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Save Your Health - One Bite at a Time

The road to healthy eating

Every minute in our country approximately two people diet from heart disease - the leading cause of death among men and women in the U.S. This year an estimated 1,400,000 new cases of cancer will diagnosed in the United States alone. While most of us know we should eat better, few realize that an estimated 68 percent of all disease today is related to diet.. The key to good health is in our own hands each time we sit down to eat.

Current medical research has revealed a significant fact: If you significantly reduce your consumption of meat and dairy products and center your diet on plant foods like fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes, you will improve your health and the increase your protection from many chronic diseases.

You'll hear this advice from organizations like the American Heart Association, the American Dietetic Association, the National Cancer Institute, and the American Cancer Institute. Why are plant foods so protective? They are loaded with health-promoting ingredients such as fiber, powerful antioxidants, and phytochemicals. Just as important is what plants don't have. They are cholesterol-free and almost all are low in saturated fat. A diet rich in plant foods has been shown to lower your risk of the following:

Heart disease
Cancer - especially colon and lung cancer
Type II diabetes
High blood pressure
Obesity

"There is no question that largely vegetarian diets are as healthy as you can get," explains Marion Nestle, chair of the nutrition department at New York University. "The evidence is so strong and overwhelming and produced over such a long period of time that it's no longer debatable."

Consider these Facts

According to the National Cancer Institute, over one-third of all cancers are diet-related. Up to 50% of all cancers among non-smokers can be linked to poor diet.
The American Cancer Institute estimates that choosing a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, legumes, and minimally processed starchy staple foods, combined with not smoking, could reduce cancer risk by 60 to 70% saving over 375,000 Americans each year.
A study of 88,000 women found that those eating the most animal fat were nearly twice as likely to develop colon cancer as those eating less animal fat.
According to the Oxford Vegetarian Study in England, vegetarians have 30% less risk of heart disease than non-vegetarians. Those eating neither meat nor dairy had a 57% less risk than people eating a diet rich in animal foods in one study.
Dean Ornish, MD has been able to reverse heart disease in more than 70% of patients who follow, among other things, a prescribed low-fat vegetarian diet.
With millions watching their cholesterol, few realize that there is the same amount of cholesterol in 4 ounces of beef, salmon, or chicken.
Today's Standard American Diet (SAD) includes 33% more dairy products, 50% more beef and 280% more poultry than our diet did 100 years ago.
Today over 50% of adults and 25% of children are overweight.
One study found that the average weight of people eating no meat and dairy products was over 11 pounds less than those who eat these foods.
According to the American Dietetic Association, those eating balanced vegetarian diets have lower rates of Type II diabetes.

What you can do

Healthy eating is as close as your next meal. The good news is that the food that is best for you is also best for the environment, creating healthy people and a healthy planet.

Eat right: Add some meatless meals in your routine by enjoying some of the following:

Steaming-hot pasta topped with marinara sauce and fresh basil
A Mexican fajita stuffed with spicy sizzling vegetables
A grilled veggie burger a whole wheat bun piled high with your favorite fixings
Stir-fry of crisp, fresh vegetables with ginger and garlic, served over Asian noodles.

Learn more: Contact EarthSave for information about the benefits of plant-based eating.

Join EarthSave: Support our campaign to educate, inspire, and empower people to shift toward a diet centered on fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes--- food choices that are healthy for people and for the planet.