Have you ever considered adopting a plant-based lifestyle? If you answered “yes,” this is for you. If you answered “no” (like I once did), that’s okay, too. Not all lifestyles are perfect for everyone, but you can still read on and learn the benefits of adding more plants to your diet.

In 2019, my dear friend Allie suggested I read the book How Not to Die by Dr. Michael Greger. I started the book during my last hospital stay before my natural health journey started. At the time, I was not yet in remission from complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), I was still wheelchair dependent, and my chronic pain was through the roof, so I didn’t sleep much during my five-day sleep study for my uncontrolled epilepsy.

As I read the book, which discussed the discovery between foods and diseases, it was a no-brainer that I needed to at least try to change my diet and see if it helped my many, many health complications. I really didn’t think food could have much effect on my health. I mean, if it could, at least one of my doctors would have told me, right?

Despite my skepticism, the thousands of sources in the book influenced me, and my 2020 New Year’s Resolution was to adopt a plant-based lifestyle and, against my husband’s wishes, stop taking all over-the-counter and prescription medications.

Well, much to my surprise, my symptoms began to subside within two weeks. The chronic pain I once experienced was minimal. Symptoms of epilepsy controlled. The dizziness that stemmed from nystagmus was completely gone. Asthmatic symptoms vanished, and insomnia was a thing of the past. Thank you, Allie, for recommending that book and saving my life.

Of course, with so many lifestyle choices and similar stories to mine with nearly every dietary option, it’s no wonder people are left wondering what’s best for them. What makes a plant-based lifestyle so beneficial?

Research-Based Health Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet

Before we jump into the benefits, it’s important to understand that there are three primary types of plant-based lifestyles:

Vegetarian lifestyles typically avoid meat while still consuming certain animal products, like milk. Lacto-vegetarians allow only milk products, oco-vegetarians allow eggs but no milk products, and lacto-ovo-vegetarians allow milk and eggs in their diet. Some vegetarians even allow fish, which is technically a pescetarian.

Vegan lifestyles exclude all animal products, such as meat, eggs, dairy, and even honey. Veganism is more than just the food eaten; it also entails an element of morality and compassion toward animals to not exploit them for food, clothing, and other purposes. Typically, this diet focuses on processed foods for convenience, although vegans can be plant-based or whole-food plant-based, too.

Plant-based lifestyles include foods from plants and contain only a minimal amount (if any) of animal products. Some people occasionally eat animal ingredients or processed foods but primarily focus on plant nutrients. Additionally, plant-based people often recognize the benefits of foods, so they will consume honey, which vegans do not (due to the exploitation of bees).

Whole-food plant-based lifestyles include natural foods that are not heavily processed. Natural food products are real, unrefined, and minimally processed (i.e., whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes). Honey is typically consumed for its benefits when following a whole-food diet, like when plant-based, but oil is often avoided.

Personally, I aim for whole-food plant-based the majority of the time, so I consume honey, but also healthy oils (avocado, coconut, and extra virgin olive oil). Of course, like everyone, sometimes I need something fast and convenient, so I practice the 80/20 rule (80% whole-food plant-based and 20% leeway, but still plant-based). I also run The Holistic Hipppie’s Facebook Community, which is dedicated to learning and doing better without fear of judgment, and sometimes features plant-based alternatives and swaps.

Now for the benefits of a plant-based lifestyle.

High in Fiber

Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that the body can’t digest. Although most carbohydrates can be broken down into sugar molecules, fiber cannot break down into sugar molecules. Instead, fiber passes through the body undigested, which helps regulate the body’s usage of sugars, assisting in keeping hunger and blood sugar moderated (1). Fiber is only present in plant foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, and seeds (2). Since plants are very fiber-dense, the more fiber you eat, the more benefits you can access.

May Reduce Inflammation

Although inflammation is a natural bodily response, chronic inflammation can lead to detrimental health effects. Chronic inflammation has been linked with many diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, asthma, and certain cancers (3). Thankfully, eating more plants can help.

In human studies, diets that included animal products exacerbated rheumatoid arthritis (RA) symptoms, while plant-based diets reduced inflammation and pain (4). Another study concluded (5):

“Higher scores of HEI-2015 and increased intake of a healthy plant-based diet were associated with lower inflammation, while an unhealthy plant-based diet was associated with higher inflammation. A greater adherence to the 2015 dietary guidelines may reduce the risk of mortality associated with inflammation and may also benefit individuals with obesity who had low and moderate inflammation.”

Additionally, a scientific article mentioned that plant-based diets can modulate inflammatory biomarker profiles better than omnivore diets (6).

May Support Immune & Gut Health

If you read my post, The Importance of Immune Health, you know the immune system protects the body from outside invaders, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other toxins (7). When you support your immune system, you potentially support your body’s ability to fight sickness. Dr. Andrea Murray, an Anderson health education specialist, says (8):

“A plant-based diet strengthens your immune system to protect you against germs and microorganisms.”

Interestingly, an astonishing 70 to 80 percent of your immune system lives in the gut (9). To support your gut microbiome, you need a diet high in fiber.

“The foods that are highest in fiber are whole plant-based foods, including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Instead of focusing on a single micronutrient, like vitamin C, it’s important to eat a wide variety, since they contain different vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals that work in synergy.” (10)

Check out my post, The Importance of Gut Health, to learn more about influences on gut health and signs that yours is unhealthy.

May Improve Skin Appearance

Similar to how diet and immune health are direct influences, so are diet and skin health. It comes down to hydration, as plants contain about 80-95% water (11). If you consume more plants, you’ll be more hydrated, which in turn will hydrate the skin and keep it looking optimal.

Just to clarify, the standard American diet (SAD) is loaded with meats, sugars, and dairy, resulting in inflammation and added hormones (12). It is important to remember that your diet increases its nutritional value when you eat more plant-based foods. Fruits and vegetables provide a variety of food exposure, rich in micronutrients that your skin needs (13).

May Support Heart Health

Unfortunately, heart disease is the world’s number one cause of death (14). Due to the incredibly complex determinants of heart disease and various possible contributions, it’s hard to pinpoint an exact way to prevent it. Still, you can at least take steps to lower your overall risk, like consuming more plants.

Several studies have showcased the benefits of plant-based lifestyles regarding heart disease, especially compared to meat-filled diets (15,16). In a study of over 200,000 participants, those following a healthy plant-based diet had a significantly lower risk of developing heart disease than non-plant-based participants. The study also noted that less nutritionally sound diets that contained sugary and processed foods still had a lower risk of heart disease, but not as low as a more healthful dietary approach (17).

May Help Control Diabetes & Blood Sugar Levels

As of 2020, 34.2 million (1 in 10) Americans have diabetes, and another 88 million (1 in 3) Americans have prediabetes (18). On the bright side, plants may help. One study found that healthful plant-based dietary patterns helped lower the risk of type 2 diabetes (19). Another study found that high-quality plant-based diets are associated with a substantially lower risk of type 2 diabetes development (20). A final study found that vegetarian diets can help manage diabetes by improving weight, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels (21).

May Support Brain Health

Brain health refers to cognitive, motor, emotional, and tactile functions. Brain functions may decrease across several areas as we age due to neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, or even amyloid plaques (22). Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, dementia, multiple sclerosis (MS), and other brain diseases are associated with inflammation (23,24,25).

Thankfully, plant-based diets are rich in antioxidants like polyphenols, which can help slow the progression of Alzheimer’s and even reverse cognitive deficits (26). Several human studies have showcased the benefits of fruits and vegetables in reducing the risk of cognitive decline and even dementia (27,28). Another study noted that plant-based diets are associated with slower cognitive decline (29). A final study found low-fat plant-based diets reduce depression, anxiety, and fatigue while boosting overall productivity and well-being (30).

Helps Maintain a Healthy Weight

Weight management is a challenge for most people in the U.S., with more than 70% of American adults being overweight (31). Excess body weight is a common contributor to type 2 diabetes (the most common type of diabetes). Being overweight increases your risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke (32).

Thankfully, consuming plants can help manage weight. One study found that participants who consumed plant-based diets had lower BMIs than those who consumed non-plant-based diets (33). Additionally, many studies have showcased that diets surrounding plants resulted in significantly more weight loss than non-plant-focused diets (34,35).

May Reduce Cancer Risk

Statistics say that 158.3 of every 100,000 individuals will die from cancer, making it the second-leading cause of death globally (36,37). Thankfully, experts think diets revolving around plants may be the answer. Regarding plant-based diets for cancer patients, Dr. Dawn Mussallem states (38):

“It’s the dietary pattern that the organizations, such as the American Institute for Cancer Research and the American Cancer Society, recommend is a plant-predominant diet that has an emphasis on whole foods.”

Additionally, the American Institute of Cancer Research states (39):

“For cancer, reduced risks were seen up to about 7.5 fruits and vegetables a day (600 grams), with a 13 percent lower risk of dying from any cancer.”

Of course, experts and institutes don’t mean much to me, so I come bearing studies. One study found that nutritious plant-based foods resulted in lower risks of aggressive forms of prostate cancer, especially in men under 65 years (40). Other studies have associated plant-based diets with lower risks of breast and digestive system cancers, including pancreatic, colon, rectal, and colorectal cancers (41,42). Additionally, a final study noted that lower meat-eaters, fish-eaters, and vegetarians who focus on consuming more plants had a lower risk of all cancers compared to traditional meat-eaters (43)

Lighter Environmental Footprint

If you’re like me and concerned about the great garbage patch, this benefit, although not directly health-related, is big: plant-based lifestyles yield a lighter environmental footprint.

“Food Production is responsible for about 25 percent of the greenhouse-gas emissions heating up the plane. And scientists have known for quite some time now that meat has a bigger climate footprint than fruits and vegetables do.” (44)

For example, up to 42,000 pounds of strawberries can be grown on one acre of land (45). Forty-two thousand pounds of strawberries could feed 84,000 people if you followed the recommended 1 cup per serving portion (46). Yet, one cow uses 2 to 5 acres of land (47) and produces 490 pounds of beef (48), feeding approximately 2,613 people if you follow the recommended 3 oz. of beef per serving portion (49). In addition, the grains livestock eat in the U.S. alone could feed 800 million people (50).

Plant-Based Educational Resources

Aside from the research available throughout the internet, there are some books and documentaries that are great plant-based learning resources. Some of my favorites over the years have been:

• How Not to Die by Michael Greger, M.D., FACLM, examines the fifteen top causes of death in America: heart disease, various cancers, diabetes, Parkinson’s, high blood pressure, and more. This book is backed by thousands of sources showcasing how nutritional and lifestyle interventions can sometimes trump prescription pills and other pharmaceutical and surgical approaches, freeing us to live healthier lives. Dr. Greger also has a matching cookbook, the How Not to Die Cookbook.
• Cowspiracy is a groundbreaking feature-length environmental documentary following intrepid filmmaker Kip Andersen as he uncovers the most destructive industry facing the planet today – and investigates why the world’s leading environmental organizations are too afraid to talk about it.
• Food Inc. lifts the veil on how corporations have consumed the nation’s food industry and how that impacts the farms where our food comes from, the supermarkets where we buy our food, and the restaurants where we eat that food. It tackles the FDA, food safety, production, large-scale animal processing plants, and other food matters.
• Forks Over Knives examines the profound claim that most, if not all, chronic diseases that afflict us can be controlled or even reversed by rejecting animal-based and processed foods. The idea of food as medicine is put to the test. The film follows everyday Americans with chronic conditions as they seek to reduce their dependence on medications and learn to use a whole-food, plant-based diet to regain control over their health and their lives. They also have amazing plant-based magazines (available on Amazon) that I purchase quarterly, featuring easy-to-follow recipes and education.
• Vegucated is a feature-length documentary that follows three meat and cheese-loving New Yorkers who agree to adopt a vegan diet for six weeks. Lured by true tales of weight loss and health regained, they uncover hidden sides of animal agriculture and wonder whether solutions offered in films like Food, Inc. go far enough. Before long, they risked everything to expose an industry they had supported just weeks before.
• What the Health is the groundbreaking follow-up film from the creators of the award-winning documentary Cowspiracy. The film exposes the collusion and corruption in government and big business that is costing us trillions of healthcare dollars and keeping us sick. What The Health is a surprising, and at times hilarious, investigative documentary that will be an eye-opener for everyone concerned about our nation’s health and how big business influences it.

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