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> I'm interested in any opinions on whether lowering insulin resistance is possible if one was to consume a high carb/low fat plant based diet (80/10/10 or similar).

While there are tons of patients of the doctors you mentioned, as well as numerous individuals here, that can detail their personal success in improving insulin sensitivity, I’ll do you one better and refer you to science supporting the efficacy of a low fat WFPB diet in doing so.

As demonstrated by doctor Neal Barnard in this study, subjects on a low fat whole food plant based diet experienced slightly better improvements in markers of insulin sensitivity compared to the group following the American Diabetes Association’s recommended diet (as well as notably significant improvements in their lipid profile), which is supposed to be the gold standard for diabetics.

> Weight loss was significant within each diet group but not significantly different between groups (-4.4 kg in the vegan group and -3.0 kg in the conventional diet group, P = 0.25) and related significantly to Hb A(1c) changes (r = 0.50, P = 0.001). Hb A(1c) changes from baseline to 74 wk or last available values were -0.34 and -0.14 for vegan and conventional diets, respectively (P = 0.43). Hb A(1c) changes from baseline to last available value or last value before any medication adjustment were -0.40 and 0.01 for vegan and conventional diets, respectively (P = 0.03). In analyses before alterations in lipid-lowering medications, total cholesterol decreased by 20.4 and 6.8 mg/dL in the vegan and conventional diet groups, respectively (P = 0.01); LDL cholesterol decreased by 13.5 and 3.4 mg/dL in the vegan and conventional groups, respectively (P = 0.03).

As I mentioned, many of the doctors you’ve mentioned have also documented repeated success in improving and even reversing insulin resistance, but I’d say that Barnard has the most experience, and is the best resource for you/others interested in doing so. Here is a great presentation of his on the subject.

If you’re really interested and want to support him (which I’d definitely recommend, we desperately need more doctors as dedicated to actually restoring patient’s health via means other than medication/surgery as he is) you can purchase his book specific to the topic.

This was a struggle for me for a long time. I was not vegan (junk food or otherwise) when I started WFPB.


What really helped was focusing on the health of eating. I stopped looking at my diet change as being related to weight loss, and simply focused on eating healthy, oil-free, whole food vegan meals. You can try slightly limiting fats, but I haven't really needed to. I was not very strict and still lost more weight than I ever did counting calories

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I follow WFPB, and couldn't follow anything that didn't allow grains, potatoes and soy products. Tempeh and Tofu are minimally processed, and pretty ok by most standards. Don't cut grains. Cut anything that isn't a whole grain. Don't cut avocado, but limit it to a quarter fruit per day, etc.

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You mention that realizing you CAN eat what you want was a big deal for the mental side of things. It really helped me to switch from saying "No, I can't have X" to "I don't eat X anymore". Because it is your CHOICE.

Also - Don't cut sugar if it sets you up for failure, but consider quality. Eat fruit, and dates stuffed with peanut butter for treats. (Sounds like you've already figured this out).

From what you say diet-wise, I'd say you're in a good spot for the most part. Cutting down on flour-based items like bread and muffins could help. Do the muffins and pancakes contain sugar? Are you topping with lots of syrup? Another thing that can be rough is eating out. Even seemingly healthy items can be very calorie dense.

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Something I ask myself about each ingredient I consume is "What does this offer me nutritionally?"

If it's coconut sugar, maple syrup or soy sauce, the answer is "Not much" and I limit those things.


Some resources that helped me IMMENSELY:

This Blog helped immensely. - They also have an amazing FB group for support, and a new "lighten up" weight loss program.

The Pleasure Trap - By Dr. Lisle

Chef AJ has great YouTube videos that focus on BED

Sauces, does salsa count?

Two months ago I stumbled into /r/SalsaSnobs and it was so fun and tasty that I've made it a weekly cooking adventure! Tonight I finished off an entire mason jar of homemade pineapple pear salsa, no salt no sugar just veggies and fruit and deliciousness! I've done different varieties, mango habanero is probably the best overall and most popular with the people I've shared with, but peach pear was pretty fucking great as well!

In my experimenting I also started taking unsalted roasted peanuts and cooking with garlic and chili de arbol, then blending up with white vinegar to make a thick pouring, idek, mole? Something. It's got fucking bite!

I also make guacamole at least once a week or so, just pico from tomatoes onions and jalapenos chopped up, avocado blended smooth with the juice from one lime and cumin garlic powder and paprika, then the pico folded into the blended avocado.

Hummus is great and filling as all fuck, but I try not to make it too often - less than once a month, it's a special treat. I use tahini made from just straight sesame seeds and canned chickpeas, with cumin and garlic and lemon juice, but it's so full of (healthy) fats and I'll end up eating everything I make, so have to limit myself!

Buy an Instant Pot on Amazon. Get the 8 quart version if you can afford it.

Buy some silicone baking mats on Amazon.

Get a cheap food processor.

Then, stock up on dried beans (black, kidney, great northern, pinto, etc), dried split peas, dried lentils, dried chickpeas, and dried pasta.

Buy some better than bouillon style vegetable base. (Not a whole food, but it's used in small amounts and making your own vegetable stock doesn't seem worth it.)

Buy some frozen corn, peas, broccoli, and spinach.

If you can, buy some frozen berries for putting in oatmeal.

Buy some canned tomato products like diced, crushed, sauce, etc.

Get some nutritional yeast from the store, and if you like it, buy it in bulk on Amazon.

For fresh stuff, get potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, and sliced mushrooms. Then whatever greens you want, fresh fruit, and maybe some peppers as you need them for recipes.

From there, you can make all kinds of food in the Instant Pot with minimal effort. Chili, soup, stews, pasta, pasta sauce, burrito filling, taco filling, 'cheese' sauce, baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, refried beans, and hummus.

You can find lots of recipes on youtube, but once you know the basics you can make lots of stuff.

Want to make some pasta? Toss in 3 cups of water, 1 tablespoon of vegetable base, 1lb cup of whole wheat penne, a 28oz can of tomato sauce, mushrooms, peas, broccoli, and whatever else you want. Set the instant pot to cook for 5 minutes on high pressure, and about an hour later you've got a few days worth of pasta.

You don't even have to soak beans when making them in an Instant Pot. Just toss them in, look in the manual for how long to cook them, and walk away.

It also works as a slow cooker, rice cooker, and yogurt maker. And because of the keep warm setting, you can put something in to cook, head off to class, and have a warm meal when you get back.

Pressure cooked beans and lentils taste better than canned, and the chickpeas will be softer and creamier. You'll also save a bunch of money this way.

Hope that helps!

Good points. The water fasting is not my specialty, but I know a little bit about it and have done a few. I did an internship (rather than visited as a patient) at TrueNorth years back when in medical school. It's not going to appeal or be appropriate for everyone, but it does seem to be effective, especially for some conditions with a strong inflammatory component like Rheumatoid arthritis, large blood pressure drops (perhaps no surprise there) and Lupus. You have to have a bit of basic knowledge before embarking on something like that. It's still to gain widespread acceptance within the mainstream, but there is a growing evidence basis for it.

If you are thinking of water fasting I'd suggest going to TrueNorth, reading the Pleasure Trap, or Fasting and Eating for Health.

• How Not To Die Cookbook is a phenomenal cookbook that accompanies the How Not To Die book (a recommended read, IMO).
  
• Forks Over Knives cookbook is also a good one, as is their website
  
• Engine 2 Cookbook is the last cookbook I'll recommend.
  
• If you're on Facebook, check out the groups Whole Foods Plant Based No Oil Recipes & Tips, Dr. Michael Greger fans - How Not To Die, and Whole-Food-Plant-Based-Diet.com
  
• Happy Healthy Vegan has a nice and entertaining selection of videos on YouTube. They're primarily WFPB, but not exclusively. Also very informative videos on why and such.
  
• Simnett Nutrition has quite a few What I Eat videos where he shows you what he makes and eats throughout the day. He is fitness oriented, so eats a lot, and you'll see workout montages and such, as well as quite a bit of rambling, but his rambling is either relevant and helpful info, or just entertaining and silly at times.
  
• NutritionFacts.org YouTube is all of the science and studies broken down and analyzed to get you a good grasp of what and why WFPB is the way to go.

Huge congrats! One book I STRONGLY recommend that you read in your next steps down this plant-based journey is "How Not to Die" by Michael Greger. It really digs into the science behind the benefits of plant based diets and makes some great recommendations.

https://www.amazon.com/How-Not-Die-Discover-Scientifically/dp/1250066115

"In defense of food" and "Game Changers" started me down the path, but this book solidified in my mind that plant-based is truly the way to go. It will change your life, I guarantee it.

My favorite thing is press it and then fry it on medium heat with equal parts rice wine vinegar and soy sauce. It's not 100% WFPB but there's no oil and the sugar in the rice wine vinegar is pretty minimal if you don't use a ton.

If you want it more crispy, bake it in the oven. You can then use it immediately for hot dishes or let it cool and toss it into a salad.

If you get soft tofu you can cut it (no pressing needed) and toss it into miso soup broth.

A lot of people make tofu scramble (kind of like scrambled eggs) but I haven't personally tried it yet.

Sometimes when I'm craving something crispy I'll press it, toss it in cornstarch and fry it in oil. Obviously not WFPB approved but it's my occasional treat.

Edit: a tofu press isn't necessary but totally worth it if you plan to eat tofu often. I have this one. https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01698J0RU/ref=sxts_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1504284431&sr=1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65

I just got this book as a gift and she has some great recipes. I think I flagged 85% of the recipes.

I've made the gumbo twice and it has a really authentic flavor. I added some Chinese eggplant to take the place of sausage, which is normally found in gumbo.

Edit: It is quite easy to double or triple any of these recipes.

I can't answer your question. But the doctors who recommend the plant based diet this sub is based on usually treat diabetes with the same high carb, low fat, no animal products diet they recommend for everyone. So I don't think you are in the right place if you are looking for low carb.

Dr. Walter Kemper had great success with his rice diet, based on white rice, fruit juice and cooked fruit. Dr. Barnard has written a more recent book on how to manage diabetes with a high carb, plant based diet:

https://www.amazon.com/Neal-Barnards-Program-Reversing-Diabetes/dp/1635651271/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524660894&sr=8-1&keywords=barnard+diabetes

I totally understand, maybe it's just your taste buds?

But this is what I get and it works lovely. Good enough to eat by the spoonful (and I definitely have!) https://www.amazon.com/Barons-Kosher-Ground-Sesame-16-ounce/dp/B00B1HL0H8/ref=sr_1_4_s_it?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1511101043&sr=1-4&keywords=tahini&dpID=51cr9rYzabL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

I've made a number of Kathy Hester's recipes. She has a ton of them available for free on her web site, Healthy Slow Cooking. Don't let the name fool you, she has all sorts of recipes, not just for slow cookers (the last one I made was this soup). In fact, she just wrote a new book about vegan air frying.

If YouTube isn't your thing, check out her books (I found a number at my library):

• OATrageous Oatmeals
  
• Vegan Slow Cooking for Two or Just for You
  
• The Easy Vegan Cookbook
  
• The Vegan Slowcooker
  
• The Great Vegan Bean Book
  
• Vegan Cooking in your Air Fryer
  
• The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook for your Instant Pot

OP, if you are tight on kitchen space (like I am), this should be a good solution!

Also, if you aren't totally salt-free, I hear using Bragg's soy seasoning in a spray bottle to lightly coat the popcorn is a great way of making the nooch stick.

>My thoughts are that he's a grown person, living under my roof, so he's either going to eat what we have or get a job and buy his own food.

I completely agree!

Put a boundary and tell him this is the case and this is what you will do as this is your house and your money. Either he can be grateful and accept it (as it is not a punishment or anything - people thrive on plants) or he can move out/buy own food/or whatever degree of manning up/ungratefulness he can afford.

You need a book: Boundaries.

This is really your call. I believe in the idea that reducing your intake of poor-quality foods is better than not reducing that intake at all.

Personally, it took a while to get the cheese-monkey off my back, and there have been periods of time where I went back to eating it. I'm not going to say I'll never eat it again, but the more I stay away from it, the more I realize that I don't feel good when I do eat it. And if it doesn't make my body feel good after I eat it, why do I do it?

You should look into The Cheese Trap, which goes into detail about why dairy is so delicious, and what are some of the common reasons we are attracted to it, even if it's not a good choice for us.

That said, you've been at this for 2 weeks-- try doing it for another 2 weeks without dairy and see how you feel! It may take some time for you to adjust.

Go on a 48 hour waterfast. You'll "reset" your palate for salt, and it'll be more effective than trying to reduce salt.

Source: The pleasure trap

Great decision! It will only get better/easier with time.
I would recommend reading [Dr. Neal Barnard's Program for Reversing Diabetes: The Scientifically Proven System for Reversing Diabetes without Drugs] (https://www.amazon.com/Neal-Barnards-Program-Reversing-Diabetes/dp/1594868107)

Sweet, I'm an engineer who just graduated from a data science bootcamp to try and switch careers. My favorite resource is How Not to Die. It actually has a chapter on the mental health aspect of a whole-foods, plant-based diet.

Don't even need one! Original Salbree Microwave Popcorn Popper, Silicone Popcorn Maker, Collapsible Bowl BPA Free - 18 Colors Available (Blue) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01G7SGOL2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_jrG2Db4CB827E

Read this if you want to have an idea how to do proper epidemiological investigation. Like I said, this kind of research is no joke. I recommend having a background in basic statistics too.

We also soak, then pressure cook all of our beans. My wife uses this book to get the cook times for various beans, as well as lots of other great vegan instant pot recipes!

You could show him Dr. Esselstyn's book Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease.

Did you know Amazon will donate a portion of every purchase if you shop by going to smile.amazon.com instead? Over $50,000,000 has been raised for charity - all you need to do is change the URL!

Here are your smile-ified links:

https://smile.amazon.com/Stanislaus-Cucina-Whole-Tomatoes-Pound/dp/B0050IKUBG

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^^i'm ^^a ^^friendly bot

Here's a video that discusses these effects. OP, additionally, it's certainly not the case that mental health issues are "very separate from your nutrition," and there's a substantial amount of research on the links between the two. You might check out the book How Not to Die for details (incidentally by the same doctor who made the video—he spends a lot of time summarizing nutrition research for laypeople).

Plant-Based Nutrition (Idiot's Guide) 2nd Ed. is a fairly well-rounded and practical book that is really good to start people off and running. Still waiting for Cronise to come out with his science-heavy book though.

Get some nutritional yeast. It's heavy on your 5th taste, umami aka savoryness, and has a somewhat cheesy taste. You can make vegan parmesan with it (and ground up cashews) or ricotta in lasagna (with help of tofu).

Neal Barnard, medical doctor and psychiatrist, has talked about cheese specifically. And here as well.. I know he has a book out, The Cheese Trap, it has good reviews but I never read it. Maybe any suggestions he has is floating around with more googling.

I would avoid it. My dad takes this one which doesn't have carrageenan. Granted I've seen a study saying green tea extract isn't good either but I think it's safer than carrageenan. https://www.amazon.com/VEGAN-OMEGA-Supplement-Cardiovascular-Supplements/dp/B01MYE95BQ

I bought Baron's off Amazon based on a recommendation here. It's thinner, so not much mixing to do (and I'm not left with an inch of unmixed tahini left on the bottom). It's not as bitter, though it's still an overwhelming flavor on its own. I use it in dressings, never plain.

Use this book as a guide.

Plant-Based Nutrition, 2E (Idiot's Guides) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1465470204/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Y3qTAb4F5M0QT

Ray partnered with Juliana to create practical guide to plant based.

His book will focus more on the science behind the diet.

May I introduce you to the silicone microwave popcorn bowl. No oil required. Use a little water spritzer after it cooks and your favorite seasoning.

Try it.

Wait for cyber monday - https://smile.amazon.com/Instant-Pot-Multi-Use-Programmable-Pressure/dp/B00FLYWNYQ - if you have more than four people in your family you may want to go 8 quart though.

Program for Reversing Diabetes

Amazon has a "Look Inside" for this book.

I'd start with Esselstyn's book.

Then take a look at Engine 2 Diet. He actually has a new book out too: My Beef with Beef - though I haven't read this one yet.

Lastly, check out Colin Cambell's China Study.

Also anything by Neal Barnard & John MacDougall. All these and other related books are available at libraries!

Yeah, tomatoes are very flavorful as shown in the figure below:

https://www.nature.com/articles/srep00196/figures/1

Flavor network and the principles of food pairing

https://www.nature.com/articles/srep00196

BTW, we could get Alta Cucina tomatoes from Restaurant Depot for $5 a can:

https://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php?topic=40403.0

> Ask your pizza store if they will sell you a case. Most around my area will.

It's bloody expensive on Amazon, shipping is high for such a heavy #10 can:

https://www.costcobusinessdelivery.com/Stanislaus-Alta-Cucina-Whole-Peeled-Plum-Tomatoes%2C-%2310-can%2C-6-unit-case.product.100131944.html

https://www.amazon.com/Stanislaus-Cucina-Whole-Tomatoes-Pound/dp/B0050IKUBG

http://www.pennmac.com/items/3231//alta-cucina-whole-plum-tomatoes

They didn't mention anything about BPA-free linings, though.

As others have already pointed out eating meat even once a month won't be cost effective if you were to eat enough of it to get the vitamins and minerals in a high enough concentration. Absorbability is also a concern in this case as you run into the same issues as taking a multivitamin (some things such as calcium and iron can't be absorbed at the same time).

All you really need to supplement is B12. Also D3 if you live in a colder climate. For optimal health adding a tablespoon of ground flax seed and a EPA/DHA omega-3 supplement. Everything else (such as iron and calcium) you'll get enough of if you're eating a balanced diet (whole grains, beans, leafy greens, etc.).

Here's a cost breakdown:

• B12 ~$0.13/day
  
• D3 ~$0.30/day
  
• EPA/DHA omega-3 ~$0.42/day
  
  So that's less than $15/month for the first two and an additional $13/month for the last one which you really should be taking anyway (unless you regularly eat fish, but that's really not a good idea).
  
  Edit: ground flax seeds are ~$0.16/day (~$5/month) if you buy them pre-ground, cheaper if you buy them in bulk and grind them yourself.