My brother sent me the following with a link to some website about vegetarianism. I tried to be a total vegetarian, and was, for about fifteen years. I quit, and now I just eat nearly vegetarian, but not totally. Here's what I told him:
Is it defeatist to stick to a diet of tofu and sprouts? Was the question he sent to me. I said:
I don't do tofu and sprouts...The only good place for tofu is in sweet and sour soup. I use meat as a flavoring, not as an entree. I use turkey and chicken and fish, but try to stay away from pork, and the only beef I eat is in the occasional taco. The only dairy I eat is yogurt and occasionally butter. The reason I do this has nothing to do with animal rights or anything stupid like that. I believe beef, milk, pork and the like have too many chemicals and antibiotics. I think the chemicals they feed the animals is what makes people fat. After all that's why they feed it to the animals. Once you gain the weight it's hell getting it off.
Moderation in all things seems to be the best answer. Stay away from margarine and other trans fats, i.e., the stuff in Crisco is awful too. It would be better to use lard or butter. Neither reduces the fat, but you probably need a small amount of fat in your diet anyway. I use olive oil for cooking, or canola oil (which has a bad rap lately, but what doesn't?)
I think a good diet for us would be to stay as close to the Native American diet as possible, i.e., occasional meat, nuts, berries, fruits, grains. Think about how hard it was for the Indian to get meat. When the Europeans first found the Indians they were strong and healthy. They were probably the image of the "buff body" everyone is trying to attain. They got it by walking and working hard, and by their diet. It's pretty much the sugar and the refined flour that gives Native Americans the diabetes and heart disease.
I believe further that a great number of Americans are part Native American Indian. Particularly if their families have been in the country for more than a hundred fifty years. In the Midwest this is particularly true. There are also lots of "mestiz" in the East. If you tell a person this, they will say, "nah, I'm Irish." I hate to tell you how many Irish Indians there are. The Irish men came over here and many of them married Indian women. My family is part French, part English, part Scotch, part Irish, part Swiss, part German, and a lot of Native Americans. Most of the connections with the Native Americans were made in the late 1700's and the early 1800's. My one great-great grandmother was Shawnee. I have a great-great grandfather who was at least part Cherokee. My paternal great-great great grandfather was a Creek half-breed, who's father was a Virginia plantation owner, and who's mother was a Creek slave woman.
Getting back to a simpler diet would appear to be good for us. Cut out the sugar, the refined flour, and all things in boxes and packages.
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