Our Standard American Diet (SAD) may not be the best choice for a long and healthy life. It contains a lot of animal sourced food like meats, eggs and dairy and all the health challenges that go along with those options.
There may be a healthier choice
More and more studies are showing that eating a plant-based diet is supportive of a longer and healthier life. Limiting consumption of animal protein can reduce inflammation, unhealthy cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides. There are other health benefits as well.
There is an increased risk of certain cancers with the consumption of animal products, breast cancer being one of them. Since I’m a breast cancer survivor, I’m especially interested in not having to experience THAT again.
It doesn’t have to be all or nothing
Purists believe that in order to consider your diet to be plant-based, you have to eliminate all forms of animal products. In my mind that is really vegan. And that can scare people out of trying to ease into a plant-based diet.
To me, a plant -based diet is eating primarily from plants with an occasional side dish of meat or fish. Animal products should only be served as a side dish, not the main event. The food choices should be from whole, fresh foods, not from a box or can. Processed vegan foods are still junk food just like their non-vegan counterparts.
For about ten years I have been gravitating to a nearly vegan diet. I started out small by eliminating processed sugar, meat, then dairy and eventually egg yolks. I do occasionally eat egg whites but rarely. Sometimes I eat fish, but most of the time I follow a healthy vegan diet.
The important takeaway is that your healthy diet should consist mostly of plant based foods such as vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, and whole grains. If you want to consume a small amount of animal protein every so often, moderation is key.
A tougher choice
Veganism is a pretty big commitment. People who are vegan for ethical reasons not only don’t eat animal products but they also won’t eat gelatin or honey. They won’t wear clothing made from animals or use personal care products that are tested on animals.
There is no ‘wiggle room’ for vegans to deviate from the lifestyle but that doesn’t make it necessarily healthy. You can be a junk food vegan because there are plenty of processed food options that have no animal products in them.
The choice is yours
Whether you choose plant-based or vegan, any progress you make in removing animal products from your diet will be a step forward to a healthier lifestyle. Do a little at a time. Small incremental changes in your diet are more sustainable and much less overwhelming than a wholesale overhaul of your eating. Set yourself up for success.
My Story
Since June 2019, I decided to hold myself accountable for walking my talk. Several years ago, I was able to take off 135 pounds and essentially save my own life. I regained some of that weight in the last couple of years and I’m working my way back down. I’ve lost over 40 pounds since I began in June and have exercised nearly every day since August.
If you choose to join me on this journey, I hope I am able to impart some nutritional and lifestyle wisdom. Even though I may have gone off the rails temporarily I can still share some of my first hand experience as well as my acquired knowledge and training to help you make the right changes to live your best life.
Do You Want Help?
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Aren’t you tired of feeling bloated and lethargic?
If you continue to follow the path you’re on, where will it lead you in six months? a year? Isn’t it time to take a different approach?
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As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.
very interesting article. I follow a mostly plant-based diet with the focus on a ketogenic lifestyle, which I started when I had cancer. I have been cancer-free for two years and would not eat fish what is not wild-caught and on the approved list (Tuna, which is a big favorite to a lot of people is loaded with mercury and should be avoided) We raise our own free-range chickens so we have farm fresh eggs. We also make our own cheese and only eat farm-raised and farm finished beef once or twice a year. We have so many fresh fruits and vegetables that I have become a “Salad snob” even enjoying it as the first of two meals a day. I wish you much success with your program.
Thank you Chef William and congratulations on your two years cancer-free. I’m ten years out and feeling better than I did 20+ years ago. I agree with almost everything you said, except maybe about the cheese, even though you make your own. You probably won’t like what I have to say on my next post about keto :-)…sorry. Keep up the good work.