NUTRITION REPORT
BY BILL GOTTLIEB
Plant Power Answering patients’ questions about plant-based eating
At a Glance •
A plant-based diet is strongly associated with reductions in disease risk and severity across the spectrum of human illness.
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A plant-based diet is not necessarily a vegetarian or vegan diet.
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People can get plenty of protein from plant-based foods.
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Small changes can make a big difference.
What do you say to a patient who asks you why they should eat a plantbased diet? For one clinician, the answer is simple: Why not? “A plant-based diet is strongly associated with reductions of disease risk and severity across the spectrum of human illness,” says Joshua Levitt, ND, a naturopathic doctor in Hamden, Connecticut, and a clinical preceptor for the Yale School of Medicine. Here is a partial list of the benefits: • Plant foods deliver a bounty of phytonutrients (compounds that research suggests improve the health of cells, organs, and bodily systems), vitamins, minerals, and fiber. • A plant-based diet decreases chronic inflammation, which may lower the risk of osteoarthritis, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and many other conditions triggered by inflammation. • It improves the composition of gut microbiota—the trillions of friendly and unfriendly bacteria that live in the digestive tract. A healthier gut microbiota has been linked to better digestion, stronger immunity, and improved mood.
CONVENIENT CARE CLINICIAN
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APRIL/MAY 2022
5/10/22 10:12 PM
