“Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food.” – Hypocrates.
There are times in life when you stumble upon something so profound, so life-changing and eye-opening, that you can’t help but shout about it from the roof tops to anyone who would listen! Well, this is exactly one of such discoveries and we are bursting to share it with you… and here it is: The China Study. Officially regarded as the most comprehensive study of nutrition ever conducted, it covers the startling implications for diet, weight loss, and long-term health. In his book, professor Colin Campbell meticulously demonstrates that there is overwhelming scientific support for one simple, optimal diet – a whole foods, plants-based diet (WFPD). Roughly translated as: V E G A N.
And before you dismiss it out of hand, let us tell you of all the cool people who have adopted it: Beyoncé, Gabriel Macht (you know, the suave-talking steak-devouring Harvey Spector on Suits), Bill Clinton, Ellen Degeneres, Mike Tyson, Gisele Bundchen, Venus Williams, Usher, Gary Player… and the list goes on…
What is it about? Well, the real kicker is that a dietary lifestyle of whole food plant based diet is not only about preventing future diseases; it’s ALSO about suspending AND treating the existing ones! Which is the core of what ALL healthcare and medical systems are all about, but sadly with little success. A staggering number of people worldwide suffer from heart disease, cancer, and succumb to Alzheimer’s. This is because, in many cases, medication only acts to suppress the symptoms but not the overall cause of the problem: for instance, taking pills to lower blood pressure does not address the reason why blood pressure is high in the first place; and your acne cream is simply masking the causes of the breakouts, which could range from dairy intolerance, to stress, to hormone imbalance.
So is it trustworthy? YES! The China Study condenses all the nutritional lessons learned from this broad range evidence and from Professor Campbell’s forty-plus years of experience into a simple guide to good nutrition.
Why do we love it? Because this book has whittled down extensive scientific knowledge to several core and easy-to-understand principles – ones that will illuminate how nutrition and health truly operate. Furthermore, Professor Campbell has translated the science into practical dietary recommendations that we can begin to incorporate into our own life.
OK, we’re in. What can we expect? According to Professor Campbell, you can experience profound health benefits by following a mainly plant-based diet: extended lifespan, looking and feeling younger, increased energy, weight loss, lower blood cholesterol, prevention and even reversal of chronic diseases, avoiding stroke, stronger bones and beating arthritis; and other daily perks, such as improved sleep, clearer skin, sharper mind, and increased libido.
How does it work? No one vitamin is the answer here – there is no magic ingredient! It turns out that each nutritious mouthful is a biochemical bonanza and all these chemicals work together in concert to produce good health. “The foundation of understanding what good nutrition means, is that our bodies have learned how to benefit from the chemicals in food as they are packaged together.” Basically, allow yourself to be drawn to colour: berries, leafy greens, citrus fruit, legumes, etc – this is nature’s buffet which encompasses all the nutrients we need (calcium, protein, fat, fibre, vitamins…) to maintain good health and heal ourselves. (Un)fortunately, science has shown that, apart from processed foods and sugar, animal protein (milk, meat, cheese) cause significant inflammation in the body, which creates festering ground for chronic Western diseases, as we know them today.
I don’t have time to read, gimme the scoop! Sure thing! We give you: Forks Over Knives. Lucky for us, this award winning documentary is actually based on The China Study, and sums up nicely all the main points from the extensive study, in leiman’s terms. You can watch the trailer below (full documentary currently showing on Netflix).
Does it really work? Time will tell but we’re feeling gooooooood so we’re sticking to it! To date, thousands of people got their health back by adopting the WFPD, so to say it’s life-changing is a big under-statement. And even if you don’t go the full mile, you WILL most definitely change your relationship with food and become more conscious and knowledge-savvy about nutrition. Remember, (un)learning habits takes some time, but surely it’s worth a try? After all, W H A T have you got to lose…?