In the summer of 2016 I was chugging through my final year of medical school at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. I had entered medical school in 2013, knowing that I would eventually want a medical practice that focused on plant based nutrition. However, until I worked with Dr. John McDougall during one of his 10 day live-in programs in Santa Rosa, California, I didn’t know exactly what my future practice would look like.
It was amazing to see him speak but even better was to see him with patients. We saw the chronic disease gamut; hypertension, diabetes, obesity, arthritis, and more. People desperate for change, desperate to get well.
I was already on the plant based bandwagon before heading to Santa Rosa. I was well aware of the benefit to our earth and to animals. I also knew that eating plant based meant a healthier body and more active, healthy life. But the really amazing thing was - I got to see it with my own eyes! I saw most of the 40-ish patients lose weight on a starch-centered whole food plant based diet without calorie counting or portion control. I saw several patients with diabetes reduce their insulin dose or remove diabetic medications all together. I saw patients with hypertension reduce or eliminate blood pressure medications. Several patients with crippling arthritis had improvement in their pain. And the kicker? My own LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) dropped by 20 points in 10 days.
For once, I was able to see patients with chronic disease GET WELL. And the best part? They were not suffering! They were not hungry. They were not begging for bacon or burgers. In fact, they loved the food. The buffet was served three times a day and I know I wasn’t the only one going back for seconds (and sometimes thirds…). In addition, there was a snack room for in-between meals or late night munchies. All the yummy guilt free food you could eat. Although I had been eating plant based prior to the program, I wasn’t completely free of “vegan junk food” and added oils in my diet. After 10 days of eating this way, I felt amazing.
Fast forward to 2020. I’ve graduated from medical school and am in my final year of residency in family medicine. Before graduating, I’ll be headed back to Santa Rosa, California. Only this time I’ll be working at the True North Health Center to learn more about plant based nutrition and fasting from other movers and shakers in the plant based movement.