A lot of reading, video viewing, lifestyle evaluation, and planning have gone into our decision to go a bit further with our (at home) vegetarian lifestyle. Today we start a whole-food, plant-based diet.
What is that?
Whole foods are unprocessed and unrefined, or processed and refined as little as possible, before being consumed. Plant-based means well, they come from plants (fruits, vegetables, nuts...)
It's that simple. The big change for us is a reduction of milk products - we eat a lot of cheese and some yogurt, the boys like milk also. We also will be giving up most breads and pastas.
Why would you do a crazy thing like that?
Here's the thing; I am diabetic, overweight, tired, anemic, cluttered, and I have digestive difficulties. Mr. Crum, well, he's got a little bit of a belly again - but we can all stand to live healthier lives, right? Crackers is a bit pudgy - I know, he's a toddler, they're made that way - but one of the offices we visit was concerned about his height/weight ratio. He doesn't eat a lot of fatty foods, and we don't want him to face some of the same problems his mama has. Monkey seems to have a bit of a gluten intolerance.
We have been working on living a greener lifestyle and even do what we can to grow our own foods - we are not very good at that yet. Learning to eat what we can grow, in season, and what we can get locally will help us lower our footprint.
We want our boys to grow up strong and healthy. I recognize that the government has a suggested food pyramid that is supposed to help people do just that. I also recognize that most Americans are sick - we do not eat foods that keep us healthy. I want my boys to live a lifestyle that does not just help them heal more quickly when they are ill, but helps them avoid getting ill in the first place. After a lot of reading and research, we have decided that we will give this diet a try for a month. After a month, we will re-evaluate.
Why in the world are you starting this during the holiday season?
That's the part where I think we're a little bit crazy. It is so hard to make big food changes at this time of year! But - I am sick now - riddled with blood sugar issues and other complications that come with it. Every day that I hesitate is inviting more problems and more lasting effects. I need to start this now for myself. I need to be healthy for my family so that I can be fully available to them as they grow into men.
What are your thoughts on this type of lifestyle?
What would you miss the most?
Do you have a great website for recipes?
Do you want some inspiration to change? Here are a few websites we have found helpful.
Forks Over Knives - this documentary is available on Netflix
Healthy. Happy. Life. - this blog has a lot of great looking recipes.
Wonderful news! I've been a vegan for a year, most of it while pregnant, and I have never felt healthier. In fact, a whole-foods prenatal vitamin is a great multivitamin for vegans because it should have your B12, iodine, etc. I also suggest an Omega3 supplement. I love drinking a green protein smoothie every morning. There are so many great resources online- if you are hurting for recipes, check out http://www.findingvegan.com
ReplyDeleteHave FUN!
You already know what I think. ;-) I've lost 45 pounds since the beginning of June (between June and Oct, actually) by doing a plant-based whole foods diet, except that I'm not a strict "vegan"...I eat a small amount of meat/dairy each week and a small amount of starch most every day. You need to add in consistent exercise as well, though.
ReplyDeleteWhat do I miss most? Ice cream. BUT since I'm not a strict vegan, when I really get the ice cream bug, I indulge. (Last night, for instance, we went out for ice cream after dinner. Yum!)
I don't know that I have any great websites other than what I've already told you. If I think of any I'll share, though!
I've considered this - many times. The thing is, we already eat a mainly vegetarian, whole foods diet. I think that, the way I am, if I were to try to completely switch, I'd be setting myself up for failure. That would lead to just chucking it all. It's just how I am. I think the partial is better than none at all.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to hearing how it goes with you, though. (There will be the occasional recipe, right?! LOL)
i'm glad for you you're trying something new and I hope it works. The only suggestion I have is not to have your kids give up dairy entirely. I went to college with a girl who was raised vegan... and she was sick all year and finally had to drop out. The cafeteria did its best to be vegan friendly (and got better each year) but while it provided tons of vegetarian options, the problem was since she'd been raised vegan (v. choosing it herself as an adolescent or older) she didn't have the enzymes the made it possible to process dairy in even in the smallest amounts. If her parents had let her had some dairy here and there growing up, she at least could have coped better, and also would have been given the choice when she grew up. I always tell this story to all vegan moms I meet-- raising kids vegetarian seems to have no ill side effects, but if you raise them vegan, they can never be healthy any other way.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comments.
ReplyDeleteAlicia - I plan to post at least one recipe a week (watch for them on Fridays - this week will be stir fried barley).
Singing Pilgrim - my boys will still get some milk, in fact they'll still get cereals too, it's an easy breakfast that they love, and at this point I don't want to try and make an abrupt change in their eating!