I have been wanting to devote some time to this topic for a while, and what better time to embrace a plant-based diet than summer when so many delicious fruits and vegetables are ripening on the vine!
Meal Planning and Balance
The bulk of my meal-planning principles are based on information from the sources mentioned below.
1) www.pcrm.org (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine lead by Dr. Neal Barnard)
2) www.aicr.org (American Institute for Cancer Research)
3) www.drfuhrman.com.
Two fantastic books are
3)The China Study by T. Colin Campbell
4) Dr. Joel Fuhrman's book Eat to Live
If these resources don't convince you to base your food choices off the best nutritional food sources available, I can't say I know any better.
5) I love ForksoverKnives.com for recipes and they do a great job at strictly staying to plant-based, whole foods for their meals.
6) For kids, I also really like www.nutrition411.com. This website was recommended to me by my pediatrician after we had been discussing Kellan's diet (Dr Singh at Ark-La-Tex Peds is awesome). She said this is a resource directed to professional dietitians and other health professionals and it was helpful for me when deciding how much dairy and other animal products to introduce to my son's diet as I weaned him from breast feeding. Although most doctors will emphasize the importance of saturated fat found in dairy milk as a prime dietary component for our little ones' brain development, I have also learned that plant-based foods rich in fats such as coconut (high in plant-based saturated fats), avocados, nuts and nut butters can also supplement some of that milk. The important thing to keep in mind is that these plant-based fat sources are not protein rich so including beans, soy, and other legumes is essential. When Kellan turned his nose up at my best attempts, I chose to resort to eggs and yogurt to keep him balanced. I haven't given up! I still offer lots of choices to help build his palate towards the foods I would prefer for him.
My Soap Box Moment
I know that most people choose not to go completely vegan, and sources show that most societies around the world do consume at least a small amount of animal products. The truth is that besides B-12, we can get all the nutrition we need from plants and no time in our history are they more abundantly available year round than now! The long-term effects of eating this way can curb our risk for many chronic diseases including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, and cancer. Many case studies mentioned in Dr. Fuhrman's book site examples of individuals who are able to turn their lives around through adopting a strict plant-based diet; these stories include not only those who are significantly overweight, but also kids with ADD, those with asthma, and people taking several prescription drugs to manage chronic illnesses. I am not proposing that diet fixes everything, and I do believe that our genetic and environmental risk factors do play a role in our health, but why not lower our risk of acquiring such chronic conditions? I also believe that modern medicine is important to manage and treat such diseases and I wouldn't think of going rogue if I found out one of my loved ones or I had a serious condition. However, my goal is to avoid that avenue as much as possible. Working with the elderly population has opened my eyes to how debilitating, restricting, and common these chronic diseases are in our society and how addictive and difficult it can be to change that way of life. By far the healthiest people I see are those that ascribe to the principles offered from these sources and also in following the Word of Wisdom (D&C 89; Isaiah 55:8). Learn as much as you can and then take it to the Lord to find out what is right for you and your family.
The New Four Food Groups
(http://www.pcrm.org/health/diets/vsk/vegetarian-starter-kit-new-four-food-groups)
Be sure to include a good source of vitamin B12, such as fortified cereals or vitamin supplements.
 3 or more servings a day Fruits are rich in fiber, vitamin C, and beta-carotene. Be sure to include at least one serving each day of fruits that are high in vitamin C—citrus fruits, melons, and strawberries are all good choices. Choose whole fruit over fruit juices, which do not contain very much fiber. Serving size: 1 medium piece of fruit • 1/2 cup cooked fruit • 4 ounces juice |
 2 or more servings a day Legumes, which is another name for beans, peas, and lentils, are all good sources of fiber, protein, iron, calcium, zinc, and B vitamins. This group also includes chickpeas, baked and refried beans, soymilk, tempeh, and texturized vegetable protein. Serving size: 1/2 cup cooked beans • 4 ounces tofu or tempeh • 8 ounces soymilk |
 5 or more servings a day This group includes bread, rice, tortillas, pasta, hot or cold cereal, corn, millet, barley, and bulgur wheat. Build each of your meals around a hearty grain dish—grains are rich in fiber and other complex carbohydrates, as well as protein, B vitamins, and zinc. Serving size: 1/2 cup rice or other grain • 1 ounce dry cereal • 1 slice bread |
 4 or more servings a day Vegetables are packed with nutrients; they provide vitamin C, beta-carotene, riboflavin, iron, calcium, fiber, and other nutrients. Dark green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, collards, kale, mustard and turnip greens, chicory, or cabbage are especially good sources of these important nutrients. Dark yellow and orange vegetables such as carrots, winter squash, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin provide extra beta-carotene. Include generous portions of a variety of vegetables in your diet. Serving size: 1 cup raw vegetables • 1/2 cup cooked vegetables |
What about organic and non genetically-modified foods?
Here's the facts. Reducing pesticides and eating plants that have not been tampered with by adding DNA from other organisms just sounds like a good idea to me (check out www.nongmoproject.org).
It's also a fact that it can be expensive.
Here are some options that I have adopted as often as I can (and my budget permits).
1) Buy organic for the most commonly genetically modified foods: sugar, corn, canola, cottonseed oil, zucchini, and soy.
2) Avoid the Dirty Dozen and buy these organic or eat the Clean 15 instead.
*Keep in mind that this changes yearly so you want to check for updates.
http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/
Take-Away
1) Eating more plants and reducing processed foods is a huge first step. This puts us ahead of the curve when compared to the typical American diet.
2) It takes time to build new habits but it does get easier! Ryan and I went hardcore vegan for about 7 months and it was tough! He lost too much weight and I felt so frustrated and exhausted trying to figure out what to make for dinner every night. After about 6 months we got into a rhythm and made some adjustments, and I couldn't have done it without help from like-minded friends and good resources.
3) Just focus on the New Four Food Groups and the rest will start to fall into place.
4) Don't make food a fight. I feel strongly about this. If the whole family isn't on board, don't sweat it! My goal is just to offer many healthy food choices throughout the day and introduce a way of life that builds health. I want my family to be comfortable with vegan meals and appreciate the principles of eating for nutrition. Beyond that, I let them choose.
Happy Eating!!
