Why can't we give up the diet and lifestyle that is killing us? Because we are addicted to it! We don't usually think of addictions when it comes to food, but it is probably the number one addiction in our lives. The good news is we can get just as addicted to the good foods as we do to the bad foods. It is simple (I said simple, not easy). By simply eating more fresh, plant based foods, we change our addiction. At first you have to consciously choose the healthier foods, but over time, they will become your preference.
Simple? Yes! Eat more plants. You might be surprised to learn that a plant-based diet is the only nutritional protocol known to man that has been shown to prevent—and in many cases, actually reverse, the four major diseases in our society: Heart disease, cancer, obesity and diabetes.
Many of the bad foods are specifically devised to activate the pleasure centers in our brain, enslaving us to habitual poor dietary choices—the very essence of addiction. When combined with our preference for excessive meat and dairy intake, blood cholesterol escalates, clogging our arteries; our cells become cancerous; and our immune systems spiral out of control in response, creating a state of chronic inflammation. This creates a persistent condition in which our bodies become disease incubators, sentencing us to an almost certain future of chronic illness.
With each successive step along the path, you'll begin to notice changes. As your energy levels improve, your preferences will shift from empty calories to foods that actually nourish you. The more whole, plant-foods you incorporate into your routine, the more likely those unhealthy cravings will subside. And before you know it, that hankering for cheese might just vanish altogether.
On average, we Americans eat about 6% of our diets as plant food. That means the other 94% is unhealthy fats, chemicals and junk. If we reversed that - 94% healthy plant based foods and sneaked in 6% of our addiction of choice (mine would be chocolate and potato chips....), disease would almost disappear in our society. This is so freeing! You are in control.
