7 esteemed plant-based doctors worth following
Today is World Health Day which focuses on ways to keep humans and the planet healthy and what could be more effective in achieving this than adopting a more plant based diet? Therefore, we have decided to signpost you to some leading plant based doctors which we recommend following to expand your knowledge on the benefits of plant-based nutrition.
Dr. Alan Desmond
Dr. Desmond’s Instagram page focuses upon gut health and espouses the benefits that a plant based diet can have on your gut flora and microbiome, as well as highlighting how animal products may detrimentally affect your gut health and potentially contribute to gut dysbiosis. The gut is referred to as the ‘second brain’ and what we eat most definitely influences our mood and cognition. Ayurveda, one of the oldest medicinal traditions in the world states that all disease begins in the gut; we are starting to learn that this may not be hyperbole.
Dr. Michael Greger
Dr. Greger is one of the most famous and loved plant-based doctors in the vegan community and he regularly posts on his Instagram account. He is the founder of NutritionFacts.org an evidence-based nutrition resource free from corporate sponsorship; there are thousands of videos uploaded on the NutritionFacts.org Youtube channel which are an invaluable source of information, many of us have learnt a vast amount from them and have felt empowered to adopt a plant-based diet as a result.
Dr. T. Colin Campbell
Probably one the most distinguished and experienced plant-based doctors - he recently turned 88, but you wouldn’t know it from looking at him or hearing him speak! Co-author of the groundbreaking The China Study which started to shift public awareness towards the positives of plant-based eating. He has also published other excellent books which are truly eye-opening such as Whole - which ought to be mandatory reading for any doctor. Dr. Campbell founded the T. Colin Campbell for Nutrition Studies which posts interesting nutrition information which can be followed on Facebook and Instagram.
Dr. Dean Ornish
Dr. Ornish is the founder and president of the non-profit Preventive Medicine Research Institute. He has been involved in landmark scientific studies such as showing that healthy lifestyle factors combined with a predominantly plant-based diet can actually increase telomere length (which are the protective caps on the end of our DNA). You can give him a follow on Instagram.
Dr. Neal Bernard
Dr. Bernard advocates for plant based nutrition, ethical research and medical training. He is the founder of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, which promotes preventative medicine (an area that needs significantly more attention in healthcare) and encourages higher standards in research. He is a gifted, engaging orator. You can follow him on Instagram.
Dr. Joel Fuhrman
Dr. Fuhrman is a renowned, highly respected plant-based doctor, he is a nutritional researcher and 7 times New York Times best-selling author. He often posts on his Instagram and has a passion for informing people about the benefits of a plant-based diet and how it can help prevent and reverse disease.
Dr. Michael Klaper
Dr. Klaper like the rest of those on this list champions a whole food, plant based diet and believes it can significantly help people. You can follow him on Instagram and YouTube. He is an internationally-recognised teacher and inspiring speaker on diet and health.
Lastly, a proud vegan who is not a doctor, but he puts out such brilliant nutritional videos that Mic the Vegan deserves a mention! Check him out on YouTube.
If you are intrigued to learn more about nutrition you may be interested in our articles about the five best omega 3 sources for vegans and the astonishing health benefits of mushrooms. And if you’d like to know more about gut health, check out our interview with our interview with Dr. Alan Desmond.