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Vegetarian and Whole Foods --
Powerful for Health
By Shakti Chionis
A Vegetarian Menu or incorporating more natural and whole
grain foods is a powerful and pleasurable way to achieve good
health. These eating patterns are based on a wide variety
of foods that are satisfying, delicious and healthful.
Vegetarians avoid meat, fish and poultry. Those who
include dairy products and eggs in their diets are called
lacto-ovo vegetarians. Vegans (pure vegetarians) eat
no meat, fish, poultry, eggs, or dairy products. While
there is a considerable advantage to a lacto-ovo vegetarian
pattern, vegan diets are the healthiest of all, reducing
risk of a broad range of health concerns. Now there
is a trap here for some vegetarians. If they are not
eating any whole grain foods they may be depleting the
essential nutrients in their bodies. If they eat white
sugar, white flour and a lot of junk and processed foods,
they by no means will feel the vitality that goes with
eating whole foods.
Here are some pointers if you are in transition to changing
your diet to a more healthful one:
*Think of 3 vegetarian meals that you already enjoy. Common
ones are spaghetti with tomato sauce, vegetable soup or pasta
primavera.
*Next, think of 3 recipes that you prepare regularly
that can easily be adapted to a vegetarian meal An example
of this is a favorite chili recipe, substitute bean
burritos instead of beef, and many soups, stew and casseroles
can have a few simple changes to be healthier.
*Finally, check some vegetarian and whole foods cookbooks
out of the library and experiment with the recipes for a week
or so until you find three that you enjoy and can prepare
easily. (I've enclosed a suggested reading list at the end
with many different types of cookbooks.)
*Let's not forget coming to Shakti's cooking classes to get
to taste them before ever creating it yourself to know if
it's a good recipe for you and your family.
Basic Starter Kit
- Buy organic produce when possible.
- READ LABELS - avoid any packaged food that has hydrogenated
oils or partially hydrogenated oils.
- Avoid foods with corn syrup, fructose, glucose sucrose...
I think you get the point.
- Avoid any foods that contain Red dye, Blue dye, yellow
dye, any dye. (These are cancer causing. This includes shampoos,
body lotion, etc ... ) It may appear it is virtually in
everything, but this is not so.
- Go through your food pantry and separate those foods that
that contain the above #2 #3 & #4. Either donate them,
place a 6-month limit on them for their use or throw them
out. (This may seem radical, however, you maybe surprised
at what is left that doesn't contain them.
- Spend the afternoon in a Natural Foods Store and learn
what alternatives can replace what you have or want.
- Don't despair it's a process and allow small steps to
be taken. You have plenty of time.
Lovejoy
Harvest
Shakti Chionis, Reiki Master/Teacher
Whole Foods Chef and Culinary Artist
P.O. Box 864
Coupeville, WA 98239
shakti@lovejoyharvest.com
By appointment only....360-678-5657
© Copyright 2006
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