The Way of NOODM

GROWING GREENS

2013-03-21T19:40:00.003-07:00

I’ve been neglecting my blog over the last few weeks for a lot of reasons, but mostly just because I needed a break. So now I'm back...

Since my last post I have been working out 4-5 times a week and ran in a second 5K race on Sunday, March 17. It was called The Shamrock Run and I had lot of fun! Dressed up in green and I was one of approximately 35,000 runners & walkers. It is quite the event with bagpipers and bands all along the route and free beer afterwards!

Another thing I started was seeds for my container gardening. You see I live in an apartment and each year I plant a couple of containers of something. Every year I plant at least one tomato plant and then whatever else I’m in the mood for. Last year it was tomatoes & cucumbers. Well, I’ve decided I would like to start planting more containers and expand my container gardening each year. So this year I am planting collards, beets and tomatoes. I figure I will add an additional container each year and slowly build my urban garden.

I am also experimenting with 3 different self-watering systems which will hopefully make my life easier. First, I bought a self-watering planter made by City Pickers in which I will plant my collards. I already had the other two containers which are round and I am trying a couple of different watering methods with each of them.

In the second container I inserted an unglazed clay terra cotta wine cooler with a lid in the very middle. I got the wine cooler from Goodwill for a couple of dollars. It acts a water reservoir and wicks out moisture into the dirt and to the plants roots. This is a very old technique used in Mexico and other dry arrid countries. They bury terra cotta containers, called OLLAs (pronounced oh-YAHs), in the dirt next to their plants. The roots of the plants eventually grow towards the olla seeking moisture. So I sprouted the beet seeds overnight by soaking them in water and then planted them all around the perimeter of the container. I am excited to see how well this method works. As you can see from the picture nothing has sprouted yet. It's only been a few days.

The third container is going to house a tomato plant and I will use wine bottles inserted into the dirt as water globes. By doing this I’m hoping I won’t have to water the tomatoes every single day.

As I read more and more about GMOs and how important it is for us to buy organic fruits and vegetables, it becomes more important to me to know where my food comes from. This is why I want to expand my urban garden and enjoy the health benefits of food I grow myself.

Check out this great video by Ron Finley about growing your own food. He says growing your own food is like printing your own money. It's an inspiring message.

ARE YOU GOING TO BE GROWING YOUR OWN FOOD THIS YEAR? IF SO, LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY HINTS. WHAT WAS YOUR MOST SUCCESSFUL PLANTING?

SOYRIZO AND CHILI LASAGNA

2013-03-21T19:27:00.000-07:00

A friend at work gave me a recipe and asked if I could adapt it vegan style. So I am happy to say it turned out great and wanted to share it with you. I used Soyrizo in the recipe but did not use any vegan cheese. It was still very tasty and personally, I don't think it needs cheese. The Soyrizo is not oil free, however, I have included a recipe below if you want to make your own chorizo style sausage.

SOYRIZO AND CHILI LASAGNA

2 each Anaheim and poblano peppers, seeded, stemmed and diced

1-1/2 c red onion, finely diced

6 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced

1-1/2 c corn kernels, thawed if frozen

1 12 oz. pkg of Soyrizo (remove the casing)

2 t ground cumin

1-1/2 t cinnamon

2 t dried oregano

2 10 oz. cans enchilada sauce

15 oz can black beans, drained

1/3 c cilantro, chopped

1/4 c fresh lime juice

12 6-inch corn tortillas

3 c Vegan cheese (optional)

pico de gallo

Preheat over to 400 degrees. Place peppers, onion, tomatoes in a shallow baking pan. Roast in the oven, stirring occasionally for 30 minutes until the vegetables are soft and lightly browned. Add a little water if necessary during the baking time.

Pour a small amount of the enchilada sauce into the bottom of a glass baking dish, covering the bottom. Set aside.

In a large pot, add soyrizo and brown slightly, breaking into small pieces with spoon. Mix in seasonings, the rest of the enchilada sauce, beans, and roasted vegetables, cilantro, and lime juice. Add salt & pepper to taste.

Lower oven temp to 375 degrees.

Cover the bottom of the baking dish with tortillas, cutting them as necessary to fit the entire bottom. Top with 3 cups of the filling and spread evenly over the tortillas. Spread 1 cup of vegan cheese (if using). Add another layer of tortillas, filling, and cheese. Top with a final layer of tortillas and the remaining filling.

Cover with foil and bake 35 minutes until sauce is bubbly. If using cheese sprinkle remaining cheese on top and bake uncovered 5-7 minutes more. Let stand 10 minutes. Serve with pico de gallo lime, and cilantro.

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HOMEMADE VEGAN CHORIZO STYLE SAUSAGE

1 cup wheat gluten flour

¾ cup of water

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 - 2 tablespoons of smoked paprika (depending on taste)

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 teaspoon ground garlic

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients together, knead well and form into sausage shapes. Cook in boiling water.

The finished chorizo-like seitan can be eaten cold or pan browned.

NuVal Scoring System

2013-03-10T17:17:00.000-07:00

Have you heard about the NuVal food nutritional scoring system? I read an article about it this week and would love to see this type of labeling in my local grocery store. According to the NuVal system foods are ranked with a score of 1 to 100. The higher the score the more nutritious the food. Now, I have to say that this scoring system is for meat eaters as well as vegans--it is simply a way to help the consumer make more knowledgeable nutritional choices when shopping.

“The NuVal...scoring system, [is] based on 30 factors including vitamins, fiber, salt, sugar, fat quality, protein quality, glycemic load, energy density and calories. From the public health evidence about those factors, they constructed an algorithm that processes the data into a single number. As new food science research is published, and as products are reformulated by their manufacturers, the algorithm and the individual scores are updated.” - by Marty Kaplan - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marty-kaplan/supermarkets-please-dont-_b_2802939.html?utm_hp_ref=business

For example an apple receives a score of 96 while Mott’s Original Applesauce gets a score of 4.

According to the article approximately 30 retail food chains are adopting the scores. However, Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s are not among them.

Personally, I would like to see Safeway, Albertson's, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and New Seasons all adopt the scores!

So, I went out to the NuVal site and entered a couple of stores in my area suggesting these stores be added. You can do this as well!

Simply go to their website and click on "Recommend a Store" enter the stores you would like to adopt this scoring system.

http://www.nuval.com/How

American Heart Month

2013-02-17T18:18:00.002-08:00

It’s so interesting to me that everything similar things seems to happen all at once. For example this past weekend I was in the mood for some good soup and noticed a great recipe from Kathy at Healthy Happy Life blog. I decided I would give it a try and loved how the soup turned out. A day later I noticed the same recipe posted on Facebook and on Dr. McDougall’s blog. So the recipe has definitely made its rounds. Here it is - give it a try!

Rustic Tomato Rice Kale Stew

28 oz. can of fire-roasted tomatoes
3 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup nutritional yeast (or to taste)
1 bunch of kale (I used dino kale)
1 1/4 cups rice, cooked (I used white basmati rice)
3/4 cup frozen pea + sliced carrot blend, organic
2 bay leaves (remove before serving)
1 heaping tbsp chili powder
pepper/salt to taste (at least 1/2 tsp salt)
1 tsp garlic powder or 2 cloves, chopped
2-4 pinches of cayenne (to taste - adds warmth)

Directions:

Rice: If you do not have cooked rice on hand, you will need to cook ahead of time and set aside. (You could also add rice directly to boiling broth + more broth or water and cook for a longer period of time, but that was not the method I used.)
Add your tomatoes to a blender or food processor. Blend on low until smooth. Add in 1 cup of veggie broth the ease the blending a bit.
Pour the tomato mixture plus remaining veggie broth in a large soup pot. Bring to a boil.
Add in the spices, bay leaves, frozen veggies and reduce heat to simmer. When the frozen veggies have broken up and appear cooked through add in all remaining ingredients like the finely sliced kale and rice.
Season to taste adding more spice and salt if desired.

It’s like that with other things going on in my life. A couple of weeks ago I ran in the Heart Breaker 5K to support research on heart disease--after all this is American Heart Month. I felt it was important especially since I am someone who knows first hand about heart disease. Check out my story & video on my blog.

After the race a group of us was sitting having some goodies provided by the event which consisted of oatmeal and fruit. As we were talking about heart disease I shared my story to the group. My friend, who ran in the race with me, kept saying “I didn’t know you had a heart attack!” She had no idea that I had had a heart attack and two separate heart surgeries. A wonderful man across the table shared his story and how he has changed to a vegan diet and now runs in 10 races a year. Good for him!!! There is hope for those with heart disease if you adopt a plant-based vegan diet and active lifestyle. This is why I write my blog. I want to share my story with as many people as I can in the hopes that they will be able to turn their health around and prevent heart disease from progressing in their life.

On another note, this month is also Black History Month and even though I am not African American I have some very important people in my life who are. One person in particular has a family history of diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, stroke, obesity, etc. According to The American Heart Association African Americans are twice as likely to have a first-ever stroke compared to caucasians and the statistics show that cardiovascular disease kills nearly 100,000 African Americans annually in the United States. Read more: Click Here

There’s a lot of reasons for these statistics one of which is diet. So many of my friends can’t seem to give up traditions such as soul food. I read an interesting article called “400 Years Later And Still Slaves To Soul Food” by Ayinde Howell. 400 Years

People who consider a plant-based vegan lifestyle radical do not fully understand the impact food has on health. Fortunately for those of us who have changed to a plant-based vegan diet, the evidence weighs in our favor of living a long, healthy, quality life. This brings me to my next topic…

A few months ago you might recall that I visited Las Vegas and wrote a post about the Heart Attack Grill that I saw on Fremont Street Las Vegas Trip. It appears that the unofficial spokesperson for the Heart Attack grill passed away from a heart attack while waiting for the bus outside the diner. Apparently, he visited the diner every day. How unfortunate!

All evidence continues to point to the importance of adopting a low fat plant-based vegan diet in order to maintain health and longevity. What are you doing in February to take good care of your heart?

Fill Your Life with Greens

2013-01-27T13:36:00.000-08:00

"Fill your life with greens…" Ann Esselstyn

As you know, it is my goal this year to eat a huge amount of greens each day. So far I have been successful at incorporating greens in practically every recipe I make. I was pleasantly inspired after watching Ann Esselstyn’s video given in Sydney NS Canada, January 2013, and wanted to share it with you. In her presentation Ann made 10 points on how to eat heart-healthy. Her talk was filled with many practical no-oil cooking tips, how to read labels, and which foods to avoid.

Here are Ann’s 10 points of heart-healthy eating:

Read ALL labels of the food you buy.
No oil.
Eat lots and lots of greens.
Eat oats for breakfast everyday.
Eat WHOLE grains.
Eat as many beans & lentils as you can.
Avoid nuts (the exception is 1-2 tablespoons of flax seed or chia seeds per day).
Avoid sugar.
Avoid salt.
Drink water. Do not drink your calories, chew your food.

Ann is definitely knowledgeable about making simple and tasty food. This is a great video hope you will take the time to watch it.

Ann Esselstyn's Lovely Collard Wraps

Lovely Collard Wraps with Red Pepper and Cucumber.

These are stunning – both beautiful and delicious - and so much fun to make they don’t feel like work. Substitute cooked asparagus or green beans, long carrot or bok choy strips, cooked greens, etc., for the filling. ANYTHING is good in them. They make perfect sushi like hors d’oeuvres or use instead of sandwiches.

1 bunch collards

8 tablespoons hummus made without tahini or oil

2 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

1/4 red pepper, cut in thin strips

1/4 small cucumber, cut in thin strips (skin optional)

1/4 cup shredded carrots

1/2 lemon

Put about 2 inches of water in a large frying pan and bring to a boil.
Choose 4 of the nicest collard greens. Lay them flat, cut off the thick stem at the point where the leaf begins then pile them on top of each other in the boiling water. Cover and cook for about 30 seconds to a minute. Collards are pretty tough and don’t easily break apart when cooked. Their flexibility makes them a perfect wrap.

Drain then lay flat on a board or counter with the thick part of the stem facing up.

Down the center spine of the 4 collard leaves place a row of about 2 tablespoons hummus, sprinkle with green onions, cilantro and shredded carrots. Place thin red pepper strips and cucumber strips on top.

Start with the side nearest you and flip it over. Then turn up the end piece on the non thick stem side and gently roll into a sausage shape.

With a sharp knife, cut into as many small pieces as possible. You should be able to get six or more pieces, but it will depend on your collard size. The creator always gets to eat the end pieces!

Navy 'Lasagna'

2013-01-20T16:46:00.002-08:00

By David Gabbe

1/2 cup dried mushrooms (chopped)

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (chopped)

1 1/4 cups boiling water

2 cups cood navy or other white beans

1/2 cup water

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups pasta sauce

1 medium onion (chopped)

2 teaspoons each: dried basil, garlic powder, and onion powder

Whole wheat lasagna noodles

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Place first 3 ingredients in bowl. Set aside 10-15 minutes.

In blender or food processor blend the beans, water, and salt until thick and pasty. Set aside.

In a large bowl combine pasta sauce, mushroom/tomato mixture (including water), the onion, and seasonings. Combine thoroughly.

Spread a thin layer of the pasta sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking dish. Layer 3-4 of the lasagna noodles on top.

Spread about 1/2 of the bean paste on top of the noodles. Then spead about 1/2 of the pasta sauce over the bean paste. Repeat until noodles and mixtures are gone.

Cover and bake 1/ 1/4 hours. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Variation: Add 4 cups chopped raw spinach or kale to past sauce mixture and layer as directed above.

AVOIDING GMOs

2013-01-20T16:29:00.000-08:00

The political battle over the labeling of GMO foods continues to gain momentum in 2013. Whether you like politics or not this issue is very important and should of concern for you and your family. You may wonder why the labeling issue is so important and why people are attacking the Monsanto corporation? What link does Monsanto have with all of this?

You see Monsanto has a very dark past. This very powerful company produces chemical pesticides. These pesticides have been directly linked to a host of health problems such as birth defects, cancer, tumors, etc. For example, back when the Viet Nam war was going on, Monsanto the the front runner in producing agent orange (AO). They assured our government that AO was safe and made a huge profit selling it to our military. If you remember, it was sprayed over the lush jungle to kill the vegetation. Turns out that the vegetation that was not the only thing killed. Thousands of our soldiers were exposed to AO and consequentially developed devastating diseases such as cancer, Parkinson’s, reproductive problems, etc.

Today, Monsanto takes the lead in developing genetically modified foods. This powerful company and is able to control our government decisions on food safety. At the time of this writing they are self-regulating and above governmental scrutiny. Basically, if Monsanto says something is “safe” then no one in our government questions it.

Now back to you...

Whether you realize it or not, you are already consuming GMOs in your food because of companies like Monsanto. The hard truth is that GMOs are not safe to eat! It has been estimated that at least 85-90% of the foods in the grocery store have been genetically modified. Did you know that since 1996 Americans have been eating genetically modified ingredients in most processed foods. Unfortunately, GMOs are not only found in processed foods anymore. They can also be found in whole foods & produce and are on practically every shelf of the local grocery store.

So what’s the harm in eating GMOs? Well, would you knowingly eat pesticides? This is where Monsanto comes into the picture. You see, Monsanto discovered that if you take a gene from the soil bacterium called Bt (for Bacillus thuringiensis) and insert it into the plant’s DNA it will secrete an insect-killing toxin in every cell and the plant will be resistant to insects. This built-in pesticide trait has yet to be tested on humans. And of course, Monsanto says everything is fine and there is no cause for concern.

“No genetically modified crop can grow unless it is attached to some kind of a pesticide…” -Shiv Chopra, Phd., author of Corrupt to the Core

Another reason companies like Monsanto genetically engineer plants is to make them tolerant to herbicides. Monsanto’s four major GM plants, soy, corn, canola, and cotton, can withstand a deadly dose of weed killer. These monster plants and their seeds are now the patent property of Monsanto.

Everything Monsanto does if for profit and not for health. They are in no way concerned about the health impact their pesticides will have on us. Unfortunately, our government is allowing Monsanto to monopolize the food industry and putting the safety of our food into their pesticide-infected hands. Those waging war against Monsanto are trying make sure that consumers know what they are getting by regulating the labeling of foods sold in this country.

Unfortunately, there is no straight forward way of avoiding GMOs at present time. But there are certain measures you can take which will limit the amount of GMOs you consume. The first thing that you can do is avoid the typical at-risk ingredients (http://www.nongmoshoppingguide.com) unless they are specifically labeled organic or non-GMO. When buying produce always buy organic. Only purchase processed foods that are specifically labeled as non-GMO.

Are GMOs something that you are concerned about? If so, how do you avoid buying GMO foods?

Exercise and Cholesterol

2013-01-12T20:12:00.000-08:00

For a long time I have wondered what effect exercise has on lowering cholesterol. Just like everybody that I know, I was of the belief that exercise was the answer to all my health problems. I felt that if I could exercise, my health problems would all disappear. Not!

I remember a day when I weighed significantly more and was practically unable to move let alone exercise. During an exam my cardiologist urged me to lose weight and I expressed my frustration at not being able to exercise. Her wise and simple reply was “You can always control your diet.” Believe it or not that was just the motivation to get me started on the right path. I made my mind up from that point on to control everything I put into my mouth. And, through a process that took a few years I finally adopted a low fat plant-based vegan diet.

During the transition to a vegan diet I read Dr. Esselstyn’s book Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease and it became clear to me that nutrition was really the key to solving my health issues. You see, Dr. Esselstyn’s clinical studies emphasized nutrition as having the greatest impact on lowering lipid levels; it was not a requirement for his patients to exercise. The patients who followed his nutrition plan had significant health improvements and reversal of their heart disease.

But what effect if any does exercise have on cholesterol levels? Well, as it turns out the latest research shows that exercise does help to lower cholesterol levels for two reasons.

First, exercise helps reduce the risk factors caused by obesity, one of them being high cholesterol levels. Exercise does not use up the cholesterol in your blood, but it does help stimulate enzymes which aid in expelling the LDL (the “lousy” cholesterol linked to heart disease) from your body. So exercise is definitely a good thing.

Second, it seems that hard, vigorous exercise helps to expand the LDL lipoproteins in your blood. Large, fluffy LDL lipoprotein particles ultimately may do less damage to the lining of your heart and blood vessels than smaller more dense particles. I guess this is a situation where bigger may actually be better.

But, just how much exercise does one need to lower their cholesterol levels? Well, unfortunately, moderate exercise WAS NOT found to help significantly lower cholesterol levels. Sorry! Exercising 30 minutes 3-4 times a week is just not enough to make a significant difference.

The people who exercised vigorously also raised their levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL)--the "good" kind of lipoprotein that actually helps clear cholesterol from the blood. "We found it requires a good amount of high intensity exercise to significantly change HDL," says William Kraus, MD, an assistant professor of medicine at Duke and the lead author on the study. "Just walking is not enough."

It’s a simple but hard fact that if you want lower cholesterol numbers and to reduce the chances of a heart attack you need to control your nutrition. A low fat plant-based vegan diet helps to heal heart disease as well as many other diseases prevalent in our affluent society. Diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer have been directly linked to diet and are preventable. Research still supports the fact that nutrition is key in preventing and controlling disease.

Everyone agrees that exercise is beneficial to your body for many reasons. However, please don’t be discouraged if you are unable to exercise. If you can--do both--your body will reward you for your efforts!

In the meantime, you CAN control your nutrition. Remember nutrition is the single most important thing you can do for yourself and for your health!

MY DARK LEAFY PLAN

2013-01-06T16:42:00.000-08:00

After hearing Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn speak in person a few months back, I made a decision to eat dark leafy greens at least 6 times per day. The reason as explained by Dr. Esselstyn is to increase the level of nitric oxide in one’s system, which heals the endothelium or the lining of the blood vessels.

“I want patients to eat leafy greens six times a day,” he said, recommending greens at every meal, including breakfast. “And I adore it when you have an evening snack of kale. You’ll think you’re eating a hot fudge Sunday.” -Dr. Esselstyn-

Eating dark leafy greens 6 times a day has been a challenge to say the least, especially since I don’t juice and don’t own a juicer. Dr. Esselstyn is not a big proponent of juicing and explained that the act of chewing the dark leafy vegetables has an added benefit in healing the endothelium.

So how do I get in 6 servings of dark leafy greens each day? Well, here’s how it goes: I eat a large bowl of oatmeal in the morning with a piece of fruit followed by a big bowl of raw kale. Lunch is another large green salad (either raw kale or spinach) along with a bowl of beans (usually black or red beans) and another piece of fruit. Along with my afternoon snack of fruit I have started eating another bowl of dark leafy greens. Dinner is usually some vegetable stir fry (without oil) brown or red rice, and another dark leafy salad.

To be honest, this is a lot of eating and I find it difficult to get in the six servings. It feels like the only thing I do all day long is eat. But I can honestly say that I feel much better when I eat them and have noticed a change in my blood pressure & weight.

My advice to everyone is to begin eating as many dark leafy greens as they possibly can. Add them to everything!!! Instead of lettuce on a sandwich add kale or spinach. Add them to soups & stews. Add them to chili and homemade pizzas. Add them wherever and whenever you can. I am sure that you will notice a difference as I have and the benefits will pay off.

“What we are trying to do is get our cardiovascular patients to eliminate completely the foods that will further injure the lining of their blood vessels. The reason that they have heart disease in the first place is that their blood vessel lining has been so injured and so decimated that they now have the manifestation of heart disease. Now what is going to stop the injury to those endothelial cells? Well, we avoid the foods that have been shown scientifically to injure them; namely oils — olive oil, corn oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil, palm oil, canola oil; anything with a mother, anything with a face — meat, fish, chicken, turkey; and dairy milk, cream, butter, ice cream, cheese and yogurt. And now in addition, we know that fructose, that is to say, orange juice, apple juice, agave nectar, maple syrup, molasses and honey. Now this isn’t to say that you can’t have some pancakes with maple syrup once or twice a month. But know every time that you are having them that you are injuring endothelial cells. In addition, caffeine with coffee, nuts, avocado. That’s pretty rigid for the patients now who have heart disease. But what has happened is that since this is not cancer, when the endothelial cells are given a reprieve, when they are no longer beaten down, they recover. As they recover, so does their ability to produce this magic molecule called nitric oxide production. Not only do you halt the disease, but we have shown clearly that you can begin to reverse it.” --An Interview with Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr., M.D.--by Mark Huberman

Are Your Genes a "Dictator" or a "Committee"?

2013-01-01T13:46:00.001-08:00

This is a great video to watch. Dr. Barnard explains the epidemic of diabetes and coronary artery disease and the roll our genes play in preventing the progression of these diseases.

Are your genes a "dictator" or a "committee"?

Best Wishes for 2013

2012-12-25T17:40:00.000-08:00

Today is December 25, 2012, and it’s been a nice relaxing day. The day started at 6:30 a.m. when the step grandkids woke up and started opening their Christmas gifts. It was so much fun to see their excitement as they opened the packages and it has continued on throughout the day.

Although I am the only vegan in the household I have managed to keep to true to my dietary needs this past holiday season. Around me people are eating cookies, cupcakes, steak, sausages, eggs, candy, etc. I have no interest in any of their food and keep thinking to myself about how important it is for me to stay true to myself and my health. This brings me to my next point--my New Year’s Resolutions.

For the last couple of weeks I have been thinking about the upcoming new year and what I want to accomplish. Last year, there was so much that I wanted to achieve including getting my cholesterol numbers down and gaining greater control of my health. I believe that I have done this. My weight has dropped, my cholesterol has gone down along with my blood pressure so much that my doctor cut my meds in half. I am very happy about this and expect great things to continue.

One of the Christmas gifts I received this year was a wall decal that says “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.” I have adopted this saying as my motto for year 2013. On January 2, I will be starting a new job which is exciting and I can’t wait to further my career. But this is not my only focus…there are plenty of other dreams I want to achieve. So I have listed my New Year’s Resolutions below keeping in mind the direction of my dreams:

Continue to work on getting my numbers down so that I can go off all my prescription medication.
Complete Dr. T. Colin Campbell’s on-line Plant-Based Nutrition certificate program.
Work out/exercise at least 3 times per week.
Find a mentor who can show me how to market my ideas and promote my blog.
And last, but not least -- win the lottery!

Basically, I want to continue in the direction of my dreams. Eventually, I want to become a plant-based health coach and help people take control of their health. I would also like to start a meet-up group in my area where we could offer no-oil cooking demonstrations, etc. There’s just so many things I would like to see happen this year.

My goal is to continue moving forward and not turn back. I need to surround myself with people who support me in my journey. It’s also motivating to be instrumental in helping others succeed with this plant-based vegan lifestyle. These are my dreams for year 2013.

What are your resolutions for 2013? What are your dreams for the future? I would love to hear from you.

Best Wishes for the New Year!

THE WORLD OF CUBICLES

2012-12-16T17:32:00.000-08:00

It seems I live in a cubicle world. Every weekday I ride my commuter train 45 minutes or so to my job and walk the few blocks over to the building where I work. As I enter the doors I know that the majority of the next 9-10 hours will be spent sitting in a small unattractive 5x8 cubicle. Yuck!

The mentality where I work stresses staying in your cubicle. It is frowned upon if you are seen up and moving about. Over the past few months sitting has become more of a problem for me. It seems my body is much more comfortable standing rather than sitting for long periods of time. I first addressed this issue with my employer and they offered to have an ergonomic assessment done of my workspace. The only problem was that no allowance for standing was made. Again, the overall message was to continue to sit.

Maybe my employer should check out the facts about sitting and begin to offer employees such as myself other options.

Emerging research shows that sitting for long periods of time contributes to risk of metabolic syndrome, heart attack and stroke risk and overall death risk, among others. Those who sit a great deal also have lower life expectancies, larger bottoms and slower metabolisms.

- Huffington Post, December 16, 2012 -

In an effort to stand more I have “jerry-rigged” my cubicle a little and often get up out of my chair during the day. Experts recommend a 50:50 sit/stand ratio. Another thing I do is some stretching exercises while standing throughout the day. This is not exactly looked upon with approval by my employer. It seems they think I will be more productive if I am sitting. Not true!

Considering that most public health messages today suggest that people get more exercise one would think that exercising either before or after work would be the answer. However, the studies done on prolonged sitting show that people who spend 6 or more hours a day on their butts have a higher risk of mortality whether they exercise or not.

Unfortunately, research shows that extra-curricular trips to the gym--running the mornings before work or hitting up a post-office spin class--can't undo the effects of a day spent on one's behind.

- Huffington Post, December 16, 2012 -

According to Scott Lamb of BuzzFeed people are sitting down more than ever in history--an average of 9.3 hours a day--which is more time than we spend sleeping (7.7 hours) and our bodies just aren’t designed for this.

So with all this information I am going to continue to stand more at work and stretch often. I am also going to try standing on my breaks and make sure that I get off my butt as much as possible.

WE HAVE TO STAND UP

FOR OUR RIGHT TO STAND UP!

Have any of you experienced problems associated with sitting too much? I would love to hear your comments and suggestions on what you have done to overcome these issues.

PEACE

2012-12-16T16:08:00.001-08:00

I’ve been thinking a lot about the recent shootings across our nation and trying to put things into perspective. First, the one closest to home at Clackamas Towne Center here in Portland. Second, the horrific shooting at the Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

Every year at Christmas time we hear about “Peace on Earth” and if we are from a Christian background we give glory to God for the birth of Jesus Christ the Prince of Peace. Even those who are not religious may celebrate Christmas with the idea of Santa who also promotes peace, honesty and generosity. Yet in the midst the idea of peace on earth the world continues to show extreme brutality and violence. No one can hide from the unnerving fact that complete or total peace has yet to be achieved here on this planet.

This past week on Facebook, there were many posts regarding these shootings and some even criticized how we overlook other parts of the world where bad things are happening. I think this is human nature and it’s not that we don’t care, it’s just that we are so far removed. No one person or group of people can address all the atrocities the world offers at the same time! And so we cry for the ones closest to home and pray for those who’s families have been torn apart this Christmas season.

One of the posts I read this week said “The problem in our world is that we thrive on peace-taking and not peace-making. We will make our own peace even if we have to steal peace from someone else.” - by Fr. Stavros Akrotirianakis -

I thought this was a brilliant point and maybe an answer as to why these shootings occurred. Obviously, the shooters had no concept of internal peace and were out to steal the peace of others.

Regardless if the gunmen were successful in their demented missions, Peace on Earth still exists. Yes, I believe it exists! Peace may not be the controlling factor on Earth but it is definitely here to stay. So when you go about your daily activity think about ways you can promote peace. Consider other people and how your actions will affect them. Focus more on the positive aspects of life. Enjoy yourself and the ones around you. Be cognizant of your attitude each day and strive to be at peace within yourself. Each of us can promote peace by adopting a peace-making attitude.

“Peace on Earth begins with peace with yourself and those around you.

And it begins with your choice to be a peace-maker and not a peace-taker.”

My prayer:

Let there be peace

on Earth

and

let it begin with me.

MSG and Children

2012-12-09T19:26:00.001-08:00

MSG is a pervasive additive in most processed foods today. In a previous post I wrote named “The Evil Exicotoxin” I explained how it is common practice today for the food industry to add MSG in order to boost sales. The excitotoxin (MSG) triggers a response in the brain to eat more food. Therefore eating more = more sales = greater profits.

In this post I would like to address how MSG affects children. You see, I have a close friend who doesn’t really like to cook and regularly takes their children to McDonalds and Taco Bell. They buy takeout Chinese food or pizza and Lunchables for their kids. For breakfast, the kids get a bowl of Fruit Loops. Snacks are chips, cookies and crackers. These are the foods on which these children are being raised. Unfortunately, all of these items have very little nutritional value, are all high in fat, and all of them have added MSG.

I have been concerned with my friend and their children since so very little of their food is natural or homemade, but what can I do? I have tried as gently as I could to make suggestions, but my friend is more concerned with convenience. I’m afraid they will have to deal with the outcomes of this type of unhealthy diet.

There have been plenty of studies published which indicate that MSG leads to obesity--especially in the young. Because children are still growing and developing makes them more vunerable to the effects of MSG on their system.

We know that children are four times more sensitive to excitotoxins than adults. The developing brain is in the process of doing critical wiring that will affect its functioning for the rest of the person’s life. Newborns and toddlers are at very high risk of damage when exposed to excitotoxins.

- MSG–How Does it Impact Children and Elders? Excitotoxins–The Taste That Kills by Russell Blaylock, MD -

Other effects of MSG during these formative years can include problems such as dyslexia, uncontrollable anger, autism, etc. Not to mention that children regularly exposed to excitotoxins may grow up to be shorter in stature and obese.

For decades, MSG has been used by medical researchers to cause brain lesions, in young rats and mice, even in primates. Their work has shown that rats fed MSG from birth could not find their way through mazes as well as rats not fed MSG. And for decades, MSG has been used by medical researchers to cause obesity in young laboratory animals.

healthy-holistic-living.com/msg.html#ixzz2EbsUKCvu

My friend considers fast food to be a blessing since they are usually tired and don’t want to cook at the end of the day. It’s easier for them to drive through and get a Happy Meal rather than coming home and standing over the stove for the next 30-40 minutes while the kids are hungry and crying. However, by taking this approach, I’m afraid of what might be in store for their children’s future.

The key here is to eat food as close to nature as possible at all times. We should each consider clearing our pantries and refrigerators to eliminate all foods with MSG, NutraSweet and hydrolyzed vegetable protein. This includes virtually all processed foods, some of the worst offenders are soups, salad dressings, steak sauce, gravy mixes, chips, cream sauces and gourmet foods. Read labels carefully and re-learn the joys of cooking and a simple diet. Russell Blaylock, MD

Well said Dr. Blaylock!

Providing a nutritional plant-based whole foods diet does take planning. I had to learn new cooking techniques and methods. But I am glad everyday to prepare my own food. It makes me happy to know exactly what ingredients are in my foods and that they are healthy for me. I want so badly to help my friend and her children. It would definitely take commitment on her part to adopt new habits and learn new methods of making her own “fast food”.

Have any of you had this experience? How do you loving help someone who doesn’t realize what they (and their children) eat today affects their future health?

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE FOOD

2012-12-02T18:51:00.000-08:00

The other day I learned that my place of work is offering training for individuals who want to run a 5K as part of a heart healthy program. I was interested because it’s always fun to meet new people and exercise as a team instead on my own. I have ran in many 5K races, so this is nothing new. I am really doing it for the social aspect as well as getting a little more exercise in each week. So a couple of us have signed up for the training program.

As I was talking to one of my co-workers we began discussing the importance of exercise vs. diet. They seem surprised when I told them that on an average I work out only 2-3 times a week at the gym. However, my weight has continued to drop (slow and steady). I made no bones about it and quickly said “It’s all about the food.”

You see, I realize that exercise is important, but for me it’s mostly about nutrition. I can’t emphasize enough how important nutrition is and the ability to lose/maintain an ideal weight. This might go against traditional viewpoints. Let me refer to Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr. author of Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease. In his study groups he did not include an exercise program because he wanted to show what diet modification alone would do with diseases like coronary artery disease. Here’s what he had to say about exercise:

While I recognize there are benefits to meditating, relaxation, and exercise in my original group, I left it optional. My concern has been that each of us has just so many behavioral modification units within us. I wanted all my patients’ focus to be on nutrition modification. Most exercise on their own to the degree that worked for them…I feel exercise is a very important component of a healthy lifestyle and urge my patients do as much as they can.

I too am a firm believer that exercise is an important component of health but exercise alone will not reverse heart disease (or any other disease). There are plenty of studies out there supporting that. In a study published for the American Diabetes Association they followed thousands of vegans and found them to be on an average 40 pounds lighter than those eating meat. The same study also carefully measured the activity levels of the those vegans and found that they exercised much less than the meat eaters. Now don’t get me wrong! I am a strong proponent of exercise, but exercise alone will not make you healthy.

In May of this year a study was published by the International Food Information Council Foundation called 2012 Food & Health Survey - Consumer Attitudes Toward Food Safety, Nutrition & Health.

The study found that most Americans are evenly split in whether they believe it is more difficult to consistently eat well or exercise. In other words, Americans place the importance of food and diet equally (50% diet and 50% exercise) in the role of weightloss. But the facts do not support this. In fact, the equation stating that weight gain cannot occur if energy input and energy output are balanced was found to be flawed. The truth is that what we put into our mouths (energy input) has a far greater determinate of weight than does exercise (energy output).

The same study also found that Americans believe their physical activity and sleep have more of an impact on their health than their diet. While exercise may make one feel more in control of their health, if you couple exercise with only moderate changes in diet the progession of coronary artery disease will continue. I am living proof of this. I was exercising vigorously 5-7 times a week and following the Mediterranean Diet. My heart disease progressed to the point of having a second stent placed in my heart. While most American’s focus on vigorous exercise the focus is misplaced to say the least.

And lastly, Half of Americans feel that enjoying their food is more important than worrying about what’s in it. Again my words: “It’s all about the food” ring loud and clear. Food either kills or heals. For me I want the food I eat to taste good but I am more concerned whether it is healthy and healing. I cook all my own food and take my lunch so that I know exactly what I’m getting. I feel best when I eat healthy food and know all the ingredients. This is very important to me and to my health.

Starting this week I will begin exercising 3-4 times a week--after all I do have a 5K coming up--and I will continue to eat a low-fat plant-based diet.

THE VEGAN VS THE VEGETARIAN

2012-11-25T19:11:00.000-08:00

Every week there is an ongoing discussion in my household. I ask my vegetarian boyfriend the million dollar question: “Is there anything you would like for me to cook for you this week? Anything special?” And the answer I get is always “Let me think about it.” I realize now that the answer is a polite way of avoiding an unpleasant situation. He really doesn’t want me to fix anything for him.

There are times when I have offered to make one of his favorite meals and yet I still get a very polite response such as “Don’t worry about me, I’ll figure something out.” This answer makes me sad. Even though I have grown tired of suggesting meals that don’t appeal to him, it still doesn’t feel right for us to eat separately.

For me as many other people I know, sharing food with those I care about is an act of nurturing and an expression of my love. It can be quite hurtful when someone you care deeply about rejects the food you have painstakingly prepared. On the other hand, food choices are very personal.

Another thing I have realized is that my boyfriend has very limited food preferences. Unlike myself he limits himself to a few familiar items and eats fried foods, white bread, cheese, butter and lots of sweets. Since I will not spend my food budget on sweets or snacks he finds this discouraging. And since I do not fry anything he seeks it elsewhere.

Here are some of the common remarks I have heard from him:

I don’t like beans...

There’s nothing to eat...

It just doesn’t taste good to me...

Why do you always put tomatoes in it?

Does it have “real” sugar in it?

Don’t you puree that corn!

What’s in this!?

Where’s the cheese?

Sometimes I give him a hard time about the food he is eating, but usually I try to ignore it as much as I can. One reason I might give him a hard time is because he is a diabetic. It’s when I see him eating way too many sweets or fried foods and I get concerned. I try to remind him that he needs to eat for his health.

You see, when I first met him he was 50 pounds heavier than he is today. When he was diagnosed with diabetes we both adopted a vegetarian lifestyle. His weight dropped off--and a year later he went off the diabetic medication and is healthy. Not long after becoming a vegetarian, I went on to make another change--I became vegan. This change affected everything. I had to learn new cooking techniques and began experimenting with new recipes. For me the choice was all about my health and improving my numbers. Apparently, he wasn’t so happy with some of the dietary changes. Now he just seems complacent and indifferent to the food I prepare. Too bad, because people who taste my food tell me it’s really good.

I’m more than happy to cook yummy vegan things and if he wants to eat them, he’s more than welcome. Each weekend I spend time cooking to make food that will last through the week. I usually make a big crockpot of steel cut oats, a big pot of soup, homemade hummus, and some rice & beans to take me through the week. There’s always plenty of dark green leafy vegetables in the frig and fresh fruit. Here's some of the recipes I made for this week:

Hearty Corn and Potato Chowder

From 1,001 Low Fat Vegetarian Recipes by Sue Spliter

2 cups frozen whole kernel corn, thawed, or fresh
1 medium onion, diced
2 cups vegetable stock
2 cups potatoes, unpeeled and cubed
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 3/4 cups milk alternative
Salt and pepper to taste

Saute corn and onion in water or vegetable stock in a large saucepan until the onion is tender, approximately 5-8 minutes. Process 1/2 of the vegetables in a blender or food processor with the stock until finely chopped. Return the mixture to the saucepan.

Add the potatoes, celery, and thyme to the saucepan. Heat to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 10-15 minutes. Stir in the milk and cook until it is heated, about 2-3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spicy Orange Hummus

From 1,001 Low Fat Vegetarian Recipes by Sue Spliter

1 can (15 oz) chick peas, drained & rinsed
3 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
Salt & white pepper to taste

Process chick peas, garlic, orange juice, soy sauce, mustard, curry powder, and ginger in food processor until smooth; stir in orange rind. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Refrigerate 1-2 hours for flavors to blend.

Bourbon Street Red Beans and Rice Recipe

From 1,001 Low Fat Vegetarian Recipes by Sue Spliter

1 cup red beans
3 tablespoons baking soda
1 cup vegetable stock
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup bell pepper
1 cup celery
1 Jalapeno chili, finally chopped
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon sage
2 bay leaves
1/4 teaspoon red pepper sauce
1/8 cayenne pepper
4 drops liquid smoke
1 Salt to taste
4 cups cooked rice

Wash and sort beans, discarding stones. Cover beans with 2 inches water and baking soda; bring to boil and boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 1 hour. Drain.

Add stock to cover beans and heat to boiling; simmer, covered 30 minutes. Add vegetables and herbs to saucepan; simmer covered until beans are tender, 45 to 60 minutes, adding stock as needed (beans should be moist but without excess liquid). Remove bay leaves

Stir in red pepper sauce, cayenne pepper, and liquid smoke into beans; season to taste with salt. Service beans over rice in shallow bowls.

Since I’m the only one doing the cooking, he has to live with what I make, or make his own food. Unfortunately, when it comes to eating we go our separate ways. He doesn’t cook and I love cooking food that I know is good for me.

Do any of you have a similar situation with your loved ones? Have you ever had to defend the food you prepare? What do you do when the people you care about criticize the food you prepare?

OPTIMAL NUMBERS

2012-11-18T16:24:00.000-08:00

Native Wellington - take home and bake for 1 hour

The past few weeks have been very busy for me and now here it is almost Thanksgiving! Where does the time fly? This year we are opting for convenience and trying a new thing. For our main course we have ordered the Native Wellington from the Native Foods Cafe. The Wellington is filled with kale, portobello mushrooms, orange glazed yams, stuffing, caramelized onions, and it comes with shallot mushroom gravy on the side. Along with the main course we will have steamed kale, corn on the cob, and cauliflower mashed potatoes. I am so happy that Thanksgiving will be stress free!

Last week I was re-reading the book Keep It Simple, Keep It Whole by Alona Pulde M.D., and Matthew Lederman M.D. In their book they talk about something I am constantly concerned with - my numbers.

Everyday as I plan my food I instinctively consider the foods and how they will affect numbers (cholesterol & blood pressure). One of my main goals is to get my cholesterol numbers down so that I will be able to stop taking my statin medication. Now please understand me, my numbers are good--just not low enough to quit the medication. One of the take home messages in Pulde & Lederman’s book was:

Normal numbers DO NOT mean normal health

IF you are manipulating those numbers with pills

Yep - they are right about that and that’s why I am concerned everyday with my numbers.

Recently, I had the opportunity to see Dr. Greger M.D., in person and was able to ask him how I could convince my cardiologist to take me off of statin medication. Dr. Greger said the same thing that I have read in Dr. Esselstyn’s book Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease. Basically, I would need to have my LDL cholesterol at 60 mg/L or less. The last blood work I had done measured my LDL cholesterol at 78 mg/L.

Michael Greger M.D., NutritionFacts.org

About a week later I had my annual visit with my cardiologist and I asked her about getting off the statin. She said she was willing to work with me to achieve my goal and acknowledged my hard work. Then she gave me a great compliment! She said I looked so much better than I did when I first started seeing her. To top it off she cut my statin medication in half! I was so happy.

So I will be back in 3 months to see her again and I am hoping with some minor changes to my diet I will be able to go off the statin. However, one thing I am sure of is that I am on the right path. My numbers continue to improve, my weight continues to go down, and my blood pressure is great. Soon I am hopeful that I can have low numbers without medication and stop any progression of heart disease in my life.

Check out this interesting article from another doctor, Dr. Klaper called Nutrition For Optimum Health, in which he talks about the effects of oil in the blood. He’s included some great photos which shows how blood becomes sludge-like after eating a high fat meal.

http://www.eatveg.com/optimum.htm

Las Vegas Trip

2012-11-11T14:24:00.000-08:00

This past week I had the opportunity to get away for a few days with a friend. We flew to Las Vegas! The last time I had been there I was in my 20s, so needless to say it’s been a few years. We had a very fun time--even though neither of us are gamblers.

Of course I concerned myself with the normal things when traveling. My main concern is what am I going to eat? Considering Vegas has a huge amount of restaurants on the strip I did a search for those with vegan choices and found very few. Next, I called our hotel to ask where the nearest grocery store was and it was quite a trip to get there so I decided once again to bring my own food.

Next, I considered portable options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I made sure that our room had a refrigerator in it. I brought a couple bags of salad, celery & carrot sticks, bread & peanut butter, Dr. McDougal’s cup of noodles, oatmeal, powdered soy milk, Rip’s whole wheat crackers and some fresh fruit. It was great! I always had something with me that I could eat and never had to worry about going hungry.

We did go out to eat more than once and one evening we had a really nice dinner at the Treasure Island Hotel. I ordered a vegetable stir fry and asked if they would prepare the vegetables without oil--just use water instead. It was no problem at all! They were completely accommodating to my request and I had a great dinner. Sorry for the crappy picture (taken on my phone in terrible lighting) but this was my vegetable stir fry.

The last night there we caught the public bus and rode over to the Fremont Street Experience. It was a great time of laser show & jazz music. What a fun time! On the way back to catch the bus we walked right in front of the Heart Attack Grill (which I’ve talked about in a previous post). For those of you who don’t know they advertise that if you weigh 350 lbs. or more you eat for free. We stopped for a while and I watched as one man walked on to the industrial scale outside the restaurant to get weighed. He stopped and stood on the scale (which is part of the walkway into the restaurant) and the pounds kept going up, up, up. You could hear people cheering for him as the pounds kept accumulating. But then the scale stopped at 327 lbs. and everyone who was previous cheering for him gave a disappointed sigh “awwh!!!” Wow. How sick is it that people cheer for someone who is literally killing themselves; and how perverted is their disappointment that this guy didn’t weigh 350 lbs? I couldn't take it any longer and we walked around the corner to catch the bus.

When we got on the bus I noticed another guy who had probably just come from the Heart Attack Grill because he was wearing one of their hospital-like bracelets. At the end of this pleasant street experience I observed my archrival. Everything inside me wanted to stand on the street in front the restaurant and shout out that eating this way is not life! I wanted to question each of those guys about what they think they are doing? Don’t you choose life?! Don’t you want to live a quality life of health and well-being? The option is simple: eat a low-fat plant-based vegan diet and you will regain health and well being. You don’t have to continue on the path to disease and death.

Once again, I am so thankful to be healthy and well. Sorry for preaching but I am passionate about this and convinced that health is determined by what you put into your mouth. In order to prevent or heal any disease, you have to stop doing what made you sick in the first place. Love yourself! Eat plants!

A CHILD'S FUTURE

2012-10-28T14:52:00.001-07:00

This post is not meant to offend anyone, but there is something I have noticed. There seems to be a great difference in what my two of my friends feed their children. Looking back at what I fed my own kids leaves a lot to be desired. And, if I had to do it over again I would definitely do things differently. Too bad we can’t go back in time, which brings me to the topic of this post.

Knowing now what I know about food and its ability to heal or destroy it becomes difficult for me to sit by and watch what these parents feed their kids. These two friends of mine have completely different circumstances as parents and both handle their kid’s nutrition in different ways. Let me explain...

One is a single parent of 2 and is struggling to make ends meet. They are busy, tired, and stressed. For them feeding their kids is all about convenience. Quick prepared meals that they can slap on a plate and the kids will eat without too much objection is their first choice. When this parent does have the time to fix a meal the kids are so programed for fast food that they don’t like the food prepared at home. Meal time becomes a battle and the parent often just gives up. The extremely sad part about this situation is the young age of the kids and how they are already programmed. They won’t even try new foods. Their diet is mostly pizza, McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets, Lunchables, and spaghetti. Breakfast is always cold cereal with milk or scrambled eggs with cheese. The children very rarely eat anything green or nutritious.

The other parent is married and stays at home with their 3 kids. This is a full time job in itself and everything they do is on a schedule. This helps to run the household more smoothly. This parent doesn’t spend a lot of time cooking either, but they make sure there is a variety of foods in the house and the kids eat everything that is put in front of them. This family does not have the money to go out for fast food and so the kids are used to eating homemade meals. The only thing is that they eat a lot of meat and cheese which aren’t good either. The difference here is that the kids DO eat a lot of vegetables and greens. They like them and meal time is not a battle. This parent puts together easy to prepare dishes and feeds them leftovers throughout the week.

So why is it hard for me to watch these parents and how they handle their kids nutrition? Well, it’s because now I realize how important nutrition is throughout one’s entire life. Diseases (such a heart disease) starts while we are young and progresses as we grow. I’m sure if we had the technology you could go back in time and prove that my own heart disease did not happen magically overnight. It started when I was young and continued as I was growing.

I know what these two parents are going through. I remember being broke, stressed, and so busy that I had hardly any time to prepare a meal for my kids. So what did I do? Sometimes I bought pizza, sometimes I bought Taco Bell, often it was a box of macaroni & cheese with some tuna & peas thrown in it. These were my standard go to meals. I considered nutrition as an after thought to convenience. Later, I began using a crock pot and would throw in some chicken breasts with carrots or some kind of vegetable. Even then the focus was mostly on the meat and not on the vegetables. Yes, I did a lot wrong as a struggling parent raising my kids. And I wish I could have a redo opportunity--but I can’t.

Back to my two friends...both of them have opportunities that were not available to me. First, they have me as a friend showing and advising them on the value of eating right. Second, one of them often eats with me and likes what I prepare. Why not feed the same thing to your kids? Why feed fast food to your kids and you eat a healthy meal? Third, the other parent has a support system (sisters, other friends) that have made changes in their families nutrition to help with issues such as autism, etc.

Both these parents have more knowledge and resources than I had when I was raising my kids. These parents need to make nutrition a priority for their kids. Both are aware that most of the diseases that have claimed the lifes of their loved ones are preventable with nutrition.

It becomes a struggle for me to watch the nutrition of their children and consider their future. I want the best for all of them. I want to see them & their kids THRIVE.

Dr. Neal Barnard has excellent resources which explain the benefits of a plant-based for kids. There are also free downloadable booklets with meal plans and recipes.

http://support.pcrm.org/site/DocServer/Nutrition_for_Kids.pdf?docID=801

Check out his website:

http://www.pcrm.org/pdfs/health/info_children.pdf

Whole Foods Healthy Eating Challenge and Week 5 of the Case Study

2012-10-21T14:31:00.000-07:00

This past week I had the opportunity to speak at the Whole Foods 28-Day Healthy Eating Challenge. I was asked to share my experience and health issues and how I began eating a low fat plant-based diet. It was great! I have known for a long time that I want to help other people overcome their health issues and heal. That’s one reason I started blogging. But I would like to continue to speak in public about healthy eating and nutrition. Although I am not a doctor, I am looking at taking some online certificate programs in plant-based nutrition. This is a passion of mine! I would love to be able to travel and speak about the how thoughtful nutrition has changed my life. My goal is to become a food coach and work to inspire others.

Speaking of others…

This is the 5^th week of the Case Study with my two individuals. Both are making significant strides and both want to extend the case study beyond 3 months.

I asked them to write a few words about their experience so far -

“This experience has been an eye opener for me. I have to say that going into the diet plan was hard. I did not want to do it! But after taking notice of all the disease that has claimed the lives of five members of my family I knew I had to make a change. So I’m gonna say this is my 3^rd week of taking these changes seriously. And I am pleased with my results. I have lost 7 pounds, 3 inches off my bust, 5 inches off my waist; and this is just the beginning!”

“The Case Study is going real well for me. I am keeping track of my weight and measurements so I have seen the results in lost pounds and inches. I have also noticed since I have had Crohn’s since I was a young teen that my bowels are moving a lot more often than normal. I find myself turning down cakes and pastries (which I have never in my life done), eating more fruits and vegetables. The program is easy to follow and stay on. It does help me some that my Coach (as I call her) works here with me.”

I couldn’t be happier! Both are starting to see positive results from eating a plant-based diet. And just as I have suspected, their particular health issues are reversing. I will continue to work with them and coach them.

Do you have any suggestions about plant-based certificate programs?

INTELLIGENT CHOICE - GMO FOODS

2012-10-21T12:44:00.000-07:00

Recently there has been a lot of talk in the news about genetically modified foods. This issue will not be going away anytime soon and it’s been interesting to hear the news media say things like “organic foods are not healthier foods for you”, etc. However, considering what is going on in the politics and historically what has happened I am wary of anything the media promotes.

Right now there is a controversial bill on the California ballot called The Right To Know. Simply stated, the measure is requiring the food industry to label whether or not their food is genetically altered. The bill wants consumers to have the information available to them showing which foods are altered genetically so that they can make an intelligent choice.

As you can imagine the food industry is fighting this with the big guns. According to the GMO Journal (Genetically Engineering Washington Politics, by Deniza Greensburg, June 21, 2012), Monsanto spent a millions of dollars to lobby Washington:

In the first three months of 2012, Monsanto spent $1.4 million lobbying Washington.
Monsanto spent about $6.3 million total in lobbying last year, more than any other agribusiness company except the tobacco company Altria.
Monsanto aggressively uses lobbyists to promote its corporate interests.

Additionally, US scientists have determined that "Planting GM (genetically modified) crops has led to an increase rather than a decrease in the use of pesticides in the last 16 years." (How GM crops have increased the use of danger pesticides and created superweeds and toxin-resistant insects- by Sean Poulter, Oct 2, 2012)

So, when you have mixed messages who are you supposed to believe? On one hand you have the media telling you that organic food is not any better (or safer) for you, and on the other hand you have the food industry biggies (like Monsanto) stating there is no danger in genetically modified foods.

Here are some of the reasons I will buy organic:

When I buy organic I know the food has not been genetically modified. I want my food in its freshest and purest form possible. When I have a chance I will buy from local farmers who do not use any genetically modified seeds, etc. I will support the local farmer whenever possible. Buying organic foods does not ensure that we are getting superior nutrition. It just ensures that the nutrion we get has not been genetically altered.
The verdict is still out on the safety of genetically modified foods. We won’t know until years down the road about the contra indications of such foods and the extent of potential damage. If I were a parent, I would want to make sure that my children’s foods were not genetically modified because I would want my child’s future free of disease.
I am highly suspicious of anything that makes the food industry fight & lobby Washington with such ferocity and $$$. If genetically modified foods are so safe then why wouldn’t the food industry WANT to label them?

What do you know about genetically modified foods? Let me know what you think.

Whole Foods Market 28 Day Challenge!

2012-10-07T17:49:00.000-07:00

Want to lose weight, feel better and get healthy? Join the Whole Foods Market 28 Day Challenge! We will meet weekly and support you on your health journey; providing tips, recipes and more.

October 10, 6pm

Week One: Restock your pantry to support your new healthy lifestyle! We will do a store tour, learn to read labels, learn savvy shopping tips, and discuss menu planning. This will be your foundation for healthy eating.

Cost: $5

Seating limited: rsvp leslie.otto@wholefoods.com or contact Guest Service.

October 17, 6pm

Week Two:

Learn how to cook without oil. Learn to make healthy alternatives to dairy (milk and cheese)—all plant-based and delicious!

Cost: $5

Seating limited: rsvp leslie.otto@wholefoods.com or contact Guest Service.

October 24, 6pm

Week Three:

Learn about the health benefits of plant proteins, such as tempeh, tofu, beans, nuts and seeds, and how to prepare them.

Cost: $5

Seating limited: rsvp leslie.otto@wholefoods.com or contact Guest Service.

October 31, 6 pm

Week Four:

Have your cake and eat it too! You can enjoy delicious, healthy desserts, without the guilt. We will discuss alternatives to refined sugar, and we will sample a variety of amazing desserts.

Cost: $5

Seating limited: rsvp leslie.otto@wholefoods.com or contact Guest Service.

WEEK 2 - CASE STUDY

2012-09-29T20:35:00.000-07:00

Well I am so proud of my two case study participants! To date Mandy has lost a total of 5 pounds. She is doing so good and has eliminated all dairy products from her diet There was an interesting thing that happened this past week at work. Our company had an employee BBQ and even though they served vegan burgers Mandy decided to eat a regular hot dog. This was the first meat she had eaten in a week.

As you know, Mandy suffers from Crohn’s disease which is an inflammatory bowel disorder. Since she has started the Case Study and is eating a mostly plant-based diet she hasn’t had any problems with her bowels. But after eating one hotdog she immediately began experiencing cramping abdominal pain. She came in from the BBQ and told me what she had eaten and how she was now in pain. I quickly found some information from Dr. Michael Greger and shared it with her:

“We’ve known for 14 years that a single meal of meat, dairy, and eggs triggers an inflammatory reaction inside the body within hours of consumption. This results in a stiffening of our arteries…”

Now Mandy knows! And to top it off, the very next day she suffered from a migraine and couldn’t make it in for work.

Sherry on the other hand has been experiencing excessive bleeding and has finally gone to see a specialist. They have determined that she is low in iron and suggested a high iron diet. Guess what?! Everything that is part of the Case Study eating plan was on the diet the doctor gave her. I just had to chuckle a bit and tried to give Sherry some ideas of what she could eat this week. She’s doing good and has bought whole wheat bread, brown rice and lots of fruit.

Because of her health issues this past week has been very difficult for Sherry and she really hasn’t felt like eating. However, I have advised her that to build up her blood she needs to eat. She didn’t lose any weight this past week but she has lost inches around her waist and hips. Hopefully, within the next 2 weeks she will be feeling much better and her bleeding will have stopped.

Both Mandy and Sherry are doing good considering their health issues. They are still motivated and moving more and more toward a plant-based vegan diet.

JUST SAY NO (NITRIC OXIDE)

2012-09-29T19:51:00.000-07:00

Dr. Esselstyn spoke last week at the Portland VegFest about the importance of nitric oxide and how it protects the endothelium in the arteries of the heart. He told the audience to eat dark leafy greens six times a day because they produce nitric oxide. Even the act of chewing the greens mixed with the saliva in your mouth produce nitric oxide and have a protective value for your heart. So I decided to take his suggestion and begin eating greens 6 times a day. Well it wasn’t so simple, but I did it! This past week I have eaten greens at every meal including snacks. Let me tell you the hardest part of it all was just getting in the 6 servings. Maybe I’m crazy but I have felt different this week--healthier.

“Today the doctor spoke about protecting the endothelium, the layer of cells that lines the arteries. He described the importance of nitric oxide, a gas that keeps your blood flowing smoothly and prevents stiff arteries and high blood pressure...

Esselstyn is a big proponent of nitrite-containing leafy greens, which promote nitric oxide in the endothelium. His leading choices are arugula, chard, kale, spinach, beets, beet greens and bok choy. “I want patients to eat leafy greens six times a day,” he said, recommending greens at every meal, including breakfast. “And I adore it when you have an evening snack of kale.” “Nobody has ever gone to the emergency room with an overdose of green leafy vegetables,” he said.” --Teresa Bergen, Portland Vegetarian Examiner

I also learned that oatmeal produces nitric oxide. Esselstyn says More oats = more nitric oxide! So with my steel cut oats for breakfast I had spinach. Honestly, it’s amazing how fast you go through a large bag of greens when you are eating them 6 times a day.

Below is a video by Dr. Greger that explains the science behind nitric oxide and eating foods high in nitric oxide.

How many times a day do you eat dark leafy greens? Would you be willing to take up the challenge and eat them 6 times a day? Let me know what you think.

The Way of NOODM

GROWING GREENS

SOYRIZO AND CHILI LASAGNA

NuVal Scoring System

American Heart Month

Fill Your Life with Greens

Navy 'Lasagna'

AVOIDING GMOs

Exercise and Cholesterol

MY DARK LEAFY PLAN

Are Your Genes a "Dictator" or a "Committee"?

Top Ten Posts of 2012

Best Wishes for 2013

THE WORLD OF CUBICLES

PEACE

MSG and Children

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE FOOD

THE VEGAN VS THE VEGETARIAN

OPTIMAL NUMBERS

Las Vegas Trip

A CHILD'S FUTURE

http://www.pcrm.org/pdfs/health/info_children.pdf

Whole Foods Healthy Eating Challenge and Week 5 of the Case Study

INTELLIGENT CHOICE - GMO FOODS

Whole Foods Market 28 Day Challenge!

WEEK 2 - CASE STUDY

JUST SAY NO (NITRIC OXIDE)