My horrible diet

Dear Old Hippy,
I am toxic. I have been on one large binge for the past three years. I
have gained about 60 pounds and I am sick and tried (literally). I want
to go back to being a vegetarian, but my life is full with meat and meat
eaters. I have been having a series of headaches, fatigue, and not so
frequent bowl movements. I have been to my doctor, and she said it was
my horrible diet, but I am other wise healthy. How can I cleanse my
body and start my new diet safely and on a low budget . Please Help!!!

You sound like you’re eating the typical American diet. This usually consists
of fast foods, fried foods, excessive protein, too many sweets and ice cream,
and a lack of fresh fruit and vegetables. These are comfort foods that fill you up,
make you fat, and in combination with a lack of exercise eventually lead to ill health.

The best way to start is to begin replacing red meat dishes with
substitutes. They don’t even have to be vegetarian at first. More fish
and chicken grilled or baked, without adding any fat. No deep fried foods,
cook them another way. No gravies or heavy sauces. Between meals snack
on fruits and veggies. These will help fill you up so you don’t eat as
much food at mealtime. Always have a salad course with dinner.

Whole grains and legumes are the start to a vegetarian diet. Don’t
forget tofu and TVP (texturized Vegetable Protein) – a soybean product that
looks and has the texture of meat. You can substitute these things for meat
in your recipes. They take some getting used to, but you feel SO GOOD when
you eat them. Stop drinking sodas! Make your own ice teas (black or
herbal) and get used to drinking them with little or no sugar, tastes great! –
this will save you big bucks too. And no more FAST FOOD, OK?

Getting others to accept these dietary changes is more difficult.
That’s why you must do a little at a time, not all at once. The place to
begin is the supermarket. Start reading those labels and see what’s inside
those prepackaged food. Once you start, you become slightly obsessed since
everything packaged has lots of additives. If you don’t know what
you’re eating – DON’T EAT IT! Yes, packaged products and fast food save time,
but so what? Cooking should be a joyful experience and it’s the only way to know
just what your getting! Once you’ve reached the limits of
supermarket food, find the Health Food Store nearest you and discover all the
wonderful vegetarian products available. Organic produce and bulk items are
their specialties. For more info about vegetarianism and recipes visit Hippyland’s Vegetarian Page.

Once you get used to making minor changes here and there, you’ll
notice major changes in how you feel. Once the weather starts getting nicer
get that exercise you need outdoors.

A Santé! (to your health!)
-The Old Hippy

Posted by: skip
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