Sunday, May 2, 2010

Weight a Minute Monday! The Veggie Life

In our Weight a Minute Mondays series, we are exploring wellness, fitness and healthier lifestyles! In previous posts we have covered all the basics...what to eat, what not to eat and a few fitness tips. So to add some variety, we want to explore some alternative & non-traditional lifestyle options!

Lets talk veggies! Recently I've noticed more and more vegetarian & vegan options on restaurant menus and in the grocery store aisles, an increased presence of these same options. I wondered, why is the vegetarian lifestyle growing in popularity and what is a vegan, exactly. So, I asked a friend and did a little research and found that there are some unique benefits to The Veggie Life! Simply put, Vegetarians do not eat meat, but some do eat fish. Vegans omit ALL animal products from their diet. This includes dairy too. (So no milk, cheese, butter and etc.) Below are some of the benefits associated with limiting or omitting meat intake.



- Lowers your risk of lung & colorectal cancers (Vegetarian & Vegan diets typically are higher in fiber and fiber is suggested to prevent these types of cancers.)

- Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes (Fiber can aid in managing insulin efficiently.)

- Healthy Skin (High water intake and plant foods are rich in antioxidants and vitamins, this contribute to great skin.)

- Food has less chemicals (Meat products are exposed and treated with chemicals during processing & packaging, including preservative used to delay decomposition for mass distribution.)

- Hormone Free Eating (Hormones and toxins in the food we eat are suspected to contribute to a number of problems and ailments, including cancer. Also, theorist believe hormones and preservatives prevent our bodies from functioning they way the are suppose to.)
- Increased Energy ( Vegetables are a great source of vitamins and minerals that keep you energized.)

- Lower Blood Pressure and improved digestion.
My friend, Christa first became Vegetarian and later, a Vegan. "I love being a Vegan. Consuming more vegetables, fruit, beans and whole grain has made a wonderful impact on my body and how I feel. I am lighter on my feet and not so weighed down after a meal. I have not had any health concerns at all in the past nine years nor a doctor tell me that I am missing anything. I listen very closely to my body and pay attention to its signals, which I recommend for everybody." Christa will be sharing more of her personal journey and a vegan recipe in next Mondays, Weight a Minute Monday! So check in next week!

Quin, Co-Founder
Spicy Wifey

Content of this post does not necessarily reflect the views of Spicy Wifey LLC. Spicy Wifey LLC does not guarantee that content is accurate or factual. Please read responsibly.

4 comments:

CaSaundra said...

I love this post on eating more veggies. I personally have a motto I live by which is "More Bites for Life" I use this to try to reach my personal goal of eating 8 fruits and veggies per day. I try to encompass at least two servings of fruit and veggies for breakfast. I do something like throw in a hand full of blueberries into a bowl of steel cut oatmeal. I drink a 1/2 of fresh squeezed juice. I add tomatos or veggies I have on hand into an omelette. For lunch meal is I often do a vegetarian meal. I do vegetable spaghetti with whole wheat noodles, squash zucchini and peppers w/ a side salad. And of course for dinner I try to always have a salad and encompass at least two veggies. When eating I try to eat my "living food first" so that I make sure I eat all of my veggies. I hope this helps!

Anonymous said...

I cant wait to see nexts week post about the girls journey. I have thought about being a vegetarian after seeing films like "Food Inc" and have been afraid and I am afraid to continue to eat meat too though.

Great post Spicy Wifey!

Spicy Wifey said...

Thanks ladies for your comments!

CaSaundra, thank you sharing your tips! Veggies are so good for us and our bodies. Instead of attempting to sneak in vital nutrients in vitamins or engery drinks... its best to just eat your veggies. Your Mom has been telling you since you were a kid, right! Sounds like you have been successful at making veggies a part of your lifestyle! Kudos to you!

Spicy Wifey said...

Oh and for the anonymous poster...be sure to read the Weight a Minute post monday, because my friend Christa be be sharing in detail her personal journey and will address some of your questions.

Quin, Co-Founder