Easing Into Health

Recently, a friend emailed me: “My life is too busy to participate in the full cleanse right now, but can you offer some advice to help get me started on a healthier track?”

You, too, may have deemed the vegan cleanse a bit too intense at this time in your life, but would like to take baby steps towards a healthier lifestyle.  

Following is my advice based on where I started three years ago, after reading Michael Pollan’s In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto.

Pollan’s advice boils it down to the basics: “Eat [whole] food.  Mostly Plants.  Not too much.”

Look for whole foods- try to get away from prepared meals with powdered mixes.  Replace with brown rice, quinoa, and other complex carbs.  Pollan further explains the meaning of “whole foods” in his book Food Rules: 
“Avoid food products that contain more than five ingredients,”
“Avoid food products containing ingredients that a third-grader cannot pronounce,” and
“Don’t eat anything your great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food.” 
Basically, the more ingredients and the bigger the words on the package, the worse for you and less food-like it is.

My friend Colleen also read In Defense of Food and made simple changes like these.  She recently wrote to me, “The way that Christians have accepted Jesus into their hearts, I have accepted that every day I need to eat veggies and walk.”  She has lost more than 40 pounds over the last year.  Every little change you make, every conscious bite, every step you take- makes a difference!
For breakfast, try to alternate between oatmeal and smoothies (fruit or 50% fruit, 50% any veggies you like.)  If you have an egg breakfast on a weekend, try to use organic, free-range eggs and real potatoes for hash browns.

Most important things to cut out entirely:
•    Sugar and sugar’s ugly relatives (especially High Fructose Corn Syrup – HFCS- never eat that, even if you re-introduce sugar.)
•    Lunch meat – it is highly processed and has really gross chemicals in it.  If you can, lighten up on the bacon, too (for the same reasons).  I know that’s a tall order, so do your best.
•    White flour/white bread – White flour is highly processed, just like sugar, making your body process it too quickly and wreaking all kinds of havoc on your digestive system.  OatNut bread is good and much better for you.  I’ve heard a lot about sprouted bread being really healthy, but I’m still working on finding the right brand for me.
•    Hydrogenated oil, partially hydrogenated oil – if this is listed as an ingredient, drop it like it’s hot.  This is one of the most dangerous chemicals in our food.
•    Vegetable oil

Reduce:
Meat – Pollan recommends, “Treat meat as a flavoring or special occasion food.”
When you do, opt for free-range & grass fed (it’s better for you and tastes better, too.)  The main thing is, don’t think of it as needing to accompany every meal.  First reduce to one meal a day with meat, then maybe you will be able to declare one day a week a vegetarian day.  Replace with beans, lentils, or meat substitutes (Morningstar's Black Bean Burgers are wonderful.)  Consider omitting meat as you discover the delicious new substitutes and as your taste buds adjust to less meat.  Not only is it good for your diet, it’s good for the environment, too. 
The Environmental Defense Fund explains, “If every American skipped one meal of chicken per week and substituted vegetables and grains, for example, the carbon dioxide savings would be the same as taking more than half a million cars off U.S. roads.”

Add fish to replace beef and chicken as often as possible.   Avoid farmed fish and opt for wild.

Reduce Beer (don’t hate me!)  It contains the most simple, streamlined carbs you can get.  Bad for blood sugar and bad for bellies.   You don’t have to give it up completely, but reduce as much as you are able.

Also, avoid using the microwave.  It may actually change the chemical make-up of your food and there are still studies being done on the effects of the radiation.  Plus, the food tastes better and has a much better consistency when you use the stove or the oven and most things don’t take that much longer.

Your dinner plate should be ½ veggies, ¼ grains, and ¼ protein. 

Some good snacks:
•    Organic tortilla chips & salsa
•    Popcorn -not in a microwave bag – you can pop with oil on the stove and drizzle with a little olive oil or butter, and sprinkle with salt.  It feels indulgent, but is so much better than chemicals in the microwave.  Air-popped is even better, but making it on the stove is one of my fun things that keeps me from feeling deprived.
•    Raw veggies with unsweetened, natural peanut butter
•    Fruit
•    Whole wheat (or gluten free) crackers and unsweetened, natural peanut butter

And finally, try to walk after each meal if at all possible.  Move as much as you can, whenever you can, even if it means using a Wii fit, dancing in your bedroom, or even doing calf raises at your desk.  I recommend walking for 20 minutes each day, then increase to 30, 60, and adding additional activities.  My personal favorites are running, yoga, and dancing in my living room.

Why is it so important to make these changes?

“The three most common causes of death in [America] – heart disease, cancer, and stroke- have all been linked to the standard Western diet, rich in animal products, refined carbohydrates, and processed food.” – Scott Jurek

By eating whole foods- mostly plants- and omitting processed “food”, you can make positive strides in health for you and your family.

These are my "Cliffs notes" after three years of reading, cooking, and journeying towards a healthier lifestyle.

Other recommendations by Colleen:
Bob Greene's The Best Life Diet (contains a journal to reflect and get to deeper food issues)
David Kessler's The End of Overeating (discusses the chemical manipulation of food companies to make us want more of their food)

Day 19 - All That Hype about Protein

The first time I went vegan (almost 3 years ago), I gained about 15 pounds.  Dismayed, I declared, “I must need more protein.”  The real trouble?  I told myself that since I wasn’t eating meat, I was “healthy” as I ate French fries.  Anything that wasn’t an animal product was fair game.  I ate all the bread I could get my hands on.  Dessert.  The only vegetables I would eat were broccoli, carrots, lettuce, tomatoes, potatoes, and corn.  Breakfast would be coffee.  Lunch would be a frozen meal, microwaved, with a side of French fries.  Dinner would be perogies or another easy, white starch.  Snacks: potato chips, candy bars, cappuccinos from a machine. Yeah, must have been the lack of protein…(can you detect the sarcasm?)

Granted, I was in a program to get my Master's Degree in 11 months while simultaneously student teaching full-time, so to my credit, the faster deduction was all I had time for...

But why did I immediately blame the protein instead of taking a closer look at my diet?  And when we tell people we are vegan/vegetarian, why are they so quick to shout:  “But what about your protein?  You have to get enough protein!  Stop right now!  Eat some meat!”

We have been brainwashed as a society to eat protein, protein, protein.  Protein to lose weight.  Protein to gain muscle.  Protein to save the world.

“The average 19- to 30-year-old American consumes 91 grams a day, nearly twice the recommended daily amount (56 grams for an adult male, 46 for an adult female)…Too much protein stresses the kidneys…and can leach calcium from the bones.” – Scott Jurek, Eat and Run

“It is a complete myth that we need a massive amount of protein,” write Barnouin and Freedman.
As a matter of fact, over-consumption of protein – especially animal protein- “can impair our kidneys; leach calcium, zinc, vitamin B, iron, and magnesium from our bodies; and cause osteoporosis, heart disease, cancer, and obesity.”

Can you remember the last time you heard of someone being hospitalized for a protein deficiency (kwashiorkor-is the clinical term)?  Never heard of it.  How about cancer, kidney failure, heart disease, osteoporosis, obesity?  Now those sound familiar…

And on quality of life:  “High amounts of protein can damage our tissues, organs, and cells, contributing to faster aging.  People in other cultures consume half the amount of protein that we do, yet they live longer, healthier lives.” – Skinny Bitch

According to Rip Esselstyn, as a vegan, “not only will you get all the protein that you need, for the first time in your life you won’t suffer from an excess of it.”

Even the strongest animals in nature – gorillas, elephants, hippos, bison –are plant eaters.  And they don’t seem to have any trouble growing and thriving while eating only veggies.

According to the American Dietetic Association, “eating a vegetarian diet provides twice the amount of protein needed daily.” 

Carl Lewis, winner of 10 Olympic medals in track, said that his best year competing was the first year he ate a vegan diet. 

Strength trainer Mike Mahler says, “Becoming a vegan had a profound effect on my training…My bench press excelled past 315 pounds, and I noticed that I recovered much faster.  My body fat also went down, and I put on 10 pounds of lean muscle in a few months.” – From Quantum Wellness Cleanse  (That's him to the left.)

Beans, nuts, seeds, lentils, whole grains, soy products, fruits, and many vegetables have plenty of protein.

Those Skinny Bitches tell us, “If you want an extra boost, treat yourself to spirulina, a high protein algae that contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, B-12 (important for vegetarians), enzymes, and minerals.  It also supports the immune system, fights cancer, and helps with hypoglycemia, anemia, ulcers, diabetes, and chronic fatigue syndrome.  Spirulina also contains all nine essential amino acids.” 

In The Kind Diet, Alicia creates a chart that is very illuminating, so I’m sharing.  This chart demonstrates the protein in steak vs. the protein in beans.

Steak                                   vs.                    Beans
20% of calories from protein                          25% of calories from protein
80% of calories from fat (mostly saturated)     5% of calories from fat (unsaturated)
0% of calories from complex carbs                  70% of calories from complex carbs
Contains excess hormones                              Help discharge excess hormones
Raises cholesterol                                           Lower cholesterol
No fiber                                                         High in Fiber
Contains steroids, antibiotics                          If organic, contains no chemicals
Constipates                                                    Keep you regular
Unsustainably produced                                  Sustainably grown
Depletes the earth                                          Beans add needed nitrogen to soil
$5-$10/lb (1 serving)                                     $2-$4/lb (4 servings)

Another thing you've probably heard is that “animal proteins are complete proteins and plants are not.”

According to Esselstyn, “The myth that [plant proteins are not complete] or are of a lesser quality than animal proteins, dates back to experiments performed on rats in the early 1900s.  Forget the fact that rats aren’t humans, have different nutritional requirements, and need more protein than humans to support their furry little bodies.  The meat, dairy, and egg industries have marketed the hell out of this ancient research and …most every Dick, Tom, and Jane thinks the only way to get complete protein is through meat, eggs, or dairy.”

So don’t worry about protein.  Now you are free to focus on world peace.


Another resource on vegan protein power meals for athletes: http://www.mikemahler.com/online-library/articles/nutrition-programs/power-vegan-meals.html
 
Thanks for the spirulina tip, Zeljka.  I just ordered a pound of it online to put in smoothies!

Here is a protein-packed dinner:


Cilantro Tomatillo Rice and Beans

3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 medium onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, diced small
1-2 serrano peppers or 3 jalapenos, de-seeded and diced (less if you don’t like the heat)
½ bell pepper (any color you like)
4-6 tomatillos, diced
2 (15 oz) cans of black beans, drained
1 can pinto beans, drained  (you can swap these if you like pinto better than black)
1 Tablespoon water
½ cup fresh chopped cilantro
Juice from ½ lime
Salt to taste
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
Brown rice
1 avocado, diced
1 tomato, diced (mix avocado and tomato together with more chopped cilantro)

1.    Prepare brown rice according to package (When I prepare 1 cup dry, I have some rice leftover for other recipes.)

2.    Heat oil on medium high.  Add onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes.  Add peppers, tomatillos, chili powder, cumin, and salt.  Add garlic and reduce heat to low.  Simmer for about 5-7 minutes, until onions are translucent and tomatillos are softening.

3.    Add beans and water.  Cover and cook until beans are heated through (5-15 minutes depending on how soft you like your beans.  I tend to go more towards the longer side.

4.    Stir in cilantro, lime juice, and salt.  Cook for 2 minutes and check seasonings to see if you need to add more chili powder, cumin, or hot sauce.  Serve over rice or mixed into rice.

5.    Top with avocado/tomato mixture.  You may also want to add green onions.  Yum!


Note:  Yours will probably not look like mine in the picture.  I actually messed up and it was still delicious.  I thought I had the recipe memorized and cooked the beans on a higher heat for a long time and ended up with more of a sauce.  I added a little bit of cornstarch and served it over the rice instead of mixed in like I usually do.  I mixed some with rice and left some as sauce, then made enchiladas out of the leftovers the next day, similar to the recipe here: http://laurajnovak.blogspot.com/2012/07/day-4-whats-wrong-with-gluten.html.  I filled the tortillas with bean mixture, rice mixture, then topped with bean mixture and baked.  It was quite delicious!

This is great served with a salad on the side – I like to reserve half of the avocado/tomato mixture and serve it over lettuce.  Then I mix up my own dressing:

Mexican Dressing
2 TB chopped cilantro
½ cup peanut or canola oil
1 tsp honey
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt

Day 15 – Better than Ever and Better than Most

Yesterday, I ran 4 miles for the first time in almost two years.  I did not really ramp up gradually – I ran 3 miles a couple of days ago, slowed down and just went for 4.  And I feel GREAT!  In the past, I would really be hurting (ice, motrin, hours of stretching) after adding an entire mile out of nowhere, but I feel perfectly fine!  I’m wondering if it’s the cleanse diet or the chia seeds or all of the extra vegetables or the yoga?  Maybe it’s everything.  There really is something to this.  I can’t believe my after-run recovery.  I’m testing what I’m preaching and it’s TRUE, brothers and sisters!

Though we have been told that we need to eat meat and drink milk for optimal performance in sports, there are many incredible athletes who prove the contrary.  Scott Jurek & Brendan Brazier are both vegan and Ultramarathon runners – that means they typically run 50 – 160 miles per race, without stopping the clock like in the Tour de France for sleep.  More often than not, these ultramarathons are 100 miles.  To say that’s hard core is like saying it’s warm on the equator.  And they do it with plants and whole grains!  There are also many bodybuilders and Olympic athletes who are vegan or vegetarian.  Their muscles are just fine without animal protein and they are going on not just to compete, but to win.

Being a vegetarian is not a trendy fad.  These were some early and contemporary trend setters: Plato, Ovid, Leonardo da Vinci,  Voltaire, Jean Jacques Rousseau, Henry David Thoreau, Leo Tolstoy, Abraham Lincoln, Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, Mahatma Gandhi, Rosa Parks, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Mary Tyler Moore, Oliver Stone, Alec Baldwin, Deepak Chopra, Prince, Lenny Kravitz, Alanis Morrissette, Ellen DeGeneres, Shania Twain, Reese Witherspoon, Tobey Maguire, Natalie Portman, Nelly, and Anthony Kiedes. 

Olympic medalists include: Lizzie Armistead, Edwin Moses, Bode Miller, Carl Lewis, Ruth Heidrich, Chris Campbell, and many others.  Other athletic superstars include 4 time Mr. Universe winner and bodybuilder Bill Pearl, football player Joe Nameth, basketball star Robert Parish, baseball’s Prince Fielder, and David Scott (who holds the record for most Iron Man World Championship wins).  Now tell one of those guys that being vegetarian “isn’t cool, man.”

I did not share these lists for the sake of saying, “Look at the cool people who are doing it!” Think of how much these people have accomplished in their lives.  Think of the focus, endurance, athleticism, brainpower and/or energy required.  They’ve managed not just fine, but far better than most while eating veggies and granola.

I’m currently reading Scott Jurek’s book (Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to UltraMarathon Greatness) and he talks about how he noticed better performance in sports from eating vegetables and whole grains in high school.  He went away to a camp for cross country skiing and they fed him vegetarian fare.  He realized on his own that his sports performance was better than ever, resulting from the new diet. 

I’ve never before run in conjunction with a vegan diet and I'm shocked by the difference I feel personally.  I’ve also started experimenting with more interesting grains, like kasha (included in the recipe below.)  I think the kasha had an effect on my endurance.  This is really exciting!  There’s no going back for me.

To quote my Teta (Aunt) Kata, “Try it- you will like it!”

I’ve just discovered kasha – it is cracked buckwheat.  It has a very nutty, earthy taste and is amazing in this salad.

Dijon Brown Rice & Kasha Salad
½ cup kasha (prepared according to box)
½ cup brown rice (prepared according to box)
1 red bell pepper – diced
1 yellow bell pepper- diced
1 avocado – diced
3 green onions, sliced
1 large tomato, diced
½ cucumber, diced
½ cup walnuts (bite-sized pieces)

Dressing
¼ cup rice vinegar
½ TB Dijon mustard
1 tsp agave nectar
½ tsp salt
½ tsp fresh ground pepper
2 cloves garlic- minced
¼ cup olive oil
(whisk together before pouring over salad)

Cook rice and kasha as directed on the package.  Let cool for at least 1 hour.  Add the rest of the ingredients.  Pour dressing over the salad & mix well.  Serve cold.

This serves about 8-10 people (or will make you tons of leftovers for lunches.)  It’s great to bring to a family gathering and delicious.  Someone always asks for the recipe.  Enjoy!

Note:  You can use any other veggies that you like, but the avocados, peppers, and nuts are very complimentary with the dressing.  Also, I used half olive oil and half pumpkinseed oil, along with fresh grilled corn in my recipe.  It was delicious.