No-label Nutrition

No-label Nutrition

or

Why I Will Never Declare Myself A Vegan

"All things in moderation" -Proverb

Labels: Vegan. Gluten-free. Dairy-free. Paleo. Bacon. Low-carb. No-carb. No-sugar.

photo cred: Dina Marie

I have no formal training in nutrition (except the time when I paid $500 for a mail-correspondence Nutritional Certification course and did all the work and studying but never mailed in the test due to fear of failure). I almost constantly think about food, how it tastes, and how my body will process it for better or for worse. I love to read books and articles about the biology of how our bodies process food and the benefits of different nutrients in the body.  Please do what feels right for you, follow your doctor's guidelines about any food allergies you have, do some research about where your food comes from.

Now that that's done,

Here's what I do for eating. I'm not vegan, but I eat about 80-90% plant-based (vegan). Eating many many plants - colorful fruits & vegetables, whole grains like Bulgar wheat and rice, seeds, beans, and nuts - makes me feel super amazing. Chronic problems like eczema and afternoon lulls in energy go away (and return when I have a more animal-centric few days). Also, dairy-related gastrointestinal discomfort (aka farts) is kept at a minimum.

I know that colorful foods are the most nutrient-dense and have been proven to be anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and pro-health. I also enjoy cooking them (or just chopping them up) and eating them because they are delicious and did I mention plants make me feel super amazing?

Typical Lunch

You know what else makes me feel super amazing? Bacon. Not so much in my stomach or GI tract but in my happiness/heart-of-hearts/soul. Also, decadent desserts makes me feel super amazing. With refined sugar and butter and refined flour topped with whipped buttercream frosting. It kind of makes my tummy hurt. But I luuuhve it so I have it on occasion, enjoy the moment without guilt, and move on.

Most of the time, I don't eat animal products, and I do my best to limit refined sugar and flour. But I will never say never when it comes to these things. Food is of course, fuel for our bodies but it is ALSO fuel for our souls. Kinda cheesy (literally?) but it really is. I think it's important to do what makes us feel good in all components of our self.

So I eat lots of plants I love. I fill in the gaps with other foods I love, from every category.

Eat well, be happy, and don't stress about labels too much. (I mean labels like vegan. If you want to read labels on food packages in the grocery store to make sure things don't have high fructose corn syrup listed as the first ingredient, please do.)

xoxo Phae