Dr Malcolm Mackay – General medical practice and lifestyle medicine
Dr Malcolm Mackay is a General Practitioner with more than 30 years of experience in medical practice. He has a broad range of skills across the full spectrum of general practice. He is based at Clinicare GP Clinic, Fitzroy, Melbourne and also provides Telehealth consultations for patients across Australia.
Book a telehealth consultation
Dr Mackay has a special interest in preventing and managing chronic disease with whole foods plant-based nutrition and other evidence-based lifestyle interventions. He is co-author of a website providing information and resources for those interested in this approach and is active in social media. Malcolm and his nutritionist partner Jenny host immersion retreats, seminars and webinars and often speak at public and private events.
Future events:
- One day plant-based nutrition seminar: face-to-face seminars are on hold until further notice
- 6-day Plant-based health immersion retreat, 4th to 9th October 2020
Services
Medical:
- Consultations (in person)
- Telehealth consultations (within Australia)
Educational:
- Nutrition one-day seminars
- Nutrition & liefstyle immersion retreats
- Workplace nutrition programs
- Webinars
- Available for speaking events
Qualifications & Training
Medical degree
- BMBS – Flinders University (1984)
Additional training
- Graduate Diploma in Human Nutrition – Deakin University (1993)
- Board Certified Lifestyle Medicine Physician (IBLM)
- Plant Based Nutrition Certificate – eCornell
- Certificate of Sports Medicine (ASMF/RACGP)
Professional affiliations
- Fellow of the Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine
- Doctors for Nutrition – GP Resources Advisor
- GP Affiliate, Monash University
Recent conferences
- International Plant-Based Nutrition Healthcare Conference USA, September 2019
- Awarded Fellowship at the Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine Conference, Auckland, June 2019
- Doctors For Nutrition Conference, Melbourne, February 2019 (workshop presenter)
- Veg and Vines Lifestyle Medicine Conference, Gisbourne NZ, January 2019 (conference presenter)
Media presentations
- The Benefits of a Healthy Plant-Based Lifestyle, Dr Malcolm Mackay – Rheumatoid Solutions podcast (also available as video) with Clint Paddison, March 2020
- Dr Malcolm Mackay [and Jenny]: Animal Protein & Oils – interview with the High Carb Health team at the Veg And Vines Lifestyle Medicine Conference, New Zealand, January 2019
- Dr Malcolm Mackay Gives Us The Plant Based Low Down – interview with Corinne Nijjer, February 2018
- Is a Whole Food Plant-Based Diet The Answer to Chronic Disease? 2017 Documentary – interview with four plant-based doctors, including Dr Malcolm Mackay, July 2017
- Dr Malcolm Mackay on practicing lifestyle medicine, fitness and supervising me! interview with Andrew ‘Spud Fit’ Taylor, May 2017
For more information about whole foods plant based nutrition, visit my other website and associated Facebook page:
This is our traffic light system for a whole foods, plant-based diet. It describes a diet based on whole grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits with small amounts of nuts and seeds. It is consistent with the disease healing diets of Drs McDougall and Esselstyn as well as the Mastering Diabetes approach to reversing insulin resistance. We do not consider the low-fat approach to be controversial or outdated, it’s simply what has been shown to work and is what we observe in clinical practice.
You may notice that flour products, even 100% wholemeal, is now in the yellow light section. Please read Jeff Novick’s ‘Clarifying Carbohydrates’ piece which discusses the levels of processing of carbohydrates, especially whole grains. Our improved understanding of the gut microbiome has given us more reason to choose less refined grain products – the processing and milling of grains leads to greater absorption in the small intestine, thereby reducing the ‘resistant starch’ that makes it through to the colon. The short chain fatty acids that gut microbiome produce from resistant starch and other forms of dietary fibre support health throughout the body. Whole grains, legumes and/or starchy vegetables are key ingredients of a whole foods, plant-based diet.
The traffic light system provides flexibility for individual needs. If you are lean and healthy and have high energy needs, you may wish to eat more foods from the yellow light section. But if you are trying to lose weight, reverse chronic disease or reverse insulin resistance then you might minimise foods from this section. For optimal health, most of your food choices should come from the green light column.
You will find our traffic light image on our ‘What is a Whole Foods Plant Based Diet?’ page, along with a link to Jeff Novick’s article - www.wholefoodsplantbasedhealth.com.au/going-plant-strong/what-is-wfpb-diet/