Why Plant-Based?

 

The common widespread belief is that we must raise animals for food so we can get optimal amounts of calcium, iron, protein, and other important nutrients. I want to enlighten you with some life-saving information. This is false. Think about where these strong, lean animals are getting their nutrients. The answer is simple. Animals get their calcium, iron, protein, and other nutrients from eating a variety of grasses and plants. This generates lean muscle. The same is true for humans who restrict meat from their diet and only consume plants. They are naturally lean and strong.

 

In The China Study, Dr. T. Colin Campbell points out that there are absolutely no nutrients we cannot obtain from eating a plant-based diet free of harmful animal proteins. Sure, we do get substantial amounts of protein and fat when we eat animals and their by-products, however, we miss out on antioxidants, fiber, phytonutrients, and other important micronutrients that are lacking in animal-based foods. We also ingest carcinogenic compounds such as heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; accelerate aging with advanced glycation end-products (AGEs); damage our endothelial cells with trans-fats and dietary cholesterol; and disrupt our digestive and eliminative processes.

 

While cholesterol is paramount for our body to function, it is important to note that we create the healthy version of cholesterol as we nourish ourselves with plant-based foods. Foreign cholesterol that is obtained from eating meat, dairy, and eggs is not the cholesterol we want in our system. By eating a well-balanced vegan diet, our body will produce the healthy version in abundance.

 

“It is not the plant-based foods that will make you ill, it is the meat and the liquid meat (i.e.: dairy) that can lead to sickness and death. Consider this: If your food had a face or a mother (or comes from something that did), then it also has varying amounts of artery-clogging, plaque-plugging, and cholesterol-hiking animal protein, animal cholesterol, and animal fat. These substances are the building blocks of the chronic diseases that plague Western society.” ― Rip Esselstyn, My Beef with Meat: The Healthiest Argument for Eating a Plant-Strong Diet

 

Fiber is extremely important for maintaining an untainted bowel. Fibrous vegetables contain high levels of inulin, which feeds the healthy actinobacteria in our gut. Animal-based foods contain zero fiber. Antioxidants and phytonutrients help to maintain a healthy microbiome, eliminate free radicals, lengthen telomeres, and fight off harmful pathogens. These nutrients are non-existent in meat, dairy, and eggs. Because we get more than enough protein in our diet by eating a combination of raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, it is unnecessary for us to continue eating animal-based foods. On a plant-based diet, we also receive sufficient amounts of calcium, iron, and other essential nutrients. The only vitamin we may need to supplement with is B-12. Keep in mind that more meat-eaters suffer from B-12 deficiencies than do vegans, so this is not simply a vegan deficiency. Vitamineral Green is a good choice of supplement for B-12. If you are curious about your blood levels and want to know whether or not you are getting the nutrients you need, access rawfoodeducation.com and elect to have a labwork consultation done with Dr. Rick Dina. He is an exceptional teacher, knowledgeable doctor, and wise man.

 

A major cause of inflammation is a cellular-surfaced molecule found in red meat and milk products. Scientists label this Neu5Gc, or the mammalian meat molecule. Once ingested, this compound absorbs into our tissues, stimulating an immune response. Our immune system creates antibodies to resist the molecule and begins to attack our organs where the molecule is hiding as our blood cells try to eliminate it from our system. The result is inflammation. We avoid Neu5Gc altogether by choosing to eat plant-based.