THE NUTRITARIAN DIET: Restore Your Health with Nutrient-Dense Plant Foods
"Americans are digging their graves with their knives and forks."
-Dr. Joel Fuhrman
This quote may seem a bit harsh, but when you look at the statistics, you'll realize that it's a very accurate statement. The Standard American Diet (SAD) is making the majority of Americans overweight and unwell; in fact, diseases caused by poor nutrition are currently the largest cause of death worldwide.
The good news is that the human body is an amazing self-healing machine, when supplied with superior nutrition. And the Nutritarian Diet is the most effective intervention program available to not only prevent disease, but also to reverse it.
If you've tried dieting in the past with no success, and you're ready to take full control of your health destiny, I encourage you to to learn more about the Nutritarian Diet and what it can do for you.
Doctor Fuhrman Books
Dr. Joel Fuhrman, founder and creator of the Nutritarian Diet, has written several best-selling books on nutrition, including The End of Dieting, The End of Heart Disease, The End of Diabetes, Super Immunity, and Fast Food Genocide. His most recent book entitled EAT FOR LIFE offers the most up-to-date nutritional research as well as a comprehsive understanding of the principles of the Nutritarian Diet. I highly recommend that you to read it.
WHAT IS THE NUTRITARIAN DIET?
The Nutritarian Diet is an eating style that focuses on consuming mainly nutrient-dense plant foods, while avoiding foods that are void of nutrients or toxic to the body, such as sugar and processed foods.
This diet is not primarily about losing weight; it's about eating in a way that benefits your overall health and longevity; losing weight is simply a natural side effect. The key to success lies upon being willing to open your mind and replace habits that are making you unhealthy with new ones that serve you better.
Over time, as you increase the amount of nutrient-rich plant foods you're eating, and replace unhealthy foods with healthier alternatives, your taste preferences and hunger drive will reset; once this happens, you'll be amazed at how easy and rewarding it is to follow this new way of eating and maintain your ideal weight for life, without having to worry about "dieting" ever again.
The goal of this program is to teach you how to make better food choices, and show you how to prepare these foods in a way that maintains their nutritional integrity to best support your body. All of this information, as well as the most current research, is found in Dr. Fuhrman's latest book, Eat for Life.
Nutrient Dense Meals
The key to living a long life and reversing disease is to eat a diet that is lower in calories and higher in nutrients. Think of it as getting the best nutrient "bang" per caloric "buck". This is best demonstrated by the following Health Equation:
Health = N/C (#Nutrients/#Calories)
Simply trying to reduce the number of calories you are eating is known as dieting, and it doesn't work. When you limit calories by eating meals that consist of foods that are high in nutrient density, you feel satisfied longer and will crave less calories, therefore losing weight in the process.
You can read more about nutrient density here.
GBOMBS
Dr. Fuhrman developed the acronym G-BOMBS to help you easily remember the healthiest foods that should be eaten on a daily basis when following the Nutritarian Diet:
Greens
Beans
Onions
Mushrooms
Berries
Seeds
There are hundreds of scientific studies showing that these particular foods prevent cancer and prolong the lifespan of people who have cancer.
GREENS
All vegetables are excellent sources of nutrients; however, green vegetables, in particular, are the most helpful in reducing cancer.
Out of all vegetables, the cruciferous family, including broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower , kale, bok choy, collards, arugula, watercress, and cabbage have shown the most significant protection against cancer. Consumption of cruciferous vegetables is also associated with reduced cardiovascular mortality, as well as all causes of death. And research shows that the more you eat, the more protection you get.
BEANS
Beans are, by far, the healthiest carbohydrate. They are low-glycemic, high in fiber, and are an excellent source of protein.
In addition, beans, lentils, and peas have powerful anticancer benefits. Soybeans (edamame and tempeh) in particular, are especially protective against cancer, as compared to other beans; however, be aware that soy protein powder and isolated/concentrated soy protein do not promote health and should be avoided.
ONIONS
The Allium family of vegetables, which includes onions, garlic, shallots, leeks, and scallions, has very strong anticancer properties as well as anti-inflammatory effects that help prevent proliferation of cancer cells.
In addition, onions are garlic benefit the cardiovascular system and garlic helps boost the immune system.
MUSHROOMS
Mushrooms are an anti-cancer superfood. They actually prevent abnormal cells from replicating, and assist the immune system in seeking out and destroying the abnormal cells.
Similar to cruciferous vegetables, the more mushrooms you eat, the greater the health benefit.
BERRIES
Berries (and pomegranates) are rich in flavonoids, giving their skins the deep blue, red, and purple colors. Flavonoids, along with ellagic acid, resveratrol, and other polyphenols contained in berries, all contribute to their cancer-preventing effects.
SEEDS
Eating nuts and seeds on a daily basis has been linked to a reduced risk of death from cancer, as well as all causes of death.
Seeds are particularly effective in protecting against cancer due to their rich lignan content; flax, chia, and sesame seeds have the highest lignan content of all seeds. Lignans also have anti-inflammatory properties which offer cardiovascular benefits.
SOS-FREE DIET
While Nutritarians strive to add healthy foods like GBOMBS to the daily menu, they also make the commitment to eliminate SALT, OIL, and SUGAR from their diet.
It will likely take some time to adjust to preparing and eating foods without any salt, oil, or sugar; however, your taste buds will actually become more sensitive the longer you are SOS-free, and you will find that you enjoy the taste of healthy foods much more than you did previously.
Once you understand the risks that salt, oil, and sugar pose to your health and longevity, it makes it much easier to give them up entirely. Dr. Fuhrman discusses these risks in detail in his latest book, Eat for Life.
Can Too Much Salt Kill You?
It's common knowledge in today's culture that, over time, too much salt in your diet can raise your blood pressure. However, the fact that high blood pressure increases your risk of developing heart failure, heart attack, kidney failure, and stroke is not as well known.
Aside from high blood pressure, high salt intake is also associated with an increase in all-cause mortality, even in people whose blood pressure is not affected. So it's important for everyone to be concerned about the amount of salt in their diet.
For maximum protection from disease, sodium levels should be less than 1,000 milligrams per day; the American Heart Association recommends daily sodium intake less than 1,500 milligrams. The average adult intake of sodium in the United States is 4,000 mg for every 2,000 calories consumed.
If you have high blood pressure, just cutting salt from your diet can return your blood pressure to normal levels; in addition, you will have reduced your risk of heart disease by nearly 70%!
Oil Free Diet
Most people have been brainwashed into thinking that olive oil is a healthy food. It is not. Olive oil, and all other oils, are highly processed and contain 120 calories per tablespoon. And because oils don't contain any fiber, the calories are rapidly absorbed and turned into fat on your body, making it almost impossible to lose weight.
And that extra fat on your body puts you at higher risk for cancer and can shorten your lifespan. Excess fat can even spill over into your organs such as the liver and heart, and lead to cellular dysfunction.
Cutting out oil and replacing it with healthy fats from nuts and seeds in your salad dressings and sauces is an effective way to reduce body fat. While the empty calories in oil stimulate your appetite, causing you to eat more, nuts and seeds actually suppress your appetite so you eat less and consume less fat. This, in turn, reduces your risk of cancer and extends your lifespan.
Sugar Reduction
Sugar is a nutritionally barren food; it supplies calories, but has no significant micronutrients (similar to oil). Sugar is also addictive; when you eat a little bit of sugar, it stimulates cravings for more. And the more nutritionally barren foods you eat (sugar, maple syrup, white flour, white rice, etc.), the less room you have in your diet for foods that promote your health.
When you eat high-glycemic carbohydrates, such as sugar, honey, white bread, and commercial baked goods, it causes your blood sugar leves to spike, which triggers the pancreas to produce insulin; your blood sugar then falls very quickly, which promotes cravings and overeating.
Furthermore, repeating this cycle of high blood sugar and insulin production on a regular basis may lead to weight gain and insulin resistance, which are associated with type 2 diabetes as well as a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
Nutritarian Recipes
You can find a variety of delicious Nutritarian recipes on Dr. Fuhrman's website including breakfast, salads, dressings and dips, vegan and non-vegan meals, quick and easy foods, holiday dishes, desserts, and more.
A good number of recipes are free; however, if you would like access to all 2000+ recipes on the site, you can choose to subscribe to one of Dr. Fuhrman's membership plans.
Nutritarian Meal Plans
If you are looking for complete meal plans that take the guesswork out of deciding what to eat everyday, and include recipes, shopping lists, and a pantry stocking guide, then Dr. Fuhman's 14-day targeted meal plans are the perfect solution.
With a monthly membership, you have access to a variety of meal plans, including general weight loss, aggressive weight loss, and radical weight reduction plans, plans specifically designed to boost immunity and prevent disease, plans for reversing diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and autoimmune disease, as well as intermittent fasting, transitional, and maintenance meal plans.
Dr Fuhrman 10 in 20 Plan
If you are not a member of Dr. Fuhrman's website, and would like access to targeted meal plans, you can purchase one Dr. Fuhrman's Transformation 20 meal plans which are sold separately, either in paperback or digital format.
These programs include a 20-day meal plan, grocery lists, and education to address targeted health concerns and help you reach your ideal weight.
