Day 49 - Are We Meant For Meat?

This is probably the most difficult post I will write in this series.  It's a rather controversial subject, and it may be difficult for some to read.  This will be my last post in this series, and it's the one where we re-introduce meat into the diet... Or, do we?

With more and more people becoming aware of how our food is grown and raised - particularly, our meat - the vegan movement seems to be on the rise.  A great many people are educating themselves about what goes into the animals we eat and how that can effect our bodies once we eat it.  Others learn of the horrors of "factory farms" and how cruelly some animals are treated, and they decide to follow a vegan diet for moral reasons.

The idea that humans were not meant to eat meat at all is not a new one.  Some people will come up with very good scientific evidence to support that claim.  

On the other hand, there are plenty of people who can offer good scientific evidence to support the other side of the argument - that humans absolutely were designed to eat animals.

This is a big reason why I'm such a fan of the blood type diet.  Being a Bible-believing Christian, I have certain ideas about the history of mankind, as well as what we were meant to eat.  I have a hard time with some of the science theory behind the diet, but it makes complete sense to me to think that some people were meant to thrive on meat, while others were meant to avoid it.  

This week, I am giving you the list of meats, poultry and fish that are considered safe for all blood types.  If you have strong feelings about meat (like I do), then you may want to look further into the blood type diet.  I can not say enough about how this diet changed my life.  I would recommend it for anyone.  If you haven't yet, I strongly encourage you to check out http://www.dadamo.com/.

One more thing about meat - a very wise person recently said, "You are what you eat ate." Please be very careful about your food sources - if you have adverse reactions to corn, you may have adverse reactions to meat that was raised on corn.  Always remember that you are consuming whatever your meat source consumed.  As always, listen to your body! 

MEATS & POULTRY

Ostrich

Turkey

FISH & SEAFOOD

Bullhead

Carp

Chub

Cod

Croaker

Cusk

Drum

Halfmoon fish

Mackerel

Mahimahi

Monkfish

Mullet

Orange roughy

Parrotfish

Perch

pickerel

Pike

Pompano

Porgy

Red snapper

Rosefish

Sailfish

Salmon

Sardine

Scrod

Shark

Smelt

Sturgeon

Sucker

Sunfish

Swordfish

Tilapia

Brook Trout

Tuna

Weakfish

Whitefish

Whiting

EGGS

Duck egg

Chicken egg

Day 42 - Milking It

Every so often, I am taken aback by something I find myself eating, and I have to stop and remind myself what exactly it is I stand for and what I am trying to do.

This happened to me this weekend, after a trip to my favorite health food store.

I have had some extra things going on in my life the past few weeks - a slight change in schedule, and it's added an extra inconvenience to my already complicated dietary issues.  To make life easier on myself, I've allowed myself to spend a little extra and indulge in my favorite treats as well as trying some new ones.

For lunch both Friday and Saturday, I fixed an extra big salad, with organic field greens and baby spinach, and I added salsa, turkey, and vegan cheddar shreds...

This is where it got a little weird...

I do sometimes use substitute non-dairy "cheeses".  I know these are not real food, and I don't eat them all the time.  But I know as well as you do that if you don't bend sometimes, you'll break eventually.  So, there I was, eating my lovely salad with cheese, and reading the back of the package like one would a cereal box over their morning coffee.  When I turned the package around, I noticed something I had missed earlier - the words "New Formula" were boldly printed on the front of the bag.

That really made me think!

Exactly what kind of food is described as a "formula"?!  

Yipes!  I didn't even want to spend time wondering how this was an improvement on the old "formula"!

This is where eating for your health can get tricky.  I know there are certain things that I simply can not eat, because those things really hurt me.  Those with food allergies or lactose or gluten intolerance will understand what I mean.  If you have spent 28 days on our very strict anti-candida diet, you may have noticed some adverse reactions to some of the foods we have re-introduced so far.  While it can help a great deal to avoid those things in the future, it is also wise to educate yourself about the available "substitutes".  Let's face it, vegan "cheese" isn't cheese, just like tofurkey and soy-based "meats" aren't meat at all.  Gluten-free processed junk food is still processed junk food.  And the healthiest foods have five or fewer ingredients - ingredients that can be pronounced and don't require a degree in science to recognize.

Beware of clever marketing.  Words like "vegan", "gluten-free", "natural flavors" are all used in labeling with the purpose of selling a product to health-conscious folks, who may be willing to spend a little more if they believe it is "good" for them.  We've already determined that fresh veggies are pretty affordable and make great meals, so don't get caught up in health-food fads that are making somebody a lot of money and not really helping your health at all.

I thought my fake "cheese" story would be good food for thought this week, as we introduce dairy products back into our candida + blood type diet.  I think grains is unsteady ground for many folks trying to improve their health through diet; milk is more like thin ice.  Between lactose, casein, and all of the "stuff" that gets added, it's no wonder so many people have so many different adverse reactions to milk and milk products.  Things to watch out for here include gastro-intestinal woes, skin problems like eczema, excess mucous and respiratory problems, to name just a few.  For me, personally, just the tiniest amount of cheese brings on debilitating congestion that starts within hours after eating the offending food and can take weeks to get over.  At the same time, their are certain dairy products I can eat with no problems, like butter and mozzarella cheese.  I don't know anything about the production of these foods, so I can not tell why some are safe for me and some are not.  

As you try adding dairy into your diet this week, pay close attention to your body and any messages it might be sending you.  As always, I am using http://www.dadamo.com/ as my source for the list...

DAIRY

Almond milk

Almond cheese

Rice milk

(The above may not be considered "dairy", 

but they are listed here as possible substitutes if you must avoid milk.)

Farmer cheese

Feta cheese

Ghee

Goat cheese

Mozzarella cheese

  

Day 35 - Are You Still With Me?

This past week, I have really been enjoying my salads for lunch every day.  I make a great big bowl of salad at the beginning of the week, and it lasts me all week long.   (I put a paper towel on top of the salad before covering, and change it when it gets damp - I think that helps a great deal!)  

I've also been enjoying apples, plums and pears, and  fruit juice (real juice, without added sugar).

I made dessert this week, and it stayed around for almost four days - this is a big deal for me, because in the past, I could make dessert and eat it all in the same day.  By dessert, I mean, a small cake or pan of brownies, or a dozen cupcakes.  I would easily eat the entire thing myself, in one day, and sometimes make more!

Sugar cravings are hard to beat, and they are hard to satisfy!  But, once you know what is causing the cravings, you can educate yourself and learn to tackle them!

I hope you decided to stick with the "plan" and pay close attention to your body's reaction to the vegetables and fruits added this past week.

For the coming week, I am adding grains, nuts, seeds, beans and legumes to the list.  I am only adding foods that are neutral or beneficial for all blood types, according to http://www.dadamo.com/.  If you haven't already, I strongly encourage you to check out the blood type diet.  It changed my life, and the reality is, eating real, healthy food is at the heart of it.

GRAINS

Essene bread (manna bread)

Ezekiel bread

Millet

Quinoa

Rice (white, or brown)

NUTS & SEEDS

Flax seed

Pecan

Walnut (English, or black)

BEANS & LEGUMES

Cannellini beans

Northern beans

White beans

When you consider the limited food list we've had over the past month, I realize this doesn't seem like a lot to add.  I would caution you to be very careful when buying foods that are marketed as "gluten free", because they are usually loaded with all kinds of other ingredients that act as gluten, and our bodies often can have a hard time telling the difference.  If you already know you have a gluten sensitivity, then your best bet is to avoid most grains.  If you have never noticed problems with gluten, then feel free to try other whole grains that are not listed here, and pay close attention to your body's reaction.  A good rule of thumb is the fewer ingredients, the safer the product.