ISSUE 2 / SEPTEMBER 2012
Back To
School: 5 Simple Ways
To Get Your Kids To Eat More Fruits and Veggies
Special
BOnus: Extra Recipes
from Veg-Living’s Top Chefs!
Are You A
10 Things
Everyon e Needs for Heal th Veggie T y ravel
Spotlight on Compassion:
Food Not Bombs Dr. Neal Barnard Reveals
The truth About Vitamin B12
JUNK FOOD VEGAN?
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contents THE FUN SIDE OF VEGETARIAN LIVING
VEGAN HOT SHEET
08
Hip and Happening Vegan Stuff
NUTRITION & THRIVING
10 SIGNS YOUR SWEET TOOTH 10 NEEDS TO BE PULLED
16
THE STARCH SOLUTION
12
20
B12 A GOOD ROLE MODEL
21
FLAX SEEDS & OMEGA 3S
26
THERE IS NO JUNK FOOD
BIZARRO CARTOON BO KNOWS
13
Rants and Insights from a Life-Long Vegan
by John McDougall, M.D.
by Dr. Neal Barnard
by Dr. Janice Stanger
by Dr. Thomas Lodi, MD
REGULARS
06
EDITOR’S NOTE
05
CREDITS
78
REVIEWS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
A Message from the Editor of VegWorld Magazine, Steve Prussack
VegWorld Staff & Contributing Writers
Vegworld’s Pick of the month - Vegucated
contents FAMILY AND LIFESTYLE
5 SIMPLE WAYS TO GET YOUR KIDS 31 TO EAT MORE FRUITS AND VEGGIES by Steve Prussack
VEG AND THE CITY: 33 PARADISE HEALTH IN MIDDLE AGE by Victoria Moran
HOW TO SAVE YOUR HEALTH, THE 38 EARTH AND THE ANIMALS WITH YOUR FORK by Julieanna Hever, M.S., R.D., C.P.T.
PACKING CHECKLIST 41 FOR HEALTHY TRAVEL
ORDINARY PEOPLE/ EXTRAORDINARY RESULTS
59
WORDS FROM A WARRIOR
by Dr. Jameth Sheridan
by Carolyn Scott-Hamilton
FEATURE RECIPES FOR FOODIES
MEXICAN VEGAN DISHES
45
by Cherie Soria
RAW GOLDEN STRAWBERRY CRUMBLE 50
by Kerrie Heart
VEGAN FUSION 53
by Mark Reinfeld
63
ARE YOU A JUNK FOOD VEGAN?
Maybe it’s Time to Reassess Your Diet (and Your Mindset)
SPOTLIGHT ON COMPASSION
68
FOOD NOT BOMBS
73
ANCIENT VEGAN WISDOM
by Keith McHenry
by Will Tuttle, Ph.D.
VegWorld Credits
Credits VegWorld Staff Editor-In-Chief: Steve Prussack Associate Editor: Julie Varon Graphic Design: Veronique Zayas Magazine Layout: Lise-Mari Coetzee Contributing Photographer: Elan Sun Star Media: Raw Edge Productions
Contributing Writers Dr. Neal Barnard
Colleen Patrick-Goudreau
Dr. Brian Clement
Dan Piraro
Beryl Greensea
Bo Rinaldi
Kerrie Heart
Carolyn Scott-Hamilton
Julieanna Hever
Dr. Jameth Sheridan
Jay and Linda Kordich
Kim Sheridan
Dr. Thomas Lodi, MD
Rae Sikora
Dr. John McDougall
Cherie Soria
Keith McHenry
Dr. Janice Stanger
Victoria Moran
Jim Tilberry Dr. Will Tuttle
VegWorld Magazine
Issue 002 - Sept 2012 |
5
VegWorld Editor’s Note
Editor's Note
A Message from the Editor of VegWorld Magazine, Steve Prussack
A
s someone who has been vegan for over 18 years, I have followed every version of this diet imaginable. I’ve existed on vegan “junk food” for periods of time, eaten 100% raw vegan for years on end, and found balance with vegan raw food combined with occasional vegan “comfort foods”. While there are many important reasons for eating a vegan diet, sometimes health is at the bottom of the list. We felt focusing on finding balance through a vegan diet would be a compelling topic for this month’s issue of VegWorld magazine. We hope the information will steer you towards finding the optimal diet and balance that works for you. We’d love to connect with you and hear from you through our various social media channels. Click below to catch up with us. Also, Send your “Letters to the Editor”. We may include you in a future issue!
Editor of VegWorld Magazine
VegWorld Magazine
Issue 002 - Sept 2012 |
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The Fun Side
Of Vegetarian Living Vegan Hot Sheet 10 Signs Your Sweet Tooth Needs to be Pulled Bizarro Cartoon Bo Knows
’S N A T A L I E PWOe dRdTi nMg A N Vegan
Vegetarian-turned-vegan actress Natalie Portman married Benjamin Millepied in a vegan cruelty-free wedding this month!
Starbucks Vegan Juice Bar?
Starbucks, the coffee shop renowned for its seemingly limitless coffee varieties, is opening a new chain of juice bars in response to the growing health trend towards unprocessed and whole foods. The juice bars will offer fruit and vegetable options which can be mixed according to consumer preference to produce natural fruit juices that are high in dietary fiber, vitamins A, C, and E, and antioxidants.
H ot N ew P r o d u c t ! he Warrior Force™ Sports Nutrition line of products delivers 100% non-toxic, plant-based whole foods - the ULTIMATE hard-core, no-holdsbarred, battle-seasoned and battleready nutrition.
T
Designed by lifetime Extreme Athlete, Naturopath, Hard-Core Herbal Researcher and the Doctor of Holistic Medicine, Dr. Jameth Sheridan, these plant-based, raw, TruGanic™ superfoods are designed for TrueWarriors™
l o o C d New an
Vegan
C e l e b r i
ties
VEGAN HOT SHEET hip and happening vegan stuff
New Vegan ‘Chicken” Sells Out Everywhere!
Are YOU A Vegan Warrior?
Beyond Meat’s Veggie Chicken Strips have been flying off the shelves, with a meat-lovers promise of authentic texture and taste indistinguishable from real chicken!
Veg world e s s e n t i a l s
es t o u Q Recent The VegWorld heard these interesting quotes over the past month....
Alicia Silverstone
Crunchy and Delicious!
These Kale chips from Alive & Radiant Foods are some of the best on the market. A great alternative to greasy potato chips, these chips will leave you bursting with energy. Comes in a variety of flavors. Check ‘em out!
Actress, Author of “The Kind Diet”
“I did it for political, moral reasons, thinking that I was making this great sacrifice, but it was absolutely necessary; I was not going to contribute to the violence in the world anymore.”
Clint Eastwood Sweet Tooth? Try these... Must Read!
Rip Esselstyn’s “The Engine 2 Diet” has been hugely popular in educating the masses about plant-based diets. The information is presented in a straightforward style and is extremely motivating. Share with your friends and family who are somewhat curious.
“My assistant showed me a video called “Forks Over Knives” about cutting out meat and dairy product so I thought, I’ll give this a shot!” Musician Ozzy Osbourne On his recent transition to a vegan diet. (Ozzy once bit the head off of a live bat in concert and worked in a slaughterhouse)
Sacred Chocolates are delicious organic chocolates. Not only do they taste wonderful, they are stone ground below 114 degrees and sweetened with maple, inulin from Jerusalem Artichoke, Erythritol, and Stevia. The taste is exceptional and unforgettable.
Actor “I
take vitamins daily, but just the bare essentials not what you’d call supplements. I try to stick to a vegan diet heavy on fruit, vegetables, tofu, and other soy products.”
Michelle Pfeiffer Actress, on why she recently became a vegan
"OK, Bill Clinton loves food, so there must be something to [veganism] that's making him stick to it. And also, he's smart, so he's not going to do something unless he really thinks there's some science behind it."
10 Signs Your Sweet Tooth Needs To Be Pulled
10 Signs
Your Sweet Tooth Needs to be Pulled Do you love Valentine’s Day – but not for the romance? Is it mainly because of the chocolate sales on February 15th? Without understanding why, is your favorite college football game the Sugar Bowl? When you walk in the door of the dental office, have you ever overheard your dentist say to himself “Ka-ching!”? You may consider your vegetarian diet to be healthy, but there are lots of clues that you have a problem with the sweet stuff.
Here are 10 warning signs you may need help.
1
You daydream about a sweet job You fantasize about being employed as the beater licker at a vegan bakery facility. Or you often imagine the contact high you’d get as the night janitor at the C&H Sugar Cane Warehouse. You pick nicknames from the dessert menu Your favorite terms of endearment for your significant other are “Sweetie Pie,” and “Sugar Muffin.” Plus, you have a dog called “Brownie” and a cat named “chocolate.”
3
2
Your favorite movies make you salivate You’ve seen “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” at least ten times. And your second favorite movie is “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” What’s worse, when leaving the theatre you head straight to your favorite comfort-food restaurant or the supermarket for a late-night treat.
VegWorld Magazine
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10 Signs Your Sweet Tooth Needs To Be Pulled
4
You savor sweet music You love the songs “Savoy Truffle” by the Beatles and “Sugar Sugar” by the Archies. But you won’t admit to anyone that your all-time favorite song is “The Candy Man” by Sammy Davis Jr. You will take this secret to the grave.
Your body mass measures 30% sucrose At breakfast you often order pancakes with extra syrup -- but you tell the waitress to hold the pancakes. You put so much sugar in your coffee it takes both hands to stir it. You pour chocolate sprinkles on countless things -- including your pillow.
6
Your sports heroes sound more like ice cream flavors You’re a big fan of sports stars with sweet monikers, like Cookie Gilchrist, Candy Maldonado, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Darryl Strawberry.
Your family tree bore some sugary fruit It’s possible your sweet tooth is programmed in your genes. Perhaps your grandfather was arrested for breaking into the Ghirardelli factory. Or maybe your great aunt Sonia worked at Fannie May before she was fired when caught stuffing her purse with the inventory.
8
5 7
You enjoy sweet dreams You have a recurring dream where you’re dancing with a human-size Gingerbread man. For obvious reasons, this is another secret you keep to yourself.
VegWorld Magazine
Issue 002 - Sept 2012 | 11
9
10 Signs Your Sweet Tooth Needs To Be Pulled Even your taste in clothing is fattening You keep buying edible underwear. However it never makes it on your body -- or even to your dresser drawer. That’s because you eat it as soon as you get it home. Willpower is not one of your strong suits. Your body language is all sweet talk Your pupils dilate when you pass a vegan bakery, and your palms get sweaty when you see a Coca Cola commercial.
10
Of course none of these signs are good. If five or more of these warning signs apply to you, you probably should seek professional help. Then again, who knows what the future holds? Maybe if you just wait a few weeks, scientists will release a study showing that sugar is actually healthier than broccoli. It’s nice to dream. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jim Tilberry is a thin vegetarian living in Chicago, the city of big shoulders and even bigger waistlines. He has lived a meatless life since 1998 when he was visited by a pig in a dream asking him to give up bacon, ham and all other meat. Knowing that pigs are very intelligent he never questioned the request. His hilarious book “Revenge of the Vegetarian” can be found by visiting this website.
Dan Piraro is a painter, illustrator and cartoonist best known for his award-winning syndicated cartoon panel Bizarro. Piraro’s cartoons have been reprinted in 15 book collections between 1986 and the present. VegWorld Magazine
Issue 002 - Sept 2012 | 12
Junk Food Vegans Bo Rinaldi
Bo Knows
Rants and Insights from a Life-Long Vegan Junk Food Vegans by BO RINALDI
In the past several years the vegan movement and products catering to the vegan lifestyle have proliferated far and wide. Popular media has increased the overall exposure related to veganism and a great number of celebrities have become vocal supporters of the movement. Movie stars, athletes and musicians have increased awareness of eating healthier green foods in popular culture. Yet for some individuals, their experience with vegan food is only as a “junk food vegan”. Eating meat substitutes, vegan cookies full of additives, snack bars, chips, Twizzlers, Keebler cookies, and sugar cereals may meet caloric needs, but it is anything but healthy and definitely will not meet daily nutritional requirements. It doesn’t need to be this way. The increased popularity of the vegan lifestyle has produced a plethora of educational resources and guides both online and in VegWorld Magazine
print to support those switching to a vegan diet. Recipes and cookbooks for simple to prepare foods can be sourced easily on the Internet, and countless blogs and websites provide tips and guidelines for vegans. For those that have exceptionally busy lives, there are a number of options of prepackaged foods that are capable of meeting dietary requirements without compromising the vegan diet or sacrificing palatability. Thousands of local co-ops, health food stores, specific vegan markets and high-end chain stores have become available in nearly every city, all stocking a wide variety of vegan-centric foods. Many staff members at these stores can be helpful with finding items such as vegan wraps, high protein food bars and frozen meals. Some of these same items can also be produced at home with a small amount of planning and effort. The term “junk food vegan” may seem to be an oxymoron, yet it is an unpleasant reality for many individuals delving into becoming vegan. And it can easily become detrimental to one’s health. Making a commitment to be vegan also requires a commitment to become educated on nutritional issues and the content of your food in order to live a healthy and green lifestyle. Fortunately, given the increasing popularity of veganism, vegan foods and information resources, it is possible to eat Issue 002 - Sept 2012 | 13
Junk Food Vegans Bo Rinaldi a balanced diet and not become a “junk food vegan”. After all, we are what we eat, and our personal health is something that should be recognized as our most precious possession. We love commerce, and when private industry finds a trend, they will turn it into a commodity, such as “junk food vegan” products. Remember, food does not come out of a package. Food does not even come out of a store. Food comes out of the ground, and the closer you eat to that ideal, the healthier you will be. I know. I have been a vegan for 52 years, and I’ve seen it all. Throughout the evolution and commoditization of vegan living, I have stayed true to the tenets of healthy living—and have thrived as a result. The resources you will find in this magazine can guide you to total health, wellness and happiness. I hope to see you on that path. Bo Knows will be a monthly feature in VegWorld Magazine.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bo Rinaldi is an entrepreneur, chef, and co-owner of the acclaimed Blossoming Lotus restaurant in Portland. A proponent of the fantastic benefits of the vegan lifestyle, Bo is the coowner of VeganFusion.com,, blogs frequently at BoRinaldi.com, and is the co-author of many Top Selling Books, including Vegan Fusion and four Complete Idiot’s Guides. Bo has been a vegan since 1960 and has managed, partnered, or owned many companies in the organic movement. Bo was one of the founders of the organic food movement in the California Sixties, got involved in the PC Revolution as the VP Marketing for ComputerLand, was the EVP for the largest boutique Software Consulting firm in Silicon Valley, and has always been in the right place at the right time! A social entrepreneur, Bo sits on the Boards of many companies, owns a Retainer based search firm, and has specialized in internet marketing since 1991. To serve with passion and heart, to be generous of body, mind and spirit and live in the true wealth of simplicity embodies the basic truth’s of Bo’s life. Find out about Bo and Mark Reinfeld’s incredible vegan cooking program “Cooking Healthy Lessons Here
VegWorld Magazine
Issue 002 - Sept 2012 | 14
Nutrition
And Thriving The Starch Solution Vitamin B12 a Good Role Model Flax Seeds and Omega 3s There is no Junk Food
The Starch Solution By Dr. John McDougall, MD
The Starch Solution by Dr. John McDougall, MD
T
he recent escalation in the severity of temperatures, droughts, storms, and floods has diminished my hopes that the stability and safety that I enjoyed during my lifetime will continue into the future for my children and grandchildren. The most immediate threat from this climate change is to our food supply. How can we best adapt to a more difficult world?
Recent history provides many examples of populations of people whose lives have been disrupted by circumstances beyond their control. The best illustrations come from the widespread food shortages that plagued the lives of people living during World War I and II in Western Europe. Some survived these hardships better than others, and here is where valuable lessons for our future can be learned. One result of the British naval blockade of the North Sea during WWI was that over 400,000 Germans died due to malnutrition from 1914 to 1918. Denmark, which remained neutral during this conflict, was also severely affected by the blockade. But in contrast to the German experience, the Danes thrived. This turn of fortune was due to the brilliance of the physician and nutritionist, Mikkel Hindhede (1862-1945), who served as the manager of the Danish National Laboratory for Nutrition Research in Copenhagen and food advisor to the Danish government during World War I. Based on his suggestions, the people of Demark switched from a diet plentiful in meat to a diet where the bulk of their calories came from starchy grains and vegetables. Other countries (like Germany) continued to believe in the importance of an abundance of meat for their people and, as a result, could not adapt to the changing times.
VegWorld Magazine
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VegWorld Fact
The Starch Solution By Dr. John McDougall, MD
Three Million , 8 1 9 1 7 1 9 1 m o r F People become in e t a r h t a e d e th Starch-Eaters e r s a w k r a Denm Following Dr. Hindhede’s 300 duced by 34%. 6 advice, most of the d e v a s e r pigs were sold off and e lives w the number of cows e id w n io t a N a m for dairy was reduced fro t by one-third. Alcohol ea switch from a m production was also t n a limited. These basic based to a pl changes made based diet! available grains for
human consumption that would have otherwise been used to feed food-animals and make spirits. His previous work, and that of contemporary scientists, had already proven the nutritional excellence of a diet based on starches, along with fruits and vegetables. At that time, educated people knew that the minimum need for protein was so low for man that it could not be reached; therefore, removing meat would be of no adverse consequence. In his 1920 article in The Journal of the American Medical Association, Dr. Hindhede wrote, “As research has also shown that man can retain full vigor for a year or longer on a diet of potatoes and fat and for half a year or more on a diet of barley and fat, reliance was placed on our potatoes and the large barley crop, which was given to man and not to the pigs, as heretofore, with the result that… the people received sufficient nutrition.” “Our principal foods were bran bread, barley porridge, potatoes, greens, milk and some butter. Pork production was very low; hence the farmers ate all the pork they raised, and the people of the cities and towns got little or no pork. Beef was so costly that only the rich could afford to buy it in sufficient amount.”
Death Rates Plummet for Starch-fed Danes What were the results of this change in diet for the 3 million people living in VegWorld Magazine
Issue 002 - Sept 2012 | 17
The Starch Solution By Dr. John McDougall, MD Denmark? During the years of the most severe food restriction, 1917 to 1918, the death rate was reduced by 34%, which translated into 6,300 lives saved. These were the lowest death rates ever reported for Denmark, even for those years prior to the war. Dr. Hindhede tied this reduction in mortality directly to a diet based on consuming starches in place of meat: “This result was not a surprising one to me. Since 1885, when I began my experiments with a low-protein diet (mostly vegetarian), I have been convinced that better physical conditions resulted from this standard of living…As the result of extensive studies in this field I am convinced that over-nutrition, the result of palatable meat dishes, is one of the most common causes of disease.” Similar reductions of disease and mortality were seen in other Western European countries during both World Wars (WWI and WWII). For example, deaths from diabetes decreased in England and Wales during both wars. However, one important difference was that the people of Denmark were well fed, while much of Western Europe’s population was hungry. Dr. Hindhede wrote, “While not all readers will agree with what I have said, no one can dispute the fact that the people of Denmark have no cause to regret that during the war their diet consisted mostly of milk, vegetables and bran. If Central Europe had adopted a similar diet, I doubt that anyone would have starved.” 
Lessons for Our Future
I am an optimist, but the worst drought in the United States in nearly a half-century has occurred over the summer of 2012. Twenty to 40 percent of the crops of soybeans and corn, which feed the pigs, cows, and poultry, have been destroyed; and food prices are rising worldwide. Since, as the saying goes, “you can’t change the weather,” what else can we fix? We can fix our food supply. Rather than feeding the crops to animals, we could instead eat the corn, wheat, soybeans, and potatoes ourselves. The savings would be world-changing. Converting plant energy into animal energy is wasteful: It takes about 7 pounds of edible, healthy grains to produce just 1 pound of beef, 4 pounds for a pound of pork, and 2 pounds for a pound of chicken. Reallocating land from animal to crop production would increase our food resources at least seventeen-fold: Crops like potatoes can produce 17 times the calories as animals on the same piece of land. There would be additional positive consequences of replacing animal foods in our diet with plants. VegWorld Magazine
It takes about 7 pounds of edible, health y grains to produce just 1 pound of beef , 4 pounds for a pound of pork , and 2 pounds for a pound of chicken. Issue 002 - Sept 2012 | 18
The Starch Solution By Dr. John McDougall, MD The rate of progression of global warming would be slowed. Fossil fuels (the primary source of climate change) used in the production of food would be reduced forty-fold. Consider that about 2 calories of fossil fuel energy are required to cultivate 1 calorie of starchy vegetable food energy; with beef, the ratio can be as high as 80:1. With this same change in eating we would also reduce the needless suffering from the health consequences of our lives of excess, including obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, and breast, prostate, and colon cancer, to name a few. We would reduce our national debt by vastly reducing the health care costs associated with these unnecessary illnesses. And we would free a great portion of the world from starvation. Those who continue to hold to the old ways, believing that meat and dairy are an essential part of a diet, worth preserving at all costs, will perish like the German citizens did in WWI. You choose. Would you rather eat enough potato enchiladas to fully satisfy your appetite or starve with a few strips of bacon? Would you rather help save the planet or contribute to its destruction? We have had this simple knowledge about how to save ourselves for more than a century. Do we have the will to act on it now, before it is too late? A special thanks to Stefan Juhl M.D., Danish Neurologist, for information on and translation of the work of Dr. Mikkel Hindhede. © 2012 John McDougall for VegWorld Magazine All Rights Reserved Dr. McDougall’s Health and Medical Center P.O. Box 14039, Santa Rosa, CA 95402 http://www.drmcdougall.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR John A. McDougall , MD, has authored many bestselling books and is featured in the documentary and book Fork over Knives. He serves as associate professor at Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Vallejo, CA, and teaches medical students at his clinic in Santa Rosa. Find out more and subscribe to Dr. McDougall’s mailing list at www.drmcdougall.com VegWorld Magazine
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B12 a Good Role Model by Dr. Neal Barnard
B12
a Good Role Model by DR. NEAL BARNARD
W
hen sharing the health benefits of a plant-based diet, it is important to lead by example. Don’t be a cheese-andfrench-fries vegetarian—instead, load up on fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. Also, be sure to plan for complete nutrition. It’s easy and important.
The main nutrient vegans should plan for is vitamin B12. It is essential for healthy nerves and healthy blood. It is made by neither animals nor plants; it is made by bacteria. Presumably, before the advent of modern hygiene, the bacteria in the soil and on plants provided traces of B12. However, those sources are certainly not reliable nowadays. Deficiencies are rare, but they manifest as nerve symptoms that may be irreversible. So be sure to get your B12 from a daily multiple vitamin, a B12 supplement, or fortified foods (e.g., fortified cereals, soymilk, etc.) Overall, vegan diets provide better nutrition than any other kind of diet—with plenty of protein, calcium, and iron, and an abundance of vitamins and minerals—without the problems posed by animal fat and cholesterol. But it’s essential to include a source of vitamin B12. And it couldn’t be easier to do.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Clinical researcher and author Neal Barnard, M.D., is one of America’s leading advocates for health, nutrition, and higher standards in research. As the principal investigator of several human clinical research trials, whose results are published in peer-reviewed medical and scientific journals, Dr. Barnard has examined key issues in health and nutrition. VegWorld Magazine
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Flax Seeds & Omega 3s by Dr. Janice Stanger
You’ve Heard Fish is the Best Source for Omega-3s?
Think Again:
Five Ways You Thrive With Flax Seeds (For Only Pennies a Day) BY DR. JANICE STANGER
You can’t eat a single nutrient in isolation. This includes overhyped omega-3 fatty acids. Whether you get these nutrients from food or pills, they’re part of a package. Here’s an illustration. Just imagine for a moment you want to get more fiber into your diet and decide vegetables are the way to do this. So you buy some veggies, but they were grown near Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant and have low levels of radioactivity. Not enough to kill you right away, but enough to raise your cancer risk through the rest of your life. How likely are you going to be to want those veggies? The veggies still contain fiber and other goodies, but the radioactivity pollutes the whole package. You can’t have one without the other. Eating fish for your fatty acids gives you a similar choice. Fish and fish oil, which cleverly written ads and even many nutrition “experts” push for their omega-3s, come most often packaged with a load of undesirable components: Lab analysis proves that even factory distillation leaves many pollutants behind in fish oil. The omega-3s are present. But so are a lot of things you don’t want and have to accept if you choose this package. Do you want your omega-3s packaged with dangerous components that make you sick? Remember, plants are the base of the food chain, so there is no desirable nutrient in fish that did not originate in far more nutritious plants. Why not turn directly to the source? Flax seeds are a far superior option—a package of gifts you want. Here are five ways these tiny powerhouses nourish your needs.
VegWorld Magazine
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Flax Seeds & Omega 3s by Dr. Janice Stanger
Dangerous Components of Fish • Mercury • Toxic persistent organic pollutants • Cholesterol • Saturated fat • Parasites • Microbes that cause food poisoning • Drugs used on fish farms
First,
flax seeds are high in omega-3s. The only two essential fats you need from food are omega-3s and omega-6s. These fats are part of your cell membranes. They help regulate cholesterol metabolism, and also provide the building blocks for hormone-like substances that are critical in regulating various bodily functions such as blood pressure, blood clotting, and immunity.
• Destruction of the marine ecosystem that supports life on our planet.
Omega-6s are like the gas pedal in a car and omega-3s are like the brakes in terms of inflammation. You need both to keep cruising down the road at an ideal speed. However, to suggest that inflammation can be turned off by omega-3s, like turning off a light with a light switch, is inaccurate and way oversimplifies the incredible complexities of your body. In thinking of these fatty acids, the primary question is balance, not deficiency. Wild plants have about equal amounts of omega-3s and omega-6’s. However, farmed or domesticated plants, for the most part, have far more omega 6’s than 3’s. Flax seeds are an exception to this general rule and are a bountiful source of omega-3s—thereby providing the balance we need to keep our systems working. Just remember, if you eat a lot more omega-6’s than you do omega-3’s, the 6’s can swamp out the 3’s. This is most likely to happen if you consume vegetable oils, which are concentrated omega-6 sources. Stick to whole plant foods without added oils.
Second,
flax seeds are high in fiber, which fish and fish oil totally lack. Fiber helps sweep toxins and excess hormones from your body. If you have any issues with constipation, see how well flax seeds can get rid of this issue for you. Research also indicates that fiber lowers blood pressure, reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, and decreases insulin resistance. VegWorld Magazine
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Flax Seeds & Omega 3s by Dr. Janice Stanger
Third,
flax seed is a whole food with many protective phytochemicals (beneficial nutrients found only in plants). Lignans, phytochemicals found in substantially higher amounts in flax seeds than in almost any other plant, have been shown to have potent anti-tumor effects for prostate, breast, and colon cancers. For example, one study found that lignans significantly reduced the growth rate of prostate cancer, possibly by depriving tumors of their blood supply and causing the cancer cells to self-destruct. Studies indicate that lignans may also lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. This phytochemical reduces cholesterol and systemic inflammation.
Fourth,
flax seeds are amazingly affordable. In fact, your daily two tablespoons should cost you about 7 or 8 cents if you buy whole flax seed and grind it yourself. If you buy it already ground, you’ll pay a few pennies more. Contrast this with the cost of fish, fish oil, or drugs. If a medication were this powerful, you can bet no drug company would sell it for a few cents. Flax seeds are jewels that just about anyone can afford. So much for the notion that good health has to be expensive.
Fifth,
flax seeds are widely available and convenient. As more people are learning about their benefits, flax seeds are soaring in popularity. You can find them in any natural foods store and even many supermarkets. Order them online if you cannot find them locally.
VegWorld Magazine
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Flax Seeds & Omega 3s by Dr. Janice Stanger Keep in mind you need to grind flax seed to get its nutritional benefits. The seed has a very hard shell. If you don’t grind it before eating, it will go through your digestive system intact and you get no benefit. The best way to grind flax is in a coffee grinder. Grind enough for a week or two and keep it refrigerated, or buy it already ground. Eat two tablespoons a day sprinkled on cereal, oatmeal, salads, wraps, grains, or mixed in smoothies. Flax seeds, although unique and powerful, will not in themselves overcome the health consequences of a diet based on animal and manufactured foods. Instead, see flax seeds as an affordable, versatile part of a whole foods, plant-based diet.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. Janice Stanger has a Ph.D. in Human Development and Aging from University of California, San Francisco. As an adult, she went through multiple unsuccessful weight loss attempts, binge eating, and numerous chronic illnesses and debilitating pain. Since following the Perfect Formula Diet the author is now in Perfect Health, at her Perfect Weight, and takes no prescription drugs (with ideal cholesterol, blood pressure, and glucose level) at age 58.
VegWorld Magazine
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There Is No Junk Food by Dr. Thomas Lodi, MD
There Is No Junk Food by DR. THOMAS LODI, MD
I
t seems today that a new category of “food”, known as “junk food,” has been created. But is there such a thing? Or is the term “junk food” a hopeless oxymoron? I believe the latter.
“Food” is that which, when taken into the body, can be broken down into its’ constituent parts, absorbed and assimilated into % 5 3 s i structure and Broccoli function, or utilized d n a n i e t by the body as pro % 2 energy. Any us is 3 asparag portion of what ead d e l i h is ingested that w protein, cannot undergo ) are ” f e e b “ ( these procows . n i e t o cesses must be pr only 26% eliminated or physiological dysfunction will occur. These indigestible substances easily fit the definition of toxins (or poisons), and they have varying strengths. Some artificial sweeteners, like saccharin, for example, take many years to produce serious dysfunction while one teaspoon of potassium cyanide would produce coma and death within a minute.
answer this question, we must look at our scientific classification in the Order called primates and the Family called Hominids. Our “cousins”, the gorillas, chimps and bonobos, as well as the other great apes, eat a prodigious amount of vegetation, including flowers, leaves, stems, roots, seeds and nuts as well as varying amounts of fruit. Some augment their diets with occasional flesh food. The proportion of flesh/insects in the diet of chimpanzees, the most “carnivorous” of the great apes is very small. Studies by Goodall and Conklin indicate that 4 - 5.4% of a chimp’s diet is flesh/insects and is further broken down to 4% insects and 1.4% flesh. Insect eating is really a social activity and not for nutritional gain. In fact, the energy expended to catch termites is far in excess of the energy gained.
So, what is “food” for humans? To begin to VegWorld Magazine
Issue 002 - Sept 2012 | 26
There Is No Junk Food by Dr. Thomas Lodi, MD
Humans certainly do not need the large amount of protein the average one of us consumes today. Human milk has the least amount of protein when compared to all other mammals. So, during the period of our lives when our protein needs are the greatest because our bodies are rapidly doubling in size and weight, only 3 % to 5% of our caloric intake needs to be protein. If you still feel a need, the best source is your veggies: Broccoli is 35% protein and asparagus is 32% protein, while dead cows (“beef�) are only 26% protein. Finally, even the most cursory observation of the animal kingdom reveals that all animals eat the food appropriate to their biology exactly as it is presented and delivered by nature. Humans, on the other hand grind, cut, mash, freeze, heat, add chemicals, and
VegWorld Magazine
irradiate what nature produces and then, whatever remains from this fanatical behavior is usually eaten anywhere from months to years later. This violates the common sense understanding that we are better served in regards to health by eating organic, fresh, and ripe food. We are also electromagnetic in nature. For example, an EKG is usually performed to measure the form and amount of electrical output that the heart generates. The same goes for an EEG (electro-encephalogram) to evaluate the status of brain function. In both cases, a flat line reveals that there is no electrical activity and hence, no life. This electrical activity is a measure of the energy that enlivens the body and permits all the functions that define being alive and healthy. Furthermore, this electrical energy originates
Issue 002 - Sept 2012 | 27
There Is No Junk Food by Dr. Thomas Lodi, MD in the sun and is transmitted to the biosphere of the earth through light. Heat, microwaves and radiation quickly disrupt and destroy this flow of life and energy and consequently, when a plant or animal is eaten that has undergone heating, microwaving or radiation, there is no energy or life remaining to be transmitted. Keep in mind that no animal thermally degenerates it food before ingesting it. Junk is defined by the dictionary as, “anything that is regarded as worthless, meaningless, or contemptible.” Clearly, this is the antithesis of the definition for “food.” Therefore, to say that there is something known as “junk food”’ is like saying that “water flows up-hill” or “he is nice-mean” or “my uncle is fat-thin.” Junk is defined similarly as poison. There is no such thing as “junk food.” There is only food or poison. © Thomas Lodi MD 2012
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Thomas Lodi, MD, a master’s level clinical psychologist, received his medical degree in 1985 from the University of Hawaii. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons and worked for ten years as an internist, urgent care physician, and intensivist (ICU/ CCU). After several years of additional training in alternative modalities, he narrowed his focus to integrative oncology. He is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), a certified Diplomat in Anti-Aging Medicine under the auspices of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M), a Fellow in Integrative Oncology and an instructor in Insulin Potentiation Therapy. He is certified in and has been practicing both oxidative and chelation therapies for almost two decades. In the state of Arizona, he is licensed as a Homeopathic Medical Doctor by the Arizona Holistic and Integrative Medical Board while in New York he is licensed as an allopathic physician and surgeon by the State of New York, Board of Medical Examiners. VegWorld Magazine
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Family
and Lifestyle 5 Simple Ways To Get Your Kids To Eat More Fruits and Veggies Veg and the City: Paradise Health in Middle Age How to Save Your Health, the Earth and the Animals with your Fork Packing Checklist For Healthy Travel
5 Simple Ways To Get Your Kids To Eat More Fruits and Veggies by Steve Prussack
5 Simple Ways To Get Your Kids To Eat More Fruits and Veggies by STEVE PRUSSACK
Y
ou have heard before that we (kids and parents alike) should be eating at least five servings of fruit and vegetables per day. But how many of us are getting the recommended dosage every day? In our fast-passed society, many of us find it easier to open a bag of chips then take the time to wash off the fruit in the bin of our refrigerator. Don’t be fooled by the snack foods in the health food store either. The majority of health food snacks are over-processed, containing minimal nutritional value.
VegWorld Magazine
If parents are having a hard time getting the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables, what about our kids? How can we motivate our kids to adapt healthy eating habits? Here are some simple strategies that are sure to help. We have successfully implemented these strategies with our six-yearold, Eli, and he is doing incredibly well meeting his nutritional needs. After tons of interviews on Raw Vegan Radio, I picked up these ideas along the way and am looking forward to passing them on to you. Issue 002 - Sept 2012 | 31
5 Simple Ways To Get Your Kids To Eat More Fruits and Veggies by Steve Prussack
1
Blend up a fresh fruit breakfast smoothie every morning. Use your child’s favorite fruits to create a smoothie that is sure to become a breakfast treat. Be sure to use organic ingredients, and stock your freezer with organic frozen fruit to use if needed. Use rice milk, almond milk, or soy milk as a base for added nutrition. After a while, start adding greens, such as kale, romaine or spinach for optimal nutrition.
2
Be sure to incorporate fruit and veggies into their lunch. If your child likes a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, try adding in some banana slices in place of the jelly. Include lettuce and tomato on their sandwiches. Also, give them carrot, red pepper or cucumber slices. They may balk at first, but studies show that some kids need to be offered a veggie a few times before they finally begin to enjoy it.
3
Make fun snacks. One idea is to get out an ice cube tray and spread pieces of broccoli throughout the container squares. Fill two of the squares with a dressing, like ranch or ketchup. Pretend play with your child that he/she is the “Jolly Green Giant” and is going to eat up the forest. Fresh
juices are a great idea too. You can make their cup look fancy by using cocktail umbrellas and silly straws to make it fun to drink. Other great snacks include apple slices with peanut butter. Change it up using other nut butters, such as almond or cashew butter.
4
Include a salad with dinner. Be sure to use a variety of different veggies so that your salad will be colorful and fun to eat. Try blending up your own dressing using apple cider vinegar, lemon, olive oil, and a bit of agave syrup for a healthy fresh delight. Our son enjoys organic, vegan French dressing on his salad.
5
Healthy dessert is easy. If your child likes ice cream, try coconut ice cream as a healthy alternative. You can get creative by topping the ice cream with fresh fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or mangos. These are just a few strategies to get your child to eat more fruits and vegetables. The fun part is that each idea can be customized to your child’s unique tastes and preferences. Have fun, and you’ll find it is much easier than you thought to include healthy fruits and vegetables in your child’s diet.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Steven Prussack is the author of the upcoming book “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Juice Fasting (Penguin Books, October, 2012). He is the founder and editor of VegWorld Magazine. Steve also produces virtual online world summits in health-related niches with Raw Edge Productions. VegWorld Magazine
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Paradise Health in Middle Age by Victoria Moran
Veg and the City:
Paradise Health in Middle Age by VICTORIA MORAN I didn’t know it was possible to feel this good. I woke up not long ago thinking, “This is the craziest thing: fifty is history and I feel sensational.” I knew it was what the eccentric health advocate, Arnold Ehret, 100 years ago called “Paradise Health.” I had it: physically and emotionally. I’ve been on a pretty good path for a long time. Although I spent the first thirty years of my life bingeing and dieting— always gaining or losing weight, and conversely losing and gaining my flimsy self-esteem—I finally got so tired of that un-merry merrygo-round that I gave up the fight and was open to recovery from the inside out. I chronicle that experience, and how others can do it, too, in my book The Love-Powered Diet: Eating for Freedom, Health, and Joy. Once I wasn’t eating for a fix anymore, I was able to move toward a plant-based diet, ending up at profound, committed veganism. Even though I did it, as Gandhi once said, “for the health of the chickens,” it was a pretty decent diet for my health, too. It was easy to stay thin and avoid the heart disease and diabetes that plague both sides of my family of origin. VegWorld Magazine
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Paradise Health in Middle Age by Victoria Moran But about four years ago, I felt the nudge to go raw. Not 100%. Not slavishly or fanatically (as a compulsive overeater with a daily reprieve, I don’t do well with fads and tangents). But my soul or my cells or something deep inside me pressed me to take this turn. I experimented with it for several months and enjoyed it. A cold snap that first spring sent me back to the comfort of hot soup and soy chai lattes. But later, the urge to return to raw came again. I woke up one morning and didn’t want cooked food. I didn’t want it the next day either. And it’s gone on like that for quite some time. I’m still not 100% and I’m not signing any pledges. I like being able to go with my daughter to her favorite Chinese place and have steamed veggies and brown rice, black bean sauce on the side. There will be hot soup in my life this winter. And since I do my best writing in an everaccommodating Starbucks, I’m not even swearing off those soy chai teas; I’m just having them a lot less often. For days at a time I’m all raw. And on the days that I have something cooked, it’s usually just that: something, one thing—a baked potato, garbanzos in a salad. This isn’t a marriage or a religion; it’s an experiment in incredible vitality.
VegWorld Magazine
This isn marria ’t a religion ge or a ; experim it’s an en incredi t in ble vitality .
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Paradise Health in Middle Age by Victoria Moran The first thing I noticed after making the switch was how happy I felt. My default for contentment had gone up a few notches. People used to say, “How are you?” and I’d say, “Okay.” That was accurate. I was perfectly okay. Now I’m more apt to say “Fabulous!” and mean that. The fog has lifted. Happiness came even before energy and strength and clarity, but those have come, too. I drink juices and eat fruits and salads and smoothies. I have some treats: dried fruit, raw desserts, “bread” and crackers and kale chips made in a dehydrator, but mostly lots and lots (and lots) of greens: green juices, green salads, green smoothies, marinated greens. I use nuts and seeds in recipes and occasionally for eating; I have avocado a couple of times a week; and I often use salad dressing that has some flax or hemp oil in it. I know I’m not overdoing, because I feel balanced and nourished and never have that stuffed, too-much-fat feeling. Besides, after going raw, five pounds left me that I never intended to lose. If some of it comes back, that’s okay. I also don’t worry about sugar. I eat fresh fruit, and put bananas in smoothies, and make desserts with dates and a touch here and there of maple syrup. I know I’m not getting too much of that either. Only one time, when I made grape-and-celery juice but the ratio was too much grape to too little celery, did I get the telltale sugar headache. Now I know. It’s all good. Someone told me when I was first recovering from binge-eating: “You can’t do this with fear.” I feel the same way about raw. It needs to be a joy and an adventure. Strangers comment on my skin, my “glow.” Although I know we’re talking vegetables, not miracles, I do look quite a bit younger than I am (and younger than I did four years ago). I realize that I’m a mature woman and one of these days, incredible diet or not, I’ll be a little old lady. But that state is being delayed. I don’t know for how long, but today it’s a whole lot of fun when I (occasionally) share my chronological age and see the person do a double-take. Ditto for watching gym people try to figure me out: I’m not young, I eat no animal protein, and yet I’m building muscle. It’s a hoot to defy a worldview. VegWorld Magazine
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Paradise Health in Middle Age by Victoria Moran Although I’m not one to live my life counting on the New Ager’s favorite, “Law of Attraction,” I’m certainly “attracting” fascinating men and women of all ages who want what I have. They’re showing up all over the place, as clients in my holistic life and health coaching practice, as business contacts, and as friends. I have no vested interest in converting anybody, but when people want information, I’m thrilled to share it. I mean, why keep anybody out of paradise? If they’re interested, I take them shopping and to raw restaurants (we’re lucky in New York to have a delicious handful of them). I take them into my kitchen to whip up delicacies that surprise the heck out of a novice. And I pass along the advice that helped me: • Don’t lose too much weight. I realize this can sound like a luxury problem, but on a high-raw diet, you have to eat enough. • Learn to love those nutrient-packed greens. Eat embarrassingly large salads. Make green lemonade—romaine, kale, apple, lemon—in your juicer. Whiz up green smoothies; put your fruity ingredients in the blender and then fill it with mild greens—romaine, leaf lettuce, spinach, kale. They’ll change the color but not the taste of your shake, and if you put in enough blueberries, your “green smoothie” will be temptingly purple. • Get a user-friendly raw recipe book that doesn’t intimidate you with exotic ingredients and unfamiliar appliances. I use Jennifer Cornbleet’s Raw Food Made Easy for 1 or 2 People more than any other cook(less) book. • Take vitamin B12 regularly. All vegans need to do this. Taking B12 is the price of getting to be vegan, the way wearing a helmet is the price of getting to ride a
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Paradise Health in Middle Age by Victoria Moran
Be nice to everybody. Some people will think you’ve taken leave of your senses. Others will think your “rabbit food” diet makes for a great joke. Love them anyway.
motorcycle, and giving up alcohol for nine months is the price of getting to have a baby. It’s so easy to take a sublingual (under-the-tongue) tablet three or four times a week; you don’t even have to swallow a pill. • Consider taking vitamin D, especially if you avoid the sun (your doctor can check your levels), and perhaps an algae-based Omega 3 supplement (I use one called V-Pure; it doesn’t have an oceanic aftertaste). • Eat pumpkins seeds for zinc, Brazil nuts for selenium, seaweed for iodine. • Read Becoming Raw, by experienced dieticians Brenda Davis, RD, and Vesanto Melina, MS, RD, to learn the solid science extant to date on being a vibrantly healthy high-raw vegan. • Brush your teeth after eating, especially if you’ve been enjoying sweet or acidic fruits. • Be nice to everybody. Some people will think you’ve taken leave of your senses. Others will think your “rabbit food” diet makes for a great joke. Love them anyway.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Victoria Moran is a vegan of nearly thirty years, the author of eleven books on health and spirituality, and a certified holistic health counselor and vegan lifestyle coach, and director of Main Street Vegan Academy, training vegan lifestyle coaches. Her latest book is MainStreet Vegan which VegNews magazine calls “the vegan Bible.” A two-time Oprah! guest and co-host of the MainStreet Vegan Show on Unity. FM radio, Victoria lives in a green condo in New York City. VegWorld Magazine
Issue 002 - Sept 2012 | 37
How to Save Your Health, the Earth and the Animals with your Fork by Julieanna Hever, M.S., R.D., C.P.T
How to Save Your Health, the Earth and the Animals with your Fork BY JULIEANNA HEVER, M.S., R.D., C.P.T.
T
he perfect ideology about health can be summed up by the Father of Modern Medicine, Hippocrates, when he said: “Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food”. I propose that the ultimate epitome of medicinal consumption is a whole food, plant-based diet. What is plant-based nutrition? It is a diet that creates health; prevents and even reverses disease; assists with weight loss; and enhances energy, endurance, beauty and strength. It is a diet based on whole foods that come direct from nature. There is currently a vast enormity of scientific data that confirms and substantiates the fact that a whole food, plant-based diet creates health. There are also decades of evidence showing that the Standard American Diet (SAD; a high-fat, high-protein, low nutrient diet) is the cause of the growing incidence of heart disease, cancer, obesity, diabetes, and many other chronic diseases. Ultimately, no matter what your genetic destiny, these diseases can be prevented and reversed. It all depends on what is at the end of your fork. There are two components to eating for health—what you choose not to eat and what you should eat. The worst products to put into your body include animal protein, fat, processed “foods”, artificial colors/flavors, preservatives, and chemicals. These you should avoid. On the other hand, what your body and immune system need to thrive and protect itself is a variety of
VegWorld Magazine
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How to Save Your Health, the Earth and the Animals with your Fork by Julieanna Hever, M.S., R.D., C.P.T plants, namely: grains, legumes, vegetables and fruit. These are the new “four food groups�. Research demonstrates the fact that animal protein itself (including that from eggs, dairy, fish, fowl, red meat, and pork) can turn on and off carcinogenesis (cancer formation). Additionally, the further you get from nature (meaning, the more processed the food), the closer you get to disease formation. Conversely, plant-based, whole foods are full of phytochemicals, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. They are nutrient-dense and flood the body with usable compounds to build immunity, fight disease, re-build, detoxify and maintain health. The more of these nutrients you consume, the stronger your immune system will be. With respect to the Earth, the number one greatest thing you can do to decrease your carbon footprint (and to thereby minimize your effect on Global Warming) is to eat plants instead of animal products. The World Health Organization came to the conclusion in its 2006 report that livestock production was the number one cause of greenhouse emissions. It determined that eating animal products was responsible for more damage than all transportation combined. In other words, a vegan driving a Hummer is less harmful to the environment than a meat-eater driving a Prius! A final reason to put plants on your fork and to just say no to meat is the horrific treatment of animals in Factory Farms and in the Slaughterhouses. Cows, chickens, pigs and other animals are abused, tortured, and live a terrifying, miserable life before they get violently killed for consumption. Because there is such a demand for animal products, farmers are forced to utilize extreme measures to meet that demand. Thus, the less animal products people buy, the less terror reigns on the animals.
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How to Save Your Health, the Earth and the Animals with your Fork by Julieanna Hever, M.S., R.D., C.P.T Overall, there is no better decision you can make to save your health, heal the environment, and stop the abuse of animals than what you put on the end of your fork. It all begins with one meal. To learn more about how to make these changes, check out Julieanna’s website at www.PlantBasedDietitian.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Julieanna Hever, M.S., R.D., C.P.T., also known as The Plant-Based Dietitian, is a passionate advocate of the miracles associated with following a whole food, plant-based diet-the established effects of which provide positive healthful benefits. Julieanna is the host of What Would Julieanna Do? on Veria Living Network, author of the best-selling book, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition, and co-author of the book, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Gluten-Free Vegan Cooking, which she wrote with Chef Beverly Lynn Bennett.
Help Save Them BOTH!
A Well-Fed World is a new food justice and animal protection organization supporting veg feeding programs, community gardens, animal sanctuaries, and grassroots advocacy in the U.S. and globally.
care@AWFW.org
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www.AWFW.org
Issue 002 - Sept 2012 | 40
Packing Checklist For Healthy Travel by Carolyn Scott-Hamilton
Packing Checklist
For Healthy Travel
by CAROLYN SCOTT-HAMILTON OF THE HEALTHY VOYAGER
A
h, to travel! Experiencing everything our world has to offer, chasing adventure, and creating memories somehow makes complete sense. To leave home, if just for a few days, is incredibly freeing and revitalizing, along with the excitement of exploration helping you forget your troubles and gain perspective. But what do you do as a healthy vegan when going off into the world without the comfy accoutrements of home? Here’s what I never leave home without:
Water Bottle One of my biggest tips is to stay properly hydrated when traveling. Changing time zones, flying, and shaken-up schedules take a toll, and remaining hydrated is key to fighting fatigue as well as staving off hunger. I never leave home without my glass water bottle by LifeFactory—healthy for me, my wallet, and the environment. Winning! VegWorld Magazine
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Packing Checklist For Healthy Travel by Carolyn Scott-Hamilton
Drinkable Veggies Eating 100-percent pure when on the go is no easy feat. Traveling partners, tour times, and lack of options cause all of us to eat a less than ideal diet while we’re away from home, not to mention we want to indulge every now and again. However, it’s important to still get in our veggies to get our vitamins, minerals, and boost our immune system. One of my favorite travel goodies is Greens To Go. Mixed with eight ounces of water, this organic, sugar- and gluten-free powder equals six servings of green veggies!
Reusable Utensils Having your own utensils on your person at all times is not only convenient, but kind to Mother Earth. Plus, they double as cooking utensils for some easy hotel cooking! My To-Go Ware is always snug in my purse.
Nausea Bands If you’re prone to motion sickness on boat or road trips, steer clear of meds and opt for something like Psi Bands. Cool bands that put pressure on a point in your wrist that helps regulate your equilibrium, these bands are a cute, healthy, and drug-free way to keep from hurling!
Travel-Friendly Probiotics Let’s face it, travel can really mess with your “regularity.” Of course it’s important to make sure you get enough fiber and healthy food in you when traveling, but an added boost to help with your topsy-turvy schedule and your anxiety about going in a bathroom that isn’t yours, should be welcomed. Healthy Belly is my top pick.
Comfortable Walking Shoes It’s always good to fit in fitness when away from home, so don’t forget your sneakers. Whether it’s for the hotel gym or that haunted walking tour, make sure you have the appropriate footwear. Ladies, I know we need cute kicks for our even more cute outfits, but do yourself a favor and pack smart. Your feet, back, neck, and head will thank you!
Flexible Cutting Board and Small Knife If your destination is somewhere that might not be the most vegan-friendly of places, pack a small knife along with a thin, flexible cutting board in your checked VegWorld Magazine
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Packing Checklist For Healthy Travel by Carolyn Scott-Hamilton bags (just remember to put these in your checked bag!). Hit up a local grocery store or farmers’ market, stock up on fresh produce and easy sandwich stuff, and make some meals in your room. You can also get creative and use your coffee pot as a saucepan, hot plate, and griddle and your iron as a toaster. Use leftovers, sauce packets, and stuff you buy at the store to whip up cheap, vegan meals in room as well as snacks to pack for long sight-seeing days.
Emergency Food This one might go without saying, but try to pack an emergency snack or two for each day that you’ll be away. A healthy protein bar, nuts, or dehydrated foods that can be quickly prepped in your room are all smart options to make sure you have something in a pinch.
Nesting Food Containers Containers that fit in to each other like Russian nesting dolls are smart to save space in your suitcase, and they give you a variety of sizes so you have lots of snacking options. I am a big fan of the nesting trio by Kids Konserve.
Select Wisely Cards For international travel, language barriers can present challenges for ordering veg-friendly grub. Select Wisely cards fit nicely in your wallet and come as individual cards for each language. One side has the written translation to show your server what you need to avoid (they make gluten-free ones as well as low sodium and other special diet cards too) as well as illustrations that show what you need to avoid, making dining out foolproof. Whether you’re taking a quick overnight camping trip or heading out into the great blue yonder for weeks, be sure to pack wisely and enjoy the voyage!
ABOUT HEALTHYVOYAGER The Healthy Voyager, aka Carolyn Scott-Hamilton, is the Executive Producer, Creator, Host and Writer of The Healthy Voyager web series, site, and overall brand. A holistic nutritionist, plant based vegan chef, best selling cookbook author, sought after speaker, film making, screen writing, traveling, singing, dancing, fun-loving, healthy & green living wife, The Healthy Voyager aims to help people live well, one veggie at a time! VegWorld Magazine
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Recipes
For Foodies Mexican Fiesta by Cherie Soria Raw Golden Strawberry Crips Vegan Chef of the Year Mark Reinfeld
Mexican Vegan Dishes by Cherie Soria
Mexican Corn and Avocado Salad by CHERIE SORIA
VegWorld Magazine
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Mexican Vegan Dishes by Cherie Soria
YIELD: 6 CUPS (SERVES 6) 2 cups corn kernels 2 cups small cherry tomatoes, quartered or 2 cups Roma tomatoes, diced 1 ½ cups red bell peppers, diced ¼ cup cilantro, chopped 1-2 fresh red chili peppers, minced or pinch cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon lime juice 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon green onion sliced thin 1 clove garlic (½ teaspoon), pureed ½ teaspoon Himalayan crystal salt 1 avocado, diced ½ cup pumpkin seeds (optional) In a large bowl, mix corn, tomatoes, bell peppers, cilantro, and chili peppers together. Add the lime juice, oil, green onion, garlic, and salt and mix well. Gently combine the avocado with the other ingredients. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
VegWorld Magazine
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Mexican Vegan Dishes by Cherie Soria
Mango, Cucumber, Avocado Wraps with Cilantro and Spicy Sweet & Sour Mango Sauce by CHERIE SORIA
My husband, Dan, and I were in Costa Rica recently during mango season. I had fun seeing how many ways I could use mango. Since we were on vacation, we didn’t want to spend too much time in the kitchen making food or doing dishes, so we came up with several great recipes we could make in 5 minutes or less. Although this recipe is a wrap, it could be prepared as a salad, or blended together to make a delicious sweet and savory soup.
VegWorld Magazine
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Mexican Vegan Dishes by Cherie Soria
YIELD: 4 LARGE WRAPS (SERVES 2-4) 1 mango, peeled, seeded, and cut into julienne strips 1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and cut into julienne strips 1 cucumber, peeled and cut into julienne strips 1 bunch cilantro springs, stems removed, washed and towel dried 1 tablespoon green onion, very thinly sliced 4 large leaves Romaine lettuce Spicy Sweet and Sour Mango Sauce (see recipe, below) 1. Divide the mango, avocado, cucumber, cilantro and green onion into four equal portions. 2. Place 1 portion of each ingredient in each lettuce leaf. 3. Serve with Spicy Sweet & Sour Mango Sauce drizzled over the top and extra on the side.
SPICY SWEET & SOUR MANGO SAUCE 1 cup mango, diced 1 cup cucumber, peeled and diced 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated 1 tablespoon lime juice Âź teaspoon cayenne pepper Âź teaspoon Himalayan crystal salt 1. Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. 2. Adjust flavors, if needed, to suit your individual taste. (You may want more lime juice,cayenne, ginger, or salt.) 3. Store in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator for up to three days
VegWorld Magazine
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Mexican Vegan Dishes by Cherie Soria
ABOUT CHERIE SORIA Cherie Soria is founder and director of Living Light Culinary Institute, and has been teaching gourmet raw vegan cuisine since 1998, and vegetarian culinary arts for more than 40 years. She is the author of several books, including the classic Angel Foods: Healthy Recipes for Heavenly Bodies, and Raw Food Revolution Diet: Feast, Lose Weight, Gain Energy, Feel Younger, (co-authored with Brenda Davis, RD and Vesanto Melina, MS, RD.). Students have come to study at Cherie’s Living Light Culinary Institute from more than 50 countries and six continents around the world, and Cherie has earned the respectful title of “Mother of Gourmet Raw Vegan Cuisine.” Cherie’s goal has always been to spread the benefits of gourmet raw vegan cuisine around the globe by training teachers and chefs to inspire others. Cherie and her husband Dan Ladermann are animal lovers, and have two adopted dogs, Winky and Rudi. She also has three black belts in karate, and loves to practice her skills! Dan and Cherie own four businesses on the Mendocino coast of northern California, Living Light Culinary Institute, Living Light Marketplace, Living Light Café, and Living Light Inn.
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Living Light Culinary Institute was founded in 1998 by Cherie Soria, widely known as the “Mother of Gourmet Raw Vegan Cuisine.” Since that time, many well-known celebrity chefs from around the world have learned the secrets of raw culinary artistry from Cherie and her
staff. Students from more than 50 countries (and counting!) study gourmet raw cuisine with the professionals at Living Light Culinary Institute. Now you can experience delicious gourmet raw vegan demos from the comfort of your own home.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TOIssue SIGN VegWorld Magazine 002 -UP! Sept 2012 | 49
Raw Golden Strawberry Crumble by Kerrie Heart
Raw Golden Strawberry Crumble
Turn to this wonder fruit for easy, exotic flavor by KERRIE HEART
SERVES 8 I have always loved strawberry rhubarb pie. So I was excited to pair golden berries, which are sweet and tart like rhubarb, with strawberries for this delicious crumble. Also known as Incan Berries, golden berries grow in warm climates on a type of small but resilient bush, where natural paper husks resembling Chinese lanterns delicately cradle the small golden fruit on the inside. After harvested, the berries are sun-dried, developing a robust and complex citrus-like flavor. In this recipe we rehydrate the berries by soaking them in filtered water. Rich nuts and sweet dates make a tasty crumble top that is as delicious as the traditional cooked version. In place of the agave you could substitute your favorite sweetener. A couple that work great are maple syrup or xylitol. This is a traditional summer time comfort dessert with sweet-tart flavor that offers a hint of the exotic.
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Raw Golden Strawberry Crumble by Kerrie Heart
INGREDIENTS 5 cups sliced strawberries 1 cup dried golden berries, soaked, roughly chopped 1 tablespoon agave, more or less to taste depending on sweetness of strawberries 1 cup raw pecans 1/2 cup raw walnuts 1/2 cup pitted dates, roughly chopped 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon mesquite dash Himalayan pink salt dash vanilla bean powder
METHOD To rehydrate golden berries, place in a bowl and soak in 16oz of filtered water. Allow to soak for approximately 4 hours. Drain off water. Roughly chop. In a (7- x 11-inch) dish, toss all berries with agave. Put pecans, walnuts, dates, cinnamon, salt, vanilla and mesquite into a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground. Scatter nut mixture over berries and serve immediately, or chill until ready to serve. This dessert has its benefits to your health as well: • Strawberries are rich in folate and potassium, and a very good source of dietary fiber, vitamin C and manganese. They are mildly anti-inflammatory. • Golden berries are an excellent source of anti-oxidant Vitamins C, A(carotene), and P(bioflavonoids), they also contain B1, B2, B6, calcium, phosphorous, fiber, and cleansing pectin. For a fruit they are also exceptionally high in protein, about sixteen percent. • Walnuts are a rich source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. They are high in folate, manganese, copper, magnesium, phosphorus and are an excellent source of those hard to find omega-3 fatty acids. • Pecans are a rich source of zinc, thiamin, magnesium, copper, iron, phosphorus and are an excellent source manganese. They contain significant amounts of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
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Raw Golden Strawberry Crumble by Kerrie Heart • Dates are loaded with fiber, both soluble and insoluble. They are an excellent source of potassium, vitamin A, vitamin B-6, tannins, iron, riboflavin, calcium and are rich in antioxidant flavinoids beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin. • Mesquite has a molasses and caramel flavor. These nutrient dense seeds supply protein, fiber and minerals calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and zinc plus the amino acid lysine. The pod meal contains up to seventeen percent protein with high lysine content. It has a low-glycemic index of 25, this ancient superfood is perfect for adding sweetness without spiking blood sugar.
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Vegan Fusion by Mark Reinfeld
Mediterranean Pistachio Crusted Tofu by MARK REINFELD
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Vegan Fusion by Mark Reinfeld
INGREDIENTS Seasoned Tofu 14 ounces extra firm tofu 2 tablespoons wheat-free tamari or other soy sauce 1 tablespoon olive oil or your favorite, optional 1 tablespoon water Tahini Marinade
2 tablespoons sesame tahini 1 teaspoon wheat-free tamari or other soy sauce 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 tablespoons water or more depending on consistency of tahini Crust
¾ cup roasted unsalted pistachio nuts 1 tablespoon minced flat leaf parsley, basil or herb of your choosing ½ teaspoon dried oregano ¼ teaspoon dried thyme ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1/8 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper Mediterranean Vegetables
¾ cup chopped artichoke hearts, chopped 1 and ½ cups chopped tomatoes (½ inch chop) ½ cup finely chopped arugula or spinach 3 tablespoons finely chopped kalamata olives 2 tablespoons diced green onion 1 tablespoon thinly sliced or shaved, and chopped fennel 1 tablespoon capers 2 tablespoons chiffonade basil 2 teaspoons fresh minced oregano or ½ teaspoon dried ½ teaspoon fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried ¼ teaspoon lemon zest VegWorld Magazine
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Vegan Fusion by Mark Reinfeld Dressing
2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced ¼ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS • Preheat the oven or toaster oven to 375°F. Place the soy sauce, olive oil, if using, and water in a baking dish and stir well. Slice the tofu into 4 cutlets and place in the baking dish. Let stand for at least 5 minutes or up to 30 minutes, flipping periodically. • While the seasoned tofu is soaking in its dish, prepare the tahini marinade by placing the ingredients in a small bowl and whisking well. You are looking for a smooth spreadable consistency. Since the consistency of tahini varies greatly, you may need to add a bit more water to get a spreadable consistency. • Place the baking dish containing the tofu, along with its seasoning liquid, in the oven and roast for 10 minutes. While the tofu is cooking, prepare the crust. Pulse chop the pistachio nuts in a food processor until they are coarse crumbs. Be careful not to over-process or it will turn into a paste. Transfer to a bowl with the remaining crust ingredients and mix well. • Meanwhile, combine the topping ingredients in a mixing bowl and gently mix well. Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and stir well. Add to the topping and gently mix well. • Remove the tofu from the oven and coat the top of the cutlets with tahini marinade, using a spoon. Liberally top the cutlets with the crust mixture and bake for an additional 10 minutes. • To serve, slice the cutlets into triangles and top with the Mediterranean Vegetables. Serve over a bed of arugula and alongside the your favorite grain or pasta.
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Vegan Fusion by Mark Reinfeld
Sweet Lime Smoothie by MARK REINFELD Wherever this smoothie is, you will find summer. Juicy, sweet watermelon, sour lime, and pungent parsley evoke the flavor of a classic summer garden bounty.
YIELD: ABOUT 4 CUPS Prep time: 15 minutes Serving size: 2 cups Each serving has: 140 calories 36 g carbohydrate 1 g fat 3 g fiber 3 g protein 4 cups chopped watermelon [1/2] cup fresh lime juice 1 cup chopped fresh parsley 1. In a high-speed blender, combine watermelon, lime juice, and parsley. 2. Blend until completely smooth Add ice if you wish to make it ‘slurpie’ style! VegWorld Magazine
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Vegan Fusion by Mark Reinfeld ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mark Reinfeld is the winner of Vegan.com’s Recipe of the Year Award for 2011 and has over 20 years experience preparing creative vegan and raw food cuisine. Mark was the Executive Chef for the North American Vegetarian Society’s 2012 Summerfest, one of the largest vegetarian conferences in the world. He is described by VegCooking. com as being “poised on the leading edge of contemporary vegan cooking”. He is the founding chef of the Blossoming Lotus Restaurant, winner of Honolulu Advertiser’s ‘Ilima Award for “Best Restaurant on Kaua’i”. Mark is also the recipient of a Platinum Carrot Award for living foods – a national award given by the Aspen Center of Integral Health to America’s top “innovative and trailblazing healthy chefs. Mark received his initial culinary training from his grandfather Ben Bimstein, a renowned chef and ice carver in New York City. He developed his love for World culture and cuisine during travel journeys through Europe , Asia and the Middle East . In 1997, Mark formed the Blossoming Lotus Personal Chef Service in Malibu , California. To further his knowledge of the healing properties of food, he received a Masters Degree in Holistic Nutrition. Looking for more great videos and recipes from the award-winning vegan chef Mark Reinfeld? Check out “Cooking Healthy Lessons”.
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Ordinary People/
Extraordinary Results Words From A Warrior by Dr. Jameth Sheridan
Words From A Warrior by Dr. Jameth Sheridan
Words From A Warrior
I
The Real Reasons a Raw (or Whole Food Vegan) Diet is Good For You by DR. JAMETH SHERIDAN
’ve been into raw foods now for about 25 years or so. I am one of the early pioneers of the movement (not THE pioneer by any means, but the 2nd generation, whereas we are probably on the 20th generation now). Back then it was still considered “weird” to be a raw fooder. I was taught by some of the early raw food gurus that there are essentially two classifications of food, and two only: raw and cooked. According to them, everything raw is good for you; everything cooked is poison. It’s as simple as that. Whether it’s cacao (good for you raw, bad for you cooked); nuts and seeds (good for you raw, bad for you cooked); it is somewhat black and white. Unfortunately, this oversimplification causes a lot of people to think all they need to do is eat raw foods, including foods like raw animal products, raw nuts and seeds with enzyme inhibitors in them, raw cruciferous vegetables that are hard to digest, and anything else (as long as it is raw) to stay healthy. The truth is, there are actually five real reasons a raw food diet has a lot of merit—very compelling merit. No one really acknowledges these reasons in the raw food movement. But, without understanding and applying
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these principles, many will never be able to achieve amazing levels of health with raw foods, and others will fail and go back to junk food and animal products. The secret is, these principles remain the same whether your diet is raw, cooked, or a combination thereof.
Principle #1: Vegan The first thing that the vast majority of people do when they go raw, I’m talking 99%, is go Vegan. Classic hard-core raw foodism is an aspect of Veganism. It is the first tenet. This is the foundational principle of why a raw food diet is healthy. However, when asked “are you Vegan” many raw fooders (who Issue 002 - Sept 2012 | 59
Words From A Warrior by Dr. Jameth Sheridan are Vegan) say “No, I’m RAW”. In their pride of being a raw Vegan, they have totally discounted the Vegan part. This causes huge nutritional issues.
Principle #2: Organic The second thing you’re doing on a raw diet is eating organic, because raw fooders are very health-conscious. It’s part of the whole culture of raw foodism. You’re now an organic Vegan, which is a huge difference. Now you’re not ingesting pesticides or herbicides, and you’re not destroying the planet. Whereas many regular Vegans do not focus on organic, virtually all raw food Vegans do. This is a huge advantage, but still not exclusive to raw.
Principle #3: Whole Foods The third reason is you’re now eating whole foods. For Even if you ate the most part, if a n ything you compare a raw you wan food diet, even to ted as a wh let’s say a normal ole foo d organic conventional diet, V egan, y the normal conou w o u ld be a ventional diet godsen has very few to virtu d ally ev whole foods. eryone And those on the p lanet. whole foods are usually canned or frozen, or some kind of processed food that looks kind of whole but has been altered. When you’re a raw fooder, you’re eating essentially all whole foods— things that you can recognize what it was, what you ground it up from, not a fraction thereof, not an isolated incomplete part. As a whole food organic Vegan, that is a massive influx of health in your body. Even if you ate anything you wanted as a whole food organic Vegan, you would be a godsend to virtually everyone on the planet. You would transform health and the planet’s ecology. So many diseases are simply going to go away. You would have so much more vibrancy, so much better musculature, so much better weight control. You would be able to think better, have more energy, have more life, and recover from what would otherwise be considered incurable diseases. I’m not saying that will cure everything, but there are people that
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Words From A Warrior by Dr. Jameth Sheridan have adopted a whole food, organic Vegan diet and overcome some things that they should have died from many decades ago. They are living their long healthy lives to the fullest from being a whole food, organic Vegan.
whether they are raw or cooked, that’s a huge thing! You’re consuming so many healing phytonutrients coming from the fruits and vegetables, so many antioxidants, so many vitamins, so many minerals, you can’t help but benefit.
Principle #4: Fruits and Vegetables
Principle #5: Fresh and Raw
When you go on a raw food diet, you do more than just become a whole food organic Vegan. On a raw food diet, people eat a much larger quantity of fruits and/or vegetables. Some raw food diets don’t include many vegetables. Some raw food diets don’t include many (or any) fruits. But either way, on a raw food diet, there’s a huge emphasis on fruits and/or vegetables. So it’s not like you’re just eating concentrated whole grain flour all the time. You’re eating a lot of fruits and vegetables. And,
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Finally, as a raw foodist, you now are eating foods that are fresh and raw. Not just the fruits and vegetables that are dried, but fresh and raw food. When you are a good raw fooder, you tend to eat a lot of fresh foods, including fresh salads, sprouted things, wheatgrass juice, fresh juices, fresh vegetables, and fresh fruits. And that makes a huge difference. This principle is critical for an ultimately healthy diet, but it is only 1 of the 5. However, if you think you can achieve optimum health without this principle, in my experience, you are mistaken.
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Words From A Warrior by Dr. Jameth Sheridan
Give Credit Where Credit is Due If you look at all if these five reasons, fresh and raw (#5) is only 20% of the reason why a raw food diet is so healthy: 20% is eating Vegan, 20% is eating only organic, 20% is eating whole foods, and 20% is eating fruits and vegetables. But if you ask many raw fooders, raw is given 100% of the credit. It’s like having a team of experts come do a task for you, each one having 20% of the skills, and then giving credit to only one. When you hire only her to do the job, however, she fails because she was only part of the team. As a result of this misconception, people don’t think that any of the other principles have any merit. As a result, raw foodists might eat dehydrated foods all the time and not have a lot of fresh foods, eat way too much sugar, or they might eat massive
quantities of nuts and seeds (way too much fat (even healthy fat) and calories) and not have enough fruits and vegetables. Or they may eat a lot of some raw things, such as cacao, which have a limited medicinal use and could actually harm you. Cacao whether it’s raw or cooked has caffeine-like theobromine in it, which is an adrenaline stimulant and has hurt people’s health, regardless of whether it’s raw. Similarly, a Vegan might place all of her emphasis on principle number one, while ignoring 2-5. As a result, she may end up with a sub-standard Vegan diet of processed, non-organic junk. This isn’t optimal either. Regardless of whether you eat all raw, cooked, or a combination, you will benefit if you follow the five principles of a healthy diet. Don’t label yourself—or restrict yourself to any one of these—or you too could fall into the trap of unhealthy eating.
Words from a Warrior by Dr. Jameth Sheridan will be a monthly feature in VegWorld Magazine.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Jameth Sheridan, Doctor of Holistic Medicine, Naturopath and Hard-Core Natural Medicine Researcher, is one of the early pioneers of the vegan, organic, holistic, and raw foods movements. As of 2011, he has been immersed in holistic health for 27 years, veganism for 25 years, and raw foods for 24 years. He is a ceaseless researcher, experimenter, and inventor. www.HealthForce.com
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www.WarriorForce.com
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E R TU A FE
ARE YOU A JUNK FOOD VEGAN?
Are You a
Junk Food Vegan?
Maybe it’s Time to Reassess Your Diet (and Your Mindset)
A
vegan diet is all the rage these days, and it really is changing people’s lives. After being vegan for a few months nearly everyone who sticks to the standards gains radiant looking skin and improved health. It becomes easy to lose weight almost effortlessly and most people can’t stop raving about how much energy they have. You may know someone who goes on about the benefits of being vegan, or maybe you’ve extolled them yourself. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Too often we hear accounts of failure from those experimenting with vegan diets: “I tried it, but I just didn’t feel healthy;” “I really craved meat sometimes;” “I felt great for a while but then I started feeling bad again.” Some even revert back to eating animal products in order to fill the nutritional hole they just can’t seem to get rid of. It can be disheartening to hear stories from those who have made the switch and then didn’t stick to it, especially to those of us who know how powerfully healing a well-planned vegan diet can be. Perhaps you, yourself, have found it a struggle to thrive on a vegan diet.
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E R U T A FE
ARE YOU A JUNK FOOD VEGAN? But why is this the case? Why is it that the most natural diet in the world — a plant-based diet — leaves so many people wanting? For one thing, the growing popularity of veganism is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, vegan options, restaurants and stores are popping up everywhere. In some cities, like Los Angeles, it seems you can’t walk out your front door without running into a vegan restaurant, a health food store, or even a mainstream restaurant that serves tofu and daiya cheese. For any vegan, this new abundance of easy options is a dream come true. It makes it easier than ever to stick to a plant-based diet, while going about one’s daily life. But with this increased popularity and availability has come a thriving new industry of vegan “junk food:” food posing as healthy alternatives to animal products. Vegan pastries, fake meats and cheese, and snack foods filled with indigestible oils, gluten, soy, and sugar can make anyone sick and quickly lose faith in the vegan diet.
People naturally assume that just because something is vegan it must be good for you. Think again. It’s a myth that Twinkies are vegan or even vegetarian. They contain both dariy and beef products! The truth is, fake cheese, imitation meat and sugary cupcakes can be a good transition for those who crave familiarity during a switch to a vegan diet. But these same junk foods will not keep you healthy in the long-run. No one can live on bread and pasta alone and vegans are no exception. Gluten is difficult to digest, period. Some of us may be more suited to it than others, but we’d all do better without it. Fake meats and cheeses taste good and are reminiscent of the animal-based diets we grew up with and to which we are accustomed. But they are highly processed and lacking in nutritional value. And then there
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it’s a myt h that twin kies are vega n or vegetaria n! they con tain beef prod ucts! Issue 002 - Sept 2012 | 64
E R U T A FE
ARE YOU A JUNK FOOD VEGAN? But why is this the case? Why is it that the most natural diet in the world — a plant-based diet — leaves so many people wanting? For one thing, the growing popularity of veganism is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, vegan options, restaurants and stores are popping up everywhere. In some cities, like Los Angeles, it seems you can’t walk out your front door without running into a vegan restaurant, a health food store, or even a mainstream restaurant that serves tofu and daiya cheese. For any vegan, this new abundance of easy options is a dream come true. It makes it easier than ever to stick to a plant-based diet, while going about one’s daily life. But with this increased popularity and availability has come a thriving new industry of vegan “junk food:” food posing as healthy alternatives to animal products. Vegan pastries, fake meats and cheese, and snack foods filled with indigestible oils, gluten, soy, and sugar can make anyone sick and quickly lose faith in the vegan diet.
People naturally assume that just because something is vegan it must be good for you. Think again. Even some Pop Tarts are vegan, but that doesn’t mean you should make them a staple in your diet. The truth is, fake cheese, imitation meat and sugary cupcakes can be a good transition for those who crave familiarity during a switch to a vegan diet. But these same junk foods will not keep you healthy in the long-run. No one can live on bread and pasta alone and vegans are no exception. Gluten is difficult to digest, period. Some of us may be more suited to it than others, but we’d all do better without it. Fake meats and cheeses taste good and are reminiscent of the animal-based diets we grew up with and to which we are accustomed. But they are highly processed and lacking in nutritional value. And then there
VegWorld Magazine
it’s a myt h that twin kies are vega n or vegetaria n! they con tain beef prod ucts! Issue 002 - Sept 2012 | 64
ARE YOU A JUNK FOOD VEGAN? E R U AT E F are all of the lovely vegan candies and pasties on the market now. It’s wonderful that there are so many options out there, and they’re certainly much healthier than their non-vegan counterparts. But most vegan snack foods are full of canola and safflower oils. These oils provide a rancid, toxic base for nearly all vegan junk food and should be avoided. Combine that with gooey, sticky gluten and a bunch of sugar and salt, and you’ve got a recipe for major digestive distress, candida, and disease. We’re not saying you shouldn’t indulge from time to time (I mean, who doesn’t), but making these new vegan junk foods the centerpiece of your daily diet jeopardizes your health and well-being.
So, one answer to why a vegan diet doesn’t seem to work for everyone lies in the existence of abundant vegan junk. But there is another – much more deeply-rooted – reason some of us fail to stay healthy vegans: we simply forget to care about ourselves. But how can this be, when vegans are some of the most compassionate people on the planet? True, most people who eat a strictly vegan diet do so because of their love of animals and compassion for all living things. Becoming vegan is one of the most profound ways we can help to better ourselves and society. Once we learn of the cruelty ay to w t s e b e pervading factory farms and the consumption and use of Th r u o animals, what else can we do but turn to a cruelty-free vegan y persuade lifestyle? But far too often, we see our vegan friends, and y l i m a f r ou maybe even ourselves, so wrapped up in compassion for other friends, y living creatures that we simply forget to care about ourselves. to “go y t e i c o s Or maybe it’s that we feel we would view ourselves (or – more and , f l e s r to the point – fear that others will view us) as somehow “less you , o t s i ” n vegan” if we give the same amount of thought to what vega t n a i d a r nutrition our food does contain as to what animal l of be a mode products our diet does not contain. well
h, as t l a e h n a veg ssion. a p m o c s a VegWorld Magazine
But can’t we care about others and still care about
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E R TU A FE ourselves?
Aren’t we too living creatures? And isn’t it true that the best way to persuade your friends, your family and society to “go vegan” is to, yourself, be a model of radiant vegan health, as well as compassion? The answer to all of these questions is a resounding “yes.” So, it’s time you give yourself permission to enjoy your vegan lifestyle. And there is no better gift can you give yourself than the radiant health, vitality and clarity of mind that comes from a diet anchored in fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
ARE YOU A JUNK FOOD VEGAN?
Health is a si mple truth and if you want to be h ealthy you need to d o more than go vegan.
Of course, it is also true that one can become so obsessed with the health aspect of veganism, that they let it overtake their compassion. We have seen this happen in the raw vegan movement, where a number of so-called “gurus” have begun to steer people away from pure veganism towards animal-based, supposed “super-food” supplements, such as deer antler, camel milk, colostrum, and ant extract. This extreme leads down an obvious detrimental path as well.
We should all strive instead to strike a balance in favor of health and compassion. Health is a simple truth and if you want to be healthy you need to do more than go vegan. You need to eat simple, clean food. We can guarantee you that no one’s ever gotten sick while enjoying a vibrant rainbow of juicy, flavorful, life-giving fruits and veggies. Eat salads, drink fresh juice, make homemade food with quality ingredients, and snack on fresh fruit or homemade dips with veggies, and you’ll have the perfect platform for health! At the same time, you will be a radiant role model for vegan living. If you know in your heart that veganism is right but can’t figure out why it’s just not working for you then it’s time to reassess your outlook, as well as your diet.
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Spotlight
on Compassion Food Not Bombs Ancient Vegan Wisdom
Food Not Bombs by Keith McHenry
Food
Not Bombs by KEITH MCHENRY
F
ood Not Bombs is an all-volunteer movement gaining momentum throughout the world, including the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Australia. Its volunteers strive to teach the importance of a plant-based diet and lifestyle to the masses. The movement is inspired by Diet for a Small Planet written by Frances Moore LappĂŠ, who wisely recognized that there would be far less hunger in the world if we moved away from an animal-based diet. There are hundreds of autonomous Food Not Bombs chapters sharing free vegetarian food with hungry people, as well as protesting war and poverty. The first group was formed in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1980 by anti-nuclear activists, and the organization has been dedicated to nonviolent social change ever since. Food Not Bombs is not a charity. For over 30 years, the movement has worked to end hunger and has supported actions to stop the globalization of the economy, fight restrictions to
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Food Not Bombs by Keith McHenry the movement of people, and end exploitation and the destruction of the earth and its beings. It has no formal leaders and strives to include everyone in its decision making process. Each group recovers food that would otherwise be thrown out and makes fresh hot vegan and vegetarian meals that are served in public spaces to anyone without restriction. Many Food Not Bombs groups also share groceries and organize other efforts to support their communities. They also organize Really Really Free Markets giving away all kinds of items for free, and may also organize Bikes Not Bombs programs collecting and repairing used bicycles to provide to people in low-income communities.
Food Not Bombs is often the first provider of food and supplies to the survivors of disasters. It was the first to provide hot meals to rescue workers responding to the September 11th World Trade Center attacks; it was the only organization to share daily meals in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina; and it was among the first to provide food and help to the survivors of the Asian Tsunami. Food Not Bombs has provided meals for protesters during important occupations, including Camp Casey outside Bush’s ranch in Texas, a 100-day occupation in Kiev, the Orange Revolution in Ukraine, a twomonth Peace Camp on the west Bank in Palestine, and a 600-day farmer’s occupation in Bosnia and Herzegovina Square in Sarajevo. Volunteers also helped organize and share meals at the 1999 WTO protests in Seattle and have provided logistical support for many other anti-globalization actions. Food Not Bombs groups started animal rescue shelters in 24 cities in Slovakia.
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Food Not Bombs by Keith McHenry Unfortunately, the high-profile nature of the movement’s demonstrations has made it a target of attack. On Monday, August 15, 1988, the San Francisco Police arrested 9 volunteers for making a political statement at the entrance to Golden Gate Park. The San Francisco Police made over 1,000 arrests from 1988 to 1997 in the government’s effort to silence the movement’s protest against San Francisco’s anti- homeless policies. Far from destroying the organization, the government’s efforts to silence it has only made it stronger. When news first spread about the San Francisco arrests, people were inspired to start Food Not Bombs groups in their own communities in Seattle, Washington, Victoria, British Columbia, New York City, New York and Washington, D.C. After police made another 300 arrests in the summer of 1989, after shutting down a 27-day occupation in support of the homeless, new chapters sprung up in most of the major cities of Canada and the United States as well as in London, England, Prague, Czechoslovakia and Melbourne, Australia. Amnesty International has stated that it will adopt as “Prisoners of Conscience” any Food Not Bombs volunteer that is convicted and will work for their unconditional release.
“Amnesty International has stated that it will adopt as “Prisoners of Conscience” any Food Not Bombs volunteer that is convicted and will work for their unconditional release.”
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As the global economy began to collapse, the city of Orlando passed a law restricting the sharing of meals with the hungry. Many other American cities followed suit and also introduced laws to discourage the feeding of the hungry. Food Not Bombs volunteer, Eric Montanez, was arrested by the Orlando Police on April 4, 2007 for violating that city’s cruel restriction. Volunteers were also arrested in Nevada, Connecticut and several other states for similar reasons. Montanez was found innocent, and Food Not Bombs challenged the Orlando law in Federal Court. After winning at the district level, the Eleventh Circuit Court of
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Food Not Bombs by Keith McHenry Appeals ruled that Orlando could restrict Food Not Bombs to public meals twice a year, per park. The chapter was undeterred, and the city started again arresting volunteers for sharing meals at Lake Eola Park on June 1, 2011. The City stopped its arrests, however, when the mayor agreed to let Food Not Bombs continue its meal service outside of City Hall. The Food Not Bombs Free Skool provides help as a global coordination office helping people find or start local chapters. They maintain the website www.foodnotbombs.net, organize tours and support Food Not Bombs gatherings. The Food Not Bombs Free Skool also provides books, t-shirts and other materials to promote the principles of the movement. We hope you will join us in taking direct action towards creating a world free from domination, coercion and violence. Food Not Bombs promotes the idea that “ food is a right, not a privilege.” Artist and author Keith McHenry helped start Food Not Bombs in Massachusetts in 1980. He has recovered, cooked and shared vegan food with the hungry for over 30 years. He has been arrested for his efforts, spending over 500 nights in jail and at one point faced 25 to life in prison. He co-authored “Food Not Bombs How to feed the hungry and build community” and wrote and illustrated “Hungry for Peace - How you can help end poverty and war with Food Not Bombs,” which came out in April of 2012.
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Food Not Bombs by Keith McHenry He has traveled all over the world speaking at colleges, books stores and cafes while sharing free vegan meals with the public. He also supports the work of local Food Not Bombs groups, which are active in over 1,000 cities around the world. When he isn’t on the road, Keith lives in Taos, New Mexico at the Food Not Bombs Free Skool. He tends to its gardens, writes and paints, while helping coordinate the logistics for the Food Not Bombs movement. Food Not Bombs PO Box 424, Arroyo Seco, NM 87514 USA 1-800-884-1136 menu@foodnotbombs.net www.foodnotbombs.net Interested in starting your own “Food Not Bombs” chapter? Click here to find out more.
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Ancient Vegan Wisdom by Will Tuttle, Ph.D.
Ancient Vegan Wisdom by WILL TUTTLE, PH.D.
W
hat sort of world will our children inherit from us?
With every passing day, it seems to become more obvious: the mentality that underlies our culture’s socio-economic system is destroying the biodiversity, climatic stability, and ecological integrity of our earth; it is poisoning human health and damaging communities and relationships. This underlying mentality is mandated and continually reinforced by our culture’s daily meals, in which we’re taught as children to disconnect from animals and the suffering we cause them and see them as mere commodities. We are taught to eat like predators. And the
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factory farms and slaughter plants of our culture are systematized predatory mechanisms that have co-evolved with other predatory mechanisms—the massive corporations and financial institutions that prey on the earth, animals, and vulnerable people being one example. Our meals and institutions reflect each other and reinforce the delusion that we are violent and competitive by nature. Spiritual and religious teachings say otherwise. The Bodhisattva ideal that Buddhists emulate, for example, embodies the understanding that our true nature is wisdom, loving-kindness and cooperativeness. Our greatest joy comes in helping others and blessing Issue 002 - Sept 2012 | 73
Ancient Vegan Wisdom by Will Tuttle, Ph.D.
them. We hurt ourselves the most when we harm others for our own gain. This universal understanding has been suppressed in our culture. Instead, we find the predatory violence of our daily meals projected in our society’s “advances” as cluster bombs, universal wiretapping, genetic engineering, whale-killing sonar blasts, and the commoditization of the earth and her inhabitants. It’s becoming obvious that our culture’s predatory mentality is blindly selfdestructive. Veganism is ancient wisdom whose time has come— with a vengeance! Though the word vegan is relatively
is the m s i n a g e V “ eness v i s u l c n i f essence o : seeing e c n e l o i v and non n we e h w s g n i sacred be , never s r e h t o e se objects o t m e h t g reducin our r o f s e i t i d or commo use.”
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new, coined in 1944 by Donald Watson, the idea behind it goes back many centuries. I lived in a Zen monastery in Korea, for example, where people had been practicing veganism for over 600 years, following a tradition going back at least 2,500 years—eating no animal-sourced foods, wearing no animal-sourced clothes, and practicing nonviolence to other beings for ethical reasons. This ancient idea of veganism is growing and even flourishing in our culture. A recent headline in the Tucson Daily Star proclaimed that “Veganism Creates $2.8 Billion Market.” There is nothing more essential we can do than contribute to its propagation, and nothing more healing to our world than to be practicing vegans. Veganism is the essence of inclusiveness and nonviolence: seeing sacred beings when we see others, never reducing them to objects or commodities for our use. Our culture’s dilemmas mount because Issue 002 - Sept 2012 | 74
Ancient Vegan Wisdom by Will Tuttle, Ph.D. our cultural mentality is obsolete. Our technology boosts this outmoded mentality in its task of predation and thereby reinforces it. Powerful high-tech weapons, bulldozers, fishing fleets, and surveillance systems are obvious examples of this. Of course, if lab-grown “meat” becomes available, that will reduce our killing and waste of resources. And it may help us move toward veganism, since our meals will no longer require us to disconnect from the suffering we’re causing animals. However, there are countless ways we oppress and abuse animals besides eating them. If our culture doesn’t evolve to the vegan ethic of compassion to all beings, our technology will magnify our violence and we’ll do the same to each other. Veganism, the ancient wisdom of the interconnectedness of the welfare of all, is also the dawning mentality that is foundational to sustainability, freedom, and lasting peace. Our children’s world will be vegan, or the alternative is too unpleasant to contemplate.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Will Tuttle, Ph.D., composer, pianist, and Zen priest, is author of The World Peace Diet and is cofounder of Karuna Music & Art and the Prayer Circle for Animals.
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VegWorld’s Pick Of The Month Holy guacamole! Move over cartoons and make room for the Greentoon! Global warming, air pollution, pesticides in our food and chemicals in our water are just a few of the problems that threaten the health and well being of the human race today. In response, a new breed of Superhero has emerged to save us from our ecological shortsightedness, and those that would abuse our world for their own benefit. Raw-Vegan Superheroes Rawman and Green-Girl fight a never-ending battle to right that which is wrong in order to protect our planet. Rawman and Green-girl has a little something for everyone in the family. There’s plenty of cartoon action and excitement for the kids, and enough educational content to keep mom and dad happy. The show was created by Ron Gilmore and Caroline Jue shortly after the first Green Lifestyle Film Festival in 2007 and is written and animated by Ron Gilmore. The third episode of Rawman and Green-Girl titled, “Rawman & Green-Girl vs. The Pasteurizer” is currently in production and is scheduled for release on December 24th 2012. Returning cast members include, Ron Gilmore (Rawman), Tonya Kay (Green-Girl) and Steve Prussack (himself). Joining the production are a few new faces most notably Greg Cipes (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Ben 10: Ultimate Alien, Ultimate Spider-Man) as the Pasteurizer. The episode is inspired by the ongoing government raids on Rawesome foods in Venice, CA over the past few years. Follow the project’s progress at www.rawmanandgreen-girl.com or www.twitter.com/TheRealRawman.
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