“Leave your drugs in the chemist’s pot if you can cure your patient with food.”
We all know that eating an apple is healthier than eating a donut, right? After all, donuts have too much sugar and too many calories. But there’s more to choosing an apple—and plant-based eating in general—than just calorie reduction. Recently, the scientific community has provided a mountain of evidence supporting the health-enhancing power of a plant-based diet.
Let The Farm Be Your “Farmacy”
According to U.S. government dietary guidelines, as well as the recommendations of healthcare professionals nationwide, we should all consume at least one and one-half cups of fruit and two to three cups of vegetables daily. But with 90 percent of U.S. adults falling short of this daily recommendation, we’re a long way from meeting our nutritional needs and much closer to becoming chronically ill.
So what is it about fruits and vegetables that makes them such nutritional—even medicinal—powerhouses? The advantages of eating plant-based foods go far beyond being lower in calories and saturated fat than animal-based products.
Following are just a few of the dozens of compelling reasons to prioritize eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Plant-based diets:
Are a rare source of phytochemicals, which are bioactive compounds produced by plants for their protection and function as antioxidants, anti-cancer agents, and anti-inflammatory agents when consumed.
Lower your risk of stroke, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
Help you live longer.
Lower your blood sugar and decrease the likelihood of developing Type II diabetes.
Boost your immune system.
Are high in fiber, helping you feel fuller longer, which assists in reducing overeating and managing your weight.
Improve your microbiome and digestion.
Lessen the likelihood of being afflicted by memory loss and even Alzheimer’s disease.
Greatly reduces your chances of developing certain types of cancers.
Enhance sleep, energy, and daily functioning.
Reduce your risk of becoming blinded by macular degeneration or glaucoma.
Reduce depression, anxiety, and fatigue.
Don’t Let Perfection Become the Enemy of the Good
It can be overwhelming to consider giving up meat, fish, fowl, and dairy products. But you don’t need to do so all at once or completely. If you’re seeking a healthier diet, but don’t want to completely transition to a vegetarian one, here are some tips for doing so:
Start to incorporate more plant-based meals into your weekly diet. For example, dedicate one or two dinners a week to a vegetarian meal and, if you choose, gradually increase the frequency.
Try replacing meat with plant-based alternatives once or twice a week. You can swap out meat in your favorite recipes with ingredients such as tofu, tempeh, beans, lentils, or chickpeas.
Consider experimenting with international cuisines, such as Mexican, Indian, or Mediterranean, which rely more on vegetables. By doing so, you might discover new and flavorful meal options.
Try reducing the portion size of meat in your dishes or limiting meat consumption to specific meals of the day.
It’s important to educate yourself about the nutritional aspects of a vegetarian diet. You want to be sure you’re getting enough protein, iron, calcium, vitamins, and minerals through plant-based sources.
Ethical Eating, Sustaining the Environment
Beyond improving your health, there are two additional important reasons to move towards a plant-based diet: Mercy for animals, and improving the environment. Factory farming practices often involve inhumane, cruel treatment of animals. And, animal agriculture is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, and water pollution. So, when we opt for plant-based alternatives, not only are we supporting more compassionate and ethical food production, but we are decreasing our carbon footprint and helping to combat climate change as well.
Whether you adopt a completely plant-based diet or integrate more plant foods into your daily meals, you can positively impact your health, longevity, the environment, and animal welfare.
Consider partnering with a coach
Certified health and wellness coaches are trained in behavior change methodology. They will partner with you to help you overcome challenges, address your struggles, and leverage your strengths. Since you may not be familiar with health and wellness coaching, I invite anyone interested to “chat” with me by email or phone without charge. My goal is to help you learn more about the coaching process and to answer any questions you may have. Visit my website to learn more.
Recommended resources for additional information:
https://www.vegetariantimes.com
https://www.foodrevolution.org