BY CLAIR WHITTY
I can’t believe that we are half way through January already. Have you any plans for changes this year? I know that reducing meat consumption in January has become a popular thing to do. This can be for ethical reasons or simply because you are feeling stodgy after all the festive eating. Or maybe your digestive system could do with a break from the more difficult to digest meat and dairy proteins that you consumed over the festive season.
One of my colleagues, a carnivore and meat lover, surprised herself when she opted to cook a vegan meal for New Year’s dinner. She settled on a Festive Vegan Roast. What surprised her was that the roast satisfied her need for the meaty texture that she thought vegan food would lack. While not ready to give up the meat yet she says she will incorporate a vegan option once or twice a week. That’s a great starting point and who knows where it will go from there. Her motivation for trying it was that she was taking supplements to support her health. And in the meantime, eating food that could be associated with inflammation. A vegan diet may help keep inflammation under control. Inflammation is one of the main drivers of disease in the body.
If you are a true meat lover like my colleague you too could replace one meal per week with a tasty vegan option, you might also be surprised. My default vegan meal is anything made with chick peas. I love chick peas. They are great for curries, pies, falafel, and can be added to soups for extra texture and protein. Donal Skehan has a delicious mushroom and cauliflower vegan ragu lasagne recipe online. This is easy to make, tastes great, and looks impressive too. My nephew gave me a simple recipe for a one pot lentil spaghetti bolognaise, and since then I’ve found variations online. I love the fact that there is so little washing up too with this meal!
A vegan diet may help support cardiovascular and hormone health. You may see improvements in digestion and blood sugar balance and relief from sinus congestion.
Some even say that it slows the ageing process, now wouldn’t that be fabulous!
Make a start with one meal per week and take it from there, you might be surprised.
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