“Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine”. Are you familiar with that quote from one of my all time favorite classics Casablanca? That is exactly how I feel about you landing on my page. With a few exceptions, this isn’t exactly a gin joint, and you may not necessarily be a “she”, but I think you see my analogy – maybe kinda sorta – anyway, I am happy that you are here.
The fact that you are here is incredible and so fortunate for me. Now I would like to make it so fortunate for you!
You most likely have arrived on this very page for a specific reason. Maybe you have been thinking you need to make some changes to your diet, your health may be compromised in some way, or maybe you are just curious to see what this is all about. Whatever your reason, let’s make your time worthwhile while you are here.
Eating healthy seems to be a no brainer right? Eat healthy foods, lose weight, feel good, live a long and healthy life? We wish it was that easy but it is a very complex topic. What is healthy? What foods should we eat? How much? Organic vs. non organic. GMO vs. non GMO. Vegetarian vs. vegan. Mediterranean diet vs. Paleo. We are constantly bombarded with messaging on what is and what is not healthy and it changes daily. First we are told something is good for us then we are told it is not. The problem with relying on the media for our health advice is that they are not in the medical and health business. They are in the media business and they need to ensure a certain viewership. Sensational, snappy and engaging headlines are their thing. Keep the public guessing. They want to draw the viewer in and keep them there.
You should be getting your health and wellness information from reliable sources who are not tied to economical and political agendas. It is hard to decipher all of this. Plus do you really have the time? Most of us do not. That is where this site Eat Plants For Health comes in. It is designed to filter through all of the fluff and give you the bare facts with original source material. If you want to eat healthy then this is the site for you. I can provide the facts along with how you can move forward adopting a healthy eating lifestyle.
Eat Plants For Health is dedicated to helping people along in their plant-based journey wherever they may be on that path. It is not about extremes, political views, or about shame or self doubt. There are a ton of resources, information and support on this site so take advantage of all that is offered.
What is a Plant-Based Diet?
It is a diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, seeds, nuts, with very minimal processed foods, no oil and no animal products. This may sound extreme to you however, I assure you, that could not be further from the truth. Pasta, nachos, soups, chilis, pizza, pancakes are still on the menu but prepared in a healthy, nutritious way. You will learn from this site that the options are endless in terms of how to prepare and eat foods that are healthy for you and delicious at the same time.
Vegetarian vs. Vegan vs. Plant-Based
I think it is important to define these terms upfront so to avoid confusion when you are out and about. All three refer to a kind of diet or in some cases a belief system. All three have fruits, grains, vegetables, seeds and nuts as their main tenet to their daily diets. The reasons behind their choices can include religion, politics, aesthetics, environmental, ethics, economic, cultural or health related.
Vegetarians are defined in most circles as individuals who do not eat animal flesh and sometimes extends to include any by-products of animal slaughter. This can include all beef, chicken, pork, game, other land animals, shellfish, fish and insects. There are some vegetarians who do eat fish and they are referred to as pescetarians. There are some that eat eggs (ovo-vegetarians) or dairy (lacto-vegetarians). There are a few more combinations but these are the most popular.
Vegans can be generally defined as individuals who do not eat animal flesh or any animal product. In addition to the no animal flesh, this includes dairy, eggs and sometimes honey. Again, there are slight variations in the daily diet of vegans but the main thread is no meat or dairy.
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The vegan diet is probably the most closely aligned with the plant-based lifestyle with a couple of caveats. Plant-based diets do not include animal flesh of any living animal or by-products of any kind in addition to no dairy or eggs. It is a whole-foods based diet and as a result, it also includes the absence of all processed foods and oil. There are some minimally processed foods such as whole grain breads, pastas and flours, nut butters, non dairy milks and yogurts, jams and jellies, sweeteners and some condiments that are allowed but in small amounts. The important point to make is even though these foods are allowed, the ingredients in these products is of utmost importance. Consuming foods that have a minimum of ingredients is a good rule of thumb. The closer they are to the original whole food the better.
The Science of a Plant-Based Diet
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Feel free to email me directly if you have questions about beginning your personal nutritional journey.
Disclaimer: I am a Nutritional Coach and Culinary Instructor and I have a Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies via e-Cornell and a Plant-Based teaching certificate from Dr. Neal Barnard’s Physicans Committee For Responsible Medicine. In addition, I have a plant-based culinary certificate from the Rouxbe Culinary Institute. I stand behind all recipes, recommendations and nutrition information provided. Please read my full Legal and Affiliate Disclaimer for more information.