Access Denied
IMPORTANT! If you’re a store owner, please make sure you have Customer accounts enabled in your Store Admin, as you have customer based locks set up with EasyLockdown app. Enable Customer Accounts
Double Your Weight Loss With a Plant-Based Diet
Neal Barnard, MD, FACC on
There’s one question that nearly everyone wants answered: which diet will really help me maintain a healthy weight? New research presented this week from the Physicians Committee’s Hana Kahleova, MD, PhD, at the American Diabetes Association’s 77th Scientific Sessions finds a plant-based vegetarian diet is the answer.
Dr. Kahleova’s research shows that a vegetarian diet centered around vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes is twice as effective at boosting weight loss, compared to a traditional diabetes diet. For the study, she split 74 adults into two groups and compared two calorie-equivalent diets. One group ate a plant-based vegetarian diet and the other a traditional diabetes diet. Both diets had similar macronutrient profiles –carbohydrates, protein, and fat. She measured the results after 6 months.
The results were striking. Those in the vegetarian diet group lost twice as much weight, compared to those following a traditional diabetes diet. After 6 months, those who followed the vegetarian diet lost nearly 14 pounds. Those who followed the diabetes diet lost 7. Both groups improved A1c, fasting plasma glucose, and insulin sensitivity, markers of blood sugar control. After a year, the weight-loss results were consistent for both groups.
If a pharmaceutical company could replicate the results of the study, they would have a blockbuster drug overnight. One study participant in the vegetarian diet group told Dr. Kahleova he previously viewed type 2 diabetes as a disease that got progressively worse with age. Today, he no longer has type 2 diabetes, he is off all of his medications, and he has maintained his weight loss.
That’s good news for the 422 million people worldwide who have diabetes. If left untreated, diabetes complications are costly and can include vision loss, kidney damage, and diabetic neuropathy, or a tingling sensation in the fingers and toes, which can lead to foot amputations. Type 2 diabetes also doubles the risk for heart disease, the number one killer worldwide.
This is why it’s important to educate physicians and patients about how a dietary intervention can be used to boost weight loss and insulin function. Once the extra fat is removed from the muscle cell, insulin is able to deliver glucose, or energy, and metabolism starts to function efficiently again. The results last as long as the diet.
A plant-based diet works well for nearly everyone, whether you are an adult looking to lose 100 pounds and get off all of your diabetes medications, a professional athlete looking to extend your career, or if you are a teenager looking to sidestep a family history of heart disease.
It also fits within most dietary and cultural preferences and food budgets: You can purchase pre-assembled kale salads, or buy frozen spinach, in bulk, for half the price. You can spend an hour grilling portobello mushrooms, beets, and beefsteak tomatoes on the grill or invest 5 minutes in the kitchen to chop carrots, celery, and onions. The procurement and preparation is personal, but the prescription remains the same.
Photo from here, with thanks.
Categories
Categories
Humanized Health - NEW!
Learn about personalized health from top experts! Check out our fascinating new shows every week, available as videos, podcasts and transcripts.:
Our Bloggers
-
Paula Gallagher
Paula is a highly qualified and experienced nutrition counselor on the staff at Village Green.
read more.. -
Margo Gladding
Margo's impressive knowledge base is the result of a unique blend of educational and professional experience.
read more.. -
Dr. Neal Barnard
Dr. Barnard leads programs advocating for preventive medicine, good nutrition, and higher ethical standards in research.
read more.. -
Dr. Joseph Pizzorno
Dr. Joseph Pizzorno, ND is a pioneer of integrative medicine and a leading authority on science-based natural medicine.
read more.. -
Debi Silber
Debi is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in nutrition, a personal trainer, and whole health coach.
read more..
SEE ALL OF OUR BLOGGERS
Invalid password
Enter
Learning Resources
Consultations
Green Initiatives
Pharmacy/Compounding
Humanized Health
Village Green Blog
Stay Connected
Village Green Apothecary
5415 W Cedar Ln
Bethesda, Maryland, 20814
(301) 530-0800
Toll Free: (800) 869-9159
The information provided on this site is not intended to be a substitute for advice or treatment from a qualified physician, nor is it intended to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease. Consult your physician prior to starting any new health program or if you any questions regarding a medical condition.
© 2023 Village Green Apothecary - All Rights Reserved.