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98 THRIVE

foods. As I noted earlier, without adding the extra step of feeding

plants to animals and then eating the animal, as is the basis of the
typical North American diet, a considerable amount of energy is
conserved, about 30 percent—and 30 percent is huge. When energy
gains measured in the 1 and 2 percent range are considered “signifi-
cant,” 30 percent is massive.
Imagine if North America reduced its energy usage by 30 percent?
If every North American were to eat a diet based on primary nutri-
tion, that is exactly what would happen.
The Thrive Diet is an environmental friendly diet. It calls for eating
many foods in their natural state, with little preparation. These foods
consist entirely of primary sources of nutrition—plants.

what can we do?

Money greases the wheels of our cultural machine; therefore, it is the
greatest initiator of change. We simply have to use the power of
economics to help ourselves. To not support corporations that prac-
tice poor environmental policies such as unsustainable and inefficient
land use, use of toxic herbicides and pesticides, and destruction of
old-growth forests is only half the solution. We as informed
consumers hold the power.
Smaller, environmentally conscious companies are beginning to
attract more and more informed customers each year. Supporting
these companies is twice as effective as simply not buying from
those whose practices are destructive. For example, to buy
non–genetically modified hemp foods grown without pesticides or
herbicides puts money toward promoting a clean, sustainable indus-
try. If these sustainable industries are able to flourish because of our
support, others will see the economic carrot of “green” agriculture,
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The Thrive Diet for a Healthy Environment 99

and they will follow. This is one problem that we can eat ourselves
out of.

At a Glance
• When we bite into food, part of the environment becomes part of us.
• More fossil fuel is burned in the production, processing, and delivery
of food than in any other industry.
• The more energy used to produce food, the more greenhouse gases
created.
• As individuals, the single greatest thing that we can do to preserve
environmental health is to base our diet on primary-source foods.
• Simply by changing our eating habits we can significantly reduce
pollution, and in doing so improve our health and the health of
generations to come.
• Supporting companies that have environmental consciousness will
help make their standards the new benchmark of food production.
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four

exercise for lifelong health

It is possible to grow a younger body. A younger body is simply one

that has regenerated its cells more recently. The key to developing or
maintaining a functional, young body is to encourage it to be in a
constant state of regeneration. But the body regenerates only if it is
given a reason. The best reason comes in the form of regular exercise.
Remember, exercise is really nothing more than breaking down body
tissue. Once cells are broken down through exercise, the body must
grow new cells to replace them. This is an ongoing process. Activity
level is largely responsible for the rate at which regeneration occurs,
provided that the body has the dietary resources to support it—that it
is supplied with premium fuel.
Poor nutrition can convert the complementary stress that exercise
provides into uncomplementary stress by virtue of degeneration.
Performing strenuous exercise regularly without eating a nutrient-
rich diet will speed degeneration of the cells and the aging process.
And if the body is not supplied with the building blocks it needs, a
stress response will be triggered, causing cortisol levels to rise and
body fat to be stored.
How often have you said to yourself, “I did my exercise today; I’ll
treat myself to a cheeseburger,” or, “I’ve had a stressful day at work—
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Exercise for Lifelong Health 101

I deserve ice cream this evening”? People crave junk food during
stressful times. But this is when it should be adamantly avoided. Or at
the very least, you need to make sure your body also has the necessary
building blocks to regenerate after it experiences stress. Immediately
following a hard bout of exercise, the body will try feverishly to
rebuild what was broken down. At this time, premium nutrition is of
even greater significance than usual. For this reason, I have included
exercise-specific recipes later in this chapter that will help provide the
best possible fuel and building material for active bodies. Providing
your body with the best nutritional building blocks after a workout
will ensure it continually regenerates muscle tissue. And if nutrition-
ally empty food is eaten later in the day, after the nutrient-rich food,
it will not have such a detrimental effect, since the repair process will
already be underway. You’ll also find that the desire to eat junk food
fades if nutrient-rich foods are consumed immediately after exercise.
Exercise has another anti-aging attribute: sweat production.
Sweating helps cleanse the pores, which is necessary for skin health.
Healthy skin is elastic and supple, giving it a youthful appearance.
As you read in Chapter 2, a small amount of direct sun exposure is
healthy. Ultraviolet rays in the sun kill bacteria that can clog pores
and restrict proper perspiration. And because toxins in the body get
excreted through sweat, clear, unobstructed pores allow the body to
detoxify fully.
Another benefit of exercise is its influence on the pituitary gland, an
endocrine gland in the brain. Soon after you’ve begun exercising, the
pituitary releases a growth hormone that contributes to the building
and maintenance of body tissue throughout the body. It also makes
losing body fat easier. It has been shown that people who exercise only
one set of muscles experience growth throughout the whole body—in
muscles they don’t even exercise. For example, a person who does