A plant-based diet emphasizes whole, unrefined plant foods and discourages the consumption of meat, dairy, eggs, and processed items. This dietary approach can have significant positive impacts on health, potentially increasing lifespan, reducing disease risk, and improving overall well-being.
Longevity and Disease Prevention
Increased lifespan: Consuming meat is associated with a decreased life expectancy. In contrast, plant-based diets, rich in antioxidants, may reduce risk factors for early death.
Reduced risk of chronic diseases: Plant-based diets can help prevent, treat, or reverse the fifteen leading causes of death in the United States. These diets are associated with a lower risk of abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high triglycerides. Plant-based diets can also reduce the risk of stroke, with individuals getting seven to eight hours of sleep per night showing the lowest risk. Additionally, they can reduce the risk of heart disease, with those drinking five or more glasses of water a day having half the risk of dying from heart disease compared to those who drink two glasses or less.
Cancer prevention and treatment: Plant-based diets are associated with a reduced risk of various cancers, including breast and prostate cancers. A study found that achieving just three recommendations, limiting alcohol, eating mostly plant foods, and maintaining a normal body weight, can lower the risk of breast cancer by 62%. For prostate cancer, a diet with half of its protein from plant sources was shown to slow cancer growth, and a full-time plant-based diet appeared to reverse cancer growth. An increase of just 3% in animal protein consumption was associated with a 15% increased risk of bladder cancer, while a 2% increase in plant protein intake was associated with a 23% decreased cancer risk. A daily serving of cruciferous vegetables may cut the risk of cancer progression by more than half.
Telomere Lengthening: Plant-based diets can boost telomerase activity, which helps lengthen telomeres, structures that can slow cellular aging.
Specific Health Benefits
Heart health: Plant-based diets can lower cholesterol as effectively as statin drugs, but without the risks. They can also reverse heart disease, with patients experiencing reduced angina attacks shortly after starting a plant-based diet. A study indicated that consuming citrus fruits may help reduce the risk of stroke.
Diabetes management and reversal: Plant-based diets can normalize blood sugar levels and reverse diabetes by allowing the muscles, liver, and pancreas to function normally again. Those on plant-based diets have lower blood sugar levels, even at the same body weight. They can also improve blood sugar control and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, and reverse nerve damage associated with diabetes.
Weight management: Plant-based diets promote weight loss without restricting portions or counting calories. This is due to the higher volume and fiber content of plant-based foods, which increase satiety. Studies have shown that even with an additional 340 calories a day, people eating fruit-and-nut bars did not gain weight. The consumption of meat is associated with significant weight gain even after adjusting for calories.
Improved mood: Plant-based diets can improve mood, with individuals reporting fewer negative emotions and increased vigor.
Kidney Health: Plant-based diets can help reduce the acid load on the kidneys, thus supporting kidney health. They can also lower blood phosphorus levels. A diet that is high in animal protein, such as the typical American diet, can cause damage to the kidneys over time.
Nutritional Aspects
Antioxidants: Plant foods are packed with antioxidants, which help to neutralize harmful free radicals in the body. On average, plant foods contain sixty-four times more antioxidants than animal foods. Even less healthy plant foods such as iceberg lettuce contains more antioxidants than animal products such as salmon, chicken, and milk.
Phosphorus Absorption: The phosphorus in plant foods is absorbed less readily into the bloodstream than the phosphate in animal products, which is beneficial for kidney and heart health.
Fiber: Plant-based diets are rich in fiber, which is important for digestive health, weight management, and blood sugar control.
Practical Implementation
The "Daily Dozen": To ensure optimal nutrition, one might consume the following on a daily basis: beans, berries, other fruits, cruciferous vegetables, greens, other vegetables, flaxseeds, nuts, whole grains, beverages, exercise, and vitamin B12.
Focus on whole foods: The key is to prioritize whole, unrefined plant foods over processed items. Even those following a vegetarian diet can have poor health outcomes if they consume a lot of processed foods.
Plant-based does not equal vegan: Although some people eliminate animal products for ethical or religious reasons, the most important aspect of a plant-based diet is the consumption of whole, unrefined plants. A diet that is 96% plant-based may be superior to a 100% vegan diet. Any move towards more plants and fewer animal products can improve health.
Sodium Intake: Focus on purchasing foods with fewer milligrams of sodium than there are grams in the serving size.
Cooking without Oil: Foods can be sautéed in wine, sherry, broth, vinegar, or water and baking can be achieved using mashed bananas, avocado, soaked prunes, or canned pumpkin.
Water: Drink at least five glasses of water a day, in addition to the water obtained from food. Those who drink five or more glasses of water a day have half the risk of dying from heart disease compared to those who drink two glasses or less.
Exercise: Exercise daily for either 90 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 40 minutes of vigorous activity.
Flexibility: It is important to focus on what you eat every day rather than what you eat on special occasions. It is also important to not be too obsessive about the daily dozen. If you eat poorly one day, try to eat better the next.
Important Considerations
Vitamin B12: Those on a plant-based diet need to ensure they get a reliable source of vitamin B12, through supplementation if necessary.
Medication Adjustments: A plant-based diet can be so effective that individuals may need to have their medications adjusted or eliminated by their physician.
Processed Foods: Processed meats such as bacon, bologna, ham, and hot dogs are blamed for the deaths of more than eight hundred thousand people every year. In most countries, processed foods account for about half of people's sodium intake but in the United States, the consumption of processed foods is so high that even if people stop adding salt at home, it will only reduce their sodium intake by a small fraction.
Animal-to-Plant Protein Ratio: It is beneficial to monitor your animal-to-plant protein ratio in general. A 3% increase in animal protein consumption is associated with a 15% increased risk of bladder cancer, and a 2% increase in plant protein is associated with a 23% decreased cancer risk. A 1:1 ratio of animal to plant protein may slow down cancer growth, but the ideal ratio may be closer to 0 to 1.
Sleep: Aim for seven to eight hours of sleep a night to reduce the risk of stroke.
By prioritizing whole, unrefined plant foods, individuals can take significant steps toward improving their overall health and well-being. A plant-based approach to eating can help people live longer, healthier, and more fulfilling lives.
References
Greger, M., & Stone, G. (2015). How not to die: Discover the foods scientifically proven to prevent and reverse disease. Flatiron Books.
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