6 Reasons We Choose to Feed our Family A Whole Foods Plant Based Diet

Since we began transitioning to a Whole Foods Plant Based Diet, I’ve had quite a few awkward conversations with family and friends. They ask a question or two, I tell them more about what we are doing and then . . . awkward silence.

I get it though. A diet with very little meat or dairy sounded pretty extreme to me. It contradicts SO MUCH of the mainstream health advice we get. I know I had a hard time picturing a diet without any meat and dairy actually being healthy. After all, haven’t we been taught nearly all our lives that milk and dairy are required for strong bones and teeth and that meat is essential for muscle development?I considered myself fairly well-informed when it came to issues of health and eating and I knew very little about the solid research that dramatically supports a Whole Foods Plant Based Diet. Who knew the Academy of Nutrition and Dietics supported vegetarian and vegan diets?¹ Now I find myself in sometimes a tricky situation–knowing that many of today’s biggest health challenges can be prevented and even reversed and figuring out how to share it in a way that doesn’t rub people in the wrong way! I’ve included a number of references because like so many things, mainstream media doesn’t always provide an accurate picture.

Here are a few reasons we have decided to take this path:

Outstanding Athletes

It is compelling to see some of the world’s best athletes fueled by plants.

Scott Jurek, considered one of the best runners of all time, set a speed record for running the Appalachian Trail in 2015, averaging 50 miles/day for 46 days. ² Scott “follows a 100% plant-based diet, which he credits for his endurance, recovery and consistent twenty year racing career” ³

When a flight of stairs left Rich Roll buckled over in pain on the eve of his 40th birthday, he became a dedicated vegan, returned to the pool and put on his running shoes. Just two years later, he finished the ultraman (6.2 mile ocean swim, 263 mile bike and 52.4 mile run) as one of the 10 fastest males, despite never having competed in even a half iron triathlon before. ⁴

Meagan Duhamel just took a gold medal in the Pyeongang Olympics pairs figure skating event. She says before she switched to a vegan diet she was “’out of shape’ (under elite figure skater standards) and unhealthy” but after switching had an increase in energy, stabilized weight, and more patience and compassion. ⁵

The only American to qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics in weight-lifting, Kendrick Farris made his 3rd visit to the olympics as a vegan and says it has sped up his recovery, improved his focus and helped him feel lighter. ⁶. Kendrick and other olympians recently shared their improved performance after giving up dairy.

I’d be skeptical on the health benefits of eating plants if I hadn’t experienced it myself. Since adopting a plant-based diet I have better stamina and endurance in my exercise. I am faster and stronger than I was 15 years ago!

This list just scrapes the surface, visit www.greatveganathletes.com for many more!

Osteoperosis Myths

One of my first concerns was the same as many others–how can I get enough calcium? Won’t I have bone issues? But in reality, there is a strong correlation with the countries that have the highest intake of animal and dairy products and fractures and incidences of osteoperosis. You read that right, more milk=more bone issues. It’s the dairy council that is telling us we need more milk, not science.

The women of the African Bantu tribe consume around 350 mg of calcium, bear an average of 9 children and rarely have broken bones or osteoporosis. On the contrary, the native Eskimo’s consume 2000 mg of calcium from fish bones and have one of the highest protein diets (250-400 mg) in the world. They also have one of the highest rates of osteoporosis. Highly acidic foods such as meat, dairy, sugar and processed carbohydrates all cause the body to draw calcium from the bones to balance the blood pH and thereby weakens our bones. ⁷

Cancer Reversal

Dr. Kelly Turner studied over 1000 patients who had experienced what is commonly called “spontaneous remission” of frequently advanced and terminal cancers for whom the doctors had run out of options. In her book Radical Remission, she outlines the common practices these patients took to reverse their cancer, highlighting that the remission did not happen spontaneously, but that these patients took control of their health and had startling success. One of her biggest findings? That these patients all dramatically reduced their consumption of meat, dairy, processed foods and sugar and replaced them with whole plant foods. ⁸,⁹.

This is consistent with the findings of Dr. T. Colin Cambell in the China Study – they found they could turn cancer growth on and off based on the percentage of animal protein in the diet. Higher animal protein = cancer growth. Higher plant protein = halted cancer growth.¹⁰. The documentary Forks Over Knives gives a great in depth look at this and other research pointing to the benefits of plant-based eating. I find it especially compelling to note that Dr. Campbell and Dr. Esselstyn (noted below) both came from a dairy farm background and began their research with the belief that animal protein was needed for good health. But the results they witnessed surprised them and led them to recommend a diet of plants over animals.

Reverse Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes and More

In 1984 Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn took a group of severely advanced cardiovascular disease patients with few treatment options and placed them on a diet consisting of mostly plants. Of the individuals who stayed in the study, all had dramatically improved cholesterol and other markers and had no cardiac events, as opposed to those who dropped out of the study and returned to a standard diet. He found that while the American Heart Association recommends total cholesterol be below 200 mg/dL, many people still have cardiac issues at this level. Having a level below 150 mg/dL, however, and your chances of having an issue are next to zero.¹¹

Type 2 Diabetes is plaguing the nation and it is one of the diseases that responds the quickest to dietary changes.¹² ¹³ Just a google search of “reverse type 2 diabetes plant based diet” reveals a number of studies and information. I’ve heard it said that 80% of disease is related to diet and can be improved with a shift in eating. If you’re dealing with something, it may be worth googling your condition with “plant-based diet” and see what people have to say!

Environmental Impact

I have never been a big animals rights person or environmentalist, believing that both animals and the earth are here for our use but should be used with wisdom and gratitude. However, the decrease in farms and increase in meat consumption is leading to some scary factory farming practices. Even if you care nothing about the animal itself, the hormones, antibiotics and poor living conditions cause concern for the quality of the meat and dairy products being produced.

Further, 1 gram of protein from beef requires about 6 times as much water to produce as 1 gram of protein from plants,¹⁴ and if the grains fed to cows went to people we could end world hunger ¹⁵. And did you know that cattle farms are responsible for more methane gas than all the American cars combined? It’s pretty funny that reducing meat consumption is virtually non-existent in the global warming conversations.

Word of Wisdom

It would still be difficult to navigate all of the contradictory health claims if it weren’t for the Word of Wisdom, a revelation in Latter-day Saint (Mormon) scripture. Many are familiar with our belief of the importance of avoiding alcohol, coffee and tobacco, but less attention is given to the verses that discuss eating meat sparingly and in times of famine.

Reading all of this research and seeing how it fits with the guidance given nearly 200 years ago (long before the surgeon general and other authorities began warning the dangers of tobacco and alcohol) has made the most sense to us. Jane Birch, Assistant Director for Faculty Development at BYU, has written a great deal on the subject both in her book, Discovering the Word of Wisdom and in a series of excellent articles for Meridian Magazine.

It wasn’t an easy decision, and a transition we made gradually. We still eat a little of everything here and there, but focus on making the foods we eat day in and day out as nutritious as possible. There is always more to learn and tweak as we go along, particularly since meat and dairy need to be replaced with the right nutrient-dense foods to keep you full and nourished.

But we have seen cholesterol numbers, pants sizes and running paces go down and our energy, productivity and mental clarity go up. Illnesses are less frequent and less-severe. The only way we really knew if this was the right path was to experiment and see the results. As we’ve continued to learn and experiment along the way, we are constantly trying to learn and improve and enjoy improved health along the way.