Throughout this guide, we often refer to eating whole food plant-based (WFPB) as a “diet”, which for many is how it starts out. However, the reason why a WFPB diet succeeds where others fail is because it’s not really a diet at all: it’s a lifestyle.
Unlike traditional diets, a WFPB lifestyle isn’t a short-term punishment charged by guilt. It’s not made up of complicated meal plans, confusing labels, or calorie-counting. It’s simply a return to whole foods, fresh flavors, and natural health.
If you’re ever confused about what you should be eating, just remember to keep it simple! Do most of your shopping in the produce section of the store. If it’s a whole grain, fruit, vegetable, nut, or legume, then it’s great to eat! If it comes in a jar, a box, or a wrapper, but doesn’t have any artificial additives, animal-derived ingredients, or added sugar or oils, then that’s good too. If you’re still unsure, then check out our final chapter or refer to Dr. Esselstyn’s comprehensive list of optimum-health dos and don’ts, HERE.
As we’ll learn throughout this guide, the benefits of being mindful about what we put into our bodies are enormous and, when we adopt a whole food, plant-based lifestyle, we’re likely to:
- Lower our risk of prostate, breast and other cancers
- Prevent and even reverse heart disease
- Prevent and treat diabetes
- Fight depression
- Have more energy
- Live longer
- Feel empowered
There is nothing to lose and so much to gain, and you may just join the millions of vegans who say that their only regret is not doing it sooner.
