Last Sunday after watching "BIGATIN" by Ms. Che-Che Lazaro and getting glued about how Ms. Izza Calzado struggles on her battle against weight gain, I realized that living a healthy life is not an option or a choice we decide to do but a MUST selection if we're aiming to live longer.
Diet I must say play an important role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Eating too much sweets can lead us to the zone of Diabetes (type II Diabetes), one of the most common world disease that once you get inflicted there's no chance of escape and leaves you a lifetime of treatments. How about those beyond normal cholesterol levels that was acquired from enormous fatty foods and less than minimum amount of activities, where will it leads one? Three words - " stroke" and " hear attack", not to mention that eating such kind of food is the main culprit for having diabetes. Wonder where joint diseases such as arthritis came from? Increase uric acid in the body from constant eating of animal organs (balunan, ring a bell?) proved its development.
Scary right. If someone do not pay importance to what he/she is eating, then choose from the above which of those horrendous disease you would want to have in the very near future. Diet modification is a good start towards healthy living. As a health care practitioner I can enumerate to you some well known diet restrictions - low salt low fat (hypertension), low salt, low fat, low cholesterol (stroke/with coronary disorder), computed calorie requirement along with equally distributed carbs, protein, and fat in roughly 5 meals a day (diabetes), low purine (arthritis), low protein(kidney problems), etc. These are just some of the food modifications we prescribed to our patients in the hospital. But how about for those healthy individuals not having any debilitating illness? Well for each of you still not battling any health disorder, its high time you begin your prevention process NOW! or you wouldn't have get lucky the next time around.
I always been fascinated on vegetarianism. Hats off to those who have been in this practice for quite sometime ( Rica Peralejo, Isabel Roces, Yasmien Kurdi)are just
some of the personalities known in this field. Their discipline and strictness
in following such ordeal is truly a remarkable behavior and should be imitated
by those yearning for a healthy life.
Today let’s
discuss about vegetarian and the like of it. First let us first know what are
the different types of vegetarians. A true vegetarian eats no meat at all
including fish, dairy and poultry. A lacto –ovo vegetarians eats dairy and eggs
but excludes poultry, fish and meat. A lacto vegetarian eats dairy products but
no eggs. An ovo vegetarian eats eggs but no dairy products. Semi-vegetarians
defined as individuals who eats poultry, fish and seafood but exclude red meat and beef. I tried the third one before and it proved to be a rewarding practice since I was able to maintain a less than 120 lbs. body weight, if only I have more disciple in my system, I wouldn't gone back to my previous routines. Lastly in this is group are what we called vegan (vee-gun), whom only eats plant and plants based foods and totally exclude ALL animals and animals derived food products. Also, they are more stricter in contrast of the above mentioned, since their diet practice often extends on their lifestyle.
Today vegetarians are still a minority in the country and even in the different side of the world, however they are fast becoming famous and known even to the ordinary people. Thanks to the vast changes in our technologies, information dissemination become an easy task. Before no one would have a thorough knowledge on being a vegetarian and how it can be achieve? Today?, thanks to internet creation, and birth of social media, knowing things is just a click away. Misconceptions on this subject almost totally eradicated and public awareness is imminent.
How safe is vegetarianism? According to The American Dietetic Association (ADA), " appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases", thus, officially endorsing vegetarianism.
If you're planning to be a vegetarian gathering enough information us the key to a successful practice. As mentioned above- appropriately planned diet is the major responsibility in this practice. Its not as easy as eliminating some food groups in your diet such as proteins, fats and carbohydrates. You should know that these group of food are important in energy creation, muscle developments and growth enhancement. Which is why you have to know the important nutrients and minerals that are lacking in most vegetarian diets.
1. Iron - Iron fortified cereal, legumes (lentils, baked beans and chicken peas), soybeans, tofu, dried fruits (raisins and figs are high in iron contents. Eating these type of foods with adequate amount of Vit. C (often seen in citrus fruits) will aid in fast absorption of iron in the body.
2. Calcium - Milks and yogurt are two of the most enrich calcium foods. But since vegetarian avoided this food products substitution is the key. Tofu, soy milk, calcium enriched orange juice, green leafy vegetables are just some vegetarians considered eating. Calcium intake is important in bone development especially if you're a teens. Also women is at risk of osteoporosis that's why this minerals should not be removed in a vegetarian diet.
3.Vitamin D - If C vitamin is the key in iron absorption,then the Ds are for calcium. Fortified soy milk and fortified breakfast cereals are the best substitutes. Also intake of a supplement is an advantage.
4. Protein - Before acquiring complete protein in the diet can only be achieve through eating meats. Now, a wide array of food combination with protein content can be done to accomplish that goal. Eggs and dairy products are a good combination, but for those in restriction peanut butter, soy milk, grains, cereals and VEGETABLES are some of the protein foods.
5. Calories, Fats and Fibers - Vegetarians tend to have a high fiber but low fat diet. Take note that although majority of fat enriched foods are destroying to our health, however a sufficient intake of these are necessary for our growth. Omega-3 fatty acids for one are not enough in most vegan diet. You should know that a sufficient intake of this aids into a health heart.Fortified soy milk and breakfast bars are some of the food products with fortified DHA, a well known Omega - 3 fatty acid.
6. Zinc and Vitamin B12 - These two are not enough in some food products, thereby, intake of supplement are encourage.
Here is a vegetarian food pyramid so you'll be guided in your food preparation and consumption.
As a certified foodie, dining out is my most beloved vice. You may think that dining out for vegetarians are difficult and way too expensive. But you'll be surprise to know that majority of the restaurants included a well prepared meals for veggie eaters. Even fast food chains designed an options for vegetarians. There are also restaurants dedicated strictly to the veggie eaters. What about the pricing are they too expensive for my budget? Nope, since there are lot of "resto" options, I'm sure you will find one that will suit to your spending. Check Raya Mananquil's article for spot.ph, she features ten of the best vegetarian restaurants in Metro Manila. Surprisingly, locations such as Quezon City, Makati and Taguig caters to most of it.
Most of you must have heard about the PIPINO in Teachers Village in QC. It was widely featured to the different lifestyle program (In Listed just recently) and in most foodie magazine. True enough, a food haven for veggie and healthy eaters. Who would ever think that a vegetarian restaurant can be as delectable like this. Every meal are mouth watering and a promise of full appetite. Delicately made and prepared and an inviting ambiance paved way to its success. My only disappointment (small) is that its located in QC and maybe too far for me that frequent locates in Makati. Good thing they have their delivery service now, most of us in far south can experience this sumptuous cuisine. Though at most time I still prefers to personally visit the restaurant and enjoy the good ambiance, after all the its worth the trip.
One good reason to enjoy food delivery!!!
some of their must try
three of my favorite cuisines - garlic noodle, stuff portobello and wicked walnuts
PIPINO's menu list with affordable prices
By now, you made a choice on your mind and come up a final decision with regards to your lifestyle. Let's all begin in choosing what we eat, vegetarian or not, we have the responsibility to take care our own health, a must ordeal not a just one of the few choices. Because the next time around, the damaged that we have inflicted in our body and entire well-being may be irreparable.
For those of you who want to know more about being a vegetarian, here are some of the websites that can give you sufficient amount of information, enough for you to envision the whole picture :
The Vegetarian Resource Group (www.vrg.org/)
Vegetarian Recipe|Small Planet.org (www.smallplanet.org/Hope-Edge-Recipes)
Vegetarian Times (www.vegetariantimes.com)
Vegetarian Pages (www.veg.org/)
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