A Plant-Based Nutrition Program

M than two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese, leading to the development of chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States, killing one in four Americans, and more than 73 million people have elevated cholesterol levels. Nutrition is a key element in maintaining wellness and managing chronic illnesses, but many patients and health care providers don’t recognize the value of altering the typical American diet (see What Are Americans Eating?). Yet extensive research demonstrates that following a plant-based diet can help to prevent and manage overweight and obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, in addition to improving overall well-being (see The Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet ). Nurses at three faculty-led community health clinics associated with George Mason University in Fairfax County, Virginia, decided to explore the science behind plant-based nutrition and put this into practice in their own lives after a colleague (one of us, JE), who is a consultant and expert on plant-based nutrition, was hired by the university to provide a presentation on plant-based nutrition to the interprofessional clinic team. The nurses’ goal in undertaking this project, in which they followed a plant-based diet for 21 days, was to improve their expertise and understanding in regard to nutrition, prepare them to be effective advocates of positive lifestyle changes for patients, and improve their personal awareness of the impact of healthy food choices. Although this was not a formal research project, participants reported on their personal health outcomes. These results demonstrate that a strong educational nutrition program can be beneficial to nurses both personally and professionally. For the purposes of this project, the term plantbased diet is used to describe a diet that focuses on four food groups—fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes—as well as seeds and nuts. Meat, seafood, dairy products, and eggs are excluded. Highly refined foods, such as flour, sugar, and oil are avoided. A variety of diets may be referred to as plant-based in the literature—including a vegan diet, in which meat and animal products are omitted, and a vegetarian diet, which may include dairy products and eggs. These diets may also include sugar, flour, oil, and processed foods.