Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Welcome to People For Plants.

Have you thought about what kind of shape you'd like to be in when you retire? If you have kids, I know you want the best for them. Learn the basics of good nutrition- for them. The doctors and health professionals I study say that approximately 97% of the adults in the U.S. still do not understand what is healthy to eat and drink, and what is not. Join the 3% who have become informed. That is the purpose of this site. It seems obvious, but here are the basics: 1) Make food and drink that includes only ingredients that promote your health the foundation of your diet. 2) Avoid food and drink that contain ingredients that destroy health. All food from animals have ingredients that destroy health. (Please read the next two entries following this one regarding the harmful dairy industry, plus go to All food from plants have only ingredients that promote health, especially organic. The best advice we can give: study what is healthy to eat and drink, and what is not. To find out read The Starch Solution by John McDougall, MD. For the healthiest lifestyle, eat a starch based, plant based, low fat diet. The plant foods that are highest in starch include potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice, beans, corn, and whole grains. These foods have the highest amount of calories, or energy, that you should center your meals around. Meat eaters center their meals around meat. Plant eaters center their meals around starches. From my friend Peter in Australia: "I've been eating a plant based diet since 1996. I never feel that I’m missing out, or deprived. Quite simply there is such a wonderful choice of plant foods available from the five following foods groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes (beans) and seeds and nuts. If you decide you would like to adopt a plant based diet, embracing it with the attitude of ‘abundance’ rather than ‘deprivation’, you are more likely to be successful. A healthy plant based lifestyle promotes positive outcomes for the health of people, the environment, and animals." I've heard people say, "I love my meat. I could never give it up." Or "I could never give up cheese", or "I could never give up ice cream." I do understand that these foods are sometimes not easy to give up. The downside is these foods have ingredients that are addictive, and destroy your health. If unhealthy, addictive foods mean more to you than the best health, that is your choice. The majority of people think in the present, with no regard for the future. Those who choose an unhealthy lifestyle have more chance for disease, more doctor visits, more medical expenses, more pain, more pills, and more chance for a shorter life. How much quality time would you like to spend with your grandchildren? Here are some common, well loved foods that have human health destroying ingredients: all meat including all fish, all dairy (even low fat), all cheese, eggs, fast food, all oils including olive oil, excess salt, all products that contain processed sugar, boxed foods, processed foods, pasteurized juices, conventional candy, pop or soda, alcohol, coffee, and many others. All raw and cooked food from organic, edible plants (not sprayed with poison/insecticides) have human health promoting ingredients. If it "comes in nature's package" it promotes health. If the plant foods are cooked in a healthy way, meaning using water/no oil, you can eat as much healthy plant food as you want and achieve your ideal weight. There is no calorie counting with this lifestyle. There is a whole new wonderful healthy world out there just waiting for you to discover. From John McDougall, MD: "There is an individual, specific diet that best supports the health, function, and longevity of each and every animal. The proper diet for human beings is based on starches- sweet potatoes, potatoes, corn, rice, whole grains, and beans. Drum roll, please... Here it is, from Dr. McDougall: "The healthiest diet for people: "The Starch Solution"