The Vegetarian Myth

In 2009 a book was published that is not only very compelling but worthy of your time and attention.

It’s called the Vegetarian Myth by Lierre Keith.

It’s part memoir, part nutritional primer and part political manifesto. It will challenge you to think more deeply about your relationship to food and to our planet as the provider of our sustenance.

I first met Lierre in 1980 and our paths have crossed a few times over the course of these past 30 years. So you can trust me when I say this book was written from the heart and life experience of a woman who cares deeply about people, health and politics.

It is crucial for us all to understand more about nutrition, where our food comes from and how what we eat affects us (body and mind).

Eating in a way that helps us, rather than harms us is important. In other words, anyone who eats will benefit from this book!

Lierre, a vegan for 20 years, makes compelling arguments for eating meat and counters challenges that shunning meat is healthier, more humane, or better for the planet.

Keith nearly destroyed her health while clinging fiercely to her vegan lifestyle. Now she assists others who are making the transition from vegan and vegetarian to omnivore.

The book will strongly resonate with you if you are interested in making healthy, traditional and sustainable food choices. For her book Lierre researched issues of diet and nutrition, agriculture, our food system, and the destruction of the ecosystem.

I asked Lierre for her top 3 picks of books to read and here’s what she suggested:

Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon
The Mood Cure by Julia Ross
Any of the Protein Power series by Drs. Mary Dan and Michael Eades

I’ve included a link to an interview with Lierre. I encourage you to listen to it. Lierre is eloquent and at ease explaining nutritional principles and science while weaving in her own experiences. It’s almost an hour long so here are a few tips.

1. You can skip the first few minutes. It’s a commercial for the interviewers.

2. The first 35 minutes or so are a good general primer of who she is and how she came to write the book, as well as some great simple tips on making healthier food choices.

3. Her discussion of soy based products begins at minute 36 and is one of the best and easy to grasp explanations of the detriment of soy based foods I’ve heard in a long time. DON’T MISS this part.

Both Lierre and I feel that nutrition is so central to our lives. And I agree with what she says towards the end of the interview:

“Everyone must visit the choices they make. You must combine your personal values with your diet. Stay open to engaging with ideas as they come along so that you challenge yourself to eat a healthy diet.”

http://ournaturallife.com/blog/2009/08/onl050-in-defense-of-omnivores/