Leveraging the simple, yet powerful concept of maximizing the percent of your calories from whole plant-based foods. The "one leaf" level is healthier than the standard American diet; the 4Leaf level is near optimal.

What could be simpler? 

This is the second day of the second year of this young blog-site. So I thought it would be good to feature the number 2 today—with 2 words and 2 meals.

For optimal health, simply plan every single meal around two words, whole plants—still in Nature’s package. As we clearly explain in our 4Leaf Program, that’s all you have to do to take charge of your health while doing your part to save the planet in the process.

It’s all very simple. Yet, we’re constantly inundated with confusing information from far too many sources. Just yesterday morning on NBC’s Today Show, there was a segment about the fact that Americans are consuming twice as much sodium as we need (over 3300 mg./day) and that they we’re suffering the high blood pressure and premature deaths that go along with it.

During the two-minute segment there was an obese, African American doctor who was asking a fairly trim white patient about his weight. Of course the patient had already had a heart attack and was on the road to recovery—having improved his diet and begun to exercise more.

Whole Plants. What is it about "whole plants" that you don't understand? The first calories of my day on 2-8-12.

He admitted that he was still eating fish, but also acknowledged that he was now eating a huge amount of oatmeal (surprisingly, he said). There you go—WHOLE PLANTS. Amazingly, at one point the reporter did mention that if we ate more fruits and vegetables that we would automatically consume far less sodium. Duh.

Two Words. Whole Plants. A few minutes later, I cut up my first meal of the day: a medium orange, a small banana, four large strawberries, and one medium pear. Then I went to nutritiondata.com and computed the following total score for my first calories of the day:

• Total sodium — 5 mg.
• Total calories — 309
• Calories from fat — 11
• % calories from fat = 3.6%
• Grams of fiber — 15
• Grams of protein — 4
• Percent of calories from whole plants = 100%
• 4Leaf level (100% of calories from whole plants)
• Saturated fat = zero
• Cholesterol = zero

Meal #2—At 11 a.m., my Sailors Daily Oatmeal. As always, this great meal derives most of its calories from whole plants.

Ingredients include a half cup of Quaker Old Fashioned Oats, about ten raisins, 4 oz. of Pacific Brand unsweetened vanilla-flavored almond milk, one small apple, a handful of blueberries & strawberries, a sprinkling of Uncle Sam’s brand wheat flakes with flaxseeds—and a little sprinkling of cinnamon on top. Of course, I eat it cold and it is fabulous. And just check out this score:

• Total sodium — 78 mg.
  

  Sailors Daily 4Leaf Oatmeal -- best if eaten next to a lighthouse

• Total calories — 496
• Calories from fat — 48
• % calories from fat = 9.7%
• Grams of fiber — 19
• Grams of protein –12
• Percent of calories from whole plants = 90%
• 4Leaf level (90% of calories from whole plants)
• Saturated fat = zero
• Cholesterol = zero

Half-time Score. Before having my big meal of the day in early to mid-afternoon, my calories total 805 with only 59 of them (7.3%) coming from fat; I am up to 34 grams of fiber, and my sodium intake is only 83 mg. The percent of my calories from whole plants is 94%, placing me very high in the 4Leaf range. That gives me a little wiggle room with my lunch and light dinner; and provides me with a real good chance of achieving a 4Leaf score of over 80% for the entire day. It’s all a matter of keeping two simple words in the back of your mind:

Whole Plants

1. Taking charge of our health is really very simple; we just concentrate on two words.
2. This is how we easily keep our sodium mg. far below our number of calories.
3. This is how we keep our fat calories below 20% while the average American is close to 40%.
4. This is how we get plenty of fiber and protein without counting anything—EVER.
5. This is how we can eat all we want at every meal, achieve vibrant health, maintain a trim body and do some wonderful things for our planet at the same time.

For more information on sodium and fat in your diet, take a look at this 4Leaf page. 4Leaf eating, Part 3–Fat & sodium

Click Here to see our latest book review at VeggieGrettie.com (new yesterday)

Want to receive some occasional special news from us? 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.

J. Morris Hicks, working daily to promote health, hope and harmony on planet Earth.

And if you like what 4Leaf eating is doing for you and your family, you might enjoy visiting our new “4Leaf Gear” store. From the seaside village of Stonington, Connecticut – Be well and have a great day.

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

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J. Morris Hicks -- Member of the Board of Directors -- Click image to visit the foundation website.