Although I fully agree that eating as many vegetables as possible should be part of any healthy eating regiment, I doubt if I ever become a vegetarian. My decision to keep eating some forms of what I call "quality" animal protein is based to a fairly large degree on what I've learned from research about the foods I believe I should consume consistently to maintain optimal health.
The issue for me is that, now that I am aware of the importance of Vitamin D as it relates to optimal health, is that most if not all the main sources of Vitamin D are from animal based proteins. For that reason, almost as much as the fact that I love the taste, wild caught Alaskan salmon is something I consume "almost" every day. And with optimum Vitamin D blood test scores, wild caught Alaskan salmon will probably always be part of my diet.
Just as much a medicine as a food, salmon is one of the few practical ways to raise Vitamin D levels, since low vitamin D levels is correlated to cancer and other deadly diseases.
I was tested at vitamin D level of 46.5 with is considered optimal, and rare for an African American who, because of darker skin can't get Vitamin D from the sun, especially in northern climates. Eating salmon almost every day is the reason my level is optimal, when African Americans commonly test in the teens and often in single digits. Even many lighter skinned Americans test in high teens and the low 20's, which is borderline low for vitamin D. There are obviously many things that contribute to disease, but even the mainstream medical industry is now beginning to acknowkege that vitamin D deficiency correlates to a lot of the so called "Western Diseases".
UPDATE 8/20/2014 — As I learn more about Vitamin D, I learning that optimum level are being disputed and may vary from person to person. My latest Vitamin D test was 36, with no supplements, just salmon and sunlight, and I am very comfortable with that from wht I now understand. One researcher put a very good paper which says the lowest risk of disease is from Vitamin D levels of 20-35, read more here.
Also rich in Omega-3 fats, helpful because studies show diseases related to the American diet are correlated to an imbalance of too few omega-3 fats and too much omega-6 fats.
A quality company, Vital Choice can confirm the high levels of Vitamin D in it's salmon. Contrary to popular perception about all fish, Wild Caught Alaskan from salmon is relatively low in mercury.
If you can afford it, order your fresh and canned Salmon from Vital Choice. I have no affiliation with them, except I can confirm they have an extremely high quality, and extremely tasty product, their canned fish is almost better tasting than fresh, with it's deep orange fish oil.
Another important "shout out" for Vital Choice is that they have voluntarily made their canned products BPA free. Way to go Vital.
Since I have seen very little fighting and arguing between the vegans and carnivores from the great bloggers I am following, I don't feel the need to start one here. I just want to make the point that we must continue to look in the food we eat to address our own individual health concerns and consume the foods that will keep us healthy. It has never been my objective to become a vegetarian or an "Atkins" style carnivore, just to have a label to attach to my nutritional program. My eating program evolved to address my specific needs, in order to stay healthy. And, knock on wood, I am age 50 and have never been sick a day in my life (beyond a bad cold). ~dw~
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