Thursday, February 24, 2011

The Foods We Eat DO Make a Difference

"Gorillas Going Green" -  In an effort to help captive gorillas suffering from heart disease, researchers took the gorillas off a processed diet and instead gave them natural foods like romaine lettuce, dandelion greens, endives, alfalfa, green beans, flax seeds, and even tree branches which they strip of bark and leaves.  Not only did the gorillas lose 65 pounds each, it also changed their behaviors.  Hmmm...I wonder what a diet free of processed foods would do for humans? 

My favorite quote from the article is "And, we're just recognizing that surviving on a diet and being healthy on a diet are different. We've raised our standards and are asking, are they in the best condition to not only survive but to thrive?"

I think we can learn much from this video and article.


Speaking of good foods, check out my friend Kate's new blog KateAlice Cookbook.   Kate shares some similiarities with me:  1) We both have autoimmune diseases.  2)  We both believe that diet has a lot to do with the inflammation in our bodies.   3) Although our overall diets are different, we both follow a "grain free" diet and have found wonderful benefits by eliminating this food group.  No matter what your diet choices, I think you will love the photos, writing, and recipe ideas she has to offer.  Since she is new to the blogging community, you might also want to leave a comment and welcome her!

The foods we eat DO make a difference.

5 comments:

  1. I absolutely agree. I am live near the Cleveland Zoo about 20 mins away. Maybe we will visit the gorillas when it warms up. It has been about a year since we have been to the zoo. I believe at that time the gorillas were located in the rain forest section of the zoo.
    When I first diagnosed, I did not realize how processed really affected me but the change in diet made a big difference. Certain foods aggravated my symptoms and I had to remove them. As for processed foods, that reduction has made a difference. It would nice to completely eliminate processed foods from our diets, but it is not always easy. I love the quote you mentioned too. It really makes sense, doesn’t it? I will check out Kate’s blog.

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  2. Lana, I think it does make sense. Over the years of changing my diet the most valuable advice I have heard is we have to make our own food. Food is what keeps us going and thriving and affects too many other areas of our lives. It has to be a priority that we give ample time and energy to.

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  3. Beautiful pictures. I used to take pictures like that...I need to get the camera out again.

    I'm actually thinking about gf again, I just have to get the gumption up to do it again. It's funny how when we are doing it the things we really like to eat aren't a big temptation but then when we aren't it's hard to start again.

    Thank you for sharing the blog info, it will be nice to have some new recipes to start with.

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  4. I have been experimenting with cutting down (can't do without some of the veggies) on the nightshades. I think this has played a part in my feeling better lately.

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  5. Part of me wants to ask why they ever thought feeding a wild animal processed food was okay in the first place and I suppose that goes for us too. There is a great book called Green for Life that not only talks about eating whole foods, but also incorporating more and more greens into our diet.

    I know changing my diet will help so much, I just need to push myself to do it.

    Great post!

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