HEALTH + WELLNESS
The Whole Food Plant-Based Prescription
✓ ✓ Aim to eat 8–12 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Fill your plate with sea-
sonal varieties. Choose wisely and locally and refer to the “Clean Fifteen” and the
“Dirty Dozen” when making selections.
✓ ✓ Incorporate a variety of colors in fruits and vegetables. Each color provides differ-
ent antioxidants and phytonutrients which play key roles in disease prevention.
✓ ✓ Avoid refined sugars and carbohydrates. Read labels closely and avoid high fruc-
tose corn syrup, trans-fat and artificial colors, flavors and preservatives.
✓ ✓ Increase whole grains for more vitamins and fiber. Choose unprocessed and
sprouted grains.
✓ ✓ Add seeds and nuts to your daily diet. Aim to get ¼ cup per day and 1 tablespoon
of flax seed daily.
✓ ✓ Optimize the benefits of vegetables by roasting, steaming or microwaving. Boil-
ing is not optimal as nutrients are leached into the water. Allow cut vegetables
like cruciferous ones (broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts) and allium (garlic,
onion) to sit at least 20 minutes before cooking as this increases the phytonutrient
concentrations.
✓ ✓ Eat beans every day. These are powerhouse sources of protein, fiber, vitamins and
minerals. Strive to get at least ½ cup in daily.
✓ ✓ Include healthy fats like avocado and nuts in every meal. Use healthy oils like
avocado, coconut, olive and grapeseed for cooking and dressings.
✓ ✓ Drink plenty of water and aim to get half your weight in ounces in every day. Sub-
stitute sweetened beverages with green or hibiscus tea.
✓ ✓ Maximize health benefits by cooking with herbs and spices. Many have powerful
anti-oxidants and anti-inflammatory benefits. Expand your kitchen to include pow-
erful herbs like turmeric, ginger, oregano, rosemary and cilantro.
✓ ✓ Treat yourself to a one-ounce piece of dark chocolate every day!
SPRING 2018
97