I’m a GP who has switched to a vegan diet – this is why I would recommend it to my patients I quickly realised the health benefits of a plant-based diet. I lost weight and I had more energy

I became a GP in 2015 after six years of postgraduate training and five years of medical school. I became vegan just over two years ago, but the decision had nothing to do with being a doctor. In fact, my 11 years of medical education covered very little in the way of nutrition. My transition was for ethical reasons which were instilled in me from a young age.

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After making the change, I quickly realised the health benefits of a plant-based diet. I lost weight, had more energy and felt more emotionally balanced. I attribute the improved mental health to eating in a mindful way. Being aware of what you are consuming and knowing that it hasn’t resulted from pain and death can be very liberating.

I started a Facebook group for vegan doctors which now has over 200 members. Although we’re probably the only UK doctors prescribing this for the prevention and reversal of many chronic diseases such as high cholesterol, hypertension and heart disease, we aren’t alone in advising of its safety.

More education on nutrition

The British Dietetic Association (BDA) has recommended that a well-planned vegan diet is safe for people of all ages, even children. Yet in my experience, many clinicians are still opposed to the vegan way of life, or at least unaware of all of the health benefits of it.

Medical students and doctors should be provided with more nutrition education and made aware of the growing evidence base for using a plant-based diet to treat conditions like Type 2 Diabetes and heart disease. We could even be helping our patients to avoid obesity, cancer and cardiovascular diseases by adopting a vegan diet before they become unwell.

A healthy vegan diet

The most healthy vegan diet is Whole Food Plant-Based (WFPB), which includes whole grains, legumes and vegetables, avoidance of processed foods, meat and dairy, and as little oil as possible. I don’t follow a WFPB diet, but I do ensure that I eat a plentiful supply of whole grains, legumes, beans, vegetables and fruits. I usually have these alongside vegan ‘junk-foods’ like fishless fingers, soya sausages or seitan burgers, and a glass of (vegan) wine.

I’m satisfied my diet includes everything I need except for vitamin B12. I advise every vegan to supplement with B12 because this is the only nutrient which can’t be obtained from plants.

I also take vitamin D every day, but this has nothing to do with veganism – it’s just because I live in the cold, cloudy UK. I also take omega-3 and iodine supplements, although it’s possible to obtain these from a carefully planned vegan diet, with foods such as flaxseed and seaweed.

The change doesn’t have to be sudden or extreme

I often recommend a plant-based diet to my patients, particularly if they come looking for advice on how to manage their raised blood pressure, weight or cholesterol without the use of medication.

It isn’t easy to change your way of life. I went from being vegetarian to vegan, so it wasn’t that difficult a transition for me. But if I’m seeing somebody who is eating an unhealthy diet which is heavy in meat and dairy then I suggest they try being vegan one or two days per week, or just cut out red and processed meat first, then eliminate dairy, eggs and white meat next.

Every little helps

The change doesn’t have to be sudden and extreme. Every little helps, and just reducing your consumption of animal proteins can be beneficial for your health. But I have had some success stories with patients who went all the way, transitioning to fully vegan, who couldn’t believe just how good they felt after only a few weeks.

Apart from B12, there isn’t any nutrient that can’t be obtained from plants. Even protein, although many omnivores will have you believe otherwise. Plants are made from proteins so vegans still get a plentiful supply and most of the UK population is already consuming more than the recommended daily intake.

A well-planned, vegan diet is very healthy, with a wealth of scientific evidence to suggest it can help prevent cardiovascular disease, obesity and cancer. But it also feels great to know that your lifestyle can reduce the harm that comes to animals and the environment. I know that I’ll be vegan for the rest of my life, and I will be continuing to recommend it to anybody who would like to make positive changes.

Dr Rebecca Jones is a UK General Practitioner, an ethical vegan and health writer at The Vegan Doctor / @the_vegan_doc