Bringing the Awareness of Sustainability into Our Personal Diet

Have you ever taken the time to consider how your eating habits affect not just your body but this planet we all live on?

In the quest to create a sustainable future for ourselves and future generations, the best starting point is always going to be through the small changes you make in your personal life first and then in your immediate surroundings.

I was recently asked the question, "What does sustainable leadership mean to you, Franck?"

It's a loaded question. I gave it some serious thought before responding, and here's the gist of it...

Sustainable leadership in my opinion isn't about a special title, position, or status. It's about starting something no matter how small in your community that drives small changes that can ultimately have a huge impact. It's not some grandiose act that only the chosen few can perform. Any individual, anywhere in the world can choose to step up their game and practice sustainable leadership.

Making the choice to eat better and to inspire the people at home and work as you lead by example is one way you could start practicing sustainable leadership. See how simple and practical this concept can be?

Why does this matter and what does food have to do with it? A lot, actually. When you realize you are a leader in your own way (whether you hold that official title or not), it becomes easy to start seeking the best choices that can produce the highest reward in both your personal and professional life. I can't think of a better starting place than reflecting on your personal eating choices.

The Game Changers changed my game.

I am among those who have watched The Game Changers  (the Netflix documentary that everyone is talking about). I appreciated the documentary's healthy aspect, but what has actually inspired me is the climate change discussion at the end of the film.

Instead of getting entertained and carrying on with my life as before, I decided it was time for me to explore a different way of living and eating. So I started educating myself and seeking professional advice.

In the end, I have found and embraced a plant-based diet or what many refer to as a Pescatarian Diet.

Are you aware of the impact meat-eating has on our planet?

Eating meat has a significant impact on the environment. Ongoing research shows that it's fueling climate change, polluting landscapes, and waterways, to name a few. 

When it comes to negative impacts on our physical bodies, there's ample evidence that shows we are slowly killing ourselves as our intake of red-meat increases.

Recent studies indicate that the long-term consumption of increasing amounts of red meat and particularly of processed meat is associated with an increased risk of total mortality, cardiovascular disease, and the list goes on and on. This Harvard Medical School report shows how red meat is tied to an early death. 

The key point to reflect on is that meat-eating not only diminishes your life; it also diminishes our planet. Your body and our earth are not so separated, after all. If you can start taking better care of yourself, you'd already be contributing to taking care of our planet.

That's why I do promote switching to a plant-based diet if that feels right for you. Besides the fact that your body thrives more under this type of healthy eating, you will also be making a stand against climate change.

Since I decided to switch to a plant-based diet, I am more energetic, sleep better, and feel so good knowing that I am positively contributing to our environment.

Acqua farming, sustainability, and what I prefer to have as my diet:

As a pescatarian, I must know where I stand and what feels right for me when it comes to choosing what type of fish to eat. I'm generally elementary going and can eat most types of fish, but I do avoid Tuna.

I also do my best t only support fishing that is done sustainably and healthily. Of course, I cannot say I am 100% knowledgeable on the best methods, but one method I like is aqua farming. I see great potential in fish farming and aquatic plants, algae, and other organisms. I see this as a great alternative to commercial fishing.

The positive connection between sustainability and eating a more plant-based diet:

Many benefits are being discovered, and research proving this is a good direction for us to take.

For me, it's two-fold.

? I know, the more plant-based we become, the more we can decrease water consumption and CO2 emissions. I'm happy to dive more into this discussion with anyone interested.

? I also think we can decrease some of the viral diseases that keep transmitting between animals and humans as we consume meat.

These, of course, are only personal opinions. Each individual must make up their own mind on how to nourish their bodies best. But if you're someone who firmly believes it's up to us to preserve and restore our planet and if you can feel your body isn't performing at optimum levels or meeting your current energy requirements, I would encourage you to consider shifting to a more plant-based diet.

The human race is facing a far bigger crisis than COVID-19. We struggle to see ahead and hold the bigger picture, but if we would, we'd realize there needs to be a sense of urgency and an immediate drastic shift in our lifestyles if we don't want to go extinct soon.

Now I'd love to hear your thoughts. Have you made the connection between your personal dietary choices and taking care of our planet?

Speak soon

Franck.