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Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Helping Patients Kick the Meat Habit

Usually, I don't tell my patients that I'm a vegan. However, I do tell them to cut out meat from their diets. I recommend more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and suggest that they use meat-like foods such as veggie burgers instead.

One patient today explained that the next time he sees me he'll be making loud "baaaa"ing noises because he'll be a goat from "eating so much grass".

At least I got my point across.

3 comments:

Dreena said...

If only more doctors had your point of view to get across! It's wonderful that you promote healthier eating.

My father-in-law changed his diet overnight after he had a heart attack and his cardiologist told him that if he wanted to prevent future heart disease he needed to eat a vegetarian diet (and recommended Dr. Dean Ornish's program for reversing heart disease). Anyhow, my husband and I had already been vegan for years but it took this health crisis and a doctor 'saying so', for thim and his wife to make dietary and lifestyle (exercise/stress reduction) changes.

Anyhow, thank you for getting the good word out... funny patient though! :)

VeganHeartDoc said...

Dreena, thanks for the comment! You write terrific books... I'm seriously not worthy :)

lonna said...

After my dad had open heart surgery, his cardiologist told him to change his diet. My dad told the doctor that I was a vegan and that I could help him cut cholesterol. The doctor looked right at him and told him that he should be eating like me. A vegan diet would do him good. Then later the doctor backed down. I think that he realized that my dad was nowhere near being able to do it. The last suggestion was that my dad go on the South Beach diet which made me so angry. He certainly needs to focus on unrefined carbohyrdrates, but he doesn't need all that animal protein. So many doctors really don't know that much about nutrition. Your patients are lucky to have you.