Here are the top 5 things you probably don’t know about eating meat that most doctors will not inform you of.

Nearly a decade ago, based on overwhelming scientific data, the World Health Organization stated in no uncertain terms that all processed meat causes cancer, and red meat seems likely to be a carcinogen. There has also been plenty of study data showing that not only do people eating a healthy plant-based diet have a lower risk of some of the most brutal types of cancer, like breast, colon, pancreas, ovary, and prostate, but also that plant-based foods protect the body from cancer.

Type 2 diabetes is becoming more and more commonplace, especially in the U.S., with more than 34 million, or 11.3% of adult Americans, being diagnosed by the CDC in 2022 through their Diabetes Surveillance System. Of those diagnosed, 95% had type 2, which is a drastic increase from 2016, when 8.58% of adults were diagnosed, with 90.9% of them having type 2. This is trending upward, but not inevitable; this disease seems to run in the family because families typically share diets and lifestyles. This disease can be stopped altogether and even reversed through your diet. A plant-based diet is 300% better at controlling blood sugar than the recommended diabetes diet advised by most healthcare professionals, with study data showing drastic improvement within weeks of switching to a plant-based diet.

The primary cause of death in America is heart disease and stroke, with 868,000 people dying from these each year. This does not have to be the case, even though the American Heart Association recommends animal protein and advises limiting the consumption of processed meats. This flies in the face of what we now know about meat and its impact on the heart. Eating a healthy plant-based diet is the best chance of reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke or avoiding them altogether. Just five servings of vegetables a day can slightly reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, but eating ten servings daily can make a big difference in our heart health by reducing the risk of heart disease by 28% and the chance of dying prematurely by 31%!

There has been groundbreaking research that has shown a direct impact of diet on depression and overall mood. Consuming too much processed meats, fried food, and fatty dairy products is obviously not healthy, but data shows that these, as well as a high intake of sugar, also affect mental well-being, with anxiety and depression being the top associations. Our gut health is more important than we ever understood, and we are only now beginning to understand how our food impacts our psychological health. The brain-gut relationship must be respected, and our gut biome must be healthy not just for our physical health but also for our mental health.

This brain disease is a scary prospect that is the fifth leading cause of death for Americans over 65, and just like diabetes, it is trending upward. An estimated 6.7 million people aged 65 and older have Alzheimer’s dementia, and this is estimated to increase to 13.8 million by 2060, with scientists just now beginning to scratch the surface of this disease. Inflammation and the shrinking of the brain used to be considered something due to age-related changes, yet this disease is more common in North America than elsewhere and is prevalent in Europe. Since all regions of the world have older parts of their population, it has to be something else. The culprit may very well be the Western diet, which is high in saturated fat, trans fat, and refined carbs, which increase the naturally occurring free radicals produced in our bodies. Research has shown that free radicals, or the unstable molecules that build up in our cells, cause oxidative stress, which is linked to Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and heart disease. The easiest way to fight free radicals is to consume foods high in antioxidants, like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains. Some neurologists have found that Alzheimer’s is preventable in 90% of the cases. Those at genetic risk of the disease can delay it by nearly 20 years. This prevention calls for lifestyle changes, including stress reduction, exercise, and a plant-based diet.

Overall, transitioning to a healthy plant-based diet may not be something your doctor recommends, but it can dramatically impact your physical and mental health. Some data shows that in addition to reduced rates of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, vegans also display a reduction in depression and anxiety. Besides the obvious health benefits, consuming less meat will also improve the environment because animal agriculture has disastrous environmental effects.