So by now, you have decided to try to make a change in your eating habits, the question now arises whether to do this in small steps or you can do it in one giant leap. Which course you take will depend a lot on your circumstances but there are a few factors to take into account. What we eat tends to be a long-standing habit and almost, there can be an element of addiction to some foods or particular dishes, so this can present a problem in itself. Will you be just making the changes for yourself or for others you live with who may not want to join you on this challenge. Again, it depends on how well motivated you are to make this change if you currently have significant health problems it's understandable you would like to make the change quickly if however you are reasonably healthy you may be satisfied with taking your time and achieving the change over a period of months.
The Worlds Finest Diet. Episode 3. Making The Change.
So by now you have decided to try to make a change in your eating habits, the question now arises whether to do this in small steps or you can do it in one giant leap. Which course you take will depend a lot on your circumstances but there are a few factors to take into account. What we eat tends to be a long-standing habit and almost, there can be an element of addiction to some foods or particular dishes, so this can present a problem in itself. Will you be just making the changes for yourself or for others you live with who may not want to join you on this challenge. Again, it depends on how well motivated you are to make this change, if you currently have significant health problems it's understandable you would like to make the change quickly if however you are reasonably healthy you may be satisfied with taking your time and achieving the change over a period of months.
The advice from the leading doctors in America on this question is that if you are sincere about making the change go for it with 100% of your effort. How difficult this will be depends on how close you are to the whole plant diet already, some people will have to make a major change in their stocks of food and their daily weekly buying habits but for others it will be minor changes to bring them up to the whole plant diet. In my practice I routinely check everyone's diet and as a generality I suggest that they make changes in their diet systematically and in steps over weeks and months, the only exception to this would be people with serious health problems who I would strongly advised to make the change rapidly and thoroughly to gain the most benefit immediately.
So the decision will be yours as you will have to research new recipes, learn how to cook new dishes and re-organize your buying of food, but all that is part and parcel of this important health promotion journey. This podcast will help guide you along the route in all these areas.
I would strongly recommend you purchase "The 4LeafGuide to Vibrant Health" by D. Kerry Graff and J Morris Hicks , available from Amazon [HERE] that deals with many of these problems with very good advice based on many years of experience. Dr. Graff generally offers her patients a plan of change over four weeks. Week one being the planning period to get rid of any unhealthy breakfast and snacks replacing them with healthier ones, week two putting into action healthy breakfast and snacks, week three doing the same for lunch and week four introducing healthier eating for your dinners.
Remember that our diet has a profound effect on our health, so make sure you keep your doctor informed of this change you are making in your diet as it may mean you will need less medication if you are being treated for certain conditions, especially if you are on medication for diabetes or for control of your cholesterol. Other chronic conditions will improve with your dietary changes but they will take longer to affect any medication changes.
In the next episode you will be introduced to the 4LeafSurvey, a simple checklist that will give you a measure of where you are starting from and how far you have to go to reach an optimal whole plant diet. So when you are ready, listen to Episode 4. Getting Started with the 4LeafSurvey