Why whole foods? Why plant based? Why now? Well… when is the right time to become a Whole Foodie? After the holidays? Once your family is ready to get on board? When you start feeling old? After your first heart attack?

No matter how long we’ve been doing this work, it never gets easier to receive that call from a frantic patient asking us to help them. Often it directly follows a heart attack or a cancer diagnosis when the patient is willing to do anything to survive. Frightened, vulnerable and feeling like they’ve exhausted all conventional routes, they are finally willing to entertain diet and lifestyle changes. It is heartbreaking to watch this desperation and pain, even more so because we know that for most people, it didn’t have to come to this.

So we ask again, why become a Whole Foodie now? Because now is the beginning of the rest of your life and what the rest of your life looks like is up to you.

1. You can reverse chronic disease and prevent new disease.

Not understanding or believing this is by far the most common reason we come across for resisting dietary change. Lucky for us, it also happens to be our favorite reason, because the plethora of evidence we can share with patients on this subject is vast. Patients who dive in, learning all they can, are often awestruck with what they discover. Testing it out only proves more empowering and often results in champions for the cause as they work to convert family and friends.

2. You can become a Whole Foodie for life, eating foods that are delicious, nutritious and satisfying.

For those who buy into how powerful and life changing a whole foods, plant- based diet can be, the next obstacle we hear about most is how to make this lifestyle sustainable. This means different things to different people and is a common reason we see patients on an ongoing basis at our medical centers – to offer camaraderie, accountability and, most importantly, support. The Whole Foods Diet can begin to offer similar strategies for a successful transition, including tools and resources for continued support on our website and our meal planner, for personalized meal recommendations.

3. You can play the odds or bet on a sure thing.

For most of our patients, a close relative with heart disease, diabetes, cancer or some other debilitating chronic disease is a reality. It’s easier to motivate these people by sharing an alternate path, one that involves health and vitality over sickness and pain.

Every now and again, we get the patient who informs us of their 95 year old grandmother who smoked two packs of cigarettes a day since she was 15, or their 89 year old grandfather who eats bacon three times a day and has never had a heart attack. Our first thought upon hearing these stories is that even in Russian Roulette you have a chance of beating a bullet but would you accept those odds when your life, or the life of a loved one, is at stake?

The most incredible thing about adopting a whole foods, plant-based diet is that, with the rarest of exceptions, everyone improves. The bigger the changes the better the results but even incremental changes make a difference.

In our experience, there is no reason to remain stuck in status quo. With tons of resources available to support your transition, there’s no better time to take control of your future. Get your copy of The Whole Foods Diet and become a Whole Foodie today!