I
'm the last person who would take up a vegetarian
lifestyle.
You see, I'm a meat-atarian.
I'm an enthusiastic meat eater. I'm pretty sure that my
teeth were designed for eating animals.
I like my vegetables with bacon wrapped around them.
My four main food groups are chicken, pork, beef and
fish. One of my favorite things about the Tampa Bay area
is its proximity to fresh snapper.
Even so, I stopped in my tracks when I saw the results
of a recent study that found that eating more fruits and
vegetables can significantly reduce the risk of heart
attacks, strokes, cancer and early death.
Maybe I'll try this fruits and vegetables thing, I thought.
Luckily, Jessica Lavigne, clinical nutrition specialist at
Tampa General Hospital, was there to help me out.
NEW RESEARCH
The new study, conducted by Imperial College London,
concluded that if people consumed 10 portions of fruits
and veggies a day, it could prevent nearly 8 million
premature deaths a year worldwide.
That's double the current World Health Organization
recommendation of five portions a day. And let's face it —
many Americans don't even eat five. (I have to admit that,
before I took on this challenge, I was probably eating
MEAT
LOVER
LE ARN
to
LOVE
FRUITS
and
VEGETABLES?
by Mike Brassfield
CAN A
4
tgh.org / fall 2017
