People switch to a "plant-based" diet for many reasons - to get rid of excess weight, to feel more energetic, to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, to reduce the amount of medications needed...
There are dozens of great reasons! To inspire you even more, I'll tell you about the additional benefits of a plant-based diet. And if you decide to eat fewer animals, download my mobile app with plant-based recipes - delicious and simple, to help yourself.
Reduces inflammation in the body.
If you eat meat, cheese and heavily processed foods, chances are your body's inflammation levels are elevated. Short-term inflammation (such as after an injury) is normal and necessary, but inflammation that lasts for months or years is not normal. Chronic inflammation is associated with the development of atherosclerosis, heart attack, stroke, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, etc. For example, there is evidence that red meat increases inflammation and can provoke cancer. You can read about the dangers of chronic inflammation and what foods cause it here.
A plant-based diet has a natural anti-inflammatory effect because it is rich in fiber, antioxidants and other phytonutrients. At the same time, it contains significantly less inflammatory substances, such as saturated fats and endotoxins (toxins released from bacteria and commonly found in animal products). Studies have shown that people who follow a plant-based diet have significantly lower levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), an indicator of inflammation in the body.
Blood cholesterol levels drop dramatically
Elevated blood cholesterol is a key factor in cardiovascular disease and strokes, two major killers in the Western world. Saturated fats, found primarily in meat, poultry, cheese and other animal products, are a major cause of high blood cholesterol. Studies confirm that switching to a plant-based diet reduces blood cholesterol levels by 35%. In many cases, this reduction is comparable to the results of drug therapy - but without the many side effects associated with it!
A healthy intestinal flora of the body is maintained
Trillions of microorganisms live in our bodies, the aggregate of which is called the microbiome (the body's microbiota or intestinal flora). More and more scientists recognize that these microorganisms are crucial to our overall health: they not only help digest food, but also produce essential nutrients, train the immune system, "turn on" and "turn off" genes, keep gut tissue healthy and help protect us from cancer. Studies have also shown that they play a role in preventing obesity, diabetes, atherosclerosis, autoimmune diseases, inflammatory bowel disease, and liver disease.
Plant foods help form a healthy intestinal microbiome: fiber in plants promote the growth of "friendly" bacteria. But a diet that is not rich in fiber (e.g., based on dairy products, eggs, meat) can promote the growth of pathogenic bacteria. Studies have shown that when choline or carnitine (found in meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy products) is consumed, gut bacteria produce a substance that is converted by the liver to a toxic product called trimethylamine oxide. This substance leads to the development of cholesterol plaques in blood vessels and thus increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Positive changes in gene function occur
Scientists have made the remarkable discovery that environmental factors and lifestyles can "turn on" and "turn off" our genes. For example, the antioxidants and other nutrients we get from whole plant foods can change gene expression to optimize the way our cells work to repair damaged DNA. In addition, plant-based diets, along with other lifestyle changes, help lengthen telomeres at the ends of chromosomes, which help keep DNA stable. That is, cells and tissues age slower due to the protection of longer telomeres.
The risk of developing type II diabetes drops dramatically
There are a number of studies proving that animal protein, especially from red and processed meats, increases the risk of type II diabetes. For example, the Health Professionals Follow-up Study and Nurses Health Study demonstrated that increasing red meat consumption by more than half a serving per day was associated with a 48% increase in risk of diabetes over 4 years.
How are type II diabetes and meat consumption related? There are several ways: animal fat, animal iron and nitrate preservatives in meat damage pancreatic cells, increase inflammation, cause weight gain and disrupt insulin production function.
You will dramatically reduce your risk of developing type II diabetes by giving up animal products and switching to a diet based on whole plant foods. Whole grains are especially active in protecting against type II diabetes. You're not wrong: carbs will actually protect you from diabetes! A plant-based diet helps reduce the symptoms of diabetes or even reverse it if you've already been diagnosed.
Maintaining the right amount and type of protein in your diet
Contrary to popular belief, excess protein (which is likely if you eat meat) does not make us stronger or slimmer, much less healthier. On the contrary, excess protein is deposited as fat (overweight, for those who don't believe it, read the study at the link) or turned into waste, and it is animal protein that is the leading cause of weight gain, heart disease, diabetes, inflammation and cancer.
Protein found in whole plant foods protects us from many chronic diseases. And you don't need to track the amount of protein you eat or use protein supplements by following a plant-based diet: if you eat a varied diet, you'll get enough protein.
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