Plant Strong: Plant-based program, potlucks offered
The decision to switch from a traditional American omnivore diet, one that consists of meat, poultry, fish, grains, legumes and produce, to a plant-based diet, one that eliminates all animal-derived ingredients including eggs and dairy, can be a personal one.
Mary Marshall, a registered nurse at Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital in Dover, said the participants in the Community Health and Wellness Plant Strong program primarily make the switch for health reasons.
“I’ll admit though,” Marshall said, “something in you can change when you eat a plant-based diet.”
Marshall’s own personal experience has led her to be more compassionate as she realized she does not need to consume animals to be happy and healthy. “I started out eating plant-based for my health, but my choices have become more ethical,” she said.
Plant Strong, a six-week program that meets for two hours a week, got started about a year ago, and Marshall said she had the full support of the hospital when she proposed the idea.
“I had read Dr. Esselstyn’s book along with some others and began to believe in the benefits of a plant-based diet,” Marshall said. “I wanted to bring this to our patients so they could have the option to try it in order to improve their health.”
Esselstyn’s evidence-based wellness program claims to prevent and reverse heart disease, though not without some controversy.
Marshall continued to read other books including “The China Study,” another popular best-seller from father and son physicians that examines the link between the consumption of animal products, including dairy, with chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes and breast, prostate and bowel cancers.
The Plant Strong program reviews the science behind a low-fat, plant-strong diet and the skills needed to adopt this pattern of eating. Each week there is a different focus including meal planning, cooking basics, grocery shopping, dining out and more. Cooking demonstrations and food sampling are a part of each class.
“I used to cook a meal for me and a meal for my family,” Marshall said. “Not anymore. I am confident in my plant-based cooking now and cook only one meal. My family was hesitant at first, but they’ve come around. I could cook a plant-based meal for a dinner party and feel confident my guests would enjoy it.”
The next Plant Strong session will begin Sept. 4 at the hospital and is held each Tuesday from 6-8 p.m. The program is $20.
In an effort to support Plant Strong graduates and others in the community who wish to follow a plant-based diet, the hospital hosts Plant-Based Potlucks once a month.
On Monday, Aug. 20, guests are invited to attend the free potluck at the hospital from 6-8 p.m. They are asked to bring a dish prepared without animal-derived ingredients or oil. Marshall said to contact her if help is needed in deciding what dish to prepare or refer to popular vegan cookbook, “Forks Over Knives,” or others. Local libraries have large selections available.
“Plant-based is not for everyone,” Marshall said. “But we have seen some amazing results in the time we have hosted the sessions. Some participants have lost weight, and others have eliminated the need for medication to control high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Those numbers have really dropped for some.”
Potluck guests can learn from others what it takes to follow a plant-based diet, get tips on cooking and receive support as they journey toward a healthier lifestyle.
“It’s easy for those new to plant-strong diets to rely on heavily processed meat alternatives,” Marshall said. “While there is a place for minimally processed packaged foods — they’re great for that transition period when you first begin to focus on a plant-based diet — they should not be consumed regularly as they can be high in fat and sodium, and they can be quite expensive.”
Marshall said one of the hardest foods to eliminate from the diet is cheese. “Even those dedicated to a plant-based diet have a hard time with cheese,” she said.
Cheese contains casomorphins, small protein fragments that result from the breakdown of the milk protein casein. These fragments can bind to receptors for opioid molecules in the brain.
While the science behind it is more complicated, cheese has characteristics that make us want more and more.
To learn more or to register, call 330-343-3311 ext. 2197.
Cleveland Clinic Union Hospital is at 659 Boulevard St. in Dover.