Physician Profile: Zarin Azar, M.D.

As a gastroenterologist with Kaiser Permanente hospitals, Dr. Zarin Azar is on the front lines combating diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and other conditions that have risen sharply in the United States. “This creates a big opportunity to guide my patients toward the diet of choice for health,” she says. It’s not only Americans who benefit from her caring commitment. Dr. Azar is writing a book in her native language, Farsi, to bring greater understanding about nutrition and nonanimal research methods to Iran. “I have been vegan for more than 15 years. I introduce my patients to PCRM’s literature and Web sites so they can explore the science for themselves,” she says.

Dr. Azar and her husband publish the magazine Narangestan, operate a Persian bookstore, and frequently give lectures in the Los Angeles area. “I see more and more eagerness in people to learn about diet and prevention. There are more and more vegetarians and vegans all the time, and that is quite encouraging,” she says.