Still Vegan

In January 2013 I made the final transition, to veganism after being a vegetarian since 1993. Took me twenty years, and the first few months were difficult, but I sit here (3.5 years later) and do not have any regrets. I went vegan for many reasons, ethical and health-related the top two. My students, many of them hunters, are astounded by the fact that I do not eat bacon or drink milk. Three and a half years ago I was still drooling over the smell of melted cheese and looking longingly at people eating ice cream cones. But since then I have learned the tricks of the trade, so to speak, and have found so many yummy vegan products that I rarely miss the "real" thing. I can go almost anywhere and have a great meal, without contributing to cruelty. If I want to go all out at home, I can eat Daiya Cheezy Mac, or pizza, Amy's Veggie Loaf, in addition to the hundreds of other homemade vegan options. For dessert I am never left hanging, Guidos, a local market makes an amazing vegan chocolate cake and topped with So Delicious whipped coconut topping (and frozen desserts) my calorie count can match any omnivore's. So no, it is not difficult to stay vegan

One of the many benefits aside from a clear conscious, has been a healthier body. I feel more awake, more alive, and I have energy to participate in physical activities. My race times (running) have improved immensely. I finally, at age 42, ran a sub two hour half marathon (1:52). So yes, I am still vegan...

Was Jesus a Vegetarian and Other Ponderings

The other day I had an interesting interaction with a gentleman (that I do not know personally) on Facebook, concerning a recent bacon controversy.  A Muslim vegan woman complained about a restaurant sign promoting bacon served in a restaurant. As the neighborhood had a larger Muslim and Jewish population, the restaurant took the sign down. No problems. It seems though, that some folk are up in arms. These people do not think that one person's opinion should sway business decisions. A heated discussion ensued on Facebook and other social media outlets. The gentleman that I argued with went as far as to say that if that woman didn't like bacon, to go back to her own country. First off, she was probably an American, and going back to her own country would be impossible as she was already there. The restaurant took the sign down and the bigots came out of the woodwork. No, this country was not founded on the freedom to eat bacon. But after being called a hypocrite (I did run the Hogsback [named after the road it takes places on] half marathon recently for the cute pig t-shirt) I started pondering. Pondering might not be the right word. Self righteously railing perhaps. First, how dare someone call me a hypocrite when they, as a right wing Christian, eat a dead animal and follow the ten commandments: "Thou shalt not kill." How could any Christian eat meat and spout off bible verses? 

I began to search the internet and found an interesting blog post on the Huffington Post. Was Jesus a vegetarian? God said: See, I have given you every plant-yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food." (Genesis 1:29-30) Sounds like a vegetarian diet to me. After the fall however humans started to eat meat. If you do a search on the internet you will find articles for vegetarianism and against. Bible verses can be quoted to back up both sides of the argument. So where does that leave me? I am not a Christian, but am still confused when anyone who calls themselves pro-life, eats a cow. 

So I was left to stew, after all this man called me a hypocrite. But my staunch vegan stance is merely a reflection of his anger at me for abstaining from bacon. After all, meat and potatoes is American and America is  god fearing society. Within this entire exchange, I had the strong need to be right. This gentleman did as well. What comes from being right and from pushing someone to argue? The surge of adrenaline perhaps. In the end, he was a reflection of myself. If I were to look in the mirror and see someone who is the complete opposite of me, it would be this gentleman. Does it really matter if Jesus was a vegetarian? It doesn't matter to me, as I am not a Christian. So in the end, I need to let others have their opinions. I will continue on the path of non violence, imperfectly. I will do my part to peacefully promote the compassionate treatment of the animals in this world I adore, merely all of them (deerflies do not count!)

Pro Vegetarian Resource (this is a vegan blog, not a bipartisan effort)

Christian Vegetarian Association

Mindfull

http://www.alisonpelz.com/

Today I feel like eating. I am not hungry, I just ate breakfast, and a snack. But I want to eat. I doubt that it is my body telling me I need more calories, I have already consumed almonds and granola, followed by tofu and kale and coffee of course. Pretty good for a girl who used to survive on Butterfingers and McDisgusting. But I am sitting here, quietly writing, and my brain is telling me that I am not doing doing doing enough. I have to fill up my time, and what better way than eating? I can multitask, shove a handful of popcorn in my mouth, type a sentence, and continue. That is productivity? Our society is so fast, we work a zillion hours a week and need to fill every waking moment with projects, work or cleaning or exercise. We fill corners of our house with stuff, we carry phones so we can always do something, surf the internet, talk or text. When we take the time to exercise at the gym, we watch tv while we are walking the treadmill, or listen to music while we are lifting weights. What I believe we need, I need, is to slow down, to be quiet and to pay attention. This practice of mindfulness includes eating. How often do I eat while watching tv or driving? Do I even taste that yummy kale, or feel the texture of pan-seared tofu?

The practice of eating mindfully is a foreign concept to me. To sit, to chew slowly, to pay attention to the taste and texture and smell of food, is akin to meditation. As a vegan my food is real, sweet fruits, crunchy vegetables, and savory grains. To enjoy every bite is to experience the food, to squeeze every last drop of pleasure out of the experience. As an experiment, try this exercise for mindful eating, it will change the way you look at food.

In New Hampshire, there is a Center for Mindful Eating. There are numerous resources on the website and there is access to free teleconferences for a 40$ yearly membership. One of the principles of mindful eating: Mindfulness is being aware of what is present for you mentally, emotionally and physically in each moment. What is present for me emotionally today? 

Great Video

This video says it all... 
101 - Reasons to go Vegan

My first visit with a nutritionist

I called my PCP a few weeks ago to obtain a referral for a visit with a nutritionist. Why, they asked. I have no health issues, do not even see my physician regularly. I told the voice on the other end, "because I am vegan." Yup, I pulled the vegan card. I have been a vegetarian for over a decade, and now that I am vegan, folks are always worried about whether or not I am getting enough protein. I was merely interested in becoming a healthier person, one who continues to go without a visit to the doctor. I believe that most health issues stem from what we put into our bodies, whether chemicals from processed food, pesticides, GMOs, hydrogenated oils, or all of the other deadly food products we have floating out there (68% of diseases are diet related). But I was not about to tell the doctor all of this, so I just pulled the vegan card.

My visit was this past week, and was it ever helpful. It actually turns out that I am not getting enough protein in my diet, but with just a few tweaks, I went from 15 to 20% of my calories from protein. I am still a bit shy of what I should be ingesting, but the more I learn about the preparation of beans and other valuable vegan sources, the easier time I will have. It has been a long process, becoming a healthier person. It took me 41 years to discover kale, who knows what the future will bring. All I know is that it is worth it to seek professional help. The visit with a nutritionist helped me to see where I have been doing great with my food choices, and what needs work. I continue to make small changes daily, the more manageable the change, the more likely that it will stick. For now I will head off to look up some recipes for seitan...ooh and lentils.

Acclimation into a Healthier Lifestyle

Easing into healthy eating, it has been a long journey. I have been a vegetarian as long as I can remember, approximately 20 years. But I have only been vegan for a year and a half. I am so glad I made the leap, not only do I feel much better spiritually and ethically, but I  lost weight and feel amazing physically. However, about six months ago I hit a plateau, nothing was changing and I was feeling tired. Then I started reading Brendan Brazier's book, Thrive, a vegan nutrition guide for athletes. I began to slowly add a few healthier alternatives to my "junk food" vegan diet. I had been living off of vegan cheeses and chips among other things...and there are so many vegan desserts, including Oreos! Adding healthier choices, while eliminating an unhealthy food, one at a time, was the kick I needed. I also began to map my food choices via My Fitness Pal. Once I started recording my food intake I began to see where I hadn't been getting bang for my eating buck. The vegan butter was 100 calories per two tablespoon serving while I could eat 3 cups of blueberries for the same 100 calories. Not that I am an advocate of counting calories, but the application helped me to see that I haven't been eating enough protein and my iron intake is super low. Over the past four weeks I have lost an additional 9 pounds. Now I am usually not focused on numbers, but it feels good to finally get back to where I was pre-childbirth. I have had a long struggle with weight loss and gain over the past 22 years and I believe that I have found a balance and recipe for a healthier life. I run everyday and have increased my portions of fruits and vegetables, I have even made green smoothies! I have begun to cut back on my processed sugar intake. The next great hurdle? Caffeine. But I am no where near to being ready to give that up. See you at Starbucks!

Going Green...

Don't tell my mother, but I think I like vegetables. I tried this recipe from Nava Atlas's Veg Kitchen Site, a green smoothie, made from kale, avocado, banana and hemp milk (I substituted spinach for the kale). After chilling I tried it, amazing. I never would have thought that I would eat vegetable, or even drink them. I prided myself on being a surly child and refusing what was good for me. And yes, this smoothie is chock full of nutrients that I as a vegan need. I add hemp hearts for an added kick and drink my smoothie at lunch with some tofu and multigrain on the side.  Now you really cannot tell my mother, not only do I eat veggies, but tofu as well! Next up, Kale Chips!