TORONTO -- A 69-year-old American man with diabetes lost 68 lb. (31 kg) and dropped his insulin requirements by more than 50 per cent after adopting a whole-foods and plant-based diet.
The results of the âdietary therapy,â achieved without calorie counting, portion control or a fitness routine, are outlined in a December .
In less than a year, the retired business executive and former smoker experienced a dramatic lessening of his various ailments. He has Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, Stage 3 chronic kidney disease, and elevated levels of phosphate and potassium in the blood. In 2017, he visited health professionals seeking a diet change, concerned about his worsening condition.
âHe was on 12 different medications and had experienced troublesome side effects, particularly weight gain,â the case report reads. âHis âtipping pointâ was his recent diagnosis of hyperphosphataemia ⌠and a conversation with his nephrologist in which he was told that he might progress to the need for dialysis in as soon as (five) years.â
On the new diet plan, the man and his wife started eating oatmeal breakfasts, salad lunches, and whole-wheat pasta dinners, among other menu items (see below).
Within the first two months, he stopped taking four medications after his blood pressure and glucose improved. His insulin âsteadily titrated downward.â The dosages for several medications were cut by as much as half within a few months, and he saw his creatinine levels (a kidney function measure) normalize for the first time in at least eight years.
âThis case illustrates an alternative treatment approach that may be appropriate for select, highly motivated patients, using a strict (whole-foods and plant-based diet),â the report said. âThis approach may offer effective treatment of (chronic kidney disease) in patients with the common metabolic comorbidities of obesity, hypertension and diabetes.â
The man and his spouse followed the provided food guide strictly, with the exception of a weekly restaurant dinner, and after 11 months there was âpersistent benefitâ reported, the report said.
Before the dietary therapy, the manâs typical meals included a breakfast of shredded wheat with coffee, a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch or macaroni with meat sauce, and a dinner of âItalian wedding soupâ with meatballs, beans and rice. He was known to indulge in an evening snack of cookies or peanut butter cheese crackers. He and his wife dined out once a week, and continued to do so after the diet switch. His exercise routine included 45 minutes of walking on an indoor treadmill.
While there is limited research on the effects of this specific diet on chronic kidney disease, the case report authors note that there is some research supporting other dietary intervention, including the introduction of more fruits and vegetables, a ââ diet, and a higher ratio of plant to animal protein.
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WHATâS ON THE MENU
The case report details the following meals for an âexample dayâ on the plan that the man followed.
Breakfast: Oatmeal with fruit and flaxseed
Lunch: Beans and kale (greens and beans) cooked in vegetable stock
Dinner: Whole-wheat spaghetti and steamed veggies cooked and prepared without oil
Snacks: At least two fresh clementines
The following details the groups of food appropriate for the type of whole-foods, plant-based diet which the patient followed.
âALLOWED FOODSâ
Non-starchy vegetables
Starchy vegetables (potatoes and beans)
Whole grains, including whole grain flours
Fresh fruit (not dried, no juices or smoothies)
All spices
Ground flaxseed and chia seed
Water, non-dairy plant-âmilksâ and tea
FOODS TO AVOID
Meat (including fish and poultry)
Dairy foods
Added pure fats (all oils, butter, margarine)
Eggs
Vegan âreplacementâ foods â fake meats, fake cheeses
Refined flours
Predominantly âadded sugarâ foods (candy, snack/energy bars, cookies, cakes, pastries)
Soda, fruit juice, sports drinks, energy drinks, blended coffee and tea drinks
FOODS TO ENJOY SPARINGLY
Unsalted, raw or dry roasted nuts, natural nut butters
Avocadoes
Coconut
Seeds
Dried fruit
Added sweeteners (maple syrup, fruit juice concentrate, added sugars)
Refined soy protein and wheat protein (tofu, seitan)
Coffee, alcohol