HEALTH + WELLNESS
Despite overwhelming data, Americans do not seem to be getting the
message. Americans are in a worsening state of poor health. Two-thirds
are overweight, and half of them are
plagued by chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and
cancer. Almost 400 million individuals
are living with type 2 diabetes, and
with current trends it is estimated
that the number will reach 600 million by 2035. The Mayo Clinic estimates that 70 percent of Americans
take at least one prescription drug to
manage a chronic disease. Research
shows that these diseases not only are
preventable, but they are reversible
with dietary changes implementing
a whole foods, plant-based diet. The
evidence supports this, yet Americans
have been slow to adopt the recommended changes given the confusion
introduced by food and pharmaceutical corporations as well as the medical field, touted as the catalysts for
disease prevention. In fact, it seems the
Standard American Diet (SAD) is not
only “sad,” but also worse than previously thought. A 2010 report from the
National Cancer Institute showed that
three out of four Americans do not
eat a single piece of fruit in a given
day, and nine out of ten don’t reach
the minimum recommended intake
of vegetables. Even worse, 95 percent
of Americans get over 25 percent of
their daily calories from junk food in
the form of sodas and processed foods
high in sugar, fat and salt.
A whole foods, plant-based diet is
comprised mostly of fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains.
Plant-based diets allow for modest
amounts of fish and lean meats. The
diet is based on the principles of a
Mediterranean and anti-inflammatory
diet. There are a number of reasons
to adopt a whole foods, plant-based
diet. By eliminating processed foods
and slashing animal products, most
individuals achieve ideal weight.
A study from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found
that meat consumption was associated with central obesity in US adults.
Those who consume meat typically
take in an average of 700 calories
more per day. Of those adults, 27
percent were more likely to be obese
and 33 percent of them had central
obesity and visceral fat, which is associated with inflammation and a number of chronic diseases including heart
disease and type 2 diabetes.
More importantly, this diet has been
shown to reverse heart disease.
Dean Ornish, MD is the founder and
FALL 2016
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