Whole... Plant-Based...
Living Food... Vegan...
It seems a bit strange that we now have recognizable buzz words and phrases for a diet that excludes all animal products. Not too long ago, most of us (including myself) would've called this type of diet extreme-- unnecessary, at the very least.
Dangerous.
These are all stances that I still hear and see people taking to this day! And as much as I love a lot of the thoughtful discourse that these misconceptions can generate, I find myself confronting more brick walls than open doors... many people simply aren't interested in learning.
This is not a lecture either. I won't be wagging my finger at meat and dairy lovers in this first edition of BEING A NON-DOUCHEY VEGAN, if at all... it would be pretty silly of me to pick a title like that and then proceed to be a gigantic douche about it!
What I will say is that some of our most deadly and prevalent conditions-- like cancer, heart and cardiovascular issues, osteoporosis-- are all fueled by the poor food choices we make as a society. But a vegan diet consisting of only vegetables, fruit, nuts, legumes and grains reduces inflammation across the board... and so drastically cuts your risk of getting sick.
Don't Be Fooled!
Despite what you may hear, you don't need meat to get your protein or your vitamin B12... and you don't need dairy products to get enough calcium. Ironically, the highest rates of osteoporosis are found in populations with the highest dairy consumption. Weird, right?
By eating a variety of plant-based foods, you'll not only be getting enough of the protein and fat and nutrients you need... your body will begin to naturally repair and optimize itself. You'll have more energy, you'll sleep better and you'll just start to notice your overall attitude getting better.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT:
You may be surprised to learn that some notable vegans include NFL football players, marathon runners and other high-performance athletes, mixed martial artists... and even Arnold Schwarzenegger! Umm... yeah, totally true.
It feels good to be healthy!
I've been a proud vegan for almost six months now, and I feel good! I didn't make the switch for ethical reasons-- not to save the animals or the Earth-- but for my own personal well-being. I know it's the right way to eat... the science made sense, and then my body has shown its appreciation for the changes I've been making.
So it is. And so it shall be.
But again... I am not here to preach. This particular blog is more about dispelling the popular myths around food, showing people how it's possible to transition smoothly and maybe even passing on a few of my more successful recipes to help with the process.
Because if there is one absolutely undeniable truth, it's that nobody can make such a monumental change without tasty food. If the stuff you're eating is the "rabbit food" and bland tofu that everyone expects, you're destined to fail miserably.
So I'll get into more of the science later... for now, I just wanted to put it out there. From one regular guy talking to other regular, intelligent people: it's worth a few thoughtful moments of your time. If you're still reading at this point, thank you SO MUCH! I would love if you can to do one thing for me before I write another post for this blog:
WATCH THE DOCUMENTARY CALLED "FORKS OVER KNIVES".
One of a few excellent films I'll throw out there over time... "Forks Over Knives" is on Netflix right now, and I highly recommend it. Until next time, have a great weekend and take care of yourselves.
