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CONTENTS VegWorld Magazine - September/October 2014

THE FUN SIDE OF VEGGIE LIVING 8 Vegan Hot Sheet 17 Vegan 101 21 Big Bang Vegan Finding yourself skipping breakfast when you’re short on time?

Discover why that’s NOT a good idea. pg. 31

FAMILY & LIFESTYLE 27 Life Lessons From A Veggie Yogini 31 Bad Foods: Are Your Favorite Foods Worth Risking Your Life Over?

In her new cookbook, Mayim Bialik shares the veggie recipes she uses at home with her 2 veggie kids. Find out more about the book and her philosophy on pg. 21

NUTRITION & THRIVING 38 Nutrition is Actually the Sweetest Thing 40 Anti-Breast Cancer: The ‘Three Strikes’ Carcinogen to Avoid

MAIN FEATURE Kimberly Elyse is 47 years old! With rock-hard abs! Find out about her recent campaign with PETA on pg. 11

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44 7 Secrets to Get Kids to (Really) Love Their Veggies

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CONTENTS VegWorld Magazine - September/October 2014

RECIPES FOR FOODIES 51 Ho, Ho, Ho….Green Giant 52 Bugs Bunny Surprise 54 Crispy Kale 55 Kiss me at the movies Cinnamon Sugar Popcorn 57 Yellow Tofu 58 Grandma’s Apple Crisp 60 Mango Surprise 61 Soba Party Children learn best when well-nourished. Yet 31 million children are served less-than-nourishing school lunches every day. Find out what a dedicated group is doing about it. pg. 66

ORDINARY PEOPLE/ EXTRAORDINARY RESULTS 66 Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine “Vegucating” our Schools - One District at a Time Vegan kids (and adults) love sweets too! Get this mouthwatering recipe on pg. 58

REGULARS 5 Credits VegWorld Staff & Contributing Writers 6 Editor’s Note A Message from the Founder of VegWorld Magazine, Steve Prussack 71 Reviews and Recommendations Vegworld’s Pick of the month Veggie World Travels

Introducing our newest feature: Life Lessons from a Veggie Yogini. Find Ally’s latest insights on pg. 27

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CREDITS VegWorld staff

Founder/ Publisher Steve Prussack Associate editor Julie Varon Graphic design Veronique Zayas Magazine layout Lise-Mari Coetzee Assistant editor Carol Sadaken

Contributing writers

Janice Stanger

Kathy Freston

Ally Hamilton

Steve Prussack

Mark Reinfeld

Brian Patton

Tess Challis

Robin Tierney

Carolyn ScottHamilton

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Dr. Neal Barnard

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EDITOR´S NOTE om A message fr of the Founder azine, g a M ld r o W g e V ack Steven Pruss

T

his month is all about our kids. Study after study show that kids who grow on a plantstrong diet are healthy, bright and perform well in school.

Yet, still today, over 31 million less-than-optimal, fried, processed school lunches – featuring animal products like processed meats and dairy – are served to kids across America every day.

And many more meals like this are served to kids at home, either because parents are not properly educated on nutrition or from a lack of desire on the part of kids to eat healthier foods.

T

o help you get YOUR kids to make healthy choices, this month we highlight the secrets proven to not only entice kids to eat fruits and veggies, but to actually want them. I have found that

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modeling good food choices for children and involving them in the fun of making healthy food is what has worked best for my step-son, Eli.

E

li loves green juices – especially if they include kale (no, I’m not kidding). But it has been a process. He has spent almost his entire life watching his mom and I make and drink fresh green juices every day. And now that he is old enough, he and I turn up the

Beatles while we make fresh raw, organic juice together. All the effort we have put in has ensured that Eli’s love of veggies and fresh juice will last a lifetime.

T

his issue is loaded with incredible new ideas, recipes and the usual VegWorld fun stuff. We love showing you how to make our future generation set up to thrive--- for the good of ourselves and the planet.

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THE FUN SIDE OF VEGETARIAN LIVING

Vegan Hot Sheet Vegan 101: Ask the Experts Big Bang Vegan

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Vegan Hot Sheet hip and happening vegan stuff BALLERINA LEFT DEPRESSED BY CHRONIC ECZEMA

CURES AILMENTS THROUGH VEGAN DIET

B

eyonce, Anne Hathaway and Gwyneth Paltrow swear by the vegan lifestyle for keeping their health in check and it seems the A-listers’ way of life is catching on.

Saskia Gregson-Williams, a professional ballerina and food blogger, was left depressed for years suffering with chronic eczema until she learned how to cure herself with a veggie diet.

Speaking about her ailment, the 17-year-old said: ‘I used to describe it as a snood of eczema, as it covered all around my neck and all over the rest of my body. I was never diagnosed with any allergies or given treatments that cured it, so I decided to take matters into my own hands.’

With no previous interest in nutrition, she decided to read up on foods that caused inflammation in the body, and found that dairy was one of the prime culprits.

‘I took the radical decision to completely cut dairy out of my diet, and within a month my eczema had disappeared - it was amazing,’ she said. ‘My eczema had been really mentally weighing me down, it was so sore and inflamed and made me very insecure.

The difference in my confidence, energy levels and happiness when it disappeared were really noticeable.’

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She embraced a vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free and wheat-free diet and set up her blog, Naturally Sassy, where she shares recipes and blogs her journey to a healthier lifestyle. ‘The Naturally Sassy philosophy is all about embracing food the way nature made it - completely unrefined and unprocessed,’ she said.

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VEGWORLD HOT SHEET

PAMELA ANDERSON REFUSES

ALS ICE BUCKET CHALLENGE OVER CRUEL ANIMAL TESTING Countless celebrities, from Tom Cruise to Jennifer Aniston to LeBron James, have completed the Ice Bucket Challenge, where participants either dump ice-cold water over their heads or donate $100 to support the ALS Association. The viral social media stunt has raised more than $80 million so far.

Anderson said she doesn’t condone further animal testing for ALS research because so little progress has been made during the past 10 years despite countless experiments.

V

egan animal rights activist Pamela Anderson has refused to participate in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge benefiting the ALS Association because of the animal testing that’s done for research.

Anderson issued her own challenge to the ALS, asking them to stop cruel animal laboratory experiments.

“Sorry, I can’t bring myself to do your Ice bucket challenge,” Pam wrote on Facebook Aug. 20. “I’d challenge ALS to stop animal testing.”

“Recent experiments funded by the ALS Association: Mice had holes drilled into their skulls, were inflicted with crippling illnesses, and were forced to run on an inclined treadmill until they collapsed from exhaustion. Monkeys had chemicals injected into their brains and backs and were later killed and dissected. What is the result of these experiments (other than a lot of suffering)?”

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Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive muscle paralysis and early death. There is no cure.

“In the past decade, only about a dozen experimental ALS treatments have moved on to human trials after being shown to alleviate the disease in animals,” Pamela wrote.

“All but one of these treatments failed in humans — and the one that ‘passed’ offers only marginal benefits to humans who suffer from ALS ... Trying to cure human diseases by relying on outdated and ineffective animal experiments isn’t only cruel – it’s a grave disservice to people who desperately need cures. Please, help scientists make real progress toward treating and curing human diseases by visiting HumaneSeal.org to find and support charities that never harm animals.”

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VEGWORLD HOT SHEET

KIMBERLY ELISE SHOWS OFF ROCK HARD BODY IN PETA VEGAN AD

K

imberly Elise showed off her rock hard vegan physique in a new PETA ad — proclaiming, “I Am Kimberly Elise, and I Am a Vegan.”

The message behind the ad is to “be your healthiest, strongest, kindest self.” The 47-year-old actress is definitely living by the ad’s message.

In an interview, Elise dished about her vegan lifestyle with PETA whose motto is “Animals are not ours to eat.” Also, she talked about how she transitioned into a vegetarian and then, vegan. “[A]s I learned more about the abuses to animals and the way meat was brought to the table and everything that these creatures were going through,” she said, “it was just another motivation and reason for me to live the lifestyle that felt true to my soul and my spirit.”

She wanted to point out there are many positive perks to eating healthy, plant-based foods.

“My energy is fantastic,” she said. “It’s helped me stay youthful-looking and [have a] certain energy and vibrance that you get when you’re eating food that’s fresh from the earth.”

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VEGWORLD HOT SHEET

W

hen it comes to weight loss, everyone’s searching for the perfect diet. Now a Chicago cardiologist is championing vegan diets, reported the Chicago Tribune on August 16.

Dr. Kim Williams began his journey from meat eater to meat-free mogul by deciding to do something about his high level of LDL (also known as the “bad” cholesterol reading). He switched from turkey to tofu, replaced beef with beans and says it took only six weeks for his LDL tests to report that he was healthy.

Now, as he prepares to become president of the American College of Cardiology, Dr. Williams is preaching plant-based diets for cardiac patients. No meat, no fish, no eggs, no dairy. “Anything someone does to move away from the Standard American

CARDIOLOGIST

CHAMPIONS VEGAN DIET Diet will make a huge difference in terms of diabetes, hypertension, obesity and heart disease,” he declared. “Given the health implications of diet, putting the issue in front of people who live with an epidemic of heart disease is not a bad thing,” he added.

REV. AL SHARPTON CREDITS VEGAN DIET FOR 170-POUND WEIGHT LOSS

R

everend Al Sharpton is in the best shape of his life after losing 170 pounds since 2009, thanks to a low-carb vegan diet and daily cardio workouts.

Sharpton, who once tipped the scales at 305 pounds, now weighs a sleek 135 pounds after following a mostly vegan diet and exercising every day.

“I gave up meat and I started watching my diet,’’ Sharpton, 59, told the Today Show. “I work out.’’

Rev. Al also gave up starches and sugar, and follows a low-calorie diet, usually consisting of two pieces of whole-wheat toast for breakfast, a salad with a

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banana for lunch, and two slices of whole-wheat toast again for dinner.

Sharpton recently told Oprah Winfrey the weight loss was important because he wanted to prove to himself that food did not have power over him, as it did for so many years. Rev. Al denied widespread speculation that he underwent gastric-bypass surgery, saying his transformation was “all mental.”

Rev. Al, who has been overweight all his life, lost 30 pounds in 2001 during a hunger strike in Vieques, Puerto Rico, while serving jail time for protesting the U.S. Navy bombing exercises.

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VEGWORLD HOT SHEET

LOUISVILLE CHEF WINS FOOD NETWORK’S ‘CUTTHROAT KITCHEN’

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ouisville chef Kristina Addington took home the grand prize after beating out three other chefs on the Food Network’s “Cutthroat Kitchen” program.

Louisville chef Kristina Addington, known locally as the Vegan Temptress, had what it took to survive a cutthroat competition.

Addington, who appeared on a recent episode of “Cutthroat Kitchen” on the Food Network, took home the grand prize after beating out three other chefs in a series of three cooking challenges.

During the show, contestants get $25,000 each, which they can spend to help themselves or sabotage their competitors.

For example, Addington was “sabotaged” during the final challenge because she was unable to use fresh ginger to make gingersnaps. Instead, she had to use pickled ginger that a competitor won during the bidding process.

As a vegan chef, Addington said, she started the competition on an uneven footing, but her experience transforming traditional meat dishes into vegan meals helped her take the win.

“I really had to get creative,” she said.

Rather than using lamb to make a gyro in the second challenge of “Cutthroat Kitchen,” Addington said, she used sautéed mushrooms and peppers.

Contestants don’t want to use all $25,000 during the competition. The winner gets to keep any leftover money they have. Addington won $18,500 in the end — money that she plans to put toward starting either a restaurant or food truck, she said.

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Addington said she has been looking at places in the Highlands, in NuLu and on Frankfort Avenue, hoping to find the right place for a brick-and-mortar restaurant. And she continues to consider a food truck.

Either way, she said, she hopes to have something going in the next two months.

The restaurant, whether mobile or stationary, will serve Southern-style vegan foods. “My passion is southern Kentucky classics, down-home, stick-toyour-ribs food” that people fondly remember eating growing up, said Addington, a native of Shelbyville, Ky. Of course, all the meat and animal byproducts will be substituted for healthier options, she added.

“We can still enjoy those sentimental meals without all that fat and cholesterol,” Addington said. “I just want to encourage people to consider a plant-based lifestyle. It adds years onto your life.”

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VEGWORLD HOT SHEET

V8 MIGHT NOT REALLY BE VEGAN, BUT MAY CONTAIN ANIMAL PRODUCTS:

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ‘NATURAL FLAVORING’

A

t this point it’s just a rumor, but one food blogger has pointed out that Campbell’s vegetable juice, V8, may not be comprised solely of vegetable matter as many might assume.

There’s a risk that it contains animal products.

Food Babe is the blog of Vani Hari, and in one of her most recent posts she declares that “there might be dead animal parts in your V8!”

On Campbell’s Food Service website, V8 Vegetable Juice is described as being a “uniquely satisfying blend of eight vegetable juices” that is “vitamin-rich and helps your patrons get 2 servings of vegetables in every nutritious 8-ounce serving for a balanced lifestyle.” Though it’s listed as gluten free, there are no other descriptions on the site or label that hint towards V8 containing animal products. Food Babe points out that V8’s label lists “100% Vegetable Juice” in big letters across the front of the bottle, but when you read the ingredients, you’ll find that along with water and tomato concentrate, as well as carrot, celery, beet, parsley, lettuce, watercress, and

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VEGWORLD HOT SHEET spinach juice — V8 is made with “Flavoring,” which may include animal products.

And it turns out that Campbell’s has admitted to that — after being asked about it on Twitter. “Yes, they may include meat/seafood/poultry/dairy when the function in the food is flavoring rather than nutrition,” Campbell tweeted, according to a screenshot on Food Babe’s site. In response to one Twitter user, Campbell’s tweeted: “[V8]’s not [vegan]. We don’t offer any vegan products. Sorry to disappoint. –RW.” Strangely enough, however, when Medical Daily checked the Twitter accounts of both Campbell’s Cares and the Twitter users who were questioning V8, there was no trace of the conversation — possibly to avoid controversy.

So What’s The Big Deal?

Whether or not V8 is truly vegan or not, it’s important to be aware of the label “Natural Flavorings” on your food products. Since companies are not required to list the source of these flavorings, they can refer to anything that’s made in nature — from plants to any variety of meat. According to the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, natural flavor or flavoring is “the essential oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate, or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark bud, root, leaf or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is flavoring rather than nutritional.”

As opposed to artificial flavoring, natural just means that, before it went through chemical processes, the origin of the flavoring was found in nature as opposed to being synthetic. It’s very possible that companies might list “natural flavorings” as a way to hide animal products from consumers.

“I’ve seen ‘natural flavorings’ listed on everything from Monster Energy to Quaker Oat Bran Cereal to Earth Balance butter spread and everything in between,” one vegan food blogger writes on Happy Cow Veggie Blog. “I say this because you could honestly make yourself nuts over what’s lurking around in your packaged food and drink. Rather than getting overly obsessed about it, avoid purchasing a lot of pre-packaged, processed foods and for the ones you really love, call the company.” Before jumping to conclusions on V8, however, if you’re a vegan, you might want to come up with your own recipes for vegetable juice if you haven’t already. Food Babe provides one on her post for those of you who are feeling experimental.

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VEGAN 101

ASK THE EXPERT HOW SKIPPING A BITE IN THE MORNING

WILL BITE YOU ALL DAY

by Dr. Janice Stanger

Q

uestion: “Mornings are always so rushed for my family. It’s easier for us to get out of the house on time if we don’t eat. How important is breakfast?”

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VEGAN 101

A

nswer: Skipping breakfast is tempting for time management, especially if you’re still sleepy, worried about arriving at a meeting on time, or getting children dressed and out the door with homework in tow. Yet years of research with both adults and children in the U.S., Europe, and Australia show that eating breakfast is important for health and energy levels. When you look at your productivity across the whole day, eating soon after getting up is a worthwhile investment of effort.

WHAT DOES THE EVIDENCE SHOW? Hungry children do not perform as well in school as their classmates who have breakfast. Eating before school starts leads to improved academic results, better classroom behavior, and a lower tendency to be sick later in the day. Based on this research, the Federal government has established the subsidized School Breakfast Program to help assure that students start the day with food, regardless of their family circumstances.

Skipping breakfast is associated with a greater risk of being overweight or obese in both children and adults. People who skip breakfast are more likely to crave higher-calorie foods later in the day. Those who eat breakfast tend to burn more calories and be more physically active before lunch.

Studies have found other health risks of not eating breakfast include: • Increased cardiac risk factors, such as hypertension and high cholesterol • Greater likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes Why is eating breakfast so important? Researchers don’t have a definitive answer, but the basics of

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The research is in: Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. Use it wisely and make it healthy. Your brain and body will thank you.

human biology suggest a possible solution to this puzzle. Under ordinary circumstances, glucose (a type of sugar) is the only energy source your brain uses. If you are fasting or not eating enough carbohydrates, the brain develops a limited ability to use ketones (acids made when you use fat for energy). However, your brain always runs most effectively on and always requires some glucose.

Red blood cells, which carry oxygen to every cell in the body, are powered exclusively by glucose and have no ability to burn any other fuel.

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VEGAN 101

The easiest way to ensure you don’t skip breakfast is to prepare the night before. Know what you want and have all of the ingredients ready. Some breakfasts, like “refrigerator oatmeal,” can be made the night before.

When you have not eaten in several hours, the glucose from your last meal will be used up, yet you cannot live without this essential energy source. What’s your body to do?

people who eat breakfast have more energy and perform better all morning.

Here’s the solution. You make glucose from other substances. Your body’s ability to make glucose from fat is extremely limited. Instead, you mostly break down protein, first from skeletal muscle, to make glucose for survival. This process is called gluconeogenesis. Your body is cannibalizing its own muscle to make essential glucose. When you eat a food that contains sugars or complex carbohydrates, gluconeogenesis stops and your muscles can start rebuilding.

The easiest way to make breakfast convenient is to plan the night before. This involves two steps.

Given that glucose fuels both the brain and the red blood cells that carry oxygen, it’s no surprise that

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BREAKFAST TIPS

First, get yourself and your family to bed at an hour when you can get sufficient sleep and wake up with time for all morning activities - including breakfast. Most adults need seven to eight hours sleep a night. Ask your child’s pediatrician how much sleep would be best for him or her. Getting to bed earlier than you may be used to is not an easy lifestyle change, but with commitment and support it can be done.

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VEGAN 101 Second, think about what you are going to have for breakfast the night before, and get everything ready to the extent you can so that it takes less effort in the morning.

What you eat for breakfast is important. Here are some quick, healthy, plant-happy ideas.

• Whole grain cold cereal that is unsweetened or minimally sweetened. Add ground flax seed, fresh, frozen, or dried fruit, and the plant milk of your choice. (Although cereal is the most convenient and often appealing breakfast choice, some may avoid it because of fear of “carbs.” However, a multi-year study of girls between the ages of 9 and 19 found cerealbased breakfasts were associated with healthy body weight and better nutrient intake than other breakfasts.)

• Hot cereal, such as oatmeal or any other whole grain hot cereal. You might even consider “refrigerator oatmeal,” which is not cooked, but prepared the night before by combining raw oats with an almond or other plant-based milk, pure maple syrup, a smashed banana, chia seeds and fruit of your choice. Just pop the ingredients in a jar and mix, leave it in your fridge overnight, add some nut butter in the morning and enjoy.

• A ready-made fruit-and-nut bar, or as a lower cost substitute, some home-made trail mix that

can be eaten on-the-go. Make the trail mix with dried fruit, whole grain crackers, ready-to-eat cereal, or air-popped popcorn, and a few nuts.

• Whole grain or sprouted bread, toast, or muffin topped as desired with fruit preserves, hummus, or nut butter.

• Leftovers from lunch or dinner from the day before. Everything from soup to half a wrap to vegan pizza to a baked potato can be a satisfying breakfast.

• A green smoothie made with lots of fruit, some leafy greens, like kale, and some plant milk.

• Vegetables are fine with breakfast, but don’t have just vegetables for breakfast. Vegetables are not likely to be calorie-dense enough to stop the process of gluconeogenesis. Hence if all you eat for breakfast is greens, your body will still be breaking down your muscles to make glucose. A fresh pressed green juice is a great option first thing in the morning, just follow-up with a healthy snack or small meal 20 minutes or so later.

On the mornings when you have more leisure time, you can enjoy a special breakfast, such as tofu scramble or vegan whole grain pancakes or waffles. Make healthy breakfast a habit, part of the daily routine for you and your family. The dividends will pay off for decades.

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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BIG BANG VEGAN

BIG BANG VEGAN

DISHING VEGAN FAMILY FUN

WITH MAYIM BIALIK

by Vance Lehmkuhl

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BIG BANG VEGAN

A

my Farrah Fowler is a doctorate-holding neurobiologist on CBS’s “The Big Bang Theory.” Contrary to the saying “I’m not a doctor, but I play one on TV,” actress Mayim Bialik, who plays Fowler, also has a doctorate in neuroscience.

Unlike Fowler, Bialik is also a mom, and a vegan one at that, two areas she’s combined in a new cookbook, Mayim’s Vegan Table (Da Capo). Written in a warm, easygoing, earth-mother style, the book addresses readers curiosity about vegan eating - for themselves but, also, maybe, for their kids.

In a culture where stationing toddlers in front of a TV and buying them cheeseburgers at McDonald’s is considered mainstream parenting, Bialik is already out of step. On top of her advocacy of natural childbirth, public breast-feeding and homeopathy, raising her two boys as vegans may seem outright kooky.

Mayim’s Vegan Table patiently but firmly straightens that out, building the case for a crunchy-granola lifestyle that has crunchy granola but a lot more peanut-butter smoothies, Brussels sprouts chips, vegan Reubens, oven-baked parsnip fries and chocolate-chip pumpkin cookies.

There’s a lot of creative fun in the collection, as well as no-nonsense staples like potato salad, tomato soup, tacos and falafel.

“Just a Mom” For any readers still worried about the nutritional adequacy of plant-based eating at any age (attested to a decade ago by the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics), Bialik was joined by pediatric nutritionist Dr. Jay Gordon to do what she called, in an email interview, the “heavy nutrition” for the book while she concentrated on more practical aspects.

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Actress Mayim Bialik is “just a mom,” who happens to hold a doctorate in neuroscience. In her new cook book she dishes about raising kids on a vegan diet.

“I’m just a mom,” Bialik said, when I asked if her science degree helped with vitamin tracking. “I know a bit about biochemistry from my studies, and about brain development,” but mainly, “I do my best as a mom who likes to be well-informed.”

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BIG BANG VEGAN

The book’s recipes and advice are mostly drawn from firsthand parenting experiences and Bialik’s quest to keep selections as healthy as possible while allowing for fun and, occasionally, junky foods.

“My sons are finicky. They like ketchup on everything,” she said. “They do enjoy a variety of foods that many kids aren’t exposed to. I try and get them to finish one bite of food before shoving another spoonful in, but I’m afraid I may be guilty of that sometimes, too!”

She said she’s careful to avoid ultimatums centered on food. Parents may hang onto “a lot of fascinating ideas about what our kids ‘should’ eat,” but sometimes “we need to recalibrate so our kids don’t associate food with fighting and struggle.”

Her Motto is Don’t Hide it, Flaunt it Does she avoid conflicts with the “Mrs. Seinfeld” approach of hiding the healthy stuff? “I don’t sneak vegetables into things,” she said. “I try and make foods that have vegetables prepared in enticing ways.”

This may apply to such entries as Maple Mustard Greens and dilled chickpea burgers, which balance tasty fun with a nutritious punch. The book as a whole also strikes a balance: Bialik’s “Mac N Cheez” is next to Sprout and Potato Croquettes with Dipping Sauce.

Also included are favorites from Jewish celebrations - hamantaschen, matzo-ball soup, sufganiyot, rugelach and more. The point here was more to offer good-tasting, veganized versions rather than healthy them up.

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Bialik’s motto in life, and in feeding her two young kids their veggies, is: Don’t hide it, flaunt it.

A Food Philosophy Blossoms In her teens, from 1990-95, Bialik starred as the titular character on the TV show “Blossom.” That’s when she went vegetarian, “out of my love for animals.”

Once in college, she cut her dairy intake way down

“I don’t sneak veggies; I try and make foods that have vegetables prepared in enticing ways.”

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BIG BANG VEGAN

“after having a lifetime of allergies. They virtually disappeared and I have not been on antibiotics or had a sinus infection since!”

She eliminated dairy and trace egg by the birth of her second son, after seeing her diet’s effect on breast-feeding her children.

She credits Jonathan Safran Foer’s Eating Animals for inspiring the final kick.

Given her authorship of a book on the controversial practice of attachment parenting (2012’s Beyond the Sling), Bialik might seem an easy target for skeptics of nonmainstream practices. When challenged, does she go into Amy Fowler mode, busting out the science and logic of veganism, or does she try to keep things intuitive and approachable, as she does in Vegan Table?

“I have no problem being very matter of fact about ethics and using a sense of humor to shake people up in a gentle way,” she replied. “If pressed or challenged, I can pull out emotional arguments for sure, but I try to rely on logic, economics and the environment, with a touch of ethics, rather than going for the emotional guttural, as it were.”

Whether working with kids or grown-ups, Bialik has both science and compassion on her side, and her cookbook demonstrates that

Bialik’s philosophy? “I have no problem being very matter of fact about ethics and using a sense of humor to shake people up in a gentle way.”

she’s prepared, whatever the occasion, to lay it all on the table.

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

The Need for Boundaries Are Your Favorite Foods Worth Risking Your Life Over?

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LIFE LESSONS FROM A VEGGIE YOGINI

LIFE LESSONS FROM A VEGGIE YOGINI

THE NEED FOR BOUNDARIES

by Ally Hamilton

“What you allow is what will continue.” ~Unknown

D

epending on your personality, and many other factors including the way you grew up, your level of self-esteem, and your ability to speak out about how you feel, creating boundaries with people may be a great challenge for you. I really get that, because I struggled around this issue for years.

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What makes it difficult to speak up when you want to? Maybe you’re worried about disappointing other people, or not being able to show up the way they want you to show up. Maybe you grew up and felt you had no impact on the people or the world around you, so it never occurred to you to value or investigate what you felt or what you

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LIFE LESSONS FROM A VEGGIE YOGINI wanted. Maybe you’ve decided that your worth as a person, a friend, and a partner is based upon how much you’re able to do for the people in your life. And maybe, you don’t know how you feel, so when you come up against a strong-willed person, you let them take the lead.

The thing is, your job while you’re here is to shine.

I really believe that. You have something precious and unique to offer that only you can. And I don’t think you’ll be able to do that without some belief in yourself and your own value. So I’d look at that first, if you find it difficult to act on your own behalf.

If you don’t feel good about yourself, why is that, and when did that begin? Upon what evidence did you come to the conclusion that you don’t measure up, or have anything enormously special to offer? When we don’t stand up for ourselves, it’s often because we’ve grown up feeling powerless.

We’ve internalized that, and sewn it into the fabric of our being. When confronted, we collapse in on ourselves. We cope, when we should fight back.

But if you’re grown up, you’re not powerless anymore. Sometimes we really have to unlearn ideas or ways of being that are not based in our current reality, and are also blocking our ability to both give and receive love to our maximum capability (which is huge).

a bit much, when the woman called her over, and the waxing woman started talking to me. When I turned back to my daughter, she had pink nail polish on every nail, and was looking down at her hands, and up uncertainly at the woman painting them. And then she looked at me. I knew she was disappointed about the lack of a rainbow. Before I could step in and explain to the woman what it was my daughter had wanted, this grandmotherly woman at the table next to her, also getting her nails done, leaned over and said, loudly but nicely, “She wanted a rainbow. She wanted a different color on every nail.” My daughter beamed at her, and the woman said, “Always ask for what you want, dear. You might not get it, but you definitely won’t if you don’t ask!” And the woman who was painting her nails promptly and happily gave her her rainbow.

If You Want a Rainbow; Ask for a Rainbow A few weeks ago, I took my daughter with me when I went to get my eyebrows waxed. This place is nice, and they have organic cruelty-free nail polish, and they’ll paint your kid’s nails while they wax your eyebrows and whatever other parts you might want waxed. So there we were. My daughter went to pick out a color, but she’s five. So she picked four colors. She wanted a rainbow. They don’t charge to paint your kid’s nails. You tip, of course, but they don’t charge for it. So I was debating whether to tell her that that might be asking for

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THE TRUTH ABOUT SINISTER LIFE LESSONS SODA / FROM Carolyn A VEGGIE Scott-Hamilton YOGINI Communicating how you feel, what you need, and what you’d like is a gift you can give to the people who are close to you. It’s so refreshing when people are just honest about where they’re at, and what’s happening within them. As my friend at the nail place said, you might not get everything you want, but it never hurts to clearly state what that is.

It takes the mystery out of the thing. No one can read your mind. And sometimes we project and assume so much. We think other people must think and feel the way we do, so certain things should be obvious. But you know what? I would take nothing for granted. What’s obvious to you might not even occur to someone else.

Protect Your “Little Spark of Madness” So there’s clear communication, and then, sometimes, there’s the need for boundaries. Maybe you have someone in your life who hurts you, intentionally or otherwise. And sometimes, even

when it is a family member, your only healthy option is to step away. But there are certain situations where that isn’t possible or desirable, and that’s when boundaries come in. You may not get everything you want in life, but you deserve respect.

Ideally, you shouldn’t have to fight for it. But that’s not always how it goes, and sometimes we have a long history with someone, and there are ingrained patterns and dynamics. When we seek to shift that stuff, there’s always resistance. Most people struggle with change. And if you’ve been playing a certain role for a long time, don’t expect to be able to calmly give your two weeks’ notice. People in your life have probably gotten used to you being the way you’ve been. That’s understandable. But that doesn’t mean it can’t change. It doesn’t mean you can’t change. You may lose some relationships if you’re making big shifts in your life. Those close to you may feel threatened, they may feel like they’re losing you. Or they may get angry and say they liked the “old you” better. Of course, the old you didn’t confront them.

Communicating how you feel is a gift for yourself and the people who are close to you.

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LIFE LESSONS FROM A VEGGIE YOGINI Anyway, my point is, there are times in life when you have to stand up for yourself and say, “Enough.” That’s part of the responsibility you bear; you have to be able to protect your, “little spark of madness” as Robin Williams called it. You can’t let people trample on that. If this is new for you, it will take time, like anything else. The first several times you speak up when you’re not happy with the way you’re being treated, it might come out with more force or aggression than you intend. Of course,

you’ve been bottling up your voice for so long, it’s not surprising it might explode. But if you stay with it, and explain to the people in your life that you are in pain and are trying to change some essential things about the way you move through the world, the people who are meant to travel with you will support your efforts. And over time, you’ll be able to speak out with confidence, clarity and compassion about what’s real for you. It’s worth the effort.

You deserve a rainbow if that’s what you want.

Check out Ally’s pose of the month, Down Dog!

About the Author Ally Hamilton is a Santa Monica-based yoga teacher and writer who streams yoga classes all over the world. She’s the co-creator of YogisAnonymous.com, which has been featured in The New York Times, Yoga Journal, Self Magazine, Shape Magazine and The Wall Street Journal. She’s a regular contributor for The Huffington Post, a wellness expert at MindBodyGreen, and writes an almost-daily blog at http://blog.yogisanonymous.com. She’s the mama of two amazing kids and one energetic Labradoodle. She believes everyone can benefit from some regular time on a yoga mat.

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ARE YOUR FAVORITE FOODS WORTH RISKING YOUR LIFE OVER?

ARE YOUR FAVORITE FOODS

WORTH RISKING YOUR LIFE OVER?

by Carolyn Scott-Hamilton

W

ell, are they? Somewhere in your heart of hearts, you must know that your favorite junk foods aren’t even food at all and that certainly can’t be good for you. Sure, in this day and age we are surrounded by convenience foods at lower prices than healthy ones, attend events and parties filled with junk foods, etc.

It’s also easy to think that, just because you are vegan or vegetarian, you automatically eat healthy.

But there is a clear difference between a fresh strawberry and French fries.

Thankfully, it’s not as tough as you think to kick the habit. And ditching the harmful stuff and eating as you are meant to just might save your life.

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Your Body is a Maserati; Treat it that Way Think of your body as a car. It needs fuel to keep going along with all of the proper fluids kept up for all its parts to work harmoniously. We’ve all seen that decades-old, mint-condition car that some man or woman only drove to work and back. That car will run for decades more because of the care that cautious owner put into it. After all, it was an investment they made into something that helped them all of those years. Your body is no different.

We are each born with a mint-condition body that will last you for decades and give you no trouble if Issue 23 - September/October 2014 |

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ARE YOUR FAVORITE FOODS WORTH RISKING YOUR LIFE OVER?

Carbohydrate-rich foods like potatoes break down when fried and produce carcinogenic compounds that can result in tumors, infertility, and DNA and nerve damage.

you take care of it. Good fuel and proper fluids are needed, just like an automobile. When you don’t gas up often, the car/your body will shut down.

When you don’t keep up with your oil changes or fluid replacements, parts in the car/your body stop functioning properly. When you put junky fuel and allow that gunk as well as the elements to cake up within your engine block, again, the car/your body falls ill.

Hundreds of years ago, the human race ate only what was grown or farmed. Nowadays, modern civilization’s consumption of natural products is at an all time low while “food” made in labs and factories is at an all time high. We are consuming 75% chemicals, preservatives and additives and 25% real food. And for some, the real food intake is even less.

Fast Food Isn’t Really “Food” Any food made that quickly can’t be good. Haste makes waste, right? Yes! Most of the ingredients used to make your value meal are pre-made, frozen garbage that is reheated by being zapped.

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Voila, lunch! The amount of preservatives and additives in these insta-ingredients could get that so-called “food” through a nuclear holocaust. And, I hate to tell you, food is not supposed to last forever. If it can last forever on a shelf, imagine how long it lasts in your system!

Sodium and grease are the most prevalent in fast food meals. Both are the main culprits in causing high blood pressure, heart disease, cholesterol and a whole host of unpleasantness. The more obvious red flags, however, is the insane amount of calories found in fast food meals as well as the lack of any nutritional value. I mean, you can’t really count french fries as a vegetable! Even in “moderation” fast food should be the first thing you nix.

Fried Foods Can Cause Cancer We all know about the large amounts of grease found in fried foods. But the best kept and most frightening secret is that fried foods are highly carcinogenic.

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ARE YOUR FAVORITE FOODS WORTH RISKING YOUR LIFE OVER? Carbohydrate-rich foods such as potatoes, cassava, yams, bananas, rice, and certain bread will decompose if it is fried, then react with amino acids to produce carcinogenic compounds called Acrylamide. Acrylamide is linked to tumors, DNA damage, nerve damage, interferes with fertility rates, and can result in miscarriage.

In addition, cooking oils become rancid over time.

Heat, light, exposure to air, and other factors can speed this process. Moreover, at high heat levels, such as the temperatures used to fry foods, these cooking oils become incredibly harmful. Many fast food joints, and some restaurants, re-use their oil over and over causing the oil to be exposed to these high temperatures numerous times, making them more dangerous with every batch Of course, deep frying meats and cheeses is even worse. But, again, being a vegan who eats potato chips and fake wings isn’t doing your health any favors. If you “must” fry at home, use a high-tolerance cooking oil such as coconut or safflower and mind the temperature well. But ditching the frying pans altogether is your best bet.

A Microwaved Food is a Mutated Food I know that there is quite a controversy when it comes to microwaves. But I’m here to tell you, anything that heats your food that fast and is otherwise cool to the touch, can’t be good for you. It’s a fact

A LITTLE DITTY ON MICROWAVEABLE POPCORN: Most popular brands contain the flavoring agent, chemical diacetyl, which triggers a severe lung disorder called popcorn lung. The popcorn bags are also made of paper that is coated with a chemical to keep the bag intact when heated; this breaks down to a substance linked to cancer called perfluorooctanoic (PFOA). Needless to say, pop your corn on the stove, or buy it pre-popped. Also, make sure it’s organic, since most corn is genetically modified.

that as a microwave heats your quick lunch, it also transforms the chemical makeup of your foods on a cellular level. Ever notice that many things are less crispy and more rubbery when nuked? That’s because those little waves have mutated your food, stealing all of its nutrients in the process.

Studies have shown that after eating microwaved food, hemoglobin levels decrease. White blood cells also showed a short-term decrease following the intake of microwaved food. The violent change that microwaving causes to the food molecules creates new life forms called radiolytic compounds – mutations that are unknown in the natural world.

Ordinary cooking also causes the formation of some radiolytic compounds (which is no doubt one reason why it is better to eat plenty of raw food), but microwave cooking causes a much greater number. This in turn causes deterioration in your blood and immune system.

You’re much better off buying a convection oven, steamer and/or toaster oven. If you’re short on time, make a peanut butter & jelly sandwich, grab a fruit and stop nuking your food!

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ARE YOUR FAVORITE FOODS WORTH RISKING YOUR LIFE OVER?

Processed Products are Loaded with Sodium and Trans Fats Most processed foods are laden with sweeteners, salts, artificial flavors, factory-created fats, colorings, chemicals that alter texture, and preservatives.

But the trouble is not just what’s been added, but what’s been taken away. Processed foods are often stripped of nutrients designed by nature to protect your heart, such as soluble fiber, antioxidants, and “good” fats. Combine that with additives, and you have a recipe for disaster. Some common ingredients you will find in packaged foods are trans fats, refined grains, salt and high fructose corn syrup.

Trans fats are worse for your heart than saturated fats because they boost your levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol and decrease “good” HDL cholesterol.

That means big trouble for your arteries and heart.

Three-quarters of the sodium in our diets isn’t from the saltshaker. It’s hidden in processed foods! Sodium is necessary for life. But what happens when you eat more salt than your body needs? Your body retains fluid simply to dilute the extra sodium in your bloodstream.This raises blood volume, forcing your heart to work harder; at the same time, it makes veins and arteries constrict. The combination raises blood pressure and increases your chances for a heart attack.

A Spoonful of Sugar Helps Cholesterol and Heart Disease Go Up The biggie? High Fructose Corn Syrup! Because it costs less to make, it’s sweeter to the taste, and it mixes more easily with other ingredients. Today,

Grilling - and worse, burning - your food causes it to become carcinogenic. It also robs food of vital nutrients.

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ARE YOUR FAVORITE FOODS WORTH RISKING YOUR LIFE OVER?

Refined white breads, rice and pasta are nutritionally deficient and lacking in fiber. A diet of refined foods leaves many people malnourished, constipated, enervated and vulnerable to chronic illness.

we consume nearly 63 pounds of it per person per year in drinks and sweets, as well as in other products. Research is beginning to suggest that this liquid sweetener may upset the human metabolism, raising the risk for heart disease and diabetes.

Researchers say that high-fructose corn syrup’s chemical structure encourages overeating. It also seems to force the liver to pump more heartthreatening triglycerides into the bloodstream. In addition, fructose may zap your body’s reserves of chromium, a mineral important for healthy levels of cholesterol, insulin, and blood sugar.

Burnt and/or grilled Foods are Highly Carcinogenic

I detailed the dangers of other sugars in the last issue of VegWorld Magazine. See “Sinister Soda” for more information.

Grilled foods also contain a higher amount of carcinogens, due to the overcooking involved. Grilling also destroys vital nutrients in your food.

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Burnt foods are bad all around. The amino acids in the proteins can change chemically into pre-carcinogenic forms. Similar things can happen to coffee from the process of roasting the beans. The burnt parts are highly carcinogenic – as bad as the skin on fried foods. The molecules and chemical makeup of that food item has been mutated in such a way that when it is processed by our bodies, it can have detrimental effects.

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ARE YOUR FAVORITE FOODS WORTH RISKING YOUR LIFE OVER?

White Flour, Pasta & Rice – What they Don’t Have can Hurt You Highly processed white flour (alias “enriched wheat flour” or “wheat flour”) is missing the two most nutritious and fiber-rich parts of the seed: the outside bran layer and the germ. A diet of refined foods leaves many people malnourished, constipated, enervated and vulnerable to chronic illness.

The more refined foods a person eats, the more insulin must be produced to manage it. Insulin promotes the storage of fat, making way for rapid weight gain and elevated triglyceride levels, which can lead to heart disease. Over time, the pancreas gets so overworked that insulin production grinds to a halt, and hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) or diabetes sets in. Either way, the body is getting little or no fuel from the food you eat and tries to convert muscle and fat into energy.

Refined/bleached flour and wheat products are also the fuel of infection and high blood sugar levels; consumption of these products decreases your immune reservoir and response. Choosing refined grains such as white bread, rolls, sugary low-fiber cereal, white rice, or white pasta over whole grains can boost your heart attack risk by up to 30 percent.

Finally, even the unnatural white color of these foods causes harm. When you are eating white

bread, you are also eating residual chemical bleach including some or all of the following: chlorine, chloride, nitrosyl and benzoyl peroxide mixed with various chemical salts. Yuck!

Moral of the story I know, I know: Junk food is fun and a major part of our culture. It’s cheap, it’s pervasive and we’ve grown to be emotionally attached to it. But we can change that. We have to because otherwise, we may not be around much longer to enjoy any other relationships.

Knowing the facts and weighing the pros and cons and you’ll be surprised how little food will matter in the long run.

Switching to a healthier diet is no longer social suicide. I’ve been proving that for over 11 years now.

And not only is it not a stigma, it’s the new gourmet. So much so, that folks won’t miss their junk because their bodies will become accustomed to what “real food” is supposed to taste like again. The natural flavors in whole foods are beyond delicious, and getting creative in the kitchen will awaken the senses much more than that of a microwave pizza.

Take back the reigns of your life and give your self the chance to live a long and healthy one by saying no to “fake”and poorly prepared food!

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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NUTRITION & THRIVING

Nutrition is Actually the Sweetest Thing

Anti-Breast Cancer: The “3-Strikes” Carcinogen to Avoid

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NUTRITION IS ACTUALLY THE SWEETEST THING / Dr. Neal Barnard

NUTRITION IS ACTUALLY

THE SWEETEST THING

by Dr. Neal Barnard

A

recent report from the Environmental Working Group highlights the top sugarladen cereals. Honey Smacks dominated the list with 15 grams of sugar per serving. While it’s fashionable these days to attack sugary cereals, sugar is hardly the most dangerous thing in your breakfast bowl. That dubious distinction goes to the milk.

For starters, milk itself is high in sugar. While the top five cereals on EWG’s list all had between 14

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and 15 grams of sugar per serving, milk was nearly as high with 12 grams of sugar in a cup of skim milk. One cup of chocolate milk has almost 24 grams of sugar.

What is considerably more worrisome is the fact that milk is linked with cancer—particularly prostate cancer. In international comparisons and in several prospective studies, men consuming the most milk had a substantially higher risk of prostate cancer, apparently due to milk’s effects on male hormones.

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NUTRITION IS ACTUALLY THE SWEETEST THING / Dr. Neal Barnard You don’t need milk. Studies show that milk does not actually help build strong bones, and the protein in milk can easily be obtained from other sources. One cup of oatmeal has 5.5 grams of protein — as well as 4 grams of fiber. Quinoa also makes an excellent breakfast, and one cup of quinoa contains 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber. Making a few servings of quinoa or a pot of oatmeal, and then sticking them in the refrigerator, makes them as easy as cold cereal on a frenzied morning.

And you can sweeten them both with fruit and a little bit of agave if you’re so inclined. Ditch the milk, and we’ll all be better off in the long run.

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 21-Day 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 nutritionrelated studies.

Tap here to visit the PCRM website. It includes a wide range of evidence-based nutritional information supporting a plant-based diet.

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ANTI-BREAST CANCER / Kathy Freston

ANTI-BREAST CANCER:

THE ‘THREE STRIKES’

CARCINOGEN TO AVOID

by Kathy Freston

Y

ou may have heard a lot recently about how a chemical that is formed from cooking meat is carcinogenic (cancer-causing), but recent studies show that the scope of what’s bad for you in terms of meat is actually expanding.

We’ve known since 1939 that there were “cancerproducing substances” in roasted meat. Scientists have since identified the compounds as heterocyclic amines. I know... what the? Well, they’re described by the National Cancer Institute as “chemicals formed when muscle meat, including beef, pork, fish, and poultry, is cooked using hightemperature methods, such as pan frying or grilling...” Historically, studies on rodents downplayed the risk, suggesting 99 percent of these chemicals VegWorld Magazine

can be removed by the liver, but it turns out we’re not rats! Humans are 50 times less able to detoxify these carcinogens, which may explain why studies done on Long Island and around the world have shown that women eating more broiled, grilled, fried, barbecued, and smoked meats appear to have up to 400 percent higher risk of developing breast cancer. (I think of all the chicken I broiled or grilled through the years so as not to get too much fat on my plate!)

Three Times a Charm...

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ANTI-BREAST CANCER / Kathy Freston diet, through a multistep disease process progressing from non-cancerous to premalignant and malignant stages. Most cancer-causing agents are involved in either the initiation stage of cancer, triggering the initial DNA mutation (like radiation), or the promotion stage of cancer, promoting the growth of the tumor (certain hormones like IGF-1).

But heterocyclic amines like one called PhIP found in cooked meat have been called “three strikes” carcinogens because they cause DNA mutations (strike one), and they promote cancer growth (strike two), and they also increase its metastatic potential by increasing cancer invasiveness (strike three).

By asking women undergoing breast reduction surgery (one way to look at breast tissue from a wide variety of women) about their meat cooking methods, researchers were able to directly correlate the number of DNA mutations found in breast tissue with the estimated dietary intake of cooked meat carcinogens.

The DNA-damaging effects of these carcinogens have been known for over a decade. What surprised scientists and doctors was that not only may these meat chemicals trigger the original cancercausing mutation, they may also then promote and spread the growth of the tumor, as PhIP was subsequently found to activate estrogen receptors on human breast cancer cells almost as powerfully as pure estrogen! Even at very low doses, the cooked meat chemical PhIP appears to drive the growth and spread of breast cancer, strikes two and three.

Putting it all together, researchers recently demonstrated for the first time that normal breast cells could be transformed completely into breast cancer just by dripping PhIP (at the levels found in cooked meats) on normal human breast cells.

That’s all it took, and Jekyll becomes Hyde.

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The same carcinogens found in cigarette smoke and car exhaust are created in abundance by merely baking a piece of chicken.

It’s The Stuff of Cigarettes PhIP is also found in cigarette smoke, diesel fumes, and incinerator ash, but the highest levels in food are found in fried bacon, fish, and chicken. Even just baking chicken at around 350 degrees for 15 minutes leads to significant production of PhIP. If you are like me and thought that it was just those blackened bits of meat from the grill that were the problem, this might come as a rude awakening.

Granted, these were breast cells in a petri dish.

How do we know these carcinogens make it not only into the breast after you eat cooked meat, but into the breast ducts, where most breast cancers arise -- so-called ductal carcinoma? Researchers

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ANTI-BREAST CANCER / Kathy Freston didn’t know for sure, until a study out of Canada measured the levels of PhIP in the breast milk formed in those ducts of nonsmoking women.

The average concentration of the “three strikes carcinogen” they found in the breast milk of meat-eating women corresponded to significant cancer growth activation. One of the women was vegetarian, though, and interestingly none was detected in her breast milk. None.

Turns out it’s not so difficult to avoid this carcinogen. Just move away from the Standard American Diet of meat/chicken/fish as the centerpiece of your meal and lean toward whole grains, beans and legumes, nuts, fruits, and veggies.

It’s not so difficult to avoid the carcinogens in cooked meat, just lean towards a plant-strong diet.

About the Author

Kathy Freston is a bestselling author and health and wellness activist. She is the New York Times bestselling author of “The Lean,” “Veganist,” and “Quantum Wellness.” A media favorite, Kathy has appeared frequently on national television, including Ellen, The Dr.Oz Show, Charlie Rose, Good Morning America, The Talk, The Martha Stewart Show, Extra and Oprah.

Tap here to learn more about Kathy Freston.

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FEATURE 7 Secrets to Get Kids to (Really) Love Their Veggies

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7 SECRETS TO GET KIDS TO (REALLY) LOVE THEIR VEGGIES

7 SECRETS TO GET KIDS TO (REALLY)

LOVE THEIR VEGGIES Kids aren’t born eating McDonald’s or other junk foods. They learn to like them. So, why then can’t they learn to love the good stuff?

Turns out they can.

Here’s how.

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W

hen researchers offered kids broccoli or a chocolate bar, which do you think they picked? Well, not surprisingly, four out of five picked the chocolate (though how proud are the parents of the one in five kids that chose the broccoli?!).

Studies show, however, that the same creative methods the big bad junk food companies use to woo our kids to the dark side can work for fruits and veggies too. Imagine that! So, what are these gem ideas?

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7 SECRETS TO GET KIDS TO (REALLY) LOVE THEIR VEGGIES

To compete with junk, make healthy foods just as attractive. Studies show that kids responded to veggies just the same as chocolate when celebrities like Elmo sold them on the package.

1

Put a Face on it

What do you think would happen if we put an Elmo sticker on broccoli and offered kids that next to a plain old boring looking chocolate bar? The same recent study mentioned above showed that when an Elmo sticker was placed on the broccoli, the choices were actually split evenly! Fifty percent of children chose the broccoli over the chocolate (and, no, the world didn’t end).

This same idea works in schools, too. Add a picture of SpongeBob saying, “Got beans?” and 37% more boys and 17% more girls chose green beans. One little sign and kids were eating significantly more vegetables. That’s all it took.

How you present your veggies matters too.

Just throw them on a plate and kids say no.

Cut them into stars, and now we’re talking...

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2

Make it Attractive to Little People

Is there a way to make veggies look more desirable to kids without the help of a popular sea sponge? Is there a way to cut up vegetables to maximize consumption?

The results of the study were strikingly clear. Turns

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7 SECRETS TO GET KIDS TO (REALLY) LOVE THEIR VEGGIES out “Shape was very influential; children clearly preferred having their vegetables cut.” Stars were liked the most. So, go get out your cookie cutters and try turning those iron-dense beets into the stars of your dinner plate.

3

Give it a Delicious Friend

If your kids still are not biting, you can apply the same trick I use to get our dog to eat stuff she doesn’t like: dip it in peanut butter. “Pairing vegetables with peanut butter may successfully increase intake, even in vegetable-resistant children.” Offering a salad dressing dip may help, too.

Then there’s always the hidden vegetables strategy. In one study, “broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, squash, and zucchini were covertly added to familiar entrees so that the appearance, flavor, and texture of the original recipes were maintained,” like pureeing vegetables into a pasta sauce, and families weren’t any wiser.

Covertly incorporating vegetables into foods can “have a beneficial effect on children’s vegetable intake, but it should not be the only way that vegetables are served to children.” Since the appetite for an initially unappetizing vegetable can be increased through repeated exposure, it is important to use several strategies to ensure that children experience different forms of vegetables, especially whole vegetables, because they’re not always going to be at home.

4

Get the Video Game (Yes, That’s What I Said)

Worse comes to worst, public health advocates can make a video game. There’s a public/private partnership, “The Quest to Lava Mountain,” where you can apparently harvest kale and gain “knowledge about the health benefits of eating healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain foods” as well as the detrimental effects of eating junk.

Where were the kale video games when I was growing up?

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Veggies have finally made it into the 21st century. When your kids can harvest kale on a video game, chances are they will try it.

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7 SECRETS TO GET KIDS TO (REALLY) LOVE THEIR VEGGIES

5

Eat the Change You Wish to See in Your Children

What may be the best way, though, to get kids to eat more fruits and vegetables? One study looked at all sorts of parenting styles — should we pressure them or should we lay off? What was the most important factor? The most important predictor of children’s fruit consumption was … (drumroll) … the parent‘s consumption. That was pretty much the case with vegetables, too.

If we want our kids to eat healthy, we have to model healthy behavior. There’s simply no way around it.

The researchers concluded that in order to try to increase children’s fruit and vegetable consumption, parents should be guided to improve their own diets first.

6

Give it a Cool Name

Another study I highlight in the video below looked at the impact schools had in getting kids to eat more veggies at lunch by simply giving the veggie a cool name. The impact? The consumption of carrots actually doubled simply by calling them “x-ray vision carrots.” Similar impacts were seen by names such as “silly Billy green beans” and “power punch broccoli.”

The best finding of this study is that these cool names didn’t wear out. The impact was long-term and consumption of these veggies continued to stay high for months afterwards.

Kids ate more than twice the number of carrots for lunch at school when they were called “x-ray carrots”.

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7 SECRETS TO GET KIDS TO (REALLY) LOVE THEIR VEGGIES

7

Just Make it Available

Getting your kids to eat their fruits and veggies can be as simple as making them as available as the junk. Another study I highlight in the video below showed that, when kids were presented with fruit as well as cake and other junk, on average the kids chose on their own to eat a full serving of fruit.

Try these tips today and see the difference you can make in your children’s choices. And, hey, it might even work on those stubborn adult friends and partners of yours too.

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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

RECIPES

FOR FOODIES KIDS LOVE TOO! Ho, Ho, Ho Green Giant Bugs Bunny Surprise Crispy Kale Cinnamon Sugar Popcorn Yellow Tofu Grandma’s Apple Crisp Mango Surprise Soba Party

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HO, HO, HO….GREEN GIANT

FOR KIDS

We love making juices for our kids. When you create these delicious homemade juices without the chemicals, sugar, highfructose corn syrup and huge expense of storebought drinks, you’ll love doing something this healthful and nourishing for your children too. Here are two of our favorite kidapproved juices:

HO, HO, HO….

GREEN GIANT YIELD: 15-20 OUNCES

Organic Ingredients:

Procedure:

• 2 medium pears

1. Core the pears and apples, slice the Chard into 1” pieces

• 2 medium Fuji or Red Delicious Apples • 2 leaves of Rainbow Swiss Chard

2. Push pears and apples through juicer, alternating with pieces of Chard 3. Stir, Pour and Serve

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BUGS BUNNY SURPRISE

BUGS BUNNY SURPRISE YIELD: 15-20 OUNCES

Organic Ingredients:

Procedure:

• 3 large organic heirloom carrots

1. Trim the carrots. Core the apples Slice carrots into 2” pieces

• 2 medium Fuji or Red Delicious Apples

2. Push carrots and apples through juicer 3. Stir, Pour and Serve

About the Author

Steve is the author of “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Juice Fasting.” He is CEO of Juice Guru, a program dedicated to spreading the message about juicing for healthy living. He is the host of “Juice Guru Radio” which airs on i heart radio. In addition, Steve is the founder and publisher of the #1 health-related magazine in Apple’s Newsstand on juicing and veggie living, “VegWorld Magazine.” Find out more about Juice Guru by tapping here.

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CRISPY KALE

CRISPY KALE Recipe courtesy of The 30 Minute Vegan

SERVES 4 TO 6

by Mark Reinfeld

Organic Ingredients: • 1 large bunch of curly leaf kale • 2 tablespoons olive oil • 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast • ½ teaspoon sea salt

Procedure: 1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Use your hands to rip small pieces of the leaves off the stem of the kale.

Arrange them on a baking sheet in a single layer, using two baking sheets if necessary. When the oven is ready, bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until your desired crispiness is achieved.

2. Remove from the oven and transfer the kale to a large mixing bowl.

3. Drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with the nutritional yeast and sea salt, and toss gently with your hands until the kale is covered.

4. Serve immediately, or store in an airtight container at room temperature. Please do not refrigerate.

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KISS ME AT THE MOVIES CINNAMON SUGAR POPCORN

KISS ME AT THE MOVIES

CINNAMON SUGAR POPCORN Recipe courtesy of The 30 Minute Vegan

Organic Ingredients: • ½ cup popcorn kernels

SERVES 2 TO 4

by Mark Reinfeld

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil • 1 tablespoon Sucanat, turbinado sugar, or organic sugar • ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon • pinch of sea salt

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KISS ME AT THE MOVIES CINNAMON SUGAR POPCORN

Procedure: 1. Pop the corn in an air popper 2. Transfer the popcorn to a clean brown paper bag 3. Drizzle the coconut oil as evenly as possible over the top while shaking it up a little bit. Then add the Sucanat, cinnamon and salt.

4. Close the top of the bag and shake vigorously. Pour into a bowl and enjoy.

About the Chef

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”.

Mark 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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YELLOW TOFU

YELLOW

TOFU Organic Ingredients:

• 1 cup crumbled* tofu, firm or soft (about ½ lb.)

• 4 teaspoons oil (coconut, olive, non-virgin olive, or sunflower)

Here is a dish that I enjoy and make frequently for my daughter who regularly requests it (and who came up with the name). It’s very easy to make and full of antioxidants and Bvitamins from the turmeric and nutritional yeast. And, yes, very yellow.

SERVES 2 - 3

by Tess Challis

• 1 teaspoon EACH: dried granulated onion, dried granulated garlic, dried dill, and • tamari (or shoyu or soy sauce)

• ½ teaspoon dried turmeric

• 1½ tablespoons nutritional yeast powder

• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

• Freshly ground pepper to taste

Procedure: 1. *Crumble the tofu over the sink, squeezing out the excess water with your hands. You should have one cup of crumbled tofu. Set it aside.

2. In a medium-large skillet set to medium heat, add the oil and turmeric and stir.

3. Add the other seasonings (salt, granulated onion and garlic, dill, tamari, nutritional yeast, and pepper) and stir well to combine with a heat proof spatula.

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4. Add the tofu and mix it very well with the seasonings so that it’s thoroughly combined.

5. Continue to cook, stirring often with the spatula, until the tofu becomes golden browned and slightly crusty (about 5-10 minutes). Serve immediately.

Serves 2-3; 30 minutes or under! GF/Blue (according to the health guidelines in my book).

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GRANDMA’S APPLE CRISP

GRANDMA’S APPLE CRISP This dish brings me back to winter nights of childhood, savoring this homey creation next to a crackling fireplace. No, we didn’t live in a little house on a prairie, but I felt like we did when we ate this! In our family, this was always served with a little milk poured over the top. However, it’s also great plain or with some nondairy vanilla ice cream. Whichever way you end up, it’s simple, easy, and delicious every time!

by Tess Challis

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SERVES 6

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GRANDMA’S APPLE CRISP

Organic Ingredients:

Procedure:

Thrilling Filling:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. If you’re like me and don’t have a microwave, this is a great time to put the margarine in the oven to melt (in a heat proof container).

• 4 cups chopped apples (skins on) • 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon • Pinch of salt • ¼ cup water • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Crumble Topping: • ¼ cup melted non-hydrogenated margarine • ¾ cup flour (whole wheat pastry, white, or gluten-free all-purpose) • ½ cup organic “white” sugar • Pinch of salt

2. Mix together the apples, cinnamon, salt, water, and lemon juice. Place this mixture in a lightly oiled 10 x 6-inch baking dish or a round pie pan. Next, mix the melted margarine with the flour, sugar, and salt until thoroughly combined. Crumble this evenly on top of the apples.

3. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the topping is nicely browned and “crisp.” This is best served hot (or very warm). If you like, pour a little nondairy milk over the top.

If you have any Little House On the Prairie reruns handy, this would be an ideal time to bust them out Serves 6; GF (with substitution)/Purple (according to the health guidelines in my book).

About the Author

Quintessence (“Tess”) Challis is an author, vegan chef, and wellness coach. 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), and Radiance 4 Life (foreword by Robert Cheeke). Her newest book Get Waisted: 100 Addictively Delicious Plant-Based Entrees (co-authored by Dr. Mary Clifton), is now available!

Tess is the co-founder (along with Dr. Mary Clifton) of Get Waisted (a plant-based weight loss program, which offers both online and in-person meetings across the world). Tess’s greatest passion is helping people achieve their ultimate state of wellness and vitality - while still enjoying delicious foods.

Find out more about Tess by tapping here.

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MANGO SURPRISE

MANGO SURPRISE

“Kids love making this nutritious dessert.” - Chef Babette

Organic Ingredients:

Procedure:

• 4 mangos peeled and sliced

1. Blend until creamy, serve with bananas, kiwi slices, blueberries and strawberries.

• 12 strawberries (5 used in parfait) • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

2. If a crust is desired use raw sunflower seeds, raw pumpkin seeds, and dates. Using a food processor equipped with the “S” blade process seeds and dates until grainy consistency not too sticky.

About the Author

Vegan soul food pioneer Babette Davis is the owner of Stuff I Eat Vegan Restaurant, a California restaurant that is vegan, organic and eco-friendly. Davis sees her path as a “spiritual philosophy that we as humans have a connection with the food we eat; therefore only the best deserves to enter our temples.”

Find out more about Chef Babette by tapping here.

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SPICY ORANGE TOFU

THE SEXY VEGAN’S

SOBA PARTY SERVES 2

by Brian Patton

Organic Ingredients: • 14 ounce block extra firm tofu, drained, pressed, cut into 1/2 inch

Dressing: • 3 tablespoons sesame oil • 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar

• wide strips about 2 inches long • 8 ounces dry soba noodles • 2 cups small broccoli florets

• 1/4 cup ponzu (make sure it’s vegan, sometimes it contains fish products) • sea salt and pepper to taste

• 1 medium sized carrot, cut into matchsticks, or shredded • 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced • 1/2 cup shredded red cabbage • 2 green onions, thinly sliced • 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds VegWorld Magazine

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SPICY ORANGE TOFU

Procedure: 1. Pre-heat oven to 400. On a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicon baking mat, evenly distribute the tofu pieces. Bake for 15 minutes, turn the pieces over, and bake another 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the counter, 2. Cook noodles according to the directions on the package, drain and rinse will cold water to cool. Let drain in the colander.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients, and season to taste.

4. In a large mixing bowl, add the noodles, the dressing, all of the veggies and mix to combine. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste. Serve in bowls and garnish with the sesame seeds.

“This soba noodle salad (shhh...don't say "salad" too loudly, they might hear you) is perfect for your kiddo's lunchbox. With a ton of nutrition in one bowl, this colorful dish will provide him with the energy he needs to finish a busy day of annoying his teachers, pulling the chair out from under his friends right before they sit down, and possibly learning something.”

- Sexy Vegan

About the Author

Brian Patton is author of “The Sexy Vegan’s Happy Hour at Home”, “The Sexy Vegan Cookbook” and is executive chef for Vegin’ Out, a vegan food-delivery service in Los Angeles. As the quintessential “regular dude” vegan chef, he started posting instructional cooking videos on YouTube as his witty, ukulele-playing alter-ego, “The Sexy Vegan,” and quickly gained a large following.

Tap here to check out Brian’s website.

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ORDINARY PEOPLE

EXTRAORDINARY RESULTS

“Vegucating” Our Schools: One District at a Time

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“VEGUCATING” OUR SCHOOLS - ONE DISTRICT AT A TIME

PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE

“VEGUCATING” OUR SCHOOLS

ONE DISTRICT AT A TIME

T

he children are our future. That means we have to feed their bodies and their minds, so they can learn well and grow up healthy and

strong.

Healthy school meals are key in ensuring we reach that goal as a nation. The fact is over 31 million children receive meals each day through the National

VegWorld Magazine

School Lunch Program and over 12 million participate in the National School Breakfast Program.

But the usual school meal has historically been one that is heavy on unhealthy animal products, oils, and other fats, and light on nutrition. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is a nonprofit organization dedicated to changing the unhealthy state of our schools.

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“VEGUCATING” OUR SCHOOLS - ONE DISTRICT AT A TIME that no amount of processed meat is safe to eat.

Schools that prioritize nutrition are known to improve their students’ well-being, help them thrive academically, and instill healthier eating habits that will last a lifetime. Unfortunately, most schools throughout our country are underfunded and are either unable to provide healthy meals for our nation’s children or remain uneducated about the importance of healthy meals on their mission to educate our youth.

Enter the Physicians Committee Headed by accomplished medical doctor, Dr. Neal Barnard, The Physicians Committee encourages schools to offer more Schools that prioritize nutrition are known to improve their fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains students’ well-being and help them academically. But most schools are underfunded and unable to provide healthy meals. in children’s diets — foods that are inadequately consumed and linked to improved health outcomes — and avoid processed meat and dairy products that are over-consumed The Problem and linked to poorer health outcomes. The nonprofit organization is comprised of 150,000 ordiOne in three children is overweight or obese, will nary health care professionals and concerned citihave type 2 diabetes, and is already at increased zens with an extraordinary mission. risk of heart disease. According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines, processed meat and dairy products are the primary source of fat in children’s diets and are major sources of calories, sodium, and cholesterol.

They have been linked to some cancers, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. Researchers have found that diets high in animal protein contribute to a fourfold increase in the chance of dying from cancer or diabetes. The National Cancer Institute, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the President’s Cancer Panel, and the Harvard School of Public Health have warned of the strong link between processed meat and cancer, while the American Institute of Cancer Research has stated

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The Physicians Committee works with school districts across the country by offering plant-based

The Physicians Committee encourages schools to offer healthy alternatives, like fruits, veggies, beans and whole grains and ditch the meat and dairy, which is linked to obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

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“VEGUCATING” OUR SCHOOLS - ONE DISTRICT AT A TIME recipes, resources, and marketing materials. The Committee specifically advocates for changes in the school lunch program in the following areas (among others):

1. Offer a daily plant-based entrée as an option for all children.

Including a daily plant-based option such as a veggie burger, bean burrito, or fresh garden salad from

Offering just one plantbased option, such as a bean burrito or salad bar, in place of chicken nuggets is an easy way for schools to meet new nutrition standards.

the salad bar addresses inadequate consumption of healthful plant-based foods and helps form healthier eating habits. It can also lower children’s fat, calorie, sodium, and cholesterol intake by reducing consumption of processed meat and dairy products such as cheesy pizza, sausages and bacon, and fried chicken nuggets.

This is an easy way for schools to meet the new nutrition standards based on the most recent Dietary Guidelines. Does your child’s school offer a veggie option?

2. Offer nondairy milk as an option for all children.

Our schools need to get on the nondairy milk bandwagon as soon as possible. As many as onethird of American children are lactose intolerant or

Over 31 million children receive lunch through the national school lunch program every day. Feeding their bodies and minds properly must be a priority.

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“VEGUCATING” OUR SCHOOLS - ONE DISTRICT AT A TIME have allergies to dairy milk. And many more parents are making the choice to give their kids nondairy milk. Soy milk is the only plantbased milk deemed “nutritionally equivalent” to dairy milk in order for reimbursement (which means the Federal government reimburses the school for that food at a predetermined price). In fact, soy milk is superior by providing key amounts of calcium, vitamin D, potassium, and protein without any of the health risks posed by dairy milk.

The problem is that, despite soy milk being reimbursable, students must have permission from a guardian or doctor and there is still no guarantee the school will provide soy milk due to cost. The Committee is advocating for this to change by encouraging schools to offer an option of soy milk to all kids. What do your kids drink at school?

3. Increase nutrition education for students to a minimum of 50 hours per academic year.

We all know the truth – you can lead a kid to healthy foods, but you can’t make them eat. Personal experience probably tells you that you have to offer a child (and talk about) a food many times before they say “o.k.” So, it’s common sense that simply offering plant-based options in the school lunch program is not enough to get kids to eat them.

Here’s the rub: Schools participating in the National School Lunch Program must have wellness policies that include nutrition promotion and education, but here are no specific requirements regarding the amount of time or type of classes that children must spend or take in nutrition education.

Nor are there existing guidelines for health instructors. In fact, the mean number of hours spent on nutrition education in the first four years of school is only 13 hours per year.

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Experts agree that a minimum of 50 hours of education per year on a topic is necessary to influence a child’s behavior. The Committee advocates for school districts to take nutrition education seriously and provide at least this minimal amount to their students (which would, of course, include education on veggie options and their high nutritional value). Schools should also make the names of veggie options fun and enticing, and the Committee has even created mascot characters.

4. Increase resources for kitchen equipment and infrastructure Proper kitchen equipment and infrastructure are necessary to prepare and serve healthful meals such as plant-based entrées and other plant-based options. The main equipment needs for plantbased food preparation are inexpensive: utility carts, serving utensils, and knife sets with cutting

Experts agree that a minimum of 50 hours PER YEAR of education on a topic is necessary to influence a child’s behavior. The mean number of hours spent on nutrition education in the first 4 years of school is only 13 TOTAL. Issue 23 - September/October 2014 |

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“VEGUCATING” OUR SCHOOLS - ONE DISTRICT AT A TIME

Does your child’s school offer veggie options and education?

If not, then get involved!

level to advocate for more money and resources to be directed towards keeping our kids growing healthy bodies and minds.

Get involved! boards. According to the Pew Charitable Trusts, 88 percent of school districts need at least one piece of kitchen equipment, and 55 percent need kitchen infrastructure changes.

The most common equipment inadequacy noted by school food authorities was equipment needed to provide more fruits and vegetable items on daily menus and to offer a greater variety of fruits and vegetables. Most schools that do not have adequate equipment attempt to work out alternatives, such as manually chopping or slicing fruits and vegetables, storing fruits and vegetables off site and transporting them daily, or keeping fruits and vegetables in temporary storage containers.

The Committee has worked hard on the national

Since 2004, the Physicians Committee has even recognized food service professionals who do an exceptional job of improving the healthfulness of school lunches through its Golden Carrot Awards.

Can your school earn one?

There are many ways you can help get your school on the healthy lunch program. From becoming an activist yourself to nominating someone who is, you can get all the information you need by clicking here. Here’s to healthy kids! http://www.pcrm.org/health/healthy-school-lunches/

88 percent of school districts need new kitchen equipment and 55 percent need kitchen infrastructure changes. Many schools work out their own alternatives, like manually chopping and storing offsite.

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REVIEWS

AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Pick of the Month: Slim & Sexy Lifestyle App Veggie World Travels: St. Louis, Missouri

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PICK OF THE MONTH

PICK OF THE MONTH:

JUICE GURU

SLIM AND SEXY LIFESTYLE APP

RESET TO SEXY WITH A JUICE COACH IN YOUR POCKET

J

uice Guru has revolutionized the art of getting healthy and slim with an app that pilots users through the hottest health craze: Juice fasting.

VegWorld Magazine

H

ave you been considering juice fasting ... maybe you want to lose unwanted weight or reverse an illness … but you’ve been afraid to go it alone? Well, now you don’t have to. Juice Guru just released the most comprehensive app of its kind.

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PICK OF THE MONTH Intended for everyone from newbies to juicing pros, the app demystifies the art of getting healthy (and – frankly - takes the “scary” out of regaining your health, glow and sex appeal) with the magic of juice. Simply put, the app takes you by the hand and inspires you to “Drink to Your Health.”

T

racking the bestselling book by VegWorld Magazine Founder, Steve Prussack, and his co-author, Bo Rinaldi - “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Juice Fasting” - the app provides over 100 searchable recipes at your fingertips. But far more interactive than the book, the app crafts a specialized daily juicing plan, depending upon whether you want to get sexy and slim in 7 days, go deeper and completely reset your health, or even just recover from a heavy night of drinking or excessive holiday treats. The app also generates complete shopping lists, so there’s no guesswork needed.

T

he specialized “Juice Tracker” even tells you exactly how much nutrition you consume each day and allows you to track exercise and other vitals. To keep you inspired, the creators deliver daily messages with important information and motivation. And, finally, the app features fun and informative videos featuring Prussack and his reunited high school sweetheart and partner in life (as well as in juicing), Julie.

Click here to find out more!

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VEGGIE TRAVEL

MEET NO-MEAT ME IN ST. LOUIS

FREE FAMILY FUN SAVES YOU MONEY FOR

GREAT VEGAN DINING Story and photos by Robin Tierney

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VEGGIE TRAVEL

W

ith so many free things to do in St. Louis, even traveling families can afford to eat out for every meal. And with so many vegan and vegan-friendly restaurants, you’ll want to.

The Moonrise Hotel is family- and companion animal-friendly.

With its super-cool design, nooks of outer-spacethemed toys and memorabilia, Eclipse cafe, rooftop terrace complete with a huge spinning moon replica and comfy rooms, enchantment’s guaranteed.

The Moonrise stands among colorful places in “The Loop,” the Delmar Boulevard district revitalized by a merry band of citizens led by eco-urbanist Joe Edwards. Cited as one of America’s best streets, The Loop’s enlivened by rockin’ neon-rimmed music halls like Blueberry Hill and Pageant, a guitarslinging Chuck Berry statue, street musicians from blues singers to fiddlers, art galleries (many animalthemed works) and the St. Louis Walk of Fame’s 140 brass star honoring local luminaries like Vincent Price and Tina Turner.

A few blocks away is Forest Park. Larger than New York’s Central Park and host of the 1904 World’s Fair, the park’s attractions include foliage-framed

The Moonrise Hotel is an enchanting family- and companion animal-friendly place to stay. It stands among colorful places in “The Loop,” which is cited as one of America’s best streets.

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VEGGIE TRAVEL

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VEGGIE TRAVEL

By the Mississippi River, the sleek steel Gateway Arch soars 630 feet into the sky as a salute to America’s westward expansion.

hike/bike trails, lakes, picnic-perfect trees, gardens and free-admission museums.

They include the Missouri History Museum, offering smartly designed multimedia exhibits that span the city’s fascinating cultural heritage from steamboats to World’s Fair memories to music.

The Saint Louis Art Museum’s collection is rich and intriguing enough to win over short-attention-span folks. When I visited, several dozen grade-schoolers eagerly explored artworks, sketching in their notebooks. Most popular, naturally, were the many paintings and sculptures depicting animals, such as Edwin Landseer’s “Attachment,” which is based on the story of Charles Gough, who died in a fall on Helvellyn, a mountain in England. His dog stood watch for three months; eventually her barking attracted a passing sheep-herder. After art-spotting, take the family (including dogs) paddleboating on

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Forest Park’s duck-approved waterways.

By the Mississippi River, the sleek steel Gateway Arch soars 630 feet into the sky as a salute to America’s westward expansion. You can learn details as you walk downtown from a new digital audio tour “St. Louis Lost and Found,” sold at visitor centers and iTunes. For example, it recounts an Old Courthouse employee whose turtles played in the fountain, and guides you to the turtle-embellished gate that honors them.

Nearby, Citygarden is a superb outdoor oasis open free, morning to night. Look for its 24 striking sculptures -- my favorites are the bunnies, bird with shoes and headless man in the pink suit -- and native plants, spray plaza (fun for kids of all ages) and video wall. Tip: download Citygarden’s free app or mp3 audio-tour before visiting.

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VEGGIE TRAVEL Cyclists will love the paved Riverfront Trail running north of the Arch past wall murals, Lewis and Clark historical markers and riverside foliage to the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge. Now among the world’s longest pedestrian crossings, this mile-long span was Route 66’s original automobile crossing over the Mississippi River. Route 66 memorabilia brightens the passage, which leads to a beach in East St. Louis, Illinois.

A favorite place among locals with children and dogs -- and everyone else -- is Tower Grove Park, a National Historic Landmark filled with fanciful pavilions, birds and plants. On Saturdays, it hosts a great farmers market.

And speaking of food, plant-based diners have dozens of choices.

Here are some vegan and super vegan-friendly choices: PuraVegan: Yummy cardamom-y carrot-cake smoothie, acai bowl, pad thai and plant-powered desserts. Gluten-free and raw, too -- and by-donation yoga in their adjoining space. Near Forest Park.

Seedz: 100% organic, vegan, mostly raw and delicious. Wish I’d ordered a second helping of the beet-topped rawvioli. The “Incredible” smoothie is well-named.

Lulu’s Local Eatery: New vegan cafe offshoot of a popular food truck. The sweet potato/black bean chipotle bowl hit the spot. I hear the pretzelbunned housemade vegburger rocks. Near Tower Grove Park.

A favorite place among locals with children and dogs -- and everyone else -- is Tower Grove Park, a National Historic Landmark filled with fanciful pavilions, birds and plants.

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VEGGIE TRAVEL

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VEGGIE TRAVEL

St. Louis is a hotspot for vegan cuisine. Completely vegan and super vegan-friendly restaurants are everywhere and the flavors are diverse and rich.

Tree House: Classy vegan small plates, entrees, desserts. How about chorizo tamales with black bean mole sauce, pickled cabbage slaw and avocado or red wine-braised Seitan Bourguignon with mushrooms? Near Tower Grove Park.

SweetArt: All vegetarian, mostly vegan, some gluten-free. Try the coconut-curry chik’n bahn mi or Magic burger composed of chickpeas and roasted eggplant. Or at least a vegan baked delight. Happy dining room filled with the owner’s family-love-themed art. North of Tower Grove Park.

Gokul: Vegan/vegetarian (and Kosher) Indian food -- with terrific all-vegan Monday buffets (Korma, Saag Paneer and more). In The Loop by a Metrolink station.

Frida’s Deli: Vegetarian/vegan outpost servVegWorld Magazine

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VEGGIE TRAVEL

You can get anything in St. Louis vegan cafes from Indian at Gokul to a Magic chickpea burger at SweetArt to Beet Top Rawvioli at Seedz to a red wine-braised Seitan Bourguignon with mushrooms at Tree House.

ing goodies like flatbread topped with farm-fresh veggies and raw fettuccine with tempeh bacon. In Clayton just west of The Loop.

PI Pizzeria: Enjoy pies inside or on the terrace -vegan crusts, mock meat, vegan cheese In The Loop.

PLANNING A VISIT? Visitor Info: 800-916-0092 http://explorestlouis.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 also by Robin Tierney.

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