Tag: nutrition

Overcoming Challenges in Plant-Based Eating

 “Plants are infinite – this diet isn’t limiting and there’s so much more to explore! That’s what excites me about it most.” Denai Moore on the Simply Vegan Podcast

When I made the switch to plant-based eating, I jumped in with open eyes and hope for better health. I didn’t realize how many roadblocks I’d hit along the way. Essentially, I went from not eating any plants to eating nothing but plants. How could I go wrong you ask? While there was no doubt I was eating far healthier foods, there were many things I didn’t know anything about. This week, I’d like to share a few of the roadblocks I faced and what I learned along the way.

Benefits of Plant-Based Eating

A plant based diet can enhance cognitive function. Studies indicate that it also reduces the risk of cognitive decline and dementia.  Both my mother and grandmother had Alzheimer’s, so this information motivated me to switch to a plant based lifestyle. Additionally, plant based diets are often lower in calories and saturated fats, making them beneficial for weight management. Further, plant-based diets offer numerous health benefits, including  reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers. It can improve your gut health and potentially increase longevity.  

Plant-Based Challenges

Transitioning to a plant-based diet came with three key challenges. First, I had to figure out what to eat. Second, I needed to understand the importance of plant diversity. Finally, I had to ensure I was getting enough protein.

After building my knowledge and awareness, it was clear I needed to make some changes to my approach. Below are the changes I made and the impact they had on my journey.

1. Meal Planning

Eating a variety of plants is key when following a vegan diet—for more reasons than you might think. It can help support a healthy gut and also ensure you’re getting a broad range of nutrients, making the most of what plant-based foods have to offer. Mixing different fruits, veggies, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and herbs gives your body the fiber and beneficial compounds it needs to thrive.

Protein also plays a big role in keeping our bodies running smoothly—it’s essential for things like maintaining muscle, supporting growth, and staying healthy overall. While plant-based proteins aren’t always “complete” like those from animal sources, it’s totally possible to get all the essential amino acids you need with a well-rounded vegan diet. The key is variety and balance.

All of my initial challenges could be addressed through meal planning. Initially, I purchased a prepared vegan meal plan to guide me. I used this meal plan for months and felt confident that I was eating more balanced meals. There are several vegan meal plans available. I chose one that provided me with a weekly plan of recipes for breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner. It also include a shopping list. I found it helpful in reducing my stress about meals and learning how to make delicious plant based meals. It opened me up to trying foods I may not have tried on my own.

Here is the plan I used – Forks Over Knives Meal Planner

Next Steps

If you are new to plant-based eating, I suggest you spend some time investing in yourself. This time is important to build your personal knowledge base. At first, I didn’t know how to create weekly meal plans that would address plant diversity and adequate protein intake. I was a creature of habit and found comfort in eating, on rotation, my favorite meals. I would select my groceries based on what I liked to eat. As I learned more about the importance of plant diversity, I knew I needed to make changes.

There are so many resources you can use, but I like to keep it simple. Here are a few to get you started :

Forks Over Knives (great information for your journey, as well as meal plans)

Food Revolution (courses, recipes and powerful docuseries)

The China Study: Reducing Health Risks with a Plant-Based Diet

Eat to Live

Looking back, shifting to a plant-based lifestyle was one of the most empowering decisions I’ve made for my health. It wasn’t without its challenges, but each obstacle taught me something valuable. By investing time into learning, planning, and experimenting, I’ve built habits that feel both sustainable and nourishing. If you’re considering your own plant-based journey, I’d love to hear from you! What questions do you have? What challenges have you faced—or are you anticipating?

Drop a comment or share your experience. Let’s learn and grow together!

Break Through Weight Loss Plateaus: My Journey

“When you get to a plateau, think of it as a landing on the stairway to your goal. And maintenance is a lifelong plateau, so a bit of ‘rehearsal’ for maintenance isn’t the worst thing in the world”. -unknown

Recently, I have been deeply reflecting on my journey. I have been in a plateau for the past three months and it was starting to wear on my mindset. When I hit 160, I was a mere 10 pounds away from my original target weight of 150 lbs. I was so excited and remember sending a message to my coach saying, “Say goodbye to the 160s!”. Not so fast my body seemed to say, for here I am three months later still here and weighing in at 164 lbs. How many of you can relate to this? So close, yet those last 10 pounds still the ever elusive target.

In the past, this plateau would have caused me to get frustrated and perhaps even give up. This time, I’ve been digging in and holding on, embracing my time in this maintenance period. I believe my body was asking me for a break and time to readjust. Instead of giving up, I decided to really dive into what I am eating and how I am moving, trying to uncover why my body has stopped losing weight. This week, I’d like to share my process and reflection on being stuck.

What is a Weight Loss Plateau?

When we hit a plateau, it feels like everything stops. We question ourselves and often become overly critical. I know I always think I need to do more and be better to reach my goals. What we don’t take into account is that this journey takes time and does not happen quickly. It’s a SLOW process!

I know right now you are thinking about how long you’ve been trying, because that’s where my mind went. I’ve been on this journey for a long time too. This most recent journey started back on February 1, 2023, almost two years ago. What I think gave me some perspective on time, was when I thought about how long it took me to become this unhealthy. Truly the answer to that is a lifetime, but the most recent weight gain was a solid five year time span. Five years to gain over 80 pounds. When looking at that perspective, two years to lose 65 pounds seems fantastic. Plateaus are normal to hit and how we respond to them will determine our outcome. For me, I am holding on and trying to find ways to get things moving along again.

I wrote about weight loss plateaus when I first hit this one, back in July. I think the post is worth reading to understand the evolution of thinking about my weight loss plateau.

Pushing Past Weight-Loss Plateaus: Tips for Success

You can also learn more about this topic here:

Metabolism and Reverse Dieting

What I’ve Learned About My Weight Loss Plateau

In my original post, I talked about metabolic adaptation, or our body adjusting to its new normal. When we reduce our caloric intake, over time our metabolism adapts to the new intake level. In order to achieve balance, our metabolism slows. Over time, this means that our caloric deficit no longer gives the result of losing weight. This can lead us to reduce our calories further and increase exercise, which can give us the exact opposite result than what we are seeking. That’s what happened to me and the result I’ve had these past three months.

When I spoke with my coach and dietitian, they kept going back to my food logs. I log my food on Cronometer daily, to ensure I am meeting my macros that were set for me. Being plant based, I’ve paid special attention to my protein intake and my target was 90 grams a day. I struggled to reach that goal some days and would add additional protein shakes, or meals to my day. This left me not hungry and feeling full. The ironic thing was that my daily caloric intake was only at 1100 most days, far too low, yet I wasn’t hungry. It was concerning and I kept telling them both that I could not possibly eat any more food. I was literally so uncomfortably full.

My newest blood work showed that my LDL had increased again and they all believe, including my doctor, that this is tied to my low caloric daily intake, coupled with my high daily energy expenditure.

I felt like this testing was the slap I needed. My body scans showed that the minimal caloric intake I needed (BMR) was 1526. This rate is just for my body to do the basic functions needed to live, and does not take into account the high levels of movement I do each day. My new daily target is 1600 on less active days, and as much as 2000 on active days.

Further examination of my daily logs revealed that I was eating about 55 grams of fiber each day. The average RDA for women my age is 21. Though this intake is not unhealthy, this high amount of fiber was causing me, at times, to feel uncomfortably full. In my attempt to increase my protein, I was adding silken tofu, flax seed, hemp seed and chia seed at the same time to each shake, which was way too much.

What I Did in Response

I went back to a lower caloric intake and then slowly began to increase each week. I originally went from 1100 to 2000 in a day and was truly uncomfortable. It was too much too fast (story of my life!). This slower and gradual increase has been life changing and allowed my body to better adapt. I am now eating 1600 calories with ease and actually look forward to my meals. Once I am consistently eating in a healthier range, we will begin to look at cutting back to ensure a deficit, but for now the focus is to improve my metabolism.

I also increased the number of weight lifting sessions I do each week. I originally was lifting heavy two days a week with a trainer. First, I added a third day and this week I added in the fourth day. That will be my target going forward, to lift heavier weights four times a week. Despite the plateau of my weight, I have continued to lose inches as evidenced by my weekly measurements and clothing size.

I cut back on the number of days I was playing competitive pickleball games. This was a hard decision, but after reflecting on the data in FitBit regarding readiness scores, I decided I was stressing my body. Readiness scores are provided to help us avoid injury and ensure we take needed rest days. I am an over achiever by nature and tended to ignore that data. In consultation with my coach, I finally understood that I was stressing my body. My Fitbit step counts were averaging 25-30K steps per day, seven days a week. That included long walks and pickleball. I am now playing an average of 3-4 times per week and my average step counts are between 10-15K a day. I do not take long walks on days I play pickleball, just a nice short walk in the morning to start my day. I’ve also added a full rest day, during which I do a short walk and consciously rest.

Finally, I purchased a body scan scale that gives me valuable data regarding the composition of my body. As a data geek, I love to watch the shifts as they happen each week when I step on the scan. I am now better able to study my body composition, including body fat and body muscle percentages. I also find the BMR targets helpful, as they are targeted specifically to my body. When I started my metabolic age showed at 71! I was horrified. Today it showed as 49!

I will continue to monitor my journey, through weekly body scans, measurements and periodic blood work. I am extremely excited about the additional weight training session each week. I am seeing some nice definition starting and feel stronger each week. I am relieved that the increase of LDL was not something to panic over. I was truly feeling badly about that and it really helped to have a registered dietitian explain why it was happening and what to do in response.

Summary of Changes I Made

In summary, here are the changes I made:

  1. Slowly increased caloric intake to healthier levels
  2. Increased protein intake and split it evenly across 3 meals a day (50 grams at each meal)
  3. Increase weight lifting sessions to 4x a week
  4. Decreased cardio events each week to avoid over stressing my body
  5. Use of body scan to monitor body composition data

Next Steps

I hope this post gave you some food for thought about your journey. If you connected in any way to this post, please do reach out and share in the comment section below. I’d love to hear your experiences, as they always help me feel like I’m not alone on this journey. Feel free to answer any of these questions to help get a discussion going:

Why do you think your body is not letting you lose weight?

Are you currently doing weight lifting sessions each week? How many per week?

What have you noticed about adding in weight lifting?

What is your current daily protein intake?

Thanks for reading and I look forward to reading your comments. If you feel more comfortable sharing via email, you can do so at laurakump@reclaiminghealth.blog, or on Instagram.

Navigating Overthinking in Your Health Journey

“I thought about starting an ‘overthinkers anonymous group,’ but I couldn’t make up my mind.” – Anonymous

Hi, I’m Laura and I am an overthinker. I’ve been this way my whole life and it has both served me and held me back. When it comes to my health journey, recently it has lately been causing confusion and unnecessary complication. I’ll bet I am not alone on this path and that many of you will connect to this post.

Back in January of this year, I made the decision for my health to switch to a whole food plant based lifestyle. Like most overthinkers, I have strong analytical skills and used them to learn about this lifestyle. I enrolled in courses, became a certified health coach and learned new ways to cook. For me, learning is always stimulating and satisfying. Whenever I take something on, I fully immerse myself in the process. In fact, overthinkers are thorough and consider multiple aspects of a situation, which can lead to better decision-making and problem solving. This trait has served me well in my life and especially my career.

Overthinking can cause problems, as over time conflicting information, especially in the health and wellness industry, can cause confusion. There are multiple research studies to be found on any topic and all provide “scientific” evidence to support their claims. In my case, my need to ensure my health and wellness, led me to so much information and caused what’s known as analysis paralysis. This simply means that my overthinking led to indecision, which caused me to make unnecessary changes and ultimately led to confusion. My confusion caused me to over complicate my eating and then led to me doubting my ability to sustain this lifestyle.

Instead of changing course, I decided to seek someone out who could help fill in gaps in my understanding of my specific nutritional needs. I decided to work with a Registered Dietitian (RD) to better understand how to put information I learned into practice. You would think this would be an easy task, but it was most definitely not. It was very hard to find someone I felt comfortable working with who had a strong understanding of plant based lifestyles. Most RD programs do not have a specific focus on plant based foods, rather they cover it as one component in a holistic program. Sometimes this means spending as little as one week on the topic. When it comes to plant based and vegan lifestyles, it was important to me that I find a RD who specialized in plant based/vegan lifestyles, or was personally living it.

I finally found a dietitian that I feel comfortable with and am so excited to begin learning from her. I did, however, hit a few roadblocks along the way before I found her, so I want to share my experience to perhaps help you avoid making the same mistake.

Finding the Right Registered Dietitian For You:

  1. Search Your Healthcare Provider List for Participating Dietitians
    • This didn’t work well for me, as my search for Registered Dietitians mostly led to weight loss centers focused on surgery. It was hard to find one that didn’t specialize in that, and there were no plant-based RDs in my area.
  2. Search Online for Dietitians Near You
    • There were none to be found in my area.
  3. Search Online for Registered Dietitians
    • This search provided me with some leads. My next step was to set up interview meetings to see if we would be a good fit. This specific process led me to make a poor decision, but we learn from our mistakes.

Ensuring the Right Fit For Your Needs:

  1. Research Providers
    • It’s important to read through the provider’s website and ensure they speak to what you are seeking. I’d also do some google searching on the providers, as well as a social media search. See what others have said about working with them.
  2. Set up a Meeting on Zoom
    • I no longer work with anyone before I spend time speaking in a Zoom. If they are not providing a consultation meeting, then they are not for me. I would have know immediately that the first RD I met with was not a good fit for me and could have avoided wasting time and money.
  3. Be Careful of Programs
    • There are many programs out there that come up when searching for Registered Dietitians. They use the right words, but tread carefully. I had a consultation with one of these companies back at the end of August. I explained what I was seeking clearly and the woman I met with was just incredible. I signed up to work with this company, thinking I’d be working with her, for five months. I feel like it was a bait and switch routine, as the person I met with was NOT the person I work with. And, when I expressed my concern I was told I needed to trust them. When I emailed a second time, I received no response. This was an expensive lesson to learn, but learn I did. I just had a similar situation and knew enough to say no to this even more expensive program. Be careful as there are a lot of these types of programs. If it sounds like it’s too good to be true, it most likely is.
  4. Avoid Long Term Initial Contracts
    • I will no longer sign a long term contract to work with someone. There is no reason I would need to do this and I should have known better. I am paying monthly for a program that is not truly meeting my needs. If they are trying to lock you in, walk away. Reputable providers do not need to make you do this.

I finally feel like I am back on solid footing and have a strong plan moving forward. I felt better just from my initial meeting with the dietitian on Friday. She explained my blood work in a manner that I understood and she eased my mind about the concerns I had. She cleared up some misconceptions I had and is currently mining through the data I sent her. I am a data geek and was so glad she wanted the information I have. I am cutting back on the information I am taking in at this point. I plan to follow her guidance and find more clarity around my plant based food choices.

Have you had a similar experiences with overthinking? or, looking for a wellness provider? Would you like to share your story? So many of us are on this path to reclaiming our health and I’d love to feature your story in a future blog. Please reach out to me and let me know about your journey. We all can gain motivation and help each other through this sharing. Reach out to me at laurakump@reclaiminghealth.blog, on Instagram, or in the comment section below.

The Compound Effect

“You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.”
― Darren Hardy, The Compound Effect

As the fall weather is upon us, I am cleaning closets and thinking of the approaching winter season. Fall is my favorite time of the year. I start to organize and purge what not longer fits, including more than just clothing. Life is always about evolving and growing as we go and fall is the perfect time to slow down and reflect. In that manner, I have decided this week’s post will be a repost of one of my most popular blogs from this year. In this post, I speak about the importance of consistency and holding firm to my journey as I move through the winter season. Let’s all use the fall to prepare for the winter ahead. Much like the squirrels gathering their food for the winter, I believe we need to gather our motivation for the days ahead. I hope you enjoy the reread of this much loved post.

I first read Darren Hardy’s book many years ago as a new school leader. The Compound Effect outlined, is the strategy of being consistent with smart, tiny choices over time that will produce significant results. As I read the book I was focused on leadership, yet in the back of my mind I kept connecting back to my health journey. The concept is that smaller steps over a long period of time will have a greater, more beneficial and successful effect on your life than bigger steps in a shorter period of time (that most people will not stick to). Today as I view the predictable dwindling off of the New Year’s resolutionists at the gym I am reminded of this concept.

For many years, I was that person. The one who gets all pumped up for the reclaiming health journey. Those who have followed me over time know that every spring I have a rebirth and start over. Then, every winter I slowly fade away and fall backwards. This year has been different, albeit not easier. The temptation to fall back has reared its head repeatedly, especially on these 18 degree days. Using the concept of the compounding effect, I know that consistency is the key to achieving and maintaining momentum. I have held tight to that concept on my darkest of days this winter and continued with the small, simple habits and daily routines that will add up to a healthier life. My goal this year was to make it through the winter with habits in tact and see where I am come spring. As we are nearing February, I am very hopeful that this year will be different for me. 

Consistency is not easy if you make your habits too lofty, the key is to keep things simple and doable. When I selected daily habits, I’d say I even set the bar lower than I knew I could accomplish this winter. This helped me through the harder days and gave me added bonus boosts when I achieved more and kept me motivated. We all know success fosters motivation and failure often motivates quitting. For my movement goal, I merely set a minimum of a 30 minute walk in nature goal for every day of the week. This goal has been the easiest one to maintain, rain or shine. Setting a doable goal like this sets you up for success and avoids repeated failure that can serve to make you feel like a failure and give up. Obviously, it’s not my only fitness goal, but it’s the one I will never skip. Walking and being in nature cannot be undervalued on any health journey.

Another doable goal I set was to improve my nutrition through simple choices for my meals. I made a commitment to have a healthy breakfast every day. To make it easier, I decided to to a morning smoothie with protein and healthy nutrients, using simple recipes found in Joyfull, by Radi Devlukia. This sets me up for my morning workout and keeps me full until lunch. There are so many great smoothie recipes, but if that feels overwhelming just use a high quality protein powder shake, such as this one from Complement. I like the chocolate flavor when drinking plain and unflavored when using with the recipes from Joyfull. I have been super consistent with this goal as well. No cooking required for this breakfast and the variety of smoothies is endless. For lunch, I generally eat the main meal of the day to allow more time for digestion. I eat a whole food plant based diet consisting of protein, legumes, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. This also is very easy to do as salads are super easy to put together. 

On this cold winter day, I remind you that it’s not about perfection. It’s about the effort we put in and more importantly, the consistency we apply to our health journeys. Approach every day with a clean slate. If you ate too much yesterday (me eating pizza during the football playoffs), it’s all good, just return to your daily routine today. You slept in and didn’t do your gym workout this morning, get up do your 30 minute walk and return to the gym on your next scheduled day. Perhaps your body needed the rest. What we can’t do is give up and stop. Just keep to your routines as best you can and watch the compound effect unfold. 

If you have any questions or comments, please do reach out. I love getting emails at laurakump@reclaiminghealth.blog about your journey. Take a photo of nature from your 30 minute walk and tag me on Instagram at reclaiminghealthblog with #30minutesinnature . Let’s do this together, motivate each other and reach spring feeling healthier. It is only two months away!

Transform Your Diet: Embrace Whole Food Variety

“Eating healthy food fills your body with energy and nutrients. Imagine your cells smiling back at you and saying: ‘Thank you!’” – Karen Salmansohn

Imagine eating a peanut butter sandwich every day for lunch. That is exactly what I did for years. Honestly, it didn’t bother me because I enjoy them and they’re easy. How many of us eat the same food on repeat? I know I did and never gave it a thought. Learning how important variety in food choices are to my wellness has opened my mind to trying new things.

I’ve learned it’s important to eat a variety of foods as part of my whole food plant based lifestyle. Recently, I heard that you should try to eat 30 different whole foods across your week. I am, however, a creature of routine and habit, especially when it comes to food selection. The thought of having that much variety in my week did give me something to reflect upon. Initially, when thinking about increasing variety in my diet, I focused on using it to push me out of my comfort zone. I tend to eat the same few foods repeatedly. Now I know, that eating a variety of foods is more important to my wellness than I once thought. With this knowledge, I am now planning my meals with far more variety than before. It’s a work in progress for sure, as old habits die hard.

My Food Struggles

I was raised in the 1960s and raised in a family where dinner consisted of meat, starch and one vegetable. At some point, the popularity of convenience foods caused some changes to our daily menu. Vegetables readily available in cans were now seen as the better option due to their shelf lives. My mother’s favorite vegetable was the french cut string beans and they must’ve often been on sale because we ate them often. Just thinking about them still makes me gag.

It was during these years that I developed my strong aversion to eating vegetables. I wouldn’t eat them, other than corn, for decades after I left home. I wouldn’t even try them. In truth, I only started eating broccoli and nothing more until this year when I transitioned over to a plant based lifestyle. Imagine, a vegetable hater is now living a plant based lifestyle. Most people who know me chuckle over that.

My Food Transition:

In January, I took a six week course on living a Whole Food Plant Based lifestyle. As I learned about its connection to brain health, I knew I would make this transition. I was unsure how and what I would eat, but thankfully there were many resources out there to help me. I found ample recipes to try, especially on Forks Over Knives. The trouble was I was avoiding most recipes that didn’t call for broccoli.

You see, when I first transitioned to a plant based lifestyle, I liked broccoli, spinach and corn. I also would eat salad. I assumed it didn’t matter that I ate the same thing every day, as long as I ate vegetables and fruit. I made broccoli every day and put spinach in my smoothie each morning and had a salad for dinner. As I continued learning, however, I realized how critical it was to eat a variety of foods, especially when eating plant based. This may seem like basic knowledge to you, but it was life changing for me.

Variety of Foods:

I’ve spent the last nine months learning about this lifestyle I’ve chosen. I’ve heard many criticisms of it, with the top being difficulty getting the proper nutrients. This criticism can be true, if you are not careful which is why I continue to learn, study and monitor my health markers. One aspect that is critical is to ensure you eat a variety of foods. This is critical in any lifestyle, but even more so in a plant based one. Different foods provide different nutrients, so eating a variety of foods can ensure that you get the proper nutrients.  Many plant-based protein sources lack one or more essential amino acids, so eating a variety of plant-based proteins throughout the day also helps ensure you get enough of all the essential amino acids. 

When planning for meals across the week, it is essential to focus on both variety and the nutrients your food will provide. This can sound like a daunting task, but there are many resources you can use to help guide you. One resource I found very enlightening was My Fitness Pal. I use the paid version of this app and kept a food log on it for months. Keeping a food log on this app helped me see the nutritional breakdown of my food. It was there that I began to notice what nutrients come from each food variety.

Using this food log, I noticed I had a lot of overlap for some nutrients and gaps in others. Nutrients I was supplementing for were revealed to be at extremely high levels just from the food I was eating. This meant I was both wasting money on them and potentially causing harm to my health. I highly recommend using something like this app to get you started. This awareness led me to seek out further guidance with a Registered Dietitian who specializes in Plant Based Nutrition. If that is not an option for you, I highly recommend you work with your health provider to monitor your nutrition levels through blood work.

Like everything else, I suggest you start with small changes to your eating habits to gradually increase the variety of foods you are eating. There are so many foods to choose from, but just try to add one new food in each week. Here is a great list of nutrients found in vegetables.

59 Different Types of Vegetables and Their Nutrition Profile

Tips to Increase Variety :

  • Eat the rainbow, and try to include at least three different colors of foods on your plate. 
  • Swap out your side dishes. Here’s a great list to choose from – 57 Vegan Side Dishes
  • Try recipes from different countries. I now eat Indian, Asian and Thai cuisine often, something I never would have tried in the past.
  • Choose one new vegetable a week to try. There are so many recipes online to try. I started with Forks Over Knives which has many recipes.
  • Try new ways to cook vegetables each week, such as air fry, roasting, grill, stir fry, etc.
  • Experiment with less-common grains. Here’s a great list to choose from – 17 Grains You Never Heard of

Next Steps:

As I transition to increasing the variety of food I eat, I am keeping things simple. Each week, I purchase at least one new vegetable to try. I am planning my menu for the week to include new recipes and one new food item. Once I increase my vegetable options it will be easier to plan meals. This week I made a chili recipe into which I was able to add a few vegetables. Traditionally, I find soups and chili recipes are the easiest way for me to sneak vegetables in. I also purchased a copper roasting pan to roast vegetables. I absolutely love this pan and use it often. The pan also has a basket which allows for good air flow and since I rarely use oil it prevent sticking. I highly recommend this pan – Copper Roasting Pan.

Here are a few articles you can read to get more information on this topic:

4 Exciting Reasons to Rotate Your Food

What is a Plant Based Diet and Why Should You Try It

The Importance of Variety in Your Diet

I hope you’ll take some time this week to reflect on your food selections. Are you eating the same things over and over, like I was? If you are, start to think about the importance of eating a variety of foods across your week. I’d love to hear what your thoughts are on this topic. Are you a creature of habit like I was, or a food explorer? Please feel free to reach out to me via email at laurakump@reclaiminghealth.blog, on Instagram or Facebook, or in the comment section below.

Consider answering one of these questions in the comment section below –

What did you notice about the variety in your food selections?

How will you increase the variety of foods, especially vegetables, that you eat? Please do share.

Hydration and Weight Loss: The Crucial Connection

Drinking water is like washing out your insides. The water will cleanse the system, fill you up, decrease your caloric load and improve the function of all your tissues. –Kevin R. Stone

Last week, I wrote about possible ways to push through weight loss plateaus. One area I neglected to mention, that can help your metabolism greatly, is water consumption. Water has long been my nemesis, as I have always had a love or hate relationship with it. During the hot summer months, I have no issue consuming water, especially when exercising. When the fall comes, I inevitably stop drinking water.

How Much Water Do We Need?

According to Harvard Health, most healthy people need four to six cups of water per day, but the amount varies based on other factors. These factors include how much water people get from food and other drinks, as well as health conditions, medications, activity level, and temperature. Personally, I drink 8 glasses (8 oz) of water each day. For me that is slightly higher than 1/2 of my body weight. The issue I have with using 1/2 body weight as a goal, is that when I was at my heaviest, it just was not a realistic amount of water for me to consume.

Originally, I thought the 8 glasses of water I needed to drink each day needed to be plain water. As a result, I had great difficulty meeting my target because I was full from tea, or the smoothie I was consumed. I’ve since learned that you count the water used in making those drinks as part of your 8 glasses of water a day. That small tidbit helped me get on track with my water consumption and I now regularly hit my target.

Water and Weight Loss Plateau

Research suggests that drinking water can help with weight loss and also break weight loss plateaus in several ways:

  • Suppressing appetite: Drinking water can help reduce hunger cravings and it’s healthier than the same result obtained by drinking coffee, with no sugar or cream required. Additionally, it can also lead to a decrease in saturated fat, sugar, sodium, and cholesterol.
  • Boosting metabolism: Drinking 17 ounces of water can increase metabolic rate by 30% in both men and women.
  • Making exercise more efficient: Being hydrated can help your body work more efficiently during exercise.
  • Reducing calorie intake: Drinking water instead of high-calorie beverages like soda, fruit juice, or alcohol can lead to a significant reduction in calorie intake.

Other studies found a link between dehydration and higher body weight and found that even mild dehydration can slow down your metabolism by 3%.

Ways to Increase Water Consumption

Here are a few of the ways I’ve increased my daily water consumption:

  • Eat water-rich fruits and vegetables – Many fruits and vegetables have a high water content. Some of the best include berries, oranges, grapes, carrots, lettuce, cabbage, spinach, and melons. I keep a container full of cut up fruit to snack on in my refrigerator. These containers are my favorite for storage of my produce.Rubbermaid Produce Savers
  • Drink a glass before each meal – This can help in the digestion process and it fills you, reducing how much food you consume at each meal.
  • Take it everywhere – I invested in a large half gallon jug. I fill it each morning and take it with me to the pickleball courts. I always have my jug with me and by the end of the day it is empty. If I don’t have water with me, I will never make my target. This is the jug I use, but any water bottle will do. I just like having one with no refill required. I can add ice throughout the day if I want it colder. This is the jug I am now using. Yes, it is heavy at the beginning of the day. 64 oz Thermos
  • Measure what you drink – If I am making a cup of tea, a glass of fruit flavored water, making an extra protein shake, or mixing my end-of-day probiotic drink, I pour the water from my thermos. That all counts toward my goal. This was life changing for me. The size of my jug is my daily target and measuring any water mixed drink from that container helps make sure I am meeting my target daily.

How do you know if you’re drinking enough water?

Your fluid consumption is adequate for your needs if you rarely feel thirsty and your urine is colorless or light yellow.

Next Steps

In conclusion, prioritizing proper hydration through the practical strategies offered here can significantly impact your health, and help you push through any plateaus you hit along the way. By incorporating water-rich foods, consuming water before meals, and maintaining optimal hydration levels, you will see and feel a difference. I know I have seen a difference in how I look and more importantly how I feel. Please reach out and share how you are doing with your water intake and how you feel as a result. I look forward to hearing from you. You can reach me by email at laurakump@reclaiminghealth.blog, on Instagram or Facebook, or in the comment section below.

*As an Amazon Associate, I may receive compensation for any items purchased. I only recommend products I personally use and love. Any purchase made is at no additional cost to you and helps offset the cost of running this blog. Thank you for your support.

Longevity and Brain Health: Lessons from My 93-Year-Old Father

“Caring for your body, mind, and spirit is your greatest and grandest responsibility. It’s about listening to the needs of your soul and then honoring them” – Kristi Ling

My father is 93 years young, living independently and able to walk for exercise. He lives a fairly active lifestyle, going every day to the local senior club. They go on trips each week which gives him a chance to get out and socialize. He has some age-related ailments, but for the most part, he is in great shape.

left to right, My Dad (blue shirt, 93), Me, My Uncle (90)

My father has always been a purpose driven man, getting his Bachelor and Masters Degree in his early 50s, while raising three children. He was a Police Officer in NYC and didn’t need to do that, but his drive pushed him to do so. My father always believed in education and building knowledge. When my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Dad’s sole purpose was to care for her. He did everything for her and treated her as if nothing had changed. When she was in a care center full time, his purpose was to be there every single day without fail and he was. See a post on his dedication here, The Notebook.

At my first session of a new six week learning program, the doctors were talking about longevity and brain health. It was stated that, research found people who had longevity, and were still cognitively sharp, engaged in common behaviors. Specifically, they engaged in physical exercise, ate more plant-centered diets and engaged their brains in complex tasks, leading a purpose driven life. When I heard that, I immediately thought of my father, who at 93 is cognitively sound.

My whole life I have taken after my father. I pray I have his longevity and cognitive health, for the women in my family have not been as lucky. My purpose, or why, is to avoid, or delay this fate. This purpose motivates me to learn, grow and move my body every day. I’ve learned that the risk of getting Alzheimer’s is not mainly driven by genetics. Approximately 3% of the total number of Alzheimer’s patients have specific genetic disease risks that cannot be avoided. Over 95% do not have that risk factor, meaning lifestyle and diet matter most in avoiding, or delaying onset of cognitive decline. (Sherazi, Dr.)

Diet and lifestyle matter, for what we do today and most importantly for our future. Here is what was shared regarding lifestyle choices for brain health and longevity.

Movement

We all should aim to move our bodies every single day for a minimum of 30 minutes. Brisk walking is highly recommended, as is tennis and racquet sports such as pickleball. The type of exercise we engage in matters. For brain health, it is recommended that we do the following:

  • Frequency – We need a regimented system of exercising, meaning organized and scheduled. Should be a minimum of 4-5 days per week for at least 30 minutes a day. Personally, I believe that brisk walks should be done daily for at least 30 minutes. The best time, in my opinion, is first thing in the morning to let the sunlight reset your circadian rhythm.
  • Strength – We lose muscle mass as we age. We need to engage in muscle-building routines, such as circuit machines, use of body weight or dumbells. We should work all the muscles in our body, but for brain health specific attention should be given to our legs. These large muscles keep us physically moving and are connected to vascular health.
  • Aerobic – We need to get our hearts pumping regularly as this increases blood flow through our bodies. Swimming, jogging or any other activity that increases your heart rate should be engaged in at least 3 times per week.
  • Consistency – This is a lifestyle, not a reach your target weight and stop. We are signing up to do this for life, as our life depends on it. I move every single day, as does my 93-year-old dad. When we stop moving, we start declining. Make a doable schedule and stick to it. I use my calendar and book it on there and I’m retired. If you are working, you will need to book this time for yourself and make it happen. For too many years, I skipped workouts. Those days are over.
  • **As with all recommendations it is imperative you speak to your health care provider about your specific abilities and limitations. Start slow and build up to these recommendations. I started with a slow walk around the block.

I’ve written many blogs on this topic if you’d like to read more, Move to Live, Healthy Lifestyle: Food, Exercise, and Joy in My Daily Routine

Lifestyle

  • Food – the research is clear that eating more plant based foods is good for our health. When my grandmother was alive, she advocated eating our fruits and vegetables, so this is not new. Processed foods need to be greatly reduced, better yet eliminated. Eat whole foods whenever possible. I eat whole food plant based and have been for six (6) months. I also do not eat any dairy products. I feel better than ever and will continue on this path. If giving up meat is not for you, you can greatly reduce your reliance on it as your main source of protein and increase your meatless days. Eat food that loves your brain, leafy greens and berries to name two. For more information on brain healthy food, see this https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/foods-linked-to-better-brainpower. Past blogs on my food choices – Change Our Thinking About Food, Eat to Live
  • Socialization – Far too many elderly people become isolated, due to various reasons. Ensure you have systems to keep you engaged with others built into your retirement plans. That is the main reason my husband and I moved when we retired. We loved our home, but knew the challenges to stay fully engaged and active would cause too much time alone at home. We had friends, but they were working still and to do anything, we would have had to constantly leave our area. We now have a full array of things to do right here in our community. Join a club, or senior center if you do not. Like my dad, who never wanted to join one, it gives him something to do each day and he’s around people. Isolation is not good for our brains.
  • Sleep -Quality sleep is one of the most critical aspects of our health. It is when our body rests, recharges and when our brain organizes and cleans out waste. Many people struggle to get fully restorative sleep, myself included. I am doing much better these days. I went into greater detail about getting quality sleep in the blog post – Sweet Dreams. I highly recommend you read it and work on your sleep, your life and brain health depend on it.
  • Stress – Stress almost killed me and it destroyed my health, no doubt about it. It takes a huge toll on us emotionally, physically and healthwise. We need to reduce our stress. Exercise, yoga, meditation and mindfulness all help. I wrote about these in great detail in these posts – Finding Myself, Just Breathe

Purpose

Some studies suggest that having a sense of purpose in life can be associated with increased longevity and a healthier life. A 2019 Harvard Health study found that people with a higher sense of purpose were less likely to die during a four-year study period, and less likely to die from heart, circulatory, or blood conditions. A 2022 study of older adults in the United States found that people with the strongest sense of purpose had a 15.2% lower risk of death, and that this association was stronger in women than men. 

I recommend your purpose be grounded in your why. Why do you want to be healthy? Why does this matter? Why do you get up each day? This will serve to motivate you to keep going when the going is tough. Believe me, my why keeps me focused and working toward my goal. It matters to me. Find what you are trying to achieve and ask why. Frame your decisions around that why.

I love learning and was an educator my whole career. I have been keeping my brain active in retirement, taking courses, along with completing my yoga certification. I am cooking in different ways now and needed to learn how to do that as well. All of the courses I’ve taken were connected to my why – to live a long, healthy, active life and keep my memories. I do not want to be a burden to my family, nor do I want them to watch me slip away, as my mother and grandmother did. I hope you will find your why and join me on this journey to reclaim your health.

I’d love to hear from you about your journey. Feel free to reach out to me via email at laurakump@reclaiminghealth.blog. You can find me on Instagram and Facebook as well, or just leave a comment below.

Balanced Diet vs. Supplements: Meeting Your Nutritional Needs

“Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but about the stories you tell.” – Seth Godin

If I even think about something, it shows up as an advertisement on my Instagram feed, or Google within minutes. Sometimes it is scary how fast that happens. This marketing technique has been preying upon us in our weakest moments for years. As a former non sleeper, I can attest to how many items I have purchased in the wee hours of the morning. Many of those products have been related to my health journey and all made claims to have found the answer I was seeking.

I’m certain everyone reading this has also seen these advertisements pop up on their feed as well. Losing your hair; there’s a supplement, cream or oil to fix that immediately. Need to lose weight; there’s a product for easy weight loss without changing your eating, or adding exercise. Can’t sleep; there’s definitely many products to fix that, believe me I’ve tried a bunch of them. The list is endless, somehow our computers have advertisements for everything we are seeking. It’s actually a multibillion dollar business and most of us have fallen prey to it, purchasing at least one product along our journeys. I still have to stop myself from buying from these advertisements, as the urge is always there.

Supplements

I’ve written about supplements on this blog since 2016. Sadly, I’ve taken so many products on my health journey, without understanding anything about them. My philosophy has changed, as my knowledge has grown. I no longer look to buy and take supplements, rather I look to get as much nutrition as I can through the food choices I make. I’ve shifted my thinking from a supplement mindset to a complement mindset. If I take anything, it is to complement the foods I eat, not to replace or supplement them. I am proud to say that I am now only taking one multivitamin, specifically made for vegans and that’s it. There was a time I was taking 20 supplement pills a day, so this is huge! I have worked hard to trust that I can get what I need through eating healthy, whole foods and make conscious choices when planning my meals.

Our bodies are amazing and truly can function without us inserting all kinds of supplements made to “assist” it. Most supplements are not regulated and without truly understanding how they interact with our bodies, medications and each other, we could be treading in some dangerous waters taking them. In general, a healthy, balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, and water can provide all the nutrients your body needs. That said, I am not saying we do not need supplements. It can be difficult to get everything we need without some form of supplementations. Specifically, some people need supplements to fill in gaps in their diet or correct vitamin or mineral deficiencies. What I am advocating for is to find out what your specific needs are before buying, or taking a bunch of targeted marketing supplements that promise you the world. I believe it is critical to know your specific needs, and if they can or cannot be met through dietary changes first.

Measuring Our Needs

A doctor, or registered dietitian, can help you determine if you are missing any important vitamins or minerals and may recommend supplements. I highly recommend you speak with your provider and ask them to run bloodwork to check your nutritional, hormone and enzyme levels. Blood tests check for nutritional deficiencies by measuring the levels of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients in your blood. These tests can help you identify nutrients that you might not be getting enough of, or that you might be consuming too much. They can also help you determine if you need to take supplements. 

Some types of blood tests that can check for nutritional deficiencies include:

Individual tests: Check levels of specific nutrients like vitamins A, D, C, K, and B-complex vitamins, as well as antioxidants, beta carotenes, and enzymes 

Vitamin panel: Checks levels of 13 essential vitamins

Mineral panel: Checks levels of key minerals like calcium, copper, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, and zinc

Action Steps

  • Take inventory of your nutritional needs

I am not a doctor or health care provider. I highly recommend you seek medical advice from a certified dietician, or doctor about your specific nutritional needs.

  • Take inventory of your food and supplement intake

I recommend you take some time to look at your food intake and your supplement intake. If like me, you are relying too heavily on supplements, that’s a red flag that your food choices need work.

  • Make an appointment

Set up an appointment to get your blood levels checked, as that can give you a true window into your individual needs.

  • Learn more

Here are two older blogs I wrote on this topic. They are worth a read. Just a note, I was not eating whole food plant-based back then. Currently, I do not eat any meat, or dairy products.

Fake News about Supplements

Food Not Supplements

Also, read the following:

Dietary supplements: Do they help or hurt, Harvard Medical

Currently reading this book and loving the simple, easy to understand common sense approach to nutrition. Highly recommend checking it out! Remember knowledge is always our super power. Further information below is from the publisher’s website:

Nutrivore is a paradigm shifting, comprehensive approach to nutrition that includes:

-An easy-to-follow plan for getting the full spectrum of nutrients we all need to reach our health goals, focusing on twelve foundational food families.

-Definitive science that identifies foods rich in the nutrients that treat common symptoms and ailments.-Comprehensive lists of foods and pain points that you can use to craft your own unique eating plan, such as eating magnesium

-rich leafy greens to help with headaches, potassium-packed sweet potatoes to help lower blood pressure, or molasses loaded with calcium to relieve PMS.

Products I Recommend

This is the vegan multivitamin I highly recommend and take. I like the company’s mission and ingredients. These are specifically designed to support your plant-based diet with the 8 missing or hard-to-get nutrients essential for your health and well-being.

If you have any questions about this blog, or wish to share your experiences with supplements, or targeted advertisements, kindly reach out to me at laurakump@reclaiminghealth.blog, on Instagram or Facebook, or in the comment section below.

*As an Amazon Associate, I may receive compensation for any items purchased. I only recommend products I personally use and love. Any purchase made is at no additional cost to you and helps offset the cost of running this blog. Thank you for your support.

Quick and Healthy Summer Meals: Smoothie, Buddha Bowl, and Light Snack

“Plants are infinite – this diet isn’t limiting and there’s so much more to explore! That’s what excites me about it most.” – Denai Moore on the Simply Vegan Podcast

As much as I love to cook, there are days that I am not able to spend as much time in the kitchen as I’d like. As Summer heats up, so does my calendar. Outdoor pickleball is now in full swing, as well as long bike rides and lazy pool days. We love to be outdoors, enjoying the weather and our community, but eating healthy is still important to us. To make things easier this year, I have three staple meals that I prep for, and rely on during the week if my time runs short for cooking. They are all super easy and packed with healthy nutrients to keep us satisfied, healthy, and full.

BREAKFAST:

I need to be on the courts by 8 AM most days and hate to play sports after eating a meal. I don’t believe in skipping breakfast and do need the nutrients to power through my sessions. Most days a simple nutrient-packed smoothie keeps me full and satisfied for hours. In order to be prepared for this breakfast, I always have frozen organic berries on hand, as well as other mixed organic fruit options. I always have a container of green leafy vegetables on hand as well as frozen broccoli florets.

Basic Elements of Smoothie

  • Protein
  • Green vegetables (kale or spinach, sometimes broccoli)
  • Nut milk (unsweetened)
  • Fiber (in addition to what is in the fruit and vegetables, I add 1 date, 1 kiwi, OR 1/2 banana, all high in fiber)
  • Fruit (fresh or frozen berries, I like frozen because it chills the smoothie)
  • Seeds (hemp, chia & flax)
  • Red Beets (cooked)

Breakfast Smoothie Recipe

  • 1 cup of baby spinach in your blender
  • 1 tsp each flax, chia and hemp seeds
  • 1 red beet (I buy the cooked organic ones)
  • 1 cup frozen fruit (I used mixed berries)
  • 1 date
  • 1 peeled kiwi OR 1/2 bananna
  • 1 cup unsweetened nut milk (I use almond milk)
  • 3 tbsp unflavored Complement pea protein (optional)
  • Blend and serve (This will thicken if you don’t drink it immediately due to the chia and flax.)

DINNER:

We eat our main meal of the day at lunchtime, as it’s better for our sleep. We like to eat lighter later in the day, so lunch is our dinner meal. My favorite go-to, easy meal is known as a buddha bowl. Generally, a buddha bowl is an easy to assemble meal, using what you have on hand. Very often people utilize their left over food to ensure nothing goes to waste. In order to be prepared for buddha bowls, you need to have certain items prepped and ready. I like to prepare a cup of farro and store it in a container for use in our bowls. I also love to have some french lentils cooked and ready. Canned chickpeas, black beans and lentils are also great to have.

Basic Elements of Buddha Bowls

  • Base (Whole grains and greens, our favorites are farro, brown basmati rice, quinoa. We also love baby spinach or Japanese kale)
  • Protein (We are vegan, so we use canned chickpeas or tofu)
  • Vegetables (Any you’d like to add in, or have left-over)
  • Sauce (We are oil-free, so I look for vegan recipes and remove the oil)
  • Toppings/garnishes (We use seeds for toppings, flax, hemp, pumpkin, etc.)

How I Assemble the Buddha Bowl

  1. Layer 2 bases at the bottom of your bowl, for example, 1/3 cup farro and 1 cup baby spinach.
  2. Arrange vegetables on top of the grain. (I use leftovers mostly, but my favorites are chopped roasted baby peppers, broccoli, or carrots. As many as you like, I generally select 2. I also like to chop some cucumber to put into my bowl for some added crunch.)
  3. Add your protein. (I select 2, generally chickpeas and grilled tofu.)
  4. Add your toppings (I sprinkle 1 tsp of sesame seeds, hemp seeds, flax seeds, or pumpkin seeds on my bowl.)
  5. Separately, make your dressing, or get your purchased one ready by shaking.
  6. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of dressing over bowl and enjoy. These bowls are so refreshing, especially this time of the year.

SNACK MEAL

Our last meal of the day is something light. In the winter, we eat soup as it’s easy to put together. It is also easy for your body to digest soup before bed. In the warmer months, we often eat a chopped salad with berries, pomegranate seeds, tomato, pistachios, cherry tomatoes and chopped cucumber. We use fresh squeezed lemon juice for our dressing. I purchase a family-size container of organic salad greens. I wash and spin this dry, ensuring to dry the greens thoroughly. I then assemble the salad in a large bowl, or lasagna pan. I like to put the salad together without dressing, so we can grab it quickly during the week. This premade salad lasts about 3 days in the refrigerator without dressing.

As you can see, these three meal options are super easy to prepare and eat during your busy summer days. Of course, you can add in freshly cooked meals as your time allows. Homemade bean burgers are a quick and easy favorite for us. Eating healthy doesn’t have to be hard, tasteless, or boring. Just purchase and prepare a few staple items and you’ll have easy meals available to quickly assemble all summer long. These options are all delicious and the possibilities of ingredients are truly endless as there is so much fresh, seasonal produce to select from.

I hope you enjoy these meals. Please reach out and share some new ideas with me for quick meals. It’s important to stay on track for healthy eating, something that in the past I struggled with. Planning ahead does make things easier for me. Feel free to reach out to me at laurakump@reclaiminghealth.blog, on Instagram or Facebook, or in the comment section below.

The China Study: Reducing Health Risks with a Plant-Based Diet

In the next ten years, one of the things you’re bound to hear is that animal protein is one of the most toxic nutrients of all that can be considered. Quite simply, the more you substitute plant foods for animal foods, the healthier you are likely to be. – T. Colin Campbell

Recently, I overheard someone giving out health advice following a game of pickleball. It went something like this, “It’s easy to lose weight, if you want to. I’ll tell you what I did, I eat a lot of olive oil, eggs, meat and fruits and vegetables for snacks.” He then went on to talk about how he puts olive oil on his food because it’s so healthy, and eats meat because he needs a lot of protein and eggs for breakfast every morning. Basically, he was describing a low carbohydrate approach to losing weight, while consuming large amounts of protein and dairy foods. I believe some would call it a Paleo diet.

I happened to be standing there when the conversation occurred. I leaned in and suggested he do some research on the effects of consuming large amounts of dairy and animal protein. His response was, “You can’t get fat by eating meat.” Perhaps that statement has some truth to it, depending largely on the quality and quantity of meat products he is consuming. Sadly, though health is way more than just about being thin or fat. His habit of consuming meat products as a main source of protein, coupled with eggs daily, is setting him up for potential health risk of heart disease, diabetes or cancer. I did suggest he speak with his cardiologist, or a registered dietician, to help him craft a well balanced nutritional plan that meets his specific needs.

So many of us have bought into the food industries ideal of what and how to eat, or not eat, to become thin. Focusing on weight loss, to look a certain way, has certainly led me down many paths in my life. Keto, fasting, shakes and skipping meals, all focused toward reducing the number on my scale had no real impact on my overall health. I used to think thin people were inherently healthy, but I now know that our size doesn’t truly give the full picture of our actual health. Ever hear the term skinny fat?

China Study

When it comes to our health, the association between diet and other diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease has been well documented. For example, the China Project is a survey of death rates for twelve different kinds of cancer for more than 2,400 counties and 880 million (96%) of China’s citizens, conducted jointly by Cornell University, Oxford University, and the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine over the course of twenty years.

Dr. T. Colin Cambell, author of The China Study, examined the connection between eating an animal-based diet and developing illnesses such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, autoimmune disease, brain disease such as Alzheimer’s and macular degeneration. His study concluded that diets high in protein, particularly animal protein, are strongly linked to diseases such as heart disease, cancer and Type 2 diabetes. Further, he states, “the findings from the China Study indicate that the lower the percentage of animal-based foods that are consumed, the greater the health benefits—even when that percentage declines from 10% to 0% of calories. So it’s not unreasonable to assume that the optimum percentage of animal-based products is zero, at least for anyone with a predisposition for a degenerative disease.”

For me, the idea that stood out the most was Dr. Campbell’s suggestion that the over consumption of protein-rich, animal-based foods is the real culprit of disease. This was what pushed me to finally make the commitment to living a fully plant based life.

Next Steps in Response

The science and research are pretty clear, in both the China Study and the Blue Zone study. You can dramatically reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes and increase your chances for longevity, just by changing your diet. Both of these studies advocated specific changes we can make to increase our health benefits. Personally, I have a predisposition for Alzheimer’s disease, as the women in my family have suffered from it. If making dietary changes gives me a better shot at avoiding, or delaying this fate, I am all in. Here are the next nutritional steps I would recommend to anyone wanting to take action based on these two studies.

  • Reduce, or eliminate animal products – I am fully eating whole food plant based for six (6) months now. That is what I felt I needed to do, based on my current health and familial health history. If you are not ready for that, consider at least drastically eliminating the amount of animal proteins you consume. You really don’t need to eat meat. Despite popular belief, you can get all the protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals you need from plants. Even if you are a serious athlete, you can perform at high levels while living a plant based lifestyle. Venus Williams, Cam Newton and many other athletes have shared their personal experiences with plant based diets.
  • Ensure variety and balance in food choice – I am committed to eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes each week. I east seasonal foods whenever possible and rotate through a variety of choices each week. I try to eat a minimum of 30 different types of plant foods each week, which is truly not hard to do at all. Eat the rainbow as they say. This variety helps keep our gut healthy and has a strong impact on our health. I shared more about this in a previous post Healthy Lifestyle: Food, Exercise, and Joy in My Daily Routine.
  • Increase fiber intake – I am very conscious of the body’s need for high fiber intakes and seek to eat a bare minimum of 30 grams a day. Ideally, I’d like to get closer to 50. Fiber is a critical component of any healthy diet plan and needed for optimal gut health. I share more about fiber in a past post Fiber Fueled. I get my fiber from my food choice, not in a bottle, though if needed there are supplements out there to at least get you started. Before taking anything, please speak to your health professional.
  • Eliminate intake of dairy products – I do not eat any dairy products at all. According to the China Study, there is a link between casein and cancer. I feel much less bloated without dairy products and believe my sleep has improved as well. Cheese is always the hardest to give up, but feeling well matters more to me than eating cheese. If you are not ready to give it up, perhaps you can cut back and make healthier choices when selecting cheeses to consume.

It wasn’t an easy shift to a whole food plant based eating, mainly because I didn’t know what to eat. My best advice is to focus on one meal at a time and give yourself grace as you go. I went cold turkey, but think it’s best to change one meal at a time. Take some time to eat a plant based breakfast each day for a week. Then change your lunch selections the next week. Lastly, rework your dinner. Another idea, if you just want to reduce your intake of animal products would be to implement meatless days into your week. Many people have meatless Monday on their dinner rotation. The China Study concluded that even a reduction of animal protein intake could improve health outcomes, so begin to rework some of your meals to get started. I shared some other ideas in these past posts you may want to read Change Our Thinking About Food, Eat to Live, Cooking to Nourish Your Mind, Body & Soul.

Conclusions

For me, this journey is truly a personal one, a promise I made to myself during the long goodbye said to my mother. As I watched her slip away, I vowed to try anything that would avoid having my children go through this painful existence. Losing a loved one is always hard, but losing them, while they are still here is even harder. Ronald Reagan called it, the long goodbye, in the letter he wrote when sharing his Alzheimer’s diagnosis. That is surely was. You can read more about my mother in these posts I’ve shared The Notebook and The Long Goodbye.

If you wish to read more about my personal transformative journey, I shared information in this post IRAH: Individual Retirement Account for Health – A Personal Transformation Journey.

I hope you will consider starting a personal journey for yourself to reclaim, or improve your health. It all starts with nutrition and what we eat. I hope you will reflect on your food choices and see what impact they are having on your current health. If you have any questions about any of my posts, feel free to reach out to me at laurakump@reclaiminghealth.blog, on Instagram or Facebook, or in the comment section below.

*This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. As an Amazon associate, I may receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you. This helps me offset the cost of running this blog and I only recommend items I use and love. Thank you for your support.