You've probably heard people talk about it and you have most likely ignored it for facility's sake: milk and meat are not good for you.
For most of us, it's a scary statement that renders a wide range of questions and worries. There are ensuing questions which I will gladly answer, and there are questions I'm getting quite tired of, two of which are:
* How can I replace dairy?
* What should I put on my sandwich?
I will answer, however, why I won't answer them.
Because 1) plenty of books have been written about the more popular questions that spring to the average omnivore's mind and 2) in my world, they've become useless. Now that does not mean I'm up there in my ivory tower looking down on those who don't eat well. It just means that I believe I'm not the soft-approach type of person. Cold turkey, ice bath, face the truth. And we'll have to, if we want to get to 15 billion self-proclaimed omnivores without having to gnaw at each other's hams n' loins because the meat supply has become insufficient.
What that whole eating-well idea really boils down to is bringing about a huge change in thought pattern and overthrowing current habits. Bread, pasta, wheat, starch = no more than stuffings. Protein = propaganda (I promise I will clarify that at some point, but in the mean time there are many good articles available that will put forth many more arguments than I ever could at this point, for example this one.)
Especially when you are trying to recover from a certain illness, your diet needs to be 80% veggies/fruit, period. If that looks strict or impossible, try making it a daily goal. If you don't meet that goal, that's fine, as long as you can bear in mind that the base of your pyramid - contrary to popular belief - should be fruit and vegetables.
So pile on the leaves, fruits, stems, flower buds, seeds, buds, roots, bulbs and get happy. Or get over it, as I would say to some.
It's fairly easy to please people in their plates, what's harder is to meet their nutritional daily needs. I find it tragic to see those star cooks get awarded and rewarded for preparing food that does not even surpass the level of pleasing taste buds. What I would like to see is someone capable who's able to put people on the right track. Someone who knows how much omega-3 fatty acids I need everyday, where I can find them and how I can squeeze those into my daily food rituals. Maybe someone who can inform people about what are the good fats in the first place? Because omega 3 may now ring a bell for some, since fish oils have been commercialised, but these fatty acids do not necessarily have to be derived from animal source. For example. (Answer: in my morning ritual a spoonful of golden flaxseed is included, f. ex. plain white yoghurt + fruit + golden flax (which you ground right before using them), providing 2.1 grams of ALA - alpha-Linolenic acid, one of the omega-3 fatty acids. Why ground? Ungrounded flax will merely pass through the digestive tract, since the fluids there aren't strong enough to break down the seeds to get to the fats.)
As vegetabletarians, our fridge is permanently stuffed with at least seven different seasonal vegetables. I'm no 5-star cook, but I know how to improvise with the fridge's contents. It's pick-and-prepare: for each underground veg you pick two that have grown above the ground. Sounds weird, huh. Just believe me for now and throw in some coconut milk if you like, and many spices. Make sure the greens aren't overcooked, but rather lightly steamed in a little bit of water if you don't have one of those steaming machines (I don't!). Never bake things in vegetable oils (huhh what?? LATERZ, it's bloody half past eleven), but use them cold in salads. AND CHEW WELL, 40 times at least - also future-article material.
This shows I'm not a professional writer as I'm too impatient to post this article-thing and it hasn't even turned into a well-funded coherent writing yet. And my sleep goes above all.
Good night, nice recipes soon.
For most of us, it's a scary statement that renders a wide range of questions and worries. There are ensuing questions which I will gladly answer, and there are questions I'm getting quite tired of, two of which are:
* How can I replace dairy?
* What should I put on my sandwich?
I will answer, however, why I won't answer them.
Because 1) plenty of books have been written about the more popular questions that spring to the average omnivore's mind and 2) in my world, they've become useless. Now that does not mean I'm up there in my ivory tower looking down on those who don't eat well. It just means that I believe I'm not the soft-approach type of person. Cold turkey, ice bath, face the truth. And we'll have to, if we want to get to 15 billion self-proclaimed omnivores without having to gnaw at each other's hams n' loins because the meat supply has become insufficient.
What that whole eating-well idea really boils down to is bringing about a huge change in thought pattern and overthrowing current habits. Bread, pasta, wheat, starch = no more than stuffings. Protein = propaganda (I promise I will clarify that at some point, but in the mean time there are many good articles available that will put forth many more arguments than I ever could at this point, for example this one.)
Especially when you are trying to recover from a certain illness, your diet needs to be 80% veggies/fruit, period. If that looks strict or impossible, try making it a daily goal. If you don't meet that goal, that's fine, as long as you can bear in mind that the base of your pyramid - contrary to popular belief - should be fruit and vegetables.
So pile on the leaves, fruits, stems, flower buds, seeds, buds, roots, bulbs and get happy. Or get over it, as I would say to some.
It's fairly easy to please people in their plates, what's harder is to meet their nutritional daily needs. I find it tragic to see those star cooks get awarded and rewarded for preparing food that does not even surpass the level of pleasing taste buds. What I would like to see is someone capable who's able to put people on the right track. Someone who knows how much omega-3 fatty acids I need everyday, where I can find them and how I can squeeze those into my daily food rituals. Maybe someone who can inform people about what are the good fats in the first place? Because omega 3 may now ring a bell for some, since fish oils have been commercialised, but these fatty acids do not necessarily have to be derived from animal source. For example. (Answer: in my morning ritual a spoonful of golden flaxseed is included, f. ex. plain white yoghurt + fruit + golden flax (which you ground right before using them), providing 2.1 grams of ALA - alpha-Linolenic acid, one of the omega-3 fatty acids. Why ground? Ungrounded flax will merely pass through the digestive tract, since the fluids there aren't strong enough to break down the seeds to get to the fats.)
As vegetabletarians, our fridge is permanently stuffed with at least seven different seasonal vegetables. I'm no 5-star cook, but I know how to improvise with the fridge's contents. It's pick-and-prepare: for each underground veg you pick two that have grown above the ground. Sounds weird, huh. Just believe me for now and throw in some coconut milk if you like, and many spices. Make sure the greens aren't overcooked, but rather lightly steamed in a little bit of water if you don't have one of those steaming machines (I don't!). Never bake things in vegetable oils (huhh what?? LATERZ, it's bloody half past eleven), but use them cold in salads. AND CHEW WELL, 40 times at least - also future-article material.
This shows I'm not a professional writer as I'm too impatient to post this article-thing and it hasn't even turned into a well-funded coherent writing yet. And my sleep goes above all.
Good night, nice recipes soon.
Very surprised about the protein. Also, where do you stand on porridge? I put flaxseed into it before microwaving, but I really don't think I could live without milk :-(
ReplyDeleteWas (pleasantly) surprised, too. I really had to get used to the idea that meat doesn't even have to be replaced (provided a varied diet). Oats are fine! I think the question should have been "Where do you stand on microwaving?" ;) It's better to heat brown flax before use (->cyanide), so it's good you add them beforehand.
ReplyDeleteI'm still finding it hard, living without milk. Honesty compels me to say it's still in my milk chocolate though. And in my latte once in a while.
So I'm not crying out for a ban on everything here, just a little bit of consciousness wouldn't harm. In order to achieve that I believe that sometimes it's necessary to be firm with people, so that the point is made and that afterwards they can do whatever they think is right for them. At least in that way they will be informed... thanks for commenting :)
so are you a vegan? i was just curious how you felt about eggs and other forms of dairy like cheese ?
ReplyDeletei actually am lactose intolerant so i hardly every have dairy except the occcasional cheese at a restaurant or on cheese plate nights with my bf.
i agree completely with the milk thing! its a shame we are programmed to think we need it and drink it well into adulthood if not forever .no one should be drinking milk after toddlerhood.
i agree with you on the cold turkey thing but i also think that for the message to become widespread there need to be all kinds of approaches. if only every one had self discipline!
hey! sorry for the late reply!
ReplyDeletei'm not a vegan, i've been aspiring veganhood but since i've already got so much trouble keeping weight i do occasionally eat cheese (toppings like mozzarella) and eggs (organically grown only). i would even eat meat very exceptionally if i could be guaranteed the animal was raised and slaughtered respectfully and that it had gotten the chance to live a good while - this as a side note to not eating meat for health reasons. i find eating cheese, eggs, even meat, acceptable as long as people would be able to contain themselves, eat with moderation, conscience and respect. but we've strayed so far from nature that we almost deny it's where we came from, after all: everything can be obtained packaged in plastic, tins or cartons, straight from a factory. in short!
btw, remember: there's no lactose intolerance, there is only lactase persistence ;)