Happy Anniversary to ME!

August 6, 2010 was the day I decided to go vegan after being a vegetarian for 7 years. When I went vegetarian I did it 'cold turkey' and I knew I had to do the same when I decided to go vegan. I know some people need gradual change but for me,  it's all or nothing when it comes to a lifestyle change. I don't handle some change well so my personality dictates that I either jump in or I don't do it at all.

I think many vegetarians eventually find their way to becoming vegan. I did it for a couple reasons. Ethically, I couldn't lie to myself any longer about egg production and how chickens are treated. It doesn't matter if they are 'free range' or 'cruelty free' or 'cage free' because egg production can't be anything but cruel unless you have your own chickens and gather eggs for your own family. Don't fool yourself into believing that the eggs you buy with the fancy certifications are ok to eat. Chickens naturally lay about 17 eggs a year so for chickens to lay eggs daily means they are being 'helped' and that is something I want no part of.

I also couldn't pretend that consuming dairy was ok because 'the cow isn't killed for it's milk.' Dairy cows endure something even more horrific - their babies are stolen. Cows don't just 'give milk', they are mammals, just like us, so in order for  mammals to produce milk they need to be pregnant so a cow is forcibly raped and impregnanted and then when they give birth, their baby is ripped away from them. Female babies go into the diary cow life to start the horrific process over again and male babies are tossed into a tiny crate, left alone and scared, to become veal.

Cows yearn for their babies and they bellow for them. Baby cows do the same. In order for you to drink that milk, the baby must be denied. I find that cruel and horrific. I cannot be a part of that. I especially cannot be a part of that knowing I don't have to be a part of it. There is no reason for humans to drink the milk of another species. Human babies need human breastmilk, yes... but only as long as it takes for them to grow and get on solid food. There are acceptable and yummy alternatives to dairy products.

Plus, not consuming dairy is healthier.... which leads me to my second reason for going vegan.

I've done a lot of research on the plant based diet.  I've read both sides and it is my belief that a plant based diet is the most healthy diet and the most natural diet for a human being. I won't get into the scientific explainations of how our bodies are not designed to process flesh and dairy products but you can research on your own if you are interested.

My original thought when going egg and dairy free was to see if my health improved. I decided to try going vegan for a couple weeks to see if I could notice any change, any differences. I actually expected to go back to eating dairy on a very limited basis, mostly because I had it in my head (like most vegetrians looking to go vegan) that I probably couldn't live without cheese.

I was wrong.

I can and I do live without cheese. Well, I still have 'cheese' but it's a homemade vegan version and it's fantastic and it's healthy so I can indulge and enjoy it, knowing I'm nourishing my body istead of harming it.

Once I had dairy out of system I felt lighter and better. A fog was lifted. I got a flatter stomach, I rarely have any stomach issues, my skin cleared up and my conscience was clear. I also no longer have rapid heartbeat, which was something I'd have a couple times a year.

Going vegan was pretty easy for me but when I decide to do something, I do it. I still struggle when I'm out in restaurants because I like to be in control of my food so it's hard when someone else is cooking for you and they don't share your beliefs or even understand them. I often take my own food to events like parties, cookouts or picnics. I do that because I want to continue eating the right foods and not compromise unless I absolutely have no other choice.

For me, the key to being successful at avoiding certain things is to make those things very undesireable. I did a ton of research to find out why eggs and dairy were so bad for my body. I found out what is actually in dairy (yuck) and that made it pretty easy to avoid it. Thinking about what an egg actually is made it simple to avoid those but the reason I'm successful is because I have a vast vegan universe at my fingertips - the internet!

Over the past year I've had a few food cravings that involve dairy so I've gotten online to do a search for things I want to make that are traditionally dairy and egg filled like mac & cheese, cakes, cookies, fudge, cheese and others. I have been successfully able to find a vegan version of everything I want to eat. I am not deprived nor am I starving. I eat and eat and eat and what I eat is fantastic and full of flavor and best of all it's good for me.

I've also found new friends, vegan friends that have taught me and supported me and have become a beacon in the non-vegan jungle. I've lost friends by going vegan but that just shows me who my true friends are. I've inspired people to try going meatless or making the move toward becoming vegan. I've opened the eyes of countless people who had no idea about cruelty or ingredients.

My heart led me to being a vegetarian (I wouldn't eat my dog so why would I eat a chicken?) and my head keeps me there (it's the healthiest way to eat) and my goal going forward is that I not become part of the system - the system of sickness, surgery and popping pills to manage diet and lifestyle related diseases like cancer, heart disease, diabetes and obesity. I will not go willingly into the second half of my life as a victim of the government and a victim of processed food. I will take control instead of having choices made for me.

So, a year into being vegan has made me wish I started years ago but the truth is that you have to start somewhere and you have to make the choice to not take what you are given and to start questioning what you've been told and taught and brainwashed to believe.

You must sit down and do it. You can be free of pain and unwanted pounds, you can have energy and feel good. You can cure and stop the progression of disease. You can stop taking medications and start nourishing your body with the food that empowers it. You only get one body and you should take care of it instead of trying to sabotage it. You probably take better care of your car than you do your own body.

Finding true health is 80% diet, 10% exercise and 10% genes. Exercise is for your cardiovascular health, muscle fitness and stress relief. You can't do anything about your genes but you can control your diet. You control what goes in your mouth.

Following a plant based diet isn't about giving things up, it's about finding new things and choosing to be selective about what passes your lips. A plant based diet is full of whole and fresh foods. You can eat a ton of food and still maintain a healthy weight when it's good for you and not processed and full of sugars and chemicals that your body can't process.

I am always here for anyone that needs guidance and advice. I am no expert but I've learned a lot over the past 8 years and I'd like to be a beacon in the non-vegan jungle as others have been a beacon for me.

So, happy anniversary to me. and yes, that's a vegan cupcake.

What Going Vegan Has Taught Me.... Everyone is addicted to cheese!

In this multi-part series I will talk about things that I've learned since going vegan almost a year ago.

Everyone is addicted to cheese.

When people find out I’m vegan almost every single person says “I could never be vegan because I could never give up cheese. I think I'm addicted!”

Cheese actually IS addictive.

There are studies that show dairy has addictive properties.

Here is a great article detailing dairy addiction.

But... as great as it may be, dairy is also really bad for you. It’s just  concentrated fat and cholesterol.

I thought it might be hard for me to stop eating it but once I went thru the detox of it, I was fine. I really don’t miss it now that I know how bad it is for my body and what is IN in. Do some research, it will gross you out. The easiest way for me to avoid something is to learn why I shouldn't consume it and what is actually IN these foods..... that is the best deterrent ever! 

Even tho I really never had a huge acne problem, going off dairy has totally cleared my skin (I’m guessing because dairy contains hormones that can mess with your system) and I had a sort of ‘fog’ lifted from my mind. I can’t really explain it but I feel more aware. I have less respiratory issues (I hear dairy is especially bad for you if you have asthma), I used to get rapid heartbeat but since going vegan, I haven't had that happen since and my belly is a lot flatter too!

I now make delicious snacks like creamy cashew cheese that is much like crock cheese, my own version of 'parmesan' using nuts, seasonings and nutritional yeast and some really yummy vegan queso (see below for recipe) for nachos that tastes great and it’s actually good for me!

I still enjoy mac & cheese and white saucy pasta. There are so many great cookbooks on the market and so many vegan blogs that I haven’t found anything I can’t make vegan yet, and that includes cheesy stuff!

There are also good cheese substitutes available at retail. I avoid them as much as possible since they are processed but a few times a year I will indulge in a few that I enjoy like Teese Nacho Sauce, Daiya and We Can't Say It's Cheese Hickory Spread but for the most part I let nutritional yeast give me my cheesy fix because it's healthy.

Nutritional yeast can usually be found in a health food aisle or store. The link shows you a popular brand. Another well-known brand is called Bragg's. Do not confuse it with baking yeast or Brewer's yeast - totally different product!

Give this recipe a try....

I like less salsa in mine so start adding it slowly until you get it how you want it. Serve with chips! I'm going to try making this and adding in a can of vegan chili one of these days. By the way... this recipe was actually used to create a brand of jarred  vegan queso that is being sold at Whole Foods! It's yummy.

Nutritional Yeast Queso Sauce

Ingredients

    1/4 cup nutritional yeast
    1/4 cup flour (I use whole wheat)
    1 teaspoon paprika (I like using smoked paprika)
    1 teaspoon salt
    Dash of garlic powder
    1 cup water
    2 tablespoons margarine (I use vegan Earth Balance sticks)
    1 1/2 cups salsa OR 1 can diced tomatoes and peppers (Rotel or other brand)
    2 tsp yellow mustard (optional)
   

Directions:

Combine dry ingredients in a saucepan.  Add water. Whisk constantly over medium heat until mixture is thick and bubbly.  Remove from heat and add margarine. Stir until margarine is melted. Stir in can of tomatoes or salsa

Return to low heat and cook just long enough for tomatoes to heat.

Vegans Eat More Than Just Salad.

One of the first things I am asked when people find out I'm vegan is 'If you don't eat animals... what do you eat?' ... that question makes me laugh because it's more about what I don't eat. I just don't eat any foods that contain ingredients from animals. I don't eat meat or broth or dairy foods. I don't eat eggs, honey or gelatin, I don't eat seafood.. and yes, fish and crustaceans are animals, believe it or not. Of course, as a clean eating vegan I've gone a step further and I've chosen not to consume processed foods and refined sugar. I've also cut way back on processed oils.

What's left? Everything else!

• veggies
• fruits
• oatmeal
• beans
• barley juice
• hemp protein shakes
• seeds & nuts
• nut milks & nut butters
• whole grains like brown rice and quinoa
• whole grain products like breads, pastas and cereals
• natural sweeteners like maple syrup and brown rice syrup
• tofu and tempeh
• amazing ethnic foods like mediterranean, japanese and others
• lots more!

I often get asked if I miss anything being a vegan.. I really don't. I've been able to create healthy vegan alternatives to pretty much anything I'm craving. If anything, I miss the convenience of being able to eat anywhere.. if you eat crappy food, you can always find food wherever you go. If you eat healthy, you better bring your own food unless you are lucky enough to live in a big city that has lots of vegan options.

I enjoy cooking but what I enjoy more is knowing exactly what is in my food and how those ingredients affect my mind, body and moods. I enjoy knowing that what I consume is nurturing me instead of harming me and I enjoy fueling my body instead of slowing it down.

Often, people think I'm suffering in some way by not eating animals but by being vegan I've discovered so many amazing new foods and recipes. I've had fun learning new things and meeting some amazing people.

When you're sure that your lifestyle choices are true and good.. it's easy to live the life you've chosen and it feels good.

* The food shown here (salad, hummus and falafel) is from our favorite mediterranean restaurant! Please support local businesses instead of chains.

The Road So Far

July 2003 had been an important summer for me. I had spent a full year on Weight Watchers and I had made my goal to lose 50 lbs. WW taught me how to portion foods and how to be able to eat real food in the real world but WW didn't teach me nutrition. WW basically teaches you that you can have anything you want as long as you portion well... it really doesn't teach you what you should eat.

One day, I was sitting in my kitchen eating a piece of grilled chicken and one of my dogs was nearby, staring at me, begging. All of a sudden, a thought entered my head, a thought I had never had before in all my 33 years - 'you'd never eat a dog so why are you eating a chicken?'

That day it seemed like my brain had suddenly turned itself on and was actually functioning. Of course I knew meat came from animals but I guess I hadn't ever given it a second of thought. Not one second.

The next day, I was vegetarian.

I was an overnght vegetarian too... there was no back and forth or easing into it. I did it full-on and the dead flesh of an animal didn't pass my lips after that day. I still continued to eat dairy products and eggs. I figured since no animal was killed for those products then they must be ok. I lived happily in that fairytale land for 7.5 years.

However, I had started to gain back some of the weight I had worked a full year to lose and altho I knew it was happening, I didn't do much to stop it and before I knew it, I had regained about 30 lbs of the 50 lbs I had lost. I was unhappy and mad at myself for letting it happen.

In May 2010, Weight Watchers was no longer working for me. It's a great program but progress just flat out stopped for me and I was frustrated. I'd lose a couple pounds and gain them back. I started to look at other diet programs and plans. I found Jackie Warner and I bought her book "This Is Why You're Fat" and the information in that book started me on a journey to find out what kinds of food I should be eating and shouldn't be eating and why. Jackie's plan was based on 'Clean Eating' which led me to the Eat Clean Queen herself, Tosca Reno.

I picked up Tosca's book and quite a few books on nutrition and I ultimately discovered that many of my problems were do to processed foods, dairy products and refined sugar. I discovered that processed foods are full of chemicals, dyes and crap that no one should ever be consuming. I discovered that sugar is a toxin that is poisoning us. It's added to practically everything. I discovered that dairy can cause terrible diseases and lead to obesity.

I finally opened my head to the fact that the dairy industry was cruel and that it wasn't ok to consume dairy products and eggs. I learned that in order for a cow to give milk... she had to be pregnant, just like a human and that her baby is stolen from her at birth (and sent to become another dairy cow like herself or to slaughter as veal) because then the milk can be given to humans to drink. Cows don't just produce milk, folks. I learned about the horrific treatment at egg farms and how cage free and free range certainly don't mean cruelty free.

The more information I read, the more I discovered that the way to be healthy and fit and free from disease is to follow a 100% plant based diet. To test my theory I decided to go dairy free and egg free for a week and I told myself that if I didn't notice any differences then I'd go back to eating dairy products and eggs.

That day was August 6, 2010

Once I had shed the dairy and eggs it was like a fog was lifted. I started feeling better, (less headaches, more energy, better overall well being, no stomach problems) looking better (no skin issues, I thinned out) and I had a clear conscience because nothing I consumed was hurting an animal in any way. Nothing.

I'm down 18 pounds and I'm in the normal range for my height and my BMI is also normal. I'd like to lose another 7 lbs but I'm not stressing over it. My cholesterol numbers are excellent.

My goals are simple.. to look good in my clothes, to be free from disease, to be free from prescription medication as I grow older and to feel great. I am 41 now and I've come a long way since my epiphany at 33!

This blog is to help you start your journey to better health and a plant based diet.