In his active practice, Barnard works with patients with diabetes, obesity, and other conditions in clinical research protocols. He plays cello, guitar, and keyboards. He has been a member of the bands Pop Maru, Verdun, and Carbonworks.[24][25]Alec Baldwin once called Barnard ‘Eddie Van Halen with a medical degree.’[26]
In 2011, Barnard was inducted into the Vegetarian Hall of Fame of the North American Vegetarian Society during its summer conference, where he has occasionally spoken.[27]
In February 2013, Barnard published the book Power Foods for the Brain: An Effective 3-Step Plan to Protect Your Mind and Strengthen Your Memory. In the book, Barnard discusses research on the effects of food choices on the brain, such as Alzheimer's disease risk, as well as plant-based diets in "Blue Zones" and the connection between food choices and longevity.[28][29][30]
By 2019, Barnard had authored 20 books, including The Vegan Starter Kit: Everything You Need to Know about Plant-based Eating.[31]
He has hosted four PBS television programs on nutrition and health.[32][33]
Diabetes
Barnard authored the 2009 book Dr Neal Barnard's Program for Reversing Diabetes.[4] It argues that a low-fat vegan diet can stabilize blood sugar and insulin function and minimize medication within weeks.[4]Jim Mann has commented that although a low-fat vegan diet can help to promote weight loss to manage diabetes "some of the claims made by the author are overrated; in particular, to imply that Type 1 diabetes can be reversed is mischievous".[4]
Elaine Rush stated that although the book does include some sound advice, "not all diabetes can be reversed and therefore the title of this book is misleading." She also suggested that Barnard's low-fat vegan diet would not be suitable for children or pregnant women without expert support.[4] Peter Lipson of Science-Based Medicine has criticized Barnard's views on low-fat vegan diets reversing type 2 diabetes as based on only one study, commenting "This is not a study on which to hang an entire medical philosophy".[34] According to Lipton, weight loss is more important than a specific type of diet in determining diabetes improvement and the idea that a particular diet is a panacea is untrue.[34]
Awards
Lifestyle Medicine Trailblazer Award, 2016[35] from The American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM)
6th Plantrician Project Luminary Award, 2019[36] – from The Plantrician Project
Personal life
Barnard plays cello, guitar, and keyboards and has been a member of the bands Pop Maru, Verdun, and Carbonworks.[37][38]
Selected publications
Dr Neal Barnard's Program for Reversing Diabetes (Rodale Press, 2009)[4]
Power Foods for the Brain: An Effective 3-Step Plan to Protect Your Mind and Strengthen Your Memory (Grand Central Publishing, 2013)[39]
The Cheese Trap: How Breaking a Surprising Addiction Will Help You Lose Weight, Gain Energy, and Get Healthy (Grand Central Publishing, 2017)[40]