FAQ
WHAT IS A PLANT-BASED DIET?
A plant-based diet is one that excludes all foods from meat, fish, eggs, and dairy. It is centered around eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and starches.
WHICH VERSION OF A VEGAN DIET IS THE BEST?
The best version of a vegan diet is one that you enjoy and can stick to. However, most healthful is a diet that revolves around carbohydrate-rich plant foods like fruits, vegetables. whole grains, starches, and legumes. Fat and protein should be limited, and the majority of foods should be alkaline.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A HIGH CARB LOW FAT VEGAN DIET?
There are countless benefits when consuming a plant-based diet low in fat. Some include:
Improved digestion
Clearer skin, whiter eyes, shinier hair, stronger nails
Increased and sustainable energy
Weight loss
Lower and even reverse insulin resistance
Prevent and reverse type 2 diabetes
Muscle tone
Fast recovery after exercise
No brain fog (mental clarity)
Satisfaction after every meal
Impossible to overeat
Stimulants such as coffee are no longer necessary
Hormonal balance/ a feeling of stability
WHAT IS RAW TILL 4?
When following raw till 4, you eat all raw meals up until your last meal of the day. Raw meals consist of fruits and vegetables. For example, a large fruit smoothie for breakfast (bananas and dates), a mono meal for lunch consisting of fruit and some greens (9 oranges and lettuce), and then dinner can be a starch-based meal (rice and potatoes). This lifestyle is full of whole fresh foods with little % of calories coming from fats (nuts, seeds, avocado, durian).
WHY CARBS?
Every cell in the human body runs on glucose. Carbs give you energy. Carbs keep your hormones happy. Carbs keep your insulin levels low. Glucose and oxygen run our body, and glucose and oxygen ONLY. What happens when ccells do not receive carbohydrates? They die!
BUT, AREN'T CARBS BAD FOR YOU? DON'T THEY MAKE YOU FAT?
Absolutely not! The problem is, the media influences the public in all the wrong ways. Keto, paleo, mono-diet, egg diet, what else exists?!! Plant-based carbs that are low in fat cannot get stored as fat in the human body.
SHOULD I FOLLOW FOOD COMBINING?
See what works for you. If you are experiencing some digestive issues, then food combining can help improve your digestion. Food combining can really help your digestive tract as it won't have to work as hard to digest your food. Foods left undigested cause build-up within the body which creates a toxic environment.
WILL I EXPERIENCE DETOX SYMPTOMS?
You can absolutely experience detox symptoms. This will depend on your eating habits prior to your switch to a plant-based diet. If you came from a place of eating mainly animal and processed foods, then you can expect to experience more detox symptoms than those who were eating relatively healthy.
WHAT IS A WHOLE FOOD?
A whole food is one that has been minimally processed.
WHERE DO I GET MY PROTEIN?
The best sources of plant-based protein:
Tofu
Hemp seeds
Nuts and seeds
Chickpeas, black beans, white beans
Lentils
Broccoli
Peas
Chia seeds
Quinoa
AREN'T I EATING TOO MUCH FIBER?
No! Plant-based fiber is so healthy for you! Dietary fiber is important for our digestive health and regular bowel movements. Fiber helps feed our gut bacteria and it nourishes our colon walls. Fiber helps us stay full and can aid in weight loss since our body cannot absorb the calories from fiber.
WON'T I GET BLOATED?
You can. Take it slow. You will find out which foods bloat you through trial and error, it is different for everyone. Bloating is temporary and does not equate to weight gain. If you notice bloating or painful discomfort, try to consider holding off on some of these foods until your body becomes accustomed to this lifestyle change.
Common foods that cause bloating:
Broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, cabbage, asparagus
Fermented products like pickles and sauerkraut (can also cause you to retain water - NOT weight gain)
Oils
Salt
Eating too much fat from nuts and seeds, especially when poorly combining with other foods
Poor food combining (like mixing fruit and starches)
AM I GOING TO LOSE WEIGHT?
You will lose weight if you have weight to lose, and rapidly too. The cleaner youeat, the leaner you will get. The lower the fat and protein, and the higher your carbohydrate intake - the leaner you will get.
HOW DO I DEAL WITH SOCIAL SITUATIONS?
Many restaurants offer vegan options. It's best to order something you enjoy WITHOUT OIL. If it is not doable, don't stress. One meal will not ruin your progress so enjoy it!
IS EATING 100% RAW FOOD THE BEST?
Not necessarily. If you enjoy raw foods and can eat them all day, then that is great! However, this can get restrictive as people will begin to fear steamed broccoli on their salad. Raw foods are the easiest on digestion and they contain the most enzymes, antioxidants, and minerals. I would say that a diet consisting of 80% raw foods, or a raw till 4 diet is the most balanced and sustainable. Being 70% raw will still give you all the benefits of raw food diet.
SHOULD I COUNT CALORIES?
Absolutely not. First off, counting calories is an obsessive, mental behavior. What animal in nature counts the calories in their food? If you are sticking to natural whole foods and limiting your fat intake, you do not have to worry about overeating. It's impossible. Just eat until your body tells you that you are full.
HOW DO I MAKE SURE I AM NOT HUNGRY?
Eating until complete satiation. Make sure that the meal you eat can last you 3-4 hours. You should be able to go these 3-4 hours without thinking about food. If you are hungry early, adjust your meal and eat more. The simple rule applies - eat when you are hungry and stop when you are full.
DOESN'T FRUIT CONTAIN TOO MUCH SUGAR?
No! Sugar from fruit is exactly what our body needs. You can't gain weight from eating fruit. Fruits are high in antioxidants and astringents and have the highest magnetic energy of all foods. They are the excellent brain and nerve foods, keep your lymphatic system moving, and are superior in your body's natural detoxification process. Fruit requires minimal digestive effort and our body uses the simple sugars from glucose to energize and repair our cells. Eat fruit all day every day!
WHY SHOULD I BE ON A PLANT-BASED DIET?
Animal products are not meant for human being consumption. All illnesses and diseases are linked to animal products and processed foods. This includes heart disease, obesity, cancer, stroke, Alzheimer's, arthritis, chronic fatigue, etc. Animal foods are highly toxic.
WON'T I BECOME DEFICIENT IN NUTRIENTS?
No, you will not become deficient in nutrients. From eating animal products, we do not receive any nutrients. Animal products are dead flesh and hormones.
WON'T I BECOME DEFICIENT IN PROTEIN?
You will not become deficient in protein. Have you ever met someone who has a protein deficiency? The majority of people get 2-3 times more protein than necessary. In fact, the body can synthesize its own proteins, and actually build muscle on its own. It will use these clean nutrients from whole foods.
HOW DO I GET STARTED?
It's important to educate yourself before all else. You need to understand why you're doing this. Clean out your pantry. Clean out all processed food. You should be able to pronounce all of the ingredients in your food! Whole foods have 1-2 ingredients at most. Make sure that your fridge is stocked with fresh produce at all times. Buying in bulk is helpful and will save you money. Keep it simple, no need to spend so much time making your meals. Grab some bananas and eat! Consistency is the most important in the long term. Your taste buds will repair (just like every other damaged cell in your body), and they will become accustomed to all of these fresh tasty foods.
DO I NEED TO TAKE SUPPLEMENTS?
You need to take supplements if your blood tests show that you are deficient. I take vitamin B-12 in a spray form.
HOW MANY FRUITS AND VEGETABLES SHOULD I ACTUALLY BE EATING?
As many as you can eat! Start with 2-3 pounds of greens and 10-15 servings of fruit per day.
WHAT BOOKS DO YOU RECOMMEND TO READ?
Check out my separate tab on resources!
WHAT DOCUMENTARIES/MOVIES DO YOU RECOMMEND TO WATCH?
Check out my separate tab on resources!
DO I HAVE TO GO ALL IN?
You don't have to do anything, you should do what suits you best and you should follow a lifestyle that is sustainable.