Day 19 of the #plantfueledyoga challenge starts the Whole Body Health & Meditation Series 

For the final three days of our 21 day challenge, we are focusing on the effects plants have on the entire body and meditation on the mind. We need to care for our minds the same way we care for our bodies, nurture them, exercise them, and rest them. Being of a plant-based mindset lets you see and live the holistic benefits of taking on this lifestyle. For your body, for the compassion aspect, for the environmental impact. The three pronged approach to a plant-based way of life has such a holistic benefit. Today we’ll delve into the top 5 health benefits of a plant-based lifestyle.

Top 5 health benefits of plant-based eating (resource: PCRM – Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine)

1. Prevention of heart disease. Studies have demonstrated that a low-fat, high-fiber, vegetarian or vegan diet combined with stress reduction techniques, smoking cessation, and exercise, can actually reverse atherosclerosis.
2. Cancer prevention. Several large-scale, peer-reviewed studies (including those at Harvard and Cambridge Universities) have shown that plant-based diets reduce your risk of certain cancers, specifically breast and colon cancer in the US.
3. Prevention and reversal of diabetes. Adult-onset diabetes can be better controlled and sometimes even eliminated through a low-fat, vegetarian diet along with regular exercise.
4. Lower blood pressure. People who follow plant-based diets typically have lower blood pressure. Results can be seen in as little as TWO WEEKS.

Yoga Meditation Pose: Lotus Pose Meditation 

Quiet your mind. Roll out your mat in a peaceful place that is still. Let your day melt away while you come into a comfortable lotus seated position.  Make sure the crown of your head is stretching toward the ceiling. Root down into your sit bones. Close your eyes and focus on the now. Sit here for at least 5 minutes, 15 if you can.

Namaste.