Diet Wonderland

Ahhh...Diet Wonderland.  Diet Wonderland is my tongue-in-cheek name for the confusing array of diet labels and types that we all face in the modern world.

Omnivores? [Persons who eat foods of both animal and plant origin]

Pescatarians? [Persons who eat fish along with foods of plant origin but who do not eat meat.]

Vegetarians? [Persons who exclude meat, poultry and fish and consume foods of primarily plant origin with the addition of some animal derived products, i.e., dairy products.]

Vegans? [Persons who eat foods of plant origin only.]

The Mediterranean Diet? [A modified omnivore diet that is characterized by large amounts of plant foods and olive oil along with moderate amounts of animal protein.]

The Paleo Diet?  [A modified omnivore diet based on a theory of the diet of early humans which relies upon meat, fish vegetables and fruit, and which excludes dairy, grain products and processed foods.]

HELP!!!!!

I can safely say that I've read up on hundreds of diets, both "fad" and scientifically studied over the course of my adult life, both for professional and personal reasons.  I was raised as a typical American middle class omnivore, so I've eaten my share of processed food and "junk" in my day (Ding Dongs and soda, anyone?).

As I mentioned in a previous post, my stable weight and slim waist took a hit as I grew older, had children and got, well, a bit lazier.

I've flirted with the Paleo diet, the Mediterranean Diet, pescaterianism, vegetarianism and finally settled on a vegan diet.

Why Vegan?!?

There are a variety of reason for my choice to live vegan.  I'll list them for you here.  

-  Hard, peer reviewed scientific evidence that a balanced vegan diet is optimal for human health and longevity.

-  Personal and anecdotal evidence that a vegan diet is the most conducive to an esthetically pleasing (slender, smooth skinned, strong nailed and lustrous haired) body.

-  The desire to enjoy cruelty free food and to maintain an environmentally conscious carbon footprint.

I'll tackle these three points in detail in the next three upcoming posts.

Love and light,

MDVegan