The 7 Golden Rules to Thriving On a Plant Based Diet

6 min readDec 10, 2020

What does thriving mean to you?

Is thriving a perfect body composition? Is thriving having strength? Is thriving having excellent health? Or is it handling stress well?

Thriving is going to mean different things for different people, but a common meaning that many people are familiar with is having the ability to reach our goals and a sense of progress and purpose.

Many people who consider themselves to be thriving have a feeling of freedom or connection. People who consider themselves to be thriving have likely came to understand that thriving is much more than being in excellent physical shape.

Many people who want to be in a position where they can consider themselves thriving try a plant based diet. Some people try it because of current health issues, and some people try it to ensure good long-term health. But no matter the reason people begin a plant based diet, some people find that they did it wrong. What they likely didn’t know is that there are steps you can follow to increase your chances of thriving with a plant based diet.

Regardless of what thriving means to you and if you consider yourself there yet, there are 7 steps that I call the 7 golden rules which you can follow to increase you chances of thriving on a plant based diet. So here are 7 golden rules to thriving on a plant based diet.

1. Reduce your lectin consumption

Lectins are a form of protein known for its ability to attach with sugar. Lectins can be found in foods from both plants and animals, and when eaten in small quantities, aid cell function and immune function.

However, lectins are also known as anti-nutrients because of their ability to hinder your ability to absorb nutrients. Consuming large quantities of lectins on a regular basis can lead to autoimmune response, systematic inflation, and even gut wall damage.

Foods with high lectin content include soy products, peas, beans, peanuts, and other legumes such as lentils. Unfortunately, this means that your favorite peanut butter contains lectins. Luckily there are suitable alternatives such as almond butter. Nightshades vegetables such as eggplants and potatoes are also high in lectins.

These foods are quite healthy for you but you need to be sure to monitor your lectin intake. You can easily reduce the amount of lectins in legumes by simply pressure cooking them. For nightshades, try to avoid the seeds and skin.

Foods with a lower lectin count include Brussels sprouts, broccoli, sweet potatoes, beets, and carrots.

2. Prioritize whole foods

Even though there are many vegan substitutes for all the junk food you can think of, eating lots of pre-made and fast food items will prevent you from thriving with a plant based diet. It’s important to remember that vegan or plant based doesn’t necessarily mean healthy.

Instead of eating lots of vegan snacks, consume lots of whole food like vegetables, nuts, and fruits. Consider biscuits, pies, and other snack related items as foods for special occasions.

Whether they’re plant based or not, eating highly processed foods on a regular basis will prevent you from thriving with a plant based diet.

3. Prefer organic foods

Generally, organic foods are free from herbicides, synthetic fertilizer, and pesticide. They’re usually also non-GMO.

The price of organic foods may cost a little bit more than non-organic foods, but you’ll certainly get a good return on investment in terms of nutrition.

Organic foods are known to have higher levels of antioxidants and flavonoids. Additionally, organic farming is better for the planet. By buying organic foods, you’re supporting the many organic farmers who make it a point to farm responsibly.

4. Keep it simple

Remember to keep your plant-based diet simple. There’s not much point in over complicating things and adding extra details.

Such a diet doesn’t have to have any burdens and shouldn’t have to come with harsh restrictions. A plant-based diet shouldn’t have you missing events or losing friends.

Letting a plant-based diet become a burden is the reason many people quit it and go back to eating animal-based foods.

If you take on this diet as an extremist, you’ll surely end up burning out.

5. Have a balanced macro consumption

A plant-based diet has some very extreme forms. These might include a vegan ketogenic diet or a low fat high carb diet. Either way, cutting of consumption of any one of the three macronutrients is not sustainable.

Yes, it may have short term benefits and may help you reach certain goals, but you’re going to have to find a balance if you want to thrive long-term.

6. Eat leafy greens

It doesn’t matter how you prepare your leafy greens. Just make sure you get plenty of them.

Leafy greens are an incredible source of vitamins and the plant compounds found in many of them help detoxify your body.

Leafy greens high in Vitamins K, C, E, and A, provide more nutrition than most multivitamins. The many nutrients found in leafy greens are required for your body to function properly.

Additionally, leafy greens are very easy to obtain and can even be grown in your garden with your own rules. Leafy greens are literally leafy greens, they include lettuce, swiss chard, Chinese chard, and many more.

7. Understand your body

To thrive with a plant-based diet you’ll need to make adjustments according to your body. A single diet doesn’t work for everybody. Listen to/understand how your body responds to the diet so that you can make adjustments as needed. Everybody’s gut microbiome is different.

Experiment with different things and record how your body responds to them. With that information you’ll be able to construct a diet, lifestyle, or goal that works with your body.

One of the first steps to this is identifying how many calories your body requires to function properly.

Final thoughts

A plant-based diet is a great way to achieve good long-term health when done right. It’s important to collect information from multiple sources and understand your body’s needs. Following the steps listed in the articles will not guarantee your success with a plant-based diet but they are one step closer.

Thanks for reading!

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