Recently health and wellness has been trending. And thank goodness, as it is high time that healthy eating habits and exercise replace fast food chains and quick fix diet fads. Among the trending health topics is the plant based diet. As a nutritionist, this is how I personally choose to eat. Instead of cutting certain foods out entirely like the vegetarian or vegan diets, this is simply making the majority of what you eat whole, unprocessed, plant based foods. The benefits of eating in such a way are numerous, and it is incredibly easy to do.
Research has shown that by simply incorporating more
vegetables, fruits, beans, peas, lentils, whole grains, nuts, and seeds into
your diet can help you prevent and even reverse many of the top health issues
people are facing today. Adding in more of these whole natural foods in
your diet will mean more nutrients, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, healthy
fats, and fiber. It also will also mean less room for damaging fat, preservatives,
chemicals, and refined sugars, all of which are linked to serious health
problems.
Your body needs the nutrients and vitamins found in food
to survive, it uses them as fuel for every single function it performs.
Chemicals, preservatives, and damaging fats only serve to bog down your system,
and add unnecessary work for your body as it tries to detoxify itself from
these foreign substances. Eliminating these things from your diet will
free up much of your body's energy for daily use, rather than
detoxifying. On top of that, every single one of your cells are being
replaced over time, and the food you eat is what those new cells are made
of. That Big Mac doesn't sound so good now, does it?
And contrary to common misconception, on a whole, vegans
actually have healthier bones, higher blood protein levels, and less
nutritional deficiencies than omnivores. It is possible to get all the
protein and calcium you need from a vegan or plant based diet.
In case you need more reasons to consider a plant based
diet:
Lose excess fat
Reduce cholesterol
Reduce risk or help treat diabetes
Reduce inflammation
Healthier gut flora
More energy
Improve cognition
Control weight
Slow aging
Gain muscle
Reduce risk for cancer
Natural detoxification
Better sleep
Healthier intestinal transit
Clearer skin
Boost immune system
Reduce risk for heart disease
Just remember that you put into your body directly
translates into your health. You are what you eat, literally. Food
can either be the best form of medicine, or the slowest form of poison.
Bon appetite!