VegFest promotes the benefits of a plant-based diet

April 14, 2009

Dr. Joel Kahn brings up plant-based diets to most, if not all, of his patients

at the Michigan Heart Group in Troy. Over the last 20 years he's seen an

increase in the number of younger people seeking treatment for cardiovascular

disease and it troubles him as a cardiologist.

That's why he's looking forward to speaking about the topic at VegFest, a

plant-based tastefest and expo Sunday, April 26, at Ferndale High School. The

event is presented by VegMichigan, a nonprofit organization promoting the

health, environmental and ethical benefits of a plant-based diet. Kahn quit

eating meat 25 years ago and went vegan (no dairy products) for the last 10.

" I'm now seeing a lot of patients in their 40s who are not necessarily smokers

or diabetics. I'm concerned about the trend of people gaining weight and

exercising less, " said Kahn, medical director of cardiac rehabilitation at

Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak. " I'll be speaking about the most common disease of

heart attacks and strokes caused by clogging of arteries, disease that's

preventable and that it's better to prevent than reverse it. Diet and lifestyle

is a major component. "

Kahn believes a plant-based diet is safe for everyone.

" Plants provide every nutrient even if you're an exerciser, " said Kahn, a West

Bloomfield resident who does a combination of swimming, yoga and exercise on

machines 30 to 60 minutes a day. " Diabetics can safely use vegan diets. It's

probably the healthiest diet choice. I think the key is to read. The VegFest is

a great place to get started. Most doctors get little training in nutrition and

it's usually funded by the milk and dairy industry. Soybean farmers don't have

the funds to provide curriculum. I want to stress for people to come and learn,

that they read and be willing to make small changes one day a week, breakfast as

a vegetarian, try not to eat meat and fish for a week, take baby steps. "

Like Kahn, pediatrician Mary Sue Sylwestrzak suggests a vegan diet for patients,

especially for certain medical problems. She'll talk about the benefits as well

as safety at VegFest. An M.D., Sylwestrzak has been providing traditional and

integrative care for infants, children and adolescents for 16 years and is

nearing completion of a degree as a Naturopathic Medical Doctor. She practices

at Watch Me Grow Pediatrics in West Bloomfield.

" I definitely recommend a vegan diet if they're interested or if they have

allergies and would do better off without dairy products, " said Sylwestrzak of

Beverly Hills. " The benefits of a vegan diet for children is eliminating

saturated fats, cholesterol, a totally animal based product. Fat content is

lower. There's a lower risk of diabetes, heart disease, obesity. All of those

problems are increasing. "

Sylwestrzak referred to a recent Ohio State-Temple University study as proof

that even young children are overweight. The research showed one in five

4-year-olds are obese.

" I personally have seen more and more older kids with Type 2 diabetes taking

medication in the last 5 or 6 years and an increase especially in overweight

children due to the standard American diet of too much fast food, processed

food, not enough fruits and vegetables, not enough activity. Like any diet it

should be well thought out and planned, take into account requirements for B-12,

vitamin D and calcium. If you make a good attempt to have a variety of foods

every day you're probably going to be good. "

The irony, she said, is pediatricians routinely tell parents to feed their child

nothing but fruits, vegetables and grains for the first nine months.

" They're basically vegan, " said Sylwestrzak. " There are benefits for kids of all

ages, but different things you have to keep in mind whether infant or

adolescent. At VegFest I'm part of the ask the experts panel, an open forum, and

a group of us will answer questions on anything related to a plant-based diet. "

Harry Pianko went vegetarian 10 years ago and quit eating dairy products five

years ago. As president of VegMichigan, he's looking forward to sharing

information about healthy food choices at VegFest (formerly The Great American

Meatout).

Pianko learned about vegetarian food from a college friend born in India. He

quit eating meat after learning about the health benefits, cruelty perpetrated

on the animals during factory farming and the resulting pollution and damage to

the environment.

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Before long he noticed the physical changes, which included an increase in

energy and loss of weight. The 31-year-old Birmingham resident hasn't taken a

sick day as vice president of finance and business operations for the National

Multiple Sclerosis Society's Michigan chapter since 2000.

" It's a big vegetarian festival. We bring in speakers, local and national, to

tell the benefits of a plant-based diet, " said Pianko. " I'm especially excited

about our keynote speaker John Salley who went vegetarian with the Pistons and

is now vegan and going to share his story. There are people who want to quit

eating meat but want to know where to get information. We have 13 or 14

restaurants confirmed like Q'doba and Inn Season who give out samples. For those

who ask `but how do I cook it,' we also have food demonstrations cooking

everything from quinoa (a grain) to a smoothie. We're looking forward to

educating people who normally don't know about the benefits of a plant-based

diet. We'd like to encourage people even if you're a meat eater or just curious

to check out VegFest and VegMichigan. We hope to get more meat eaters than

vegetarians to show people how great it is. "