Wednesday, June 18, 2014

How to Adopt a Plant-Based Lifestyle Even in the Middle of Nowhere


Adopting a healthy lifestyle can seem nearly impossible for many, especially when it comes to eating habits: I don’t have time; It’s too hard to find anything healthy; It’s too expensive.

These are just some of the excuses we throw out at some point when trying to convince ourselves that this new lifestyle is just not doable. All of these reasons can have some validity too, but only if you let them.

Take for example recent travels of mine to my sparsely populated hometown region of rural eastern Montana and western North Dakota. Now this is a place where health is definitely not on the everyday menu! In the backcountry of meat and potatoes land, where beef, chicken, and pork are the centerpiece of every meal and the potatoes are almost always fried, health is the last thing on the minds of most small town residents.

During my trip back home this summer, I happened to visit my brother’s new in-laws in Golva, North Dakota—the epitome of small town America. Golva has a population of exactly 61 people (now 60 since my brother stole his lovely, new bride from this North Dakota town) and is almost entirely made up of farmers and ranchers. My brother’s in-laws own half the land in town, or so it seems, and perform such duties as town garbage collector, volunteer firefighter, former mayor, and even own local grocery store owner. Yes, Golva has a grocery store!

Golva Grocery - Golva, North Dakota

If there was ever a place on the face of the planet where healthy eating is virtually impossible it would be Golva, ND. Right? What could a health-conscious person like me possibly find to eat in a tiny little grocery store that’s all of a few hundred square feet?

You’d be surprised. After taking a stroll up and down the short, but quaint, four-aisle grocery store with owner and my brother's newly extended mother-in-law, we were able to put together several options. Here are a few basic items we found:

  • Quick-cook oats (with no additives or sugar)
  • Raisins
  • Canned beans (several varieties containing added salt)
  • Dried beans (several varieties)
  • Parboiled brown rice
  • Frozen mixed vegetables (several varieties without any added salt or butter)
  • Potatoes
  • 100% whole wheat pasta
  • Canned tomato sauce and diced tomatoes (contained added salt)
  • Small produce section (variety of fresh fruits and vegetables delivered once a week)

 Other than the fact that a few items contained added sodium* we came up with plenty of products to make delicious, healthy meals Jeff Novick-style (see videos below). (This is why I love Jeff Novick’s Fast Food DVD series because you can literally find whatever you need to make quick, easy, and healthy meals anywhere you are. Even in Golva, ND!)

*Note - You can find no-salt added canned beans and tomato products online and have them delivered right to your front door from retailers like Amazon or Vitacost.

Jeff Novick's Fast Food Volume 1

Jeff Novick's Fast Food Burgers and Fries - Volume 2

Jeff Novick's Fast Food Shopping School - Volume 3

Jeff Novick's Fast Food Beyond the Basics - Volume 4

As you can see, health can be obtained wherever you are. Don’t let excuses get in your way of living a disease-free life. Time and good health are on the top of everyone’s wish list. With a few helpful resources and the willingness to change, both are readily obtainable.

Be happy and stay healthy!






If you like what you see here then you'll LOVE our daily Facebook and Twitter posts!  Also, don't forget to sign up for  Our Free Online Mailing List  to get all the latest updates from the Plant-Based Pharmacist!
by Dustin Rudolph, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacist

Check out Dustin Rudolph's book The Empty Medicine Cabinet to start your journey towards better health. This step-by-step guide leads you through many of today's common chronic diseases (heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and more), giving you the facts on foods versus medications in treating these medical conditions. The book also contains an easy-to-follow guide on how to adopt a whole foods, plant-based diet as a part of an overall lifestyle change, producing the best possible health outcomes for you and your family. Hurry and get your copy today!

We'd love for you to join us in spreading the good word about plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine by telling your family and friends about our website at www.PlantBasedPharmacist.com

Share and rate this post below or tell us what you think by posting a comment. Thank you again for stopping by and until next time... be happy, be healthy, and live the life you've always dreamed of!

Photo credit (vegetables): Freedigitalphotos.net

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.