We have all heard that eating a more plant based diet is a good idea. After all that is where all the micro nutrients and antioxidants that are so important to our heath come from. But did you also know that most of us are overly conditioned to eat a diet based on meat. Of course you did. Switching to a diet that is more plant based is not an easy task. It is all the more difficult that we grew up thinking that meat, or protein, is what we need. However there have been many studies done that debunk this entirely. Yes it is true that we need protein, but really not that much. Especially if you are grown adult. Instead it is all the micro nutrients and antioxidants from a plant based diet that is important and maintains our health as we age.
One thing that we do not hear a lot about however is the importance of digestive enzymes. The agents that actually help us break down our food and properly digest them. If you do a google search for them you will turn up a lot of information. However, most of what you will find will be a marketing ploy to get you to buy some supplement. Don’t fall for this. You see we can, and do get, all the enzymes we need from food. What kind of food? You guessed it plant based foods.
Of course we are all familiar with the Chinese restaurant that brings pineapple at the end of the meal as a digestive aid. I wish however they would bring fresh pineapple as opposed to canned, in the end it is in the spirit of aiding our digestion. Pineapple is loaded with protease, a major digestive enzyme. So eating it up is a really good idea, however almost all plant based foods, especially in their raw state, are equally loaded with these enzymes. Take a look at this web page listing food sources of digestive enzymes. It is almost exclusively plant based foods.
As I get a little older I begin to consider my health, and what I put into my body, a lot more. Gone are the days of pigging out on a huge pulled pork sandwich or a decadent 19oz prime rib. Don’t get me wrong I still love that stuff it just needs to be in much more moderate amounts. I do find myself gravitating to salads more often and as of lately, salads that include no animal based food at all. When I do eat this way I find that my energy is up and generally speaking I feel a whole lot better. I have also shifted to a much larger portion of plant based foods on my dinner table and have dramatically reduced the size and portion of meat or fish when I do eat it. It is just not necessary.
Increasing the amount of plant based foods I eat, making sure to get a diverse amount on my plate, has also made me realize I no longer need to supplement vitamins and such in pill form. The nutrients in these plant based foods is more than enough, even in modest amounts. Add to that foods that are uncooked and you are really doing well.
I truly believe that switching to a more plant based, whole food, diet is key to continued health as we age. It is not the magic bullet, however it is integral to supporting a healthy and long life. Lessening the amount of those foods we crave so much is difficult, but when your health is at stake isn’t it worth it.