I initially began eating a whole, live-food, plant based diet to have clearer skin and get in the best shape of my life. Inadvertently, a number of other positive changes occurred within me as well. Keep reading to find out what they are!
1. Increased Self-Love & Respect. When
I eat raw, live, unprocessed foods, I know I'm putting into my body the
absolute best of what I can possibly give it. So many people are willing to eat
unhealthy foods just because it's cheaper without realizing the damage that
kind of poor quality food can do to their bodies in the long run. Granted, some
people may not have the luxury of buying the more expensive, organic, non-GMO fruits and vegetables, but eating healthy does not have to be expensive—and for most of us,
I know if we got our priorities straight (i.e. focusing on having a better diet
instead of splurging on that designer handbag) we would find that we are more
than able to carry out a healthy lifestyle. We must come to recognize that our
bodies are the most valuable possession that we have; therefore it deserves to
be treated as such. Making an investment in your health is one of the greatest
things you can do for yourself, and when you do, your sense of appreciation for
yourself just skyrockets. You feel like you don't want to put any kind of junk
or toxicity into your body! I realized that for a long time I was prioritizing
buying clothing to make myself look good, when in reality, eating right and
taking care of one’s body is what is going to make us look and FEEL good for
the long term!
2.
Joy & Gratitude. When I look at my bowl of fruit, I can't help but feel
an amazing joy for getting to eat such vibrant food that is not only beautiful,
but I know is working wonders for my body. Eating food that is alive and
colorful makes me feel like one of the luckiest girls on the planet. In addition, all the nutrients I've provided my body through the foods I eat has increased my overall mood and happiness. If we aren't getting a balanced diet of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, our brain are not going to be happy. For more tips on a happy, healthy brain, check out this post.
3.
Mental clarity & Focus. There’s a
term Dr. Daniel Amen, author of ChangeYour Brain, Change Your Life, uses to describe the effect having excessive
body mass can cause on your brain. He refers to it as “Dinosaur Brain” because
of the slower cognitive function and impaired ability of the brain to work optimally when someone is holding onto excessive weight. When we
have an excess amount of body fat, it enables our bodies to hold onto and
store toxins. Toxins inhibit blood flow to the brain, and impaired blood flow
means impaired functioning. Not only that, but certain foods just tend to cloud
and fog up our ability to stay sharp, agile, focused, and quick-witted. When we
eat a whole-food, plant-based diet, oxygen flow to the brain is increased,
toxins are flushed out of our system, and our brain is given the nutrients it
needs to shine like the 3 pound gem that it is! (For more tips on taking care of your brain, click here).
4.
Discipline. Eating raw foods has,
believe it or not, taught me to become more disciplined. It can be so easy to
make excuses about why I shouldn’t eat healthy like, “I just don’t have the
time, it’s too expensive, eating healthy doesn’t even really make a difference…”
etcetera, etc. No doubt it’s a lot
easier to reach for a Carl’s Jr. Hamburger than to wake up early to meal prep and make a green juice—but
your body feel so much better when you do! And so does your mind! Being disciplined
enhances your sense of productivity and works wonders for your self-esteem. You
just ate an apple instead of a snickers bar? Give yourself a pat on the back.
Turned down that donut and went for the celery sticks? That feels good doesn't it?
Self-control is sexy. Oh yeah.
5.
Freedom from Addiction. Eating a mostly
raw vegan diet has shown me just how utterly addicting foods can be. I think
more people have an addiction to foods than we take notice of. One thing I
always hear is, “Oh, you’re a vegan? I could never do that, I can’t live
without meat.” While this may be a slight exaggeration on their part, this is
simply not true. Humans can live without meat perfectly fine. However, aside
from alleged addiction to consuming animal products, food addictions can also be
caused by sugar, salt, or anything processed and chemically altered to make you
crave more (and so much of our food has been designed this way, to sell more
and more to the masses). When you adopt a whole-foods, plant-based lifestyle,
you recognize how food may have had control over you, and you realize you can
overcome it. I for one was highly addicted to sugar. I was an absolute sugar
fiend. (If you 're a struggling sugar addict yourself, you'll want to check out this post out!) Now the kind of sugars I crave only come from juicy watermelons, sweet
mangos, succulent strawberries, and divinely delicious apples. (Am I making
anyone’s mouth water yet?)
6.
Lean body and healthy physique. Eating
nutrient-rich foods that are low in calories, high in fiber, and free of
processed junk and toxins can only have one result on your body—and that is to
give you a lean, fit, and healthy physique. It’s not possible to be obese or
unhealthy when all you fill your body with is nutrient-rich, live, whole foods.
7.
Clearer Skin. While my skin may not yet
be 100% flawless, it’s a near 180 from where it used to be! At one point, my
face was covered in painful, red, and huge cystic acne. It was emotionally and
physically discomforting. Now, thanks to the power of fruits and vegetables, my
skin is nearly all cleared up, and I couldn't be happier!
8.
Balanced hormones. Most women struggle
with PMS (headaches, cravings, bloating, radical mood swings) and intense menstrual
cramps, or constant fatigue because they have a hormone imbalance and aren't even aware of it. To most of us, this is normal. But I’m here to tell you
something: It’s not! I know because I used to be one of those women who every
month (and I’m about to get a little TMI here…) absolutely dreaded getting a
visit from Aunt Flo. My unwelcomed visitor meant, excruciating pain so bad I
could not move or function and would have to miss work and school, and mood
swings so intense I could be hysterically laughing one minute and be down in
shambles crying and depressed the next. That’s an image of what my life USED TO
look like. Now? I’m completely pain-free with the exception of some very MILD
discomfort, and my emotions are a hell-of-a lot more balanced then they used to
be. (Thank God for that!) It just goes to show the powerful effect that eating
right can have on your body! Eat a balanced diet, and everything becomes
balanced, and healed. (For more help on balancing hormones, check out my blog post on How to Balance Your Hormones... With Food! as well as Alisa Vitti's book, Woman Code, or her 3-month online hormone-balancing program at www.floliving.com/program).
9.
Expanded Consciousness- Since adopting a
mostly raw lifestyle, my consciousness has seemed to expand exponentially—and in
more than one way. I’ve become more conscious about just how drastically
certain foods can affect our bodies, I’ve become more conscious about my body
and much more sensitive and aware as to what’s going on inside of it, I’ve also
become more conscious about things like the energetic properties of food, and
how food can affect us even on a spiritual level. I’ve become more conscious
about God and His creation (there’s just something special about eating whole
foods, that are non-processed, untouched by man, that come straight from the
earth that seems to get you to think about the beauty, nutritional value, and utter
complexity of nature and creation). I’ve also become more aware of the
environment, and all forms of life. I’ve become aware of how my personal
decisions affect humanity as a whole, and how things I once prioritized are
much less important than the value I once placed on them. (Please note: I’m not
listing all of these things to brag about “how conscious I am,” simply to share
the wonderful positive changes that adopting a new dietary lifestyle can bring
you—the benefits of having a plant-based diet are endless! It works wonders for
you, the environment, and for everyone around you). I believe one of the reasons for this is linked to all the effects that healthy eating and detoxification can have on the pineal gland, which you can read more about in this post.
10.
Greater Appreciation for Mother Nature, Earth, Gaia, the Universe,
and our Creator. After eating raw foods for several
months, I noticed that something happens when we eat foods that are processed.
We lose sight of where they come from: The earth. Since eating more raw foods,
I am in absolute awe of the fact that the foods I eat come from the ground,
have been perfectly tailored to provide my body with the nutrients it needs to
be healthy, and that there are no fillers, added salts or sugar or other
processed junk that makes us sick. I am in awe of how absolutely PERFECT the
food that comes straight from the ground is! It has brought me to a heightened
level of appreciation for God's creation, and even if you don't believe in God,
you can't help but be in awe for all the fruits, vegetables, nuts, and grains
that are so perfectly suited for our nutrition and enjoyment. Mother Nature is
absolutely amazing!
If you've been inspired by any of what I've shared, or can relate to any of the health issues I struggled with, I'd really encourage you to either take up a live, plant-based, whole food diet of your own, or if anything, at least begin to incorporate more fruits and vegetables in your meals. I promise the pay offs will be so well worth it! Your body, mind, and soul will thank you for it!
Peace & Love
-Brigitte :-)
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