The 7 Original Heroes of the Movement

Featured Hero:   Dr. Neal Barnard

Dr. Neal Barnard is an American author, clinical researcher and founding president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM). He serves as an Adjunct Associate Professor of Medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine, having also founded the Barnard Medical Center under the banner of PCRM. The Center provides primary care with an emphasis on diet and preventative medicine. He is also one of the expert voices joining Hippocrates Docs and the Just 1 Thing 4 Health (J1T4H) program.

Growing up as part of a cattle-ranching family in North Dakota and the son of a physician, Dr. Barnard received his medical school training and degree in psychiatry at George Washington University School of Medicine. During his time at George Washington, he began to explore the health benefits of a vegan diet, later adopting veganism. Dr. Barnard has written for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and his often cited by the organization, having also appeared in the 2011 documentary feature film Forks Over Knives.

In 1985, Dr. Barnard founded the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) in a bid to promote preventative medicine. By 2016, the organization had over 150,000 members, including 12,000 physicians and reported revenues of more than $20 million. As PCRM president, Dr. Barnard leads programs advocating for preventative medicine, good nutrition and high ethical standards in research. As such, he hosts four PBS television programs on nutrition and health, and is frequently called upon by public communicators to discuss issues related to nutrition and the evolving field of health research.

In 2015, Dr. Barnard founded the nonprofit Barnard Medical Center where board-certified physicians, nurse practitioners, and registered dietitians provide complete primary care. The Center also works with patients to tackle the causes of illness, focusing extra attention on improving health through prevention and nutrition. Taking advantage of years of research conducted by the Physicians Committee research team and other researchers, the center pioneers an approach to medicine and nutrition that helps prevent and reverse serious health problems like obesity, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, migraines, and arthritis.

Dr. Barnard is a fellow of the American College of Cardiology, the 2016 recipient of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine’s Trailblazer Award, and has been pivotal in countless research studies investigating the effects of diet on diabetes, body weight, and chronic pain. This includes a groundbreaking study of dietary interventions in type 2 diabetes, funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Photo Courtesy of: AZ Quotes

Dr. Barnard has authored more than 70 scientific publications in addition to 18 books, including the New York Times best-sellers Power Foods for the Brain, 21-Day Weight Loss Kickstart, and the USA Today bestseller Dr. Barnard’s Program for Reversing Diabetes.

We thank and acknowledge Dr Barnard for his contribution to the Hippocrates Docs mission and our outreach to help even more millions with the support they are seeking to continue the journey of health and wellness through a whole foods, plant-based lifestyle.