Once I hit puberty I started to work out with weights and run track, so as a young man I was relatively fit, and I stayed that way through early adulthood. When my wife and I got married in the early ’90s, I weighed around 185 pounds. But after a year of doughnuts and ice cream every day, I got up to 215 pounds. I decided to cut out the doughnuts, replacing them with mixed nuts, and my wife and I made ice cream a weekends-only treat. After that, I got back down to 185 pounds.

In the early 2000s, I developed irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). I was prescribed Protonix, which made me not feel the gastrointestinal issues at all. But I didn’t like the idea of being on a daily medication, so after a few months, I decided to discontinue it. At the same time, I stopped having my daily six to eight cups of coffee (which were really more like cups of sugar, with coffee and cream). That seemed to help.

One day, after hours of cutting thick shrubs and removing them from the ground, I found myself experiencing intense shoulder pain. My shoulders had occasionally bothered me since I dislocated them while skiing and playing sports as a teen, but I was mostly able to manage it, up until that day. I went to an orthopedic doctor, who told me that I had severe arthritis in my shoulders and that it would bother me quite often. The doctor gave me three choices: I could receive injections, undergo surgery, or simply avoid doing what made them hurt. So I went with the last option, and decided to just not do what made them hurt, at least not for a whole day.

In 2019, my wife introduced me to The Rich Roll Podcast, which led me to watch Forks Over Knives and The Game Changers. I came across the work of some amazing people, including Michael Greger, MD, Will Bulsiewicz, MD, Rip Esselstyn, and from all the books, articles, and podcasts I was reading and listening to, it became abundantly clear that WFPB was the way to go. It offered the trifecta: good for my health, good for the health of the planet, and good for animals. I cut out all animal products overnight, taking a more gradual approach to cutting out highly processed foods.

My wife has been so supportive, preparing meals that are predominantly WFPB, even while she still consumes some animal products. I feel very fortunate, and I’m very grateful to her. Going out to eat can be challenging, but I deal with it. It’s great when there is an actual vegan option on the menu.

4 Years Later, Sharing the Plant-Based Message

Recently, I attended the International Conference on Nutrition and Medicine and got to meet Dr. Greger!

I’ve stuck with it for almost four years now. I feel great and people say I look great. Now it’s very rare for me to notice the arthritis in my shoulders. I never feel like I need to count calories or worry about eating too much. I feel fit and trim without exercising excessively. I walk daily with my wife and our golden retriever, and five mornings a week I do pullups, situps, and pushups. I have not experienced any more gastrointestinal issues; I make sure to drink plenty of water and keep things flowing.

I am about to retire later this year, after 30 years of teaching in public schools. Now I want to teach people strategies that are relevant to their everyday lives and that they can apply immediately to live longer, stronger, and healthier. I don’t want to push this lifestyle on anyone, but I want to spread the word as much as I can. I have been gathering resources and educating myself, and I started a blog and YouTube channel so I can start sharing the benefits of WFPB eating.

I heard a great analogy from Dr. Greger about inflammation: If your leg hits the coffee table once, it heals, no big deal—but if you hit it three times a day, every day, you’re in trouble. Chronic inflammation is the root of many of the diseases plaguing Americans, and it can be alleviated by going WFPB.

The planet, too, would be much better off if we just grew plants to feed people, instead of chopping down rainforests to grow food for cattle. Let’s heal ourselves and save the world with plants!

Ready to get started? Check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path. To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer.

The post Goodbye, GERD and Arthritis Pain: I’m Thriving in My 50s on a Plant-Based Diet appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

I struggled with being overweight from an early age. I joined my first weight-loss program at 12, setting off a decades-long cycle of yo-yo and fad dieting. I tried any new diet that was touted to help with weight loss. I was always trying to figure out how to get healthy and always on some plan or program. Eating became a very regimented part of my life, from severely restricting my calories and meticulously weighing my food to tracking everything I ate. I would have some success with losing weight, but nothing sustainable. If I lost any weight, I’d soon gain it back. My weight-loss attempts were always about achieving a goal, never about building better habits or a healthier lifestyle.

Opportunity for Change

Over the years, as I made poor diet choices, I experienced weight gain; elevated blood pressure (hypertension stage 1), cholesterol, and blood sugar; chronic arthritis, joint pain, and muscle fatigue; frequent heartburn; low energy; and poor sleep. I also had PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) and struggled with infertility. I was on medications for five of these conditions.

In 2017, my weight had gotten up to 278, and I was still in poor health and at a very low place in my life. I remembered hearing someone say, “The lowest moment is when everything changes. When you are suffering, there is an opportunity for change.”

Early that summer, I finally began my journey to wellness. I got into green smoothies and started taking regular walks with a friend. In the fall, I started working with a health coach, who helped me transition to a whole-food, plant-based (WFPB) lifestyle. This was a pivotal moment for me. For the first time in my life, I began to understand what healthy eating was and was not. In the past, I had made it about dieting, deprivation, counting calories, and weighing everything. It was a very rigid approach, and I never enjoyed myself—and this is why I’d never stick to any diet for long!

After working with my health coach and learning about a WFPB lifestyle, I redefined my relationship with food and started to see it for its real purpose: optimal nutrition and joy.

The Healing Power of a WFPB Diet

As I adopted a WFPB diet, I noticed amazing changes. Between 2017 and 2020, I lost 100 pounds naturally. My energy and sleep improved. My blood pressure, cholesterol and A1C (a measure of average blood sugar) returned to normal ranges. I eliminated all symptoms of PCOS. The heartburn, fatigue, and joint pain I’d been experiencing for years slowly dissipated, and I was able to safely come off all the medications I’d been on. This surprised me the most, because all I’d done was fix the food!

Following a WFPB diet has significantly improved my quality of life overall. In addition to being free of chronic health conditions, I have more energy. I exercise consistently, typically five or six days a week.

This lifestyle has also inspired the cook within. I now love to cook and create spice blends to flavor my dishes in exotic ways. I even completed a plant-based culinary program to learn more about plant-based cooking. Grain bowls are one of my favorite things to make. I change up the ingredients, but every bowl features a whole grain, lots of vegetables, and one of my signature sauces or dressings.

Paying It Forward

Today I try to do all I can to spread the word about the health benefits of a WFPB diet. I earned a certificate in plant-based nutrition and became a certified health coach and Food for Life instructor with a nonprofit that provides nutrition and cooking classes to the public. I love teaching people how diet can fight disease and showcasing how versatile this lifestyle is. I also started an online WFPB community to share information and to help grow the movement. I love giving back to my community!

I’m so grateful that I chose to follow a plant-based diet. It changed—and saved—my life.

Ready to get started? Check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path. To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer.

The post Breaking the Cycle of Deprivation: I Lost Weight and Resolved Several Health Issues on a WFPB Diet appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

What Are Nightshades?

There are 2,500 species of flowering plants known as nightshades within the Solanaceae plant family.

Some of the most commonly consumed nightshades include:

• Bell peppers
• All chile peppers (e.g., jalapeño, habanero, poblano) and spices sourced from chile peppers (such as paprika, chile powder, or cayenne)
• Eggplant
• Goji berries
• Potatoes (but not sweet potatoes)
• Tomatoes and tomatillos

The Benefits of Eating Nightshades

Edible nightshades are some of the most nutritious foods around and have been consumed as part of healthy diets for centuries, says Sharon Palmer, MSFS, RDN.

“Hundreds of studies have found benefits from eating these foods. In particular, tomatoes have garnished a great deal of research documenting benefits, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory benefits and reduced risks of diseases such as prostate cancer and heart disease,” says Palmer. “They have also been linked to skin and bone protection.”

Meanwhile capsaicin in chile peppers may promote hair growth and reduce your cardiovascular and cancer risk. And potatoes are loaded with mood-regulating carbohydrates and muscle-building protein.

Are Nightshades Poisonous to Humans?

Members of the Solanaceae plant family contain alkaloids, including solanine, a natural insecticide. Solanines in belladonna, the so-called “deadly nightshade,” can cause delirium, hallucinations, and even death. However, the nightshades we commonly consume contain nowhere near high enough levels to cause similar harm.

“There is not enough scientific support documenting that people need to avoid nightshades due to alkaloid content,” says Palmer.

That being said, potato sprouts and areas of the potato that have turned green from sun exposure contain higher concentration of solanine and, therefore, should be avoided. Symptoms of solanine poisoning include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, fever or hypothermia, headaches, and a slow pulse or breathing.

Do Nightshade Vegetables Cause Inflammation?

Search the internet for the word nightshades, and you’re bound to stumble on plenty of articles warning about inflammation and arthritis pain. But no research has turned up evidence that nightshades affect the joints.

“There is a lot of urban legend and misinformation about nightshades being perpetuated over the internet and social media,” says Palmer. “Some people believe that they should avoid nightshades to reduce inflammation for arthritis benefits. However, studies have found that many nightshade vegetables reduce inflammation levels in the body.”

It’s worth noting that the Arthritis Foundation put nightshade vegetables, namely bell peppers, on its list of “Best Vegetables for Arthritis.” Red and yellow bell peppers contain the carotenoid beta-cryptoxanthin, which could reduce your risk of developing inflammatory disorders like rheumatoid arthritis. Additionally, tomatoes and peppers are excellent sources of bone- and cartilage-preserving vitamin C, with a single bell pepper containing more than 150% of the Food and Nutrition Board’s daily recommended amount. Eggplants, meanwhile, are rich in anti-inflammatory anthocyanins as well as the essential trace element manganese, which is important to bone formation.

“The scientific evidence [regarding nightshades and inflammation] isn’t very strong at this time,” says triple board-certified rheumatologist Micah Yu, MD, who also practices integrative medicine. “Maybe in 10, 20 years, we’ll have more evidence.”

Yu notes that there’s no test to determine whether someone might have a sensitivity to nightshades. If you suspect nightshades are an issue for you, he suggests keeping a food diary and seeing whether certain foods correspond with your inflammatory symptoms or other adverse reactions. You can try avoiding a food to see if symptoms improve, then reintroducing the food to see if symptoms return. If they return, it’s reasonable to continue avoiding the food, and consult with a registered dietitian.

Nightshades and Inflammatory Bowel Disease

At least two studies have suggested potatoes could aggravate inflammatory bowel disease. Both were performed using mice, not humans.

In one study from 2002, researchers isolated solanine and the glycoalkaloid chaconine, present in potatoes, to test intestinal permeability and function. They concluded that levels of solanine and chaconine typically found in potatoes can adversely affect a mammal’s intestine and exacerbate IBD.

In a 2010 study, mice were fed deep-fried potato skins. Researchers found that deep-frying the potato skins increased glycoalkaloid content and that glycoalkaloid consumption significantly aggravated intestinal inflammation in mice representing two models mimicking human IBD (interleukin 10 gene deficiency and dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis).

But the data are limited, says Vanita Rahman, MD, clinic director of Barnard Medical Center. “We know animal studies don’t always translate into meaningful results in humans, so it’s really hard to draw any conclusions about human health, as far as inflammatory bowel disease.”

Before eliminating nightshades altogether, Rahman recommends talking to a health care provider and exploring whether anything else could be contributing to IBD symptoms. Keep in mind that certain nightshades–potatoes and eggplants–are rich in fiber, which has been linked to a reduced risk of developing IBD and greater quality of life in patients with ulcerative colitis.

“The bottom line is [nightshades] really are nutritious vegetables that contain a lot of important nutrients for us,” says Rahman. “They have a lot of health benefits. So, most people should consume them in ways that they find enjoyable.”

Nightshade Recipes

There are plenty of opportunities to reap the health benefits of these delightful fruits and vegetables. Check out these roundups of favorite recipes from Forks Over Knives to get you started.

Awesome Vegan Eggplant Recipes

From baba ghanoush flatbreads to vegan eggplant parm to ratatouille, these recipes showcase eggplant’s melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness.

Potato Power: 47 Spectacular Spud Recipes to Supercharge Your Day!

It’s easy to see why potatoes are so universally beloved. Transform humble taters into impressive entrees, savory side dishes, delectable vegan “cheese” sauce, wholesome homemade bread, and more.

28 of Our Favorite Red, Yellow, and Green Bell Pepper Recipes

Brighten your kitchen and delight your taste buds with these colorful and creative bell pepper recipes.

Plant-Based Recipes to Make the Most of Tomato Season

Harness the ripe, juicy goodness of fresh tomatoes for full-flavored soups, bruschetta, grain bowls, marinara, and more.

For more guidance in healthy cooking, check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a plant-based path. To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer.

The post Should You Avoid Nightshades? A Look at the Research appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

A month later I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). I had to close my newly opened business for a month and contemplate my future. I remember that time period distinctly: I was in so much pain that I barely left the couch, where I sat eating pizza and burritos. 

A Decade of Declining Health

Over the next 10 years, I was prescribed varying levels of prednisone, etanercept, and other medications to help manage my RA. I spent a lot of time researching the causes and contributing factors behind the disease. Gradually, I became more and more certain that my diet was playing a big role in my symptoms. Yet I was so addicted to salt, sugar, and highly processed foods that I just couldn’t break the cycle. 

Despite the intense pain of RA, as a massage therapist I knew how important it was for me to keep moving to maintain mobility and muscle mass. So I started getting training in other modalities such as yoga, Pilates, and functional movement. In 2018, I signed up with a business coach, who helped me reflect on my personal decision-making. I began to understand how easy it is to tell yourself the same things and do the same things over and over, believing you’ll eventually see different results. I was 46, in pain, and tired—and so terribly, terribly tired of being in pain and tired. Weighing 195 pounds at 4’11”, I knew that my weight wasn’t helping my condition. I was ready to make a change.

My Transition to a Whole-Food, Plant-Based Diet

In February 2020 I watched the Forks Over Knives documentary film. It was as though all of the information that I’d learned over the previous decade clicked into place. It was time for action, finally. I resolved to go plant-based for a year. I doubted that I could really lose weight after years of taking steroids for RA, but I figured I’d try it and see what happened. If I were truly meant to be this size, changing my diet wouldn’t make a difference.

I made the transition gradually. First I stopped eating red meat. Then I stopped eating salt. Next I gave up oil, caffeine, refined sugar, and finally, alcohol. 

“Shocked” doesn’t begin to cover what I felt in the weeks and months that followed. Each time I stepped onto the scale, the number was lower than the time before. Surprisingly, I wasn’t hungry, and as I stuck to the diet, my arthritis pain lessened. To help myself stay on course, I took the Forks Over Knives cooking course and learned how to prepare healthy meals for myself. Within seven months, I’d lost 57 pounds, reaching my current weight of 138 pounds by November 2020. 

Since undergoing my own health transformation, I’ve been dedicated to helping others along on their journeys, as well I’ve created an online Pilates program focused on functional movement and geared toward people over 40 and those with autoimmune conditions. I’ve also begun mentoring and coaching other over-40 people who want to transition to a plant-based lifestyle. This way of eating has changed my life and given me a new purpose. 

My Tips for Staying Fit After 40

Through my personal wellness journey and decades working in the fitness world, I’ve come to believe that staying active in middle age and beyond has little to do with going to the gym.

1. Imagine the Future. When you choose to change your lifestyle, look to the future. Create a new vision toward which you can aspire, rather than looking back and fretting over how things may have gone off track in the past. 
2. Move Intentionally. Figure out which activity you actually enjoy enough to do daily, whether it’s a walk, a hike, a bike ride, weights, Pilates, or yoga. It doesn’t matter if it’s 10 minutes or an hour; just dedicate some time to moving your body each day. 
3. Don’t Overcomplicate Eating. No matter how you choose to move your body each day, grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, and water will sustain you. Reduce or remove processed foods, meat, and dairy from your diet, and you’ll have all the energy you need.

Ready to get started? Check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path. To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer.

The post I Resolved a Decade of Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain Within Months on a Plant-Based Diet appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

That’s when I really started intensely researching the connection between diet and disease. I discovered The China Study, and at some point I came across the documentary Forks Over Knives. Both made the scientific case for a whole-food, plant-based diet. Eventually, the evidence convinced me that this was the way to go, and in 2016 I went completely WFPB.

I have to admit that it was difficult to stick with it at first. I never knew how addicted I’d been to ice cream, cake, cookies, and highly salted snacks (potato chips, corn chips, etc.). But after a few weeks, my osteoarthritis symptoms began to subside, which encouraged me to stick with my new way of eating. 

I began to limit my television-watching, because I noticed that the constant influx of fast-food commercials was triggering cravings for foods that I didn’t want to eat. I learned to steer clear of vegan junk foods that were marketed as health foods. To help keep myself on track, I regularly rewatched Forks Over Knives, and I made sure to check out any other relevant documentaries—such as What the Health, Eating You Alive, and The Invisible Vegan—that came out.

Growing into the Plant-Based Lifestyle

For five years, I stayed committed to this way of eating, earning my certificate in plant-based nutrition through the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies at eCornell. During all this time, I didn’t have any osteoarthritis flare-ups, and I saw improvements in my blood pressure readings, too, which was a wonderful side benefit, as I was diagnosed with hypertension at just 12 years old.

A couple months ago, I was at the grocery store and impulse-bought a case of instant noodles. I told myself that it would be good to have some ready-made meals on hand just in case, and that if I added fresh veggies to them, they wouldn’t be too bad for me. 

But after a few days of eating the instant noodles, my right knee began to pain me severely. It dawned on me that the only thing I’d been doing differently was eating those highly processed noodles. So I stopped, and my knee pain began to subside just as quickly. I tossed out the rest of the carton. I thought about donating them to a food bank, but my conscience kicked in: Why would I want someone else eating foods that might give them health problems? Yes, I wasted money purchasing them, but my health is worth more than that to me. The experience renewed my commitment to WFPB eating.

Staying the Plant-Based Course

Lately one of my go-to snacks is rutabaga fries. I slice the rutabaga into sticks; season them with a small amount of salt, black pepper, and smoked paprika; spread them out on a baking sheet; and pop them in the oven. I snack on these all night instead of unhealthy vegan junk foods. 

I’m delighted that in the years since I went plant-based, many well-known people of color have begun to publicly advocate the benefits of this way of eating, including New York City Mayor Eric Adams. 

At my most recent doctor’s appointment, my blood pressure was 117/73. My physician said, “If these numbers stay like this, we can start reducing your blood pressure medicine.” After decades of struggling with hypertension, hearing those words provides all the support I need to stay committed to a whole-food, plant-based diet. It’s clear that WFPB is the way to go. 

Ready to get started? Check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path. To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer.

The post After Years of Arthritis, I’m Pain-Free on a Plant-Based Diet appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

But in December 2000, my ankles and wrists swelled up, and the usual treatment didn’t help. 

That was when, at 34 years old, I finally received an accurate diagnosis: ankylosing spondylitis, a disease similar to (and treated like) rheumatoid arthritis. 

For three years, my doctors tried to find a medication that would enable me to walk without pain. Eventually, they settled on a regimen that helped somewhat. I wasn’t able to do high-impact exercises, such as running, but I was usually able to do lower-impact exercises, such as walking, except during my worst flare-ups. I continued this way for about 10 years.

First Taste of Plant-Based Eating

In fall of 2017, I was looking to lose some weight. I’d always eaten what I believed to be a healthy diet (meat, dairy, and “plenty” of vegetables), and I tried to steer clear of highly processed foods (chips, crackers, etc.). Still, I’d packed on extra pounds over the years and had trouble shedding them. Then I spoke with a dear friend who had lost 100 pounds. She referred me to the Forks Over Knives website, where I learned how a whole-food, plant-based diet could be beneficial for weight loss. I downloaded the FOK recipe app and started making whole-food, plant-based meals right away. 

I didn’t go all in on WFPB overnight. Learning to cook without oil and animal products took some time, and I had a really hard time letting go of cheese. For the first few months, I ate WFPB during the week and had one non-WFPB meal every weekend. Gradually, I realized the positive impact that this new way of eating was having on my health, and I began to view it less as a weight-loss diet and more as a permanent lifestyle change. I phased out my “cheat days” and began eating WFPB 100 percent of the time. 

The weight loss came easily. Within 10 months, I lost 40 pounds. Even more incredibly, about a year into eating this way, I realized that my ankylosing spondylitis symptoms had receded completely. My joints weren’t bothering me at all. 

A Life Unburdened By Ankylosing Spondylitis

As of this writing, I’ve been symptom-free from ankylosing spondylitis and any arthritis pain for 1 year and nine months, and I fully credit my recovery to my WFPB diet. 

It is a time commitment to eat this way, but it’s worth every minute. I do most of my food prep for the entire week on Sundays. My husband and I love soup, so I make many varieties of that, from veggie chilis to mushroom chowders. I love to eat starchy vegetables, especially sweet potatoes, red potatoes, kabocha squash, and acorn squash, topped with all the wonderful sauces that I’ve learned to make. We eat a humongous salad every day for lunch, with homemade dressings I’ve discovered over the years. All our dressings are WFPB, with no oil or added salt. We have several favorites and will never get tired of the salads. We also love Indian dishes, Mexican dishes, vegetable sushi, and oil-free fried rice. I’ve printed all the recipes that are keepers and have them organized in a three-ring binder, which I share with friends and family when they’re curious about my diet. I have no desire to eat anything that isn’t plant-based anymore.

Since my joints have been feeling so much better, I’ve been able to seriously take up exercising and have gotten really into Pilates, yoga, and running. I even ran my first marathon! What started as a weight-loss diet grew into a way of life, and I hope to live as healthy as possible for as long as possible.

Ready to get started? Check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path. To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer. 

The post Ankylosing Spondylitis Held Me Back for Years. Today I’m Pain-Free on a Plant-Based Diet appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

After watching Forks and some other documentaries and doing my own research on diet and health, I realized that the animal products and highly processed foods I had been eating were most likely causing my high cholesterol, excess weight, and circulation issues, as well as the aches and pains from arthritis in my knees. So, on Jan. 1, 2018, my wife and I went cold turkey, no pun intended, giving up all meat, cheese, and highly processed foods. We went 100 percent plant-based. I never like to ease into things.

Getting Cookin’

In 35 years of marriage prior to that, I had never cooked a meal. Sure, I’d grilled some steaks—but I’d never prepared a meal in the kitchen, with fresh, natural ingredients and real spices. But I found some vegan recipe blogs online, and cooking became my new hobby. 

Our new way of eating paid off almost immediately: In less than two months, my cholesterol dropped 104 points, and, as a nice side benefit, I lost 18 pounds. That was enough to make me feel fully committed to a plant-based lifestyle. We stuck with it, and in nine months, I lost 43 pounds, and my wife lost 30 pounds. Neither of us had been making any special effort to lose weight. It just came off naturally. At my annual physical exam in December 2018, my cholesterol was 161, within the healthy range.

Healthier in Every Way

Before we made the switch, I used to buy lunch every day and go out to dinner with my wife at least five nights a week. Now I batch-prep weekly lunches, cook every night, and plan out our meals. My wife likes to brag that she has her very own personal plant-based chef! 

People often ask me “What do you eat? Lettuce?” I happily share some of my favorites: General Tso’s cauliflower, spinach pesto pasta, veggie stir-fries, vegetable korma over brown basmati rice, stuffed “ricotta” shells, lentil bolognese… I could go on and on. There are dozens of healthy, delicious recipes we enjoy regularly as part of a whole-food, plant-based way of eating. 

In addition to lowering my weight and reducing my cholesterol, this diet has also alleviated my arthritis. My knees feel so great that I’ve actually started running, swimming, and even bicycling again—something I hadn’t done in 18 years and didn’t think I’d ever be able to do again. I run a 5K at least once a week, cycle 20 miles (or more) every other week, and work out on an elliptical trainer for an hour a couple days a week. I sleep better. Aches and pains don’t last as long. Cuts heal faster. My skin is less oily. And my fingernails and toenails are a nice healthy pink!

My wife and I have been plant-based for more than three years now. My only regret is not starting this way of life 20 years ago.

Ready to get started? Check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path. To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer.

The post I Put High Cholesterol and Severe Arthritis Behind Me on a Plant-Based Diet appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Eventually, my gout pain transformed to another form of arthritis, affecting multiple joints in my body. A medical student at the time, I was frustrated that I couldn’t explain my own symptoms. I went to several rheumatologists, and none of them could explain my symptoms either. My inflammatory markers were high, but my blood work showed no other signs of autoimmune disease. I noticed that it seemed like food sometimes affected my pain, but I couldn’t determine the pattern. 

Reaching a Turning Point

While in medical school, I ate a lot of unhealthy frozen meals and fast food just to get by so that I could study and keep up with my work. My diet did improve throughout my 20s, as I began incorporating more fresh vegetables and fruits, but I still ate a lot of animal products. 

In 2015, my wife, Melissa Mondala, MD, and I both began our residencies at Loma Linda University. The only Blue Zone in the U.S., Loma Linda, California, is home to a large population of vegetarians and vegans, and Melissa was amazed to discover how many residents were active and healthy well into their 80s and 90s. It got her interested in lifestyle medicine, and in 2017, she decided to try a whole-food, plant-based (WFPB) diet to treat some of her own health conditions. 

When Melissa first had me try some plant-based dishes, I didn’t enjoy them. Yet as the months went by, I became more interested in the idea of WFPB. I read How Not to Die by Michael Greger, MD, and watched the Forks Over Knives documentary film. In May 2018, I decided to give WFPB a shot. 

Encouraged by Fast Results

The transition was definitely challenging for me. I had no trouble cutting out meat and fast food, but avoiding the endless aisles of processed food at the grocery store—that was hard. It was tough resisting chips and other junk foods. 

But I noticed that, with each passing week on a WFPB diet, my pain and stiffness were lessening. Within three months, my pain and inflammation significantly improved, and I stopped having flare-ups. This really surprised me. I didn’t even have to take painkillers. It was the greatest feeling in the world. I had blood work done and found that one of my inflammatory markers, C-reactive protein, was negative, after being positive for 10 years! 

Nothing beats being pain-free, and I was determined to stick with this new lifestyle. 

Changing Lives

Today, I continue to thrive on a whole-food, plant-based diet. This way of eating has definitely changed my life. It has influenced my friends and family, too, as they strive to eat more plants. 

It’s also changed the way I practice medicine as a rheumatologist. Lifestyle medicine, with an emphasis on WFPB eating, is now the foundation of my practice. It’s so satisfying to help my patients feel better. I use my social media to be a light in this space by talking about autoimmune diseases and plant-based nutrition. Nothing beats being pain-free.

Ready to get started? Check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path. To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer.

The post As a Rheumatologist, I’ve Helped My Patients and Myself with a Plant-Based Diet appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Often I couldn’t get out of bed in the morning for hours because of severe stiffness. On some days, running was impossible and even walking was painful. There were times when I was afraid I’d be run over while trying to make it across the street, as the light would change before I could make it to the other side. I was on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and a lot of different pain medications, but nothing seemed to really be helping. 

I decided in June of that year to modify my diet and see if that impacted my symptoms. I knew that a whole-food, plant-based diet was purported to help with a host of chronic conditions. I had been vegan since 2013 but ate a lot of processed foods. I began eliminating those processed foods from my diet and loading up on fruits, veggies, and whole grains. 

It was difficult at first: I needed to learn new ways to cook with spices and herbs, and how to appreciate the taste of whole fruits and vegetables. Sometimes I caved and ate vegan foods with oil and added sugars, but whenever I did, I found that I got night sweats or had other symptoms. So rather than give in to those cravings, I gradually learned to re-create those dishes at home, more healthfully. 

Plant-Based and Pain-Free

Today I am medication-free and thriving as a plant-based athlete. Over the past three years, thanks to a plant-based diet and some personalized, science-based optimizations from my health coach, I completed a few marathons, one ultramarathon, and an Ironman 70.3. 

My aim now is to help people struggling with autoimmune diseases by promoting a healthier lifestyle, creating conversations about food choices, encouraging more physical activity, and discussing techniques for stress management techniques, fasting, and cold therapy. 

Over the course of this health and nutrition journey, I have become increasingly in tune with my body and aware of the impact I make on this planet. I can’t think of a more important mission than advocating a whole-food, plant-based diet. What we eat can have a transformative effect on our health, our environment, and the lives of future generations. 

Ready to get started? Check out Forks Meal Planner, FOK’s easy weekly meal-planning tool to keep you on a healthy plant-based path. To learn more about a whole-food, plant-based diet, visit our Plant-Based Primer.

The post From Bedridden with Back Pain to Running Marathons appeared first on Forks Over Knives.

Poor diet has been identified as one of the top actual causes of death in the United States time and again. But poor diet doesn’t just cause premature death; it causes years and decades of chronic disease leading up to death, which limits our ability to live a vibrant, pleasurable life. Arthritis represents just one way disease can limit our quality of life. It is a manifestation of countless diseases, many of which are caused in part by poor diet.

What Is Arthritis?

Arthritis refers to painful inflammation of joints. There are many types of arthritis: some acute and fleeting with no long-term consequences, some chronic and causing decades of crippling pain and immobility. Below is a discussion of three common types of arthritis and how diet may play a role in the disease process.

GET OUR FREE 20-PAGE ULTIMATE PLANT-BASED BEGINNER’S GUIDE

Common Types of Arthritis

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a type of chronic arthritis characterized by inflammation and degeneration of the joint. It is often referred to as a “wear and tear” disease of the joint due to a lifetime of use; however, research has shown that osteoarthritis is not simply a disease of aging. Risk factors that we can control, such as poor biomechanics, muscle weakness, and obesity, play a large role in the disease process. Diet also plays a role.

In a study published in 2015 in the journal Arthritis, researchers investigated the effect of a whole-food, plant-based (WFPB) diet on osteoarthritis. They conducted a randomized controlled trial, meaning they randomly assigned participants with osteoarthritis to a WFPB diet and compared them with participants who continued their usual omnivorous diet. Within two weeks, participants eating the WFPB diet reported a significant reduction in pain and improved functioning compared with the control group. 

Another study of a larger group of people found similarly promising results. The 2006 study, published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging, found that eating meat just once per week (compared with eating no meat) was associated with an increased risk of osteoarthritis by 31 percent in women and 19 percent in men. Meat consumption more than once per week was associated with a 49 percent increased risk in women and 43 percent in men.

In another large study published in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, researchers used data from two large cohorts to examine the association between fiber—a nutrient exclusively found in plant foods—and risk of knee osteoarthritis. Those who consumed the highest amounts of fiber had a 30 percent lower risk of knee osteoarthritis in one cohort, and a 61 percent lower risk in the other cohort.

Although not completely understood, the effect of a healthy diet on osteoarthritis may be mediated through reduced inflammation and promotion of healthy body weight. Overweight and obese individuals are over twice as likely to develop osteoarthritis compared to normal weight individuals, and even minimal weight loss can substantially reduce that risk. Because plant-based diets are associated with lower body weight and with weight reduction, this may make them powerful tools in the treatment or prevention of osteoarthritis.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease. The immune system normally recognizes self from non-self as a way of defending the body against foreign invaders (e.g., bacteria, parasites). In autoimmune disease, the immune system maladaptively attacks certain parts of the body. In the case of RA, the target is synovium, a tissue that lines the inner surface of joints. This leads to a chronic inflammatory response that deforms joints and surrounding tissues. Certain factors increase the risk of developing RA, including genetic factors, smoking, and obesity.

Although data is limited on the topic, a few studies have shown diet may play a role in the prevention and treatment of RA. In a 2003 study published in Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, researchers randomized participants with rheumatoid arthritis to a Mediterranean diet—which emphasized fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts—or to continue their normal diet. After 12 weeks, the Mediterranean diet group showed decreased disease activity, had fewer swollen joints, and had less pain compared with those who did not make the dietary changes.

In a different randomized controlled trial published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers tested the effect of fasting for 7 to 10 days followed by a vegan diet for 3.5 months in patients with RA. After one month of intervention, the vegan diet group had decreased pain, less morning stiffness, and fewer tender and swollen joints compared with the omnivorous group.

Although these results are promising, larger studies are needed to validate their findings and further elucidate the effect of plant-based diets on RA.

Gouty Arthritis

Gout is an inflammatory disease caused by urate crystals depositing in various tissues of the body, especially joints. Uric acid is a breakdown product of compounds called purines, which are found in high concentrations in meat, seafood, and alcohol. At high levels in the body and under certain circumstances, uric acid can form crystals that trigger a painful inflammatory response. Due to differences in purine content among foods and its role in the disease process, extensive research has been done on the effect of diet on gout risk.

A study published this year in Clinical Nutrition included two cohorts totaling 13,935 people followed for over eight years on average. The authors investigated the effect of a vegetarian diet on the incidence of gout and found that those eating a vegetarian diet were a third as likely to suffer from gout compared with non-vegetarians, even after accounting for differences in other risk factors (e.g., age, smoking, alcohol use) in their statistical model. 

A large study published in 2004 in the New England Journal of Medicine followed 47,150 men over a period of 12 years and compared meat consumption between men who developed gout with those who remained healthy. They found that those eating the highest amount of meat and seafood were, respectively, 41 percent and 51 percent more likely to develop gout than those eating the least amount of meat and seafood. Interestingly, they found that high purine vegetables were not associated with an increased risk of gout.

Diet and Arthritis: the Big Picture

Although further research is needed to better understand the effect of plant-based diets on the various types of arthritis, I have a hunch that nature was consistent in its design: that the diet that benefits our hardened arteries, insulin resistance, elevated blood pressure, painful menses, erectile dysfunction, ischemic hearts, distressed psychology, and diseased kidneys, is very likely to also benefit our inflamed joints.

The post Plant-Based Diets and 3 Types of Arthritis: a Look at the Evidence appeared first on Forks Over Knives.