In the book Vegan: The New Ethics of Eating by Erik Marcus, there
is a chapter titled “Eat Well to Weigh Less” in which Terry Shintani,
M.D. is quoted as saying:
“ ‘Here in Hawaii the native Hawaiian people have almost the
highest rate of obesity in the world. But just 100 years ago, well
before Hawaii was annexed by the U.S., almost no Hawaiians had weight
problems. As a medical student, I used to look at photographs and
other records of nineteenth-century Hawaiians. I wondered why
yesterday’s Hawaiians stayed thin while so many today have problems
with their weight.’ ”
“ ‘I started researching what and how traditional Hawaiians ate.
They raised no cattle. …the people who enjoyed the best health filled
their plates with fruits and vegetables. Three of the most common
foods eaten in Hawaii 100 years ago were taro, sweet potatoes, and
poi.’”
“Taro is a root vegetable, and poi is a traditional Hawaiian food
made from the taro root.”
“ ‘The reason many of us have weight problems is that we’re eating
a lot of animal-based foods. Animal foods are so rich in calories that
you probably can’t satisfy your hunger with them without gaining
weight. When you fill up on animal foods, you’ll reach your daily
calorie limit long before you satisfy your hunger.’ ”
Dr. Shintani says that “no matter where you live or travel, I
encourage you to eat the widest possible variety of fruits, vegetables,
whole grains, and beans.” He adds that there are a few plant-based foods
that are fatty: nuts, seeds, avocados, coconuts, and vegetable oils.
Obesity has become a problem with many other people who have
abandoned their traditional way of eating for the Standard American Diet
(SAD). Three that come to mind besides the Hawaiians are Native
Americans, African Americans, and Puerto Ricans. And with obesity come
such diseases as diabetes, cancer, heart attacks, strokes, etc.
The key to regaining health is very easy and lots of fun. There’s a
whole world of exciting, delicious vegan foods out there for those who
welcome positive change.
For vegan health articles, visit:
http://www.all-creatures.org/health.html
For great-tasting vegan recipes, photos, and information, visit:
http://www.all-creatures.org/recipes.html
