54 Joel Fuhrman, M.D.ican Cancer Society, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Coun-
cil on Cardiovascular Disease in the Young, the Council on Epidemiol-
ogy and Prevention, the American Dietetic Association, the Division
of Nutrition Research of the National Institutes of Health, and the
American Society for Clinical Nutrition.Their unified guidelines are a giant step in the right direction.
Their aim is to offer protection against the major chronic diseases in
America, including heart disease and cancer. "The emphasis is on
eating a variety of foods, mostly fruits and vegetables, with very lit-
tle simple sugar or high-fat foods, especially animal foods," said Abby
Bloch, Ph.D., R.D., chair of the American Cancer Society. Based on a
culmination of years of research, these health experts' conclusion
was that animal-source foods, with their high levels of saturated fat,
are one of the leading causes of heart disease, cancer, strokes, dia-betes, obesity, etc. — all the major chronic diseases that cost 1.4 mil-
lion Americans their lives each year (more than two-thirds of all
deaths in the United States).The Phytochemical Revolution
We are on the verge of a revolution. Substances newly discovered in
broccoli and cabbage sprouts sweep toxins out of cells. Substances
found in nuts and beans prevent damage to our cells' DNA. Other
compounds in beets, peppers, and tomatoes fight cancerous changes
in cells. Oranges and apples protect our blood vessels from damage
that could lead to heart disease. Nature's chemoprotective army is
alert and ready to remove our enemies and shield us from harm.Hardly a day goes by when some new study doesn't proclaim the
health-giving properties of fruits, vegetables, and beans. Unprocessed
plant foods contain thousands of compounds, most of which have
not yet been discovered, that are essential for maintaining health
and maximizing genetic potential. Welcome to the phytochemical
revolution.Phytochemicals, or plant-derived chemicals, occur naturally in
plants (phylo means "plant"). These nutrients, which scientists are
just starting to discover and name, have tremendously beneficial ef-
fects on human physiology. The effects of our not consuming suffi-
cient amounts of them are even more astounding — premature death
from cancer and atherosclerosis.Eating a wide variety of raw and conservatively cooked plant