It’s not what you eat, it’s what you don’t eat!

by Gwyn Whittaker, Owner of GreenFare

Removing animal products and oils will have a massive impact on the three deadliest causes of death in the U.S.: heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. The National Academy of Sciences prescribes minimizing trans fatty acids–so bad for us, they are among the few ingredients the FDA banned in processed foods (removing the Generally Regarded As Safe or GRAS designation in 2015) because they increase death from all causes. Today, our biggest intake of trans fatty acids comes not from processed foods, but from animal products.

Removing all oils (yes, even olive oil) eliminates Omega 6, the inflammatory essential fatty acids that cause joint pain and result in chronic illnesses. An experiment to remove all oil for a week usually will remove rheumatoid arthritis, arthritis, and other joint pain. Restaurants and processed foods add salt and oil to extend the shelf life at the expense of your health. The addition of sugar and salt make food hyper-palatable, which is sweeter and saltier than food found in nature. A sprinkle of salt on a dish increases the average calorie intake by 10%, leading to weight gain.

The elimination of animal products and oils are the biggest dietary improvement you can make. When people go to a Whole 30 diet, they quickly drop weight because they are eliminating all the salt, oil, and sugar along with whatever the food industry wants to throw in to create food addictions and extend shelf life. The one positive thing about the new weight loss drugs is that they remove any doubt that you can be obese and healthy; with weight loss, comes the reduction of death by all causes. But, if you stop taking the drugs, you regain lost weight. To maintain weight, and get off the drugs, a high-fiber diet is essential, along with the nutrients found in a whole plant lifestyle. The better way is to skip the drugs and try a 21 Day program (like we offer at GreenFare Organic Café) to feel better, look better, and normalize to a healthy weight.

Have you seen Whole Foods Market's new bags? They list more than 300 ingredients they do not allow in food products they sell. We have become guinea pigs for the chemical industry with all kinds of untested things routinely making their way into our food that cause inflammation leading to chronic disease.

Label reading is one of my best ways to avoid buying things that I know I shouldn't. Occasionally, I'll pick up a childhood favorite and as soon as I see dyes and palm oil, back on the shelf it goes. At GreenFare, you avoid hundreds of these ingredients as well as dairy, casein, eggs, animal protein, and added salt, oil, and sugar. Beans, grains, vegetables, and fruit provide all the elements needed for optimal health. You are what you eat!