Plant Based Diet Benefits

Watch a Doctor's Seminar on the Benefits of a Plant Based Diet.

   

Why stop eating meat and dairy?

People go plant-based for lots of reasons. These include losing weight, feeling more energetic, reducing the risk of heart disease, decreasing the number of pills they take … there are dozens of great reasons! For even more inspiration, check out these other benefits you can expect when you go plant-based.

1. YOU’LL REDUCE INFLAMMATION IN YOUR BODY.
If you are eating meat, cheese, and highly processed foods, chances are you have elevated levels of inflammation in your body. While short-term inflammation (such as after an injury) is normal and necessary, inflammation that lasts for months or years is not. Chronic inflammation has been linked to the development of atherosclerosis, heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, and autoimmune diseases, among other conditions.

In contrast, plant-based diets are naturally anti-inflammatory, because they are high in fiber, antioxidants, and other phytonutrients, and much lower in inflammatory triggers such as saturated fat and endotoxins (toxins released from bacteria commonly found in animal foods). Studies have shown that people who adopt plant-based diets can dramatically lower their level of C-reactive protein (CRP), an indicator of inflammation in the body.

2. YOUR BLOOD CHOLESTEROL LEVELS WILL PLUMMET.
Elevated blood cholesterol is a key risk factor for heart disease and strokes, two of the leading killers in the United States. Saturated fat—primarily found in meat, poultry, cheese, and other animal products—is a major driver of our blood cholesterol levels. Cholesterol in our food also plays a role.

Studies consistently show that when people go plant based, their blood cholesterol levels drop by up to 35%. In many cases, the decrease is equal to that seen with drug therapy—with many positive side effects! People who require cholesterol-lowering drugs can further slash their cholesterol levels and cardiovascular risk by adopting a plant-based diet.

Whole-food, plant-based diets reduce blood cholesterol because they tend to be very low in saturated fat and they contain zero cholesterol. Moreover, plant-based diets are high in fiber, which further reduces blood cholesterol levels. In addition, Soy has also been shown to play a role in lowering cholesterol, for those who choose to include it.

3. YOU’LL GIVE YOUR MICROBIOME A MAKEOVER.
The trillions of microorganisms living in our bodies are collectively called the microbiome. Increasingly, these microorganisms are recognized as crucial to our overall health: not only do they help us digest our food, but they produce critical nutrients, train our immune systems, turn genes on and off, keep our gut tissue healthy, and help protect us from cancer. Studies have also shown they play a role in obesity, diabetes, atherosclerosis, autoimmune disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and liver disease.

Plant foods help shape a healthy intestinal microbiome. The fiber in plant foods promotes the growth of “friendly” bacteria in our guts. On the other hand, fiber-poor diets (such as those that are high in dairy, eggs, and meat) can foster the growth of disease-promoting bacteria. Landmark studies have shown that when omnivores eat choline or carnitine (found in meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, and dairy), gut bacteria make a substance that is converted by our liver to a toxic product called TMAO ("trimethylamineoxide" a Toxic Substance Formed When You Eat Meat Can Make You … Dead Meat). TMAO leads to worsening cholesterol plaques in our blood vessels and escalates the risk of heart attack and stroke. Interestingly, people eating plant-based diets make little or no TMAO after a meat-containing meal, because they have a totally different gut microbiome. It takes only a few days for our gut bacterial patterns to change – the benefits of a plant-based diet start quickly!

4. YOU’LL CHANGE HOW YOUR GENES WORK.
Scientists have made the remarkable discovery that environmental and lifestyle factors can turn genes on and off. For example, the antioxidants and other nutrients we eat in whole plant foods can change gene expression to optimize how our cells repair damaged DNA. Research has also shown that lifestyle changes, including a plant-based diet, can decrease the expression of cancer genes in men with low-risk prostate cancer. We’ve even seen that a plant-based diet, along with other lifestyle changes, can lengthen our telomeres -- the caps at the end of our chromosomes that help keep our DNA stable. This might mean that our cells and tissues age more slowly since shortened telomeres are associated with aging and earlier death.

5. YOU’LL DRAMATICALLY REDUCE YOUR CHANCES OF GETTING TYPE 2 DIABETES.
An estimated 38% of Americans have prediabetes - a precursor to type 2 diabetes. Animal protein, especially red and processed meat, has been shown in study after study to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. In the Adventist population, omnivores have double the rate of diabetes compared with vegans, even accounting for differences in body weight. In fact, in this population, eating meat once a week or more over a 17-year period increased the risk of diabetes by 74%! Similarly, in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study and Nurses Health Study, increasing red meat intake by more than just half a serving per day was associated with a 48% increased risk in diabetes over 4 years.

Why would meat cause type 2 diabetes? Several reasons: animal fat, animal-based (heme) iron, and nitrate preservatives in meat have been found to damage pancreatic cells, worsen inflammation, cause weight gain, and impair the way our insulin functions.

You will dramatically lessen your chances of getting type 2 diabetes by leaving animal products off of your plate and eating a diet based in whole plant foods. This is especially true if you eat whole grains, which are highly protective against type 2 diabetes. You read that right: carbs actually protect you from diabetes! Also, a plant-based diet can improve or even reverse your diabetes if you’ve already been diagnosed.

6. YOU’LL GET THE RIGHT AMOUNT—AND THE RIGHT TYPE—OF PROTEIN.
The average omnivore in the US gets more than 1.5 times the optimal amount of protein, most of it from animal sources.

Contrary to popular perception, this excess protein does not make us stronger or leaner. Excess protein is stored as fat or turned into waste, and animal protein is a major cause of weight gain, heart disease, diabetes, inflammation and cancer.

On the other hand, the protein found in whole plant foods protects us from many chronic diseases. There is no need to track protein intake or use protein supplements with plant-based diets; if you are meeting your daily calorie needs, you will get plenty of protein. The longest-lived people on Earth, those living in the “Blue Zones,” get about 10% of their calories from protein, compared with the US average of 15% to 20%.

Healthy Plant Based Recipes that can help Reverse Health Problems.

• Primarily plant-based
• Include plenty of fruits and vegetables
• High in fiber
• Low in fat
• Limited in the amount of simple sugars

• Fruits and vegetables
• Whole grains
• Beans and legumes
• Other plant protein sources

• They contain vitamins, minerals and fiber as well as various cancer-fighting phytochemicals, such as carotenoids, lycopene, indoles and flavonols.
• There is consistent evidence that diets high in fruits and vegetables are associated with decreased risks of many cancers. While results for prostate cancer risk are not yet conclusive, they are promising.
• Men who consumed at least 28 servings of vegetables per week had a reduced risk of prostate cancer compared with those who ate fewer than 14 servings per week.
• There is some evidence that vegetables — particularly cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts and bok choy — may be associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer.
• Men who ate three or more servings of cruciferous vegetables per week had a 41% decreased risk of prostate cancer compared with men who ate less than one serving per week.
• The benefit of fruits and vegetables in regards to cancer protection may be related to high amounts of carotenoids in certain fruits and vegetables, according to some key population studies.
• One study indicated that fructose, or fruit sugar, resulted in a lower risk of prostate cancer.

• 1/2 cup fruit or vegetable
• 1 cup raw leafy greens
• 1/4 cup dried fruit or vegetable
• 6 fluid ounces of fruit or vegetable juice

• Fiber may bind to toxic compounds and carcinogens, which are then later eliminated from the body.
• A high-fiber diet works to reduce hormone levels that may be involved in the progression of prostate cancer.
• One study indicated that a high-fiber, low-fat diet followed only for 10 days resulted in serum changes that reduced the growth of prostate cancer.
• Prostate cancer mortality is inversely associated with consumption of cereals and nuts or seeds, according to a study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
• A diet rich in natural fiber obtained from fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains such as whole-grain cereals and breads may reduce cancer risk and reduce the risk of prostate cancer progression.

• The increased cancer risk observed in developed countries may be, in part, due to the fact that a high-fat diet stimulates increased levels, which is known to be associated with prostate cancer growth.
• A comprehensive review reported that 24 of 32 studies found positive, although not all statistically significant, associations between dietary fat intake and prostate cancer risk.
• Prospective studies to date, however, have failed to find a consistent association between prostate cancer and overall fat intake.

Pygeum has also been shown to contain a wide range of fatty acids, alcohols, and sterols such as beta-sitosterol that have an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect on the urogenital tract.
A few studies indicate that consuming between 100 and 200 mg of pygeum extract daily or splitting this into two 50 mg doses twice daily may help reduce BPH symptoms.

2. Saw Palmetto
Saw palmetto is one the most studied and popular herbal supplements used to treat BPH.
Several studies have linked saw palmetto to reduced BPH symptoms. This is most likely because it inhibits the production of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and reduces the size of the inner lining of the prostate.
However, other studies have not been able to establish whether saw palmetto supplement use has any impact on BPH symptoms compared to a placebo.

Zi-Shen Pill (ZSP)
The Zi-Shen Pill (ZSP) contains a mixture of three plants, including Chinese cinnamon.
The formula comes from ancient Chinese medicine dating back to the 13th century. ResearchersTrusted Source have shown that rats given the Zi-Shen formula have reduced rates of BPH.
More research is needed on humans to determine whether it is effective.

4. Cernilton
Some people use herbal supplements made from rye-grass pollen to treat BPH symptoms. These troublesome symptoms may include being unable to empty the bladder fully and the need to urination frequently at nighttime.
Under the brand name Cernilton, rye-grass pollen is included in the formula of several registered pharmaceutical supplements targeted at easing symptoms of BPH.
Despite its popularity, Cernilton has never been shown to impact BPH symptoms in any large-scale scientific studies. However, some indicate it may help reduce the overall size of the prostate.
Further research is needed to establish if it works or not.

5. Orbignya speciosa (babassu)
Babassu or Orbignya speciosa is a species of palm tree native to Brazil. Several indigenous Brazilian tribes and communities use the dried or ground kernels from the tree to treat urogenital symptoms and conditions.
Oil from babassu nuts has also been shownTrusted Source to inhibit the production of testosterone, while other parts of the nut contain compounds with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

6. Stinging nettle
Stinging nettle contains similar antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds as pygeum and saw palmetto.
Nettle root is sometimes used in combination with saw palmetto. More researchTrusted Source is needed, however, to determine whether it is effective.

7. Cucurbita pepo (pumpkin seed)
Pumpkin seeds contain beta-sitosterol, a compound similar to cholesterol and found in some plants. Preliminary studies have shown that beta-sitosterol may improve urine flow and reduce the amount of urine left in the bladder after urination.
Some studies recommend taking 10 g of pumpkin seed extract daily for BPH symptoms.

8. Lycopene
Lycopene is a naturally occurring pigment found in many fruits and vegetables. One study found that it may help slow the progression of BPH.
Tomatoes are the richest source of lycopene available to most people. But a few other fruits and vegetables contain lower levels of this antioxidant.
Usually, the deeper pink or red the fruit or vegetable is in color, the higher its lycopene content.

Other sources of lycopene include:

• papaya
• pink grapefruit
• watermelon
• guava
• carrots
• red bell peppers
• apricots
• red cabbage