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She’s Hollywood royalty, a mom of two and still looking fabulous at 61. It got us asking, what’s her secret? According to the Scarface star, a lot of her energy and vitality – not to mention that enviable youthful glow – has to do with her plant-based diet. Plus, the reason she decided to switch to veganism is super relatable.
ALSO SEE: Going Vegan Could Lead To Weight Loss
Here is Michelle, looking real and radiant in a recent Instagram post…
Heart Health
In an interview with Urbanette magazine, Michelle explained why she decided to try a vegan diet in the first place. Apparently, she’d seen an interview with Bill Clinton on CNN where he spoke about his last heart attack and the lifestyle changes he made to improve his health. A lot of Clinton’s decisions were based on the book Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, where the doctor claims that a plant-based diet is the solution to having a healthy heart. Michelle said, “I got the book and I just felt like the science behind it was irrefutable. I couldn’t avoid the truth in it. My father died from cancer, and the older you get the more you realise there’s a lot of disease in the world. You see people dying from chronic diseases and terminal illnesses. Science is always changing, but this one seems to stick.”
She also later commented that another contributing factor was what you could eat if you were vegan. “I love the vegan diet because I love carbs,” she said. Yes, so do we!
ALSO SEE: 7 Top Tips For Following A Plant-Based Diet
Natural Beauty
She also attributes her longevity to her diet choice. She said, “Eating a vegan diet is just so much healthier, and you avoid a lot of toxins that could age your skin and your body. I noticed a difference in my skin not too long after switching to fully vegan. And I needed to eat fruits and vegetables to stay lean. The older I’ve gotten, the more it’s occurred to me that I’m doing it in order to live longer.”
Her advice for people wanting to switch to veganism? Commit to it for eight weeks and see how you go from there. “I just told myself one day that I’m going to do it and I’m going to give myself eight weeks. I’m not going to commit to this for a lifetime because it’s psychologically huge for people to wrap their minds around that. I’m just going to see how I feel.” According to Michelle, it’s easier if you give yourself long enough to start feeling different so you can gauge for yourself what the benefits are.
ALSO SEE: Should You Go Vegan?
Michelle stars in the new movie Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, on in cinemas this October.
By Features Editor Stephanie van der Plank
