Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet
Ok. So, when
I initially watched this documentary, I sat through 108 minutes of feeling the
entire spectrum of emotions. I went through the 5 stages of grief as well.
First up, denial. “This is way too overwhelming. No one could change their diet
completely overnight. This is absurdly expensive. No one can afford to live
like this long-term. Why would the grocery store sell me all these things if I
shouldn’t be eating them?” Then we moved onto anger. I became angry that there
has been evidence-based research around for years that proves the standard
American diet is contributing to many of the disease processes I have seen my
family members suffer from. “Where has this research been hiding? Is this all
just a game of who has enough money to bury what they want to the public? If
nutrition is the answer, why didn’t I get more of a background in nutrition in
nursing school?” Then, bargaining. “Okay, I see how plant-based diets can be beneficial.
I see the outcomes here. But… can I still have Oreos? Or PopTarts? What about
some ice cream? I don’t think I can pass those up in the grocery store.” Then
came the obvious depression when I realized that I probably needed to give some
of these things up for good. Along with this depression though, came acceptance.
I don’t think that I’ll ever really be okay with not eating Oreos, but I have
reached an acceptance of my new reality. I see the benefits of this lifestyle
and I think that there are a lot more positives than negatives in this whole
scenario.
Until I do
something about it though, that is all it is. A scenario. And this is the point
in the story that we have reached, if you as the reader have made it this far.
I have watched several documentaries now, thoroughly researched and trialed
many fad diets, and have ultimately concluded that I need to stop eating the Mike
& Ikes that are currently sitting next to me on the couch, and change my
ways. The only diet program I have completed was the Whole30, which is meant to
last 30 days and be a “reboot” of sorts for your body to set yourself up for
more successful habits.
Founder
Melissa Hartwig said the following about life post-Whole30: “If I had to
describe ‘food freedom’ in one sentence, it’s this: Food freedom is feeling in
control of the food that you eat, instead of food controlling you. Food freedom
is about indulging when it’s worth it, passing when it isn’t, and never feeling
guilt or shame for doing either. It’s about taking the morality out of food,
and recognizing you are not a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ person based on what’s your
plate.”
Man, I
would love to be here! There are so many health benefits to living a more
plant-based lifestyle. A study from the American Heart Association showed that eating
plant foods significantly reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and
mortality. Another study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health showed
that plant-based diets can reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes by about a
third. Another study showed that “plant-based diets were associated with
significant improvement in emotional well-being, physical well-being,
depression … general health, HbA1c levels, weight, total cholesterol, and
low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, compared with several diabetic
associations’ official guidelines.”
If you
need even more evidence, feel free to browse through the additional resources
listed. I think that it is pretty clear though that there are countless
benefits to this change in lifestyle. I’ll let you know how it works out, but
right now, I am throwing away the Mike & Ikes and picking up a banana.
Additional
Resources
Morgan
*Disclaimer: This blog post is a class assignment.*
Morgan,
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is WOW! As you have indicated above the benefits of a plant based diet are countless. The prevention of diabetes, CAD, obesity are all within our reach. But you are correct in saying that we are controlled by the foods we eat and crave. Our craving for the proverbial oreo or candy prevent us from seeing the bigger picture which is our total health. What we want right now is not allowing us to see what we need in our future. I do not want to be 90years old thinking, "I sure wish I would have gotten in shape when I only had 10lbs to loose". Making these choices now will drastically change our future. I ready a book called "skinny bitch". It changed my life and the way I looked at meat products. You should check it out if you are really wanting to go plant based.
Morgan,
ReplyDeleteI love your post! I've heard about and seen people talk about plant-based diets, and have always thought "I definitely do not have that much willpower to turn down my favorite foods." When I was living in Arizona, I told myself that I was going to start eating better, had heard about the Whole30, and had gone out to the closest Barnes & Noble to even buy the book. And then it just sat on my bookshelf, collecting dust. I made excuses for myself--I'm too busy; I'm too tired; it's just not a priority right now. Now, here I am, 3 years later, completely regretting the decision. I never knew how much a plant-based diet could positively affect your life; what all the good effects of it are on your body and your overall health. Nursing school definitely brought out the worst food choices at times, and I did hit my breaking point; I've now started to be more conscientious of the foods that I am putting in my body. I don't want to continue to wish I had made changes sooner; i want to be able to be proud of making these changes, no matter how small or even how long it took me to actually start.