being plant-centric

-October 2024-

In this newsletter, we explore being plant-centric which my friend Anne has shared here. 

When you hear someone say they’re vegetarian, what do you immediately assume? Restrictive? Boring? Anne embraced a plant-based lifestyle in 2016 after doing the Daniel’s Fast* for a church event. This sparked her interest in researching the benefits of vegetarian diets. By May 2016, she had fully committed to a plant-based lifestyle. Anne recalls how, before this shift, her doctor advised her to fill half her plate with vegetables to manage rising blood pressure. Combining this dietary approach with exercise helped bring her blood pressure under control. Today, Anne maintains a Whole Food Plant-Based lifestyle, avoiding added oils and processed foods.

Here’s Anne’s piece on embracing a plant-centric lifestyle. 

Many people misunderstand what being plant-based means, often thinking it’s too restrictive. What about being plant-centric? This approach involves centering most of your meals around plants without needing to make 100% of your meals plant based. It’s a great starting point, and some even suggest it can be ideal for long-term wellness. The question is often raised—how plant-centric should we be? The research is still ongoing, but the key takeaway is to start somewhere manageable and sustainable

When my blood pressure peaked, a young doctor advised me to ensure half of my plate consisted of vegetables.

Ideally, these vegetables should be free of oil, with a mix of raw and lightly cooked varieties while making it sustainable and tasty. This journey isn’t about achieving perfection but about building habits gradually. Not everyone will love raw or steamed veggies at first, but over time, palates can adapt. As Maggy often says in her newsletters, there’s no one size fits all approach. Find what works best for you.

Start by focusing on lunch and dinner—aim for half your plate to be vegetables you enjoy, ones that are affordable and accessible. Over time, as your confidence grows, you may experiment with new veggies and recipes. You can also reduce animal protein by incorporating plant-based alternatives like beans with high protein value, peas, or tofu on alternating days. Your palate will gradually adapt, and soon you’ll find yourself craving more plant-based meals.

Breakfast is the easiest meal to make entirely plant based. Add fruit, oatmeal, millet porridge, sweet potatoes, or wholemeal bread. You don’t need fancy ingredients— keep it simple and sustainable.

How do I do it? My tip is to keep it simple. Think of our ancestors, who ate food directly from nature without overthinking it. The plants should be the stars of your plate, with animal proteins as a small condiment if you choose to include them. Focus on whole foods, avoid overly processed options, and take gradual steps toward making plants the foundation of your diet. Remember, small changes can lead to lasting health benefits.

I, Anne, have now managed to control my blood pressure to healthy levels by striving for a Whole Food Plant Based diet and limiting the consumption of fats save for that from plants such as avocado.

You can read more about Anne here.

*The Daniel Fast is based on the biblical story where Daniel and his friends chose to abstain from rich and luxurious foods and only ate vegetables and drank water.