The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss, and Long-Term Health

by T. Colin Campbell

THE TRANSITION If you take us up on our suggestion to try a plant-based diet for one month, you’ll likely face five main challenges: • In the first week, you may have some stomach upset as your digestive system adjusts. This is natural; it is nothing to worry about and doesn’t usually last long. • You’ll need to put some time into this. Don’t begrudge this time—heart disease and cancer take time, too. Specifically, you’ll need to learn some new recipes, be willing to try new dishes, and discover new restaurants. You’ll need to pay attention to your tastes and come up with meals that you really enjoy. This is key. • You’ll need to adjust psychologically. No matter how full the plate is, many of us were trained to think that without meat, it’s not a real meal—especially at dinner. You’ll need to overcome this prejudice. • You may not be able to go to the same restaurants you used to, and if you can, you certainly won’t be able to order the same things. This takes some adjustment. • Your friends, family, and colleagues may not be supportive. For whatever reasons, many people will find it threatening that you are eating a plant-based diet. Perhaps it’s because, deep down, they know their diet isn’t very healthy and find it threatening that someone else is able to give up unhealthy eating habits when they cannot.