A group of doctors in the UK is urging the Prime Minister to go vegan, along with his fiancé Carrie Symonds and son Wilfred.
A group of vegan doctors and healthcare professionals is urging British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to adopt a plant-based diet.
Aside from benefitting his own health, the doctors believe this move would encourage the nation to follow in his footsteps and make healthier lifestyle changes.
A plant-based diet has been proven to minimise the risk of a variety of diseases including some forms of cancers and heart disease, as well as the impact of underlying diseases on Covid-19. Moreover, a vegan diet is the only real sustainable choice for the planet, so if the nation went more plant-based there would be much to gain from it.
The campaign is being spearheaded by the co-founders of Plant-Based Health Online Dr Laura Freeman and Dr Shireen Kassam, who aim to demonstrate the positive benefits of switching to a plant-based diet to Johnson.
Just this year, Johnson’s fiancé Carrie Symonds was named PETA’s Person of the Year for her humanitarian and animal activism efforts across the world. Therefore, it seems that Carrie could be the one to convince her husband-to-be of the environmental and ethical benefits a vegan diet can bring.
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‘A world leader’s obligation’
Speaking in a statement sent to Vegan Food and Living, Dr Shireen Kassam from Plant-Based Health Online told us:
“It is a world leader’s obligation to do everything in their power to maintain the policies they have set out.
A whole food plant-based diet is key in tackling both health and environmental issues, so we’re calling on the Prime Minister and his fiancé Carrie Symonds – a passionate animal welfare activist and former vegetarian – to take action by setting an example to the nation.
We believe that by adopting a healthy vegan diet for their family, Mr Johnson and Ms Symonds will connect with the problems at hand.”
‘Improve long term public health’
Dr Kassam continued, “Nutrition is becoming increasingly recognised as a significant factor in disease prevention and health development.
Currently, the NHS spends £14 billion on diabetes treatment each year alone, with a poor diet estimated to be a bigger mortality risk than smoking. Meanwhile, a recent survey of over 5,000 adults by Public Health England found that 7 in 10 adults are motivated by Covid-19 to make healthier lifestyle changes.
However, we know that most people find it difficult to navigate the choices presented to them and it can be hard to know where to start. Boris Johnson must lead the way in recognising the steps to improve long term public health, and we implore him to take the simple yet effective step of adopting a plant-based diet for the sake of the country.”
The Plant-Based Health Online team is offering the couple complimentary consultations at their new online service, with the fee to be donated to Made in Hackney, an eco-friendly community cookery school who have been helping those in need throughout the pandemic.
Want to show your agreement? You can sign this petition to support PBHO’s call for Boris Johnson to go plant-based.
Are you worried about your calcium intake?
Read our article on Vegan diets and osteoporosis: Keep your bones healthy.
Feature image credit: Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
