SoulVeggie

Re-post: "The Compassionate Vegan"

This was originally posted in 2005, one of my first posts.  One of my favorite stories & lessons about being vegan.  Am still working on cookbook, adjusting to new, unexpected circumstances, & enjoying periodic tweeting.  Mtg. some neat people.

Best to all, Mark (Twitter: @solveggie)

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She was 92 years old when I recently visited Leisure World (a retirement community in Seal Beach,CA) to see my "Baba" (a throwback to her Slavic upbringings - "Grandma").  I was in Los Angeles to do a "head photographer" gig at AR2003, and in the process, had an experience eating dinner with Baba that caused a bit of a moralistic "dust-up" with some of the harder core animal rights activists at the conference.  Here's what happened and why:

Baba had adjusted to my being vegetarian decades ago (indeed, after once cooking vegetarian for her for two weeks... she proclaimed I wasn't a "poor vegetarian" as she'd once believed).  I'd told her before flying out, that I was now vegan, and wouldn't be eating any dairy or egg products.  She said she understood.

It had been a lousy flight and cab ride to Leisure World.  I'd been told that Grandma was showing signs of dementia (one of the reasons for my visit).  I arrived, famished and exhausted, noting the carefully laid out dinner table in the kitchen.  She proudly pulled out a casserole from the oven, one of my pre-vegan favorites:  zucchini, yellow squash, cottage cheese, eggs, cheddar cheese, onions, butter....  She beamed, telling me that she had to walk to the grocery store to get all the ingredients, and that it took her most of the day to pull this all together just for me.

I gulped.  What to do? I thought, as she placed the steaming hot casserole on the kitchen table.  She was so proud and so happy to be feeding her eldest grandson...

I thought about it as she finished putting stuff on the table. I watched her labor to walk around in the kitchen (back problems), yet smiling and chatting away all the while as she finished dinner preparations.

What did I do?  It was a no-brainer.  I ate two big helpings, and told her it was "the best damn casserole I'd ever had."  She beamed with joy and pride.

Okay, I felt the internal discomfort all night as I slept that night, and the next day I told her that I didn't eat dairy products.  She was puzzled: "but you did last night?"

"That's because you made it, Baba, but no more," I responded, kissing her forehead.

Days later, at Animal Rights 2003, I told this story in the inevitable late-night bar meet-ups and was surprised by some of the indignent agitated comments from many around me.  "No compromise! You should have "stood" your ground."  "You didn't have to eat the casserole, you could have told her you were full."  "What about the animals?" were some of the negative responses.

I stood my ground, and explained my position politely: Why should I emotionally devastate this 92 year old woman and not accept her love offering?  Who was harmed by my eating her food?  The milk (for cheese and butter), and eggs, were a done thing. My refusing to eat this meal would have saved no animal, caused no less suffering, and made no important point or significant statement that would have changed anything at all (for anyone or anything).

I appeased a woman in the twilight of her long long life.  As so many animal rights activists fight for compassion for animals, I was compassionate for her.  I have no regrets, and I hope that those who might read this and think in absolutes might take note.  I believe we must learn to be aware of any situation in its entirety, and not act on principles that may not take into consideration the full reality of who we are as living beings ourselves.  Shades of grey do exist, and I'd make the case that it is, in today's society, impossible to be 100% vegan (that's for another blog another time).

So, for the day I visited Baba, I wasn't vegan in the physical, but I was in the metaphysical... I showed compassion to another living being, enabling a treasured memory to someone I love dearly and giving her an emotional blessing she rarely had these days.  Her beautiful and thoughtful gift of love was reciprocated with the same compassion she'd demonstrated herself.

I be vegan, not cruel.

[2011 Addendum: I went back to see her after the conference, last time I saw her before she died. Once again, the same casserole in the oven.  So glad I ate two big helpings, told her it was the "best damn casserole I'd ever eaten").  The memory of her glowing with pride remains to this day]

Butterfly Effects & Animal Rights

A friend is going through a major transition in life, from intense animal rights activist, to a full-time job with an organization devoted to helping mentoring children.  Not an easy change in personal lifestyle, but no less worthy than the prior work.

Let me explain.  As activists, we can get involved in pretty intense, physically demanding, and emotionally involving work.  By our very nature, we throw ourselves into these efforts in the faith and belief that we can help make a change.  It can be all-consuming in process and alienate ourselves from both friends and family.  This can also precipitate internal self doubt: "what the hell am I doing??"

What we sometimes miss, in the final attempted analysis, is that we can't always know the results of our efforts.  Correspondingly, we can't always know if it's the subtle or quiet act we make or do in life that has a significant impact versus that which involves a lot of fire, smoke, and action.

Several years ago I met a man with "Turban" & my interaction with him (blogged about here) taught me an important lesson in life.  Has to do with the concept of "faith."

You canNOT know, in advance, what impact any action you take or make will have, ultimately.  The ripples of impact through space/time are not predictable.  At best, you can have the highest moral and spiritual motivation behind EVERY action or motion you make, take, or think.  No other conclusion makes any sense.  Butterfly-effect in full force.  We move energy, by thought & action, and this is an inescapable reality.

To my new friend regarding working with an organization helping children: who knows what impact the seeds you'll help plant will grow? These children deserve, at minimum, as much attention as AR groups give poor Factory Farmed Animals. In a real sense, are not these kids being "factory farmed" by a negligent & mentally/emotionally inept political system as well?  Who knows what wonderful accomplishments will be effectived by even one child helped?

There is nothing wrong with helping humans survive and thrive, and in fact, I wish more animal rights "activists" remembered this. They sometimes seems so focused on "animal" issues as to forget "human health" issues. I sometimes weary of them providing ridiculously unhealthy recipes ("Oh, but they ARE vegan") with the cavlier attitude that the "ends justifies the means, and it's for the animals." They are helping contribute to salt, fat, & sugar taste addictions.  My particular issue: heart healthy humans.  Does this make me an animal rights activist?  On some cognitive levels, yes.

We are ALL activists to some degree.  It's just that some of us recognize it consciously, and focus that flow.  But in effect, we are activists whether we want to be or not.  Every interaction, action, motion, thought, affects (activates) the system.  Humans are animals, or rather, animals include humans. In a real sense, any efforts towards helping "humans" and "animals" (sometimes it's absurd to assume a distinction between the two) is an animal rights effort (sorry, won't go into the silly "welfare" issue here).

What I do know is that we have to live our lives at the highest standards we can, and trust/have faith that we are doing the greatest good for the greatest number of people we can.  We pick and choose our causes as vegan activists, and all should be respected.  More importantly, we may never know the ultimate results of our efforts, but at least we strive towards a better world for all animals.

Including us.

 

Twitter: @solveggie

 

Re-Post: "Sojourn to Burger King"

Was thinking about upcoming planting & memories of this earlier post came to mind. Posted in 2005, most people following this blog probably haven't read it. One of my favorites, as well as truly intense.  Enjoy!  Mark (Been busy dealing w/ tragedy & work. Hope to announce cookbook's title later this month).

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[I wrote this back in May 2002.  The veg'n community was "a buzz" with the arrival of the BK Veggie Burger.  The burger made quite a stir, and invited many debates (among them, is buying one supporting BK's negative impact on society's health and our environment? Eric Marcus of the great "vegan.com" stunned many with his thoughts on the matter).  I hadn't been to a fast food restaurant in years and documented what transpired.]

Oh, gawd... I feel so unclean......

I had to run some errands in Burtonsville, MD, late this morning, and there was this Burger King in the parking lot of the strip mall.  Girding my loins, adjusting my shades, pulling up my pants, I went in.  I tried to swagger a bit, like some of the workmen I saw going in... look tough... you're walking into a store painted in primary colors... could be worse... could be McSlaughter's....

Felt like I was a Dallas fan in a Redskins bar, only I had sunglasses on and no one knew any better.  What do I do? A long line.  Quite the mixture of ethic backgrounds, generally lower middle income.  What sort of demented artist designed this place?  They are so happy selling dead animal products.  Better get in line.

The people behind the counter wear uniforms... are they a para military force of some kind?  The assault on my sense was almost too much.  They spoke some numerical code... "I'll take a Number 4, she wants a Number 5 without onions, I want a super-this and a mega-that"..... very confusing...

I checked out the menu overhead... gaudy and bright.. Yup, the "BK Veggie"  $2.29...  Lord... look at the other products on the menu... my internal calorie counter was going off the scale.  Unbelievable fat-laden and salty food... look at all the dead meat.   I hear Schossler chuckling with a little Twilight Zone music in my head.... look at all the crap they are selling, and buried in that visual abuse is the "BK Veggie" (next month the big promo for all BK's will be Chicken Whoppers, btw).

The lady and kid in front of me were fascinating.  She was clearly his grandmother, and thin as a rail.  The kid must've been around 8 or 9 years old, and rarely have I see any child so obese... he had, literally, three chins.. his ear lobes were the size of my thumbs... it was awful to see what happened next.  She order fried chicken fingers, large order of fries, and a Diet Coke or Pepsi for the boy.  Absolutely amazing.

I placed my order.  "BK Veggie Burger, microwaved."

"Microwaved?" the guy behind the register said, slightly above the yelling of people in the kitchen making and delivering orders (they were very busy.... french fries literally flying around).

"Yup... I'd like it microwaved. You can do that... I checked.  I don't want it cooked on a meat greasy grill."  Was that a mummered rustling from people behind me I heard, or thought I saw peripherally?

He went over to the manager, who was barking orders at the adolescents in the back.  He nodded after a pause, looking at me like I'm an alien.. Hmm, one of "them."  "Okay" was the final pronouncement.

"Here or to go?" the kid asked me.  Hell, I don't know, I thought.... how is this done?

"Ahh... h-here.." I stammered (did the people behind me think I was from a foreign country? I thought to myself).  I paid the blood money.

"Number 61"... guess that's me.  I raised my hand... "You got the veggie burger?" "Yup." "Here!" he dashed to bark out more orders.

The burger was wrapped in Burger King paper and on a plastic brown tray.  Now what?  Are people watching me?  Get a seat, yeah....

Ketchup... sure... grab some packages... napkins... dodge the crowd at the soda fountain.... get seat for good recon (near the kid and his granny).  Try to look nonchalant... cool... with it.... Master of the BK Domain....

Okay.... let's take a bite.... not bad... OUCH! (I don't own a microwave and forgot about the heat...).  It was small, edible, relatively tasteless.... the bun was like eating styrofoam with a slight crust...

"Eat all your chicken fingers before they get cold" the wise Grandma was advising her grandson, as he was shoveling french fries into his gaping maw while grooving on his plastic toy that came with the meal.

I forced more of the burger down.... looking at people around me.... amazed at what they were eating, as though this is civilized and we are the greatest nation in the world.

I'm done... now what?  Jeez... look at the people in the line... at least two-thirds of them are very overweight.  Wonder if there's a connection?

Now what?  Okay... save napkins and ketchup not used.... throw away stuff, advertisement paper place mat trashed, put tray on trashcan.  Unclean... unclean....

I sneaked out the back door.... Ah.... fresh air... sunshine.... it's over.  The cognitive assault had abated.  I was free again... felt like gargling with carrot juice.

Okay, Eric... I bought one outta support for the movement.  Would I do it again?

Only under extraordinary circumstances.  Yes, it's encouraging to some, especially if they promoted it better (at this store it was almost invisible), and Mr. Marcus made good points.  Yes, I would urge every veg'n to buy at least one BK Veggie Burger, even if you throw it away.  I think he's right that it must succeed, or rather, it would be sad if it did not.  Presumably, the other Fat, er, Fast Food chains are watching.

But then, as comparison, at the Giant across the parking lot from the BK, bagels are fifty cents, boca burgers are about a buck apiece when buying a pack of four, tomatoes (or what pass for them), run around 99 cents a pound.  The salad bar is around $2.50 to $3 a pound. Across the street at the incredible Amish market, potato wedges (huge potato) are a buck, handmade burger rolls, six to a pack, about $2.20. Tons of fresh produce, grains, legumes (beans usually $1/lb., millet somewhat less).  The local farmer's markets will open in a few months... fresh local produce.

Limp lettuce, translucent tomato slice, pale mayonnaise, and some carrot flecks in the veg patty.  $2.29 plus tax, lotta paper wasted. Flourescent light and red/yellow color overdose.

Progress?

As luck would have it, packages of vegetable and greens seeds were on sale for 10 cents apiece at the Dollar Store near the BK.  Bought twenty packages (brocolli, mustard greens, lettuce, basil, dill, parsley, etc... most will be micro-greens for me... 30 to 40 gourmet salads for about 5 cents apiece (many many more if I grow them past adolescence), some soil, water, and sunshine).

That's my idea of progress.  This brand of seed is usually six to ten times more in cost.  You can buy organic seeds cheaper in bulk, elsewhere.

The kid was in the Dollar Store, too, his Grandmother buying him candy, among other things.  She was trying so hard to please him and he had her by the pocketbook via her heart.  And in her love for him, his heart was going to have a rough time from the lifestyle being encouraged by her emotions.  How sad!

I shoulda slipped him some seeds..... told him they were magic, and that with love and attention, they would make him strong and healthy, extending his life and enjoyment of same.  He would be able to run faster, jump higher, laugh louder, love longer, and think better.

Of course, that's a fairy tale... and no plastic toys accompanied the seed packets.

 

[Twitter @solveggie]

10 Additional Heath Benefits of Daiya Cheese

I'd been exploring Twitter & responding w/ some Tweets about the high fat content of Daiya Cheese, when the company tweeted back and said they wanted to talk to me about the health benefits of their products.  I responded, essentially, that the products were high fat, basically added oil, and nutritionally useless. What's to talk about?  Thought about this some more and decided to visit their website after a 2 yr hiatus (had blogged about them awhile back).

Keep in mind that the only two guys to reverse heart disease, Drs. Esselstyn and Ornish, with 20+ years of peer reviewed research to support their claims, recommend between 12 (or so) and 24 grams of fat per day (depending upon your caloric intake:  they prefer 10% of your calories from fat, NO added oil), I decided to be magnanimous and help provide Daiya with some additional health claims they can truthfully use.

First, what are the ingredients in Daiya Mozarella Cheese:

"Filtered water, tapioca and/or arrowroot flours, non-GMO expeller pressed canola and /or non-GMO expeller pressed safflower oil, coconut oil, pea protein, salt, vegan natural flavours, inactive yeast, vegetable glycerin, xanthan gum, citric acid (for flavor)."

Second, here's the "health" claims on their website:

- cholesterol free

- trans fat free

- free of all animal products (vegan)

- free of common allergens including:  dairy (casein and lactose), soy, gluten, eggs, peanuts and tree nuts (excluding coconut)

- free of artificial ingredients

- free of hormones & antibiotics

A fine and thoughtful analysis by the Daiya team, even though a pile of rocks or leaves would easily be determined as "healthy" by the exacting criteria used above.  In the case of the leaves, maybe healthier.

It seems that the healthy benefits of Daiya Cheese are measured by what it DOES NOT CONTAIN instead of WHAT IT DOES CONTAIN, or as "compared to dairy cheese" (unless you take into account the fat, which isn't much of a difference).  One-fourth cup is 6 grams of just fat (and a slice of pizza would normally have around 1/3 cup, probably 8 grams of fat).  Have two slices of a Daiya dosed pizza and you've killed a day's worth of fat (according to Esselstyn/Ornish/Barnard/McDougall/Campbell).

Anyway, I decided to help them out.  Here's an additional 10 health claims they can add to their website for Daiya Cheese (as could many vegan cheese products) and be truly honest:

1) REDUCES HEART DISEASE POTENTIAL:  less plaque forming (which causes 90% of heart attacks) than from dairy or meat sources.  Of course, eliminating added oil totally would reduce that potential to near zero, but that's not the point.  It's LESS.

2) VERY SAFE TO EAT:  contains no glass shards which would irritate or cut-up your esophagus.

3) HUMANE:  not tested on mice, rabbits, cats, dogs, or platypus ducks.

4) EASIER DIGESTION;  contains no significant amounts of any nutrient (phytochemicals, antioxidants, micronutrients, any vitamins or minerals)... nutritionally useless means less demand on your digestive system.

5) "VEG" FRIENDLY:  suitable for pesco-vegetarians, bovo-vegetarians, swino-vegetarians, avian-vegetarians, and chitinous-vegetarians.  Flexi-vegetarian issues still being studied.

6) IMMUNITY BUILDING:  contains coconut oil, the #1 source of plant-based saturated fat, to help you build a tolerance to a substance the American Heart Association says should be limited in your diet.

7) ANALGESIC:  eliminates the emotional pain of re-calibrating your taste receptors to not crave fat and actively promotes your taste addiction to fat, thereby decreasing your stress.

8) FOOD-BORNE ILLNESS FREE:  contains no E.Coli, Listeria, Campylobacter, Salmonella, Avian Flu, Mad Cow Disease, or Ergot Fungus (bummer).

9) CONTAINS NO REAL FOODS; which would be another demand on your digestive system.  The Pea Flour is borderline.  Glycerin (not a real food) and oils "slide through" your system, although, what is a vegan natural flavor?  However, the Xantham Gum is essentially slime, which is a real food, kinda sorta, although icky in concept. I also prefer my yeast "active."  Let the little buggers earn their keep.

10) WEIGHT-REDUCER:  does a fantastic job of making your wallet lighter & therefore less of a physical burden.

Of course, admittedly, shredded cardboard laced with coconut and olive oil would probably have a superior nutritional profile to that of Daiya Cheese, and many other vegan cheeses.  Cheaper, higher in fiber, but probably doesn't melt as well.

Is "Fat Free Vegan" a Religion?

There was a recent post on the Fat Free Vegan List where someone felt they were being a "heretic" for posting about the "health" benefits of coconut oil (which is myopic, more on this shortly).  This got me to thinking about how some might perceive those of us believing in a no-added fat vegan diet as being akin to dietary fundamentalists.

In formulating a response to the poster, I decided it was best to make it a blog post, for general consumption and that it wasn't really "on topic" for the List.  I've expanded my response to cover a bit more conceputal turf than just the List:

"Someone posted feeling that they were a heretic for what they posted, wondered if "fat free" is a religion, and wouldn't post any more. 

First of all, this is a Group List.  Mistakes can be made, I've made my own share, we move on, we post again.  However, know that advocating hamburger on a vegetarian list would be as bad as praising oil on a fat free vegan list.  There is a "charter" and we join with the tacit understanding that we agree to the bylaws.

As to the issue of fat free being a religion, it's an intriguing thought to me.  In my mind, being religious requires faith, and generally, faith in the unknown to some degree (unless one has had some sort of transcendent experience that "mandates" a religious perspective and/or viewpoint).  Still, not provable, at least from a quantitative or empirical standpoint.  Some akin "vegan" to a religion and/or philosophy.

IMHO, "Fat Free" requires faith to some degree, but more importantly, it also incorporates 20+ years of solid peer-reviewed scientific research, actually physical measurements of the effect of ingested added fat, and a sound understanding of the mechanism by which said added fat can cause harm to the human body in so many ways.  Furthermore, added oil is nothing but, to quote Rip Esselstyn, processed goop.  That's an inescapable reality.  Oil is a highly processed food-like product, but it is NOT real food.  Go ahead.  Tell me how you can "grow oil" or "harvest oil."

The "fat free vegan approach" is much more "provable" than a religion, imho.  And just as with a religion, you can "try it" and see how it works for you.  For many of us, fat free has been a boon, a revelation, invigorating, a release, and/or quite healthy.  Does one size fit all?  Ask someone wiser than me, I don't know.

Anyway, we may sound like religious zealots, and I can only speak for myself here, but in fighting a world that insists that "added oil is good" we get weary sometimes, and often have to remind ourselves that we've science, tested results, and the reversal of heart disease and diabetes (that no one but Essy, Ornstein, and Barnard have accomplished) to validate our perspective.  If you know someone who can walk on water, they are probably worth paying attention to, at least until you meet someone else who can do the same (or tells you where the low-lying rocks are in the pond).

We get tired of having to defend our views.  Our hard fought understanding that added fat is harmful and that oil is NOT real food is often met with scorn, derision, and disdain.  You can tell someone that one high fat meal decreases circulatory elasticity for several hours (that's a measurement, not theory), and over time, will take it's toll as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, Altzheimer's disease, and other serious degenerative conditions, and they will still whine about needing Daiya "cheese" (very high fat processed oil, mostly) or "extra virgin olive oil."  EVOO=EVIL.  Often, just as with carnivores attacking vegetarians or vegans, they will throw out very similar insults and ill-thought out justifications for why you are wrong.  As though it was important that you be shown to be wrong.

Vegetarians and Vegans being scornful of low-fat vegans.  On the surface, it's silly, but in reality, it's that even Veg'ns are susceptable to the addictive qualities of fat, sugar, and salt.  As such, often the List has been a sanctuary of sorts, a support group and a rare place to share a minority view and recipes with others who are also struggling or who have successfully incorporated this new dietary perspective into their lives.  I mean, if there are 1 million vegans in the US (latest stats), how many are low-fat oriented?  We are a minority in a minority that will, most likely, live longer than the majority.

No-added fat is not a religion, but a reasoned approach to health.  Forgive us if we sometimes lash out at those who suggest otherwise.  In many ways, going vegetarian or vegan is/was actually easier than going no-fat.  I get more flack for no-fat than I have for vegan the past decade, although admittedly, when I went veg decades ago, it was truly radical.

We do what we think best, ideally.  But remember... asking 'why' on a fat free List is different than posting "health" information about fat or recipes with fat on a "fat free" List.

We see enough of those bogus health claims as it is.  They might be healthy on some myopic micro-managed selective subset of biological interactions, but, imho, avoiding heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and Altzheimer's trumps them all.  Being firm and resolved to embrace a no-added fat vegan diet should not be confused with religion or groundless faith.  It is the acknowledgement of the research, science, and demonstrated results, that we choose to take advantage of and incorporate into our lives.

Our decision, not yours.  We're fine with it.

Regards, Mark"

Addendum:  Comments Off is a default (thank you Typepad) and I didn't notice it.  It's been enabled.

Essay: "On Fear and Going Vegan"

It’s sometimes amazing to me that so many people live so much of their lives being guided by fear instead of taking chances on the future.  The many fears that hold people back are legion.  Fear of committing to a new lifestyle --- going vegan, fear that you won’t be able to get over missing meat, dairy, and eggs.  Fear of cooking new recipes (or even cooking without recipes).  Fear of what people will think.  Fear of malnutrition.  Fear that in trying something new, you’ll miss something old.  Fear of being wrong or believing one is being criticized out an insecurity with one’s self or one’s own internal decisions.

I believe that most behavior held back by fear is from a misguided belief that one knows what’s going to happen,  and that often, the irrational fear of a particular action comes from actually believing one can ultimately know what the results will be.  When I first went veg, my father told me I was going to “die.” (sooner, not later).  For me, it was a, “why not find out?  will this work?  how will it affect my consciousness?”

“I won’t like it.  It won’t work.  I’ll be unhappy.  It can’t work.”  These are the faux justifications the fear-based philosophy promotes and by which the internal insecurity is fostered. We see the same in other areas of human existence:  fear of the new boss and that you’ll lose your job, fear that the business is going bankrupt when, it fact, it continues for over a year.  Fear of taking a chance that someone else is right.  Fear of changing careers.  Fear of giving one’s self to another, and getting nothing in return.  Fear of changing “the routine.”  Fear of "trust."

The true irony is that you can’t know the future.  To anticipate a negative result in many cases is self-defeating and feeds those same fears that rationalize this doubt.  To vegetarians afraid of giving up their precious dairy or bovine secretions, I say, “try going vegan, what have you got to lose?”  Instead of whining how much you'll miss cheese, note how many of us do not.  To the vegan who thinks oil (whether from a bottle or congealed as faux cheese) is a "real food" and you can’t live without it, I would say “try a low fat vegan diet for four months... what have you go to lose?  In this case, increased chances for heart disease, Type II Diabetes, and Altzheimer’s Disease.”  A four month test that might be successful versus higher chances for an early death?  If it doesn't work, at least you tried.

If you don’t try and find out, if you don’t take a simple new turn and give it a shot, if you don’t trust that you can change your mind later, if you don’t take a step towards a healthier future, you will never know what you missed.  This is not just regarding diet, but in all aspects of one’s life. 

In April 1984, debt-free for the first time out of college, I invested all the money I had into a Macintosh and associated peripherals.  I dreamed of what I could do with this unique machine.  The first thing I did with it in the store was use MacPaint to do a drawing of an Earth.  Years later, as a result of that leap-of-faith, I was using Macintoshes as the Visualizations Coordinator on two NASA Earth Satellite Missions.  I published graphics in many magazines, did a cover for TIME.  Could any of this have been anticipated spending $2500 for a 128k (yes, "kilobytes") RAM 512x384 grayscale monitor in boxy R2D2-like plastic?

If I’d been fear-based, if I hadn’t taken a chance, if I hadn’t been willing to find out what my soul was inviting me to do, it never would have happened.

The universe presents opportunities all the time, in many and often subtle ways.  Unfortunately, they generally have a short shelf life.  If one doesn’t act fast, the vast potential from trusting in the positive possibilities that could be made manifest begins to dissipate, distort, and eventually, disappear.  The dynamics change, and won't be the same again.

Throw away those fear shackles, get off the fence and take a no-risk chance. Life is too short as it is to waste on being afraid of the future and new more fulfilling experiences.   Go vegan.  Go low-fat vegan and find out that you can get rid of your fears, re-calibrate your taste buds, loose addictions to old ways, addictions, and patterns, and truly be healthier and happier.

A simple no-risk investment in the future... of you.

On a Vegan Relationship

Although I’ve dated non-veg’n women, I’ve found that dating someone who is vegan can be a mixed blessing.  Initially, when deciding to try dating only vegetarian or vegan women, I fell into a common pitfall:  you can get so excited by having this much in common, that often, before true compatibilities beyond what you eat (and why) have been established, such as emotional energies, it’s really easy to quickly go to a physical relationship prematurely.  Sometimes that can still work, often it obscures aspects of each other that weren’t known earlier that eventually lead to a dissolution of the relationship.  The best relationships, for me, have involved a lot of interaction on different levels for a reasonable length of time before the dance gets deeper.

Another problem comes even under optimal circumstances when one knows pretty much all one thinks he needs to know about a person to be comfortable with the prospect of longer-term possibilities.  If, indeed, there are 1 million vegans in the United States (a rough estimate), how many are, well, female, single, in my age range, appealing to me (and I them), and accessible? (trust me, long-distance relationships in their early phases, truly suck and are incredibly demanding emotionally).  Not even going near the no-added fat issue!  What I’m referring to is that when faced with the prospect of “breaking up” or “downgrading” the relationship, it can be even more maddening wondering, how will I ever find someone so compatible (and preferably vegan) again?

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not against dating non-veg’n women, but the preference is definitely for someone who is more or less on the same page regarding health and diet, animal issues being somewhat less important to me in this case, environmental significant, but not critical.  Since I generally end up doing most of the cooking, just about all the non-veg’n women I’ve dated went veg.

But how much does the prospect that it’s going to be very hard to find someone as close to what I want from a companion in life again affect small decisions, or opinions that arise in the course of a relationship?  How much does this fear lessen judgement or perhaps promote overlooking some aspects of a significant other that one would normally be concerned about?  When doubts creep in, and/or there's a communication breakdown, these concerns can re-surface.

I don’t have an answer to all this, and it certainly is situation dependent.  The closest I can come to any kind of resolution is trying to embrace faith, faith that, should the relationship end, that the same fortuitousness, the same blessed energies that led us to discovering each other will see to it that the chance or opportunity occurs again, and won’t give up trying. 

Loving a vegan woman is absolutely fantastic, and I believe that the energy mix, at least from my own experiences, is much more refined, deep, fulfilling, and wonderful in shared experiences than, in general, with a non-vegan woman.  Add in similar "normal" interests, a sparkling intellect, beautiful smile, joi de vivre, expansive heart, and shining personality, and it doesn’t get much better than that.

So, with all this in mind, I sincerely hope I won’t have to deal with the above issues ever again.  It really does come down to faith, though.  Faith in and for the relationship, and faith that if it isn’t to be, life does go on, and other potential significant others are out there.  Beliving otherwise, imho, leads nowhere good.

Life persists.

Rant: On "Comfort Foods" & Related Issues

IMHO, by characterizing foods as "comfort foods" we draw upon emotions rather than intellect.  Many of the food products (or, as Pollan would put it, "food-like substances") we were given as children have been shown to be rather unhealthy.  They have become "unhealthy" attachments and, in many cases, taste addictions.  The topic came up in a list I belong to (fatfree vegan).  My response got too long, hence this post.

Plastic white Wonder Bread, Cocoa Puffs, Campbell's Soups, Pizza, McDonald's Fries, Gummy Bears, and the list goes on and on.  I remember when doctors would SMOKE in their offices (one in particular, advising me that my being a vegetarian was risky to my health).  It's not a coincidence that food companies spend most of their advertising dollars targeting children ("hook 'em when the're young, you get them for life").  Then there's the "bond" to these unhealthy foods that comes from the fact that it's those we trust when we are young, (our parents and relatives) who give us that stuff.

It takes determination, will, and mental discipline, to remind ourselves that emotional attachments to unhealthy food are one of the reasons we have around 24 million diabetics in this country (6 million of those unaware of such), and lose near half a million (not counting those deaths from other cardiovascular-related problems) a year to heart attacks.  Our public and governmental institutions have failed completely, for the most part, in helping people understand what is healthy and what isn't.  Considering the amount of money spent on advertising bad food products it's not surprising how screwed up the conventional views of good nutrition are ("Over 10 billion dollars is spent on fast food advertising to children annually in numerous fashions.").

I see many vegetarians and vegans gleefully substitute high fat faux cheeses and meats, lots of sugar, excessive sodium, and/or added oil to recipes to duplicate "comfort foods."  Large amounts of sugar and refined flour as "they deserve a treat" on Valentine's Day.  "Deserve?"  Hardly.  They misleadingly believe that because they are vegan, they have removed the risk of having cardiovascular issues or diabetes.  Far from it.  It might be reduced some, but they can still get fat and saturated fat from non-animal sources that, from the body's risks standpoint, is essentially the same as from animal sources.  Added oil fuels development of plaque that causes strokes (that's not a cholesterol issue) and inflames your blood vessels.  One fatty meal decreases your blood vessels elasticity for several hours (that's a measured fact).  Using more sugar in a meal than recommended per day by the American Heart Association is not a "treat."  It's potential long-term suicide.  Over time, it's probably gonna kill ya.  A la McDougall, Esselstyn, Barnard, and Campbell:  "Moderation kills."

This is why when celebrated vegan chefs like Tal repeatedly say, "Fat is Flavor," I believe he isn't really helping the human animals and is basically a nutritional moron.  PCRM recently praised his cookbook, "Conscious Cooking" while dissing Julia Childs, mentioning heart disease, yadda, whereas in fact, some of his recipes are significantly higher in added fat then hers!

"Daiya Cheese," which so many vegans worship, has more fat per serving than WHOLE MILK mozzarella.  It's essentially a nutritiously vapid food-like substance that's mostly oil.  "But it melts!" proclaim the fat-addicted vegans.  "It saves [non-human] animals!" yell the animal rights activists.

Big whoop.  Remember that when they put the stents in.  Which reminds me:  how ironic that many articles about President Clinton's recent surgery mentioned that his last one (quadruple bypass) was successful.  Successful?  That means he didn't die from complications.  If it were successful, he wouldn't need the stents.  You see, modern medicine CANNOT cure heart disease, only extend one's life a bit.  Yet, two people, independently, 20 years of peer-reviewed research, have REVERSED IT through a no-added fat diet (one was vegetarian, one was vegan).  Both men recommend NO added oil, not even in moderation.  Here's 15 documented and referenced reasons to avoid added oil to help elucidate the problems.

How can anyone intelligently argue against this?  Added oil/fat, salt, and sugar is killing us in huge numbers.  It's not just a meat or dairy issue.  To argue against no added fat and limiting sugar and salt in your diet is like arguing against evolution, gravity, and the Earth revolving around the Sun.  We're talking facts here people, not theory, conjecture, or educated guesses.

My "take no prisoners" approach stems from Dr. Esselsytn telling me in that interview I did with him three years ago this week.  He didn't want to just reduce the numbers (a la Mediterranean Diet as he pointed out in someone else's interview), he wanted to crush it (different phraseology).  By thinking of such fatty, salty, and or sugary foods as "comforting," it's too easy for many people to justify consumption of same, and continued addiction.  Making a fatty vegan mac'n'cheese for your kids is not loving, it's potentially killing.  Creating future fat addicts.

Re-training your taste buds to not crave excess salt, sugar, and fat, is doable (around 14 wks.), but, imho, like an alcoholic, it's usually an "all or nothing" situation for most of us.  Fortunately, many of the so-called "comfort" foods can be duplicated, to varying degree, without the fat, sugar, salt, and unpronounceable chemicals.  Perhaps, though, the best strategy, is to create new and healthier comfort foods.  We can then  break with the unhealthy past and establish new rituals based upon new knowledge.

For those interested, Jonathan Foer goes into the issue a lot in his book, "Eating Animals."  His work surprised me in depth of thought and overall approach.  The issue of family rituals and eating was one of the book's arcs that he was wrestling with in his eventual decision that eating factory farmed meat was wrong.  There would be new family rituals regarding food, they would be healthy, and they would not involve meat.  In effect, "healthy" comfort foods would be emphasized, and his child would have a better chance of living longer and healthier as a result.

Optimally, the healthiest comfort food is no-added oil, minimal sugar, minimal salt, and vegan.  The evidence is in, and if one can eliminate the emotional attachments and taste addictions, one can drastically increase opportunities for a longer and healthier life. 

For me, that's a comforting thought, and, the real treat.

Eat More Rainbows (a re-post)

[From 2006]: "Your new year's resolution should be to eat one more rainbow each day than you did last year. Legend suggests that a pot of gold can be found at the end of each rainbow. That treasure can be cashed in to preserve your good health and ward off future disease...  The violet, indigo and blues of the plant kingdom include phenols and dithiolthiolnines contained in eggplant, cruciferous vegetables, grapes, plums, and grains. Eat onions and shallots, leeks, scallions and garlic for cancer-fighting alliums. Those green leafy vegetables contain flavonoids, and inositol is found in beans. Green fruits and veggies contain phenols, and plant sterols, protease inhibitors and saponins..."

[Every so often, Robert takes time off from being controversial (!) and writes a classic in his daily column.  This one's a true joy; both scientific and poetic.  The full column is below and here.  Best wishes to everyone for a Happy Veg'n New Year!  Mark]

What to say? What to do?

He was leather-skinned, taunt, and yet energetic.  Agewise, a mid 60's Vietnam Vet I met in line at a grocery store who gruffly pointed out to the lady in front of me that this was a "15 or less" items checkout line and that she was way over the limit.  She moved.  We struck up a conversation of sorts.  He'd had a bad day.  Someone had broken into his home, where there were three people on disability (him, wife, son), and stolen $400 and all his medications.

He'd recently had a heart valve "installed" and back surgery.  A tough bird.  Optimistic that you only get one chance at life, and you do the best you can.  Loved his much younger wife.  He despised what was going on in Iraq and Afghanistan.

My purchase:  wheat gluten flour, broccoli, short grain rice, dijon mustard, bagels (no deli within 30 miles of here), raw cashews, fresh shittake mushrooms, ginseng tea, some seltzer.  I glanced at his purchase-to-be while he was talking about his health:  a gallon of whole milk, a six pack of some high fructose-based soda, and a large loaf of "white Wonder Bread."

Gawd... I so much wanted to say something.  I so much wanted to convey all that I know and believe about reversing heart disease from Ornish and Esselstyn's low fat vegan research, but I believed there was no opening.  I wanted to cite the numbers I now know from memory regarding fat, sugar, and salt, veganism, and cardiovascular disease.  I wanted to mention Rip.  I wanted to direct him to Susan's fat free vegan blog and website.

I'd been through this before.  It's not something you just bring up with people, they are often offended, and when I have been able to do so, there's only a tiny time window of opportunity, it was usually a verbal piggyback on my mentioning my diet & heart disease from someone's question that would draw another into the conversation, giving me my opportunity.

But I blew it.  I could have asked him to sit with me in the cafe, or talk a minute in the parking lot, and politely explain to him what I knew about a low-fat vegan diet and heart disease, given him some web addresses, and urged him to check it all out.  I COULD HAVE TRIED.  I could have risked offending him, to help him, but I didn't.  I didn't know what to say, what to do, and this haunts me in this morning's early hours.  A fine old soul, a fiery beacon of optimism in the face of so much tragedy.  I should have done something.

From the short time I interacted with this epitomy of grace under fire, I learned a lot.  I'm now resolved that I'll do better next time.  Maybe we have to make our opportunities and take that chance, and that we won't be seen as proselytizing, but instead as being compassionate.  People need to be made aware of the truth about their health, and then decide what's best for them.  It's not fiction, fantasy, nor theory:  vegan or not, added fat, sugar, and salt increases your odds of developing any number of biological disorders, particularly heart disease.  Moderation kills.

...and so does silence, so does silence.