whole-food/plant-based

Try This Trick to Lose Weight

Trouble losing weight? Trouble keeping it off?

I dare you to try this. And if nothing changes in 90 days, you can return to doing things as you were. No harm, no foul.

1. Remove all foods that contain milk, cheese, or butter.

2. Reduce the amount of animal-based proteins(meat and eggs) to less than 10% of your caloric intake.

3. Let all of the produce you eat appear on your plate the way it did when it was harvested. In other words, not processed in any way. Cooking vegetables, legumes, and potatoes(tubers/roots) is okay.

4. Don’t eat carbohydrates UNLESS they are in their original form as mother nature created them. Of these, you can eat as many as you like. Syrup and refined sugars are the problems, not whole fruits, vegetables, and legumes.

The reason why this kind of eating plan works is because of the nutrient density of foods when consumed in this manner. Animal-sourced foods are extremely dense and packed with nutrients, while produce is comparatively low in nutrients. By consuming a whole-food diet where ALL of the plant fiber remains intact, you will find that it is the intact fiber itself that is the caloric rate limiting mechanism that will keep you from consuming too many nutrients. This will also eliminate all processed junk foods from your plate.

Continue further if you would like to understand why this works…

Nutrient density is the problem. Our body needs just the right amount of all of the good stuff. Not too little, and not too much.

Overnutrition, or consuming an excess of nutrients or calories, can lead to several health problems, including:

Obesity: Consuming more calories than the body needs can cause weight gain and eventually lead to obesity, which is a major risk factor for several chronic diseases.
Type 2 diabetes: Overconsumption of calories, especially from simple carbohydrates and sugars, can lead to insulin resistance, a condition where the body can’t use insulin effectively. This can eventually lead to type 2 diabetes.
Cardiovascular disease: A diet high in saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, and salt, and low in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, can lead to high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and atherosclerosis, all of which increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Fatty liver disease: Overnutrition can cause the liver to store excess fat, leading to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which can progress to more serious liver damage.
Certain cancers: Overnutrition can also increase the risk of certain cancers, such as breast, colon, and prostate cancer.
Kidney disease: Consuming excessive amounts of protein can put a strain on the kidneys, leading to kidney disease and kidney stones.

The answer. Nutrient Restriction.

Caloric restriction refers to reducing calorie intake while maintaining proper nutrition to promote better health and longevity. Here are some potential benefits of caloric restriction:

Increased lifespan: Studies in animals have shown that caloric restriction can extend lifespan by up to 50%.
Improved metabolic health: Caloric restriction has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
Reduced inflammation: Caloric restriction may reduce inflammation in the body, which is associated with many chronic diseases.
Improved brain function: Caloric restriction has been shown to improve cognitive function and reduce the risk of age-related cognitive decline.
Delayed aging: Caloric restriction has been shown to delay many age-related changes, including oxidative stress and DNA damage.
Protection against age-related diseases: Caloric restriction has been shown to reduce the risk of many age-related diseases, including cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease.

Veganism and Vitamin B-12

Kombucha is a fermented tea that is believed to have originated in China over 2,000 years ago. It is m ade by combining sweetened tea with a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast, known as a SCOBY. During the fermentation process, the SCOBY consumes the sugar in the tea and produces a range of organic acids, probiotics, and other beneficial compounds.

Kombucha has become increasingly popular in recent years due to its potential health benefits, including improved gut health and immune function. But what does this have to do with a vegan or whole-food/plant-based diet?

First, it’s important to understand what a vegan or WF/PB diet is. Adherents avoid consuming any animal products or byproducts, including meat, dairy, eggs, and honey. This is often motivated by ethical, environmental, or health concerns.

Kombucha is a vegan or WF/PB friendly drink because it does not contain any animal products or byproducts. However, there are a few other reasons why kombucha may be particularly beneficial for vegan or WF/PB adherents.

One reason is that kombucha contains probiotics, which are beneficial bacteria that can improve gut health. For vegans who may be lacking in certain nutrients due to their dietary restrictions, maintaining a healthy gut microbiome can be especially important. Probiotics can help improve nutrient absorption and reduce inflammation, among other benefits.

Additionally, some types of kombucha are fortified with vitamin B12, a nutrient that is primarily found in animal products. B12 is essential for a healthy nervous system and can be difficult for vegans to obtain through diet alone. While it’s important to note that not all kombucha contains B12, this is one potential benefit for vegans to consider.

Finally, kombucha is a versatile drink that can be used in a variety of recipes. For vegans who may be looking for alternatives to traditional animal-based ingredients, kombucha can be used as a substitute for vinegar, soy sauce, or even as a marinade for tofu or vegetables.

In summary, while kombucha is not strictly necessary for vegans, it can be a beneficial addition to a vegan diet. Its probiotic content can improve gut health, it may contain vitamin B12, and it can be used in a variety of recipes as a vegan-friendly alternative to other ingredients.

Kombucha is a fermented tea beverage that has gained popularity in recent years, and it has become a staple in many vegan diets. Kombucha is made by fermenting sweetened tea with a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) that produces a fizzy, slightly sour drink with a distinct taste.

One of the main reasons why kombucha is considered necessary for vegans is because it is a good source of probiotics. Probiotics are living microorganisms that are beneficial for the digestive system and overall health. Since most probiotic foods come from animal sources, vegans can have a harder time finding sources of these beneficial bacteria. Kombucha, on the other hand, is a vegan-friendly source of probiotics that can help improve gut health and boost the immune system.

Another reason why kombucha is beneficial for vegans is that it is a good source of vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is essential for healthy nerve function, the production of red blood cells, and DNA synthesis. However, vitamin B12 is only found in animal products, so it can be challenging for vegans to get enough of this nutrient. While kombucha is not a significant source of vitamin B12, some kombucha brands add vitamin B12 to their products, making it a convenient way for vegans to get this essential nutrient.

Kombucha also contains antioxidants, which help protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage cells and lead to chronic diseases like cancer and heart disease. Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals, which can reduce the risk of these chronic diseases.

Finally, kombucha is a low-sugar, low-calorie beverage that can be a healthy alternative to sugary sodas and other beverages. Kombucha is made with tea, which contains compounds that have been shown to have various health benefits, including improved brain function and a reduced risk of chronic diseases.

In conclusion, kombucha is a beneficial beverage for vegans because it provides probiotics, vitamin B12, antioxidants, and a low-sugar, low-calorie alternative to other beverages. While it is not necessary for vegans to consume kombucha, it can be a convenient and healthy addition to a vegan diet.

Welcome to the World of Addiction

Reading Time: 4-5 Minutes – Why Instant Gratification is Killing Us All. Welcome to the World of Addiction. Now go home.

WE WANT THE DOPAMINE, AND WE WANT IT NOW DAMMIT!!!

Is it easy to eat a whole-food/plant-based diet?

YES and NO.

It’s even harder to eat one that is completely uncooked. It takes a lot of discipline, although it can be done. I speak from experience.

I have more than 5 years of sobriety and am very thankful for A.A. as a support program that helped me attain that goal. After much reflection on what it means to be an addict driven by compulsive behaviors and less-than-stellar decisions, it has become very clear to me that alcohol was not the only thing I was addicted to. And I have a feeling we, as humans, are all addicts to one degree or another.

I discovered this as I moved away from eating foods made with animals. Not during the transition, but once they were gone. Cooked foods followed shortly thereafter. And with those things off the table added salt pretty much disappeared. There was nothing to put it on…LoL! Everything now was already full of flavor and didn’t need any help.

This…THIS is when I found out just how much of an addict I had been all of my life and what the true source of my many addictions was. Anything processed by the hands of man.

I have yet to look for scientific data to back me up, but I am pretty certain it has everything to do with the bacterial colonies that our body has to build up in our gut to deal with, ‘ALL THINGS PROCESSED.’ And the reason it must employ this additional digestive process is that OUR body is not meant to consume processed foods by nature, design, or evolution, whichever creative paradigm you believe in.

According to our best understanding, the human microbiome may weigh as much as five pounds. The microbiome is what some would refer to as our ‘gut buddies.’ And some people have more than others.

It is my suggestion that the combination of this biological process along with the introduction to processed foods in the last 200 years that we have all become creatures of habit or addicts. Not addicted to any specific foods really, but the reward one gets from eating processed foods. The instant gratification we get from putting anything processed in our body is the problem because we are taking a shortcut directly to the reward. We are skipping past all of the hard work of growing and harvesting our foods. We are skipping past all of the hard work chewing every last bite to a dehydrated, flavorless pulp before swallowing. And this is the problem.

Instant gratification by removing the risk and hard work that was part and parcel of human development over many thousands of years. And this is where an uncooked whole-food/plant-based diet is hard. At least at first because we have to get used to not being rewarded instantly, and that is a hard thing to walk away from.

WE WANT THE DOPAMINE, AND WE WANT IT NOW DAMMIT!!!

And this is where 5+ years of sobriety and understanding addiction to alcohol really helped me out. It made it very clear that consuming anything processed results in addiction and compulsive behaviors. We literally CRAVE the stuff. And I have a feeling processed food manufacturers know this.

All that to say…If you choose this lifestyle, it won’t be an easy transition. No easier than quitting smoking, alcohol, drugs, you name it. It is all addiction, plain and simple and it is not you craving those foods but the gut buddies(bacteria) inside of you that our processed/cooked food diets planted deep inside of our gut.

Michael J. Loomis | Editor at Chew Digest | Scribe at Terrain Wiki