Is plant-based best?

To go plant based or not to go plant based, that truly is the question. In my opinion, with documentaries like, forks over knives, cowspiracy, what the health, game changers, seaspiracy, and multiple others they make you feel like you’re a bad person for not removing all animal-based products out of your life and in all fairness, I know it comes from a good place and for good reason. That being said I also understand that living in a world that doesn’t accommodate the life style, let alone the majority of us being raised habitually to reach for animal-based protein as the main dish of all meals makes it tough. Heck I went to school to become a professional chef. Still I found creating, day in and day out, meals that were 100% plant based while still being traditionally fulfilling to be extremely tough. Now add food intolerances, family, picky eaters, religion, and beliefs it can get even harder. The majority of us have been trained and raised to feel a certain way about food. It took me getting very sick to consider learning this skill of cooking plant based, and in all honesty, it was one I wouldn’t have even considered if it wasn’t for getting so sick. It wasn’t until after I got sick I adopted the lifestyle and understood the importance it played in our overall health. I know I may be attacked for saying what I’m saying but in a world that expects us to be perfect I’ll be the first to admit I’m far from it so I’m just coming from my reality/truth. Does my family eat majority plant based, absolutely but probably not for the reasons that most would think?

Do you care about, your health, your morals and the environment, is the question we are all faced with when coming to the realities of our food choices? Obviously, my family and I do, I believe the majority of us do. But I also believe we should respect and meet people where they’re at. I believe in finding common ground even in diversity so we can find unity around food. This is what I believe is going to move mountains. Creating fear in one another and arguing until our faces turn blue will get nothing done. So, I thought I’d come on and share a few of my beliefs in hopes of just opening up conversation to a different perspective.

Health: Honestly, owning a plant-based meal kit service “the science” gets brought up to me a lot, I’ve heard it all. But what science are we referring to? One that supports your beliefs. I’m a true believer that you don’t have an argument until you can argue the opposite side as strongly as the topic you are trying to prove. Trust me when I say there is always a strong, if not stronger argument on the other side. So, a phrase I heard awhile back and that I now live by is ‘just because you believe something doesn’t make it true’ has made me realize arguing is just a waste of energy and time. I now look for research that focuses on finding the middle ground. People who are willing to look at the situations from a multitude of lenses not just a one size, be all end all, stance. The truth of the matter is, is that if you were to look at all diets equally you would see that they all agree on one thing! Humans thrive on a 75-80% plant-based diet. The other 20% is where the majority of the argument comes from. We’re talking social, moral, sustainable, health, religious, the list goes on. But if we were to instead focus on the 80% we all agree on and to aim even at just this we would have far less problems than we do now in all areas of our lives.

Morals: This is a very touchy topic for most. From my experience its one where we just have to lead with love, be open and educate ourselves the best we can. This is one area I just try to avoid because I respect everyone for where they are at in their lives. Everyone is experiencing life through their own lens. But if I can just find common ground, where my experiences can help them make even one choice in their day that benefits their well-being, mentally, socially, and or physically then I truly believe I’m doing my part.

Environmental: Well first off, I’m definitely not an expert on the topic but what I do know is that the current practices around the way we source our food is unsustainable (not able to be maintained at the current rate or level) and needs to be put back in balance so that the damage we have already caused can slowly rebound. I also know that it’s going to take all of us making little changes to make a difference. To know what that change is, is the difficult part. For example, I’ve been having these conversations with my 14-year-old son. He has been really struggling with what he can do to help after watching these documentaries. He doesn’t understand how to make a difference because he’s bombarded with so much information that makes him feel as everything he is doing is wrong and if he is to continue down such a path, dooms day is said to occur in his life time. That’s a lot of pressure for an adult, let alone a kid. The only advice I had for him is to choose 1 or 2 things that he really resonates with, and then do them extremely well. If we were all to just take this approach, just to do a bit better every day than we would all know as a species we were progressing. If everyone was just to improve by 1% every day that 365% growth in a year. I remind my son regularly that his mental and physical well-being should be at the for front or everything, because happy, healthy people always make more healthy, loving choices. If you are looking for more detailed unbiased information on the topic I recommend looking at the work of Mark Hyman, Michael Pollan, and Alice Waters.

Again, I’ll like to reiterate everything stated above is just my opinion, my truth through my lens. I’m not here to convince anyone of anything but just to open up conversation so we can all help each other to live a little bit better every day. I choose every morning to lead from love and at least then, I know, my heart’s in the right place. My hope is that in sharing, maybe you take away one thing that makes you look at your story around food. That it may shine some light on something that you might have not seen before. Something that propels you to make that 1% change today so we can all walk into a brighter future.