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If there’s one part of medicine and health we’d be super well served to pay huge attention to it’s got to be gut health.

It not only impacts your perfect poops (and that’s no laughing matter especially as we get older and things we maybe used to take for granted don’t work quite so effortlessly)… beyond effective digestion, gut health also impacts weight management and mood. It contributes to a strong immune system, heart health, brain health, healthy sleep and it may help prevent some cancers and autoimmune diseases.

The health of our microbiome is as complicated and as far reaching as it is utterly fascinating. The fascinating part was surprising to me!

Today our guide in all things Gastroenterology, the diagnosis and treatment of digestive health problems is Dr Alan Desmond who has made evidence-based dietary advice an essential part of his practice. If you follow Irish born English based Dr Desmond online or have purchased his best selling book The Plant Based Diet Revolution you’ll have discovered joyfully that the plant based diversity that nurtures your healthy gut can be absolutely, abundantly delicious.

To share just a tad of Dr Desmond’s extensive bio: Certified in both Gastroenterology and General Internal Medicine, Doctor Desmond completed his medical training in Ireland and Oxford. He has a specialist interest in the role of diet in the prevention and treatment of Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis. A fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, London, he has published several influential research papers in the field of Inflammatory Bowel Disease and is a dedicated advocate for the gut health benefits, and overall health benefits, of a whole-food plant-based approach to nutrition.

In The Plant-Based Diet Revolution: 28 days to a happier gut and a healthier you “Dr Alan Desmond cuts through the diet confusion to explain how we can all unlock the power of a healthy gut and optimize our overall well-being by simply putting more plants on our plate.”

In this conversation we cover:

• Dr Alan Desmond’s personal journey to veganism and to helping others take control of their health.
• Why digestive health issues like IBS, IBD, Coeliac and SIBO are on the rise globally.
• The things we can do to prevent gut issues when transitioning to a vegan diet.
• The risks associated with diets like Keto and Carnivore and why people might experience initial relief from gut issues.
• Dr Alan Desmond’s non-food related tips to maintain optimal gut health.
• Dr Alan Desmond’s book: The Plant-Based Diet Revolution.

And so much more!

Don’t you wish you had a doctor like Alan Desmond to turn to at all those times when you’re faced with the frustratingly still common declarations of: “The evidence on the best way to eat is conflicting” or “It’s not yet clear you can be healthy on a plant based diet” and “High quality animal products are no problem!”

I’ll admit my blood starts to boil and all too often I get thrown by the presumption that eating the flesh and secretions of someone else could ever be “No problem!” and yet I always feel so much calmer and more hopeful after speaking to a professional like Dr Alan Desmond.

Someone dedicated to the science and incredibly professional in their delivery and explanations of the evidence.

Sadly we might not all have a Dr Desmond, Bulsiewicz, Greger, Barnard or Klaper in our lives yet however that is why I’m so very grateful that so much of the information we need to to know has been packaged in The Plant-Based Diet Revolution: 28 days to a happier gut and a healthier you.

We only just touched on the goodness in this book and sadly didn’t get to:

The 6 superfoods that reduce your risk of disease and protect the planet? 

Ok, I’ll spill the beans: Whole grains. Fruits. Vegetables. Legumes. Nuts. Olive oil (I’ve got to imagine that last one is for those of us without pre existing conditions such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

What foods are the super villains? No surprises here plant friends!

We only covered ONE of Dr Desmond’s 10 prescriptions for better health: 

#10. Get help if you need it.

And yet I must shout out #8. Remember milk is for babies.

Of course we didn’t get to the deliciousness either though I can assure you it’s abundant and accessible. That was an important consideration for Dr Desmond when compiling 80 beautifully illustrated and completely plant-based recipes with Bob Andrew – he wanted to be sure you could easily grab the ingredients from your local supermarket.

Equally you won’t find any processed meat and dairy alternatives. The doc and I agree while these might be amazing transitional or treat foods they are not the healthy base around which an optimal plant-based diet is built.

To connect with Dr Desmond online and of course to order your copy of The Plant-Based Diet Revolution I have you all linked up below.

The ingredients of the standard Western diet seem like, they've been almost designed to generate poor digestive health in humans. @DrAlanDesmond #guthealth #wfpb Share on X

Connect with Dr Desmond via his website: https://www.alandesmond.com

Purchase: The Plant-Based Diet Revolution: 28 days to a happier gut and a healthier you on Amazon.

Connect with Dr Desmond across the socials: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

That’s it for this week in Healthification. Huge thanks to YOU for sharing this week with me. If you’ve enjoyed this show and gotten value out of it I’d super appreciate it if you pop over to iTunes or wherever you listen to the show and leave me a review.

The Healthification podcast is proudly bought to you by my FREE ‘Easy Vegan’ plan. It took me 25 years to transition from a meat eater to a happy, healthy Vegan! You can do it in just 3 days with my simplified ‘easy vegan’ plan!  Get the fit, strong, and healthy plant based body you deserve… while avoiding ALL the mistakes I made along the way!

To learn more check out: strongbodygreenplanet.com

Till next time, remember Creating a body and life you love is Freedom. (If this ex-carb queen, non genetically gifted, naturally uncoordinated vegan chick can do it – so can YOU!!!)

If you liked “A Happier Gut and A Healthier You with Gastroenterologist Dr Alan Desmond and The Plant-Based Diet Revolution.” you’ll also like Dr. Will Bulsiewicz and How To Become Gut Healthy Through A Plant Based, Fiber Rich Diet.

If you liked “A Happier Gut and A Healthier You with Gastroenterologist Dr Alan Desmond and The Plant-Based Diet Revolution.” you’ll also like Dr Michael Greger, How to Survive a Pandemic: Overcoming COVID-19 and Preventing the Next Deadly Outbreak.

If you liked “A Happier Gut and A Healthier You with Gastroenterologist Dr Alan Desmond and The Plant-Based Diet Revolution.” you’ll also like E669: Dr Neal Barnard and Optimising Hormonal Health with Simple Diet Changes.

If you liked “A Happier Gut and A Healthier You with Gastroenterologist Dr Alan Desmond and The Plant-Based Diet Revolution.” you’ll also like Michael Klaper MD and How To Stay Healthy and Lead With Compassion Through The Coronavirus Crisis.