Planted By Grace

 

 

Growing up on a cattle property in Western Queensland equalled eating a heavy meat/dairy-based diet. This was the norm and I never thought much about what I was putting in my mouth. However, while on holidays when I was in primary school, I remember asking my mother if I could buy a small random book that grabbed my attention in a newsagency one day. All I can remember was that it was about diet and the front cover featured a beautiful model surrounded by fresh fruit and vegetables.  I have a vague memory that I secretly but naively hoped that this skinny, freckle-faced bush kid might be transformed into a beauty queen if I only followed the advice of the author. Surprisingly Mum bought the book for me and while no transformation took place, my interest in health had definitely begun.

Tea drinking (Bushells of course!) was part of the culture of  growing up in the bush. We drank lots of tea and, copying my father, I put lots of sugar in each cup.  Soon after reading the newly purchased health book,  I announced to my family that I was no longer going to put sugar in my tea because I had read that it was no good for my health. I stuck to my pledge and after enduring what tasted disgustingly like dishwater for several weeks I was surprised to find that after a time I didn’t miss all those spoonfuls  of sugar.  What a blessing this early decision probably proved to be as my father later developed diabetes and died from kidney failure. I now know that many diseases (such as diabetes ) can be prevented and even reversed simply on the basis of what we eat.

Time moved on and while I continued to eat meat into adulthood, I developed an  interest in vegetarian food.  It wasn’t however until I had a devastating introduction to parenthood that my attention became riveted upon the issue of diet and health. Losing not one,  but two newborn babies in succession  born with multiple abnormalities was life changing. See MY SPIRITUAL JOURNEY. Following their deaths, I spent hours agonising over many things including “Is there something in my diet that may have contributed to their deaths?”

The spotlight of my interest was focused on vegetarianism and I became convinced that it was the healthiest diet for me.  Around this time I also began reading the bible for the very first time and discovered that the original diet of man in the Garden of Eden (fruit, nuts, grains, seeds, and later vegetables) was given to him by a loving Creator God and was best suited to his needs.

I became pregnant for the third time and despite warnings about pregnancy not being the ideal time to change diets I felt convicted that I needed to be eat the best I could for my developing baby. I ate a largely vegetarian diet but continued to eat one meat meal a week mainly for the benefit of my dear mum who was concerned that I wasn’t eating “meat”. The births of not one but later two beautiful healthy baby girls lead me to adopt a fully vegetarian diet and further investigation lead me to convert to a plant-based diet within a short period of time.

That was over 30 years ago, and now in my 60’s  I feel I am healthier in some areas and have more energy than when I was in my 20’s.  I was also blessed to see both of my daughters (largely raised as vegetarians) grow up in good health escaping most of the common childhood ailments and diseases. I have also been heartened over time to see research supporting a plant-based diet.  In particular The China Study opened my eyes.

 

I certainly believe that a plant-based diet can supply all the nutrients necessary for health. However, just adopting this type of diet doesn’t automatically equal good health. Though avoiding the consumption of animal products,  a vegan can still choose to eat a lot of rubbish eg processed, high fat, high sugar foods, So perhaps I  should include the extra qualification of, “Whole-food, plant-based” to the type of diet I follow.

If you are considering adopting a plant-based diet, I thought I would address a few of the concerns people raise about saying good-bye to meat.

PROTEIN

For many people the bottom line is MEAT =PROTEIN. However I can tell you that there is LIFE  (and PROTEIN) after MEAT.  When I first became a vegetarian there was a big emphasis on combining proteins eg a legume with a grain in order to make a complete protein .( I ate many peanut butter sandwiches as a result)   Research now shows that amino acids float in the blood up to 16 hours after a meal and provided we eat a variety of good quality foods over the course of the day there is no problem obtaining enough protein. Protein is found to varying degrees in most plant foods including fruits and vegetables. Rich sources include: beans and legumes (particularly soy) nuts, seeds and grains.

CALCIUM

Again the mindset of the general public seems to be DAIRY = CALCIUM.  We have been duped by the Dairy Industry  to believe that we must drink milk and eat cheese in order to have strong bones and teeth. Would it surprise you to know that eating meat can actually leach calcium from the bones. Very simply, a  high animal protein diet causes an acidic state in the body  The body is very clever at maintaining the status quo and at all costs works to keep the blood alkaline,  drawing calcium from the bones in order to neutralise the acid .Rich plant-based sources of calcium include: Dark green leafy vegetables (eg. kale, bok choy), broccoli, soy, tofu, almonds and  tahini (sesame seed paste).

IRON

Again the mega meat industry, has many people  believing that they need to eat red meat in order to obtain enough iron and avoid anemia. Iron is essential for red blood production.  There are 2 types of iron: Heme iron obtained from meat and non-heme iron obtained from plant foods. While Heme iron is more easily absorbed than non – heme iron it does not mean that iron is difficult to obtain on a plant-based diet. Good sources of iron include whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, tofu, spirulina, dried fruit, cooked spinach, blackstrap molasses.

There are also a few strategies that consumers of a plant-based diet can put into place in order to increase the absorption of iron.

• eat vitamin C rich food with your iron eg. squeeze lemon juice on your greens,   capsicum in your tofu stir fry etc.
• Avoid tea, coffee and other beverages containing tannins as they interfere with the absorption of iron

P.S. Although iron defieiency is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies in the world,  vegans and vegetarians do not have higher rates of anemia than meat-eaters.

B12

Finally B12 is a concern often raised by a plant-based diet. Simply put, B12 or Cobalamin (the only vitamin that contains a mineral -Cobalt) is not made by plants or animals. It is made by bacteria. In the human digestive tract this vitamin is actually produced in the large intestine but in an area lower down than the ileum where nutrients are absorbed. B12 is also produced by bacteria in the soil but because of our (sometimes obsessive) obsession with cleanliness we are unlikely to obtain B12 from this source. Vegetarian animals however such as cows and sheep ingest cobalt (necessary to make B12) from the soil as they pull  grass and weeds out of the ground to eat. B12 is stored in animal tissues and passed on through the food chain to humans who eat meat and other animal products. Vegans can obtain B12 from fortified foods such as plant milks,  soy products and cereals. Reports indicate that it may also be obtained from NORI seaweed but there is still some dispute over this finding, Having said all this, the body only apparently requires a few micrograms per day and the liver can store this vitamin for 3-5 years. To be on the safe side it is recommended that those on a plant-based diet check their B12 levels from time to time and takes a supplement as a precautionary measure.

In order to obtain the maximum nutrition possible from a plant-based diet I believe its important to:

EAT A VARIETY OF FRESH SEASONAL PLANT FOODS AND ORGANIC IF POSSIBLE

Eating a wide VARIETY of fresh seasonal organic plant foods from meal to meal and from day to day will help to ensure that you obtain a wide range of different nutrients. In recent times I have also been motivated to BUY ORGANIC produce whenever possible. Modern farming method have depleted the soil of minerals causing many nutritional deficiencies in humans and the heavy use of herbicides and pesticides cause a build-up of harmful toxins in the body. For me, one of the main stumbling blocks against buying organic was the cost. But what price do we put on our health? I would rather budget in other areas of life and pay the extra money for top quality, chemical-free food.

Sometimes organic food doesn’t look quite as appealing as the other glossy looking fruit and vegetables in your supermarket.  But looks can be deceiving and the pretentious appearance may well be hiding a multitude of nutritional deficiencies.  Also just because food is labelled “Certified Organic” does not necessarily mean it’s nutrient dense but generally it should be an improvement.

Personally, I have been blessed to be able to access local markets where there are several chemical free stalls and also blessed to have acquired some acreage near Woodford in S-E Queensland where I am learning the highs and lows of growing food organically. What a joy, for instance, to venture into the garden and harvest a plate of fresh greens to eat for lunch each day.

So with some thought and planning, it is possible to buy and/or grow nutrient dense plant foods and experience the “high” of consuming a  plant-based diet. Our needs do change as we age and encounter different life experiences, and I find that I’m constantly learning and fine tuning my diet in search of optimal health.