Let’s start this blog off with a few statistics. We, as a nation have spent 2.3 trillion dollars in health care in the last few years. Of that the top 3 disease that took most of that 2.3 trillion were:
- Heart Disease
- Cancer- but with the rate of growth numbers this will soon it be #1
- Diabetes
Now the really eye opening reality here is that these top 3 diseases are preventable and reversible!
The key is in your diet.
Cleveland Clinic notable Dr. Caldewell Esselstyn has years of studies to show that heart disease and diabetes, whether genetic, or acquired during your life can and have been reversed and prevented. Dr. Colin Campbell of Cornwell Nutritional sciences division has also done a 5-year study showing that cancer has also been treated and reversed. This comes some 60 years after Dr. Gerson, a German Jewish doctor in 1930’s found his “cure” for many disease processes, including cancer.
They have all found that a whole food, low fat, organic plant based diet is the component most of us are missing.
To me it isn’t surprising to see that our Standard American Diet (SAD) is killing our nation. Lets look at the breakdown:
63% of the calories of the SAD diet are consumed in processed foods. Many processed foods are empty calories, with only trace, (if we are lucky) amounts of nutrition.
25% are meat, dairy, and fat. We are the only species that drink an others species secretions. Dairy is one of the biggest culprits in food allergies. It also carries high fat contents. Even the “low-fat” varieties are not helpful. Once they have been processed to remove the fat, we are left with higher protein content but missing some of the key ingredients for assimilation of these foods. Ingesting meat from animals adds to our cholesterol, fat, and increases that within our bodies to unhealthy levels.
Then the last 12% is plant based, however 6% of those plant foods are consumed in French fries!
We have given up our health for convenience, we don’t read labels, and don’t have time to cook whole foods for our families or ourselves. We pour sugary cereals; fat loaded convenient foods into our children and are shocked when they are diagnosed with ADHA, diabetes, or become severely overweight!
We must admit the alarming rise in disease within our nation has to be attended too and the only person able to attend to it would be ourselves. We make the choices in whether we grab an apple or a candy bar; weather we grab a box of mac and cheese or make a meal of plant based life-giving fuel for our family for dinner. We have to start living with our eyes wide open and take the responsibility for our health and our family’s health on ourselves. We need to stand up and do ourselves a favor and do it for our health!
The recent documentaries that have uncovered the benefits for eating plant-based whole food diets and show the ability of our bodies to restore us to health are full of scientific studies that back all this information. Our nation is lacking greatly in the nutrients it needs. The change you can see, feel, and even taste once you start eating a plant strong diet will amaze you. Not only will you loose weight, and find that <b><i>this</i></b> diet really works, but you may lose other things like your diseases. It has been documented that people suffering from migraines, MS, Fibromyalgia, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and chronic allergies have also benefited. You can help your body to correct itself and find relief from the chronic situations within.
An amazing woman by the name of Kris Carr an author and wellness advocate has written a book and filmed a documentary on her journey with cancer. Her raw untouched images as she learns to heal herself with beautiful healthy foods and a positive attitude is something that will stay with you forever. Her work to find the real information about diets and healing, while dealing with her personal crisis uncovered a world of information we all needed to hear. In her second book “Crazy Sexy Diet” she goes through the steps and information she has found to empower herself to fight cancer. She is an advocate for juicing, eating more raw than cooked and the green stuff is the life giving force we need!
Her base of information is what re-awakened my “health nut” self to the idea I had years ago; if you put good things into your body it won’t fail you!
I was a very unhealthy vegetarian for the first 5-6 years of my vegetarian life. The next 12 were better; I studied and learned more, especially when raising 2 boys as vegetarians as well! Kris has done all the hard work for you in these books. She explains the advantages of keeping your self in an alkaline state, as opposed to acidic, which most people are. And why this is imperative for a healthy body. She is a fun, articulate writer who you just get! I highly recommend her books!
Then there is Rip Esselstyn a former tri-athlete and Austin Fire fighter who created The Engine 2 diet. Rip is out there making eating a plant strong diet a way for everyone!
He is a huge advocate for vegan based diets and eating low fat. His cook books and his collaboration with the Whole Foods stores has made the vegan/vegetarian’s seem more mainstream than ever. His cookbooks and information on workshops are available at engine2diet.com
Now, going 100% vegan/vegetarian may cause a bit of a fear factors for you. But as Kris says, if you can start off with a 60/40 plate, you are ahead of most average Americans. So that means if you can eat 60% of your meals as a raw, vegan diet, you are going to improve your heath. Then shoot for 80/20!
And know that diet alone won’t make things perfect. Combining nutrition with bodywork, massage and exercise will. But we need to start somewhere and food is always a great place in my world to start!
Love your veggies everyone! They may just change your life!