When I look at what's going on in health and wellness these days, it seems that the conversation around food in recent years has become more and more polarized - with the extremes of Keto and "Carnivore" dieters on the one side, and veganism on the other.
Unfortunately, this isn't the way that humans were made to eat. We are omnivores, and our true "sweet spot" when it comes to healthy eating lies much more in the middle of these polar opposites.
As our modern world struggles to find our food identity, all of these extreme fad diets are not really doing our health any favors. It's true that different people's bodies respond differently to different eating styles, so perhaps it is up to each of us to find what works best for us.
My mom, for example, has adopted a loosely vegan diet in recent years (after following a number of various diets earlier in life - some of them quite extreme), and she says she has never felt better. That said, she isn't always strictly vegan (which is nice during family dinners), but us kids still worry about her bone health and her lack of muscle mass as she moves into her senior years.
However, while some people may find they do well on a vegan diet, there are many foods that many people would consider "plant-based," which are definitely NOT healthy for us. In fact, if you look at most processed junk foods out there, most of them are mostly if not entirely made of plants (mostly corn and corn and soy byproducts).
French fries are plant-based (since almost all restaurants now use vegetable oils instead of animal fats for frying). So are potato chips, tortilla chips, sugary condiments, and beer! In fact, so are most carb-heavy foods like bread, pasta, and rice. Obviously, just because something is "plant-based" doesn't make it healthy.
And the same definitely goes for fake meats, which are all kinds of sketchy in my book...
Side Note: This is something that I really don't understand personally. If you don't want to eat meat, then don't! Trying to make something that's not meat taste like meat seems so pointless to to me. If you only want to eat plants, then just eat food that tastes like plants! Anyway, that's my really quick rant for today. :-)
This podcast episode is extremely interesting, and it goes into the many problems with fake meats - which are bad for not only your health, but also the environment as well. Listen below to learn more...
Unfortunately, this isn't the way that humans were made to eat. We are omnivores, and our true "sweet spot" when it comes to healthy eating lies much more in the middle of these polar opposites.
As our modern world struggles to find our food identity, all of these extreme fad diets are not really doing our health any favors. It's true that different people's bodies respond differently to different eating styles, so perhaps it is up to each of us to find what works best for us.
My mom, for example, has adopted a loosely vegan diet in recent years (after following a number of various diets earlier in life - some of them quite extreme), and she says she has never felt better. That said, she isn't always strictly vegan (which is nice during family dinners), but us kids still worry about her bone health and her lack of muscle mass as she moves into her senior years.
However, while some people may find they do well on a vegan diet, there are many foods that many people would consider "plant-based," which are definitely NOT healthy for us. In fact, if you look at most processed junk foods out there, most of them are mostly if not entirely made of plants (mostly corn and corn and soy byproducts).
French fries are plant-based (since almost all restaurants now use vegetable oils instead of animal fats for frying). So are potato chips, tortilla chips, sugary condiments, and beer! In fact, so are most carb-heavy foods like bread, pasta, and rice. Obviously, just because something is "plant-based" doesn't make it healthy.
And the same definitely goes for fake meats, which are all kinds of sketchy in my book...
Side Note: This is something that I really don't understand personally. If you don't want to eat meat, then don't! Trying to make something that's not meat taste like meat seems so pointless to to me. If you only want to eat plants, then just eat food that tastes like plants! Anyway, that's my really quick rant for today. :-)
This podcast episode is extremely interesting, and it goes into the many problems with fake meats - which are bad for not only your health, but also the environment as well. Listen below to learn more...
It may sound shocking, but did you realize that a staggering 75% to 80% of Americans are overweight and facing metabolic dysfunction? Obviously, the way we're eating isn't working - and meat eating isn't entirely (or even mostly) to blame.
In fact, responsibly and regeneratively raised meats can be one of the most high-quality sources of protein available to us. On the other hand, fake meats are often made up of low-quality carbs, grown with petrochemicals, and shipped numerous times for long distances before reaching your plate. They pollute not only our bodies, but also the planet at large.
In this podcast episode, Abel James of The Fat Burning Man interviews Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, a functional medicine physician, speaker, and creator of The Lyon Protocol on this topic.
Dr. Lyon received her doctorate in osteopathic medicine from the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine and is board-certified in family medicine. Her specialty in Muscle-Centric Medicine has led her to be featured on “The Doctors” with published articles in Muscle and Fitness, Women’s Health, Men’s Health, and Harper’s Bazaar. In her private practice, she leverages evidence-based medicine and cutting-edge science to restore metabolism, balance hormones, and optimize body composition with the end goal of helping others discover lifelong vitality.
Listen to the episode to learn:
Click Here to Listen...
I hope this episode makes you think twice about eating fake meats. While diet is a personal choice, and I'll never tell you not to eat a vegan diet if that's what you want to do, at least educate yourself on what's in your food, and choose healthier plant-based choices.
In fact, eating plant-based should be super easy. Just only eat things that are easily recognized as a plant or the product of one! Fruits and vegetables for example, and beans and whole grains. If it comes in a box or a plastic wrapper, read the ingredients carefully and make sure you easily recognize every single one as a real whole food.
To your health,
Rose.
In fact, responsibly and regeneratively raised meats can be one of the most high-quality sources of protein available to us. On the other hand, fake meats are often made up of low-quality carbs, grown with petrochemicals, and shipped numerous times for long distances before reaching your plate. They pollute not only our bodies, but also the planet at large.
In this podcast episode, Abel James of The Fat Burning Man interviews Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, a functional medicine physician, speaker, and creator of The Lyon Protocol on this topic.
Dr. Lyon received her doctorate in osteopathic medicine from the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine and is board-certified in family medicine. Her specialty in Muscle-Centric Medicine has led her to be featured on “The Doctors” with published articles in Muscle and Fitness, Women’s Health, Men’s Health, and Harper’s Bazaar. In her private practice, she leverages evidence-based medicine and cutting-edge science to restore metabolism, balance hormones, and optimize body composition with the end goal of helping others discover lifelong vitality.
Listen to the episode to learn:
- How much protein we should really be eating
- Why focusing on protein first will help make everything easier
- Lifespan versus quality of life
- Time-tested secrets to aging gracefully
- The problems with fake meat
- And lots more…
Click Here to Listen...
I hope this episode makes you think twice about eating fake meats. While diet is a personal choice, and I'll never tell you not to eat a vegan diet if that's what you want to do, at least educate yourself on what's in your food, and choose healthier plant-based choices.
In fact, eating plant-based should be super easy. Just only eat things that are easily recognized as a plant or the product of one! Fruits and vegetables for example, and beans and whole grains. If it comes in a box or a plastic wrapper, read the ingredients carefully and make sure you easily recognize every single one as a real whole food.
To your health,
Rose.
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