I’m a little bit behind on posting. Last night was the first night I really had detox symptoms. Caffeine withdrawal headaches can be a bitch. So I just laid low when I got home.

Today, I feel amazing. I had crazy, vivid dreams last night. There were green hills to climb. There were smiling cows and old friends. I didn’t want to wake up. All day I have felt an incredible high. I’m so positive. I want to feel like this forever. I have been very productive at work and came home to spackle the bathroom walls (renovation project ongoing), edited b-roll for an actor who has been requesting it forever and I kept blowing him off, emailed a friend back because I promised to, did all the dishes, played with lulu and made a green soup which is now chilling in the fridge. i will soon enjoy its deliciousness. I am emotional in the best way today. Easy come, easy go. I love my friends old and new so much. I am full of love. I love josh. I realize how lucky i am. i want to see my nieces and spend time with them before they get too big. It’s kind of already happening so fast that it scares me. I just want to enjoy this. My skin feels silky smooth. I feel beautiful from the inside. I’m glowing.

I’m listening to Beach House’s new album right now and it is PERFECT for this moment. I can’t explain. Just swoon.

Yesterday was Day 2. Going to work was hard without my morning coffee. Luckily, I am not experiencing the intense caffeine withdrawal that my friend Laura is. She had throbbing headaches all day yesterday and left work early. I pre-made a 52oz juice the night before to take with me. It actually lasted me all day along with my water. My energy levels were great as was my focus. Work was crazy, I was multi-tasking and was able to stay super focused and on top of it all. With a feeling of overall joy. Added bonus. When I got home I was feeling hungry for something savory so I made the suggested snack smoothie which included avocado, tomato, lemon juice, cucumber and spinach. I topped it off with cayenne pepper and ate it like a soup. It really hit the spot. Later I also ate a couple teaspons of hemp seeds. Their nutty flavor satisfied my craving. Then, I took Lulu for a walk, watched 2 very intense episodes of Breaking Bad (trying to catch up), and took a long, hot shower. I slept very well and woke up early with energy. So far, feeling good.

“Without health life is not life; it is only a state of langour and suffering – an image of death.”
– Buddha

So it began today. Well, really this evening. All day I ate only raw foods as part of the prep. I was supposed to be prepping all week but I was in Vegas so you can guess how that went. I went to Mother’s Market in Brea today and got the 16oz “liver cleanse” juice. Beets, apples, ginger yumminess. That kicked off my day right. But, I do admit it was the first time I started feeling nervous about this whole cleanse. My thoughts were made up of fears that I won’t have willpower, that I will give up, that I’ll be too hungry, etc. My imagination went wild as I watch Josh eat his Tempeh Bacon, Lettuce, Avocado, Tomato sandwich with a generously portioned side of lemon-quinoa (one of my favorites!). Boooo! 

Later, at home, I juice up 32 oz of a green blend which included spinach, celery, zucchini, parsley, mint & lime. I added lemon, too, because it was pretty bitter. I liked the drink overall. I am letting myself be proud for also prepping my veggies to take to work tomorrow so I have enough for a recipe. I also pre-juiced my breakfast and left it in the fridge. I’m not sure if it’s ok to do that but I feel like the morning will be hard if I don’t. Then, I cleaned the juicer out and packed it up to take to work tomorrow. Laura and I plan to juice in the office! I wonder how she’s feeling tonight. I’m feeling a little bit more optimistic than earlier. I feel alert and awake. Josh and I rode our bikes around when it cooled off this evening then I took a hot shower and am now ready to relax until I fall asleep. Who knows what tomorrow may hold. I am supposed to go to the dog shelter early in the morning to see about adopting a puppy. I know the timing is probably bad but I can’t control that we found the cutest little pup today and he will be available tomorrow. It’s first-come first-serve so I plan to be there before they open at 10am. A puppy will throw my world into chaos but I want our Lulu to have a little pal. Maybe drastic change will actually be good this week – will keep me busy and focused.

Not gonna lie. Would have loved to have a cold beer tonight.

“How do you build up your bank account? By putting something in it everyday.Your health account is no different. What I do today, I am wearing tomorrow. If I put inferior foods in my body today, I’m going to be inferior tomorrow, it’s that simple.” 

– Jack Lalanne

Tomorrow I’m starting a 10-Day Juice Cleanse which includes some products from different companies such as Orangina business. My friend at work had signed up for the cleanse on Tera Warner’s website. I had done one of her detoxes before and I said “Hey, I’ve always wanted to do a juice cleanse! I will do it with you and together we will succeed!” I’ve done other cleanses but never 10 days of strictly juice and this one is mostly green juices and seems like a good option. This particular cleanse makes it easy as it gives you a shopping list, juice recipes & a menu planner. The juice recipes explain why each juice is good for you/what it does for your body. I am excited but I also am worried about my willpower as a vegan foodie with a habit lately of making the most delicious vegan ice-cream! It’s summertime, dammit! Anyway, I just got back from a gluttonous, alcohol-fueled trip to Las Vegas (first time I was able to eat vegan food at a buffet thanks to Steve Wynn-more on that later!) & my birthday is next month so I think this is a great time to try a cleanse.

Why do a juice cleanse? My first answer is to detox all my partying away. Secondly, it’s an adventure. But let’s be serious. Fresh, living juice is rich in nutrients (vitamins, minerals, living enzymes and phytochemicals), which all have incredible healthful and beneficial effects on your body. It is safe. You still consume the calories needed to continue your normal routines. It can also be life transforming (as I found a raw vegan diet to be for me a few years ago). Some of the benefits of juice cleansing include an increase in energy, improved mental clarity, improved skin, losing excess poundage, feeling more optimistic and many other great things.

I did shopping today for Days 1 -4. I love filling my basket with greens. I sometimes think if I ever get married I would want a bouquet made up of kale, chard, fennel & mint. I plan to journal my way through the next 10 days. Probably nobody will read it but it will keep me sane.

Here’s to Jack LaLanne!

“Some people think the “plant-based, whole foods diet” is extreme.  Half a million people a year will have their chests opened up and a vein taken from their leg and sewn onto their coronary artery.  Some people would call that extreme.”

That’s my favorite line of the new film, Forks Over Knives. The line was eloquently delivered by Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, a heart surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic. His lifelong research and medical practice, along with Dr. T. Colin Campbell’s findings in The China Study, were highlighted in the film. Ok, my second favorite line was by one of Dr. Esselstyn’s patients who explained that a plant-based diet means he doesn’t need Viagra. His words were something like, “The flag still rises up the pole.”  If ya know what I mean!

Another tidbit I  liked: Dr. Esselstyn has a firefighter son named Rip who is ripped and got his whole firehouse to eat a plant-based diet when one of the guys found out he was in serious risk of a heart attack. I found that pretty inspirational!

The film focuses on health and also, thankfully, touches on the environmental consequences of our society’s meat and dairy consumption. These are all things most vegans already know but many of these recent “food” movies miss that point completely. But mostly it was about health. Interesting stats were shown regarding the amount of sugary, fatty & processed foods people eat and how much more of it they eat now than ever before.  Real people are shown changing their habits when their lives were at stake and we get to see the  wonderful results. Getting off the medications. Having more energy. Reversing disease. Success! This movie will save lives if our society will open their minds and explore this information (and delicious vegan food!).

Well, I’m off to the farmer’s market. Have a great day!

Nutrition

All of the following nutritional benefits come from a vegan diet full of foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, and soy products.

1. Reduced saturated fats. Dairy products and meats contain a large amount of saturated fats. By reducing the amount of saturated fats from your diet, youâ€ll improve your health tremendously, especially when it comes to cardiovascular health.
2. Carbohydrates. Carbohydrates provide energy for your body. When you donâ€t have enough carbohydrates, your body will burn muscle tissue.
3. Fiber. A diet high in fiber (as vegan eating usually is) leads to healthier bowel movements. High fiber diets help fight against colon cancer.
4. Magnesium. Aiding in the absorption of calcium, magnesium is an often overlooked vitamin in importance to a healthy diet. Nuts, seeds, and dark leafy greens are an excellent source of magnesium.
5. Potassium. Potassium balances water and acidity in your body and stimulates the kidneys to eliminate toxins. Diets high in potassium have shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
6. Folate. This B vitamin is an important part of a healthy diet. Folate helps with cell repair, generating red and white blood cells, and metabolizing amino acids.
7. Antioxidants. For protection against cell damage, antioxidants are one of the best ways to help your body. Many researchers also believe that antioxidants help protect your body against forming some types of cancer.
8. Vitamin C. Besides boosting your immune system, Vitamin C also helps keep your gums healthy and helps your bruises heal faster. Vitamin C is also an antioxidant.
9. Vitamin E. This powerful vitamin has benefits for your heart, skin, eyes, brain, and may even help prevent Alzheimerâ€s Disease. A diet high in grains, nuts, and dark leafy greens is full of Vitamin E.
10. Phytochemicals. Plant-based foods provide phytochemicals, which help to prevent and heal the body from cancer, boost protective enzymes, and work with antioxidants in the body.
11. Protein. That protein is good for your body is no surprise. It may be a surprise to learn that most Americans eat too much protein and in forms such as red meat that are not healthy ways of getting protein. Beans, nuts, peas, lentils, and soy products are all great ways to get the right amount of protein in a vegan diet.
    

Disease Prevention

Eating a healthy vegan diet has shown to prevent a number of diseases. Find out from the list below what you could potentially avoid just by switching to a healthy, balanced vegan way of eating. For more on keeping a healthy body by using natural products, check this guide on how to get a medical cannabis card Nevada.

1. Cardiovascular disease. Eating nuts and whole grains, while eliminating dairy products and meat, will improve your cardiovascular health. A British study indicates that a vegan diet reduces the risk for heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. Vegan diets go far in preventing heart attack and stroke.
2. Cholesterol. Eliminating any food that comes from an animal and you will eliminate all dietary cholesterol from your diet. Your heart will thank you for that.
3. Blood pressure. A diet rich in whole grains is beneficial to your health in many ways, including lowering high blood pressure.
4. Type 2 diabetes. Not only is a vegan diet a weapon against Type 2 diabetes, it is also “easier to follow than the standard diet recommended by the American Diabetic Association.” Read more about it here.
5. Prostate cancer. A major study showed that men in the early stages of prostate cancer who switched to a vegan diet either stopped the progress of the cancer or may have even reversed the illness.
6. Colon cancer. Eating a diet consisting of whole grains, along with fresh fruits and vegetables, can greatly reduce your chances of colon cancer.
7. Breast cancer. Countries where women eat very little meat and animal products have a much lower rate of breast cancer than do the women in countries that consume more animal products.
8. Macular degeneration. Diets with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, especially leafy greens, carrots, pumpkin, and sweet potatoes, can help prevent the onset of age-related macular degeneration.
9. Cataracts. Much the same way macular degeneration is headed off by a vegan diet, cataracts are also thought to be prevented through the intake of the same fruits and vegetables. Produce high in antioxidants are also believed to help prevent cataracts.
10. Arthritis. Eliminating dairy consumption has long been connected with alleviating arthritis symptoms, but a new study indicates that a combination of gluten-free and vegan diet is very promising for improving the health of those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.
11. Osteoporosis. Bone health depends on a balance of neither too much or too little protein, adequate calcium intake, high potassium, and low sodium. With a healthy vegan diet, all four of these points set a perfect scenario for preventing osteoporosis.

Physical Benefits

In addition to good nutrition and disease prevention, eating vegan also provides many physical benefits. Find out how a vegan diet makes your body stronger, more attractive, and more energetic.

1. Body Mass Index. Several population studies show that a diet without meat leads to lower BMIs–usually an indicator of a healthy weight and lack of fat on the body.
2. Weight loss. A healthy weight loss is a typical result of a smart vegan diet. Eating vegan eliminates most of the unhealthy foods that tend to cause weight issues. Read more about weight loss and a vegan diet here.
3. Energy. When following a healthy vegan diet, you will find your energy is much higher. This blog post in Happy Healthy Long Life describes how NFL tight-end Tony Gonzalez started eating vegan and gained energy–while playing football.
4. Healthy skin. The nuts and vitamins A and E from vegetables play a big role in healthy skin, so vegans will usually have good skin health. Many people who switch to a vegan diet will notice a remarkable reduction in blemishes as well.
5. Longer life. Several studies indicate that those following a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle live an average of three to six years longer than those who do not.
6. Body odor. Eliminating dairy and red meat from the diet significantly reduces body odor. Going vegan means smelling better.
7. Bad breath. Vegans frequently experience a reduction in bad breath. Imagine waking up in the morning and not having morning breath.
8. Hair. Many who follow vegan diets report that their hair becomes stronger, has more body, and looks healthier.
9. Nails. Healthy vegan diets are also responsible for much stronger, healthier nails. Nail health is said to be an indicator of overall health.
10. PMS. When switching to a vegan diet, many women tell how PMS symptoms become much less intense or disappear altogether. The elimination of dairy is thought to help with those suffering with PMS.
11. Migraines. Migraine suffers who go on vegan diets frequently discover relief from their migraines. Read more about the food-migraine connection in this article.
12. Allergies. Reduction in dairy, meat, and eggs is often tied to alleviation of allergy symptoms. Many vegans report much fewer runny noses and congestion problems.

Too Much in the American Diet

The typical American diet not only consists of too much food, it also relies on too much of unnecessary food products or toxins. The following list explains how a vegan diet can eliminate these problems.

1. Animal proteins. The average American eats twice as much protein as necessary for a healthy diet and much of that is from red meat. Getting protein from beans and grains is much healthier and reduces the risk for osteoporosis (see above).
2. Cowâ€s milk dairy. The human body is not designed to digest cow milk and cow milk dairy products, yet the idea of milk being healthy is pushed through advertising. As many as 75% of people in the world may be lactose intolerant and many people suffer from undiagnosed milk allergies or sensitivities. By eliminating cowâ€s milk from your diet, you are improving your overall health.
3. Eggs. Many nutritionists believe that the number of eggs in the American diet is too high. While sometimes disputed, it has been shown that eggs can raise cholesterol levels.
4. Mercury. Most of the fish and shellfish consumed has mercury in it. While some fish have less than others, it is almost impossible not to be putting mercury in your body when you eat fish.
5. Sugar. Most people have heard that Americans consume way too much sugar. Relying on other sweeteners that are not synthetic, processed, or derived from animal products is a healthier way to eat. Many vegans do not eat processed sugar due to the fact that most of the cane sugar is refined through activated charcoal, most of which comes from animal bones.

Other Benefits

In addition to the health benefits above, following a vegan lifestyle and diet also provides these benefits as well. From helping the environment to avoiding serious bacterial infections, learn other benefits to eating the vegan way below.

1. Animals. Many people begin a vegan diet out of concern for animals. Whether opposed to the conditions of animals intended for food or eating animals in general, going vegan will help your conscience rest easily.
2. Environment. Growing plants takes much fewer resources than growing animals. By eating vegan, you can help reduce the toll on the environment.
3. E. coli. E. coli comes from eating contaminated red meat and is the leading cause of bloody diarrhea. Young children, those with compromised immune systems, and elderly people can become extremely ill or die from E. coli. Eating vegan means completely avoiding the risk of E. coli infection.
4. Salmonella. Another gastrointestinal illness from animal products, salmonella food poisoning is closely related to E. coli. The most frequent way people contract salmonella food poisoning is through contact with raw eggs or raw chicken meat from chickens infected with salmonella. Again, going vegan means eliminating this risk altogether.
5. Mad cow disease. Itâ€s safe to say that most people would want to avoid contracting a fatal, non-treatable disease. One way to ensure you donâ€t get Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is by not eating animals infected with mad cow disease. While the incidence of mad cow disease is not reportedly so high in North America, it does exist.
6. Global food supply. Feeding grain to animals meant as food sources reduces the amount of food that is available to underdeveloped nations. Many people will go hungry while that same food they could be eating is given to animals raised for slaughter. Eating vegan ensures that you have removed yourself from the participation of this imbalance.
7. Hormone consumption. Eating animals that have been given hormones to speed growth (a common practice in the meat industry) means those hormones go into your body. Not only can this disrupt the natural balance of your hormones, but some of the hormones given to animals have shown to cause tumor growth in humans.
8. Antibiotics. Antibiotics are frequently given to feed animals, which can lead to bacterial resistance. Many of the antibiotics used to treat human infections are also used in feed animals.

Healthy Eating

A vegan diet can be a much healthier way to eat. Find out how to combine the vegan diet with other ways of eating for an even more healthy way to go or discover ways to keep your vegan diet healthy but more convenient with the resources below.

1. Raw. A raw diet lends itself to veganism by the very nature of its design. Find out how to combine live and vegan diets with Raw Inspirations.
2. Organic. Eating organic and vegan is super easy to do. Use some of the recipes from this blog for help with meal ideas. The posts have slowed, but you can always search the archives for some great ideas on how to live and eat organic and vegan.
3. Fat-free. Vegan eating is typically pretty low in fats anyway, but the FatFree Vegan Kitchen shows you how to make some delicious vegan food that is always fat free.
4. Gluten-free. Due to allergies, Celiacâ€s Disease, or whatever your reason you avoid gluten, find out how to combine the best of gluten-free with vegan cooking in the Gluten-Free Vegan blog.
5. Eating out. Eating out isnâ€t usually associated with eating healthy, but a vegan diet ensures there will be a lot less of the bad things in the food you choose. Find eating out options around the world for vegans here.
6. Lunch. Maintaining a vegan diet means you are likely to take your lunch more often than most people. Vegan Lunch Box offers recipes, tools, and ideas for carrying great vegan lunches every day.
7. Dinner. Coming up with new dinner ideas is challenging for everyone–regardless of what type of diet you follow. Check out this amazing selection of vegan dinner recipes accompanied with mouth-watering photos of each preparation on Dinner with Dilip.
8. Dessert. While not all the recipes on My Sweet Vegan are for dessert, you will find a large selection of sweet vegan recipes with the most delicious-looking photos.
9. Wine. Pairing vegan food with wine may be challenging for those who rely on the old standard of “white with fish and red with meat.” Read this article for ways to compliment your healthy vegan diet with a tasty glass of wine or this blog entry for specific pairings of wine and vegan food.
10. Fun. These ladies know how to kick it with vegan cooking. Post Punk Kitchen offers some great recipes with a ton of fun infused in them. Be sure to go through the archives for more yummy food ideas.

Reposted from http://www.nursingdegree.net/blog/19/57-health-benefits-of-going-vegan/

Celebrated Cornell University professor T. Colin Campbell Phd, presents the overwhelming evidence
showing that animal protein is one of the most potent carcinogens people are exposed to.

This is the FULL 45 MINUTE talk from Dr. Campbell’s appearance at the
2005 VegSource Healthy Lifestyle Expo.

More info and Expo talks are available on DVD
in our IN OUR STORE https://secure2.vegsource.com/catalog/

by William Harris, M.D.

Cancer is not caused by bacteria, faulty diet, inadequate exercise, environmental contaminants, ionizing radiation, tobacco, viruses, nor heredity. Cancer is caused by a series of genetic mutations in DNA which may be either germline (inherited) or somatic (acquired during life). However, the chances of these mutations occurring in sufficient number to result in cancer is affected by all of the preceding factors.

DNA is the critical target molecule in carcinogenesis (1). Although DNA has various repair mechanisms, some types of damage persist and become the basis of the defective molecular biology that is cancer. Oncogenes (tumor genes), tumor suppressing genes, and aptotic genes (causing programmed cell death) normally interact to build normal cells, to prevent excessive growth, and finally to kill the cell before genetic mutations cause it to malfunction.

Table 1. U.S. cancer rates.

Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the United States, where over 1.3 million new cases of cancer are diagnosed annually, with 550,000 deaths. Current United States incidence figures for the ten leading types of cancer are shown (2). Women have an approximately 1:8 lifetime chance of developing breast cancer, and men have an approximately 1:5 chance of developing prostate cancer. Rates above are per 100,000 in 1992. Both Hodgkin’s disease and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma are included under lymphoma.

There are three categories of evidence suggesting that a veg*n (vegetarian or vegan) diet reduces risk for various types of cancer.

Epidemiologically, the intake of animal source food correlates with the country-by-country incidence of six types of cancer. Although none of the reporting countries can be assumed to have large vegan or even vegetarian populations, it appears that the less animal source food per capita, the lower the cancer rate.

In the graphs below, the Y axis contains the disease, the X axis contains the animal source dietary risk factor. R is the correlation coefficient which reflects the “goodness of fit” of the data points to the sloping regression line. The p-value is the probability the apparent relationship is merely a mathematical coincidence. An R of 1 would indicate a direct linear relationship, while an R of zero would indicate no relationship. A p-value of .05 indicates a 5% chance of mathematical coincidence but numbers less than .05 are traditionally taken to suggest a non-coincidental relationship.

A. Breast Cancer

The etiology of breast cancer, as with most cancer, is multi-factorial, with a strong hereditary component. Using BMDP (3) statistical software, I performed multiple regression analysis on breast cancer incidence(4) country by country using Food and Agriculture Organization food consumption data (5) for animal source calcium, animal Calories, animal fat, animal protein, butter and ghee, cheese, eggs, milk production (metric tons/yr), plant source calcium, plant fat, plant protein, plant Calories, total calcium, total fat, total Calories, and total protein.

I included additional vital statistics from The Book of World Rankings (6,7) for birth rate, female life expectancy, GNP/caput($), infant mortality, male life expectancy, male/female cancer ratios, meat consumption (kg/caput/yr early 70’s), sugar consumption (kg/caput/yr -1976), and total population.

Of these (sometimes not independent) variables, the highest correlation ( R=.76, p<.001) with breast cancer incidence was from animal source Calories, (with animal fat and the other animal constituents close behind).

Plant protein consumption had a moderate negative (protective) correlation (R= -.36, p=.046).

Of the other positive correlations, animal source calcium had an R value of .62 and p=.0026. This would support the contention that dairy hormones are a risk for human breast cancer (8). Insulin-like growth factor (ISGF-1), present in both cow milk and human milk is known to stimulate the growth of human breast cancer cells (9, 10).

The vegetarian diet has been shown to lower the level of estradiol (11) (an estrogen) and raise sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) levels (12). Some forms of breast cancer are estrogen-receptor (ER) sensitive and the phytoestrogens from plant foods (13, 14), particularly soy products, are thought to block ERs in a manner similar to tamoxifen. Lower post-treatment ER-rich breast cancer survival rates in women who reported higher dietary fat intake have been found.(15)

Although the most recent pooled-analysis of fat intake as a risk factor for breast cancer produced negative results (16), a case-control study (17) conducted in Italy on 2,569 incident cases of breast cancer and 2,588 controls found an odds ratio (OR) of 1.22 for saturated fat, and 0.89 for unsaturated fat.

B. Intestinal cancer

Intestinal cancer also correlates with animal food consumption (R=.83, p<.001) (18). Suggested explanations here are that meat increases the rate of carcinogenic bile acid formation (19), lack of fiber has an adverse effect on colonic bacteria (20), and additionally lengthens the intestinal transit time so that both dietary carcinogens in meat (21), and endogenous ones (the bile acids), are in contact with the intestinal mucosa for a longer period.

C. Lung Cancer.

Lung cancer mortality correlates with animal fat consumption (R=.71, p<.01) (22) and with the consumption of animal source protein and calcium. Plant nutrients had negative (protective) R values but p values were above .05, so they were not deemed statistically significant. However, the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) (23) judges that “diets high in a variety of vegetables and fruit, and the microconstituents they contain, may prevent 20-33% of cases of lung cancer in both smokers and non-smokers.”

Data on tobacco use was not available, but there is little doubt that it would prove to be the most important predictor of lung cancer mortality, exceeding dietary factors by a wide margin.

D. Lymphatic Cancer

In 1977 Cunningham (24) examined the correlation between age-adjusted lymphoma mortality as reported by the WHO (25), and food intake as reported by the O.E.C.D. (26). Using multiple regression analysis for the intake of cereal grain, eggs, fish, nuts, pork, potatoes, poultry, pulses, seeds, starches, animal protein, crop protein, and total protein, he found the highest positive correlation with beef and dairy protein intake (R=.78, p<.001). Fish and all of the plant foods had a slight negative correlation.

A 1997 case-control study conducted in Northern Italy between 1983 and 1992 involving 829 cases and 1,157 controls (27) found that “Compared with the lowest tertile, the odds ratio (OR) for the highest tertile of milk intake was 1.8 for Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma (NHL) and 1.9 for sarcomas. Liver intake was an indicator of the risk of Hodgkins Disease (HD) (OR = 1.8), NHL (OR = 1.6), and myelomas (OR = 2.0), ham another indicator of HD (OR = 1.7), and butter an indicator of myelomas (OR = 2.8). A high consumption of green vegetables was inversely related to myelomas (OR = 0.4), and frequent use of whole-grain foods was inversely related to NHL (OR = 0.4) and soft tissue sarcomas (OR = 0.2). The OR for the highest tertile of intake of beta-carotene ranged between 0.5 and 0.7, whereas the OR for retinol ranged between 1.5 and 2.3.”

E. Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer also appears related to animal food consumption (28). Animal source Calorie intake showed the highest positive correlation (R=.81, p<.007). Plant source Calories were protective, with an R value of -.62 and p<.005. Animal source calcium intake was also a risk, with an R value of .72, p=.0005.

This latter finding is consistent with the hypothesis that consumption of milk lactose may be a dietary risk factor for ovarian cancer in women with a an inherited deficiency of the enzyme galactose-1-phosphate uridyl transferase. (29). Additionally, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) present in both cow and human milk, is elevated in the cystic fluid of ovarian cancer (30). A study from Canada (31) implicated saturated fat and egg cholesterol consumption as risk factors for ovarian cancer, with reduced risk from vegetable fiber consumption.

F. Prostate Cancer.

Surprisingly, multiple regression analysis of prostate cancer incidence (32) versus the same dietary and social variables showed the highest correlation with animal source calcium intake (R=.74, p<.01) (33), which in general means dairy products. Animal source Calories came in second and plant protein had the highest negative correlation coefficient (R= -.49, p=.0052). This finding is consistent with a cohort study of 20,316 men of various ethnicities interviewed between 1975 and 1980 in Hawaii (34) that found beef and milk consumption to increase risk for prostate cancer. Prostate cancer, once again, is a sex hormone dependent cancer (35). A more recent study again identified animal source fat as a risk factor for prostate cancer, particularly in blacks (36).

The World Cancer Research Fund (37) recommends a “predominantly plant-based diet” and lists fruits and vegetables as [convincing, probable, or possible] risk reducers for cancer of the bladder, breast, cervix, colon, endometrium, esophagus, kidney, larynx, liver, lung, mouth and pharynx, ovary, pancreas, prostate, rectum, stomach, and thyroid. This organization recommends five or more portions of vegetables and fruit daily, and “if eaten at all, red meat to provide no more than 10% of total energy” (Calories).

There are biochemical studies that suggest how plant foods protect against cancer. Since DNA damage is crucial to cancer, its cause and prevention should be reviewed. Important in current thinking is the effect of lipid peroxidation in the generation of free radicals, small molecular fragments of fat with incorporated oxygen. Lipid peroxidation is a branching chain reaction with devastating side effects due to the ability of the oxidized fat fragments to covalently bond with DNA, damaging its structure and function.

There is a large category of antioxidants, many of them man-made such as the food preservatives BHA and BHT. Naturally occurring antioxidants include vitamins C, E, the carotenoids (lycopene-[tomatoes], luteins and beta-carotene [leafy greens]) ellagic acid (4-carbon ring metabolic artifacts found in berries) (38), and saponins ( plant sterols attached to a short chain of sugars) (39). All of these substances help to quench the free radical chain reaction.

Not all of these antioxidants are listed in the USDA database, but of the ones that are, I sorted by nutrient/Calorie ratio to find the highest plant source and the highest animal source for -carotene, vitamin C, and vitamin E. Included were 232 foods including beans, dairy, eggs, fish, fruit, grains, meat, nuts, poultry, and vegetables. Sorting by nutrient/weight ratio produces roughly similar results.

Clearly animal source food is no anti-oxidant match for plant foods. It’s likely that by the time animal source food reaches the table the animal’s tissues have already utilized most of the anti-oxidants that were synthesized by the plants the animal ate. A diet high in plant food, particularly fruits and vegetables, will be high in these anti-oxidants, thus protective against cancer. A diet high in animal food will be low in these anti-oxidants, since the food itself is low and its presence in the diet displaces the fruits and vegetables that might otherwise be present.

It should be noted that of 20 flours, breads, grains, and grain products included in the 232 foods, all were well below 100% of the RDA/Calorie for these three antioxidants with the exception of wheat germ oil (vitamin E). This may bear slightly on a recent study showing no reduction in colon cancer by high fiber intake (40). Admittedly grains are high in fiber, but they are not high in cancer-protective anti-oxidants. The respondents with high fiber intake may have been consuming large amounts of cereals and grains as they had been advised to, but the cancer-preventive agents are mostly in fruits and vegetables. The same grain products added in 100 gram increments and averaged, also proved to have less than 100% of the RDA/Calorie for calcium, folate, and riboflavin. Ninety three vegetables treated in the same manner were well over 100% RDA/Cal for 18 common nutrients except for vitamin B12 and had 800% of the RDA/Cal for -carotene, 1250% for vitamin C, and 300% for Vitamin E.

Fiber, plentiful in grains, is not a nutrient since it is not absorbed. It acts, in the words of one medical editor, as “a sort of colonic broom” and while this may be advantageous, a repeat of the study, this time using fruits and vegetables, rather than fiber, as dietary intake markers might produce more favorable results.

Steinmetz and Potter (41) report that the cancer protective substances in fruits and vegetables include, in addition to antioxidants, the following: allium compounds (diallyl sulfide, allyl methyl trisulfide), coumarins, dietary fiber, dithiolthiones, flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol), folic acid, indole-3-carbinol, inositol hexaphosphate, genistein, biochanin A, isothiocyanates, sulphorophane, d-limonene, phytosterols, protease inhibitors, and selenium.

The means by which these substances protect against cancer cell initiation include effects on cell differentiation, increased activity of enzymes that detoxify carcinogens, blocked formation of nitrosamines, altered estrogen metabolism, altered colonic milieu (including bacterial flora, bile acid composition, pH, fecal bulk), preserved integrity of intracellular matrixes, effects on DNA methylation, maintenance of normal DNA repair, increased apoptosis (programmed cell death) of cancer cells, and decreased cell proliferation.

Cancer cell metastasis may be blocked by a plant-based diet. German investigators have shown that vegetarian men have roughly twice the natural killer cell activity as age-matched omnivorous controls (42).

A recent study from Britain (43) concluded that: “Vegetables and fruit are almost invariably protective for the major cancers. The evidence is best for a protective effect of vegetables in the large bowel and for fruits and vegetables in stomach cancer…. High consumption of meat, especially red meat and processed meat, is linked with higher risk of bowel, breast, prostate, and pancreatic cancer. There is some evidence of an association with lung cancer, and of an association of barbecued meat and oesophageal cancer.” This study also concluded that “up to 80% of bowel and breast cancer may be preventable by dietary change.”

Practical aspects of the veg*n (vegetarian or vegan) diet.

A straightforward and simple dictum is:

“Eat as wide a variety of plant foods in as unprocessed a form as possible.”

-Susan Havala, R.D.

All the essential amino acids, essential fatty acids, and vitamins required in the human diet are synthesized either by plants or micro-organisms (44), not by animals. The essential inorganic nutrients (iron, calcium, zinc, etc.) were synthesized in nuclear fusion reactions that occurred in stars that blew up more than 5 billion years ago (45). The notion that veg*n diets are more likely than omnivorous ones to be nutrient deficient is the result of sorting foods by nutrient/weight ratio. Since there is no RDA for weight in the diet, while there is an RDA for Calories, a more rational approach to food analysis is by nutrient/Calorie ratio, in which case it is seen that animal source foods, because of their high fat content, have little advantage over plant foods (46). Although poorly designed veg*n diets have produced reports of nutritional deficiency, particularly in children (47), the notion that vegans are more likely than omnivores to suffer nutrient deficiencies is not supported by the literature (48). In general, a diet centered on vegetables and fruit, preferably raw, with grains, nuts, seeds, and starches used to fill in Calorie requirements will satisfy nutrient requirements, with the exception of Vitamin B12, which must be supplemented, at least until the scientific dust settles. Numerous vegetarian and vegan cookbooks and handbooks are available and should be consulted by new veg*ns.

Conclusion

Evidence from a broad scientific literature suggests:

A. Rates for at least six common types of cancer, country by country, correlate with the consumption of animal source food.

B. There is a modest negative correlation with these cancers and plant source food consumption.

C. A variety of phytochemicals present in plant foods have been demonstrated to be protective against the DNA damage that leads to cancer.

D. The veg*n diet, extolled by its advocates for at least 150 years as a cancer preventive strategy, is the logical end point of the dietary recommendations, now made by scientific organizations, to reduce animal food consumption.

E. A recent clinical review (49) concluded: “Up to 80% of bowel and breast cancer may be preventable by dietary change… Diet contributes to varying extent to the risk of many other cancers, including cancers of the lung, prostate, stomach, oesophagus, and pancreas… Generally, fruit, vegetables, and fibre have a protective effect, whereas red and processed meat increase the risk of developing cancer.”

There are no logical arguments for the continued use of animal source food in the human diet. However, logic is not the key factor here. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has shielded the meat and dairy industries from normal market forces since at least the beginning of the Commodities Credit Corporation (CCC) in 1933 (50), by giving direct price supports to dairy production, and de facto supports to the meat industry in the form of feed grain price supports (51, 52).. In 1998 USDA Secretary Dan Glickman bought up at least $250 million worth of beef, chicken, dairy, eggs, fish, lamb, and pork that could not be sold on an already flooded market. These goods will be dumped into public feeding troughs such as the National School Lunch Program (53).

This is contrary to advice given by the National Cancer Institute, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and the USDA itself, to consume daily at least five servings of fruit and vegetables. Only a third of the U.S. public is aware of the “5-A-Day” recommendation (54).

Vegetable and fruit growers have for the most part been excluded from support programs…”All crops may be harvested on flex acreage except…fruits and vegetables…” (55), and apparently don’t want government assistance or large ad campaigns(56) to market their products. Evidence indicates that animal industries have exerted enormous pressure on the government for continuation of their supports (57). These industries then plow their profit margins into massive ad campaigns, nutritional “education”, and political action to insure that their benefits will continue.

A glance at IRS Corporate Income Tax Form 1120 and most state corporate tax forms shows also that advertising is a tax deductible business expense. There is little doubt that the animal food interests are taking full advantage of this as they suborn the media, the nutritional establishment, and the government to push their wares on a naive public.

Until the government stops using public tax moneys to bail out the animal food interests and stops giving tax breaks for their massive advertising programs that virtually freeze vegetarian information out of the public consciousness, there is not much chance that we will see a reduction in cancer rates.

William Harris, M.D.

Medical Director

Kaiser-Permanente Vegan Lifestyle Clinic (VLC)

1765 Ala Moana Blvd. #1880

Honolulu, HI 96815

INTERNET:vegidoc@compuserve.com

ENDNOTES

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2 McPhee SJ, Papadakis, Gonzales, Tierney. Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment (CMDT) on CD-ROM 1998. Appleton Lange 1998. Norwalk, 1990. ISBN 0-8385-1480-4.

3 BMDP Statistical Software. BMDP New System for Windows v1.0 Los Angeles,1994. ISBN 0-935386-30-0.

4 Tominaga S., Aoki K, Fujimoto I, Kurihara M. Cancer Mortality and Morbidity Statistics Japan and the World -1994. Age adjusted breast cancer incidence/100,000/year 1983-87. Japan Scientific Societies Press CRC Press 2000 Corporate Blvd., N.W. Boca Raton Fl 33431ISBN 0-8493-7748-X . Table I-13. p194.

5 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. FAO Production Yearbook.Rome,1987

6 Kurian, George Thomas. The Book of World Rankings. Facts on File Inc. 119 West 57th St. New York,N.Y.10019. 1979.ISBN 0-87196-394-9.

7 Kurian, George Thomas. The New Book of World Rankings. Facts on File Inc. 460 Park Ave. So. New York, N.Y. 10016. 1991 ISBN 0-8160-1931-2.

8 Outwater JL; Nicholson A; Barnard N. Dairy products and breast cancer: the IGF-I, estrogen, and bGH hypothesis. Med Hypotheses (ENGLAND) Jun 1997, 48 (6) p453-61, ISSN 0306-9877.

9 Musgrove EA, Sutherland RL. Acute effects of growth factors on T-47D breast cancer cell cycle progression. Eur J Cancer 1993;29A(16):2273-9.

10 Figueroa JA, Sharma J, Jackson JG, McDermott MJ, Hilsenbeck SG, Yee D. Recombinant insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 inhibits IGF-I, serum, and estrogen-dependent growth of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. J Cell Physiol 1993 Nov;157(2):229-36.

11 Prentice R, Thompson D, Clifford C, Gorbach S, Goldin B, Byar D. Dietary fat reduction and plasma estradiol concentration in healthy postmenopausal women. The Women’s Health Trial Study Group. J Natl Cancer Inst 1990 Jan 17;82(2):129-34.

12 Bennett FC; Ingram DM. Diet and female sex hormone concentrations: an intervention study for the type of fat consumed. Am J Clin Nutr Nov 1990, 52 (5) p 808-12, ISSN 0002-9165.

13 Reinli K, Block G. Phytoestrogen content of foods–a compendium of literature values. Nutr Cancer 1996;26(2):123-48.

14 Adlercreutz H; Mousavi Y; Clark J; Hockerstedt K; Hamalainen E; Wahala K; Makela T; Hase T. Dietary phytoestrogens and cancer: in vitro and in vivo studies. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol Mar 1992, 41 (3-8) p331-7, ISSN 0960-0760.

15 Holm LE, Nordevang E, Hjalmar ML, Lidbrink E, Callmer E, Nilsson B. Treatment failure and dietary habits in women with breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 1993 Jan 6;85(1):32-6.

16 Hunter DJ, Spiegelman D, Adami HO, Beeson L, van den Brandt PA, Folsom AR, Fraser GE, Goldbohm RA, Graham S, Howe GR, et al. Cohort studies of fat intake and the risk of breast cancer–a pooled analysis. N Engl J Med 1996 Feb 8;334(6):356-61.

17 Decarli A, Favero A, La Vecchia C, Russo A, Ferraroni M, Negri E, Franceschi S Macronutrients, energy intake, and breast cancer risk: implications from different models. Epidemiology 1997 Jul;8(4):425-8

18 Wynder EL. The Dietary Environment and Cancer. J Amer Dietetic Assoc. 1977;71:385-92.

19 Shils ME, Olson JA., Shike M. Modern nutrition in health and disease-8th ed. Lea & Febiger Malvern, PA. 1994. ISBN 0-8121-1485-X. p 580.

20 van Faassen A; Bol J; van Dokkum W; Pikaar NA; Ockhuizen T; Hermus RJ. Bile acids, neutral steroids, and bacteria in feces as affected by a mixed, a lacto-ovovegetarian, and a vegan diet. Am J Clin Nutr Dec 1987, 46 (6) p 962-7, ISSN 0002-9165.

21 Bingham SA, Pignatelli B, Pollock JRA, Ellul A, Mallaveille C, Gross G, et al. Does increased endogenous formation of N-nitroso compounds in the human colon explain the association between red meat and colon cancer? Carcinogenesis 1996;17:515-23.

22 National Institutes of Health. National Cancer Institute. Cancer Rates and Risks: Cancer Death Rates Among 50 Countries (Age adjusted to the world standard) 4^th Edition. Source: World Health Organization data as adapted by the American Cancer Society 1996. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Lung cancer p 39.

23 World Cancer Research Fund / American Institute for Cancer Research. Food, Nutrition and the Prevention of Cancer: a global perspective. 1997 1759 R St. NW Washington, DC 20009. 178-FNS/F27 p 12.

24 Cunningham AS. Lymphomas and Animal-Protein Consumption. Lancet.1976;Nov.27:1184-86.ISSN 0023-7507.

25 World Health Organization. Mortality from Malignant Neoplasms 1955-1965. Geneva, 1970.

26 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (O.E.C.D.) Food Consumption Statistics 1955-1971. Paris, 1973.

27 Tavani A; Pregnolato A; Negri E; Franceschi S; Serraino D; Carbone A; La Vecchia C. Diet and risk of lymphoid neoplasms and soft tissue sarcomas. Nutr Cancer (UNITED STATES) 1997, 27 (3) p256-60, ISSN 0163-5581.

28 Tominaga S, Aoki K, Fujimoto I, Kurihara M. Cancer Mortality and Morbidity Statistics. Japan and the World-1994. Japan Scientific Societies Press CRC Press 2000 Corporate Blvd., N.W. Boca Raton Fl 33431. ISBN 0-8493-7748-X. Table I-15 p 196. 1983-87.

29 Cramer DW; Harlow BL; Willett WC; Welch WR; Bell DA; Scully RE; Ng WG; Knapp RC. Galactose consumption and metabolism in relation to the risk of ovarian cancer . Lancet Jul 8 1989, 2 (8654) p 66-71, ISSN 0023-7507.

30 Karasik A, Menczer J, Pariente C, Kanety H. Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and IGF-binding protein-2 are increased in cyst fluids of epithelial ovarian cancer. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1994 Feb;78(2):271-6.

31 Risch HA; Jain M; Marrett LD; Howe GR Dietary fat intake and risk of epithelial ovarian cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst Sep 21 1994, 86 (18) p 1409-15, ISSN 0027-8874.

32 Tominaga S., Aoki K, Fujimoto I, Kurihara M. Cancer Mortality and Morbidity Statistics. Japan and the World-1994. Japan Scientific Societies Press CRC Press 2000 Corporate Blvd., N.W. Boca Raton Fl 33431ISBN 0-8493-7748-X . Table I-16. p 197. 1983-87. “Cancer mortality statistics in 33 countries of the world were compiled and calculated from data edited from a magnetic tape copy of the WHO data base of cancer mortality.” All figures are age-adjusted and represent death rate per 100,000 population.

33 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. FAO Production Yearbook. Rome, 1987. Calcium/caput/day-milligrams 1983-85. Table 109. p 252.

34 Le Marchand L; Kolonel LN; Wilkens LR; Myers BC; Hirohata T. Animal fat consumption and prostate cancer: a prospective study in Hawaii. Epidemiology May 1994, 5 (3) p 276-82, ISSN 1044-3983.

35 Mousavi Y, Adlercreutz H. Genistein is an effective stimulator of sex hormone-binding globulin production in hepatocarcinoma human liver cancer cells and suppresses proliferation of these cells in culture. Steroids. Jul 1993, 58 (7) p 301-4, ISSN 0039-128X.

36 Mousavi Y, Adlercreutz H. Genistein is an effective stimulator of sex hormone-binding globulin production in hepatocarcinoma human liver cancer cells and suppresses proliferation of these cells in culture. Steroids. Jul 1993, 58 (7) p 301-4, ISSN 0039-128X.

37 World Cancer Research Fund / American Institute for Cancer Research. Food, Nutrition and the Prevention of Cancer: a global perspective. 1997 1759 R St. NW Washington, DC 20009. 178-FNS/F27 pgs 10, 14.

38 Goodwin and Mercer. Introduction to Plant Biochemistry. Pergamon Press.Oxford, 1983. p 562.

39 Salisbury FB, and Ross CW. Plant Physiology. Wadsworth Publishing Co. Belmont 1985. ISBN 0-534-04482-4 p 276.

40 Fuchs CS, Giovannucci E., Colditz GA, Hunter DJ, Stampfer MJ, Rosner BR, Speizer FE, Willett WC. Dietary Fiber and the Risk of Colorectal Cancer and Adenoma in Women. N Engl J Med 1999;340:169-76.

41 Steinmetz ⁽¹⁾KA, Potter JD. Vegetables, fruit, and cancer prevention: a review. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Oct 1996;(10): 1027(13).

42 Malter M; Schriever G; Eilber U. Natural killer cells, vitamins, and other blood components of vegetarian and omnivorous men. Nutr Cancer (UNITED STATES) 1989, 12 (3) pp 271-8, ISSN 0163-5581.

43 Cummings, JH, Bingham,SA. Diet and the prevention of cancer. BMJ 1998;317:1636-1640.

44 Lindner M. Nutritional Biochemistry and Metabolism. Elsevier Science Publishing Co. New York, 1985. ISBN 0-444-01241-9 pp 70-71.

45 Random House. Random House Encyclopedia. New York, 1977. ISBN 0-394-40730-X. p 48.

46 Harris W. The Scientific Basis of Vegetarianism. Hawaii Health Publishers. 1415 Victoria St. Suite 1106. Honolulu, HI 96822-3663. ISBN 0-9646538-0-X. p 91.

47 Jacobs C, and Dwyer T. Vegetarian children: appropriate and inappropriate diets. Am J Clin Nutr. 1988;48(3):811.

48 Langley G. Vegan Nutrition, a Survey of Research. The Vegan Society. Oxford, 1988. ISBN 0-907337-15-5.

49 Cummings JH, Bingham SA. Diet and the prevention of cancer. BMJ 1998;317:1636-1640.

50 Luttrell, Clifton B. The High Cost of Farm Welfare. Cato Institute. Washington, 1989. ISBN 0-932790-70-4. p 15.

51 United States Department of Agriculture. Agricultural Statistics, 1989. United States Government Printing Office. Washington, 1989. Table 623.

52 United States Department of Agriculture. History of Budgetary Expenditures of the Commodity Credit Corporation: Fiscal Year 1990-1991 Actual. ASCS/BUD/CPB Book 3.p 2.

53 http://www.ams.usda.gov/cp/index.htm

54 http://dcp.nci.nih.gov/5aday/week98/CommunityKit98.html

55 ASCS Commodity Fact Sheet. Feed Grains: Summary of Support Program and Related Information. United States Department of Agriculture. June 1991.

56 GAO/RCED-92-15. Generic Promotion of Produce. Resources,Community, and Economic Division. United States General Accounting Office. Washington, 1991. P 2.

57 McMenamin M, and McNamara W. Milking the Public: Political Scandals of the Dairy Lobby from L.B.J. to Jimmy Carter. Nelson-Hall. Chicago, 1980. ISBN 0-88229-552-7.

Source: http://www.vegsource.com/harris/cancer_vegdiet.htm

You’ve Seen the Movie — Now It’s Time to ACT!

Friends,

It’s the #1 question I’m constantly asked after people see my movie: “OK — so NOW what can I DO?!”

You want something to do? Well, you’ve come to the right place! ‘Cause I got 15 things you and I can do right now to fight back and try to fix this very broken system.

Here they are:

FIVE THINGS WE DEMAND THE PRESIDENT AND CONGRESS DO IMMEDIATELY:

1. Declare a moratorium on all home evictions. Not one more family should be thrown out of their home. The banks must adjust their monthly mortgage payments to be in line with what people’s homes are now truly worth — and what they can afford. Also, it must be stated by law: If you lose your job, you cannot be tossed out of your home.

2. Congress must join the civilized world and expand Medicare For All Americans. A single, nonprofit source must run a universal health care system that covers everyone. Medical bills are now the #1 cause of bankruptcies and evictions in this country. Medicare For All will end this misery. The bill to make this happen is H.R. 3200 (but only with Rep. Anthony Weiner’s amendment). You must call AND write your members of Congress and demand its passage, no compromises allowed.

3. Demand publicly-funded elections and a prohibition on elected officials leaving office and becoming lobbyists. Yes, those very members of Congress who solicit and receive millions of dollars from wealthy interests must vote to remove ALL money from our electoral and legislative process. Tell your members of Congress they must support campaign finance bill H.R.1826.

4. Each of the 50 states must create a state-owned public bank like they have in North Dakota. Then congress MUST reinstate all the strict pre-Reagan regulations on all commercial banks, investment firms, insurance companies — and all the other industries that have been savaged by deregulation: Airlines, the food industry, pharmaceutical companies — you name it. If a company’s primary motive to exist is to make a profit, then it needs a set of stringent rules to live by — and the first rule is “Do no harm.” The second rule: The question must always be asked — “Is this for the common good?” (Click here for some info about the state-owned Bank of North Dakota.)

5. Save this fragile planet and declare that all the energy resources above and beneath the ground are owned collectively by all of us. Just like they do it in Sarah Palin’s socialist Alaska. We only have a few decades of oil left. The public must be the owners and landlords of the natural resources and energy that exists within our borders or we will descend further into corporate anarchy. And when it comes to burning fossil fuels to transport ourselves, we must cease using the internal combustion engine and instruct our auto/transportation companies to rehire our skilled workforce and build mass transit (clean buses, light rail, subways, bullet trains, etc.) and new cars that don’t contribute to climate change. (For more on this, here’s a proposal I wrote in December.) Demand that General Motors’ de facto chairman, Barack Obama, issue a JFK man-on-the-moon-style challenge to turn our country into a nation of trains and buses and subways. For Pete’s sake, people, we were the ones who invented (or perfected) these damn things in the first place!!

FIVE THINGS WE CAN DO TO MAKE CONGRESS AND THE PRESIDENT LISTEN TO US:

1. Each of us must get into the daily habit of taking 5 minutes to make four brief calls: One to the President (202-456-1414), one to your Congressperson (202-224-3121) and one to each of your two Senators (202-224-3121). To find out who represents you, click here. Take just one minute on each of these calls to let them know how you expect them to vote on a particular issue. Let them know you will have no hesitation voting for a primary opponent — or even a candidate from another party — if they don’t do our bidding. Trust me, they will listen. If you have another five minutes, click here to send them each an email. And if you really want to drop an anvil on them, send them a snail mail letter!

2. Take over your local Democratic Party. Remember how much fun you had with all those friends and neighbors working together to get Barack Obama elected? YOU DID THE IMPOSSIBLE. It’s time to re-up! Get everyone back together and go to the monthly meeting of your town or county Democratic Party — and become the majority that runs it! There will not be many in attendance and they will either be happy or in shock that you and the Obama Revolution have entered the room looking like you mean business. President Obama’s agenda will never happen without mass grass roots action — and he won’t feel encouraged to do the right thing if no one has his back, whether it’s to stand with him, or push him in the right direction. When you all become the local Democratic Party, send me a photo of the group and I’ll post it on my website.

3. Recruit someone to run for office who can win in your local elections next year — or, better yet, consider running for office yourself! You don’t have to settle for the incumbent who always expects to win. You can be our next representative! Don’t believe it can happen? Check out these examples of regular citizens who got elected: State Senator Deb Simpson, California State Assemblyman Isadore Hall, Tempe, Arizona City Councilman Corey Woods, Wisconsin State Assemblyman Chris Danou, and Washington State Representative Larry Seaquist. The list goes on and on — and you should be on it!

4. Show up. Picket the local branch of a big bank that took the bailout money. Hold vigils and marches. Consider civil disobedience. Those town hall meetings are open to you, too (and there’s more of us than there are of them!). Make some noise, have some fun, get on the local news. Place “Capitalism Did This” signs on empty foreclosed homes, closed down businesses, crumbling schools and infrastructure. (You can download them from my website.)

5. Start your own media. You. Just you (or you and a couple friends). The mainstream media is owned by corporate America and, with few exceptions, it will never tell the whole truth — so you have to do it! Start a blog! Start a website of real local news (here’s an example: The Michigan Messenger). Tweet your friends and use Facebook to let them know what they need to do politically. The daily papers are dying. If you don’t fill that void, who will?

FIVE THINGS WE SHOULD DO TO PROTECT OURSELVES AND OUR LOVED ONES UNTIL WE GET THROUGH THIS MESS:

1. Take your money out of your bank if it took bailout money and place it in a locally-owned bank or, preferably, a credit union.

2. Get rid of all your credit cards but one — the kind where you have to pay up at the end of the month or you lose your card.

3. Do not invest in the stock market. If you have any extra cash, put it away in a savings account or, if you can, pay down on your mortgage so you can own your home as soon as possible. You can also buy very safe government savings bonds or T-bills. Or just buy your mother some flowers.

4. Unionize your workplace so that you and your coworkers have a say in how your business is run. Here’s how to do it (more info here). Nothing is more American than democracy, and democracy shouldn’t be checked at the door when you enter your workplace. Another way to Americanize your workplace is to turn your business into a worker-owned cooperative. You are not a wage slave. You are a free person, and you giving up eight hours of your life every day to someone else is to be properly compensated and respected.

5. Take care of yourself and your family. Sorry to go all Oprah on you, but she’s right: Find a place of peace in your life and make the choice to be around people who are not full of negativity and cynicism. Look for those who nurture and love. Turn off the TV and the Blackberry and go for a 30-minute walk every day. Eat fruits and vegetables and cut down on anything that has sugar, high fructose corn syrup, white flour or too much sodium (salt) in it (and, as Michael Pollan says, “Eat (real) food, not too much, mostly plants”). Get seven hours of sleep each night and take the time to read a book a month. I know this sounds like I’ve turned into your grandma, but, dammit, take a good hard look at Granny — she’s fit, she’s rested and she knows the names of both of her U.S. Senators without having to Google them. We might do well to listen to her. If we don’t put our own “oxygen mask” on first (as they say on the airplane), we will be of no use to the rest of the nation in enacting any of this action plan!

I’m sure there are many other ideas you can come up with on how we can build this movement. Get creative. Think outside the politics-as-usual box. BE SUBVERSIVE! Think of that local action no one else has tried. Behave as if your life depended on it. Be bold! Try doing something with reckless abandon. It may just liberate you and your community and your nation.

And when you act, send me your stories, your photos and your video — and be sure to post your ideas in the comments beneath this letter on my site so they can be shared with millions.

C’mon people — we can do this! I expect nothing less of all of you, my true and trusted fellow travelers!

Yours,
Michael Moore
MMFlint@aol.com
MichaelMoore.com