Dr.Alok Purohit (PhD), Health Coach, Diabetes & Obesty educator

Chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer are major causes of death and disability worldwide. While conventional medicine focuses on managing these conditions through medication and surgery, an increasing body of research suggests that a whole food plant-based diet can help reverse and even prevent chronic diseases. In this essay, we will explore the evidence supporting a whole food plant-based diet for chronic disease reversal.

A whole food plant-based diet is based on whole, minimally processed foods derived from plants such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. It excludes all animal products and highly processed foods. Studies have consistently shown that a whole food plant-based diet can lead to significant improvements in health outcomes.

Heart disease, the leading cause of death worldwide, is strongly linked to diet and lifestyle factors. A whole food plant-based diet has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and can even reverse it. In a study conducted by Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr. at the Cleveland Clinic, 198 patients with advanced heart disease were put on a whole food plant-based diet. After five years, 177 of the patients had no further cardiac events, while the remaining 21 patients had a total of 28 cardiac events.

Diabetes, another chronic disease that affects millions of people worldwide, is also strongly linked to diet and lifestyle factors. A whole food plant-based diet can help reverse type 2 diabetes and reduce the need for medication. In a study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, participants with type 2 diabetes were put on a low-fat, plant-based diet for 22 weeks. By the end of the study, 43% of the participants had reduced their diabetes medication dosage, while 26% had stopped taking medication altogether.

Cancer, a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth, is also linked to diet and lifestyle factors. A whole food plant-based diet has been shown to reduce the risk of several types of cancer, including breast, prostate, and colon cancer. In a study published in the Journal of Urology, men with early-stage prostate cancer were put on a low-fat, plant-based diet. After one year, the participants’ PSA levels (a marker for prostate cancer) had decreased by an average of 4%, while in the control group, PSA levels had increased by an average of 6%.

In addition to these specific examples, there is a growing body of evidence supporting the use of a whole food plant-based diet for the prevention and reversal of chronic diseases. A study published in the Journal of Geriatric Cardiology found that a whole food plant-based diet can reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases and increase life expectancy. Other studies have found that a whole food plant-based diet can improve gut health, reduce inflammation, and improve mental health.

A whole food plant-based diet can help reverse and even prevent chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. By focusing on whole, minimally processed foods derived from plants, this diet can improve health outcomes and reduce the need for medication and surgery. As more people become aware of the benefits of a whole food plant-based diet, it is likely that it will become increasingly popular as a means of promoting optimal health.

Visit https://www.alokpurohit.com/  and/or write to us on alokpurohit.com@gmail.com for once in a lifetime, personalized health and life coaching which can help you learn more about your lifestyle conditions, reduce stress and anxiety through non medicinal, preventive/corrective lifestyle interventions.

References:

• Esselstyn Jr, C. B. (2014). Updating a 12-year experience with arrest and reversal therapy for coronary heart disease (an overdue requiem for palliative cardiology). American journal of cardiology, 114(9), 1367-1370.
• Barnard, N. D., Cohen, J., Jenkins, D. J., Turner-McGrievy, G., Gloede, L., Jaster, B., & Seidl, K. (2006). A