Dr. John McDougall, known for inventing the starchy vegan diet, has died at the age of 77.
His family confirmed that McDougall passed away peacefully in his sleep on Saturday, June 22.
“It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Dr. John McDougall,” a family statement read, describing him as “a visionary physician and author, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, mentor and friend.”
“The world will remember him as the man who revolutionized modern healthcare and championed dietary therapy,” his family wrote. “To honor Dr. McDougall’s memory, we ask that you continue to live healthily, loving each other, and being kind to the environment and the animals that share it.”
A massive stroke at age 18 left McDougall paralyzed for weeks. This life-changing experience, fueled by unanswered questions about his rare condition, ignited his passion for revolutionizing healthcare and empowering patients like him.
Dr. John McDougall, known for inventing the high-starch vegan diet, has died at the age of 77.
He, along with his wife Mary McDougall, co-founded the McDougall Program, the first weight loss program consisting of plant-based, whole-food vegan recipes.
The McDougall program diet is made up of 90 percent starchy plant foods, including whole grains and whole grain products, and 10 percent a wide variety of vegetables and fruits, according to the company’s website.
Although he retired in 2017 and worked in medicine for 50 years, the McDougall program is still running, with courses and community involvement run by his wife’s family.
On the author page of his website, he explains how growing up, his parents idolized doctors and did not question them when they gave their diagnosis.
‘My exalted view of doctors changed during my two-week stay at Grace Hospital. Out of “medical curiosity” (suffering a stroke at such a young age) I attracted some of Detroit’s best medical specialists.
“It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Dr. John McDougall,” a family statement read, describing him as “a visionary physician and author, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, mentor and friend.”
He, along with his wife Mary McDougall (right), co-founded the McDougall Program, the first weight loss program consisting of plant-based, whole-food vegan recipes.
‘After examining myself, I asked each new doctor, ‘What caused my stroke?’ ‘What are you going to do for me?’ ‘How are you going to make me feel better?’ ‘When can I come home?’ The typical response was nonverbal; Shaking their heads back and forth, they left my room.
‘I thought I could do that. After 2 weeks of the “best care” modern medicine had to offer, I left the AMA hospital (against medical advice) and returned to my undergraduate studies at Michigan State University.
‘Soon my learning was directed directly to medical school. Looking back at my diet, I can credit eggs, double cheese pizzas and hot dogs for my brain damage and my good luck.’
Tired of not seeing results in his patients despite prescribing what he had been taught was the correct medicinal treatment, he set out on a quest to find the answers once and for all, and the answers were holistic.
In 1973, McDougall was one of four doctors at the Hamakua sugar plantation and was responsible for caring for its workers and their families, who numbered a total of 5,000 people.
Working as a doctor on a sugar plantation in Hawaii, he noticed a link between diet and health.
McDougall is the author of 13 best-selling books, most notably The Starch Solution, which is one of Amazon’s top vegan books.
His elderly patients, who emigrated from Asia, remained healthy into their 90s while consuming a traditional diet based on rice and vegetables. Their children and grandchildren, influenced by Western food, began to change their eating habits.
As your diet changed, so did your health; The first generation remained healthy, while later generations became more overweight and more prone to disease.
From there, she created a 12-day weight loss program that includes personalized medical care, live lectures, and monthly checkups for a full year after completing the program.
McDougall is the author of 13 best-selling books, most notably The Starch Solution, which is one of Amazon’s top vegan books.
McDougall, a clinical instructor at four medical schools, received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.