Podcast: On Soundcloud

 

Script:

Anchor Intro

Today, more and more young people are becoming vegetarian for health reasons.

A 2016 national poll shows that 5 point 3 percent of 18 to 34 year olds is vegetarian.

Young people want to avoid chronic diseases like diabetes.

Diabetes often leads to heart disease, nerve damage, infections, and blindness.

Many recent studies show that vegetarian diets can help lower the risk of diabetes.

Alisha Rajendran (Raa-jane-dren) reports on why many young people are becoming vegetarian to avoid diabetes.

 

Tape log index of sound bites

TRT (3:50)

Cher Pastore

New York City Nutritionist and Dietician (:56)

Yasmin Ali

60 year old Diabetic Patient (1:26)

Ali

60 year old Diabetic Patient (2:00)

Saddiqua Ali

Yasmin Ali’s 31 year old daughter (2:34)

Pastore

New York City Nutritionist and Dietician (2:59)

Ali

Yasmin Ali’s 31 year old daughter (3:24)

NAT POP OR NAT SOUND (:08)

REPORTER VOICER (:14)

Studies in recent decades have focused on how eating more meat leads to cardiovascular disease and cancer. Cher Pastore is a New York City nutritionist. She explains that only recently, people realized that a vegetarian diet can lower diabetes risk.

SOUND BITE OR ACTUALITY (:12)

Cher Pastore

New York City Nutritionist and Dietician

For many years, research showed that increased meat consumption led to certain cancers and cardiovascular risk. So, only recently, research has focused on the connection between diabetes and vegetarian diets.

REPORTER VOICER (:17)

Diabetes is a life-long struggle for some. If not controlled, it can lead to dire consequences. Yasmin is 60 years old. She has suffered from diabetes for the last 16 years. She has tried many medications and diets. Nothing helped. Her diabetes only got worse.

SOUND BITE OR ACTUALITY (:14)

Yasmin Ali

60 year old Diabetic Patient

Sixteen years ago I felt sick. I went to the doctor and he took a blood test. He told me I have diabetes. I have to live with this.

REPORTER VOICER (:20)

A vegetarian diet lowers weight. It has metabolic advantages that lowers blood glucose. Yasmin’s doctor recently warned her about her high glucose level and recommended a strict vegetable based diet. For four months she ate a lot of kale, celery stock, and steamed vegetables. She lost weight and her diabetes stabilized.

SOUND BITE OR ACTUALITY (:15)

Ali

60 year old Diabetic Patient

Yes, he told me I have to go on a diet. I have to eat a lot of green vegetables and steamed vegetables. I did it. My glucose went down to 137.

REPORTER VOICER (:18)

Young people see their parents and grandparents suffering from diabetes. They would like to avoid getting the disease altogether. But diabetes in your family makes one more likely to get it. Yasmin’s 31year old daughter worries she will get diabetes. She also worries about her 5 year old daughter’s risk.

SOUND BITE OR ACTUALITY (:09)

Saddiqua Ali

Yasmin’s 31 year old Daughter

Diabetes is in the genes. My mother has struggled with it for many years. My grandmother became blind with it. Diabetes is a silent killer.

REPORTER VOICER (:15)

Follow a vegetarian diet. If you have diabetes, you can perhaps get off medication. If you don’t, you can perhaps just keep it away. Cher Pastore advises her clients to cut out meat gradually and phase in healthy vegetarian foods.

SOUND BITE OR ACTUALITY (:11)

Pastore

New York City Nutritionist and Dietician

I advise my patients to increase intake of fruits and vegetables and healthy oils and fats and not take drastic steps to fully cut of meat, instead of suddenly.

REPORTER VOICER (:14)

Saddiqua, at 31, does not have diabetes. She tries hard to avoid getting it. She follows a healthy lifestyle. She eats mainly fruits and vegetables. When she plans meals for her family, she makes sure there are plenty of fruits and vegetables.

SOUND BITE OR ACTUALITY (:09)

Ali

Yasmin’s 31 year old Daughter

I ate a lot of meat growing up. But now I am strict with my diet and exercise. I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables and also make sure my daughter eats the same as well.

REPORTER CLOSING: (:11)

A healthy vegetarian diet does not mean pizza and french fries. Eat fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. One can lose weight, lower glucose levels, and lower diabetes risk.

TAG: Alisha Rajendran, for Emory News Now