The Importance of a Whole-Food, Plant-Based Diet
Most of us will die of what can be called diseases of abundance. Our country provides easy and relatively inexpensive access to many amenities such as effortless transportation, remote control of appliances/TVs, massive amounts of animal products and foods and drinks full of sweet and salty substances. Then, of course, we have a marketing system of TV and radio and computer ads pushing us to consume or buy and use all these products. We also have a medical care system that does little to push us toward healthy lifestyles and everything they can to depend on pharmaceuticals and procedures to keep us alive. Those facts of our lives here in the United States combine to contribute too often to premature death and miserable years leading up to it.
An active and balanced lifestyle, including plenty of movement, stress reducing habits and rituals, enough sleep and healthy eating and drinking, can prevent and most times reverse what ails us. Nothing, however, is more powerful to that end than adopting a whole-food, plant-based diet. Some basic guidelines for following an eating plan that can restore and preserve one’s health includes such things as eating and drinking foods and fluids that your grandmother would recognize (as opposed to the heavily processed and convenient fast foods and drinks), eating mostly plant foods (fruits, veggies, legumes like beans and peas, grains, seeds and nuts) and eating them in their whole, less processed form as much as possible. You can cook them or eat them raw depending on the food type. Drink plenty of fluids and avoid too much coffee (it's very acidic) and try to use almond milk and a little honey or other similar additives versus dairy and sweeteners. Avoid cookies, white bread, French fries, gummy bears, soft drinks and the like.
Don’t worry about getting enough protein while on a whole foods plant based diet. That will not be a problem if you eat a good variety of fruits, veggies, grains, and legumes. Think about horses, gorillas and other such animals: they don’t lack for protein even though they eat virtually no animal based foods and neither will you. The problem with animal based diets is that it leads too often to diabetes, heart disease, cancer, obesity and inflammation. You don’t do well internally with lots of animal products in your system. You can transform yourself in terms of weight and disease often times with this approach to nutrition.
Reduce your need and dependence on pills and procedures as you go through life. The best medicine can be at the end of your fork!
For more information, please watch An Introduction to a Whole-Food, Plant-Based Diet - a presentation by Dr. Lim
