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Research and Sources

Did you know there’s a wealth of science-backed evidence of how plant-based nutrition can prevent and reverse chronic illness? Check out this compelling information here.  If you find the information below a bit confusing, that’s totally normal. Our job is to turn this body of research into meaningful ways to help you live healthier. Contact us to learn more about preventing and reversing your disease.

Click on the titles for links to the studies.

Plant-based nutrition reduces likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes

  • ​​Satija A, Bhupathiraju SN, Rimm EB, Spiegelman D, Chiuve SE, Borgi L, Willett WC, Manson JE, Sun Q, Hu FB. Plant-Based Dietary Patterns and Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes in US Men and Women: Results from Three Prospective Cohort Studies. PLoS Med. 2016 Jun 14;13(6):e1002039. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002039. eCollection 2016 Jun. PubMed PMID: 27299701; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4907448.
     

Plant-based nutrition decreased odds of heart attacks, strokes, and development of metabolic syndrome​

  • ​Kahleova H, Levin S, Barnard N. Cardio-Metabolic Benefits of Plant-Based Diets. Nutrients. 2017 Aug 9;9(8). pii: E848. doi: 10.3390/nu9080848. Review. PubMed PMID: 28792455; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5579641.
     

A whole food, plant-based diet has been shown to reverse coronary artery disease.

  • Esselstyn CB Jr, Gendy G, Doyle J, Golubic M, Roizen MF. A way to reverse CAD? J Fam Pract. 2014 Jul;63(7):356-364b. PubMed PMID: 25198208.
     

Vegan diets result in less ischemic heart disease and less total cancer incidence​

  • ​Dinu M, Abbate R, Gensini GF, Casini A, Sofi F. Vegetarian, vegan diets and multiple health outcomes: A systematic review with meta-analysis of observational studies. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2017 Nov 22;57(17):3640-3649. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2016.1138447. Review. PubMed PMID: 26853923.
     

Hypertension can be prevented and reversed by a plant-based diet

  • ​Alexander S, Ostfeld RJ, Allen K, Williams KA. A plant-based diet and hypertension. J Geriatr Cardiol. 2017 May;14(5):327-330. doi: 10.11909/j.issn.1671-5411.2017.05.014. PubMed PMID: 28630611; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5466938.
     

Low fat, plant-based diet has led to reversal of diabetic neuropathy​

  • ​Brunner AE, Wells CL, Gonzales J, Agarwal U, Bayat E, et al. A dietary intervention for chronic diabetic neuropathy pain: a randomized controlled pilot study. Nutrition & Diabetes. 2015 May 26; 5(158).

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A diet low in saturated fat is associated with decreased progression of multiple sclerosis.

  • ​Swank RL, Dugan BB. Effect of low saturated fat diet in early and late cases of multiple sclerosis. Lancet. 1990 Jul 7;336(8706):37-9. PubMed PMID: 1973220.

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Endothelial function, measured by vasodilator response, is significantly impaired after a single high-fat meal.

  • ​Vogel RA, Corretti MC, Plotnick GD. Effect of a single high-fat meal on endothelial function in healthy subjects. Am J Cardiol. 1997 Feb 1;79(3):350-4. PubMed PMID: 9036757.

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Erectile dysfunction is improved by cardiovascular risk reduction, which includes both pharmacotherapy and lifestyle modification.

  • ​Gupta BP, Murad MH, Clifton MM, Prokop L, Nehra A, Kopecky SL. The effect of lifestyle modification and cardiovascular risk factor reduction on erectile dysfunction: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Arch Intern Med. 2011 Nov 14;171(20):1797-803. doi: 10.1001/archinternmed.2011.440. Epub 2011 Sep 12. PubMed PMID: 21911624.

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Patients lost more weight with whole food, plant-based diet compared with patients undergoing standard weight loss care.

  • Wright N, Wilson L, Smith M, Duncan B, McHugh P. The BROAD study: A randomised controlled trial using a whole food plant-based diet in the community for obesity, ischaemic heart disease or diabetes. Nutrition & Diabetes. 2017 March; 7:e256.

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Breast cancer incidence and deaths were decreased with a low fat diet with increased fruit, vegetables, and grains.

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Prostate cancer gene expression is affected within three months of initiation of a whole food, plant-based diet with stress management.

  • Ornish D, Magbanua MJ, Weidner G, Weinberg V, Kemp C, Green C, Mattie MD, Marlin R, Simko J, Shinohara K, Haqq CM, Carroll PR. Changes in prostate gene expression in men undergoing an intensive nutrition and lifestyle intervention. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2008 Jun 17;105(24):8369-74. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0803080105. Epub 2008 Jun 16. PubMed PMID: 18559852; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2430265.

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Telomere length in men with prostate cancer increased with initiation of lifestyle changes. [This indicates that people with prostate cancer had the ends of their chromosomes (telomeres), which are thought to be protective against cancer and other causes of death, grow rather than shrink.]

  • Ornish D, Lin J, Chan JM, Epel E, Kemp C, Weidner G, Marlin R, Frenda SJ, Magbanua MJM, Daubenmier J, Estay I, Hills NK, Chainani-Wu N, Carroll PR, Blackburn EH. Effect of comprehensive lifestyle changes on telomerase activity and telomere length in men with biopsy-proven low-risk prostate cancer: 5-year follow-up of a descriptive pilot study. Lancet Oncol. 2013 Oct;14(11):1112-1120. doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(13)70366-8. Epub 2013 Sep 17. PubMed PMID: 24051140.​

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An increase in fiber is associated with decreased symptoms of knee osteoarthritis.

  • Dai Z, Niu J, Zhang Y, Jacques P, Felson DT. Dietary intake of fibre and risk of knee osteoarthritis in two US prospective cohorts. Ann Rheum Dis. 2017 Aug;76(8):1411-1419. doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2016-210810. Epub 2017 May 23. PubMed PMID: 28536116.

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The total cost of the average person with diabetes is over $16,000 per year, with nearly $10,000 of that attributed directly to diabetes-related costs

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