Doc Takes New Path After Health Scare
Dr. Neil Cooper left his medical practice to inspire others to choose a proactive, plant-based diet.
After 37 years with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and now with the AJT, , Jaffe’s focus is lifestyle, art, dining, fashion, and community events with emphasis on Jewish movers and shakers.
Dr. Neil Cooper had a severe heart attack while working at the outpatient procedure suite. Coming out of that, he has committed himself to a new mission, advocating for plant-based diets to decrease inflammation and thus, prevent, treat, and reverse heart disease and other chronic conditions.
He recalled, “The chest pain was so severe, I couldn’t speak. I knew my heart was starved of oxygen, cardiac cells were dying, and my body was screaming to do something quickly. I was lucky to be in the right place, then rushed to the hospital and had stents placed. Upon discharge, my wife, Shelley, asked the cardiologist what could be done to prevent another heart attack. His doctor’s answer? Read “Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease,” by Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn.
Soon after attending a plant-based medical meeting, Cooper transitioned to a plant-based diet. “This was the best decision of my life. I have never felt better, but, more importantly, my lab values normalized, and I had no residual heart damage.”
He retired from practice and started a health and wellness business with Shelley with the goal of helping others learn how to take control of their health — without buying supplements, nutraceuticals, or weight loss pills.
He said, “The largest hurdles to a plant-predominant diet are fear of protein shortage and fear of eating only salads. A whole food plant-based diet consists of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. The variety of meals and tastes are endless. Plants have all the protein we need. It’s a marketing myth that we need animal flesh for protein. The documentary, “The Game Changers” is a must! Google for plant-based athletes and you will be amazed.”
Those who keep kosher could follow a plant-based diet, automatically not mixing dairy and meat, etc. For more information, visit www.jewishveg.org/
Some rabbis and scholars endorse the vegan lifestyle. In Genesis 1:29, G-d said “Behold, I have given you every herb-yielding seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree that has seed-yielding fruit—to you it shall be for food.”
In his plant-based training business, Cooper offers options: a short intro meeting five days in a row; a slightly more advanced, 14-day course with deeper science, environment, fiber, protein, supplements; all programs are online, live or on-demand; he also offers one-on-one coaching.
Cooper concluded, “The motivation to make changes has to come from the individual. I’m there to educate and support this lifestyle change. In patients not ready, I let them know, when they want to discuss further, I will be available.”
Cooper suggests a step approach, “I don’t expect clients to become vegetarian, but with each step to increase fruits, veggies and beans reduces risks of disease. If you start with meatless Monday or tofu Tuesday, you are reducing the inflammation inside that builds up chronically and silently from eating animal products and highly processed foods every day.
For more information about Dr. Cooper, email neil@neilcoopermd.com or visit www.neilcoopermd.com.
Cooper’s Words of Wisdom
* Veggie power: Per gram there is more protein in broccoli than steak…because steak is almost 40 percent fat by weight.
* Alcohol: I always joked that if you couldn’t drink alcohol, then nobody would be vegan. Science, in the last decade, has shown no health benefit from any type of alcohol, including red wine. It’s the grapes that give the health benefit, not the alcohol.”
* Salt: Sodium gets into our diets not just from table salt, but restaurants and packaged processed foods. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 1,500 mg of sodium a day. Most Americans are getting double that.
* Beyond Meat burger with fatty oils? A plant-based burger is healthier than a beef burger, but not compared to eating lentils and beans. So, if trying to eat less meat, I’m fine with the fake meat substitutions in the beginning. Over time, I would tweak choices and move toward healthier options.
* Best meat replacement: Look at the nutrition label with total fat less than seven grams and saturated fat less than three grams per serving. The Gardein brand is tasty with a good nutritional profile.
* Treats: Oreos have no animal products, so technically, they are vegan. We prefer to use the term “whole food plant-based dietary pattern.” It’s more descriptive and would exclude highly processed foods like Oreos. Try Chia pudding with cocoa for a hint of chocolate.
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