That’s right, “the world’s first” healthy eating regimen based on the maximization of whole plant foods — still in nature’s package

Positive, simple, flexible and powerful!

We don’t just call it plant-based, because that would include many unhealthy items like white bread, potato chips, and cookies.

We call it the “world’s first“ for two reasons:

Reason #1. We know of no other eating program based on the simple concept of focusing ONLY on what you ARE eating — maximizing the percent of calories from the healthiest of foods; those whole plant foods that are still in nature’s package. 

Reason #2. As with other eating programs based on a certain concept, i.e. the Atkins Diet, there will be many other copy-cats down the road that will present our simple concept with their own “spin.” But no matter how many there are in the future, the 4Leaf Program will always be the original.

If you’ve spent more than five minutes on this site in the past, you are probably already familiar with 4Leaf; since there are over 20 posts on this site dedicated to helping you take charge of your health using this simple concept. This new logo is a big help toward bringing that concept to life.

J. Morris Hicks and J. Stanfield Hicks -- Creators of 4-Leaf

Since creating this concept in 2009, it has been met with overwhelmingly positive acceptance. Everyone likes the simplicity and flexibility and a great majority of the people like the fact that it isn’t called vegan or vegetarian.

They all seem to like the “80-20” concept that puts each individual in charge of how far up the 4Leaf scale they want to go — and at what pace. We all know that the very best diet for each individual is “the healthiest diet that they can stick with.”

From the scientific and clinical standpoint, this great book has educated millions of people about what we should be eating.

We felt that it was our responsibility to define in the simplest of terms what constitutes the optimal diet for humans. Based on a large amount of scientific and clinical evidence coupled with the endorsement from many prominent experts in those fields, we based our concept on the simple statement by Dr. T. Colin Campbell…

“the closer we get to eating a whole foods, plant-based diet, the better off we will be.”

So one would naturally conclude that the optimal percentage from whole plants would be 100%; and if we were still living in the wilds of nature, that’s where we would be — like our closest DNA cousins, the chimpanzee and the gorilla. But we’re not living in the wild and most of us enjoy eating many plant-based food products that are not still in nature’s package — our favorite “adult” beverages come to mind.

So we concluded that we simply must build in a little flexibility; establishing our near optimal 4Leaf threshold at “over 80%” of our calories from whole plants. But that doesn’t mean that everyone will start at that level. Many will benefit greatly from the 4-Leaf concept without ever getting above the 2-Leaf or 3-Leaf level.

Within this range, you will be consuming at least THREE times the amount of whole plants as the average American.

We must remember that the average American derives far less than ten percent of their calories from whole plants, in nature’s package. To just get to the 1-Leaf level will be a major improvement for many.

Some people will start out by adding more whole plants to their daily routine and others will decide to get real serious and shift to the 4Leaf level immediately. Our book and our future 4Leaf website will help you decide which path is best for you. In the meantime, you can take charge of your health by climbing aboard the 4-Leaf train now — just visit our content-rich 4Leaf page on this site to begin your journey to vibrant health.

What about weight-loss? Notice that we have not mentioned weight-loss a single time; that’s because the goal here is vibrant health. If you give your body what it needs to be healthy, it will naturally and effortlessly seek its ideal weight. My good friend Carl has lost 45 pounds in five months eating 4Leaf for optimal health. He told me recently that it’s the first time he has ever lost 45 pounds; he adds that he has lost 25 pounds about umpteen times. But this time there was no weight-loss goal; this time there was a lifelong commitment to eating for health.

Before concluding today, I want to recognize my two good friends that created our fabulous new logo, one that will hopefully make its way around the world in the next few years. Those friends are Erica Lindberg and Thomas Mitchell and they both live right here in Stonington, Connecticut.

May you enjoy "vibrant health" for the rest of your life.

If you like what you see here, you may wish to join our periodic mailing list. Also, for help in your own quest to take charge of your health, you might find some useful information at our 4Leaf page. From the seaside village of Stonington, Connecticut – Be well and have a great day.

If you’d like to order our book on Amazon,  visit our BookStore now.

—J. Morris Hicks…blogging daily at HealthyEatingHealthyWorld.com

PS: Occasionally an unauthorized ad may appear beneath a blog post. It is controlled by WordPress (a totally free hosting service). I do not approve or personally benefit whatsoever from any ad that might ever appear on this site. I apologize and urge you to please disregard.