Benefits of a Plant-based Diet

di·et
[ˈdīət]
NOUN
1. the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats
2. a special course of food to which one restricts oneself, either to lose weight or for medical reasons

Today we're talking about the first definition - a lifestyle, or what one normally eats.

Last week I posted a video celebrating some exciting new topics on the blog as well as my fourth week of eating a plant-based diet. I very briefly addressed a couple reasons why I chose to begin this lifestyle, and today I'm excited to expound on those a little more.

Why do I eat a plant-based diet?

1) For God's creation.

Animals
The righteous care for the needs of their animals,
    but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.
Proverbs 12:10

A quick skim of the story of Balaam's donkey in Numbers 22 is enough to say God doesn't take kindly to people beating animals. Sadly, it is often Christians who are the quickest to pull out the "dominion" word and the fact that animals don't have spirits or souls to excuse all kinds of cruel behaviors and practices. But animals have nervous systems and can feel pain just as much as you or I, and I know for sure that it breaks God's heart when we inflict pain, especially on the helpless.

The truth is, we have become so gluttonous that our meat consumption, and therefore meat demand and production, is out of control. Whatever way you look at it, Americans eat too much meat. Period. Nobody needs to eat that much. Even if you don't want to become a vegetarian or vegan, please consider cutting back a little on your meat consumption - maybe even one meal a day - for your health and the care of God's creatures.

I strongly encourage you to see if you can purchase your meat and dairy from a local, no-hormone farm where the animals are pastured and raised without machines and cages. Not only will the products be healthier for you, you can know that your consumption did not cost the suffering of a helpless creature.

Environment
Factory farming takes a toll on the environment. Big time. Not only does it use tons of natural resources, farting cows and sheep contribute more than 15% of greenhouse gases!

2) For my health.

Animal products have been linked to many diseases, including heart disease and gastrointestinal disease. Thankfully I have not suffered from either of these. But maybe you have. Maybe it's time to talk to your doctor about cutting back on the meat and butter and cheese.

My major problems have been with my skin. Again, I can say with gratefulness that I have never had severe acne, but I have had it to the point (even into my 20's) that I was embarrassed to go to the gym without makeup. Some of that is due to insecurity, yes, but I think most people will admit they don't feel as confident with flaming red bumps all over their face.

Even when my acne cleared up after taking isotretinoin (very dangerous medicine, although it did get rid of my acne), I still had blotchy skin and weird bumps on the backs of my arms (keratosis pilaris). Five weeks into my plant-based diet, I am happy to say I have a much more even skin tone, and my arms are smooth!

A plant-based diet has been shown to slow aging of skin, clear acne, and reduce risk of cancer, diabetes and heart disease. I want to do whatever I can to steward my body as God's creation and a temple of the Holy Spirit so I can honor Him and serve others with all my might.

3) To save money.

This last reason may seem a bit far-fetched to some. After all, vegans require so much, well, vegan food, and specialty foods are almost always pricey. However, even though I am too new to this to make definitive claims based on my own experience, the testimony of several other plant eaters gives me confidence that my lifestyle will indeed save on the family food budget.

A vegan diet, especially if you want to eat fresh, healthy food, requires more planning. The more you plan, the more you save. We all know that if we plan a menu, make a grocery list, and shop the sales and use coupons, we save more money. If you are striving to eat healthy, you're going to have to sit down and make a menu and grocery list. This will require you to spend a little more time but save a lot more money because you won't be impulse buying cookies and ice cream.

Most significant is the obvious: meat is expensive. Plain and simple. That's why it's such a luxury for most of the world. Beans, lentils, and protein-filled grains and veggies are much less expensive, so why spend extra to purchase something that will likely give you cardiovascular and digestive problems?

Have I given you any food for thought? Wink, wink. Interested in learning more? What are some of your questions, concerns or objections with a plant-based diet? Next week I want to address some objections to the vegan lifestyle, so please let me know in the comments below.

Thanks for reading, and again, please consider purchasing your animal products from responsible sources. Happy healthy eating to you!