Healing Diet

Vegan Diet Can Reverse Heart Disease:

The lacto-ovo vegetarian diet outlined in Natural Diet is a solid choice for most healthy individuals. Eliminating meat, embracing whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes while eliminating or reducing to a minimum saturated fat, sugar, salt and refined carbs will provide significant health benefits over the standard western diet. However, for some people with a health condition, a more restrictive vegan (plant-based) diet may be of benefit. Of first concern with regaining health, is to maintain the body weight in a normal range for your height and body type. Excess weight can lead to type-2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and a host of other problems. These symptoms often correct themselves as weight comes into a normal range. A plant-based diet has been shown to have great results in both reducing weight and correcting health issues. The movie Forks Over Knives (plant-based diet vs. surgery) shows how heart disease can be stopped and even reversed by diet and life style changes. These healing diets are promoted by a number of physicians at the cutting edge of this new health movement. They recognize that a plant-based diet can be an alternative to surgery and drugs. Though these doctors have had great results with their patients, as a reality check, sometimes diet alone cannot do everything and they do prescribe medications as needed; particularly if cholesterol levels are not coming into the desired range. So it is important to work together with a trusted medical professional to resolve any health issues. Cancer is an area where diet alone is not sufficient. A healthy diet can be cancer preventative and improve survival rates, but if cancer is found, it is wisest to take advantage of the latest medical developments and follow the guidance of the best doctor you can find. Vegans are not immune to cancer!

What Are These Diets Like?:

Dr. John McDougall put together a very nice Color Picture Book which summarizes it all quite simply. It is available here or directly from his website www.drmcdougall.com. Basically, it includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and limited nuts/seeds. It excludes oils and any animal products; meat, fish, dairy, eggs etc. Generally speaking it is a high carb, low fat vegan diet. Carbs are from starchy roots, legumes and whole grains and not from refined products or sugar. If weight reduction is a goal, carbs can be moderated and non-starchy vegetables increased to maintain sufficient volume at meals. This diet is outlined with some variations from numerous sources;

The reason I call them "healing diets" is that in general, most people will not embrace a very restrictive diet unless there is some serious motivation to do so. A desire to find a cure to a worrisome health condition usually provides this motivation. Otherwise, if there are not any perceived negative effects, most healthy vegetarians will prefer to enjoy as much variety as possible.

Bottom Line: Low-fat dairy and eggs in moderation can be healthy for some and they provide additional variety and flavor to a vegetarian diet. But for those who cannot tolerate dairy or have a health issue, giving up dairy can be beneficial.


Vegan Diet Cartoon

Disclaimer:

The contents of this Web site are not intended to offer personal medical advice. You should seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this Web site.

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