Step Up To The Plate
The Perfect Diet: We are all different and we all have different health needs & goals. And, while there is no perfect diet, we should all eat in a way that prevents, reverses and supports disease management. Meals can either optimize & energize our bodies’ healing power or they can fuel a path towards sickness.
Talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian to learn more about meals that meet your health needs & goals.
If you are concerned with any of the diagnoses below, please consider learning more about foods that can improve your health.
High Blood Pressure:
The DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is a healthy eating plan designed to help improve high blood pressure. It emphasizes fruits, vegetables and whole grains, while also including lean proteins, low-fat dairy and healthy (plant-based) fats. The DASH diet also limits saturated (animal-based foods) and trans fats (animal-based/industrial ingredients), added refined sugars and sodium.
Heart / Vascular Diseases: (e.g., Coronary Artery Disease, Coronary Heart Diseases, Atherosclerosis)
The Ornish Diet, developed by Dr. Dean Ornish, is a low-fat, plant-based diet primarily designed to reverse coronary artery disease and improve overall health. It emphasizes whole, unprocessed plant foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes (e.g., beans, lentils) while significantly limiting animal-based food products, refined carbohydrates (e.g., refined sugar, white flour) and added fats.
Type 2 Diabetes:
Traditional Mediterranean Diet can help to improve a person’s Type 2 Diabetes. The emphasis is to eat a traditional mediterranean diet that is low in saturated fats (animal-based foods) & refined carbohydrates (e.g., sugar, white flour).
Dementia:
MIND Diet (Mediterranean-DASH Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay): The MIND diet, a dietary pattern focused on brain health, has shown significant promise in slowing cognitive decline and reducing the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Studies indicate that strict adherence to the diet can lower the risk of Alzheimer's by 53%, while moderate adherence can still reduce the odds by 35%.
High Cholesterol/High Triglycerides:
DASH diet, Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes (TLC) diet, Traditional Mediterranean diet and vegan / plant-based unprocessed diet can help to improve cholesterol & triglyceride blood values. These diets focus on reducing saturated and trans fats, increasing soluble fiber intake and limiting dietary cholesterol.
Cancer:
While not all cancers are preventable, people who eat eat vegan / plant-based meals have a lower occurrence of cancer diagnoses. Plants are loaded with phytochemicals (a.k.a. phytonutrients). These natural plant compounds have been shown to help prevent cancer. Such dietary changes are also recommended for patients with cancer diagnoses.
Obesity:
Some basic dietary approaches that can help with weight-loss are:
Calorie Density Approach: Emphasizes eating foods with low calorie density (calories per pound), which allows for larger portions with fewer calories.
High-Volume Eating: Prioritizes high-fiber foods that are filling & take up more space in the stomach, helping you feel full while consuming fewer calories.
Intermittent Fasting: Involves cycling between periods of eating and fasting, focusing on whole foods &, plant-based meals during eating windows.
Low-Fat, Whole Food Plant-Based: Minimizes the intake of dietary fats, particularly from oils & saturated fats, focusing on unprocessed or minimally processed foods.
Balanced Macro Approach: Balances carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in each meal, while ensuring the majority of the meals are plant-based and whole foods. Balances will vary due to lifestyles; however, none should be restricted.
Portion-Controlled Eating: Emphasizes eating smaller, controlled portions while choosing nutrient-dense, plant-based foods.
What’s on My Plate:
I want to lower all risks for all disease; so, to keep it simple, I choose to eat Whole-Food, Plant-Based meals. These diverse & colorful foods help me to maintain a healthy weight & keep me full of energy. They are easy to prepare & delicious.
Step Up To Your Plate and choose meals that can prevent, heal & energize your body.