Plant-Based Is The Optimal Diet For Athletes, These Winners Say So!

Sterling Classic Bike Race from Flickr via Wylio
© 2012 Clara S., Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio

I wrote about one plant-based athlete here (Tim Shieff), but I think it’s important to know just how many are out there; how well they are doing, and how they ALL report better performance, fewer injuries and quicker recovery times since ditching the meat and dairy.

It’s an old myth that you need boatloads of protein for intense physical activity; it’s also a myth that the protein you DO need has to come from an animal.

If you are someone who trains and competes hard, whether at professional or amateur level, and NO MATTER what your sport or activity of choice – carbs are where it’s at baby.

I’ll let the docs elaborate on this.

From Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine:

Because of its high carbohydrate and low-fat content, a plant-based diet is an optimal sports diet……In general, carbohydrates are the primary fuel utilized during high-intensity exercise. On a per-calorie basis, carbohydrate needs for athletes are similar to those for anyone else (at least 55 percent of total daily intake of calories). Specific recommendations for athletes are based on weight and range from 6 to 10 grams per kilogram of body weight per day. An abundance of evidence shows that carbohydrate availability boosts endurance and performance. Whole grains, fruits, and vegetables are excellent sources of carbohydrates. Depending on how strenuous the exercise, carbohydrates should be consumed during recovery, between 30 minutes and two hours post activity, when carbohydrate (glycogen) synthesis is at its maximum. Carbohydrate-rich foods with a moderate to high glycemic index provide a readily available source for glycogenproduction.

I strongly advise you to read the rest of this page if you are an athlete or anyone who regularly enjoys intensive sporting activity. It lays out exactly WHY it’s carbs you need for fuel, and not as much protein as you think.

Now let’s see exactly who a plant-based diet is working very nicely for. These are just a handful of the MANY vegan athletes out there:

 

Scott Jurek

What do you need to know about him? Oh yeah, this man has run a lot more 100+ mile races than you. He is also the FASTEST PERSON EVER to run the equivalent of 6.5 marathons in one day. Yes, 6.5, you read right. 165.7 miles, to be exact.


He starts talking all things plant-based at 24:33

Scott says:

My performance wasn’t the only thing that improved.

When I went vegan, my blood pressure and triglycerides levels dropped to all time lows, and my HDL, or “good” cholesterol shot up to an all-time high. I had virtually no joint inflammation, even after miles of pounding trails and roads, and on the rare occasions I sprained an ankle or fell and whacked my elbow or wrist, the soreness left faster than it ever had before.

Rich Roll

This guy is an inspiration. Rich had a wake-up call one day when he realised he had chest pains just walking upstairs. With everything to live for (lots of kids!) he made a choice to change his lifestyle from one that was unhealthy, workaholic and unmindful; to one that was plant-powered, considered and fully conscious.

After a mere two years on this path eating whole, plant foods, he found himself 50 pounds lighter, and competing – as the first vegan ever – in the Ultraman World Championships. This is a 320 mile endurance event that you need to be fit enough to merit an invitation to take part in. He was a top finisher in these championships in both 2008 and 2009.

In 2010, he and a colleague completed the EPIC Challenge – 5 ironman distance (140 miles approx.) triathlons in under a week. This was in his words ‘an unprecedented feat of staggering endurance many said was not possible.’

Men’s Fitness Magazine has named Rich as one of the 25 Fittest Men in the World.

Rich says

 …That said, I am well aware that not everyone’s goal is to compete in the Ultraman.  And I admit to some genetic predisposition to excel in this arena.  But the point is that a whole food plant-based diet is a huge step in the right direction when it comes to taking your life back.  Not just towards a healthier “you” per se, but a positive quantum leap forward when it comes to achieving the best and most actualized version of yourself – the person you are meant to be

Frank Medrano

Calisthenics expert and bodybuilder Frank Medrano had been training for around six years, when he happened to hear that two bodybuilding friends of his were vegan. He was understandably intrigued, and thought he’d try it for himself.

His two friends answered his questions on veganism and helped him practically with meal plans etc, and within a few months he felt the many healthful effects of his new diet. He has called the feeling engendered by a plant-based diet ‘super wellness.’

Frank says:

I thought I was healthy and strong before, but [after adopting a plant-based diet] I started to feel energetic and I was having quicker recovery after training.

Brendan Brazier

I’m getting exhausted just writing the achievements of these guys!

Brendan is a 7-time Ironman triathlete and a champion twice over of the Canadian 50km Ultra Marathon.

He now gives talks all over the US on topics like how to boost athletic performance on a plant-based diet, how a plant-based diet reduces stress, and how the diet reduces carbon footprint significantly.

Here’s a TED talk from him on optimal performance enhancing nutrition for athletes:

Brendan says:

…in my opinion, it’s the best nutrition program for energy, for mental clarity, for physical performance, mental performance, everything really. And less sleep—you simply don’t need to sleep as much, which of course leads to greater productivity; you’ve got more waking time. Things like that are valuable to anyone, really.

Christine Vardaros

Professional cyclist Christine Vardaros has competed against the world’s best in cyclocross, road and mountain biking, winning many events in all three sports. She has represented the US three times in World Championships and been placed top ten in several cyclocross World Cups. She has been vegan since 2000.

Christine says:

A plant-based diet is certainly the key to getting the most out of our bodies. It also feels great to know that no animal had to suffer for my successes.

Tarahumara tribe

In a very isolated part of Northern Mexico in the canyons of the Sierra Madre Occidental live a tribe of indigenous people called the Tarahumara. Their name for themselves is ‘Raramuri,’ which approximately translated means ‘running people.’ They are known – the men and women alike – for their ability to run IMMENSE distances, running up to 72 hours!

The Tarahumara are at least 95% (probably more) vegan. They eat meat very rarely.

So how do they fuel runs of this length? Largely with ‘las tres hermanas’ (the three sisters). The three sisters are corn, squash and beans. The Tarahumara are not the only tribe to use this system of nourishment. Native North American tribes also used to use this. These three plants, when grown together, all contribute to each other. Beans provide nitrogen to the soil, corn naturally provides a climbing structure for the beans, and squash blocks sunlight by spreading along the ground, thereby preventing weeds from growing.

There is also low incidence of cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes amongst the Tarahumara, largely attributable to their plant-based diet.

This documentary about them was made recently.

 

 

 

Why (Outside Of Household Bills) Food HAS To Be Our Number One Spend

Vegetables in Whole Foods Market from Flickr via Wylio
© 2008 Masahiro Ihara, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio

Along with the weather and last night’s TV, the thing we all chat about to friends, family and colleagues is our health.

We probably don’t even realise just how much on a daily basis we express how we’re feeling physically. From complaining about niggles and pains, to colds, rashes, allergies and oftentimes more serious diseases; we spend a LOT of time discussing our wellness, or the lack thereof.

It’s always surprising to me then, that though we are obsessed with our health on one level, we often do not prioritise it in terms of SPENDING MONEY on good nutritious food.

The simple truth is:

Good food (i.e. whole, plant food) = good health.

Part of the problem here is that although it’s scientifically proven that diet has the most impact on health – even more than genes, this information has not really filtered down to the mainstream yet.

Unidentified vegetable matter. from Flickr via Wylio
© 2012 Alexandra E Rust, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio

We kind of know it a little, I mean; we all know we should eat things like greens and fruit for example, but more information than this has not really been offered to us by doctors (because they don’t really know it either!) This information isn’t widely available. It’s not in the interests of industries like big pharma and animal agriculture for us to learn that we can keep well and heal ourselves with plant food, and they are the ones with influence. So we are, to some degree, deliberately kept unaware of the extent to which how we feel depends on what we eat.

Another reason is that if you haven’t tried going plant-based, you probably aren’t aware how great you can feel. So many people have permanent low-level discomfort or even pain, and have learned to live with it!

My number one non-negotiable expense, outside of the roof over my head and household bills, is food.

It has been for a long time, and unless I become a squillionaire and decide to buy a fuel-guzzling private jet into which to pour my money (which I actually totally would NOT do!) it likely will always be.

Cranberry Chick Pea Salad from Flickr via Wylio
© 2010 Vegan Feast Catering, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio

Please don’t misunderstand me. I’m not saying a healthy plant-based diet has to be expensive – rest assured, it doesn’t.

But the most important thing to me is my health and that of my partner. Our health is the foundation on which we accomplish everything.

It’s simple. If you’re ill, you feel like crap and are not as effective in whatever you’re endeavouring to do. Whether it’s CEO-ing a huge, terribly important company; running a 10k for charity; looking after kids, or running a restaurant, you can’t give yourself fully and authentically to ANY situation because part of you is dwelling on how crap you feel.

Even worse, you may need to take sick days or even weeks. This is just a waste of yours and everyone else’s time.

I think I’m lucky in that I had a heads-up on this message here.

In the past I suffered from chronic health issues (first asthma and eczema, then chronic systemic candida if you must know) that stole one hell of a lot of time from me. Even if I wasn’t taking sick days off from school, college or work, these were still wasted days because I wasn’t fully present in them. Instead I was completely in my head, feeling utterly uncomfortable and my only thoughts were about myself and how much I was dreading getting through the rest of the day – or sometimes hour, even.

This was not living. It was definitely not a situation in which I could be creative, kind, compassionate and of service to others.

Also, I was definitely NOT fun to be around. If you’re in discomfort – you’re cranky. I owed it to myself and everyone around me to get well.

If I wanted to be pain and discomfort free so I could focus on contributing to something outside of myself (not to mention actually ENJOYING life!), I knew my health had to be my first priority.

Vegan California Roll in Rice Paper from Flickr via Wylio
© 2009 Vegan Feast Catering, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio

As I realised over the years that good nutrition is the basis of good health, and eventually learned that the optimal diet for heath is a whole food, plant-based diet,  I understood implicitly that food HAD to take centre stage in terms of what I spent money on.

It’s true, there are SO MANY other things out there permanently begging us to spend money on them; our phone contracts, taking kids to Disneyland, our TV cable packages, tech, clothes, spas, car and bike gizmos etc.

But NONE of these are as vital as a foundation of health.

There’s no point having a ‘spa glow’ if you’re feeling rotten inside. How can you stay ‘in the moment’ and enjoy Disneyland with your kid if your irritable bowel syndrome/fibromyalgia/acid reflux is kicking off? You can’t ride your bike; enjoy your car or any outdoors activity if you’re not feeling good. And would you honestly prefer a top of the range phone with all the extra doodads and a TV cable package with a gazillion (more than a squillion) channels you’ll never watch; to feeling great in body, mind and spirit pretty much every single damn day?

(If you can afford all this AND the food then good for you. Lots of us however, have to make choices).

I realise I was lucky that the shift in thinking around prioritising food happened quite early on for me. I certainly don’t wish it upon others that they have this realisation in the same way I did. It’s just hugely frustrating as someone who wishes to see everyone enjoying the same vibrant health that I do, prioritising spending on ipads, gadgets, nail bars etc, when it’s plain to see that they and their families would be better served if some of that money went on food that supports health.

When we know that good diet has the most significant impact not just on physical health (and don’t just think about the most talked about diseases here, think about fertility issues, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, osteoporosis – the list goes on and on) but mental health, moods, hormone levels, emotional and spiritual health too – why wouldn’t food be the first thing we prioritise when allocating money?

Fruit with Swedish Pancake from Flickr via Wylio
© 2009 Vegan Feast Catering, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio

Whether your budget is huge, average, or not as robust as it could be (check!), spending money on good, nutritious food is an investment in your health, and by association, your relationships, your passions – your entire life.

It’s even more important than paying into tons of different types of insurance. Good diet IS insurance! I’m not AT ALL suggesting you ditch your medical or health insurance. I’m just asking you to make sure you do not see these as a ‘get out of jail free’ card or a safety net. These can give us a false sense of security. It is more important and effective to spend more money on whole plant foods every day, than it is to throw money at health insurance in the hopes that this will look after us when we need it.  Good diet will maximise our chances of NOT needing it.

 

Is It REALLY Difficult To Get Kids To Eat Healthy, Plant-Based Food?

Apple from Flickr via Wylio
© 2012 Tea, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio

OK, so I have to start by saying I don’t have kids.

But I know a tonne of kids; was an au pair for four years, and regularly look after kids now (this obviously includes feeding them!).

AND, for the longest time I’ve been an avid reader of vegan/plant-based family blogs where the children have either been brought up vegan from birth, or where the parents went plant-based after their kids were born, and subsequently endeavoured to improve their kids diets,

One thing I’ve observed and learned is this – parents have a lot more power than they think in this respect.

I KNOW there are a shedload of bad influences out there, all vying to push dairy products, chicken nuggets, sugar and processed junk on children, not to mention the added nightmare of peer pressure. But every kid faces the same societal forces, yet not every kid cares about them.

I’ve SEEN kids choose kale; I’ve SEEN kids choose the healthy option; and the common denominator behind all these kids were parents that were informed on nutrition and prioritised it for their kids, and shared this information with them (as much as they could, simplifying when necessary).

If you are a parent who is new to whole, plant foods; this is AWESOME – your kids can learn with you!

You can share the experience of learning, cooking and trying new foods as a family. If kids are as involved in this process as the parents, it may even be more effective this way.

Some kids are naturally adventurous and will go along with anything and try any food put in front of them. If you have one of these, congratulations – you win life!

If you don’t have one of these amazing creatures (and I’m very well aware you can have one of these AND a picky kid in the same family!), and you’re concerned your child won’t take to a healthier diet and will starve themselves rather than eat anything green; don’t give up hope. By nature of them being young, kids are malleable and flexible. They change their minds often, and now is the time to influence them positively around their food habits.

What CAN parents who are new to a plant-based diet do to get their kids to eat healthy?

In my opinion, these 7 things:

 

1. Greens are an absolutely VITAL part of a healthy diet, they are the sun in food form, and we need all the vitamins and minerals they provide.

Any science-loving kid will engage with the explanation of HOW the sun makes the leaves green and fills them with nutrients for us. If they understand WHY we need them, they may be more enthusiastic about eating them. Here is the science if you need to gen up (I did!).

One thing I’ve often heard that drives me crazy is a parent saying to another parent or friend ‘oh, (insert kids name here) doesn’t do greens’ IN FRONT OF THE KID!! Please NEVER say this! They’ll internalise it, it will become part of their identity around food, and it gives them a get-out to NEVER eat greens again!

Always talk in a positive, encouraging way when talking about greens and other veg. Talk about how great they are and how good they make you feel. Eat all veg joyfully in front of them!

I absolutely realise that sometimes this may take a while to have effect. If kids leave veg on the plate or say negative things about it, just ignore this and do the same thing the next day.

Changing any habit is a process, but if kids feel YOU have nothing but good energy around greens and healthy food, this cannot help but influence them eventually.

2. If kids have helped make a meal, they are more invested in eating it.

This may be more time consuming, but is a great way of getting them on board with eating healthier, and once they’ve made and eaten a certain food item, you don’t necessarily have to get them to help make it again – they’ll remember the fun they had helping make it the first time and will vibe off of that and want to eat it again.

Little ones can help breaking off the broccoli or cauliflower florets and popping them in the steamer for example, or they can create their own oats/dried fruit/berry concoction for breakfasts. Slightly older kids can weigh ingredients or help with cup measurements. I have a set of cups and spoons that are brightly coloured and kids naturally gravitate towards them ‘cos they look like fun.

harvest: enormous cucumber from Flickr via Wylio
© 2009 woodleywonderworks, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio

3. Go shopping with the kids and give THEM the shopping list, and let them go seek everything out in the supermarket.

The more investment they have in the whole process, from procuring the food to preparing it, the more likely they are to eat it.

4. Kids, especially young ones, tend to GET that it’s not cool to have animals killed for us to eat. I wrote about that here.

When easing meat and dairy out of a kids diet, explain (again, in an age appropriate way), about your reasons for this, whether it’s for health, the animals, the planet, or all three. Just as for adults, understanding something can be the key to kids wanting to change.

5. If you have kids that have been used to burgers and sausages, I’ve found that if you give them tasty plant-based versions, they are not really any the wiser if you don’t tell them.

And if you DO tell them, and they understand that these burgers/sausages are great because no animal was killed for them, AND the burger is delicious – they will eat and enjoy it JUST THE SAME as if it was meat. It’s probably the ketchup they care more about anyway (which is full of sugar, but sometimes you have to pick your battles!)

Yes, these foods are not always optimally healthy, but you only need to use them while transitioning and getting kids used to not eating animals (It can really help kids at first if the new food they are eating RESEMBLES the food they were previously eating). And don’t forget – veggie burgers and sausages are STILL healthier than their animal flesh counterparts, as they contain zero cholesterol, oodles less saturated fat, zero antibiotics and zero hormones.

6. It’s all about taste, texture and fun.

Seek out recipes for healthy food that is attractive to kids. Here’s some (Dreena Burton is fab!). Here’s more.

7. Patience, patience and more patience are required

(I’m a fine one to talk about patience – I have zero. It’s probably a good thing I have zero kids!).

It will take more time to prep meals with kids helping. It will take time communicating the value of certain foods and why you no longer eat others. Depending on your previous eating habits, you may need more time in the kitchen than before. And yes, your kid may well tell you to stuff that broccoli up your bottom, and you may end up throwing away uneaten food at first.

Your efforts will pay off though, I promise. Excitement and energy around delicious, healthy food is contagious – your kids will catch it eventually!

 

As I mentioned right at the beginning, I am writing this based on my experience of being with, talking to and looking after lots of kids, and reading about the experiences of a whole bunch of vegan families.

However, it can always be thrown back in my face that I’m not a parent.

I guess I get this.

So, if you are a parent facing the challenge of getting your kids to eat healthier, I would LOVE to hear your experiences, and if you have any other (or better!) ideas, feel free share them with us in the comments.

 

Should We Respect The Choice To Eat Meat?

foodiesfeed.com_argentinian-steak-sandwich3

 

When people say ‘I respect your choice to be vegan, you should respect my choice to eat meat’; should we?

No.

We do not have to do this.

And there are two big fat reasons why:

 

1. Eating meat has several highly negative ramifications that impact others, NOT just the one eating meat.

Would you purposely take an action if you KNEW it would harm others?

If choosing to eat meat was as unimpactful on others as choosing to wear a blue T-shirt on a Tuesday, then fine.

However, meat-eating not only affects the animal that has lived and died horribly; but the farming of animals is the prime factor in ALL forms of environmental degradation, and diverts to animals grain that could otherwise feed the world’s hungry.

Thus, someone eating meat is negatively affecting MY/OUR environment (and, let’s not forget, the environment of their own families!). How can this be respected? How can we respect an act that serves ONLY the self and doesn’t pause to think about the inevitable consequences to other beings? Especially when there is no NEED to eat animal products when:

A) We live longer and healthier without them

B) A plant-based diet can be as delicious, tasty and varied (oftentimes more so) than a standard diet

2. Unless you were veggie from birth and then decided to eat meat later, NOBODY has really, with their own agency, CHOSEN to eat meat.

Let me explain:

Eating meat is the mainstream diet, so meat-eaters have made ZERO choices. Society chose FOR them. They’ve basically just carried on eating what their parents/guardians fed them from infancy and never questioned it!

Unless someone is obviously not in a position to have been informed, or to understand the consequences of eating meat i.e. if they clearly have learning difficulties etc, then I unashamedly DO NOT respect the consumption of animal products.

How do we communicate this if someone asks us to respect their choice?

All we can do is point out the reasons I’ve discussed above as to why this is impossible.

We can also do this as compassionately as possible, remembering that there was a time when WE ate animals and hadn’t taken these issues on board.

If the person you’re talking with is not ready to hear what you’re saying and comes out with defensive ignorant crap – just walk away (though ideally you’ll know enough about this person initially to assess whether it’s worth speaking out).

I might be being a little optimistic, but when I think about it, I haven’t had anyone ask me to ‘respect their choice to eat meat’ for a long while. Perhaps this is a signifier that society IS waking up to all the facts concerning all the negative impacts of meat-eating, and even if we are not, collectively, ready to change, maybe perceptions have nevertheless shifted and we are now aware that meat-eating is not respectable? I hope this is the case.

Do Vegan Parents Really ‘Impose’ A Vegan Diet On Their Children?

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I want to address something I’ve read quite often in comments sections following articles about vegan parents bringing up vegan kids.

It’s this worn out old chestnut:

I think it’s disgusting and selfish that you impose YOUR diet on your children. Kids should be able to choose how they eat, and they are missing out because of YOU!

I understand where that position comes from, but it’s ultimately an entitled and ignorant thing to say.

It comes from a very skewed perspective and needs to be called out.

Here’s why:

Does any child CHOOSE to eat a meat and dairy-centric diet from the time they start eating solid food? Isn’t THAT diet imposed on them? Just because it’s the mainstream diet, it doesn’t make it any less an imposition of an agenda on a kid.

When you look at all the health hazards we set our kids up for by feeding them animal products (ear, nose and throat infections, sinus issues, migraines, food poisoning, appendicitis, diabetes, the list is too long to complete here) does the status quo REALLY mean that much? Is it better to fit in with the herd than have a healthy kid?

When the kid is sick – aren’t they missing out on playing, learning and fun? I know I had copious ear infections as a kid, and chronic asthma and eczema. What with this and my fair share of colds, flu, and sickness – I must have (as most of us must have) missed weeks of my childhood.

Then there’s this:

In my experience, kids are NOT happy when they find out that animals are killed for meat. Some actually don’t join the dots until they are much older (and we can’t blame them for this – HOW the meat got to the plate is kept WELL-hidden from them by a myriad of societal and commercial forces), but I’ve seen myself that when very young kids – say, four, five, six years old – learn that an animal had to be killed, they are not on board with this.

As vegans, we are in a position to see this first hand. Friends kids often ask me why I’m vegan, and when I tell them about the ethical reasons (I don’t get graphic about this, I just keep it simple, I’m not into scaring kids!) they are sometimes in a state of disbelief. They’ve said things like ’I know about cows but chickens aren’t killed when we eat them are they?’ Now this seems a silly thing to say, but I read it as the child in question not wanting to believe that THAT MANY chickens are killed ALL THE TIME.

Check out this video of a tot realising that the octopus on his plate had to be killed first:

 

 

I even know a kid who is very nervous around animals, so unlike most, he doesn’t particularly see them as friends – but even HE was not ok to learn that animals die for our food. He has an innate understanding of the animals right to live, run around and be happy just like him.

And it doesn’t make sense that we read our kids stories like Peppa Pig, and introduce them to a ton of friendly fictional and film animal characters that in real life we treat horrendously! Does your kid know that bacon comes from poor Peppa’s back?

Kids are often interested in environmental issues too – it’s in their interest, they will inherit the planet! But I also think they really get on board with things like recycling because they understand it. It’s also not difficult for them to understand that animal farming is more energy intensive than plant farming. They can easily comprehend that plants are grown directly to sell, while animals have to be fed with plants, then the animals are fed to us.

Because meat and dairy farming is the biggest contributor to all forms of environmental degradation, world governments are already encouraging us to eat less animal products for environmental reasons; and in the not too distant future – well within the lifetime of your child if they have an average lifespan – independent experts predict we’ll be entreated to eat NONE at all.

How will these children, as grown-ups, feel about the fact that meat was unquestioningly imposed on them as infants?

And I’ve never even explained to a child the impact that livestock agriculture has on world hunger, I think it would break their heart to know that we grow crops to feed animals to feed us  (WHEN WE DON’T EVEN NEED TO EAT ANIMAL PRODUCTS TO THRIVE – in fact, eating them is harmful to us!), and that other kids in poor countries die of starvation as a result, when the crops could have been grown to feed THEM.

As interest in veganism grows exponentially year on year, all this information will become mainstream, in fact, it’s already happening. Children today will come across all these facts sooner than we think. What will they make of the selective blindness, selective compassion, and lack of thought for the future that we passed on to them?

I’ve written here about how easy it is for children to eat plant-based. There are abundant plant-based treats and fun food, just far less of the health issues associated with a diet containing animal products.

I don’t have kids, but having experienced the health problems my childhood was riddled with, and knowing that kids have a natural affinity for the environment, and for other kids across the world less fortunate than them,  and for non-human animals, I absolutely couldn’t impose animal products on them.

7 Things Stopping You From Going Vegan

1. The word ‘vegan.’ thinking

So you don’t like the word ‘vegan’ because you feel it has lots of negative connotations?

Fine. If it helps, don’t call yourself vegan.

You can call yourself ‘plant-based’ or ‘plant-strong’ if you prefer.

Yes, I know there is a difference, ethically, between ‘vegan’ and ‘plant-based’ and that some vegans get het up about these terms being used interchangeably. I honestly DO get why, but I find this excluding and not helpful in encouraging people to eat this way.

You should say ‘plant-based’ if it feels better to you.

Or you don’t need to call yourself anything! You’re just someone that loves good and nourishing food, end of story!

2. It’ll be too difficult.

No, it won’t.

It could be more of a change for you if you are a self-confessed picky, junk food, unadventurous eater, sure, but it is still so do-able, there really is an entry point to suit EVERYONE!

If I have just described you, why not start slowly by switching your favourite junk food to vegan versions (just google ‘vegan burgers’ or whatever your poison – you’ll be surprised at the amount of entries there are with alternatives – we are nothing if not a creative lot!). Or try getting rid of a couple of animal products at a time (say, for a few weeks, till you feel comfortable enough to eliminate a couple more), and introduce two new plant foods (sweet potato and avocado for example) to your weekly diet.

It doesn’t matter what your starting point is, there is a way to do it slowly and easily, so it sticks!

And rather than framing it in your mind as something that’s going to be ‘difficult’ what about seeing it as an opportunity to expand your repertoire and discover delicious new foods!

3. My friends/relations will think I’m batshit cray.

I doubt it. Not in my experience, and I was vegan long before Beyonce made it kool.

There may be some that think it’s a bit ‘out there’, but it’s highly unlikely it will get in the way of your relationship. You don’t talk about food all the time do you? Just focus on what you always had in common. If the thing you always had in common was your love of burgers – well then introduce them to the delight that is a portobello burger!

4. It’s expensive.

No, it really doesn’t have to be.

You SHOULD prioritise and spend what you can on good food. Food is medicine, both preventative and even sometimes curative, and you KNOW you wouldn’t skimp on medicine!

I love saying ‘health is wealth,’ I really believe that if you spend what you can on nourishing food, you’ll be happy and healthy and everything else in your life can grow from there.

But that said, if you’re truly cash-strapped, it’s still easy to eat a tasty, healthy vegan diet. I’ve got you completely covered – just check out this previous post for some tips on how to stretch that vegan $ or £, or rouble or yuan!

5. I’ll have to spend aaaaages in the kitchen and I’m not a ‘kitchen’y’ person.

Guess what? It’s the same as if you’re a meat-eater. Granted, it’s advisable to spend time playing with recipes while first transitioning to vegan, especially if you don’t consider yourself very food savvy. You can get to know a wide range of tastes and textures so you always have great and satisfying ideas for what to eat for your next meal.

But even if you refuse to do ‘kitchen;’ and even if you’re the ‘ready meal’ king or queen, there are plenty of vegan ready meal options these days, most of them very healthy!

In the UK, try Innocent Pots (available in Sainsbury’s), or any of Dee’s Wholefood pots.

Ready meal types in the US try any of these products. I’ve had the black bean and lime soup from this range and it was surprisingly tasty. You just add water – what could be easier? And there are always several vegan options available at the hot and cold bars in Whole Foods, and some vegan choices are already pre-made and packaged in the refrigerated aisles, if you’re really short on time.

Please do try and spend some time at least one day a week in the kitchen though – if you make a big pot of soup or stew, it’ll last you for the next few days and THAT will mean you don’t have to cook for a while!

 

6. I knew a vegan once and they were obnoxious.

Sweet Lord! Have you never known an obnoxious meat-eater? Did they influence your opinion of all meat-eaters? Yes? Then you have issues too big for me to help with.

Look, an a-hole is an a-hole, vegan or no.

And some vegans ARE going to be obnoxious. To an extent this is understandable. I’m not remotely excusing this, but this can happen to new vegans especially.

They’ve just had their mind-blown by life changing information, and everything around them is geared towards meat-eaters. New vegans are acutely aware of the cruelty carried out on non-human animals every second, and are often well-informed about animal products being the number one environment destroyer. It’s difficult to watch people act blindly and unthinkingly, and to watch destructive behaviours legitimised and reinforced by greedy corporate interests, and I definitely feel angry about that myself sometimes – we’re HUMAN!

BUT, as a vegan lifestyle is defined by compassion, in general we try and extend that to everyone. I appreciate there will always be the bad apple, but I can honestly say, the vegans I know are kind, funny, friendly – JUST LIKE LOTS OF NON-VEGANS.

7. But baaaaaaaaycun…

Really?

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You really want the flesh off this little guys back?

If you ate bacon so much previously that you genuinely miss it, there’s always vegan bacon while you’re transitioning (in UK here, in US here). True, it ain’t exactly healthy – but neither’s bacon!

Unsalted and unprocessed back flesh from a pig would kinda taste like nothing. It’s actually the salty, smoky, fatty flavour and texture that you crave, so you can recreate this taste and the whole ‘mouth feel’ of bacon yourself, very simply, like this.

 

Review Of 222 Vegan Restaurant in London

222 vegan restaurant on North End Road in West Kensington is nothing if not a London vegan institution.

I’ve been there lots of times over the years for lunch and dinner, and it rarely disappoints.

It was my partner’s birthday last week, and we were both so busy, we couldn’t be bothered thinking of somewhere new to go to celebrate, so we figured we might as well go back to 222 – it’s not too far from us, and we knew it’d be good.

Like a ninny I forgot to take a photo of the exterior (so in a hurry was I to get to the food!), but you can get an idea of the feel of the restaurant from their instagram page – as well as perving over some top food porn!

Also, apologies in advance for the poor pics. The lighting wasn’t great, and the seating with better light that would have favoured the food pics wouldn’t have favoured ME, so I had to make a choice. You understand.

The space is small, but not cramped, and if you bag one of the window seats you’ve got the sweetest spot, in my opinion.

The decor has recently been revamped, and though it is still a simple and warm rustic style overall, they’ve installed mirrors down one of the walls, which personally I’m not a fan of. It’s obviously the old trick to make the space look bigger, but I find mirrors in your face while you’re at dinner distracting and off-putting – and we’re not stupid – we can SEE the room is small, but it doesn’t matter at all as long as you don’t feel cramped or squashed up in it, and the tables are set in such a way here as to avoid this, so the mirrors really aren’t needed.

The owner, Ben, has nearly always been on site when I’ve been there, supervising and checking everything is running smoothly. He is such a humble presence however, that I didn’t realise he was the owner till someone told me.

They’ve had the same menu for a while now, and it works. There’s enough variety of tastes and textures to please everyone, and we’ve been there so much we know what is good and what ain’t so great (there’s only a couple of dishes in this latter category, most everything else is highly recommended). Usually I can never quite choose between at least three of the main dishes, so it’s still exciting.

The absolute, hands down, best starter here is Hearts Desire  ‘specially selected artichoke heart sauteed with fresh aromatic herbs served on a bed of rocket leaves with a roasted pepper sauce.’

The artichoke positively melts in your mouth and the sauce compliments it so perfectly it’s hard to keep from making the ‘oooohhmmmmmm’ noise with every bite.

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We shared this and some wholemeal pitas with homemade hummous, guacamole and pimento dip.

The only choice of starter that, in my opinion, isn’t up to scratch here is the bean and tofu pancake. It’s not bad, per se, just not as tasty as the other options.

I was actually craving Indian food (I’m a true south Londoner!), and knew the chick pea curry here was fantastic and authentic tasting, so I opted for that.

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My partner went for the Seitan Stroganoff:

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This is apparently a customer favourite. I have to say it was a (cashew) creamy delight, and the seitan strips would have fooled any meat-eater. With caramelised onions, red peppers and herbs, it had a sweet and delicate flavour.

Both mains came with organic brown rice (so refreshing; it’s REALLY hard to find brown rice in London restaurants), and all veg and herbs are always as fresh as can be.

The portion sizes, while generous, are not so much that you feel stuffed, and guilty when you have to leave some.

We also had a side of yummy garlic wholemeal (yay!) bread.

We ALWAYS have the same dessert, the Spice Island Pie. Behold:

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The menu describes it thus:  ‘A delicious raw dessert of cashew and almond cream flavoured with cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg on a crunchy nut and coconut base. Sweetened with agave nectar’

 

 

 

It is divine. If I didn’t know what it was called, I’d think it was chai cheesecake.

 

 

They serve a small, but solid selection of vegan wines and beers, and for any cola or soda loving kids (or big kids!) you’ll find a cola and lemonade, both made with natural ingredients and sweetened with fruit juice.

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I’ll be going back again and again for as long as this restaurant is around and performs to this same high standard.

It is very reasonably priced – if you’re on a budget the all-you-can-eat lunch buffet HAS to be one of the best deals in town. I forget how much it is (and it doesn’t say on the website), but I remember it to have been extremely good value for the amount of delicious food I ate.

Personally, I love the fact that the food is health-focussed, with whole foods and sugar alternatives being used where possible.

Service is friendly, and wait-staff are knowledgeable. Though there has been a problem in the past with servers not speaking English to a high enough standard to understand customers, this time that was not the case.

Don’t fear bringing non-vegans here, the meat-eaters I’ve brought here in the past have all left happy, and review sites speak to the amount of omnivores surprised at how much they’d enjoyed a vegan restaurant.

If you are a vegan visitor to our city, and staying centrally, is it worth you travelling for twenty minutes to West Kensington to eat here? Absolutely! GET on that tube!

 

‘Simple Healing’ Podcast

Check out this podcast I did with Dr Mitchel Schwindt, a longtime A&E physician in Minnesota. Though he’s conventionally trained, he practises and is passionate about functional medicine,  which takes a holistic view of a patient and finds and treats the root cause of their problem by looking at things like diet and lifestyle, rather than just treating the outward symptoms.

He reached out through LinkedIn and I am thrilled to be included in his series of podcasts based on optimising health.

He was easy to chat to and made one of my first podcast experiences relaxed and delightful.

I emphasise – I haven’t done many of these (so don’t judge too harshly!) but I think I’ve just about found my ‘podcasting feet’ and hope to do lots more in the future.

My Favourite ‘Why Vegan?’ Books

The other day I was asked which books in particular have engaged and inspired me on my plant-based path.

It wasn’t a book that influenced me to GO vegan – because there weren’t really any books on the subject twenty-five years ago, just maybe a couple of sad recipe books showing how to make a very bland nut roast and other cliched vegan meals – that FYI – vegans almost NEVER eat. I can’t remember the last time I had nut roast; I’m not knocking it, there’s just NO reason it should ever have been the poster meal for vegans.

How things have changed, hoo boy!

How lucky we are now to have so many vibrant, creative and fun recipe books, and amazing voices speaking about this subject.

The recipe books I’ll post about another time. In this post I’ll cover my favourite ‘why vegan’ books.

The great thing is, today’s plant-based voices are from such a diverse crowd. It doesn’t matter who you are, there is a book/author that will appeal to you.

I can’t possibly write about all the books on the subject that have impressed, thrilled and re-inspired me, there are far too many.

But these are the ones that frickin’ BLEW MY MIND, and that I still refer back to even today:

 

1. ‘The Food Revolution: How Your Diet Can Help Save Your Life and Change the World by John Robbins

This was, I think, the first book I read that laid out ALL the reasons for ditching animal products. Until I read this, I just thought people went vegan for the animals and for some health issues.

Every impact that an animal product-based diet has, is explained here in a very accessible way.

It is full of powerful quotes and stats, and Robbins is also very knowledgeable about the food revolutioncorporate forces that have an interest in keeping us unaware of the damage meat, dairy, fish and egg farming do to us and the environment; and about the cruelty involved.

How do we know John Robbins is the real deal? As if this well-researched book crammed full of science and evidence isn’t enough for you to take his words on board, you’ll be interested to know that John Robbins was heir to the Baskin-Robbins ice-cream company, but turned his back on it when he realised that the dairy ice-cream industry is not only part of the health problem, but also environmentally unsustainable and cruel.

Random excerpt:

…there is one question the meat, dairy, and chemical companies do not want people to ask, It is a question however that I find important. How much less cancer and suffering would there be if people were spreading information about true prevention with the same passion and zeal with which they are telling women to get mammograms and raising money for chemotherapy research?

 

2. ‘The World Peace Diet: Eating for Spiritual Health and Social Harmony by Dr Will Tuttle.

THIS book is probably the one that had the most impact on me. We know the three reasons WHY vegan, but this book actually talks about even more wide-reaching and mind blowing impacts.

A main theme of the book is this:

The beliefs that make us think it’s ok to abuse and kill animals for meat follow the exact same thought patterns that legitimise sexism, racism, homophobia etc in the minds of the sexist, racist and homophobic. Every form of hate is the same. The object of hate – be they an animal, a world peacewoman or a Jew – is ‘other’ised by the hater.

We see all the differences between us and animals, and think it’s these differences that give us the right to use them. This is exactly what whites did to blacks during days of slavery, and what some men unfortunately still do to women.

Tuttle is saying that as long as we are maltreating ANY being in our society, we will never have world peace. This isn’t a new idea, Tuttle himself uses the quote by Isaac Bashevis Singer ‘As long as people will shed the blood of innocent creatures there can be no peace, no liberty, no harmony between people. Slaughter and justice cannot dwell together’, but he explores this in such depth and with such academic rigour (though it’s still very comprehensible, I promise!), that we are left in no doubt that this is a universal truth.

He talks about our ‘herding culture’ that led us to where we are today in terms of our beliefs and rituals around animal foods; and the meat-medical complex which actively pushes our continuation of these meat and dairy eating habits to support their interests.

So much more is covered, way too much to elaborate on here, but you end up seeing how the livestock industry and our animal ‘other’ising culture are actually connected to most of the worlds ills. Tuttle makes you see just how this fact is very intricately hidden partly with deliberate masking by various commercial powers, but also by general social conditioning which blinds us to it.

Random excerpt:

Refusing to see animals as commodities, we are able to see through countless other pretenses. And, as transformative as this is for an individual, it would be infinitely more transformative for our culture to do so, and to evolve beyond the absolute orientation that sees animals as mere food commodities.

 

3. ‘Veganist: Lose Weight, Get Healthy, Change the World by Kathy Freston

I love Kathy. She must have influenced sooo many people into going plant-based with her accessible, compassionate, easy-going approach. If you want to help someone go plant-based but don’t want them to feel overwhelmed, intimidated, blinded with science or academics, this book is ideal.

It is set out in a simple, enjoyable way, with eight ‘promises’ – eight benefits you will see by veganistgoing plant-based.

Kathy is all about what she calls the ‘lean’ – leaning into a plant-based diet; doing it in an incremental, manageable way, so it is more likely to stick.

Like the other authors mentioned here, Kathy also talks about ALL the reasons for going vegan.

However, she is savvy enough to know that weight and health is a concern for lots of people, and that they may come to veganism for these reasons. She consults with experienced, very eminent plant-based doctors and lays out her interviews with them, but also uses stories by ordinary people whose formerly bad health has been transformed by a plant-based diet.

She offers very practical and implementable advice for optimising the weight maintenance and health benefits.

Random excerpt:

SO why have these high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets (think Atkins, the Zone, and Eat Right for your Blood Type) stayed around for so long? Probably because most of us have developed a great love for the taste of rich, fatty food and gratefully follow the advice of anyone who says it’s okay to keep eating it. Simple as that, really; we want to be told it’s okay (and good!) to keep doing what we’re doing.

 4. ‘The Kind Diet: A Simple Guide to Feeling Great, Losing Weight, and Saving the Planet by Alicia Silverstone

This book is great. Alicia is funny, entertaining, and just says it like it is. You COULD say this kinddietbook is for a younger crowd – that’s probably what the book publishers thought, but I think her style would appeal to any open-minded person with a sense of humour.

Again, she’s used her connections to the best plant-based doctors to help answer all the main questions people have and to dispel all the common myths.

Also like Kathy, she is compassionate about the different paths people are on and suggests three approaches according to what you think you can do:

Flirt – Try plant-based meals a few times a week, and switch out some animal products for plant-based products. When and if that feels ok, take another step

Vegan – Concentrate on going vegan first for as long as is necessary, before adding a whole foods health-based approach

Superhero – A whole foods, plant-based diet

There are also lots of recipes at the back of the book for every level of plant-eater!

Random excerpt:

…Maybe we should ask ourselves if we really even want to be meat-eaters. The carnivores of the natural world have quick, precise energy, but then they’re tuckered out and sleep for days. They are aggressive hunters with very little endurance. The herbivores, like horses or giraffes, not only have long-lasting energy and strength, but are generally a peaceful lot. Hmmm…

 

Other highly recommended books:

The China Study by Dr T Colin Campbell – This book talks, among other things, about how during research Dr Campbell undertook in China, it was discovered that upon injecting plant protein into a mouse with a tumour that the tumour decreased in size; but by injecting it with animal protein the tumour grew.

Dr Neal Barnard’s Program for Reversing Diabetes: The Scientifically Proven System for Reversing Diabetes without Drugs by Dr Neal Barnard – Does what it says on the tin; a MUST-READ if you or a loved one has diabetes.

Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease: The Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven, Nutrition-Based Cure by Dr Caldwell Esselstyn – Does what it says on the tin: a MUST-READ if you or a loved one has heart disease.

The Engine 2 Diet by Rip Esselstyn – A ‘How to’ book. Will appeal to anyone, but particularly those men that think veganism is just for women 🙂

Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman & Kim Barnouin – Very colloquial and humorous book about going vegan – not just to maintain a good weight, but for all the other reasons too (these are cleverly hidden behind the books pretext!).

 

When you’ve read all about ‘WHY’ vegan, you’ll  need to know the ‘HOW.’

You betta know I’m here to coach you, hold your hand and help you transition healthily to this joyful, mindful and compassionate lifestyle! I’ll show you just how easy it can be!

 

3 Solid, Everyday, SUPER QUICK Vegan Breakfast Choices

 

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We all know we should eat breakfast.

You don’t need ME to bang on about why you should eat this first meal of the day.

But I totally get that when you work early, or if you have to get kids to school, it’s easy to get into bad habits like just grabbing a coffee, then snacking on something less than healthy later.

The ideal breakfast solution therefore is something that is super-duper quick to make, hearty enough to fuel us until lunch, and tasty – to give us the incentive to eat breakfast every day.

Luckily, healthy quick vegan brekkies are a no brainer.

Here are three solid, ‘can’t go wrong’ breakfast choices that guarantee a healthful, energy-boosting start to the day. You can either have the same thing every day and just switch it up if you get bored, or have all three on rotation. Either way, any of these breakfasts will see you right.

 

1. Oats and raisins

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Your raw materials for this are oats (that’s porridge oats or steel-cut oats, NOT jumbo oats, they’re harder to digest), and raisins.

This is enough. This is perfect. If you only have enough time to throw this together, don’t worry, it’s already a superhero breakfast. Add either water (it works, trust me!), soy milk, almond milk or any other dairy alternative.

If you have time, and if you have them on hand, add any or some of the following:

  • 2 tbspns ground flax seeds
  • blueberries
  • raspberries
  • chopped strawberries
  • chopped banana
  • chopped apple
  • goji berries
  • chopped dates
  • chopped almond, brazil, walnuts
  • sunflower/pumpkin/sesame seeds
  • cinnamon

Yes, you could heat up the oats and water and make porridge, but it’s great as it is, and I’m trying to keep it as quick as possible. If it’s easy and quick it’s more likely to stick and become a habit even if you’re an ULTRA busy bee.

You can also sub brown rice for the oats. If you’re having an evening meal that involves brown rice, make some extra, let it cool, cover, and put it in the fridge for breakfast the next day. Top in exactly the same way.

 

2. Toast with peanut butter and banana

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Make sure the toast is wholemeal. Start with a lick of non-dairy spread if you need to, then add peanut butter and top with sliced banana. Add cinnamon if you like.

Yes, of course you could put anything on the toast, but I’m going for maximum nutrient input here, and for the topping that will give you the most energy. Among a whole host of other benefits, bananas will sort out your potassium needs (vital for heart health and maintaining healthy blood pressure levels); and the peanut butter, as well as having a nice array of vitamins and minerals, is also a great protein source. This breakfast is full of fibre, and thus great for keeping the digestive system sweet.

 

3. ‘Customised’ yoghurt

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Put a serving of any plain non-dairy yoghurt in a bowl. I use Sojade plain soy yoghurt as it’s sugar free. It’s always better to add your own sweetener so you can use a healthier option than sugar, and so you can judge just exactly how much you need. US peeps, this coconut yoghurt by So Delicious looks great.

Yoghurt will give you an excellent dose of ‘good bacteria’ (probiotics) to start your day. Your gut will thank you.

If you need to sweeten it up a tad, add maple syrup/agave/or brown rice syrup to taste.

Top with any or some of the following:

  • 2 tbspns ground flax seeds
  • blueberries
  • raspberries
  • chopped strawberries
  • chopped banana
  • chopped apple
  • chopped grapes
  • goji berries

 

There are plenty of fancier vegan breakfast recipes on the web – tofu scramble, breakfast muffins, homemade waffles etc. By all means seek these out for the weekends or any day you have time. But these three breakfasts ANYONE can fit into their schedule; they’re hyper kid friendly and they’ll power you through till lunch – or at least until mid-morning snack-time!

No excuses – Break that fast EVERY morning!