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The Impact of Whole Foods on Medication Reduction

Writer's picture: Fatima QureshiFatima Qureshi

The impact of whole foods on medication reduction is significant, particularly for conditions like type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. The sources suggest that a diet rich in whole plant foods can not only help prevent these conditions but also reverse their progression, often leading to a reduction or elimination of the need for medications.

Type 2 Diabetes:

  • A plant-based diet has been shown to be effective in reversing type 2 diabetes.

  • Studies have demonstrated that after adopting a diet centered on whole plant foods, individuals' A1c levels dropped to a non-diabetic range, and they were able to stop taking most of their medications.

  • Even without weight loss, individuals on a plant-based diet have seen their insulin requirements decrease by approximately 60%, with half of the diabetics being able to discontinue insulin altogether.

  • Blood sugar levels can normalize within a week of eating a very low-calorie diet, due to fat being pulled from the muscles, liver, and pancreas, which indicates the importance of diet quality over calorie restriction.


Hypertension (High Blood Pressure):

  • A diet focused on whole plant foods can significantly lower blood pressure, often to the point where medication adjustments are necessary.

  • In studies, individuals who switched to a plant-based diet saw such a significant drop in blood pressure that half of the subjects appeared to be cured of their hypertension, and their need for high blood pressure medications decreased by 80% within three weeks.

  • The more plant-based foods one consumes, the greater the reduction in hypertension rates. A study showed a stepwise drop in hypertension rates with different levels of plant-based eating:

    • Flexitarians (those who eat meat a few times a month) had 23% lower rates of high blood pressure.

    • Those who cut out all meat except fish had a 38% lower risk.

    • Those who cut out all meat had a 55% lower rate.

    • Those who cut out all meat, eggs, and dairy had a 75% reduced risk.

  • Whole grains have been shown to help people achieve the same blood-pressure-lowering benefit as medications, without adverse side effects.


Heart Disease:

  • A plant-based diet, along with other healthy lifestyle changes, has been shown to open clogged arteries without the need for surgery or miracle drugs.

  • The most effective way to reverse heart disease, proven in the majority of patients, is a diet centered on whole plant foods.

  • Plant-based diets may offer a 60% absolute risk reduction for heart attack or death in less than four years, whereas statin drugs may only offer a 3% risk reduction over six years.


Asthma:

  • Increasing fruit and vegetable consumption to seven servings a day cut study subjects' asthma exacerbation rate in half.

  • A strictly plant-based diet improved lung function and asthma control in severe asthmatics who were not getting better with conventional therapies.

  • Subjects on a plant-based diet not only improved their asthma but also experienced additional benefits, such as weight loss and better cholesterol and blood pressure levels.


Other Conditions:

  • Plant-based diets have also been shown to reverse nerve damage pain.

  • Higher consumption of vegetables may cut the odds of developing depression by as much as 62%.

  • Plant foods contain phytonutrients that naturally inhibit the monoamine oxidase enzyme, which helps explain why those eating plant-rich diets have lower rates of depression.


General Principles:


  • Whole Foods vs. Supplements: The sources emphasize that whole foods are more effective than supplements in preventing and treating diseases. For example, studies have repeatedly shown that antioxidant supplements have no beneficial effects on respiratory or allergic diseases, whereas eating whole foods does.

  • Addressing the Root Cause: The focus should be on addressing the root causes of diseases through diet and lifestyle changes, rather than just treating symptoms with medication.

  • Side Effects: The "side effect" of a plant-based diet may be not having to take drugs anymore.

  • Medical Supervision: It is critically important to work with a doctor when radically improving your diet because medications may need to be adjusted or eliminated to avoid blood sugar or blood pressure from dropping too low.


In summary, the sources highlight the significant impact of whole foods on medication reduction. By focusing on a diet rich in whole plant foods, individuals can often reverse or manage chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and asthma, reducing or even eliminating the need for medication. These findings underscore the importance of prioritizing a whole-food, plant-based diet as a foundational approach to health and disease management.


Reference

Greger, M., & Stone, G. (2015). How not to die: Discover the foods scientifically proven to prevent and reverse disease. Flatiron Books


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