Why does PBHO focus on a plant-based diet?
Unhealthy diets are now responsible for 1 in 5 deaths in the UK and these deaths are mainly from cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and cancer.
The reason the UK diet is so unhealthy is because we eat too much processed food and meat and not enough of the healthy plant foods; fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds.
In the UK, more than 50% of our supermarket shopping consists of ultra-processed foods. Only 28% of adults and 18% of children manage to eat 5 portions of fruits and vegetables a day. We know that with every small increase in the amount of fruits and vegetables eaten, there are notice-able improvements in health.
What is a whole food plant-based diet (WFPD)?
A diet that focuses on eating foods as they are grown. A WFPBD is centred on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds. Foods such as meat, chicken, fishy, dairy and eggs as well as processed foods are reduced or eliminated from the diet.
What are the benefits of a WFPBD?
The benefits of a healthy plant-based diet are extensive. A WFPBD can reduce your risk of com-mon chronic disease such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers. They can also be used, alongside conventional medicine, as a treatment for these same conditions.
The good news is that it’s never too late to make changes. Using the right foods in your diet can be a very powerful way to regain your health.
That’s why at PBHO, we recommend a plant-based diet. It’s one of the healthiest choices you can make.
Some wider benefits of a plant based diet
It is well recognised that in order to sustain both human and planetary health, we must all shift to a plant-based food system.
The global food system is a major contributor to the current climate crisis with animal agriculture contributing significantly through its impact on greenhouse gas emissions, land degradation, loss of biodiversity, species loss and water pollution.
Two other important and relevant areas of concern are zoonotic diseases and antibiotic resistance. Animal agriculture is constantly generating new infectious threats and as we are seeing now with COVID-19, these infections can result in human epidemics and pandemics at any given time. The use of antibiotics in animal agriculture creates a separate problem as a major driver in generat-ing antibiotic-resistant infections. Whilst minimising their use is key, reducing our demand for meat will also offer an important part of the solution.
It can be difficult to know where to start with making dietary changes. Download our FREE starter guide to for more helpful information and book an appointment with our team. We can support you with a personalised plant-based diet plan.