[jimbo2012]

Americans are living longer, but our health is not improving, according to the Centers for Disease Control . Its 2011 report, which reflects the most recent data, shows the rates of dying from ailments such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes are increasing, and we as a nation continue to become more obese, across all ages and ethnicities. These are telling statistics.

As medical science has improved, the CDC reports death rates from heart attacks or strokes from uncontrolled hypertension (high blood pressure) have decreased. The report indicates fewer people are smoking, clearly a good trend.

Cancer treatments advance every year, according to the Comprehensive Cancer Center, with multiple locations in Las Vegas. The center participates in cancer research studies with UCLA and other research organizations. Nevada Cancer Center also offers new research in cancer treatment.

Better health is on all our minds. We wear seat belts, go to the gym (or at least intend to), break habits such as smoking and drinking too much, and get regular checkups. But even as we make these healthy lifestyle changes, statistics show we seem to be getting sicker. There is more we can do, and it won’t cost much, if anything.

It will mean change. We put off some things that may affect us in the future. We’re hungry, so we want to eat. We’ve got too much to do to spend much time thinking about what we put into our mouths. But a change in diet may reap rewards for the rest of our lives.

In their book “The China Study: Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-Term Health,” T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D., and his son, Thomas M. Campbell II, identified some surprising facts. At the time of the study, most people in China were locked in their home locations because of a lack of ability to travel, so their diets were stable. They ate what was locally available. Many had remarkably low incidences of the diseases we have come to call the “Western” maladies: heart disease, cancer and diabetes. These characteristics made them interesting to the researchers. The Chinese were beating the odds on diseases that plague Americans .

What the researchers found is that when a person’s diet is about 95 percent whole, raw, plant-based foods, the person will have a substantially reduced risk of contracting the diseases mentioned above. In addition, there is a reduced risk of catching colds and flu because of a strengthened immune system. Study participants who were eating higher percentages of animal products were at higher risk for the diseases.

Rats were fed a diet low in animal products and they, too, exhibited a low incidence of disease. Researchers then increased the amount of animal products to 20 percent of some rats’ diets. The risk of disease increased for those rats. Scientists returned animal products in the rats’ diets to 5 percent, and their risk decreased. “It was that simple,” T. Colin Campbell said.

Campbell met Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr. , author of “Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease.” They realized their research was leading them down the same path, and together they wrote “Forks Over Knives,” the groundbreaking book and the basis of a movie of the same name .

In the movie, several medical patients of other doctors are seen by Campbell and Esselstyn. They are advised to revolutionize their eating habits. What Campbell and Esselstyn recommended for the movie participants is what they recommend to everyone:

You begin by going through cupboards and refrigerator and tossing anything that is not a plant-based whole food. Throwing things out was not financially feasible for one participant , so she gradually ate the food she might have thrown out and then replaced it with food based on the doctors’ recommendations.

At the grocery store, you are directed to spend most of your time in the produce section. Anything that comes in a package, box or can must be evaluated by reading the ingredients label. The doctors don’t care about calories, vitamins, sugars or fiber. The list of ingredients tells whether it is a plant-based whole food.

Campbell and Esselstyn state the journey of the patients in the movie “demonstrates how rapidly health can be restored without drugs, medications and surgical procedures.” The participants in the movie lost weight, felt better and, according to medical testing done by Esselstyn, “halted and even reversed serious diseases.”

With health costs increasing and anxiety over the future of health insurance, it makes sense to take control of what we can. If you aren’t ready to make the change all at once, try a little at a time. Here are some suggestions from “Forks Over Knives: The Plant-Based Way to Health.”

n Eat plants — the more intact, the better. Not just any plants. Eat minimally refined fruit, vegetables, grains and legumes. Chips and diet soda may be plant-based, but they’re obviously not healthy.

n Carry snacks so you’re not tempted to eat junk. Carry an apple, carrots, some nuts and seeds or some homemade granola to keep you on track.

n Get a healthy cookbook or two to get started. “Forks Over Knives: The Plant-Based Way to Health” and “The Engine 2 Diet” are a couple of suggestions.

n Avoid overly processed foods. No bleached flour, refined sugar or extracted oil. Look for whole-grain flour, unrefined sweeteners such as turbinado sugar, local honey and agave syrup, and cold-pressed oils.

n Avoid preservatives and additives. Why load your diet with anything artificial when you can eat whole foods that don’t need additives to make them taste great?

n Eliminate dairy. Casein, the primary protein in cow’s milk, was identified as a carcinogen involved in several cancers in “The China Study.” Cow’s milk has been linked to increased risk for juvenile diabetes and multiple sclerosis. Today, there are many great-tasting options. Try almond, soy or coconut milk and the ice creams from these products as well.

n Don’t worry about carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred energy source. The key is to eat the right carbohydrates. Don’t eat cake and pastries; eat mangoes and broccoli and whole-grain bread.

n Don’t worry about not getting enough protein. One myth of a plant-based diet is that it won’t provide enough protein. Plant foods contain on average 10 percent of total calories, plenty for most people. It is nearly impossible to structure a diet that provides enough calories but doesn’t provide enough protein.

n Don’t worry about omega-3 fatty acids. The reason people are told to take omega-3 supplements is that they don’t consume enough plant-based whole foods.

n Consider a vitamin B12 supplement. We are supposed to get vitamin B12 from soil, which clings to plants that we wash and eat. But plants are so sanitized today that you may not get quite enough if you don’t eat meat, which animals that eat plants get straight from the ground.

When you first visit a grocery store after starting a plant-based whole food diet, frustration will likely be the order of the day unless you keep in mind that you are there for the produce section. Once you have your cart loaded with whole foods, it won’t be as hard to read some labels in the rest of the store. You’ll likely find that most of what is familiar is off-limits.

You’ll be surprised how many store aisles you never go down again. Changing diets is like visiting another country: You have to learn new foods and ways to prepare them, but once you do, you have lots of fun.

If eating a food frequently gives you a headache or stomach pain, consider allergies. An easy way to tell if an allergy is the culprit is to take at least a month off that food. Consider all sources that might contain versions of the food, including sauces, soups and even shampoo. After your month off, expose yourself to a pretty strong dose of the food and see how you react. It’s the cheapest and surest way to know if you have a food allergy.

If you suspect allergies to several foods, do an elimination and challenge, according to WebMD.com. This involves the same process, except you eliminate several common allergens (wheat, dairy, eggs, nuts, seafood) and then challenge (try a strong dose of) each one separately to see which one is causing a problem. You can read more about the elimination and challenge at http://tinyurl.com/cvkru34.

If you’re not into cooking or you’re often on the go, you’ll need to know where you can get healthy food options. The quickest way to sabotage a healthy diet is to run into a fast-food restaurant. Doing it once won’t derail your plan; you can get back on track tomorrow. But hitting fast food every time you need a quick meal is not what you’re about.

So try the many healthy options in Las Vegas, including the Go Raw Café , which has several locations. The cafe takes you right into whole food, raw eating, and you can learn a thing or two . Also try Pure Vida Bakery, a vegan bakery with healthy baked goods that teach you what the consistency should be like if you want to try baking your own. The Veggie House is another healthy eating option.

Rubio’s Mexican Grill will do vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free options. You may not find them on the menu, but most employees are familiar with these options.

You can also find healthy eating at Chipotle Mexican Grill. Chipotle’s entrees can be made with or without meat, but be aware that the black beans are vegan but the pinto beans are cooked with pork. The brown rice is a whole food, and there are many flavorful vegetable options. Don’t go easy on the guacamole; it’s dairy free, and avocado is a healthy fat that helps lower bad cholesterol.

When you plan meals, remember 5 percent of your diet can be animal products; that means you can include a little meat or cheese and still eat healthy. Just make sure you stick to 5 percent of total calories.

Try Whole Foods, which has a large variety of vegan and vegetarian products and a ready-to-eat area with both hot and cold food. Be sure to tell them if you need allergy-friendly options.

It is good to know that you can still enjoy eating on a healthy diet. Michael Pollan, author of “Food Rules,” said his first rule is simple: “Eat food, mostly plants, not too much.” His last rule is even more fun: “Break the rules every once in a while.”

[Blessed2BNTV]

Thank you for your well thought out post. It is food for thought......no pun intended.

[Moderator]

OP copied from following website.

Please, when posting something published elsewhere.... provide a link or cite your source so others will not be led to believe it is your original product.

Plant-based, whole food diets reduce risks of diseases | Las Vegas Review-Journal

[SusanOfWoodbury]

On this same topic,

Can anyone recommend a nutritionist or homeopathy doctor?

[mainlander]

Some may wish to read more about this type of eating. Many believe that you do not have to be a total vegetarian to gain the benefits of of eating lots of fruit, nuts, seeds (psylliam, flax are just a few) and vegatables (especially greens,, salads of all sorts, mix in a little chicken for example). Google "Dr.Joel Fuhrman" to learn about "micro-nutriants" and such. This is not a reco or promotion , merely another source on eating healthy.

[VICAR OF DIBLEY]

I can understand where they are coming from, but with so many foods being sprayed with chemicals, including Monsanto's Round Up which is a watered down version of Agent Orange - I do not know if I followed the plan I would be healthier.

The food the Chinese people were eating were not sprayed with many of the chemicals used today nor would I think they were irradiated.

Here is a list of foods irradiated in the United States -
Food Irradiation Watch – How and why is food irradiated?

I have no solution, but the more I read about GMO's the scarier it is to me.

[senior citizen]

Originally Posted by VICAR OF DIBLEY

I can understand where they are coming from, but with so many foods being sprayed with chemicals, including Monsanto's Round Up which is a watered down version of Agent Orange - I do not know if I followed the plan I would be healthier.

The food the Chinese people were eating were not sprayed with many of the chemicals used today nor would I think they were irradiated.

Here is a list of foods irradiated in the United States -
Food Irradiation Watch – How and why is food irradiated?

I have no solution, but the more I read about GMO's the scarier it is to me.

I also was concerned originally, but we've been buying Omaha Steaks black angus steak burgers and regular hamburgers, all of which are irradiated.........for many years now. Ditto for their ground beef packages (to use for meat loaf and such).

The ground beef in our supermarkets has had many recalls.......and they do not even notify the customers......it's up to us to see if we have it in our freezers or not. Once, I called to ask about some Price Chopper ground beef recalls which I had heard on our morning news in Vermont. The local Price Chopper head butcher was NOT EVEN AWARE OF THE RECALL. He did tell me to bring it back for a refund. I threw it out in the garbage. There was a raging blizzard outside.......not good weather to bring back a few packages all the way across town. But, they didn't even know........that their own meat was tainted.

As far as Chinese imports of food, just the other evening on the news they said that the Chinese were substituting RAT MEAT for lamb and chicken?

I would not put too much confidence into Chinese food ........remember the baby formula scandal as well as the pet food mess.

After all the supermarket "scares" with tainted beef, my husband feels that irradiated beef is generally safer.......

Please read below.........
Irradiation of ground beef was given the green light by the federal government February, 2001 and the first products appeared last May in stores in the Midwest. How many carry the patties today is unclear. Wil Williams, a spokesman for Titan, which owns the SureBeam Corporation, the company that irradiates most of the ground beef sold in this country, put the number at approximately 2,000 in 18 states. But several other industry experts said the figures were 1,500 stores in 14 states. With the exception of Florida, which has an irradiation plant, most irradiated beef is found in the Midwest, near the SureBeam plant in Sioux City, Iowa.

Total sales are even harder to determine. Jeffrey Barach, a vice president of the National Food Processors Association and the co-chairman of the irradiation conference, said of consumer acceptance of the beef: "Some say it's great; some say it's not going well. We still have a little perception problem, and that has to do with the labeling issue. When you pick up a product and see a statement that it is treated by irradiation and you see a radura, to some people that means a little radioactivity."

The food industry has petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to permit the substitution of the phrase "cold pasteurization."

Omaha Steaks' Web site does have information about irradiation, but it is called electronic pasteurization, and you would find it only if you knew what to look for. "Pasteurization is a nice, very positive word," Ms. Hagen said.

But Carol Tucker Foreman, director of the Consumer Federation of America's Food Policy Institute, objected to what she said was the industry's attempt to hide irradiation behind other words. Consumer research, she said, shows that shoppers want the term irradiation to appear on treated products.

Irradiation kills bacteria, parasites and insects but does not make food radioactive. It does not destroy viruses like those that cause hepatitis or the prions that may cause mad cow disease. And there is some loss of vitamins, though it is minimal.

Once irradiated meat is unwrapped, the potential for contamination is the same as it is for nonirradiated meat, so safe handling practices must be followed. And while irradiating hamburgers makes them safer, they should not be eaten rare.

Critics worry that if irradiation becomes a major factor the meat industry will not bother to clean up. "We'd like to see filth taken out of the food supply rather than just treated to make it safe to eat," said Caroline Smith DeWaal, director of food safety for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer advocacy group.

At two small chains that sell the meat, Byerly's and Lund's in Minneapolis-St. Paul, frozen irradiated patties account for only one percent of total ground beef sales, even though they cost less than the fresh patties at these stores.

Irradiation supporters are certain that an education campaign is all that is needed to persuade people to buy the meat and to quiet the critics. Mr. Williams of Titan said: "There needs to be an education program to get past the myths and distortions. I think American consumers will demand it just as they demand pasteurized milk, and it took 30 years for pasteurized milk to be accepted."

But others believe that the market for irradiated ground beef will always be limited to those with compromised immune systems whether because of age or illness.

[VICAR OF DIBLEY]

Not only what they have put into baby formulas, farm raised fish, rat meat, and the list goes on.

They have just bought out another American Company - SMITHFIELD HAM.
They are now importing more GMO seeds. Will we buying this crop also - since it will not be labeled GMO?

I could go on and on, but I will let you do your own investigation an/or research. That way you will learn many other facts.

[VICAR OF DIBLEY]

I just heard this, and it is worth watching.

It is how a Mother learned about the food she was serving her children.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rixy...XdahZmiZgz2ETh

[Quixote]

Originally Posted by senior citizen

.... As far as Chinese imports of food, just the other evening on the news they said that the Chinese were substituting RAT MEAT for lamb and chicken?

I would not put too much confidence into Chinese food ........remember the baby formula scandal as well as the pet food mess....

I have been advised by far more knowledgeable individuals than I will ever be to completely avoid all foods processed in China, period! There is absolutely no regulation there, as we've learned from various scandals. If I recall correctly, the two men responsible for the baby formula issue were publicly executed because of the number of Chinese babies who died as a result; there didn't appear to be any particular concern about babies out of the country....

Originally Posted by VICAR OF DIBLEY

I just heard this, and it is worth watching.

It is how a Mother learned about the food she was serving her children.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rixy...XdahZmiZgz2ETh

All I can say is "holy cow!" (no pun intended). On another thread I had posted info about research into the constantly increasing number of children with "food" allergies. One can criticize the woman in this video as having no scientific background, but what she is addressing is not so much science as life. She is a mother who at first could not understand how her child could be allergic to food, only to learn the contemporary meeting of the word! Clearly it cannot but help the rest of us to understand this too!

[patfla06]

What a great post!

I have also read "China Study" and it's eye opening.