1. HIGHER LEVEL OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Eat primarily plants and you will likely enjoy a higher level of health and wellness, thanks largely to the amount of vitamins and nutrients within foods in this particular group.

For instance, eating carrots supplies your body with a fairly high level of vitamin A, biotin, and vitamin K. And if you eat almonds regularly, your body is getting a decent amount of biotin, vitamin E, manganese, copper, vitamin B2, and more.

All of these nutrients are critical to the efficient and effective functioning of your body and all of its organs. In other words, eating a wide variety of plant-based foods can give you the nourishment you need to get and stay as healthy as you can be.

2. PROTECTION FROM CHRONIC ILLNESS AND DISEASE

The World Health Organization estimates that almost two-thirds of all deaths are caused by chronic health conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, they also believe that a poor diet is a contributing factor in every one of them.

It only makes sense then that people who get a majority of their daily calories from nutrient-rich, plant-based foods tend to report having these types of chronic diseases at lower rates. It’s further suggested that this is because these particular food items help better control our body’s functions in a way that makes disease development and progression less likely, most notably through the antioxidants that many contain.

3. REVERSAL OF SOME HEALTH CONDITIONS

Not only can eating plant-based foods help to protect you from developing chronic diseases, but it can also help you reverse health conditions you may currently be struggling with. For instance, a woman by the name of Jil Larsen developed a skin condition called melasma. However, through juicing and integrative nutrition (which involved removing meat and dairy from her diet), she was able to reverse her melasma within a relatively short amount of time.

In his book titled “The Spectrum: A Scientifically Proven Program to Feel Better, Live Longer, Lose Weight, and Gain Health,” Dr. Dean Ornish also shares how a plant-based diet can potentially help reverse life-threatening conditions like heart disease and cancer. While sometimes it isn’t that simple to overcome these types of diseases, there is no harm in taking this route. Eating these types of foods can’t hurt- it can only help.

4. MORE EFFICIENT DIGESTIVE FUNCTION

Because fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, and seeds are so high in fibre, your body’s digestive system also benefits from choosing this type of eating lifestyle. Fibre is the one substance that helps give your stools their bulk, making it easier for your body to release them and the many toxins and negative substances they contain.

If you’re not used to eating a lot of fibre, then you want to switch to this type of diet slowly over time to avoid upsetting your system. By taking in more than you’re accustomed to eating too quickly, you risk abdominal discomforts such as bloating, gas, and cramps.

About the author:

Shelly Stinson is a freelance writer based out of Denver, CO. Follow her health and fitness journey on twitter at https://twitter.com/shellystins.