Most people donāt know this: veganism is an intersectional social justice movement. But animal and human rights activist Gwenna Hunter is on a mission to let people know!
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![Get āMarried to Healthā with Plant-Based Dieticians James and Dahlia Marin
Did you know that many plant-based dieticians feel disillusioned about what they learned in school? According to RDs James and Dahlia Marin, their dietician training perpetuated industry-funded advice. It offered misguided information about simply needing to count carbs and fats without regard for their source.
Yet this experience inspired them to create a thriving integrative dietetics practice called Married to Health, which is founded on evidence-based principles of lifestyle medicine and plant-based nutrition. As college sweethearts who attended the same nutrition and dietetics program, they fell in love with health and with each other simultaneously.
[00:00-30] Intro
[00:30-5:44] - Personal health issues sparked an interest in plant-based nutrition
Both were brought into nutrition through their own personal health journeys. For Dahlia, her turning point was the day that she was diagnosed with multiple syndromes and conditions at once. Despite no nutritional advice from medical professionals, she started learning on her own.
After watching documentaries and reading books, they both became motivated to help others prevent and reverse avoidable lifestyle diseases. They went on to found their own practice, Married to Health, which is the first 100% plant-based IBS/SIBO nutrition program.
[5:45 -10:44] - Becoming aware of industry funding and misguided nutrition advice in school
The Marins felt they were the only ones who noticed in graduate school that research, guest speakers, conferences and textbooks were funded by industry interests. They became concerned with lack of transparency in the food industry.
Another flaw in their training was the exclusive focus on quantitative over qualitative measures. Professors taught them that diabetics needed to simply count the number of carbs they consumed, equating carbs from a sweet potato to carbs from refined flour. The Marins were one of the few to question this concept, among others.
[10:45-16:11] - Both people seeking treatment and prevention can benefit from Married to Healthās services
Their team is made up of dieticians with different specialties. While some dieticians work with those who have already been diagnosed with a condition, others specialize in prevention. Their practice accepts insurance in an effort to make services more accessible to more people.
[16:12-21:39] - Plant-based diets have the power to prevent and treat disease. Claims to the contrary are unfounded and likely trying to sell you something.
Much high-quality evidence exists indicating the power of plant nutrients to treat and prevent autoimmune disease, and geographic rates of disease support this as well. However, the Marins have heard many a ādoctor-dieticianā make outlandish claims to the contrary. Yet clear research and geographical evidence indicate that those who eat the most plants have lower incidence of chronic and auto-immune disease.
[21:40] - Why hospitals are still feeding patients disease-promoting animal products
According to Dahlia, the hospital cafeteria is typically the number one revenue generator for the hospital. So, cafeterias buy in bulk from large manufacturers to keep costs down.
[23:00] - Change our choices to change the food system
James commented that the first step to changing our food system is to start with our āinner ecosystem.ā If we feed our gut microbiomes with ethical, sustainable foods, weāre simultaneously voting with our dollar for food system transformation.
The Marins pointed out that the public school food system is one of the first places that government-subsidized foods like cheese are sent when there is a surplus. Parents who are concerned with school lunch quality can combat the system by avoiding supporting it, as schools are paid for each child they feed.
[27:20-31:17]- 4 Actionable Tips to Go Plant-Based
So, what do these integrative dieticians advise for people interested in adopting a plant-based lifestyle? Here are their four tips:
ADD. Instead of subtracting, focus on trying to add healthy foods like greens, veggies, nuts, seeds and beans.
UPGRADE. Dahlia advises slowly but surely making nutritional swaps, such as a whole grain bread over a white bread.
SUPPORT. Consider who you can support with your food dollars, such as your local farmerās market.
GO AT YOUR OWN PACE. Sometimes when people make changes very quickly, they feel bloated, donāt eat a balanced plant-based diet, or forget to supplement. āGo slow until you can go full speed,ā Dahlia advises.
#plantbaseddieticians #plantbaseddiet
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