What and how we eat affects every area of our lives, from well-being to happiness to finances. Eating healthy is smart.
There’s even an arm of nutritional science that studies food as medicine, and it makes sense. When we fuel our bodies with high-test, we perform better, both inside and outside. Yet, there’s a problem. Often, when thinking what it looks like to eat healthier, we picture twigs and bark, cottage cheese and rabbit food, but it doesn’t have to be that way.
I’d like to introduce you to a new way of thinking about eating: a whole-food, plantbased diet. I’m not suggesting you give up meat or even that occasional, beloved jelly doughnut. Instead, I’m proposing a way of eating that is flexible, fun to forage for, easy on the wallet and delivers a big nutritional bang. If you travel this path, I can’t promise you’ll drop pounds or save cash, but I’d be surprised if you didn’t have some success in both those areas. If you stick with it, you will see and feel the benefits in the form of radiant skin, shiny hair, more energy and clarity and, likely, better results at the doctor’s office.
So what exactly is a whole-food, plantbased diet? Let’s begin with what it is not. It’s not ketogenic, vegetarian, or vegan. It’s a way of life based on eating a rainbow of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, legumes and healthy fats with smaller portions of dairy, meat and eggs. It’s the eating style that the longest-lived populations of the Blue Zones adhere to. The Mediterranean Diet? Plant-based. Flexitarian, Ornish, yes indeed, plant-based.
With a little tweaking, you may find that adopting a whole-food, plant-based diet is easier and more delicious than you imagined.
Good advice! We’re in Asheville NC now but still have Maine blueberries in the freezer and real Maple syrup in the fridge. Happy Thanksgiving!
Really enjoyed your article on the RV diet. It’s simple ,healthy and provides an excellent dietary philosophy while on the road! And by the way it looks great on you!
Michael Aherin
Nicely written with good motivators for those who are reluctant. Thank you!
Excellent article!! I am 78 and we have been eating whole-food, plant-based for almost 10 years and love the results!!! Lots of energy and no prescriptions and there is lots of science supporting this way of eating. I wish we know about this many years before.
We find it very easy to cook this way and even eat out with some planning. I suspect there are many of us full timers that understand the power of plants.
We have taught classes on the road and at schools and we have been thinking about trying to form a BOF group for recipes and support for the WFPB way of eating. An thoughts?
Good info! We switched months ago, and have been feeling much better.