National Country Ham Day, National Cookie Day, National Pizza Day. No lie - these days are actual and declared holidays. No wonder disease and obesity are rampant in America.
Fortunately, October 1st is National Vegetarian Day and the beginning of National Vegetarian Month! One whole month dedicated to healthy eating, during which I am hoping to bring awareness to the health-building benefits of a vegetable-based diet.
The DNA of the human race was built primarily on the staples of vegetables, fruit, eggs, and vegetable proteins (nuts, seeds, etc.) found through the foraging of fields and forests. Yes, hunting happened, but since weapons consisted mainly of spears, patience and hand-to-hand combat with prey fighting for its life, actually catching “food” was tougher, and certainly not guaranteed as it is today. That’s a good thing too because these foods brought high states of energy and health to a people surviving a harsh existence. Maybe this is why most health practitioners advocate at least nine serving of these nutrient-dense, preferably organic foods per day. The sad thing is that most, Americans average about three per day. Unfortunately they are filling up on high fat, high calorie, and often free-radical rich animal and processed foods.
In my experience, the problem seems to be the very food that was the main reason for our evolution is now foreign to most. If it doesn’t come in a package or frozen, it makes no sense to us. It behooves us to remember that fresh vegetables and fruit:
- Include a rich supply of vitamins, minerals, and immune-boosting antioxidants, carotenoids, and phytochemicals
- Are low in calories, yet high in fiber and water, making them perfect for weight loss
- Improve circulation and elimination to name a few.
By integrating grains and beans, we include:
- More fiber, which fills you up before you eat too many calories, slows sugar’s absorption in the blood stream and supports the ability to focus
- Essential amino acids, which are essential for body maintenance
- A range of anti-carcinogenic and cardioprotective substances that support graceful aging.
(Note: Foods closest to their whole form cause your stomach to work harder, thus increase metabolism.)
If you are eating an abundance of veggies, you are almost guaranteed to change your life for the better. So, if you find that National Veggie Day turns into a month, a year or even a National Veggie Life, congratulate yourself on having fulfilled your full potential for a well-nourished and health-filled life!
Karen Scanlon, founder of Intuit Nutrition, is certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP) as a Holistic Health Practitioner and a graduate and former teaching assistant of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition located in New York City. A graduated of the Tom Monte Healers’ Program, Karen advocates using traditional Chinese/Oriental diagnostic tools to identify the root causes of physical disorders and emotional distress. Karen has an Usui Reiki Mastership as well as Masters in Journalism from Temple University with over 20 years of editorial experience with various print and online publications.
It's National Vegetarian Awareness Month and many of our staff have pledged to go vegetarian for this week. It certainly helps when there are great, creative cooks on the team! Stacey Gillespie brought in this delicious dish to share today.
Karyn Robinson
Marlize Joubert