Do you make New Year’s resolutions? Well, I don’t. I’ve found that if I make radical lifestyle resolutions on January 1, I get frustrated with my progress and eventually give up on them. I know I’m not alone.
However, I did make a lifestyle decision that coincided with this new year. And that is, I decided to only consume a plant-based diet. No meat, dairy, eggs. Only plants (veggies, fruits and nuts). If you have been reading my blog for a while, then you will recall that I became vegan a few years ago. You can read about it here and here. What started out as an experiment for 30 days, which I chronicled in my blog, was so easy, and I felt so much better, that I continued for a year.
After a year, I slowly added back fish, dairy, eggs and occasionally meat and poultry. But I found that plant-based foods were where I got the most sensory pleasure, like the crunch from vegetables and the smell of the fresh fruits. And I recall how much BETTER I felt physically when I was vegan. All my aches and pains seemed to disappear. And people kept saying my skin looked better and I looked younger. Who can argue with that?!
So, what made me decide to go back to a vegan diet, after a hiatus of over five years? Maybe it was my cardiologist who suggested I become vegetarian a year ago. Or perhaps, I was influenced when I read the book “The Plant Paradox” during the summer.
Frankly, it was two things.
First, my coworker Valerie introduced me to another book “How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease” by Dr. Michael Greger. Dr. Greger shares research and evidence about how not to die from breast and prostate cancer, lung disease, heart disease, diabetes, suicidal depression and more. You can see the table of contents here.
Second, I recall over the years hearing anecdotally that vegans tend not to have the same incidences of diseases, like cancer, as compared to those who eat an omnivore diet. With that loop running in my head, I was clearly open-minded to what Dr. Greger writes about.
So, after watching multiple friends being diagnosed with cancer and other diseases, feeling myself become stiff and achy after long plane flights and sitting too long, I did my research (at my standing desk). It became evident to me that a plant-based diet was the healthiest choice for me. I wanted to feel better over time, not worse.
Honestly, it’s not that hard. I’m not a big animal-rights advocate, but it was easier for me to skip that part of my diet than I thought.
The hardest part was to make the decision. It’s kind of a mental thing. Once you wrap your head around managing your eating choices, then you just have to plan ahead. Believe me, lots of fruits and veggies are always available everywhere. Thank goodness that nuts are a plant-based food. I love my Brazil nuts and walnuts. It also helped that Valerie is still on the same path as I am. We compare notes every few days, and having a buddy to help reinforce your eating choices really makes them stick!
I realize that eating a plant-based diet is not for everyone. Perhaps you want to eat a plant-based diet some days and choose to try #MeatlessMonday or veggie taco Tuesdays (try these turmeric-roasted cauliflower tacos – you won’t miss the meat!).
Or you may read Mark Bittman’s book “VB6: Vegan before 6,” in which he talks about how he changed his lifestyle to eat vegan before 6 p.m. each day, and then a flexitarian diet for dinner. He lost a lot of weight and improved his overall health.
But no matter what, I hope you make a conscious effort to eat plenty of fresh fruits and veggies as part of your daily diet. It’s good for your body. Right now my must-haves are crunchy radishes and celery, black beans, mushrooms and spiralized zucchini.
Happy New Year! I will keep you updated on my plant-based journey.
Karen