Guest guest Posted July 21, 2007 Report Share Posted July 21, 2007 If only she would turn vegan? and do a bit more research on protien? For Brenda Lee, eating healthy and organically is second nature By Lacie MorrisonlmorrisonAll summer long, Brenda Lee is busy teaching swimming lessons, water aerobics and life guarding at the city pool, often working long hours.During the other seasons, Lee keeps busy with other programs the Mineral Wells City Gym offers to the public.Where does she get all that energy?It doesn’t come from eating hamburgers or spaghetti – or any other meal containing beef, chicken or pork, for that matter. As a vegetarian, she’s all about the vegetables, fruits and other organic dietary options.Born in Fort Hood, Texas, Lee moved to Mineral Wells at the age of 2. In her family growing up, they were meat-and-potatoes diners. “My mother was an excellent cook. We’d never eat out,” Lee recalled. “There was meat at every meal.”And while it was served, Lee said she didn’t always partake.“My mother told me I always had a problem with meat. I’d always cover the steak with ketchup,” she recalled. “I never liked meat growing up.”Without realizing the precise reason why she – and her body – didn’t like meat, Lee didn’t make a conscious decision to become a vegetarian until after a lot of consideration.She estimated that 16 years ago, she opted to cut milk from her diet. “I started doing the process of elimination of food,” she explained. When she removed milk from her diet, her health improved; re-introducing milk to her system made her ill. Lee said she learned that her milk allergy was something she shared with others in her family. However, cutting out milk still left her with the problems encountered when she consumed meat. “About 12 years ago, I was having health problems,” she recounted. After a visit to a doctor in Grapevine who practiced medicine through dietary choices, among other things, Lee said he’d asked if she consumed a lot of meat. That was when she learned that her body had difficulty digesting animal fats.“I thought I needed to seriously think about that,” she said. After bouncing back and forth about cutting all meat from her diet, Lee said, “I just decided I want to live a long time. I made a conscious choice.”At her last annual checkup, Lee decided to quit eating red meat and has opted for organically grown fruits and vegetables.“I joined an organic food co-op through Learnin’ Tree. I absolutely love it!” she said. “She gives you a list of things available. Two weeks later, you pick it up. You eat the way you’re supposed to eat. It’s seasonal [and] there’s no preservatives.”Laughing, she added, “Because there’s no preservatives, you better cook it or freeze it within the next week.”In addition to the knowledge that she’s eating healthier, Lee said, “I’ve noticed almost all my allergy problems have disappeared.” While becoming a vegetarian in a small community where the health food choices appear limited, Lee said it’s not difficult to shop and she doesn’t really see a change in her grocery bill.“Even grocery stores carry unrefined products that you can buy in Mineral Wells. You can get bread without preservatives. … You can get organic butter and cheeses,” she noted. “I’ve become an avid label reader.”She used the example of peanut butter. Lee said that peanut butter should only have peanuts and oil listed in the ingredients instead of additional preservatives and additives.“I very rarely buy anything canned. Anything I buy has to be cooked,” she said. Lee pointed out that she’s a vegetarian, not a vegan. She explained that a vegan omits all animal products from their diet, including dairy items and eggs.For vegans, “it’s really hard to get protein. That’s why I eat fish three times a week, eggs and cheese,” Lee said. “I feel better. I notice that I don’t have muscle aches,” she observed. “At 52, I don’t have to take any pharmaceuticals.” She smiled, adding, “If I go to the doctor with a problem, she doesn’t even try to give me a prescription.”Sticking with her organic lifestyle, Lee said she cross-references alternatives for natural items for her symptoms. When asked if she saw a change in her energy level since she began eating organically, Lee replied, “Yes, because I work 14 hours a day and this session, with water aerobics and swim lessons, I work till 9 p.m. … “I’m a certified lifeguard and we have to swim. I have a very active lifestyle. That’s the key to sleeping good.”While it may seem like a lot of work – label reading, shopping conscientiously and healthy cooking – Lee doesn’t perceive it as work; for her, it’s become second nature.“They think it’s a lot of work. It’s not a lot of work. It’s a habit,” she stated. “Stopping to eat out for breakfast is a habit. Five years ago, I was literally eating out three times a day. Now, I fix a protein shake for breakfast and bring my lunch to work. It takes a little work at first then it just becomes routine.“The longer you do it, the more you become aware of what you’re using every day.”Making healthier dietary choices doesn’t mean never eating out at restaurants, either. More and more restaurants are offering options to cater to healthier dining.“You can order off the menu and modify,” Lee said. She recounted a recent visit to Razoo’s where her friend asked if they could grill her fish instead of fry it. Lee said it wasn’t on the menu but they were willing to change the cooking method. Lee fully committed to a vegetarian lifestyle in November.“I’m not going to waiver from this lifestyle,” she remarked. “It’s not a diet. It’s not a fad. It’s a lifestyle change.”For those interested in finding out more about the vegetarian lifestyle, Lee said the Internet offers several venues. “There’s way to much information out there,” she chuckled. “You have to be aggressive in your search. It’s not going to come to you.”Peter H Mail is the world's favourite email. Don't settle for less, sign up for your free account today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 22, 2007 Report Share Posted July 22, 2007 She's really not even a vegetarian. She eats fish. --- Peter VV <swpgh01.t21 wrote: > If only she would turn vegan? and do a bit more > research on protien? > For Brenda Lee, eating healthy and organically is > second nature > By Lacie Morrison > lmorrison > > All summer long, Brenda Lee is busy teaching > swimming lessons, water aerobics and life guarding > at the city pool, often working long hours. > > During the other seasons, Lee keeps busy with other > programs the Mineral Wells City Gym offers to the > public. > > Where does she get all that energy? > > It doesn’t come from eating hamburgers or spaghetti > – or any other meal containing beef, chicken or > pork, for that matter. As a vegetarian, she’s all > about the vegetables, fruits and other organic > dietary options. > > Born in Fort Hood, Texas, Lee moved to Mineral Wells > at the age of 2. In her family growing up, they were > meat-and-potatoes diners. > > “My mother was an excellent cook. We’d never eat > out,” Lee recalled. “There was meat at every meal.” > > And while it was served, Lee said she didn’t always > partake. > > “My mother told me I always had a problem with meat. > I’d always cover the steak with ketchup,” she > recalled. “I never liked meat growing up.” > > Without realizing the precise reason why she – and > her body – didn’t like meat, Lee didn’t make a > conscious decision to become a vegetarian until > after a lot of consideration. > > She estimated that 16 years ago, she opted to cut > milk from her diet. > > “I started doing the process of elimination of > food,” she explained. When she removed milk from her > diet, her health improved; re-introducing milk to > her system made her ill. Lee said she learned that > her milk allergy was something she shared with > others in her family. However, cutting out milk > still left her with the problems encountered when > she consumed meat. > > “About 12 years ago, I was having health problems,” > she recounted. After a visit to a doctor in > Grapevine who practiced medicine through dietary > choices, among other things, Lee said he’d asked if > she consumed a lot of meat. That was when she > learned that her body had difficulty digesting > animal fats. > > “I thought I needed to seriously think about that,” > she said. After bouncing back and forth about > cutting all meat from her diet, Lee said, “I just > decided I want to live a long time. I made a > conscious choice.” > > At her last annual checkup, Lee decided to quit > eating red meat and has opted for organically grown > fruits and vegetables. > > “I joined an organic food co-op through Learnin’ > Tree. I absolutely love it!” she said. “She gives > you a list of things available. Two weeks later, you > pick it up. You eat the way you’re supposed to eat. > It’s seasonal [and] there’s no preservatives.” > > Laughing, she added, “Because there’s no > preservatives, you better cook it or freeze it > within the next week.” > > In addition to the knowledge that she’s eating > healthier, Lee said, “I’ve noticed almost all my > allergy problems have disappeared.” > > While becoming a vegetarian in a small community > where the health food choices appear limited, Lee > said it’s not difficult to shop and she doesn’t > really see a change in her grocery bill. > > “Even grocery stores carry unrefined products that > you can buy in Mineral Wells. You can get bread > without preservatives. … You can get organic butter > and cheeses,” she noted. “I’ve become an avid label > reader.” > > She used the example of peanut butter. Lee said that > peanut butter should only have peanuts and oil > listed in the ingredients instead of additional > preservatives and additives. > > “I very rarely buy anything canned. Anything I buy > has to be cooked,” she said. > > Lee pointed out that she’s a vegetarian, not a > vegan. She explained that a vegan omits all animal > products from their diet, including dairy items and > eggs. > > For vegans, “it’s really hard to get protein. That’s > why I eat fish three times a week, eggs and cheese,” > Lee said. > > “I feel better. I notice that I don’t have muscle > aches,” she observed. “At 52, I don’t have to take > any pharmaceuticals.” She smiled, adding, “If I go > to the doctor with a problem, she doesn’t even try > to give me a prescription.” > > Sticking with her organic lifestyle, Lee said she > cross-references alternatives for natural items for > her symptoms. > > When asked if she saw a change in her energy level > since she began eating organically, Lee replied, > “Yes, because I work 14 hours a day and this > session, with water aerobics and swim lessons, I > work till 9 p.m. … > > “I’m a certified lifeguard and we have to swim. I > have a very active lifestyle. That’s the key to > sleeping good.” > > While it may seem like a lot of work – label > reading, shopping conscientiously and healthy > cooking – Lee doesn’t perceive it as work; for her, > it’s become second nature. > > “They think it’s a lot of work. It’s not a lot of > work. It’s a habit,” she stated. “Stopping to eat > out for breakfast is a habit. Five years ago, I was > literally eating out three times a day. Now, I fix a > protein shake for breakfast and bring my lunch to > work. It takes a little work at first then it just > becomes routine. > > “The longer you do it, the more you become aware of > what you’re using every day.” > > Making healthier dietary choices doesn’t mean never > eating out at restaurants, either. More and more > restaurants are offering options to cater to > healthier dining. > > “You can order off the menu and modify,” Lee said. > She recounted a recent visit to Razoo’s where her > friend asked if they could grill her fish instead of > fry it. Lee said it wasn’t on the menu but they were > willing to change the cooking method. > > Lee fully committed to a vegetarian lifestyle in > November. > > “I’m not going to waiver from this lifestyle,” she > remarked. “It’s not a diet. It’s not a fad. It’s a > lifestyle change.” > > For those interested in finding out more about the > vegetarian lifestyle, Lee said the Internet offers > several venues. > > “There’s way to much information out there,” she > chuckled. “You have to be aggressive in your search. > It’s not going to come to you.” > > > Peter H > > > > > Mail is the world's favourite email. Don't > settle for less, sign up for your freeaccount today. ______________________________\ ____ Choose the right car based on your needs. Check out Autos new Car Finder tool. http://autos./carfinder/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 Pity she doesn't check her facts about protein, and needing fish, eggs and cheese. Jo , Peter VV <swpgh01.t21 wrote: > > If only she would turn vegan? and do a bit more research on protien? > For Brenda Lee, eating healthy and organically is second nature > By Lacie Morrison > lmorrison > > All summer long, Brenda Lee is busy teaching swimming lessons, water aerobics and life guarding at the city pool, often working long hours. > > During the other seasons, Lee keeps busy with other programs the Mineral Wells City Gym offers to the public. > > Where does she get all that energy? > > It doesn't come from eating hamburgers or spaghetti – or any other meal containing beef, chicken or pork, for that matter. As a vegetarian, she's all about the vegetables, fruits and other organic dietary options. > > Born in Fort Hood, Texas, Lee moved to Mineral Wells at the age of 2. In her family growing up, they were meat-and-potatoes diners. > > " My mother was an excellent cook. We'd never eat out, " Lee recalled. " There was meat at every meal. " > > And while it was served, Lee said she didn't always partake. > > " My mother told me I always had a problem with meat. I'd always cover the steak with ketchup, " she recalled. " I never liked meat growing up. " > > Without realizing the precise reason why she – and her body – didn't like meat, Lee didn't make a conscious decision to become a vegetarian until after a lot of consideration. > > She estimated that 16 years ago, she opted to cut milk from her diet. > > " I started doing the process of elimination of food, " she explained. When she removed milk from her diet, her health improved; re-introducing milk to her system made her ill. Lee said she learned that her milk allergy was something she shared with others in her family. However, cutting out milk still left her with the problems encountered when she consumed meat. > > " About 12 years ago, I was having health problems, " she recounted. After a visit to a doctor in Grapevine who practiced medicine through dietary choices, among other things, Lee said he'd asked if she consumed a lot of meat. That was when she learned that her body had difficulty digesting animal fats. > > " I thought I needed to seriously think about that, " she said. After bouncing back and forth about cutting all meat from her diet, Lee said, " I just decided I want to live a long time. I made a conscious choice. " > > At her last annual checkup, Lee decided to quit eating red meat and has opted for organically grown fruits and vegetables. > > " I joined an organic food co-op through Learnin' Tree. I absolutely love it! " she said. " She gives you a list of things available. Two weeks later, you pick it up. You eat the way you're supposed to eat. It's seasonal [and] there's no preservatives. " > > Laughing, she added, " Because there's no preservatives, you better cook it or freeze it within the next week. " > > In addition to the knowledge that she's eating healthier, Lee said, " I've noticed almost all my allergy problems have disappeared. " > > While becoming a vegetarian in a small community where the health food choices appear limited, Lee said it's not difficult to shop and she doesn't really see a change in her grocery bill. > > " Even grocery stores carry unrefined products that you can buy in Mineral Wells. You can get bread without preservatives. … You can get organic butter and cheeses, " she noted. " I've become an avid label reader. " > > She used the example of peanut butter. Lee said that peanut butter should only have peanuts and oil listed in the ingredients instead of additional preservatives and additives. > > " I very rarely buy anything canned. Anything I buy has to be cooked, " she said. > > Lee pointed out that she's a vegetarian, not a vegan. She explained that a vegan omits all animal products from their diet, including dairy items and eggs. > > For vegans, " it's really hard to get protein. That's why I eat fish three times a week, eggs and cheese, " Lee said. > > " I feel better. I notice that I don't have muscle aches, " she observed. " At 52, I don't have to take any pharmaceuticals. " She smiled, adding, " If I go to the doctor with a problem, she doesn't even try to give me a prescription. " > > Sticking with her organic lifestyle, Lee said she cross-references alternatives for natural items for her symptoms. > > When asked if she saw a change in her energy level since she began eating organically, Lee replied, " Yes, because I work 14 hours a day and this session, with water aerobics and swim lessons, I work till 9 p.m. … > > " I'm a certified lifeguard and we have to swim. I have a very active lifestyle. That's the key to sleeping good. " > > While it may seem like a lot of work – label reading, shopping conscientiously and healthy cooking – Lee doesn't perceive it as work; for her, it's become second nature. > > " They think it's a lot of work. It's not a lot of work. It's a habit, " she stated. " Stopping to eat out for breakfast is a habit. Five years ago, I was literally eating out three times a day. Now, I fix a protein shake for breakfast and bring my lunch to work. It takes a little work at first then it just becomes routine. > > " The longer you do it, the more you become aware of what you're using every day. " > > Making healthier dietary choices doesn't mean never eating out at restaurants, either. More and more restaurants are offering options to cater to healthier dining. > > " You can order off the menu and modify, " Lee said. She recounted a recent visit to Razoo's where her friend asked if they could grill her fish instead of fry it. Lee said it wasn't on the menu but they were willing to change the cooking method. > > Lee fully committed to a vegetarian lifestyle in November. > > " I'm not going to waiver from this lifestyle, " she remarked. " It's not a diet. It's not a fad. It's a lifestyle change. " > > For those interested in finding out more about the vegetarian lifestyle, Lee said the Internet offers several venues. > > " There's way to much information out there, " she chuckled. " You have to be aggressive in your search. It's not going to come to you. " > > > Peter H > > > > > Mail is the world's favourite email. Don't settle for less, sign up for your freeaccount today. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 23, 2007 Report Share Posted July 23, 2007 I e-mailed the author and told her vegetarians don't eat fish. She told me someone else had e-mailed her and said Brenda Lee is a piscavore, which neither she nor I had heard of. --- heartwerk <jo.heartwork wrote: > Pity she doesn't check her facts about protein, and > needing fish, > eggs and cheese. > > Jo > > , Peter VV > <swpgh01.t21 wrote: > > > > If only she would turn vegan? and do a bit more > research on protien? > > For Brenda Lee, eating healthy and organically > is second nature > > By Lacie Morrison > > lmorrison > > > > All summer long, Brenda Lee is busy teaching > swimming lessons, > water aerobics and life guarding at the city pool, > often working long > hours. > > > > During the other seasons, Lee keeps busy with > other programs the > Mineral Wells City Gym offers to the public. > > > > Where does she get all that energy? > > > > It doesn't come from eating hamburgers or > spaghetti – or any other > meal containing beef, chicken or pork, for that > matter. As a > vegetarian, she's all about the vegetables, fruits > and other organic > dietary options. > > > > Born in Fort Hood, Texas, Lee moved to Mineral > Wells at the age of > 2. In her family growing up, they were > meat-and-potatoes diners. > > > > " My mother was an excellent cook. We'd never eat > out, " Lee > recalled. " There was meat at every meal. " > > > > And while it was served, Lee said she didn't > always partake. > > > > " My mother told me I always had a problem with > meat. I'd always > cover the steak with ketchup, " she recalled. " I > never liked meat > growing up. " > > > > Without realizing the precise reason why she – and > her body – > didn't like meat, Lee didn't make a conscious > decision to become a > vegetarian until after a lot of consideration. > > > > She estimated that 16 years ago, she opted to cut > milk from her > diet. > > > > " I started doing the process of elimination of > food, " she > explained. When she removed milk from her diet, her > health improved; > re-introducing milk to her system made her ill. Lee > said she learned > that her milk allergy was something she shared with > others in her > family. However, cutting out milk still left her > with the problems > encountered when she consumed meat. > > > > " About 12 years ago, I was having health > problems, " she recounted. > After a visit to a doctor in Grapevine who practiced > medicine through > dietary choices, among other things, Lee said he'd > asked if she > consumed a lot of meat. That was when she learned > that her body had > difficulty digesting animal fats. > > > > " I thought I needed to seriously think about > that, " she said. After > bouncing back and forth about cutting all meat from > her diet, Lee > said, " I just decided I want to live a long time. I > made a conscious > choice. " > > > > At her last annual checkup, Lee decided to quit > eating red meat and > has opted for organically grown fruits and > vegetables. > > > > " I joined an organic food co-op through Learnin' > Tree. I absolutely > love it! " she said. " She gives you a list of things > available. Two > weeks later, you pick it up. You eat the way you're > supposed to eat. > It's seasonal [and] there's no preservatives. " > > > > Laughing, she added, " Because there's no > preservatives, you better > cook it or freeze it within the next week. " > > > > In addition to the knowledge that she's eating > healthier, Lee > said, " I've noticed almost all my allergy problems > have disappeared. " > > > > While becoming a vegetarian in a small community > where the health > food choices appear limited, Lee said it's not > difficult to shop and > she doesn't really see a change in her grocery bill. > > > > " Even grocery stores carry unrefined products that > you can buy in > Mineral Wells. You can get bread without > preservatives. … You can get > organic butter and cheeses, " she noted. " I've become > an avid label > reader. " > > > > She used the example of peanut butter. Lee said > that peanut butter > should only have peanuts and oil listed in the > ingredients instead of > additional preservatives and additives. > > > > " I very rarely buy anything canned. Anything I buy > has to be > cooked, " she said. > > > > Lee pointed out that she's a vegetarian, not a > vegan. She explained > that a vegan omits all animal products from their > diet, including > dairy items and eggs. > > > > For vegans, " it's really hard to get protein. > That's why I eat fish > three times a week, eggs and cheese, " Lee said. > > > > " I feel better. I notice that I don't have muscle > aches, " she > observed. " At 52, I don't have to take any > pharmaceuticals. " She > smiled, adding, " If I go to the doctor with a > problem, she doesn't > even try to give me a prescription. " > > > > Sticking with her organic lifestyle, Lee said she > cross-references > alternatives for natural items for her symptoms. > > > > When asked if she saw a change in her energy level > since she began > eating organically, Lee replied, " Yes, because I > work 14 hours a day > and this session, with water aerobics and swim > lessons, I work till 9 > p.m. … > > > > " I'm a certified lifeguard and we have to swim. I > have a very > active lifestyle. That's the key to sleeping good. " > > > > While it may seem like a lot of work – label > reading, shopping > conscientiously and healthy cooking – Lee doesn't > perceive it as > work; for her, it's become second nature. > > > > " They think it's a lot of work. It's not a lot of > work. It's a > habit, " she stated. " Stopping to eat out for > breakfast is a habit. > Five years ago, I was literally eating out three > times a day. Now, I > fix a protein shake for breakfast and bring my lunch > to work. It > takes a little work at first then it just becomes > routine. > > > > " The longer you do it, the more you become aware > of what you're > using every day. " > > > > Making healthier dietary choices doesn't mean > never eating out at > restaurants, either. More and more restaurants are > offering options > to cater to healthier dining. > > > > " You can order off the menu and modify, " Lee said. > She recounted a > recent visit to Razoo's where her friend asked if > they could grill > her fish instead of fry it. Lee said it wasn't on > the menu but they > were willing to change the cooking method. > > > > Lee fully committed to a vegetarian lifestyle in > November. > > > > " I'm not going to waiver from this lifestyle, " she > remarked. " It's > not a diet. It's not a fad. It's a lifestyle > change. " > > > > For those interested in finding out more about the > vegetarian > lifestyle, Lee said the Internet offers several > venues. > > > > " There's way to much information out there, " she > chuckled. " You > have to be aggressive in your search. It's not going > to come to you. " > > > > > > Peter H > > > > > > > > > > Mail is the world's favourite email. Don't > settle for less, > sign up for your freeaccount today. > > > > > ______________________________\ ____ Luggage? GPS? Comic books? Check out fitting gifts for grads at Search http://search./search?fr=oni_on_mail & p=graduation+gifts & cs=bz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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