Why YOU need to eat mostly plant-based foods
Eat food
Not too much
Mostly plants
– this is one of my favourite quotes from Michael Pollan
“You are what you eat”
You may have heard that before too
But what does this really mean?
I shall try to explain as briefly as I can….
What you eat not only gets digested and absorbed by your body, providing you with the nutrients to sustain life. But the food you eat also affects your genetic potential.
Food actually has the ability to switch the genes that we received from our parents ‘on’ or ‘off’.
For example we have genes that can protect us from OR that will help to promote breast cancer, prostate cancer, bowel cancer, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and more.
Even the length of our telomeres (the ends of our chromosomes which control ageing) is affected by what we eat. Longer telomeres means a longer life (this is a good thing!).
So our genes are merely a pre-disposition. We have the ability to determine our fate through the food we choose to eat (and of course our lifestyle also has an influence).
These underlying biological mechanisms are so dynamic that changing your intake even for one week can have a dramatic effect on how your body functions and already start to prevent or treat chronic illnesses. That’s pretty amazing huh!
So what should we eat then? Protein? Fat? Carbs?
NO!
The answer is….food!
Minimally processed
Deliciously prepared
Seasonal
Loads of veg, fruit, legumes, some grains and if you like some meat/chicken/fish/eggs/dairy
That’s it!
The balance should be on plant-based foods (veg, fruit, legumes, grains)
Why? Because not only do they contain the nutrients that nourish your body in the form our body knows how to digest, absorb and utilise best
But plant foods can help keep those health-promoting, protective genes switched on and the disease-promoting genes switched OFF…
And slow down the ageing process by keeping our telemeres longer
Pretty cool huh!
Need help eating more plant based foods?
Check out my two e-cookbooks Veggie-licious
They are full of delicious ways to eat more plant based foods