Is going plant-based a trend?
If you’ve been on my website, then you might have already seen this post, but I feel it’s an important one. Scientific research is the foundation of most medical recommendations I make and when someone asks me my “opinion“ on something, I try to base it on fact rather than on opinion. Sometimes, it’s ok to say that you don’t have enough knowledge on a particular subject and therefore can’t give a good answer. That’s why we have specialists, physio, massage therapists, etc. But as a doctor, I’ve pretended to know everything about nutrition for too long. Ten years ago, when someone asked me my opinion about turmeric, that’s exactly what I gave them, an opinion. Why would anyone even care about my opinion if it wasn’t based on the latest scientific evidence? Back then it wasn’t. I decided to start learning more about nutritional science out of necessity. Me and my family had health issues that modern medicine couldn’t seem to cure. I embarked on a journey that has become my life for the last 8 years...
Have you ever wondered why your doctor tends to recommend medications as a first line therapy for most of the issues you have? Have you ever asked him about his views or opinions regarding certain foods, or diets? Were you satisfied with the answer? Why would you care about his "opinion" when there's clear scientific data that answers all these questions.
Here's the thing. Medical doctors trained in modern medicine get almost no formal training in nutrition. Don't get me wrong, we are very well educated in diagnosing and treating medical conditions, but preventing them, that's another thing.
Did you know that most of our top killers are chronic medical conditions that can be mostly or partly prevented. In certain parts of the world, cardiovascular disease which include strokes and heart attacks, are rare, and in others, non-existent. In the western world eating a standard western diet, they are rampant. Same thing with many cancers, and diabetes, and hypertension, and...
Did you ever think that maybe eating habits are what run in families, instead of heart disease? The science shows that genes account for 10-20% of disease risk at the most. Lifestyle choices account for the rest. There has been an exponential increase in the amount of nutrition studies being published annually, and questions regarding the best diet for health and longevity aren't a matter of opinion anymore, but rather of expert consensus and scientific proof. Data doesn't lie and doesn't take opinions into account. For those unaware of the data, all the studies point towards a whole food plant-based diet.
For those of you who still aren't convinced, please consider researching reliable sites like PUBMED.gov where scientific studies published in the medical literature are available for review. I strongly recommend you read the following landmark studies on nutrition and health outcomes: The China Study, The Adventist Health Studies, Epic-Oxford. Also, consider navigating through nutritionfacts.org for the latest in nutrition research. If you're more the movie-documentary type, consider watching classics in the plant-based movement, like Forks Over Knives, What The Health, Cowspiracy, Seaspiracy, The Game Changers and Vegucated among many more.
Check out these resources, I'm confident these resources will help motivate, educate and kick start your plant-based transition. In no time, you'll notice your health improving, just like the science said...
So the science is clear... A well planned whole food plant-based diet is the best way to ensure optimal physical and mental health as well as longevity. In 2019, Canada made a controversial announcement. They presented us with their latest Canada Food Guide. How can a food guide be controversial? By listening to nutrition experts, scientific data coming from over 100 systematic reviews on food topics and listening to the best balance of evidence while ignoring lobbyists, industry-commissioned reports and big corporations wanting to push their products, that's how. Experts finally removed the Dairy food group, and made water the drink of choice. Then they removed the Meat food group and replaced it with a Proteinfood group encouraging more plant-based sources of protein. They encouraged eating the rainbow, referring to eating a variety of colors of fruits and veggies, understanding that the colors are the vitamins and antioxidants. Go Canada!
By ignoring food companies, commodity groups and lobbying boards, Health Canada based their recommendations on the most up-to-date science available at the time. That's exactly how all health recommendations should be made, according to science, period. No industry influence, no marketing, no products to sell, just science.
Check out my website plantbaseddrjules.com and look for the “How To” section in the menu. There, you’ll find tips and tricks that helped me on my journey towards a plant-predominant diet. Everything there is completely free, no catches! If you're looking for quick, easy and healthy plant-based recipes, check out plantbaseddrjules.com and download my free recipe eBook!
Look for me on the socials, @plantbased_dr_jules on Instagram and go like my Facebook Page, Plant-based Dr. Jules. If you’re looking for some fitness motivation and are curious to see what a plant-based athlete can accomplish, follow me, @maritimeninja, on my fitness account on Instagram or check out my fitness group on Facebook, called Maritime Ninja Warrior. I'm a two-time world championship qualified athlete and you can follow my fitness journey there! You can even access the resources section by becoming a member. It's free and there, you can download free resources like my plant-based recipe eBook!
You also check out my YouTube channel here for more tips and tricks on how to embark on a plant-based journey!
Thanks so much for reading!
Plant-Based Dr. Jules 💚🌱
