Saturday, March 10, 2018

Transitioning to a nutritionally rejuvenating diet

As I have been discussing lifestyle changes related to practicing calmness, rejuvenation, and doing the things that make you happy...you must have known this blog post was soon to come...I want to share with you some thoughts around eating nutritionally to support your best life!

I promise this post will not be "preachy" or make you feel bad, it is merely shared to help your heart and mind be open to new possibilities, and if you are already on this journey then hopefully you will find this blog post encouraging. There is never any judgment on my part...I am a human just the same as you, and before I learned about this stuff I was eating the traditional "American Diet" same as most. You don't know what you don't know, and that is why education is empowerment!

Rejuvenation is possible from the inside out. Science has proven that we truly are what we eat, and there is some fantastic research out now that shows the significant link between diet and disease as well as the link between diet and mental wellbeing (or mental illness). If someone told you that what you ate truly could have an impact on how you live AND DIE, and that what you ate made a difference to how you behave, how you relate to others, your memory, and your mood...would your heart be open to hearing about that message? Would you wonder, per chance, if maybe you DO have a choice about what your future might look like?

*Now I make note here before I even begin that this is all my own experience and I am not an expert, a nutritionist, or making any claim for curing disease or anything like that. This is my own personal blog about my own personal journey.

Very briefly I will share a quick version of my own experience:
I became curious about whether what we ate truly impacted on how we felt and how sick we might be about 12 years ago or so when I read the book The China Study which basically tore apart anything I had ever heard about nutrition! haha...I was so shocked by the information I had read that I didn't believe it and had to try it myself; and so I did. I went vegetarian for several years and at the time I was doing this based on what I knew at the time, but I really didn't know that much and it was a struggle. I didn't know enough about nutrition to do it correctly and I was so new to the whole idea of healthy eating that it was a hard slog. (I thought just giving up meat would make me healthy) I felt great at first, but gradually fell back into old habits and began eating meat again and my health really deteriorated. (It is important to interject here that you can totally be vegetarian/vegan and NOT be eating a healthy diet! Just removing meat from your diet does not make your diet nutritional or rejuvenating!!) I decided about a year ago to transition back into a vegetarian lifestyle because my health really wasn't good and I remembered how great I had felt when I wasn't eating meat...(The biggest things I notice are mental clarity, less mood swings, less pain, more energy, and WAY better digestion - not to mention the random benefit that my asthma and migraines are both pretty much gone.) This time when I transitioned I was better equipped because the past 12 years I have been studying more and more about nutrition, healthy cooking, and a whole new world of food I had never even heard of before. It has been a very large interest of mine since becoming a nurse as I really saw first hand the huge connection between diet and disease. (Particularly with mental health - I was very much interested in the research around this). Long story short, after much research I decided to give up dairy and all animal-based products about six months ago. I have honestly felt so much better within myself. Shift work has still been a challenge to my wellbeing, but the diet and nutrition side of things has been amazing. I also find on night shifts that eating vegetables and good grains really gets me through the shift in a way that I really struggled with in the past.

Having shared a little personal experience with you, I will get back to the point of this blog:
I believe that rejuvenation for the body and soul is something that each of us can achieve. 

It is something that in our modern society is absolutely necessary. If you look at the trends in health across the world it is obvious that we have a MAJOR problem that needs urgent attention. There is a solution! I'll be honest that growing up I thought it was simply my fate to have Heart Disease, Diabetes, and Alzheimer's Disease because that is genetically what my family history has laid before me...Growing up I believed it wasn't a matter of if this would be my fate, it was a matter of when it would happen and which one of these diseases I would die from. I didn't realize that I have a part to play in this and I can have a positive impact in prolonging/reversing all of these! That is empowering news right there! It has scientifically been proven that eating a plant based diet can reverse both Heart Disease, Diabetes AND Alzheimer's Disease too!...I won't get into a long discussion here, but my point being that this is exciting news!!! Now whenever I think, oh, "I sure would like that cheesy pizza" or "Man those French Fries look good"...I instead say to myself, "Do you really want Alzheimer's Disease" - stops me in my tracks.

Now that I have your attention and have you thinking a little bit about the empowering message that you can positively impact the outcome of your own health...Let's very quickly look at how you can make those changes in a realistic way.

If I were feeling "Preachy" I would tell you to throw away every processed food item in your home and start over from scratch! haha..But that's not realistic nor is it helpful. I think the journey to healthy living is such a long process, but one that can be started today in this very moment. With every tiny decision you make (whether it's to cut the oil content in half that you usually use in a recipe, or whether it's to substitute half the amount of honey for the sugar you would normally use...) Remembering that every single choice that you make regarding your food and lifestyle can impact your health for the better if you so choose. Disease that is already brewing in you (yes, cancer included) can be reversed...it is NOT too late. (*I am not claiming that diet alone can cure cancer, but I'm just saying that scientifically it has been proven to help reduce and reverse damage) It isn't something that needs to be an "all or nothing" mindset, and it isn't something that has to be strictly 100% all the time. My challenge to you today is to eat mindfully and think about what you are putting into your body. Is it going to fuel your cells? Is it rejuvenating and going to bring life into your body? If the answer is "no", then what could you substitute it with? Can you switch out that potato chip for some carrot sticks or that sugary cereal for some oatmeal? What small changes can you make that might bring you wellness!

In my opinion it's not about adding years to our lives and living longer. In my opinion it's about living WELL. It's about the quality of life!! Living to be 90 years old isn't really a good thing if you haven't been in your right mind for 10 years and have been suffering with Alzheimer's Disease and can't even get out of bed - how is that living? When Dr. Greger talks about "How not to die" he isn't saying that you won't die, he's saying these are ways we don't want to die!!! No one wants to suffer...No one anywhere wants that!

How to transition to a nutritionally rejuvenating diet?
Easy as...Start today by making small changes. Only you know what your current diet looks like. Start with the changes that you will find easiest...So if you really don't notice mayonnaise on your sandwich - leave it off! If you aren't fussed too much about creamer in your coffee - drink your coffee black. Every little choice you make will move you closer to a healthier heart and a healthier life! So what are we talking about substituting and transitioning here? Vegetables is the number one...bringing in more vegetables to your diet is probably the biggest positive change you could make. Fruits/Grains/Beans and Legumes are also great too and these are all things easily substituted in your daily diet...and then of course what we are transitioning away from is processed foods/junk food/processed sugars/fatty foods/animal products/dairy.

When you are really ready to commit though, I highly recommend just going all in. Cold turkey, just give it up! If you have the motive to do so (for me it is Alzheimer's Disease, but for you it might be Breast Cancer or something else) if you have a powerful reason to change, you will. You will also find that each person has something that is so much harder than others to give up and that is interestingly linked to food addiction which is very real. (Do some research on that one, it's pretty fascinating! Particularly the addiction with cheese - the brain is so interesting!) The great thing about a plant based diet is that after you have worked through the detoxification process and moved past the addiction phase your body no longer craves any of those things and you actually don't even like it anymore! It's super weird, but it's true...

Some caution:
  1. When you decide to transition into a healthier diet, please be mindful that there will be a detoxification period (and this will be stronger depending on how poorly you currently eat!) Detoxing can be symptoms like headache, weakness, diarrhea, cramping, and increased acne. This is totally normal, and often puts people off if they aren't expecting it - so expect it! It's just part of the process. As your body is detoxing you can feel so much gratitude that you are riding your body of all that harm! For some people this time might only last a couple of days and others it might be for a few weeks. Once your body has come back into balance you will feel great! 
  2. Be aware that some foods may not agree with your digestion or may take time for your body to adjust to. For example if you aren't used to eating beans, do NOT start out your new plant based diet by eating beans twice a day! Your body will  not take well to that and you will likely have major bloating/gas/upset stomach etc. It's not because you "can't eat beans" it's because your body has never adjusted to eating beans before and it's a shock! Start slow and eat only a few tablespoons of beans over some vegetable stir fry or salad or something else. Gradually increase the amount as you go and your body will like them a lot more over time! You may also find that it's only certain type of beans that cause you this issue - so process of elimination is always a good way to see what works best for your body.
  3. Recognize as well that there may be foods which your body simply doesn't like at all - I personally cannot eat much beets! I can have a bite or two maybe once a week, but I cannot juice beets or eat two or three at a time- NOT a good thing! haha...Simply learn to recognize what works for you. Every person is totally different and just because something is very healthy doesn't mean it is necessarily healthy for you
Some food suggestions: 
  1. Did you know that eating Plant Based doesn't mean eating salad? I'll be honest that I haven't had a salad in probably about three months. I eat what's in season and what's fresh, and at the moment lettuce isn't it! Eating plant based is about ensuring your meals are packed full of nutrient-rich vegetables, but also whole grains too. So an easy way to start is to add as many additional vegetables to your current recipes that you can - if you are having grilled chicken and baked potato for dinner, cut up a bunch of spinach or silver beet or leafy greens and stir fry them in a little broth or water and put them over your baked potato along with some steamed broccoli! That's a very fast and easy way to transition into getting more vegetables in (even if you haven't yet chosen to give up the meat!) 
  2. Learn how to cook with different grains to enjoy variety in your life - ever heard of Quinoa, Amaranth, or Couscous? Those are some fun ways to start. A very easy meal is simply roasted vegetables with some grain mixed in....absolutely beautiful. 
  3. I am a HUGE fan of Nutritional Yeast (not brewer's yeast - totally different) Nutritional Yeast has a very cheesy flavour and is an excellent addition to any dairy-free diet. I sprinkle that stuff on everything and it's fantastic. I have also made my own "Vegan Parmesan" with it as I use it to make pesto and no one can tell that it doesn't have regular Parmesan in it! It's lovely...I also have a spice mixture that I have made with turmeric, Nutritional Yeast and other spices and that's lovely to just have on hand to sprinkle over vegetables or on a salad or whatever - anytime you feel you want a bit of cheese. Most Nutritional Yeasts are also fortified with B-12 which is imperative that you get if you are eating a Vegan diet.
  4. Experiment!! Don't be afraid of substitution and learning how to cook in a new and different way. It may not always turn out fabulous, but I bet at least 95% of the time it will. Find tried and true recipes that you love...Vegan Richa is my all-time favourite as I have never made a recipe from her that wasn't fantastic...Minimalist Baker is another great one. While it can be overwhelming with the amount of information that is out there these days, it is also very exciting that there are so many fantastic resources. Join groups, have discussions, learn and grow as you go! It is a journey.
  5. Learn to love Flax Seeds/Linseed. This is one of the best things you could do for your diet! Find a way to add a tablespoon a day of ground flax to your diet. You can sprinkle it on your cereal, salad or whatever, or add it into baking...learn how to make Flax Seed Eggs and use that as a substitute for all your baking needs - trust me it works!!! 
  6. Find a good non-dairy milk that you enjoy. Everyone has different preferences and some like to drink certain milks like Almond Milk, but then like to bake with Soy Milk...each type of non-dairy milk will have a different consistency and taste. Always look for unsweetened and preferably organic (As I mentioned, you can be vegetarian/vegan and be unhealthy...and there are certainly a bunch of sugary/flavoured non-dairy milks out there on the market)
  7. Read your labels and be aware that just because it's marketed as healthy does not mean that it is!! Try to buy things that have less than five ingredients. My rule of thumb is that if it's more than that, it goes back on the shelf...Partly what is making us sick is not just the foods we are eating, but how they are processed and what pesticides, stabilizers, preservatives etc. are in it! 
Some hang-ups people often have in transitioning:
  1. Time is the probably the biggest challenge people in our society today face. In my opinion this is probably one of the largest barriers to healthy eating and lifestyles (I haven't even mentioned here the need for exercise). I will not lie to you and pretend like eating healthy and preparing your own foods at home from scratch is quick and easy. It is not - plain and simple. It is a choice. I choose not to sit down and watch TV in the evening so that I can cut up vegetables to have ready for the following week ahead or the meal for the next day or whatever. I choose to give up something else in my life so that I have the time to make meals to freeze and take to work when I know that I will be tempted on night shift to reach for a muffin or piece of cake! It's my choice because I believe that in making this decision for myself and my family I am paving a way to a better future for us. That doesn't make me any better than anyone else, it's just the choice I have made. I want to add here that there is certainly nothing wrong at ALL with finding a really good resource for pre-made plant-based foods! There are some fabulous companies out there (Particularly in America) that will deliver beautiful meals right to your door that are whole food plant based! So if time is something that you struggle with and you usually pop around to the local fast-food shop or you eat out a lot - that might be a fantastic option for you and your family. There are also heaps of pre-cut or frozen vegetables available at the market. While you might pay more for it, for your family that might be the very best way. There is nothing wrong with finding short cuts to allow for this lifestyle to take root!! There are no "rules" on how to do life - you have to find your way.  
  2. Cost is another concern that people have when transitioning. I personally have found that a lot of the additional costs are tied up in pre-made meals or substitute foods. If you want the convenience of prepared menu items, then you definitely pay for it. Vegan cheese is like $10 a block! OMG...seriously...I think I will just do without that...Again, the choice is yours. If you want to eat plant based it does NOT mean paying more, it just means being smarter about your food choices. I only eat the vegetables/fruits that are in season. When avocados are $3.99 each (yes, that's for real) I don't eat avocados! That part is quite simple, and actually vegetables are way cheaper than meat and dairy. 
  3. Eating out is a huge barrier for people who are transitioning and I find this a real challenge, particularly with traveling. I will say that the choices are improving over the years and it's way easier to order a Vegan meal now than it was 10 years ago. However, it's not easy and I totally acknowledge that. It is a learning process for sure, but most places are happy enough to just serve the meal without meat or cheese or whatever it is you are wishing to remove. You also learn really quickly to always have your own personal snack stash in your car or purse! 
So, this was a super long blog post, but hopefully it has been encouraging to you in your journey towards your best health. I do hope you found some information or links useful and that you were in some way inspired to make simple changes to your daily diet. Again, this is just a snippet of information and this topic is incredibly vast and I could go on and on and on...but I won't. I haven't mentioned here anything about other lifestyle choices, the environment, or anything like that but do bare in mind that your food choices do impact every aspect of life.

I have wanted to share this post for such a very long time, but was always fearful of coming across "preachy" or like I have it all figured out or have my life all together...I do hope that you did not feel that. I re-iterate the fact that I am also still on my own personal journey of discovery and we are all the same. This blog is simply a platform to share my own experience in hopes that someone might be encouraged by it.

Some fantastic links to check out: 

For excellent up to date scientific research reviews - Dr. Greger's Nutrition Facts website is something I recently discovered, and it's fantastic. He also has some really eye-opening videos.

Of course Forks Over Knives is another great one if you haven't seen this documentary yet or read any of their information it's pretty life-changing.

*I have to add an update here (12-03-18) because I just came across the fantastic lady Dr. Yami. You should totally check out her incredible website for supporting families to eating better. (VeggieFitKids) Her videos are awesome, and she just has such a powerful message to bring to kids and to adults alike. Check out her blog section for sure, as she has some great topics!! 

If you found this blog post helpful or encouraging and would like to hear more tips for transitioning, please feel free to email me or leave a comment below. We are all in this together, learning from one another and supporting each other along the way. 

"May the choices I make today positively impact on my tomorrow. May I be happy, healthy, and whole." ~ Namaste



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