Description:
Hunger Hurts.. Best Website Today.. exemplary edibles.. Vegetarians Taste Better..
Contents:
Hunger Hurts
Freedom from Hunger is a nonprofit, international development organization working in 17 countries across the globe. For over 50 years we have been helping hardworking women win life-saving victories against chronic hunger and build healthy lives for their children.
To learn more about our work, take a 'Virtual Tour' of some of the countries we work in, and find out how you can help -- visit us at: http://www.freedomfromhunger.org
Best Website Today
exemplary edibles
You cannot eat enough of these foods ... in fact, if you ate ONLY these foods you could live a very happy and healthy life. Make sure they're organic  .
Vegetarians Taste Better
"If you don't eat meat, chicken, or fish, where do you get your protein?"
"You don't eat dairy products or eggs either? How can you live without protein?"
"You can't get enough protein on a vegan diet."
"My doctor told me I could not stay healthy on a vegan diet"
"I tried a vegetarian diet, but I got sick."
"I was on a vegetarian diet but I always felt tired. I needed more protein."
Vegetarians and vegans have heard these statements over and over. Myths such as these simply will not go away without the solid facts to prove otherwise. We've attempted to reassure friends and family who shake their heads and click their tongues in utter amazement that we've survived ... (on a vegetarian diet.) But simply telling people apparently isn't enough.
The hard fact that constantly comes to the foreground is that the focus on protein borders on obsession in countries of the Western Hemisphere. One glance at restaurant menus and the plates that come to the table is proof that the centerpiece of the meal is the large serving of meat, chicken or fish frequently smothered in creamy sauces or melted cheese. The portions served at one meal alone come close to fulfilling a day's worth of protein needs.
The meat and dairy industries spend billions of dollars to project their message right into your shopping cart through television commercials, magazine ads, and grocery store ads. These powerful industries even recognized it was important to teach young children "good nutrition" at a very early age. Since the end of World War II they spread their protein message to our nation's youth by providing schools across the U.S. with colorful charts of the "important food groups" that emphasized meat, dairy products, and eggs. For the decades following World War II, one simply could not ignore the emphasis on protein.
Could we fail to ignore the large billboards flaunting larger than life-size images of cheese, eggs, and milk? And who can forget the successful ad campaigns for "Where's the beef?" and "Milk does a body good" ? The protein message comes at us from all directions, even on bus benches.
Don't misunderstand, we fully recognize that protein is a necessity to a healthy body, and that it is important to replenish our store of protein every day. Because the body doesn't store protein as it does other nutrients, we're aware it must be replaced each day as a source of nourishment for building and repairing new cells, hormones, antibodies, enzymes and muscle tissue. But, just how much protein do we really need?
Calculating Protein Requirements
Recently, studies on nitrogen balance provided more accurate ways to measure the body's protein requirements. Joel Fuhrman, M.D. in his book Eat to Live writes that an easy way to calculate your own daily protein requirement according to the U.S. RDA is to multiply 0.36 (grams) by your body weight. That translates to about 44 grams for a 120-pound woman and 54 grams for a 150-pound male. In metric terminology the RDA is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight.
Brenda Davis, R.D., and Vesanto Melina, M.S., R.D., in their book Becoming Vegan consider 0.9 grams per kilogram of body weight to be more ideal for vegans eating whole plant foods such as legumes, whole grains, and vegetables. Multiplying 0.45 grams by your body weight in pounds will give you the approximate protein need for your body. These figures are a little higher than actual RDA requirements but were considered necessary as a safety factor to account for reduced digestibility of whole plant foods versus more refined foods such as tofu, textured soy protein, and meat substitutes.
With this slightly higher figure a 120-pound person would need 54 grams of protein daily and a 150-pound person needs 67.5 grams. Another way to calculate your RDA for protein is to take your weight in pounds and divide by 2.3 kg to determine your weight in kilograms. Then figure1 gram of protein for every kg of body weight. Those who include tofu, textured soy protein, meat substitutes, and refined grains will find 0.8 grams per kilogram of protein daily quite adequate.
Protein Sources and Composition
...People are often surprised to learn that all plant foods contain protein. In fact, it is protein that gives all plants their structure. Whether plants grow upright or sprawl on a vine, protein is a basic component of their cell structure.
So where do vegans get their protein? It's simple. The plant-based diet includes a wide variety of whole foods consisting of beans, whole-grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, along with products made from these natural foods, such as tofu, tempeh, and meat analogs. Those who believe plant protein is inferior to animal protein may be surprised to learn that plant proteins contain the same 22 amino acids as animal proteins.
Protein, one of the three macronutrients, is composed of amino acids, often referred to as building blocks. A complete protein contains 22 amino acids. From the foods we consume, the body has the ability to manufacture most of the amino acids it requires. Nine of these amino acids are the exception: isoleucine, leucine, lysine, threonine, tryptophan, methionine, histidine, valine, and phenyalanine. This group of amino acids is considered essential to the body and must be obtained from the foods we eat.
Animal foods like meat, chicken, fish, eggs, and dairy products all contain complete protein--that is, all 22 amino acids. Complete protein in the vegan diet is found in the grain quinoa. Soybeans and products made from soybeans like tofu, tempeh, and miso, also contain complete protein. Soy sauce is not a complete protein.
Plant-based foods like legumes, most whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds all contain protein but do not contain complete protein by themselves. However, the body forms an amino acid pool from the foods eaten throughout the day. When a vegan consumes a variety of foods eaten at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the body can use these amino acids to make up complete protein.
Nutritionists advise that if a person is eating a broad selection of plant-based foods and consuming adequate calories, it is unlikely he or she will be protein deficient. Physicians in the United States rarely encounter patients who are deficient in protein. Deficiency is uncommon and is seen mostly in countries where serious shortages of food exist and malnutrition is prevalent.
Problems Caused by Too Much Protein
More common are the problems resulting from eating too much protein. In contrast to the U.S. RDA calculations, the average person in America consumes foods containing 100 to 120 grams of protein daily, mostly from animal products. Americans are also noted for their sedentary lifestyles. Excess protein especially of animal nature puts a great deal of stress on the kidneys. Some people, unaware that their kidneys are not operating optimally, could suffer premature aging of this important organ. A diet too high in protein could cause deterioration of the nephrons, which are the kidney's filtering system. That same diet places people at risk for developing kidney stones.
Other health conditions that may result from an overabundance of protein include excessive calcium leaching from the bones and causing osteoporosis, acid reflux, obesity, plaque build-up in the arteries, high blood pressure, pain from arthritis, high cholesterol, bad breath from sulfur-containing amino acids, and increased risk of cancer, especially colon cancer.
MySpace ---> Fox and Rupert Murdoch ---> Republican Party
I'm in Love
Ad Lib Cafe
MWF Seeks Answers
***Recently my four year old son (an only child) invented an imaginary brother. He likes to play games with him and stuff around the house. I guess this is perfectly healthy, a sign of intelligence even. But when we were at my eye doctor appointment yesterday and he kept talking to the doctor and his assistant about this so-called brother, it was really awkward.
At one point they asked my son if he was afraid of the dark, because they had to turn out the lights. He replied, "I am, but my brother's not." This led to an in-depth conversation about how old his brother is (he's six by the way), where he goes to school, and what he likes to do. I just let him talk because A. What does it matter if the eye doctor thinks he has a brother and B. I didn't want to embarrass my son by revealing the truth. I should have had a talk with him about lying and so forth as soon as we got home, but by then I had forgotten. I'll have to remember to bring it up with him later. It's just all so sad. I probably subconsciously avoided talking to him about it because the topic bums me out completely.
***My mom is really, really great about watching my son when I need some time to myself or time alone with my husband. Today I am having a bad day, and after I snapped at my son for the 87th time I knew it would be best for both of us if he could hang out somewhere else for awhile, so my mom came and got him. As I was packing a snack and his blankie for him he started to get  upset. "I don't want to go to Grammy's house. I want to stay here with you." Nothing could break my heart more, right? Wrong. He started sobbing loudly, "I don't want to be with people who don't appreciate me! They hate me!" Did I mention he is four years old? Where do they come up with this stuff? But then the kicker: "They'll kill me!" Say what?!
I don't have a clue as to what the real reason was that he didn't want to go to his Grammy's house - he loves it there. So I had no idea what to say at that point, other than try to reassure him that I loved him and would never let him be around anyone who didn't appreciate him or would want to hurt him. Talk about being put on the spot. They should make a handbook for moments like these. "What to Say When Your Child's Irrational Fears Throw You for a Loop."
***A change in subject. I always knew that Western Europe was better than America on so many levels. I found this online, written by someone who lived in both France and the US for more than five years each, and I think it sums it up perfectly:
"If you want to prioritize your career and make money, America is definitely the way to go because the whole culture there is based on professional and  material achievement. However, the culture is socially very shallow and boring in the end. If you don't have money in the US, you're out of luck.
However, if you want to prioritize the quality of your life, go to France. French people work very little compared to Americans although most of them are kinda lazy and make a lot less money. Socially, they are very warm and only care about being unique, as opposed to being popular. That provides social interactions with them with a lot more depth and attractiveness. People really do take the time to enjoy life, every minute of it."
Would living in France or another Western European country make me less neurotic?
Recap
These are the lessons that I learned from being vegan for 30 days. By vegan I mean no animal products of any kind in my diet; I also cut out all alcohol, all OTC medications including Tylenol, and all junk food. In addition, I made every attempt to purchase and use only vegan, cruelty free, organic products from reputable companies for cleaning, hygiene, dry goods, etc, and threw out most of the things I already had around the house that didn’t fit that criteria.
1.) I feel better when I eat this way. No stomach aches, no heartburn, a lot less cramps at that time of the month, no irregular bowels ... no problems at all. I still got headaches sometimes and was still tired as usual.
2.) Its expensive. We spent roughly $100 more on groceries for the month than our usual average. Add gas to that, because we had to travel further to find vegan products.
3.) Eating differently from just about everyone else alienates you from just about everyone else. People make fun of you because they don’t understand. Vegans get a bad rap in general; just watching Last Comic Standing I’ve heard like half a dozen different vegan and vegetarian jokes already. You might as well say you are Vulcan. Also, you can’t take part in the normal celebratory events that are a part of all of our lives: picnics, birthday parties, other celebrations, meetings, even just going out to breakfast with your spouse. All family and community and work and school events revolve around food - mostly junk food at that!
4.) There is a reason companies over the past 200 years have created the products that we have now. Natural products don’t work that well! I always thought that most products were created solely to fool us into thinking we needed them so the companies could make mucho mucho bucks. That is partly true, but there was also a true need for products that work better. The natural fabric softener, bathroom cleaner, deodorant, and shampoo that I tried were all inferior to the crappy, petroleum-based, animal-tested ones I used to use. I also paid more and got less.
5.) Its a head trip. Pretty much every minute of every day I was consumed with a need to find only the greenest products and the healthiest foods. When I ran out of q-tips I just about had a panic attack because I didn’t know where to find organic ones. I couldn’t focus on anything else. Eating animals, wearing them, and using them for testing has become such an accepted part of our culture that once I started looking for it to try to avoid it, I noticed it everywhere. Everywhere. And it drove me crazy! I can’t possibly be held responsible for all of the things I was attempting to fix … I am just one person. I need to give myself a break.
6.) Moderation, as always, continues to be the rule. You don’t have to go one way or the other: vegan or not; there has to be something in between. There are many things I am going to keep buying, like organic soymilk, because I think it is a superior product to cow’s milk. It tastes better and is healthier for you, and the purchase of it contributes to organic farming. I will persist in avoiding meat whenever possible … but if you think I am permanently giving up cheesecake, Swiss cheese, ice cream, and smelling like I took a shower this week, well – that ain’t gonna happen!
7.) We need to, ALL OF US, be conscious of the things we buy, where they come from, and what they are made of. We need to ask questions and be willing to do without something if it is destroying the earth, the animals, or our bodies. That is the most important lesson I learned and one I will keep with me forever, even if you see me in a restaurant eating a shrimp platter.
Mind Your Own Business
Rather than give myself cardiomyopathy from heterocyclic amines, I opted to bring my own mock dogs to our family Memorial Day cookout. It was the first time I had tried one and I thought it was fine; I just nuked it and then put it on a bun with ketchup and mustard like everyone else did with their cancer dogs and cancer burgers. And yet my family - my own flesh and blood - made fun of me the entire time. My mom actually asked me when I am going to "get back to normal" and proceeded to tell me about a story she saw in the paper about a chick who, after reading about animal cruelty in the farming industry, swore off animal products only to find herself eating them again in a few months when the meat cravings overtook her. Thanks Mom, I'm sure I'm exactly like that person and will have exactly the same problem and by the way, thank you so much for your support and encouragement.
I don't have meat cravings. I do have willpower. But I'm not choosing to subtract and add certain things to my diet out of some over-inflated sense of suddenly having to stand up for animal rights or whatever, but because eating those things makes me feel like crap. After all the research I have done I'm convinced that animal products, high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, artificial anything, preservatives, and pesticides are things that our bodies are not biologically built to handle well. The rising cancer rate directly corresponds with the rising use of these things in our foods. And we don't ask questions, we just buy whatever looks good at the store. Why on earth would anyone blindly put into their own body products that they chose because they were aesthetically pleasing and not based on what they are actually made of? That's retarded. LOOK AT THE INGREDIENTS. If you don't know what they are, look them up online. I will bet you real money that about 75% of the things you look up will freak you out.
Home
|
