THE ESSELSTYN

FOUNDATION'S

PLANT-BASED
JUMPSTART
GUIDE

CHANGE WHAT IS ON YOUR PLATE,

CHANGE THE WORLD!
CONTENTS:

1. WHAT IS THE JUMPSTART?

2. THE PILLARS:
• THE POWER OF PLANTS
• WHOLE FOODS ONLY
• CALORIE DENSITY
• THE PROTEIN MYTH
• EATING VS. DRINKING YOUR
CALORIES
• LIMITING THE BIG 3: SALT,
SUGAR, FAT
• MOVEMENT

3. RESOURCES:
• SAMPLE MENUS
• THE PLANT-BASED PANTRY
• THE POWER PLATE CONCEPT
• BOWLS AND FLATS
• DOCTOR’S LETTER

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 The Jumpstart: An Overview
What is the 7 Day
Challenge? The Jumpstart is a simple, week-long action plan designed to give your
body the fuel it needs to function at its best. It harnesses the power of
“strong food”: whole, nutritious plant foods.

You will eat lots of:

What will be Vegetables of all kinds (especially leafy greens).
eaten? Fruits: Frozen or fresh (we will avoid smoothies).
Intact Whole grains: Brown rice, oats, quinoa, farro, bulgur, polenta,
etc.
100% Whole Grain Items (avoid added oils): Breads, pastas, tortillas,
etc.
Legumes: Black beans, lentils, pinto beans, chickpeas, oil-free
hummus,
etc.
Plant Garnishes (limit): avocados, walnuts, chia seeds, flax seed, plant
based milks, dried fruit.
Simple beverages: water, tea, coffee, alternative milks for cereal.

What will be You will avoid:

avoided?
Meat: Beef, poultry, fish, pork.
Dairy products: cheese, milk, yogurt, butter.
Eggs.
Extracted oils: olive, coconut, canola, corn, etc.
Refined breads and pastas.
Refined sugars.
Juices/smoothies.
Vegan meat substitutes.
Coconut products.
What should I
expect? On average, in one week participants usually experience the following
results:

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 • Total Cholesterol: -26mg/dl
• LDL Cholesterol: -25 mg/dl
• Triglycerides: -25mg/dl
• Blood Pressure: -10 mmHg
• Weight: -3 lbs.

Will I have to follow Just follow the guidelines. The core of your meals this week will be
specific recipes? stews, soups, customized bowls, and open-faced sandwiches that
you will make following our guidelines. You will be able to eat what
you want, when you want as long as the rules are followed.

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 The Pillars of the Jumpstart

#1 Veggies and fruit contain all the good stuff we need and very little of the
Eat Plants! bad. They also contain all three micronutrients in the perfect ratio for
optimal health: protein, fat, and carbohydrates. From plants, we get
friendly proteins, unprocessed carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, and
almost every vitamin and mineral. More importantly, we get loads of
phytonutrients, antioxidants, fiber, and water. By sticking to veggies, we
also avoid saturated fats, trans fats, growth hormones, antibiotics,
concentrated pollutants, and materials with inflammatory properties.

Plants are the source of eleven of the thirteen vitamins (the exceptions
being vitamin D, which comes from the sun, and B12, which comes from
micro-organisms in the soil). They also include seventeen major and
minor minerals, deliver more than 15,000 phytonutrients and 64 times
more antioxidants than animal-based foods. Why are these important?
Phytonutrients and antioxidants fight oxidative stress and help to
destroy free radicals, both which play a role in cancer, heart disease,
aging, and other disease states.

We especially love During the Jumpstart, we especially want you to eat as many green leafy
leafy greens!! vegetables as you can, such as spinach, arugula, kale, cabbage, broccoli,
and parsley, among others. We suggest you try to eat 6 servings of
greens per day. Why? Greens are a powerhouse of antioxidants and
they protect and repair endothelial cells that line your blood vessels.
They also promote the production of nitric oxide, a critical chemical
compound in the body that is released by the endothelial cells; this gas
promotes vasodilation, which allows for better blood flow in your
vessels.

Why avoid animal

Most people do not realize how unhealthy modern animal products are.
products? Even today’s skinless chicken breast has the same amount of dietary
cholesterol as red meat (70 mg per 3 oz.). Similarly, most fish have more
cholesterol than chicken and red meat (salmon has 60 mg per 3 oz.) and
contain high levels of mercury. Eggs? Egg are a huge source of unhealthy
animal protein that raises cholesterol and promotes inflammation (1 egg
= 212 mg of cholesterol).

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 Similarly, dairy products are extremely high in dietary fat (2% milk is
actually 35% fat and 1% milk is 25% fat). They also contain casein, a
protein linked to cancer cell growth.

Needless to say, we want to avoid animal-based products during the

challenge to keep lipid levels low, to avoid excessive calorie consumption,
and to reduce inflammation in the body. We also want to maximize our
levels of phytonutrients and antioxidants. Think of animal products as
“inferior” sources of nutrients. What will we eat?

What will I eat?

Ways to get
greens
into your diet!

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 #2 We want to eat foods that are, in most cases, as close to their natural
Eat Whole state as possible, fresh or frozen. According to the latest statistics from
Foods the USDA economic council, a shocking 60% of Americans’ caloric intake
comes from processed and refined foods. During the challenge, we want
you to avoid these “Franken-foods,” which are stripped of fiber, vitamins,
minerals, water, and antioxidants. Even worse, they contain significant
amounts of processed sugar, white flour, and oils, all of which are
detrimental to nutritional health.

Be especially skeptical of vegan junk food, most of which pretend to be

Is vegan food
healthy when they are not. A great example of this are vegan cheese
ok?
substitutes such as Daiya that are 70% fat! Another example is Earth
Balance butter spread…it has the same amount of fat as butter, most of it
saturated.

When looking at breads and pastas, make sure you see one of these four
Are all grains key terms before the word wheat: rolled, whole, cracked, or stone
good?
ground. This means they are 100% “whole.” As well, we want you to
embrace other whole grains such as brown rice, millet, quinoa, barley,
and polenta. Bottom line: you must force yourself to read labels! If lightly
processed foods are consumed (such as pasta or whole grain crackers),
stick to these rules:
Look for the words “rolled,” “whole,” “cracked,” or “stone ground”
before the word “wheat.”
Fat amount should not exceed 20% of total calories (if total calories
per serving is 100, then calories from fat should not exceed 20).
Make sure that no type of sugar is listed as one of the first three
ingredients. Look for words like “cane,” “juice,” “molasses,” “syrup,”
“barley malt,” “nectar,” and “fructose,” as they are all hidden words
for sugar additives.
Salt should be no more than a 1:1 ratio to calories (if there are 125
calories per serving, salt amount should not exceed 125mg of salt.)
Most soups, pasta sauces, and canned goods have from three to ten
times more mgs. of sodium than calories per serving.

Not this week. Smoothies are highly concentrated calorie “bombs.” Not
Smoothies? only do they spike blood sugar levels, but they pack hundreds of calories
into a glass.

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What is so bad
Oils are also something to avoid. Much like smoothies, processed oils
about oil? contain huge amounts of calories, have zero nutritional value (check out
the label), and are 100% fat. Again, they are highly processed, thus not
“whole.” We will discuss calorie density in more detail next.

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 #3
This week you will be doing your best to choose foods that have a low
Calorie calorie density. The great news is that you can eat a lot more of them
Density and feel completely full without gaining weight. We want you to focus
on plant foods: fruits, veggies, whole grains, legumes. All of these foods
are loaded with fiber and water, which will fill you up, as well as
nutrients.

This also means we need you to be careful with calorie-dense foods

such as nuts, nut butters, seeds, avocados, dried fruit, and bread. Though
they are plant-based, these foods pack a great deal of calories. Be sure
to use in moderation.

Try this Trick: Order Your Food! We suggest you try to eat soups and
salads FIRST, before moving to an entrée. This way, you will fill up on
calorie-diluted foods with plenty of fiber and water. Watch how quickly
you will feel full.

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 #4
Can you get enough protein on a plant-based diet?
The Protein
Myth We get this question constantly. The answer is ABSOLUTELY.
Most American adults eat about 100 grams of protein per day. This is
roughly TWICE the recommended amount. On a plant-based diet, people
can easily get 60 to 80 grams of protein throughout the day from foods
like beans, legumes, nuts, broccoli and whole grains. People eating the
standard American diet (SAD) are usually getting 30% or more of their
calories from animal protein.

Simply put, protein deficiency, also known as Kwashiorkor, is relatively

unknown in developed countries. Usually when an individual is protein
deficient, they are in a state of starvation. As one doctor explained to us,
“If you can walk into my office, you do not have a protein deficiency.”

High protein diets places undue burden on the bones, kidneys, and heart.
Our bodies can store carbohydrates and fats, but not protein. So, if one
eats an excess of protein, their liver and kidneys have to process it. This
process pulls calcium from our bones in order to create the enzymes that
are needed to metabolize the protein. In other words, high protein diets
are actually quite damaging to our bones. As well, high protein diets are
associated with cancer tumor growth. Studies show that people who eat
a high-protein diet, especially during middle age, are more likely to die of
cancer than those who eat less protein.

Also, the type of protein you eat is important. If most of your protein
comes from animal foods, you are not only taking in excess amounts of
saturated fats, but you are also triggering a number of chemical reactions
that damage the lining of your vessels, acidify your blood, and spike
inflammation throughout your system. Plant-based proteins do not have
this effect on the body.

If you eat a whole-food, plant based diet, you will easily get enough
protein, which should be about 10% of your daily caloric intake.

See chart on the next page.

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 #5
Eating vs. During the Jumpstart, we ask that you stick to water ONLY (coffee and
Drinking tea are ok). Why? This is another issue of calorie density. Most
Calories Americans take in between 400 and 700 calories on average per day
from liquid sources. That is roughly 30 to 40% of their daily caloric
needs: heavily sweetened tea, wine, beer, mixed drinks, milk, fruit juices,
soda, flavored waters, coffee with cream and sugar, energy drinks, and
smoothies are loaded with extra calories. In fact, some milkshakes can
carry over 1000 calories in one glass. Even a Starbucks fruit smoothie
with non-fat milk packs 260 calories.

Need a break from plain water? Try seltzer water, herbal tea, or
decaffeinated coffee.

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 #6
Limiting the Our bodies crave salt, sugar, and fat because we need all three to
Big 3 survive. We know this. Tragically, the food industry knows this, too,
which is why they continue to create highly processed foods that are
overloaded with salt, sugar, and saturated fats.

Why do we crave it? Salt is needed to regulate homeostasis and fluid

levels in the body; sugar is fuel for the cells and brain; fat is a primary
energy source and its components, fatty acids, support the basic
functions of our body. Because we require all three in some form to
survive, our taste buds and cravings have been finely tuned to drive us to
find these in our environment. What’s more, when we taste these
components in our food, our brains tell us “get as much as possible!” In
fact, the same dopamine release system in our brains that are triggered
by cocaine are also stimulated by salt, sugar, and fat. This is where we
get into trouble, as excess amounts of salt, sugar, and fat undermine our
health and are associated with a variety of disease states: hypertension,
heart attacks, strokes, dementia, kidney disease, obesity, Type 2
diabetes, and tooth decay, to name a few.

Sugar: On average, Americans consume four to five times the amount of

sugar we should in a day. The USDA recommends no more than 9
teaspoons of added sugar, which is in one 12 oz. can of soda. We are
going to stick to a small amounts of maple syrup and honey this week.

Salt: When it comes to salt, most of us eat three times as much as we

should. The USDA recommends 1500mg of sodium; the average
American takes in 4500mg. Most of our salt comes from processed
foods and breads. This week you should avoid adding salt to your food
while cooking. If you need to shake a bit on at the table, that is ok.

Fat: The amount of fat we need is constantly being debated. Most people
in our country eat 30 to 50% of their calories in the form of fat, many of
them saturated (the fat associated with disease and obesity.) This week
we want to get that down to 10 to 15% of total calories. Our fats are
going to be the ones found naturally in whole foods. So, if you want a
few olives, eat them. Do not eat olive oil. If you want a few almonds,
great, but we do not want you diving into a jar of almond butter.

Stick to these rules:

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 #7 Let’s think of exercise as the icing on the cake. Any purposeful movement
Move that you engage in this week will enhance all that you are doing with your
nutrition. Exercise speeds up your metabolism, enhances mood, and
benefits your entire physical body in myriad ways.
The good news is that you do not need to exercise as much as you think.
In the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, a study showed that
a five minutes of running per day can lower the risk of premature death.

So, whatever activity you choose, just do it. What is optimal? The Center
for Disease Control suggests at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week of
aerobic activity and 2 days a week of strength training for adults.

From the CDC:

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Keep it Sample Menu
simple!

The key this week is not to not have to overthink or try to plan out each
meal. Just keep it simple: breakfast grains for breakfast, flats and leftovers
for lunch, and stews and bowls for dinner. Here are some suggestions
that you can use multiple times during the week. Be sure to check out the
resources on the following pages. Mix and match to discover what you
like best:

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Keep it *Healthy Cereals:
simple! Avoid anything with oil or sugars. Here are some of our favorites:
Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Grain Cereal
Nature’s Path Organics Multi Bran Flakes or Heritage Flakes
Barbara’s Shredded Wheat
Arrowhead Mills Spelt Flakes
Uncle Sam’s Cereal
Grape Nuts
Kashi 7 Whole Grain Puffs

*No Oil Hummus:

Drain a can of chick peas and place in a food processor with a ½ a clove of
garlic, salt, pepper, a tablespoon of tahini (no more), and the juice of one
lemon. Puree. Add little splashes of water to get the consistency you want.
You can use any canned bean.

*OMG Walnut Sauce:

Drop two cups of raw walnuts into a food processor with a clove of garlic.
Squeeze the juice of half a lemon in, as well. Puree while adding water by
the tablespoon until it reaches a smooth, creamy texture.

*Green Goddess Dressing:

Soak a cup of raw cashews in water for at least an hour. In food processor,
place cashews, a small handful of fresh parsley, a drizzle of balsamic
vinegar, and a tsp. of nutritional yeast and the juice of half of a lemon. As
you puree, add little splashes of water to get the consistency you want. Use
sparingly due to high fat content.

*Tahini Drizzle:
Tahini is sesame butter, so go easy on this: only drizzle a little bit on foods!
Place ½ cup of tahini, a dash of garlic powder, some lemon juice, and a
couple of tablespoons of water into a food processor. As you puree, add
more water until you have the consistency of a salad dressing. Use
sparingly due to high fat content.

*Corn Salsa:
Empty a 12oz. bag of frozen corn into a colander and run under warm
water until defrosted (can still be cold.) Place in a medium sized bowl.
Finely chop half a red onion and add to bowl along with the juice of a lime
and its zest. Add salt and pepper to taste.

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*Mango Salsa:
Empty a 16oz. bag of frozen mangoes into a colander and run under warm
water until defrosted (can still be cold.) Chop into mini cubes. Place in a
medium bowl. Finely chop two scallions and add to bowl along with the
juice of a lime and its zest.

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The Plant-Based By no means do you need all of the following food items. However, we
Pantry find it helpful to have certain “staples” in our cupboard ready to go. Again,
the thought here is to not make this too complex…just whole food items
ready to be thrown together to make a hearty bowl, soup, stew, or
sandwich.

legumes veggies fruit grains/

starches
black beans greens citrus fruit brown rice
kidney beans salad fixings bananas quinoa
refried beans tomatoes frozen fruit potatoes
cannellini beans mushrooms pears old-fashioned oats
pinto beans onions grapes steel-cut oats
garbanzo beans peppers berries whole-grain pasta
lentils frozen veggies apples whole-grain pita
oil-free hummus canned tomatoes kiwis whole-grain bread
carrots mangos corn tortilla

cha cha spices misc.

spices misc.
balsamic vinegar Italian spices Thai spices herbal tea
BBQ sauce garlic lemongrass sparkling water
sriracha sauce basil mint parchment paper
ketchup oregano Thai basil aluminum foil
mustard thyme ginger plant-based milks
nutritional yeast Mexican spices lime appple sauce
avocado cumin Oatmeal spices spices
walnuts chili powder cinnamon
flax meal smoked paprika nutritional yeast
chia seeds cilantro turmeric
salsa Indian spices vanilla
turmeric pumpkin pie spice
ginger
curry

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 How can I make
this super simple?
The Bowls and Flats Solution

Special thanks to Plant-Strong, the No Meat Athlete, and Physicians'

Committee for Responsible Medicine for the following batch of great
graphics. Again, combine these simple components to make amazing
plant healthy meals.

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