Nowadays, it’s become quite rare to meet someone that is still eating the traditional Western diet. Whether it’s due to diagnosed food allergies, disease, or just lifestyle choices people are making to be more aware of what works for their bodies, many of us have chosen to restrict certain things in our diets. Vegan, Paleo, Keto, Gluten-Free, Whole Foods, we’ve heard all of them and probably tried them too. Have you ever thought about going ultimately plant-based, even for a couple of weeks, to detox your body? Chances are, you would find a vast improvement in many things that may be ailing you. Or, you could decide it’s not for you after all! Let’s take a look at some of the ways it benefits you and how easy it is to try out this way of life. 

Environmentally Conscious 

One argument in favor of eating a whole foods plant-based diet is that it’s better for our environment. We all know we have a lot of work to do collectively to get our planet in the same shape we want to be in – as healthy as possible. With factory farming being responsible for nearly a tenth of the emissions in the US alone, going plant-based or cutting out meat from some of your meals makes an impact. We may not think our one-person or one-family efforts make a difference, but they do add up. 

Reduced Inflammation 

Most things that ail the human body and even our mental state begin as inflammation within us. Eating a plant-based diet has been shown time and time again to reduce the body’s inflammatory response significantly. Not only that, it helps eliminate inflammation within the body. The same nutrients and phytochemicals that boost your immune system also work to eliminate inflammation in the body. The antioxidants in fruits and vegetables also quickly go after the free radicals. So, whether you’re suffering from aches and pains post workout, or you have a more enormous scope of inflammatory issues, eating a diet made up of whole grains and plants will help you as far as those issues are concerned. If you’re skeptical, try it for a week and see if you feel better.

Learn Skills 

Having to pass on overly processed foods can seem daunting for people when they’re first considering going plant-based. With good reason! If you’re like a lot of people, having to cook a meal from scratch doesn’t sound appealing at the end of the long day. You can go several ways on this. First, you can eat a lot of raw foods, which drastically cuts down on your cooking time. If eating raw doesn’t appeal to you, meal prep! Depending on your routine, you may already be meal prepping as it is, so changing your meals to plant-based shouldn’t be too big of an issue for you. Lastly, if you are going to commit to trying the diet, you’re going to learn a lot of skills in the kitchen. You’ll be using spices and ingredients you may not have even heard of. And the best part? The end result is not only delicious, but it also packs some serious nutritional punches!

Still Sweet 

Don’t worry; if you love your desserts, you can still get plenty of sweet treats in a while eating a vegan plant-based diet. Almond butter on a fancy Medjool date, anyone? Did you know that you can make chocolate pudding from an avocado? You can, and it’s incredible. You can also easily swap out traditional and overly processed flours used in baking for other types like oat flour. Once you become accustomed to eating whole foods and plant-based, other foods take on a different flavor – one you may not find appealing anymore. 

Healthy Weight 

Eating plant-based helps your body stay at a healthy weight. If you are at a point where you’re looking to lose stubborn weight you’ve been working hard to get off, going plant-based for a little while may help you shed those last few pounds. Plant-based foods are incredibly high in fiber, which not only can lower cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar but help in bowel movements. 

At the end of the day, you have to find joy in life, and one of the great joys of life is food. You should try several lifestyles and ways of eating that appeal to you and find one that sticks – so long as it’s healthy for you and you maintain consciousness of what you’re eating and how what you consume makes you feel. Here’s to your health and trying new things!