It seems to me, though, that there are several points of view from which to look at the question of diet, besides weight loss:
One is, of course, health: How can diet help protect us from the lifestyle diseases that beset our western culture: diabetes, heart disease, obesity and of course, cancer. Seeing as several of my closest family members have had cancer (grandfather, father, mother, sister), I would not say that I am being overly hysterical in feeling myself to be at some risk as well.
Secondly there is the question of environment: How can our diet choices contribute to protecting the environment.
Thirdly there are the ethical questions regarding the exploitation of animals, and farm workers.
And finaly there is the question of weight loss, which after all, has been one of my new years resolutions for a couple of years.
Is there a diet that can be called natural for a human being?
Many of these concerns are intertwined: chemical polutants from industry and conventional farming practices negatively affect health. Factory farming, especially the raising of animals for the sole purpose of meat production seems questionable to me from an ethical point of view, and also has a negative impact on the environment, as well as the quality of life for populations in developing countries. These farming practices serve to further the destruction of rain forests, and increase the expansion of desserts, thus causing drought and famine. They also tend to exploit farm workers, and expose them to dangerous concentrations of chemicals. However some form of animal husbandry is integrated in most forms of organic farming, both for the manure and the utilization of grass and brush, so that a diet that includes animal products seems to me to be part of an ecologically balanced society.
Anyway I have decided as of this month to make some changes in my diet, and add some consistency to my consumer habits. Taking the advice of the authors of "Skinny Bitch ", I will make the changes gradually, making one change per week or per month, trying them out for a period to see how things go. I an taking one week at a time during this month of August.
Week 1: eliminate refined and artificial sweeteners and replace with honey, maple sirup, evaporated cane sugar, plus agave sirup and stevia if I can get them.
Week 2: eliminate refined starches and replace with whole grains and legumes. Limit consumption of potatoes. Eat lots of nuts and seeds. Add non-GMO soy to diet (beneficial for menopaus)
Week 3: eliminate hydrogenated and transfats, and replace with butter, olive oil, and pure organic vegetable oils. Also start taking a cod liver oil supplement.
Week 4: eliminate non organic meat, except for game and poultry. Limit meat to 2x/week. Eat plenty of fat fish and shellfish. Prefer organic or grass fed dairy products and eggs (for higher omega 3 content).
Week 5: Eliminate GMO foods, artificial colors, aromas, flavors, and preservatives. Read up on Superfoods for the Autumn and start incorporating them into my diet in September.
