The Greenprint. Marco Borges

problems cleared up. Her hair began to shine. She dropped 3 kilos. She felt better and had more zip. ‘I never, ever felt hungry. I was always satisfied,’ she said. ‘Anything that pushes that shift to eat less animal products rather than more is good.’

      The proof is in the change in her vital measurements, which astonished Bridget. Prior to the study, her vitals were:

      Triglycerides: 125

      Cholesterol: 230

      LDL: 136

      Weight: 156

      Body Mass Index (BMI): 30.4

      After twenty-two days, take a look at what happened to Bridget:

      Triglycerides: 104

      Cholesterol: 219

      LDL: 122

      Weight: 149

      BMI: 29.1

      ‘I’ve thought more about the food I eat than I ever have before, and I care about what I’m putting in my body,’ Bridget concluded.

      To me, ‘Eat more plants’ is a pretty simple law to follow. My family and I enjoy a 100 per cent plant-based diet, which studies have found to be the only diet in the world that can prevent, arrest and, in many cases, reverse heart disease. We also know that it’s a cruelty-free way to live that is as good for the planet as it is for us. I have one simple guideline: I don’t eat anything produced from or by something that has a face. This means no chicken, turkey, cows, pigs, sheep or fish of any kind. This also means I don’t eat dairy foods, including milk, cheese or butter, and I don’t eat eggs. I don’t use mayonnaise or honey, either.

      One of the questions I’m asked most frequently is, ‘What do you eat?’ The answer is that I eat anything, as long as it doesn’t originate from an animal. I eat vegetables, fruits, beans, legumes, grains, seeds and nuts, and no, I never feel sluggish or weak, and I always get enough protein.

      Of course, that’s the big question you get when you stop eating meat: ‘How do you get enough protein?’ Honestly, we are all eating more protein than we could ever need. We are not protein-deficient, and don’t let anyone or any source tell you otherwise. There are plenty of studies that prove this beyond a shadow of a doubt. In fact, studies have shown that the more animal protein we eat, the sicker we will get.

       I HAVE ONE SIMPLE GUIDELINE:

      “I DON’T EAT ANYTHING PRODUCED FROM OR BY SOMETHING THAT HAS A FACE.

       THIS MEANS NO CHICKEN, TURKEY, COWS, PIGS, SHEEP OR FISH OF ANY KIND.

      The average daily requirement of protein is 46 grams for women and 56 grams for men. Scientists at Loma Linda University in California conducted the largest study in history of nutrient profiles of vegetarians, vegans and non-vegetarians. It put to rest once and for all the perennial question, ‘Do vegetarians and vegans get enough protein?’ The study followed more than seventy thousand adults for close to six years and calculated their intake of protein, along with other major nutrients such as vitamins and minerals.

      According to this landmark study, non-vegetarians get way more protein than they need, and so does everyone else. On average, vegans and vegetarians get 70 per cent more protein than they even require, and 97 per cent of all Americans get enough protein.

      So no one is really lacking protein. But there is another nutrient that 97 per cent of Americans are deficient in: fibre. A fibre deficiency contributes to all sorts of life-threatening illnesses, from obesity to heart disease to diabetes to cancer. This nutrient is something we should be concerned about, not protein! (More on fibre in Law #3.)

      We typically think of protein as coming from animal products. But the best sources of proteins are plant-based: beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Even vegetables like spinach have protein. When you eat a well-rounded, varied, plant-based diet, you get all the protein you need.

      So – let’s stop obsessing over protein as the ‘cure’ for obesity, overweight, diabetes and other diseases. Let’s start obsessing instead – in a positive way – about eating enough food that grows from the ground or in trees.

      Plants top the diets that protect against heart disease, stroke, cancer, high blood pressure, cataracts and macular degeneration. Cancer is often chalked up to bad genes. But according to Colin Campbell, Professor Emeritus at Cornell University and author of The China Study, ‘This is not about genes. Cancer is a function of nutrition.’ In fact, he has called the component of cow’s milk known as casein ‘the most relevant chemical carcinogen ever identified.’ Another plant-based advocate, Dr Caldwell Esselstyn, makes equally unequivocal statements about heart disease: ‘Heart disease need never exist. It is a food-borne illness’.

      Clearly, science and growing numbers of scientists support plant-based eating. Research shows that both high blood pressure and high blood sugar – risk factors for diabetes, cardiovascular disease and stroke – begin to fall and normalise within just a week of starting a plant-based diet.

      You don’t need to eat animals to get nutrients besides protein, either. You can obtain all the carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals you need from plants, too.

      Think about it: where did the nutrition in the animals you have been eating come from? Plants! Plants are the original source of all nutrients. Nutrient-rich plant-based meals will make you leaner and, in the long run, healthier. You will feel great, with your body buzzing with energy and nutrition. Life will become so much easier. Developing the habit of eating plants gives you the energy, strength and health to deal with life successfully – the energy to live your life in a positive, kind and compassionate way, and to make the right choices for yourself, so you can be the healthiest version of yourself, inside and out. What are those choices? Take a look.

      BEANS AND LEGUMES When it comes to plant-based sources of protein, you can’t go wrong with a few beans. Or lentils – 75 grams of cooked lentils can provide a whopping 18 grams of protein. Other great sources include black beans, kidney beans and chickpeas, but truly, the options are endless when it comes to beans and legumes. Look for unique beans at your speciality foods store or the farmers’ market. Eating beans or legumes in combination with grains is the easiest way to get all the essential amino acids – the vital tissue-building blocks in protein – in one sitting.

      GREEN VEGGIES I am very pro green vegetables. I eat a lot of them, because they are a source of all sorts of healthy vitamins and minerals, as well as fibre. If it’s hard to find a place on your plate for plants, I say put them in your glass. Make a green smoothie every day. It takes five minutes and tastes good, too. Even my children request them. Use whatever fresh fruit and veggies inspire you: spinach, kale or chard, banana, berries or pear. Add the liquid of your choice – I use water (no calories and non-dairy), but you could try almond milk. The possibilities are endless – your smoothie will taste different every time but will always be nutritious.

      COLOURFUL VEGGIES Vibrantly coloured vegetables are more than just beautiful; they contain life-enriching phytochemicals. These chemicals provide flavour, colour, scent and valuable nutrients such as antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, which guard against many diseases, including diabetes, cancer and heart disease. The more colours, the better.

FRUIT Eating just a small amount of fruit daily can reduce heart disease risk and improve health. According to an article published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2016, researchers in China followed more than half a million people