Thursday, March 24, 2011

What is a nutritarian?

I don't like labels and they way I am choosing to live is no exception, but as I have been doing some more research lately, I figured out that what I am trying to do with my family truly does have a name and that is Nutritarian. (I got the following information from: HERE). This website states:
What is a Nutritarian?

"A Nutritarian is a person who takes interest in the nutritional quality of their diet. A person who strives to eat a diet containing highly nutritious foods.

This person chooses foods that are high in a wide spectrum of micro nutrients per calorie. Foods that are exceptionally nutrient dense and therefore promote disease resistance and longevity are: vegetables (especially green vegetables), beans and seeds.

These foods are all rich in vitamins, minerals and phyto-nutrients that properly nourish the body so the body can maximize it's self-repairing abilities and combat disease.

A high-nutrient diet takes away addictions, cravings and curtails overeating behavior. It is the PERMANENT solution to weight control and great health."

A Nutritarian Food Pyramid:

Please click on "HERE" above to find out more information if you are interested. Eating and living like this, is NOT a diet. This is a way of life to help prevent disease and to live your lfe with optimal health. I think most of my recipes fit in this category.

Dr. Joel Fuhrman, I believe, is really the one that has coined the title "Nutritarian." You has been seen on Dr. OZ and various other shows and has written some amazing books. I have not read them completely, but I have browsed through them. You can watch a short Nutritarian video on his website HERE. He has written:

Eat to Live, which I just ordered on Amazon (if you order it, make sure you are getting the updated copy) and his two part series: Eat for Health.

In a nutshell, Dr. Fuhrman says (which is very similar to Original Fast Foods, my FAVORITE BOOK) to aim for:
1 pound of raw vegetables a day
1 pound of cooked vegetables a day
1 cup of beans daily
1 ounce of nuts/seeds every day
3-4 servings of fruit a day
limit starchy vegetables and grains
no fruit juices or dairy products
if you choose to eat meat, only a few ounces per week.

I believe he says to do this for 6 weeks. This can totally eliminate food addictions and cravings if you can do this. One of my good friends, Elisha Exon is trying this way of eating for eight weeks. She is documenting her experience on her website: http://www.motivatedmamas.net/. You can read about her "Nutritarian Experiment" HERE.

I think I might join her on his experiment. Even though I eat really well, there is always room for improvement and its really helpful to your body to be able to limit any form of sugar, even agave and honey, for a while to help your body (and your brain) overcome and dependance it thinks it has and to, in a sense, cleanse itself.

If anyone is serious about this, or has more questions, please send me a message. You can also email me: leannahunt@gmail.com. I really suggest getting Dr. Fuhrman's book Eat to Live to give you the complete guide...which will start you on your Nutritarian Journey...which will hopefully last a lifetime.

2 comments:

  1. I love, love, LOVE eating this way. I feel healthier and more alive than I have in a long time. I love introducing my family to new and interesting foods. It is actually suprisingly easy to eat this way! Food the way Heavenly Father made it!

    Love your blog...keep you thoughts coming!

    ReplyDelete