Revelations & Recognition

 Alright, so I had some personal diet breakthroughs this past week (fascinating, I know) and I'd like to share what I learned--and incorporate some of that stuff into the challenges for this week as well!

Alright, so here we go!

Challenge 27: Dangers of Dairy: So easy a Caveman could do it? So, a little background before the foreground: A couple of weeks ago I decided I'd live forever and be impervious to harm by going Raw Vegan. Then, after doing that for 5 days and feeling like garbage--I decided that a. life doesn't work that way b. you can't be raw vegan when you live in Canada in the winter c. I value my teeth d. happiness is about mental health first, exercise second, and diet third (in that order).

So, after that happened--I began looking on the interwebs and discovered Paleolithic eating. Now, I will not lie--I'm hooked on this thing. However, I won't spend this post preaching -- not the point. The point of my discoveries was that I began reading about the potential dangers of eating too much dairy--and the havoc it can reek on the gastrointestinal tract.

Some food for thought, if you will:

http://www.naturalnews.com/030403_cancer_cure.html

http://freefromharm.org/food/health-nutrition/20-experts-on-the-dairy-%E2%80%94-breast-cancer-connection/

I'm almost convinced that dairy causes breast cancer at this point, but I am no doctor or scientist, so my opinions are merely food for thought and everyone should do their own research before changing anything in their diet. I'm also over soy almost completely, and blame it as well for the reason girls are getting menstruation at 8 years old. There's soy in EVERYTHING. If it's processed--it's probably got soy in it. A little soy I think is fine, but it's honestly in everything.

And if you'd like to read a fair, balanced, and informative series of articles about diet, nutrition, and the dangers of believing facts from lazy scientists, check out this woman's blog (Am I obsessed? Yes) and some other stuff...

http://rawfoodsos.com/

And also check out these guys:

http://www.beyondveg.com/index.shtml

http://vegnews.com/articles/page.do?pageId=2413&catId=8

So, take a look. I had a revelation this week, and maybe you will have one too.

Disclaimer: I have not eaten meat in a long long time. However, after reading all of this I am considering it. HOWEVER (bold, exclamation point), this does not mean that a.I think veganism isn't a valid way to eat b. everyone should eat meat all the time c. factory farms are okay d. I will let ANY meat that isn't organic, free range, grass fed, etc, come anywhere near me. After reading all of this stuff, I just decided that to me, eating vegan isn't necessarily healthier, or, the healthiest way to eat. It is LEAPS and BOUNDS better than eating SAD (standard American diet), but is it better HEALTH WISE than eating small amounts of meat now and then? I don't know. And yet, this does not discredit veganism AT ALL as an ideological choice. Some people choose to be vegan/vegetarian as an animal rights issue--and this is admirable and should be respected as such.

Challenge 28: Grains? Have you betrayed me too?

Okay, so this has the same back story. However, trying to face this was hard to face--as I love grains more than anything.

But, more food for thought:

http://www.cholesterol-and-health.com/China-Study.html


http://foodforbreastcancer.com/foods/bread

http://rawfoodsos.com/category/wheat-2/

As someone who read the China Study as a college freshman and took it as bible, this was upsetting--but eye opening. It shows that, in the end, you need to get your hands on the raw data and examine it yourself and make your own decisions. Because scientists have an agenda just like everyone else, and the omission of the link between wheat/grains and heart disease/cancer was a BLATANT omission.

http://bradmarshall.blogspot.com/2005/12/is-wheat-killing-us-introduction-maybe.html

And I'm fully aware that all North America grows on mass is wheat and grain and corn, so, you know, expect Fox news to cover something like this in the same episode where they say Climate change is real.

Okay, so after all that--what's the moral of the story? Both challenges are to do some research and (once again) be aware of what you're putting in your body.

And remember--don't stress too much, because you should put your mental health first, exercise health second, and diet third. Is diet important? Frighteningly so. However, if missing a Starbucks run once a month with your friend will make you really upset emotionally--not worth it.

Okay, this post was also a little sporadic but I'm off to California next week so I'm all scatter brained!

<3 times

ManicPanic

Ps. This past Sunday, 6000 protestors marched on, and circled, the White House to protest the Keystone XL pipeline. Did this get ANY news coverage? Nope. But, as the mainstream news works for big oil--I don't even blame them anymore. They are paid in oil money. People need to educate themselves independent of the mainstream news. A pipeline that will create 50 jobs, and in doing so poison millions, not to mention the whole environment from Alberta to Texas. Actually. So, check out these modern day heroes and if you can lend a hand in any way--the future will thank you!

The official opposition website:



http://www.tarsandsaction.org/

Proof that the whole world will honestly hate Canada/America if this goes through

http://www.no-tar-sands.org/