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“The fact that [doctors] are not given the training to use what is almost universally recognized as the most powerful tool [healthy nutrition] is crazy.”
Michelle McMacken, MD
We need more doctors like Michelle McMacken, MD.
Board certified in internal medicine, Dr. McMacken is an assistant professor at the NYU School of Medicine, an attending primary care physician at New York City’s Bellevue Hospital Center and director of the Bellevue Adult Weight Management Clinic, where she specializes in plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine.
Interestingly, Dr. McMacken wasn’t always all that intrigued by nutrition. Not surprisingly, her medical school experience was woefully lacking in this regard. But after eight years of medical practice, she was becoming progressively distressed by her obesity clinic patients’ general inability to get — and stay — healthy.
Determined to find better, more sustainable solutions for her patients led to a search engine result for “lifestyle change” that prompted Michelle to attend the American College of Lifestyle Medicine Conference— a game-changing experience that enlightened her to a holistic, disease preventive perspective on patient care that ultimately reinvigorated and forever altered her medical practice.
Beyond her one on one work with patients, many of which are underprivileged, what is uniquely inspiring about Dr. McMacken is her grant-funded commitment to study evidence-based nutritional protocols and apply the practical knowledge to faculty, colleagues & resident doctors. In other words, she is devoted to educating not only her patients about healthy nutrition, but her fellow medical professionals as well — filling the much needed gap in our current system of medical education.
This is an enlightening and highly informative conversation that explores:
- the state of medical education with respect to nutrition
- the responsibility of doctors to practice holistic, preventive medicine
- the significance of a plant-based diet in promoting optimal wellness
- Dr. McMacken’s personal & professional path to plant-based nutrition
- the health impact of high protein diets, ketosis & glycogen depletion
- the differences between animal & plant protein
- alkaline/acid-forming foods and their impact on metabolism
- paleo vs. vegan – finding common ground
- the truth behind dietary cholesterol & saturated fat
- the importance of aligning actions with values
- plant-based patient case studies
I sincerely hope you enjoy our discussion.
What is preventing you from a more holistic approach to long-term wellness? I’d love to hear about your personal challenges in the comments section below.
Peace + Plants,
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SHOW NOTES
Background & Reference:
- Dr. McMacken on Twitter: @Veg_MD
- ForksOverKnives: Michelle McMacken Profile
- WashPost: New York’s first Ebola patient will put Bellevue to the test
- NewYorkDailyNews: Tofu and veggies in the cafeteria: Follow the lead of New York City schools
- ForksOverKnives: Top 5 Misconceptions About Food: A Doctor’s Daily Experience
- ForksOverKnives: 12 Tips for Healthy Weight Loss … with Benefits Beyond the Scale
- BaltSun: Hopkins medical school criticized for using pigs as part of training
- LifestyleMedicine.org: American College of Lifestyle Medicine Conference
- MotherNature: Will Potter’s drone army sets its sights on factory farms
- The China Study* by T. Colin Campbell
- Meatonomics* by David Simon
- Becoming Vegan* by Brenda Davis, RD
Resources Recommended by Dr. McMacken:
Notable People Discussed in today’s podcast:
- Dean Ornish, MD
- Neal Barnard, MD
- Michael Greger, MD
- Caldwell Esselstyn
- Garth Davis, MD
- Tim Noakes
- Mark Devries
- Gene Baur
- Robert Ostfeld, MD
Related Podcasts You Might Enjoy:
- RRP 34: Christian Ledesma & Bob Groff (PS244)
- RRP 20: Sid Garza-Hillman
- RRP 50: Plantpower Crusader Garth Davis, MD
- RRP 140: Eradicating Lifestyle Disease With Cardiologist Robert Ostfeld, MD
- RRP 79: China Study Critics With T. Colin Campbell
- RRP 80: Rethinking The Science of Nutrition With Howard Jacobson, PhD
- RRP 77: Michael Klaper, MD On Leveraging Plant-Based Nutrition to Prevent Disease
- RRP 128: Is Butter Really Back? Cardiologist Joel Kahn, MD
- RRP 007: Dr. Michael Greger of NutritionFacts.org
- RRP 138: Living In Alignment With Your Values With Gene Baur
- RRP 62: Meatonomics Author David Simon
Production, music & sound design by Tyler Piatt. Additional production by Chris Swan. Graphic art by Shawn Patterson.
*Disclosure:Books and products denoted with an asterisk are hyperlinked to an affiliate program. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
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I love the advice of “crowding it out” I have found this to be the best way to change eating habits/patterns!! Great interview!
I have to say that I really enjoyed your talk with Michelle,as a NASM CPT with an extensive background in nutrition this was the most informative and spot on conversations on nutrition I have heard in quite a while, maybe ever. I will definitely recommend this podcast to any clients who want quality info on this subject.
Fantastic interview! I liked her clarification on plant based protein being “complete” and I appreciated her stating that whole grains are not the bad guys they are made out to be. Thanks, Rich!
so glad this interview happened! Simply a great conversation between two cool people. Cheers from Buenos Aires!
Fabulous interview, many thanks. Please consider addressing “karma” in one of your podcasts with Julie (in your own lives as well as others of all ages). Also, when something happens or doesn’t the blanket statement people use – “that’s the way it’s suppose to be”…what your input? Interesting and dangerous interpretations by many, thanks again!
Great
interview. I enjoyed listening to how
she is helping people change their lives through nutrition. I wish more doctors were doing this. It was really helpful to hear the strategies
she uses with her patient. That help me
realize that I really need to think about what I say to people when telling
them about a WFPBD. I think at times I give
them too much information that turns them the other way. They may be thinking that they can’t do what
I did. I want them to experience the
success I know they can achieve but struggle with how to approach it without
being preachy or overwhelming. I have
seen the benefits in my life and want it for other.
Michelle is a doctor with a heart. We need more brave doctors like her. Educating people how to eat, so they can regain their God given health.
Patients are always ready to listen to their doctors. They’re the “professionals”.. They “know stuff”! When a patient is told what they should do to get better, they generally listen and make change in their life. So why does it need to be a Pill-Based approach??? Doctor’s are on the front-line of people’s conflict with disease. To dispense a pill, instead of a plant should be malpractice.. but it’s ironically the other way around. Getting doctors to begin dispensing Plant-Based healing over Pill-Based symptom masking, is the change we need NOW.
“Eating in a way that is sustainable, compassionate and
health promoting” <- Excellent doctor's advice!!
(The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the
service of others.) -Gandhi
Namaste