Inspiration: From Personal to Planetary Health — The Vegan Summerfest

By Alliance President Terry Gips

I felt drawn to attend the 50th Anniversary Vegan Summerfest this July to learn the latest vegan science while enjoying delicious plant-based meals and being with others sharing my love for animals and well-being, especially amidst the dark forces in our world. Little did I know how hopeful, inspiring and transformative my five days would be with the fabulous speakers and 500 participants.

The food was outstanding, whether at the raw, gluten-free, SOS (no salt/oil/sugar), regular or dessert stations. Diverse dinner companions – from artists and activists to judges and vegan newbies – added spice. But the main course was the brilliant scientists and doctors sharing landmark studies documenting the benefits of a whole foods, plant-based diet with a healthy lifestyle for the planet and preventing and healing everything from heart and auto-immune disease to cancer, diabetes and dementia.

10 Takeaways about Challenges from Animal Products and Benefits of Vegan

One of the superstar medical professionals was family medicine doctor Robert Breakey, MD, Medical Director of IHA’s Institute for Lifestyle Medicine in Ann Arbor. He shared how his life was changed and he became a vegan 47 years ago after reading Frances Moore Lappe’s Diet for a Small Planet then Peter Singer’s Animal Liberation, two books that also had a huge impact on me. Here are some of the highlights from his key health issues he pointed to about animal products and the benefits of plant-based ones:

1. Health Conditions Connected with Animal Products: “What’s at “Steak”? – There is so much meat, dairy, seafood and processed food industry propaganda that Americans have been brainwashed into SAD (Standard American Diet). The average American will spend their last 10 years of life in sickness. He showed how the consumption of meat, dairy, eggs and processed foods are causally linked with a host of health conditions:

   Systemic inflammation
   Atherosclerotic vascular disease
   Insulin Resistance
   Diabetes
   Colon, Breast, Prostate and other cancers
   Microbiome imbalance/low diversity
   Acid stress on the Kidneys causing CKD Bone loss/shortened muscle recovery
   Premature aging of every cell in the body
   Cognitive decline/Alzheimer’s
   “Your own future and the earth and the animals are at steak.”

2. Protein – He showed how many fruits have protein and emphasized that the issue for most people is not getting enough protein but avoiding too much, as we only need 45-55 grams of added protein. Studies show vegans get more than enough protein and he pointed out that most high-quality protein comes from plants, which provide all 8 essential amino acids.
3. Problems with Acidity from Animal Protein – He emphasized the challenge is that animal protein comes with things that make us sick. Animal protein is acidic and contains Cystine and Methionine. The issue is that the body must balance and excrete excess acid. This puts immense stress on the kidneys, which must get rid of the excess. Meanwhile, plant protein avoids this issue because plants are alkaline. Furthermore, animal foods have 4-10 times more Methionine, which is linked to diabetes.
4. Allergens and Autoimmune Diseases from Animal Protein – Milk and eggs contribute to allergens and autoimmune diseases
5. Animal Protein Causes Inflammatory Cytokines.
6. The Link Between Diabetes and Animal Product Hormones – Another challenge with meat, fish and eggs is that they have hormones that stimulate IGF-1 (Insulin Growth Factor). The higher levels are linked to various health challenges, including diabetes and even cancer. Meanwhile, plant proteins are associated with a major reduction in IGF-1.
7. Anatomic Loss or Physiologic Strain
8. Hyperglycemia – Unfortunately, diets high in animals products lead to fat deposition in the liver and pancreas, resulting in Hyperglycemia. This makes it much harder to reverse diabetes.
9. Plant-Based Diets Enhance Your FGF21 Anti-Inflammatory Hormones – Having higher levels of these hormones help reverse disease. You can also increase your FGF21 levels through aerobic exercise (+25%), resistance training (+46%), food restriction and lowering your protein level to normal.
10. Have a Whole Foods Plant-Based Diet for Health – People often forget the importance of eating whole foods that are plant-based, and the need to avoid highly processed foods with high levels of salt, fat and sugar.