One Step At a Time...
You Can Go Meatless
For All Three Meals
Recently a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that people who consumed a mostly plant-based Mediterranean diet were generally healthy and lived longer. (They did eat small amounts of white meat and fish).
The results of the study were striking: People eating the Mediterranean diet had a 30 percent lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease (heart attack or stroke) than the group not eating a Mediterranean diet. The results were so dramatic that the study was stopped because of ethical reasons. (The study authors could no longer let the people who were not eating the Mediterranean diet continue to eat the way that they were eating). While not completely a vegetarian diet, the study showed how powerful a primarily plant-based diet can be.
Besides being good for your health, following a plant-based diet is also good for the earth. The environmental reasons for turning to a more plant-based diet are highlighted below:
- Carbon Footprint: Livestock farming produces a huge amount of greenhouse gases. Estimates are that livestock (from birth to death) produce around 20 percent of all greenhouse emissions. That is more greenhouse gases than cars, planes, and other transports combined.
- Water: Livestock use a lot of water. It takes an average of 2,500 gallons of water to produce a single pound of meat–almost half of all water consumed goes to livestock. In contrast, it takes only 25 gallons of water to produce one pound of wheat.
- Deforestation: Clearing land for livestock accounts for around 60-70 percent of all Amazon deforestation.
- Oceans: The oceans are impacted two ways by our meat-based diets. The first is from runoff. The manure and urine from feedlots are collected in lagoons that often leak or overflow when it rains. This leads to high amounts of nitrogen, nitrates, and phosphorus ending up in rivers and eventually the oceans. The second is that many of the world’s fish ecosystems are so overfished that they can no longer be fished.
- Land: It is estimated that a family who is vegetarian needs around one acre of land to produce the food that it needs. The average American (who consumes around 270 pounds of meat a year) needs around 20 acres. Livestock consume the majority of our plant crops, rather than us consuming the plants. In fact, it takes 20 pounds of soybeans to make one pound of meat.
Now, you don’t have to become a full vegetarian–but it is strongly recommend that we ALL eat less meat and more plants. Building your meals around fruits, vegetables, legumes, and grains is one of the best ways you can help your health and help preserve the environment. Drink a soy protein-based shake for breakfast instead of bacon and eggs. Try a tofu and broccoli stir fry instead of chicken piccata. You’ll be healthier and our planet can be too.
Healthy Meatless Recipe:
Grilled Beet Burgers
( Adapted from Green Kitchen Stories )
Ingredients:
3 cups grated raw beets (approx. 4-5 beets)
1 1/2 cups rolled oats or flakes of your choice
1 small onion
7 oz feta cheese or firm tofu
2 cloves garlic
2 tbsp cold-pressed olive oil
2 organic eggs
1 handful fresh basil
Salt/pepper
Toppings: lettuce or cabbage mango, avocado, tomatoes, onions
Directions:
- Peel and grate beets, onion and garlic on a box grater or use a food processor with the grating blades attached.
- Place the grated vegetables in a large mixing bowl. Add olive oil, eggs and rolled oats and mix everything well.
- Add the feta cheese or tofu, basil, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Set aside for about 30 minutes, so the oats can soak up the liquid and the mixture sets (this step is important for the patties to hold together).
- Try shaping a patty with your hands. If the mixture is to loose, add some more oats. Form 6-8 patties with your hands.
- Grill the beet burgers a couple of minutes on each side – or fry them in a frying pan by heating a tablespoon of coconut oil or EVO and fry until golden on both sides.
- Serve with grilled sourdough bread and toppings of your choice.
- Makes 6-8 burgers , depending on their size.
Enjoy and Bon Appetit!
Healthy Weekly Motivator
Embrace Change
Have you ever made the statement: “I don’t know why I keep doing that” or “I don’t know why I can’t get myself to work on that”? Too often we scurry through our hectic days without a real understanding of why we do the things we do, or don’t do the things we know we should do. Having an understanding of who you are, what you want and why you want it, can enable and empower you to make your wants a reality. Awareness is the first step in being able to make a change. As self awareness grows, you will have a better understanding of why you feel what you feel, and why you behave the way that you do. Next time you catch yourself saying “I don’t know why I can’t get myself to do that,” take a minute to stop and really think about what is stopping you.
Change is hard. Attempting change individually, without support, can be even harder. “Living without a net” is for trapeze artists. You, me, and everyone reading this needs a “net.” A friend, spouse, or support group can give you the outlet you need to celebrate a victory or help pick you up when you’ve had a bad day and just need a place to turn.
Remember Green Goes With Everything
Why You Should Avoid Antibacterial Hand Soap
America is the midst of a serious antibacterial craze. From soap and toothpaste to playing cards and kitchenware, it’s a challenge to find a product that isn’t currently available in an antibacterial version. The majority of these products rely on an antibacterial agent called triclosan to make them hyper-hygienic.
Though it may seem wise to abolish germs at every turn, according to experts, surrounding your family with antibacterial everything is not actually a good idea. For one thing, living in an ultra-sanitized environment may ironically be quite unhealthy. A theory called the Hygiene Hypothesis says that when our bodies cease encountering a lot of bacteria and viruses in daily life, our immune systems stop getting the workout they need to stay in proper shape. When that happens, we face an increased risk of allergies, asthma, and other illnesses.
There’s also the issue of triclosan itself. Exposure to this synthetic pesticide, which is currently found in the urine of 75% of all people tested, has been linked to cancer, hormone disruption, liver damage, and other health problems. Triclosan is also a serious pollutant that breaks down in the environment into extremely toxic chemicals including a form of dioxin and carcinogenic chloroform. And there’s evidence it may be contributing to the creation of new antibiotic-resistant “super germs.”
Clearly triclosan is not a pesticide we want in our homes or in our bodies. It’s also not one anyone needs in order to practice good hygiene. Studies have shown that simple handwashing with ordinary soap is just as effective at removing bacteria as using an antibacterial soap. Many groups, including the American Medical Association and Physicians for Social Responsibility, have come out against the use of triclosan.
How to keep triclosan out of your home
To keep triclosan out of your home, avoid the use of anything labeled antibacterial. Read claims on everything from socks to personal care products to toddler training potties to cleaning products. Skip any that contain triclosan or claim that they are antibacterial or odor fighting. Contact LQ Wellness for safe, green alternatives for hand soap.
Still concerned about germs?
Wash your hands frequently and properly.
After soaping up with warm water, rub enthusiastically for 20 seconds, paying attention to fingernails, wrists, and spaces between fingers.
Got kids? Teach them to do the same. That will keep them healthier at school, day care, and other places where germs congregate. One study found that frequent handwashing results in 45% fewer cases of respiratory ailments, no pesticide needed.
Have a great week and remember a better tomorrow starts with what you eat today!
Do you have a favorite meatless recipe you would like to share with us? Send it my way!
Wishing you health and wellness from the inside out,
Lisa
LQ WELLNESS
Professional Wellness Coach
973-383-0955
lisaquinnwc@embarqmail.com
Make sure to follow me on Twitter @lq_wellness
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“The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance.”
~Nathaniel Branden~
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