Notes on diet and nutrition....

So...I've been really enjoying preparing from scratch meals and learning about nutrition. The Whole30 was the first time I was consciously putting together meals that I felt were nourishing —presented in a way that was easy to continue. But... there's always a catch.

All of it was loosely based on a paleo or protein centric diet. The meats we've been eating are sustainably farmed, but they are still meat. And a lot of it. I dig the increase in produce, but the protein spike, while great for short term weight loss, worries me.

I'm learning a lot. Here are the holes I've found in various diets:

Vegan:

• Pros | plant based diets are better for your health and more sustainable for the environment
• Cons | many of these diets are too reliant on processed soy, bean or grain products which reak havoc in the gut and hormones

Paleo:

• Pros | protein centric diets help maintain weight and iterations of paleo/primal blueprints encourage making fresh unprocessed food
• Cons | paleo baking is too reliant on nut flours and nuts in that quantity are as dangerous as dairy or sugar/processed grains with their high Omega 6 content
• Cons | many who follow the diet eat more than avg portions of meat which is bad for the environment and not sustainable

According to current research coming out of the Univ of Washington, if the entire U.S. beef industry was converted to grass-finished beef based on our current rate of consumption, we would need an additional 131 million acres of land, and 468 billion gals. of water to produce 26.1 billion lbs. of beef, which would generate an additional 135 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions. Think of the extra resources that such a production scheme would entail to feed the estimated 9 billion people projected as the world population for the year 2050. Paleo moms aren't getting that their footprint is a growing factor in world hunger. Researchers who are pro-meat suggest improving farming conditions, while pro-veg researches who abstain forget grains are produced in a similar way with contaminated seeds and soil. At the crux of this, is a need for balance. A few meals a week of vegetable protein, if minimally processed, will not harm our tummies and could be beneficial to both the environment and community. Lessening our portions and growing food is also a way to give back. 

Flexitarian:

• Pros | encourages balance of all the food groups 
• Cons | doesn't stress enough the harm of sugars and processed foods/awareness of inflammatory foods like quinoa or beans

My ultimate goal is to find out what food does and how it heals. So far, an anti-inflammation diet rich in fish, eggs, veggies, healthy fats, fruits and limited seeds/nuts seems like the best choice. Whole soy products and red meat in moderation; Ancient or sprouted grains, fermented dairy and pre-soaked beans that are easier to digest seem to be better all around. 

I'd like to take the best from all of them. The increased fresh food prep and meal designs of the Whole 30, the emphasis on veg/fruits from vegetarianism and the balance of the Flexitarian with the awareness of processed foods, sugars and gut health.