When a gorgeous celeb wants to dish on staying healthy and beautiful with age, we listen. And when they write a book on the subject (and are willing to go bare-faced on the cover!) we have to read it. Cameron Diaz latest read, “The Longevity Book”, includes well researched and thoughtful ideas on wellness for the long haul.

Late thirties/early forties certainly isn’t old. But it is around the time of life you begin to see changes in body, skin, and even mind. A few fine lines here or there, a bit more effort needed to stay in shape, maybe even joint pain or body aches that weren’t there before.

Hey, it’s part of life. The good news? There are ways to stay healthy and feel great through the years. And since we now know that prevention is the best way to fight disease and create mind and body wellness, there’s no better time to start than now.

Cameron Diaz wrote “The Body Book” a few years ago, all about taking good care of the bod with which you are blessed. “The Longevity Book” is along those same lines of loving what you’ve got, and dealing with that thing we hate to acknowledge called aging.

7 Highlights From Cameron Diaz’s “The Longevity Book”

1. Prescription meds have their place in a healthy lifestyle, but they aren’t everything. Like I said, Diaz did her research. Stats say almost 70 percent of Americans take at least one daily prescription medication regularly. And guess who are taking most of them? Women and older people.

While there are definitely times when prescriptions are warranted, wellness pros these days know that drugs are not always the best option for certain health issues. A healthy lifestyle that helps to ward off illness and premature aging is the best route to take for extended vitality.

2. Diaz is into preventative medicine. You know about the whole mammogram debate, right? Does this preventative screening find issues that would have resolved themselves, resulting in unnecessary treatments? Is the radiation from the mammograms harmful itself? Some health care professionals say they are an absolute must, others have their doubts. Diaz take on the mammogram debate? Get age appropriate annual screenings, which is now an annual mamm for those 50 and over.

3. Positivity makes you live longer. In case there is any doubt, bubbly Diaz believes in PMA. But a positive attitude goes beyond simply making you feel happier. Her book says a study shows happy people live an average of 7.5 years longer. Not born with a naturally sunny disposition? No worries. PMA is part DNA, part enviro, part culture, so there is hope for everyone.

4. Hormonal changes can be supported naturally. Maybe not news to you or me, but it is always a good thing to see the whole hormone issue is getting more attention. What used to be written off as female hysteria is now viewed as real deal issues, linked to a long list of symptoms and a variety of diseases. The book includes a section that addresses the health of all the bodily systems and organs, and ways to support their good health through healthful diet and lifestyle.

5. Friends and family are another important component of good health. Community is not generally noted in the list of lifestyle factors essential to optimal health. Diaz shows how a support group is critical to wellness and happiness now and as we age. Share your lifestyle tips and struggles with your posse and partner.

6. Food, exercise, and rest is all you really need to know. Eat healthy whole foods, move daily, get adequate rest. Not news, but the crux of healthy mind and body.

7. Meditate to look and feel better. No surprise, Diaz recommends regular meditation to abate stress. Chronic stress is linked to out of whack hormone levels and inflammation. We know that inflammation is linked to disease. If you are not yet om-ing out, might want to start.

*Disclaimer: Help support EcoSalon! Our site is dedicated to helping people live a conscious lifestyle. We’ve provided some affiliate links above in case you wish to purchase any of these products.

Related on EcoSalon

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Image of Cameron Diaz via Shutterstock

Image of “The Longevity Book” via HarperCollins.com

The post Cameron Diaz’s Longevity Secrets May be Just the Tricks You Need appeared first on EcoSalon.

Spring is in the air and for many of us that means spring cleaning our home and gardens. But our bodies and daily lives need attention too!

From the moment I breathed in the sweet, fresh air of my mother’s garden in England, I felt connected to nature. Funny how it all started with a garden. For many, the love of food comes from the kitchen, but for me, it all started with the growing. I spent as much time as I could in that delicious wonderland, picking raspberries, cherry tomatoes and finding new flavors to play with in the kitchen. As a child, I was enchanted by the tastes and flavors available but then things changed and that natural goodness of food seemed to get lost. When I went to the grocery store I was struck by how similar everything looked. I was greeted with miles of one type of tomato when I entered the produce section. Why weren’t the varieties, colors and flavors that I knew existed available here? This new idea of how food should appear seemed to be eclipsing that and I became impassioned to show that great tasting food starts with a single seed.

This passion inspired me to write my first book, “Gorgeously Green” and tour the country teaching others to live a joyously healthy lifestyle. It was important to find, discover and support other initiatives that were helping people connect to the foods they were eating, like the Seeds of Change Grant Program. Getting more people comfortable with growing foods and taking their meals from the seed to the plate is an exciting adventure I am thrilled to be on.

It’s simple to start that journey with my simple steps to spring clean your diet and your life.

1. Learn to appreciate “slow food” and the care and time it takes to grow just one carrot. We often take food for granted but when we grow our own, we start to realize how precious fresh, organic food really is. So, instead of store-purchased vegetables, take the time to grow your own. If you are just starting your own garden, herbs are a great way to learn to grow.
2. The most important thing is that green living is 100 percent about health. It’s not something out there somewhere, it’s as close as the products you put on your skin and the food you put in your body. Try alternating your food by swapping out well-known foods for ones that may not be as main stream but can be part of a healthy lifestyle.
   • Swap out dairy-based cheeses for almond cheese or cashew cheese. Almond cheese in particular is very nutrient dense, high in protein, calcium and healthy fats.
   • Swap out eggs for chia and flax seeds when baking. These superfoods are filled with protein, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and an excellent source of vitamins and minerals.
   • Swap out your beef patties for portobello mushrooms in burgers and other grilling. They are high in nutrients, low in calories, a great source of fiber and are fat-free.
   • Swap out chicken for tempeh. Made from soybeans, tempeh is low in fat, high in protein, fiber and essential antioxidants.
   • Swap out butter for coconut oil when baking. Coconut oil contains essential fatty acids and antioxidants that help in the absorption of other minerals. It also has heart healthy benefits.
3. Bring Zen into your life. Disconnect from your phone and computer and connect to what is real. We are constantly connected these days by phones, computers and television that sometimes we need to turn all of these things off, disconnect from the static and truly reflect on the goodness and beauty that is around us.
4. Better the lives of those in your community. Get involved with your local community garden or start one of your own.
5. Make it a habit to look beyond the “organic” label and read the full ingredient list of every food and skin care product you purchase. Products with 70-95 percent organic ingredients may use the USDA Organic label.
6. Organic living can make you healthier and save you money if you are smart about it. Switching to a plant-based diet, especially one you grow yourself saves you a great deal financially and these savings you can invest in organic produce from a local farmer’s market or ordering a CSA farm box delivery.
7. Don’t underestimate small changes. Try a refillable water bottle in place of a one-time use plastic bottle. Refillable water bottles are environmentally friendly and are a great way to move towards sustainable living. Many people believe that bottled water is cleaner water but that is simply not true. Plastic water bottles can contain BPA which is harmful to your health while refillable bottles are BPA free.
8. Last but not least, have fun living an organic, green life. It truly is a delicious and wondrous one!

Sophie Uliano is a Certified Holistic Nutritionist and green and healthy living expert.

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Vegetables image via Shutterstock

The post 8 Simple Steps to Spring Cleaning Your Diet and Your Life appeared first on EcoSalon.

This week, we’re sharing 5 streaming documentaries about living sustainably that will make a stubborn friend or relative see that it may be worth her while to eat local, and ditch the Roundup.

Everyone has a friend, or a family member who is totally convinced that the world is fine. Global warming? NBD. Conservation? Don’t bother! Pesticide use? Well, it makes the grass greener, so I’m OK with it. But these documentaries illustrate another reality.

Streaming on Netflix

1. “Tiny: A Story About Living Small”: This documentary follows a young couple as they build a small house. Oh, and did I mention that the enviro-duo has absolutely no construction experience? Free streaming with a subscription.

Streaming on Amazon

2. “I Am”: This thoughtful documentary follows Tom Shadyac, the film’s director, as he travels the world to discover how humans can live better. He seeks advice from spiritual and intellectual leaders during his journey. This film is available to rent from $3.99-4.99.

3. “Ingredients”: This stellar doc examines the farm-to-table movement. It also examines how local food movements, typically supported by chefs, farmers and activists, are slowly but surly changing the food system for the better. Cut up some fresh veggies and chow down while watching this inspiring film.

Streaming on Vudu

4. “Food Stamped”: In this documentary, Shira Potash, nutritionist, and Yoav, her husband, try to eat a healthy diet on a food stamp budget. The duo speaks with members of congress, nutrition experts, food stamp recipients and food justice advocates to get the real scoop on the lifestyle they’re documenting. Available to rent for $2.99.

Streaming on Hulu

5. “Vanishing of the Bees”: In this documentary, David Hackenberg and Dave Mendes, commercial beekeepers, struggle to keep bees healthy as they trek across the United States to fulfill their pollination contracts. The film also examines why honeybees are disappearing all over the world. Scientists and organic beekeepers give their guesses as to what is causing the baffling disappearances, but no clear “final” answer is ever found. Streaming for free.

Related on EcoSalon

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Image: Paul Rollings

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ColumnA healthy diet comes with smart portions.

A few weeks ago I was on an early flight. We’re talking really, super early. So early that I decided against buying a coffee because it would keep me from sleeping on the plane. I opted for a vegan, wheat free oatmeal muffin instead – by this alone you should be able to guess that this was the Portland airport. Standing in line I listened to what my fellow early morning travelers ordered. The two orders in front of me made me nearly fall over:

1. One 16-ounce black forest mocha (“black forest” because there were cherries involved apparently)… with whipped cream

2. One 16-ounce iced caramel macchiato… with whipped cream

It was 4:45 am.

I am of the personal opinion that no one ever needs an iced caramel macchiato with whipped cream, but we’ll put that opinion aside for now. Even if you are behind the occasional crazy coffee drink I think we can all agree that no one needs one at 4:45 in the morning.

A few days later I was on my return flight. Stuck again in an airport without any food in my bag, I had to find lunch. The best I could do was a burrito with black beans, rice and guacamole. You can do worse in an airport. But then the burrito came out and I realized that it was almost the size of my head. I sighed. And then even though I knew better, ended up eating the whole thing.

I live in France, and since moving I have found that the return to American restaurants can be glorious and scary all at the same time. There are tacos! And huge breakfast menus! And a bunch of vegetarian options! But everything comes on plates that could seemingly feed a family of four. I have had numerous friends from Europe over the years say to me, “everything in the U.S. is so… big.”

It’s true. A big meal once in awhile is one thing- everyone loves a good Thanksgiving buffet now don’t they? – but as a part of our regular eating habits? Our custom of large portion sizes is detrimental to our path towards a healthy diet. And those portion sizes are growing.

Since the 1950s the average restaurant meal has quadrupled in size. That has health implications. Over the last few decades, the portions of food served out of the home have gotten bigger, and this trend has been shown to correspond with the rise in obesity. The bigger the portions get, the fatter we get.

For example, what did a coffee order look like twenty, even ten years ago? Black, maybe with some cream. As an 8-ounce drink that would have set you back about 45 calories. But that grande 16-ounce mocha today? 330 calories.

The average hamburger 20 years ago came in at around 333 calories. Today it’s at around 590.

You get the idea.

Take a look at any fast food menu and there’s a super duper, extra huge option. And all those enormous fast food items that have grown in the last couple of decades also happen to be heavily marketed. The industrial food world wants you eating more food. It’s good for business.

While it may be nice to think that we’re living in a time of heightened health consciousness, you still have chains like Taco Bell releasing new, and huge, items to seduce the hungry masses. Just like you don’t need a 16-ounce mocha with whipped cream for breakfast, you also don’t need a massive waffle taco.

Should these companies and chains continue to be allowed to produce such items with no ramifications? After all, this is the stuff that’s fueling obesity and heart attacks.

If we want to reduce obesity and put ourselves on track towards a healthier diet, maybe it’s time to consider regulating portion size. Obesity is after all a public health epidemic, and as such, shouldn’t we be taking the right steps to deal with it?

Food for thought: food labels are based off of carefully calculated dietary guidelines, but often the guidelines is for an amount of food that is much smaller than what you are getting served. We live in a free market but when the free market is making us sick, it could be time to think about changing how it operates.

In the meantime, it could be the moment for all of us to think about how much we’re eating and how much we really need. Get the small option when you can, avoid fast food at all costs. After all, your life depends on it.

Related on EcoSalon

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Improving the Food System and Fighting Obesity, Creatively: Foodie Underground

This is the latest installment of Anna Brones’ weekly column at EcoSalon: Foodie Underground, an exploration of what’s new and different in the underground movement, and how we make the topic of good food more accessible to everyone. More musings on the topic can be found at www.foodieunderground.com.

Image: Kevin Dooley

The post Want a Healthy Diet? Reduce Portion Sizes: Foodie Underground appeared first on EcoSalon.

Learn to make your body go more with the flow.

Nothing slows you down quite like poor blood circulation does. If you aren’t getting enough oxygen to your cells, in an effective and efficient way, then you’ll most likely feel sluggish, look worn and tired, and perhaps even be covering a more serious problem – one that could indicate cardiovascular disease. To boost your energy levels, tone your body, and feel a whole lot like a kid again, get your life force energy flow on with these 20 natural circulation-boosting tips.

Ingest Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne pepper contains the chemical compound capsaicin, which may help to reduce cholesterol and clear arteries and blood vessels. Dash the ground pepper over sautéed dishes as well as into teas, soups, and juices. To target a more specific area of the body where you experience poor circulation, mix ground cayenne pepper with enough water so that it forms a paste. Spread the paste thinly on a cheese cloth and wrap the cloth around the troubled area. In case of a burning sensation, add some olive oil to the paste to relieve the intensity.

Dry Brush Daily

Dry skin brushing invigorates the skin, increasing blood supply to the areas brushed and bringing them oxygen and increased circulation. This ritual also warms you up on a cold winter morning!

To dry brush most effectively, brush in upward, circular motions toward your heart. Move the brush in a clockwise manner and go over each area of skin twice. Focus on the neck, behind the knees, under the arms, and general groin area for greatest results.  Also focus on your lower butt and thighs to reduce cellulite.

Take Hot-Cold C0ntrast Showers

Contrast showers are showers that alternate between hot and cold water. When cold water is running, the lymph vessels contract, and when hot water is running, they dilate. This creates a pump effect that contributes to increased lymph drainage and blood flow in the veins.

Get Regular Massages

Massage therapy helps to release contracted muscles, which in turn pushes blood towards the heart and relieves strain. Schedule a regular massage, at least once a month, to enjoyably increase your blood circulation. What better excuse than for health reasons?

Eat Healthy

A healthy diet, one that includes high alkaline foods – plenty of fruits and vegetables – will increase oxygen supply to your blood and improve overall blood circulation. This almost goes without saying.

Go Ginkgo

Ginkgo Biloba is used in Germany to treat varicose veins and is widely known for its ability to improve memory by increasing blood flow to the brain. The herb strengthens blood vessels and is anti-inflammatory.

Practice Rebounding

Rebounding encourages collateral circulation, which is the formation of branch blood vessels that distribute blood to the heart. It does this by increasing the capillary count in the muscles and reducing the distance between capillaries and target cells. That’s something to jump for!

Drink Water

Stay hydrated and your blood will flow better. The levels of oxygen in the bloodstream are greater when the body is well hydrated.

Increase Dietary Fiber Intake

A high-fiber diet contributes to a healthy circulatory system. High-fiber foods promote the production of propionic acid in the intestines. This acid reduces bile in the intestines and stops cholesterol build-up. Lower cholesterol levels reduce plaque in the arteries and lead to better circulation.

Raise Your Intake of Garlic

Garlic is widely known to reduce cholesterol levels, cleanse the blood, tone the heart, improve the circulatory system, and prevent heart disease.

Use an Infrared Sauna

The infrared sauna is a powerful tool. Infrared rays penetrate the skin a few inches deep, heating the body from the inside out, while ambient temperature stays relatively cool. A sauna session dilates your arteries, gets your heart to beat faster, and burns calories.

Eat Foods With Vitamin C

Low levels of vitamin C are associated with the narrowing of the arteries supplying blood to the legs. Without an adequate supply of vitamin C, atherosclerosis can develop and plaque can accumulate in the blood. Vitamin C also helps to keep arteries flexible.

Add Lemon To Your Diet

Lemons contain citrate, which naturally improves circulation. Oranges and grapefruit also contain citrate and have the same effect. Upon waking, squeeze lemon juice into water or tea to reap the benefits first thing in the morning.

Use Heat Therapies

Heat treatments increase the flexibility of tissues, remove toxins from cells, and enhance blood flow. Hot packs, hot water bottles, and heating pads are popular and effective ways to treat an area of the body with poor circulation.

Relax

When the body and mind are relaxed, so are the capillaries and muscles. This allows for easier blood flow and overall proper circulation. Blood pressure also decreases. Practice yoga or take a moment everyday to do breathing practices, meditate, or to take a quiet walk.

Stretch Regularly

Stretching allows for more muscle blood flow, which can prevent from injury and keep your body flexible. Join a yoga class with a friend or spend a few minutes each morning stretching.

Eat Foods With Vitamin E

Vitamin E widens blood vessels to allow for the easy transit of blood through them. It prevents clotting and helps in the creation of red blood cells.

Take Omega-3s For Heart Health

Omega-3 fatty acids lower fibrin in the blood. Fibrin contributes to the formation of blood clots, and studies prove that omega-3 fatty acids can prevent this from happening.

Embrace Dark Chocolate

Chocolate contains antioxidants called flavonoids, which boost circulation. In a 2003 Harvard study featured in the Journey of Hypertension, there was significant vasodilation among adults after four days of consuming chocolate.

Get Shut Eye

This tip can’t be stressed enough – it’s panacea for just about every ailment! Adequate sleep reduces tension in the body, allows the muscles to relax, and promotes detoxification and lymph drainage. All of these lead to better circulation.

Images: My Dutch Fashion Style, Fo.ol, Thomas Wanhoff, Woodley Wonderworks, Carbon NYC, Charles Chan, Dollen, Ever Jean

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You’ve heard it before: a calorie is a calorie is a calorie. If people are fat, it’s their own fault for eating too much.

These words are usually spouted by PR hacks for the corn refiner’s association – or the dietitians paid by them. They may not, as it turns out, be true.

We finally have the smoking corn cob, as it were: the study processed-food foes have been waiting for, indicating that high fructose corn syrup may be the cause of the huge upswing in childhood obesity and diabetes.

American consumption of all sugars is much higher than it should be for our health, but high fructose corn syrup has become a larger share of our sugar consumption due to the fact that much of our ingestion of this super cheap, highly processed sugar is involuntary. That’s because it’s not just used as a sweetener in cookies and sodas but as a food additive in things like bread, ketchup and other condiments, pasta sauce and coatings for frozen fried foods.

Why is it used so liberally? It increases shelf life and has other characteristics that food processors like. The reason it’s really cheap is because the government subsidizes corn so heavily (and if you’ve read your Michael Pollan you already know this so I’ll shut up now).

The rise in childhood diabetes and obesity roughly corresponds to the period of time in which food processors started using high fructose corn syrup with such prevalence. That’s why so many scientists have been trying to determine if there’s a link between the two.

Depending on whom you ask, Americans consume anywhere from 45 to 60 pounds of the syrup a year. Scientists and food activists have long thought that the body metabolizes the high fructose corn syrup differently than regular sugar and that it is therefore a big problem for our health.

But the corn refiner industry has been spending a lot of money debunking this hypothesis. Over the past few years, ads have flooded the web, print and TV. Consumers were encouraged to get “the truth” at Sweetsurprise.com.

The ads make assertions that directly address the many criticisms of high fructose corn syrup:

“Many dietitians agree that high fructose corn syrup, like any sugar, can be part of a balanced diet. Doctors have concluded that high fructose corn syrup doesn’t appear to contribute to obesity any more than other sweeteners.”

But this new finding is the first involving humans, and its results point to a different truth: high fructose corn syrup can actually damage human metabolism.

In a study conducted by University of California researchers, 16 volunteers were given a strictly controlled diet including very high levels of fructose. Another group was given the same diet but with high levels of glucose (regular sugar) replacing the fructose. Over 10 weeks, the volunteers that were given fructose produced new fat cells around their heart, liver and other digestive organs. They also showed signs of food-processing abnormalities linked to diabetes and heart disease. The control group of volunteers on the same diet, but with glucose sugar replacing fructose, did not have these problems.

People in both groups did put on a similar amount of weight, but researchers thought the levels of weight gain among the fructose consumers would be greater over the long term.

Here’s what happens: Fructose seems to bypass the digestive process that breaks down other forms of sugar. It arrives intact in the liver where it causes a variety of reactions. One of the results is a metabolic change that keeps the body from burning fat normally.

This was a small study and it was the first one done on humans, but 10 weeks? That’s some pretty fast acting syrup, if you ask me.

I look forward to seeing how this plays out, but in the meantime, I’ll leave you with this rather gruesome video done by New York City’s anti-soda campaign.

This is the latest installment in Vanessa Barrington’s weekly column, The Green Plate, on the environmental, social, and political issues related to what and how we eat.

Image: RogueSun Media

UPDATE 1/6/10 FROM THE EDITOR: We received the following statement from a representative of Corn.org wishing to address statements in this post:

Dr. Kimber Stanhope of UC Davis posted comments in which she discredits the information from the Sunday Times article that was used as the source of information for the story by Vanessa Barrington [at EcoSalon] (http://www.grist.org/article/draft-new-research-links-high-fructose-corn-syrup-and-diabetes-heart-diseas/#c279652). Dr. Stanhope begins her post with the following statement:

“The information about the UC Davis study came from a Sunday Times article in which almost every sentence in the article contained at least one inaccurate statement.”

The statement continues:

The Ecosalon.com article confuses scientific research about distinctly different sweeteners, treating a study involving abnormally high levels of pure fructose as if it involved high fructose corn syrup, which it does not.  Peer reviewed research has shown that high fructose corn syrup and sugar are handled the same by the body and have similar metabolic effects.

We sincerely regret that we relied on the Times as a source of information for this post. If you have further questions, you may contact us at editor at ecosalon dot com.

The post How Sweet It Isn’t: High Fructose Corn Syrup Proven to Cause Human Obesity CORRECTION: STUDY DISPUTED appeared first on EcoSalon.

It’s increasingly difficult to decide what to eat these days. Between factory farming, overfishing, mercury contamination, and issues with soy production, it’s frustrating to figure out how to feed your body in a way that will keep it healthy, without hurting the planet.

It’s a given that we should all be eating lots of fresh, organic, responsibly-produced fruits and vegetables, that we should stay away from processed food and fast food, and that we should eat a varied, balanced diet with healthy fats and sufficient protein. The protein is where the equation gets sticky and we start to see a wide diversity of opinion.

Not all experts agree on how much protein a body needs. One thing is certain, though – most meat-eating Americans get more than enough protein. A typical steak or burger is 6 to 8 ounces, and that’s just one meal. Most experts say a body needs only 1.75-2.5 ounces of protein per day.

When trying to get enough protein, vegetarians have it a little tougher, but a balanced and varied diet can ensure plenty of protein easily enough. A cup of yogurt contains about 12 grams or .43 ounces of protein, 2 eggs, about the same. A half-cup of nuts will get you around a quarter of an ounce of protein or less. Beans weigh in similarly to nuts. A half-cup of tofu will provide almost 3/4 of an ounce of protein. If you’re a vegetarian, you should try to eat something that contains protein at every meal and combine grains and vegetables with nuts and beans. For vegans, it’s not impossible to get all the protein you need from combinations of legumes, nuts, grains and vegetables.

To learn out how much protein you need, here is a handy calculator to figure out protein requirements by body weight.

I don’t think there are hard and fast rules, though. Every body is different and you should listen to yours. Heed your cravings (as long as they are healthy ones). Pay attention to how your body, mood, and energy level responds to the foods you eat. If you’re bodybuilding, working out a lot, or pregnant, you’ll probably need more protein. And keep in mind that our bodies change over time. Some people can be vegan or vegetarian for life and be healthy, full of energy and fully satisfied. Others find that they feel well for a few years and then desire meat again, noticing that they feel better when they eat it. Remember, we evolved as omnivores and there’s no one healthy diet right for everyone.

Once you’ve figured out how much protein to eat, what type of protein should you eat? Here’s a run-down with pros and cons of each one, as well as tips for making sure you get enough protein if you don’t eat animal products.

Meat from Ruminant Animals: This includes beef, lamb and goat.

CAFOs (or concentrated animal feeding operations) are a real problem for the environment and the animals that live in them. Runaway waste problems, air pollution and non-therapeutic use of antibiotics (and the resultant strains of superbugs), are just a few of the problems. The solution would seem to be to avoid factory-farmed meat in favor of grass-fed and grass-finished meat from smaller farms. There is evidence that such meat is healthier (containing higher levels of Omega-3s and micronutrients), it certainly tastes better, and most people feel better eating it. But, for the environment, eaters should know that ruminant animals emit methane, a potent greenhouse gas; and that meat production is inherently inefficient because it takes many pounds of plant matter to produce one pound of meat.

While the above is true, farms that combine livestock and vegetable crops can be nourishing to the environment because the animal waste provides fertilizer for the crops that feed both animals and people, reducing the need for petroleum based fertilizers. Also, pastured animals raised responsibly on land that is well suited for livestock can help sequester carbon.

The problem is one of scale and cost. Animals raised this way cannot be raised in large quantities and as quickly as the mass market requires, which raises the cost of meat. I think that proper portioning can take care of this problem. If I only need 2 ounces of protein a day, it’s conceivable that maybe only 2-6 ounces a week might come from a ruminant animal. Not only can I easily afford that much meat, but I’m lowering my impact on the environment by eating a proper portion. (While being fully aware that plenty of people in this country do not even have this luxury, but that’s another post.)

Pork:

Pork production comes with all the same factory-farming issues of ruminant animal production. Pigs are raised in very crowded and cruel conditions and hog farms are a huge source of waste. Pigs are slightly better for the environment strictly from a global warming standpoint because they are not ruminant animals.  My advice for meat eaters is to eat all meat, including pork and poultry, very sparingly and to only buy from small-scale, responsible producers who don’t administer antibiotics, use gestation crates, or crop tails. Pastured pork, like pastured beef, lamb, or goat, is best.

Chicken and Turkey:

Oh, the styrofoam chicken breast. Large-scale chicken and turkey production is problematic for some of the same reasons as above-though slightly better from an environmental standpoint. Poultry converts feed into edible tissue faster and more efficiently than large livestock, requiring fewer resources to produce. Also, chickens and turkeys are not ruminants so they don’t emit methane. When buying, know that free-range is a term that can mean next to nothing, as it simply requires the birds have “access” to the outdoors. Look for fully pasture-raised poultry, which can usually only be found directly from local farmers, or through a CSA, meat buying club, or farmers’ market.

Dairy Products:

Dairy products come from animals, so if you care how those animals were raised, you should buy certified organic dairy from animals raised on pasture. Go easy though, because dairy animals emit methane, so  you don’t get an environmental pass for eating dairy instead of meat. And if you eat dairy but not meat for reasons of animal cruelty you need to know that dairy animals are often treated no better than animals raised for meat and they don’t get to retire to Florida, if you get my meaning.

Eggs:

Eggs are a great and economical source of protein and super versatile and easy to cook. I buy pastured eggs, which can cost anywhere from $6-$8 a dozen. That might sound expensive, but good quality eggs provide a lot of nutritional bang for the buck. Conscientious vegetarians should know that eggs carry the same cruelty baggage as dairy products. I like to buy the big stewing chickens from a farmer at my market who slaughters his spent, pasture raised laying hens and sells them frozen. They’re not too expensive and I can make great soup with them. It makes me feel better than thinking about those poor chickens being ground up for animal feed or fertilizer.

Fish:

We’re told by medical professionals to eat more fish for the heart-healthy Omega-3s it contains, but the whole subject of fish is like opening up a can of worms. Instead, I suggest opening up a can of sardines. Seriously, they’re eco-friendly because they’re low on the food chain, abundant, and don’t result in by-catch or harm to the ocean floor. They’re also chock-full of those coveted Omega-3s. To see how truly delicious they can be, try them fresh if they’re available in your local area. They can be daunting to clean, but here are some instructions I wrote for my personal blog. Some fishmongers will even clean them for you. In addition to the problems of overfishing and aquaculture, many fish that are higher on the food chain are known to contain high levels of contaminants that can be harmful to your health. Plenty has been written here on EcoSalon about eating seafood sustainably (see here, here, and here.)

Soy:

Plenty of vegetarians think that eating soy instead of meat makes their environmental footprint smaller. This is not necessarily true. Depending on how or where it’s done, soy production can be very hard on both the environment and the people in soy-producing countries. And there’s a lot of evidence to suggest that soy products (especially highly processed soy products) are not as healthy as we’ve been told. I treat soy the way I treat meat. I eat it once in a while in small quantities and stay away from highly-processed soy products. Fermented soy products like miso and tempeh are healthiest.

Combining vegetarian forms of protein:

Some people think that animal products are the only foods that contain a full complement of amino acids to provide the body with complete protein requirements. It used to be widely recommended that vegetarians and vegans practice careful food combining at each meal to ensure proper protein requirements. This view has largely gone by the wayside with most experts recommending that vegetarians and vegans eat a wide variety of different fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts and seeds every day for optimum health.  Here’s an article that summarizes the basics on amino acids and tells which foods provide complementary proteins.

All of this is an extremely long way of saying what Michael Pollan so famously summarized in very few words: “Eat Food. Not too much. Mostly Plants.” I’d just add don’t worry so much about the quantity or type of the protein you eat as you do its quality and how it was produced.

Images: fotoosvanrobin, [puamelia], fotoosvanrobin, Tambako the Jaguar, Pink Sherbet, the trial, norwichnuts, steffenz

This is the latest installment in Vanessa Barrington’s weekly column, The Green Plate, on the environmental, social, and political issues related to what and how we eat.

The post How Much Protein Does a Body Need, and What Types Are Healthy for You & the Environment? appeared first on EcoSalon.