By Dr. Sirisha Potluri MD
A plant-based diet is a powerful and pleasurable way to achieve good health.
Plant-based diet means no-meat, fish, poultry, egg, and dairy. Eating only food that comes from plant kingdom.
Plant-based Diet can Keep your heart healthy, Lower blood pressure, Control of diabetes, Prevent Cancer, Increase immunity, Improve lung health, Improve arthritis pain and can help with improving mood too. This is the best time to choose a plant-based diet as it will provide the best defense for your immune system. People who are primarily plant-based /low-fat vegan have good gut micro biome which helps with the immune system. The good news is more than 10,000 studies published in peer-reviewed journals indicate it’s possible to optimize our immune system and reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and type II diabetes. By choosing to eat more plant-based food, you can drastically cut your carbon footprint, save precious water supplies and help ensure that vital crop resources are fed to people, rather than livestock.
Most of the vegetarians consume a lot of dairy products .There are many reasons why we benefit from giving up milk. Dairy is full of hormones. The main reason mammals (cows) produce milk is for their young ones to get enough nourishment and grow until they are able to eat solid foods. Cows produce milk for their calf to grow 300 to 400 kg in one year. Cows milk is ideal for a calf to grow but not for a human baby. But we have started consuming it in adulthood too. In addition to all the calories and fat drinking milk is associated with an increase in IGF1 levels (insulin-like growth factor) which is linked with diabetes. People trying to lose weight and with diabetes, would benefit a lot by removing milk and milk products from their diet. Many people with common nasal allergies having increased mucus production or with asthma have improved by eliminating milk from their diet. There are many options to replace it with plant-based milk (oat milk, soy, almond, coconut, etc..). I’ll provide recipes for plant-based yogurt and plant-based cheese.
Millions of people are waking up to the health benefits of plant-based lifestyle. And with the threat, we face right now, staying healthy is more important than ever. We are all sheltered in, practicing social-distancing, washing our hands. what can we do with nutrition to try to strengthen our immune system. Try getting 4 groups of anti-oxidants into your diet. B-Carotene (carrots, sweet potatoes, papayas, orange bell peppers, etc.)Vitamin C (all citrus fruits, broccoli, kale and other greens have it abundantly)Vitamin E (Nuts – especially walnuts, almonds, better eat them raw, no more than an ounce per day)Zinc (so many beans have this mineral abundantly)Vitamin D (sun light is the best source but may not be possible for many, so it’s a good idea to take a supplement)(Please consult with your doctor before taking any supplement) And please make sure to take B12 supplement if you are strictly following a plant-based diet (most vegetarians and non-vegetarians were also found to be deficient in B12) We are recommending whole-food plant-based no-oil no-added-sugar diet. Evidence shows if this is followed 95% of the time it will help in preventing, maintaining many chronic diseases. Ghee is considered a health food in Indian culture. It is even marketed as healthy. As a matter of fact, ghee has concentrated form of hormones from the dairy milk and it has oxidized cholesterol too which is harmful to the endothelium the innermost lining of the artery. Just like ghee, oil also damages endothelium.
Ways to strengthen your immune system: Eat a nutritious plant-based diet high in fruits and vegetables. Exercise regularly Maintain a healthy weight. Minimize stress by learning better coping strategies (deep breathing, meditation)Get adequate sleep. Don’t smoke , which deteriorates lung function. If you drink alcohol, minimize alcohol use. Take steps to avoid infection such as washing hands frequently and following strict social-distancing.
Plant-based Yogurt (Curd): We can make this by using plain unsweetened soy milk. Just like regular milk boil on medium heat, and once it reaches the room temperature add the yogurt culture, or probiotic capsules and set the yogurt in a warm place. Dry red chilly green chili tops can help to get a thick yogurt.
Yogurt with peanut milk (Curd) Ingredients: Half liter peanut milk ( soak raw peanuts overnight and blend with 1:2 ratio of water and make peanut milk)Half teaspoon lime juice or green chili tops Method :Stir the milk and boil slowly on low heat. Once it reaches room temperature, set the curd using chili tops or previous yogurt culture.
Nut-free cheese : Ingredients: Two cups steamed diced potato, one cup steamed diced carrot, half cup water, 1-2 tea spoon salt, one tablespoon lemon juice, half cup nutritional yeast, ¼ cup onion powder, ¼ cup garlic powder. Method :Blend all these ingredients into a smooth creamy paste. Store in the refrigerator for one week. This cheese can be used in various recipes like Mac and cheese, broccoli cheese bake, Pasta dishes. Please consult your Doctor before following any new diet.