The science is finally catching up and confirming what I’ve been teaching for years – a wholefood, plant-based diet (WFPB) is the key to preventing and reversing America’s most deadly and common chronic diseases. In fact, plant-based nutrition has been shown to protect against the 15 leading causes of death in the world. Unfortunately, despite it’s remarkable benefits, plant-based eating still isn’t widely promoted by mainstream medicine or the media, probably because there is no money to be made in this all-natural way of eating.
If you aren’t familiar with it, the WFPB diet is one that includes unprocessed vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, beans, nuts, seeds, and spices; with little or not added sugar and oils. Here’s what celeb dietitian and peer-reviewed journal author Julieanna Hever, had to say about the benefits of plant-based eating and why meat and processed foods should be avoided:
“Today, many early deaths in the United States are preventable and nutrition-related. According to an analysis of risk factors over the period 1990–2010, the leading cause of early death and disability in the United States is diet.”
“Plant-based diets are associated with lowering overall mortality and ischemic heart disease mortality; reducing medication needs; supporting sustainable weight management; reducing incidence and severity of high-risk conditions, such as obesity and obesity-related inflammatory markers, hyperglycemia, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia; and even reversing advanced cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.”
“Meat (including processed, red, and white assortments), fish, dairy, and eggs contain health-damaging saturated fats…and chemical contaminants formed when flesh is cooked. Highly processed foods encompass a class of commercially produced items made with adulterants including oils, salts, sugars, and other food additives. These aforementioned constituents in animal products and processed foods contribute to inflammation, oxidation, and carcinogenesis, promoting disease and, therefore, are better omitted from the diet.”
Plant-based Eating – Your Best Weapon Against Cancer
There are large-scale notable studies published weekly confirming the remarkable benefits of plant-based eating. Here are some highlighted findings of a few recent ones as it pertains to cancer:
- An Israeli study published in the European Journal of Cancer Prevention, stated plant-based nutrition combined with other health goals can lead to “lifelong breast-cancer prevention.”
- A study published in January noted “an inverse relation between consumption of plant-based foods … and incidence of cancer.”.
- A New York-based study concluded that “several substances in a whole-food plant-based diet … have protection effects and an inhibitory effect on tumor development.”
A Few Inspiring Personal Examples
Studies are great but it’s nice to have some real world examples of success. Here are a few incredible and inspiring health transformation shared by members of Plant-Based Pittsburg, in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
- Sally Lipsky was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2007. When it spread, she underwent one round of chemotherapy, and was told she had a 39 percent chance of surviving five years. Lipsky turned to a WFPB diet as a final hope and has been cancer-free for over a decade now. “I remember the epiphany: I have something I can do,” she said in the Post-Gazette. “It gave me a sense of empowerment over cancer.”
- 80 year-old Henry Mader had a quadruple heart bypass surgery in 2002, with follow-up complications. This led him to a WFPB diet and nearly 16 years later he has normal blood pressure and extremely healthy cholesterol levels. “If it weren’t for the plant-based diet, I’d be long gone,” he said in the Post-Gazette.
- 67 year-old Marty Howell was diagnosed with colon cancer and underwent two surgeries and 10 of 12 sessions of chemo. Her doctor told her treatments aren’t a cure and the cancer will return. She turned to a WFPB diet and hasn’t required cancer treatment in the 7 years since making the transition.
- 47 year-old Mary DeLuca, was diagnosed with Type-2 diabetes. In an attempt to take control of her health, she went on the standard diabetes diet which allows low-fat dairy and lean meat. She lost 20 lbs but her medication requirements did not go down and tests found protein in her urine, indicating potential kidney disease.
She turned to a WFPB diet and within just 2 weeks her blood-sugar levels dropped so much that she was able to discontinue insulin. Two weeks later, her blood glucose had normalized and she was able to discontinue her other diabetes medication – Metformin as well. “I’m not eating anything I shouldn’t eat, and I feel great,” she said in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “My doctor didn’t know what to say when I was there in February. He was shocked and said my pancreas must have gone through something.”
- 47 year-old Judy Carvell adopted a WFPB diet when she found out she had prediabetes. She’s dropped 10 dress sizes (more than 100 lbs) on the WFBD diet and her blood-glucose levels have returned to a healthy, normal range.
- 43 year-old Jason Cecchini, was a diabetic with glucose in the high-normal range even while on Metformin. His weight was ballooning and he decided to go 100% plant based. In just two weeks his blood glucose levels normalized; and he has now dropped 30 lbs thanks to the transition to plant-based eating. “When I started this, I said I’m going to do this and celebrate my birthday on January 20th by having chicken wings,” he reported in the Post-Gazette. “But by then, I was no longer interested in chicken wings. They were no longer a treat. I have no interest in going back to the way I used to eat.”
Considerations
Coming up with delicious and healthy meal ideas can be tough when you first transition to a WFPB diet, because it’s unfamiliar. I recommend you get a copy of the Simply Healthy Cookbook, as it’s full of delicious, vegan, gluten-free recipes from around the world that your whole family will enjoy. With this book in-hand your tastebuds will be delighted and your health will soar.
Finally, if you find yourself having trouble making the transition to plant-based eating despite wanting to do so, there is subconscious sabotage at play. I have seen this happen so many times with my clients, and I wanted to help them get rid of the subconscious sabotagers so that they could reap the benefits of committing to a WFPB diet. Hypnosis is the most effective way of reprogramming the subconscious mind so I created a hypnosis track for eating natural foods. This $3 hypnosis track will remove your blocks so that you can eat WFPB happily, without the inner battle.
