EATING RIGHT: EIGHT PRINCIPLES OF FOOD AND HEALTH 239our body. But other experiences also are important, such as physical
activity, emotional and mental health and the well-being of our environ-
ment. Incorporating these various spheres into our concept of health is
important because they are all interconnected. Indeed, this is a holistic
concept.
These expanding interconnections became apparent to me through
experimentation with animals. The rats fed the low-protein diets were
not only spared liver cancer, but they also had lower blood cholesterol,
noticeably more energy and voluntarily exercised twice as much as the
high-protein rats. The evidence regarding increased energy levels was
supported by an enormous amount of anecdotal evidence I have en-
countered over the years: people have more energy when they eat well.
This synergy between nutrition and physical activity is extremely im-
portant, and is evidence that these two parts of life are not isolated from
each other. Good nutrition and regular exercise combine to offer more
health per person than the sum of each part alone.
We also know that physical activity has an effect on emotional and
mental well-being. Much has been said about the effect physical activity
has on various chemicals in our bodies, which in tum affect our moods
and our concentration. And experiencing the rewards of feeling better
emotionally and being more mentally alert provides the confidence and
motivation to treat ourselves to optimal nutrition, which reinforces the
entire cycle. Those who feel good about themselves are more likely to
respect their health by practicing good nutrition.
Sometimes people try to play these different parts of their lives
against each other. People wonder if they can erase bad eating habits
by being a runner. The answer to this is no. The benefits and risks of
diet are crucially important, and more sizable, than the benefits and
risks of other activities. Besides, why would anyone want to try and bal-
ance benefits and risks when they could have all the benefits, working
together? People also wonder whether a perceived health benefit is be-
cause of the exercise or because of a good diet. In the end, that's simply
an academic question. The fact is that these two spheres of our lives
are intimately interconnected, and what's important is that it all works
together to promote or derail health.
Furthermore, it turns out that if we eat the way that promotes the
best health for ourselves, we promote the best health for the planet.
By eating a whole foods, plant-based diet, we use less water, less land,
fewer resources and produce less pollution and less suffering for our