Plant-based eating seems to be gaining traction. A local grocery store in Texas has all sorts of dairy alternatives for cow’s milk: soy, coconut almond, oat, hemp, cashew, and my favorite…walnut! This is great news for anyone who doesn’t do well with dairy. Which, it turns out, is roughly 70% of adults worldwide.
Don’t we need dairy?
Some people have issues with dairy and don’t even know it. You may be thinking if they don’t know it, why is it a problem? Well, because they have symptoms that are being incorrectly attributed to causes like hormones, aging, and other things that are not really the issue.
For example, a lot of people suffer from constipation or infrequent bowel movements. A daily bowel movement is a healthy standard. Anything less than that is a problem. We live in a toxic world and our bodies clear out those toxins through bowel movements, urination, and sweat. The trash needs to be taken out daily. Food waste should not be sitting in the bowels for days. It turns out, that removing dairy products such as milk, cheese, butter, and ice cream can be a simple solution for constipation.
Adults are not meant to be drinking cow’s milk. It’s for baby cows, not adult humans. It’s an obvious fact but our culture and dairy advertising have made seem as if we need dairy our entire lives to thrive. The opposite is in fact true.
Dairy is a growth serum. It is meant to grow a baby cow into a huge creature. Do you want to be a huge creature? Ok, maybe you are in the minority and actually answered yes to this but there are other reasons to reconsider dairy. Cancer is a huge issue in modern living. Common sense tells us that a growth serum may not be the wisest choice if we want to remain cancer-free.
How do I get enough protein?
Protein, protein, protein. It’s all the buzz. Every drink, snack bar, snack food, cereal…in fact most packaged foods today will brag about how much protein they have. Is this actually a good thing?
Most of us would say “yes”, I need more protein to be satiated, build muscle, and to lose weight. Well, it turns out that Americans get way too much animal protein. Why is that a problem? Animal protein activates mTOR. And mTOR hyperactivation and signaling promote cell proliferation and metabolism that contribute to tumor initiation and progression. This is why just about every diet for cancer treatment and prevention is a whole food plant-based diet that excludes all animal products.
Notice I did not say vegan. Vegan diets are not necessarily healthy. They CAN be if they are whole food plant-based. It is very important to eat real foods. As we all know, you can still be a vegan and eat “food-like substances”- right? Oreos are vegan. I think this is where a lot of people screw up. They think vegan is healthier and so they go out and buy a bunch of processed vegan foods like hot dogs, impossible burgers, tofu cream cheese, and textured soy protein products. These also are not real food and therefore, they are not healthy. They do serve a purpose in transitioning over to plant-based eating but they should not be regular items in a healthy diet.
Where do YOU get your fiber?
This is the question we should be asking. Not where do you get your protein, because Americans get way too much protein but not at all enough fiber. Most Americans eat 10-15 grams. Our goal should be closer to 75grams/day.
Fiber is the key to a healthy body. Too strong of a claim? I don’t think so.
The microbiome relies on a diverse assortment of fibers in order to thrive. We are just starting to understand the magical healing influence of a diverse and thriving microbiome. One of the most significant ways our bodies utilize the benefits of healthy bacteria is to produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFA). These bacteria byproducts are helpful in many ways but foundationally they are amazing at reducing inflammation. By reducing inflammation, our bodies feel better and function better. Inflammation is at the root of many of our modern-day diseases including depression, heart disease, arthritis, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer’s, to name just a few.
I recently read the book Fiber Fueled. I highly recommend it if you enjoy learning about new health research. The biggest takeaway for me was the importance of a large and diverse amount of fiber. We aren’t talking about drinking Metamucil 3 times a day either. The healthiest microbiome relies on a diverse and copious amount of plant fiber to thrive. So when you go shopping, pick up a plant you wouldn’t normally eat. We often get into ruts eating the same foods over and over.
Hacks for Health
Here are a couple of tips I am incorporating to have a more DIVERSE microbiome
- Muesli for breakfast. My mix includes raw oats, raw buckwheat, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, flaxseed meal, pistachios, walnuts, and any other seed, nut, or grain that tastes good raw. I serve this over berries for a super satisfying breakfast.
- Chopped salad. I have recently discovered the wisdom of chopping hard veggies (carrots, celery, cabbage, chickpeas) in my food processor along with an apple or a bit of dried fruit like figs, dates, apricots, or raisins. This imparts a natural sweetness to the veggies that might otherwise taste bitter or plain. I also will chop my greens a bit so that they are denser and I can eat more. Throw some fresh herbs in to add more diversity and flavor. Top with a squeeze of fresh lemon or your favorite vinegar for a quick nutrient-packed lunch.
- Quick dinner: batch cook some whole grain, beans, and roast or grill some mixed veggies.
Won’t I gain weight with all these carbs?
I wondered what effect all these complex carbs would have on my weight. Turns out, the key to attaining a healthy weight is as simple as learning about calorie density. This website explains it in more detail. The point is to eat foods that have a calorie density of 600 cal/1 lb of food or less. Fruits, vegetables, even pasta, potatoes, and whole grains like rice, are all less than that 600cal/lb sweet spot. Avocados, nuts, and oils are all significantly over that threshold so they should be eaten thoughtfully. But if you stick to real foods that are plant-based, complex carbs can actually lead to a lower BMI as seen in cultures around the world that eat high carb diets. So if you’ve been on a low-carb keto diet and are missing your delicious potatoes, rice, and whole-grain pastas…there is hope!
Have you tried a whole foods plant-based diet? In future posts, I will share some of my favorite meals, and some of the other amazing reasons why plant-based is not only best for your body but also for our world.
