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Canadian Plant-Based Nutrition And Lifestyle Medicine Conference – Introduction To Blog Series On Diet Change
July 18, 2024
Plant-Based Canada shared all the wonderful benefits of whole-food plant-based nutrition at its recent 5th annual Canadian Plant-Based Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine Conference in Toronto.
The conference, aimed at health professionals and members of the public, provided crucial education on plant-based nutrition and lifestyles and how this relates to the prevention and management of chronic diseases.
“The theme of this year’s conference is Lifestyle Medicine. We cover a wide range of topics to bring you a day highlighting the evidence-based benefits of the 6 pillars of Lifestyle Medicine, which includes plant-based nutrition, physical activity, optimal sleep, stress management, social connection and avoidance of unhealthy behaviours.”
Dr. Zahra explains that the conference is about “bringing together wonderful, passionate, purposeful, like-minded people to educate, energize and inspire each other to go out and make a difference. The other crucial aspect we always showcase at our conferences is planetary health. There are no healthy individuals on an unhealthy planet.”
There were two inspiring keynote speakers, Dr. Michael Klaper and Dr. Neha Pathak, in addition to many other experienced speakers sharing expert knowledge and providing up-to-date research in a fun, exciting, and informative way to over 200 participants. Here are a few highlights of this special event.
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Michael Klaper MD Mechanisms of Disease Reversal Utilizing Plant-Based Nutrition: Why and How Does It Work?
Dr. Klaper is the Director of Moving Medicine Forward, an educational initiative promoting nutritional awareness that brings revolutionary ideas of disease reversal through plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine to medical schools to change the way future doctors treat patients and help reverse chronic disease.
Dr. Klaper’s presentation about disease reversal and optimal health through a plant-based diet was informative, lively, educational, and his kindness for people shone through. When he was done the whole room erupted into a standing ovation.
“Our daily choices, the foods we eat, the activities we do, the thoughts we harbor (or release), & the actions we take are major factors in creating the body we reside in & determine if it is healthy or diseased.” – Dr. Klaper
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Neha Pathak MD Lifestyle Medicine for Personal and Planetary Health
Dr. Pathak is the Chief Physician Editor at WebMD, host of WebMD’s Health Discovered podcast, and a lecturer at the Yale School of Public Health, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, where she facilitates a course dealing with climate change. Dr. Pathak’s work has been published in medical journals and she is on the faculty of the Atlanta VA Medical Center’s Quality Scholars Program where she sees patients dealing with the health impacts of environmental pollution.
Her informative virtual presentation from Atlanta focused on how human health is intertwined with planetary health, climate change, and the strategies needed to engage patients in behaviour change.
“25-35% of global GHGs come from our food supply system. Of those, between 50-60% are emissions from farming animals for human consumption. But I see nutrition as the most critical intersection of human and planetary health because our agriculture system affects so much more than our carbon footprint (80% of deforestation, 70% of freshwater use, massive driver of biodiversity loss).” – Dr. Neha Pathak, quote courtesy of Plant-Based Canada
Amy Symington MSc., PhD: The practical application of plant-based nutritional science in community and large quantity settings.
Symington, MSc., PhD student is a nutrition professor, researcher, and plant-based chef at George Brown College in Toronto, with over 25 years in the food industry. She is the Culinary Nutrition Program Coordinator at Gilda’s Club Greater Toronto (GCGT), a not-for-profit cancer organization; and the Culinary Nutrition Specialist for Humane Society International (HSI) Canada’s Forward Food program.
She is the author of The Long Table Cookbook: Plant-based Recipes for Optimal Health, an informative book about the prevention and management of chronic illness featuring over seventy-five recipes with evidence-based nutritional advice.
In her presentation, Symington showcased a variety of community and non-profit organizations focused on the health of Canadians, non-human animals, and our planet. She demonstrated practical applications of chronic disease prevention and management through the culinary arts and the role Canada’s Food Guide can play in large institutional settings.
Plant Based Treaty was at the conference and I had the pleasure of tabling with their marketing director, Adrienne George.
She explains, “Attendees visited the Plant Based Treaty table and endorsed the campaign. They also took away some of our printed resources, including the latest version of the Plant Based Starter Guide. Our guide offers links and practical tips to help make for an easy transition to a healthier, more sustainable diet.”
George continues, “It was interesting to hear from healthcare professionals how conversations surrounding animal welfare and the climate crisis are making their way into patient consultations. It seems that in addition to personal health concerns, planetary health is becoming a notable factor in the decision for patients to adopt a plant-based lifestyle.”
The perfect ending to the conference occurred when Dr. Klaper came to our table, I handed him a pen, and he signed the Plant Based Treaty.
Stay tuned for future blogs in my new diet change series, which will utilize practical information from conference speakers and share evidence-based research about how the power of plants can help prevent and reverse diseases while enabling us to live within our planetary boundaries.
Miriam Porter is an award-winning writer who writes about veganism, social justice issues, and eco-travel. Miriam currently lives in Toronto with her son Noah and many rescued furry friends. She is a passionate animal rights activist and speaks up for those whose voices cannot be heard.
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