"Thriving by Eating"

Part 3 of a series on thriving

A friend asked me why I was so motivated to change my eating habits. She suggested, “Were you scared to death after being diagnosed with cancer?”

I replied, “No, I was scared toward life!” Not wanting to start a fad diet, I adopted a common-sense way of eating for the rest of my life. The plan I chose is called “whole-food, plant based.” Basically, that means eating no processed foods, instead eating real foods such as whole grains, tubers, legumes, fruits and vegetables. I was inspired by Dr. Kelly Turner’s book, Radical Remission. Dr. Kelly surveyed cancer patients who had used both conventional and alternative treatments to achieve remission. One feature they all had in common was they had made a change in diet. Their new diets eliminated sugar and featured plant-based foods. Survivors gave up refined foods and most also gave up dairy. They all increased consumption of fruits and vegetables. Since I was in remission, I wanted to reduce my risk factors for recurrence.

Also, I looked to the USDA and “Health Canada” for updated advice. The old USDA food pyramid is gone with its designations of meat and dairy as major food groups. It now has a simplified guide featuring a plate divided into quadrants of fruits, grains, vegetables, and protein. Health Canada states: “Patterns of eating that emphasize plant-based foods…are associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, colon cancer, and type 2 diabetes.” Health Canada also notes that healthy eating involves more than the foods one eats. They advocate eating out less often, eating mindfully to notice when you are full, eating with others, and enjoying your food.* Sounds like a prescription for a family gathering.

Most of our grandparents intuitively understood what is now confirmed by science as healthy: make mealtimes a celebration by enjoying the company and the food. Get as much food out of the garden as possible and cook from scratch. Unfortunately, my family’s intuition ended there; they added dessert to most dinners. For me, food was emotional support and bound up in memories. So changing my relationship with food was like breaking up with a toxic boyfriend. I have to regularly remind myself—dessert is not a necessity. At first, I felt disloyal to the memory of my mother for not baking her sugary recipes for the grandchildren. At Christmas when I didn’t serve plum pudding flambé, it felt almost sacrilegious. My husband didn’t mind; he used to stand nervously by with a fire extinguisher. Breaking up with sugar is a challenge!

After deciding on my new eating plan, I took my first foray into our local grocery store. I was armed with plant-based recipes on my phone. It was an eye-opening demonstration of how much I had yet to learn. I marched right up the first aisle and realized with surprise that it really wasn’t so much a row of beverages as it was a display of bottled sugar. I searched around a bit in hopes of finding something without sugar, but even the fruit juices were artificial. Some labels proudly claimed 10% real fruit juice. That translates to 10% drinkable for me. The irony didn’t escape me: liquid, liquid, everywhere and not a drop to drink.

With my cart still empty, I walked down the next aisle, frozen food. This aisle also was a revelation. The entire so-called frozen food section was really frozen sugar. An endless selection of ice creams, popsicles, ice cream bars, pies, cakes and artificial whipped cream was on display. My determination didn’t waver as I walked on. After all, I thought, since I was in a food store, there must be food somewhere!

The next aisle was marked, “Cereal” and on the other side of the aisle were jellies, jams, and syrups. After an exhausting search of the cereals, I came to the conclusion that this aisle simply contained sugar-in-a-box, albeit very colorful, compelling boxes. Words like “natural” and “healthy” were in bold. The small print listed corn syrup. At the very end of the aisle, I found the organic steel-cut oats I was seeking. Whew. One item in my cart!

I didn’t even explore the “Baking” aisle with its array of sugars, cake mixes, chocolate chips, and gelatins (colored-sugar). I followed my nose to the next aisle—baked goods. After perusing the doughnuts, sweet rolls, cookies, pastries, cupcakes, and refined white bread, I decided it shouldn’t be named baked “goods” but baked “bads.” Finally, I found one loaf, forsaken at the shelf’s end, of organic, sprouted whole-grain bread. I then had two items in my cart!

I only paused in the aisle of soups and pre-made dinner helpers. Endless noodles with a variety of salt packets masquerading as “spice packets” led to the canned soups. For the first time, I read my favorite golden mushroom soup label: “modified food starch, vegetable oil, monosodium glutamate, potassium chloride, salt, hydrolyzed yeast protein, beef fat, flavoring, caramel color, and dextrose” for starters! I would be making my own soup from now on.

In the spirit of saving the best for last, I went to the produce section. Here, I finally found food—real food; not artificial ingredients or sugar in a package. I loaded up my cart with a delightful variety of salad greens, cabbage, beets, squash, cauliflower and more. Then I added fruit from bananas to blueberries. My cart looked full and lusciously leafy. After I told the cashier my plans for eating actual food, she said, “Then all you need to do is shop the store’s perimeter.” At the time, I hadn’t heard that suggestion. I’ve found it to be true.

If you need help like I did with menu planning, it is a click away online. Personally, I like “Forks over Knives” and joined their Facebook group for helpful information and recipes. I’m still a work-in-progress, but there is progress! Previously, I didn’t know what Tahini was, but now I make my own hummus with it. Quinoa had sounded exotic, but recently it’s become a staple for my dinner bowls. I’ve taken a couple wrong turns due to that tempter, chocolate; but I will stay the course. My husband planted a late fall garden so we are reaping beets, kale, and spinach now. To pick produce from our own garden is so gratifying. I feel like I’m almost a farmer! Indeed eating a “whole-food, plant-based” diet is not a new idea.

In fact, before plant-based eating was a modern plan, it was an ancient one! About 2600 years ago, a young man named Daniel credited vegetables with good health and didn’t want to eat the rich food he was offered by the king. He said, “…Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food…” So he [the guard] agreed to this and tested them for ten days. At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food (Daniel 1:12-15). So whether you decide to follow the oldest or latest wisdom, you will be helping your body to thrive.

* “Whole Plant Foods Take Center-Plate in Canada’s New Food Guide.” By Courtney Davison. Forks Over Knives. January 28, 2019. <www.forksoverknives.com>.  

Reflection:

What foods do you find addicting?

Do you have strong memories associated with foods?

Even taking one small step, what could you do to eat healthier?