Vegumacation!

Let's talk vegetarian diets.  

Plant-based foods are the major source of nutrition for people in many parts of the world because plants are easy to obtain pretty much everywhere that is not covered in snow and ice all year and are simple to grow - all you need are seeds, dirt, a little space, and water!  How much easier could it be?  

But, if you've ever looked into trying vegetarianism, you've probably noticed that "vegetarian" covers a broad range of food choices, some of which aren't vegetables.  Not so easy - and confusing, (particularly if you are having dinner guests, some of whom happen to be vegetarian) because "GRAVMV" diets  (that's "Generally-Referred-to-As-Vegetarian-or-Mostly-Vegetarian" - yes, I made that up) can include vegetarian, vegan, lacto-ovo vegetarian, vegetarian raw foods, lacto-vegetarian, fruitarian and pescatarian, flexitarian, and chickentarian (I did NOT make that up!), as well as “detox” diets like juice fasting! 

In any case, you've likely surmised that vegetarian diets (generally) exclude meat; and that the definition of “meat-ness” runs the gamut from from "no meat, no animals, no cooked foods, no way, never" to "it's o.k. to eat whatever you want some of the time." So today I'm going to try to clear that up.

According to the ADA, people who eat a mostly vegetable-based diet are at lower risk for developing heart disease, some kinds of cancers, diabetes, obesity and hypertension.   Vegetable foods are rich in macronutrients, and easier on the environment (far less energy required to grow plants than animals), and as long as you get the right balance of foods and nutrients, you can live a long, healthy life on a purely (or mostly) vegetarian diet.  For some, purely vegetarian is the "only way to eat;" but not everyone likes, or thrives on a purely vegetarian diet (that bio-individuality thing again).  Regardless, incorporating more plant foods into your diet is a GOOD thing to do for your health AND the environment.  

Here are some of the most common "GRAVMV" options:

 

Raw Food Vegan:  Unprocessed (preferably organic) and uncooked plant foods only.  You can eat fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, and sprouts, but no meat or animal products, or anything that is cooked above 115 degrees.   

The theory is that “living foods” have the best nutrients and energy of all, and that cooking or in any other way “processing” them reduces their healthfulness. 

Juice fasting is a sub-category of raw food vegan. You guessed it.  You can only DRINK the foods listed above.  If the end-product requires chewing, it doesn’t count!    Just keep in mind that if you are DRINKING all of your food, you are not getting any fiber, which is another consideration entirely.

Vegan:  No animal-based foods of any kind – but you CAN cook what you’re eating.   Vegan usually also refers to a lifestyle that avoids using any animal products at all (e.g., no leather, wool, or anything that was tested on or is made of animals, either).

Lacto-vegetarian:  In addition to fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and legumes, you can have dairy products like yogurt, cheese, milk, etc.

Lacto-ovo vegetarian:  Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, dairy and eggs.  Some people just call this “plain old vegetarian” or “standard vegetarian” – basically, you can eat anything that doesn’t include animal (or fish or chicken) flesh.

Now for a few "not-quite-vegetarian-but-still-mostly-vegetarian" types:

Pescatarian:  You can eat fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, fish, and shellfish.  No land animals.

Chickentarian (aka Pollotarian):  Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, poultry (chicken, turkey, eggs, etc.), are allowed, but no red meat. 

Flexitarian:  Mostly plant-based, but you can eat eggs, dairy, meat, poultry, fish, etc. occasionally, and still have the benefits of vegetarianism. How much you "flex" is up to you, and many people find that going "meatless" once or twice a week is enjoyable, gives you a chance try new foods, and has health benefits.    My personal preference is meatless several days a week, but I also enjoy chicken, fish, and meat on occasion.

In upcoming weeks I'll share some of my favorite veggie or mostly veggie recipes and invite you to do the same!  

Until next time!

Karen

Vegan or Atkins or Zone, Oh My!

The diet industry is big business, and there are so many diet books, supplements, products, plans, and ideas out there that it’s impossible to keep up!  Worse, many of them directly contradict each other.  For example, should you eat mostly meat or mostly vegetables?  Is fat good or bad?  What about carbs?  Do calories count or not?  Are some foods better than others? Should you cook foods or eat them raw?  Should you juice, microwave, grill, bake, or broil?   

What about spices?  Should you detox?  Avoid processed foods?  Avoid grains or gluten?

Of course, every “expert” wants you to believe that their diet is the ultimate, best, healthiest, newest, and greatest, and that “all those other diet books and plans are wrong.”   And maybe that's true - the others MAY be wrong.  But they also may be right – for someone!  We are a diverse species that thrives on many different diets, on every continent in the world.  We’re so adaptable that we can eat pretty much anything edible and survive.  What works best for each person depends on their genes, ancestry, blood type, metabolism, environment, lifestyle, preferences, time and energy to spend on their diet and lifestyle and their habits. So, what works for you may not work for your partner, parent, child, or great-Aunt Bernice; because each of us is different.  In “health coach world,” we call this “bio-individuality.”  Here’s a link that explains it pretty well  http://holistichealthlibrary.com/bio-individuality-what-works-for-you/.

“That’s crazy talk!” you say; “Surely, science can come up with at least ONE diet that’s best for everyone!  We’ve got the USDA, RDA, diet clinics, hospitals, food industry, pharmaceutical industry, weight loss centers, and a plethora of diet “experts” to tell us what’s right – and give us the one diet that will keep us at a healthy weight, let us live long, healthy and productive lives, and solve all of our problems!  (Or maybe we should give up on all that annoying and contradictory advice, and just take a pill. . .)

Alas, the answer is no – but that doesn’t stop our huge “diet industry machine” from churning out book after book (or product, pill, potion, remedy, or supplement) that provides the “definitive answer” about what’s best for everyone!  That industry is successful because a lot of us are overweight or want to improve their health.  The so-called “experts” know how to capitalize on that. And they do.  Big-time.  But the truth is that it doesn’t matter what they write, say, claim or sell (as long as it isn’t actually HARMFUL), because every diet works for someone, some of the time. So, as long as the diet book authors keep telling us that, the diet book publishers keep publishing new books, the diet supplement makers keep making new supplements, and diet plan designers keep coming up with new things, everyone’s happy. . .well, except the poor confused public that is trying to figure out how to lose weight and stay healthy!

Why does it have to be so complicated?  Because, once again, there are no “right” answers or perfect solutions for everyone.  The truth is that no one really knows what’s best; that’s something each unique individual has to work out for themselves.  Sorry to burst your bubble, but that’s the truth.  A health coach doesn’t promise that every diet you try will work, but he or she CAN help you weed through the diets, find something that works for you, and support you in making the lifestyle and behavioral changes you will need for success.

Next time I’ll write about the different kinds of diets.  See you then!

Karen