I want to share some experiences and reflections about my change to a more plant-based, whole-food life. (My last blog post talks about how I got started on this ride.)
Health is a relative term. This is great news, because you don’t need to change everything to be healthier. Just eat a little more of the good stuff and squeeze out a little more of the bad stuff, and you’ve done yourself a huge favor. I still eat things I know aren’t good for me. Friday fish-fries. Celebrations. Social events. But it's more the exception than the rule.
Having said that, eating is a zero-sum game. There’s only so much room in your belly, only so many things you can make for breakfast, and only so many things that will fit in your fridge. When you build your eating habits, each unhealthy food crowds out the healthy foods your body is desperate for. Each food that’s been weaponized with some combination of salt/sugar/fat makes the heathier unweaponized foods pale a bit in comparison. Withdraw those weaponized foods from the competition, and the natural foods will really shine.
Whole-food plant-based eating may be difficult for some--but for many, it’s not that difficult. I think people don’t like the idea of a world where bad food (ie the standard American diet) is all around you, and you constantly have to resist it, constantly have to hold yourself back from the bliss that is crap food. Doesn’t that sound exhausting? I’m sure it’s different for everyone, but my experience has not been exhausting. I don’t feel like I am in a world of constant self-denial. It doesn’t feel like effort, because crap food is not as appealing anymore. They say your tastes change, and that happened to me.
There are social consequences. Family dinners are important in our house. At the same time, I often operate off a different menu. I may make their dinner first and start mine when they dig in. My wife may work hard to make a classic meal and I’m just not that into it. That stuff is hard sometimes. At work, people bring food as a treat and as a gift, but it’s cupcakes or Krispy Kremes or double-fudge brownies. I know they are well-intended, but I don’t relate to it. A part of me is thinking “That’s not a gift. It’s not even nice.” I’m a flexitarian, so if we have dinner at the neighbors or go to a banquet, I eat (and enjoy) whatever is served. If there’s a birthday, I may have a little cake. I’m happy I retain that flexibility. But in social terms, and in terms of convenience for our family, there is some burden in making different choices.
We live in an entitled, celebratory culture, and it’s not good for us. We judge these millennials; we’re so offended that every kid gets a blue ribbon. We should judge ourselves. Every day has its own excuse to indulge. It’s Friday night, time for a fish fry. It’s Saturday, company’s over, that’s no time to hold back. It’s Sunday, the football game is on. It’s Monday night, I’m stressed, I need some comfort food. Tuesday is a co-worker’s birthday, time for some cake. The entitlement keeps on coming. When it's some other group's entitlement, it looks selfish, even wreckless. When it's our own life, we use that dangerous phrase: "I deserve this."
Have you heard it’s good for the environment? Yes, it is good for the environment. It’s good for the environment within your skin. It’s good for the environment of each system and organ and cell in your body. I’m concerned about the environment. But for those people turned off by environmentalism as a topic, just focus on the personal health benefits. That’s enough. (By the way, I personally thank God that it is better for for the environment. I’d feel a bit bad if the healthiest possible diet was to eat baby seal meat and the eggs of endangered tropical birds. But that’s just me.)
Deliciousness persists. One of the best tasting things I can think of is a big leaf of kale, preferably a dark green or red kale. Chewing it up is the taste of goodness--such a rich flavor. Ironically, kale is also the most mocked health food in my experience, the one people wrinkle their noses at and say “Um, kale, really? Yeah, not gonna happen.” I just want to put it out there that whatever glorious level of satisfaction someone gets from biting into that juicy steak is not unavailable to me. Nothing can taste better to me than good kale, or blueberries, or a number of other succulent, rich plant foods. There are different tastes to different foods, but I’m bothered by the suggestion that I’m at some lower level of enjoyment than others because I’m not eating their favorite food. It’s just not true.
I feel better. I am not a randomized controlled double-blind study with a neutral funding source. But without distinctly trying to eat less food, I lost about 10% of my body weight. I used to take ibuprofen sometimes for a tight back or leg cramps, and I had one 200mg tablet in six months after changing what I ate. I used to struggle with seasonal allergies and take zyrtec on-and-off year-round, and I have not felt the need for an allergy med in eight months. I used to feel drained after a good workout at the gym. Now I typically feel energized. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still getting older. I did not find the fountain of youth. But eating whole-food plant-based makes a very real day-to-day difference.
That’s my experience. Check out the book that got me started (How Not to Die) or the related non-profit web site (nutritionfacts.org).
Everyone's different, so the things I eat may be completely different from what someone else eats, even if we are both whole-food, plant-based. I mention beans and greens because they are two categories where I used to eat a little, and now eat a lot. But there is amazing diversity available. Here are a few of my favorite recipes:
Oatmeal lentil breakfast
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DGz1GgwFTG6S7uBW_4T1v50l_oXy9xxaRFoVHveKpFc/edit?usp=sharing
Beets n sweets
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZeTrxgIu3tKwx1ki3p8503rFYuy4OVW5GQ718EZSNjI/edit?usp=sharing
Butternut lentil stew
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rtmcT8ikl7PykfZdk-l6pM8Q3XTrV1LW5dQCtLjyYQU/edit?usp=sharing
My new "peanut butter and jelly" is a "salsa avocado" sandwich. Not much recipe, just 2 pieces of whole wheat, 1/2 an avocado diced, and salsa. Yum.
Thanks and God bless,
Matt
Health is a relative term. This is great news, because you don’t need to change everything to be healthier. Just eat a little more of the good stuff and squeeze out a little more of the bad stuff, and you’ve done yourself a huge favor. I still eat things I know aren’t good for me. Friday fish-fries. Celebrations. Social events. But it's more the exception than the rule.
Having said that, eating is a zero-sum game. There’s only so much room in your belly, only so many things you can make for breakfast, and only so many things that will fit in your fridge. When you build your eating habits, each unhealthy food crowds out the healthy foods your body is desperate for. Each food that’s been weaponized with some combination of salt/sugar/fat makes the heathier unweaponized foods pale a bit in comparison. Withdraw those weaponized foods from the competition, and the natural foods will really shine.
Whole-food plant-based eating may be difficult for some--but for many, it’s not that difficult. I think people don’t like the idea of a world where bad food (ie the standard American diet) is all around you, and you constantly have to resist it, constantly have to hold yourself back from the bliss that is crap food. Doesn’t that sound exhausting? I’m sure it’s different for everyone, but my experience has not been exhausting. I don’t feel like I am in a world of constant self-denial. It doesn’t feel like effort, because crap food is not as appealing anymore. They say your tastes change, and that happened to me.
There are social consequences. Family dinners are important in our house. At the same time, I often operate off a different menu. I may make their dinner first and start mine when they dig in. My wife may work hard to make a classic meal and I’m just not that into it. That stuff is hard sometimes. At work, people bring food as a treat and as a gift, but it’s cupcakes or Krispy Kremes or double-fudge brownies. I know they are well-intended, but I don’t relate to it. A part of me is thinking “That’s not a gift. It’s not even nice.” I’m a flexitarian, so if we have dinner at the neighbors or go to a banquet, I eat (and enjoy) whatever is served. If there’s a birthday, I may have a little cake. I’m happy I retain that flexibility. But in social terms, and in terms of convenience for our family, there is some burden in making different choices.
We live in an entitled, celebratory culture, and it’s not good for us. We judge these millennials; we’re so offended that every kid gets a blue ribbon. We should judge ourselves. Every day has its own excuse to indulge. It’s Friday night, time for a fish fry. It’s Saturday, company’s over, that’s no time to hold back. It’s Sunday, the football game is on. It’s Monday night, I’m stressed, I need some comfort food. Tuesday is a co-worker’s birthday, time for some cake. The entitlement keeps on coming. When it's some other group's entitlement, it looks selfish, even wreckless. When it's our own life, we use that dangerous phrase: "I deserve this."
Have you heard it’s good for the environment? Yes, it is good for the environment. It’s good for the environment within your skin. It’s good for the environment of each system and organ and cell in your body. I’m concerned about the environment. But for those people turned off by environmentalism as a topic, just focus on the personal health benefits. That’s enough. (By the way, I personally thank God that it is better for for the environment. I’d feel a bit bad if the healthiest possible diet was to eat baby seal meat and the eggs of endangered tropical birds. But that’s just me.)
Deliciousness persists. One of the best tasting things I can think of is a big leaf of kale, preferably a dark green or red kale. Chewing it up is the taste of goodness--such a rich flavor. Ironically, kale is also the most mocked health food in my experience, the one people wrinkle their noses at and say “Um, kale, really? Yeah, not gonna happen.” I just want to put it out there that whatever glorious level of satisfaction someone gets from biting into that juicy steak is not unavailable to me. Nothing can taste better to me than good kale, or blueberries, or a number of other succulent, rich plant foods. There are different tastes to different foods, but I’m bothered by the suggestion that I’m at some lower level of enjoyment than others because I’m not eating their favorite food. It’s just not true.
I feel better. I am not a randomized controlled double-blind study with a neutral funding source. But without distinctly trying to eat less food, I lost about 10% of my body weight. I used to take ibuprofen sometimes for a tight back or leg cramps, and I had one 200mg tablet in six months after changing what I ate. I used to struggle with seasonal allergies and take zyrtec on-and-off year-round, and I have not felt the need for an allergy med in eight months. I used to feel drained after a good workout at the gym. Now I typically feel energized. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still getting older. I did not find the fountain of youth. But eating whole-food plant-based makes a very real day-to-day difference.
That’s my experience. Check out the book that got me started (How Not to Die) or the related non-profit web site (nutritionfacts.org).
Everyone's different, so the things I eat may be completely different from what someone else eats, even if we are both whole-food, plant-based. I mention beans and greens because they are two categories where I used to eat a little, and now eat a lot. But there is amazing diversity available. Here are a few of my favorite recipes:
Oatmeal lentil breakfast
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DGz1GgwFTG6S7uBW_4T1v50l_oXy9xxaRFoVHveKpFc/edit?usp=sharing
Beets n sweets
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZeTrxgIu3tKwx1ki3p8503rFYuy4OVW5GQ718EZSNjI/edit?usp=sharing
Butternut lentil stew
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rtmcT8ikl7PykfZdk-l6pM8Q3XTrV1LW5dQCtLjyYQU/edit?usp=sharing
My new "peanut butter and jelly" is a "salsa avocado" sandwich. Not much recipe, just 2 pieces of whole wheat, 1/2 an avocado diced, and salsa. Yum.
Thanks and God bless,
Matt
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