"Mostly" plant-based diet, but not vegan/vegetarian?

ladyfingers39

I think Michael Pollen summed it up best in "In Defense of Food":

Eat real food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

i loved that book and can't agree more. I love meat sometimes, but I am trying to eat less and less processed food. Been enjoying my dehydrator as well.

I would love to have more like minded friends!

scoutit

Whoops. I'm clearly a big fail at figuring out how to quote and comment. I would like to add to the discussion though...AeolianHarp I would agree with you that stress factors into health in a big way but I do believe there is plenty of research proving that the diets our cattle are fed have reduced Omega 3, and increased Omega 6s. Natural meat (free range, grass fed) should have a 1-1 ratio. The problem also exists in poultry. If you choose to eat meat I would suggest grass fed beef and organic chicken. I eat about 3 oz of organic chicken several times per week, but have given up other animal based proteins. Some day I hope to give up the chicken as well.

So what? If someone is getting sufficient Omega 3s in spite of one's meat consumption then who is to say that meat is negatively affecting one's health?

There are tonnes of people who live long, healthy lives despite what is considered a subpar diet. Health is a complicated matter. I never meant to imply that food doesn't affect it but there are hundreds of different factors that can hurt one's health just as much as food can. Restricting food and potentially placing a psychological burden on oneself just for it is moot. People focus on food far too much and never look at other aspects. There are people who never care a dash about health yet live longer than people who do.

Restricting food you enjoy is never the way. It's a pointless endeavour.

Clearly you are happy with your diet, and I'm not here to argue the lifestyle choices we make. Personally I found that cutting sugar led to a need for less sugar, that cutting fats and processed foods made them seem gross when I did eat them and that I feel lighter and healthier overall on a mostly veg diet. I don't think of it as a "restriction" at all, rather a choice. I have also chosen to give up enriched flour, many processed foods and refined sugars/modified corn starch. It's second nature now, and I have a very complete, delicious array of foods. Do I miss Baskin-Robin sometimes? Yup. Is it difficult to give up meat? Yup. I used to eat it every day, sometimes twice a day. But giving it up is a choice, not a restriction.

As far as meat being unhealthy, I don't even know where to start, there is so much info. Meat and dairy furnish over 90% of the contaminants humans eat, including dioxin, PCBs and pesticides that have been banned but are still present in the animal's environments. A Harvard study (Cho, et.al, Archives of Internal Medicine 2006) shows that women are TWICE as likely to contract breast cancer on a heavy meat diet. Saturated fats lead to cardiac disease. The list goes on.

Anyway, I believe that everybody should take their own path, but they should do it with their eyes open.

LittleLightShine

Just watched 3 different documentaries today : Food Inc, Fat Sick and Nearly Dead PLUS Forks over Knives. All of which were AMAZING movies to see, and were TRUE eye openers.

I am the same way as you, not sure that I am ready for a strictly vegetarian/vegan diet, but am looking into cutting back on my dairy and meats. Then also WHERE I get my meat and dairy products from, that is a VERY important part of it also.

I did the same thing! Once I started watching one movie I became addicted and kept watching more food documentaries. I really liked Forks over Knives. These movies completely changed me.

I have switched over to organic food and buy my meat at a farmers market where a farmer works with his neighbors to bring local grass fed beef, pork and organic chicken and eggs. I'm also excited because we just joined a CSA! It feels good to support local farmers and the food tastes SO MUCH BETTER.

SuperVegan8

Slightly off topic but - Personally i found 'Earthlings' both more moving and philosophical than any of the other titles that have been named. If you are interested check it out. It is quite confronting but i think its worth watching.