What the hell does it mean to have a balanced diet, really? I mean, if I have a side salad with my salmon, obviously I'm healthy, right? Welllll, not necessarily. We all hear about the importance of having a balanced diet, but what gives? It is starting to sound more like a catch phrase than anything else.
About 2 weeks ago, I started paying my calorie counter account some attention in order to see what I was actually eating, how much I was eating, and if I was getting everything that was necessary for my body (This is part of the whole get strong and climb hard kick that I'm on).
I was baffled by the holes in my diet! After 2 weeks of coming up short in Vitamin C, Iron, Potassium, Fiber, and other minerals that you don't necessarily think about when perusing the isles of the local grocery store, I decided it was time for me to do some research.
I've been a "pesci-vegetarian" or "pescetarian" now for 3 years. This means that I omit poultry and meats from my diet, but still eat fish, eggs, and dairy products. Many pescetarians will exclude eggs and dairy completely, but I've seen the ugly face of an enchilada without cheese...let's face it - that's one step I'm not willing to take. The root - "pesce" or fish, is the main focus of the diet and helps satisfy your body's need for omega 3s, fatty acids, and protein. However, after being a semi-vegetarian for 3 years now, I'm realizing that I'm increasingly making choices that are all vegetarian. So, then the research kicked in which reminded me of all of the environmental impacts of aquaculture and the global impact of our cultures demand for meat (fish included).
Thailand is a predominately Buddhist nation, where one of the tenants of the devout is a strictly vegetarian diet. Making the switch to "vegetarian only" is something that is relatively easy here and is something that personally, has been in the back of my mind for some time. Coupled with the growing detriment to the oceans - seeing that first hand here in an island environment - I see that things really do need to be changed and unfortunately, as we put more of a demand on the fishing industry, the selection of specific fish has pushed entire ecosystems to the brink of collapse and led the majority of fish species to extinction. This has been an ever increasing problem and is something that many pescetarians are unaware of - thinking only of the deforestation and energy wasting practices of meat production (Check out Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser if you need a little update on the dark side of meat production in America). It is important to stay informed.
So, I'm going vegetarian. But, even for those who are hanging onto a hamburger as they read this, having a balanced diet is important for all of us, no matter what type of eater you are -tarian suffix or not. There is a lot more that goes into it, but hey, we only have one body in this life - we might as well try to treat it right and give it the things that it needs to be the best that it can.
Balancing your diet is not just a catch phrase, it's a life choice and sometimes, it is hard! But, what the hell - I'm going to keep working at it - my body is a temple, damn it! haha....that needs an offering of fruit n' veg...along with cookies n' cream. :)
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