Conflicting Health Advice

Yikes. The more I read, the more discouraged I get. So many conflicting pieces of information on what to eat, what not to eat, what is good for you, what is not good for you. I think that's why people often decide on the "everything in moderation" route.

Here are my dilemmas:
1. B12 - you have to have it and you can't get it from plants. I take a multi-vitamin every day that has all the B vitamins in it. I chose this vitamin years ago because of its formula that hits all the vegetarian needs. B12 is essential for your nervous system operation. Not something to fool around with. I can get it in Salmon...

2. Omega 3's - there are 3 types and you get only one from plant sources. All 3 are necessary for good brain health. I decided on a fish oil supplement gel cap that includes Krill as well as fish and gives you a great dose of the 2 missing Omega 3's. You also need Omega 6 in small doses and most people get it from plant-based oils. I have to check back to see how to get these. Flax gives you Omega 3. There is an entire medical literature about Omega 3 supplements too and which ones are good, which aren't and why...

3. protein - you don't need as much as you probably think you do. I am finishing up a can of whey protein powder because I like it, but it is a milk-based product... If you use whey protein powder there are all kinds of good and bad elements of it as well - cold vs. heat processed, raw vs. pasteurized, no growth hormones, grass fed cows, no long chain something or other...yikes. I am looking at hemp powder and bought one trial size packet to see if I like it in my almond milk fruit juice mix. Almond milk has protein, but I should be getting it from beans, lentils type foods. I probably don't eat enough of those. Could be why I am lacking energy. I used to get my protein from dairy products as a meat avoiding vegetarian. I need to eat more Quinoa.

4. Vitamin D - I can get it from almond milk. I also take a Vitamin D supplement occasionally (spray under your tongue). Sunshine is obviously the best source - but who wants skin cancer. Oy!

5. Gluten - the big fad now is to go gluten-free because it supposedly does dastardly things to your intestines and causes cancer. I can't add this to my list too. I like the whole grain bread they bake at my grocery and it fits all my other criteria...I like the Jerusalem Artichoke flour pasta and whole wheat pasta I have that fits all my criteria. I'll take my chances with gluten.

6. High Fructose Corn Syrup - luckily, I have been avoiding this for almost 2 years now and with a plant-based regimen, there aren't too many products with hidden sources that I eat anymore.

7. Fish - I don't think I want to eliminate this entirely because of the Omega 3 and B12 properties. I will, however, be very conscious of when I eat it, how much I eat, what type I eat. Not ready to bring it back into my diet just yet. Though I have had shrimp in a dish or two since starting this effort. I want to get the oil/fat craving out of my system as much as possible and then see how well I can handle it.

8. Calcium - this is an issue for me because I always relied on dairy as my source. Now I have to find the plants that are rich in calcium and be sure they are in my rotation. Butternut Squash is a good source and I am trying to learn how to cook it!

One of the joys of being oblivious to all this and eating fast foods is that you don't have to think about anything. When you are hungry, you eat. But years of doing that has gotten me to where I am. So for all those years of slacking, I now have to put in the work of thinking about what I eat proactively and not just avoiding meat :)

Onward!
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