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CONTENTS VegWorld Magazine - April 2014

THE FUN SIDE OF VEGGIE LIVING 8 Vegan Hot Sheet 13 Vegan 101 16 Yoga For The Veggie Soul 17 Fit Quickies 20 The Magical World of Cats

Discover how award-winning veggie designer Aros Crystos is making a difference for the dolphins and ocean life. pg. 29

FAMILY & LIFESTYLE 24 10 Best Spring Break Destinations To Get Your Eco-Vegan On 29 Veggie Fashionista: Aros Crystos

Summer is right around the corner. Let’s get in shape together starting today with vegan fitness trainer Lani Muelrath’s quick and easy tips. pg. 17

NUTRITION & THRIVING 35 Go Nuts and Live Longer 37 Eating to Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease

MAIN FEATURE 41 91-Year-Old “Father of Juicing” Reveals the True Secrets of Longevity We show you the best vegan products hitting the stores this year. You won’t want to miss a bite. pg. 8

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CONTENTS VegWorld Magazine - April 2014

RECIPES FOR FOODIES 50 Brazilian Black Bean Soup with Baked Plantain 53 Mediterranean Pistachio Tofu 55 Coconut Spinach Rice 57 V for Vegan Potato Soup 60 Bailey’s Tofish 62 How To Make Spring Rolls 63 Easy Vegan Pad Thai 66 Creamy Red Bell Pepper Chipotle Soup with Cashew Sour Cream The face of the “NEW” 90s: How the Father of Juicing Jay Kordich stays young, active and healthy. pg. 41

ORDINARY PEOPLE / EXTRAORDINARY RESULTS 71 My Vegan Heart: How Diet Changed One Man’s Life Award-winning chef Mark Reinfeld shows you how to make an incredibly delicious pistachio-crusted tofu dish. Get the recipe on pg. 55

REGULARS 5 Credits VegWorld Staff & Contributing Writers 6 Editor’s Note A Message from the Founder of VegWorld Magazine, Steve Prussack 76 Reviews and Recommendations Vegworld’s Pick of the month Veggie World Travels

This “faux-fish sticks” dish is the perfect comfort or vegan transition food for your friends and family! Get the recipe on pg. 60

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CREDITS VegWorld staff

Founder/ Publisher Steve Prussack Associate editor Julie Varon Content editor Carol Sudakin Graphic design Veronique Zayas Magazine layout Lise-Mari Coetzee National Media Sales: Laurie Bradley

Contributing writers

Janice Stanger

Lani Muelrath

Ally Hamilton

Dr. Neal Barnard

Mark Reinfeld

Dr. Michael Greger

Thomas Larson

Cherie Soria

Tess Challis

Carolyn ScottHamilton

Robin Tierney

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EDITOR´S NOTE om A message fr of the Founder gazine, VegWorld Ma ack Steven Pruss

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egWorld Magazine had the privilege of covering the Natural Products Expo West 2014. We sifted through over 200 new vegan products to find the best of the bunch.

l in our specia th n o m h c a e ” h us nching soon u la s “Connect wit g n ti e e wn Hall M VegWorld To

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e narrowed our picks down to 11 of the hottest new vegan products and presented awards at the expo.

You’ll find out our favorites in our Hot Sheet and pick of the month. You won’t want to miss trying all of the incredible treats and products.

gie movement. Our show is being picked up by iHeartRADIO, which will bring our message to an even larger audience.

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n other VegWorld news, if you follow us on our Facebook Fan Page (the best way to keep in contact every day), you already know about VegWorld radio. Our weekly radio show features interviews with the leaders in the vegan/ veg-

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ere is a link to catch up on our past shows and subscribe to hear the newest shows moving forward. We publish on Spreaker here and you can subscribe to the show on our website by clicking here.

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e are also collaborating with other like-minded vegan outreach companies to expand the VegWorld vision.

We will have some huge announcements coming soon, including ways to connect with us each month in special VegWorld Town Hall meetings. Be sure to sign up on our mailing list here so we can keep you posted.

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THE FUN SIDE OF VEGETARIAN LIVING

Vegan Hot Sheet Vegan 101 Yoga For The Veggie Soul Fit Quickies The Magical World of Cats

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Hot Sheet Special Edition

products to watch in 2014

Last month VegWorld staff attended the biggest annual natural products expo in the country – Expo West – in search of the best new products to bring to our readers.

And here they are: VegWorld’s top 10 “Best New Vegan Products” of 2014. We suggest you get them as soon as they hit the shelves….because they won’t be there long.

SNACK WITH TASTE, NOT GUILT

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nacking usually involves a tough choice: Go for “yummy” knowing it will set you back on your summer-ready body (and health), or skimp on taste.

What to do? Enter Alive and Radiant’s new kale chips—Superfood Spicy.

We found these gems to have full, cheesy flavor with a nice kick that catapults them to the level of addictive. And they’re organic, raw, and contain superfoods, like chia seeds and spirulina. So, you can enjoy them without the guilt.

TACO BEYOND RESTAURANT QUALITY IN YOUR FREEZER

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n our opinion, Amy’s is the master of organic, top quality, vegan frozen foods. And this year we were blown away with their newest entrée: Chinese Noodles and Veggies in a Cashew Cream Sauce. Don’t let the simple name fool you. This dish is so full of complex flavors that you won’t believe it came out of a box. It’s nutritious, delicious, organic, vegan and gluten free. Now you can stay home for dinner in style.

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eyond Meat: Where have you been all our vegan lives? Last year, Beyond Meat burst on the veggie scene with its unbelievable “chicken-free” strips that look, act and taste like the real thing. This year, they go “beyond,” introducing beef-free and chicken-free crumbles for a veggie taco experience unlike anything we’ve ever tried.

Extra points for presentation too: Beyond Meat’s expo booth was set to resemble Taco Bell and asked the restaurant chain to replace its meat with their crumbles.

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VEGWORLD HOT SHEET

CHEESE MAKES EVERYTHING BETTER

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he king of vegan cheese (in terms of taste and great “meltiness”) – daiya – has struck gold again. This time, they’ve come out with a smoked gouda cheese that is insanely delicious. We can’t count of the number of people who say the last thing they would give up to go veggie is cheese.

Well, now they don’t have to. And they’ve even ditched their use of palm oil. Well done, daiya.

NOT YOUR MAMA’S TOP RAMEN

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f you are anything like us, you’ve experienced the frustration of trying to find organic, glutenfree Asian noodles – even in your local health food market. We were ecstatic to find that Explore Asia makes a line of organic gluten frees, like Pad Thai noodles. We also love their line of mostly organic bean pastas, including black bean pasta and gluten free soybean noodle soup. They’re not only gluten free, but high in protein (20-25 grams per serving!), fiber and iron. We also love the taste!

IF YOU SNACK, DO IT RIGHT

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ut aside everything we said about snacking “healthy.” Every so often, you just have to snack well. When those times come, we recommend Earth Balance’s new Vegan Cheddar Kettle Chips.

Because they are dairy-free and non-GMO, they are a “healthier” alternative to other cheesy chips. But the real reason they get top honors is their incredible cheesy flavor.

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VEGWORLD HOT SHEET

BLAST FROM THE PAST

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ho remembers the taste of cookie dough? We do! And we were surprised and delighted to find that Hail Merry has captured that flavor in its new vegan, non-GMO macaroons. The minute we tried these treats, we knew they were winners.

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME

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ooking to impress the non-veggies in your life? This will do it. Field Roast has introduced a new juicy burger that is full of classic burger flavor and right at home on the grill. These are the first hand-formed vegan burgers we are aware of. Once you try them, you’ll understand why Field Roast Burgers are pleasing sports fans across the country on stadium menus (for real). Way to take veggie burgers mainstream in a delicious way!

MADE BETTER

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o you (or your kids) love waffles or pancakes for breakfast, but wish they packed more protein to carry you through the day? We found the solution. This spring Qrunch is coming out with a new line of lightly sweetened, crunchy cakes called Toastables. They are made of ancient grains, like quinoa, millet and amaranth. We tried the rich maple flavor topped with Grade B syrup and were blown away. Look for them soon in Kroger and Target in maple, cinnamon, vanilla, lemon blueberry and plain.

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VEGWORLD HOT SHEET

I CAN’T BELIEVE I JUST ATE A MEAL!

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an a peanut butter cup be a meal? It can if it’s a Vega One bar. Vega states that its new “all-in-one” mealreplacement bars have everything you’ll need if you miss breakfast: 12 grams of protein, 3 grams of fiber, 1 gram of Omega-3, plus vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, probiotics and greens. Yet (and here’s the award-winning part), they taste like a chocolate bar. Our favorite flavor is chocolate peanut butter. But the chocolate cherry almond and chocolate mint are worth a whirl too.

HONORABLE MENTION

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n addition to our winners, there were a number of other fabulous new products we just had to tell you about. Coming soon near you:

1) Tofu Town has launched a shredded vegan cheese that is ORGANIC! We loved it melted in a good oldfashioned grilled cheese.

2) HoDo Soy has worked with the restaurant chain, Chipotle, to launch a vegan “meat-alternative” called Sofritas. Yum! Try it now in a Chipotle near you.

3) Having trouble falling asleep, or just relaxing? Try Flora’s new Sleep Essence. It’s a natural, organic, vegetarian, alchohol-free herbal blend that will soothe your soul.

4) Can’t find a vegan version of your favorite creamy pasta sauces? We couldn’t get enough of Victoria Vegan’s Artichoke Vegan Alfredo. They have a great vodka sauce too!

5) 22 Days Nutrition has a line of organic, vegan food bars that are delicious, nutritious and not to be missed.

And we love their slogan: “Green is the New Black.”

6) Carla Lee has introduced NutBalls, a non-meat ball version of their incredible nut burgers. They taste just as good and go well on your pasta.

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VEGAN 101

THE TRUTH ABOUT

VEGGIE “MEATS”

by Dr. Janice Stanger

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eggies “meats” are plant-based versions of chicken, fish, burgers, and other animal foods. These foods are soaring in popularity, as more and more people are cutting way back on how much meat they eat, but are looking for convenient substitutes for their usual menu items.

veggie meats are made from. There is a wide swing in your choices. While some veggie meats are manufactured from highly processed ingredients, others are prepared from mostly whole foods.

The healthfulness of veggie meats depends on two things. The first is your point of view. Are you comparing these foods to whole plant foods, such as beans and whole grains, or are you comparing them to actual meat? The second is what the

Animal meats harm you in many ways. Hundreds of pages could be crammed with facts on the toxic effects of animal foods. Yet this would only skim the surface of the solid scientific evidence that meat is unhealthy.

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It All Depends on Your Point of Reference...

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VEGAN 101 Just to name a few unhealthy “real” meat facts: All meat, even chicken and fish, has significant amounts of artery-clogging cholesterol. Animal protein raises your body’s level of a hormone called IGF-1, which speeds the growth and spread of cancer cells. The iron in meat is absorbed alltoo-readily, frequently leading to excess stores of this mineral in your body. In turn, this iron is easily oxidized, harming your cells through the production of free radicals. Animal foods are the source of 89% to 99% of the toxic persistent organic pollutants in your body. These poisonous compounds can damage your DNA and cause cancer.

Scientists consistently find that processed “real” meats are even more harmful than the straight stuff. For example, one large study found that just two strips a day of bacon (or 1.6 ounces of other processed meat) raises your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 32%! In this same study, eating 3 ounces a day of unprocessed red meat increased diabetes risk by “only” 12%.

These facts are important when you consider that veggie meats are often used in sandwiches and wraps to substitute for processed meat slices. From this point of view, substituting for animal meats, the plant meats are definitely healthier.

On the other hand, veggie meats don’t look as healthful when you compare them to whole plant foods, such as beans, whole grains, nuts, seeds, fruits, and vegetables. Veggie meats are, for the most part, manufactured in factories from extracted components of whole foods, which lose much of their health-promoting goodness when broken down.

Which Veggie Meats Are Best for You? Let’s turn to what veggie meats are made from.

The more these plant-based meats are comprised

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Eating processed “real” meats like bacon can raise your risk of type 2 diabetes by over 30%. In comparison, veggie meats are a healthy alternative.

of whole food ingredients, and the less salt, oils, and unpronounceable chemicals they contain, the better for you and your health.

You can use these four simple tips to find the healthiest veggie meats: 1. Read the ingredient list closely. If the first ingredients are recognizable foods, such as tofu, quinoa, brown rice, walnuts, mushrooms, carrots, onions, black beans, ginger, and so on, the better the product healthwise. On the other hand, if the product is comprised mostly of isolated plant proteins, added oils and chemicals, use caution and keep your intake low Issue 20 - April 2014 |

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VEGAN 101 (or just look for an alternative friendlier to your health).

be about 700 calories a week, enough to allow for a few veggie burgers.

2. Veggie meats are often high in salt. Compare the amount of sodium between brands (keeping serving sizes in mind) and gravitate toward the choices that have less sodium.

Choose your veggie meats thoughtfully, keep the amount you eat to a reasonable level, eat your veggie burger on whole grain bread or tortillas with a big pile of greens, and - above all - when you choose veggie meats over animal foods, feel good about it.

3. Be sure there are no animal ingredients, such as egg whites or dairy, mixed in with the plant ingredients.

4. Choose those brands that are organic, or at least non-GMO (i.e., genetically modified). GMOs are known to be extremely harmful to your health.

Many of the veggie alternatives are made with ingredients, such as soy, that are unquestionably GMO unless organic or otherwise stated.

Veggie meats beat out “real” meat for better health every time. But, for your best health, these plantbased meat alternatives should be a tasty treat in a mostly whole-food, plant-based diet.

For even more control and assurance about your health, find or create recipes to make your own veggie burgers or other veggie meat alternatives.

The Verdict Here’s the bottom line: Veggie meats can fit into a whole foods, plant-based diet, which is the pinnacle of healthy eating. They are not perfect, but perfection is not demanded for glowing health.

On my Perfect Formula Diet, for example, you have a “budget” of 5% of calories you can “spend” on plant foods that aren’t as desirable as your usual whole-food choices. For many people, this would

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.

Find out more about Dr. Janice Stanger by visiting her website here.

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YOGA FOR THE VEGGIE SOUL

YOGA FOR THE VEGGIE SOUL

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ear Yogis, In life, we’re faced with the beautiful, the excruciatingly painful and everything in between. Yoga is a practice that trains us to be able to hold all of our feelings, not just the ones that feel good. Heartbreak, despair, grief, rage, jealousy, shame, guilt and loneliness are all part of life, and

a spiritual practice ought to be there for you when times get tough. Holding joy, love and inspiration is easy. Let’s practice for the painful stuff, too, so we aren’t knocked off center when life puts something in our path that’s challenging. We gain so much power when we learn to face reality as it is, which is not always as we want it to be.

About the Author Ally Hamilton practiced yoga in New York City with the incomparable Dharma Mittra. She has been teaching yoga to students and instructors in Los Angeles, California since the beginning of 2001. In 2009, Ally opened an extremely popular and successful yoga studio, Yogis Anonymous, in Santa Monica.

Ally also instructs a world-wide audience at ww.yogisanonymous.com. VegWorld readers can also try Ally’s Online Yoga Training for 15 days free using the coupon code “VegWorld.”

Tap here to sign up for your free trial.

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FIT QUICKIES

GET YOUR BUTT IN GEAR IN TIME FOR SUMMER… WITHOUT MISSING A BEAT

by Lani Muelrath

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hysical activity is essential to good health, plain and simple. You can have the best diet and tremendous willpower, but if you don’t move your body, you will never achieve optimal health.

Yet, many of us suffer from what I call the “toolittle-time-to-exercise” syndrome. Work, family and other life obligations always somehow seem more important. And, more often than not, the gym seems too far away to reach today, and a long run, hike or bike ride seems much too self-indulgent to fit in your daily grind.

Get Ready to Cross “I Don’t Have Time” off Your List of Excuses

There is good news for those with little time.

Recent studies concur that when it comes to shorter workouts more often versus fewer, longer work-

In my practice, I hear the same complaints echoed again and again:

• I just can’t fit workouts in my busy schedule.

• I don’t have time for a lengthy workout on enough days of the week to get the job done.

• Since I can only sneak in a few minutes here and there, I might as well do nothing.

If you are waiting for extra time to magically appear or for the perfect conditions for a daily workout routine to materialize, you’ll never get started.

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FIT QUICKIES outs, the health benefits run neck and neck. As a matter of fact, in one recent study, the short-bout exercisers experienced a greater reduction in body mass index (BMI) than the long-bout exercisers.

Both walking groups showed some improvements, but overall body mass and waist circumference decreased significantly only in the short-bout walkers.

This ten week study compared the effects of brisk walking among forty-seven women between the ages of 38 and 61. Participants were randomly assigned to three ten-minute walks per day (short bouts), one thirty-minute walk per day (long bouts), or no training (control group). The intensity of the walking was consistent between the groups: 70 – 80% of maximal heart rate. Subjects agreed not to make changes to their diet.

In another study, fifteen women (with an average age of 18.8 years) were randomly assigned to a control or a stair climbing group. Stair climbing was progressively increased from one ascent a day in week one to five ascents a day in weeks seven and eight. Subjects agreed not to change their diet or lifestyle over the study period. The study confirms that several short bouts of activity throughout the day can favorably affect cardiovascular risk in previously sedentary young women.

Short bouts of exercise (like brisk walks) throughout the day are proven to have health benefits. Now you can cross “I don’t have time” off your “why I don’t exercise” list.

These are just two examples of recent studies. The consensus is that frequent short bouts of exercise work, and are perhaps superior because they can easily be incorporated into your working day. And, hey, you just took “I don’t have time” off your “why I don’t exercise” list.

Exercising Throughout Your Day Has Other Benefits Too We all need to exercise to be truly healthy. But did you know that too much sitting is actually hazardous to your health?

It is essential to break up hours of sedentary nonactivity with short sessions of activity. It doesn’t matter how uber-healthy your plant-based diet is, punctuating sedentary stretches of time with activity, or simply standing up for starters, is essential.

Your blood needs to flow and your body needs to move, no matter how much work you have to finish today.

And exercise – even in small doses – strengthens your willpower, reduces cravings, relieves stress, enhances self-control and makes your brain bigger and faster, all almost immediately. It does so by enhancing the activity of the pre-frontal cortex, otherwise known as willpower central.

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FIT QUICKIES

Whether You Have Lots of Time or Very Little – Just Move!

Results vary slightly from one study to the next, but the science makes clear: If you don’t have time for long workouts in your hectic life, you will be healthier and thinner if you can just dedicate small blocks of time to moving your body throughout your day.

That thirty-plus minutes of purposeful activity you should be doing every day can, when needed, be chopped up into shorter bits. That’s a short walk, a spin on your exercise bike, or two fit quickies.

Then you can do those longer workouts and walks on the days you have more time.

Get started with the fit quickie below – Super Shaper Split Squat – and before you know it, you’ll be summer-ready!

About the Author Award winning Lani Muelrath, M.A., CGFI, CPBN, FNS - The Plant-Based Fitness Expert - is author of the Best Selling book “Fit Quickies: 5 Minute Targeted Body Shaping Workouts.”

Lani created and starred in her own CBS TV show, “Lani’s All-Heart Aerobics.” She overcame her own lifetime struggle with weight over more than 15 years ago when she lost 50 pounds, which she has maintained easily with the tools that she uses to coach others to be successful with in weight loss, body shaping, and health.

Learn more about Lani by tapping here. www.lanimuelrath.com.

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THE MAGICAL WORLD OF CATS

THE MAGICAL WORLD OF

CATS

by Vance Lehmkuhl

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f you’ve been on the Internet for more than a couple of months, you probably know about Nora the Piano Cat. She’s a YouTube favorite (iconic enough that her image was once used in a Daily Show montage of YouTube memes). What makes her fascinating is that she actually, intentionally plays the piano. And she’s, well, not bad.

On Nora’s YouTube Channel (managed by her caretakers Betsy Alexander and Burnell Yow) you can see numerous examples of her solo artistry. And she has become a collaborator after the fact - for instance when a Lithuanian composer, Mindaugas

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Piecaitis, wrote orchestra accompaniment to her playing in order to create the “Catcerto.”

This “Cat” Can Jam A recent short clip shows Nora consciously jamming along with a piano student playing the first prelude from Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier.

While she may not choose individual notes with a sense of how they fit a given chord, it’s clear that Nora understands the shape of the phrases involved and contributes an “obligato” line that fits as well as

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THE MAGICAL WORLD OF CATS

– or better than – anything you or I might offer (assuming we didn’t already know the Bach by heart). And although I can’t make the case that Nora understands Western harmony or the circle of fifths, she does refrain entirely from her previous habit of alternating between white and black keys – she stays all on the white keys in this instance, which increases her chances of hitting notes that will fit with this C-major prelude.

Not Just Machines What’s this got to do with veganism? Well, it’s like this: Sticking to our cultural habit of eating animals and their secretions requires a mental fiction – that nonhuman animals’ lives have no importance, because they’re essentially objects or machines (a kind of transparent wishful thinking that Descartes helped set in stone). But that convenient fantasy is constantly being eroded by facts, as study after study finds animals demonstrating mental achievements that had been deemed impossible for them. Recognizing themselves in mirrors, showing a sense of compassion and/or justice, thinking about the future, thinking about the act of thinking – all of these have now been proven to happen in multiple kinds of animals.

And although no one, to my knowledge, made a declaration that “cats cannot improvise jazz-piano riffs to a Bach accompaniment,” the fact that Nora does, of her own accord, undercuts not just hu-

Here is an example of one of Nora the Piano Cat’s many smash YouTube viral videos.

man intellectual “uniqueness” but our claim to a special aesthetic sense. And it makes it just that much harder to keep the blinders in place while we participate in grievous wrongs to animals.

An Ambassador for Animal Sentience As a rescued cat, Nora has already been hailed as an ambassador for that population, but she’s also an ambassador for animal sentience in general.

One of the clichés of human exceptionalism, after all, is to point out that animals “don’t write symphonies.”

Hey, give Nora another six months at the keyboard and I wouldn’t put it past her.

About the Author Vance Lehmkuhl is a cartoonist, writer, musician and 12-year vegan. “V for Veg” chronicles plant-based eating in and around Philadelphia. VforVeg@phillynews.com or @V4Veg on Twitter.

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FIT QUICKIES

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FAMILY & LIFESTYLE

10 Best Eco-Vegan Spring Break Destinations Everything Old is New Again

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10 BEST SPRING BREAK DESTINATIONS / Carolyn Scott-Hamilton

10 BEST SPRING BREAK

DESTINATIONS TO GET YOUR ECO-VEGAN ON

by Carolyn Scott-Hamilton

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ut away the sweaters and dust off your swim suits, Spring Break is coming! And so is Earth Day 2014.

Well deserved time away from school and/or work, this is a chance to let your hair down and go on a pre-summer adventure. And I’m not talking about drinking until your face falls off in some crazy, college kid-infested beach town. I’m talking about one week away from the grind to experience some of the best vegan food and eco-vacations the world has to offer. Be it a full week or just a few days, check out some of the most interesting locales across the globe to get your eco-vegan spring break on!

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10 BEST SPRING BREAK DESTINATIONS / Carolyn Scott-Hamilton

The Gold Standard for the Green traveler: 1. Portland, OR

Want to get away from all the hustle and bustle?

Then make Burlington your choice for this year’s spring vacay. The area is the epitome of eco-friendliness, from citizen-based groups that tackle any number of issues like solar energy and recycling to the fact that the city makes it a point to have its energy come from renewable resources. Burlington is a great place to cozy up and enjoy some time away. Explore the various hiking trails, prep fresh food from local farms, help with the maple farming or stay at any number of their eco-resorts.

Eco Must-Do: Take a green cab and stay at the eco Willard Street Inn.

3. Channel Islands National Park, CA

Portland takes top honors for being both green and vegan-friendly. Be sure to fast for a full week prior to arriving in Stumptown, because if you’re a foodie, this is your haven. Sure, it’s not the sunny, hang-out-by-the-pool kind of place. But there is plenty to see and tons of killer food. And if you’re feeling especially gluttonous, you can always bike or hike off the calories on any of the beautiful trails or eco-friendly streets.

Eco Must-Do: Take a Pedal Bike Tour of the city.

2. Burlington, VT

If you are looking for a little sun and splash, the very green Channel Islands are for you. Just a jaunt up the coast from Los Angeles, you can be enjoying the surf and the incredible marine life in a few short hours if you are a West-coaster. With a wide array of diving and other eco tours like kayaking, set up shop in a green hotel by the sea and enjoy!

Eco Must-Do: Hang out underwater with the Eco

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10 BEST SPRING BREAK DESTINATIONS / Carolyn Scott-Hamilton

Does this look like a place you’d like to spend your Spring Break? Then set a course for Belize, number 4 on our list of top eco destinations. Eco-tourism is South America’s biggest coup.

Dive Center.

4. Belize Eco-tourism is Central America’s biggest coup.

With gorgeous beaches and breathtaking rainforests, Belize lends itself to green living. Jam-packed with fresh-from-the-land cuisine and eco resorts, this is the place to sip from a coconut on the beach without worrying about your carbon footprint.

are also some of the coolest people you will ever meet. With a variety of terrains from ocean-side to desert, there are a number of eco-lodges and tours that will take you into a world that will ultimately change yours.

Eco Must-Do: Take a Maasai walking tour with Basecamp Explorer.

Eco Must-Do: Stay at Chaa Creek Resort and take part in its Go Green activities.

5. Maasai Mara, Kenya One of my favorite places in the world is the Maasai Mara in Kenya. Not only will you be within arm’s length of some of the most magnificent animals you will ever see, you will experience a countryside unlike any other. The Maasai tribe’s people VegWorld Magazine

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10 BEST SPRING BREAK DESTINATIONS / Carolyn Scott-Hamilton

The Gold Standard for the Vegan Gourmand Traveler: 1. Berlin, Germany

India is one of the most veg-friendly countries in the world. With roughly 30 percent of the country vegetarian and beef considered a big no-no, it’s easy to find delicious dishes. As vegans, we need to be mindful of ghee (clarified butter), creams, and cheeses, but the lovely folks of India are more than helpful when it comes to feeding vegan travelers.

Must-Visits: Haldiram’s in Delhi, Little Italy in Mumbai, and Suruchi in New Delhi

Surprisingly, vegan fast food (as well as tasty vegan comfort food) is all the rage in this German metropolis. Fan of organic, local food? Berlin will rock your vegan socks off.

Must-Visits: Vöner, Chipps, and Lucky Leek

2. India

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10 BEST SPRING BREAK DESTINATIONS / Carolyn Scott-Hamilton

3. Greece Ah yes, the Greek islands; the beautiful Mediterranean Sea and lots of sun. Who wouldn’t want to vacay in this costal paradise? Luckily for veggies, there is plenty to eat (and drink!) that is not only vegan but healthy, too.

Must-Visits: Avocado in Athens, Ifestioni in Santorini, and Señor Zorbas in Fira

4. Thailand Aside from India, Thailand is the next best exotic destination to chow as a vegan. Avoiding meat and dairy is no problem at all, but beware of fish sauce: It’s pervasive!

Must-Visits: Vegetarian Cottage in Bangkok, May Kaidee’s in Bangkok, and King Liew in Phuket

5. New York, NY OK, so we all know that NYC is kick-ass all on its own. But did you know that vegan food is abundant in the city famous for its greasy, cheesy pizza?

Yeppers!

Must-Visits: Candle 79, Pure Food & Wine, and Four Course Vegan

About the Author Carolyn Scott-Hamilton, aka The Healthy Voyager, 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 and green-living wife, The Healthy Voyager aims to help people live well, one veggie at a time! For more about Carolyn, tap here to visit www.healthyvoyager.com.

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THE VEGGIE FASHIONISTA

THE VEGGIE FASHIONISTA

EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN

F

ashion designer, Aros Crystos, has advocated on behalf of dolphins for decades. He is also a vocal performer and writer. In 2007 Aros was named the Most Transformational Artist at the 2007 Los Angeles Music Awards. His fashion line, Galactic Orgasm Design, garnered him an Eco-Conscious Designer Award at the 2012 Hollywood’s Top Designer Awards.

VegWorld’s Editor-in-Chief, Steve Prussack spoke with Aros to learn more about his advocacy, art and couture fashion line. That interview aired in full on VegWorld Radio. Here are some of the highlights of VegWorld Magazine

what Aros had to say about his fascinating life.

VegWorld: Let’s start with your fashion line, Galactic Orgasm Design. How did this all come about?

AROS: In 2008 I lost everything, and I found myself without a car, without a place to stay, and basically pretty much like a ship in the ocean without a harbor, no direction. I happened to have a pair of jeans that had holes in them. At some point, I thought to cut out a picture from an old t-shirt and sew it around the hole. I said, “My goodness, wow, this could really be fun because I could do something Issue 20 - April 2014 |

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THE VEGGIE FASHIONISTA with this.” So this line started then, basically with a dollar.

Since then, I’ve won two awards: In 2012 for the Most Eco-Friendly Designer and in 2013 for the Most Multicultural Designer during L.A. fashion week. It just happened very organically, rather than something I set out to do. It was more that, being creative, being a writer, and always being very tuned into my heart, this was a way for me to express and rebuild myself, and kind of have fun while I was doing it.

VW: Can you tell our readers a little more about your designs and what inspires you?

these clothes is going to have this experience. But I design my clothes – the colors, the patterns – to trigger something in people. And I see it over and over again in various ways.

VW: What’s your process for creating the clothing?

Is it custom? What’s the intention?

AROS: Let’s say, Steven, you gave me a jacket or something. I like to use clothes that a person already has stuck in their closet somewhere, clothing that’s maybe out of style or kind of faded a little bit.

I would then ask, “Okay, Steven, what do you like?

Do you like dolphins? Do you like bears? Do you like flowers?” From that, I then just kind of do my

AROS: At galacticorgasmdesign. com there’s a lot of information about my designs. There’s also an explanation of what each design signifies because I believe that use of pattern, colors and certain shapes create a certain vibration. I create from that understanding.

I have also performed emotional testing on people when they’re wearing the clothes and found they were much more centered, they were much more in tune, and they feel more joy in my creations.

To give you a very quick example, I was recently at an expo in Los Angeles. One woman asked if she could try on the jacket I was wearing (one of my designs). I said, “Absolutely. Try it on.” She tried it on, and she said, “I feel like I’m vibrating.”

Now, of course, I’m not saying that everybody who wears

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THE VEGGIE FASHIONISTA best to tune into who Steven is. I create from these ideas that you’ve been giving me. I redesign your old clothes in this way. Recreating old clothing is also good for the environment.

And, of course, you’ll be the only person on the planet wearing exactly that piece of clothing. You could go anywhere and you know you’ll be unique in that way, that nobody will wear exactly that same piece.

VW: Celebrities and musicians have had interest in your designs, right?

AROS: Absolutely. Wherever I go, if it’s on the street or in the supermarket or at a gathering, whatever, people approach me and say, “Where did you get those clothes?” People have all different triggers, what my designs symbolize for them, but basically in one word: It’s joy.

VW: It’s incredible that you’ve integrated the ecoconcept into creating a unique clothing line.

AROS: If you’re looking at it from the point of view of the planet, jeans material apparently is one of the worst. It pollutes the planet. If you think about all the jeans that are made, it stands to reason that if people want to order something that is the jeans material, they should use something that they already have. That’s a small way to support the

Aros on creating his unique designs from old clothing: “You’ll be the only person on the planet wearing exactly that piece of clothing. You could go anywhere and you know that nobody will wear exactly that same piece.”

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THE VEGGIE FASHIONISTA

planet and the understanding that we are stewards of this planet. We certainly don’t own it. We can’t treat it as something we can just trash and have no respect for.

VW: Let’s talk about why you work with the dolphins. Tell us about the state of our oceans and the killing of dolphins today.

AROS: There are really no words for this. It is a catastrophe. We have to remember that the ocean is such a gracious element. It gives us so much joy and recreation, to explore, play, and discover. To destroy this element is basically destroying life because, without the oceans, we have no life on this planet. It’s as simple as that.

Then, of course, there’s the killing of dolphins and whales. I have been interacting with dolphins and whales in Hawaii and in the open oceans for many, many years. Some call me “the dolphin man.” I’ve

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had some amazing experiences where I realized really and truly who I am on a deeper level. The dolphins have so much to offer about who we really are. I help to foster that understanding by bringing people to experience swims with the dolphins.

VW: How can we stay focused on the positive when we know what’s going on in the world with the suffering of humans, dolphins and other animals?

AROS: That’s a very good question. But remember: what you focus upon and what you give your attention to with a lot of emotional energy, that’s ultimately what you manifest. You have to find the balance. You have to recognize and not condone what’s going on. You have to stand up for the planet. You have to stand up and speak your truth.

But you have to do it from a place of balance and knowing that there’s also something good happening simultaneously.

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THE VEGGIE FASHIONISTA To give you an example, whales have been hunted for hundreds of years all over the place. Yet, when I have swum with humpback whales in Hawaii, the only thing I have experienced from these great beings is unconditional love on a level that is really not possible to speak about. The whales really have reason not to like human beings because of the treatment that they have received from them. And yet they only treat people with utmost love and respect. This is what human beings need to learn to operate from a place of love and respect in the midst of this craziness that’s going on.

So for me, when I talk about dolphins, for example, I talk about their joy and beauty and that they are great beings. Yeah, I cry when I think about The Cove. I cry when I see what’s being done to them.

But I’m not allowing myself to become angry in the sense that I lose the center because I realize I’m not going to help the dolphins that way. I’m certainly not going to help myself. I’m not going to help anybody else either from that place.

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VW: It’s such a great message and something I think we all need to hear.

You can learn more about Aros and his unique couture designs by tapping here.

Aros on keeping positive despite the suffering of animals: “You have to find the balance.

You have to stand up for the planet and speak your truth. But you have to do it from a place of balance, knowing that there’s also something good happening.”

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NUTRITION & THRIVING

Go Nuts and Live Longer Eating to Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease

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GO NUTS AND LIVE LONGER / Michael Greger, M.D.

GO NUTS AND LIVE LONGER

by Michael Greger, M.D.

W

e’ve all heard the adage: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” But did you know that a handful of nuts a day keeps cancer away and helps you live longer? It’s true and, in the video below, Dr. Michael Greger takes VegWorld readers through the science behind these facts.

Still worried that eating too many nuts will increase your waistline? Dr. Greger points out that this is just one more of the many nutrition myths out there. When it comes to longevity, we say: “Go nuts and live longer.”

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GO NUTS AND LIVE LONGER / Michael Greger, M.D.

Nuts will help you prevent cancer and live longer. And, as part of a whole-food, plantbased diet, they won’t add to your waistline.

About the Author

Dr. Michael Greger, M.D., is a physician, author, and internationally recognized professional speaker on a number of important public health issues. Dr. Greger has lectured at the Conference on World Affairs, the National Institutes of Health, and the International Bird Flu Summit, among countless other symposia and institutions, testified before Congress, and was invited as an expert witness in defense of Oprah Winfrey at the infamous “meat defamation” trial. Currently Dr. Greger proudly serves as the Director of Public Health and Animal Agriculture at the Humane Society of the United States.

Dr. Greger’s recent scientific publications in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Biosecurity and Bioterrorism, Critical Reviews in Microbiology, Family & Community Health, and the International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition, and Public Health explore the public health implications of industrialized animal agriculture.

Dr. Greger is also licensed as a general practitioner specializing in clinical nutrition and was a founding member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. Dr. Greger’s nutrition work can be found at NutritionFacts.org, which is now a 501c3 nonprofit charity.

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EATING TO PREVENT ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE / Dr. Neal Barnard, M.D.

EATING TO PREVENT

ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

by Dr. Neal Barnard, M.D.

A

lzheimer’s is one of the diseases we most associate with old age. By age 85, nearly half of all North Americans will be affected

by Alzheimer’s disease. The American Academy of Neurology predicts that these rates will triple over the next four decades unless preventive measures are established. This means that the number of people with Alzheimer’s will jump from 4.7 million to 13.8 million by 2050. Treatments for Alzheimer’s disease prove to be insufficient and unable to create the same quality of life that the patient had before being diagnosed.

much research to be done on this disease, studies have shown that certain foods are beneficial to the brain and may work as preventive measures.

Brain Threats Saturated fats, trans fats, and excess metals are the biggest threats to brain health. Saturated fats are found in all animal products and seem to encourage the production of plaques within the brain.

The Chicago Health and Aging Study reported in the Archives of Neurology in 2003 that individuals with the most saturated fat in their diets had more

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Although there is VegWorld Magazine

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EATING TO PREVENT ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE / Dr. Neal Barnard, M.D.

than three times the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease when compared to those who generally avoided these fats. Trans fats are another fatty substance that have been shown to increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease more than fivefold. These fats appear to increase the production of the beta-amyloid protein that collects in plaques at the onset of Alzheimer’s.

Excess metals in the body, such as iron, copper, and aluminum, build up in the brain and may lend to Alzheimer’s disease. Excess iron promotes the production of damaging free radicals, while too much copper can impair cognition and stick to the plaques of Alzheimer’s disease. Buildup of aluminum has also been found in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, and because of this it is recommended to avoid uncoated aluminum cookware and to read labels when purchasing baking powder, antacids, and processed foods.

What Can Help My Brain?

Good news! There are many ways to help strengthen your brain and prevent Alzheimer’s disease from striking you. Vitamin E is bountiful in nuts and seeds, and has been shown to help prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Almonds, hazelnuts, pine nuts, pecans, pistachios, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, and flaxseed are all high in vitamin E, and you don’t need to eat mass quantities of these little gems to get the benefits. Have a small handful each

“Saturated fats and trans fats (like those found in meat) and excess metals (like aluminum from cookware) are the biggest threats to brain health.”

VegWorld Magazine

The beautiful coloring of grapes and blueberries isn’t just for show. It means these fruits are packed with antioxidants that help improve learning and recall.

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EATING TO PREVENT ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE / Dr. Neal Barnard, M.D.

day to get your dose of brain boosting vitamin E. The beautiful coloring of grapes and blueberries isn’t just for show, it means that these small fruits are packed with powerful antioxidants that help improve learning and recall. Sweet potatoes get their lovely hue from another powerful antioxidant called beta-carotene. Antioxidants are important in

Exercise isn’t just for your heart. It helps reduce brain atrophy and improves memory and other cognitive functions.

“Green leafies, beans and legumes give you the folate and B6 you need to protect your brain.” fighting free radicals, which was mentioned earlier as a brain damaging buildup. Eating green leafy vegetables, beans, and legumes daily will ensure that you are getting adequate folate and B6, two very important brain protecting vitamins. Another B vitamin, B12, is difficult for people to absorb through foods, which is why it is recommended to take a B12 supplement to ensure you are getting the trio of brain protecting power: folate, B6, and B12.

Exercise for the Body and Brain Physical exercise has long been recognized as a means to improve longevity and heart health, but it is also beneficial for brain health. Studies have shown that aerobic exercise can help reduce brain atrophy, and improves memory and other cognitive functions.

About the Author

Neal D. Barnard, MD, is a leader in preventive medicine, nutrition, and research. As an adjunct associate professor of medicine at the George Washington University and a researcher funded by the National Institutes of Health, he has led key research studies to improve the health of people with diabetes, obesity, lipid disorders, and other serious health problems, and to improve nutrition in schools and in the workplace.

He is the editor-in-chief of the Nutrition Guide for Clinicians and the author of more than 15 books on nutrition and health for lay readers, including Dr. Neal Barnard’s Program for Reversing Diabetes, Foods That Fight Pain, The Food Seduction, and the newly released 21Day Weight Loss Kickstart: Boost Metabolism, Lower Cholesterol, and Dramatically Improve Your Health. His research has been cited by the American Diabetes Association and the American Dietetic Association in official policy statements on healthful diets.

He founded the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) in 1985. PCRM is a nationwide group of physicians and lay supporters that promotes preventive medicine and addresses controversies in modern medicine. He later initiated the Cancer Project, providing nutrition information for cancer prevention and survival, and the Washington Center for Clinical Research, a center for nutrition-related studies.

Tap here to visit the PCRM website. It includes a wide range of evidence-based nutritional information supporting a plantbased diet, along with the online Kickstart program, which has already had 150,000 participants.

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FEATURE 91-Year-Old “Father of Juicing” Reveals the True Secrets of Longevity

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THE 91-YEAR-OLD “FATHER OF JUICING” / Jay Kordich

THE 91-YEAR-OLD “FATHER OF JUICING”

REVEALS THE TRUE SECRETS

OF LONGEVITY an interview with Jay Kordich

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THE 91-YEAR-OLD “FATHER OF JUICING” / Jay Kordich

J

ay Kordich was well-known in the 1980s when he appeared on infomercials as the “Juiceman.” His iconic look and incredible energy was the subject of late-night parodies, most famously by actor/ comedian Jim Carrey.

Now at the age of 91, Jay is in incredible physical and mental health and stands as a model of true longevity.

Jay started aggressively juicing and eating a completely plant-based diet in 1948 when he was diagnosed with bladder cancer. Under the care of Dr. Max Gerson, Jay overcame his fatal disease and changed his life. VegWorld’s Editorin-Chief, Steve Prussack, sat down with Jay and asked him to share the secrets of his longevity with VegWorld’s readers. Here’s what he had to say.

VegWorld: Jay, what are your keys to longevity?

Jay: Well, you know I used to think, back when I was in my 40s (back in the 1960s) that juicing was the only answer. I was juicing three liters a day of vegetable juices back then. Because I was demonstrating juicing in New York City almost every day back then, I was making juices for people and then drinking the rest. So all day long I was being satiated by these powerful healing juices.

It wasn’t until I was in my 80s that I started to realize that it was not just the juices that kept me healthy. For sure, juicing had the greatest effect on my lifestyle. But it was a culmination of several things that kept me vitally awake and alive. Happiness, keeping active, being appreciative of my life, being open to learning something new every day, and loving my wife and children were all central to my wellbeing and longevity.

Exercise is vital too, but since I have had some knee surgeries it’s been difficult to play racquet-

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THE 91-YEAR-OLD “FATHER OF JUICING” / Jay Kordich

ball. That was my favorite game in my 50s through my 70s. Now I walk daily with my wife for about an hour.

It may hurt to change, but remember longevity is more than just juicing or eating well. That’s the wisdom I have gained, as I grow into my 90s.

And, of course, I can’t overemphasize the need to minimize the tension and stress in your life. Back in the 1990s, when Linda and I were fighting to get back our Trademark, “Juiceman,” there was so much tension and anger, we couldn’t even be civil to each other. Our entire world became stressful, ugly and made both of us sick on all levels. Once it was all over, Linda and I decided to get rid of all the things that were suffocating us. Cars, homes, gadgets, toxic relationships, furniture, agents, managers, lawyers... You name it, we deleted it from our lives.

VegWorld: What role has your food choices played in your incredible state of health?

Jay attributes his strength and vitality at the age of 91 to a number of factors, including juicing, a veggie diet, exercise and living well and stress free.

Jay: I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t dedicated myself to eating a plant-based diet and learning the art of juicing back in 1948, when I became deathly ill with bladder cancer. I found out that there was a doctor in New York City, Dr. Max Gerson, who had been treating people with my condition and that, if I didn’t want any surgery, I should go visit him. That changed my life forever, because before that time, I had been consuming enormous amounts of red meat at the USC football team’s cafeteria. They believed that red meat would build a strong body.

Dr. Gerson’s work gave me an opportunity to change my life. So I took it and ran with it. I didn’t eat solid foods for 2 years. I just juiced and drank a special vegetable broth at night. I was 100% dedicated.

After those two years, I started eating a very high fruit diet with nuts and seeds and lots of green vegetables. In 1998, I started eating more coconut oil, coconuts, Brazil nuts and superior dark leafy greens.

VegWorld: How important is it to consume fresh raw juice as part of a vegan diet? How often should we be doing it?

Jay: A large percentage of vegans are not juicing and perhaps they believe that just by eating vegan foods they will experience ultimate health. That could very well be true if they were exclusively eating fruits and vegetables. But most vegans eat a hearty diet rich with veggie meats, cakes and lots of cooked foods. Many are likely transitioning from a heavier meat-based diet and need heavier foods to make a successful change. I would try to per-

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THE 91-YEAR-OLD “FATHER OF JUICING” / Jay Kordich

suade them to bring fresh juicing into their lives, because they can go from feeling good to feeling exceptionally healthy, almost overnight!

VegWorld: Do you believe that juice fasting is important, or can we be healthy without cleansing programs?

Jay: I believe that it’s vital to detoxify. I suggest at least once a year, and twice a year is what I do. I remember back in the 60s that I felt that I had to maintain a very clean body so the cancer could not come back, finding a host somewhere in my body to live. Just a few days is all you need.

Now, my wife, Linda, and I do cleanses in the wintertime and in mid-summer.

We juice each time for 7 days, and eat one large raw salad per day. We also dry brush our bodies daily, and drink 1/2 our body weight in pure water.

VegWorld: What do you think of vegan supplements? Do we need protein or vitamin supplements to be healthy?

Jay: It’s a challenging question because twenty years ago I would have said no. But in today’s age it’s necessary. Why? Because our soils are becoming depleted and our water polluted, and as a result, our food is lacking in the nutrients they once had. We are also subject to electromagnetic energies, and radiation is becoming a big issue with the Fukushima plant melting down. So, an extra boost is a good idea.

Healthforce Nutritionals has some magnificent supplements such as Vitamineral Green that I take three times a week in supergreen smoothies or my juices. I don’t take protein supplements because they are hard on the kidneys. Instead, I regularly eat seeded Hemp seeds, Quinoa and other high pro-

VegWorld Magazine

As a young man in 1948, Jay was diagnosed with bladder cancer. He overcame that illness drinking fresh juices for two years straight.

tein sourced vegan foods. I do not take any B vitamins either because my fresh raw greens give me much needed bio-available B complex nutrients.

However, I do use Vitamin C supplements such as Rose Hips and Camu Camu berries regularly.

VegWorld: There is a lot of misinformation in the nutrition world. How can we set the record straight?

Jay: There’s so much misinformation, mistrust and confusion out there. What I have found almost unbearable is when you go onto the internet and almost every article is put out by businesses only interested in selling you something. So, this is a

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THE 91-YEAR-OLD “FATHER OF JUICING” / Jay Kordich

Jay finds the world very different from the one in which he was born 91 years ago. Because of soil depletion and GMOs, he recommends eating only organic for optimal health and longevity.

huge problem.

I believe that for those of us in this industry of natural health, we have a responsibility to give our knowledge freely. We shouldn’t be focused on making a million dollars, or we are capitalizing on people’s health problems. By giving away as much as we can to help others, we could generate tremendous good will and trust in our world today.

And the stronger we build our global family, the more power we have over corporate greed, government corruption and manipulation.

VegWorld: What are your thoughts on GMOs and the current state of toxicity on our planet today?

How do you avoid toxins? Do you think we need to eat all organic?

Jay: My thoughts on GMOS range from outrage to helplessness, frustration and shock. I never thought, during my lifetime, that our food could become hijacked as it is now. Eating organic helps ensure you will avoid GMOs, as well as pesticides and other toxins.

Here in Washington State where Linda and I live, we have a very good relationship with our local Co-op. But for those of you not as fortunate, I would suggest you get together, using the internet, to create local neighborhood gardens with fruit and nut trees. This is the way my parents did it in the 1920s when I was growing up. I was from Croatia (then Yugoslavia) and in the Los Angeles Harbor there were many of us immigrants. We all contributed to the neighborhood gardens. Cleansing, juicing and good food choices are vital.

VegWorld: What is your favorite juice of all time?

Jay: Definitely carrot/apple juice. After that, I love pineapple/grapefruit. But, I try to keep my 65-yearold habit I’ve been teaching, and that is to eat my fruits and juice my vegetables.

I also realize I need more dark leafy greens. So with

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THE 91-YEAR-OLD “FATHER OF JUICING” / Jay Kordich

my carrot / apple juice combination that Dr. Gerson made so famous, I add at least 4 to 5 (sometimes as much as 8) cups of dark leafy greens such as: spinach; parsley; swiss chard; collards; dandelion greens and wheatgrass, along with lemons or limes with some fresh ginger root or fresh turmeric root for flavor and for tang.

VegWorld: What can we do to spread the message of plant-based living, juicing, and longevity?

Jay: Share, share, share! Share what you learn from your teachers.

Once you’ve learned yourself, teach your children.

From an early age, teach your children how to prepare natural foods, how to juice, and how to communicate with each other in a loving way. Teach them how to garden and how to sprout. This insures that our future will be richer for their children, you see?

When I was 62 our first son, John, was born. Then two years to the day, our second son was born.

Linda and I taught them how to juice at a very young age. By the time they were six and eight, they were bringing friends home from school and

VegWorld Magazine

teaching them how to juice! Often, parents would call our home saying, I can’t believe our “picky” son wants to drink carrot juice. Can you possibly help us find a good juicer to buy? Many of our boy’s friends became vegan as a result of being friends with us.

By the time our boys were in high school, they were preparing full meals and making juices on their own. Now they are 30 and 28, both married and make all the meals for their spouses. Imagine: If more families were to raise their children by empowering them to learn about natural foods; how to juice; how to prepare healthy vegan meals; how to garden; how to treat their kitchens with respect....don’t you think we could change the culture of our world?

The last thing I would like to share with your readers is that you are never too old to learn!

To learn more about Jay Kordich, and his life’s teachings, check out Jay and Linda Kordich’s School of Juicing.

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RECIPES FOR FOODIES

Brazilian Black Bean Soup with Baked Plantain Mediterranean Pistachio Tofu Coconut Spinach Rice V for Vegan Potato Soup Bailey’s Tofish How To Make Spring Rolls Easy Vegan Pad Thai Creamy Red Bell Pepper Chipotle Soup

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BRAZILIAN BLACK BEAN SOUP WITH BAKED PLANTAIN

BRAZILIAN BLACK BEAN SOUP WITH BAKED PLANTAIN Recipe from The 30 Minute Vegan Soup’s On!

by Mark Reinfeld

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SERVES 6 TO 8

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BRAZILIAN BLACK BEAN SOUP WITH BAKED PLANTAIN

Black Bean Soup Organic Ingredients: • 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn

• 1 teaspoon chili powder

• ½ teaspoon orange zest

• 1 ¼ cups diced yellow onion

• ¼ cup of freshly squeezed orange juice

• 4 large garlic cloves, pressed or minced

• 2 teaspoons sea salt

• 1 teaspoon seeded and diced jalapeno pepper

• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

• 4 cups vegetable stock or water

• 1/8 teaspoon chipotle powder (optional)

• 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained well or 3 cups cooked

• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (optional)

• ¾ cup diced carrot

• ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke (optional) • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

• ½ cup seeded and diced red bell pepper

Baked Plantains Organic Ingredients: • 1 large ripe plantain • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup or sweetener of choice • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice • 2 teaspoons oil ( try coconut) • Pinch of sea salt • Pinch of chili powder • Pinch of ground cinnamon

Procedure: 1. Preheat the oven to 375. Prepare the plantains: Place the plantain ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Transfer to a well- oiled baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes, flipping once after 6 minutes. Carefully transfer to a serving plate so the plantains do not stick to the pan as they cool down 2. Meanwhile, place a 3-quart pot over high heat.

Place the cumin and chili powder in the pot and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the onion, garlic and jalapeno and stir well.

3. Lower the heat to medium-high, add the vegetable stock, black beans, and carrot, and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the red bell pepper and corn and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add all the remaining ingredients, except the cilantro and cook for 5 minutes. Add the cilantro and mix well 4. Top each serving with a few places of plantain and enjoy

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IMAGINE

THE DAY WHEN ALL ANIMALS ARE FREE TO BE.

Working together, it’s within reach. For over a decade, Mercy For Animals has been campaigning diligently to prevent cruelty to farmed animals and promote compassionate food choices and policies. Through education, undercover investigations, corporate outreach, and legal advocacy, we are changing the course of history for animals -- inspiring both compassion and change.

Join us.

MercyForAnimals.org

MEDITERRANEAN PISTACHIO TOFU

MEDITERRANEAN PISTACHIO TOFU Organic Ingredients: Seasoned Tofu

Mediterranean Vegetables

• 14 ounces extra firm tofu

• ¾ cup chopped artichoke hearts

• 2 tablespoons wheat-free tamari or other soy sauce

• 1 and ½ cups chopped tomatoes (½ inch chop)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil or your favorite, optional • 1 tablespoon water

• ½ cup finely chopped arugula or spinach • 3 tablespoons finely chopped kalamata olives • 2 tablespoons diced green onion

Tahini Marinade

• 1 tablespoon thinly sliced or shaved, and chopped fennel

• 2 tablespoons sesame tahini

• 1 tablespoon capers

• 1 teaspoon wheat-free tamari or other soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons chiffonade basil

• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 2 teaspoons fresh minced oregano or ½ teaspoon dried

• 2 tablespoons water or more depending on consistency of tahini

• ½ teaspoon fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried • ¼ teaspoon lemon zest

Crust • ¾ cup roasted unsalted pistachio nuts

Dressing

• 1 tablespoon minced flat leaf parsley, basil or herb of your choosing

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• ½ teaspoon dried oregano • ¼ teaspoon dried thyme • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste

• 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

• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

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MEDITERRANEAN PISTACHIO TOFU

Procedure: 1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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, pre-

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pare 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. To serve, slice the cutlets into triangles and top with the Mediterranean Vegetables.

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COCONUT SPINACH RICE

COCONUT SPINACH RICE

by Mark Reinfeld

SERVES 6

Organic Ingredients: • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

• One 14-ounce can coconut milk, or fresh

• 2 teaspoon mustard seeds

• 1½ cups water or vegetable stock

• 1 teaspoon curry powder

• One 10-ounce package frozen spinach (3/4 cup cooked spinach pressed firmly)

• 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (optional)

• Pinch cayenne

• One 14-ounce can garbanzo beans (optional)

• 2 cups white basmati rice

• ½ cup toasted coconut

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COCONUT SPINACH RICE

Procedure: 1. Toast the cumin and mustard seeds in a medium pot for 1 minute over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Add the curry powder, salt, pepper, cayenne, rice, coconut milk, and water and bring to a boil.

2. Cover, reduce the heat to simmer, and cook until the liquid is absorbed, approximately 10 minutes. Allow to sit for 5 minutes.

3. Add the spinach, lemon juice, and garbanzo beans, if using, and gently toss well. Top with toasted coconut before serving.

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.

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V FOR VEGAN POTATO SOUP

V FOR VEGAN

POTATO SOUP

by Vance Lehmkuhl

My version achieves a thick, rich broth by mixing in, near the end, a puree of potatoes and white beans. This basic recipe is very low-oil, but feel free to add one or two tablespoons of olive oil if you want the texture more “buttery.” You can also use finely chopped broccoli instead of kale.

SERVES 6

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V FOR VEGAN POTATO SOUP

Organic Ingredients:

Procedure:

• 4-5 pounds red potatoes

1. Cut potatoes into dice and boil for 45 minutes.

Separate garlic cloves and chop 1/2 of them fine. Chop 1 onion fine. In a large pot with a tiny amount of oil (spray-on is easiest), sauté the onion and garlic until translucent, adding a little vegetable broth as needed.

• 4-5 large carrots • 3-4 stalks celery • 4 leaves kale, stemmed • 2 large red onions • 10-12 cloves garlic, peeled • 1 quart vegetable broth • 1 quart unsweetened soy milk • 1 tablespoon horseradish • 1-1/2 tablespoon sage leaves • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary (no stems) • 2 teaspoon dried basil • 1 can (15 oz.) cannellini or navy beans, rinsed

2. In a food processor, combine carrots, celery and 1/2 onion. Chop coarsely and add to pot. Cook for 15 minutes. Add the rest of the vegetable broth and cook on high for another 10 minutes.

(Rinse out food processor.)

3. Lower heat and add mustard, salt and cubed tofu. After five minutes add soy milk and dried basil. Cut remaining garlic cloves into slices and add. Simmer for 25-30 minutes.

4. Drain potatoes, retaining 3/4 cup of potato water along with 1 cup boiled potatoes. Add the rest of the potatoes to the soup. Add horseradish and olive oil (optional).

• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard • 1 teaspoon salt

5. In food processor, combine beans, potatoes and water, 1/2 onion, kale, sage and rosemary.

• 1 container (14 oz) cubed tofu • Black pepper to taste • 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)

6. Blend until very fine. Add to soup and cook on medium low for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and add a little more salt if needed.

7. Just before serving, add the black pepper fresh-ground if at all possible. Serve with black bread.

Enjoy!

About the Author Vance Lehmkuhl is a cartoonist, writer, musician and 12-year vegan. “V for Veg” chronicles plant-based eating in and around Philadelphia. VforVeg@phillynews.com or @V4Veg on Twitter.

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BAILEY’S TOFISH

BAILEY’S TOFISH SERVES 2 - 3

by Chef Tess

I don’t know anyone named Bailey, but if I did, she’d have a big plate of this coming to her. This fishy monkey makes a quick and super satisfying meal, especially paired with oven-baked French fries and a light salad. Or serve it on a bun with the tartar sauce for a mighty fine Tofish sandwich. Anything for you, Bailey.

Notes: 1. Freezing the tofu will give it a more complex, fish-like texture. Simply place the whole package of tofu in the freezer for at least 12 hours and then allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight (or longer).

2. Instead of pan-frying, this dish may also be baked at 400° F. until golden brown on both sides.

3. The trick to crispy baked tofu is to use enough oil, coating the baking pan well before adding the tofu and also spraying the top of the tofu with oil. Baked tofu will take about 10-20 minutes per side.

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BAILEY’S TOFISH

Organic Ingredients:

Procedure:

14 oz firm tofu, frozen and thawed*

1. Slice the tofu into 12-14 thin slabs and place in between paper towels on your counter top. Press gently yet firmly to extract excess moisture.

Marinade: • 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice • 2 tablespoons tamari, shoyu, or soy sauce • ¾ teaspoon each: dried garlic granules and granulated (or powdered) kelp • ½ teaspoon each: ground paprika and dried onion granules Tartar Sauce: • ½ cup “Vegenaise” vegan mayonnaise • ¼ cup finely grated dill pickle • 2 tablespoons finely minced white or yellow onion • 1/8 teaspoon each: dried garlic granules and ground black pepper Cornmeal Breading: • ¼ cup each: dry cornmeal and dry polenta (or just use all cornmeal if you don’t have polenta) • ¼ cup whole wheat pastry flour (or glutenfree all-purpose flour) • ½ teaspoon each: dried garlic granules and dried onion granules • 1 teaspoon seasoned salt • Oil: coconut, olive, or sunflower oil (enough to make a light layer of oil in your pan)

2. Stir the marinade items together in a bowl until well mixed. Place the tofu slices on a plate (in a single layer) and pour the marinade evenly over the top of them.

Turn the tofu so as to coat both sides with the mixture. Allow to sit for 10 minutes or more, or until the marinade has been mostly absorbed.

3. While the tofu is marinating, mix together the items for the tartar sauce. Pop it into the fridge until you are ready to use it so that it retains its thick consistency.

4. Measure the breading ingredients into a wide bowl or dish and stir well to combine.

5. When the tofu is done marinating, set a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pour enough oil into the skillet to make a thin layer in the bottom of the pan. Dredge the tofu slices in the breading (using a gentle touch) until all sides are very well coated.

Place on the oiled skillet in a single layer.

Cook for about 5 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown on the underside.

6. Turn over and pan-fry for another 3-5 minutes, or until both sides are gloriously golden browned. If necessary, repeat steps 5 and 6 until all of the tofu is used up. Remove to a plate and serve with the sauce.

Serves 2-3; GF (with substitutions)/Purple (according to the health guidelines in Tess’s books)

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HOW TO MAKE SPRING ROLLS

HOW TO MAKE

SPRING ROLLS

by Chef Tess

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EASY VEGAN PAD THAI

EASY VEGAN

PAD THAI Easy, oh-so-delicious, and quick — plus, no trips to the specialty store for hard to find ingredients. WIN!

SERVES 6

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by Chef Tess

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EASY VEGAN PAD THAI

Organic Ingredients:

Procedure:

13.2 oz. rice noodles (medium width)

1. Prepare the noodles. Bring a large pot of water to boil and add the rice noodles. Stir

Sauce:

and cover. Remove from heat and set aside

• ¼ cup each: tamari, fresh lime juice, and non-virgin olive oil

for about 15 minutes, or until al dente.

• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons organic sugar

2. In a large bowl, place all of the sauce ingre-

• 3 tablespoons ketchup (yeah, you heard me right)

dients. Stir well. Add the stir-ins. Stir them

• 2 tablespoons each: maple syrup and basic hot sauce (cayenne or tabasco) • 4 large cloves garlic, pressed • 1 ¼ teaspoon sea salt

too. Mix together well.

3. Drain the noodles and add to the big bowl.

Stir gently until well combined. Place in bowls and serve topped with the bean sprouts and peanuts. Garnish with lime wedges to achieve the maximum legal

Stir-ins: • ¾ cup sliced scallions (about 8 scallions, trimmed) • ½ - ¾ cup chopped cilantro

level of awesome.

Serves 6/GF/Purple

Toppings: • ½ cup crushed peanuts • 1-2 cups bean sprouts Garnish: • 6 lime wedges

About the Author

Quintessence (“Tess”) Challis is an author, vegan chef, and wellness coach. Tess began her holistic health journey in her late teens. After a lifetime of numerous health ailments (including severe acne, obesity, constant illnesses, anxiety, and depression), she found that a vegan diet along with an inner wellness regime made all the difference.

In 1994, Tess began to work as a personal chef across the country. In 2008, she shifted her focus to writing, coaching, speaking, and teaching healthy plant-based cooking. Her books include “Radiant Health, Inner Wealth,” “The Two-Week Wellness Solution” (foreword by Dr. Neal Barnard), “Radiance 4 Life” (foreword by Robert Cheeke). and “Get Waisted: 100 Addictively Delicious Plant-Based Entrees” (co-authored by Dr. Mary Clifton).

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CREAMY RED BELL PEPPER CHIPOTLE SOUP WITH CASHEW SOUR CREAM

CREAMY RED BELL PEPPER CHIPOTLE SOUP WITH CASHEW SOUR CREAM SERVES 6 - 8

by Cherie Soria

Yield: 8 cups

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CREAMY RED BELL PEPPER CHIPOTLE SOUP WITH CASHEW SOUR CREAM

Organic Ingredients:

Preparation:

• 1 cup cashews, soaked for 1-2 hours

1. Soak the cashews in water for 2-4 hours. Drain, reserving the soaking water. While cashews are soaking, cover chipotle pepper in 1 cup of warm water.

• 2 cups red bell peppers, peeled • 1 smoked chipotle pepper, seeded and soaked for 1 hour or ½ teaspoon powder • 2-4 cups water • 2 teaspoons salt (or to taste) • 1 teaspoon lemon juice • 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast

2. Put soaked cashews and 2 cups of the soaking water in a blender and blend until creamy.

3. Add soaked chipotle pepper, chopped bell peppers, miso, 11⁄2 teaspoons salt, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, regular and smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and white pepper. Blend until silky smooth.

• 1 teaspoon paprika • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika • ½ teaspoon onion powder • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder • 1/8 teaspoon white pepper • 1 cup chopped, peeled tomatoes • ½ cup Cashew Sour Cream

4. Add the tomatoes and 2 more cups of water and blend again until smooth, about 20 seconds. Do not over blend or the mixture will become frothy. Add additional water, if needed, to achieve the desired consistency. The soup should be creamy, like sour cream, but not overly thick.

5. Add salt, if needed. Top each serving with an optional dollop (roughly 1 tablespoon) of Cashew Sour Cream. (See recipe)

Cashew Sour Cream Yield: 8 cups

Organic Ingredients: • 1 cup raw cashews

• 1 tablespoon light miso

• 1⁄2 cup filtered water

• Dash ground white pepper

• 1⁄4 cup lemon juice

• Dash ground nutmeg

• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

• Dash salt

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CREAMY RED BELL PEPPER CHIPOTLE SOUP WITH CASHEW SOUR CREAM

Preparation: 1. Cover raw cashews with 2 cups of water and allow them to soak for 4 hours to soften. After soaking, drain and rinse well.

2. Combine soaked cashews, water, juice, nutritional yeast, miso, white pepper, nutmeg, and salt in a blender or food processor, and blend until the spread is smooth and creamy. The mixture should have a satin-like finish.

About the Author

Raw food revolutionary, Cherie Soria, is the founder and director of Living Light Culinary Institute, and has been teaching the art of gourmet raw foods to individuals, chefs, and instructors for more than 20 years and vegetarian culinary arts for 40 years. Cherie is also the author of four books, including Raw Food Revolution Diet and Raw Food For Dummies.

Cherie and her husband, Dan Ladermann own and operate several raw food businesses besides Living Light Culinary Institute, including a Living Light Cafe, Living Light Marketplace, a retail store providing gifts for chefs and products for healthful living, and the historic, eco-friendly Living Light Inn, all located on the beautiful Mendocino coast of northern California. They also host the Living Light Chef Showcase: Hot Chefs, Cool Kitchen, an event that highlights twelve of the world’s top raw food chefs and instructors each August at the Living Light Center, which is streamed over the internet to thousands of people worldwide. Cherie and Dan have received numerous awards and accolades for Living Light International, which is recognized as one of the leading raw food businesses in the world.

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ORDINARY PEOPLE

EXTRAORDINARY RESULTS

My Vegan Heart: How Diet Changed One Man’s Life

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MY VEGAN HEART: HOW DIET CHANGED ONE MAN’S LIFE

MY VEGAN HEART:

HOW DIET CHANGED

ONE MAN’S LIFE

by Thomas Larson

T

rue longevity is not something you achieve with a magic supplement or superfood. It’s as simple as a healthy diet, exercise and taking care of yourself. And, incredibly, you can turn your health around and ultimately achieve longevity at nearly any age.

age of 61. VegWorld Magazine is pleased to present his story, in his own words. He is our ordinary person/ extraordinary results for April 2014.

After my third heart attack in five years, I became a vegan, or a plant-based eater. Then I wrote about it in my book, “The Sanctuary of Illness: A Memoir of Take the example of Thomas Larson, who stopped Heart Disease,” which tells the journey of my having a string of heart attacks and saved his own life at the gone from a non-recovery recovery to healing after

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MY VEGAN HEART: HOW DIET CHANGED ONE MAN’S LIFE those near-fatal trials, which finally forced me to change my diet.

Vegetarian Wasn’t Good Enough I was already a vegetarian, a “right” eater — or so I thought. That earlier journey began thirty years ago, while reading Francis Moore Lappe’s groundbreaking book “Diet for a Small Planet.” I was shaken to the core by the scale of factory farming and clear-cutting of Central American rain forests by McDonalds and other fast-food corporations.

Back then, like tens of thousands of my fellow climate-conscious, meat-is-murder, animal-sparing Californians (I wish I could say Americans), I re-

It’s never too late to start on the road to good health.

For Larson, it took 3 heart attacks and reaching the age of 61 to turn his health around.

“By becoming vegan, I underwent a metamorphosis. I gave up every quarter of the cow for one simple - albeit less-thanobvious - reason; dairy is the devil.” nounced all cuts of beef, bird, and goat. But not their edible byproducts — those tasty commodities like chicken eggs, whole milk, Swiss cheese, vanilla yogurt, and deep-dish pizza.

Yes, I ate right for the sake of the animal’s corporeal life but not for the sake of the planet’s: animal waste is the number one source of methane, scourge of global-warming.

I was also not eating right for the sake of my arteries.

Dairy is the Devil By becoming Vegan, I underwent a metamorphosis. I gave up every quarter of the cow for one simple – albeit less-than-obvious – reason: dairy is the devil.

How do I know? Consider how my traumas and treatments unraveled.

Heart attack #1 — angioplasty, three stents, and a statin drug save me.

Heart attack #2 — angioplasty, one stent, increased exercise, more drugs and higher doses save me.

Heart attack #3 — angioplasty, two stents, more drugs save — no…

Stop! Why do my arteries keep occluding? Why do I keep getting saved but not getting better?

I renewed my study. I found books and a couple of movies on plant diets for heart patients. I consulted two lipidologists who ordered detailed blood pan-

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MY VEGAN HEART: HOW DIET CHANGED ONE MAN’S LIFE

”The infarctions came three times - carpetbagging relatives who wouldn’t leave. I was not getting better.” els and targeted with supplements the bad strains of cholesterol that continually clogged me.

And, finally, I learned this truth: my arteries inflame at those passageways where lipid deposits jelly-up as vulnerable plaque (that is, plaque likely to burst and block) because of two things. First is my dairyrich diet and my inability (not that I’d ever really tried) to quit eating eggs and cheese. Second is the spongy cast of my arteries. These are gene-bred from my father, which for him, my older brother, and me guaranteed that we Larsons accrue sludgy pustules of cholesterol in our coronaries, just as Tim Russert and James Gandolfini did (to name two spectacular falls). Thereby, we were more susceptible to cardiac arrest (a.k.a., sudden death) than most Americans.

• A stomach-pleasing ban on hard-to-metabolize fat • Enhanced sexual potency in males and females • Less end-of-life disability • Prevention of some cancers I did ride a rough road from veggie to vegan. In addition to their initial canyon-ledge terror, my heart attacks were confusingly mild and harsh. Mild because each attack, for which I rushed myself to the nearest hospital (it’s smarter to call 911), was less grave than the preceding one, which made me think I was getting better. The statin drug after my first heart attack helped defuse the severity as well.

Plant Foods are the True Superfoods So, could it be any clearer that the only thing left for me to do, in addition to interventional treatment, exercise, and drugs, was to give up dairy and eat plants? No animal protein. Just plants. Which I did.

What do plants offer?

• No cholesterol and no casein, artery-closers extraordinaire • Easily assimilated nitrous oxide, key to arterial self-repair • Plenty of protein that’s nutritionally more beneficial than protein from animals • Soluble fiber for bowel regularity

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Among many other benefits, eating just plants and no animal products leads to less end-of-life disability and the prevention of some cancers.

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MY VEGAN HEART: HOW DIET CHANGED ONE MAN’S LIFE

“A plant-based diet is a friend with many benefits. I dropped thirty-five pounds; I don’t count calories; I don’t diet. My sex life has been reborn with a fit, desirous partner.”

Harsh because the infarctions came three times — carpet-bagging relatives who wouldn’t leave — which meant I was not getting better and my healing regimen was not rooting out the cause. This further said that at the rate I was going, I was never going to improve.

However, I did improve — but only after I discovered that what went in my mouth made me sick and kept me sick. I improved, dramatically, after I cut out the cow.

A “Friend with Benefits” A plant-based diet is a friend with many benefits — I rarely have angina or other chest pains. I dropped

thirty-five pounds; I don’t count calories; I don’t diet. I seldom suffer heartburn, so I don’t think it’s masked angina (I used to). I can drink red wine; my LDL (the bad cholesterol) is super low (46) as is my total cholesterol (106) and my arteries are less inflamed than they were.

My sex life has been reborn with a fit, desirous partner. And while I do have the occasional fatigueridden day, it’s probably my old plaques, packed in during my dairy days, still seeping into, and gumming up, my stented coronaries.

I’ll trade that last misfortune for all the other postvegan advantages.

About the Author Thomas Larson is a journalist, critic, and memoirist, Thomas Larson has been a staff writer for the San Diego Reader for fifteen years. His books include The Memoir and the Memoirist and The Saddest Music Ever Written: The Story of Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings.” He is also a creative nonfiction instructor at Ashland University in Ohio. Tap here to find out more about Larson.

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REVIEWS

AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Pick of the Month: New Wave Enviro Veggie World Travels: Sanibel Island, Florida

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PICK OF THE MONTH

PICK OF THE MONTH:

NEW WAVE ENVIRO

Y

ou’ve now seen our Top 10 New Vegan Products to watch in 2014. But one nonedible product at the Natural Products Expo West caught our attention and demanded a “Best of Show” Award of its own.

S

o, in honor of Earth Day 2014, we introduce our pick of the month: New Wave Enviro.

New Wave Enviro is a family owned company, wholesaling environmentally friendly products since 1993. New Wave’s complete line of Enviro Filters, BpA Free Enviro Bottles, Seriously Safe Stainless Steel Bottles and Litter Free Lunch Products help to improve your quality of life, while creating earth-friendly alternatives. Founded by the need to contribute to green living and sustainable earth

VegWorld Magazine

friendly products, New Wave Enviro offers practical individual solutions to health and environmental issues facing us today.

The VegWorld “Best of Show” Award went to New Wave Enviro’s new glass bottles. We love using glass for our water and juices because of the purity, but have a hard time carrying heavy glass on hikes and other activities. New Wave Enviro has taken care of this problem with the introduction of its (very) light-weight glass bottles, which are fortified on the outside with plastic for durability.

Make sure you get your own bottle in time for earth day, and then use it for the rest of your earthloving life.

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VEGGIE TRAVEL

GO WILD ON SPRING BREAK ON FLORIDA’S SANIBEL ISLAND Story and Photographs by Robin Tierney

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VEGGIE TRAVEL

T

here’s a crowd at the Sanibel Spout -- the bar at the Sanibel Sprout. Good; I can crowd-source suggestions since everything on the raw-vegan menu sounds too good to pass up. But everybody likes everything, it seems. “The only solution is to move here,” says one radiant patron. “Then you can try something new every day, like I do!”

My decision is to eat most of my meals here during my short stay on Sanibel Island. Some favorites: The sprouted sunflower/almond Un-Tuna, raw artisan sprouted crackers, Mexican Salad with walnut “meat,” raw lasagna, coconut truffle, Lemony-

licious tart…. Now I’m craving a return trip.

Chef Nikki Rood, who co-owns Sanibel Sprout with her mother, is fulfilling her dream of “a little island health-food joint where joy and love are poured into the food, where creative people gather for meaningful conversations.” The organic food coop enables people “to detach from Corporate Food and Drug Companies and take back control of their lives.”

What makes Sanibel special? “Kindness matters here. Nature is our cradle; we are surrounded by water and sky and stars and so much awe,” says

Raw dishes like this one are plentiful at the Sanibel Spout on beautiful Sanibel Island. The Chef, Nikki Rood, is fulfilling her dream of “a little island health-food joint where joy and love are poured into the food.”

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VEGGIE TRAVEL

Nikki. “I wake up each morning to manatees and dolphins off my dock...there are bobcats and birds of all sorts, and so much raw gorgeousness. I love the sense of connection to something far larger than us.”

Properly nourished, I explore that raw gorgeousness. Sanibel is a world favorite for shells. In the morning, Florida fighting conchs line the beach’s edge.

I admire but don’t take the coiled orange-flecked palm-sized shells. They are occupied by the animals who created them. Despite their names, these conches are herbivores who feed on algae; they only “fight” to evade the grasp of predators.

A shiny resident peeks out of a shell VegWorld Magazine

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VEGGIE TRAVEL by my toes. I wade knee-deep into the warm Gulf surf to leave my new acquaintance on the seafloor.

Thankfully, law prohibits the collecting of occupied shells (live shells) and the locals gently advise newcomers to check to make sure any shells they take are empty.

Located in southwest Florida on the Gulf of Mexico, and separated from Fort Myers by a causeway over the bay, Sanibel Island enchants nature-lovers.

Nearly 70% of the barrier island is conserved as a refuge for animals and plants, including mangroves that offer feeding and breeding ground to hundreds of species and safeguard the land from erosion and storms. Outdoor lighting’s discouraged; residents love the dark skies and know that artificial lights confuse sea turtle hatchlings who must follow moonlight from nests to sea in order to survive.

Nearly seventy percent of Sanibel Island is conserved as a refuge for animals and plants, including mangroves that offer feeding and breeding grounds to hundreds of species.

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VEGGIE TRAVEL

Manatees © Patrick M. Rose, Save the Manatee Club - www.savethemanatee.org VegWorld Magazine

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VEGGIE TRAVEL

Sanibel Island not only boasts a home to countless species, including manatees, but a home to the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife, which treats 4,000 animals a year, including otters, alligators, and tortoises.

On a bike from Billy’s Rentals, it’s easy to reach the nature refuge, wildlife rehabilitation clinic and lodging at the Castaways (www.thecastaways.com) since they’re located along a hike-bike path.

Founded in 1968 by volunteers, the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife treats 4,000 animals a year, including otters, alligators, tortoises, snakes, birds, armadillos and bobcats. “I brought in a bird struggling on the road,” says Nikki. “They saved and released the bird.” The clinic also trains veterinary students.

To protect the patients, the hospital can’t allow visitors. But the new Healing Winds education center is terrific. Webcams show animals being treated and recovering in micro-habitats. A film featuring patients explains how animals get injured and ways people can VegWorld Magazine

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VEGGIE TRAVEL reduce risks. Video kiosks and other displays tell the stories of injured owls, orphaned possums, turtles with broken shells, anhingas caught in fishing line and a red-shouldered hawk receiving physical therapy for a broken wing.

One interactive lets me play veterinarian, making diagnoses and choosing treatments. Another presents scenarios when finding injured animals and abandoned babies, revealing how to help.

(What to feed a rescued animal? Nothing; keep the animal warm until you can get to a rehab center.)

The 6,400-acre J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge offers pristine woodland and marsh views along hiking and biking trails and, for motorists, Wildlife Drive (closed Fridays). I spot egrets, anhingas and gorgeous pink rose-

The 6,400-acre J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge offers pristine woodland and marsh views along hiking and biking trails.

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VEGGIE TRAVEL

ate spoonbills. Visitor center displays include one about the endangered West Indian manatee (www. savethemanatee.org). These gentle mammals reside in Sanibel’s waters; many of these warmthseeking animals also inhabit a Fort Myers lake at Manatee Park where the regional power utility discharges warm water.

Today, the refuge’s free mid-day presentation is about manatees. Surprisingly, these friendly “sea cows” have very little body fat; their rotund bodies house long lungs that enable them to stay submerged while feeding on seagrass. Dangers like boat-strikes, discarded fishing line, extreme cold and “red tide” algae blooms caused by pollution have reduced manatee lifespans to a fraction of their potential 60 years. The presenter passes around a manatee bone gouged by a propeller;

the average age of manatees killed by watercraft is seven years. Propeller wounds are so common that individual manatees are identified by scar patterns.

Back at the Sanibel Sprout, I try Nikki’s new Sproutaccino. Who knew the world’s best coffee drink could be found on an island filled with wilderness?

Visitor information: Tap here: www.fortmyers-sanibel.com

About the Author

Robin Tierney is a travel, outdoors and food writer who gets her energy from an all plant-based diet. Her whole household is made up of vegan athletes, including their adopted American Pit Bull Terriers. Reach Robin at travelveg@live.com.

Photos by Robin Tierney.

VegWorld Magazine

Issue 20 - April 2014 |

85

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Issue 20 - April 2014 |

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VegWorld Magazine

Issue 20 - April 2014 |

87