316: Transforming Healthcare: The Power of Plant-Based Nutrition | Dr. Janel Gordon

Maya Acosta 

I have Dr. Janel Gordon with me. I'm so excited. She was one of the panelists for the food is medicine panel. And so welcome.

Dr. Janel Gordon 

Hello. Thanks for having me, Maya.

Maya Acosta 

Yeah, I'm so excited to speak with you. You know, on my podcast, I often bring physicians to talk about how and you know, we talk about stress management sleep, but nutrition is always the most important thing. So tell us a little bit about the discussion that took place earlier. I did sit in, by the way. So tell us what we what you guys were telling the audience today.

Dr. Janel Gordon 

Sure. Thank you for joining us. So the title was actually is plant based nutrition, the answer to the healthcare crisis. So we know that in this country, we have a big problem when it comes to health care, they expenditure, the amount of money that we spend annually due to the chronic diseases that many of us are dealing with. It all goes back to the lifestyle choices we make. And number one, as you mentioned, is the nutrition or the foods that we're eating on a daily basis and the beverages that we're drinking as well.

Maya Acosta 

So that's what the discussion was. So is plant based nutrition, the answer to the health care crisis that we have,

Dr. Janel Gordon 

I believe, is one of the biggest answers to the crisis. Okay. And there is a lot being done especially cross collaboration among various industries, to help communities to better hospital schools, right here in New York City where we're hosting the vegan Women's Summit Mayor Eric Adams has helped Institute meatless Mondays in the New York City school system. The default diet order or nutrition order for patients when they're in the hospitals here in the New York City hospital system is plant based nutrition. I mean, that's crazy. I always talk about back to when I was in training and seeing patients in the hospital. Now I practice primarily outpatient medicine, I would put in an order for a patient who maybe had a heart attack, okay. And so the food that they would get had to be a cardiac diet. So I ran on the patients the next morning, I look at the food tray, like, Did I put in the wrong order? No, I did not put in the wrong order. They simply got a cardiac diet, that's going to be food that continues to fuel them into having worsening of their disease, brings them back into the hospital, and unfortunately, possibly even have another heart attack within the next six months.

Maya Acosta 

You know, it's fascinating that the hospital would not understand. And I know it's a business in many ways, but that they would not understand that the foods that they're feeding the patients are the same foods that got them into the hospital in the first place. For the most part, because we have other reasons why people are in the hospital. So tell us a little bit about your background, how you came on board, and I believe you're trained in lifestyle medicine, aren't you? So tell us about that as well? Sure,

Dr. Janel Gordon 

yes. So I'm actually born and raised in Indiana, I always had it all my education in the South after high school, so North Carolina, to Kentucky or to Maryland and now back to India, and I'm board certified in family obesity and lifestyle medicine. Today, I'm able to see individuals two years old and up. I work in an employer sponsored health care space. So I see staff members and then their dependents. And I really do practice primary care with the lifestyle medicine approach.

Maya Acosta 

And so I you know, when I learned about lifestyle medicine, and I'm not in healthcare, I'm not a physician, but I am married to one. And so I see the importance of trying to get to patients before they get so advanced, that even lifestyle may not help as much. So tell me how that has changed your perspective as a physician?

Dr. Janel Gordon 

Sure. So the way I was trained, I felt like I'm the Doctor, I'm the expert, you come see me with a concern, a symptom that you're dealing with. And I tell you, this is what you need to do mine. But through the lifestyle medicine approach, I really partner with patients, you're the one in the driver's seat, and I'm coming alongside you like the driving instructor saying, okay, my Where do you want to go and show me how you plan to get there? And I might say, Okay, that sounds great. Like I love the energy, but I don't want you to burn out too soon. So how can we break down this overarching goal that you have into more sustainable realistic steps so that that doesn't happen and you get to where you want to be.

Maya Acosta 
And then the individual feels like there's this partnership you're working together for that individuals how and what I love also about lotsa lifestyle medicine is that the physicians themselves practice what they preach very different from when you have, say, an out of shape physician who's a little bit you know, you can tell that they're not taking care of themselves and they're telling you to go you know, hit the gym and eat the right foods. No, you you do this for yourself as well.

Dr. Janel Gordon  

It's interesting that you say that I was just talking to someone here at the summit. And she was I was telling her that on my desk at work. I have a picture that I got when I was in Spain one time and it's a man with a huge lettuce head, okay. And then I went to the American Academy of Family Physicians national conference one year and they give us ribbons to put at the end of our badges. And it says foodie, it's green because I love it right. I love food. I love the color green, like you're wearing today. And the nurse said, Well Dr. Gordon, like you actually practice what you preach. And I thought I do and it's sad that she even had to have that epiphany or that thought that you don't go and see Be a provider, a physician, and you expect that what they're sharing with you telling you you should do that they're not actually doing it. And studies actually backup that when the physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, whatever provider you're seeing is actually practicing what they preach, you're more likely to have better outcomes as a patient,

Maya Acosta  

I need to repeat that to some people that I know. You know, because the truth of the matter is, then it feels more like a Wellness Center. If you come into a space a it's a private practice, for example, you come into the space, it's wellness, you feel it, you pick up on that energy. That is so awesome. That is so awesome. Tell us what it means to you to be here at the Vegan Women Summit. You are part of the panel. But you're also here, I'm assuming for yourself. So tell us what this Yeah, tell me more

Dr. Janel Gordon  

about that. Sure. So my first time attending the vegan Women's Summit was last year in Los Angeles. It was my first conference since pre pandemic, okay, I get there feel like a fish fresh out of water. Okay. But that's why we want to eat plant based nutrition because we want to keep the fish in the water. Right? So anyway, I walk into this space, I sit down next to this woman, she just so happens to be from Indianapolis, Indiana, which is my hometown, and where I live now. And I thought I'd be along. She's like, Oh, let me introduce you to this other lady who's also a physician by education and training, has her own vegan food brand now ended up meeting up with her at a conference in September last year after I met her at the vegan Women's Summit. Fast forward to this week, like I'm in New York City for the vegan Women's Summit, I go to beat Nick yesterday for lunch and someone read a shirt that I was wearing, I turn around and it's that woman who I first sat next to at the vegan Women's Summit last year. And so it just shows you that like this is meant to be that you're you're headed down the right path. And these organic connections. It's like serendipity. To me,

Maya Acosta  

it's a beautiful vibe. I love being here. It's my first time coming. I also see it, I appreciate that there's a whole that there are physicians that are also being represented here because it's about the food. It's about sustainability, the environment and the animals, but how to reminding ourselves that we're doing this for our health as well. So I love that tell me more about what how my listeners can either learn more from you follow you on social media, or anything else that you'd like to share.

Dr. Janel Gordon  

Sure. So you can find me on LinkedIn and Instagram at Janel Gordon MD on LinkedIn, calm MD, but no punctuation is obviously on Instagram. And if you have any thoughts that you want to share on how we can work together to help improve the health and well being of others, not just individuals, but family. Also, obviously, because I'm a family medicine physician and whole communities, then please reach out to me. Yeah.

Maya Acosta  

Do you go to the lifestyle medicine conference? Because this year is going to be in Denver

Dr. Janel Gordon 

in Denver? Yes. Last year was in Florida. Beautiful. Yes. So if it were not for the American College of lifestyle medicine, like I don't even believe I would be sitting here talking to you. I mean, those are your people, right? Like minded individuals, and just preparing to take my board exam and now practicing it. Not only is it changing the way I practice, but actually the way I live my own life. I spoke about the six pillars of lifestyle medicine back in February in Indianapolis, my mother sat in that audience and listened to me diabetes, high blood pressure had a stroke in 2021. I thought my mother would never stop consuming animal products. She hasn't eaten it to this day. Not since February, she tells me she feels better. Her knees don't hurt as bad. Her doctor has had to decrease her dose and frequency of insulin. And she takes I mean, so it really does work. Right.

Maya Acosta  

So I love it. She saw you put on that doctor hat and and really trained in lifestyle medicine, just speaking out. And that so had it been in the kitchen? Would she have listened then?

Dr. Janel Gordon  

No, because I would have just been the daughter, right? And she knows I'm the daughter of the doctor. But in that space, I was the doctor. Right? You were the expert. Yes. And so if you feel like you have people in your life who you want to share this information with, and you've made the changes and you feel like they're not making the changes, try not to be so preachy, try to lead by example. But the more they can see the information maybe from another source that you kind of put in front of them, even if it's you know, subtle or not so subtle. They're more likely to make the changes and just continue to encourage it's

Maya Acosta  

actually those are wonderful words of encouragement because many of us do not have loved ones that are on board. And when we first come on board, we want to get everyone on there, you know to do that, and then we become pushy. People feel judged. So the fact that you've laid back and you've been yourself doing your thing, and now your mother sees you in a platform where people where you are admired and respected and you're an expert. Wow, it's just such a beautiful thing. Thank you so much. Did we share your social media?

Dr. Janel Gordon  

Yes, we did. Okay, again, Janel Gordon, MD on Instagram and then LinkedIn Janelle Gordon, common MD.

Maya Acosta  

Thank you Dr. Gordon for stopping by