We just got a bunch of snow during the night! I'm in the South, where snow is fairly uncommon and the power almost always seems to go out for a couple of days. Just letting you know if I don't blog for a bit, it's because I have no electricity. I'm praying it doesn't go out though, because it's COLD!
Anyways, I was reading this article on Mercola.com about the vegetarian diet, and it got me thinking. The article says about 1/3 of the population can thrive on a vegetarian diet while another 1/3 would have deteriotating health from meat restriction (maybe the last 1/3 would just simply be ok and their health not improve nor get worse?). I try not to push a particular diet on this blog for that particular reason - different foods work for different people. I love smoothies for breakfast, but I will not say that's best for everyone because I know plenty of diabetics and pre-diabetics who cannot consume so much fruit.
The 4 "food rules" that seem to work across the board are that 1) vegetables are good for you, 2) whole grains are better than processed grains, 3) Too much sugar is detrimental to health, and 4) we need some kind of protein source. However, I know a young man who is allergic to a compound in raw produce, so fruits and vegetables have to be cooked for him. In general though, I would recommend at least half of the produce you consume to be raw. Once heated, enzymes that aid digestion are rendered useless. But some nutrients are better absorbed once cooked, such as the antioxidants in carrots and tomatoes.
So whether you want to try veganism, vegetarianism, a raw diet, pescetarianism (fish but no other meat), gluten-free, dairy-free, or anything else, that's completely between you and your doctor. Anyone who says "this diet is great for everyone!" is misinformed. Instead, pay attention to the signals from your body when you eat or don't eat a particular food. A food journal that lists what you eat each day and any symptoms is a great way to notice patterns. Finally, I recommend getting a blood test from your doctor to check your vitamin levels, as even mild deficiencies can cause health problems.
And because every post should have a picture (and I often forget to add one), how about this little guy carrying his load to the food processor:
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