning ahead, which often means stocking kitchen cupboards, desk drawers, automobiles, and travel bags with healthful options – a winning strategy for summer vacations, day-to-day travel, and unexpected delays.

Here are five diabetes-friendly foods to help stabilize blood sugar that are easy to find, store, and assemble. Continue reading “Summer Staples to Stabilize Blood Sugar”

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A Green Light for Healthful Eating: Is 2015 the Year for Preventive Medicine?

April 13th, 2015 by Neal Barnard, MD, FACC

farmers-marketThe Scientific Report of the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans encourages consumers to follow a plant-based template to reach and maintain optimal health. This method of healthful eating is the easiest way to increase consumption of vitamins and minerals that we often fall short on. A plant-based model also serves as a guide for how to curb intake of saturated fat, cholesterol, sugar, and salt.

How do we get there? First, let’s start an open dialogue with patients, family, and friends about foods to favor: nutrient-dense, plant-based varieties.

Here is a list of dietary staples that fit in with almost every age group, budget, and season.

Whole Grains

Steel-cut oats, brown rice, quinoa, and pasta are naturally low on the glycemic index scale and provide a healthful source of B vitamins, iron, magnesium, and selenium. Due to their high fiber content, whole grains help reduce the risk of early death from chronic disease. Whole grains double as a prebiotic and work with probiotics, such as kimchi and tempeh, to help stabilize insulin, turn off ghrelin, the “hunger hormone,” and strengthen the immune system. Instead of thinking “low carb,” go for whole grain. Continue reading “A Green Light for Healthful Eating: Is 2015 the Year for Preventive Medicine?”

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Plant-Based Diet: A Prescription for Health in 2015

March 17th, 2015 by Neal Barnard, MD, FACC

vegetables+fruitsEach week, a new study shows the health benefits of plant-based eating patterns. People who follow vegetarian and vegan diets have a strong measure of protection against weight problems, heart disease, diabetes, and many other health issues that trouble their meat-eating friends.

In its recent report, the federal Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee listed plant-based diets as one of the three healthful eating patterns for Americans. And the good news is it’s simple: by sticking to a diet that centers around four food groups – whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes – you can easily maintain a healthful weight, lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol, and reduce the risk for chronic disease.

As the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans move from concept to consumer, even more people will begin to put the latest science into everyday practice.

Here’s an inside look at how a plant-based prescription works.

Fill Up with Fiber

Nutrition Rx: Aim for 40 grams of fiber a day. Continue reading “Plant-Based Diet: A Prescription for Health in 2015”

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