VegWorld 41 by VEGWORLD Magazine

CONTENTS VegWorld Magazine - July/August 2017

THE FUN SIDE

FAMILY AND LIFESTYLE

Vegan Hot Sheet

Vegan 101 A Near-Impossible Quest for the Impossible Burger

24 5 Tips to Speed up Cooking Time So You Can Tend to Things that Matter

16 VegWorldly Wanderings Romp‘n Roll in Memphis & Jackson, TN 22 VegWorld Events Calendar

FEATURE STORIES 27

Real Food in a Fake World The Only Viable Solution to our Collective Health Crisis by Howard Jacobson, Ph.D.

Let’s Eat An Excerpt from Dr. Roland Boeni’s Book “Invincible”

45 The Politics of Meat Standing at the Crossroads of Corruption by Lori Donica Barber, MA

VegWorld Magazine

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

CONTENTS VegWorld Magazine - July/August 2017

FRESH FINDS

REGULAR FEATURES

08 Credits

True Beauty Sun Care, Hair Care, and Fragrance Recommendations

10 Editor’s Note

56 Fashion With Compassion Sugandh G. Agrawal’s Gunas Brand

58 Eat the World Get Comfy at Morels Café in Louisville

81 Prescriptions for Health Meet Veterans of Real-life Health Transformations

61 Things We Love Proctor Silex®Nonstick Electric Griddle-38513P

87 Love, Lori It Is What It Is... So Eat It

Sanctuary of the Month A Blind Date with a Butcher

RECIPES FOR HEALTH 63 Natalie Norman’s Raw Ice Cream Recipes 67 Raw Hemp Energy Balls 69 Cinnamon Chickpea Blondie Bars 71

Turkish Garbanzo Bean Salad

SOS-Free Bowl-of-Oatmeal Muffins

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CREDITS VEGWORLD STAFF

CONTRIBUTORS

Publisher Edward N. Smith III

Editor-in-Chief Amanda C. Smith

Managing Editor Lori Fryd

Lori Donica Barber Roland Boeni, MD Linda Carney, MD

Assistant Editor Cathy Carter

Assistant Editor Tanya Cleary

Advertising Manager Jill Alexander

Cathy Carter

Shoshana Chaim

Tanya Cleary

Lori Fryd

Clay Garrett

Erin Goldmeier

Howard Jacobson Amy Johnson

Katie Mae

Sharon McRae

Natalie Norman

Michael Taylor

Robin Tierney

Marketing Director Courtney Garza

Fashion Editor Erin Goldmeier

Food Editor Amy Johnson

Graphic Design Clay Garrett

Cover Design Clay Garrett

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Mark Reinfeld

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EDITOR’S NOTE A message from the Editor of VegWorld Magazine, Amanda Smith I have a friend who once told me a funny story. When she first began her plant-based journey, her husband would periodically peer inside the refrigerator and report to her that there was “absolutely nothing to eat” in the kitchen. In point of fact, the refrigerator was jammed to overflowing with kale, collard greens, spinach, tomatoes, carrots, onions, avocadoes, bell peppers, broccoli, sweet potatoes, corn, and an assortment of delicious fruit that could have hydrated a small army. Moreover, loaded inside the kitchen cupboards were large Mason jars boasting a superfluity of adzuki, black, white, cannellini, copper, broad, and mung beans. Oats and all kinds of rice were crammed next to an abundance of yellow, green, and red lentils, black-eyed and split green peas….etc., etc., etc. In other words….food. So, why did my friend’s husband keep returning from his kitchen search parties concerned that they were hovering on the bleak edge of starvation? The answer is typical for those learning to navigate a whole-food, plant-based lifestyle. In this fake world of ours, the first step towards health is figuring out what real food is. Let’s face it. We live in a topsy-turvy world where highly refined processed food products are considered real food and where real food is overlooked and – as in the case of my friend’s husband – invisible. 90% of what we find in a typical restaurant has been designed, manufactured, packaged and distributed by monolithic, multinational corporations like Sysco and other food service companies. Most of us are completely removed from the growing, nurturing, and harvesting of what ends up on our plates and in our bodies. Little wonder then, my friend’s husband doesn’t even recognize real food when he sees it! (Update: I’m happy to report that, after 4 years on a WFPB lifestyle, he has figured out what food is.)

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Living in a “fake world” puts all of us at risk of disease, a pharmaceutical merry-go-round of chemical brews, and an exhausting treadmill of weight-loss miracle cures. As Howard Jacobson writes, all this “erodes our trust in everything, because nothing is what it seems, and nothing is to be trusted for what it says it is.” Moving away from nature has also created conditions rife for the confinement and abuse of animals, as Lori Donica Barber documents in the second part of her eye-opening exposé on the rampant growth of feedlots in the last 50 years. Eating natural foods shouldn’t be confusing, and it shouldn’t be an ordeal. In fact, for those of us who have turned our backs on synthetic and manufactured food products and gotten back to the basics of eating and appreciating the taste of real food, it is a joy -- one which we enthusiastically try to share with others. We have to get back to simplicity. We have to learn to understand and recognize what’s real and what’s fake. We have to know how to look inside a refrigerator or a kitchen cabinet and distinguish what’s real from what isn’t. Then we have to go one step further and glory in the knowledge and power this gives us. Food shouldn’t be so complicated, and figuring out what real food is should be an instinctive process for all human beings. As Lori Fryd puts it: “If it is what it is, then eat it.” In a fake world, however, getting back to nature can sometimes be tricky -- but our health, our planet, and the animals who share it with us deserve the effort.

Amanda Smith VegWorld Editor-in-Chief

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VEGAN HOT SHEET Latest Vegan & Plant Based Buzz

SIX FORMER “THE BIGGEST LOSER” CONTESTANTS

FACE THE BIG FAT TRUTH by Tanya Cleary

“The Big Fat Truth,” a new weight loss show featured on the Z Living channel, is based on a concept never before utilized on any other weight loss show – putting participants on a plant-based diet. The catchy title accentuates the fact that so many overweight people have been misled by marketing and media to believe that their obesity is inevitable and irreversible unless severe calorie restriction and excessive exercise are involved. Yet, simply switching to a plantbased diet offers impressive long-term results, not only for weight loss but disease reversal as well. Creator and host, JD Roth, the pioneering producer behind such shows as “The Biggest Loser” and “Extreme Weight Loss,” challenges participants to make real dietary changes and address the underlying emotional factors behind their weight gain. Each week will feature a new group of participants, including many battling chronic illnesses such as diabetes.

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In the premier episode, former contestants from “The Biggest Loser,” who gained back all the weight they’d lost, and then some, learn that it’s possible to get back into shape without grueling 8 hour workouts or 1200 calorie per day restrictions. Initially, they’re provided plant-based meals and then taught how to cook them at home. Within 90 days, their lives and bodies are thoroughly transformed. Producer Roth was introduced to the benefits of a plant-based diet by his wife two and half years ago. Initially skeptical, he was soon bursting with energy, and his lab results were that of a man half his age. He decided to produce “The Big Fat Truth” to show viewers that they aren’t destined by their genes to be overweight and sick. “The Big Fat Truth” airs Sunday nights at 8 pm Eastern time on the Z living channel. To find out where to watch it on your local channel lineup, or to request the Z Living channel in your area, click here: http://www.zliving.com/shows/where-to-watch

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VEGAN 101

VEGAN 101 A NEAR-IMPOSSIBLE QUEST FOR THE IMPOSSIBLE BURGER by Cathy Carter

ho doesn’t like a good burger? If you strive for a whole-food plant-based (WFPB) diet, hopefully, your idea of a great burger involves some sort of “veggie” patty. But for those new to the journey, fond memories of a juicy, maybe even greasy, cheeseburger may still linger in your mind. After six years of veganism, I am, gratefully, beyond that point. But I’m always on the quest for a good veggie burger, whether it’s a commercial purchase from the grocery store, made from scratch at home, or served to me in a restaurant. That leads me to my near- impossible search for the Impossible Burger.

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The Impossible Burger was developed for Impossible Foods by a team of scientists, farmers and chefs who spent five years studying the hamburger from cow to bun. The goal was to develop a patty that mimics real beef – the way it looks, the way it sizzles on the grill and with all the aroma, texture, and flavor. As a result, they invented a plant-based burger patty that has all these things. It even “bleeds.” And here’s the best part. The Impossible Burger is certainly healthier than the “real” thing, and its production doesn’t harm our environment. Impossible Foods makes the following statement on their website (http://www.impossiblefoods.com/burger/):

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VEGAN 101

“Because we use 0% cows, the Impossible Burger uses a fraction of the Earth’s natural resources. Compared to cows, the Impossible Burger uses 95% less land, 74% less water, and creates 87% less greenhouse gas emissions. And it’s 100% free of hormones, antibiotics, and artificial ingredients.” Sounds good, right? Where do I find this sensational veggie burger? Ah...there’s the glitch. When I first heard of it last summer, it was not available --- nope, not anywhere! Then I learned it would be introduced at David Chang’s Momofuku Nishi restaurant (https://nishi.momofuku.com/) in New York City on July 27th. Texas is a long way from there, but my husband and I already had a trip planned to NYC on July 28th! While there, my mission was two-fold: visit the World Trade Center Memorial and sample the Impossible Burger! Our adventure began in Brooklyn, where we stayed in a charming brownstone-turned-inn on a beautiful tree-lined street. How to get to Manhattan – taxi, bus, Uber, subway? We opted to navigate the NY subway system, a new experience for both of us. I won’t dwell on how appalled we were at the lack of information in the nearby station, or how the posted map looked like a tangled maze of multi-colored spaghetti strands, or the unbearable heat in the unair conditioned underground subway tunnel. We’re

Texans, remember? We don’t survive well without air-conditioning! A nice New Yorker – never believe New Yorkers are not friendly – advised us to hop on a train, any train going west. Surprisingly, we made it to our destination – the World Trade Center Memorial. Touring the area, remembering how majestic the Twin Towers looked prior to 9/11, and honoring those who lost their lives was a sobering experience. But, our day was planned, and after a brief walk through Battery Park, it was time to move on. Momofuku Nichi’s was only open for lunch until 3 p.m., and the Impossible Burger was on a “first-come, first-serve” basis. Back to the subway! We learned some important things on this quest for the Impossible Burger: • It’s difficult to find the correct subway station, even with a trusty NYC travel guide in hand. • Don’t get off at the 8th STREET subway station when Momofuku Nishi’s is on 8th AVENUE! • The walk from 8th Street to 8th Avenue is much farther than it looks on the map – we were pretty much done with the subway at that point. • Always get the weather forecast; it rained – yes, while we were walking. • Never give up! It’s amazing what you can do when you are determined, albeit I was more determined than my omnivore husband. At 2:30 p.m., my husband was ready to throw in the towel. “We’ll never make it,” he flatly stated. “We have to,” I exclaimed breathlessly. “We may never be this way again.” It didn’t help that we walked right by the restaurant – a tiny place obscurely stuck between two shops with an almost hidden sign in the window. After backtracking, we had to literally push our way into the crowded restaurant. It was 2:45. I was just about ready to give up when lo and behold, we were seated! This had better be SOME burger – assuming they had any left! They did! We had the option of ordering a traditional Impossible Burger with mayo and/or mustard, cheese, and all the trimmings. I, unlike my husband,

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VEGAN 101

opted for the “veganized” Impossible Burger with vegan mayo, lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, and vegan cheese. My first bite was amazing! I was awestruck at how much the patty looked like real meat. The inside of it was a light pink color, making it look even more like a beef patty. Our charming waiter told us that the “pink” comes from beet juice, and the “greasy” texture is a result of the coconut oil. According to the Impossible Foods website, the burger is made from simple, all-natural ingredients such as wheat, coconut oil, and potatoes. It also contains an ingredient called heme, found in plants but uniquely abundant in meat. The heme is the “magic” ingredient that makes meat smell, sizzle, bleed, and taste the way it does. It’s “AN INSANELY GOOD BURGER MADE FROM SANELY GOOD INGREDIENTS,” maintains Impossible Foods. To me, it didn’t taste exactly like a

Almost a year later, the Impossible Burger is found in numerous restaurants in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, and Las Vegas. There’s a complete listing on the Impossible Foods website. And just recently, an announcement was made that it’s now available in Houston – it’s getting closer! You can now order the Impossible Burger at Houston’s Underbelly (http://www.underbellyhouston.com/) or The Hay Merchant (https://www.haymerchant. com/), both owned by Chef Chris Shepherd and located at 1100 Westheimer. Since I try my best to eat a no-added-oil WFPB diet, the Impossible Burger would have to be an occasional treat for me. However, I’m thrilled I had the opportunity to try it. It was well worth our near-impossible quest just to taste a veggie burger! It’s the company’s mission to make the Impossible Burger readily available nationwide. I look forward to that day because it’s a dream for those ex-carnivores-turned-vegans who need transition foods to stay on track!

beef hamburger, but it was probably the closest I’ve ever had. All in all, it was delicious.

By the way, we “Ubered” back to Brooklyn!

About the Author Cathy Carter is a wife, mother, grandmother, and retired school teacher. On a plant-based diet for 6 years, she has shed 40 pounds and regained her health. She has a passion for animals, enjoys volunteer work, and loves to help people transition to a vegan diet. She and her husband, David, live in Marshall, Texas.

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ROMP â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;N ROLL IN MEMPHIS AND JACKSON, TENNESSEE Story and photos by Robin Tierney VegWorld Magazine

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VEGWORLDLY WANDERINGS

hen it comes to great music, whether you want deep history or live performances, Tennessee rocks.

Fresh from my spring music pilgrimage, here’s a tale of two cities in the western part of the state.

JACKSON Hear the Beat Highlights at West TN Delta Heritage Center include Tina Turner Museum at Flagg Grove School, the singer’s newly restored one-room schoolhouse, and a cottage full of fascinating artifacts, like cigar box guitars, related to blues legend Sleepy John Estes. http://www.westtnheritage.com At the Legends of Tennessee Music Museum, discover secrets about Jackson’s heritage as a birthplace of rock music. Jackson was the site of America’s first Hard Rock Cafe, though it closed. http://jacksoncarnegie.com

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West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center, in Jackson, Sleepy John Estes cabin inside, cigar box guitar.

Where to Eat Jackson is a small town with a big heart and a bright spirit. Restaurants offering tasty plant-based dishes include Rock’n Dough Pizza. They will put nondairy cheese on any pizza, and both their regular and rice-based gluten-free artisan crusts are delicious. They offer several vegan sauces and a bounty of farm-fresh veggie toppings. I love this place. http://www.rockndoughpizza.com

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MEMPHIS Hear the beat Memphis overflows with great places to celebrate and learn the history, and insider stories, behind key American music genres. Make time to visit museum-studios. The Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum’s exhibition about the birth of rock and soul music, created by the Smithsonian Institution, recounts pioneers who defied racist attitudes and created the music that rocked the world. http://www.memphisrocknsoul.org The Memphis Music Hall of Fame includes fun exhibits such as Elvis’s portable phone, which looks like a suitcase, Isaac Hayes’s mah-jongg set and Jerry Lee Lewis’s custom Cadillac El Ballero. And oh, the oldies -- “Soul Man,” “I Can’t Stand the Rain” -- what great songs! http://memphismusichalloffame.com

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Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum

Robin Tierney dancing at Stax Records Studio Museum

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VEGWORLDLY WANDERINGS

Beale Street

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Sun Studio claims to be the “birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll” -- since under the aegis of super-producer Sam Phillips, it launched the careers of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and B.B. King. What’s considered the first R&B hit? “Rocket 88,” released 1951 by Jackie Brenston and Ike Turner with an accidentally gritty sound that caught fire. http://www.sunstudio.com

Stax Museum of American Soul Music, based in the Stax studio, is your soul music stop. For many visitors, hearing songs such as “Try a Little Tenderness,” “Soulfinger,” “Do the Funky Chicken” and “Knock On Wood” (Carla Thomas with Otis Redding) will unleash a flood of nostalgia. http://staxmuseum.com Royal is the source of hits by soul virtuosos like Al Green and contemporary stars such as Bruno Mars. Yep, “Uptown Funk” is one of those hits. Home to Hi Records, the studio began producing rockabilly in the 1950s before turning into one of the top producers of soul music. Founded by the late Willie Mitchell, his legacy is carried on by grandson and super-engineer “Boo” Mitchell. http://royalstudios.com On famous Beale Street nightlife, the locals come out weeknights as well as weekends to hear scorching blues musicians and rockabilly. At Blues City Café, local legend Blind Mississippi Morris played two scorching blues sets and invited my guitar-hero friend Mike on stage to jam for the last set. http://www.bluescitycafe.com

Royal Studios

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A new “Elvis Presley’s Memphis” mega-complex opened in March, in time for the 40th anniversary of

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VEGWORLDLY WANDERINGS

Elvis’s death. The outdoor-indoor mall, which adjoins Graceland, Presley’s estate-turned-museum, features Elvis’s cars, motorcycles, jumpsuits, movies and displays about celebrities influenced by the King, such as Justin Timberlake. You can even lodge nearby in a well-designed room at the new Guest House at Graceland. http://www.graceland.com Not specifically music-related, but a must: visit the National Civil Rights Museum, where excellent multi-media exhibits fill the Lorraine Motel, a historic landmark transformed into a museum. As a nation, we’ve come a long way but have farther to go. Special programs running through April 4, 2018 commemorate the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. http://mlk50.civilrightsmuseum.org National Civil Rights Museum Exhibit

Where to Eat Imagine Vegan Cafe is a green, compassionate and heavenly place to eat. Just go. http://www.imaginevegancafe.com 2 Vegan Sistas serves mostly raw and totally vegan delights including cashew-based mock chicken salad, live pizza, live falafel, quinoa stir-fry and superb desserts. http://www.twovegansistas.com Mama Gaia, an organic vegetarian restaurant, offers vegan choices. http://mamagaia.net By the way, while Elvis was no vegan, he did love peanut butter-banana sandwiches. Just don’t fry ‘em in butter.

More information http://www.tnvacation.com

National Civil Rights Museum, based in the historic Lorraine Hotel

About the Author Robin Tierney, an award-winning writer/photographer and plant-based eater, can be reached at travelveg@live.com

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VEGWORLD EVENTS CALENDAR

Looking for the most exciting, fun, inspiring, and informative vegan events worldwide? Here they are! If you have an event coming up, let us know by sending the details to editor@vegworldmag.com Veggie Fest Chicago

Satvik Indian Vegan Festival

VegFest Brasil

Jul 01, 2017

Aug 12 - Aug 13, 2017

Aug 30, 2017

Wheaton, Illinois

Kamataka, India

Campos do JordĂŁo, Brazil

Spokane VegFest

Woodstock Fruit Festival

Vegan Street Fair â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

Jul 22, 2017

Aug 20 - Aug 27, 2017

North Hollywood

Spokane, Washington

Woodstock, New York

Sep 01 - Sep 07, 2017 North Hollywood, California

VegFest Colorado

Berlin: Vegan

Jul 22 - Jul 23, 2017

Summer Festival

Winnipeg VegFest

Golden, Colorado

Aug 25, 2017

Sep 16 - Sep 17, 2017

Berlin, Germany

Winnipeg, Canada

Jul 23, 2017

Triangle VegFest

2017 Ohio VegFest

Sheffield, U.K.

Aug 26, 2017

Sep 17, 2017

Raleigh, North Carolina

Columbus, Ohio

Vegan Festival

Vegan Soul Fest

Hudson Valley VegFest

Aug 12, 2017

Aug 26, 2017

Sep 23 - Sep 24, 2017

West Chester, Pennsylvania

Baltimore, Maryland

Poughkeepsie, New York

UK: Sheffield Vegan Festival

Chester County

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HOMEWORK AND PROGRAMS

AND DINNER...OH MY! 5 TIPS TO SPEED UP COOKING TIME

SO YOU CAN TEND TO THINGS THAT MATTER by Shoshana Chaim

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5 TIPS TO SPEED UP COOKING TIME

t doesn’t matter if you are looking to become

to your routine today to speed up dinner time!

plant-based, transitioning or have been plantbased for years. Dinner time with a family is

HAVE VEGGIES CUT UP ALREADY - Prepping

hard work.

your veggies for a stir fry or stew on the weekend, the night before or in the morning helps displace

You need to get food on the table. Hopefully, there

the grueling time spent preparing dinner at night.

will be something for everyone to eat, and hope-

Waking up even 10 minutes early to head the kitch-

fully, it will be somewhat healthy.

en to chop while your oatmeal is ‘oatmealing’ on the stove is worth it! Better to get it over with early

But the worst part is how long things take. You get

than stressing all day about doing it when you get

home from work. You have all your bags from the

home.

day and all the school bags and lunch bags to empty and wash. Piano, soccer and 10 pages of math

LAY IT ALL OUT LIKE YOU WOULD YOUR

homework loom over you and your kids.

CLOTHES! - Laying out all the pots and pans the night before will save you the hustle and bustle of

“What’s for dinner; how am I going to get it made

finding the frying pan and strainer while the kids are

and have everyone fed in 60 minutes?”

competing for your attention. Plus, who wants to hear the clank of pots and pans after a long day? It’s pretty common for me to have the cutting board,

Sound familiar?

knives, pots, pans and grains out on the counter One of the most asked questions I get

welcoming me when I get home.

from parents is about meals that take the least amount of time with the most amount of nutrients.

GET HELP

- Although hired help seems like a luxury most can’t afford,

It’s more than just what to make.

you

still

don’t need to do this alone. Children

Speeding

cooking

can cut beans and

time by 5 or 10 min-

wash produce. Spous-

utes can mean the

es can get their hands

difference

between

dirty in the kitchen or help prep

some steps in the morning or

bed on time or having

the night before, too! Treat

to deal with the conse-

yourself and opt for the

getting

the

kids

quences of overtired children monsters. No one wants that. Here are 5 tips that you can

chopped

veggies

the grocery store. It’s sure worth the extra few cents for more decorum at night!

start applying

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5 TIPS TO SPEED UP COOKING TIME

BATCH COOK - Cook big batches of freezable

you time that night, but it can also save you 3-4

meals to store for another week. Double your chilies,

hours in your whole week. The parents who took

soups and sauces! Make extra grains one night and

my Meal Plan Mastery course are probably sipping

refrigerate the other half to eat with a different meal

on their Vegan Caesars instead of fretting over din-

two nights later. I always make extra rice on sushi

ner right now!

night and repurpose the leftovers for taco night! So there you have it! 5 tips for speeding up cooking MEAL PLAN - Nothing I mentioned above is possi-

time so you can tend to the things that matter...

ble without meal planning. If you don’t know what

your kids, your partner and yourself! It’s not always

you’re making, you are sure to take forever in the

about what to make; it’s about small but effective

kitchen or end up making choices that compro-

routines that make cooking for your lifestyle that

mise your family values. Meal planning will save

much easier!

About the Author Shoshana Chaim is a Family Health and Wellness Coach, working one-on-one with busy parents and families to alleviate the stress in life that’s caused by poor diet, unhealthy lifestyle, and chronic illness. With an emphasis on plant-based nutrition and action steps that are customized to a family’s specific needs, she heals people from the inside out, so that they can finally stop solely surviving and start thriving again. Click here for Shoshana’s Top 5 Daily Activities That You Must Do To Create A Healthy Family. Join Shoshana in her Healthy Plant-Based Families Facebook Group.

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Real Food

IN A FAKE WORLD Howard Jacobson, PhD

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FEATURE - REAL FOOD IN A FAKE WORLD

he beans that I lovingly planted last week have all sprouted. Their green dicot leaves are bright and unblemished, and I cried as I watered them this morning. I was literally amazed that these small hard lumps of organic matter had actually transformed themselves into growing organisms. Their natural unfolding feels miraculous. It humbled me and shook my soul awake. I’m a gardener. Everything I do out there — tilling, fertilizing, composting, weeding, mulching, pruning, staking, harvesting — is predicated on the assumption that seeds and beans naturally grow into plants. And despite my knowledge of horticulture and my years of experience growing my own food, the simple miracle of a seedling still takes my breath away. That’s why gardening always feels like an act of faith. I do my part, and I trust Mother Earth to do her part, and the sun and the rain to do their parts, and the pollinators and the earthworms to do theirs as well. So far it’s always worked out. My garden is part of the Real World. In order to get the results I want, I have to respect and submit to the workings of the Real World. Its rules rule — and I circumvent or override or ignore them at my peril.

REAL FOOD IN A FAKE WORLD When Mandy and Lori told me the theme for this month’s issue of VegWorld News, I thought of my garden. About how real it is. How it provides direct feedback about everything I do. How I can’t BS my way to a bountiful harvest. And how trusting and working with the garden ecosystem is the only way to grow healthy produce year after year. And how different this is from the Fake Worlds of weight loss, healthcare, and industrial food that many of us deal with on a daily basis.

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FEATURE - REAL FOOD IN A FAKE WORLD

The big difference, of course, is that the Fake Worlds predictably fail to deliver what they promise. In fact, their business models depend on that failure: • The weight loss industry would collapse if it actually helped people become thin. • The healthcare industry would shrink to economic insignificance if it cured disease rather than managed it with pills and procedures. • The food industry would likewise contract if it supplied us with nutritious fare rather than empty calories that leave us wanting more and more.

The weight loss industry says that its goal is to help us shed unwanted pounds, but cannot achieve that goal given its entrenched assumptions and limitations. Its real goal is to stay in business and make money. The healthcare industry says that its goal is to help us be healthy, but cannot achieve that goal given its reductionist worship of the microcellular and genetic manipulations that lead to patentable treatments. Its real goal is to stay in business and make money.

The obvious problem is that billions of people around the world are harmed by these industries.

The food industry, or parts of it anyway, pretend to serve us nutritious offerings. Instead, it delivers low quality products of mass production with enough sugar, salt, fat, and artificial flavorings to provide us with transitory feelings of euphoria. Its real goal — say it with me — is to stay in business and make money.

From dangerous diets to weekly weigh-ins, the weight loss industry jerks us around and provides no relief from the obesity epidemic sweeping the industrialized world.

The worst part of our loss of trust is that we aim that cynicism at ourselves. Rather than confront the fact that we are operating in - and being operated on - by a Fake World, we doubt ourselves.

The healthcare industry, driven by the fiduciary responsibility of pharmaceutical companies to their shareholders, ignores root causes of disease and disorder and instead seeks chemical concoctions that mitigate symptoms while the underlying disease process gallops along.

I can’t lose weight, we say. I can’t stick to a diet. I have the “fat gene.” I lack willpower. I’m weak. I deserve to be fat.

There are two huge problems with these Fake Worlds, one obvious and one much more subtle.

It runs in my family, we assert. I’m just unlucky. There’s nothing I can do to prevent a heart attack or cancer - I just have to hope for the best.

And the food industry produces, distributes, and markets a firehose of empty calories that creates the need for the entire weight loss industry and 95% of the healthcare industry by making us sick and malnourished. The second problem, the subtle one, came to me while I was weeping over those bean plants. And that is, living in a Fake World erodes our trust in everything, because nothing is what it seems, and nothing is to be trusted for what it says it is.

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FEATURE - REAL FOOD IN A FAKE WORLD

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FEATURE - REAL FOOD IN A FAKE WORLD

I love food too much to stop eating when I’m full, we protest. I know it’s not good for me, but it gives me so much pleasure. Mmm, bacon!

and donuts and Nutty Buddies and M&Ms in order to ignore unpleasant sensations, emotions, and thoughts.

It’s inevitable that living in a Fake World, we end up rejecting our ability to control our lives and destinies.

At some point in our lives, we learned that the temporary dopamine rush brought on by Fake Food made us feel better without having to address the root causes of our suffering. And even though the subsequent emotional and mental and physical crash inevitably followed, we got seduced by the quick fix and slid into dependency. Besides, Fake Food is so cheap and convenient, we can always top off when the sads return.

The whole world can’t be fake; it must be me. There’s something wrong with me. Something untrustworthy. Something that fights against my own better nature and my best interests.

GETTING REAL AGAIN Together, these industries constitute a pretty big slice of our nation’s economy. And they rent or own many of our political leaders and parties. So don’t look for them to reform any time soon. Short of revolution, what can we do to break free from the Fake World and regain trust in ourselves?

Real Food, on the other hand, doesn’t ring our jolly bells in the same way. As Chef AJ points out, nobody stress-eats on broccoli. While Real Food can be delicious and satisfying, it’s not a useful form of emotional misdirection.

The solution is to find something Real and hang on to it for dear life. The Realest thing I can think of in this context is food. Real Food.

THE BENEFITS OF REAL FOOD Real Food is an — perhaps the — antidote to all the fakery all around us. Here’s how. 1. Real Food gets us back in touch with ourselves. 2. Real Food connects us to the earth that produced it. 3. Real Food is the only solution to overweight and the lifestyle diseases caused by Fake Food. Let’s look at each of these in turn. 1. Real Food gets us back in touch with ourselves. One of the chief functions of Fake Food is to numb us out. We binge on chips and pepperoni pizzas

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FEATURE - REAL FOOD IN A FAKE WORLD

And that’s a really good thing, because the solution to emotional suffering is to courageously face the cause of that suffering. And that starts with inhibiting the impulse to run away, to deflect, to distract, to numb out. When we carry emotional pain inside ourselves and refuse to acknowledge it, we limit our potential. Why would we try risky things — speaking up for ourselves at work or in a relationship, developing our skills, engaging in activism, going to the gym — when a setback is likely to trigger a cascade of negativity that can pierce through to our wounded inner core? The first step to healing is feeling. As Peter Bregman writes, “If you’re willing to feel everything, you can do anything.” And the first step to feeling everything is developing the capacity to tolerate small discomforts without reaching for our addiction of choice. Of all the addictions, food is the easiest, cheapest, and most socially acceptable. So tackling that one serves as a prototype for all the others. 2. Real Food connects us to the earth that produced it. Plants aren’t just matter; they’re also information in the form of DNA. When we eat plants, especially in their natural form, we’re engaged in a deep form of communication with our environment.

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We’re all in touch with the Fake environment of shopping malls, office parks, Facebook oneupsmanship, and industrialized food. We know in our hearts that these environments generally do not serve human needs. We may feel that we’ve lost touch with nature herself, and wonder if we need to move to a cabin in the woods or a cave in the mountains in order to reconnect. There’s no question that spending time with nature is beneficial to human cognition, creativity, mental health, and happiness. My conversation with Florence Williams, author of The Nature Fix, on the Plant Yourself Podcast (http://plantyourself. com/212) brought that home to me. But just as important as us spending time in nature is nature, in the form of Real Food, spending time in us. We can agree that polluting a stream or a meadow is unconscionable, yet somehow we think it’s OK to pollute ourselves with the products of a Fake World. The benefits of walking in nature are compounded when we fuel ourselves with plants that grow in as natural a way as possible. 3. Real Food is the only solution to overweight and the lifestyle diseases caused by Fake Food. Earlier I talked about the crisis of trust engendered by the Fake World. Not only do we lose faith in our world and in others, but we lose faith in ourselves.

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FEATURE - REAL FOOD IN A FAKE WORLD

Look around. You’ll see millions of people dieting and exercising to lose excess weight and get healthier. Many of them engage in heroic attempts — liquid diets, paleo regimens, CrossFit sweatathons — and sincerely want to look, feel, and perform better and mitigate or reverse their diseases. But no matter how much willpower, or psychological savvy, or positivity they possess, they are not going to reach their goals and sustain them without allying themselves with Real Food. Sticking to Fake Food is a recipe for repeated failure, and the inevitable disappointment that comes with it. Eventually, anyone would give up, in Tony Robbin’s memorable phrase, “driving east looking for a sunset.”

BACK TO THE GARDEN My beans have shot up a full two inches in the time it’s taken me to write these 1700 words. I watered them a bit, pulled up a couple of weeds, and other than that, left nature to take its course. Real Food is like that. Minimal effort on our part yields maximal results when we ally ourselves with the Real and natural. Try it, and you too may shed tears of joy and communion and homecoming. To yourself, to your full potential, and to the planet exquisitely crafted to provide for all our needs.

Real Food is the answer. We know that no exercise regimen can outrun a diet of Fake Food. We know that no diet regimen consisting of fractionated foods, or products of factory farms and industrial slaughterhouses, can bring health. We know that no form of caloric restriction is sustainable in the long run. The only viable solution to our collective health crisis must feature Real Food front and center.

About the Author Howard Jacobson, PhD is the host of the Plant Yourself Podcast, and contributing author to Whole, by T. Colin Campbell, and Proteinaholic, by Garth Davis, MD. Howard runs the Big Change Program, with Josh LaJaunie, and helps people adopt lifestyle and dietary habits in alignment with their goals and values. To discover how to avoid backsliding and sustain your new health habits for life, grab his "Slippery Slope Report" free: http://plantyourself.com/slippery-slope. www.PlantYourself.com | www.BigChangeProgram.com | www.PlantYourself.com/slippery-slope VegWorld Magazine Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

feeding families / saving animals A Well-Fed World is a Washington, DC-based hunger relief and animal protection organization chipping away at two of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most immense and unnecessary forms of suffering... the suffering of people hungry from lack of food and the suffering of animals used and abused for food.

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like Heifer International? Sign-up for our monthly e-newsletter for information about our Plants-4-Hunger gift-giving campaign, and give the gift of vegan food to people in need without harming animals.

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~how beautiful is a world that is healthy, well-fed and kind all at the same time~

LETâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S EAT

E L B I C N I V N I S

UR OWN HAND

HOW

O R HEALTH INTO U O E K A T L L A WE CAN

I, ROLAND BOEN

AN EXCERPT FROM ROLAND BOENI'S BOOK VegWorld Magazine

INVINCIBLE

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FEATURE - LETâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S EAT

Chapter 18

Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eat

or me, going plant-based really started out as an experiment. I was not opposed to shedding some pounds, and I did not mind trying out new foods I had never heard of or tasted before. The switch from a mainly meat centered diet to a whole foods plant based (WFPB) diet was actually incredibly easy. I tried lots of different foods, some of which worked for me, some did not. After a transition period of 8 weeks, during which I had strictly followed a WFPB diet, I lost 14 pounds. I felt better, and my energy level had drastically improved as well. Moreover I had a much more positive outlook on life in general. At the beginning I occasionally fell off the bandwagon while traveling, mainly because I had not planned ahead. So on a few occasions I had cheese or a cappuccino with milk. The dairy foods

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however were no longer tasty, and my stomach did not react well to sudden high amounts of fat. The plant-based food I enjoy today is excellent, and I can honestly say that I do not have any cravings for the food I used to eat for over 52 years. What is also keeping me on track today is the thought of animals suffering. I know that each time I order that cheese or a cappuccino with milk, I give a direct order to a worker to separate a newborn calf from its mother. Whenever I see meat today, I see the carcass of an innocent animal, pointlessly killed as a teenager for the pleasure of humans. The sight of frozen fish only saddens me, because I would rather enjoy these beings alive and interact with them as a recreational diver.

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Probably the most difficult part of switching to a WFPB diet was the social environment. As you can imagine, enjoying a cheese fondue on a cold winter night in any Swiss city, or in a cozy mountain restaurant in the Alps, is a very social event with family, friends, neighbors and work buddies. These social occasions are the breeding ground of one question that looms in many individuals switching to a healthier diet: How much meat and/ or fish is still OK? The answer is not black or white, but many shades of grey. Several studies show a step-wise decrease in chronic diseases, the less animal products are consumed.1,2,3 But what if you eat a plant based diet and sometimes add meat and fish, no processed foods and zero soda? The answer to this question was recently answered in a study performed in Buddhist vegetarians and Buddhist non-vegetarians who both consumed a predominantly plant based diet (non-processed, traditionally Asian food) and zero soda.4 True vegetarians who completely avoided animal flesh, while eating more healthy plant foods, had still lower odds for prediabetes and diabetes after accounting for other risk factors. The frequency of diabetes in the vegan group was zero. So the scientific answer is: the fewer animal products, the better. I might have lost a few friends by voicing what I know now, but at the same time many other friends, although they have not entirely ditched their bad habits, are at least open to try new foods. I have also won lots of new friends from all walks of life. Some of them are people I did not formerly know well, and yet who, inspired by my girlfriendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and my switch, tried out and now share with us their love of a plant-based cuisine. And

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Dinning with family and friends can present unique challenges for plant-based eaters.

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over the course of the past years, I have met in person several of the most outstanding researchers who were early advocates of plant-based nutrition, namely T. Colin Campbell, Caldwell Esselstyn, Neal Barnard, Michael Greger and John A. McDougall. Without their findings, I would still be a proteinaholic. What exactly is a whole foods plant based diet? It’s probably time to find out! Vegetarian or vegan diets both lack meat, but they may have been adopted just for ethical or religious reasons. Sometimes that might mean that they are very unhealthy. If you eat vegan doughnuts, ice-cream, fries and vegan burgers all day, you are now officially vegan, but these processed foods and their high amounts of pressed oils are known to increase cholesterol.5 In addition, they lack fiber and phytonutrients. The health benefits of processed vegan foods are therefore minor. A WFPB diet, on the other hand, specifically maximizes the intake of nutrientdense plant foods while minimizing processed foods, including oils and animal foods. It encourages lots of vegetables (cooked or raw), beans, peas, lentils and soybeans, as well as fruits, seeds and nuts in smaller amounts. It is generally low in fat, low in protein, and high in carbohydrates – the contrary of what is most often propagated in today’s weight reducing regimes. Food companies, other interest groups and their PR agencies often claim that you need a lot of knowledge in order to get all the nutrients

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you need from a WFPB diet. Actually, it is very easy. Just eat a variety of vegetables, fruits, legumes, and nuts! When you change to a WFPB diet, the main thing is to be careful that you get enough of the various different good stuff which your body needs (as with all diets!). Let’s have a look at some specific and important dietary necessities.

Protein

If you live in a developed country, there is no risk of protein deficiency, whether you are an omnivore or on a WFPB diet. In fact, there are many athletes who thrive on a strict WFPB diet. At time of writing this book, German strongman competitor Patrik Baboumian is the world’s current heavyweight log lifter, who has held this title since 2009. Baboumian had been a vegetarian since 2005, and became vegan in 2011. Meet Scott Jurek: As one of the athletes who helped make ultramarathons – any race longer than 26.2 miles – mainstream, Jurek has smoked the competition in some of the world’s most punishing trail and mountain races. Not only did he take home the win at the prestigious Western States 100-miler seven

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years in a row, he also set a course record in 2005 for the Badwater 135, an epic 135-mile race through Death Valley – and it was 130°F at the time. In 2015, he completed a run across the entire Appalachian Trail, breaking the speed record by over three hours. Former track and field athlete Carl Lewis is among the most successful athletes in sport history. Between 1981 and the early 1990s, he frequently set world records in the 100m, 200m and long jump events. He won nine Olympian medals and eight World Championship medals. He is also a staunch proponent of a WFPB diet. So why are so many athletes so successful when they entirely forego protein from meat or fish? As you know by now, we can actually synthesize most of the protein we need out of amino acids we create ourselves, and the ‘essential amino acids’ (the amino acids that our bodies cannot make) are found in all kinds of plant based foods. For physicians of the western world, it is far more common to see obesity than protein deficiency. So, as far as protein goes, you should be just fine eating a varied WFPB diet.

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Vitamin B12

Vital for blood formation and cell division, vitamin B12 is produced only by bacteria and archaea (single celled microorganisms), not by plants or animals. For millions of years, animals and our ancestors got their B12 from little bits of dirt that were on the plants they ate. These days people prefer not to eat dirt (so fussy!), and our fruits and vegetables are washed so thoroughly that there is no dirt left on them. Meat eaters can get B12 from the middleman, the animals they eat. Animals, who also need B12, either consume dirt in the fields or, if they are confined to CAFOs, are given it as a supplement. Vitamin B12 is also made by microorganisms in the rumen of ruminants. Ruminants have no other way of making this vitamin. Essentially meat eaters are therefore taking supplements too; it’s just that they come wrapped in the shape of a cow. However, even eating meat regularly does not guarantee normal B12 levels. Two-fifths of the U.S. population have marginal vitamin B12 deficiency.6 Once the vitamin is tightly bound to the proteins in meat and dairy products, it requires high acidity to cut it loose. As we age, we lose acid-secreting cells in the stomach, so despite a diet high in meat and dairy products, many elderly people don’t get enough B12.7 This is a very serious problem and can lead to macrocytic anemia (red blood cells are larger and fewer than normal) and irreversible nerve damage. Regardless if you are omnivore, vegetarian or vegan, B12 levels should be assessed if symptoms appear and supple-

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mented if levels are too low. Meanwhile, there are also more and more foods fortified with B12, such as certain cereals and plantbased milk. There are several supplements on the market. For most individuals, it is of no importance if you take cyanocobalamin, methylcobolamin, hydroxycobolamin or adenosylcobolamin. In patients with renal impairment or in cigarette smokers, methylcobalamin is prefered.8 It is suggested to take at least 2,500 mcg (μg) cyanocobalamin once each week, ideally as a chewable, sublingual, or liquid supplement taken on an empty stomach. Those over 65 years of age and patients who underwent gastric bypass surgery should take at least 1,000 mcg (μg) cyanocobalamin every day.9 If you’d rather get into the habit of taking something daily (instead of once-a-week), the dose should be at least 250 mcg. If you prefer to get it from B12-fortified foods instead of supplements, three servings a day, each containing at least 25% of the “Daily Value” on its label are suggested. Fortified breakfast cereals for example are a particularly valuable source of vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 is mainly stored in the liver. The length of time our body stores of vitamin B12 held in reserve when dietary intake is nonexistent as a result of a vegan diet can be estimated based on the storage, the threshold (the lowest pool size consistent with health) and the turnover rate. For example with an initial store of 3ug of vitamin B12, a threshold of 300ug and a turnover rate of 0.1, the store would be expected to last 6.3 years.10

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When switching to a WFPB diet, I would recommend to do blood work, including vitamin B12, after a year - just to verify you are doing everything right. This is my personal opinion. To test vitamin B12, a so called urine MMA (methylmalonic acid) test is more accurate compared to blood testing.11

Iron

Without enough dietary intake of iron, your body will make fewer or smaller red blood cells than normal. This is called anemia. Despite iron’s abundance on earth (it comprises 5% of the earth’s crust), iron deficiency is extremely common in humans and the most prevalent cause of anemia worldwide. Typical symptoms are extreme fatigue, pale skin, shortness of breath, fast heartbeat and brittle nails. WFPB diets contain iron, but the iron in plants has a lower bioavailability than the iron in meat. That said, vegan women have no more iron deficiencies than women who consume meat and dairy products.12 That’s because many plant-based foods are rich in

iron, including kidney beans, black beans, soybeans, spinach, raisins, cashews, oatmeal, cabbage, and tomato juice. Since iron increases the formation of cancer inducing radicals, you don’t want to overdo it. A lower iron level (but high enough not to develop anemia) is probably beneficial.13 Basically, if you are regularly eating some of the plants mentioned above, you are going to have an ideal level of iron.

Calcium

In a balanced, varied WFPB diet, you’ll find significant sources of calcium in tofu, mustard and turnip greens, bok choy, and kale. Spinach and some other plants contain calcium that, although abundant, is bound to oxalate and therefore poorly absorbed.14 While it is easy to measure calcium in your blood, such a measurement does not tell you how good your bones are. However, we can perform a method called bone densitometry, also called dualenergy x-ray absorptiometry or DEXA, to measure the thickness of your bones. Not getting enough calcium may increase

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the risk of impaired bone mineralization and fractures – however, fracture risk is not higher in vegans than in omnivores.15 It might surprise you to learn that in order to survive, humans are NOT dependent on the secretion of another mammal - milk from cows!

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is necessary for our body to absorb calcium. It is also called ‘the sun hormone’ because it can be produced by ultraviolet rays (UVB) when the skin is exposed to sunlight. The body surface of our ancestors were much more exposed to sun. Our species was therefore designed to have much higher levels of vitamin D than most of us presently produce. It is not only our lifestyle in buildings and the fact that we wear cloth now, but also our settlements in the northern hemisphere that pose a problem to vitamin D production. The mean serum vitamin D concentration in traditional populations in East Africa is around double the amount compared to average levels of the US population today.16 Outside the summer months, the skin makes little if any vitamin D from the sun at latitudes above 37 degrees north.17 Roughly one quarter of the US population has vitamin D levels that are considered insufficient.18 Plant-based products such as soy or oat milk, and many other dairy alternatives and cereal grains, may be fortified to provide an adequate source of vitamin D. 2,000 IU supplemental vitamin D is recommended for everyone living in the northern hemisphere (above 37 degrees north) during the winter months, individuals at risk of low bone mineral density, or those found to be deficient in vitamin D.

Vitamin C

As herbivores, we are unable to produce vitamin C,19 which is not a problem as long as we stick to what we are designed to eat, namely plants. Vitamin C is abundantly present in plants. A meat-centric diet devoid of vegetables and fruits will result in scurvy within just a few months. The symptoms of scurvy are feeling tired, developing curly hair, having

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sore arms and legs, gum disease, and personality changes, and finally results in death from infection or bleeding. Scurvy was a limiting factor in long distance sea travel, often killing large numbers of people. It is said that the Royal Navy lost more men to scurvy than in all battles combined. As soon as the Royal Navy added lime (which contains vitamin C) to their seaman’s diet, scurvy could finally be avoided.

Fatty acids

Deficiency in essential fatty acids may manifest as skin, hair, and nail abnormalities. Plant based diets contain all the fatty acids essential for our body, and there is no need to get them from fish. Remember: the source for fish are free floating marine algae (seaweed), and phytoplankton. Besides seaweed, other great sources of n-3 fats are ground flax seeds, flax oil, walnuts, and canola oil. Also, DHA (docosahexaenoid acid) from algal oil is commercially available as a supplement but is usually not necessary.

Zinc

Zinc deficiency may manifest as acne, eczema, xerosis (dry, scaling skin), seborrheic dermatitis, alopecia, oral ulceration, diarrhea, psychological disorders and a disturbed sense of smell and taste. Zinc is not found in large amounts in plant foods, but the dietary need is low as well, so while people of all ages

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who follow a WFPB diet have low levels of zinc, they do not develop signs of zinc deficiency.20

Folic Acid

Folate is mainly found in plants and is of no concern when adapting to a WFPB diet. However, not getting enough folic acid in your diet can lead to a deficiency in just a few weeks. Deficiency may also occur if the ability to absorb folate in your gut and intestine is impaired. If a person were to replace all calories with alcohol, which does not contain any vitamins or minerals, the first vitamin deficiency would be folate. It is a known problem in alcoholics or in poor social conditions, and its deficiency will eventually result in megaloblastic anaemia. Folate is particularly important during pregnancy, as a deficiency may result in neural tube defects in the fetus. Because folate deficiency occurs within weeks, it is a real problem for people who get their nutrition from animal products and processed foods. Deficiency in folic acid has become a problem on a worldwide scale.20 In 1998, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration required food manufacturers to add folic acid to enriched bread and grain products to boost intake and to help prevent neural tube defects in the fetus.21 Our western diet has become so off-balance that the government had to step in to protect the population. If only they did it by encouraging everyone to eat more fresh plants!

go toward feeding livestock, not people. The current system based on meat and dairy contributes to world hunger, wars and gives us horrible, debilitating diseases. Fresh fruit and vegetables are better for you, and better for the planet. The benefits of a WFPB diet are quickly visible and measurable. It takes only a few days for our gut bacterial patterns to change.23 Constipation is also gone within a few days. This diet lowers your cholesterol levels,24,25 normalizes your blood pressure26 and renders you heart attack proof within just three weeks.27 Your risk of ever getting cancer also decreases significantly,28 as well as your risk of suffering from diabetes, having a stroke or developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.29 Changing to a WFPB diet will help you lead a long and happy life, remain of sound mind, keep your eyes clear, help you stay active in the bedroom, and a host of other benefits. Don’t you want to live to be a centenarian? Don’t you want to make yourself invincible?

A healthy body does not suffer from folate deficiencies when a WFPB diet is followed. That being said, an underlying disease leading to deficiencies needs to be addressed, regardless of dietary habits. Here, supplements are necessary. The highest prevalence for vitamin and mineral deficiencies, however, is usually found in omnivores, where up to 58% show deficiency in folic acid.20

In closing …

Animal agriculture is the single largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions,22 of land and water use, deforestation, wildlife destruction, and species extinction. The majority of crops grown worldwide

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Literature: 1.

Tonstad S, Stewart K, Oda K et al. Vegetarian diets and incidence of diabetes in the Adventist Health Study 2. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis 2013;23:292-9.

15.

Ho-Pham LT, Vu BQ, Lai TQ et al. Vegetarianism, bone loss, fracture and vitamin D: a longitudinal study in Asian vegans and non-vegans. Eur J Clin Nutr 2012;66:75-82.

West KM, Kalbfleisch JM. Influence of nutritional factors on prevalence of diabetes. Diabetes 1971;20:99-108.

16.

Spector R. New Insight into the dietary cause of atherosclerosis: implications for pharmacology. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2016;358:103-8.

Luxwolda MF, Kuipers RS, Kema IP et al. Traditionally living populations in East Africa have a mean serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration of 115nmol/l. Br J Nutr 2012;108:1557-61.

17.

Harvard Health Publications. Time for more vitamin D. http:// www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/time-for-more-vitamin-d

Chiu TH, Huang HY, Chiu YF et al. Taiwanese vegetarians and omnivores: dietary composition, prevalence of diabetes and IFG. PLoS One 2014;9:e88547.

18.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vitamin D status: United States, 2001-2006. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/ databriefs/db59.pdf

Blankenhorn DH, Johnson RL, Mack WL et al. The influence of diet on the appearance of new lesions in human coronary arteries. JAMA 1990;263:1646-52.

19.

Montel-Hagen A, Kinet S, Manel N et al. Erythrocyte Glut1 triggers dehydroascorbic acid uptake in mammals unable to synthesize vitamin C. Cell 2008;132:1039-48.

United States Department of Agriculture. B12 Deficiency May Be More Widespread Than Thought. https://www.ars.usda.gov/newsevents/news/research-news/2000/b12-deficiency-may-be-morewidespreadthan-thought/

20.

Schüpbach R, Wegmüller R, Berguerand C et al. Micronutrient status and intake in omnivores, vegetarians and vegans in Switzerland. Eur J Nutr 2015 (ahead of print).

Pfeiffer CM, Johnson CL, Jain RB, et al. Trends in blood folate and vitamin B-12 concentrations in the United States, 1988–2004. Am J Clin Nutr 2007;86:718–27.

21.

National Institutes of Health. Folate. https://ods.od.nih.gov/ factsheets/Folate-HealthProfessional/

22.

James McWilliams. Gluttony and global warming: we’re eating ourselves to a warmer plantet. https://psmag.com/gluttonyand-global-warmingwe-re-eating-ourselves-to-a-warmer-planetd0ea4350ffb3#.eecglx3f8

23.

David LA, Maurice CF, Darmody RN et al. Diet rapidly and reproducibly alters the human gut micro biome. Nature 2014;505;559-63.

24.

Ferdowsian HR, Barnard ND. Effects of plant-based diets on plasma lipids. Am J Cardiol 2009;104:947-56.

25.

Jenkins D, Kendall CW, Marchie A et al. The effect of combining plant sterols, soy protein, viscous fibers, and almonds in treating hypercholesterolemia. Metabolism 2003;52:1478-83.

26.

Bloomer RJ, Gunnels TA, Schreiber JM. Comparison of a restricted and unrestricted vegan diet plan with a restricted omnivorous diet plan on health-specify measures. Healthcare (Basel) 2015;3:544-55.

27.

Esselstyn CB Jr, Gendy G, Doyle J et al. A way to reverse CAD? J Fam Pract 2014;63:356-364b.

28.

Dinu M, Abbate R, Gensini GF et al. Vegetarian, vegan diets and multiple health outcomes: a systematic review with meta-analysis of observational studies. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2016;6 (ahead of print).

29.

Grant WB. Using multi country ecological and observational studies to determine dietary risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease. J Am Coll Nutr 2016;35:476-89.

Spence JD. B vitamin therapy for homocysteine: renal function and vitamin B12 determine cardiovascular outcomes. Clin Chem Lab Med 2013;51:633-7.

Langan RC, Zawistoski KJ. Update on vitamin B12 deficiency. Am Fam Physician 2011;83:1425-1430.

10.

Dietary reference intakes for thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B5, folate, vitamin B12, pantothenic acid, biotin, and choline. Institute of Medicine (US) Standing Committee on the Scientific Evaluation of Dietary Reference Intakes and its Panel on Folate, Other B Vitamins, and Choline. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US):1998.

11.

Valente E, Scott JM, Ueland PM et al. Diagnostic accuracy of holotranscobolamin, methylmalonic acid, serum cobalamin, and other indicators of tissue vitamin B12 status in the elderly. Clin Chem 2011;57:856-63.

12.

Haddad EH, Berk LS, Kettering JD, Hubbard RW, Peters WR. Dietary intake and biochemical, hematologic, and immune status of vegans compared with nonvegetarians. Am J Clin Nutr 1999;70:586S-93S.

13.

Zacharski L, Chow B, Howes P et al. Decreased cancer risk after Iron reduction in patients with peripheral arterial disease: results from a randomized trial. J Natl Cancer Inst 2008;100-1-7.

14.

Weaver CM, Plawecki KL. Dietary calcium: adequacy of a vegetarian diet. Am J Clin Nutr 1994;59:1238S-1241S.

About the Author Roland Boeni is a Swiss, board-certified physician and the founder of a liposuction clinic in Zurich. Until four years ago, he advised all of his patients to go on a low-carb, high protein diet to lose weight after the procedure. In 2014, a friend, who is a vegan athlete, spiked his interest in a plant-based diet. As an adjunct professor with a broad research background, Dr. Boeni has worked in renowned institutions including The Rockefeller University and the National Institutes of Health. He began extensively reviewing the scientific literature and came to the conclusion that human beings are designed to thrive on a plantbased diet. He has since produced a documentary (TheMarshallPlanmovie.com) and has just published the book ‘Invincible’.

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THE POLITICS OF

MEAT

PART TWO

by Lori Donica Barber, MA, Anthropologist & Historian of Food

There is more in you of good than you know, child of the kindly West. Some courage and some wisdom, blended in measure. If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.

â&#x20AC;&#x201D;J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

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FEATURE - THE POLITICS OF MEAT PT. 2

hese wise words from Tolkien, written many years ago, should be taken to heart today. What we eat for dinner has ripple effects that influence so much of the world, beyond our physical health. The implications of the politics of food continue to grow – and the politics of meat, in particular, must be understood in order for us to have a healthier and more humane world. In the last issue of VegWorld, The Politics of Meat Part 1, detailed how America has become such an enormous meat-eating nation. That we must eat meat to be healthy and patriotic is deeply ingrained in our psyche from birth and has been since our country’s inception. The second installment of this series will show how government continues to prop up this industry to keep consumers coming back for more and more unhealthy and unsustainable meat.

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Part 1 left off discussing how there are numerous moral issues surrounding an increasingly industrialized meat system. These ethical concerns range from environmental damage to exploiting workers and communities, as well as creating serious health issues for the public as a whole. Economists argue that these moral issues are, in reality, externalities that hide the true cost of food production. “Externality” is a term used to indicate the effects of an activity experienced by uninvolved third parties. These effects can be either positive or negative. For example, pollution emitted by a factory that affects the health of nearby residents is a negative externality. The effect of a well-educated labor force on a company’s productivity is a positive externality. If one person does something at a personal cost, but a whole group benefits without bearing any of the cost, that exemplifies a positive externality.

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FEATURE - THE POLITICS OF MEAT PT. 2

A company that reaps profits, while causing damage to the greater community without bearing any of the burden for the damage, demonstrates a negative externality. CAFOS (confined animal feeding operations), often cause numerous externalities for which they do not pay. We must understand these externalities in relation to meat production in order to grasp the political ramifications of eating flesh. Meat productionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s contribution to climate change represents one of the most pressing externalities. According to a report by the United Nations, the worldwide feedlot industry expels more greenhouse gasses (GHGs) than the transportation industry. The manure produced by cattle in CAFOs is often stored in large lagoons and emits high levels of methane and nitrous oxide, which represent two of the most powerful GHGs. Along with cattle waste contributing greatly to the creation of greenhouse gasses, the amounts of oil and fertilizers used in animal feed production contribute enormously to climate change. According to studies, half of all the energy used in intensive animal operations is used in the growing of cattle feed, from making fertilizers, to the planting, harvesting, and transportation of the feed. Additionally, growing corn (a staple feed for feedlot cattle) represents a substantial source of nitrous oxide emissions due to the amount of synthetic fertilizer used in its production. The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) reveals another problematic meat-production-externality. The UCS reports that feedlots produce over 300 million tons of waste per yearâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;twice the amount of waste produced by the human population of the United States. However, no well-coordinated infrastructure exists in order to deal with this waste. Large lagoons store most feedlot manure. These storage facilities often leak or sometimes fail completely, polluting both surface and ground water.

VegWorld Magazine

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

FEATURE - THE POLITICS OF MEAT PT. 2

Occasionally, the waste is sprayed on nearby fields as fertilizer, but the land simply cannot absorb that much waste. In 1995, an eight-acre disposal pond in North Carolina ruptured, which resulted in millions of gallons of manure surging into the New River. Consequently, 364,000 acres of coastal wetlands were closed to shell fishing, and ten million fish died. In 1999, Hurricane Floyd caused the collapse of five manure lagoons and the flooding of forty-seven others in North Carolina. In addition to the manure problem, runoff from corporate cattle facilities contains antibiotics, hormones, pesticides, heavy metals and microorganisms, which contaminate water supplies, as well as crops. While there are laws in place that regulate the disposal of this wasteâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;overworked governing bodies often turn a blind eye because mega corporations behind the CAFOs wield enormous power.

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Numerous policies have been legislated that allow CAFOs owners to sidestep EPA regulations. Powerful industry leaders constantly lobby congress to relax environmental regulations. Research shows that from 2006-2010, big Ag lobbyists spent 381 billion dollars to keep regulatory agencies out of their business. CAFOs conglomerates often pass manure problems on to local communities who must shoulder the disposal costs. Additionally, CAFOsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; owners rarely (if ever) live in the communities where their operations pollute. They reap the rewards of the CAFOs without sharing in the cost of their problems. Martha Noble, an attorney and veteran policy specialist at the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, reveals the many subsidies that benefit the factory-farming sector. Drawing largely on a report from the Union of Concerned Scientists, Noble reports that the government has spent some seven

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

FEATURE - THE POLITICS OF MEAT PT. 2

billion dollars to fund cleanup of CAFOs. Taxpayers have expended nearly $4.1 billion to clean up leaking lagoon facilities created by these mega-farms. The treatment of food production workers represents yet another unjust externality. In Let Them Eat Junk: How Capitalism Creates Hunger and Obesity, Robert Albritton states that there are an estimated “12 million undocumented immigrants and migrants in the United States.” These workers are at particular risk when working for U.S. employers whose interests lie in increased profits at the expense of worker wages, benefits and safety.

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Over two-thirds of CAFOs employees are reportedly immigrants of legal or non-legal status. An influx of immigrant and illegal migrant workers strain community resources as the demands for increased social services and English training rise dramatically. Further, such workers have little recourse to complain about unfair wages or hazardous working conditions as the fear of being deported buys their silence. These workers live at the poverty line or below while those who own the means of production garner huge profits from these migrant workers’ labor.

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

FEATURE - THE POLITICS OF MEAT PT. 2

Idyllic family farms of previous generations have been rendered all but non-existent as they’ve been replaced by large scale industrial CAFO’s

VegWorld Magazine

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

FEATURE - THE POLITICS OF MEAT PT. 2

Beyond externalities, meat has shaped and continues to mold ideas and culture in powerful ways. Beef consumption, in particular, was a formidable conditioning agent as our country grew and flourished. Eating beef represented wealth and power in early America. Immigrants who could afford to do so ate beef because early in our history, there was a belief that one of the marks of success in America was eating roast beef or a steak. In other words, what you ate for dinner marked your social stature. This notion is rampant once again in the twenty-first century. Going out to eat a steak dinner is often considered a signifier of wealth and status. CAFOs and industrial beef production have also paved the way for the industrialization of the entire food system and the demise of small-scale, local food economies. These industrialized meat operations have led to the loss of diversity within the food system as well. In the International Forum on Globalization Report, Debbie Barker argues: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Industrial agriculture eliminates diverse food production for local needs, replacing it with large scale monocultural production of one or two crops appropriate for markets, thus diminishing the diversity of micro

VegWorld Magazine

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

FEATURE - THE POLITICS OF MEAT PT. 2

organisms, plants, insects, and animals, and diminishing local food supply as well.”

Indeed, once upon a time, in the rich history of America, the growing of food and animals was rooted in a relationship between growers and the earth.

The enormous subsidies legislated in favor of these industrial agricultural entities must come to an end. With lobbying dollars and campaign contributions that ensure the election of candidates who are sympathetic to their cause, industrial food and agriculture companies receive benefits without having to pay for the externalities that their businesses impose on communities. Citizens must do their part and pressure local, state and national governments to quit propping up these conglomerates. Even better, quit eating meat altogether, thereby creating a healthier population and planet. If food is to once again come from small farms, the collusion of government and big-business-CAFOS must be exposed and stopped. Of utmost importance for a healthy-food-economic-system to thrive, government and private CAFO’s activities should be kept completely separate.

Producing food represented a cherished practice; it involved the farmer, the land, and the community all working together, with the goal of sustaining that intimate exchange in perpetuity. At the heart of this interchange was a deep love of the land and animals. Sadly, with the onset of CAFOs and governmental involvement in meat production, this esteemed process gave way to volume of production and profit. To be sure, times are changing as the corrupt politics of meat comes to light. In order for America to compete in a global market, we must rethink how we grow and consume food, and in particular, meat. Those countries that create a steady, sustainable and equitable source of sustenance for their citizens, or, in the words of Tolkien, “value food and cheer and song above hoarded gold,” will indeed rule the world.

About the Author Lori Donica Barber lives in Idaho where she teaches the history and anthropology of food at Idaho State University. She is passionate about the implications of eating a plant-based diet and challenges her students to consider the repercussions of every bite they take. Lori believes everything always comes back to food – from obvious health concerns, to political issues to societies' ability to learn, grow and make sound decisions. When she is not lecturing on food, she teaches yoga, inspiring people to move their bodies and eat healthy food. She also loves venturing into the backcountry of Idaho, skiing, backpacking, camping and soaking up the great outdoors. She shares her love of plant-based eating with her husband and two sons who have indulged her obsession and embraced this lifestyle wholeheartedly.

VegWorld Magazine

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

by Sharon McRae

his month, I’m bringing you new recommendations for sun care, hair care, and one of my favorites, cruelty-free, safe fragrances.

Suntegrity “5 in 1”Natural Moisturizing Face Sunscreen-Tinted, Broad Spectrum SPF 30 is nothing

short

amaz-

ing! This is a multi-purpose product that provides hy-

Suntegrity SKIN CARE

dration, sun protection, skin repair treatment, and a slight tint with sheer to light coverage, and it serves as a great

Effective, safe, and vegan sun care products can be difficult to find, so I was thrilled to discover the wonderful products by Suntegrity Skincare! Tricia, the founder of the company, is a kindred spirit, who channeled her sadness over losing her Mom to cancer into a positive effort to spread the message that we do have some control over our health destiny. When her Mom died of melanoma, she de-

primer for my mineral foundation. I ordered the shade “Golden Light” based on the description given on the website, which lists celebrities with various skin tones as a guide for shade selection. You can purchase up to 2 deluxe sample tubes if you think you may

cided to develop a holistic, mineral sun care line to

be between shades. In addition,

help others avoid skin cancer. Suntegrity products

there is a downloadable “Kokko

use only the best-known physical blocking agent,

Beauty” iPhone app that can as-

non-nano size zinc oxide, to provide broad-spec-

sist further with shade selection

trum UVA/UVB protection. In addition, the prod-

by providing a free ColorChart. A

ucts contain amino acids and super antioxidants

pea-sized amount of the product

that help to repair the skin. Non-toxic preservatives

covers my whole face easily; it

are included to maintain product integrity.

goes on a bit thick but is very easy

VegWorld Magazine

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

TRUE BEAUTY

to blend, and once applied, the feel is weightless, not heavy as I feared it might be. And the best part is, no white tint is left behind because the product blends right into the skin and even provides a bit of

pour le monde

100% NATURAL PERFUMES

coverage. In fact, I find I don’t have to use as much foundation as I usually do to cover redness around my nose and cheeks. It wears well throughout the day and easily washes off at night. This one is definitely a keeper…now I can feel confident knowing my skin is well protected during the sunniest of afternoons, even on the beach, and I can still comfortably apply and wear my makeup too. I highly recommend this one! For protection for the rest of the body, Suntegrity Unscented-Natural Mineral

Sunscreen for Body-Broad Spectrum SPF 30, is an excellent product. Although it’s quite thick and very white upon initial application, it quickly disappears into skin and doesn’t feel at all sticky or heavy…and again, no

One of the products I missed the most when I decided to go all natural was fragrance. I used to love wearing a musky type fragrance that wasn’t overpowering, yet was alluring and gave me a signature trademark. I’ve played with some essential oil blends on my own but never quite got the right scent. So finding Pour Le Monde 100%

Natural Perfumes was very exciting! Their collection of three fabulous eau de parfums is cruelty-free, vegan, and pregnancy safe…and to top it all, each fragrance is affiliated with a different charity, to which a portion of the proceeds is donated. The company graciously sent me samples of the three fragrances to try.

white residue is left behind. And for lips, Suntegrity Lip C.P.R.

SPF 30, which looks and feels like a light gloss, is gorgeous and perfect for the beach! I love

the

shades

Envision is my favorite fragrance of the three; 10% of net sales of this fragrance benefits the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. I love the deep, intricate, sensual nature of this scent! It starts off with some citrus notes, which

SOLAR ROSE and

evolve into a hint of floral, and the

SUNSET

PEACH.

dry down of sandalwood and vanilla

If you’re looking

is heavenly. I’m obsessed with this

for sun care that

scent and can’t wait to get a full-

is effective, safe,

sized bottle so I can wear it every

clean, and vegan,

day! I also really like Together,

Suntegrity is your

which benefits The Cancer Support

brand. Use code

Community and has fresh, citrus

VEGWORLD

tones and a clean, feminine, pow-

for

15% off on your first purchase: http://www.sunt e g r i t y s k i n c a re . com/face

VegWorld Magazine

dery dry down. Empower, a unisex scent which benefits Guiding Eyes for the Blind, is a great choice if you prefer a more invigorating, sporty scent. All in all, this is a beautiful collection from a clean, vegan

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

TRUE BEAUTY

company with a very admirable mission. I’m so ex-

create less frizz than using a towel). Next, I sprayed

cited to have fragrance back in my life! And here’s

the leave-in conditioner all over, from roots to

some great news: Pour le Monde has generously

ends, and used the styling crème afterwards. I like

extended a discount code, EWSW, for 15% off of a

to scrunch my hair up in clips and allow it to air dry,

full sized bottle, good through 10/1/17:

which can take a few hours. These products gave

http://www.pourlemondeparfums.com/shop

my hair a beautiful, wavy look…as well as a very pleasant clean fragrance that actually lingered for a few days! All ingredients are 100% natural, so there

Evolvh

LUXURY NATURAL HAIRCARE

are no synthetic perfumes. The leave-in conditioner can be used to freshen hair and recreate the waves/curl after a workout, too. It’s so nice to have hair products that I can feel good enough about

Hair products that are vegan, clean, and effective

to share with my teenagers! The fabulous team at

can also be challenging to find. I was excited to

Evolvh has extended a discount code for VegWorld

come across this collection from Evolvh! The prod-

readers; use code VEGWORLD15 for 15% off your

ucts are made using 90% or higher organic con-

entire order: https://www.evolvh.com/collections/

tent. The entire line is sulfate, paraben and sodium

core-products

chloride free, as well as gluten free. Most products are vegan, and all are cruelty free.

For a great limited edition special from EVOLVh visit: https://www.evolvh.com/collections/core-prod-

The company was kind enough to send me the

Evolvh Curls Collection, which includes Ul-

ucts/products/healthy-hair-trio

trashine Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner, Smartstart Leave-in Conditioner, and Ultimate Styling Lotion. Since I prefer more control in my hair styling products, I also purchased the

TotalControl Styling Crème. For reference, my hair is naturally very wavy and can easily be coaxed into curls, and I color it with henna. I followed the instructions to cleanse and treat with the shampoo and conditioner, then used a soft T-shirt to remove excess moisture (tends to

About the Author Sharon McRae is a wife and mother of three teens, as well as a certified health coach and PCRM Food for Life instructor residing in Columbia, MD. She has been adopting and applying principles of health and nutrition in her own life for more than three decades. She became a health coach to fulfill her passion of helping others take control of their health by making better lifestyle choices and adapting a whole food, plant-based vegan diet.

VegWorld Magazine

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

FASHION WITH COMPASSION

Spotlight on

GUNAS by Erin Goldmeier

n 2009, designer and animal lover Sugandh G. Agrawal quit her seven year career as an industrial designer at KitchenAid to start her own cruelty-free vegan handbag company in New York. GUNAS is a zero-cruelty, 100% vegan brand that uses a variety of fabrics including coated canvases, nylons, ultra-leather, ultra-suede, upcycled polyester, upcycled upholstery fabrics, vintage materials and cotton canvas to create its products. The company offers a variety of colors and styles ranging from totes, satchels and cross-body bags to wallets and backpacks.

VegWorld Magazine

The word GUNAS is derived from yogic studies. The 3 gunas (or qualities) include darkness, activity and beingness, and the balance of these three qualities help us better-understand natural phenomena. Part of GUNAS’ brand manifesto as stated on their website reads, “We believe that animals are not a “property” of humans. We are against the human nature of bullying and the desire to dominate all other species. We stand up to the culture of violence and suffering that we inherited against our will. Justice, empathy and compassion are our core values. We envision a world of peace, love and kindness that starts with each one of us. We advocate conscious consumerism over fast fashion. We make “victim-free” fashion full of love for all. We will not participate in any kind of exploitation, be it towards our planet, people or animals.”

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

FASHION WITH COMPASSION

Each bag from the GUNAS line is named after animal species that are endangered or personalities that have done great work for animal welfare. Most importantly, each purchase gives back to the community by donating to various organizations. Since its opening, the company has garnered worldwide media attention and a variety of prestigious awards including the Ethical Fashion award by the Ethical Fashion Forum in London, the best Handbag brand in 2014 by PETA; and in 2015, founder Sugandh was awarded the Independent Handbag Designers Association HBD101 award. GUNASâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; full range of modern styles retail between $55-$275. To learn more about the company or order a bag, visit their website at www.gunasthebrand.com.

Designer Sugandh G. Agrawal at her office.

About the Author Erin Goldmeier is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in Radar Online, PETA Prime, The Virgin Atlantic Airways Blog, Southwest Virginia Living magazine, Convention South magazine, Smart Meetings magazine and others.

VegWorld Magazine

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

MORELS CAFÉ

GET COMFY IN LOUISVILLE!

by Michael Taylor

ouisville is a renowned Midwestern city known for the legendary baseball bat manufacturer, Louisville Slugger, the college basketball powerhouse, Louisville Cardinals and of course, Kentucky bourbon. But now there is a new reason to visit -- to dine at the recently opened Morels Café.

operating a vegan food truck. In 2012, he quite accidentally created a vegan jerky product that would become a very successful, nationally-known company called the Louisville Vegan Jerky Co. Today they have 20 full time employees and are growing in leaps and bounds.

In the Highlands area of Louisville, Morels Café opened as the next evolution to Stanley Chase’s vision of creating a more compassionate society. Chase began his vegan crusade by founding and

But, Stanley wanted more. His vision included a full-service restaurant focused on veganizing comfort food favorites. The menu is limited at the present but will increase as the café expands. For now,

VegWorld Magazine

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

EAT THE WORLD

you can order their signature dish “The Farby” which is braised roast “beef”, cheese, and red ranch on a locally made onion bun served with curly fries and horseradish aioli. Also, you can find “pulled pork” sliders and a unique “pepperoni” salad. I had the slider which was loaded with flavor and will make non-vegans rethink their menu choices. In the deli case, for takeout or dining in, is mock chicken salad, potato salad, prewrapped Philly cheese “steak” wraps, and mock Buffalo chicken dip. The mock chicken salad may have been the best I have ever tasted! Like Kombucha? Morels offers two flavors on draft. I had a tall glass of the blueberry/ginger which was really a nice blend.

VegWorld Magazine

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

EAT THE WORLD

Morels is a small, cafĂŠ style bistro with seating for about 20. Great for a casual lunch or dinner. There is plenty of street parking, credit cards accepted and reservations not taken nor needed. When visiting Louisville, make sure to stop by Morels and say hi to their very attentive staff. While there, make sure you ask about the Vegan Jerky they have for sale in the back.

About the Author Michael Taylor travels in North America, South America and Europe for business and strives to dine at the very best vegan restaurants in every city he visits. As a vegan of seven years and vegetarian for 20 years before that, he has sampled some of the best Vegan foods in 46 states and 24 countries. Michael looks for restaurants using the best ingredients (organic preferred), innovative recipes and vegan outreach.

VegWorld Magazine

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

THINGS WE LOVE

THINGS WE LOVE Cathy Carter Loves

Proctor Silex® Nonstick Electric Griddle-38513P never dreamed I would fall in love with an electric appliance. But I have. An accidental discovery has changed my life. Literally.

and they looked oh, so pretty and fluffy on the box. Imagine my delight when I discovered the Proctor Silex® Nonstick Electric Griddle was on sale at half price – for a mere $19.95! How could I resist?

Rounding the corner of a grocery store aisle recently, my eyes were drawn to the picture of lus-

The griddle has made my life so much easier. With

cious-looking pancakes on a box. Six of them +

the Proctor Silex® Electric Griddle on my counter-

four sausages -- on ONE non-stick griddle!

top, I can create satisfying one-dish, plant-based meals that eliminate the need to clean multiple pots

Plant-based pancakes are a favorite breakfast item

and pans. It is perfect for cooking Dr. McDougall’s

that my omnivore husband will eat. But unfortu-

Banana Pancakes and Almond French Toast from

nately, I haven’t had much luck cooking them in a

The Healthiest Diet on the Planet. I’ve also used

non-stick skillet, especially since there’s room for

it to cook hash browns (and yes, they actually

only a couple of them at a time. Not to mention

brown with no added oil!), vegan sausages, French

that with no added oil, the “non-stick” part is usu-

toast and Reuben sandwiches, black bean burgers,

ally just the opposite. In other words, the endeavor

Portobello mushrooms, quesadillas, burritos, and

normally ends with a mess on our plates.

more!

Here, before me, was a way to cook multiple pancakes at one time,

And here’s the icing on the cake. To make cleaning even easier, the nonstick cooking components are dishwasher safe and fully immersible with the cord removed. This may be the best $20 I’ve ever spent. Vitamix®, move over! There’s room in my heart for both of you!

VegWorld Magazine

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

HEALTHY, DELICIOUS, EASY RAW VEGAN ICE CREAMS

YOU CAN MAKE AT HOME! Recipes and photos by Natalie Norman

Hello, Amazing VegWorld Readers! It’s your raw food pal, Natalie! Do you love ice cream as much as I do? But are you tired of how all that sugary processed ice cream makes you look and feel afterward? Read on! I’m here to help. I was always kind of addicted to dairy ice cream. I’d open a container and throw away the lid because, hello, that container was not about to go back into the freezer. It was about to be emptied! Fast forward to when I went vegan and was pretty excited when dairy-free choices began to spring up. But then reality hit: Packaged vegan ice creams are mostly pro-

VegWorld Magazine

cessed junk, leading to weight gain and decreased overall health. Not what I consider a win! The GREAT news is that you can whip up the easiest, most nutritious and delicious ice creams you’ll ever taste, all thanks to the simplest fruit out there: Bananas! Yup. And these ice creams aren’t just desserts. You can enjoy them as a healthy raw fruitbased meal unto themselves. Or you can even blend them up with water and greens to transform them into green smoothies. Here are a couple of fast and tasty raw vegan ice cream recipes to get you started.

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

CHOCOLATE COCONUT PISTACHIO RAW VEGAN

ICE CREAM INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

ICE CREAM BASE:

In a high-speed blender or food processor fitted with “S” blade, blend the ice cream base ingredients until smooth.

• 4 large ripe frozen bananas broken into 1-2” chunks • 3 teaspoons raw cacao powder • 2 teaspoons vanilla powder (or use the best liquid vanilla you have available) • ¾ cup dried finely shredded raw coconut flakes After you create the ice cream base, you’ll pulse in these ingredients to create the chunky texture: • ¼ cup raw pistachio nuts • ¼ cup large raw coconut flakes (or use finely shredded if you only have one kind)

Warning: DO NOT OVER-BLEND. Frozen banana melts quickly and I don’t want you winding up with a totally melted mess. Stop blending as soon as it’s barely creamy, then add the chunk ingredients and pulse until incorporated but the mixture is still, well, chunky. This is what gives this ice cream the delightful contrast of smooth and crunchy textures. Spoon your ice cream into serving dishes of your choosing. Sprinkle cacao nibs and coconut on top for a decadent finish.

• 1/3 cup raw cacao nibs

TOPPING: • 2-3 Tablespoons raw cacao nibs • 2-3 Tablespoons raw coconut flakes

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RAW FOOD LIFESTYLE TIP: Always try to keep banana chunks in a sealed container in your freezer ready to go for green smoothies, pie fillings, or raw vegan ice creams.

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

FRUITY

RAINBOW GELATO

DIRECTIONS Combine and blend equal parts of frozen banana chunks with frozen strawberries, blueberries, and mango. Or you can use just about any other frozen fruit you like, so long as itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in equal proportion to the frozen banana. This gives you a soft gelato consistency. Serve in layers and enjoy!

VegWorld Magazine

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

CHOCOLATE CHERRY MACA

ICE CREAM

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

• 3 cups frozen ripe banana chunks

Blend in high-powered blender or a food processor fitted with an S-blade, scraping down as needed

• 3 Tablespoons maca • 1/2 cup raw cacao nibs

Enjoy immediately!

• 1.5 cups fresh or frozen cherries

Yield: 1-3 Serving

Keep in Touch! I’m loving contributing to VegWorld regularly, so be sure to reach out and let me know what you think of my column and what kinds of topics you would like to see covered. I would love to see a picture of the ice cream you create, too! Drop me a line and subscribe at www.natalienorman.com, and be sure to follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for daily inspiration. I’m so proud to be a VegWorld contributor and am myself an avid reader of this amazing magazine. I look forward to continuing to meet all of you, and I support you 100% on your journey into plant-based living!

About the Chef Natalie Norman is a busy working mom who lost half her body weight and became her happiest, fittest self by adopting a raw vegan diet. Inspired by her radical health transformation, Natalie departed from her career as an attorney and became an Advanced Certified Raw Food Nutrition Educator and Certified Sports Nutritionist. She also obtained her Certification in PlantBased Nutrition from the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies at Cornell University. Natalie founded and runs an award-winning educational website where she shares mouthwatering, easy, practical raw vegan recipes with beautiful food photography and plenty of useful lifestyle tips to keep you inspired and supported on your journey to plant-based living. Connect with Natalie, read her full story, and subscribe to her free community newsletter at her website.

VegWorld Magazine

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

RAW HEMP ENERGY BALLS by Mark Reinfeld

VegWorld Magazine

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

RAW HEMP ENERGY BALLS

Yield: 16 Energy Balls, Prep time: 20 minutes, Total time: 20 minutes, Serving size: 1 Tablespoon, Number of servings: 16

ingredients

METHOD

• 1 cup raw almonds

1. Place the almonds in a food processor and process until finely ground

• 2/3 cup pitted Medjool dates • ¼ cup dried shredded unsweetened coconut • 2 Tablespoons raw almond butter (optional) • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon • ½ teaspoon ground cardamom • Pinch of sea salt • ¾ teaspoon culinary-grade rose water (optional) • 1/3 cup raw cacao nibs • ¼ cup hemp seeds

2. Add the dates, coconut, almond butter, if using, cinnamon, cardamom, salt, and rosewater, if using, and process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl. 3. Add the cacao nibs and mix with your hands until evenly distributed. Form into sixteen small balls. 4. Place the hemp seeds in a small dish. Roll each ball in the hemp seeds until coated. Store in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Nutritional Facts per serving (24g): Calories 115, Fat Calories 75, Total Fat 9 g, Saturated Fat 2 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Sodium 13 mg, Total Carb 8 g, Dietary Fiber 3 g, Sugars 4 g, Protein 4 g.

About the Chef Mark Reinfeld is a multi-award winning chef and author of seven books, including the best selling 30 Minute Vegan series and his latest book, Healing the Vegan Way. Mark has over 20 years of experience preparing creative vegan and raw cuisine. Since 2012, he has served as the Executive Chef for the North American Vegetarian Society’s Summerfest. He has offered consulting services for clients such as Google, Whole Foods, Bon Appetit Management, and more. Mark was the founding chef of The Blossoming Lotus Restaurant, voted “Best Restaurant on Kaua’i.” His first cookbook, Vegan Fusion World Cuisine, has won 9 national awards including “Best Vegetarian Cookbook in the USA.” His 7th and most recent cookbook, Healing the Vegan Way, was selected “Best Book for Vegans in 2016” by Philly.com. Mark is the recipient of Vegan.com’s Recipe of the Year Award and Aspen Center for Integral Health’s Platinum Carrot Award. Through his Vegan Fusion company, he offers consulting services, vegan and raw cooking workshops, and chef trainings internationally. Books by Mark Reinfeld: Healing the Vegan Way, The 30-Minute Vegan: Soup’s On!, The 30-Minute Vegan’s Taste of Europe, The 30-Minute Vegan’s Taste of the East, The 30-Minute Vegan, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Eating Raw, and Vegan Fusion World Cuisine www.veganfusion.com | www.markreinfeld.com | www.doctorandchef.com Twitter: @veganfusion | Facebook: www.facebook.com/veganfusion1 | Instagram: @veganfusion

VegWorld Magazine

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

CINNAMON CHICKPEA

BLONDIE BARS by Katie Mae, PlantzSt.com

hese Cinnamon Chickpea Blondie Bars are like chocolate-free, peanut butter brownies, except better because they don’t have any dairy, eggs, or processed junk! Bars like this are always great on-the-go options because they’re easy to pack, mess-free, and tasty at room-temp. Between the chickpeas, quinoa, and flax seeds, I think these bars would satisfy and delight any Nutritarian!

VegWorld Magazine

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

CINNAMON CHICKPEA BLONDIE BARS

Makes 9–12 bars (8x8 inch dish) Ready in 25 minutes, Stores 7 days in fridge

ingredients • 1½ cups chickpeas or white beans (15oz can, drained and rinsed) • 12 Medjool dates, pitted • ¼ cup ground flax seed • ¼ cup ground quinoa or oat flour • ¾ cup peanuts or almonds • ½ cup water • ½ Tablespoon pure vanilla extract • ½ Tablespoon baking powder • ½ Tablespoon ground cinnamon

ACTION STEPS 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8inch baking dish with parchment paper. 2. Add all of the ingredients to a food processor. Blend until it becomes a thick dough. If you still see some nuts intact, that’s actually preferred—it gives the bars more texture. 3. Move the dough to the prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly. Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the bars comes out clean. Slice and serve warm.

About the Chef Katie Mae is a culinary coach, nutritionist and the founder of Plantz St. Culinary Gym in downtown Santa Rosa, CA. The Culinary Gym is a place for people to learn and practice cooking with whole plant foods to enhance their fitness and quality of life. With in-person classes, online programs, and several eCookbooks, Katie Mae helps make the plant-based diet convenient and extra flavorful. Katie Mae is a cooking instructor at TrueNorth Health Center and the McDougall residential health programs. She also contributes to the Forks Over Knives and the Food Revolution Network websites. Katie Mae holds a Master of Science in Nutrition from Bastyr University and has completed the Rouxbe Plant-based Culinary Certification. You can find her recipes and work at PlantzSt.com.

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Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

TURKISH GARBANZO

BEAN SALAD by Katie Mae, PlantzSt.com

his light and flavorful bean salad was inspired by PCC Natural Foods Market in Seattle, WA. They have a similar salad that is quite delicious, but the dressing is oil-HEAVY. I’m excited to offer you my easy and delicious oil-free take on this Turkish Garbanzo Bean Salad. The combination of Mediterranean spice, salty olives, and a tangy sweetness from the dried apricots makes this a salad that you’ll crave. Plus, it’s just as yummy when it’s chilled as it is warm, so it’s a great dish to bring to work or take on long road trips.

VegWorld Magazine

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

TURKISH GARBANZO BEAN SALAD

Makes 1½ cups, Ready in 10 minutes Stores 1 week in fridge

DRESSING INGREDIENTS • 5 Kalamata olives, pitted

SALAD INGREDIENTS • 1½ cups cooked garbanzo beans (15-oz can, drained and rinsed) • ½ cup thinly sliced red onion • 10 Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced • 6 Turkish apricots, sliced

• 3 garlic clove, sliced

• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

• 2 Turkish apricots, sliced

•

• 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

ACTION STEPS

• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice

• Add all of the dressing ingredients to a blender. Blend into a creamy vinaigrette.

• ½ Tablespoon stone-ground mustard • ½ Teaspoon dried marjoram • ½ teaspoon dried oregano • ½ teaspoon paprika

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• In a medium-size bowl, combine the beans, onion, olives, apricots, and parsley. • Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients. Toss well. Enjoy right away or store in an airtight container to save for later.

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

SOS-FREE

BOWL-OFOATMEAL MUFFINS by Amy Johnson, aka Mrs. Plant in Texas VegWorld Magazine

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

SOS-FREE BOWL-OF-OATMEAL MUFFINS

hese dense muffins provide all of the nutrients of a bowl of oatmeal while not requiring a bowl or a spoon to eat them! Simply toss one into a baggie and you’re off!

ingredients • 2/3 cup cooked sweet potato • 2 medium-sized (about 7 inch-long) ripe bananas • ½ cup unsweetened applesauce • 1 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats • 1 cup puffed millet • 2 Tablespoons ground flaxseeds • 1 ½ teaspoons Ceylon cinnamon • 1/8 teaspoon ginger powder • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg • dash of ground cloves (optional) • ¼ cup chopped walnuts (optional) • ¼ cup raisins (optional)

method Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, mash the sweet potato, bananas, and applesauce together well. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well to combine. Split into 7-8 muffins in a non-stick muffin pan or in silicone muffin cups. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until firm to the touch and crispy on the outside.

About the Chef Amy is a home chef living medication-free in Frisco, Texas. She works with patients who have been diagnosed with dietary illnesses like obesity, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, etc. to prevent and reverse these illnesses through a whole foods plant-based lifestyle. Before her journey, Amy was taking medication three times a day for type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol, as well as struggling with severe osteopenia and obesity. After adopting a plant-based lifestyle, she has been able to get off her medications, lose weight (finally!) and run! Visit her website at www.mrsplantintexas.com for hundreds of whole foods plant-based (no oil!) recipes, as well as cooking tips and plant-based education. Or, follow her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/mrsplantintexas, on Instagram: mrsplantintexas, or on YouTube: www.youtube.com/mrsplantintexas.

VegWorld Magazine

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

A Blind Date

WITH A BUTCHER by Clay Garrett

VegWorld Magazine

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

SANCTUARY OF THE MONTH

hil Green is a mechanic. Phil Green rides a motorcycle. And Phil Green is a vegan. It would be fair to say that Phil isn’t the type of guy who fits neatly into the typical vegan mold. Following a physical in early 2013, Phil’s doctor briefed him on the alarming state of his health, following up with a grim prognosis for his future. Just shy of 41 years old, Phil weighed 279 lbs. He was suffering from high cholesterol, a fatty liver, sleep apnea, pre-diabetes, crushing chest pain, elevated triglycerides, and he was hypertensive. Phil’s doctor believed sooner, rather than later, he would suffer a heart attack, and if he survived, he would most likely have a second cardiac event, as well as physical and mental decline to look forward to. It was the same path Phil watched his parents travel, first-hand. But then, something unusual took place in that doctor’s office. Instead of going down the usual route of prescribing pills, Phil’s doctor had a

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different approach. She suggested a diet that she referred to as a whole grain, vegetarian diet which also avoided all processed foods and drinks. After some early positive results, including blood work numbers returning to the normal or near-normal range, Phil decided to double down on the doctor’s initial recommendations. Shortly thereafter, he traveled down the proverbial rabbit hole of Netflix vegan documentaries, followed by books from Drs. McDougall, Esselstyn, and Campbell. Then came the YouTube videos and all the other resources many of us are familiar with when embarking on a plant-based diet. It’s a familiar pattern -- maybe this is your story! But this isn’t a story about Phil. Phil’s story has already been compellingly told in the “Amazing Transformation” section of VegWorld Issue #31 (I highly recommend reading it.) This story is about a sweet, docile, 1,500 pound, white purebred Brahma cow. Her name is Rose.

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SANCTUARY OF THE MONTH

Rose’s fate was sealed. On April 20th, she was to be butchered so her owner could recoup some of his investment. At $3.00 per usable pound, Rose’s life was now worth no more than $1,800. It was a far cry from the amount Rose’s owner had paid for her, but at least it wasn’t a total loss…for him. However, Rose’s owner was having misgivings. He didn’t actually want to have her butchered; she was a placid, friendly creature, and he had developed an attachment to her. This wasn’t supposed to be her fate, not yet. She had always been destined to meet the butcher at some point, but not now. She was supposed to live a longer life, grazing the pasture and producing calves. It wasn’t going to be a great life, but the plan had always been for it to be a longer one.

Rose was a show cow whose owner had purchased her for breeding purposes. Her calves were destined to be sold to the highest bidder and, in time, those calves, too, would become show cows. It’s a big business, and her owner hoped Rose would make him a lot of money. But after some time – a time in which she failed to produce a calf, Rose became expendable. She was an investment that wasn’t paying off. And what do you do with an investment that’s not showing returns? You get what you can out of it and cut your losses. That’s what the owner planned, and that was going to be Rose’s sad fate – a blind date with a butcher. After only seven years on this planet (12-15 years before what would have been her “natural” death), Rose’s life was scheduled to come to an abrupt end. As a point of comparison, seven years for a cow would be the equivalent of a 26-year-old human being facing death. Before even one third of her lifespan had been completed, Rose was slated to be chopped up and sold for parts–like an old junk car.

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One serendipitous day, Rose’s owner was scheduled to start working in a different area. His co-worker on this particular day was none other than Phil Green. As the two men got to talking, Rose’s owner told Phil about her sad fate. He took no joy in having her killed; he was simply a businessman in a world where animals are nothing but commodities to be bought and sold for profit. He didn’t want Rose to die, but he needed the $1,800. He lamented the fact that he had no choice but to have the cow butchered. Phil immediately sensed an opportunity to do something wonderful for Rose. What if Phil were able to raise the $1,800 purchase price? Would the owner accept that and sell the cow to him? The answer? Of course! It didn’t matter to him where the money came from. “After all,” he quipped, “...$1,800 is $1,800.” So, Phil, having recovered his health and now enjoying the miraculous benefits of his new lifestyle, was given the chance to save another plant-based eater’s life….Rose’s! All he had to do was come up

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

SANCTUARY OF THE MONTH

to the cause. Friends, co-workers, VegWorld contributors, endurance runners, and caring strangers were moved by Rose’s plight, and they all chipped in to save Rose from her date with the butcher. Even celebrity journalist and vegan, Jane Velez-Mitchell, donated to “Save Rose from the Butcher.” Not only that, Jane featured Rose’s story on a Facebook Live interview with Phil at HealthFest 2017. A fortuitous suggestion from the vegan social media community led Phil to discover a wonderful local animal sanctuary. Persimmon Hill Horses and Rescue (www.facebook.com/groups/Persimminhillhorses) was willing to take in Rose and give her a safe place to live for the remaining years of her life. A volunteer-run organization, Persimmon Hill operates solely on donations and the owner’s personal income. It is truly a labor of love. As for the trailer, well, let’s just say that the setting for Rose’s happy tale is Northeast Texas / Southwest Arkansas, also known as cattle country. There was no shortage of individuals with cattle trailers, and Phil’s the type of guy you just want to help; so the acquisition of a cattle trailer was the least of his worries. Phil paying for Rose’s freedom

with $1,800, a place for Rose to live, and a way to get her there. But who has an extra $1,800 just lying around, a spare acre of pasture, and a cattle trailer? Focusing on one problem at a time, Phil set out to procure the necessary $1,800. What do you do when you have a sentimental task and not enough money to make it happen? Crowdsourcing, of course! That’s how Phil’s GoFundMe.com fundraiser was born, and he named it, aptly enough: “Save Rose from the Butcher.” “Save Rose from the Butcher” would be shared over 300 times. Over 40 people came forward to donate

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With less than a month to raise the needed funds, Phil sprung into action. He galvanized the vegan social media community. Folks came together, and with an average donation of around $45.00, raised the required funds needed to secure Rose’s safe future in less than 24 days. All that remained for Phil was to make the purchase, pick up, and transport Rose to her new home. On April 17, Phil became the proud “owner” of Rose, the beautiful – and incredibly fortunate -- purebred Brahma cow. And on April 27th – seven days after her scheduled date with a butcher, Rose was transported to live in her new forever home where she is loved and cherished, not owned.

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

Rose roaming the pasture at Persimmon Hill Horses and Rescue

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Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

Philâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sons, Cooper and Spencer, playing with Rose

SANCTUARY OF THE MONTH

No longer is Rose’s fate dependent on her ability to produce bankable offspring. Instead, her very existence -- the fact that she is a creature born into this world, is what now constitutes Rose’s right to her own life.

Live free, Rose!

After Jane Velez-Mitchell raised the question, Phil was even able to convince Rose’s previous owner not to buy another cow with the proceeds from Rose’s sale. True to his word, Rose’s previous owner used the funds to buy metal to complete his personal shop. Well done, Phil.

For Rose, it all added up to an opportunity all animals should be afforded – one simple and fundamental birthright.

Again, Rose and Phil would like to thank EVERYONE who donated, no matter how big or small the amount. It all mattered.

The right to live.

About the Author Clay is a husband, father, marketer, graphic designer and plant-based vegan from Arkansas. After a lifetime on the standard American diet, Clay dealt with gallbladder, sinus and gastrointestinal issues. In his early thirties, Clay transitioned to a plantbased diet curing his health ailments and his cognitive dissonance. Listen to his story on the Plant Yourself Podcast, episode 190. Now, Clay spends his time working on projects more aligned with his values. Portfolio: claygarrett81.myportfolio.com Instagram: claygarrett81 Email: claygarrett81@gmail.com

VegWorld Magazine Photos by Mary Garrett

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

Pre scr ipt ion s f or Hea lth w it h

Dr. Lin da Ca r ne y

MEET THE GEMS Veterans of real-life health transformations VegWorld Magazine

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

PRESCRIPTIONS FOR HEALTH

uccess Stories! We all love them. Seeing others succeed in reversing their medical conditions strengthens our own resolve to continue embracing a whole food plant-based, oil-free lifestyle. Take courage for your plant-based lifestyle by reading these real-life health transformations of people I am honored to care for in my solo family practice just south of Austin, TX. So precious to me are the success stories of my patients that I call these people “Gems.” That’s the heading under which you’ll find them listed on my website, www.DrCarney.com. “Before and After” photographs of successful weight loss can truly inspire those who are struggling with obesity. My favorite part of these comparison pictures of Drew, a patient who has given me his permission to share his story, is the remarkable difference in the look in his eyes. Drew realized, at our first office visit together, that the scientific evidence supporting plant-based diets could make a real difference in his quality of life. Because he initially met me only to request travel prescriptions for a trip, my advice to adopt an oilfree whole foods plant-based lifestyle came as a total surprise to him. But, after hearing the evidence, he heartily embraced this new vegan way of eating, losing more than 125 pounds in less than 11 months.

DREW BEFORE

Yet, even more importantly, Drew admits to feeling the improvement in his moods and no longer feels “hangry - you know, hungry and angry,” he states. As he left the “hangries” behind, he credits his positive emotions as additional motivation to keep him eating plant-based. Drew expresses gratitude for the benefits he experienced in his marriage as a result of going vegan, and he was especially glad to discover more energy for family fun with his children.

Heart Valve Leakage Several of my patients who have left behind the meat, dairy, eggs, and oil have been surprised and pleased to see improvements in their echocardiogram in just 1 year. An echocardiogram is an ultrasound of the heart, which can show regurgitation (insufficiency

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DREW AFTER Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

Photo: How to renew a Drew. Photo credit: www.DrCarney.com

PRESCRIPTIONS FOR HEALTH

or “backflow”) in one or more of the heart’s 4 valves. I have been delighted to see improvements in tricuspid insufficiency, for example, or complete resolution of mitral regurgitation, when comparing echocardiograms from one year to the next in patients who embrace plants. I have not seen improvements in the echocardiograms of my patients who continue to eat animal protein such as cheese and eggs, even if limiting meat intake.

is a rare privilege. This seldom happens in standard

Bone Density

My Asthma

The advantage of performing a bone density test or DEXA (Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry) on the same machine 2 years in a row is that you are permitted to compare “apples to apples”, as the saying goes. Because I have the privilege of following the same patients, year after year, in my Family Practice office, I have seen amazing improvements in bone density tests measured 1 year after patients give up animal protein (and caffeine, tobacco, and alcohol, if those were used.) As my patients re-tested on the same exact DEXA machine a year later, a measured improvement of several percentage points happened for more than a few newly-plant-based patients! But NEVER (in my practice) did those who continued to eat animal protein improve their bone density as they aged.

America medical practice. When my multiple sclerosis patient resolved the weakness after going plantbased, it was truly a tremendous blessing for both of us to experience together. My staff and I thrilled to see function restored to one dear soul with new-onset multiple sclerosis that was diagnosed with the help of MRI.

At age 50, after being asthmatic since toddlerhood, I myself learned the benefits of leaving oil out of my vegan diet, which I had adopted years earlier. Within 1 month of saying goodbye forever to my (previously beloved) olive oil, I also said goodbye to my inhaler, because I was no longer wheezing. I threw it out eventually, during spring cleaning. Good bye asthma, hello farther distances in watermelon-seed spitting! (Before becoming vegan and later oil-free, I sometimes had trouble finding enough breath to blow out candles. Not now, though.)

Allergies/Sinus Trouble Multiple Sclerosis

Shaela came in more than several times per year

To see a patient (with a new diagnosis of multiple sclerosis) reverse a neurologic deficit that caused muscular weakness sufficient to prevent working

resolved beautifully after she gave up meat, dairy,

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for sinus infections when I first met her, but those eggs, and oil. Read her story in the Gems section of my website.

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

PATTY BEFORE

PATTY AFTER

Diabetes mellitus type 2

Cancer

Helping my type 2 diabetics to no longer need medication is rewarding, as my patients learn that the oils in their food are keeping them insulin resistant. Animal protein in the diet is another of several factors that keep some of my non-vegan patients on diabetes medication. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m always grateful whenever I can look now-vegan patients in the eye and reassure them that their oil-free, low-fat, plant-based diets have reversed their diabetes completely. Some who exercise and also knock out caffeine and alcohol have progressed to the point that they are no longer even pre-diabetic. Plant-based diets have been instrumental in reversing diabetes type 2 and permitting better control for even those who are insulin-dependent with diabetes type 1.

We may never know which patients might have had cancer but prevented cancerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s initiation phase by cutting out animal protein. But we rejoice to see patients (like Patty Falo) who have been diagnosed with breast cancer reach their 5-year cancerversary with a clean bill of health, thanks to this WFPBNO (Whole Food Plant-based No Oil) way of eating. My patients who stick with this WOE (way of eating) tend to do much better in survival and prevention of recurrence than my meat-eating cancer patients. Although the former mayor of Marshall, TX has never been my patient, Ed Smithâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inspiring story is worth a look. See his evidence for yourself in this amazing film, www.TheMarshallPlanMovie.com.

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Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

PRESCRIPTIONS FOR HEALTH

So many Medical Problems Reversed If only I could introduce you to my patients who have experienced plant-based success in reversing irritable bowel, vitiligo, acne, eczema, and bad breath, as well as those who have reversed high blood pressure, gallstones, back pain, plantar fasciitis, migraines, or heart disease. I’ve been blessed to see pelvic pain patients, low testosterone sufferers, or newly-diagnosed thyroid patients reverse their conditions on vegan diets. I’ve watched plants also turn back the clock on presbyopia, so that people gain more years of useful vision before needing to resort to those “reader” glasses which they fear might make them look older.

Callie’s Cancer May I please share the vegan success story of my patient’s fur-baby? Another of my favorite stories is the successful remission from lymphoma (without chemotherapy nor radiation) in Callie, a 14 year old cat who adopted a vegan diet in May 2016 when diagnosed with cancer. Her owner Ken blogs about her in 2 parts on my website, documenting her transformation from a listless pain-wracked elderly cat who huddled in corners producing bloody diarrhea. Within months, Callie returned to activities not seen since kitten days, despite having been given a prognosis in May 2016 of only six more months to live. Their faith in plant-based diets led Ken and his wife to vegan cat foods sold by pet food companies, Wysong and Evolution. Callie is now once again leaping up to the top of the china cabinet, six months after she was predicted to die and a full year after her diagnosis. She has returned to riding herd on her two male companion cats in the household, who also went vegan one year ago when Callie was diagnosed. Despite her veterinarian predicting that

Callie might be dead in six months without chemo, plucky little Callie is still playfully and joyfully surviving (as are her two fur-buddies), thanks to plants. From people and even their pets, I have experienced first-hand so many encouraging health transformations due to plant-based diets. When health returns, you can truly see it, as Drew’s photo shows, in their eyes.

About the Author Linda Carney MD served as Medical Director for the first 7 Immersions by Engine 2 under Rip Esselstyn. She practices medicine just south of Austin, TX and loves to share science at www.DrCarney.com.

VegWorld Magazine

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

Love, Lori MONTHLY MUSINGS ON THE PLANT-BASED LIFESTYLE

IT IS WHAT IT IS...

So Eat It by Lori Fryd

oy, can we ever over-think things! This is never more true than in the area of diet and nutrition where weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve basically got a whole society with one huge eating disorder. Listening to all the varying opinions and complex contradictory studies out there does, indeed, get confusing.

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As for me, I thrive on simplicity. If it takes more than ten minutes to explain to me why I should eat something, my brain usually goes into lockdown mode to protect itself, and I feel myself plunging into information overload. I am working hard to overcome this because Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to be more educated about the

Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

LOVE, LORI

science behind all this. However, for my everyday life, and when I talk to others who are just starting out, I usually go by one simple rule:...If it is what it is, eat it. I know what an apple is. I know what a carrot is. I know what a lettuce leaf is. I do not know what a fruit loop is. I have no clue what a box of macaroni and “cheese” is. I’m not even sure I could tell you what frosting is, especially the green, blue and pink ones. As creatures of nature, I think we all instinctively sense what real food is and what it is not. When I first started eating on my plant-based journey, I kept telling myself the same thing over and over as I waded through all the books and documentaries and lectures of very smart people trying to explain complicated nutritional science to me. That much overused saying....”It is what it is”.... kept coming into my head. I can tire of hearing that saying in other contexts, but when it came to figuring out what to eat, I found it very useful:

in one day just eating the things I instinctively understood to be real food. Over time, I got better and better at it. Now, I am able to stick to foods that are what they are about 90% of the time. And, if I wish to branch out to other things that are edible, but manufactured, I’d better jolly well see things on the label of ingredients that are also...you know....what they are.... If there’s anyone else out there whose mind works like mine (my condolences), I share this with you in the hopes it can cut through some of the complexity behind all this and help clarify things for you. One of these days, I will really ramp up my understanding of the nutritional research behind the plant-based lifestyle, but it won’t be easy for my non-scientifically oriented brain. Why do some people seem to instinctively grasp biology and chemistry and people like me have to really push ourselves to understand it? Oh well.....{{sigh}}....it is what it is.......

Eat the thing that is what it is. It made sense to me. It cut through all the emotional hype and scientific debate about nutrition. I would challenge myself to see how long I could go VegWorld Magazine

Love, Lori Issue 41 - July/August 2017 |

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