The world of Tzu Chi September 2023 (Vol.147)

2023 • 09 22 At the conference: (standing, from left) Prof. Dr. Ho Gwo Fuang, oncologist; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mahenderan Appukutty, nutrition lecturer; Dr. Ng Teck Wee, consultant interventional cardiologist; Dr. Eddie Chan, paediatrician and nutritional and lifestyle medicine physician; Dr. Siva Poobalasingam, MSLM President; Dr. Zazali, general practitioner; (seated, from left) Dr. Ching Chen Hua, nephrologist; and Anna-Lena Klapp, specialist in nutrition and health at ProVeg International. of Alzheimer’s disease. When it comes to dietary guidelines for the prevention of Alzheimer’s, we should centre our diets around vegetables, legumes, fruits, and whole grains.” Dr. Ching Chen Hua’s message resonated deeply, noting that six out of ten leading causes of death, as listed by the U.S. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, are nutrition- related. “In other words, the causes of these six diseases are related to food and lifestyle. That’s why we want to let food be the medicine and not the medicine be our food,” she said, adding that a staggering 85% of kidney disease cases stem from diabetes and hypertension. Her solution rests in lifestyle modifications, with a particular focus on a plant-dominant and low- protein diet. Dr. Sivaneswaran highlighted the global urgency of diabetes, with projections of 578 million individuals affected by 2030. In Malaysia alone, diabetes prevalence is projected to reach 31% by 2025, affecting 7 million citizens. On a more positive note, he said, “The American College of Lifestyle Medicine indicated that there is sufficient evidence that lifestyle modification is capable of producing significant clinical improvements in patients with Type 2 diabetes.” Among the various lifestyle adjustments, diet is a modifiable factor that is at the heart of diabetes prevention, treatment, and reversal. While he championed a WFPB diet for diabetes control, he also cautioned against highly processed plant-based foods. Every plate is an opportunity Amidst the symphony of voices, a unanimous chorus emerged—a plant-based diet offers remarkable potential in reducing the risk of chronic non-communicable diseases. Dr. Eddie Chan, the initiator of the “21-Day Healthier Me Challenge”, presented empirical evidence substantiating the effectiveness of a WFPB diet. Thousands who embraced this dietary shift had their blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels back to normal in just 21 days. This transformative initiative, born in Malaysia in 2020, has since spread across borders to Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Taiwan, the U.S., and other countries/regions, with over 15,000 participants in total. After hearing testimonies of successful