Plant-based Diet?

I recently finished watching a documentary on DVD called Chow Down. This is an interesting film which follows a couple of heart disease patients and a woman with diabetes as they attempt to reverse their diseases with a plant-based diet. Dr. Esselstyn, a cardiac specialist at the Cleveland Heart Center, has followed 26 patients who chose this diet over bi-pass surgery and other invasive procedures. He has had excellent results with lowering total cholesterol and reducing the narrowing of arteries surrounding the heart. Unfortunately, the film does not get into specifics about HDL and LDL cholesterol, so I can't share any figures about that.

However, the diet recommended by Dr. Esselstyn involves eating ONLY plant foods. The problems I see with this diet are the very low protein content (and quality) of most plant foods and also the low fat content. The poor people trying to survive on just salads (no dressing) and small portions of steamed grains were most assuredly starving! The African American woman with diabetes could not manage to continue this extreme diet, so she dropped out of the program, gained back all the weight she had initially lost, and ended up doing nothing to fight her disease or lengthen her lifespan. I think this is not just a shame, but a crime.

There IS another way! There are actually MANY plant-heavy diets that can accomplish the same benefits without removing all animal proteins and healthy fats. Some examples are the Paleo diet, South Beach, the Mediterranean diet, and my personal favorite: the Zone. None of these are "fad" diets. These are all healthy eating programs that contain all the necessary macro and micro-nutrients and can be followed for life. All are designed to improve overall health.

You might know that Dr. Barry Sears originally created the Zone diet NOT as a weight loss plan, but as a way to prevent heart disease which ran rampant in his own family. He has also seen success with his methods, not just in reducing the internal inflammation which underlies all of our chronic diseases (including heart disease, cancers, diabetes, etc.), but also permanent weight loss, enhanced focus and mental acuity, and increased athletic performance. Sufficient protein and fat (30% of calories from each) allows everyone on the Zone to feel satisfied with the food they eat, rather than constantly hungry. The remaining 40% of calories should come mostly from veggies, and a little fruit. Ideally, grains, sugars, and all refined carbs are reduced or eliminated.

Eating more plants is a great idea! In fact, I would even say that vegetables should encompass the bulk of one's diet. (Dr. Sears would also say this, as would Michael Pollan, author of The Omnivore's Dilemma.) But MOST of one's diet does not mean ALL of one's diet. Michael Pollan is, as he writes in his many influential books on food and nutrition, an omnivore! Not a vegetarian. Not a vegan.

And the specific plants one emphasizes can also make a big difference. For example, beer, wine, tequila, and vodka are all made from plants. French fries, corn fritters, and ketchup also come from plants. One could even argue that coke and 7-up are made from plants. If you emphasize these products instead of broccoli, spinach, kale, and carrots, you will have much less success in losing weight and improving your overall health!

So let's make a pact together: during the coming year, let's get more fresh vegetables into our fridges, into our meals, and into our mouths! This is the kind of change we can all benefit from.