Plants! Did you know?

It has been a few weeks and I have had the itch to get a post put together. So many different topics come to mind and it's tough to settle on one. After listening to a podcast on anti-cancer foods, Plants will be this week's topic. :-) Don't run and hide just yet! There is some very interesting information here, I promise!!

I am not a scientist or doctor, but I have done a great deal of research and learning over the previous few months, and the positive correlation between plant based diets and health are astounding! (Also, gardening has great health benefits as well! Go grow your own food! It is fun, relaxing and rewarding!)

I am going to attempt to list a few things that stuck out as major game changers.

Did you know?

**IGF1 is a growth hormone, very important in your body while you are a child, but skyrockets every time animal protein is introduced to the diet. There was a study on women with breast cancer showing the results of eliminating animal protein. When the IGF1 pathway is interrupted (by eliminating animal protein) after 12 days the blood cells in their body killed cancerous cells. WHAT?!?!?

**A population of Little People in Ecuador live with a syndrome called Laron Syndrome. The fascinating thing is that only 1 person in that population over the course of this 30 year study has been diagnosed with cancer. Check out this article on the topic. Research could pave the way to new treatments on cancers and other chronic diseases. "Unlike others with dwarfism, Laron patients don't lack growth hormone, but they have a defect in the receptor in the liver that is supposed to bind to the hormone and produce a substance called insulin-like growth factor 1." - Tracy Connor NBC News

**80% of women diagnosed with breast cancer do not have a genetic mutation or predisposition.

**Plants produce phytochemicals that protect cells from damage. 

**People on plant based diets are able to maintain a healthy weight naturally, simply by changing what goes into the body. 

**Chronic Disease, Cancer, Heart Disease, Type II Diabetes, Alzheimer's, Behavioral issues, Depression, etc. can all potentially be reversed by radically changing diet to eliminate all animal proteins, processed foods, and sugars. 

**Taste buds regenerate every 10-12 days.

There is SO MUCH MORE to say on this topic, but in an effort to keep it interesting this will be the final point. 

I want my family to live long, healthy lives, as I would imagine is the same for most people. I will never stop trying to introduce healthier eating options in an effort to prevent the diseases listed above, and maintain a great quality of life as we age. Plant based lifestyle can taste good!! I can just about hear the eyes rolling back about now, but if our taste buds regenerate every 10-12 days, we can quickly re-train our brains to enjoy new foods. :-) 

God only gives us one earthly body. How we care for that body is our choice. Let's make healthy choices together!