Contradiction about nutrition

[belleadonna]

I have been thinking about this for awhile. Have you noticed all of the contradiction about nutrition? Some say raw foods are bad for you, others laud it. Some find fault with every style of eating under the sun and for every one of those I can find one who praises that particular way of eating. No wonder people are confused!!

They run from one diet to another and most of it is about weight loss and not health. They would eat chocolate covered armadillos (raw of course) if they thought that it would make them lose weight. I have been guilty of doing the same (not eating choc. covered armadillos, raw or otherwise, mind you).

I can even find people who think that eating fruit and vegetables are bad for us, for heaven's sake. You know what?? Who cares what they think?!! Each one of us is responsible for his or her own health and in the end we know what is good or bad for us.

And why do people argue about what they eat? Don't they have enough to fight about??

I have found myself too consumed with worrying about what I eat, how I eat it, and when I eat it. That's not healthy either. It's like an anvil around my neck. No more. I am going to enjoy my food and stop worrying about it. Worry will kill me long before my food does!! I choose to eat veganly and mostly raw and if someone else disagrees with it, fine. They are not ME!!

What say you??










Why do people have to fight about the way they eat? Don't they have enough to fight about?

[cobweb]

i couldn't agree more, and i think that vegans in particular can easily get overly concerned with food issues because we naturally have to put more thought into what we eat and what we choose not to eat.

my husband often reminds me that worry will kill me quicker than anything else. i think this bears a lot of truth - i can think of many people i have known who perhaps are a bit chubby and don't have the best overall habits, but they laugh a lot and know how to relax and they are content. equally i know many people with enviably slim figures who seem to 'have it all' but they stress over details all the time and live on their nerves .

my weight really is an issue for me as i was always able to eat plenty and stay slim when i was younger. it's taken me years to come to terms with my expanding size! . if only i had cottoned on quicker and taken action!. however, i have to balance out mental/emotional health with physical health, and, to be honest, my mental and emotional wellbeing is paramount.

sometimes i eat for comfort and it gets me through a bad day. however, i don't smoke, drink or take illicit drugs, or in any other way harm myself. so i conclude that when i feel able to cope i will make huge efforts to eat healthily (which is in my view lots of fruit and veg, basically), and accept that it's a flaw of my character that i also comfort eat.

it's hugely ironic that we as a society worry so much about food and drink - we have programmes about it (endless programmes!), we buy books about it, we buy diets and 'special' foods - and we are fat! (ok not everyone but a very significant fraction), and many of us are unhealthy. we seem to have turned into a society that trashes ourselves and our planet whilst all the time beating ourselves up for doing so .

sorry - ranted on a bit there .

[cedarblue]

[B][SIZE="2"][COLOR="Navy"]II can even find people who think that eating fruit and vegetables are bad for us, for heaven's sake. You know what?? Who cares what they think?!! Each one of us is responsible for his or her own health and in the end we know what is good or bad for us. ......
What say you??

amen

[lesliesj]

Wow...and it's so easy to get overwhelmed! I read Natalia Rose's Raw Food Life Force Energy over the last few days, and it makes very powerful claims. It should have energized me, but instead I got bummed out by all the "rules." I am gonna take the advice on fresh juice, because it's nice, but geez, I would be a sad girl without some of the awesome vegan food she nixes. Hopefully the fun of being an adventurous cooking vegan coupled with the obvious health benefits will be as beneficial as the strict diets out there.

[Wonderwoman]

I agree. If you're not careful, you can really turn what you eat into a great big deal. Even though I don't eat the sorts of junk food that many people do (McDonalds etc), I still worry when I eat the smallest amount of less than perfect food. For example, I love to make vegan cupcakes and I'd quite like to have one each afternoon....but I give myself a hard time about it. I know sugar is not the best thing for me, but really, I should just enjoy the bloody cupcake!

I'm healthy, don't smoke, drink no alcohol, exercise regularly, aren't overweight.....so what's wrong with a small treat each day? I think since I went vegan, my food choices have just gotten healthier and healthier, given that I now make most of what I eat at home, from scratch. So I'm very aware when I eat something that isn't 'perfect'. I think I need to try and just enjoy the whole food thing a little more and listen to my body, not my head!

[lesliesj]

Definitely, Wonder Woman. Someone is this thread stated that as vegans, we automatically scrutinize our food more...we probably need some perspective sometimes. It helps to remember that in the grand scheme we are using and eating amazingly healthy foods, much more healthy than the average Joe or Jane. Gonna go take some deep breaths and remember what makes me happy about being a plain old vegan

[Kosherbean]

I love researching food, I love thinking about it. if I want to spend all my time thinking about it, fine. I don't give a flying frog if I'm obsessed with being vegan. Some people are obsessed with porn, or their job, or TV shows. I can be interested in whatever I want to! If I want to be a picky eater and scrutinize my food, let me do it or I'll stab you in the eye with a fork!

When it gets in the way of my life, then I do something about it. If it doesn't, I try not to worry. I try not to chase immortality through eating the "perfect food", but it's fun to make great choices if you can conveniently and be proud of yourself. Sometimes I have to eat what I can get, and it's a hell of a lot better than starving to death.

We go on these boards because we LIKE food, we LIKE being part of something wonderful, we LIKE to be in control of our decisions and we LOVE to be healthy.

[Roxy]

Each to their own.

I try not to scrutinize too much because of an Eating Disorder. I tried going raw, and it didn't work for me.

I do calorie count though - 6 days per week. That's a learned behaviour that's about control....but it works for me.

I try not to worry too much - as long as I'm eating a healthy, balanced diet. Sometimes things do get out of control, but with the support of lovely vegan friends, things get back on track again.

[Kosherbean]

Each to their own.

I try not to scrutinize too much because of an Eating Disorder. I tried going raw, and it didn't work for me.

I do calorie count though - 6 days per week. That's a learned behaviour that's about control....but it works for me.

I try not to worry too much - as long as I'm eating a healthy, balanced diet. Sometimes things do get out of control, but with the support of lovely vegan friends, things get back on track again.

I have anorexia nervosa, so I understand you. I've learned to USE and rework my eating disorder for positive changes. I'm smart enough to know when to raise my cals, and I still count. That in itself isn't bad, it's pretty smart. It's just something to work through. Going vegan, going raw is a way to positively deal with it and be healthier than I was. I eat enough to maintain my weight and am learning to become attuned and responsive to my body's needs, including if it feels starvation. It's an effort but I'll never give up. NEVER! I like living too much.

[august]

I love researching food, I love thinking about it. if I want to spend all my time thinking about it, fine. I don't give a flying if I'm obsessed with being vegan. Some people are obsessed with porn, or their job, or TV shows. I can be interested in whatever I want to! If I want to be a picky eater and scrutinize my food, let me do it or I'll stab you in the eye with a fork!

LMAO!

[Zero]

You have to make your own informed choices, you cannot subscribe to someone elses "diet doctrine" it generally doesn't work, you can take helpful advice from people, but your diet is a personal thing that you need to make work within the realms of your own life.

We don't really fully understand exactly how the body works, thats why so many nutritionists and doctors just tell you to eat a little from every food group and get five a day. Very unscientific.

[RubyDuby]

We go on these boards because we LIKE food, we LIKE being part of something wonderful, we LIKE to be in control of our decisions and we LOVE to be healthy.

its really more about the animals...

Each one of us is responsible for his or her own health and in the end we know what is good or bad for us.

absolutely. it's easy to ignore the fads.

[RubyDuby]

equally i know many people with enviably slim figures who seem to 'have it all' but they stress over details all the time and live on their nerves .

you've said that about me... live in LA in my 20's blah blah... yet born with 1 arm, super-anxious, self conscious. i think there are very few people who are truly content with their lives on whole. even the 'jolly' ones are probably not how they seem on the outside. we can only control ourselves. Some people really enjoy spending most of their time researching food, diets etc. some people dont. like i said, its easy to not pay attention to if you choose not to.

[cobweb]

well i certainly didn't mean you Ruby, when i said that!

it's just that i don't think there is a single 'key' to life which opens up happinesses door, yet people often search for it, and more and more often through obsessing over food these days it would appear.
We as a society don't seem to be blazing with health, vitality and happiness so i can only conclude that all this obsessing isn't good for us .

[RubyDuby]

i just thought maybe cuz u've used similar thought about me to me is all...

i'm thinking the obsessing over diets came 2nd to the weight problem?
i dont think its good either.
in general theres too many quick fixes out there that amount to squat... toxin removal, fasting from a book, 'become a millionaire' infomercials.

my blinders are up.
i bet thats why most ppl choose to ignore factory farming and going vegan... just another fad to ignore.

[northernstars]

Guess I can really relate to this as I used to worry about way too much about stuff that never really happened and wound up with a massive stroke last March! I was just in the process of changing to a raw vegan when I had the stroke! One thing I have noticed and has really amazed me is that although I still have much to fret and worry about, my body is no longer so tense. I do think the tenseness was due to the animal products I had always eaten until a couple weeks before the stroke!

Now, if only my blood pressure would also decline and stay in the normal range as well as my cholesterol!

[preetster]

Contradiction exists in every facet of our lives and this planet; it is not just limited to food. There is contradiction regarding global warming, species preservation, television viewing, fossil fuels vs. alternative energy, hybrids or transit, parenting, health care, GMO's, chemical use, etc. etc. This list is endless!

For most of us that have chosen to go vegan (think of all the contradictions around why one should go vegan LOL) we have made lifestyle changes that revolve around our food choices. As a result, it is quite natural to be "obsessing" with all things food related!

There is a reality about our food choices that is somewhat neglected, for unknown reasons, and that is the connection that food has to so many other prevailing issues around the world. Think of the impact we would have globally if we were to eliminate poverty from the face of this planet. What would it do the economies of developing nations and how much conflict is tied to the lack of food supplies in these nations?

What would happen if we stopped destroying the planet for livestock production? How would that affect global warming, soil erosion, habitat destruction, deforestation and water contamination? We could feed the entire planet several times over with the food produced and fed to livestock.

How would humanity evolve if we stopped killing animals? Would that make us a more humane species? Would it make us more compassionate and put an end to many senseless wars that take place?

There are so many issues we as a humans face today that are crucial for the survival of all species on this planet. So many issues that are all tied back to the food choices we make. So YES, do obsess about the food you eat...just not for the mere purpose of consuming it, rather for the good you are doing for all of us, the planet and its inhabitants.

[redreflect]

I think the most powerful thing to remember is that whatever you choose to eat, it will not be the answer to all your problems

So eating raw and loosing 30lbs will not make everything else right and you have to be prepared for that. A lot of "diets" sell the idea of loosing weight as the be all and end all, it requires a lot more effort and all round thought about your whole life in general and not just what you eat

What you eat is but one conscious choice, in a world where the majority choose differently - so if you see one thing differently why not others?

RR

[songlife]

my thoughts on enzymes are along the lines of what DianeVegan said in another post:

" The whole enzyme theory is sketchy at best, IMO. I mean, those enzymes are in the plant for the plant's purposes and our enzymes are in our bodies for our purposes - they are not the same enzymes needed to digest the plant. So the "science" behind raw foods diets is a bit lacking, again IMO."

as for the effect on nutrients in raw and cooked and processed fruits and veggies, these are the main points...

"Water-soluble nutrients like vitamins C and B and a group of nutrients called polyphenolics are often lost in processing." ... "Cooking also breaks down the thick cell walls of plants, releasing the contents for the body to use." ... "Still, there were tradeoffs. Boiling carrots, for example, significantly increased carotenoid levels but resulted in the complete loss of polyphenols compared with raw carrots."

...that I found here: http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/...ked/index.html

however, here is a thorough study I found that seems to suggest that raw is better:
http://www.ejpau.media.pl/volume9/issue3/art-03.html

At the moment I'm getting the impression that it's best to eat things raw sometimes, and sometimes cooked. I want to keep researching and keeping up with new studies as they come out so that I can really know what I'm doing when it comes to fruits and veggies. I intend to eventually know exactly which stuff I should be eating raw, which I should be eating cooked, how I should do it, etc.

Another point I found when researching is that because of the strong cellular walls in carrots which house the carotene, chopping and blending them up help you get more of the carotene content because without doing that your body can't properly break through the walls to get at the carotene. Cooking seems to do this too. I'm trying to find out whether blending it up is just as good as cooking to get the most out of the carotene, and that it retains all its polyphenols as well, assuming that you consume it right away.

Then there's the fact that the nutrients in carrots are not water-soluble, they're in fact oil soluble, so in addition to the water that's in carrots if you drizzle it with oil, you can absorb more of the nutrients.

then there's the structure of carotene in mangoes, which is actually contained in micro droplets of oil, and this makes the carotene in mangoes highly accessable to the body even when consumed raw.

[cedarblue]

interesting

[bryzee86]

here's my theory:

"ssshhhh....and eat".