R there any reducetarians on board here??

[charlesf6]

My Doctor tells me that my Cholesterol and Triglyceride levels ar sky high..


How to be a reducetarian : TreeHugger

[Dollythehun]

Yikes. Diet, exercise and try some red rice yeast.

[Leafmite]

Good luck!

I cooked vegan for an entire summer a few years ago when one of my kids decided to go vegan. One autumn day, she decided she wanted meat and that was the end of it. Some of the pre-packaged vegetarian food is not vegan so if one is vegan, one needs to be pretty careful and mostly just cook it oneself. Vegan food will usually be labeled as such.

I eat a mostly vegetarian diet but I am not vegan or a vegetarian...nor will I ever be. I substitute vegetarian ground 'meat' (gardein) in most dishes and I also cook many vegetarian meals (lentils, chick peas, etc.). I really like this company:

Delicious Meatless Food & Recipes | Gardein

but the stores where I live offer so little of their products. They have really good ground 'meat', 'crab' cakes, 'fish,' Mandrian 'chicken'.

There is also Quorn , Morningstar and Boca in our area. Boca has the best 'chicken' patty's, Morningstar has good bean burgers and garden burgers and Quorn has pretty good 'turkey.' Certain mushrooms can make a pretty good substitution, too, for meat.

For a healthier diet, you can substitute zucchini and spaghetti squash for noodles. Some people substitute cauliflower for rice but, though I like cauliflower, I do not like it as a substitute.

When you are hungry for a snack, reach for fresh veggies and fruits.

Again, good luck!

[Orchid Whisperer]

I prefer my vegetarian food with some meat in it.

[Dollythehun]

PETA? I've done the same as leafmite, but ended up with OW. What she's talking about is a "Mediterranean" type diet. If you can afford it, look into working with a dietician. You're going to get lots of advice, but professional advice might be best to get you jump started.

[Orchid Whisperer]

Srsly, I don't much care for GIGANTIC servings of meat. Also, due to an allergy, I have not eaten "red" (meat from mammals of any kind) since 1998. See Alpha-gal allergy - Wikipedia

I'm close to 60, my total cholesterol is in the 115 - ish range, LDL vs. HDL cholesterol ratio and triglycerides are fine. No signs of heart disease, diabetes, etc. Despite carrying more pounds than I like, my doctor considers me healthy. I eat more vegetables and fruit that just about anything else, but I don't avoid cheese, eggs, poultry or seafood. Oh, and other than the occasional aspirin or ibuprofen, I take no medications. I walk regularly, 10000+ steps most days, and when it comes to yard work, still rely on using my muscles (rather than relying on a riding lawn mower, for example).

I think smaller portions of animal protein are healthy. Like other primates, we have small canine teeth, and I think we have those for a reason.

My family likes grass-fed beef rather than feedlot beef, and I do think that has a smaller carbon footprint.

But if vegetarian or vegan diets work for you, why not?

[Dollythehun]

There is a big difference in that beef OW. I agree. We could nearly ditto your post...except you don't do 5 acres of yard work (at our age) without power equipment.

[Orchid Whisperer]

Originally Posted by Dollythehun

There is a big difference in that beef OW. I agree. We could nearly ditto your post...except you don't do 5 acres of yard work (at our age) without power equipment.

A big 10-4 on the need for power equipment on 5 acres! I was referring to more modestly-sized yards and yard work.

[Arizona Jeanie]

Hello Charles, oh wow, diet advice on the Orchid Board! Here's my take on it all, since you asked...
First, remember that in this country we are bombarded with advertising and merchandising for bad food. They've actually studied how to hit the pleasure centers in your brain with (bad) food. You're being used! Have you ever seen a coupon for fresh spinach?
Most diet recommendations boil down to a few essentials. No sugar. No starchy carbs. Good fats. Lean meat. Lots of veggies. Fruit in moderation. Avoid chemicals, including artificial sweeteners and colorings. There are endless variations on these themes, find one that works for you. If nothing else appeals, try the DASH diet, it's a good place to start. Cutting down on fatty red meat is a good thing, although I have to add that I did lose weight when I was Paleo for awhile. (Paleo-Zone-DASH was one of my favorites, but there are others.)
Learn about diet, try different approaches, then find what you can stick to.
Good luck, fight on!

[jkofferdahl]

Originally Posted by charlesf6

My Doctor tells me that my Cholesterol and Triglyceride levels ar sky high..


How to be a reducetarian : TreeHugger

Do you mean "Are," rather than R? I thought we spoke English in here.