You don’t have to be a strict vegetarian to experience better health. Believe it or not, cutting back on meat (even just a little) has a ton of great benefits. And if you think skipping the meat isle means you have to skimp on taste, you couldn’t be more wrong. Besides being amazing for your overall health, a plant-based diet, rich in veggies, fruits, beans, nuts, and seeds can be really delicious. There are many types of plant-based diets, including:

• Lacto-ovo-vegetarian: No meat, but chooses to eat diary and eggs
• Lacto-vegetarian: No meat or eggs, but chooses to eat dairy
• Vegan: Absolutely no animal products, including dairy and honey

There’s also pescatarian, with someone not eating meat, but choosing to eat fish. And semi-vegetarian or flexitarian, meaning the person does occasionally eat meat, but is mostly vegetarian. The gist of this is that you can choose what suits you. Still not convinced? Here are 6 great reasons that might convince you to eat more vegetarian meals.

Reduces joint pain

Eating a plant-based diet is highly associated with an anti-inflammatory diet. A recent study of 600 participants following a vegan diet for three weeks showed a significant reduction in a marker of inflammation called C-reactive protein (CRP). Other studies of vegan diets have demonstrated an improvement in joint pain and swelling, grip strength, and duration of joint stiffness. That’s not really all that surprising, as eating less meat means eating more vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, and whole grains. These foods are rich in phytonutrients and antioxidants that help decrease inflammation, thus reducing joint pain and dysfunction.

Lowers your risk of heart disease

Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death, so lowering your cardiovascular disease risk factors can play a huge role in increasing your likelihood of living longer. Studies of those on a plant-based diet have shown a significantly lower risk of coronary artery disease and stroke. People who eat less meat will not only decrease the risk of a heart attacks, but also lower their chances of high blood pressure and diabetes.

Stave off cancer

The link between meat consumption and the risks of certain cancers is getting harder to deny. Research has found that a high intake of red and processed meat is associated to breast, colon, prostate, pancreatic, and gastric cancers. When it comes to lower cancer rates, all the best studies show that vegetarians fare much better than meat-eaters. Studies show that vegetarians have about half the cancer risk of meat-eaters!

Lose weight

Obesity is a huge health problem that has reached epic proportions. Reducing your meat intake and including more fibre-rich foods like beans, fruits, and veggies means you may feel more satiated on fewer calories. A plant-based diet also adds plenty of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, helping you stay healthy, fit, and trim.

Save money

Looking to save some cash? Another benefit to eating plant-based protein sources like beans is that it will help you cut back on your grocery bills. Vegetarian meals tend to cost less—and that’s great news for your wallet and your health.

Reduces your environmental footprint

Animal agriculture spews huge amounts of greenhouse gasses into the air, wreaking havoc on Mother Earth. The production of plant foods, however, uses far less resources, helping to take the strain off our land and water supply. Lowing your meat consumption is a great way to reduce your environmental impact. Reducing or eliminating your meat intake altogether might seem a little challenging, but it doesn’t have to be. Now more than ever, there are tons of delicious vegetation recipes that are sure to please your palette and your pocket book. In no time at all, you’ll be feeling and looking better, not to mention that you’ll be helping the environment. If you're on a journey to decreasing or eliminating meat from your diet, you’ll also want to make sure your supplements are vegetarian friendly. SierraSil is a joint pain remedy that is 100% vegetarian and vegan compatible with no sugar, starch, salt, wheat, gluten, corn, flavoring, or preservatives. Dr. Melissa Carr is a registered Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine with 15 years of clinical practice and a B.Sc. in Kinesiology. In addition to using acupuncture, Chinese herbs, supplements, biopuncture, and nutrition to treat pain, digestive issues, stress, fatigue, hormonal imbalance, and more, Dr.Carr is also a natural health and nutrition consultant, lecturer, and writer. www.activetcm.com.

References:

http://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/arthritis-diet/anti-inflammatory/vegan-and-vegetarian-diets.php http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/78/3/544S.full https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3662288/ http://www.pcrm.org/health/health-topics/foods-for-cancer-prevention http://shrinkthatfootprint.com/food-carbon-footprint-diet

Foods to Eat Before and After Exercising

Can you exercise off a bad diet? Simply put, no. What you eat before and after exercising has an impact on your energy levels, weight and overall well-being. Eating the proper foods prior to your workout will maximize your performance and provide energy to complete your routine, whereas as post workout meals are important to restore energy, rebuild muscle and tissue that breaks down during exercise. So what foods should one eat before and after a workout? To maximize your post workout results, it is recommended to eat a complete meal containing carbs, protein and fat 2-3 hours before your exercise. However, if you work out in the morning and can’t allow yourself a complete meal, opt for easy-to-digest carbohydrates and some protein 30-45 minutes prior. Your muscles use glucose from carbs for fuel so foods such as oatmeal or banana and peanut butter are digested fast and provide quick energy.

Training for your next 5K, 10K, half-marathon or full-marathon? Take note of fueling foods Kevin O’Connor, a competitive road runner and coach, incorporates into his daily training routine. Watch ‘Nutrition with Kevin O’Connor’

Foods to eat prior to exercising

• Granola bar
• Piece of fruit (e.g. banana)
• Oatmeal
• Greek yogurt
• Dried fruits
• Crackers or piece of toast with almond butter

Post workout meals should include both carbohydrates and protein, and should be consumed up to an hour after your workout to help restore energy and rebuild muscle and tissue.

Foods to eat after exercising

• Omelet and with avocado and whole grain bread
• Grilled chicken with roasted vegetables
• Tuna salad on a whole grain bread
• Protein smoothie

Whether you want to lose weight or increase your stamina, nutrition is a major component. Choose foods that positively fuel your body so you can begin to see your desired results. And if soreness has delayed your workouts, try incorporating SierraSil Joint Formula14 in your health regime. A double blind placebo controlled cross over sport study showed SierraSil is safe to use for athletes and resulted in improved performance and reduced the level of delayed onset muscle soreness post-exercise.

With an increasing amount of pollutants making their way into our food supply, our environment and more products than we could possibly cut out of our lives – the need to detox is ever more important. Detoxing our bodies can have a positive effect on so many areas of our lives, including increased energy, better skin, increased immune function and help to naturally reduce inflammation. If when you think of a “detox” you think of fasting for days or buying expensive kits, we’d like to entice you with a different option, one made at home with ingredients you probably already have, and the addition of SierraSil. Here are 4 recipes that will give you a gentle daily detox for a healthier you. Drink #1 – The Canadian detox

• 1 tsp Maple syrup
• ½ Lemon (juiced)
• 1 cup Warm water
• 1 scoop (2gr.) SierraSil

Organic maple syrup is rich in antioxidants and full of vital minerals, plus it makes us feel patriotic. Lemon contains ascorbic acid, which helps to detoxify the body; it also aids digestion, keeps your skin glowing and provides vitamin C, which stimulates white blood cell production and boosts immune system function. Drink #2 – The Medi-gin

• 1 cup Steeped ginger lemon tea
• 1 scoop (2gr.) SierraSil

The medicinalbenefits of ginger comes from gingerols, the oily resin from the root that acts as a highly potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. Ginger is also known to warm the body and break down the accumulation of toxins in theorgans. Drink #3 – The hot and spicy

• 1 tsp Apple cider vinegar
• ½ Lemon (juiced)
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 cup Warm water
• 1 scoop (2gr.) SierraSil

Add apple cider vinegar to detox drinks in order to cleanse your live and lymphatic system. Cinnamon is an excellent source of manganese, calcium and dietary fiber and a good source of iron and vitamin K. Drink #4 – The double green goodness

• 1 cup steeped green tea (or macha green tea for extra antioxidants)
• 1 scoop (2gr.) SierraSil

Green tea contains powerful antioxidants, and it can reduce inflammation, lower blood pressure, reduce cholesterol levels, minimizesigns of aging and improve memory. Toxins accumulate in our cells and body over time and can wreak havoc on our health. In one study completed in 2006 SierraSil was shown to reduce lead in the body by 56.9% over 6 months at a 4gr dose (1). With this type of heavy metal detox, you’ll see an improvement in well-being and your body’s ability to regulate inflammation benefiting your joint health as well. For best results combine your detox drinks with healthy meals and 30 minutes of exercise per day. By: Melanie Trepanier, SierraSil Brand Manager References

1. Lavalle J, Lieberman S, Sexton T. The Toxicology and Potential Chelating Effect of SierraSil®. October 3, 2013.