Hint: healthy weight loss is only one!
Clinical studies show that a plant-based diet combats the leading killers: cancer, cardiovascular disease, and Type 2 diabetes. No wonder vegetarians live longer than meat eaters!
For heart health alone, giving up meat (including fowl) and seafood (including fish) can lower bad LDL cholesterol, blood pressure and hypertension, and body mass index (BMI). Most research finds that people following a plant-based diet eat fewer calories and weigh less than omnivores.
A vegetarian diet is also less expensive—and far more planet friendly—than eating meat. Plant foods are naturally alkaline, helping to normalize the body’s pH level. Even the conservative American Dietetic Association says anyone—at any age or life stage—can go vegetarian.
Dr. Ann Louise’s Take:
Clearly, eating fiber-rich vegetables, fruits, and other plants supports detox and digestion. That’s why Fat Flush for Life includes specific advice on how to go vegetarian. But vegetarians need to be as careful about what they eat as omnivores.
Don’t overdo processed and sugary foods, for example, if you’re having a snack attack. Ovo-lacto vegetarians should choose omega-3-rich eggs and plenty of yogurt and kefir with live, active probiotic strains. But go easy on triple-cream cheeses.
Pay attention to “good” fats—avoiding trans fat and supermarket oils. Cook with extra-virgin olive oil and cold-pressed nut oils. Macadamia nut oil, for instance, has almost twice the smoke point of olive oil, plus a great nutty aroma and taste. Try avocado, sesame, and walnut oil too.
Drizzle flaxseed oil over salads and veggies to up your omega-3s. This anti-inflammatory oil helps balance blood sugar and hormone levels, while inhibiting weight gain. And toss chia seeds, rich in omega-3 and plant-based calcium, into frappes and smoothies or soups and stews.
Enjoy Plenty of Plant Protein
Numerous clinical studies show that plant protein fights fat, curbs appetite, boosts metabolism, and supports the weight loss functions of the liver and thyroid. Eat plenty of legumes (aduki, black, and kidney beans, garbanzos, and lentils), but limit your intake of soy foods (high in copper) to fermented soy (like tofu) no more than twice weekly.
I like Fat Flush Whey Protein, which supports lean muscle mass and boosts energy levels—while naturally suppressing your appetite. Also popular with Fat Flushers and vegetarians, Fat Flush Body Protein, made from pea and rice protein (plus the prebiotic inulin and the sweet herb stevia). This powder has a distinct advantage over other vegan proteins because it balances high-lysine yellow pea with low-lysine rice—and it tastes great.
Balance Copper and Zinc
Without complete protein, the thyroid is unable to ignite the fuel that transforms food into energy. Another concern for vegetarians—especially if they eat too many nuts and soy foods (along with chocolate and tea)—is copper overload.
Excess copper impairs energy production within the cells, and as a conductive metal with strong electrical charges, this mineral also promotes free radicals linked to acne, anemia, arthritis, candidiasis, chronic fatigue, hormonal irregularities, hair loss, gall bladder congestion, loss of libido, PMS, and reduced thyroid function.
High copper levels from eating too many soy-based foods can result in adrenal insufficiency. Zinc, a natural antagonist to copper, is often low in vegetarian diets, so be sure to take a daily multi that contains this important mineral—without any added copper.
Vegetarian women of childbearing age may need additional iron and vitamin B12. And even if you eat dairy, you may be low in vitamin D and want to add more.
Sources:
Fat Flush for Life
The Fat Flush Plan
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19968904
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20071875
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19562864
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19893782
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19766762
Hi AL,
I followed a vegan style diet for 12 days in January, sort of as an experiment. I was eating mostly brown rice, amaranth or quinoa, some oats, adzuki, black & white kidney beans, many veggies, lentils, some fruits. I excluded dairy, meats, fish and sweetners, oh and also alcohols. I lost about 9lbs. That was pretty much unusual for me, I have been at a plateau for quite some time. I did feel sort of light headed some of the time, and missed eating meat. Now I do this kind of thing on occasional days. I guess I think of it as a cleanse. It was a “Daniel” diet, and not something I could do long term, but it was less expensive. Soy doesn’t agree with me in general, so I avoided that also. I also ate nuts, forgot to mention that, usually walnuts, almonds or pecans…..:)
I am having a hard time finding any vegetarian options for the Fat Flush Program. Can you please give me some resources/suggestions?
Hi Mary:
Fat Flush for Life has a vegetarian program. Its terrific and features the brand new Fat Flush Body Protein which is vegan.
What would Weston Price say about this?
Who cares what Weston Price says about this? There is so much evidence, including the huge China Study, showing that a vegan or near vegan diet is much healthier. The only necessary nutrient that cannot be found in the vegan diet is the intrinsic factor, which ideally should be produced in the body so we can use vitamin B 12. For those who do not create their own intrinsic factor, it can be supplied by a one inch cube of ocean fish or shrimp per week. BTW raw foods provide twice the protein value of cooked foods, plus lots of vitamins and enzymes that are destroyed by cooking.
I am a complete vegan and this was the first time I saw that being a vegetarian could be good for one do you have a diet that you would recommend for one to follow and which foods to eat and not to eat to lose weight.
Going vegetarian can be a terrific way to lose weight, but I’m an 0 blood type, so eventually I always need to eat fish or meat (grass-fed, of course, since the 1970s).
Love the veggie diet in Fat Flush for Life. This greatly expands the veggie options in The Fat Flush Plan and Dr. Ann Louise’s other detox menus.
The FFlush powder sounds like a useful addition to my morning smoothies. Thanks for this!
Juicing: in terms of getting more veggies/fruits into ones diet via juicing. Do you have any particular recommendations for juicers? Thanks.
Olivia and Bernadette: I lost over 30 pounds last year doing a completely Vegan diet and including green veggie smoothies twice a day, made with my Vitamix, which I highly recommend. This year i revamped my program to cut down on grains and added organic free range eggs because my weight loss had stalled. I also very occasionally eat wild salmon, and use ALG’s vegan protein powder. Never felt better!
Cathy & Olivia – Green smoothies are an excellent way to include lots of fresh raw leafy greens and fruits without losing their valuable fiber. For long term use, they are better than juicing. Best if you have a high powered blender like VitaMix or Blendtec. I’ve used both and can’t decide which I like better. Be sure to rotate greens, parsley, spinach, romaine lettuce, and chard are mild tasting so you can use a lot of them. Then add smaller amounts of arugula, cilantro, kale, mustard, or other strong tasting greens. Tart fruits like pineapple or lemon help to balance the flavors.
Note – tofu is not a fermented soy product. It is simply coagulated soy milk. I used to make it and there is no fermentation involved. I still eat Wild Wood sprouted tofu very occasionally and miso, but mostly stay away from soy. I’ve been mainly vegan for 40 years and I’ve had excellent health all the while. About once a week I might have a couple of eggs or a small piece of salmon If I feel it calling to me… though I didn’t eat any fish at all for about 20 years. I am far healthier than any of my meat eating friends of my age, so I highly recommend the near vegan diet.
Mary: Check out Fat Flush for Life – the Autumn fat flush for a template you can use for your vegetarian regimen.
It’s nice to feel some vegetarian support in this program! It’s a very meat-centered diet that kind of makes vegetarians feel like somehow WE are the ones who aren’t eating healthy! Most people who have made the commitment to vegetarianism have done the research. Sure it’s easier to just mindlessly eat meat without thinking about where it comes from and what you are participating in. The meat industry has invested millions in making sure people think meat is necessary. But vegetarians have lived on this planet for eons and gotten by just fine. The issues now are contamination and vitamin/mineral depletion of the crops and of conflicting reports about what is good for you.
Still, it’s wonderful to see more pro-vegetarian information here and next time around I am going to order the body protein. I noticed pea and rice protein in the health food stores now too, so it’s definitely becoming a trend.
I was wondering if anyone knew if it was okay to have “quinoa” the first two weeks of the fat flush?
Quinoa is not one of the options in phase one of Fat Flush. I believe it can be added in on phase 3.
I am allergic to egg whites, cows milk, and wheat. I can not eat the eggs or whey powder in the Fat Flush diet without getting sick. What do you think of quinoa, sliced apple, cinnamon, and rice milk as a breakfast substitute? My husband and I have been on the plan for a month with excellent results and unexpected benefits.
Ann Louise: Will you publish an all-Vegetarian Fat Flush book/plan?
Please check out “Fat Flush for Life”. There is a complete vegetarian plan in the Autumn section. Lots of yummy recipes too.
Do you think that artichokes and pure celery juice and pure cucumber juice can heal the EBV virus related to thyroid issues. From what I have read, EBV virus is responsible for the thyroid issues. But I have read your information about the copper overload. I am a firm believer that MEAT is a NO NO and who would want to participate in their dirty, disgraceful processing of commercialized meat? If someone could heal/detox their liver through various juices mentioned above, is it possible that someone would not need their thyroid meds, which apparently causes atrophy/shrinkage of their thyroid. I know there are a lot of questions here, but perhaps meat is the cause of the thyroid issues, as well as diabetes and auto immune diseases. The saturated nasty chemical fat is clogging people’s systems.
Julie, thank you for your comment.