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As I’ve previously mentioned, I became a vegan for healthful reasons, but I remain a vegan for ethical reasons. The following short video (4 minutes) is a soft core look into a few of the many reasons for my decision:
Have you heard of the Meatrix?
Do you want to know what it is?
The Meatrix is all around you, Neo; it’s the lie we tell ourselves about where our food comes from.
Take the Blue Pill and remain in the fantasy.
Take the Red Pill and I’ll show you the Truth…
The Meatrix is a light hearted look at a very serious situation.
The unethical treatment of animals, from conception to the plate, is having a dire effect on us as a nation. Unhealthy meat leads to unhealthy people.
Be sure to leave a comment. I’d love to hear what you have to say.
Yes, I am a vegetarian/vegan.
I have been a vegetarian for more than 6 years and have not eaten meat during this entire time.
I am also an avid fitness enthusiast.
And, I am much more fit and muscular than most vegetarians.
I am often asked the usual questions:
Why did I become a vegetarian?
How do I get my protein?
First, let me say that I am not trying to convert you to becoming a vegetarian or vegan.
However, I am doing my best to convince you to think about where your food comes from and make the most ethical choices that you can when it comes to nourishing your body.
It’s interesting to note that food that is ethically grown or raised is much healthier for your body than the mass produced food that fills our local grocery stores.
Why Did I Become A Vegetarian?
I became a vegetarian for three main reasons:
1. You have to basically be a detective when it comes to eating meat. It is so hard to find quality beef, chicken, and fish that I came to the conclusion that it would be much easier to be healthy as a vegetarian.
2. I believe that it is easier to obtain good quality protein, that my body can actually absorb, from vegetables and raw dairy.
3. If I had to kill an animal, skin it, and clean it, I would not be a meat eater.
Those are the reasons I became a vegetarian.
However, I remain a vegetarian/vegan for ethical reasons.
These reasons will be discussed in future posts.
Where Do I Get My Protein From?
This is by far the question that I am asked by meat eaters, vegetarians, and vegans.
In fact, most vegans and vegetarians are surprised when they discover that I am a vegetarian. They immediately want to know how I am able to build muscle and stay strong.
Everybody automatically assumes that I drink a lot of protein powders and other supplements.
I don’t.
I don’t take any supplements whatsoever.
Not even a multi-vitamin.
I get all of my nutrition from beneficial whole foods.
Mainly fruits and veggies.
A lot of greens, broccoli, carrots, celery, avocados, and chili peppers.
I also, eat some raw nuts and cooked beans. But the majority of my diet is organic locally grown raw veggies and fruits.
For example, I eat 5 pounds of spinach and 15-20 bananas each week.
Mostly in my green smoothies.
I’m Proving the Gurus Wrong
A lot of the so called gurus out there will have you believe that you absolutely need to eat meet to be healthy.
Take a look at my before and after pictures…
I guarantee you that I look much healthier than they do… and remember, not only do I not eat any meat (beef, chicken, pork, fish, etc.), I don’t take any supplements either.
I’m not saying this to brag; I’m just trying to prove a point.
Practice What You Preach
I can go on and on with this subject, but I will stop right here.
I just wanted to give you some insight into who I am and how I eat.
As the saying goes:
If you’re gonna talk the talk, you better walk the walk.
Over the next several days I will be posting information regarding where your food comes from.
Up until recently, people were allowed to smoke just about anywhere in Japan. Restaurants, banks, offices… these were all acceptable places for the Japanese to smoke.
And smoke they did. In fact, Japanese are known to have a higher prevalence of smoking than Americans.
However, according to a 2001 study from the American Association for Cancer Research, American men are 10 times more likely to develop lung cancer than Japanese men living in Japan.
This led researchers to believe that Japanese had a special genetic makeup that made them less susceptible to lung cancer.
Now, here’s where it gets interesting:
Japanese men who migrate to the United States have been found to have a substantial increase in lung cancer that coincides with that of American men.
The main difference in the Japanese men who live in the United States compared to those who remain in Japan is their diet. It seems that when Japanese convert to the Standard American Diet (SAD) their incidence of lung cancer shoots through the roof.
This leads us to the question:
Do Foods Cause Lung Cancer?
Or, more specifically, does the Standard American Diet (SAD) cause lung cancer?
The answer is no. Foods do not specifically cause lung cancer.
But foods (the processed and denatured foods found in our American culture) act as manure, providing the perfect breeding ground for sickness and disease to flourish.
In other words, the American diet of Hot Cheetos, Krispy Kreme Doughnuts, and Lunchables lower our immune system making us more susceptible to sickness, disease, and premature death.
Conversely, a healthy diet of organic, sustainable, plant based whole foods and superfoods strengthen our immune system; enabling us to fight off sickness and disease.
Eating a healthy whole foods and living foods diet enables us to remain healthy while others get sick.
My colleagues and I are living proof of this fact.
For instance, I have eaten a healthy plant based vegetarian/vegan diet for 7 years and have not been sick during the entire 7 years.
In my day to day practice I am surrounded by teachers, mothers, and children of all ages who are sick at various times of the year. I work in a wellness center, fitness center, and dance studio; all of which are known to have a high incidence of germs, but I remain healthy. I do not get sick!
I’m not telling you this to impress you, but to impress upon you the fact that you need to eat a healthy, mostly plant based, whole foods diet.
By doing so, you will Look Better, Feel Better, & Live Better than you ever imagined possible.
I’ve been asked to be a contributing author to Naturally Savvy.
Naturally Savvy is your online guide to natural and organic living.
It is full of informative articles and various resources related to sustainable and green living.
The following video is an update to week 3 of the Simple Cleanse.
Watch this video to get some insight as to what I am eating during week 3, as well as how myself and my clients are currently feeling during this amazing process…
How do you feel about cleansing?
Would you like to do a cleanse sometime?
We have just entered week 3 of the Simple Cleanse and I feel fantastic. My energy levels are absolutely through the roof right now! It’s a wonderful feeling.
To recap the eating style of the simple cleanse: Week 1: Healthy vegan. No meat, no dairy, no processed foods. Week 2: Raw vegan. No cooked food, no meat, no dairy. Week 3: Raw vegan. Juiced and blended vegetables and fruits… no chewing.
Things are going well. I have finally gotten to the point that eating a 100% raw diet is enjoyable. This actually happened on Saturday. Watch Video Update 2 to get the full details.
Why Do We Drink Juiced & Blended Vegetables & Fruits?
First, you must understand why we eat strictly raw foods during week 2 & week 3.
(Note: Go to Week 2 of the Simple Cleanse to get a full understanding of why we eat raw foods.)
During week 3 we drink strictly juiced and blended veggies and fruits to give our digestive systems as much rest as possible. Blending and juicing pre-digests your food allowing you to absorb and assimilate a greater amount of nutrients with the least amount of effort (energy expenditure).
This enables your body to send its life force energy to all of the other parts of your body, rather than using it for digestion. And, this is where the true detoxification process occurs. It’s really cool.
Is The Simple Cleanse Right For You?
There are many principles and in depth explanation needed in order for you to fully understand the process and benefits of the simple cleanse.
Therefore, if you are interested in going through the process of the simple cleanse, I suggest that you wait.
Follow my journey through the process. And, see the results that myself and the 8 other people get from the cleanse.
You will then be able to make an informed decision whether or not the simple cleanse is right for you.
We will be doing the simple cleanse again right after the New Year.
You can join us then if you are so inclined. It’s always better to do it with a support group of people.
Feel free to leave any questions or comments.
I’d love to hear what you have to say.
P.S. Remember to check back to see how everything is going. I will post a video update shortly.
Committed to your success,
The Chief Mom of Operations at BookieBoo, a fitness hangout for moms, recently asked what nut milk I would suggest for a toddler that is allergic to pasteurized cow’s milk.
I am opposed to soy products for a number of reasons, so I don’t recommend soy milk. However, I do not recommend pre-packaged store bought rice milk or almond milk either. Note: This is a topic for a future discussion.
The type of nut milk that I do recommend is homemade almond milk.
Why? Because it’s extremely nutritious, extremely delicious, and really easy to make.
Watch the following videos to receive a step by step introduction to raw almond milk preparation.
This first demonstration is by world renowned raw food chef Karen Knowler:
I recommend this second video as well. Watch it to the end to see a guest appearance.
How long should I soak my almonds for? Always use raw almonds. Pour them in a bowl and soak them for a minimum of 8 to 12 hours.
Remember to drain the almonds and rinse them off after you soak them. Phytic acid and other toxins are leached into the water while they are soaking (this is why you soak them).
You can use dates or a whole vanilla been to add flavor.
You can also add the unsweetened raw almond milk to your green smoothies. Very nice.
Where can I find a nut milk bag? Go to Raw Glow to find a number of raw food resources, including nut milk bags.
What do you think?
Do you like Raw almond milk?
Give it a try and let me know what you think.
I’d love to hear what you have to say.
The following video is an update to week 2 of the Simple Cleanse.
Watch this video to get some insight as to what I am eating during week 2, as well as how myself and my clients are currently feeling during this amazing process…
What do you think about cleansing?
Have you tried a cleansing or detoxfication program in the past?
I’d love to hear what you have to say.
We have just entered week 2 of the simple cleanse:
Everything is going well and I am extremely excited. I can feel myself getting healthier, happier, and more vibrant on a daily basis.
Week 2 of the simple cleanse consists of a “living foods” or “raw foods” diet.
The first week prepped us for this week.
During the first week we abstained from meat, dairy, and processed foods.
A healthy vegan diet of both raw and cooked foods.
This week, we continue with a healthy vegan diet, but we abstain from all cooked foods.
Why Do We Eat Raw Foods?
Eating strictly raw foods is essential to the Simple Cleanse for a variety of reasons:
Raw foods are living foods. They supply your body with life giving enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and thousands of phytonutrients that are needed to promote healing and detoxification of the cells and tissues of your body.
Cooked foods are more difficult to digest than raw foods.
The process of cooking kills enzymes and vital nutrients that are needed for repair and detoxification.
While eating a healthy 100% raw foods diet, you body is able to send the energy (that would normally be used for digestion of cooked foods) to other parts of your body for detoxification, repair, and cleansing.
What Foods Will We Be Eating?
Our diet will consist of raw vegetables, fruits, and nuts.
Our first meal and least meal of the day will be blended for ease of digestion.
Note: There are many principles and in depth explanation needed in order for you to fully understand the process and benefits of the simple cleanse.
Therefore, if you are interested in going through the process of the simple cleanse, I suggest that you wait.
Follow my journey through the process. And, see the results that myself and the 8 other people get from the cleanse.
You will then be able to make an informed decision whether or not the simple cleanse is right for you.
We will be doing the simple cleanse again right after the New Year.
You can join us then if you are so inclined. It’s always better to do it with a support group of people.
Feel free to leave any questions or comments.
I’d love to hear what you have to say.
The following video is an update to week 1 of the Simple Cleanse.
Watch this video to get some insight as to what I am eating during week 1, as well as how myself and my clients are currently feeling during this amazing process…
What do you think about cleansing?
Have you tried a cleansing or detoxfication program in the past?
I’d love to hear what you have to say.
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