Nurses Go Vegan, Then Thrive
Nurses who went vegan reported having better health since eliminating animal products from their diet. They also lost weight and reported have more energy. Body changes after going vegan were reported to be positive and health promoting.
Joanne Evans, a Washington DC nurse, provided a presentation to her colleagues at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., about the health benefits of adopting a plant-based vegan diet and had 19 nurses eager to test it out.
Hello Plant-based Foods, Goodbye Animal products
After 21 days, 74 percent of the nurses reported positive body changes after going vegan -- 14 out of 19, lowered their cholesterol, and lost weight, with an average weight loss of 4.4 pounds, with a range of 1.5 to 9 pounds; 30 percent, six, reported gains in energy; and 41 percent, eight, reported feeling highly satisfied with their health, compared to one nurse who reported this before the dietary modification. After the program, the nurses reported an increase in fruit and vegetable consumption, while meat and dairy consumption fell. The findings appear in the American Journal of Nursing.
No Need To Count Calories
The nurses thrived without counting calories, measuring portion sizes, or adhering to strict rules, and were supported through weekly webinars to answer questions about day-to-day challenges, as well as lend advice about nutrient intake and cooking procedures. Feedback was offered about how to integrate healthy options into every meal as well as emails from free online meal-planning programs grocery shopping lists, inspirational tips, videos of cooking demos and grocery store tours, and a calorie tracking iPhone app.
Vegan Diets Boost Weight Loss
"Large bodies of research show a plant-based vegan diet boosts weight loss, lowers blood pressure, improves cholesterol, and stabilizes blood sugar," says Neal Barnard, M.D., F.A.C.C., president of the nonprofit Physicians Committee. "The secret is to stick with the prescription since the health benefits last as long as you're putting the dietary principles into practice. A plant-based vegan diet is not a fad diet, but a new approach to eating, a new approach to health care, and a new approach to life."