HEALTHY LIVING
Plant-Based Diet Helps Prevent Chronic Disease
It works by decreasing dangerous inflammation in our bodies as we grow older. :: BY LYNN C. ALLISON
S
cience now recognizes the critical role our gut plays in overall health and the prevention of chronic
disease. When the gut microbiome — the
100 trillion microscopic organisms that reside in our gastrointestinal tract — becomes imbalanced, it increases inflammation throughout the body. A study published in the
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that the overgrowth of certain bacteria in the gut can lead to the development of inflammation in various body tissues.
Inflammation is the underlying
culprit of many chronic conditions including obesity, atherosclerosis, Type 2 diabetes, and inflammatory bowel disease, said the researchers. A biome is a distinct ecosystem comprised of more than 1,000 species of bacteria, as well as viruses, fungi, and parasites. The more diverse your
microbiome, the healthier you are. New studies reveal that
people with the healthiest guts have the lowest body weight and the lowest risk of heart disease, depression, diabetes, and even Alzheimer’s disease, says Stephen Perrine, author of the recently published book The Full-
Body Fat Fix: The Science-Based 7-Day Plan to Cool Inflammation, Heal Your Gut, and Build a Healthier, Leaner You! Perrine explains that poor diet, a lack of exercise, stress, not enough sleep, and simply getting older can all lead to increased inflammation. And as our inflammation levels increase, our
weight goes up. Inflammation not only triggers
weight gain but is also the primary driver behind just about every disease that we associate with aging: heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, COPD, liver disease, and certain types of cancer. Inflammation causes fat gain
and muscle erosion, which leads to frailty and an increased risk of falling, injury, and even death.
POWER OF PLANTS Decreasing inflammation is the best thing you can do for your health, and that can be simply and quickly accomplished by exercising and eating a diet that includes a large variety of plant foods to heal your gut. “Researchers
PERRINE
speculate that exercise creates lactic acid, and our microbiome may feed off that lactic acid,”
82 NEWSMAX MAXLIFE | AUGUST 2024
Perrine explains. “There are studies that show that
a change in diet can dramatically impact the microbiome in just a few days. “Of course, the opposite is also
true. If you return to eating nothing but junk for a few days, it can set your microbiome back a bit.” Research shows that between 60%
and 90% of the standard American diet now consists of foods and beverages that are highly processed, according to Henry Ford Health. These foods starve our microbiome
of the nutrients and fiber needed for optimum health. This causes inflammation to rise. “What we need to do is not focus
on eating less of anything, including processed foods,” says Perrine, whose previous book, The Whole Body Reset, became a New York Times bestseller. “We need to focus on eating
more whole foods, especially plants. That means whole grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. “If you focus on these foods,
you will naturally crowd out the processed foods. You don’t have to resist the chips; dip them in guacamole or tapenade. “You don’t have to hide under
the table when the pizza arrives; top your pizza with lots of delicious veggies.” Perrine devised a “7-Day
Challenge” that promises to change
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