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Welcome to Plant-Based Diets in Medicine. While there are many individual research reports relevant to the application of plant-based diets to treat and prevent disease, scattered throughout published journals, here we will be collecting them all together in one place. In addition, we point out what we think is most relevant for your patients and practice. You’ll also find some clinical pearls and postings of interviews of your fellow practitioners on this site.

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This project is sponsored by the non profit Vegetarians of Washington. It is entirely funded by your donations.  We need support to apply for CMEs for our Medical Seminar, and to cover Author Publishing Charges when submitting articles to peer reviewed medical journals.  If you support this project, please consider making a tax-deductible donation. Vegetarians of Washington is a 501(c)3 organization, registered in the state of Washington.
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Chronic Kidney Disease – A plant-based diet prevents and treats CKD

Printable version: Chronic Kidney Disease – full article

Abstract

Interest in the dietary treatment of chronic kidney disease has been growing as its incidence has been increasing. Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is now the 8th leading cause of death in the United States and its treatment consumes substantial amounts of medical resources and money.

Several lines of epidemiological research have shown a lower risk of chronic kidney disease among vegetarians. It also shows a substantially increased risk among omnivores, especially those who eat red and processed meats.

Although the practice started long ago, research on the use of a low-protein plant-based diet to treat chronic kidney disease diet has intensified in recent years. This research has shown that a low-protein vegetarian diet is safe and efficacious at both treating and slowing the progression of chronic kidney disease.

Treatment with a low-protein vegetarian diet, often supplemented with keto analogues, has been shown to reduce acidosis, phosphotemia, uremia, proteinuria and to slow progression. Research shows that this treatment does not result in malnutrition. Research has also shown that larger amounts of plant protein than animal protein can be consumed, without deleterious effects.

Treatment with a low protein vegetarian diet also has the advantage of preventing and treating common comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease.

Continue reading →

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Ensuring adequate vitamin B12 status for patients on a plant-based diet

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin that is naturally present in animal-derived foods. It is added to others and is available as a dietary supplement and a prescription medication. Vitamin B12 exists in several forms and contains the mineral cobalt, (1, 2, 3, 4) so compounds with vitamin B12 activity are collectively called “cobalamins”. Methylcobalamin and 5-deoxyadenosylcobalamin are the forms of vitamin B12 that are active in human metabolism. (5) Continue reading →

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3rd Annual Vegfest Medical Seminar

Prevention and Treatment of Disease with a Plant-Based Diet

was held on Saturday, April 7, 2018, Time: 6:30pm – 9pm

at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall  on Mercer Street, Seattle.

Given by medical doctors, for the benefit of medical doctors and medical students.

Videos of the talks given at this seminar are now available.  Click on each title in the Schedule below to see an individual talk, or click on the video link below the Schedule to see the whole seminar.

This year’s speakers included:

  • Dr Helmuth Fritz – Internal Medicine
  • Dr Chan Hwang  – Physiatrist
  • Dr George Lee – Family Medicine
  • Dr Uma Krishnan – Cardiologist
  • Dr Uma Malhotra – Infectious Disease
  • Dr F Patricia McEachrane-Gross – Preventative & Family Medicine
  • Dr Mythili Ramachandran – Internal Medicine
  • Dr Andrea Veatch – Oncologist

See Speaker Bios

See List of Supporting Physicians

Schedule of events:

Time Speaker Title
6:50 – 7:00pm Amanda Strombom, President, Vegetarians of Washington Introduction
7:00 – 7:15pm Dr Uma Krishnan, Cardiologist Coronary Artery Disease and Hypercholesterolemia
7:15 – 7:30pm Dr Mythili Ramachandran, Internal Medicine Type II Diabetes
7:30 – 7:45pm Dr Andrea Veatch, Oncologist Prostate Cancer
7:45 – 8:00pm Dr George Lee, Family Medicine Colon Cancer
8:00 – 8:15pm Dr Chan Hwang, Physiatrist Crohn’s Disease and Rheumatoid Arthritis
8:15 – 8:30pm Dr Helmuth Fritz, Internal Medicine Chronic Kidney Disease
8:30 – 8:45pm Dr Uma Malhotra, Infectious Disease Antibiotic Resistance and Zoonoses
8:45 – 9:00pm Dr F Patricia McEachrane-Gross, Preventive and Family Medicine Plant-Based Diets in Clinical Practice

 

Video of complete seminar:

 

 

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of the Washington State Medical Association and Vegetarians of Washington. The WSMA is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

The WSMA designates this live activity for a maximum of 2 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™.  Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

This activity meets the criteria for up to 2 hours of Category I CME credit to satisfy the relicensure requirements of the Washington State Medical Quality Assurance Commission.

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The Prevention and Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus with a Plant-Based Diet – published

We are delighted to announce that our comprehensive review article on the prevention and treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus with a Plant-Based Diet was recently published in the peer-reviewed Endocrinology and Metabolism International Journal.

Here’s the published article as a pdf.

Review Article

The Prevention and Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus with a Plant-Based Diet

Continue reading →

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Open Letter to Editor, JACC

Open Letter To the Editor-in-Chief, Journal of the American College of Cardiology

October 27, 2017

 

Dear Dr. Fuster,

In your recent update to the Expert Consensus Decision Pathway, (1) no specific mention was made of a safe and efficacious non-statin therapy, the plant-based diet.

Vegetarian and vegan diets can be very efficacious in reducing serum cholesterol and, importantly, LDL. Studies have shown that those following a plant-based diet have significantly lower total cholesterol and LDL levels. (2)
Continue reading →

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Colon Cancer Prevention with a Plant-Based Diet

This article is also available in printable pdf form: Colon Cancer Prevention with a Plant-Based Diet

I. Executive Summary

It has long been known that vegetarians have a substantially reduced risk of colon cancer. Several studies have shown that vegetarians have a reduced risk of colon cancer of 46%-88%, and, as might be expected, a 54% reduced risk of colon adenoma, plus a 200% reduced risk of advanced adenoma. Vegetarians also have a lower prevalence of risk factors for colon cancer. These include a much lower risk of hyperinsulinemia secondary to metabolic syndrome, lower risk of obesity, and a much lower risk of Crohn’s disease. Vegetarians also have lower levels of CRP (cardio reactive protein) indicating a lower inflammatory status. This has also been correlated with a better prognosis for colon cancer.

Continue reading →

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Published in Endocrine Practice

This is a letter we just had to write. We sent a fully documented Letter to Editor of Endocrine Practice Journal, concerning a published algorithm for the treatment of Type II Diabetes. We were delighted that our letter was published – see Published Letter to Endocrine Practice – in their June 2017 issue, along with a Response from authors of the algorithm.

Continue reading →