Some of America’s leading physicians and nutritional research scientists are supporting a campaign urging Americans to eat a vegan diet in January 2020. Million Dollar Vegan, the nonprofit that initiated the campaign earlier this month by challenging the president to go vegan, launched the initiative and hopes to inspire at least one hundred thousand people to eat vegan for one month and help ‘Make America Healthy Again.’ For every person who signs up at MillionDollarVegan.com, the nonprofit will donate $1 to charities: SiSu Animal Refuge, and Skylands Animal Sanctuary and Rescue. A video with U.S. Marine Royce Williams, an ambassador of SiSu animal sanctuary explaining why a vegan diet is beneficial for everyone is available here. The campaign is currently experiencing more than 2,500 pledges a day and is expecting at least 100,000 sign-ups.
The consumption of animal products is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, obesity and cancers – some of America’s biggest killers – yet, these diseases are not inevitable. These conditions can also be prevented, halted and even reversed by changing health and nutrition lifestyles. This is the message America’s leading medical and nutritional experts supporting the campaign wish to convey. They include: Dr. Dean Ornish, Dr. Joel Kahn, Dr. Neal Barnard, Dr. Michael Greger, Dr. Ayesha Sherzai, Dr. Garth Davis, Dr. Angie Sadeghi, Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., Dr. Kim Williams, Dr. Pamela Popper, Dr. Milton Mills, Dr. Columbus Batiste, Dr. Michael Klaper, Dr. John McDougall, Dr. Dean Sherzai, Dr. David Jenkins, Dr. T. Colin Campbell and Dr. Cyrus Khambatta.
“Making America Healthy Again is not just about protecting ourselves from some of our country’s most devastating illnesses, it is about protecting the country itself,” says Naomi Hallum, U.S. Campaign Manager, Million Dollar Vegan. “Animal agriculture is a key driver of climate change, deforestation, species loss, and air, earth and water pollution as well as a contributor to antibiotic resistance and farmed animal suffering. Whatever the motivation for going vegan for January, we have some fantastic resources to help, and we would encourage everyone to embrace a New Year’s resolution that could improve – and even save – their lives.”
The nonprofit has produced a Vegan Starter Kit, a Health & Nutrition Guide, and delicious plant-based recipes to help participants go vegan for January. By signing up at MillionDollarVegan.com, people will also receive 31 days of inspirational emails that feature video testimony from plant-based leaders serving the country and championing the cause through fitness or lifestyle activities. These include: former U.S. Marines Ronnie Penn, Bob Blackburn and Marc Holley; Army veteran Thomas Chartier; U.S. Navy fighter pilot Charles Hallum; U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Pilot Katie Pelkey; and Olympic medalist Dotsie Bausch.
Million Dollar Vegan is supported by Animal Hero Kids, whose co-presidents are all kids and teens, and whose mission is to inspire and empower youth to take compassionate action. For more on the ‘Make America Healthy Again’ campaign, the original announcement press release can be read online here.
