There is a new word in my vocabulary and it is NUTRITARIAN! This past Friday at our Brain Health workshop, our keynote speaker was Cheryl Hoover. She is a lifelong Charlottean, Registered Pharmacist, certified in Plant-Based Nutrition, and owner of Pharmacy In Your Kitchen. WOW! The eye-openers were amazing!
For example:
- She does not advocate for anyone to change their diet to Vegan, Vegetarian, Keto, or any of the other specialty diet types.
- She does suggest that we build our plates around whole food plants and use meat, fish, or seafood as a side dish.
- She says “eat the rainbow” by making sure our plates have many colors. And not to worry about counting calories!
- She says Embrace the opportunity we have right in our own kitchens to nourish our bodies with every bite we take.”
How is this possible? Be a Nutritarian! Nourish your body!
- Instead of asking “what did you have for dinner?” Ask “how did you nourish yourself today?” Or “how many colors did you eat today?”
- If it’s from a plant, eat it. If it’s made in a plant, avoid it.
- Don’t eat something with ingredients you can’t pronounce.
- Food should expire.
- Our teeth are meant for plant-eating.
I wouldn't call myself old-fashioned and outdated; I like to think I'm classic and current. But, I am normally a contrarian when it comes to jumping on trendy diets, trendy fashion, trendy investments, or trendy this-or-that. However, making lifestyle changes for the benefit of brain health is not a trend, nor are the pillars to succeed. Looking at food choices in a different way -- in a plant-forward way -- is refreshing and hopeful. Now how can I be contrarian about that?!
