Why I Am a Physician Turned Plant-Based Wellness Coach
After 30 years as a practicing pediatrician and witnessing how many illnesses my patients and their families could have prevented with a healthy diet and lifestyle, I decided to retire and start a second career as a plant-based wellness coach. My experience has led me to believe that if people follow a whole food plant-based diet along with other aspects of a healthy lifestyle, not only would they prevent the majority of diseases people face today, but they would also live a vibrant and high energy life.
While I focus on many aspects of lifestyle, a plant-based diet is pivotal. It embraces wellness for the individual, but also has far-reaching impact. When I say plant-based diet, I am referring to an unprocessed, whole plant-food diet composed of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. The more unprocessed plant-based foods, the healthier the diet.
Being plant-based is easy but sometimes dealing with all the information can feel complicated. There are new vegan restaurants, recipe books, documentaries and websites popping up everywhere. Despite the increasing availability of vegan foods and resources, becoming plant-based and especially raising a vegan family can seem confusing and overwhelming. Conflicting information abounds, from advertisers to healthcare providers. It may be difficult to know what information is “real” or just good marketing. So let’s look at the research.
The standard American diet is wrought with excesses but also deficiencies. High cholesterol, high LDL, high BMI, high fasting glucose, high triglycerides and low vitamin D, iron deficiency and low HDL are not uncommon in a standard diet. Despite this, the uninformed often focus on concerns of deficiencies in a plant-based diet.
Study after study has shown a plant-based diet is the healthiest for us and the planet. People who eat more fruits and vegetables have less diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Plant-based dietary interventions lead to significantly reduced feelings of depression, anxiety and fatigue. Some of the environmental benefits of a plant-based diet are less deforestation for grazing fields, less water consumption to raise animals and less pollution.
Plant-based diets are also high in fiber. High fiber diet is important as it provides the prebiotics that help promote gut health and a healthy immune system. The probiotics or healthy bacteria in the gut need fiber to create an environment for them to live and thrive. Fiber also regulates bowel movements and cholesterol levels. Meat and dairy are not plant-based foods. So while plant-based foods have fiber, animal-based foods do not. All animal products have cholesterol, whereas plant-based foods do not.
Avoiding red and processed meat lowers the risk for heart disease and stroke, according to studies published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Red meat and particularly processed meat is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, colorectal cancer, type 2 diabetes and earlier death in both men and women.
Milk and other dairy products are the top source of saturated fat in the American diet, contributing to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease. Studies have also linked dairy to an increased risk of breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers.
In addition, excess hormones and antibiotics are found in animal products. The antibiotics contribute to superbug resistance leaving lifesaving antibiotics ineffective when we need them the most. The hormones in meat and dairy affect mental health, reproductive health and behavioral and cognitive development in children.
As a physician well-read on wellness, self inquiry and lifestyle practices, I now help my clients weed through the maze of information to put it into a specific action plan that works for that individual. Wellness promotes physical health as well as intellectual and emotional growth for an overall sense of well-being. I empower my clients to feel joyful and vibrant at any age. Now middle aged, I feel happier and healthier than ever.
While I work with individuals of all ages, I am particularly passionate about working with people on preventing or reversing disease and working with families to raise healthy plant-based children.
As a pediatrician I am well-acquainted with normal growth and development and have decades of experience taking care of children. As a plant-based pediatrician, I am uniquely qualified to guide my clients through any misinformation or apprehension. I am also the parent of 3 now grown vegan children, personally having navigated inaccurate advice and guidance.
What I work with clients on:
-transitioning to a balanced plant-based diet
-improving overall health
-balancing out energy and mood with diet and lifestyle changes
-optimal physical fitness-creating a routine of regular movement, stretching and strengthening and guide you to resources to overcome your obstacles
-mental health-calming the mind, meditative practices, creating a life that works
-sleep hygiene
-setting up routines that help with sleep and balance
-adopting a positive attitude, embracing what is, experiencing gratitude daily
-designing a life where you experience joy and wonder everyday
-curb addictions and habits not serving you
-finding a sense of purpose - ways to contribute to causes, animals, environment or people that bring meaning
-creating a life where you continue to learn and grow
-find balance between your social needs and inner world
With the CDC conservatively estimating that 80% of chronic diseases are lifestyle related, change is the only path toward wellness. To learn more about me and the powerful work I am doing with my clients, schedule a complimentary coaching session by visiting me at traciwagner.com.
