Adopting a Plant-Based Diet

A minimalist lifestyle does not mean that we must live in lack, rather it is designed to help us live with greater focus on what is important. We often think that adding something to our lives will solve a problem, but the more elegant solution is to sometimes subtract things.

Similar principles apply to our health, because optimum health is achieved by focusing on diet and lifestyle. But many different ways of eating and exercising are promoted, leaving most people confused, so they freeze and remain mired in their old ways instead of beginning a new path.

First, declutter all the useless and old information that has accumulated and toss it in the trash. In its place, put only thoughts, ideas and lifestyle approaches that have merit, proof and validity. These ideas will lead to our best self and most vibrant health. By following just a few steps, we can boost our immune system, health and happiness; it will even boost our finances, and our carbon footprint will shrink.

This magical step is the one action we can take to heal our body and soul, as well as heal the planet and cause the least amount of harm—a plant-based diet. Eating plant-based for just part of the week delivers the full spectrum of vitamins, minerals, micronutrients and enzymes to the body. Subtracting can be as important as what we add. By not consuming animal products, inflammation and cholesterol levels will drop and adverse reactions the human body has to animal protein cease. Our arteries will have a chance to clear and our blood and cells cleanse themselves of toxins.

A plant-based diet can help us prevent and offset disease by decades. Cancer, diabetes and heart disease are known to be lifestyle diseases that a plant-based diet has been proven to prevent and reverse. Along with diet, implementing a workout regime is the double knockout punch we can deliver to disease. A plant-based lifestyle, along with healthy socialization, good sleep and working out, empowers us to focus on life, not managing disease.

Our immune system is an incredibly intelligent and powerful defense system. It is so automated and efficient that we are seldom aware of its operation. Here is a powerful and minimalist two-step approach to boost our immune system and assist it in its task now, when we need it to be functioning at peak efficiency: subtract animal proteins, sugars and toxicity; and add a healthy, balanced, plant-based diet.

Donn Gross is the owner of Meals to Heal, a daily health meal service. For more information, call 973-226-9170 or email MealsToHealCatering@gmail.com.