The Vegetarian Lifestyle
Now if you want to be
thiner, Vegetarian or Vegan are a sure way to go. How do I know this well, I have lost 30 pounds in 4 months by converting to Vegetarian.
My choice was not optional. I was getting sick from animal products. Not from the animal but from Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH) and antibiotics in commercial farm animals. Why do they give this junk to animals? So the cows grow faster and can be slaughtered sooner. Basically to make money faster. Anyway these products were effecting my digestion and I was getting sick.
I found this interesting :
"Because of health concerns for both people and animals, Japan, Canada, Australia and the European Union have all banned the use of rBGH, but the hormone is still given to cows in the US. The EU has also banned the import of meat from animals treated with hormones, so the EU imports no beef from the US.
Recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) causes cows to produce more milk, but its safety for both people and cows is questionable. Additionally, this synthetic hormone increases the incidence of mastitis, an infection of the udder, which causes the secretion of blood and pus into the milk. "
By
Doris Lin, About.com
Ms. Lin is not the only article I have seen about growth hormones and antibiotics in US farm animals. I saw one on television where cow were given antibiotics and it effected there bodies so bad they could hardly walk.
It can have really bad effects on animals so imagine what it is doing to our bodies. We eat that poisons meat. But I need to stop my rant.
What to do to become a healthy Vegetarian.
There are different types of Vegetarians. adapted from Nasoya web page-
Lacto-ovo Vegetarian- These people eat plant based diets with eggs & dairy
Lacto-ovo pescatrian- These people eat plant based foods with eggs, dairy & Fish (This is me without the milk and dairy)
Semi-Vegetarian- These people are Vegetarian most of the time, but add meat on occasion.
Vegan- This is more of a lifestyle by itself. Vegans are plant based all the time!! No meat, No dairy, No fish No honey. They want to save the planet and keep the environment as healthy as possible. They are animal rights activists.They think bee keepers are cruel to insects. Vegans are hard core!!
Fruitarian- these people only eat fruit, nuts and self reproducing plants that are not destroyed by being eaten: IE apples, pears
Raw Foods- These people only eat plant based raw foods. In fact if you use a blender it will over cook a raw foods diet.
Now you may think that you are not getting enough nutriments but as long as your eating fruit, nuts, beans, vegetables, whole grains and tofu you should be good to go. You can also take a vitamin daily. Be sure to read the label. No animal products or by products.
One way to become or try to be a vegetarian is to eat vegetarian 1 day a week say Wednesdays is Veggie day. Try that for a month then add Mon-Wed-Fri are veggie days and so on.
Another way is to try a Mediterranean diet. I love this diet without the meat and dairy. The foods are delicious.
The Mayo Clinic Mediterranean diet emphasizes:
- Getting plenty of exercise
- Eating primarily plant-based foods, such as fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes and nuts
- Replacing butter with healthy fats such as olive oil and canola oil
- Using herbs and spices instead of salt to flavor foods
- Limiting red meat to no more than a few times a month
- Eating fish and poultry at least twice a week
- Drinking red wine in moderation (optional)
Once you have started this write a food diary.
Food Diary
Write everything you put in your mouth down. Don't cheat, no one will see it but you. Do it for 3 months. What happens is you become so conscious of what you eat. You will eat less. It is also good to write how you are feeling everyday after you eat. Tired, bloated, gas, diarrhea, headache and so on.. Write down your weekly weight. Write down if you do exercise.
If you need help with what to cook just google some recipes or look at my blog for ideas.
So while you are on this journey your friends and family might say your nuts! But don't listen. Just do what is best for your body. Once you start dropping weight ,you will start feeling mentally better about yourself and your body. The friends and family will be amazed that you did it all with food!
And you should always tell your doctor before changing your diet. Your food impacts your digestion and medication is digested so be sure check to see if it is alright to start a lifestyle change. Chances are the doctor will say yes but they may need to adjust the diet and medication for you.
Happy Eating
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