Going plant based is the healthiest and most sustainable way to lose and maintain weight
Understanding more about the underlying mechanism about why animal based foods and ultra processed foods can cause weight GAIN and why whole plant based food can help with weight LOSS can help a lot.
Ultra processed foods and drinks cause weight GAIN
Research has shown that people who consume a lot of ultra processed foods and sugar sweetened beverages tend to consume 500 calories MORE per day than those who are eating minimally processed foods, which ideally should be whole plant based foods for the most sustainable weight loss and weight maintenance.
Animal based foods like meat and dairy ADD calories
Animal based foods like meat and dairy tend to have a lot of saturated fat, including all types of meat, poultry, and even some fish, like salmon, plus cheese, which has a concentrated amount of saturated fat. And fat contains 9 calories per gram, while protein and carbohydrates, which ideally should come from whole plant based foods, only contain 4 calories per gram. Also, excess dietary protein, which often comes from animal products in the Standard American Diet, that is not used by the body through thermogenesis is converted into fat and stored in fat cells.
Plus, animal based foods like meat and dairy from “ruminant animals” such as cows contain trans fat, which can cause weight gain and raises LDL cholesterol. So eating animal products daily, with trans fat and saturated fat, ADDS calories every day.
Consuming whole plant based food is the most natural and sustainable way to lose and manage weight
There is an incorrect belief that we are destined to gain weight, especially from middle age on. However, whole plant based foods often contain water and offer plentiful fiber, which makes you feel full so you are less likely to overeat, and most whole plant based foods are lower in calories and have no saturated fat.
Whole plant based foods stimulate a peptide hormone called GLP-1 more effectively, which is a natural appetite suppressant. The new popular weight loss drugs contain a GLP-1 analog, but eating whole plant based foods with fiber is the more healthy way to suppress your appetite, with no negative side effects. Also, there is a greater increase in your metabolic rate after eating a plant based meal, according to a study by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. The thermic effect of food is the increase in calories burned after eating. The PCRM study showed that the thermic effect is higher for plant-based foods than animal-based foods.
Whole plant based foods can help you LOSE 500 calories a day
Animal products do not contain fiber but whole plant based foods do in abundance. Many ultra processed foods also contain little to no fiber. Fiber binds to unabsorbed calories in the digestive tract and moves them out as waste so about 100 calories are not absorbed in the body every day you eat fiber rich whole plant based foods.
You lose about 100 calories a day when fiber from whole plant based foods binds to unabsorbed calories and flushes them out of your body
AND
You lose about 200 calories a day from whole plant based food stimulating GLP-1, the body’s natural appetite suppressant
PLUS
You lose about 200 calories a day because of the metabolism boost from the thermic effect of whole plant based foods
So if you eat whole plant based foods at every meal, every day, you could be losing 500 calories a day, naturally, with no calorie counting and you have far more options for what to eat !
Source “The Power Foods Diet” by Dr. Neal Barnard
As we age, we do start to lose muscle mass, so continuing to exercise to maintain muscle mass is important as well. The combination of exercise and whole food plant based nutrition assists in losing excess weight and maintaining a healthy weight.
Resources about WFPB nutrition and weight loss and weight maintenance
There are several religions that teach about kindness and compassion for all living beings and eating only whole plant based foods is part of their spiritual practice. Many civil rights leaders who practiced peaceful and nonviolent ways to bring about effective change were plant based. The Creation Care movement can include refraining from animal products as well. There are several healthcare providers that are plant based and have a strong faith, including Dr. Baxter Montgomery and Dr. Scott Stoll.
There is a sense of higher purpose and clarity of thought and mission when you are doing all you can to care for creation and your values are fully aligned. The reasons for going plant based relate to values such as kindness, compassion, promoting peace, saving resources, protecting the environment, and caring for the local, national, and global community.
2) Social and environmental justice
Workers in animal agricultural food production experience social and environmental injustices because of low pay, long hours, unsafe working conditions, and few other options for employment.
The communities affected by animal agriculture industries are often people of color with a lower socioeconomic status. Factory farms contribute to air, land, and water pollution that significantly harms the community.
3) Food for an exponentially growing global population
Sustainable global food supply
There are an estimated 300,000 plant varieties that are edible “but combined globally, we consume only around 200 species in total.”
“Consolidation in high yield crops is a lot easier for the food production system than supporting diversity. Our modern food systems are efficiently producing calories at the expense of nutrients and biodiversity”
From “Fiber Fueled” book by Dr. Will Bulsiewicz
If farmers are supported to transition from animal agriculture to plant based agriculture, they will have more resources to grow and provide a greater diversity of crops.
Also, growing and consuming organic, whole plant based foods can support more sustainable food supply efforts like renewable agriculture and carbon sequestration
Even with the generous subsidies from the US government for animal agriculture, the recent global inflation and supply chain issues drove the cost of animal products higher than the costs of whole plant based foods. The Standard American Diet is high in ultra processed food and animal products, which are significantly more calorie dense than whole plant based food. WFPB options are far more nutrient dense and low calorie than ultra processed food and far less contaminated than animal products. This is especially true when the whole plant based foods and drinks are organic.
As you add more plants to your plate, your gut microbiota and taste buds change for the better. If you consume 30 or more plant varieties a week and reduce or eliminate ultra processed food and animal products, you begin to notice that whole plant based food can taste truly delicious.
4) Going plant based is good for the environment
Deforestation
Animal agriculture is “accountable for 67% of the deforestation caused by agriculture” When an area of forest is cut down for farm animal grazing, deforestation and overgrazing can cause soil erosion and degradation and lead to desertification, which makes formerly fertile land more arid and reduces the quality of the soil for planting crops. Also fewer trees means hotter temperatures and drier conditions for wildfires.
Animal agriculture uses an unsustainable and disproportionate amount of resources like land, fresh water, and fuel.
“Approximately 83% of farm land is used to produce meat, eggs, farmed fish, and dairy, yet they only provide 18% and 37% of our calories and protein, respectively”
If there can be a global shift to whole plant based food, more land could be used for planting crops, rebuilding forests, and allowing land to go back to a natural state for greater diversity of plants and animals.
Almost all animal products, including meat, poultry, dairy, and eggs, are now from factory farms, rather than the small scale, family farms from decades ago. Although animal agriculture businesses often try to market their products as “humanely” raised, this is not the case any more.
“Nearly 10 billion animals are killed for human consumption each year in the United States. And 99% are raised on factory farms, which maximize agribusiness profits at the expense of the animals, the environment, social justice, and public health”
This number does not include farmed and wild aquatic animals, which would increase the number to nearly 14 billion animals total each year.
There are several efforts to offer healthy protein sources as an alternative to animal products, such as cultivated meat, mushrooms and mycelium, whole plant based foods, and minimally processed plant based foods.
Dan Buettner has explored several areas in the world called the “Blue Zones” and has shown the ways people who live in those cities “live better and longer” than in most communities. One of the main aspects of better health and longevity is whole food plant based nutrition.
Because the show “Live to 100” about the Blue Zones has been a popular show on Netflix, several mainstream media outlets have reported on the show and on whole food plant based nutrition. This is not typical because print and broadcast media is often sponsored by the ultra processed food industry, animal agriculture, and the pharmaceutical industry, so they tend to promote those types of products rather than endorsing whole plant based foods.
7) Peak performance
Because whole plant based food is the cleanest and most efficient source of glucose, which is fuel for the brain and muscles, and protein, which helps to build muscles, elite athletes have achieved peak performance and success at the highest levels. In addition, these elite athletes found that they had better recovery from illness and injury because of WFPB nutrition. The movie “The Game Changers” shows the many benefits of WFPB nutrition for success in sports and those benefits are available for anyone.
8) Going plant based can save money
Whole plant based foods can be less expensive than animal products, as PCRM’s Universal Meals initiative shows
The federal government would save costs with Medicaid, Medicare, and ACA health insurance because Americans would be much healthier.
A change to whole plant based foods could also significantly reduce fuel and transportation costs associated with animal agriculture. If there was a national shift to whole plant based foods, the US government could save money by not having to heavily subsidize animal agriculture and the fossil fuel industries.
NYC mayor Eric Adams has shown that going plant based in public schools and healthcare systems saves money. Recently, 1400 mayors supported a US Conference of Mayors resolution to adopt a plant-based approach in areas such as schools, hospitals, and social services to address issues affecting their cities such as chronic disease, climate change, and fiscal sustainability.
The U.S. spent $4.3 trillion on healthcare in 2021 and is projected to spend nearly $7.2 trillion in 2031. In 2021, national healthcare expenditures accounted for over 18% of the GDP.
With a global adoption of whole plant based foods, preventing, treating, and reversing diseases can significantly reduce medications and other healthcare costs. This would include chronic diseases as well as epidemics and pandemics.
Healthcare systems, health insurance companies, medical and pharmaceutical research companies, and the pharmaceutical industry have incentives to ensure that diseases remain long term, chronic medical conditions so they can continue to expand and to earn greater profits. Treating symptoms with conventional medicine is significantly more profitable and much more likely to be reimbursed by insurance than preventing, treating, and reversing disease with whole food plant based nutrition would be in our current system. This emphasis on treating symptoms is reactive, not proactive, and in the long run, is not economically sustainable because healthcare costs are far outpacing inflation.
Lifestyle medicine and the core component of whole food plant based nutrition can address the cause of the disease and would actually save money in the long term, including for patients, healthcare systems, health insurance companies, and all levels of government. Because chronic disease management is the current approach, there will be significant push back from industries that believe they would lose profits with a change to whole plant based foods, such as the ultra processed food industry, animal agriculture, the pharmaceutical industry, and any medical companies that are motivated by short term profits from medications, expensive imaging, medical devices, procedures, and surgeries. The economic model of increasing quarterly profits for shareholders, no matter the impact on others, needs to expand to consider the health and welfare of consumers, employees, communities, and the environment, as well as shareholders.
9) Whole food plant based nutrition is better for our healthcare system
Conventional medicine teaches doctors to treat the symptoms of a disease. With conventional medical education, medical students often do not learn about whole food plant based nutrition at any time in their training, instead learning about medications, medical devices, procedures, and surgery.
“In 1985, the National Academy of Sciences recommended at least 25 hours of nutrition education in medical school, but a survey of U.S. medical schools in 2010 found that only 27% of programs met that recommendation.”
There is a high rate of healthcare provider burnout because conventional medicine is often not effective at preventing, treating, or reversing disease. Many healthcare providers are leaving the profession.
As a response to the fact that our healthcare system based on conventional medicine is not working, the practice of lifestyle medicine is growing exponentially. The American College of Lifestyle Medicine has become the fastest growing professional medical association in the world. ACLM promotes whole food plant based nutrition as one of their six pillars of health. Lifestyle medicine, with the core component of whole food plant based nutrition, determines the root cause of disease to prevent, treat, and even reverse lifestyle related chronic diseases.
ACLM, Greener by Default, PCRM, and Universal Meals are bringing about change in healthcare systems and other organizations by promoting whole food plant based nutrition. Healthcare systems that promote lifestyle medicine, including the core component of whole food plant based nutrition, can achieve the following positive goals of reduced food waste and greenhouse gases in hospital systems, as well as
Reduced healthcare costs
Improved patient satisfaction
Improved patient health outcomes
Better health equity for all patients
Enhanced healthcare provider well being
10) Going plant based improves public health
The EAT Lancet Commission determined that whole plant based foods including “whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes are the optimal diet for human health and environmental sustainability.”
There is a great deal of evidence that whole plant based food is the best type of nutrition for optimal human health. Consistently consuming whole plant based foods and drinks improves endothelial function and blood flow, is nutrient dense instead of calorie dense, provides healing antioxidants, and offers a natural and slow release source of glucose.
In general, whole food plant based nutrition reduces inflammation, increases immune system health, provides better recovery from illness and injury, increases life expectancy, is better for physical health, cognitive and mental health, and can prevent, treat, and reverse lifestyle related chronic diseases. The movie “Forks Over Knives” shows several examples of doctors helping patients to treat and reverse their diseases and even stop taking medications completely.
Sources include American College for Lifestyle Medicine, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, and the movies Forks Over Knives and The Game Changers
Saturated fat and trans fat, which are found in dairy products, meat, and fried foods, can increase the risk for Alzheimer’s disease and other cognitive conditions. A low fat, whole food plant based diet eliminates these unhealthy foods and is rich in antioxidants, folate, and vitamin E, which may offer a protective effect.
Also, most plant based foods are complex carbohydrates, which convert to glucose as fuel for our brains and body. Complex carbohydrates release their energy gradually and promote good health by providing vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants and phytonutrients. Most animal products are not good sources of glucose, which is essential for our brains, so plant based foods improve brain health and functioning.
Source Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
Mental health
Eating a WFPB diet reduces inflammation in the body and increases immune system health to contribute to overall physical health, which affects mental health as well.
Plant based foods can contain folate, fiber, complex carbohydrates, Omega 3 fatty acids, phytonutrients, and magnesium, which have all been linked to better mental health by reducing stress, lowering cortisol levels, improving mood, and providing greater clarity of thought.
With WFPB nutrition, you reduce inflammation in the brain as well as the body. There is a two way gut brain connection and 40% of dopamine, which relates to reward and motivation, is in your gut and 90% of serotonin, which relates to well being and stability of mood, is in your gut.
Food from animal products increases inflammation into your gut and brain pathways, which dampen dopamine and serotonin levels. Also, when you eat animal products, your body is deprived of healthy phytonutrients from plants, so you are more likely to feel stressed and depressed. Ultra processed foods are also harmful for mental health. The foods to avoid that can cause mental health distress are sugar, caffeine, chemical additives, dairy, eggs, and meat.
Source Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
Whole plant based food is a cleaner and more efficient source of nutrients
You can get your nutrients from whole plant based food, that is where the animals get them! If you consume a variety of 30 or more whole plant based foods and drinks each week, you will significantly improve your gut microbiome and get all your nutrients, including calcium, electrolytes, fiber, iron, healthy fats like Omega 3 fatty acids, collagen, and protein, with all the essential and nonessential amino acids. You will also be getting nutrients not typically found in animal products, including antioxidants, phytonutrients, fiber, and natural sugars that convert to glucose.
Although this fact is not well known, plant foods contain all 20 dietary amino acids.
The main nutrient that a person needs if they are not consuming animal products is vitamin B 12, which can be obtained from sources like fortified cereals, soy drinks, and vegan vitamin B 12 supplements. Also, be sure to get enough iodine, selenium, vitamin D, and zinc because those nutrients may be lower for those who are going fully whole food plant based.
Animal products are not a “treat” or a “reward” because they are very unhealthy
Animal products like meat, poultry, fish, dairy, and eggs can have harmful levels of dietary cholesterol, trans fat, and saturated fat. They often contain contaminants such as antibiotics, pesticides, steroids, preservatives, growth factor hormones, unhealthy bacteria and other pathogens, and chemical toxins.
The World Health Organization classified processed meat like bacon and hot dogs as a Group 1 carcinogen, which means processed meat is known to cause certain types of cancer at the level of asbestos and tobacco smoking
The World Health Organization also classified red meat, which is muscle meat from any mammal, as a Group 2 A carcinogen, which means red meat is a probable carcinogen.
Processed meat and red meat have also been linked to higher risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and high LDL cholesterol.
Sources American College of Lifestyle Medicine and the World Health Organization
Fish and seafood can contain mercury and other heavy metals, DDT, PCBs, chlordane, dioxins, parasites, and microplastics.
Cholesterol, carcinogens, and pathogens such as fecal contaminants found in chicken products increase the risk of heart disease, breast and prostate cancers, urinary tract infections, and foodborne illness.
Source Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
Eggs contain saturated fat and dietary cholesterol and have been linked to cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Dairy products like milk, butter, yogurt, and cheese contain saturated fat, dietary cholesterol, hormones, and growth factors like IGF-1, which promotes certain types of cancer development. Dairy products significantly increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers.
In summary, animal products can cause food borne illnesses, impair endothelial function, reduce blood flow, convert to harmful TMAO, cause chronic inflammation, turn on disease causing genes, and reduce immune system health, which can be linked to cancer and the majority of chronic diseases.
Sources include American College of Lifestyle Medicine and Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
Ultra processed foods and drinks are also very unhealthy
Ultra processed foods and drinks often contain harmful additives such as artificial colors and flavors, preservatives, emulsifiers, stabilizers, artificial sweeteners, trans fat, saturated fat, and refined sugar. And ultra processed foods are hyper palatable with chemically engineered flavors and a harmful combination of salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats.
Whole food plant based nutrition provides a healthy source of carbohydrates, which include fiber, starches, and sugar like glucose. Although carbs have a bad reputation sometimes, the type of carbohydrates that are unhealthy are refined and ultra processed carbohydrates, like white bread, refined sugars, and snack foods like chips and cookies.
Whole plant based foods and drinks tend to be nutrient dense rather than calorie dense, like ultra processed foods often are. Nutrients from whole plant based foods are essential for good health for many reasons, listed in this article below
Whole plant based foods reduce chronic inflammation
While consuming animal products can increase inflammation in the body, plant based foods actually reduce inflammation in many ways. Inflammation has been linked to many chronic health conditions.
Here is an article about whole food plant based nutrition reducing inflammation
Whole plant based foods improve immune system health
Dr. Robynne Chutkan explains how plant based nutrition reduces inflammation and increases immune system health in an interview with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.
As Dr. Chutkan explains, “To optimize our immune system we really have to optimize our gut health”
Going plant based helps with weight loss and weight management
Whole plant based food is the most natural and sustainable way to lose and manage your weight. There is an incorrect belief that we are destined to gain weight, especially from middle age on. However, whole plant based foods offer plentiful fiber, which makes you feel full so you are less likely to overeat, and most plants have no saturated fat. Plant based foods can stimulate a peptide hormone called GLP-1, which is a natural appetite suppressant. The new popular weight loss drugs contain a GLP-1 analog, but eating whole plant based foods with fiber is the more healthy way to suppress your appetite, with no negative side effects. Also, there is a significant increase in your metabolic rate after eating a plant based meal, according to a study by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. As we age, we do start to lose muscle mass, so continuing to exercise to build muscle is important as well. The combination of exercise and whole food plant based nutrition assists in losing excess weight and maintaining a healthy weight.
Another false belief is that we are destined to develop certain medical conditions based on our genes and our family history. The study of epigenetics has shown that lifestyle choices and environment can determine whether a gene is expressed or not. Whole food plant based nutrition can turn on genes that prevent disease and turn off genes that cause disease. Animal products do the opposite. We have more potential for improving our health because of the hopeful study of epigenetics.
Because antibiotics are used so often in animal agriculture, the bacteria in animal products can become resistant to medications.
“Antimicrobial-resistant bacteria can contaminate meat or other animals products. Some of the bacteria that cause food poisoning are antimicrobial resistant – meaning certain medicines do not work against the bacteria.
People with a severe infection may need to see a doctor, be prescribed antibiotics, or be hospitalized. Resistant infections can be difficult, and sometimes impossible, to treat. This can lead to more costly treatments and higher risks for side effects.”
Although there have been several studies showing that going plant based can protect against serious complications of COVID, the CDC does not mention WFPB nutrition along with the standard recommendations such as social distancing. And WFPB nutrition can prevent and reduce serious symptoms for other viruses as well.
Some of the ways humans can get infected with disease from animals are through animal research and animal agriculture. In addition, as habitats are destroyed for wildlife, humans will be in closer contact to a wider variety of species, which can lead to exposure of new types of diseases.
Dr. Michael Greger is an expert on WFPB nutrition and has published a book called “How to Survive a Pandemic” for solutions to this global concern.
There are many ways to promote the cause of whole food plant based nutrition that relate to and impact business, economics, financial investing, politics, government, public policy, city planning, and all forms of media.
As you can see, there is no good reason to consume animal products. Going plant based is better for all types of health, including animal, human, economic, social, spiritual, environmental, governmental, and organizational health for the entire world.
Learning about and considering the many reasons to go plant based will align with positive values such as kindness and compassion and help make the transition more purposeful and sustainable.
And the greater your clarity of thought and the more you experience improvements in your health as you go plant based, the more ways you see to get involved in changing the world for the better
An alternative title …. The FACTS I Wish Someone Had Told Me Years Ago About Whole Food Plant Based Nutrition !
As a counselor, health coach, writer, and musician, I want to get the message out to everyone on the planet about how healthy whole food plant based nutrition can be. So here is a video that uses humor and music to get the message across, followed by some actual scientific evidence.
“Spice” by Peggy Hustad
There are a lot of myths being promoted about nutrition, like the myth that all fats and sugars are bad, the myth that all carbs are bad, and the myths that you only can get certain nutrients from animal products or processed foods and drinks rather than from the healthier and more natural sources of whole food plant based nutrition.
Here are just some of the micronutrients and macronutrients that you can get from whole food plant based sources, rather than from animal products and processed foods and drinks. Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals and macronutrients are fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.
1) Calcium
There is a misperception that dairy is the only source of calcium, but there are many types of whole food plant based options that contain significant levels of calcium, without the many disadvantages of dairy.
Whole food plant based nutrition provides a healthy source of carbohydrates, which include fiber, starches, and sugar. Although carbs have a bad reputation sometimes, the type of carbohydrates that are less healthy are refined and processed carbohydrates, like white bread, refined sugars, and highly processed snack foods like chips and cookies. Complex carbohydrates from whole plant based foods are essential for good health for many reasons, listed in this article below and in the information specific to fiber, starches, and healthy types of sugar.
The processed food industry sells products that contain electrolytes, often with additives such as artificial colors and flavors, preservatives, stabilizers, artificial sweeteners, and sugar. Electrolytes include elements like calcium and potassium and can be found in many whole food plant based options, which are nutrient dense and naturally healthy.
Our bodies need certain types of fats, but animal products contain unhealthy saturated fat and fried, baked, and processed foods can have harmful trans fat and saturated fat. Whole food plant based options are more likely to contain healthy unsaturated fats like Omega 3 fatty acids. And getting Omega 3 fatty acids from plants like chia seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts, and flaxseeds is much healthier than from fish, which contains saturated fat and other harmful substances
Animal products are low in fiber and plant based foods are high in both soluble and insoluble fiber. Among the many benefits, fiber is essential for eliminating dietary fat and cholesterol and excess hormones like cortisol and estrogen.
Here is more information about the importance of plant based fiber in your diet
Because heart disease, cancer, and diabetes are linked to consumption of animal products which tend to contain heme iron, the healthier type of iron is non heme iron, from whole foods like “whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and green leafy vegetables”. These whole food sources of non heme iron “can be paired at the same meal with vitamin C rich foods such as citrus, bell peppers, broccoli, and tropical fruits to boost iron absorption”
Also called phytochemicals or antioxidants, phytonutrients are compounds produced by plants that provide health benefits to the body
Some animal products are actually classified as carcinogens by the World Health Organization, including red meat and processed meat. Animal products, including dairy, have been linked to several types of cancer. Plant based foods can actually reduce the chances of developing cancer and have a higher level of antioxidants.
For more information about carotenoids, flavonoids, isoflavones, and other types of phytonutrients, here is an article from the USDA National Agricultural Library
There is an inaccurate and harmful belief that the only source of protein is from animal products. The truth is that we can get all of our protein from plants …. and plants are where animals get their nutrients from, directly or indirectly.
One type of protein is collagen and there is a lot of interest in collagen supplements as a way to reduce the signs of aging. There are several plant based foods that increase the production of collagen, so there is no need for animal based collagen.
Starches are a type of carbohydrate and according to Dr. Thomas Campbell, we should fill half of our plates with starchy whole foods like potatoes and half of your plate with non starchy fruits and vegetables.
Dr. Thomas Campbell is the Medical Director of the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies
Also, Dr. John McDougall explains that “the human diet is based on starches. The more rice, corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and beans you eat, the trimmer and healthier you will be …. and with those same food choices, you will help save the Planet Earth too.”
Glucose is “one of the most important forms of sugar used by the body for energy. All other carbohydrates, including other sugars, are converted into glucose during the digestion of food.”
Other than dairy products, which have many disadvantages, animal products are not good sources for the production of glucose. Plants are an efficient and healthy source for the production of glucose, which our brains and bodies need for fuel.
Here is an article about complex carbohydrates from plants providing glucose for the brain, which talks about “the real paleo diet” of plant based food like starches
If you consume a variety of 30 or more whole plant based foods and drinks each week, you will significantly improve your gut microbiome and get all your nutrients, including calcium, electrolytes, fiber, iron, healthy fats like Omega 3 fatty acids, collagen, and protein, with all the essential and nonessential amino acids. You will also be getting nutrients not typically found in animal products, including antioxidants, phytonutrients, fiber, and natural sugars that convert to glucose.
As you can see, there is no reason to consume animal products. You can go directly to the source for healthy, whole food plant based nutrition. The main nutrient that a person needs if they are not consuming animal products is vitamin B 12, which can be obtained from sources like fortified cereals, soy drinks, and vegan vitamin B 12 supplements. Also, be sure to get enough iodine, selenium, vitamin D, and zinc because those nutrients may be lower for those who are fully vegan. A list has been provided at the end of this article of whole food plant based sources of various mirconutrients and macronutrients.
Other disadvantages of animal products
Animal products often contain contaminants such as antibiotics, growth factor hormones, unhealthy bacteria, TMAO, heavy metals, mercury, parasites, and microplastics. Animal products cause inflammation, which is linked to several chronic diseases, plus they can reduce immune system health.
Inflammation
While consuming animal products can increase inflammation in the body, plant based foods actually reduce inflammation in many ways.
Here is an article about whole food plant based nutrition reducing inflammation
Here is an interview of Dr. Robynne Chutkan by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine about how plant based nutrition reduces inflammation and increases immune system health.
As Dr. Chutkan explains, “To optimize our immune system we really have to optimize our gut health”
Endorsements of whole food plant based nutrition
A whole food plant based diet is endorsed and recommended by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, the American College of Cardiology, the American Diabetes Association, the American Institute for Cancer Research, and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists.
American College of Lifestyle Medicine statement
“ACLM recommends an eating plan that is based predominantly on a variety of minimally processed vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. Eating more unrefined, plant based foods is an important strategy in prevention of chronic disease, management of chronic conditions, and promotion of overall health”
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics statement
“It is the position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that appropriately planned vegetarian, including vegan, diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits for the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. These diets are appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, adolescence, older adulthood, and for athletes. Plant based diets are more environmentally sustainable than diets rich in animal products because they use fewer natural resources and are associated with much less environmental damage. Vegetarians and vegans are at reduced risk of certain health conditions, including ischemic heart disease, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, certain types of cancer, and obesity. Low intake of saturated fat and high intakes of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, soy products, nuts, and seeds, all rich in fiber and phytochemicals, are characteristics of vegetarian and vegan diets that produce lower total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and better serum glucose control. These factors contribute to reduction of chronic disease. Vegans need reliable sources of vitamin B 12, such as fortified foods or supplements.”
Whole food plant based meals
There are some great resources about whole food plant based nutrition on the American College of Lifestyle Medicine web site, including one that is a PDF 21 day Jump Start Guide and a sample cookbook of whole food plant based meals, which you can find by clicking on this link
Also, there are some evidence based and truly compelling movies about whole food plant based nutrition for health and peak performance called “Forks Over Knives” and “The Game Changers” that are an entertaining way to learn more as well.
Summary of many of the advantages of whole food plant based nutrition
Consistently consuming whole plant based foods and drinks can reduce inflammation, is nutrient dense and provides healing antioxidants, is a great source of glucose for optimal brain health, and increases immune system function. In general, whole food plant based nutrition is better for human health, peak performance, recovery from illness and injury, food security, social justice for workers, the diversity and welfare of all animals, the health and safety of communities, sustainable use of resources like land and fresh water, and the health of our environment.
Plant based sources of essential nutrients
Selenium – Oats, beans, Brazil nuts, brown rice, whole wheat bread
Vitamin C – Fruits (especially berries, citrus, cantaloupe, kiwifruit, mango, papaya, pineapple), leafy green vegetables, potatoes, peas, bell peppers, chili peppers, tomatoes
Vitamin D – Sun, fortified milks, supplement if deficient
Vitamin K – Leafy green vegetables, sea vegetables, asparagus, avocado, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, lentils, peas, natto (a traditional Japanese food made from fermented soybeans)
From the article “Plant-based nutrition for healthcare professionals: implementing diet as a primary modality in the prevention and treatment of chronic disease” at the web site https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5466942
My dad, Tom Sandin, was a faculty advisor and professor to the astronaut Ron McNair. My dad was interviewed about Ron McNair in a recent article, called “The Wonder of It All”. I just read the article and realized I had written some lyrics in a song called “Small Wonders”, about seeing the Earth from space, with the phrase “the wonder of it all”…
“And from far away Even the Earth looks small There’s a quiet beauty And the wonder of it all Is how it looks so calm”
Given what the entire world is going through right now, I love the image of looking at the Earth from space and imagining that we are all in this together and we will get through this!
Here’s the link to the incredible article. So proud of my father and impressed with Ron McNair!
This post is an attempt to inform, inspire, and hopefully even save lives for National Bullying Prevention Month…. please feel free to share!
First, let’s talk about the critics….
“If you’re not in the arena… I’m not interested in your feedback”. Brene Brown
For those who are publishing or performing in public, whether it’s digital, such as in social media, or actual, such as in an “arena” or some type of stage or auditorium or gymnasium or field, we all will encounter critics. In my artistic endeavors of writing, singing, playing piano, and songwriting, I have had lots of highs and lows from people’s responses to me when I published my work and performed on concert stages. As Brene Brown points out, however, unless a critic knows, through years of firsthand experience, what sacrifices, hard work, long hours of practice, expense, mentoring, coaching, training, and especially courage in showing the world your work when there are no guarantees that you will succeed or that anyone will like what you have created, their feedback is uninformed and usually inaccurate. They have no credibility as critics unless they have taken those risks and been vulnerable in the arena and at a substantial level of mastery.
When we manifest a skill or talent to the world that is actually very challenging, but we make it “look easy”, that is a testament to the natural aptitude + the many years of training and practice that is involved. When a critic suggests that “anyone could do that”, such as an armchair quarterback yelling at the TV screen, it is clear that person has not actually been in the arena. Add the pressure of performing a highly technical skill that has no guarantee of success in front of others and we start to realize we should change from criticism to admiration. Anytime I think “I could do that”, I then either imagine myself doing it or actually try to do it and then I can tell that I am not anywhere close to those who have spent countless hours making it “look easy”.
For criticism to be accurate and helpful, it is better if the criticism is
1) Constructive
2) Asked for, solicited
3) From someone who is at a higher level of mastery in the field you’re in
4) Given with a THINK perspective, which means all of these elements apply…
Is the criticism “True”, “Helpful”, “Important”, “Necessary”, and “Kind”
(Some say the “I” can be “Inspiring” or “Intelligent”, so whatever works for you)!
And for those who criticize when a person is struggling or suffering in some way, that is another kind of “arena” that they have no deep understanding of, unless they’ve been there themselves. That is where empathy and kindness and compassion is especially needed or else they are adding insult to injury and making the suffering worse.
Now, on to the “crickets”….
When we publish or perform our work, we may “hear crickets”, which means no one responds at all, in a positive or negative way. It’s that lonely sound when you don’t hear a single human voice, not even your favorite pet’s bark or meow, just… crickets, somewhere out there, not saying anything kind or reassuring or complimentary or even acknowledging your presence. The crickets would just keep chirping, whether you’re there or not.
Criticism, especially if it’s personal, attacking something you can’t change, can feel like abuse. “Crickets” can feel like neglect. You’re being completely ignored, it’s apathy and rejection, like a cold shoulder, whether in a digital or a public arena. It can be subtle, like a look that shuts you down or body language that tells you “I just don’t care about anything you have to say”. Comedians compare a lack of laughter to their jokes as “dying” on stage, so it can feel like your identity, your reputation, and even your physical self is being threatened. We want to be part of a group, to belong to a tribe, so “crickets” in response to a show of our vulnerability feels like we’re being outcast.
So, what do we do about the critics and “crickets”?
1) Read this article over and over and share it with everyone you know (ha ha, but actually not kidding). ;-D
2) People are busy and don’t have a lot of free time. Seriously, I should be washing dishes and I’m writing a blog post instead. So, they may want to share in the joy of your published or performed works, but they may literally not have a moment to themselves.
3) It seems like everyone is trying to sell something, start a side hustle, show off on social media, or publish an album or book or video, so there is more “digital noise” than ever. Even though it makes sense to be offended by criticism or to feel neglected by “crickets”, it could be just that your skill or talent is being crowded out by everyone else’s.
4) When you’re starting a “do it yourself” business and you have to self promote, some people think that automatically means you don’t have any special skill or talent. And they’re “put off” by you “showing off”. They may see you as bragging and telling everyone how great you are in your attempt to get the word out about your work. They don’t know that it costs thousands of dollars to pay someone to promote you and that some very creative and talented people are unknowns because they don’t have the money for marketing and PR. There are tons of examples of starving artists that died penniless and then someone realized their worth and promoted their art and made millions doing it. It’s often times much more about the business and the media’s portrayal of someone’s worth instead of the actual artistic or entertainment value of the work that you’re publishing or performing. A great example is Joshua Bell, one of the best concert violinists in the world, performing in a subway station as a social experiment and getting hardly any notice. If you don’t have the PR and the fanfare and the right kind of “stage”, your talent can be criticized or ignored.
5) If someone doesn’t know how much sacrifice and challenges and creativity and talent and emotional upheaval, etc. your published or performed work involved, they won’t appreciate it fully. Sometimes if it’s someone we know personally, we think “Well, they can’t be that good” or “it can’t be that hard” because they’re not seeing all the work behind the scenes. Possibly, it’s because sometimes “familiarity breeds contempt”, those we are most familiar with are those we are the most likely to abuse or neglect!
We may have to just forgive those who “know not what they do” (or don’t do, or say, or don’t say). If they really don’t know what it’s like to be in the arena, if you’ve done your best to explain what the arena is like for you and they’re still not being kind, you may have to let go and start the process of forgiving. Whether you have a conversation to create boundaries or to ask for an apology is up to you… it may depend on how often the criticism or “crickets” are happening, how hurtful it was or still is, and how much it impacts your life in the present moment. Our society has the unfair expectation that the one who has been hurt somehow has to do more of the work of forgiving or reconciliation or seeking justice than the one who has been unkind, so we have to take the high road and keep doing the right thing, even if others aren’t.
6) Maybe, and only just maybe, our work is actually not that great or we’re not presenting it in a compelling way to the world…. naah, that’s not it, we’re all awesome and everything we do is genius! ;-D
But seriously, let’s all keep trying, let’s go for it, even if it’s awkward and there are lots of unknowns, which there will be. But we do need to be open to learning from what’s working as well as what’s not working and adjust if needed. And open to constructive criticism and figure out how to reduce those “crickets” moments as much as possible! Those who are taking the risks, failing and falling, being vulnerable, and learning what needs to be improved upon are those who have the best chance of succeeding.
And most importantly, there is the spiritual side of success, which is not society’s definition of success. I really like the quote “Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it” for that reason. And the excellent book “Falling Upward” by Richard Rohr talks about the second half of life, where your identity and proving yourself in worldly ways start to not matter anymore. So, there’s that aspect of how to handle critics and “crickets”… deciding you will transcend the parts of the world that are petty and unkind, love yourself in a healthy way, and make service to, and communion with, all living creatures and the divine your main goals. And serving others and God with the gifts and talent that God gave you is a way to be true to yourself, to give credit to God, to show gratitude, and to connect to God and others. That kind of spiritual success is how we can truly leave a legacy.
After writing an article about telehealth, I was intrigued by the possibility of providing online therapy someday. I am grateful to say that I am now offering online consulting and counseling. As a professional counselor licensed in North Carolina, I can work with any client in the state of North Carolina online. And as a mental health consultant and as a certified health coach, I can work with clients in any state online.
There are many benefits to telehealth, which I wrote about in this article in 2017.
Life Waves 