So as I was surfing the internet this morning, I came across ANOTHER vegan article online (on The Daily Beast). Turn’s out, Veganism is hot!
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/02/23/so-you-wanna-be-vegan-start-here.html
So to help keep track of all the links and articles we’ve posted, check out the “Links” page up at the top.
Whenever I say that my diet is mostly vegan (chocolate excepted), I always get a “Wow” or a “I could never EVER do that!” or my personal favorite a “Like, what do you eat?” I love following these reactions with “Did you know Oreos are vegan?” Becoming vegan may seem weird and extreme, but in reality there are many mainstream foods that are “accidentally vegan.” Yeah, like that peanut butter and jelly sandwich you ate for lunch… Totally vegan!
These foods, while they are not to be mistaken for “healthy,” can help the transition into veganism (or even semi-veganism) so that you don’t feel as though you are eliminating EVERYTHING from your diet.
Here is a list of “Accidentally Vegan” foods from PETA…
http://www.peta.org/living/vegetarian-living/accidentally-vegan.aspx
And a tumblr frequently updated with “vegan” foods that you don’t have eliminate. 🙂
As I continued to research the “Thrive” lifestyle I stumbled upon an online program created by the book’s author, Brendan Brazier. This free, comprehensive program called “Thrive Forward” lets you pick your goals (anything from anti-aging to weight control to environmental awareness) and supplies you with videos, articles, readings, recipes, meal plans, and anything you could possibly need.
This is so cool. Check it out if you want to change your lifestyle, your diet, or simply your point of view.
There are books, blogs, movies, forums, TV shows, and classes all centered around prenatal care. One of the greatest concerns of pregnant women is making sure that they are eating the right diet in order to provide enough nutrients for their growing fetus. There is a large emphasis on getting enough calcium and protein, as well as countless other vitamins. However, what does this mean for women who are vegetarians? What about those who are Plant-Based (Vegan)? Dr. John A. McDougall published an informative newsletter about vegan pregnancy, addressing a wide range of topics from obesity and cesarean births to the natural defense mechanism of morning sickness. In his newsletter, Dr. McDougall explains that their is a perplexing amount of misinformation that is literally fed to us by the food industry in order to obtain adequate nutrients for the unborn. Meat and dairy products are not the only solution for acquiring calcium and protein. If plants can supply sufficient amounts of calcium and protein for a freaking giraffe, or elephant, or horse, then “you can safely assume that there are sufficient quantities of both of these nutrients in vegetable foods to grow relatively small human beings, including their developing babies.”
Drs. Samuel M. Flaxman and Paul W. Sherman have also published an article that goes into a deep analysis of morning sickness. It is a little known fact that the nausea and vomiting women experience during the first trimester of pregnancy is actually a mechanism for protecting both the mother and the embryo. Both doctors found that nearly 2/3 of women experience morning sickness, and those that do face a lesser risk of miscarrying. Their research showed that “aversions were greatest to meats, fish, poultry, and eggs.” Societies that were noted to have never observed morning sickness, were significantly more likely to have plants as their main dietary staples rather than animal products. Our bodies are telling us what is wrong with our diets, but we refuse to really listen to them. The food industry has mutated the definition of what a healthy diet is composed of. It is our job, especially as women, the vessels of life, to make sure we our providing a healthy future for the generations to come.
Vegan Problems…
I’m considering going vegan for Lent, but I knew I would have to pass the idea through my mother. She instinctively opposed the idea. “How will you get enough calcium and protein?” she asked. Good question. Well, I knew that legumes and whole grains have lots of protein, but I’m not crazy about the idea of eating rice and beans all the time, so I decided to research plant-based sources of protein. My findings conflicted with any preconceived notions that I had about healthy protein intake. I read a chapter of Rosemary’s “Thrive” book (“The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports and Life”) which talked about the body’s method of protein absorption. Our bodies only use a certain amount at a time, so animal proteins (including dairy and eggs) are excessive. Plant sources provide the most efficient source of protein.
Today, we watched a documentary called “Forks Over Knives” and it discussed a study of the effects of protein on lab rats. The rats that were fed diets that included 20% protein had much higher rates of tumor growth and various cardiovascular diseases. This was a bit shocking to me– I’ve been a pescatarian for almost two years, and I’ve always made sure to eat enough healthy sources of lean protein (e.g. fish, greek yogurt, eggs, cottage cheese). With all the food and lifestyle-related cautionary tales out there, there’s no such thing as too much research. So I’ve started to research this question of plant vs. animal-based protein in greater depth.
My findings so far have been surprisingly consistent. According to several websites (a few of which I will post below), plant sources easily supply our need for protein. Meat does have more protein than vegetables, but that is an excess– it is not necessary for our health and, in highly excessive quantities, can actually be extremely detrimental to overall health. This concept is totally new to me, and I will continue to research. I have to say, the statistics and testimonials I have read so far have seemed legitimate and been very convincing.
Some success stories…
http://www.thevegannextdoor.com/successStories/testimonials.htm
And some science…
http://michaelbluejay.com/veg/protein.html
http://sacredsourcenutrition.com/plant-vs-animal-proteins/
And some pro’s and con’s…
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444184704577587174077811182.html
While wandering through a local bookstore in Colorado, I picked up a book that changed my entire perspective of health and fitness. I picked up Thrive: The Vegan Nutritional Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports and Life by Brendan Brazier because as a distance runner the title jumped out at me. A “vegan” guide to athletic performance? I didn’t think it was possible for an athlete to be vegan. How would you get any protein? What about the magic formula of pasta and chicken the night before a race? I was skeptical, but intrigued. I started reading and was enlightened.
“A certain amount of stress is an inevitable component of achievement.” – Brendan Brazier, author of Thrive
Athletes thrive off of a pattern of stress and rest. By running a workout or practice, athletes push their bodies to the max. Then they rest in order to rebuild and restore their bodies so that they can do it all over again. For an athlete to reach their full potential, unnecessary (or uncomplimentary) stresses must be eliminated. These include psychological stress, environmental stress (pollution), and the greatest source of uncomplimentary stress for North Americans, nutritional stress.
There are two ways for our bodies to becomenutritionally stressed: overconsumption of refined food and the absence of healthy, whole, plant-based foods in the diet. Highly refined foods are high in calories but low in nutrients. The acid-forming foods such as meat, poultry, dairy, and any of the refined grains produce toxins in the body (starting with digestion until elimination). The body naturally becomes more acidic through digestion and movement (think exercise) because acid is a natural bi-product of a healthy metabolism. However, too much acid formation unnecessarily taxes the body. For an athlete looking to recover as quickly and efficiently as possible, nutrient-dense and high-net gain foods are key. In summary, athletes can survive and even thrive off a vegan diet.
To learn more about nutritional stress, check out this link: http://myvega.com/about/need-for-vega/nutritional-stress
(For a more in depth look veganism for athletes read Brendan Brazier’s book Thrive: The Vegan Nutritional Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports and LIfe.)
“Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet.” —Albert Einstein
MD, William Davis, takes on the obesity of America in his renowned book, Wheat Belly. Readers are taken through the decades to analyze the transformation that wheat has undergone through the influence of agricultural scientists. Davis addresses the vast number of health effects that can be traced back to the ever-prevalent grain, from minor rashes to diabetes. After witnessing more than 2,000 patients regain their health after giving up the ingredient, Davis explains his belief that wheat alone is the single largest contributor to our nation’s obesity pandemic. He offers fascinating scientific analysis, steps to eliminate wheat from your diet, and methods to keep your weight down and your health up.
Veg Head X-Term 