Y&R Discussion Group -- So Far, So Good

Y&R Discussion Group

Topic: So Far, So Good

Topic Posted by: Liz
Date Posted: Mon Jan 16 15:23:55 2012
Additional Comments: Last year, I began exploring taking my part time vegetarianism to veganism & set the date as NYD as my starting point. As I begin my 3rd week, I am more committed than ever. I feel great & have discovered many new foods & products. I dragged my old juicer out of the cupboard & began juicing again. Unsweetened almond milk is a great, calcium rich addition to high fiber cereal for breakfast. Every week, I make a half dozen oat flour blueberry muffins which I take to work for a mid-day snack. I made a batch of amaranth/carrot cookies. Even my junk food loving co-workers loved them & I've had the renewed pleasure of turning people onto my homemade hummus. I've been making falafel as well. I just polished off a bowl of curried Punjab style garbanzo beans. Delish!! I have ordered a new, heavy duty juicer & the book "Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead" & plan to use some of their recipes. I know this isn't a lifestyle for everyone, but I've been almost there for nearly 30 years with some backslides into eating poultry & processed foods. I also gave up all alcohol after Christmas & am considering a total detox in the near future. Every time I've done a detox, it is amazing how great I've felt. All arthritic pain GONE! I had a near death experience last March. My lungs & fractures have healed & now it's time to heal from the inside as well as my psyche.

Posted by: Jolypha
Date posted: Mon Jan 16 22:09:57 2012
Message:
What a coincidence! I am also going vegetarian since January 1st, with the exception of my birthday and Easter. I still eat seafood,(mostly fish) though. And eggs.

Sometimes it's not easy, like when someone orders a juicy steak.

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Even as a kid, I did not like steak. I have never ordered a steak in a restaurant in my life. I have never tasted prime rib. The appeal of meat has always baffled me, but I ate hamburgers & dishes made from ground beef until '83. I went totally vegan but it was too hard as I was not well informed & Wyoming definately was not vegan friendly! So I went to eggs, milk & seafood & ate that way for many years. About 10 years ago, I reintroduced poultry but have decided to live on plant based foods only. I don't have any trouble with it & I don't miss anything. The variety available in the regular grocery store now is amazing!.........Liz

Almost forgot to wish you the best of luck with your new lifestyle. I think you will be glad you have made that change!!.............Liz

Posted by: songbird
Date posted: Mon Jan 16 18:29:00 2012
Message:

I was always told that we need protein from both veggies and meat. If that's true, how do vegans get the protein that meat eaters get? I have high cholesterol and many protein drinks are unhealthy for me.

Good luck with your program. It sounds delish and I can understand why you would feel better. I'm slowly omitting red meat from my diet so this topic is of great interest to me. Thanks for any help about the protein.

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It's a total myth that you need meat to get protein. Beans & nuts are two excellent sources of protein. So it only makes sense that foods made from beans & nuts would be good sources. In this category you would find nut based milk, tofu & nut based cheeses & butters. Hummus & falafel are made from garbanzo beans which are loaded with protein. I would really encourage people to watch the documentaries Forks Over Knives & Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead. They are both backed up by science & Forks was backed up with decades worth of studies. In fact, Forks was done by an MD from the Cleveland Clinic. They are both available on Netflix..................Liz

Posted by: faysie
Date posted: Mon Jan 16 17:36:40 2012
Message:

Good for you Liz. I'll be interested in hearing more of your progress. I already love all of the foods that you mentionned in your post.

While I doubt I'd ever go vegan, I've cut the largest proportion of sugar and wheat-based products from my diet, now eating mainly sugar and gluten free. It amazed me how far just these measures went in decreasing my arthritic joint pain. A major, major difference.

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That is wonderful to hear, Faysie!! Like I said, I notice a huge difference in arthritic pain after a good cleansing. And by cleansing, I'm not talking about a colon cleanse. The detox I do, does not induce diarrhea............Liz

I'm curious to know what cleanse you use Liz? I see you've invested in a really good juicer. Do you do a fruit-veggie fresh juice fast? /faysie

The last 3 cleanses I did were preservative, wheat, soy, caffeine, alcohol, sugar, artficial sweetners & OTC free. They involved 6 days of several servings of fruits & vegetables, followed by a day of juice fast with juice made from raw cranberry juice, spices, citrus & stevia as a sweetner, day 8 was foods with probiotics, yogurt or sauerkraut along with digestive enzymes & other supplements such as yellow dock, milk thistle & dandelion root, repeat days 1-6. I am going to try the juice fast from Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead. I plan to commit for 5 days minimum & see how I do. Past experience has proven that day 3 is the worst with the caffeine withdrawal. Yes, it is with a blend of fruits & veggies. I'm drinking some juice right now that I made from pineapple, mango, pears, lemons, celery & spinach. It's quite mild in flavor, not too sweet. Rather refreshing, unlike the kale concoction I made up over the weekend. I did drink it but I didn't much care for it. One of my fave juices is carrots, granny smith apples & lemons. The juice book has lots of different recipes for liver, kidney, gut, reproductive, joint & bone health. They are kind of fun to try. My new juicer should be here later this week. I bought a Breville 900 Watt from amazon......................Liz

I have one of the Jack LaLanne Power Juicers and have used it on and off for a few years now. I go in 'spurts' with my juicing. I have no idea how it compares to the one you've bought, but mine is pretty powerful, and I've been able to juice some really healthy, tasty fresh juices. I've also concocted some quite tasty green smoothies that pack a nutritious wallop. Like you, kale isn't one of my favorites but I use it on occasion. Even tried to make kale chips (which I won't do again..LOL). I'm going to check out that book you mention. Thanks for the info. /faysie

Let me know how it goes! I think the Jack LaLanne power juicer is a good product. One of my friends has that particular model & she likes it quite well...................Liz

Posted by: Cassies grandma
Date posted: Mon Jan 16 16:55:22 2012
Message:
First I have to say I got lots of laughs on your post about becoming a vegan. It was too funny all of the arguments with you!
Good for you. I think I could be a part time vegetarian but Tony wouldn't go for it much. I really need to just cut out junk food. I have been getting more exercise. Wish I could lose even 20 lbs I know I would feel better.

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You know you have my support whatever you decide, CG! It's the processed foods that are really killing us & making us fat...............Liz

Yeah, some of the arguments were downright ridiculous! Sickly vegans dropping like flies everywhere. More like the obese keeling over from too many Big Macs!.................Lz