Episode 51: Whole-Food Plant-Based Diet And Obesity

Whole-Food Plant-Based Diet And Obesity

In today’s episode, we will be talking all about the “Whole-Food, Plant-Based Diet”. This diet has gained popularity over the last few years. Let’s take a deeper dive into how it plays a huge role in the overall health of the body, and practical ways to incorporate it into your lifestyle. Dr. Nisha Patel and Dr. Disha Narang join us to explain this further. Both Board-Certified in Obesity Medicine and are currently enrolled in the same Culinary Medicine program. They both are passionate about educating their patients on practical, sustainable, lifelong, healthful eating habits. Furthermore, they both firmly believe that food is indeed medicine and a healthy diet is crucial for a healthy life.

Key Learnings:

Tune in to this conversation with Doctors Nisha and Disha and learn:

• The distinguishing factors between a Vegan diet and Whole-Food, Plant-Based diet
• How it compares to other lifestyle choices
• Impact of a Whole-Food, Plant-Based diet plays on the insulin levels
• Which carbohydrates are good and which are bad
• Value in the preparation of healthy food (like vegetables) according to your own liking
• The importance of seeing these diets through personal perspective (background, culture, etc)
• Dr. Disha and Dr. Nisha’s opinions on the Plant-Based Keto diet
• How to be wise in picking/choosing healthy foods on the grocery store

Some Distinguishing Factors Between a Vegan Diet and a Whole-Food, Plant-Based Diet:

1. Veganism does not equal a whole-food, plant-based diet. 
2. Veganism is mostly done as a lifestyle, for ethical reasons, and now for environmental and health concerns.
3. Whole food plant-based diet incorporates a number of healthful whole foods that are minimally processed. 
4. Plant-based by itself does not mean that it’s healthful. You can be plant-based and be eating a number of different foods that are considered ultra-processed and unhealthful.

How People Should Approach Whole-Foods, Plant-Based Diet:

1. The way that we need to look at these diets is that they’re resources to becoming healthier.
2. The way to see the whole food, plant-based diet is that it is only one of the tools, for instance, for weight loss.

What Patients Should First Consider Before Going on a Whole-Foods, Plant-Based Diet:

• Culture, background
• Normal eating patterns, personal dietary choices
• Resources

Quotes:

Dr. Avishkar Sabharwal

“Plant-based does not necessarily mean it’s completely vegetarian or completely only plants, but it means predominantly plants.”

Dr. Disha Narang

“The earlier we introduce a diet higher in vegetables, the lower risk we have of developing Type 2 diabetes and obesity later in adulthood.”

“The more insulin your body requires, the more weight you gain.”

“When your brain is swimming around in high blood sugars, you feel tired, lethargic, and you can’t necessarily think properly. And then all of a sudden in normal blood sugars, people will feel more awake, they feel more energetic, they can exercise. It’s like a downstream effect of just making some minor changes immediately.”

Dr. Nisha Patel

“A healthy relationship with food is still key, because the last thing that we want our patients, or anyone for that matter, is to feel guilt.”

“Do not make any decisions based on front-of-package claims.”

“The issue with traditional diets, as our society defines it, is that they’re not sustainable in the long term.”

Links:

Episode 39- What Carbs Can I eat?

Dr. Nisha Patel: Blog, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter

Dr. Disha Narang: Website, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter

Thank you for listening to another episode of Decoding Obesity!