FOOD FOR LIFE
A Whole Foods, Plant Based Lifestyle
After Tim's heart attack in 2014 and mine in 2016, we have chosen to enjoy a pesco-vegetarian lifestyle for health, love of animals, and to affect our changing planet's environment.
Vegetables are one of the best sources of nutrition for the brain because they are packed with various antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds that protect and promote brain function. Plants provide thousands of phytochemicals that act in many ways to protect our health. Our gardens still bring joy and respite although I'm no longer as active as I would like. Tim continues to plant vegetables that are luscious and healthy and we also take advantage of local farmers markets. He really loves planting okra and peppers. I had already stopped eating ground beef last year after I found gristle and bone in it continually, besides having to tolerate the tendons in chicken legs, also. It just grossed me out. I'm not sure why as I have eaten both for decades, and it had never bothered me before this. Seems it was just time.
Becoming vegetarian means trying recipes that are zesty and satisfying, recipes to fill you up much like meat, using vegetables you never thought you would and enjoying the endless combinations. Eating vegetarian dishes is a new delight for us, combining cooked asparagus spears and artichoke hearts in white wine topping a salad of endive and radicchio is cold and rich with its tartness. White beans, cooked until they are almost creamy, partnered with bitter greens is a subtle divine taste. Mushrooms are braised until glistening and savory, and served on top of braised baby bok choy. Lettuce wraps are stuffed with mushrooms, celery, carrots, scallions, tofu and toasted pine nuts. Mushrooms and leeks make comforting pot pies. Potatoes are thinly sliced and mixed with Swiss chard for rich hearty Grafton. Crispy baked potato cubes seasoned with turmeric and smoked paprika are drizzled with a perky, green sauce of cilantro, parsley, garlic, and olive oil. Or thinly sliced potatoes are mixed with beaten eggs and cooked in a touch of sesame oil, then tucked into browned whole grain tortillas. Being vegetarian does not have to be boring! Anyone can easily eat plant based for just a day or two each week and it will increase your good health.
The book 'Eat to Live' ,written by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, provided my first glimpse into a nutrition-based approach to treating and preventing disease through a plant-based diet. The author called it dietary excellence, nutritarianism. He shows people how to eliminate most of their symptoms of illness by addressing the root causes-- the standard American diet. This type of conscious eating is designed to revitalize the body and refocus any cravings. Whole Foods infuse cells with the power of plant foods, and thus we experience the cleanest organic, non-GMO, fresh vegetables, roots, nuts, seeds, oils and super foods this earth offers and all their amazing benefits and properties.
I started researching plant-based diets out of concern for our own health. A heart attack?! I was not prepared to leave this earth sick and fat. I had lots of living to do yet; we both did. I began learning about the harmful effects of animal product consumption at every level including the environmental damage done to our planet by animal agriculture. When we learned that the steak on our plates came from animals that had been born, raised, fed in feed lots, and then slaughtered with unbelievable cruelty; that milk came from cows hooked up to milking machines, housed in crowded conditions in their own feces, never seeing the light of day or tasting grass, and fed a steady diet of hormones to increase production and antibiotics to keep them from dying of disease, it was like someone turned on the 'light'. Cows forced to lactate for the rest of their lives, with no calves nursing, strapped to machines to provide us with milk meant for their babies? It was horrific. You are what you eat... were we eating meat injected with hormones and antibiotics meant for cattle!? Eye Opener!
I had just never mentally connected the neatly wrapped, cellophane packages of store-bought meats to living, breathing, suffering animals, although I knew meat's origin. My goodness, we had even, at one time, raised a calf on our farm for meat; I even named him 'Spencer'! Of course, after that, I could barely eat the resulting white-packaged meat that was returned from the packing house. I quickly got over it as I enjoyed the meat. There is a real disconnect, I think, for most of us. I realize that raising cattle and other animals for meat is a way of life; it surely was for my grandparents and their peers. Meat is a commodity and animals are bred and raised to feed the populace. I understood that, but I just couldn't be part of the cycle any longer. Even those raised humanely; they all ended up the same--butchered and sliced up on our plates. I read several other books on the subject, and after the knowledge and realization of the realities of today's animal agriculture and slaughter, could we still eat meat or use dairy products? We decided that No, we could not!
I have always loved cows, having spent years on our grandparent's ranch when I was young... I never connected that with the meat we ate as they were dairy cows. Still, kind of thoughtless, but it was true. I always pictured them being happy in a green field, never butchered and bloody in the end. Now I look at the beautiful black cows along the highway in pastures and say to them, "...we don't eat you, anymore!" I was diagnosed as lactose intolerant in the 90's, and suffered with IBS but I still consumed dairy products, cheese and cream just because I liked the taste and I was not about to give it all up. So I took lactose tablets to continue to enjoy these foods. In retrospect, how ridiculous is that?! Besides that, dairy causes mucus and inflammation in our bodies. Now we both are non-dairy and my IBS has all but disappeared.
Our new way of eating is based on a whole foods, plant-based diet-- reduced oil, sugar, fat and sodium, non-dairy, eating seafood/fish (not clams or mussels as they are alive until actual cooking) and eggs--our own chickens' eggs, although we tend to eliminate some types of fish because of the antibiotics used in raising them, and the poor fishing practices these days. Fish are disappearing at an incredible rate as commercial fishing operations continue to ravage the seas to meet demands. Some days we are vegan and other days we are flexitarian, eating fish, tuna, shrimp, or eggs; but we have never returned to eating red meat or chicken. On one Thanksgiving day, two years plus after beginning this lifestyle, we decided to try turkey again. Not sure why this didn't bother me, but not even sure I could eat it. Well, I ate some of the turkey, but couldn't eat the legs, usually a favorite, but I do put it in soups. So occasionally, we still do have turkey although I won't for long.
We both have noticed remarkable changes in our health. I have recently begun to limit my carb intake to around 40 daily, instead of 40-60 at each meal which my diabetic counselors had instructed me to do for decades. The diabetic pamphlet I received from Kaiser states this exact and precise instruction. I sleep longer hours and more soundly now, and have less body aches caused from food. If you suffer from any kind of physical ailment, give the vegetarian way a good try... you have nothing to lose and much to gain! There is an infinite combination of vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, herbs, and spices to enjoy.
We often create our own recipes but also try those available in books and on the internet, in blogs and websites. There is a huge bounty of delicious meals available that even meat lovers would enjoy, like savory, sautéed Mushrooms with gravy over soft, yellow Polenta, Green chili casserole; Fish tacos; vegan lasagna; Mexican quinoa or Scalloped potatoes made with nondairy milk and cheese. We always have a colorful plate at mealtimes. We are actually tending to eat more vegan in daily lifestyle meals, and although eggs and seafood are still on the menu, it's much less now. But who knows? Our vegetarian journey began as a two-week trial which was so easy to adjust to, and to date, we have enjoyed this healthy way of eating for almost four years! We plan our meals, shop at Trader Joe's, Sprouts, and Whole Foods mainly, cook together and learn new ways all the time to 'veganize meals' we once enjoyed as meat eaters.
It is becoming the norm to see new vegetarian offers in stores and restaurants as America goes back to basics in eating healthy for life. Even food chains are beginning to offer faux meats like Beyond Burgers, Impossible Burgers, bean or mushroom veggie burgers... at places like Burger King, McDonald's, and Carl Jr's... probably more restaurants I don't even know about. Of course, these faux meats are best eaten seldom as they still have a high sodium and fat content for our diets. I have also become aware of many wonderful vegetarian and vegan options in restaurants like Pushkins in Sacramento', which offers delicious brunch options, Mylapore Indian restaurant in Folsom, Junos on J Street in Sacramento, the Vegan Plate in Roseville, Green Papaya in Sacramento, and many more tucked in here and there in cities all over. We will be sampling these in due time! There's even a Sacramento Vegetarian Society that holds pop-up food events. I stay informed on their Facebook page.
I began reading library books on vegan, vegetarian, and plant-based meals in 2017, as I mentioned before... one book led to another as they were referenced, and I was soon checking out 20-30 books bi-monthly. The bounty of library books available on these topics is beyond amazing and new ones are being published all the time! I am surprised by how quickly these appear in most libraries. In 2019 alone, I have had the pleasure of checking out and reading 6 just-published books on vegetarian meals! I must have read over 1200 books by 2019, no duplicates--snapping photos of food with their recipes, and making a running list of suggested food items for the pantry, including new spices. Such wonderful reads, and great ideas for the busy cook, or the travelers.
It's been such a wonderful journey learning about this way of eating--healthy and fresh, never boring, and always so delicious! My few-vegetables-eating husband is now eating the rainbow (except for peas and beets)! The other evening while having dinner, he suddenly said, "I love vegetables!" It gave us a good laugh, remembering from where he began. We really make a good team... I come up with the menus, and help prep and cook when I physically can; he has learned to season food so well and makes our meals delicious! A perfect match and that's a Very good thing! There are countless recipes and food tricks on blogs, vegan and vegetarian food sites, and also Pinterest! My favorite new site is Miyoko's who developed vegan cheese and has wonderful recipes and videos! I love the sliced Gouda cheese, so smoky and flavorful! Her faux cream cheese dips are amazing and taste delicious!! I often watch her video tutorials; she makes it all look so easy, and really, it is!
Don't think you could enjoy a Vegetarian way of eating? Check out these delicious options!
The Truth about Sugar
White sugar is typically filtered and bleached with bone char as it allows the sugar cane to achieve its desirable white color. Bone char—often referred to as natural carbon—is widely used by the sugar industry. I was aghast at learning this! Not all sugar is processed with bone char. C & H makes two types that aren't: “Pure Cane Washed Raw Sugar,” and “Pure Cane Certified Organic Sugar.”
There is ample evidence that white sugar robs the body of B vitamins, disrupts calcium metabolism and has a deleterious effect on the nervous system. This is why processed sugar is bad for you and brown sugar is just a tad better with more minerals. White sugar is decolorized by bone char (ground cattle bones roasted in a kiln) loaded into large vertical cylinders called cisterns. The clarified syrup is passed downwards through these mammoth filtration units. Representatives from the sugar companies said this gives the white sugar a more pleasing "aesthetic" effect, that burned beef bones make white sugar 'whiter'. The less processed brown sugars are popularly thought to contain slightly more vitamins, calcium and iron than refined white sugar, and are coming back into favor for this reason. However, brown sugar still has the same calories and negative effects that white sugar does on teeth, blood sugar and weight.
So what are you going to use for a sweetener if you never allow sugar to cross your lips? Half the amount of honey should be used in substituting for sugar in recipes. I'm kind of torn about using honey though, because of the news I hear of the survival of bees. Beyond that, it's all experimental. Many prefer agave syrup. Try carob molasses, carb syrup, unrefined sugar, maple syrup, cane syrup, or date sugar. Some are low glycemic, a must for diabetics but do remember that sugar is sugar, period. Be sure to check labels (remember: beet sugar will never contain bone char).
Best experiment of all is to follow the advice of J.I. Rodale: "We receive so many letters from readers asking what kind of sugar to use. So as far as we are concerned, the answer is none... if you would be healthy, omit all sugar and just get accustomed to doing without it. Fructose is only converted in the liver and testes, but has deleterious effects because it isn't used - it converts to triglycerides, among other things, and is extremely dangerous in high doses." And to that end, I have learned to drink iced tea with nothing but lemon slices... an amazing change! I am slowly learning to enjoy my almond milk yogurt sweetened with just blueberries, cinnamon and a touch of honey.
Remember: A slice of coarse ground, seven-grain bread is sugar, at least after you digest it. Starches, grains and fruits all have the same ultimate effect on blood glucose levels that table sugar does, although complex grains and some starches have a lower glycemic index and won't spike sugar levels as much. The ADA has recognized officially that bread is as fast acting a carb as table sugar is! Erythritol is a sugar alcohol, so it will raise diabetic blood sugars significantly when consumed by the tablespoon. Others are dextrose, fructose, sorbitol, sorghum, xylitol, honey, and maltose. Thankfully, these usually give me major headaches so I avoid them. A tiny sugar-free, hard candy with only 2.5 grams of sorbitol can raise blood sugar almost 13 mg... ten of these raise it to 125! Be aware, be informed, do your research!
Olives are among the oldest known foods
Olives were planted and harvested in Crete some seven thousand years ago. The fat they contain is predominately the healthy monounsaturated type, which can help to improve cholesterol ratios. Olives are also a good source of vitamin E which helps to neutralize free radicals, and also contain iron, copper, and dietary fiber. If you are watching your sodium intake, watch olives as they are salty. I use only a few in my salad and not often.
Suitable for lacto-vegetarians, this dressing omits egg yolk, substitutes Kalamata olives for anchovies, and uses vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (available in natural foods stores) instead of the usual anchovy-based version. Many people say they prefer this version to the classic recipe.
The olives in this recipe provide substantial taste and health benefits. Olives are extraordinarily rich in phytonutrients, including a special one found only in olives known as oleuropein. It has been shown to lower oxidative stress, and especially to decrease oxidation of LDL cholesterol. Olives are also rich sources of vitamin E.
Ingredients
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
1/4 scant cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup grated packed Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 cups extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt (or more to taste)
1 teaspoon freshly ground
black pepper (or more to taste)
Instructions
Combine the lemon juice, vinegar, Worcestershire, mustard, olives, garlic, and cheese in a blender or food processor. Blend to a smooth paste. With the machine on, drizzle in the oil, salt, and pepper. Blend until thick and emulsified, like mayonnaise. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper. Transfer to a lidded jar and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
https://www.drweil.com/diet-nutrition/recipes/
Anti Inflammatory Foods
1. Onions: This classic, pungent vegetable adds depth and richness to any meal. Sulfur compounds found in most varieties of onions may be responsible for its health benefits, including the possible lowering of cholesterol and blood pressure.
2. Garlic: This fragrant bulb contains many of the same phytonutrients as onions, as well as antibiotic and antiviral compounds. It may help boost the immune system, prevent colds, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and fight fungal infections.
3. Spinach: This dark leafy green (and others like it, such as kale and collards) contains lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidant carotenoids that may help prevent cataracts and macular degeneration. Spinach is also a source of calcium and folate, a B vitamin that helps to prevent birth defects. Buy organic spinach, since pesticides are commonly used on conventionally grown varieties.
4. Cabbage: This low-cost yet highly nutritious cruciferous vegetable contains nutrients called indoles, which may protect against both breast and prostate cancer. It also provides significant amounts of fiber and vitamin C.
5. Sweet potatoes: Rich in beta carotene, these vegetables may help boost the immune system, deliver vitamin C and folate (which may reduce the risk of heart disease and prevent certain birth defects), and are low on the glycemic index and glycemic load charts.
You have to understand what agriculture is.
You take an acre of land and you clear everything off of it, animals, insects anything that lives and breathes--even bacteria. Then you plant corn or wheat. It requires fertilizer and insecticides because the insects want to return. The corn is fed to cows to make them fat for the market but not past 60 days because it's not what she usually eats and she will die. Then she's killed to feed humans.
From this time on, I'm going to eat healthier. When you know better, you do better!