Health benefits of a wholefoods plant-based diet

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Ben
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Health benefits of a wholefoods plant-based diet

Post by Ben »

There appears to be a growing body of clinical evidence of the health promoting benefits of a wholefoods plant-based (vegan) diet. Last night I watched the documentary "Forks over knives":

FORKS OVER KNIVES examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting our present menu of animal-based and processed foods. The major storyline in the film traces the personal journeys of a pair of pioneering yet under-appreciated researchers, Dr. T. Colin Campbell and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn.
Highly recommended!
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

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Jhana4
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Re: Health benefits of a wholefoods plant-based diet

Post by Jhana4 »

You can watch this documentary on hulu.com for free ( legally )
http://www.hulu.com/watch/279734
In reading the scriptures, there are two kinds of mistakes:
One mistake is to cling to the literal text and miss the inner principles.
The second mistake is to recognize the principles but not apply them to your own mind, so that you waste time and just make them into causes of entanglement.
Derek
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Re: Health benefits of a wholefoods plant-based diet

Post by Derek »

For those of you who appreciate papers from peer-reviewed journals, here's a couple from Dr. David Jenkins of the University of Toronto:

David J. A. Jenkins, MD; Julia M. W. Wong, RD; Cyril W. C. Kendall, PhD; Amin Esfahani, MSc; Vivian W. Y. Ng, RD; Tracy C. K. Leong, BASc; Dorothea A. Faulkner, PhD; Ed Vidgen, BSc; Kathryn A. Greaves, PhD; Gregory Paul, PhD; William Singer, MD. "The Effect of a Plant-Based Low-Carbohydrate ('Eco-Atkins') Diet on Body Weight and Blood Lipid Concentrations in Hyperlipidemic Subjects." Arch. Intern. Med., 2009, vol. 169, no. 11, pp. 1046-1054.

http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article ... eid=415074

Jenkins DJ, Kendall CW, Popovich DG, Vidgen E, Mehling CC, Vuksan V, Ransom TP, Rao AV, Rosenberg-Zand R, Tariq N, Corey P, Jones PJ, Raeini M, Story JA, Furumoto EJ, Illingworth DR, Pappu AS, Connelly PW. "Effect of a very-high-fiber vegetable, fruit, and nut diet on serum lipids and colonic function." Metabolism, 2001 April, vol. 50, no. 4, pp. 494-503.

http://www.vegsource.com/nuts/jenkins.pdf
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Mkoll
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Re: Health benefits of a wholefoods plant-based diet

Post by Mkoll »

Friends,

Thank you for the link, Ben. That is a well done documentary and I would also recommend Food, Inc. for those interested in the industrial side of food in addition to nutrition as well. You can rent it online for a few dollars.

In terms of peer reviewed studies, here is a website I have found very informative. It is run by an MD who cites peer-reviewed sources in all of his claims. He advocates a plant-based, whole foods diet with a few select supplements essential to health.

I think that eating what gives one energy rather than tiredness and what one feels good about rather than guilty is important. Food definitely affects one's practice according to the suttas because monks only eat within a prescribed time.

:anjali:

James
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Ben
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Re: Health benefits of a wholefoods plant-based diet

Post by Ben »

Mkoll wrote:Friends,

Thank you for the link, Ben. That is a well done documentary and I would also recommend Food, Inc. for those interested in the industrial side of food in addition to nutrition as well. You can rent it online for a few dollars.

In terms of peer reviewed studies, here is a website I have found very informative. It is run by an MD who cites peer-reviewed sources in all of his claims. He advocates a plant-based, whole foods diet with a few select supplements essential to health.

I think that eating what gives one energy rather than tiredness and what one feels good about rather than guilty is important. Food definitely affects one's practice according to the suttas because monks only eat within a prescribed time.

:anjali:

James
Thanks James.
Nutritionfacts.org is actually my 'go to' source for information on nutrition.
It is a fantastic public service.
kind regards,

Ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

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mirco
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Re: Health benefits of a wholefoods plant-based diet

Post by mirco »




Now, then I want to take up the cudgels for Wolf-Dieter Storl.
His work convinced me of the natural need of a wholefoods plant-based diet.

:bow:
sphairos
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Re: Health benefits of a wholefoods plant-based diet

Post by sphairos »

In order to be a healthy vegetarian you should always be in contact with your doctors - "it is the position of the American Dietetic Association":

"It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and for athletes.
...
The variability of dietary practices among vegetarians makes individual assessment of dietary adequacy essential. In addition to assessing dietary adequacy, food and nutrition professionals can also play key roles in educating vegetarians about sources of specific nutrients, food purchase and preparation, and dietary modifications to meet their needs."

http://www.eatright.org/About/Content.aspx?id=8357
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Justsit
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Re: Health benefits of a wholefoods plant-based diet

Post by Justsit »

Actually, the ADA article mentions consulting food and dietetic professionals - nothing about "doctors." In the US most family doctors know very little about nutrition in general, and even less about how to eat healthily as a vegetarian or vegan. If you are going to spend $ on diet counseling, you will be better off seeing a dietitian or nutritionist, preferably one who is already vegetarian him/herself.

If you eat a balanced vegetarian diet with a variety of REAL foods, avoid the usual culprits, you should be fine. Do your research and use common sense.
sphairos
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Re: Health benefits of a wholefoods plant-based diet

Post by sphairos »

Dieticians and nutritionist are health care professionals. All health care professionals - at least formally - are doctors/physicians (with an exception to less qualified personnel, like nurses). In most of the world a dietician is in the first place a doctor/physician.
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Justsit
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Re: Health benefits of a wholefoods plant-based diet

Post by Justsit »

sphairos wrote:Dieticians and nutritionist are health care professionals. All health care professionals - at least formally - are doctors/physicians (with an exception to less qualified personnel, like nurses). In most of the world a dietician is in the first place a doctor/physician.
Great, I learned something new!
Definitely not the case in USA.
sphairos
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Re: Health benefits of a wholefoods plant-based diet

Post by sphairos »

Justsit wrote:
sphairos wrote:Dieticians and nutritionist are health care professionals. All health care professionals - at least formally - are doctors/physicians (with an exception to less qualified personnel, like nurses). In most of the world a dietician is in the first place a doctor/physician.
Great, I learned something new!
Definitely not the case in USA.
Interesting, didn't know that. Anyway: then you should always be in contact with your health care providers.
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mirco
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Re: Health benefits of a wholefoods plant-based diet

Post by mirco »

sphairos wrote:Dieticians and nutritionist are health care professionals. All health care professionals - at least formally - are doctors/physicians (with an exception to less qualified personnel, like nurses). In most of the world a dietician is in the first place a doctor/physician.
Which in the first place qualifies almost all of them not to know a thing about what is healthy.
sphairos
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Re: Health benefits of a wholefoods plant-based diet

Post by sphairos »

mirco wrote:
sphairos wrote:Dieticians and nutritionist are health care professionals. All health care professionals - at least formally - are doctors/physicians (with an exception to less qualified personnel, like nurses). In most of the world a dietician is in the first place a doctor/physician.
Which in the first place qualifies almost all of them not to know a thing about what is healthy.
Of course, of course :D
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Ben
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Re: Health benefits of a wholefoods plant-based diet

Post by Ben »

sphairos wrote:In order to be a healthy vegetarian you should always be in contact with your doctors - "it is the position of the American Dietetic Association":

"It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and for athletes.
...
The variability of dietary practices among vegetarians makes individual assessment of dietary adequacy essential. In addition to assessing dietary adequacy, food and nutrition professionals can also play key roles in educating vegetarians about sources of specific nutrients, food purchase and preparation, and dietary modifications to meet their needs."

http://www.eatright.org/About/Content.aspx?id=8357
Ironic, really.

http://nutritionfacts.org/video/uprooti ... -of-death/

http://nutritionfacts.org/video/fast-fo ... t-lipitor/
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725

Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global ReliefUNHCR

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dagon
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Re: Health benefits of a wholefoods plant-based diet

Post by dagon »

Hi Ben and All

I hope that you don’t mind me drifting the thread a bit.

What is your take on the raw food/cooked food debate; benefits and otherwise in relation to vegetarian and vegan diets.

Metta
paul
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