Books: The Plant-Powered Diet: http://amzn.to/2FJGZLP Plant-Powered for Life: http://amzn.to/2DwIqeI Free Plant-Powered Newsletter Blog: The Plant-Powered Dietitian https://sharonpalmer.com/meet-sharon   Sustainability Of Plant-Based Nutrition http://learntruehealth.com/sustainability-o…-based-nutrition/ Sustainability of plant-based nutrition is a serious matter that we should look into. For the sake of our health, the planet and animal welfare, it's about time we take control.  To explain more about why we should take action towards sustainability of plant-based nutrition, Sharon Palmer is back on the show for the second time around. I also strongly recommend listeners to check out my episode with Sharon Palmer on episode 197. She revealed a lot of things you need to know about a plant-based diet. General Perceptions My husband and I have been trying a plant-based diet for almost three months now. I eat chicken sometimes, but other than that, I make a conscious effort to eat organic produce most of the time. Sharon Palmer says a lot of people don't realize that there are a lot of delicious ways to eat a plant-based diet. But most of the time, people think they're going to be missing out on something. "Primates are vegans. We are similar to them. Eating a plant-based diet makes cholesterol and glucose drop," explains Sharon Palmer. "Whole plant food is so satisfying and delicious. Plus, your body will be flooded with nutrients that benefit in so many ways." Sharon Palmer also assures that experiencing hunger, in the beginning, is normal. Because a plant-based diet is so dense in nutrients but low in energy or calories. It is also low in fat naturally. Usually, it takes time easing into the diet, but people eventually get used to it. I was initially worried where I would get my protein requirement in a plant-based diet. But apparently, 18 grams of protein equals one cup of legumes. I was then more than willing to dive into the diet because I love legumes! Major Problems Some of the significant problems we have on sustainability are waste management, air pollution, water pollution and soil pollution due to extensive farming and modern animal agriculture. According to Sharon Palmer, all these are detrimental to the environment. "From an environmental standpoint, they concentrate all the manure. In effect, the manure accumulates in lagoons and storage tanks," said Sharon Palmer. In a past episode, Dr. Mark Hyman said, when farmers pay more attention to the health of the soil, that is when we get healthy crops. And that will ultimately sustain our health. Soil plays a big factor in all this.  Part of the equation is the state of biodynamic farming, allowing the animals to walk on the fields during offseason and enable their manure to be stomped into the ground naturally. Studies have shown that biodynamic farms have a higher yield of produce than those produced with a bunch of chemicals. "A lot of times we think the soil is just dirt. But soil is living and breathing. We are so interested in our gut microbiome now, but the soil has a microbiome," Sharon Palmer explains. "It is enriched with all of these organisms that help decay the organic matter and contribute nutrients to the soil. Modern agriculture treats soil as an inert substance."  She adds, "But at the same time, this compost has all the things like manure and compost. Part of our natural environment has all the things needed regarding nutrients in the soil, and it breaks down slowly, adding organic materials to the soil." Present Focus Sharon Palmer's primary focus on sustainability is looking at the food system rather than focusing on micro-agriculture. She is also currently learning about biodynamics and regenerative agriculture to restore the soil and looking into food policies, food systems, and security. "Sustainability goes beyond just the environment. A lot of people think of the environment as the only aspect of sustainability," said Sharon Palmer. "Sustainabili