There is no doubt, the American diet is lacking in clean, whole-food nutrition resulting in an imbalance in our guts as bad bacteria overtakes our good bacteria, interrupting our microbiome and gut-flora and increasing our susceptibility to inflammation, chronic illness and disease.
Most of the diseases that occur due this imbalance are both preventable and reversible, by improving our intake of clean, plant-based foods, and we are not talking about a processed veggie-burger. Lets talk about whole plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. Moving toward eating plants is not as hard or as boring as it sounds.
Plants are the lungs and bounty of the earth, full of fresh flavor and the nutrients our bodies need and crave. Plants give us essential phytonutrients, polyphenols, antioxidants, fiber and protein, in nutrient dense, naturally low-calorie nutrition, with zero saturated fats.
Saturated fat occurs naturally in red-meat and dairy products. It's also found in baked goods and fried foods and its packing the pounds on Americans.
The American Heart Association recommends staying under 7% of daily calories, (140-170 calories daily), from red meat and dairy. Why? Because saturated fat tends to raise (LDL) cholesterol levels in the blood increasing the risk of stroke and heart disease - a leading killer among both men and women.
Antioxidants are compounds produced in your body and found in plant foods. They help defend our cells from damage caused by harmful molecules known as free radicals.
When free radicals accumulate, they cause a state known as oxidative stress. This can damage DNA and other important structures in our cells that make us age prematurely and can increase the risk of chronic disease.
Fortunately, eating a diet rich in antioxidants supports our blood antioxidant levels, help us to fight oxidative stress and reduce the risk of free radical damage.
Plants also give us fiber.
Fiber helps to fill us up, bulk us up, and supports regularity, but fiber also feeds our flora. Our good-gut bacteria thrive on fiber as their fuel source. When we eat plant-foods, like fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains, we are helping our gut-flora to be fruitful, multiply and produce short-chain fatty acids - which are an important source of energy for our cells.
With summer in full swing, the time is right to think about adding more fruits, veggies, legumes and whole grains into your life and start stacking the odds in your favor toward your best health and overall wellness.
If you want to know more about supplementing your diet with whole-food, plant based nutrition email me here.
I am here to help you get started!
For more details on Plant Based eating check out the book, “How not to Diet” by Dr. Greger 🌱 I am super excited to announce that Dr. Gregor will be on my podcast coming this fall!
Stay tuned!!
For more details on Plant Based eating check out the book “How not to Diet” by Dr. Greger. I am super excited to announce that Dr. Greger will be on my podcast coming this fall! Stay tuned!!
Celebrate National Avocado Day - July 31 st
Avocado Salad
Ingredients:
- Fresh Arugula
- Cherry Tomatoes
- Sliced Cucumber
- Sliced Avocado
- Shaved Parmesan Cheese
Instructions: Mix salad ingredients, toss with olive oil, ACV original and lemon juice.
♥️ Heather