What To Do If Plant-Based Doesn’t Work For You
Whether for environmental or health benefits, the research supporting plant-based nutrition.) is astounding. If you’ve given it a try but it’s not working for you, consider the alternatives below, which can be personalized so you can find your perfect balance.
The Top Reason Plant-Based Diets Don’t Work
Plant-based diets require far more meal planning to ensure you receive the right mix of protein and essential nutrients. If you find that you are low on energy, you may be able to remain plant-based by doing a bit of research on nutrition or working with a plant-based nutritionist. Eating plant-based requires a lot of cooking from scratch. If this is too time-consuming for you, work a few vegan restaurants, delis, or meals prepared by chefs into the mix. Some find that they gain weight when they go plant-based. This is either because they are consuming far more sugar or too many calories. Don’t confuse whole foods as being healthier as you must prioritize nutrients, quality, and portion control.
If the fixes above don’t work, consider the options below.
Keep Dairy In Your Diet
There are some outstanding plant-based dairy alternatives that are easy to swap, such as using soy or almond milk on your granola. However, you may not enjoy the way plant-based milk work in some of your favorite recipes. Or you may find yourself craving cheese or other dairy products. So, swap what works for you and continue to enjoy your favorite dairy products, either daily or in moderation.
Eat Meat Sometimes
Another option that will drastically reduce your carbon footprint, is eating one plant-based meal a day (OMD), or just one serving of meat per day. Or maybe one serving of red meat or your preferred meat or dairy per week. If you travel frequently you will find that plant-based dining is not easy everywhere you travel, so maybe you eat eggs, dairy, or seafood when you travel. Food is nostalgic and plays a central role in many of our familial traditions, so you might indulge during the holidays and other special occasions. Just be mindful, as the longer you go without eating meat—the more difficult it will be to digest. If you continue to eat meat weekly, you shouldn’t have a problem. If you are transitioning back to meat after months or years, your body has stopped producing the digestive enzymes to break it down, so begin with small portions.
Transition To A Pescatarian Diet
You can also consider keeping seafood in your diet. Just be mindful of the higher risks for mercury poisoning. Mercury finds its way into our waterways from fossil fuel runoff. For this reason, it is advised to only consume 3 or fewer servings of seafood per week. To eat seafood more often, identify farm-raised fish farms or purchase from brands that test for heavy metals. Also, add foods that naturally cleanse heavy metals to your diet.
As you transition to naturally-sourced foods, skincare, and beauty products, we invite you to explore how you can add Holmes Organics CBD to your health and wellness routine.