Plant-based eating is all the rage right now! Move over keto, paleo, and intermittent fasting because there’s a new kid in town – that saves animals too!
What is it:
So what does it mean to eat plant based? Plant-based eating emphasizes consuming vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, and grains. Foods that are grown or cultivated are meant to be the centerpiece of every meal. Yes, unlike veganism, this gives you the flexibility to add in animal-derived ingredients as accouterments; however, most successful plant-based diets abstain from foods that don’t have a lot of nutrient-density, which usually includes alcohol, animal products, refined and processed foods.
Why go plant-based:
Plant-based eating is known for emphasizing gut health and improving digestion. Many people who consume plant-based diets find that as their gut health improves they achieve mental clarity, sleep better, get clearer skin, have decreased anxiety, reduced stress, and consequently lose unwanted weight. Why? Well, the gut is known as the “second brain.” Your gastrointestinal tract (the gut) has its own network of neurons known as the enteric nervous system. This vast system is said to contain hundreds of millions of neurons that connect the central nervous system (your first brain) to the gut (your second brain). What’s unique about the second brain is that it can operate independently of the brain and spinal cord, monitoring and controlling all digestive functions. The second brain relays information from the gut to the central nervous system, which means the state of your gut has a profound affect on your mental state and cognitive function. Hence, when you eat right, you feel right!
Good gut health is crucial to maintain the health of your entire body. Digestion is the process by which your body breaks down food and extracts the nutrients it needs to function. If your digestion is off, your entire body will feel off. But plant-based eating isn’t just about the benefits to you and your body, it also benefits the animals you spare by abstaining from animal products, and in-turn helps alleviate unwanted stress on the environment around you.
So if that’s not enough to convince you to go plant-based, here’s one final thing. Plant-based diets are naturally high in fruits and vegetables, which contain phytochemicals and antioxidants proven to reduce disease and help prevent many types of cancers. The micronutrients in plants also help to boost energy metabolism and strengthen your immune system. In a World stricken by disease, cancer, and viruses we need every leg up we can get! So try plant-based for 30-days, if you never have, isn’t it worth trying once?
For more information on plant-based eating, or to join the Plant Powered Challenge with Coach Keeks and his Team, head to www.keelanclemens.com
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