Yesterday's blog talked about eliminating "fake food", i.e., artificial, processed, chemical-laden foods. That was the first step in adopting a plant-based diet. In place of all that "fake food", lots of fruits and vegetables will be the substitution. Instead of that candy bar, grab a piece of fruit....it's just as easy to do.
The second step on the journey will be to start eliminating red meat, (beef), and processed meat, (hot dogs, kielbasa, sausage, salami, bacon, deli meats...you get the idea). Not only do the processed meats come loaded with saturated fat and cholesterol, but they have huge amounts of CANCER-CAUSING NITRATES in them. Processed meats are some of the MOST harmful foods we can put in our bodies. No one should be eating them, especially your children. These foods are known for causing cancer...don't let your child's vulnerable little body be exposed to these toxins!
One of the largest studies ever conducted was a study on pancreatic cancer. About 30-40,000 people in America die from this horrible disease every year. Research scientists tell us this is a lifestyle related disease. AARP conducted a study using 1/2 a million adults between 50 and 60 years old. The two MAJOR factors in getting pancreatic cancer: SMOKING AND ANIMAL FAT......fat from beef, pork, poultry, fish, dairy and eggs. Researchers then decided to look at low-fat animal products...was it "safer" to consume.....result.....same outcomes....they concluded it was the PROTEIN causing a significant increase in cancer risk. Once this was established, the researchers then looked at protein from plant-based proteins.....plants, nuts, seeds, coconuts, etc......result....no connection.
Step #2: ELIMINATE MEAT. Now, I hear what you all are saying, "But where will I get my necessary protein from?" This is the NUMBER ONE question I get asked on a daily basis. It really is very simple once you understand the nutrition of a plant-based lifestyle.
For too long we have been misinformed and programmed to believe that the only source of protein is meat and dairy. In reality, plant based foods contain plenty of high-quality protein that is EASIER for your body to digest. The reason they are higher quality is simple...plant proteins are found inside plant cells, the wall of which are made of the rigid material we call fiber. Fiber passes through the system in a nice, smooth way, giving us healthy, regular "bathroom habits". In contrast, animal proteins are inside animal cells, the walls of which are made of cholesterol, and our bodies aren't well equipped to break these down. When absorbed into our blood, cholesterol makes our blood thick and clogs our arteries. In fact, cholesterol kills more Americans every year than anything else, (heart disease #1 killer). By eating a wide variety of plants, including plenty of greens, it is very easy to get 100 percent "complete" protein. It's all about high quality versus quantity when it comes to protein, because a high-protein diet can be DANGEROUS.
How much protein does a person need? Another burning question I get all the time. The World Health Organization, (WHO), recommends that only about 10% of our calories comes from protein, a little more if you are pregnant or an elite athlete People are so concerned about getting enough protein that you would think this is a problem in our culture. WHAT?? Show me a person that is deficient in protein....it really doesn't exist. People that live in Okinawa Japan are one of the world's longest living cultures..they live to be over 100 years old, and are HEALTHY....they consume only small amounts of protein from.....a plant-based diet.
So, what plant foods will give us protein? Believe it or not, we can get some protein from the best food on the planet...leafy green vegetables. However, the BEST source of protein comes from the bean family....black beans, red beans, white beans (cannellini beans, navy beans, great northern beans, etc.), lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans and the pea family. There are so many beans to choose from...not only will they give you optimal protein, but they are loaded with fiber...something so many Americans just don't get enough of, if any!
There are so many different dishes you can make with beans....throw them on salads, into soups and stews, add to vegetable stir-frys, blend them into a dip, sandwich spread, salad dressing, pate, hummus...the possibilities are endless! As I have stated in previous blogs, check out all the recipe website available on-line for recipes using beans. This is so easy to do....
How much do you typically spend on a piece of meat? It's one of the most expensive food items in the grocery store, if not THE MOST expensive. A bag of beans?....$1 and change....
That piece of meat is linked to all kinds of health issues....heart disease, cancers, kidney disease, etc.....that bag of beans....optimal health and wellness.....
Where do you want to put your money?
The second step on the journey will be to start eliminating red meat, (beef), and processed meat, (hot dogs, kielbasa, sausage, salami, bacon, deli meats...you get the idea). Not only do the processed meats come loaded with saturated fat and cholesterol, but they have huge amounts of CANCER-CAUSING NITRATES in them. Processed meats are some of the MOST harmful foods we can put in our bodies. No one should be eating them, especially your children. These foods are known for causing cancer...don't let your child's vulnerable little body be exposed to these toxins!
One of the largest studies ever conducted was a study on pancreatic cancer. About 30-40,000 people in America die from this horrible disease every year. Research scientists tell us this is a lifestyle related disease. AARP conducted a study using 1/2 a million adults between 50 and 60 years old. The two MAJOR factors in getting pancreatic cancer: SMOKING AND ANIMAL FAT......fat from beef, pork, poultry, fish, dairy and eggs. Researchers then decided to look at low-fat animal products...was it "safer" to consume.....result.....same outcomes....they concluded it was the PROTEIN causing a significant increase in cancer risk. Once this was established, the researchers then looked at protein from plant-based proteins.....plants, nuts, seeds, coconuts, etc......result....no connection.
Step #2: ELIMINATE MEAT. Now, I hear what you all are saying, "But where will I get my necessary protein from?" This is the NUMBER ONE question I get asked on a daily basis. It really is very simple once you understand the nutrition of a plant-based lifestyle.
For too long we have been misinformed and programmed to believe that the only source of protein is meat and dairy. In reality, plant based foods contain plenty of high-quality protein that is EASIER for your body to digest. The reason they are higher quality is simple...plant proteins are found inside plant cells, the wall of which are made of the rigid material we call fiber. Fiber passes through the system in a nice, smooth way, giving us healthy, regular "bathroom habits". In contrast, animal proteins are inside animal cells, the walls of which are made of cholesterol, and our bodies aren't well equipped to break these down. When absorbed into our blood, cholesterol makes our blood thick and clogs our arteries. In fact, cholesterol kills more Americans every year than anything else, (heart disease #1 killer). By eating a wide variety of plants, including plenty of greens, it is very easy to get 100 percent "complete" protein. It's all about high quality versus quantity when it comes to protein, because a high-protein diet can be DANGEROUS.
How much protein does a person need? Another burning question I get all the time. The World Health Organization, (WHO), recommends that only about 10% of our calories comes from protein, a little more if you are pregnant or an elite athlete People are so concerned about getting enough protein that you would think this is a problem in our culture. WHAT?? Show me a person that is deficient in protein....it really doesn't exist. People that live in Okinawa Japan are one of the world's longest living cultures..they live to be over 100 years old, and are HEALTHY....they consume only small amounts of protein from.....a plant-based diet.
So, what plant foods will give us protein? Believe it or not, we can get some protein from the best food on the planet...leafy green vegetables. However, the BEST source of protein comes from the bean family....black beans, red beans, white beans (cannellini beans, navy beans, great northern beans, etc.), lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans and the pea family. There are so many beans to choose from...not only will they give you optimal protein, but they are loaded with fiber...something so many Americans just don't get enough of, if any!
There are so many different dishes you can make with beans....throw them on salads, into soups and stews, add to vegetable stir-frys, blend them into a dip, sandwich spread, salad dressing, pate, hummus...the possibilities are endless! As I have stated in previous blogs, check out all the recipe website available on-line for recipes using beans. This is so easy to do....
How much do you typically spend on a piece of meat? It's one of the most expensive food items in the grocery store, if not THE MOST expensive. A bag of beans?....$1 and change....
That piece of meat is linked to all kinds of health issues....heart disease, cancers, kidney disease, etc.....that bag of beans....optimal health and wellness.....
Where do you want to put your money?
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