I have family history of heart disease and recently, some biological markers had been going in the wrong direction. While I thought that I was doing okay from a dietary perspective, I realized that it was not the case.
Fortunately, I came across some great resources such as, the site https://thankful2plants.com/, run by my friend Gurmeet and https://nutritionfacts.org/ , run by Dr. Michael Gregor, an ACLM (American College of Lifestyle Medicine) Fellow. For folks doing Indian cooking, Dr. Bimal Chajjer has some wonderful youtube videos on oil free cooking. I also joined some fellow minded social media groups where the feeling of fellowship bolstered this goal with several wonderful ideas around food preparations and benefits. The diet recommended by the above resources is a WFPB (Whole Food Plant-Based) diet.
Now, while I am nowhere close to perfect in following these WFPB guidelines, and there is no guarantee that these habits will sustain over a period of time, I have incorporated many of its tenets. A few of them are listed below. Many more factors contribute to our well being. But food may be the most impactful. The results have been a lot of learning and a positive impact on overall health and I thought of sharing in a blog.
If this can positively impact a few people, it will be a worthwhile effort! At the same time from a selfish perspective, it will encourage me to continue on the path since now I have publicly written it down! 🙂
1. Say Yes to NO – Part 1
Here, NO refers to No Oil. Now outside the body, oil usage must be reduced for sustainability of the planet. Apply the same to the body – eliminate refined oil usage for sustainability of your bodily organs. “Edible” Oil comes with tons of empty calories, but more importantly, it is full of triglycerides (the plaque that accumulates in the blood vessels along with cholesterol), hence hurting in two different ways. Watch Dr. Esselstyn’s videos where he screams, in no uncertain terms, “No Oil”.
My family has been able to get rid of most oil used during cooking. Ironically, on days when we pray for the prosperity of the family, these oil molecules make their way to the delicacies as an offering to “god”. I am working on that! A side benefit of removing oil has been wiping off a few pounds of the total family weight in just a few weeks!
2. Say Na to Na
“Na” is one of the two (other being “Ma”) most universal words with the same meaning in any language. I feel that the way Sodium is coded “Na”, is a sign from the universe signaling avoidance!
While we hear about reducing Sodium, being part of the support group encouraged me to remove salt altogether. I was able to reduce overall family consumption as well, and for myself it is almost eliminated. I do indulge every once in a while but it is a small fraction of what it was earlier. It helped me bring my BP to sub 120/80 levels. I think I am overly sensitive to salt so this has helped a lot. Many people are overly sensitive, If you struggle to keep your blood pressure numbers down, do yourself a favor and at least for 2-3 days try eliminating table salt from your diet and measure.
3. Say Yes to NO – Part 2
Greens are one of the best sources of Nitric Oxide needed to relax the blood vessels. My main source of greens and hence Nitric Oxide (NO) are Kale and spinach. I am a Kale fan. I pull it in to anything I eat now! Need to explore other greens and increase intake. For a quick recall, try roting the Esselstyn green jingle which includes bok choy, collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, napa cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, cilantro, parsley and asparagus.”
4. Meet the Beets
Those stark red colored veggies are a great source of Nitric oxide as well. Just cut them, microwave them and chew on them. That is one of my favorite snacks. Put it on the table and encourage everyone to eat it! One can also do some free make up for Halloween celebrations!
5. Don’t Ban the Bran
Bran is the outer covering or chaff of a rice cereal and also the most fiber-rich part of the grain. Sadly, we prefer the rice without this bran. It is the WFPB equivalent of “icing on the cake” and must be consumed.
6. Don’t Peel the Peel
Keep the potato skin, eat the stems of strawberries, even peppers! It is all good and I was treating it as inedible all these years! This reminds of the story “Seventeen Oranges” that we read in high school , where the guy, to save himself eats all the pips and peels of the oranges that he has been accused of stealing / eating! As it turns out, that is the right way and the lad was merely showing the path!
I like comparing this practice to cash change! When you tender cash anywhere and change is returned do you just throw it or do you keep it with you? Same with peels! Peels are the most nutritious part of our food with good fiber that we usually drain away. Just wash the veggies well and eat the peels.
7. Perfect Trifecta Meals
A perfect “trifecta” meal is something that has three characteristics – can be prepared in no time, is extremely delicious and extremely good for you. One of these for me has been my breakfast meal. Oatmeal plus all the goodies – fruits & seeds, has been my favorite meal for 3 years plus now, I was recently encouraged to eat it raw. By eating raw oats, it meets all three and hence the perfect Trifecta Meal! 🙂 There are many others and you gotta find your trifecta meal to be able to get into the habit sooner than later.
8. No, you are Not Deserted
Don’t let anyone tell you that desserts are out. There are some awesome options that harness natural sweetness without dairy, sugar or any other artificial ingredients. Some examples include Nice Creams (made of bananas or mangoes), brownies etc. Desserts. Are. Still. An. Option!
Follow the resources above for more wonderful ideas of guilt free eating!
9. Dairy is Dreary!!!
Dairy products, especially milk can be a sensitive topic and can mean different things for different people. I believe that milk is meant for a 80 lb. calf to turn into a 1000 lb. cow. It is meant for the calves and not for humans who must stay away from it. There are many reasons for avoiding daiy. Dairy products are high sugar, high saturated fat, and also have cholesterol. The useful ingredients such as Calcium adn Vitamin D can be found in many other plant based foods such as green leafy vegetables.
I use three of the most famous plant-based milks. Almond milk for smoothies, oat milk for cereal, and soy milk for yogurt. Still trying to get my family off milk 100% but that will take time. Remember 2% is better than whole, 1 % better than 2%, skimmed better than 1%, double tone better than skimmed and no milk is the best option! All animal products including milk and eggs contain cholesterol.
Based on what we know now if you truly want to do something about preventing climate change, if you truly consider yourself an animal lover / vegetarian, and at the same time if you want to benefit your health, dairy avoidance is a step that must be taken. I know it is really hard for those of us who grew up on the Lactose goodies, but we live in a world where there are several great options that deserve a chance!
10. Eat The Colors (Plant Colors, Not M&Ms!)
What would life be without colors! In the Prism refractive index experiment, which side is the fun side – The white light side or the VIBGYOR? Extend this it to your food. This is one of the best statements made in nature. Ditch the white rice, white bread, white pasta and embrace the colors. The variety of disease preventing anti-oxidants express themselves through stark natural colors – the red, green, yellow peppers, green cruciferous and leafy vegetables, purple potatoes and so much more.
A WFPB twist on MLKs famous quote, “Judge your veggies by the color of their skin and the content of their nutrition.” 🙂