Whole Plant Foods, Part D
The Community & Environmental Benefits
A Whole Plant Food Lifestyle is Good for Your Community
Healthy food is often lacking in poorer communities due to a combination of factors like limited access to grocery stores, higher prices for nutritious options, and the prevalence of fast food outlets. Food deserts, where fresh produce and whole foods are hard to find, disproportionately affect poorer communities, making it difficult for residents to maintain a healthy diet.
Economic inequality also plays a role, as lower incomes can restrict access to quality food, while systemic issues such as under-investment in these areas contribute to ongoing disparities in the availability of healthier foods. Without access to affordable, healthy foods, communities see an increase in food-related chronic diseases.
In one study, researchers found that:
Poor counties would benefit from targeted public health interventions - such as therapeutic lifestyle change, better access to health care services, and improved food and built environments.
Advocates for change in these neighborhoods understand that food significantly influences physical health, mental and emotional well-being, and social connections.
A Whole Plant Food Lifestyle is Good for the Environment
The environmental impact of changing your diet cannot be overstated. The eighth principle of health that Dr. T. Colin Campbell writes about in his book, The China Study, states:
“It turns out that if we eat the way that promotes the best health for ourselves, we promote the best health for the planet. By eating a whole foods, plant-based diet:
Our food choices have an incredible impact not only on our metabolism, but also:
Healthy food is often lacking in poorer communities due to a combination of factors like limited access to grocery stores, higher prices for nutritious options, and the prevalence of fast food outlets. Food deserts, where fresh produce and whole foods are hard to find, disproportionately affect poorer communities, making it difficult for residents to maintain a healthy diet.
Economic inequality also plays a role, as lower incomes can restrict access to quality food, while systemic issues such as under-investment in these areas contribute to ongoing disparities in the availability of healthier foods. Without access to affordable, healthy foods, communities see an increase in food-related chronic diseases.
In one study, researchers found that:
- Individuals in poorer counties experienced worse health outcomes than individuals in wealthier counties.
- Health outcomes improved as economic conditions improved.
Poor counties would benefit from targeted public health interventions - such as therapeutic lifestyle change, better access to health care services, and improved food and built environments.
Advocates for change in these neighborhoods understand that food significantly influences physical health, mental and emotional well-being, and social connections.
A Whole Plant Food Lifestyle is Good for the Environment
The environmental impact of changing your diet cannot be overstated. The eighth principle of health that Dr. T. Colin Campbell writes about in his book, The China Study, states:
“It turns out that if we eat the way that promotes the best health for ourselves, we promote the best health for the planet. By eating a whole foods, plant-based diet:
- We use less water
- We use less land
- We use fewer resources
- We produce less pollution
- We inflict less suffering on farm animals.
Our food choices have an incredible impact not only on our metabolism, but also:
- On the initiation, promotion, and even reversal of disease
- On our energy level
- On our physical capacity
- On our emotional and mental competence
- On our local and global environment.
- [Also on our spirituality and moral stamina.]
EGW - Diet & Morality