I have read many blog comments from people who are really looking to become healthy via diet, but have traditional doctors that want to continue medications. When asked about a dietary option, many doctors will quickly change the subject and prescribe more pills.
Food doesn’t seem to matter. Maybe it’s because most doctors take very few (if any) nutrition classes in medical school and simply do not understand how powerful our food choices are to our health. Or they just don’t think we can really change enough on our own, so give us the pills to make sure.
If you have one of these doctors, all I can say is good luck. But – just so you know – there ARE doctors out there who WILL treat patients with a healthy diet. I know because I just switched to one. Not only is he a Vegan doctor, he is also the son of Dr. John McDougall . He teaches the exact same principles as his father, and he’s my new primary care physician.
I had my first appointment with Dr Craig McDougall today. I thought I’d share some of the key takeaways he emphasized during our visit.
It’s The Food
The majority of today’s health problems can be traced back to a single cause.….. the food we eat.
Specifically, the oils and fats. We should be eating starches, lots of starches. Comfort foods like rice, potatoes, corn, sweet potatoes, whatever – just make sure they comprise about 50% of your plate.
Key Takeaway #1: Eliminating all oils and fats is the first step to beginning a healthy diet.
Processed Food is Fat Food
Fake meats and cheeses are no better than real meats and cheeses. Seriously that’s what he said. They’re full of fat and oils, just like the real stuff. And of course all that fat and oil is going to attach itself effortlessly to your hips, waist, rear, and thighs.
It’s also going to clog your arteries and raise your blood pressure.
Key Takeaway #2: Eat food – Not processed fake food
A McDougall Diet Is Not That Different From A Paleo Diet
If you think about this, he’s right. The Paleo Diet IS very similar to a McDougall Diet in that we both cut out all the junk, processed food and eat very simply. The only real difference is they get their protein from meat, and we get ours from starches, whole grains, and beans.
- We both eat vegetables, nuts, seeds, and fruits.
- We both avoid milk and believe milk belongs to baby calves
- We eat food that is as whole and unprocessed as possible
- Fast food is nasty
- Processed food is just as bad and should be avoided at all costs
Key Takeaway #3: Again – avoid the junk and processed stuff. Eat whole, natural, foods.
Big Changes in Lifestyle Needed to Reverse Symptoms
We didn’t get to this point in our lives by making little changes, and so therefore little changes won’t fix what’s wrong with us either. It’s going to take a big change. I think that’s why most doctors are so insistent on prescribing all the pills they give us, they don’t think we can make the necessary changes on our own.
The point is, just giving up red meat is not going to do much. It’s certainly a start in the right direction, but you have to keep going. Same thing with Meatless Mondays – not enough. We need BIG changes to drop the cholesterol or blood pressure or to lose that 30-40 pounds. Lifestyle changes.
Key Takeaway #4: If you’re serious about getting healthy, you have to be willing to make big changes in your lifestyle.
Eat Simple
Eating doesn’t have to be a chore. I find myself making my meals more and more simple, usually in one single bowl.
- Oatmeal and banana.
- Rice and beans
- Potatoes and broccoli
- Whole wheat pasta and sauce
- A side dish can be a simple salad with fat-free dressing
Simple two or three ingredient meals centered around starch. Some people call this eating ‘clean’.
Sure all those fancy recipes with strange, new, vegan ingredients sound really good. Are you willing to take the time to cook it? Prep time chopping all those veggies can take a while not to mention the cost of some of those fancier ingredients.
Where on the other hand a bag of rice or potatoes with a few bags of frozen veggies can be bought pretty cheap and even at your local Wal-Mart. Keep it simple, starches will fill you up and keep you full. And together these simple meals will give you all the nutrition you need.
“Key Takeaway #5: Eat simple, eat clean, eat food – mostly starch”