Wayne State University just announced that their School of Medicine will require courses on plant-based nutrition as part of their future curriculum. The new curriculum requires first-year medical students at the University of Detroit to study plant-based diets and nutrition, which an increasing number of studies suggest is beneficial for reducing the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and other medical lifestyles are conditions.
The medical school released a statement earlier this week announcing it was considering increasing the amount of plant-based diets. The school recognized the growing impact of this diet change on the entire population, which means health professionals should understand the benefits and intricacies of a plant-based diet.
Wayne State University created the new Rooting for Wellness course to provide medical students with the proper foundation and introduction to nutrition. The college aims to promote a broader understanding of diet, diseases, and how certain diets can be closely linked to health conditions. The new course will include cooking demonstrations, information on plant-based food sources and guest speaker events.
“Advances in preventive medicine have demonstrated the critical role of whole unprocessed plant-based diets in reducing the burden of disease,” the statement said. “Nutritional education and plant-based nutrition are rarely part of the medical curriculum and are therefore rarely integrated into clinical care. In addition, personal exposure to lifestyle changes, including diet and nutrition, is linked to a provider’s willingness to recommend lifestyle changes in clinical discussions. “
The medical school will launch its new course for the upcoming class of medical students to set a precedent among medical institutions in the United States and worldwide. The need for plant-based education has never been more relevant. A recent study by the Good Food Institute found that around a third of consumers describe themselves as “predominantly vegetarian,” suggesting a significant shift towards a plant-based diet.
“To the best of our knowledge, this is the first all-mandatory plant-based nutritional intervention conducted in a medical facility in the United States,” the statement said. “The strategy presented here can serve as a model for similar initiatives in a variety of institutions and settings.”
The renowned doctor and bestselling author Dr. Michael Greger spoke earlier this year about the importance of better plant education. The renowned doctor wrote on his website that there was a significant lack of nutrition and nutrition education across the medical field. Greger agreed that it is imperative for a doctor to understand the nuances of diet and the plant-based diet in order to properly treat patients.
“In medical school, on average, students can only get 19 total hours of nutrition out of thousands of hours of class. And they are not even taught what is most useful, ”wrote Greger. “But how can clinicians implement these guidelines without proper nutrition training? The key to these changes was having an advocate for doctors and educating staff and patients about the benefits of eating more plant-based foods. “
Plant-based training is also increasing beyond the medical field: the world-famous Le Cordon Bleu culinary school introduced its diploma in Plant-Based Culinary Arts in January 2020, thereby recognizing the growing global demand for exciting and healthy vegan cuisine. Earlier this year, the school expanded the program to offer a plant-based patisserie certificate that teaches chefs how to implement plant-based alternatives and work outside of traditional animal-based recipes.
Combining the growing demand for plant-based cuisine with the culinary techniques Le Cordon Bleu is known for, our chefs explore the various uses of plant-based ingredients, perfect for anyone interested in creating dishes made from fresh produce and whole foods “, Said head chef Emil Minev when presenting the diploma.
