Team of researchers promote a whole-foods and plant-based diet

March 24, 2015 8:34am | By Natasha Tripathi

A team of researchers at the Preventive Medicine Research Institute recently found that what consumers gain from eating healthier is much more than what they give up.

According to his article in The New York Times, Dean Ornish, a clinical professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco and founder of the institute, and colleagues conducted clinical research proving the many benefits of a whole-foods and plant-based diet as an antidote toward helping chronic diseases.

Their study showed many more benefits for health than just reducing risk factors on cholesterol.

Recently, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee cited research that dietary cholesterol is not a vital factor in blood cholesterol levels when revoking recommendations to control and regulate consumption.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, Americans consumed 67 percent more added fat, 39 percent more sugar and 41 percent more meat in 2000 than they had in 1950 and 24.5 percent more calories than they had in 1970.

“Not surprisingly, we are fatter and unhealthier,” Ornish wrote in his article.

Research by the Harvard School of Public Health in 2012 shows that animal protein may increase the risk of premature mortality in forms of cardiovascular disease, cancer and Type 2 diabetes.

Although the study said the data regarding a relationship with mortality remains uncertain, a consumption of saturated fat and trans fats may increase the development of Alzheimer’s disease.

“Our interventions also included stress management techniques, moderate exercise, like walking, and social support,” Ornish said in his article.

Research by Ornish and colleagues at the Preventive Medicine Research Institute used random and controlled trials to show that diet and lifestyle changes positively effect severe coronary heart disease by reversing progression.

The study shows that blood flow to the heart improved by over 300 percent.

“In addition, what’s good for you is good for our planet,” Ornish wrote in the article.

The production of livestock disrupts the climate, according to Ornish.

Long term effects of a whole-foods and plant-based diet may also alter genes and keep consumers healthy by turning off genes that promote disease, and may even lengthen the ends of our chromosomes that control aging.

Natasha Tripathi is a School of Arts and Sciences junior double majoring in journalism and media studies and painting and minoring in political science. She is an Associate News Editor at The Daily Targum. Follow her on Twitter @natashatripathi for more stories.

Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.

Disqus

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Targum.