Month: January 2021

Tips on Becoming Vegan

Embracing the Vegan lifestyle can bring the most wonderful lifestyle and health benefits. Weight loss, reduced calorie intake, a reduction in bad cholesterol. Not only will health improve but a balanced vegan diet will improve digestion, sleep and boost energy levels.

Here are 6 tips on becoming vegan to help anyone who may want to make the move to veganism but feel overwhelmed by the prospect.

1. Start Gradually

Becoming Vegan is a large step to take. Even if you are already vegetarian, cutting out dairy products as well as meat products needs some thought. You need to maintain a balanced food intake at all times.

A good way is to start gradually. Go vegan one meal a day. Perhaps if it is easier, go vegan for one day each week.

Once this first step has been taken you will feel the benefits and be confident to extend from one day or one meal.

2. Get Ideas from Good Vegan Recipe Books

The idea of creating meals without the use of meat, fish or dairy products is initially very daunting. An investment in a good vegan recipe book or two is worth considering.

They will help you to maintain a balanced diet – an important consideration during the early stages, as well as giving ideas on ingredients and recipes.

3. Drop the Crash Diets. They are Temporary Fixes.

Crash diets do not work. They create a temporary imbalance in the body. It may cause a short term weight loss but all too often your weight returns to the previous level.

A lot of the calorific food high in cholesterol can be found in meat and dairy products. Eating a wide range of fruits, vegetables, nuts, pulses can provide a balanced diet with all the necessary nutrition.

4. Cut out the Vices and Habits

If you are really serious about losing weight for the long term, you need to change your lifestyle.

Why do you drink 4 coffees each morning? What about the chocolate bar “to keep you going”?

You don’t need them. Try a vegan smoothie instead of a coffee. For your elevenses eat a small crunchy apple or two.

5. Track your Weight Loss, Calories and Cholesterol Level

If it’s health you’re after, then you should make a note of your weight and cholesterol level before starting.

Keep a track of your calorie intake, weight and cholesterol level. Combine it in with following good vegan recipes and your weight will drop and your bad cholesterol will reduce.

6. Explore Vegan Alternatives

Raw Veganism has become very popular recently. This is where food is not cooked beyond 118 degrees to ensure the goodness and nutrition is retained in the food.

Have a look at more good tips on becoming Vegan and to get started with colourful easy vegan recipes…

Becoming a Vegan – Simple Guide to Help You Become One

If you are curious about the vegan lifestyle or you have the interest to make that big switch to become a vegan, you may want to do some gradual changes in your lifestyle. Whether becoming a vegan is your way of expressing your advocacy on animal rights or for the environment, or you want to make the big switch for some health reasons, it helps a lot to learn everything you can about it before making the big jump.

Of course, anything done in abrupt, especially when it concerns your body may not do you any good, so take time to understand them, and make the changes gradual. Even before making that big decision in becoming a vegan, you have to keep in mind that a vegan is far more stricter than just preferring plant food over animal food, so you have to prepare.

The transition to becoming a vegan can be a challenge and of course, it is important that you can stick to that kind of lifestyle if you really want to. To help you have a good start, here are a few things that you may find useful.A�

– Know why you want to become a vegan. This is a major shift in what you eat and not eat so make sure that you are committed to this practice. Of course, by knowing why you want to go vegan is important so you will also not just waste your time and effort on something that you are not sure why you are doing.A�

– Assess your health. You may need to see a doctor to help you assess your health and your nutritional status. One of the conditions you would particularly want to watch out for is anemia. You may need to pay close attention to your body and your health before trying to make this major shift in your lifestyle. Of course, you may also need to pay attention to plant foods that are good sources of iron if you lack such.A�

– Learn about the foods for vegans. It is important that you know the substitutes for animal food as you also need to have complete nutrition even if you don’t have animal food in your diet. This is important, as you will also need to have proteins and other essential nutrients for your daily needs and knowing the plant source for them as well.

– Create your diet plan. Of course, there are lots of ways for you to enjoy plant food and you can also find substitute for most of the foods that you are enjoying before as well. By creating a plan, you will help yourself in easy preparation as well as convenience in your food planning as well.A�

Becoming a vegan can indeed be a challenge and with the right goal in mind, you can indeed become a vegan without having to go through some health risks and major life changes.…

Minestrone Soup

Minestrone and I have had a complicated relationship. It’s long been a favorite of my mother’s, so I’ve been eating it all my life. But, I can’t say it’s ever been a favorite of mine. It has its upsides, like it’s quick and easy, accommodating to a variety of ingredients, and so good for you. But, I was never crazy about it…until now! One of the little known joys of going vegan is a taste bud awakening. I don’t know if the dairy and meat make it hard to taste other ingredients, but in the last few months, everything tastes better, and more alive than ever. Even things I used to make taste more vibrant and flavorful than I remembered. So when I ate this minestrone, it was like meeting for the first time. It was so good! It’s sitting in my refrigerator right now, and I want another bowl of it. It’s also perfect for summer (see my summer corn) or winter vegetables. It’s great to have in the freezer with a loaf of my favorite garlic bread to break out on days you just don’t feel like cooking. So, if you feel like you need something warm and nourishing, root around in your refrigerator and make a pot tonight!

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion chopped

1 clove garlic chopped

5 cups vegetable stock

1 large can tomatoes with liquid

2 carrot

A� head of cabbage

1 cup green beans

1 cup wax beans

1 can kidney beans

1 can white beans

A� cup basil

1 tablespoon oregano

A pinch of sugar

A splash of balsamic vinegar

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper

5 cups spinach

Heat the olive oil in a large pot. Add the onion and carrots and garlic and saut?� until soft. Add the stock, tomatoes, green and wax beans, cabbage, basil, oregano, sugar, and bay leaf. Simmer until vegetables are tender, but not limp, about 20 minutes. Add the beans, balsamic vinegar, and spinach. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot!…

Vegan Food Choices on a Hectic Schedule

Food is often the first thing to go when life gets busy. Eating on the run is not the most nourishing or satisfying experience but it get’s us by when we have no other choice.

As vegetarians it is even harder, and as vegans almost impossible. What we end up grabbing for is virtually anything. Corn chips and salsa, bought dips full of diary and preservatives, processed biscuits, breads, cakes, tinned foods, bought sandwiches on inferior breads and grains.

This is acceptable every now and then but not as a way of life. The impact may be minimal in the short term but in the long term our internal systems begin to deteriorate. This deterioration is not visible to the naked eye which lures us into a false sense of security. If I’m OK on the outside, I must be OK on the inside.

Prolonged busy busy busy is anti health. The two can’t go together. If this sounds like you, the first thing I would ask myself is how come I am so busy? Busy becomes an addiction which is often masking something deeper underneath. Ask yourself what will happen if I stop? Is there anything I am avoiding feeling that if I stop I’ll be forced to feel? Have I taken on too much because I don’t know how to say no or I do not like confrontation? If the answer is yes to any of these questions, do something about it, so that you are not a slave to your reactions.

Often circumstances are beyond our control and all there is to do, is ride the busy wave. Regardless of the reasons here are some food tips to minimize the negative impact. To have handy when you are on the run:

Good quality condiments such as Celtic sea salt, Braggs, and organic oils for salads, sandwiches and tinned food.

tins of organic (where ever possible) legumes such as chickpeas, lentils, cannelloni beans.

fresh and raw vegetables such as whole carrots, salad mix, cherry tomatoes. Get into the habit of snacking on these.

nuts such as almonds, cashews, pecans and macadamia and dried fruit such as dates

heaps of drinking water with lemon (carry lemons in your hand bag or brief case) (avoid caffeine and alcohol).

an eye for smart eateries; choose Asian eateries and takeaway places that make laksa and sushi over local bakeries that sell pies, buns, and cakes.

stock up on supplements such as Spirulina tablets and super-foods such as cacao.

an eye for juice bars grab one when ever you see one, and go for vegetable juices with shots or barley or wheat grass.

You can still maintain an alkaline system when you are on the run. This is the goal. Stress produces acidity but you can counteract this as much as possible by what you eat. At some stage you need to stop and rest and give your nervous system a break. Make a promise to yourself, you deserve it!…

Going Vegan? The 6 Most Important Diet Considerations

Considering going vegan?

Without any doubt, the biggest change will be to your diet.

When properly planned, a vegan diet can be incredibly healthy and satisfy all your nutritional needs. However, when poorly planned, it can lack many of the vitamins and minerals your body needs and ultimately be detrimental to your health.

Of particular importance (in alphabetical order):

– B12 (vitamin): Not readily available in most vegan diets – though some soymilks and other products are B12 fortified – your best option will likely be a supplement (the recommended daily amount for adults is 2.4 micrograms).

– Calcium: Found in fortified soy milk and orange juice, almonds, hazelnuts, dark green vegetables, tofu made with calcium sulphate, oatmeal, molasses, and dried figs (among others).

– D (vitamin): Also not commonly found in most vegan diets, may provide an excellent excuse to go out and get some sun; 10-15 minutes of sunlight, 2-3 times per week will allow vitamin D production to occur in the human body. Other sources are vitamin D-fortified orange juice, soymilk or rice milk.

– Iron: Vegans, and even vegetarians, run an especially high risk of developing anaemia, an iron deficiency. For pregnant, breastfeeding, menstruating and pre-menstrual women, the risk is even greater. Iron-rich foods include most beans and legumes, (soybeans, kidney beans, chickpeas, black-eyed peas…) prune juice, bok choi, kale, raisins, and molasses (which some vegans eat by the spoonful).

– Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Are readily available in flaxseed (and its oil), canola oil, tofu, soybeans, and walnuts.

– Protein: Usually another tricky element to make up, first-time vegans may feel the adverse effects of a protein-deprived diet (this is why many vegetarians ultimately re-incorporate fish into their regimens). There is no need, though, as long as you are careful and vigilant. Make it a point of eating lots of green and leafy veggies, grains, beans, legumes, seeds, tofu and nuts. You can also look into using nutritional yeast in recipes or as a condiment.

In addition, but to a lesser degree, sufficient intake of vitamins C and E, zinc and iodine should be monitored.…