If I Want To Do What You Have Done, What Do I Have To Do?
If you are starting today and have no idea where to begin - as I hear people say to me all of the time when they want to start eating a plant-based whole foods diet - then do the following.
1. Go to any grocery store and start buying this stuff (it will be all you need):
2. Linda and I eat either cereal, oatmeal, or a smoothie in the morning, beans or salad for lunch, and beans or salad for dinner (whichever we didn't eat for lunch). If we eat out, we usually have a salad (go to HomeTown Buffet). We add Wasa Crackers and humus to meals or humus and carrots and celery.
3. Make a smoothie with your fruits. Here is one of the best. It is tasty (even sweet if you add enough fruit), very healthy, and can be drunk as a meal replacement Drink these things slowly and chew them so that the enzymes in your mouth begin the digestive process for the stomach. Using a NutriBullet,
Where Do I Buy The Foods Above That Fit Into This Plant-Based and Whole Foods Diet?
Trader Joe's
Whole Foods Market
Organic food stores
Any other grocery store like Krogers, Safeway, Publix, etc. If you stay in the produce section of supermarkets with which we are all familiar, you are fine. When you step out of this section, you will probably not be able to buy 80% or more of what you find in the rest of the store.
Will getting on a plant-based, whole foods diet cost more money?
Oh, yes. You will be buying lots of produce, which adds up. But...you won't be spending tons money at restaurants because almost everything in those places you won't be able to eat anyway. Unless you find a joint with a plant-based whole foods menu or eat salads. So it will even out.
Have You Found Anything That Makes Food Preparation For This Diet Easier?
Definitely. Linda and I live in an RV full-time. So we have found two small appliances that have really added to the convenience of this diet. Everything is much easier.
How Can I Educate Myself Further About This Since I Am Not Going To Go See a Naturopath?
Education is the keystone to this way of life. It will give you resolve as well as results.
http://www.heartattackproof.com - This site is about Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, who is one of the doctors who made significant studies about a plant-based, whole foods diet. You will find some very good videos and other information that will educate you and give you resolve.
http://drmcdougall.com - START HERE. This is a KEY webpage. Here you will find recipes and an entire FREE program for 10 days that can get you started. You can go to Dr. McDougall's program for 10 days in Santa Rosa, California, or you can do it right here. Lots of good information all about the plant-based, whole foods diet.
http://pcrm.org/kickstartHome/ - Here is another 21-day Kick Start plant-based whole foods diet program that you can begin until you get smarter about what you like and want to prepare. You won't have to think about it that much by trying this. But just remember that the simplest way is this: Beans and Greens.
http://www.healthscience.org - Education
http://tcolincampbell.org/plant-based-nutrition - Education on the plant-based, whole foods diet and why. This man wrote The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted And the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss, And Long-term Health. In The China Study, Dr. T. Colin Campbell details the connection between nutrition and heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. The report also examines the source of nutritional confusion produced by powerful lobbies, government entities, and opportunistic scientists. The New York Times has recognized the study as the “Grand Prix of epidemiology” and the “most comprehensive large study ever undertaken of the relationship between diet and the risk of developing disease.”
http://www.bensonsgourmetseasonings.com/103-02-bensons-table-tasty-salt-substitute.html - A good salt substitute. Expensive. We tried it. You can probably accomplish the same thing by using nutritional yeast.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/266069.php - What are the health benefits of cinnamon?
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/10/13/soy-controversy-and-health-effects.aspx - The controversy and effects of soy consumption.
http://www.self.com/blogs/flash/2011/02/truvia-vs-splenda-which-is-bes.html - Truvia vs Splenda? Which is best?
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?dbid=142&tname=foodspice - The benefit of Quinoa
http://www.forksoverknives.com/plant-strong-snacking-rip/ - What you can snack on.
http://www.mindbodygreen.com - Education
http://engine2diet.com - The Engine 2 Diet. This is the son of Dr. Esselstyn above who is a fireman. He changed the lives of the men in his firehouse who began eating a plant-based, whole foods diet. Lots of recipes. What whole foods are. Lots of education. My Naturopath says to be selective on some of the recipes.
http://www.straightupfood.com/blog/ - Recipes
http://www.straightupfood.com/blog/2013/10/29/what-is-a-whole-foods-diet/ - What Is a Whole Foods Diet? Defined here.
http://www.healthpromoting.com - Education.
http://weimar.org/health - Education
http://www.transitiontohealth.com - Education
http://blenderdude.com/articles/vitamix-models/ - In case you want to buy a VitaMix
http://www.straightupfood.com/blog/2012/11/19/favorite-holiday-recipes/ - Holiday recipes
http://www.jeffnovick.com/RD/Home.html - Education. A blog. CDs to buy. Articles.
http://blenderlady.com/recipes/ - VitaMix recipes that can also be made with a Nutribullet.
1. Go to any grocery store and start buying this stuff (it will be all you need):
- Produce - kale, beets, spinach, carrots, celery, cucumbers, corn, peas, brown rice, tomatoes, potatoes, onions, garlic, avocado, apples, bananas, grapes, blue berries, pineapple, strawberries, lemons, limes, and raspberries.
- Beans - red, pinto, navy, kidney, spit peas (for soups) - add potatoes to these soups with brown rice
- Walnuts (for breakfast condiment)
- Raisins (for breakfast condiment)
- Wasa Crackers (lunch or dinner or in between meals)
- Sprouted whole-grain brea
- Humus
- Cinnamon, cayenne pepper, chili pepper, vanilla (seasoning)
- Soy milk, oat milk, almond milk - low fat, unsweetened
- Herb teas
- Nutritional yeast
- Flax seed
2. Linda and I eat either cereal, oatmeal, or a smoothie in the morning, beans or salad for lunch, and beans or salad for dinner (whichever we didn't eat for lunch). If we eat out, we usually have a salad (go to HomeTown Buffet). We add Wasa Crackers and humus to meals or humus and carrots and celery.
3. Make a smoothie with your fruits. Here is one of the best. It is tasty (even sweet if you add enough fruit), very healthy, and can be drunk as a meal replacement Drink these things slowly and chew them so that the enzymes in your mouth begin the digestive process for the stomach. Using a NutriBullet,
- Add kale (or spinach) about half way, strawberries or blue berries or grapes or all, 1/2 banana, flax seed or walnuts, pour in 1/2 almond milk and 1/2 water up to the line. Liquify it all for less than a minute.
- The above smoothie is in the NutriBullet recipe book along with many others.
- If you are from the South, do not add gravy or bacon grease.
Where Do I Buy The Foods Above That Fit Into This Plant-Based and Whole Foods Diet?
Trader Joe's
Whole Foods Market
Organic food stores
Any other grocery store like Krogers, Safeway, Publix, etc. If you stay in the produce section of supermarkets with which we are all familiar, you are fine. When you step out of this section, you will probably not be able to buy 80% or more of what you find in the rest of the store.
Will getting on a plant-based, whole foods diet cost more money?
Oh, yes. You will be buying lots of produce, which adds up. But...you won't be spending tons money at restaurants because almost everything in those places you won't be able to eat anyway. Unless you find a joint with a plant-based whole foods menu or eat salads. So it will even out.
Have You Found Anything That Makes Food Preparation For This Diet Easier?
Definitely. Linda and I live in an RV full-time. So we have found two small appliances that have really added to the convenience of this diet. Everything is much easier.
- The first is an electric pressure cooker. We bought a Cuisinart model online from Costco for about $80 with shipping and handling. That thing cooks beans in less than one hour as if they had been boiling away all day.
- The second is a NutriBullet. You will find that a LOT of people who do this diet have a VitaMix. They cost anywhere - with taxes - from $400 - $600+. We bought one, but it was overkill for a vegan diet. You don't need that. If you can't stand vegetables, the NutriBullet with liquify anything you put in it. These things are called smoothies. That way you can slowly drink vegetables and make them much tastier with the natural sugars in fruits. But here is the best thing. A Nutribullet normally costs $100-120. If you get a 20% discount from Bed, Bath, and Beyond All Reasonable Doubt, you can purchase a $100 NutriBullet for $80. But it gets better. Go to Costco. You can buy the same NutriBullet that you will buy anywhere else PLUS...an additional hard-cover recipe book PLUS...an extra large cup that NutriBullet sells for about $13 extra with shipping. All this can be had at Costco for $89 and change. A much better deal than anywhere else. But it even gets better than this. Costco's warranty and return policy. It is better than the 7 year warranty that VitaMix gives. Buying a Nutribullet from Costco is one of those super deals.
How Can I Educate Myself Further About This Since I Am Not Going To Go See a Naturopath?
Education is the keystone to this way of life. It will give you resolve as well as results.
- First, see Forks Over Knives on NetFlix. If you don't have NetFlix, then you can go to Watch Forks Over Knives Online at the top right. You can buy the film or pay a rental fee.
- Second, check the following web pages. You will get an idea of how many people are doing this and that it is more than a fad. You will also find lot of tasty recipes, what you should buy, and where. I have described what you will find in each web site. Above, I told you a fast way to get started in one day. It is also all we eat. So it goes on forever. Linda and I keep it simple as our Naturopath told us to do. "Greens and Beans" is her mantra. You can get fancy with a bunch of recipes below, but we have found her "beans and greens" speech to be adequate and simple. It works. But if you want to use a program that has a little more variety, then go to the second and third web pages below where there is a 10 day and a 21 day program all laid out for you.
http://www.heartattackproof.com - This site is about Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, who is one of the doctors who made significant studies about a plant-based, whole foods diet. You will find some very good videos and other information that will educate you and give you resolve.
http://drmcdougall.com - START HERE. This is a KEY webpage. Here you will find recipes and an entire FREE program for 10 days that can get you started. You can go to Dr. McDougall's program for 10 days in Santa Rosa, California, or you can do it right here. Lots of good information all about the plant-based, whole foods diet.
http://pcrm.org/kickstartHome/ - Here is another 21-day Kick Start plant-based whole foods diet program that you can begin until you get smarter about what you like and want to prepare. You won't have to think about it that much by trying this. But just remember that the simplest way is this: Beans and Greens.
http://www.healthscience.org - Education
http://tcolincampbell.org/plant-based-nutrition - Education on the plant-based, whole foods diet and why. This man wrote The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted And the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss, And Long-term Health. In The China Study, Dr. T. Colin Campbell details the connection between nutrition and heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. The report also examines the source of nutritional confusion produced by powerful lobbies, government entities, and opportunistic scientists. The New York Times has recognized the study as the “Grand Prix of epidemiology” and the “most comprehensive large study ever undertaken of the relationship between diet and the risk of developing disease.”
http://www.bensonsgourmetseasonings.com/103-02-bensons-table-tasty-salt-substitute.html - A good salt substitute. Expensive. We tried it. You can probably accomplish the same thing by using nutritional yeast.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/266069.php - What are the health benefits of cinnamon?
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/10/13/soy-controversy-and-health-effects.aspx - The controversy and effects of soy consumption.
http://www.self.com/blogs/flash/2011/02/truvia-vs-splenda-which-is-bes.html - Truvia vs Splenda? Which is best?
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?dbid=142&tname=foodspice - The benefit of Quinoa
http://www.forksoverknives.com/plant-strong-snacking-rip/ - What you can snack on.
http://www.mindbodygreen.com - Education
http://engine2diet.com - The Engine 2 Diet. This is the son of Dr. Esselstyn above who is a fireman. He changed the lives of the men in his firehouse who began eating a plant-based, whole foods diet. Lots of recipes. What whole foods are. Lots of education. My Naturopath says to be selective on some of the recipes.
http://www.straightupfood.com/blog/ - Recipes
http://www.straightupfood.com/blog/2013/10/29/what-is-a-whole-foods-diet/ - What Is a Whole Foods Diet? Defined here.
http://www.healthpromoting.com - Education.
http://weimar.org/health - Education
http://www.transitiontohealth.com - Education
http://blenderdude.com/articles/vitamix-models/ - In case you want to buy a VitaMix
http://www.straightupfood.com/blog/2012/11/19/favorite-holiday-recipes/ - Holiday recipes
http://www.jeffnovick.com/RD/Home.html - Education. A blog. CDs to buy. Articles.
http://blenderlady.com/recipes/ - VitaMix recipes that can also be made with a Nutribullet.