I've been on a plant-based diet for the last 4 years.... Anyone who thinks this is extreme should consider that taking medications with side effects that make you sick is even more extreme. Having chronic illness and doing nothing to avoid "diseases of affluence" is even more extreme.

Many people who eat this way are able to reverse type 2 diabetes, cancer and heart disease. I think you mentioned once you're a doctor? My own cholesterol, triglycerides, and PSA indicators have all improved DRAMATICALLY. I'm not on any meds. (My doctor is impressed and says I should keep doing what I'm doing).

Anyone who wants to learn more about this watch the 90-minute video "Forks Over Knives" on Netflix or Amazon. For more about the science behind it read "The China Study". There are people (some who may be shills from the meat/dairy industry) who debunk it, but everybody is entitled to decide who they want to believe. The epidemiologic facts speak for themselves, very loudly. If you think it's bunk; eat a meal of steak and fries and follow it by a big slice of cake, and then decide how energized and how well you feel after.

Often people think that a whole-food plant based diet means we're eating cardboard. I hear "I could never give up my meat" or cheese/milk (or whatever). On the contrary, we eat very well, but we rely more on recipes from other cultures (Latin, Indian, Asian, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean). Northern Europeans and Americans of Euro ancestry don't do veggies as well as other cultures. Lunch today is 3 bean chili with a brown/wild rice pilaf. My wife maintains a "favorite recipes" document that she curates regularly; about 25 recipes at any given time. No (or minimal) deep fried anything, processed foods, meat, eggs, dairy, fish, or butter, and reduced oil. It's more limiting to eat this way in restaurants but usually they have 1 or 2 things on the menu that are vegan/vegetarian or can be adapted with a minor ingredient substitution from something else on their menu. (If anyone's interested I'll post more about this, or we can start a separate thread). Once in a while we'll have a few bites of cake or a few pieces of calamari or taste of something else outside our diet. Generally we don't feel like we miss it, but if there's something that looks good we can have some without making a meal out of it. When in a situation that is inappropriate to ask for substitutions (e.g. a wedding) we usually will order fish, eat some of it and the salad and veggie sides.

When you reduce or eliminate the processed foods and super-rich foods (fried foods, meats, dairy, buttery foods or rich desserts) 90%+ of people who think they have IBS or "acid reflux" or hemorrhoids or other GI issues will be miraculously cured... That's our body telling us it can't take that super rich stuff. It's also easier to keep weight under control because (other than nuts and breads) non-processed plant-based food is generally lower in calorie density.

The other part of it is exercise. That's not controversial but takes discipline and takes time from our busy lives. We all know we've got to use it or lose it.

PS - sorry for the rant.