Dr. Neal Barnard is an Adjunct Professor of Medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, DC, and the President of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. Known for his research studies on type 2 diabetes, Dr. Barnard’s current area of interest is in how foods affect our hormones and can lead to life-threatening diseases.
Currently on tour for the launch of his latest book, Your Body in Balance: The New Science of Food, Hormones and Health, I got a chance to speak with Dr. Barnard ahead of his talk this Wednesday night at the Church of Advent Hope in the Upper East Side. I asked him about the mission behind PCRM, his latest book, and how our diet impacts our health…
Tell me about your non-profit, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). What is the mission of the organization today and how has it evolved since you first launched in 1985?
We started the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in 1985. I was working at St. Vincent’s Hospital in New York at the time and I had intended PCRM to be a committee of a dozen doctors who would opine on the issues of today, namely preventative medicine, nutrition and ethical medical research.
We have three goals:
1) Promote good nutrition, which is key to preventative medicine
2) Conduct clinical research in nutrition
3) Promote ethical research (moving away from animals and focusing on human biology)
Our mission has remained the same, but we’re much a much larger organization today. We now have between 12,000-15,000 doctors in our committee (across the US and overseas as well), and a network of 175,000-200,000 supporters.
In your new book, Your Body in Balance, you discuss how the foods we eat – and the effect those foods have on our hormones – are a big cause of some of our most common health problems, from infertility to diabetes. How much control do we really have over our hormones?
We have a surprising amount of control over our hormones! The effect of diet is much greater than genes, for example (with some exceptions). Our diet influences everything from annoyances like menstrual cramps to life threatening conditions like prostate cancer. The control we have comes as we plan our meals, but most people have no idea how to do that. It’s like being in a new car without the keys!
What nutrients are better to get from food and which ones from supplements?
Food is the best source for nutrients, except for Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D, and that’s because Vitamin D is from the sun and B12 comes from bacteria and while some food products do have it, supplements are better. B12 is essential for the formation of blood cells and brain function. Everyone should be taking it, especially those who are avoiding animal products.
What is the biggest, most concerning dietary deficiency you’re seeing in the Western diet today?
The Western diet is deficient in veggies, fruit, beans and grains… and all of these sources provide a cornucopia of nutrients! My book contains recipes – developed by Lindsay S. Nixon – that incorporate all these ingredients. The recipes are simple, quick and really delicious.
The Keto diet fad is clearly a wrong turn that sometimes leads to short term success but long term increased mortality. It’s exciting to lose some weight in the beginning, but the health consequences of the Keto diet are serious.
What are some surprising ways that our diet can impact the development (or treatment) of cancer?
It’s not just cancer. By increasing the amount of high fiber foods, reducing fat in your diet and, ideally, embracing a plant-based diet, your sex hormones get back into the correct balance. And that can impact everything from fertility to eliminating endometriosis, breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men. Cancer is a big part of this but the main crux of it is to reduce our food sensitivity issues and work our way to preventing serious health problems like diabetes.
Dr. Neal Barnard will be in NYC this week promoting his new book, Your Body in Balance. You can meet him this Wednesday night for a free talk at the Church of the Advent Hope. Details here.