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Tag: whole food plant-based lifestyle

Can I still eat Fish?

Posted on by venadmin

As you know by now The Flourish Way of eating does not include fish, and we get asked continually, why we can’t eat fish, surely its ok?

So warning, before you continue reading, once you know you can’t unknow, so let’s get into it : )

Many moons ago fish were caught in our clean oceans, but this is not the case in 2022. Most of the fish presented for us to buy and consume is farmed.  So, this is where the first problem lies.

Problem #1:

Farmed fish are fed a diet that is predominately based around grain pellets, and is therefore Omega 6, turning our once wonderful source of Omega 3 essential fatty acids, which are anti-inflammatory, into a pro-inflammatory food source in the way of Omega 6.   All disease processes are inflammation driven, so this is not what you want.

If you are going to consume fish, you need to find a trustworthy source of ocean caught oily fish such as mackerel, sardines, salmon.

Problem #2:

Our ocean caught fish are still not pure.  Our once beautiful pristine oceans are being polluted by plastics.  When plastic waste finds its way to our waterways and oceans, it slowly breakdown into small plastics molecules which our fish end up consuming.

Micro and nano plastics are found in all our ocean caught fish.  Research has shown that no matter where the fish was caught, it will contain micro plastics in its muscular structure, and it is the muscle of the fish that we eat. Hence, when we then consume the fish, we are ingesting micro plastics.  These micro plastics are endocrine disruptors, causing thyroid issues, weight gain, horrible menopause symptoms and gut issues.

Problem #3:

Our gut microbiome consists of two sorts, those that love plants and those that love meat and animal products, and the ones we know support our health are the plant loving ones.  If we eat fish, we promote an increase in the wrong sort of microbes.  The problem with that is these microbes love to make TMA (trimethylamine).  TMA is then transported to the liver where it is converted into TMAO (trimethylamine oxide).  What TMAO then does, is promotes cholesterol into our arteries, making them blocked, hard and stiff.  This is the beginning of cardiovascular/heart disease.

I know right, you have heard that eating fish helps prevent heart disease, but honestly maybe not these days.

Problem #4:

I will make this the last one, it’s already scary enough, right.

To put it succinctly, fish is still animal meat.  It just looks different, but it is still essentially the same, and it still digests and ferments in your gut causing byproducts that are very taxing on our bodies. Compare this to eating vegetables, which are phytonutrient rich and healing on the body.

Ok, but you don’t want to be 100% plant-based! Is that what I hear you saying to me?

What can I do, which animal product is best to eat?

The answer, despite the above, is …… Fish!

Eat fish, small amounts, ocean caught, one to two times per month only.

 

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“.