WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.520 --> 00:00:05.200 You're listening to the Plant Based Diet Podcast, where we 2 00:00:05.280 --> 00:00:08.439 talk about all things plant based. I'm mister Garfin, the 3 00:00:08.480 --> 00:00:11.439 host of this show and founder of Alternative Food Network. 4 00:00:11.800 --> 00:00:14.119 Join me in my amazing array of guests who are 5 00:00:14.119 --> 00:00:18.120 a mix of healthcare professionals, industry executives, and people with 6 00:00:18.199 --> 00:00:21.199 an interesting story to tell about their plant based journey. 7 00:00:21.600 --> 00:00:24.679 Let us help you with your journey wherever you're at 8 00:00:24.800 --> 00:00:27.320 to learn the what, why, and how to eat plant 9 00:00:27.359 --> 00:00:32.119 based The first half of today's episode is about the 10 00:00:32.240 --> 00:00:36.200 why of plant based eating from a health perspective. Chronic 11 00:00:36.240 --> 00:00:40.880 diseases like cardiovascular disease, type two diabetes, obesity, and certain 12 00:00:40.960 --> 00:00:43.920 cancers are on the rise globally, so I want to 13 00:00:43.920 --> 00:00:46.520 bring you the evidence that's out there with regards to 14 00:00:46.600 --> 00:00:49.840 plant based eating. The second half of the episode will 15 00:00:49.840 --> 00:00:53.079 help you with the how how best to incorporate plant 16 00:00:53.079 --> 00:00:55.759 based foods into your diet. To help me do this, 17 00:00:55.840 --> 00:00:59.200 I'm joined by Shitel Perik, who holds two Bachelor of 18 00:00:59.240 --> 00:01:03.759 Science degree and a Master of Dietetics and Nutrition. Stal 19 00:01:03.920 --> 00:01:07.480 is a corporate dietitian has written multiple plant based peer 20 00:01:07.519 --> 00:01:12.840 reviewed articles and blogs in nationally recognized professional magazines. She 21 00:01:13.000 --> 00:01:16.519 counsels patients on consuming plant based food for health and 22 00:01:16.599 --> 00:01:21.159 environmental wellbeing, and creates innovative plant based recipes that blend 23 00:01:21.200 --> 00:01:24.799 Eastern and Western cultures. In fact, if you subscribe to 24 00:01:24.840 --> 00:01:29.840 Alternative Food Networks free monthly newsletter at alternativefoodnetwork dot com, 25 00:01:30.120 --> 00:01:32.200 in the next issue, there's going to be a recipe 26 00:01:32.200 --> 00:01:35.760 from my guest for a chickpea massala curry with rice. 27 00:01:36.799 --> 00:01:39.760 As always, I appreciate you sharing this episode with others 28 00:01:39.799 --> 00:01:42.879 who could benefit from this information. And if you haven't 29 00:01:42.920 --> 00:01:46.359 already followed this series on Apple or Spotify or wherever 30 00:01:46.400 --> 00:01:49.879 you listen, please do so. This show is the answer 31 00:01:49.959 --> 00:01:53.760 to all of your questions about plant based eating as well. 32 00:01:53.799 --> 00:01:56.799 If you're curious about the topic of culinary medicine, which 33 00:01:56.840 --> 00:02:00.200 is a newer, evidence based field of medicine that blends 34 00:02:00.200 --> 00:02:02.319 the art of food and cooking with the science of 35 00:02:02.400 --> 00:02:05.400 medicine to prevent a treat disease, I encourage you to 36 00:02:05.400 --> 00:02:08.960 subscribe to Culinary Medicine Recipe, which is hosted by a 37 00:02:09.000 --> 00:02:13.000 medical doctor who also loves to cook. Like this plant 38 00:02:13.000 --> 00:02:16.159 based diet series, Culinary Medicine Recipe is an Alternative Food 39 00:02:16.199 --> 00:02:20.280 Network production and is available on all major podcast platforms, 40 00:02:20.800 --> 00:02:26.199 on YouTube, and on alternativefoodnetwork dot com. Welcome to the show, 41 00:02:26.280 --> 00:02:29.680 sheit Tell. It's so nice to have you, thank. 42 00:02:29.479 --> 00:02:32.280 You, thank you very much. It's my absolute pleasure to 43 00:02:32.319 --> 00:02:33.039 be here today. 44 00:02:34.080 --> 00:02:37.439 Well, I'm looking forward to our conversation. It's an important one. 45 00:02:37.879 --> 00:02:40.400 One of obviously the main reasons we do this show 46 00:02:40.439 --> 00:02:44.400 is because I believe in the health benefits of eating 47 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:47.800 a plant based diet or a plant forward diet, and 48 00:02:47.919 --> 00:02:50.439 so today I just want to get right into it 49 00:02:50.800 --> 00:02:55.759 and ask you about the evidence. What is the evidence 50 00:02:56.039 --> 00:02:59.439 that shows that plant based eating is good for our health? 51 00:03:01.080 --> 00:03:06.759 Absolutely, plant based diets have gained increasing attention for their 52 00:03:06.800 --> 00:03:12.520 potential role in preventive medicine, particularly in reducing the risk 53 00:03:12.560 --> 00:03:17.240 of chronic diseases such as type two diabetes, cardiovascular disease, opacity, 54 00:03:17.360 --> 00:03:22.479 and metabolic syndrome. So esther to answer your question, there 55 00:03:22.520 --> 00:03:26.840 are many compelling research finding linkings to plant based diets 56 00:03:27.240 --> 00:03:31.080 to improved health outcomes. So it is such a coincidence 57 00:03:31.159 --> 00:03:35.599 that a very prominent research came out, and one of 58 00:03:35.639 --> 00:03:39.599 those is the position paper on Vegetarian and Vegan Diets 59 00:03:39.639 --> 00:03:43.400 by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in association with 60 00:03:43.520 --> 00:03:47.840 the Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group, and this paper discussed 61 00:03:47.919 --> 00:03:52.879 how appropriately planned plant based diet can be nutritionally adequate 62 00:03:52.960 --> 00:03:58.120 and offer long term health benefits. Interestingly, this article contains 63 00:03:58.360 --> 00:04:03.520 twenty seven systematic reviews examined the relationship between the plant 64 00:04:03.599 --> 00:04:09.000 based dietary patents with reduced incidents of cardiovascular disease, cancer, 65 00:04:09.439 --> 00:04:14.560 blood pressure, blood lipids and see reactive protein concentration as 66 00:04:14.599 --> 00:04:18.519 well as lowering the body mass INDs. The other recent 67 00:04:18.600 --> 00:04:23.680 study by author Sultan A and his colleagues also studied 68 00:04:23.720 --> 00:04:28.800 gathered evidence from thirty two lon deitudinal studies to evaluate 69 00:04:28.839 --> 00:04:33.399 the impact of plant based diet on disease prevention and 70 00:04:33.519 --> 00:04:40.959 health outcomes. It identified consistent patterns including improved metabolic health, 71 00:04:41.439 --> 00:04:48.800 weight management, cardiovascular risk reduction, positive effects on gut microbiome 72 00:04:49.079 --> 00:04:54.439 composition and inflammation, prevention and management of type two diabetes. 73 00:04:55.000 --> 00:04:59.399 And this is really important to note that it also 74 00:04:59.560 --> 00:05:04.519 topped about how the plant based diet helped reduce the 75 00:05:04.560 --> 00:05:09.839 hemoglobin even sea levels up to thirty four percent population 76 00:05:10.199 --> 00:05:13.720 when they actually consume the plant based diet. And as 77 00:05:14.160 --> 00:05:17.199 these are not only the two studies, there are numerous 78 00:05:17.279 --> 00:05:20.839 other studies like this that do endorse the positive impact 79 00:05:20.879 --> 00:05:24.439 of plant based diet on human health, and very quickly, 80 00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:27.079 like in a sentence, I'm going to name a few, 81 00:05:27.800 --> 00:05:32.000 like a study from doctor Campbell twenty seventeen and chen 82 00:05:32.160 --> 00:05:36.199 at All twenty eighteen showed a whole plant based foods 83 00:05:36.240 --> 00:05:41.680 intervention resulted in a significant weight loss which helped lowering 84 00:05:41.759 --> 00:05:45.279 the blood pressure and the cholesterol level. And over the 85 00:05:45.399 --> 00:05:48.279 quarter of participants, I'm going to repeat this. This is 86 00:05:48.319 --> 00:05:53.079 so important and I want the audience to hear this. 87 00:05:53.240 --> 00:05:57.240 Over a quarter of participants, we're able to decrease or 88 00:05:57.319 --> 00:06:01.879 discontinue at least one chronic metadation. Can you imagine how 89 00:06:01.920 --> 00:06:03.759 wonderful is that. 90 00:06:03.759 --> 00:06:08.519 That's amazing. So what I'm hearing from you is studies 91 00:06:08.560 --> 00:06:14.720 showing that it's helpful for both disease management and prevention. 92 00:06:15.800 --> 00:06:20.480 Absolutely absolutely, And if you look at any chronic diseases, 93 00:06:20.720 --> 00:06:25.720 access way to heart health, to diabetes, to cancer, everybody 94 00:06:25.920 --> 00:06:28.199 at the end of the day, everybody is getting the 95 00:06:28.240 --> 00:06:32.399 same answer. Is how plant based diet is so impactful 96 00:06:32.600 --> 00:06:34.000 on the human health. 97 00:06:34.839 --> 00:06:36.959 And what is it about the plant based foods? What 98 00:06:37.040 --> 00:06:40.519 are the nutrients that really contribute to these findings. 99 00:06:41.720 --> 00:06:45.800 Yes, absolutely. I will discuss key nutrients of plant based 100 00:06:45.839 --> 00:06:49.639 foods that help the chronic diseases. And I would like 101 00:06:49.759 --> 00:06:53.720 to discuss this with chronic diseases and nutrients, which because 102 00:06:53.759 --> 00:06:57.600 I personally feel that they go hand in hand. First, 103 00:06:57.680 --> 00:07:00.800 what is a chronic disease? According to the Center of 104 00:07:00.920 --> 00:07:04.959 Disease Control and Prevention, the chronic diseases are defined broadly 105 00:07:05.000 --> 00:07:09.920 as conditions that last one year or more and require 106 00:07:10.040 --> 00:07:14.920 ongoing medical attention. They also limit activities of the daily living. 107 00:07:15.800 --> 00:07:21.160 Talking about the common chronic diseases, number one that I 108 00:07:21.360 --> 00:07:25.120 call the king of all the chronic diseases is increase 109 00:07:25.199 --> 00:07:28.839 weight because that is the one thing that leads to 110 00:07:29.199 --> 00:07:32.560 most of the things I would say, if not all so. First, 111 00:07:32.879 --> 00:07:37.120 because from the plant sources are generally high in fiber 112 00:07:37.319 --> 00:07:42.439 and low in fat, they have low energy density, so 113 00:07:42.519 --> 00:07:47.480 that means fewer calories per gram. Secondly, low fat plant 114 00:07:47.519 --> 00:07:53.319 based diets increase after meal energy expenditure. Simply an increased 115 00:07:53.360 --> 00:07:57.839 calorie burn after meals. Consuming whole grains is associated with 116 00:07:58.000 --> 00:08:02.720 low risk of increase body mask in dusk. And you 117 00:08:02.759 --> 00:08:06.800 know the central obesity that we usually see within men 118 00:08:06.879 --> 00:08:11.279 and women in today's world. So if we include the 119 00:08:11.360 --> 00:08:15.040 whole grains with each meals such as whole wheat or 120 00:08:15.079 --> 00:08:22.519 sprouted bread, whole wheat, pasta, oatmeal, corn, polenta, millet, quinoa, 121 00:08:23.160 --> 00:08:28.439 brown rice, barley, bulgar, buck wheat, and whole wheat, corn 122 00:08:28.519 --> 00:08:33.480 and totias, they all actually work wonders. So the easiest 123 00:08:33.600 --> 00:08:37.639 way what audience people can do is whenever they go 124 00:08:38.399 --> 00:08:41.279 to the grocery store and they want to buy any 125 00:08:41.440 --> 00:08:46.120 kind of carbohydrates or the grains, always look for the 126 00:08:46.159 --> 00:08:50.360 words the whole grains, and that can really help limiting 127 00:08:50.519 --> 00:08:54.960 consuming the refined carbohydrates. The next thing I will touch 128 00:08:55.039 --> 00:09:00.559 here is lagoons. They include all types of beans, peas, lentils, 129 00:09:00.639 --> 00:09:05.759 soebin to food, tempe ademamae. And what does these two 130 00:09:05.799 --> 00:09:08.840 They also promote the weight loss if we eat them daily. 131 00:09:09.279 --> 00:09:11.720 And the best thing about it is it makes you 132 00:09:11.799 --> 00:09:15.399 feel full, It gives you satiety, It just gives you 133 00:09:15.440 --> 00:09:18.399 a lot of satisfaction, so you don't keep on reaching 134 00:09:18.440 --> 00:09:21.360 out for the food again and again. And you know 135 00:09:21.519 --> 00:09:24.879 the important part here is these are also the great 136 00:09:24.960 --> 00:09:29.440 source of protein. And people usually think that eating meat 137 00:09:30.159 --> 00:09:34.000 is only going to replace their needs of protein, which 138 00:09:34.039 --> 00:09:39.240 is not true. Again, the fresh fruits also includes lots 139 00:09:39.279 --> 00:09:44.759 and lots of nutrients. So according to the National Cancer Institute, 140 00:09:45.240 --> 00:09:48.720 only up to ten percent of cancer cases are linked 141 00:09:48.759 --> 00:09:53.799 to genetics, but the remaining ninety percent or more a 142 00:09:53.919 --> 00:09:58.000 stem from environmental and the lifestyle factors. You know that 143 00:09:58.080 --> 00:10:02.919 can be potentially preventable. So when we eat fiber and 144 00:10:03.000 --> 00:10:06.480 where can we find this fiber? Fiber is found in 145 00:10:06.600 --> 00:10:11.240 lots of fruits and vegetables and even whole grains and beans. 146 00:10:11.559 --> 00:10:14.879 And what they do They fight cancer from the digestive track, 147 00:10:15.240 --> 00:10:19.080 so fiber then moves food quickly through the interstinal track, 148 00:10:19.200 --> 00:10:24.720 helping to eliminate carcinogens as waste. The most dietary fiber 149 00:10:24.840 --> 00:10:29.759 a person consumes the lower risk of colorectal prostates, stomach 150 00:10:29.840 --> 00:10:30.879 and breast cancer. 151 00:10:31.799 --> 00:10:35.039 Is there a study that you can point someone to 152 00:10:35.200 --> 00:10:37.600 if they're listening and they would like to read it 153 00:10:37.759 --> 00:10:38.679 or find out more. 154 00:10:39.639 --> 00:10:43.960 There are many studies in regards to cancer. If anybody 155 00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:47.279 has not heard of Dan Butner or the Blue Zones, 156 00:10:47.879 --> 00:10:50.399 that is the place in the world with the healthiest, 157 00:10:50.440 --> 00:10:56.679 longest living population, and doctor Butner has very beautifully explained 158 00:10:57.559 --> 00:11:01.159 what is one of the reasons where people the longer 159 00:11:01.200 --> 00:11:07.240 and healthier, like in the regions like okay, now the Japan, Chardinia, Italy, Nicoya, 160 00:11:07.320 --> 00:11:12.960 Costa Rica, Acaria, Greece, and Loma Linda, California. And he 161 00:11:13.039 --> 00:11:17.360 does put into how consuming plan based food helped combat 162 00:11:17.639 --> 00:11:21.320 diseases like not just cancer, but all the other ones. 163 00:11:21.679 --> 00:11:24.440 If you want, I can definitely share with you a 164 00:11:24.440 --> 00:11:27.519 lot of studies that are on land based site and 165 00:11:27.600 --> 00:11:30.759 cancer prevention where you know our audience can go in 166 00:11:31.039 --> 00:11:32.279 and look into it. 167 00:11:32.759 --> 00:11:34.840 Maybe what I could do when we publish the episode 168 00:11:34.879 --> 00:11:39.080 is in the show notes, add some links to articles, 169 00:11:39.120 --> 00:11:41.440 some of them that you've mentioned here and perhaps some 170 00:11:41.480 --> 00:11:44.080 other ones that you think about after the episode, so 171 00:11:44.159 --> 00:11:48.240 people have as a reference some evidence based scientific articles. 172 00:11:48.879 --> 00:11:52.600 Absolutely, okay, I can share it. I can share it 173 00:11:52.639 --> 00:11:55.000 with you for any and all the chronic diseases that 174 00:11:55.840 --> 00:11:58.519 I am mentioning to you right now that would be 175 00:11:58.559 --> 00:12:03.559 greatly want a touchpase about diabetes and heart diseases because 176 00:12:03.639 --> 00:12:09.120 those are also very too prominent chronic diseases. And I 177 00:12:09.159 --> 00:12:12.320 will say I will start with here that diabetes has 178 00:12:12.519 --> 00:12:17.320 estimated more than seventy percent of new cases that people 179 00:12:17.440 --> 00:12:21.080 actually experience at this time can be prevented. And this 180 00:12:21.200 --> 00:12:25.320 is very mind boggling data that just by having a 181 00:12:25.360 --> 00:12:29.360 great lifestyle in meaning of healthy lifestyle and food choices 182 00:12:29.399 --> 00:12:35.080 then can really help combat diabetes. So the research says 183 00:12:35.399 --> 00:12:38.679 just two servings of red meat per week have been 184 00:12:38.720 --> 00:12:43.679 associated with the increased risk of type two diabetes, while 185 00:12:43.759 --> 00:12:48.840 replacing one serving of meat per day with legomes that 186 00:12:49.039 --> 00:12:53.360 is you know, lentils and beans or nuts is associated 187 00:12:53.480 --> 00:12:57.519 with thirty percent reduce risk of type two diabetes. I 188 00:12:57.559 --> 00:13:02.759 mean that is significant. Based diets have been consistently found 189 00:13:02.759 --> 00:13:07.200 in protective against developing type two diabetes, and those who 190 00:13:07.679 --> 00:13:12.080 consume just two cups of whole grains daily had twenty 191 00:13:12.120 --> 00:13:15.440 six person lower risk of developing diabetes. And you know 192 00:13:15.519 --> 00:13:18.559 this is very important. I want audience to know. The 193 00:13:18.600 --> 00:13:22.120 fruit is given a bad name when it comes to 194 00:13:22.159 --> 00:13:26.679 diabetes because they think that fruit is having a high 195 00:13:27.039 --> 00:13:30.519 amount of sugar and there's a misconception that you shouldn't 196 00:13:30.519 --> 00:13:33.360 be consuming in diabetes. Let me tell you right now 197 00:13:33.840 --> 00:13:37.399 that fruit is not the same as the sugar found 198 00:13:37.480 --> 00:13:41.120 in the refined foods. The sugar in the fruit comes 199 00:13:41.480 --> 00:13:49.200 packed with fiber, phytochemicals, antioxidants, and more. So the appropriate portions, 200 00:13:49.279 --> 00:13:53.279 timing and the combination the fruit is eaten during the 201 00:13:53.399 --> 00:13:57.000 day definitely helps control the blood glucose levels. So don't 202 00:13:57.000 --> 00:14:01.879 make the fruit a villain within your diet. If you 203 00:14:01.960 --> 00:14:05.399 have a high blood glucos that will actually help you 204 00:14:05.799 --> 00:14:06.679 in a better way. 205 00:14:07.240 --> 00:14:10.200 Okay, I actually had a question regarding something you were 206 00:14:10.200 --> 00:14:14.360 talking about earlier about meat and the portions. Yeah, what 207 00:14:14.679 --> 00:14:20.679 is considered a portion size? When people hear about portion sizes, 208 00:14:20.759 --> 00:14:23.679 I'm not sure that people really know what that means. 209 00:14:24.080 --> 00:14:28.080 Yes, So a great question as their portion. When you 210 00:14:28.120 --> 00:14:30.159 say a portion, I would say the portion of the 211 00:14:30.200 --> 00:14:34.320 meat is anywhere from three ounce to five ounce. Now, 212 00:14:34.399 --> 00:14:36.360 if you go to a restaurant, they would also give 213 00:14:36.360 --> 00:14:40.200 you eight ounce of a meat, but a real portion 214 00:14:40.519 --> 00:14:44.159 is actually three ounce. And I always tell my patience 215 00:14:44.519 --> 00:14:47.600 your meat should not exceed the palm of your hand. 216 00:14:47.720 --> 00:14:51.120 That's the best way to you know, measure the portion. 217 00:14:51.519 --> 00:14:55.240 And if you want to now compare that portion with 218 00:14:55.480 --> 00:14:58.600 plan based protein, I would say a cup that is 219 00:14:58.600 --> 00:15:01.879 an eight ounce, So if you compare it's a three 220 00:15:01.960 --> 00:15:06.000 ounce me versus eight ounces of your protein that is 221 00:15:06.080 --> 00:15:10.759 beans or maybe tofu, And that's the comparison and you 222 00:15:10.799 --> 00:15:13.480 know with the heart it is the same thing. There 223 00:15:13.480 --> 00:15:17.519 are doctors like Dean Ornish, doctor Es Sulton and others 224 00:15:17.559 --> 00:15:20.840 have showed that low fat plant based diet combined with 225 00:15:20.960 --> 00:15:25.360 regular exercise and you know overall lifestyle change have made 226 00:15:25.399 --> 00:15:29.120 a significant difference within the heart diseases. And there's only 227 00:15:29.279 --> 00:15:33.240 reason do you know, did you know that plant based 228 00:15:33.279 --> 00:15:38.279 diet benefits hot held because they contain no dietary cholesterol. 229 00:15:39.200 --> 00:15:42.039 So I want to pinpoint here there are two types 230 00:15:42.080 --> 00:15:46.720 of cholesterol. Where our body gets one it synthesizes from within, 231 00:15:47.679 --> 00:15:51.039 and second we get it from the food. Now, of 232 00:15:51.080 --> 00:15:54.200 course you can control certain things that is happening in 233 00:15:54.240 --> 00:15:57.399 the body which is getting synthesized, but what can you 234 00:15:57.519 --> 00:16:01.039 control the cholesterol from the food. And if you eat 235 00:16:01.039 --> 00:16:04.600 the whole plant based food, there would be no cholesterol. 236 00:16:05.120 --> 00:16:07.879 And there has been studies that has found that people 237 00:16:07.919 --> 00:16:12.200 eating more plant based foods, whole grains, they actually help 238 00:16:12.320 --> 00:16:16.960 eliminating cholesterol from the human body. So a very very 239 00:16:17.000 --> 00:16:20.440 impactful research and evidence. Yeah. 240 00:16:20.480 --> 00:16:24.759 I remember we were interviewing a doctor this was a 241 00:16:24.799 --> 00:16:28.399 while back, and he was saying, if it's got two eyes, 242 00:16:28.480 --> 00:16:30.919 a nose in a mouth, it's got cholesterol. 243 00:16:31.639 --> 00:16:34.120 Oh, that is such a beautiful way to say. I 244 00:16:34.159 --> 00:16:36.639 think I might steal these lines. 245 00:16:40.159 --> 00:16:42.480 Yeah, it's kind of an easy way to remember if 246 00:16:42.519 --> 00:16:45.000 someone's wondering, well, what does have cholesterol? 247 00:16:45.440 --> 00:16:50.919 That's what has it, absolutely absolutely, And you know this 248 00:16:51.000 --> 00:16:54.320 is all like a circle because of the food. You 249 00:16:54.360 --> 00:16:57.559 gain weight, you have high blood pressure that leads to 250 00:16:57.720 --> 00:17:02.720 your diabetes, that lead to your heart diseases, and you 251 00:17:02.720 --> 00:17:05.400 know the complications, and of course one of them is 252 00:17:05.440 --> 00:17:08.759 a cancer. So I would say it's a vicious cycle 253 00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:12.079 that go round with eating foods, and we don't realize 254 00:17:12.079 --> 00:17:15.039 what we keep in this like when we put anything 255 00:17:15.079 --> 00:17:18.960 in our mouth that really impacts directly from our head 256 00:17:19.000 --> 00:17:23.240 to toe, and unfortunately we just take it as granted 257 00:17:23.319 --> 00:17:28.000 because we do everything that the three inches of our 258 00:17:28.079 --> 00:17:32.559 body loves, which is stung, and we don't and we 259 00:17:32.640 --> 00:17:36.599 don't realize all the other benefits that actually our body gets. 260 00:17:36.680 --> 00:17:39.920 So and of course it's a behavior change, right, nothing 261 00:17:39.960 --> 00:17:43.200 comes overnight. It comes with the awareness. It comes with 262 00:17:43.480 --> 00:17:46.279 every person. There is a point where you want to 263 00:17:46.279 --> 00:17:49.519 make a change. So I would say it's never too late, 264 00:17:49.920 --> 00:17:52.279 I think the best way to say that, And so 265 00:17:52.440 --> 00:17:55.839 you can start from whatever part of the country you 266 00:17:55.880 --> 00:17:59.279 are in or what age you are at the moment 267 00:17:59.440 --> 00:18:01.640 and where you want to be. It's just you have 268 00:18:01.759 --> 00:18:04.880 to be kind to yourself and start, that's all. 269 00:18:05.039 --> 00:18:07.720 And if someone wants to start, what, do you have 270 00:18:07.759 --> 00:18:11.359 any good, easy first steps that they should take. 271 00:18:12.440 --> 00:18:20.359 Yes, absolutely, so I would say this, start slowly, but surely, 272 00:18:20.920 --> 00:18:23.880 don't be harsh on yourself. Now, there are two kinds 273 00:18:23.920 --> 00:18:27.359 of people. One group of people that would start thinking 274 00:18:27.440 --> 00:18:30.039 slowly and get to it, and there are one group 275 00:18:30.079 --> 00:18:33.480 of people that will go cold turkey, meaning they will say, Okay, 276 00:18:33.480 --> 00:18:37.000 from tomorrow morning, I'm not going to have any meat 277 00:18:37.039 --> 00:18:39.440 in my diet and I'm going to be all plant based. Well, 278 00:18:39.559 --> 00:18:42.920 it doesn't work for everybody. So I would say overall, 279 00:18:43.039 --> 00:18:46.440 start slowly and surely, because when you do that, you 280 00:18:46.559 --> 00:18:49.960 know you will won't fall off the wagon. You will 281 00:18:50.000 --> 00:18:54.039 stick to it. Start with the small changes. Transition to 282 00:18:54.079 --> 00:18:57.640 a plant based diet does not have to be overwhelming esther. 283 00:18:57.920 --> 00:19:00.400 I want to make sure that people understand and that 284 00:19:00.960 --> 00:19:04.599 just by making a small, manageable changes to your current 285 00:19:04.640 --> 00:19:08.640 eating habits that will make a huge impact. And that 286 00:19:08.839 --> 00:19:12.119 is how say, for example, I'm sure many of you 287 00:19:12.279 --> 00:19:16.160 may have heard meatless mondays. You know why mondays? I, 288 00:19:16.200 --> 00:19:19.160 you know that was my patients. One asked me, she 289 00:19:19.319 --> 00:19:21.880 know why Monday? Why can't I not just do Thursday? 290 00:19:22.079 --> 00:19:24.079 I said, I have a reason for it, because you know, 291 00:19:24.240 --> 00:19:28.079 we are so relaxed, we indulge. You know. It's like 292 00:19:28.240 --> 00:19:31.000 you know, after thirty first of December, everybody wants to 293 00:19:32.599 --> 00:19:35.759 not drink for a month. It's like detox in your body. 294 00:19:35.920 --> 00:19:37.720 And I said, that's the same way, like you know, 295 00:19:37.759 --> 00:19:40.839 you have enjoyed your weekend and now you want to 296 00:19:40.960 --> 00:19:43.759 really do something better for your health. So it's and 297 00:19:43.960 --> 00:19:48.480 it does make sense. Meatless mondays, So designate one day 298 00:19:48.480 --> 00:19:51.880 of the week doesn't have to meet Monday. This simple 299 00:19:51.920 --> 00:19:55.640 approach allows you to experiment with plan based meals without 300 00:19:55.680 --> 00:20:01.000 feeling deprived. Gradually increasing the number of meat less days 301 00:20:01.240 --> 00:20:05.960 can become more comfortable if you keep on cookine plant 302 00:20:06.000 --> 00:20:09.799 based foods. I would say start with the breakfast example, 303 00:20:09.960 --> 00:20:14.240 whatever you may be eating, maybe an egg sandwich or 304 00:20:14.279 --> 00:20:18.519 whatever breakfast you might be doing. Start your first meal, 305 00:20:18.640 --> 00:20:21.880 that is, your breakfast with oatmeal, top with fresh fruits 306 00:20:22.000 --> 00:20:25.880 or nuts or avocado toast and whole grain bread or 307 00:20:26.319 --> 00:20:31.279 fresh fruit smoothie with some maybe cashews and nuts. Swap 308 00:20:31.400 --> 00:20:35.799 dairy products with the plant based alternative. Try different plant 309 00:20:35.839 --> 00:20:40.359 based milks like almond soy oat milk in your coffee 310 00:20:40.519 --> 00:20:43.799 and you will be really amazed. My favorite, I will 311 00:20:43.839 --> 00:20:46.119 say is the oat milk because it has the least 312 00:20:46.160 --> 00:20:49.519 after impact on your coffee or your drink because it 313 00:20:49.680 --> 00:20:51.920 really doesn't have any flavor. 314 00:20:52.799 --> 00:20:54.839 But you know what I use. Also, I mean when 315 00:20:54.880 --> 00:20:57.039 I'm in a rush, and once in a while i 316 00:20:57.079 --> 00:20:59.799 have cereal, I have a nut or an oat milk 317 00:21:00.000 --> 00:21:02.519 instead of milk in my cereal apps. 318 00:21:02.640 --> 00:21:05.720 That is not a very nice. Yeah. 319 00:21:06.000 --> 00:21:06.200 Yeah. 320 00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:08.720 And and do you and esther, let me ask you. 321 00:21:08.880 --> 00:21:11.079 Do you find there is much of a taste a 322 00:21:11.160 --> 00:21:12.400 different That's fine. 323 00:21:12.799 --> 00:21:15.960 Both my husband and I have have cereal like that 324 00:21:16.039 --> 00:21:19.839 when we have cereal. Yeah, it's it's totally fine. 325 00:21:20.079 --> 00:21:23.319 Yeah. Yeah that that. Thank you for sharing that because 326 00:21:23.400 --> 00:21:26.799 you know that that is awesome and you you will 327 00:21:26.799 --> 00:21:30.839 be amazed when you start swapping. Actually, you will be 328 00:21:30.960 --> 00:21:34.599 so proud of yourself because you will be finding new 329 00:21:34.680 --> 00:21:37.799 you and new ideas that will help you with your 330 00:21:37.880 --> 00:21:41.400 health journey. Like, for example, if you're eating meat, save 331 00:21:41.640 --> 00:21:45.519 for example, how about instead of like a chicken stew 332 00:21:45.799 --> 00:21:48.720 or any any meat s too. You just add a 333 00:21:48.720 --> 00:21:51.680 couple of like different beans in there. And you know, 334 00:21:51.759 --> 00:21:54.000 if you if you are not aware how to cook 335 00:21:54.039 --> 00:21:58.000 the beans, it is completely okay to go and buy 336 00:21:58.039 --> 00:22:01.319 the canned beans. I am a huge advocate for that. 337 00:22:01.680 --> 00:22:05.559 Of course you opt for low salt canned beans, but 338 00:22:06.640 --> 00:22:10.039 it is it is definitely very easy where you just 339 00:22:10.079 --> 00:22:12.799 have to open and eat it. 340 00:22:13.359 --> 00:22:17.200 And it's cheaper, it's cheesy, it's cheap, and there's I mean, 341 00:22:17.240 --> 00:22:20.680 if people are wondering about recipes, there's recipe. There's plant 342 00:22:20.720 --> 00:22:24.640 based recipes everywhere. Even we have on our YouTube channel 343 00:22:24.680 --> 00:22:27.400 we have plant based recipes as well. But I mean, 344 00:22:27.480 --> 00:22:30.359 really that can't be someone's excuse that they don't know 345 00:22:30.359 --> 00:22:32.799 what to make because there are recipes. 346 00:22:32.319 --> 00:22:37.160 Everywhere, absolutely absolutely, and you know this way you can 347 00:22:37.240 --> 00:22:40.400 swap any and all foods for protein. You can do tofu. 348 00:22:40.440 --> 00:22:44.000 Tofu is an excellent I know there is some misconceptions 349 00:22:44.000 --> 00:22:48.119 out there thinking that the tofu it's not good for you, 350 00:22:48.279 --> 00:22:51.400 or it does impact the female or the men hormones. 351 00:22:51.880 --> 00:22:54.960 You know, eating one to two cups each day is 352 00:22:55.279 --> 00:22:58.799 there are lots of research even over there that does 353 00:22:58.839 --> 00:23:02.000 not impact you, so you can switch a lot of 354 00:23:02.119 --> 00:23:06.799 like your food within nuts and seeds and brown rice 355 00:23:07.000 --> 00:23:12.000 and you know, different grains. But to specifically, like you said, 356 00:23:12.160 --> 00:23:15.000 one thing I would like to mention here esther planning 357 00:23:15.160 --> 00:23:19.799 is very important. Create a weekly meal plan. Why because 358 00:23:19.960 --> 00:23:24.960 when we create a plan, it becomes easier to grab 359 00:23:25.039 --> 00:23:29.000 something from the plan that you had rather than you know, 360 00:23:29.200 --> 00:23:31.799 oh my gosh, I don't have any groceries now what. 361 00:23:32.200 --> 00:23:34.680 So you just grab whatever is close to you or 362 00:23:34.720 --> 00:23:38.359 you are comfortable with. So it is very important that 363 00:23:38.480 --> 00:23:43.200 you plan p l an It's my most favorite word. 364 00:23:43.480 --> 00:23:48.440 When you plan, you can go wrong. So and then 365 00:23:48.519 --> 00:23:52.759 seek inspiration and support. There is so much community outside 366 00:23:53.519 --> 00:23:56.920 that has this information that might be around you which 367 00:23:56.960 --> 00:24:00.640 you are not aware of. Make sure you find out 368 00:24:00.799 --> 00:24:03.720 and you know, like you said, as there you know, 369 00:24:03.759 --> 00:24:07.480 there are hundreds of cookbooks and blogs and community that 370 00:24:07.599 --> 00:24:11.480 you can really collaborate and get to where you have to. 371 00:24:12.119 --> 00:24:15.160 Absolutely And you know, I just wanted to add one 372 00:24:15.359 --> 00:24:19.240 one point because I've done so many of these interviews 373 00:24:19.799 --> 00:24:24.000 on the TOFU point that you were mentioning. I believe 374 00:24:24.160 --> 00:24:28.000 the recommendation certainly from some of the physicians that have 375 00:24:28.119 --> 00:24:30.640 been on the shows. We have two series, so either 376 00:24:30.640 --> 00:24:34.799 the show or other show. Organic tofu is the way 377 00:24:34.799 --> 00:24:39.279 to go because soy is a heavily sprayed crop and 378 00:24:39.400 --> 00:24:43.160 so the recommendation it's great to have tofu like you said, 379 00:24:43.400 --> 00:24:45.000 but that it should be organic. 380 00:24:45.799 --> 00:24:49.880 Absolutely, and you know, honestly, like I'm sure you have 381 00:24:50.000 --> 00:24:54.799 Costco in Canada and many of you might be or 382 00:24:54.880 --> 00:24:57.680 anywhere in US. I mean, you know, that's my favorite 383 00:24:57.720 --> 00:25:01.000 store I get to. I mean, actually the DOFO you 384 00:25:01.039 --> 00:25:04.119 get is all organic. So thank you for bringing that up. 385 00:25:04.240 --> 00:25:07.720 I will endorse it. I have a box from Costco 386 00:25:07.920 --> 00:25:10.720 of organic tofu. I think it's extra firm. 387 00:25:11.200 --> 00:25:11.440 Yeah. 388 00:25:11.599 --> 00:25:13.880 I think there's like five of them in there in 389 00:25:13.920 --> 00:25:16.759 the box. Oh. So that's one way what you were 390 00:25:16.799 --> 00:25:19.160 saying about planning is that if you do buy a 391 00:25:19.200 --> 00:25:22.359 bit of bulk, it lasts a long time. It's always 392 00:25:22.440 --> 00:25:24.559 there if I'm looking for something in a cook Oh yeah, 393 00:25:24.559 --> 00:25:26.680 I have a block of tofu in my fridge. 394 00:25:27.559 --> 00:25:30.880 Absolutely, So planning just you know, I would say the 395 00:25:30.920 --> 00:25:34.039 best day to plan would be Sunday afternoon where you 396 00:25:34.079 --> 00:25:36.720 can plan and you can just roughly plan that what 397 00:25:36.759 --> 00:25:39.000 I'm going to eat next week? Like and of course 398 00:25:39.039 --> 00:25:41.400 how many times I'm going to eat plan based and 399 00:25:41.480 --> 00:25:44.920 if you have few things ready like chopped vegetables, or 400 00:25:45.039 --> 00:25:48.640 even you have cooked some grains in the batches, you 401 00:25:48.799 --> 00:25:52.799