|
MOVE OVER MEAT
By Dr. Velonda
Thompson
Health and Nutrition Editor
Tell Us Detroit
March is National Nutrition Month, spring has sprung and
we are in the midst of the Lenten season. What better
way to support the national campaign for better daily
nutrition than giving up meat for Lent while
contributing to a longer life. Albert Einstein once said
“Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances
for survival of life on earth as much as the evolution
to a vegetarian diet.”
Research continues to support adopting a plant-based
diet. The longest and largest study on diet and disease,
conducted by Dr. T Colin Campbell, PhD of Cornell
University resulted in the book entitled “The China
Study”, which shows diet-related conditions such as
obesity, cancer, heart disease and diabetes can be
reversed and/or avoided if plant-based diets are
adopted. Many of us feel a meal is not a meal without
some meat. Do you know how long it takes your body to
break down beef and remove from your body all the toxic
by-product?
A question of protein
 While
protein is the stuff that muscles are made of (see
Protein Power below), human protein needs are less than
5% of daily calories, according to the World Health
Organization. If you eat a variety of foods throughout
the day, getting the protein you need from plants is
easy. Animal-based foods including dairy foods are what
most folks envision when they think of protein, however,
plant-based foods can also provide plenty of protein
(See Protein Powerhouses below).
Protein Power
Protein does a lot in our bodies:
●
Builds hair & nails
●
Fights infection
●
Regulates hormones and enzymes
●
Repairs bones and muscles
●
Aids in weight loss by minimizing muscle loss
●
Too much can make you dehydrated and strain your kidneys
●
Too little can make you tire, weak and irritable
According to official government guidelines, the best
diet plan contains only moderate amounts of protein. The
FDA provided United States Recommended Daily Allowances
(USRDA) suggest 50 grams or less of protein daily based
on age and average weight.
Protein Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA)
Infants Up to 12 months - 13-14 grams
Children 1-3 yrs old - 16 grams
4-6 yrs old - 24 grams
9-10 yrs old - 28 grams
Males 11-14 yrs - 45 grams
15-18 yrs - 59 grams
19-24 yrs - 58 grams
25 & older - 63 grams
Females - 11-14 yrs 46 grams
15-18 yrs - 44 grams
19-24 yrs - 46 grams
25 & older - 50 grams
 It’s
not easy to switch from the common diet of animal
protein, high cholesterol and saturated fat. A great way
to find out and learn how to revamp your diet is to
attend the Great American Meatout. The 24rd annual Great
American Meatout takes place in all 50 states and 20
countries. Locally the event is organized by VegMichigan,
a non-profit organization whose primary mission is to
educate the public on the benefits of shifting to a
plant-based lifestyle. Learn how to eat to thrive and
stay alive longer at the Great American Meatout hosted
by Ferndale High School 881 Pinecrest 12 noon – 5pm
Sunday, April 13th .For more information on this event
visit
www.VegMichigan.org or call VegMichigan at
877-778-3464
Ms. Thompson has completed doctoral studies in the field
of nutrition and health promotion. As a nutritionist,
Dr. Thompson is the author of an educational cookbook
entitled “Pass the Sweet Potatoes, Please!”
Dr. Thompson has also spent numerous years in the
non-profit sector facilitating physical fitness,
nutrition education and health promotion activities for
youth 6 years of age and older. For more
information visit the website:
www.drvelonda.com
|
