364: Embracing a Whole Foods Plant-Based Adventure for Health and Longevity | Dr. Akil Taher

Maya Acosta  00:00

So welcome back to another episode, my friends, I'm bringing you a bonus episode every Friday for the month of August and September. These are on location interviews that I did while I was at the National Health Association Conference in June. And so I'm introducing you every Friday to a new guests a new individual that I got to interview at the NHL conference. So I hope that you enjoy these conversations are very short. I filmed them on location, I didn't use a mic. I was just inspired to see why people went to the conference and what they were getting out of it. And I hope that you enjoy. This is the healthy lifestyle solutions podcast, and I'm your host, Maya Acosta. If you're willing to go with me, together, we can discover how simple lifestyle choices can help improve our quality of life, and increase our longevity in a good way. Let's get started.

Maya Acosta  00:57

We're here at the National Health Association's 75th annual conference, but they're celebrating 75 years. And you're here with me right now, Dr. keel che heard and it's an honor to meet you in person because you were already on the podcast. So I know you're also going to be speaking. But before we get to that, I would love for you to tell us what inspired you to a whole foods plant based lifestyle, and how has it impacted your overall health and well being?

Dr. Akil Taher  01:28

Okay, before that, let me tell you that this is myself, I have turned 75 years this year. So it is in common with the energy code 75 years. That's number one. Number two people change for different reasons, whole food plant based diet, my wife and daughter became PLANT BASE 40 years back because of animal rights. Some people do it for environmental reasons. I did it for health. And the reason initially I had a lot of problems. But when I started realizing my cholesterol going down my diverticulitis in the back burner, and I was not having any sinus infections. I said quite there's something here. And so I the whole food plant base is an overall so much of fiber and fruits and vegetables and whole grains and nuts and seeds. It encompasses everything, all the nutrition macronutrients micronutrients. So initially, I had problems. The biggest problem I had was peer pressure. Because people tend to tell you that Oh, come on, don't show off. Why are you doing this? Let's go Come on once in a way if you break your singer is okay. But it is not okay. It isn't okay. But why failed? Yes. I am not one of those people who goes cold turkey. I start off slow. I take one item and replace it with a whole food plant based diet item. And I take the second item. And the hardest thing for me was to give up fish. I just could not do it. And I have fallen so many times. But I've got up. Branson said this, if you fall flat on your face, you're always moving forward. Because you can get up and go again. That's what I've done, you know, non based.

Maya Acosta  03:39

So and now you're let's just add that you are a doctor, like I said, additionally, what does it mean for you being here as one time having been a patient and you're a physician, surrounded by most of the participants or candies that are here are people that are interested in making this lifestyle change for their health. So we're not necessarily around a lot of healthcare providers at this conference. What does it mean to you for you to be here?

Dr. Akil Taher  04:06

It means I'm not either three hats. I wear a hat of a physician, but I'm a research and physician trying to prevent an underlying cause of the disease. The second head is the most important because I'm a heart disease survivor. And so people around here who've got heart disease, they can I can understand them better. And they can approach me because I have been in their shoes. I can empathize, not sympathize empathize with them because I have heart disease. And don't forget, I'm a septuagenarian athlete to endurance athlete. That means there are a lot of people around here I was shocked that there were about 20 people on the hard hike on Friday, and there were about six children from ages of three 278 Right. So to me, this is fascinating. But whole food plant based diet. For everybody to go on board or for most of us to on board, it is going to take time, time, because the idea is that we fought the cigarette industry for 10 years. This is not cigarette industry, this is much more and we don't really again because people are dying. I came to this country when I never saw a diabetic or a heart patient before the age of 4550. Now I'm seeing them at 2530. So to me, it is very important to come to a conference like this, like minded people, teach you so many things, you learn so many things, you'll give back so many things. And the only thing I felt words, the food, it's superb. I wish somebody would cook for me that kind of food every day. But I cannot afford it means the time factor is such that nobody can cook this way. So this is kind of a luxury. Where when you go back, I want people to learn to live with just basics. And especially older people. So that is more important to me. But I met some fascinating people over here. And they've got livestock life stories to tell to show

Maya Acosta  06:35

and you know, Dr. T heart you're going on pretty soon to share your testimonial as a heart patient. You spoke before the conference and you're sold out you brought up as a certain amount of books that you recently published, your open heart book sold out. So what can we look forward to because I am going to say it in when you share your testimonial? What can people expect?

Dr. Akil Taher  06:59

My testimonial will be also adventure may hurt you. But monotony will kill you. And when I say adventure, I don't mean people climbing mountains or going on marathons. What I am saying is live outside your comfort zone. So adventure becomes a metaphor. Meaning that you start in the COVID era, I took up cooking, like took up gardening. People can take up playing Mahjong, learn how to play bridge. This is outside your comfort zone. It makes life really interesting. So that's why I believe in remember one other thing. Adversity can be your best friend or your worst enemy. After they put stents in me. Five years were horrendous. It was my worst enemy. And after I got my bypass surgery, adversity became my best friend. There were things that I could never thought of doing. But adversity made those things come out.

Maya Acosta  08:16

Yeah, thank you so much for being such an inspiration and for sharing your story and I'm going to be sitting in watching you so good luck on your talk today.

Maya Acosta  08:26

Listening to the healthy lifestyle solutions podcast with your host Maya Acosta. If you've enjoyed this content, please share with one friend who can benefit. You can also leave us a five star review at rate this podcast.com forward slash H L S. This helps us to spread our message. As always, thank you for being a listener.