Dr Alan Desmond
Alan Desmond is an Irish gastroenterologist who promotes a wholefood, plant-based diet for optimal health.
Desmond studied at the School of Medicine of University College Cork and at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. He is certified in gastroenterology and general internal medicine, and is a consultant gastroenterologist for the South Devon Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. He works at the Devon Gut Clinic in Mount Stuart Hospital, Torquay where he specialises in inflammatory bowel disease.
In 2021, he authored The Plant-Based Diet Revolution, which advocates a high-fibre wholefood plant-based diet.
He told Virgin Radio UK:
“Within the first 28 days of making the switch to a healthy plant-based diet you will see some very real benefits […] if you have high blood pressure you are likely to see your blood pressure getting better. If you’ve got high cholesterol, you’re likely to see your cholesterol getting better. The first 28 days are the initial focus.
There is science showing us that individuals who consume a plant-based diet get tremendous gut microbial benefits and this may be some of the key reasons why people who eat a plant-based diet have lower risk of heart disease, stroke, colorectal cancer and numerous other diseases including type-2 diabetes.”
