These past 7 weeks have been quite eye opening haven’t they? This experience has shed some light on our food systems and how reliant we are on others for our nourishment. Families are lining up for food donations, as the economic shut-down exhausts their savings. It is sad and worrisome. The good news is we can take these matters into our own hands! We can develop a strong immune system by following the ‘Healthiest Diet on the Planet’. This is possible just by eating the right foods. Almost all of us can even grow some ourselves. 🙂 I hope the information in this post will help you improve your immune system and optimize your health.
How did this pandemic happen? Humans have some ‘splainin to do…
According to Dr. Greger, in this fascinating summary of his webinar on Covid-19, all human viral infections are believed to originate in animals.
In wet markets, where animals are caged one on top of the other, their feces, urine and blood intermix. It is believed that these conditions create a perfect storm for zoonotic (animal-to-human) disease transmission.
In this video from 2008, Dr. Greger speaks of prior world pandemics. It is fascinating to watch from our current perspective. For a quick and impactful offering, watch the video starting at minute 47:27. Unfortunately I can’t seem to add the video directly to this post without it overtaking the screen.
How can we prevent these pandemics?
In this article on the importance of ending factory farming, published by the American Public Health Association, it is stated that, “A change, if sufficiently adopted or imposed, could still reduce the chances of the much-feared influenza epidemic. It would be even more likely to prevent unknown future diseases that, in the absence of this change, may result from farming animals intensively and killing them for food.”
We are a bit late for this pandemic. The question is, will we continue our destructive ways of mass animal farming and fall prey to the next virus? Or, will we finally see the error of our ways and stop killing animals in order to eat them!?
Eating animals is NOT good for our health, in any way, shape or form.
In fact, eating animals is killing us. Don’t take my word for it though, watch Forks Over Knives, What the Health and The Game Changers and read the work of numerous plant-based doctors in order to come to your own conclusion.
So... Let’s eat a whole food, plant-based diet!
It’s easy, delicious, inexpensive and kind! What more could you ask for?
I’m not talking about being a junk food vegan eating all of the prepackaged, processed vegan foods. I mean eating simple, basic, whole foods that your great grandmother would recognize. This is the key to both health and a less expensive grocery bill!
I’m not saying going plant-based is always super easy. However, if you are not feeling 100% or are developing symptoms of lifestyle diseases, switching to a plant strong diet will have a positive effect on your health. Increasing your fibre, antioxidant and nutrient intake tackles the core of the health issues, as opposed to masking the symptoms like medicine will do. You are worth it. Try it!
Too many diet options, created to confuse
There are so many ads and companies out there trying to get you to buy this and eat that. They promise you amazing results with weight loss and increased health. Many of them require you to purchase supplements or follow a strict diet of eating mostly fats. (How that can be perceived as healthy is beyond me.) You don’t need any of these fad diets!
Here is how to eat in a truly healthy way…
“There is only one diet, a Whole Food Plant Based diet, that has been proven to prevent and reverse heart disease, improve cholesterol, and lower blood pressure.” The Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine.
One of the pioneering doctors in this field, Dr. John McDougall, whom we had the pleasure of meeting in November, has been spreading the word about plant-based diets since he suffered a stroke, induced by diet, at the age of 20. For the past 50 years he has been working with his patients, bringing them back to health. He has more lifestyle disease reversals than Heinz has pickles!
In his newest of 11 books, The Healthiest Diet on the Planet’, Dr. McDougall offers a simple way to successfully choose the foods we eat. He offers Red, Orange and Green light foods. He calls this lifestyle a cost-free and side-effect-free treatment.
He maintains that if we all followed these guidelines, the world would be a healthy, kind place. Here is his simple outline for eating the healthiest diet possible:
Red Light Foods (DO NOT EAT):
Meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs, milk, cheese, butter or margarine, oils, fake meats and cheeses made from isolated proteins. He also suggests you not take isolated pill forms of supplements other than vitamin B12.
Orange Light Foods (EAT IN MODERATION):
Especially if you are looking to lose weight: nuts and seeds, soy products, avocadoes, dried fruits, juices, salt and sugar.
Green Light Foods (EAT LOTS OF):
Rice, corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes, whole grain breads, whole grain pastas, whole wheat, oatmeal, beans, bean, vegetable and grain soups, rice and vegetable dishes, brown rice, grain based salads and bean patty burgers. He also suggests eating some non-starchy vegetables and fruit.
In conclusion…
Well, there you have it. It’s pretty simple. We should eat foods we were meant to eat. Eat until we are satisfied and don’t try to diet or starve ourselves. Will we have cravings and bad days? Sure. Is tomorrow a new day? Yes! You’ve got this.
How to make it fun and feel self sufficient!
Spring is finally here and we have the perfect opportunity to buy some seeds and grow some veggies. Maybe it’s in a pot on your apartment balcony or maybe you will dig up some of your yard and experiment with your kids. Any way you look at it, it’s a great step forward in becoming more self sufficient on your path to greater food security!
This is the perfect year to grow your own vegetables! I’m thinking of making tomatoes and kale the center plant in my flowering pots. I mean, what’s more beautiful than vegetables? 🙂
Not sure what to have for breakfast to incorporate more veggies into your diet? Try this smoothie out! Click on the photo for the recipe link.
