Been an ovo-lacto (eat eggs and dairy) vegetarian for 50 years. For a long time my diet sounded a lot like yours. However, about 15 years ago I discovered that the medication I took because I no longer had a pituitary gland was causing diabetes. This is meant that I have had to cut out pretty much all carbs and any source of fructose so this means very little to none in the bread department and no fruits and I can no longer get my proteins from a mixture of beans and grains. This means my main meal has become a huge salad since I can't eat vegetables with walnuts, and the other meal is basically cheese with my snacks nonfat plain yogurt with walnuts. I get my protein from an occasional egg and a low carb high protein shake. The food that I didn't used to like but now adore is a small bit of very dark chocolate at the end of lunch dinner and my evening snack. The expensive apple balsamic vinegar I put on my salad has also made this daily meal some thing I look forward to every day, even though it takes me a good, 20 minutes to chop everything up and then another good 20 minutes to thoroughly chew everything. However, this is a good way to be mindful about my main meal of the day.
I had gathered you were a non-meat eater from your posts, Louisa. Your diet sounds necessarily complicated, yet healthy. Dark chocolate seems to be something a few of us learned to love but now it's an important treat!
Thanks for this, Patricia! We have reduced red meat consumption to once a week and that has helped my husband's cholesterol go down. We eat a big bowl of bananas and berries for breakfast and then I forget to have more fruit during the day, but we do enjoy apples so I appreciate your suggestion. My husband is allergic to nuts, so he eats pumpkin and sunflower seeds and hopefully that is as beneficial as nuts.
You're welcome Cherie. I have pumpkin seeds in a smoothie, as well as other seeds which are nutritious and a good alternative to nuts for your husband.
My doctor recommended the Mediterranean diet because my blood test came back as having prediabetes. He then said how difficult it was to eat this way. But the last thing I want to do is give myself insulins shots.
I change my diet and only have a treat (ice cream or chocolate) with my husband on Friday nights. I drink my one cup of coffee black with cinnamon to cut down on the acidity. I switched my bread to Ezekiel, that I love with hummus on it, and prefer to eat this bread over rice. I eat red meat once or twice a week. Eating out can be difficult, which is why we usually go to an Asian, Mediterranean, or Indian restaurant.
The same thing happened to me with the prediabetes diagnosis, Pamela, but I, too reversed it with diet. Saturday night treat of dark chocolate for me. I've heard good things about this Ezekiel bread, I must try it sometime.
Hi Patricia, I have always been a vegetarian so I sympathize with your search for plant-based alternatives :-) I use Flaxseed oil (or powder) as my omega-3 source. Also, for a fiber source, have you already considered psyllium husks? Thanks for sharing.
Jayshree, I'm already using flaxseed ground up in my smoothie without realising that one of the many benefits of it is omega-3! So I'm getting a double dose and can cut one out - the fish oil pills. Thank you for your input into this. I haven't considered psyllium husks for fibre but will definitely look into it. I much appreciate your suggestions.
I am a meat eater but try to have at least one vegetarian meal a week. Thank you for reminding me the reasons why I need to include more vegetarian meals in my week … particularly as I grow old 😘
Love a crispy apple!
Me too!
Been an ovo-lacto (eat eggs and dairy) vegetarian for 50 years. For a long time my diet sounded a lot like yours. However, about 15 years ago I discovered that the medication I took because I no longer had a pituitary gland was causing diabetes. This is meant that I have had to cut out pretty much all carbs and any source of fructose so this means very little to none in the bread department and no fruits and I can no longer get my proteins from a mixture of beans and grains. This means my main meal has become a huge salad since I can't eat vegetables with walnuts, and the other meal is basically cheese with my snacks nonfat plain yogurt with walnuts. I get my protein from an occasional egg and a low carb high protein shake. The food that I didn't used to like but now adore is a small bit of very dark chocolate at the end of lunch dinner and my evening snack. The expensive apple balsamic vinegar I put on my salad has also made this daily meal some thing I look forward to every day, even though it takes me a good, 20 minutes to chop everything up and then another good 20 minutes to thoroughly chew everything. However, this is a good way to be mindful about my main meal of the day.
I had gathered you were a non-meat eater from your posts, Louisa. Your diet sounds necessarily complicated, yet healthy. Dark chocolate seems to be something a few of us learned to love but now it's an important treat!
Thanks for this, Patricia! We have reduced red meat consumption to once a week and that has helped my husband's cholesterol go down. We eat a big bowl of bananas and berries for breakfast and then I forget to have more fruit during the day, but we do enjoy apples so I appreciate your suggestion. My husband is allergic to nuts, so he eats pumpkin and sunflower seeds and hopefully that is as beneficial as nuts.
You're welcome Cherie. I have pumpkin seeds in a smoothie, as well as other seeds which are nutritious and a good alternative to nuts for your husband.
My doctor recommended the Mediterranean diet because my blood test came back as having prediabetes. He then said how difficult it was to eat this way. But the last thing I want to do is give myself insulins shots.
I change my diet and only have a treat (ice cream or chocolate) with my husband on Friday nights. I drink my one cup of coffee black with cinnamon to cut down on the acidity. I switched my bread to Ezekiel, that I love with hummus on it, and prefer to eat this bread over rice. I eat red meat once or twice a week. Eating out can be difficult, which is why we usually go to an Asian, Mediterranean, or Indian restaurant.
The same thing happened to me with the prediabetes diagnosis, Pamela, but I, too reversed it with diet. Saturday night treat of dark chocolate for me. I've heard good things about this Ezekiel bread, I must try it sometime.
Look for Ezekiel bread in the freezer section. Yummy, dark chocolate!
Will do!
Hi Patricia, I have always been a vegetarian so I sympathize with your search for plant-based alternatives :-) I use Flaxseed oil (or powder) as my omega-3 source. Also, for a fiber source, have you already considered psyllium husks? Thanks for sharing.
Jayshree, I'm already using flaxseed ground up in my smoothie without realising that one of the many benefits of it is omega-3! So I'm getting a double dose and can cut one out - the fish oil pills. Thank you for your input into this. I haven't considered psyllium husks for fibre but will definitely look into it. I much appreciate your suggestions.
I am a meat eater but try to have at least one vegetarian meal a week. Thank you for reminding me the reasons why I need to include more vegetarian meals in my week … particularly as I grow old 😘
That's great, Jo! Even one meatless meal a week is good for you - and the planet. 😁