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Heleen Roex-Haitjema
Raised
$2,385.85
My Goal
$2,000
About
Doctors For Nutrition is the only independent Australian charity bringing evidence‑based nutrition into healthcare, led by a team of medical doctors and dietitians.
Poor nutrition is a leading cause of disease and early death in Australia. It is one of the main risk factors for preventable chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers. The prevalence of these conditions continues to rise, posing the biggest health challenge of the 21st century.
Besides reducing premature death, a healthy diet promotes healthy pregnancy outcomes, provides our children the best start in life, builds stronger immune systems and supports healthy ageing. These immense benefits are well researched and documented, although most healthcare professionals lack nutrition knowledge, and medical students are still not being taught enough about the impact of nutrition on health.
Doctors For Nutrition is on a mission to fill this education gap and raise awareness about how whole food plant‑based nutrition can save lives. DFN strives to transform our healthcare system, ensuring prevention and addressing the cause of diet‑related disease is the ‘new normal’.
For more information about Doctors For Nutrition and its work, check www.doctorsfornutrition.org
Poor nutrition is a leading cause of disease and early death in Australia. It is one of the main risk factors for preventable chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and some cancers. The prevalence of these conditions continues to rise, posing the biggest health challenge of the 21st century.
Besides reducing premature death, a healthy diet promotes healthy pregnancy outcomes, provides our children the best start in life, builds stronger immune systems and supports healthy ageing. These immense benefits are well researched and documented, although most healthcare professionals lack nutrition knowledge, and medical students are still not being taught enough about the impact of nutrition on health.
Doctors For Nutrition is on a mission to fill this education gap and raise awareness about how whole food plant‑based nutrition can save lives. DFN strives to transform our healthcare system, ensuring prevention and addressing the cause of diet‑related disease is the ‘new normal’.
For more information about Doctors For Nutrition and its work, check www.doctorsfornutrition.org
My Story
I would like to share with you why I am passionate about a whole food plant-based lifestyle.
It has now been 11 years since I discovered the studies of Dr Dean Ornish and Dr Caldwell Esselstyn, showing that heart disease can be stopped and reversed with a whole food plant-based eating pattern. As a medical doctor, I had never heard about this before and like everyone, I thought that heart disease was a chronic disease that always gradually progresses. Realising that there was a way to stop the disease that is the number one killer in the world, I could not help and wonder why it was not the first thing that was recommended for someone with this disease. I found out that a whole food plant-based eating pattern was not only very effective for heart disease management, but also for other chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cancer, auto-immune diseases etc.
I then changed my way of eating almost overnight, but couldn't stop thinking about all those people that had never heard about this. I wanted everyone to know about these huge health benefits so they could at least make an informed decision about their diet and their disease management.
There are only a few hours of nutrition training in medical school, and it does not tend to focus on plant-based nutrition and its use for disease prevention and management. That's why I had never heard about this before and why most healthcare practitioners have not either, despite the overwhelming amount of science supporting whole food plant-based nutrition for health.
I started to go to international conferences specifically focussed on plant-based nutrition and that gave me hope and inspiration. I decided to organise a conference focusing on plant-based nutrition in healthcare in Australia and to start a charity to educate healthcare professionals.
Doctors For Nutrition was born in 2018 and our first conference occurred in 2019. We already have reached many healthcare practitioners who now benefit from this knowledge and have seen first hand improvement in their patients' health. This is so rewarding, for both the patient AND the doctor.
I am kindly asking you to support Doctors For Nutrition in continuing their important work in changing lives.
It has now been 11 years since I discovered the studies of Dr Dean Ornish and Dr Caldwell Esselstyn, showing that heart disease can be stopped and reversed with a whole food plant-based eating pattern. As a medical doctor, I had never heard about this before and like everyone, I thought that heart disease was a chronic disease that always gradually progresses. Realising that there was a way to stop the disease that is the number one killer in the world, I could not help and wonder why it was not the first thing that was recommended for someone with this disease. I found out that a whole food plant-based eating pattern was not only very effective for heart disease management, but also for other chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cancer, auto-immune diseases etc.
I then changed my way of eating almost overnight, but couldn't stop thinking about all those people that had never heard about this. I wanted everyone to know about these huge health benefits so they could at least make an informed decision about their diet and their disease management.
There are only a few hours of nutrition training in medical school, and it does not tend to focus on plant-based nutrition and its use for disease prevention and management. That's why I had never heard about this before and why most healthcare practitioners have not either, despite the overwhelming amount of science supporting whole food plant-based nutrition for health.
I started to go to international conferences specifically focussed on plant-based nutrition and that gave me hope and inspiration. I decided to organise a conference focusing on plant-based nutrition in healthcare in Australia and to start a charity to educate healthcare professionals.
Doctors For Nutrition was born in 2018 and our first conference occurred in 2019. We already have reached many healthcare practitioners who now benefit from this knowledge and have seen first hand improvement in their patients' health. This is so rewarding, for both the patient AND the doctor.
I am kindly asking you to support Doctors For Nutrition in continuing their important work in changing lives.
Donations
$3.12
Jessica Weekes
on 30/06/22 7:57pm
$6.25
Karen Deer
on 29/06/22 8:43am
$4.62
Robyn Sharp
on 16/06/22 9:45am
Love you work
Love you work
$1.25
Raymond Yeow
on 10/06/22 6:58pm
$100.00
Heleen Haitjema
on 07/06/22 5:17pm
This charity and its wonderful people get my full support, but some would say I'm biased. ;-) Have fun on the trail - great adventure!
This charity and its wonderful people get my full support, but some would say I'm biased. ;-) Have fun on the trail - great adventure!
$100.00
Heleen Haitjema
on 28/05/22 8:12pm
Go Heleen! And good luck to everyone on the trail. What a great event.
Go Heleen! And good luck to everyone on the trail. What a great event.
$3.12
Penny Piccione
on 19/05/22 6:11pm
$43.75
Anonymous
on 18/05/22 10:22pm
$1.87
Anonymous
on 16/05/22 8:15pm
$2.50
on 16/05/22 9:41am
$12.50
Marion Haydon
on 14/05/22 11:43am
Am so passionate about how important it is to educate Health Professionals and the public about the benefits of a WFPB diet.
Am so passionate about how important it is to educate Health Professionals and the public about the benefits of a WFPB diet.
$12.50
Susan Chahwan
on 14/05/22 10:55am
$300.00
Anonymous
on 27/04/22 2:04pm
Supporting DFN in making the world a healthier place!
Supporting DFN in making the world a healthier place!
$12.50
on 21/04/22 1:04pm
❤️
❤️
$100.00
Heleen Haitjema
on 19/04/22 9:45am
Thank you for your tireless efforts in educating and advocating for one of the most important issues we face in society today. You are a continually a massive inspiration to both Julz and myself. All the best for the trek and we hope to join you on the next one!
Thank you for your tireless efforts in educating and advocating for one of the most important issues we face in society today. You are a continually a massive inspiration to both Julz and myself. All the best for the trek and we hope to join you on the next one!
$150.00
Heleen Haitjema
on 18/04/22 12:52pm
Love you Mum! Always such an inspiration. Hope to join you next year xx
Love you Mum! Always such an inspiration. Hope to join you next year xx
$12.50
Anonymous
on 11/04/22 3:03pm
$700.00
Anonymous
on 11/04/22 7:00am
Heleen thank you for the wisdom and knowledge Have a good safe journey Cheers Pete
Heleen thank you for the wisdom and knowledge Have a good safe journey Cheers Pete
$100.00
Heleen Haitjema
on 08/04/22 10:41am
Much success Heleen!
Much success Heleen!
$2.50
Cindy Antulov
on 07/04/22 3:09pm
$4.37
Graham Clouston
on 07/04/22 1:02pm
All the best
All the best
$2.50
Anonymous
on 07/04/22 12:01pm
$500.00
Anonymous
on 17/02/22 2:55pm
$10.00
Anonymous
on 15/02/22 7:36am
I still think back with pleasure to the inspiring presentation due to you a few years ago in Heerlen/ Netherlands. Together with your husband and Emma Roche, a motivating trio. Please continue to share these important insights.
I still think back with pleasure to the inspiring presentation due to you a few years ago in Heerlen/ Netherlands. Together with your husband and Emma Roche, a motivating trio. Please continue to share these important insights.
$100.00
Anonymous
on 13/02/22 9:33pm
WTG! :D Thank you for DFN and for your continued efforts!
WTG! :D Thank you for DFN and for your continued efforts!
$50.00
Heleen Haitjema
on 13/02/22 7:46pm
This is going to be an amazing adventure Heleen! And for such a fantastic cause.
This is going to be an amazing adventure Heleen! And for such a fantastic cause.
$50.00
Heleen Haitjema
on 13/02/22 7:32pm
Thank you for caring for the future health of others Heleen .
Thank you for caring for the future health of others Heleen .