{"id":2999,"date":"2020-09-15T09:52:05","date_gmt":"2020-09-15T00:22:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/?p=2999"},"modified":"2020-09-15T09:52:05","modified_gmt":"2020-09-15T00:22:05","slug":"a-whole-food-plant-based-diet-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/student-health-and-well-being\/2020\/09\/15\/a-whole-food-plant-based-diet-part-2\/","title":{"rendered":"A whole-food, plant-based diet – part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

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You may have seen, from a post I did a little while back that I am moving to a <\/span>whole-food, plant-based diet<\/span><\/a>. Actually, a bit broader than that, I am becoming a vegan.<\/span><\/p>\n

It is worth taking a moment to make the distinction between the two. The first (whole-food plant based diet) is an eating plan – one which (not surprisingly) involves eating mostly or all plant-based foods and where possible, foods with minimal processing. You can be on a whole-foods plant-based diet, but not necessarily a vegan – as you might still have small amounts of dairy or meat or other animal products (e.g. honey) in the diet. There is good evidence that <\/span>whole-food, plant-based diets are healthy<\/span><\/a> and they are increasingly discussed in the <\/span>context of being good for the environment<\/span><\/a> as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The second (veganism) is \u201c<\/span>a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose<\/span><\/a>\u201d. Veganism stretches beyond just what we eat, to include any setting in which animals are exploited or used for human benefit. For example, vegans eschew clothes made from animal products or visiting zoos where animals are displayed for entertainment. Vegans eat a wholly plant-based diet, but not all vegans are eating a <\/span>whole-foods<\/b>, plant-based diet. In fact you could be a vegan and live on potato chips and lemonade (#lifegoals).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Thus one is a choice for health. The other is a choice for ethics and the environment. I am hoping, over the next couple of years to achieve both a healthy, whole-food, plant-based diet and a vegan lifestyle.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve decided to blog the process because there are many valuable health, wellbeing, ethical and environmental lessons to be learned in this space. I know, because I am learning them everyday. I hope that by sharing my experiences, that others might be encouraged to think about their own nutrition and the relationship between personal ethics and wellbeing.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The part of the transition process I am focusing on at the moment is the dietary part (whole-foods, plant based), as it is the most challenging part for me, because I come to this space with a number of health problems:<\/span><\/p>\n

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  1. Orthorexia <\/span><\/a>– is \u201ca<\/span>n eating disorder that involves an unhealthy obsession with healthy eating<\/span><\/i>\u201d. I\u2019ve spent years obsessing about food and nutrition and not in a way that has made me healthier. Because a whole-foods, plant-based diet is a way of eating that involves the restriction of food groups, I need to counter that restriction (which can lead to dysfunctional attitudes around food) with the exploration of new foods that I have not explored before.<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Irritable Bowel Syndrome<\/span><\/a> – is a somewhat embarrassing condition affecting the functioning of the bowel. I have struggled with it since my mid 20\u2019s. There are times I have got on top of it through dietary modifications (e.g. <\/span>FODMAP <\/span><\/a>diet) and medication (amitriptyline), but it has been a constant companion for a large chunk of my life.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Cramp fasciculation disorder<\/span><\/a> (CFD) – is a fairly rare neuromuscular condition characterised by muscle cramping and twitching. It is accompanied by muscle discomfort, pain and tiredness. I\u2019ve suspected that CFD is influenced by nutrition and I can identify a few triggers (e.g. caffeine), but I\u2019ve never truly worked out if it is manageable through nutrition.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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    All three of these make the transition to a whole-foods, plants-based diet a little more challenging.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n