Two years ago my dad had a heart attack. Thankfully he was in the hospital, getting chest pains checked out when the heart attack hit, or he would have died. The doctor's advice to him was to cut out butter, stop eating fast-food and start exercising, but that even by doing that he would still end up seeing him again for his other arteries. No mention was made that if my dad switched to a plant based diet he could actually repair his damaged arteries.
Because of this movie and more research that I have done, my family and I are committed to switching to a plant based diet...it probably won't happen tomorrow, especially since my mom isn't ecstatic about throwing away a bunch of her groceries, but no more will we be throwing anything into our shopping cart (or buggy for my SC friends) that don't adhere to this new lifestyle (at least I won't be, I will have to keep an eye on my parents and their Costco shopping trips). This doesn't mean either that the other members of my family will never consume meat or dairy again, but it does mean it will be more of a once a month thing instead of daily or even weekly.
Before you think "That sounds too hard" or "That's ridiculous" I challenge you to watch this movie, listen to the compelling evidence, and decide who in your life is worth making this change for...for me, it's my daughter. I want her to grow up healthy and happy, I want to be there for her on her wedding day, I want to hold my grandchildren and watch them grow up. Is eating a plate of veggies instead of a burger worth all that to me? Absolutely.
My husband would wholeheartedly disagree with the premise that cutting out meat is the healthiest option. There is quite a bit of research that shows that simply eating whole food--whether animal- or plant-based--will improve a person's health (Michael Pollan has written several books on the issue, and there's also a book called "Real Food" by Nina Planck). It's the processed food that damages health. For example, the research points out that the health problems in America (diabetes, obesity, heart issues, etc.) escalated at the time that processed foods became the norm. Think of our grandparents' generations--they grew up on farms and ate meat, whole dairy, etc., and didn't have nearly as many health issues as we do today. And there are cultures, like the Eskimos, who eat loads of fatty meat and don't have heart issues. Point is, eating more plants is a good thing, but I don't think it's fully accurate to blame meat for our health problems. Besides, God created the animals for our consumption...do you think He would've done so if it were damaging to our health? In our house, we're committed to eating food as God intended--pasture-raised meat, and (as much as we can afford it) non-pesticide-grown fruits/veggies/etc. And of course, everything in moderation. :)
ReplyDeleteI agree that processed foods have played a huge part in health issues today, however I would argue that in the Garden of Eden, the original and perfect plan for mankind, meat was not eaten, so while God has allowed us to eat animals, I don't think it was his original intent. Like I said in the post though, watch the movie for yourself and base your opinion on that. Researching both sides of the issue I have found that the plant based diet side's thesis is "a plant based diet actually helps you", while the other side's thesis is that "meat doesn't hurt you in moderation". So if I have to choose a side I'd have to say I like the plant based diet better. If in doing your own research you come to a different conclusion, definitely go with what you feel is best for your family, which is what I have done for my family.
ReplyDeleteDaryl's really into this stuff and knows way more than me, but his research actually indicates that a diet complete with meat and dairy is best. So his (and my) position is not that "meat doesn't hurt you in moderation," but that meat is an essential part of our diet, though we definitely agree that fruits/veggies should play a larger role. I think Michael Pollan said it best: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." Don't get me wrong--I applaud you for making healthy decisions; I just had to put in my 2 cents that pasture-raised meat/dairy shouldn't be entirely discarded (and to prove to Daryl that I really do listen when he talks). :) Besides, I like and appreciate your veggie recipes!
ReplyDeleteHaha I'm sure Daryl will be happy to hear that =) My goal is to make sure I never become one of those people who would rather eat an Oreo than a healthy meal that contains meat, just because I follow a plant based diet. A plant based diet is also very low in cholesterol so during times in my life when I need more of that (while pregnant and nursing) I would rather eat a couple eggs to ensure I get enough of it versus risking not getting enough of it, and of course Isabelle drinks whole milk right now while she is growing, since that's what milk is for. About 6 months ago I went out to eat with a friend and choose to have chicken since the only vegetarian meal was Lo Mein (which is so unhealthy for you). I would also never offend any host by going to their house and rejecting their food because it's not "vegan" or "plant based".
ReplyDeleteI wish your blog had a "like" function b/c I would totally "like" your comment! :)
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