[This post has been updated as of 2/2012]
Why this blog?
I'm often asked questions about the way I eat and exercise, so I decided one of the best outlets to answer those questions is with a blog (to learn a little bit more about me, go here).
In early 2006, my life changed. I was pregnant with my second child and for economic reasons, was considering a midwife assisted home birth. At my first meeting with my midwife, I was asked if I had any health problems or issues with the my first pregnancy.
Yes, I told her. I had high blood pressure, in my 3rd trimester of my first pregnancy.
My midwife told me I could not have a home birth if I had toxemia, or any other condition that would label me as "high-risk."
Terrified, I told her that I was told there was nothing I could do about the high blood pressure, it just seemed to happen to a lot of first-time moms, but could happen with future pregnancies without warning.
She gave me a different perspective: You can choose to have or not have high blood pressure based on what you eat.
I ate really healthy....didn't I? And I still "got" high blood pressure, I thought.
In retrospect, I'm appalled at the amount of processed foods, meat, dairy products (I've gotta get my protein and calcium, right?), and sugar I consumed.
Determined to have a successful home birth, I took her advice and began to read everything on plant-based diets & vegan nutrition.
I started with Sugar Blues and then The China Study, per my midwife's recommendation. That began my journey. I have since read all that I have been able to read on the subject (check out my Amazon store for books and cookbooks I recommend) and tried a lot of vegan recipes.
From that beginning, I began to change the way I ate, and the way I viewed food. I decided after the birth of my second child that I would make my dietary changes permanent and stick with a vegan diet.
Fast forward, nearly 6 years later.
I've since had my second baby, and a third, and a fourth and did so naturally. I did not have any problems with any of those pregnancies and all babies are healthy, happy and growing like they should.
I am active, healthy, and filled with energy, despite having four children, being a stay-at-home mom, and a part-time fitness instructor. Although I never considered myself overweight, my body has drifted to a weight that seems most natural, and is about 30 pounds lighter than my first pre-pregnancy weight. I attribute all of this to the change I made in my diet.
I am a whole-foods vegan (a plant-based diet, free from dairy or meat) with the philosophy that as your body changes with the seasons, so does the food you eat. I believe in instinctive eating, learning to connect to your body and give it what it needs without going crazy in the process.
I try (key word is try!) to eat seasonally (lots of fresh, raw, fruits and veggies in the spring and summer, and denser foods like legumes and grains in the winter), with the emphasis on simple, unprocessed or minimally processed foods. I admit, I like (love!) to cook, but I've learned to streamline the process of cooking so that I have more time enjoying the other things in life.
Being a vegan sounds extreme for some, but I know first hand, that what you put in your mouth, affects every facet of your life.
I used to feel sick and bloated after nearly every time I ate (pre-vegan days), now I feel light, energetic after eating and my food cravings are no longer. Not say I don't have "moods" or a desire to eat a specific food, but no more ice cream binges or late-night pizza runs.
Now that I have some distance from the way I used to eat, I see that I over ate all the time (I was overfed and undernourished) as my body was desperately trying to get nourishment from the over processed things I would put on my plate.
For me, being a slave to my stomach and eating food that hardly resembled it's original state, seems to be the more "extreme" way of eating, if you want to look at it that way. Many times people will say, "Oh I just could never give up cheesecake," or ice cream, or whatever it may be. I don't think I'm giving up anything, I'm just making room for so many better options that don't have any side effects.
I no longer eat Hagaan Daz ice cream or a chicken sandwich from McDonalds. But there are no longings for those days. I have replaced those things with even better things. I still eat ice cream (non-dairy, of course) and have discovered so much variety beyond chicken slathered in grease.
I hope to share with you some of the insights and tidbits and have made my life more rich and worth living.
If you're not vegan or even vegetarian, I hope you'll still read. There's so much you can do to better your quality of life, even if you choose to eat meat or dairy.
I'm glad you're here, please follow, comment and/or ask away!
(Ummm, weird first comment you have there...)
ReplyDeleteI am THRILLED you started this blog. I know what you say of whole foods is true--truetrueTRUE. So I'm counting on you to make this lifestyle look possible, easy even. Ready, go.
And thank you.
I like the fact that you are eating better (not like you never ate that bad in the first place) and being awesome and all that. But my one question to you is, what about the Word of Wisdom? Isn't that a commandment that we need to follow? And doesn't it say in that you should eat meat and dairy sparingly? Sparingly, not not at all? And also, doesn't the Bible or BOM (can't remember which one, my hubby is always quoting it though) that we should beware of religions and people that say don't eat meat? I know that some things are just gross and the things that these farms put into the cows or chickens are bad, but aren't there ways to get good fresh meat and dairy? I know, we're from Sunnyside, we know what kind of crap those cows lived in. But, shouldn't we follow what the Lord has said we should do when it comes to health and food? He is the one that knows better and what we need to do to be healthy. So, sorry if it seemed like I was attacking you, I just have always had these questions when I've come across an LDS person that is a vegan or vegetarian. But never had the courage to ask these questions. I figured you would understand that I'm just curious and by no means judging or attacking you. Again, I'm glad you are doing so well, and actually quite jealous of how skinny you are. But you've always been skinny and beautiful!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I'm a little creeped out by the comment and hope that it is actually someone you know.
ReplyDeleteSecond, I am excited about this other blog! Your other recipes intrigued me. Although I am not a converted flax seed connoisseur and can't comprehend a cake without flour, my dietician has already told me I need to reduce my saturated fat intake and red meat is the #1 cuplrit! Looking forward to your posts!
Sara, your question is a good one. I have to be honest, I used to be one of the biggest skeptics of vegetarianism, which is part of the reason I have spent so much time reading, pondering, and praying about the issue (ask my husband, who has been an observer to all of this the past 3 years).
ReplyDeleteOne of the best responses to your questions about Word of Wisdom is can be summed up in the following article: http://www.vegsource.com/articles/catano.htm. The author gives a pretty good summation about how I feel about the whole issue.
To really answer your question, I would need to spend more time than I am doing so here. The Word of Wisdom is something very personal, I believe, and as soon as someone says, Look! You're not eating meat, you're not obeying the Word of Wisdom, then I could easily respond, Look! You're not eating "fruit in the season thereof" or your not eating enough herbs or wheat or other things that we are admonished to consume or whatever. From that, it's just a cycle of hypocrisy and judgement. Beyond that, it is very clear from numerous scriptures that our meat partaking should be sparingly and we are even told when the appropriate times to do so are: in times of famine and winter (when no other readily available other food sources are at our disposal). I believe it's up to the individual to decide when those times are for themselves. It's been a long time, actually, it's never happened, where I personally have experienced a famine or have been in a time of winter (I can easily turn up my thermostat in the winter, or car heater, ect.). I believe it's not really anyone's business (except for priesthood holders who may be responsible for your spiritual welfare, such as a bishop, stake president, ect.) how you choose to live the word of wisdom (or other aspects of the gospel), else we all become judges and put ourselves in a place of oh, she eats that, or she doesn't eat that, and look she doesn't obey the word of wisdom. Just as I won't say, "Geeze, lay of the meat, will ya? You're certainly not obeying the word of wisdom," I would hope that you or others, would not say, "That Janae, she needs to eat meat. She's not being fully obedient." I really can't see how eating a piece of meat, any amount large or small, will make me a more spiritual and righteous follower of my Savior. If others think it will, who am I to stop them? Again, I believe it's a very personal situation. Like any principle of the gospel we will be held accountable for our willingness to search, ponder, pray, and obey.
I've heard it quoted like scripture, "Moderation in all things," as an excuse for meat consumption or an argument against vegetarianism. Well, first of all, that is NOT scripture. I think it's an Amish proverb (or sounds like it), if nothing else, a good principle, but not holy scripture.
About the preaching of no eating meat thing, well I'm familiar with the verse of scripture you are reffering to, however, I think it's taken out of context when people quote it. Nonetheless, I'm certainly not preaching anything as doctrine, and as I have said before, I'm not against eating meat, because there is a place for it. In my opinion, it just shouldn't be an everyday thing.
Last couple of thoughts, no where in scripture have I found that I must eat meat to have eternal salvation. No doubt, if I were in a situation where I had no option, say I was in a place where I had no other food, I would certianly partake, and be extremely grateful. I don't argue with people who say that animal products have a place in our diet. I agree, they do. It's a very limited place, when we truly need it. Beyond just the health issue, I have come to see it as a compassionate issue as well. If we had to slaughter our own food, I think we would all eat a lot less animals, simply because we would be more aware of what we were doing. Most people are completely disconnected with what they eat and it becomes much easier to just consume whatever is in front of us, without a thought. Why needlessly kill when we can get better nutrition in terms of what is better for our bodies through plants.
Part of living on this earth is learning how to become like our Savior: compassionate, good stewards, obedient, among many other things. It's up to the individual how he/she will decide to follow the admonition, counsel, guidance, and commandments of our spiritual leaders. Part of this, for you, may be to eat meat among other things, or not to eat meat. The decision is yours to make. Hope this answers your question. Again, I really have so much more to say about all of this, but I'm limited in time for now. I will certainly post more on this and other things later.
Dairy? I've read the Word of Wisdom several times, and not once have I read anything about dairy. Meat? Joseph Fielding Smith was a vegetarian in his adult life, and of course this is just my opinion, but I think he was a pretty good guy. After all, he was the prophet.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing that with me. My curiosity has been settled. Like before, I've always wondered about all this. I'm glad that you have found something that is making you healthier. I would love to get together and talk more. We'll have to set up something before we move to Portland. Thanks again for sharing something that is so personal. Take care!
ReplyDeleteWell, Janae, I tried to read as much as possible. Thank you for sharing out. I will try to go back and read later. At this point, I'm probably down to about 10% meat and still drink soy milk. We're having an emergency preparation fair coming up and one booth is going to show how to make mazorella cheese out of powdered milk. What do you think of that? You'll have to answer in regular email because I might not read this blog right away.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, love and miss you guys. You're a great mother, wife, and cook! Muchos besitos y abrazos para todos ustedes, sobre todo los nietos.
Papi
Great blog site! I love it- very positive energy. And the origins of that "everything in moderation" quote is generally credited to Ben Franklin. One should also note that Ben Franklin was also a vegetarian, a status shared among many renowned enlightened and brilliant leaders of mankind- such as Albert Einstein, Gandhi, Socrates, Hippocrates, Pythagoras, Edison, Thoreau, Buddha, Plato, Thomas Paine, Ceasar Chavez, and Abe Lincoln. The thing that ought to be considered in addition to the clear health benefits of eating a diet our bodies are most optimal for processing, is the fact that moral imperatives are extreme- not moderate. Here is a quote to drive the point. "The position we hold, the abolitionist position, is often said to be extreme and those of us who hold it are said to be extremists. The unspoken suggestions are that extreme positions cannot be right and that extremists must be wrong, But I am an extremist when it comes to rape, I am against it all the time, I am an extremist when it comes to child or elder abuse, I am against it all the time, I am an extremist when it comes to sexual and racial discrimination, I am against it all the time. The plain fact is, moral truth often is extreme, and must be, for when the injustice is absolute, then one must oppose it, absolutely" Tom Regan. Since the sentient animals we humans currently exploit are on the defenseless end of a power situation, clearly our usury of them is a violation of their person. They have no choice in the matter, much like a molested child. They are at our mercy and in today's world, should be extended the same rights to freedom from exploitation. The fact that we have been doing this for centuries does not make it right- man has been murdering each other for centuries, it still doesn't make it right.
ReplyDeleteConsider watching the following film narrated by Joaquin Phoenix for a different perspective to many of conventional thought processes:
Earthlings: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7584730387826688635
I came across your site in search for a vegan recipe and got caught up in your story and the responses. What a wonderful thing that people can share their opinions, stories and questions in an adult manner, treating each other with respect. That is not something you see everyday in reality far less, online. I have gone back and forth from vegetarian (eggs and seafood sometimes) to vegan and I seem to get ridiculus questions and comments from everyone. My answer is that I do this for the compassion of animals. "Yes, I would really like a cheeseburger but I will not stave if I do not have one. I do not want to participate in an industry that takes advantage of another species, lesser or not. What other voice do they have? We should treat others as we would like to be treated, human or animal, all have feelings and emotions. 600,000animals are killed per hour in the US alone for food. Food Animals are not protected under the Animal Welfare Act. Animals are forced to live in unatural, horrible conditions to be dinner on the table. Dairy cow give birth typically once a year and their children are taken away from them days or even hours later. If you think they do not mind or get used to this, they kick (endangering lives) and call for their babies for days after, no matter how many births they have. The female calves are taken to be raised as their mothers and the male calves will most likely be chained in a pen without the food they need for proper digestestion, in the dark, without being able to turn around or lie down comfortably. When they are a few months old they are slaughterd for the expensive veal you can buy at the grocery store.
ReplyDeleteEnvironmentally 90% of corn grown in the US goes to livestock, 80% of all grains grown goes to feed livestock, all for human consumption. Every 2 seconds, a child starves to death somewhere in the world. Although I do try to get as many whole grains into my diet as I can I appreciate the variety of your recipies and will try them. Variety is the key and to each his own. Thanks again for a great site! Brandie
Look I don't mean to sound rude but the definition of Vegan is a person withstanding from ALL animal products.
ReplyDeleteHoney is still an animal product. Thus to call yourself vegan would not be appropriate. Although I think this blog is a wonderful idea, and you clearly have a beautiful, healthy, and wonderful family. I figured I'd let you know because most people will give you hell when you call yourself vegan and yet use animal products.
I'm sorry, in light of the latest comment, I suppose I should rename my blog: The Almost Whole Foods Vegan Momma.
ReplyDeleteIn response to this reaction about the definition of veganism, I think this is what turns people off from vegan movement. Vegans can come off as self-righteous, holier than-thou individuals. Veganism becomes a list of not-to-do's rather than a set of principles or values. I'd rather stick with the later approach, the principle of eating a whole plant foods as the basis of my diet first for health then for ethical, and enivironmental reasons.
I eat honey on rare occasion it's true. So I'm not a "true" vegan in some circles. That's fine with me.
I am so glad that I came across your blog! I thought I was the only person in this state who feeds my family this way! (My friends here think I am crazy for it...)We are new-ish to this lifestyle, but we did it for important health reasons, and I have to say- we all feel great! Thanks for your blog- hopefully our paths will cross sometime and we could exchange some recipes. :) Wishing you all the best!
ReplyDeleteThe second is by Ezra Taft Benson and is found in "Tambuli" March, 1987. The article is entitled, "Do Not Despair." And this is what he has to say about health is the article. "The condition of the physical body can affect the spirit. That's why the Lord gave us the Word of Wisdom. He also said that we should retire to our beds early and arise early, that we should not run faster than we have strength, and that we should use moderation in all good things. In general, the more food we eat in its natural state-- the less refined, and the fewer additives it contains-- the healthier it will be for us. Food can affect the mind, and deficiencies in certain elements in the body can promote mental depression. A good physical examination periodically is a safeguard and may spot problems that can be remedied. Rest and physical exercise are essential, and a walk in the fresh air can refresh the spirit. Wholesome recreation is part of our religion and is a necessary change of pace; even its anticipation can lift the spirit."
ReplyDeleteI was very glad this woman had the time to do the research for me. I found it very interesting and only served to support my position on the WoW. I also loved that President Benson used the word "good".....moderation in all GOOD things. So this phrase cannot be used as justification to continue doing something less than good. :)
I'm in the middle of doing a series of posts on my own blog about what makes us "different" and why we chose these things. I haven't finished my post on vegetarianism yet, so when I do I'd love to link to your blog. I hope that's ok. I just had my first homebirth in June and LOVED it! It took me 5 kids to finally get it right, but I'm so glad I was able to have that experience and I hope I'll be able to have it again.
I'm with Rachel, and sometimes feel like I'm the only one in this area who is "crazy." Along with eating a vegetarian diet and homebirthing, I also cloth diaper, homeschool my 5 kids, selective/delay my kids' vaccinations, should we have another boy he will not be circumcised (we only have 1 boy, and he was circumcised before I knew any better), I'm a babywearer, I'm a carseat safety nut, I nurse my babies longer than most people, and we've gone "green" in a number of ways at our house. So I get the "You're crazy!" thing a lot!
I'm so excited to read more of your posts. Thank you for taking time to create this blog!
It looks like my first comment didn't make it, which makes my comment that did get posted not make much sense. Sorry about that.
ReplyDeleteI was quoting the 2 times that the words "moderation in all things" have been spoken by a prophet. A lady in church did the research after my husband made a comment in Sunday School, and that was all she found.
The first one was by President Joseph F. Smith. He said, "The Saints should not be unwise, but rather understand what the will of the Lord is, and practice moderation in all things. They should avoid excesses and cease from sin, putting far from them 'the lusts of men'; and in their amusements and pastimes adopt a course that looks to the spirit as well as the letter, the intention and not the act alone, the whole and not the part, which is the meaning of moderation. In this way their conduct will be reasonable and becoming, and they shall find no trouble in understanding the will of the Lord."
Hopefully now my other comment will make more sense. Sorry about the confusion.
I thought your thoughts on the WoW were spot on, Janae. :)
I just want to say that I'm looking forward to more "information" from you. I was a vegan for a short while before I got pregnant and then after my son was born and he was able to start eating "real" food I panicked and decided that I wasn't going to feed him meat or dairy (I'm allergic to dairy and I couldn't imagine putting that crap in his little body). He's been drinking soy milk since he was one (now 17 months old) and I've been using meat replacements daily. We just discovered that he's having allergic reaction to the soy and have now switched him to almond milk and cut out all meat replacements. I discovered your blog while serarching for vegan -no soy recipes. I have to change our eating in this house (thankfully he's not a picky eater at all) but feel so overwhelmed by it. So I'll continue to look forward to recipe suggestions and your cookbook suggestions. Thanks for all you're doing!
ReplyDelete-Sabrina - cincinnati, ohio
Hi, I have been vegetarian for 18+ months and am very close to becomming vegan. One thing that is really holding me back is that part of my income relies on sales of a whey protein product...and dealing with that will be an even bigger challenge than not eating animal cheese/milk or eggs anymore. I hope I am strong enough to do it.
ReplyDeleteAnonoymous:
ReplyDeleteYou will never regret doing the right thing. If your concious is telling you to do something, do it, and you will be the better.
I am so glad I found this blog. I have read the china study and it has changed my life. I am inspired with your dedication. I love the whole foods way of eating and want to try being more vegan .I am feeling and have wanted to increase my knowledge base more. I am going to be enjoying all your advice.
ReplyDeleteI recently just lost my baby at 3 months and not to the lack of trying to be healthy but the baby had a heart problem. I have to say that it was my fifth pregnancy and it was my best first trimester so far. I had more energy and less weight gain. I can't wait to help my body recover from this all with the right food. I believe it will also help me emotionally. Truly impressed and inspired and wish you were in my ward.
Woo-hoo! Today is my lucky day! In doing online searches of "vegan" and "mormon," I came across your blog. Awesome! Just when I thought I was the only mormon vegan mama around! Thanks for a great blog and can't wait to check it all out!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad i found your blog! Thanks for putting it all together. I have been trying to become vegan for four years...mostly just giving up because it's too hard or too expensive and my family complains about it.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I didn't like about it was meat substitutes. They are gross and processed soy...doesn't that seem contradictory?
But a couple of weeks ago I ran into a fellow LDS VEGAN and decided I would try again. Only this time I wouldn't try to replace meat with packages soy meats. I would try to just use earthy things and balance it all out somehow.
SO, when I read what "type" of vegan you are...I was thrilled that you are that same as I, even when it comes to honey...(that comment was lame-o but I loved your response).
Anyway, I feel overwhelmed with purchasing grains and sugars and glutens that I have never heard of or seen before...I just want it to be a lot easier. I feel like my whole day is learning to become vegan (even though I've done it before) and I want to be able to be vegan and still have time with my kids, which I read you do too...so can you give me some tips? what do you eat all day? what do you feed your kids?
I found your blog through Emilie's blog (her family was in my home ward in Branson), and you look really familiar ... I think you might have been my water aerobics instructor at BYU a couple of years ago? If so, nice to see you again! I love your blog, and I'm excited to have found it. Thanks for being an awesome vegan role model!
ReplyDeleteI just read your story. I can only slightly relate, because I have not always eaten healthy. When I was pregnant with my only child, I gained over 100lbs during the pregnancy. She is two years old and I haven't managed to get the weight off. Last year I hired a personal trainer for 3 days a week, and never lost any weight. At the beginning to 2011, my church went on the Daniel fast. No bread no meat no sweets for 21 days.
ReplyDeleteInitially I did the fast to draw closer to the Lord, but I have been side swiped by this whole Vegan lifestyle. I feel amazing, and I have been doing research I think I am going to totally embrace the Vegan way to eating. I don't think I can even go back to eating even dairy after this.
Thank you for your blog, I've enjoyed reading the first page.
Also I see you have a blentec Blender!!! there is no blender better!! Love them.
I am so happy to have found your blog! It drives me crazy that it is so difficult to find vegan recipes that are whole food based. So many use soy products and processed meat/dairy like substitutes. Its gross! I want to eat whole foods, I want whole food recipes! I find myself seeking more raw food recipes but then my SAD eating family turns up their nose. They feel its too drastic but I can get them to eat 3-4 vegan meals a week. I'll take the support of 3-4 whole food vegan meals a week :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for doing this blog! I am so happy to have found it. I had all natural and home births for my babies and am committed to a vegan lifestyle for myself. Although, I admit that I am slow going - went straight for about 9 months and then slipped back into dairy and some meats again once the holidays came around. I pray for strength and have faith that this is my path. Thanks again for sharing your insights! Aloha, P.
ReplyDeletePatricia: Good luck in your transition. If you feel the vegan lifestyle is the way for you, go for it, and don't look back! It's well worth it!
ReplyDeleteCan I just say how excited I was this morning to find your blog!! I was recently diagnosed with food allergies, specifically dairy, eggs and wheat (not celiacs). I have a severe allergy to dairy and have had to completely cut it out of my diet, where I am able to cheat a little with wheat. My mother also died of colon cancer and it totally could have been prevented with a "colon friendly" diet and lifestyle. Anyway, I am excited to learn from you and explore aspects of going vegan. The one problem, I love meat, although I actually don't eat much of it. I only eat meat when I need a "meat fix" or am craving it. But I know meat is hard on the gut and would put me at risk for colon cancer. Perhaps I will try the meat alternative. Thanks for your enthusiasm, passion and sharing it.
ReplyDeleteGreat blog! I run a vegan networking site that focuses on compassionate living and I think a lot of the things you've said are awesome and inspiring, it always helps to share your personal journey to veganism as a way to inspire others from all walks of lives, because we all come to it for different reasons, but it's a wonderful set of principles to feel united by. Thanks again and looking forward to more!
ReplyDeleteSo excited to find your website. I am a Mormon mom too, due with baby number 4 in October. I stumbled upon vegan living when my last child was diagnosed at 3 months with soy, dairy, and egg protein intolerance. I had to clear my diet of all these things and without them meat was a lot less enticing, therefore I took on a nearly 100% whole foods diet. I also discovered with the removal of all these other foods that I had oatmeal allergies. Well, fast forward 2 years, my son has slowly tolerated the foods he once had severe reactions to and I have since added all the "standard american" fare back into my diet and I feel awful physically. That being said and knowing baby number four is around the corner I am looking to go back to the diet that made me feel about 15 years younger and gave me the energy I had back in my college days. I look forward to reading more of your blog and embracing this lifestyle once more.
ReplyDeleteWonderful blog, I'm enjoying the recipes:) Just a comment about the Word of Wisdom, there is no period after the word sparingly in verse 12, there is a semicolon. A semicolon joins 2 independent clauses and shows that the ideas in the 2 clasues are related. So let's read ALL that the Lord is saying and not stop mid sentence...
ReplyDeleteYea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly; and it is pleasing unto me that they should not be used, only in times of winter, or of cold, or famine.
To me this says
IT IS PLEASING UNTO THE LORD THAT ANIMAL MEAT SHOULD NOT BE USED EXCEPT IN TIMES OF EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES.
I am so happy to have stumbled onto your blog while searching for a healthy vegan cinnamon roll recipe for my kiddos! Like others, I started eating this way by fasting with my church in January (I have done this four years now). I love to cook, and I love to eat healthy, but over time, I seemed to drift farther and farther away from that ideal. As I have gotten older (I am now 33), I have seemed to develop a lactose intolerance that made me excited to have a reason to "fast" this January. Except this time, the differences in my health and overall feeling of wellness are astounding. It is like being a different person! So excited to find your site that seems to align with my vision of not just eating vegan, but eating healthy, whole foods in a tasty way that even my kids (and hopefully my loving husband one day!) will love. Thank you for the time you spend sharing these things with people like me!
ReplyDeleteI think I love you! And I definitely love your blog.
ReplyDeleteWe've been a gluten free family since early 2009, and a vegan family since July of 2011 (whole foods, plant based). Feeding my family right is my passion. I started a website about it last year but it's been waning lately due to needing to spend lots of time training our very demanding puppy. But I absolutely love all the content on your site, I'm always looking for ways to share our lifestyle with our loved ones in a non-intrusive and informative way.
Racine: Thanks for the love :).
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to know that there are others out there who are vegan and gluten free. While I'm not gluten free (I still eat barley and rye on occasion), I'm happiest when wheat is out of my diet.
Thanks for stopping by!
Ran across your blog Googling for recipes...am also LDS, had 6 of my 10 children homebirth (I'm a grandma now and my newest grandbaby was a homebirth, too!) and nursing all those sweet children. I'm glad to have found your blog. I'm also gluten free because of intolerance, and a "weirdo" in our church, but more and more, I'm being asked to teach classes on cooking whole food, how to use food storage, how to be healthier. Thanks!!
ReplyDeleteYou rock..I have literally just started the whole vegan/gf thing. Now I'm talking it's still not 100 percent, but this was a choice I made about three days ago. I've decided to eat a vegan raw diet, I also want to hire a midwife! Words can't describe how happy I am to have found your blog, and revamp my current blog and find new vegan followers! :) I will be reading many of your recommended books and sharing them w/ my healthy friends! Oh, and don't worry you're a good vegan..pop and processed foods are bad for you..eating a raw diet is truly the only way to be!
ReplyDeleteBridget@flournfriends: Thanks for thoughtful words. Best of luck with your new changes!
ReplyDeleteI am so happy I stumbled upon your blog. I've recently discovered that I am completely lactose intolerant, and having been searching for someone or some place to find recipes that aren't made to imitate meat. I don't like "traditional" vegan and vegetarian recipes that are made to taste like or look like meat. I want normal whole foods that actually taste good. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHi Kellie! I too, am lactose intolerant, so giving up dairy made me feel amazing. I agree with you on real food. I want to eat food that is more like food, rather than an imitation of something (although I'm not opposed to a veggie dog now and then!). Welcome to the blog.
ReplyDeleteHi! I just found your blog and love it. I love it so much that I "pinned" it on my Pinterest board of websites I adore. I hope that's ok. There's a lot of terrible dietary information there and not a whole lot of whole food Vegan, healthy pins. I thought people would welcome your sage advice.
ReplyDeleteI'm a vegetarian, but don't drink milk or use butter. Just can't seem to give up eggs and cheese! I look forward to reading more of your blog and trying some vegan foods. Like you, my husband is an omnivore. My 18 yo son is more of a flexatarian. I also have a veggie blog.
Hi Antoinnette: Thanks for the compliment--of course you can put on Pinterest! I love it when people do that, it helps spread the word.
ReplyDeleteThat's cool your vegetarian. I know eggs and cheese are the two foods that are so hard for people to part with. But sounds like you're on a great path, and I look forward to checking out your blog!
Good evening. I've just come across your blog when I searched 'vegan whole food recipes'. I'm very happy that I did. I've been wanting to move to a vegan diet for a long time now, but have run into various road blocks. I'm preparing to start in the near future. I recently watched 'Forks over Knives' and it renewed my desire. One of my problems is that my 11 year old is not going to be easy to sway. She loves meat too much and I'm not sure I will be able to wean her off of it. I was thinking that what I am going to do is go completely whole foods and only allow her to have small portions of meat. We'll see how it goes. Thanks for all of your information!
ReplyDeleteJanet: I'm so glad you could stop by and say hi!
ReplyDeleteThat's really great that your making healthy changes to your diet. Family can often be resistant to change, so it's important to make it fun, exciting, and not a forced (or else!) sort of thing. The dogmatic approach usually backfires, whereas, the loving, encouraging, adventurous approach works much better :)
Best of luck with your new changes, sounds like you're on the right track!
Can I just say that I am SO excited to have found this blog? I switched to a PBWF diet last August after reading The China Study and took my kids off dairy (they were already off meat) in January. It has been awesome, but I agree with everything you posted about people being wary or even hostile. Too bad I didn't meet you in real life cuz I think we'd be great friends!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if you've already addressed this question, but am asking anyway. I myself considered becoming either a vegetarian or vegan last year but ultimately decided against it. One reason is because of the essential vitamins humans require, many of them coming from animals, especially vitamin b12 which can ONLY be naturally consumed from eating animals or animal products. As you are probably aware, insufficient consumption of vitamin b12 can cause some serious health problems. Thanks to modern technology, vegans can now take vitamin b12 supplements, or eat vegan foods that are fortified with vitamin b12 so they do not become deficient. While this helps vegans get their essential nutrients, I do not feel it is particularly natural. In my opinion, this is scientific evidence that not eating animals or animal products is unnatural, and argumentatively, unhealthy.
ReplyDeleteSo, just out of curiosity, how do you come to terms with this issue, and how do you ensure that you're getting all your essential nutrients without eating animals, animal products, or processed foods (that are fortified with the nutrients vegans need)?
I myself decided to switch to a paleo eating lifestyle almost a year ago, which doesn't require any sort of supplementation to ensure adequate nutrient consumption. And have actually lost quite a bit of weight myself in the process.
Alisa: So glad you stopped by! I think we would be great friends :). Congrats on the change, and look forward to hearing from ya, if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to share.
ReplyDeleteRegarding Amberly's comment: I agree that it is a concern when you have to consume something manufactured (supplements, fortified products) to get the same nutrients.
ReplyDeleteI found an interesting source on this topic at Livestrong.com. http://www.livestrong.com/article/449142-what-plants-provide-vitamin-b12/
Fermented soybeans and soy-based products, such as soybean milk, are the primary source of vitamin B12 coming from plant sources. Soy dishes include tempeh, tamari, tofu, miso and shoyu. Shiitake mushrooms also provide vitamin B12.
Sea vegetables, such as arame, kombu, nori and wakame, are some of the sea plants that provide a significant source of minerals and vitamin B12. Unfortunately, sea vegetables are not popular food choices in Western diets, hence the notion in the West that plant foods are not significant sources of vitamin B12, according to Rebecca Wood, author of "The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia."
I take a complete B Vitamin supplement myself regardless of diet.
Amberly: Glad you've found something that works for you.
ReplyDeleteIn regards to getting sufficient nutrients, b-12 is not even on my radar of concerns. Our bodies need an insignificant amount of the nutrient (the adequate intake RDA being 2.4, or 2.8 mcg for lactation). I do take a daily b-12 supplement for this, but beyond that, I don't take any other supplements as my diet is rich in all other necessary nutrients.
B-12 is an issue that is discussed at great length elsewhere (not the space to discuss here), but I would like to address the issue in a future post, so thanks for bringing it up. In the meantime, here are a few good links, that sum up what I do and why: http://veganhealth.org/b12/natural, http://drmcdougall.com/misc/2007nl/nov/b12.htm & if you want more of the brain side of it all, check out this blog: http://paleovegan.blogspot.com/.
One last thing, reasons why I'm vegan/plant-based: 1) For health. I feel better when my diet doesn't include meat (never liked it much anyway) and is made up of an abundance of vegetables, starches, fruits, nuts/seeds, etc. 2) Ditto for dairy. I feel MUCH better without it in my life. 3) Once I studied some research (one example is Dr. Campbell's work) and applied the diet in practice, I was sold. That was 6 years and 3 pregnancies ago. 4) I believe in the ethical stance of cause no unnecessary harm. I don't need an animal to die so I can eat lunch. Just not necessary in my opinion. 5) I have no desire to live like my ancient ancestors. We've definitely evolved physically, as it follows, our diet/culture should/does as well 6) I believe the best diet is one that works for you. A whole foods diet works for me. 7) A vegan diet is not the same as a healthy diet. Simply omitting meat and dairy from the SAD does not a happy, healthy body make.
Hope this helps, and thanks for stopping by. Your comments or questions are welcome anytime (and hopefully I can get a post up on the b-12 issue soon!).
Being on a diet that at times seems completely opposite of veganism, I find myself very compelled to find out why people chose to be vegan (hence my inquiry). You are obviously very passionate about this lifestyle and have definitely done your homework, which I respect. At the end of the day, I'm always happy to see people choosing a whole foods diet that is high in fruit & veggie consumption, which I'm sure you agree with.
ReplyDeleteOne last question I had- have you ever read any of Michael Pollan's books? His book In Defense Of Food talks a lot about saturated fat, cholesterol, and actually mentions The China Study & Dr. Campbell.
Ultimately, it's truly fascinating that we as omnivorous creatures, which can eat nearly anything, keep coming up with all different kinds of studies and research to show that eliminating 'this' food group or 'that' food group, is the key to optimal health.
I am having a hard time with birthday parties, holiday candy, etc and my kids wanting to eat the same food as everyone else. What do you do, say, at the ward Easter egg hunt? I don't really want to prohibit candy 100% because I don't want my kids to develop any sort of unhealthy relationship with any type of food (sneaking candy, eating too much etc). Chocolate candy almost always has dairy, so what then? I supply occasional "healthy" cookies, etc made with all natural whole foods, but the fact is that we are always bombarded with junk food on all sides (which is why I hardly ever shop at Walmart anymore). I usually send a dairy free cupcake and ice cream with my kids to birthday parties, but should I expect to do that forever? And what about when my kids start school (my oldest is going into kindergarten in the fall)? I am just struggling to find a balance with the way we eat at home and the SAD food options that will be presented to my kids. We went to a bday party a few weeks ago that served pizza, so we just pulled the cheese off and ate it like that. They didn't seem to mind. Also, my niece (same age as my daughter) has been wondering about why we don't drink milk anymore. It's a bit touchy because I don't want to come across as "holier than thou" but at the same time, educate my niece. I explained it to my daughter like this: "Natalie, I have been taught my whole life that meat and dairy are good for me, but I just recently read some books where I learned that they are actually NOT good for us. In fact, they are very very bad for us. Lots of people don't know this yet, but we can tell them if they ask." So my niece says to my daughter, "why don't you drink milk?" and my daughter replies," cuz it's BAD for us!" so then they get into this little argument, "milk is GOOD for us!" "milk is BAD for us!" Maybe you can direct me to a post where you have addressed these issues already or if you haven't, would you write one? I would LOVE to hear your opinions. BTW since I've lost 25lbs since starting this (I wasn't too big to begin with), people in my ward have been asking so I am going to teach an informal class on plant-based eating at my house for anyone who is interested. I feel like everyone should know this!!
ReplyDeleteHi Alisa! First of all, congrats on the dietary changes and weight loss. I'm sure you're an inspiration to your family and friends.
ReplyDeleteYou have so many great questions, I'd love to address them properly. You mind if I use your comment here as part of a future blog post? I just think it deserves more attention than I can give it here.
Of course. Thank you!
ReplyDelete"But my one question to you is, what about the Word of Wisdom? Isn't that a commandment that we need to follow? And doesn't it say in that you should eat meat and dairy sparingly? Sparingly, not not at all? And also, doesn't the Bible or BOM (can't remember which one, my hubby is always quoting it though) that we should beware of religions and people that say don't eat meat?"
ReplyDeleteFirst of all the WoW does command us to not eat meat, and I find it odd that someone would take the "sparingly" comment completely out of context and only refer to that one comment when there are 3 full paragraphs that state meat is not to be eaten unless one is starving to death, which is when the "sparingly" comment comes in. So if you're starving to death, eat it sparingly, if not, you're not to eat it, period. That part in the bible about people advocating not eating meat is irrelevant, since if you believe that then you believe Joseph Smith was a false prophet because he's the one that told us not to eat meat, not anyone who is simply following the WoW, and on top of that, no one who is following the WoW is saying not to eat meat, they are simply telling you that they follow the Word of God. How you interpret that is your problem. You really should read the scriptures for yourself and not just listen to whatever your husband uses as an excuse when he wants you to cook him a steak.
I also get the "Moderation in all things" comment. It is disturbing that it is almost exclusively said to justify an activity that is harmful or an excuse to not do something good. As far as I have been able to determine it is an idea from Aristotalean ethics; A philosophy that has gained near scriptural status. Can we not say that moderation == lukewarm and is therefor condemned (Rev 3:16)?
ReplyDeleteTo make things worse, Aristotle himself would be rolling in his grave at how this is being misused. When he was using the term it was in the context of attributes of character. For example bravery is the mean or moderation of the extremes of brash action and cowardice.