Have you ever noticed that the biggest and strongest animals are herbivores? Moreover, they eat nothing more than green leaves, grasses, and in some berries. The gorilla, the elephant, and the giraffe are just a few examples of strong, healthy, and long-living animals that thrive on nothing more than the energy and nutrients provided by nature's gift - the greens!

THE POWER OF CHLOROPHYLL

Why green plants are so amazingly powerful is because they are direct conduits of the sun's energy. The sun's rays are absorbed by the green plants' pigment called chlorophyll (which gives plants their green colour). This energy is then used to produce carbohydrates through a process known as photosynthesis. This is how the food chain begins.

Once we (or animals) consume greens, we immediately benefit from the sun's life-giving energy that is held in the bonds of the chlorophyll molecule. Immediately, we feel uplifted, light, and energetic. Quite the contrast to the feelings of fatigue and lethargy that arise from the consumption of refined, cooked, and animal-based foods.

What's amazing thing about chlorophyll is that it is the plant's version of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the oxygen-carrying molecule in our blood which binds iron to oxygen. Without hemoglobin we die. Likewise, without chlorophyll plants cannot thrive.

But the true beauty arises when humans and animals consume chlorophyll via green plants. Instead of iron, chlorophyll binds magnesium - one of the most deficient minerals in our diet. Not only do you enrich your body with this vital mineral by eating greens but you also help strengthen and build your blood since the molecular structure of chlorophyll and hemoglobin are almost identical. As a result, the energy of the sun is directly inserted into your bloodstream. It's no wonder the blood is known as the "river of life".

GREEN EQUALS ALKALINITY

The other vital characteristic of all plants is that they are highly alkaline-forming in the body. This is important because disease cannot thrive in alkaline environments. Cancers, viruses, and bacteria all thrive in acidic environments. Unfortunately, an overwhelming percentage of the North American population is acidic due to a diet high in refined sugars, bad fats, meat and dairy products, and a stressful lifestyle. The result - one of the most unhealthy populations on the planet.

How many wild animals do you know of that suffer from "human" diseases? None! Why is that? Well, just look at what we're putting in our bodies and there's your answer. Do wild animals have access to packaged foods? Do have the luxury of using an oven or a microwave? Of course not! But we do.

Why don't we learn from what works in nature? Look at the elephant. It is by far one of the largest, strongest, and smartest mammals on the planet. It even has one of the longest lifespan averaging 69 years. The elephant eats nothing but grass!

The longest living animal in the world - the giant tortoise has a lifespan of 177 years! It too feeds mainly on grass.

How about cows. Humans drink their milk for its "apparent" rich calcium and protein content. But where do cows get their nourishment from? That's right - grass!

I hope you're starting to see my point. Greens help life thrive. The alkalinity that greens provide helps the body age gracefully while maintaining a suitable level of health and vitality for survival (or life).

GREENS ARE YOUR BEST SOURCE OF PROTEIN

Per gram, greens provide way more protein than meat. Spirulina, an amazing blue-green algae, provides 60 grams of protein per 100 gram serving versus only 24 and 29 grams for ground beef and chicken, respectively!

It's no wonder that the strongest and biggest animals are subsist on grass and green leaves.

So the take home message from this article is simple - EAT MORE GREENS!

Even if nothing else changed in your diet, you would notice a tremendous difference in how you look and feel by adding more greens to your diet.

My rule of thumb is to try to have one green salad and/or one green juice per day. Do this and you'll see what I'm talking about!