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Say No to Drugs by Saying Yes to More Plants

A study of 15,000 American vegetarians suggests their lower chronic disease rates translate into fewer surgeries (including hysterectomies) and medications (including aspirin, sleeping pills, tranquilizers, antacids, pain-killers, blood pressure medications, laxatives, and insulin).

January 3, 2012 |
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Say No to Drugs by Saying Yes to More Plants, 5.0 out of 5 based on 4 ratings

Sources Cited

Knutsen SF. Lifestyle and the use of health services. Am J Clin Nutr. 1994 May;59(5 Suppl):1171S-1175S.

Acknowledgements

Image thanks to Brian Hansen

Transcript

You’ll note in this study of 15,000 American vegetarians, not only did eating vegetarian appear to have a favorable effect on the prevalence of allergies, but several chronic diseases as well. This is what they referring to: After controlling for factors like smoking rates, vegetarians were found to have significantly less coronary artery disease, fewer strokes, less high blood pressure, less diabetes, less diverticulosis, etc. and significantly fewer diseases overall.

They also noted that the non-vegetarians were more likely to have gone in for surgery for things as varied as varicose veins and hemorrhoids, to even more hysterectomies, as well as more likely to be on medications. Those eating meat had about twice the odds of being on aspirin, sleeping pills, tranquilizers, antacids, pain-killers, blood pressure medications, laxatives and insulin.

So if you don’t like taking drugs, you don’t like paying for drugs, we may be able to cut our odds of needing medications in half by choosing to eat vegetarian.

To see any graphs, charts, graphics, images, and quotes to which Dr. Greger may be referring watch the above video. This is just an approximation of the audio contributed by MaryAnn Allison.

To help out on the site please email <a
href= “mailto:volunteer@nutritionfacts.org” >volunteer@nutritionfacts.org

Dr. Michael Greger

Doctor's Note

Please feel free to post any ask-the-doctor type questions here in the comments section and I’d be happy to try to answer them. Check out the other videos on chronic diseases and plant-based diets. And there are 1,449 subjects covered in the rest of my videos–please feel free to explore them!

For some context see my blog posts: Plant-based Benefits Extend Beyond the Top Killers, Poultry and Penis Cancer, Kiwi Fruit for Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and Treating Crohn’s Disease With Diet.

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/mgreger/ Michael Greger M.D.

    Please feel free to post any ask-the-doctor type questions here in the comments section and I’d be happy to try to answer them. Check out the other videos on chronic diseases and plant-based diets. And there are 1,449 subjects covered in the rest of my videos–please feel free to explore them!

    For some context see my blog post Plant-based Benefits Extend Beyond the Top Killers,

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/paul3917/ paul3917

    The article you cited Dr. Greger, had an unusual idea of who vegetarians are: those who munch on animals less than once a week. I’m sure the reduction in morbidity would have been even more pronounced if they had studied a cohort of true-blue vegans. One puzzle though, was why the veg group had slightly higher rates of breast lumps and prostrate problems than their meat-chomping peers. Any suggestions of how we can do to avoid those pratfalls? I’ve read indications that adequate iodine can help with the breasts and plant sterols and stanols might help with the prostate. Is this true?

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/mgreger/ Michael Greger M.D.

      Note that only the “OR’s” (Odds Ratios) with the notation next to them are statistically significant, so none of those conditions listed were found significantly more in those eating plant based diets.

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/claudia-r/ claudia r

    As a vegetarian for 20 years and a holistic health coach, I completely agree with the fact that a plant based diet has a host of benefits including those mentioned in this video. That said, would you not also agree that part of the reason vegetarians have fewer surgeries and take fewer drugs is a psychological issue; those who consciously make healthy food decisions are less likely to run to the doctor when something is wrong and are less likely to take prescription meds or have elective surgeries.

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/TanTruong/ Tan Truong

      Good point.

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/meha/ Meha

    A version with Brazilian Portuguese subtitles to help spread the word, thank you Dr Greger for your authorization:

    http://youtu.be/DAQ5pW_27C0

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/mgreger/ Michael Greger M.D.

      You’re the best! Anyone else with language skills that would care to help translate any of the more than 600 videos now?

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/MarkBiddy/ Mark Biddy

    Hi Dr. Greger, can you shed any light on these findings – it seems to not support plant based eating.
    Regards, Mark…keep up the great work!

    High-Fiber Diet No Help for Diverticulosis
    http://www.medpagetoday.com/Gastroenterology/GeneralGastroenterology/30807

    A high-fiber diet afforded no protection against asymptomatic diverticulosis, findings from more than 2,000 colonoscopy exams showed.
    …
    “Our data demonstrated no association between fat, red meat, physical activity, and diverticulosis,” Robert S. Sandler, MD, of the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, and coauthors wrote in conclusion.

    • Lu

      Not sure, but a comment left at the bottom of the page of the linked report you mention was helpful for me:

      Humorously, I’d like to become famous for the following saying “When you ask the wrong question, you will get the wrong answer.” That is exactly what this study does. The real question is not quartiles of fiber in a a population that has the disease process, but what is the fiber intake of those populations that have no diverticulosis. Epidemiological studies of “pre-technological”(no electricity, gasoline, air-conditioning, grocery stores…)societies demonstrate that while those populations may have volvulus, they have no diverticulosis–due to their very high fiber intake (100-300 grams/day)according to the work of Burkitt (of Burkitt’s lymphoma)or S B Eaton of Emory U. (“Stone-agers in the Fast Lane” Am J of Med 1988). This current article is subject to the statistical errors as eloquently enumerated & discussed most recently by S Shapiro PhD (U of Capetown)regarding the UK “Million Women’s Study”; about the use of postmenopausal hormones, the subsequent development of breast cancer, and the correct statistical approach.

  • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/martin/ Martin

    Searching the Internet for cheap and safe Amla and Triphala, I stumbled upon this product:
    http://www.realphoenixhealthcare.com/servlet/the-529/Divya-Mukta-Vati-for/Detail – (Divya Mukta Vati)
    Could this herbal formula really be a valid treatment for hypertension?
    My wife has been a vegetarian (almost vegan) for about three years now, but her blood pressure remains a bit high and she has to take traditional medication.

    • http://nutritionfacts.org/members/toxins/ Toxins

      Be sure you are eating a low fat whole foods, plant based diet without free oils or processed food. Also be sure to limit your sodium intake to 1500 or less. If you do this I am confident your wife’s blood pressure will be reduced.
      http://nutritionfacts.org/videos/salt-ok-if-blood-pressure-is-ok/

  • Dharmarules

    Alas, my gene pool have given me two knees that need replacements, my diet is good ( much better since I have found Dr. Greger) but I started to eat correctly later in life and see the results of earlier choices along with my families history of knee problems. Question, six months before my first replacement, what diet areas should I concentrate on, certain foods more than others, any help would be appreciated, thank you, Lynda Whitney

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