Why Eating More Plants is a Win-Win for Everyone

There is one simple thing you can do improve your overall health, reduce your risk of getting major diseases, AND make a difference to our planet. Want to know what it is? Eat more plant-based foods. I know. You're probably rolling your eyes because you think you won't be able to eat a BLT any more. That's not true. Here's why eating just a few more plants helps you, and the planet. 

Realistically, not everyone does well on a plant-based diet only. I was one of those people. My body just needs some animal-based foods. It doesn't mean that I'm going to go back to a Standard American Diet (SAD), with its excess sugar, refined carbohydrates, saturated fat and trans fats. We get so obsessed with labels or telling people we're vegetarians, vegans, or paleo eaters. All I'm saying is add more plants to the diet you already eat. Even that is a huge win for us all.  

A report done by The Lancet (a peer-reviewed medical journal) in 2019, concluded that a shift toward plants and away from animal products in our diets is not only good for human health, but also the planet. Here are some of those findings: 

1. The report found that “unhealthy diets are the largest global burden of disease." Eating more plants and fewer animal products could prevent 10.9 to 11.6 million premature deaths from heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions every year.
2. The report found that more than 820 million people around the world lack sufficient food. It also noted that “almost two thirds of all soybeans, maize, barley, and about a third of all grains are used as feed for animals.”
3. The report states that projections for the future show that “vegan and vegetarian diets were associated with the greatest reductions in greenhouse-gas emissions.”
4. The report found that agriculture occupies 40% of Earth’s ice-free landmass, noting that animal products have a large environmental footprint on our croplands. 

If everyone ate more plants, it could have a ripple effect on how we use the planet's resources. The added benefit for you is less disease and more health (and you can still have a BLT every now and then). That's a pretty good trade-off in my humble opinion.

Wanna learn more about holistic nutrition? Check out my pre-recorded workshop: How to Really Nourish Your Body.

Peace, love & yoga,