Vegetarian Star

Barack Obama doesn’t want to hear a lecture about his cholesterol, but Dr. Neal Barnard, president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, has given him one anyway.

Besides the gentle nudge to give up cigarettes, Dr. Barnard explains that the best way for the President of the United States to get his numbers to an acceptable range is to accept more vegetables–and less meat.

Dr. Barnard points out that going vegetarian, even part time, will impact Obama’s cholesterol more than genes and exercise.

“First, exercise won’t lower your cholesterol. It may bump up “good” cholesterol slightly and improve your basketball game or your stride, but you definitely can’t count on it to lower your “bad” cholesterol. It won’t.”

“Second, we almost certainly cannot blame genes. For the vast majority of people, high cholesterol comes down to diet.”

And while less red meat is great, you really need to go veg all the way to get the full benefits of diet on cholesterol.

“Third, switching from beef to chicken and fish has almost no effect on cholesterol. It lowers “bad” cholesterol only about 5 percent–and that’s not enough.”

“The answer is behind your house, in the White House garden. Foods from plants have essentially no cholesterol and are free of the animal fat that causes the body to make cholesterol. If you skipped meat, dairy products, and eggs for even a few weeks, chances are your cholesterol would drop right into the normal range.”

Hope Obama is convinced.

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Biggest Loser coach Bob Harper has Tweeted some words of encouragement for those looking to improve their diet and health.

Bob wants you and everyone else to sign up for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine’s 21 Day Kickstart Program.

This month’s celebrity tip is from Ginnifer Goodwin, and she’s offering one of her favorite recipes containing Gardein faux chicken and bok choy.

It’s completely free of any meat and dairy, including Ginnifer’s former vice–cheese.

“For most of my life I lived on cheeseburgers, macaroni and cheese, and pizza,” Ginnifer says on the site.

“I just KNEW that “I absolutely, positively could never give up cheese.” Not only was I absolutely, positively wrong about myself, but now two of my four parents have gone vegan. They see the impact a plant-based diet has had on my life and want to live more healthfully and happily, too.”

Ginnifer is a champion for converting two of her parents to veganism.

Can’t wait to see her convert all the parents on Big Love to a meat and dairy free diet as well.

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Dr. Neal Barnard

Soy is everywhere, as Dr. Neal Barnard of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, says in the Huffington Post.

From faux meats to milk, sure soy might taste great, but are you getting any health benefits from it?

According to Dr. Barnard, evidence points in the direction of “yes,” especially when it comes to the ladies.

For example, soy may help prevent breast cancer in women. This benefit may be greatest if the soy is consume in adolescence when breast tissue is developing.

So moms, don’t forget to have a tofu stir fry with your daughter at the mall when you’re shopping for her first bra.

Soy may also reduce of the risk of recurrence in breast cancer survivors.

Why is soy thought to be a tough competitor to cancer?

Some researchers suspect that an estrogen lookalike compound in the soybean called phytoestrogen binds to a woman’s estrogen receptor in her body, preventing real estrogen from binding and blocking its potentially cancer inducing effects.

“In summary, evidence to date is reassuring,” Dr. Barnard writes. “Soy products may reduce the risk of breast cancer and breast cancer recurrence.

Besides the breasts, other female benefits of soy may include reducing the risk osteoporosis associated fractures and reducing the risk of fibroids.

Can soy benefit the gentleman as well? Learn what Dr. Barnard has to say at the Huffington Post.

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Michelle Obama recently spoke about her initiative  to reduce obesity rates in children.

The administration is requesting $10 million dollars over the next decade to improve the school lunch program, which includes making more fruits, vegetables and low fat dairy products available.

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine advocates a vegan diet, and two of its representatives, nutritionist Kathryn Strong and public affairs director Elizabeth Kucinich, the wife of representative Dennis Kucinich, have offered their insights.

Strong suggested that subsidies to the meat and dairy industries be cut. If these higher fat meat and cheese items aren’t as cheap, they may be less likely to be included as a regular option in schools.

Kucinich emphasized the value of healthy foods as preventative medicine for obesity related illnesses like diabetes.

“What is the cost to the nation if we don’t [consider it]?” she said, according to the Epoch Times.

Kucinich also emphasized that for some low-income children, the school meal might be the only meal they eat.

Dairy sensitivities and/or lactose intolerance is common in minority groups that are often over- represented in low income school districts.

A carton of soy milk replacing 2% on the lunch tray may give schools a better report card in future semesters.

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Dr. Neal Barnard

Back in December, Rush Limbaugh received a vegetarian care package from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) after he was hospitalized for chest pains.

If Rush hadn’t been such a filthy dirty liberal, he would have never landed there.

That’s right, Rush is about as loose as Howard Stern…when it comes to diet.

In an article from CrazySexyLife, Dr. Neal Barnard, president of PCRM says Rush and everyone else needs to be more conservative–or face dire health consequences.

“As a doctor, I’m offering one bit of advice, not just to Rush, but to all Americans: We need to be more conservative. As conservative as possible, in fact.”

“Indeed, people who stick to an entirely plant-based diet, as part of an overall healthy lifestyle, can do more than just prevent heart disease; they can actually reverse it, as was demonstrated in the now-classic studies of Dean Ornish, M.D.”

“The only good thing about a health scare is that it reminds us how important our diets and lifestyles are to our well-beings. It’s time to trade our cheeseburgers for veggie burgers, beef tacos for bean burritos, and remote controls for tennis shoes. Yes, that’s my prescription for Rush—but it’s also my prescription for us all.”

Sounds like a radio talk show to tune in to.

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If you need to brush up on your veggie cooking skills, chef Christina Pirello is offering several classes that give veg love in the city of brotherly love.

The same chef who brought you better sex tips offers three different culinary programs in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the United States: demonstration classes, a three-day Intensive Study Program and a six-month Cooking and Integrative Health Studies Program.

The classes cover topics such as kitchen utensils and menu planning to complete lifestyle assessments to help students make healthy decisions away from the dinner table.

Pirello’s book, Cooking The Whole Foods Way, was recently chosen as one of the top 5 cookbooks of the decade by the Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine.

For more information on the cooking classes, visit Pirello’s website.

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January 1st has arrived and that means the Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine 21 Day Vegan Kickstart program has begun!

As mentioned before, there are several celebrities that offer tips for keeping up your resolution of going veg, like John Salley‘s advice on helping children make good food decisions.

“Adults influence kids’ eating habits. We have to improve kids’ eating habits—and re-educate adults about what is food and what is not food. People can have pizza and pastries without dairy products and eggs. They can have tofu mozzarella cheese or egg substitute and they should use agave in place of high-fructose corn syrup and refined whole sugar.”

Rory Freedman is also there to be the cheerleader in case you do cheat.

“If you slip up and get off track, forgive yourself. It’s okay to be imperfect and to make mistakes. Try to do better, that’s all.”

But with recipes like her Green Goddess pasta, it might be hard to even think about falling off track.

And Bob Harper wants you to examine what’s on your plate before asking why you feel tired and crummy every evening. And hopefully, put some of his black bean quinoa salad on there.

“When you pay attention to what you eat, it becomes easier to understand your relationship with food and how it affects your day-to-day life.”

For more celebrity nutrition tips, visit kickstart.pcrm.org.

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After discovering conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh was hospitalized for chest pains, Dr. Neal Barnard, president of the Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine, decided to write Limbaugh a letter suggesting changes to his diet might prevent such medical problems.

A letter urging someone to go veg? That’s right. PCRM must be playing PETA now.

“In our grandparents’ day, people knew the value of humble beans, vegetables, and fruits, often growing them in their own family gardens. These foods have essentially no cholesterol and very little saturated fat. Nowadays, many Americans are very liberal with meat, dairy products, and end up needing to rely on medications to counteract the effects of their diets.”

According to a  news release, PCRM also delivered a care packet of fruits, vegetables and other vegan foods, courtesy of Down to Earth, an organic vegetarian store in Oahu.

PCRM says that heart attacks increase during December and January because of eating patterns that occur during the holiday season.

If Rush’s hospital room comes with Internet access, he’ll be able to go online and sign up for the PCRM 21 Day Vegan Kickstart program.

Wishing Rush a speedy recovery because Punkin the cat must really be missing him.

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