This is in response to your post on the Lifestyle Power blog. My diet is low-fat (I rarely consume nuts and seeds, if I do their in a dressing or smoothie). My favorite are chia seeds. I like to make a gel out of them and put in smoothies. Better than flax, and full of omega-3s. The one thing I don't get about Dr. Furhman's diet is why starches are so bad. I understand why refined starches are: white rice, white flour, ect. But what about brown rice, tubers, quinoa, millet, wild rice, ect.? I think it's rather unrealistic to have the foundation of your diet be vegetables. They are simply to low in calories to provide you with adequate energy intake. I believe a nutrient-dense diet is important but I think too many people will do the Dr. Furhman diet and end up consuming to much in fat via the seeds and nuts and possibly too much protein through the beans. I'm a bit biased I supposed, because I just could not eat that amount of fruit and beans to fill me up (because this is where the majority of your calories are coming from). Don't get me wrong though, I love fruit and beans. Just not as the primary source of my caloric intake. I view them as rather side dishes, to my diet. I usually have a green smoothie once a day, and try to juice nearly every day as well. So again, I believe in these foods, but I also believe that starches have a role too. And they don't make you fat. As Dr. McDougall says, the fat you eat is the fat you wear. Hope this answers your quesion. I enjoy your blog, btw.
I agree with you to some extent. I'm learning that I need a few more grains and starchy vegetables in my diet. I think part of the problem with the Fuhrman plan is interpretation. His plan in Eat to Live is for people trying to lose weight and regain their health. Once you lose weight and regain your health, then you need more calories. I'm finding that adding more nuts/seeds and beans is not the solution. That is what has taken me a while to figure out. Both of those are hard for me to digest. I prefer only about 1/2 cup of beans a day and 2 oz of nuts/seeds. I do think Fuhrman is right that a small amount of nuts and seeds is very beneficial. I tried to cut them out a few years ago (following Esselstyn's plan) and got a return of my irregular heartbeat. I asked Fuhrman for advice and he told me to eat nuts (brazil, walnuts) and seeds (sesame, sunflower), and that solved my problem and made me a believer. So I find I do really well with 1-2 oz of nuts and seeds a day. I also really enjoy centering my diet on vegetables. But I am 49 years old and weight 120 lbs and just don't need as much calories as a younger and heavier person. So I think I am fine with mostly vegetables, some grains and starchy vegetables, and then smaller amounts of beans and nuts and seeds. I also find I feel better when I don't eat flour, even whole grains. But that is just me. I agree with you completely that brown rice, tubers, quinoa, millet, and wild rice are all good, and I plan to eat more of them.
Good to hear from you. By the way, I assume from your blog that you are Mormon. I get the impression that mormons are more health conscious than average. Is that true? I've heard that some mormons fast 1 day a month. Is that common?
I agree with Barb that interpretation might be an issue. Dr. Fuhrman does include oatmeal and sweet potatoes in some of his meal plans. He said once that he eats oatmeal when traveling. He isn't a big fan of white potatoes and white rice. His own nutrition rating scale gives high scores to sweet potatoes and oatmeal. I find that centering the eating style around vegetables, fruits and beans works well, but I add starches most every day, even if some of them are less nutritious than if I substituted green vegetables. I need variety in my diet, and I find starches are easier to get in restaurants. In other words, I try to eat healthfully, but not to be too rigid. As it turns out, on many days I have two meals centered around salad/soup like meals and one centered around the healthiest starches I can find.
One of the other issues is accommodating to family. My wife is good about cooking meals that support my eating style, even though she does not eat that way. She like to cook pasta and potato dishes for herself, so I eat those often for dinner. Sometimes the real world interferes with the best laid plans.
3 comments:
Barb,
This is in response to your post on the Lifestyle Power blog. My diet is low-fat (I rarely consume nuts and seeds, if I do their in a dressing or smoothie). My favorite are chia seeds. I like to make a gel out of them and put in smoothies. Better than flax, and full of omega-3s. The one thing I don't get about Dr. Furhman's diet is why starches are so bad. I understand why refined starches are: white rice, white flour, ect. But what about brown rice, tubers, quinoa, millet, wild rice, ect.? I think it's rather unrealistic to have the foundation of your diet be vegetables. They are simply to low in calories to provide you with adequate energy intake. I believe a nutrient-dense diet is important but I think too many people will do the Dr. Furhman diet and end up consuming to much in fat via the seeds and nuts and possibly too much protein through the beans. I'm a bit biased I supposed, because I just could not eat that amount of fruit and beans to fill me up (because this is where the majority of your calories are coming from). Don't get me wrong though, I love fruit and beans. Just not as the primary source of my caloric intake. I view them as rather side dishes, to my diet. I usually have a green smoothie once a day, and try to juice nearly every day as well. So again, I believe in these foods, but I also believe that starches have a role too. And they don't make you fat. As Dr. McDougall says, the fat you eat is the fat you wear. Hope this answers your quesion. I enjoy your blog, btw.
Hi Vegan Mothering,
I agree with you to some extent. I'm learning that I need a few more grains and starchy vegetables in my diet. I think part of the problem with the Fuhrman plan is interpretation. His plan in Eat to Live is for people trying to lose weight and regain their health. Once you lose weight and regain your health, then you need more calories. I'm finding that adding more nuts/seeds and beans is not the solution. That is what has taken me a while to figure out. Both of those are hard for me to digest. I prefer only about 1/2 cup of beans a day and 2 oz of nuts/seeds. I do think Fuhrman is right that a small amount of nuts and seeds is very beneficial. I tried to cut them out a few years ago (following Esselstyn's plan) and got a return of my irregular heartbeat. I asked Fuhrman for advice and he told me to eat nuts (brazil, walnuts) and seeds (sesame, sunflower), and that solved my problem and made me a believer. So I find I do really well with 1-2 oz of nuts and seeds a day. I also really enjoy centering my diet on vegetables. But I am 49 years old and weight 120 lbs and just don't need as much calories as a younger and heavier person. So I think I am fine with mostly vegetables, some grains and starchy vegetables, and then smaller amounts of beans and nuts and seeds. I also find I feel better when I don't eat flour, even whole grains. But that is just me. I agree with you completely that brown rice, tubers, quinoa, millet, and wild rice are all good, and I plan to eat more of them.
Good to hear from you. By the way, I assume from your blog that you are Mormon. I get the impression that mormons are more health conscious than average. Is that true? I've heard that some mormons fast 1 day a month. Is that common?
-barb
I agree with Barb that interpretation might be an issue. Dr. Fuhrman does include oatmeal and sweet potatoes in some of his meal plans. He said once that he eats oatmeal when traveling. He isn't a big fan of white potatoes and white rice. His own nutrition rating scale gives high scores to sweet potatoes and oatmeal. I find that centering the eating style around vegetables, fruits and beans works well, but I add starches most every day, even if some of them are less nutritious than if I substituted green vegetables. I need variety in my diet, and I find starches are easier to get in restaurants. In other words, I try to eat healthfully, but not to be too rigid. As it turns out, on many days I have two meals centered around salad/soup like meals and one centered around the healthiest starches I can find.
One of the other issues is accommodating to family. My wife is good about cooking meals that support my eating style, even though she does not eat that way. She like to cook pasta and potato dishes for herself, so I eat those often for dinner. Sometimes the real world interferes with the best laid plans.
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