Your diet is an essential part of your personal health and wellness. If you are looking to improve your eating habits, following a plant-based diet can help boost your nutrition and provide you with a variety of health benefits.
A plant-based diet, according to the American Heart Association, is one that excludes meat, fish, dairy and other animal products. When you decrease the amount of meat you eat, you also decrease your risk for conditions like heart disease, strokes, diabetes and many cancers.
Prior research sponsored by the National Institutes of Health has shown that certain healthy food choices can help people lose weight, reduce their medications, and sometimes eliminate their medications completely.
Whether you are looking to follow an entirely plant-based diet, or just incorporate more vegetables and fruits into your meals, changing your eating habits can seem challenging. Harvard Health offers several ways to make this transition easier, including:
❑ Incorporating a variety of leafy greens like kale, spinach and collards
❑ Enjoying healthy, plant-based snacks like hummus or salsa
❑ Eating whole-grain breakfast foods, such as oatmeal or quinoa
❑ Choosing fruits as your desserts instead of sugary sweets
