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Tag: whole food plant-based lifestyle

Navigating Nutrition: Is Fish Still a Healthy Choice?

Posted on by venadmin

As you know by now, the Flourish philosophy focuses on the incredible power of plants. Because of this, we get asked continually: “Why shouldn’t we eat fish? Surely it’s okay?”

Fair warning before you continue reading: once you know this information, it is hard to look at your dinner plate the same way! Let’s get into the modern realities of consuming seafood.

Problem #1: The Reality of Fish Farming

Many moons ago, the fish we consumed were caught in our clean, wild oceans. Today, a vast amount of the fish presented to us in supermarkets is farmed.

Wild, ocean-caught oily fish are famous for being a rich source of anti-inflammatory Omega-3 fatty acids. However, farmed fish are predominantly fed a diet based around grain pellets. This shift in diet means the fish develop a higher ratio of Omega-6 fatty acids. While we need both, a diet too high in Omega-6 can promote the body’s natural inflammatory response, which is the exact opposite of what we want to achieve!

Problem #2: Environmental Pollutants in Our Oceans

Even when you seek out wild-caught fish, our modern oceans are facing massive environmental challenges. When plastic waste finds its way into our waterways, it slowly breaks down into microscopic particles.

Research has shown that microplastics and nanoplastics are now frequently found within the muscular structure of ocean-caught fish. When we consume the fish, we inadvertently ingest these particles. Emerging science suggests that microplastics may act as endocrine disruptors, which can place extra stress on our thyroid, metabolic rate, and natural hormonal balance.

Problem #3: The Gut Microbiome and TMAO

Our gut microbiome consists of different families of microbes—some thrive on plants, and others thrive on animal products. The microbes we know best support our long-term vitality are the plant-loving ones.

When we consume animal proteins like fish, it can promote an increase in the types of microbes that produce a compound called TMA (trimethylamine). This is transported to the liver and converted into TMAO (trimethylamine N-oxide). High levels of TMAO have been heavily studied by cardiologists and are linked to promoting cholesterol buildup in the arteries.

Problem #4: It is Still Animal Protein

To put it succinctly, fish is still animal meat. While the nutritional profile looks slightly different from red meat, it is still a dense animal protein that requires significant digestive effort from your body. Compare this to eating vibrant vegetables, which are phytonutrient-rich and naturally gentle on your digestive tract.

So, What is the Verdict?

What if you don’t want to be 100% plant-based? Which animal product is the best to choose on occasion?

Despite the challenges listed above, our answer is still… Fish! If you choose to incorporate animal protein into your lifestyle, high-quality, wild-caught fish remains one of the cleaner options available. We simply recommend treating it as a rare delicacy. Enjoy small amounts of wild, ocean-caught oily fish (like sardines or mackerel) just one to two times per month to give your body the best of both worlds!

 This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always read the label and follow the directions for use. Consult with your healthcare professional before starting any new nutritional protocol.

Vegan Vs. Whole Food Plant-Based: What’s the Difference?

Posted on by Tim Ashton

2019 is being touted as the year of veganism – but what is a vegan diet? Our products – which include a beetroot powder supplement, a turmeric blend, and a prebiotic blend – are all both vegan and whole-food, plant-based lifestyle friendly. In this article, we’ll take a look at what makes the two lifestyles different.

Veganism

According to  Wikipedia, veganism “is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products, particularly in diet, and is accompanied by an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals”. A true vegan diet really just means that no animal products are consumed.

Whole-Food, Plant-Based

On the other hand, a whole-food, plant-based diet concentrates more on ensuring that the food you consume is from a “whole” source. In other words, the food you consume is unprocessed or minimally processed. Foods such as refined oils, refined sugars and refined flours are kept to a minimum or not consumed at all.

An example of this is olive oil. Those people following a whole-food, plant-based lifestyle are able to eat olives, however, olive oil – which is highly processed –  is not considered whole and therefore would not be consumed. A whole-food, plant-based diet is made up mostly of whole grains, vegetables, legumes,  beans, nuts and seeds.

The Difference

The word ‘diet’ is not accurate when describing veganism or whole-food, plant-based. While it describes the way a person eats, neither are calorie-restricted.  A better way to describe them would be ‘vegan lifestyle’ or a ‘whole-food, plant-based lifestyle.’ Both usually have a guiding philosophy, and what motivates the two lifestyles can differ significantly. Those inspired to go towards a ‘vegan lifestyle’ usually do so for ethical reasons. They are either driven by the philosophy of stopping cruelty towards animals or wanting a more sustainable environment. Those inspired towards a whole-food, plant-based lifestyle do so more for health reasons. They are looking to prevent or improve a chronic illness.

A simple way of looking at this is by considering the humble Oreo. By some miracle of food science, the Oreo is vegan, and those following a vegan lifestyle are able to consume as many as they like. Those choosing a whole-food, plant-based lifestyle, however, would avoid them and view them as too highly processed, calorie-rich and nutrient-poor, with way too many ingredients, offering no real health benefits. Basically, that is the difference.

We at Flourish promote a whole-food, plant-based, refined oil-free lifestyle because we know and understand that to recover or improve from any health crisis, it is one of the most effective ways to achieve desired results. Our whole food supplements are suitable for both vegan and whole-food, plant-based lifestyles.

The #1 Diet Tip That Will Change Your Life

Posted on by Tim Ashton

If I could make a single dietary recommendation to people looking to improve their health, it would be to adopt a plant-based diet.

Eating plants has been the best change I’ve made in my diet — plants have made me healthier, stronger, more energetic — and have increased my life expectancy. Of course, the diet itself is simple, but moving away from the standard Aussie diet to a plant-based one can be challenging for  isn’t always so simple for most people.

Changing your diet can be difficult, but in this blog, I’ll share a bit about how to change, talk a bit about why, and what you might eat.

What’s a Plant-Based Diet? 

The simple answer, of course, is that you eat plants. You eliminate animals and (eventually) animal products like dairy and eggs.

The less simple answer is there is an abundance of plant foods that most people never eat, and eating a plant-based diet means you might widen the variety of foods you eat. For example, some of my favourite foods include: Buckwheat as a porridge in the morning, or in place of rice in a salad or savoury dish, Quinoa, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, and basically any vegetable I come across.

Why Should You Change to Natural detox?

Changing to a plant-based diet will help you lose weight and reduce your BMI, improve your heart health, stay healthier as you age, improve blood pressure, reverse diabetes, or any other health-related issue.

How to Change

I recommend that if you want to make the change, start small and change slowly. A good plan is to make the change in stages:

Slowly cut out meat. You might try starting with ‘Meatless Mondays’ and then, over time, expanding to other days of the week. Another common idea is to start by cutting out red meat, and then poultry, then seafood, in gradual stages over a few months. There is no rush — do it at the pace that feels right for you. Another important point is that, as you eliminate meat replace with starches and legumes, they will give you all the nutrition you need. Try new foods and explore different products as you make these changes.

Eliminate eggs. After you cut out red meat and poultry, you’ll be pescatarian (seafood). When you eliminate seafood, you’re vegetarian! If you’re eating eggs and dairy, that’s called a “lacto-ovo” vegetarian. You can then eliminate eggs.

Cut out dairy. This tends to be harder for most people. Not because of milk but because of cheese. I hear a lot of people say, “I can’t give up my cheese!” — and I empathise, as this was a sticking point for me too. Try focusing on the things you can eat, rather than the things you can’t.

What to Eat

So, what do you eat when you’re on a plant-based diet that focuses on whole foods? Lots!

A few categories of foods to include regularly:

Beans and other protein. This means the regular kinds of beans, like lentils, black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans, etc. But it can also mean soybeans, tofu and tempeh.

Nuts and seeds. My favourites include raw almonds and walnuts, along with ground flaxseeds and chia seeds, and hemp seed protein powder. Almond milk is also good. And quinoa — it’s like a grain, but really a seed, and full of nutrition.

Good fats. Not all fats aren’t bad for you — you should just avoid processed fats and oils.    Plants with high amounts of good fats include avocados, nuts and seeds.  However, all plant foods contain some sort of fat in them even lettuce and celery.  Minute amounts but even so, they do contain some.  So you will be getting all the fats you need.

Greens. This is one of the most important and nutritious groups of all. Dark, leafy green veggies are awesome and full of calcium, iron and a ton of vitamins. They also have very few calories, meaning they pack a ton of nutrition in a small caloric package.

Other fruits and veggies. Get a variety — I love berries of all kinds, figs, apples, citrus fruits, peaches, mangoes, bananas, pears, bell peppers, garlic, beets, celery, cauliflower … I could go on all day!  Make sure your plate looks like a rainbow, with many different colours.

Good starches. Starches are king, in a plant-based regime. They offer loads of good nutrients and fill you up.   Sweet potatoes, white and red potatoes, squash, brown rice, sprouted whole wheat, steel-cut oats, among others.

OK, so… are you feeling overwhelmed by all of this? How do you put it together? It’s not that hard once you get used to it. If you’d like help to get started, contact me today.

You might also be interested in “The Flourish Philosophy: Go With Your Gut“.