The terrific new book Your Body in Balance by Dr. Neal Barnard shows that changing your diet has unexpected benefits—for both you and other animals.

It’s long been known that a vegan diet helps you lose weight and lower cholesterol levels, but science has provided evidence that the impact of healthy vegan eating goes even further. As Dr. Barnard shows, healthful foods can help block hot flashes, reduce your risk of developing cancer, help with mood problems, reverse erectile dysfunction, and get your thyroid back in balance.

What all these conditions have in common is that they are signs of imbalances in hormones—the chemical messengers that control body functions. Estrogen and testosterone control reproduction and play a major role in increasing the risk of developing cancer. Insulin controls blood sugar. Thyroid hormones control your energy. The normal actions of these hormones can be disrupted by eating meaty, dairy-rich diets but can be restored with a healthy plant-based eating plan.

Your Body in Balance relates the experience of a 47-year-old film producer who began gaining weight and feeling out of sorts. Although her doctor diagnosed a thyroid condition and recommended a treatment that would have required lifelong medication, a diet change got her back in balance, with no need for medication. Bob, a former Marine, was able to reverse his type 2 diabetes. Guy lost more than 100 pounds. Kim was able to end her chronic depression. All used the power of healthful foods.

Dr. Barnard’s research with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine revolutionized the treatment of type 2 diabetes, showing that in many cases, it can be reversed. His new book aims to help people do the same for many other conditions.

Your Body in Balance includes 65 recipes by Lindsay S. Nixon—the “Happy Herbivore.” With surprisingly few ingredients, she shows how to make Mediterranean croquettes, Kung Pao lettuce wraps, barbecue bean tortas, a vegan cauliflower crust pizza, and even chocolate cupcakes and apple pie nachos—all vegan, low in fat, and easy to make.

There’s no better time to get animals off your plate—for their health and your own.