Plant-Based Nutrition
Dr. Ellen has spent years studying nutrition and diet. She found that the dietary approach most supported by scientific research for positive health benefits is a vegetarian/vegan diet. The scientific literature has repeatedly documented the many benefits of eating whole plant foods.[1,2] For example, a study of over 60,000 participants found significant difference between vegans and nonvegetarians, suggesting vegetarianism protects against both obesity and against the risk of type 2 diabetes. Interestingly, pescatarian (vegetarian diet plus fish) and semi-vegetarian diets seemed to provide intermediate protection.[3]
For many years, conventional western medicine has unfortunately resisted the ever-growing proof of the health benefits of a whole food, plant-based vegetarian diet. Dr. Ellen happily notes that these benefits have been receiving increased interest by the medical community. There are a growing number of medical doctors who have become ardent advocates for this, including Dean Ornish, Colin Campbell, Michael Greger, and Joel Fuhrman.[4]
The “Dr. Ellen dietary plan” is first and foremost based on meals composed of ‘whole food, plant-based’ ingredients. Ideally, this means plant (or mushroom) foods with little to no processing. Typically, each step of processing a food often decreases either its nutritional content or its positive impact on health, or both. Of almost equal importance to Dr. Ellen is ‘No SOS’, that is, little to no added sugars, oils, or salt. This means no added salt and consuming little to no sugars or oils. Sugars and oils have been extracted from the plants themselves. When they are contained within the plant source, they are accompanied by the full array of other nutrients, including fiber. As such, they can then be considered to be whole food, plant-based ingredients.
In her one-on-one health and wellness coaching, Dr. Ellen helps guide each person to the optimal dietary specifications for that person. That means maximizing health as well as happiness, in this case meaning a generally pleasing gustatory experience! If you are interested in exploring one on one health and wellness coaching with Dr. Ellen, please contact us.
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