Where do we start?
According to the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM), eight lifestyle behaviors result in an astounding 80% of all healthcare costs in America. They are:
- Poor diet
- Physical inactivity
- Smoking
- Lack of health screening
- Poor stress management
- Insufficient sleep
- Poor standard of care
- Excessive alcohol consumption
Think about it! With the exception of “poor standard of care” (inadequate or incompetent healthcare), all of these factors are things we can improve on our own!
what can we do?
ACLM recommends 6 things to build a healthy foundation for life:
- Adequate sleep
- Whole food plant based diet
- Social interactions
- Adequate exercise
- Avoid unhealthy substances
- Stress management
Above all, diet is considered the #1 preventable risk factor for death and disability globally. Yes, changing your diet is the #1 thing you can do to to improve your health.
Although ACLM recommends a whole food plant-based diet, they realize this is difficult for many people to follow all the time. But research shows that moving to a diet rich in vegetables, fruits and plant proteins such as seeds and legumes, even SOME of the time is beneficial. In other words, you don’t have to be a vegetarian or vegan, just eat like one once in a while and increase the frequency over time (see more here).
But what about carbs?
A lot of people are worried and confused about “carbs” (carbohydrates). Remember, there are three kinds of carbs, and the one you REALLY need to avoid is sugar (see more info here). Other than sugar, it is important to know that our bodies need carbohydrate as its primary fuel.
But what about all those “low carb” diets out there? ACLM has evaluated the research behind them all.
Low-carb diets
ACLM’s research found that there was indeed quick, short term weight loss on a low-carb diet. BUT over time, there was no difference in weight loss between low-carb and other diets. Most concerning though, is that low-carb diets are associated with higher risk of death from all causes! Take a look at the summary.
Keto diet
A Keto diet severely restricts carbohydrate consumption and puts the body into a state of “ketosis”. This diet is well researched because it has been used for decades to reduce epileptic seizures. While it can help people with epilepsy, it comes with a host of other uncomfortable and frightening side effects listed here. Most concerning is that over time, a Keto diet seems to make many chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease worse (see more here).
Paleo diet
While the Paleo diet is the least extreme of the low-carb diets, it still results in high saturated fat intake and eliminates known health promoting foods such as whole grains and legumes (beans, peas and lentils). Try it for yourself, but a whole food plant based diet may be even better!
So what can I eat that is healthy but still quick and easy?
Well, Yumbini of course! It is true that eating a whole food plant based diet can be time consuming. It can involve lots of chopping and long cooking! And it is especially difficult when you want something in a hurry. And even worse when you are away from home. Yumbini was invented to help you out. Plenty of whole, fiber-rich beans and plant-based protein, easily portable and ready to eat in 6 minutes flat. Nothing fancy, just real food.
Remember, its all about a healthy foundation of plants! And carbs are good. They feed your brain.
