100 Year Old Vegan Heart Surgeon Retired At 95 – Vegan For 50 Years

Watch Dr. Ellsworth’s interview with CNN’S Dr. Sanjay Gupta

Dr. WarehamWhy Vegetarian And Vegan Diets Are Becoming More Popular?

This 100 year old heart surgeon isn’t the only one, Kim A. Williams, M.D., incoming president of the American College of Cardiology has also adopted a vegan diet.

World renowned figures throughout history, from Plato and Nietzsche all the way to pop icons like Paul Mcartney and Bob Marley, to political leaders like Gandhi and and Benjamin Franklin, have all advocated a vegetarian diet. There is no doubt that the influence of these kinds of “celebrity” figures, along with outspoken animal rights advocates, have played a role in the rise of vegetarianism in recent years, but the main reason for its recent popularity really has to do with the way it makes people feel and the science behind it. There is no shortage of studies demonstrating the clear health benefits of  vegetarian and vegan diets, and many of them outline how these benefits increase the more an individual decreases the amount of animal products they consume.

That being said, even if you are not an advocate of a vegetarian or vegan diet, it’s important to note that a very high and alarming percentage of Americans eat hardly any vegetables whatsoever. According to the Wall Street Journal, in 2011, approximately 80% of Americans who ate meat rarely consumed vegetables at all. (source)

“Studies are confirming the health benefits of meat-free eating. Nowadays, plant-based eating is recognized as not only nutritionally sufficient but also as a way to reduce the risk for many chronic illnesses.” – Harvard Medical School (source)

For example, the American Dietetic Association weighed in with a position paper, concluding that “appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.” (Journal of the American Dietetic Association, July 2009) (source)

These diseases include heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and more.

It’s good to see research into vegetarianism and veganism confirm these benefits, whereas in previous years they focused solely on the problems that can arise from potential nutritional deficiencies. That being said, if you are going to make this transition, it is very important to be aware of your body’s requirements and what nutrients you may be giving up. You will have to learn the plant-based sources of these nutrients.

Sources:

http://www.collective-evolution.com/2015/05/04/100-year-old-vegan-heart-surgeon-retired-at-95-heres-why-hes-been-a-vegan-for-50-years/

http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704774604576035211826290534

http://www.pcrm.org/health/diets/vegdiets/vegetarian-foods-powerful-for-health

http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/becoming-a-vegetarian

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19562864

Image Source:

http://cdn9.trueactivist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/ellsworth.jpg

https://www.happycow.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Ellsworth.jpg

 

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