I recently got an email from a reader that went something like this:

I’m an on-again off-again vegetarian looking to go vegan. My doctor recently told me that I have to decrease my carbohydrates and increase my protein (she said it had to be animal protein) in order to lose the weight I gained when I went on a new medication. I already eat a lot of beans and some fake meats as well, but she told me that these aren’t a good substitute. I need to know what kinds of non-animal, low-carbohydrate protein options are out there. I really want to stay veg but I don’t know how to do this. I would really appreciate your help!

And as I was writing bak to her, I realized that I was sharing this info for like, the bazillionth time. In other words, I have gotten this question or similar questions a whole lot, so it occurred to me that I might as well just go ahead and share my answer here on the blog! And thus a new series was born: Ask A Vegan Lifestyle Coach.

So here’s my answer, to her and now to all of you . . .

I’m so sorry that you’re dealing with unwanted weight gain, and I actually agree with your doctor when she advises that increasing your protein intake while decreasing your carbs may be able to help you manage that. However, I disagree (shocking, I know!) that the protein needs to come from animals. Humans are able to extract quite a bit of concentrated protein without resorting to meat-eating, and you don’t even necessarily need to eat the processed vegan meat analogues if you’d rather avoid them. The following are a few of my favorite high-protein plant foods:

It sounds obvious of course, but tofu! tofu! tofu! I would load up on it if I were you. It’s high in protein, has a little fat (the good kind), and is relatively low in carbs. When buying tofu, opt for organic whenever possible.

Other legumes, like beans, also offer good protein, but they tend to come with more carbs. So here’s a good tip: if you’re doing a greens/beans/grains bowl, you can skip the grains to reduce the carbs, and let the beans and greens take center stage. Lentils with steamed kale or steamed broccoli is a favorite of mine, covered with a delicious sauce like The Tahini Sauce That Done Stoled My Heart or a Spicy Cilantro Peanut Sauce. I like to add extra flavor with green onions, pickled vegetables or sauerkraut or kimchi, and/or avocado. If you just serve beans and steamed greens alone, it will be super boring (of course). But if you add a mouth-watering sauce (nut- or seed-based will add extra protein) with those extra “flavor-makers” on top — well there you have a delicious, satisfying, and high-protein meal!

Just make sure you skip the grain (especially high-carb grains like rice, barley, or corn), unless you are opting for a protein-rich grain (like quinoa, amaranth, or wild rice).

Buckwheat is one of my favorite higher-protein grains. You can eat it whole as “kasha”, or you can find 100% buckwheat noodles (make sure they’re 100% because usually they’re cut with refined wheat which makes them more of a carb) for awesome noodle bowls. Stir fried veggies with chickpeas or tofu or seitan (“wheat meat” made from vital wheat gluten, aka wheat protein), served over buckwheat noodles, is simple and delicious and much higher in protein than a normal stir fry or a normal noodle dish. I order my 100% buckwheat soba noodles in bulk packs online, here. They can be hard to find but if you’re in a bigger city I’d check your local co-ops and health food stores.

Breakfast can be hard as a vegan, and tends to be pretty carb-centric. Tofu scramble is good, but can feel repetitive if you’re eating a lot of tofu dinners. Recently a few new vegan yogurts hit the market, and they’re FINALLY higher in protein like their dairy counterparts. My favorites are Kite Hill and Daiya, both of which have 6+ grams of protein per container. These should be available at Whole Foods or other health food stores.

My other go-to high-protein vegan breakfast is my old favorite, the chickpea flour pancakes. They remind me of omelets and since they’re made from legume flour, they’re super high in protein. I have the recipe for mine here.

The thing about most vegan protein sources is that they *DO* come attached to some carbs. So the strategy becomes this: you have to eat lots of these awesome vegan protein sources, and you have to include more of them in your diet wherever possible. And then, you ALSO have to eliminate errant and unnecessary carbs elsewhere in your diet. So like I said above, instead of the greens/beans/grain bowl, just do a greens + beans bowl. Instead of wheat pasta, use a high-protein legume-based pasta. Instead of a wheat bun or bread on a sandwich, put the patty on a bed of kale, or wrap it in cabbage leaves. Instead of making a burrito, pile all the burrito fillings in a bowl on top of lettuce, minus the tortilla. Replace snack foods like chips, crackers, and popcorn, with less carb-centric options like kale chips, nuts or seeds, or carrots sticks with guacamole. All of these little alterations will add up throughout your day.

So bottom line, if you can increase the plant-based proteins while simultaneously lowering the non-veggie carbs, then there’s no reason why you won’t be able to have an optimal protein-to-carbohydrate ratio — all the while remaining veg.

I hope that helps, and good luck with your journey!

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Hey-o! So hey there, I am a certified Vegan Lifestyle Coach and I have a BA in biology, but I’m not an MD, an RD, or any other kind of “D” for that matter. I am super duper not a doctor, or a nurse, or a health care practitioner of any kind. This post represents my personal thoughts and opinions and is in no way meant to be taken as medical advice. Okay? Whew!

So, what follows is a list of those foods, with a short explanation of why (and how) I incorporate them into our menus. In general, children are picky eaters and thus it can be difficult to provide them with a well-rounded diet that they’ll actually, you know, eat! So really, these foods are great for all kids, vegan or not, because all kids are prone to poor or imbalanced micronutrient intake.

And just a reminder, the links in this post are affiliate links. That means that if you click on them, I will receive a very small portion of any purchase you end up making. If you like what I’m doing here, then this is an easy way to support my work. But if affiliate programs bother you, just avoid the links and google around for the products on your own. Fair enough?

I put a bit of blackstrap in his smoothies, and in his oatmeal as well. When Waits was younger he would eat it right off the spoon (which is how I take mine), but now that he’s a picky kid he won’t eat it straight. So I have to work it into his diet in small doses.



Sunflower Lecithin
So weird. Sunflower lecithin is a bitter, gummy, sticky substance that tastes awful and has a whole lot of choline in it. Choline is an essential nutrient than can be a bit tricky to obtain in high quantities . . . especially if you’re a fussy eater.

Since sunflower lecithin tastes so funky, I have to get creative. I can hide a little bit in a smoothie, but not much. I can also mask it in soups and some richer sauces, as well as in something like a marinara. It’s not the easiest one to work with, that’s for sure!


Kelp Powder
I use kelp powder as a source of iodine, which is a very rare mineral when you’re not using iodized salt (we use sea salt) or eating processed/prepared foods that contain iodized salt. But iodine is very important to proper growth and development – in fact, iodine deficiency is the leading cause of preventable mental retardation worldwide. Little growing brains and bodies need iodine!

Kelp powder can be tricky stuff, since in light doses it’s pleasantly salty, but if you add too much it gets real fishy real quickly. So I just keep it to a light sprinkling. Kelp is super high in iodine anyway, so a little bit goes a long way. For me, I eat it on my salads. For Waits, I add it to beans and soups, to rice or quinoa dishes, and sometimes to steamed veggies (with soy sauce and nooch). It does add a saltiness too, which is nice.

In many ways, Waits eats a very healthy diet; the foods that he eats all tend to be quite nutrient-dense. But in all honesty, he doesn’t actually eat a ton of variety. He’s picky like any other kid. He likes what he likes and he’s not really open to much else. And that’s why I have no qualms about supplementing, with actual vitamins and with these super nutrient-rich foods.

And what about you guys – fellow parents out there. What are you feeding your kiddos to pack a huge nutritional punch? Any secret weapons? Let’s all share in the comments and help each other out!

♥ ♥ ♥

Edited to add:
Part I: Let’s Talk Honestly, Shall We?
Part II: Why I Supplement The Way I Do

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Hey-o! I am super duper not a doctor, or a nurse, or a health care practitioner of any kind. This post represents my personal thoughts and opinions and is in no way meant to be taken as medical advice. Whew!

Also, I just want to acknowledge that there are different schools of thoughts regarding supplementation, whether it’s for children or adults or whatever. Some people believe that if a diet requires supplementation, then it’s somehow flawed. And, well, I just disagree. I don’t supplement because I’m vegan, I supplement because modern food is crap and has been on a nutritional decline for decades. These are not your grandmother’s potatoes, know what I mean? So being vegan only determines which kind of supplements I focus on, not whether I need to supplement at all. Because all the paleo parents I know are supplementing, and all the T.F. parents I know are supplementing, and most of the parents who couldn’t care less about food/nutrition are still giving their kids at least a multivitamin. Because most parents understand that kids need a little extra insurance – and that’s in no way a related to the validity of veganism.

One last thing, before I get into the nitty gritty of vitamins and minerals. I want to put in big bold flashing letters: the links in this post are affiliate links! (as are many of the links throughout my blog). That means that if you click on them, I will receive a very small portion of any purchase you end up making. If you like my site and want to support my work, then this is an awesome thing. But if affiliate programs freak you out, fair enough – just avoid the links and google around for the products on your own. Alright, now buckle up. This here’s a long one . . .

Vitamin B12
Well obviously, right? I mean come on. We’re vegans here!

Formula-fed babies will get B12 through their formula, and thus won’t have to start supplementing until they wean. But Waits was breastfed, and so as per the recommendation of Davis and Melina in the bible Becoming Vegan, I began supplementing with vitamin B12 very early. They suggest you start at 2 weeks old. I didn’t begin that young, but it was definitely before 6 months (don’t remember exactly – postpartum haze).

We use the Pure Advantage B-12 Methylcobalamin 500 mcg Spray.
Here’s why: It is methylcobalamin as opposed to cyanocobalamin (and why that’s important). It is certified vegan. It is free of all common allergens and free of sugar. It only has three other ingredients besides B12. And finally, it’s a spray! For getting sups into a kid, spray is the way to go.

When Waits was very wee, I would just spray a bit on my nipple before he nursed. Then, around a year or so, I began spraying directly into his mouth. The dosage is higher than he needs, but B12 is water soluble which means any excess is just passed in the urine. I don’t spray every day – I did once or twice a week when he was younger, every other day or every three days now (at age 3).

Don’t mess around with B12. There are NO naturally-occurring reliable sources of adequate B12 in the vegan diet. Vitamin B12 deficiency is serious, life-threatening business. If you only supplement your child with one thing, make it B12.

Vitamin D
Formula-fed babies will get vitamin D through their formula. However, Waits nursed exclusively, and we lived in the sun-starved Pacific Northwest. Even for those who live in equatorial climates, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends supplementation of 400 IU for all breast-fed (and to be on the safe side, formula-fed) infants, beginning after the first week of life.

There are two forms of vitamin D: vitamin D2 is ergocalciferol – vegan, and vitamin D3 is cholecalciferol – animal-sourced. Some people have argued that vitamin D2 is inferior, but here is a paper that shows supplementation with D2 to be just as effective as supplementation with D3. Which is awesome, but in case you want to hedge your bets, a new lichen-derived VEGAN vitamin D3 has recently been released.

I have used a few different vitamin D products for Waits, although to be honest, now that he goes to an outdoor preschool, I supplement much less frequently.

When he was younger I liked Pure Vegan Vitamin D2 400 IU Spray.
Here’s why: It’s the proper dose for infants and babies (400 IU). It is certified vegan. It is free of all common allergens and free of sugar. It only has three other ingredients besides vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol). And of course, it’s a spray – the very best way to get sups into a kid.

Now that he’s older, I like Global Health Trax Vegan D3 400 IU Spray.
Here’s why: Vegan D3 made from lichen – cool! It only has two other ingredients besides vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). And same as above, it’s a spray.

When Waits was tiny I would spray directly onto my nipple before nursing. As he grew, I transitioned to spraying into his mouth. I supplemented every day when he was little, then switched to the higher dose and began alternating days. I also supplement higher in winter and lower in summer.

DHA/EPA and Omega-3 Fatty Acids.
I won’t get into a big discussion of DHA versus EPA versus ALA in this post, but if you’re interested, I cover the whole omega-3 issue very thoroughly here. Long story short, children are busy growing big brains, and those brains require the essential fatty acids DHA and EPA – which are not easily found in vegan foods. ALA is available and can be converted, but conversion rates are low and it’s not a chance I was willing to take with my kid’s brain. Many people use fish oil to secure their DHA/EPA, but I prefer to go directly to the source and get it the same place as the fish get theirs: algae!

There are a number of vegan algae-derived DHA/EPA products on the market, but there’s only one I’ve used for Waits, and that’s Deva Vegan Liquid DHA-EPA.
Here’s why: It is made by a 100% vegan company. It contains both DHA and EPA, and it comes from algae grown outside of the ocean, which guarantees that it’s free of common oceanic pollutants (like mercury, PCBs, etc). It is free of most common allergens and free of sugar. And most importantly, it’s a liquid! This makes it much easier to get into a child.

Waits loves the lemon flavor and even though I think it tastes like fish-y grossness, he adores it. Supposedly you can hide it in smoothies, but I’ve never needed to. He slurps it right up and I . . . take my DHA in a capsule, haha.

So that’s my big three: vitamin B12, vitamin D, and DHA/EPA. I believe that at the minimum, every vegan kid should be taking vitamin B12, vitamin D, and DHA/EPA. But that’s just my opinion.

There are a few other supplements we take as well, which I’ll outline below. These are pretty optional, and could be covered by a simple multivitamin instead. Waits nursed until he was 3 so I never used a multi, and just supplemented where I thought he may need the extra boost. Now that he’s weaned I’m looking into multivitamins – I’ll update when I find the right one!

Vitamin K2
Vitamin K1 is abundant in leafy greens and other plant foods, and can be converted into K2 by the body. However, conversion rates vary and may be lower in children. Vitamin K2 is very important in skeletal and dental health – it basically tells calcium where to go (that’s a super simplified explanation, but you get the point). So, vitamin K2 works synergistically with calcium, vitamin D, and other minerals to build strong bones and teeth.

I use the Now Foods Vitamin K2 100 mcg Vcaps.
Here’s why: It comes in a vegan (non-gelatin) capsule which is easy to open and pour out. It is free of all common allergens and free of sugar. It is free of preservatives. It’s cheap!

We do not use this every day. I typically add 1/2 a capsule to a smoothie that we then share between us. Waits eats lots of greens and I assume he’s converting his K1 into K2. I just use this supplement as a little extra booster. I also use this in my homemade fortified plant milk recipe.

Zinc
In Becoming Vegan, Davis and Melina stress that zinc can be a bit tricky to obtain on a vegan diet – especially for children. Zinc is essential for proper growth, and it has many other rolls in the body as well. Zinc is important for wound-healing and immune function, so I always give us a boost when we’re fighting a bug.

I use Now Foods Zinc Gluconate 50 mg Tablets.
Here’s why: It’s vegan. It is free of most common allergens and free of sugar. It’s cheap!

The dosage on these is too much for a child, so I break each pill in half and add that to a smoothie, which we then split between us. I don’t supplement with zinc every day, and rarely more than once or twice a week. Like I said, it’s good for when we’re feeling under the weather, and otherwise I just use it occasionally as added insurance (maybe more when Waits is being a super-picky-eating toddler). I also use this in my homemade fortified plant milk recipe.

Calcium-Magnesium
Calcium and magnesium are essential to many metabolic functions, but are most notable in children for the roll they play in building bones and teeth. Kids can be so dang picky with their foods, that it’s nice to have a cal-mag complex on hand for those “lean” weeks.

I use Deva Calcium Magnesium Plus (chelated form).
Here’s why: It’s made by a 100% vegan company. The minerals are chelated, which allows for maximum absorption by the intestine. It’s an entire bone-building complex which also includes zinc, vitamin D, boron, vitamin C, and copper. It is free of most common allergens and free of sugar. It’s cheap!

This is another one I throw into smoothies when I feel like Waits’s diet has been otherwise lacking. The serving size for these is 3 pills, so I usually use 1 pill and split the smoothie between us. Just a little extra boost! I also use these in my homemade fortified plant milk recipe.

My goodness gracious! So, I was totally intending to include a whole section entitled “Is it a food or is it a supplement?” but man, this post has gotten epically long already. I’ll have to save that for a Part III, I guess? So apparently, coming soon: all the additional edibles we use for food-based vitamins and minerals . . .

I like to order my supplements in big batches and all from the same place, which means I usually choose Amazon (if I’m getting other stuff too) or Vitacost (they have killer prices). If you’re interested in ordering through Vitacost, you can use this link – you’ll save $10 on your order, and so will I. Win-win!

And with that, CHEERS!

♥

Edited to add:
Part I: Let’s Talk Honestly, Shall We?
Part III: Food-Based “Supplements” For Super-Charged Children

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Hey-o! I am super duper not a doctor, or a nurse, or a health care practitioner of any kind. This post represents my personal thoughts and opinions and is in no way meant to be taken as medical advice. Whew!

So yes! I believe that a vegan diet is appropriate for every stage of life including infancy and childhood, into young adulthood, and forever after. I believe this because I have seen it. There are lots of awesome examples of people who have been vegan their entire lives, and who have clearly grown into vibrant, impressive individuals: Adair Moran (actress and professional stuntwoman), Ayinde Howell (chef and entrepreneur), Milani Malik (pro basketball player) and her sister Jehina Malik (pro body builder), and of course, Joaquin Phoenix (that’s just a link to the google image search because, well, it’s worth looking at, amiright? yowza!). You know, just to name a few.

So we’re all sort of flying blind here, in a sense, just doing the very best we can with our current nutritional knowledge. And for the most part that’s totally good enough (see examples above), but since there are things we still don’t know, it’s also possible that some vegan diets could potentially, accidentally, be lacking in something. Because we just don’t know everything yet.

I watch him closely. I look for all those little markers of health that I’ve amassed in my mind after endless hours of research in both academic and alternative venues. So far, he has been nothing short of exquisite: healthy; happy; strong and muscular; agile and co-ordinated; and exceptionally intelligent. He is above average height and below average weight, which is something that I do keep an eye on.

I am not saying this because I believe a vegan diet is insufficient or inherently lacking. As I said above, I firmly believe just the opposite. What I want to make very clear, though, is that I will never put dogma or my own personal beliefs, no matter how deeply they are held, before my child’s health. Period.

The good news is, I don’t have to make that choice. It’s not one or the other, because they are one in the same! Waits is thriving on his vegan diet, just like so many other vegan children around the world are thriving as a new generation of plant-built people.

So I’ve had a lot of opportunity to compare and contrast all these vegan kiddos to their omnivorous counterparts. Oh yes I did. I’ve analyzed bone structure and I’ve scrutinized height/weight and I’ve examined hair and eyes and skin and smiles and everything else I could think of. I’ve searched for patterns, sought to find some difference between vegan kids and omni kids. Maybe that’s just the scientist coming out in me.

But the best I can come up with is that on average (but not always, by any means), vegan children tend to be a bit leaner than their omnivorous peers. Which obviously makes sense. And maybe – though this is still under review – just maybe vegan kids tend to have a bit more energy. I could be biased though, since I did, in fact, birth a Tasmanian devil.

Bottom line, vegan diets can be perfectly healthy for growing children, and children can be perfectly healthy growing up vegan – BUT – that doesn’t mean every version of a vegan diet is healthy for every child. So keep a close eye on your kids and use their own health as your measuring stick.

Children are notoriously picky, which can make a well-rounded diet difficult regardless of restrictions. In my next post, I’ll talk about how to cover your bases. Yes – the much-anticipated supplement post!

♥

Edited to add:
Part II: Why I Supplement The Way I Do
Part III: Food-Based “Supplements” For Super-Charged Children

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Hey-o! I am super duper not a doctor, or a nurse, or a health care practitioner of any kind. This post represents my personal thoughts and opinions and is in no way meant to be taken as medical advice. Whew!

You’d think it would be a relatively easy story to transcribe. It’s a linear progression of factual events, right? Well, sort of. There are actually a number of ways I can tell this story, is the thing. For example I could very simply lay out the series of events, the way I got sick and why, and how I got better (I did). But that would sort of miss the point.

Or, I could write a scathing assault on our modern medical system which refuses to look at holistic health or even to pause at the quiet insistence of a new mother saying “No really, something is wrong.” Yeah, I could definitely write that story.

Or I could muse about the fascinating interplay of mental and physical health, wax New Age-y about the mind-body connection; wonder which causes which and ponder where it all begins (though I don’t think I’m the girl to write that article, ‘cause I’m not all that New Age-y and it’s all just Ouroboros anyway.)

Obviously, this is going to be a long post, can you tell?

The truth is that there’s only one way it feels right tell this story, and that is to contextualize it in the exact way that the entire thing was contextualized in my own life. It’s a story you don’t hear much in public, but I sure have heard it over and over in confidence. And I feel like it’s a story that needs to be told.

So this is my story: the story of how my veganism, held in deepest conviction, hit the wall of health crisis, and cracked with doubt.

Before I begin I want to acknowledge that I leave some things vague, mostly when it comes to my blood tests/numbers and what led to my diagnosis. This is because, well, it’s in the past now and I’m just not up for debating the specifics of how or what I could have done differently. I know everyone on the Internet is an expert (hey, me too!) but please respect that I don’t wish to argue about what I did or didn’t do.

I can imagine about a million and one ways in which people might be offended by what I’m about to say. I can also imagine another million and one ways in which people might want to invalidate my experience (Psychosomatic! Placebo! Armchair RD!). And you know? That’s fine. I’m not here to defend myself. I can’t please everyone, eh? I’m just trying to speak my truth and tell my story, exactly as I experienced it. Here goes.

It began with the fatigue, and I don’t just mean that new mom exhaustion that’s born of too many sleepless nights. This was different, so that on my “bad” mornings my limbs were like lead, and moving into my day felt like so much work, it almost seemed unbearable. Like I said, the physical and the mental stuff was all tied up together.

The fatigue was often accompanied by a splitting headache, and after that came the rashes. My skin was suddenly hyper-sensitive. I had to stop using all lotion and even coconut oil – everything caused me to break out in itchy little red bumps. But even without any stimulus, the rash would come. Often it would be a fatigue day followed by a fatigue + headache day, with the rash setting in a few days after that. Or sometimes the rash would just show up, unannounced.

All of this compelled me to talk to my doctors; first to a midwife and then to an MD.

The midwife said that it sounded like typical new mom stuff. That I should come back if it hadn’t cleared up in a few months. It felt like the brush off.

The MD suggested that I had picked up a virus, any one of the many (like fifths and that cohort) that are common among small children. I asked about the strange recurrence, almost like a cycle, and he said that it could happen with these viruses. Even when I spoke to him again, six months later and it was still happening at regular intervals, he said it was just a virus. I felt like he wasn’t hearing me.

There were other symptoms as well, things that at the time seemed like maybe they were “normal” (in that new-mom sort of way), but as the year wore on and they all got worse, a bigger-picture of the problem began to emerge. My skin was often itchy and dry. I had these extreme mood swings. EXTREME. Often they seemed related to food, which was part of what prompted The Great Grand Diet Trial of 2011. I would get hot flashes, too. Clammy skin. Intense sugar cravings. And of course, anxiety and depression. Lots of anxiety, lots of depression. And eventually by the end of it, complete self-loathing.

This continued through the second half of 2010, and on into 2011. It only got worse. But my symptoms would ebb and flow, enough so that over and over, I would think it maybe had passed. I would feel better for a spell, and I would begin to believe that it had ended. Then, one evening my skin would feel a bit dry, and my heart would sink. And sure enough, the next morning, I would wake up with that same extreme fatigue, feeling like I literally couldn’t get out of bed.

That was the worst part of it all – the over and over up and then down, hope and then despair. That roller coaster, it wears you away. Does damage to the psyche.

I would have done almost anything to feel better. Anything. And when you’re vegan, eventually you start to wonder if your diet is part of the problem. Or maybe, everyone else wonders for you. But I couldn’t help it – I wondered too. I talked to my father, who is a well-respected doctor of Chinese Medicine. He advised eating meat. My Qi was weak, he said. “Just a little bone broth?” or, “Maybe some fish?”

“No” I repeated over and over. “Dad, I can’t do that. I’m vegan.” It became a point of contention in our relationship. He saw his daughter suffering and he wouldn’t accept my refusal of his solution. I felt like I was suffering and he couldn’t step outside his narrow paradigm to try to help me. But I’ll admit, his words and the words of everyone else wiggled in, and I worried that they were right. Was I making myself sicker because I was stuck in this ideology?

In March of 2012, over a year and a half into this, I spoke again with the MD. He still maintained it was a virus. Or, “Sounds like typical new mom stuff to me.”

I felt completely alone. I felt like I was screaming for help and nobody was listening. And I felt like I was living a lie, blogging about the good stuff in my life (trying to practice gratitude, trying to be positive), while omitting this enormous struggle. It felt disingenuous and contributed to my shriveling self esteem.

In February of 2011, I quit blogging. I needed to figure out how to get myself better. Because I was truly, completely, hopelessly miserable. And I’m having trouble walking the line as I write this now, not wanting to sound melodramatic, but needing to express just how horrible it was, and how much it affected me. Quality of life? I had none.



Finally, in April 2012, I made an appointment with a Naturopathic Doctor.

I’d held off for a lot of reasons, mainly because of money (insurance doesn’t cover most naturopaths) and also I don’t know, maybe a sort of prejudice? I mean, I’m a hippie girl at heart, raised that way and totally accepting of alternative modalities. But homeopathy is something I could never really get behind (it just DOESN’T make sense to my scientist’s brain) and since I have both an MD and a Chinese Medicine doctor in the family, I just never really looked into Naturopathy.

But this was different, because I wasn’t getting the help I needed and very simply put, I was desperate.

I found a list of naturopaths that were covered by my insurance, and cold-emailed the ones that sounded like a good fit. This is what my email said:

“Hello, I’m wondering if you are currently accepting new patients. I am
dealing with lots of weird health/mental health issues which have come
up following the birth of my son. He is 25 months and the problems
started around 5 months postpartum.

I am “medium crunchy”, which means I’m actually very crunchy and
prefer alternative medicine techniques, but I’m also very grounded by
traditional science. You sound like you have a similarly balanced
approach and I’m wondering if we could have a consult and see if we
“click”.

Thanks so much! Cheers,
~Sayward”

My first appointment was at the end of April, and I wept as she did my intake. I cried A LOT in that first session. I just felt such relief at finally speaking to somebody who looked me in the eye, who said “Yes, you’re obviously sick, let’s figure out why.” I had hope, real hope, for the first time in ages.

I told her my story and she agreed with my suspicion that my hormones were the underlying issue. The cyclical nature of the symptoms – and the symptoms themselves – seemed to indicate a hormonal imbalance. She was alarmed to hear that I wasn’t menstruating, something I hadn’t paid much attention to. I assumed that since I was still nursing I was just experiencing lactation-induced amenorrhea. Also, I hadn’t had regular periods in years, since way before getting pregnant (and since before going vegan, in case you wondered). I wasn’t actually menstruating when I got pregnant with Waits.

But she felt strongly that I should be, and so this became a starting point in our initial treatment plan. I left her office that morning armed to the teeth with a battery of the crunchiest crunchiness you ever did see. Herbal tinctures. Bitters for digestion. 3 different homeopathic remedies. Castor oil. A “prescription” to eat certain seeds on a lunar cycle in order to induce menstruation. I know! And of course, orders for a whole battalion of blood tests.



Two weeks later my blood work was back. Let’s pause and take a moment now. Try to imagine the absolute worst, the most ridiculous, the most comically ironic diagnosis that a vegan could receive.


No, it wasn’t B12. My B12 and D were great.


However, my cholesterol was abysmally low. And on top of that, I had blood markers for protein depletion. Seriously.

Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a type of fat found only in animal foods. Vegans do not intake ANY dietary cholesterol. Human bodies do produce cholesterol, however, that’s only if the body is healthy. Cholesterol is produced in the liver. My liver had been abused by many years of drinking, smoking, caffeine, and then eventually, pregnancy.

Cholesterol is the precursor to all sex hormones (like estrogen, progesterone, etc). Without adequate cholesterol, the body cannot make hormones.

Protein Depletion
You’ve probably heard vegans (and pretty much every vegan “leader”) scoffing at the protein question. “The protein myth!” and “How many cases of Kwashiorkor have you seen this year?” they’ll quip sarcastically. Basically, “neener neener, duh” is the attitude towards people who question protein.

But you don’t have to develop complete protein deficiency to be protein-depleted. And I, living an active lifestyle, nursing, and eating a sometimes-high-raw, always-vegan diet, was protein depleted.


I was devastated. Devastated. I felt like someone had punched me in the stomach. To hear “cholesterol” and “protein” as a vegan, well it just shook me to my very core. I was reeling.

My naturopath knew that I had some rescued hens, and she suggested that I start eating their eggs.

And maybe you’re thinking the same thing? It sure would solve all my problems, right? That’s a perfect little packet of pure protein and cholesterol, right there. In my very own backyard. Guaranteed cruelty-free.

The thing is though, it wasn’t about me. Because, sure, I could eat those very specific eggs that I don’t necessarily have an ethical objection to, and it would probably help me. Maybe even heal me. But then . . . what would that mean?

If I had to eat animal foods in order to get better, then that would mean I was not capable of being vegan. And if I was incapable of being vegan, then that would mean that the vegan ideology was fundamentally flawed. Because if I HAD to eat animals to be healthy, then eating animals could NOT be morally wrong.

So do you see? That this wasn’t just about me? Wasn’t just about my own health?

Veganism is the cornerstone of my life. It is my framework, it contextualizes my actions and informs my every decision. I believe in kindness and non-violence with the wholeness of my being. This is everything to me.


Those next few days, I was in a stupor. I cancelled a speaking engagement at the Mad City Vegan Fest, an event I’d been so looking forward to. How could I stand in front of a room and talk about veganism, when my own health was failing and my own faith was in crisis?

And then one night, just a few days after I received my diagnosis, I was making dinner and listening to a very popular vegan podcast. The host is one of my greatest mentors, and her discussions always calm and inspire me. This newest episode was all about talking to people who might misuse our words: people who call themselves vegetarian but eat fish, or people who call themselves vegan but eat occasional “humane” animal products, etc. And, there was a section on people who stop being vegan “for health reasons”. What a coinkidink.

One thing I’ve always loved about this speaker is the compassion that she seems to radiate in everything she does – it’s something I’ve worked hard to emulate. She’s just got a way with non-judgment, which was why it came as such a shock to hear the callous, almost mocking tone she took when speaking on this particular topic. She seemed to imply – no, she definitely said – that if someone gives up veganism for health reasons, it’s because “. . . they felt inconvenienced . . . ” and “. . . [they] didn’t really embrace it enough . . .”, ending with, “. . . and so the easy way out is an excuse that appears legitimate.”

This is, essentially, victim-blaming people during their most vulnerable time. And hearing this from someone that I so admire? Well that was just sort of my breaking point.

“You don’t know!” I wanted to scream. “If you’ve never been sick you don’t understand! I would do practically ANYTHING to stop feeling like this!”

So that’s the night I found my anger. And oh boy, was I angry. I resented everyone, everyone I’d trusted. All the vegan leaders and vegan doctors and vegan gurus who’d insisted over and over that I was eating the healthiest diet on the planet. They lied to me! FUCK THEM!

Well, that lasted about 12 hours. I’m not really one for anger and thus my self-righteous indignation didn’t make it past morning. The second I let myself remember why I was vegan in the first place, was the second my anger melted away (literally). Because, remember, it’s not about me.

I am vegan for the animals.

Period. I’m not vegan for the leaders and doctors and gurus, for the approval of my mentors or even for my own health. I’m vegan because I believe with all my heart and soul that it is wrong to inflict violence and suffering on innocent beings. Period.

So that was that. I’d uncovered my reserve strength. And now I had to find a way to get better while staying vegan. I mean, if anyone could possibly re-imagine, get creative, and think outside the box for a nontraditional solution, well I think that I’m just the girl for that job. I’m pretty freakin’ persistent.



I came to my next appointment with a renewed sense of purpose. “We have to make this work within the framework of veganism” I told my naturopath. She was supportive. We devised a plan.

I’m not going to go over every detail of my particular treatment, but in general it went something like this:

• Seeds. Within 3 weeks (seriously!) of starting the cycling seeds program for hormonal balance, I got my first period in over 3 years. I don’t even know what to say about this because it makes the scientist in me raise such a skeptic’s eyebrow, but listen. Dudes. It worked.

• Liver support. We wanted to help my liver efficiently make its own cholesterol. The regimen included castor oil packs, omitting alcohol, coffee, and black tea, and omitting refined sugar. I also cut out gluten because it very much exacerbated my most troublesome symptoms (fatigue and moodiness).

• Fat. Eating as much saturated fat (coconut products, cacao butter) as possible (SORRY NOT SORRY, DR. CAMPBELL) because saturated fat stimulates cholesterol production. Also, eating plenty of other healthy fats, like olive oil, nuts, and avocados (SORRY NOT SORRY, DR. ESSELSTYN). [Of course, I’m just being playful “apologizing” to these amazing doctors. I mean no disrespect – these are great men. But, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that although I believe a low-fat vegan diet is excellent for reversing and curing many chronic diseases, that does NOT mean that it’s the right diet for everyone. A diet for healing is different than a diet for maintenance, is different than a diet for building (pregnancy) and is certainly different than a diet for growth (children). I feel like a lot of vegans, and vegan leaders, overlook this important point. And in my own anecdotal experience, the vegans who most often get sick are of the low-fat and/or all-raw variety. Maybe this warrants it’s own post in the future, eh?]

• Protein. I made a conscious effort to include plenty of protein in my daily menus, with the aim of eating something protein-rich with every meal. During my intensive healing period, I was eating high-protein foods all day (beans, tofu, tempeh, quinoa, lentils, and more beans beans beans) and fixing myself a “protein & saturated fat” shake every morning and every night before bed.

• Additional emotional/physiological support, via herbal tinctures and homeopathic remedies. Because well why not?


And the results? Following this protocol, my progress was so immediate and so monumental, it felt like nothing short of a miracle. Within just a few weeks I felt like a different woman. I could hardly believe it.

And as the months passed, I only continued to improve. I was able to lay off some of the stricter guidelines (reintroduce black tea, drop the late night shake, etc). There was a lot of other very difficult stuff going on in my life back then, but my health remained strong and continued to gain strength, and that made all the difference in the world. Much of my anxiety and depression was relieved just by physically feeling better. So much.

When my blood was retested in September 2012, my cholesterol had moved up into the healthy range, and the markers for my protein depletion had mostly normalized (still room to improve, but much better). By the end of October I felt like both my physical and emotional health had made a complete recovery, and I scheduled my last session with my naturopath.

In some ways, I really feel like she saved my life. For those of you in the Portland area: Dr Raina Lasse, ND. I simply cannot recommend her highly enough.

These days I feel strong. I am healthy and I am happy. It’s actually not something I think about much anymore, which is more of a relief than you can probably understand. When you have your health, you just don’t realize how much you have to lose.

As for my current diet, I still eat coconut products (saturated fat) more often than most folks, but not every day. I’ve also retrained myself in the way I approach my meals, so that I always include some protein (it’s become second nature now). I do believe that every person requires a slightly different diet/macronutrient ratio, and that there’s no one set way that is a guarantee for good health. Some people only need very little fat, others don’t do well with carbs, and still others require lots and lots of protein. VIVE LE BEANS!

But all of these individual needs, I think, can be accomplished within the framework of a vegan diet. I do believe that now. Because I’m proof.

And you know what? It’s is a damn shame that there is such a stigma attached to this, that people feel the need to suffer in silence. I mean I get it, I do. As vegans we deal with enough skepticism from the “outside” world, and it can start to feel like you need to be a shining example of vegan health and perfection at every moment, or else you’re damaging the cause. But it’s a mistake, I think, that the leaders and bloggers and writers and others, are not sharing more of these sorts of struggles. Because we cannot fault people for giving in and going back, if they have no examples of how to persevere.

If nobody shares their stories, then everyone feels alone.

And if I, a deeply committed ethical vegan with a reputation and career on the line, living in freakin’ Portland Oregon, can actually consider going back . . . well, then I can’t blame isolated vegans in small towns who have no support system at all, for doing the same.

Losing your health is the scariest thing. When you’re sick, it consumes everything. But you don’t have to feel like hell just to stand by your beliefs, and you don’t have to stop being vegan in order to feel better. Find a medical practitioner – whichever type you prefer (I’m naturopath-for-life now!) – one that will actually listen and really wants to help. Get your blood tested! Don’t play guessing games, just pony up and pay to know what’s really going on. Then educate yourself, reach out to experts, reach out to the online community, find support, and work with your doctor to figure out a treatment plan that will fit your needs.

Once you’re better (and you will be), share. Leaders and bloggers and writers and everyone else, please share! We will never be able to figure out the whole puzzle, until we are looking at all the pieces. This is not a matter of veganism failing; this is simply a failure of information.

So that’s it. That’s the story of how I got sick, had a crisis of faith, found my strength, and fought my way back to health and happiness. My hope in telling this story is that it may inspire you to stand firm in your own convictions, whenever those convictions are rooted in love.

So with all my love,

To your health.



Edited to add: I am completely overwhelmed by the outpouring of support I have received today. Thank you all so much! It is downright scary to put yourself out there, but you have all reaffirmed my intuition that this was a story that needed to be told. And I am honored to have been able to share it.

Unfortunately, I won’t be able to respond to each comment individually, but please know I have read and appreciate every single one. Thank you so much again – it feels great to be back! ♥

Probiotics are important year-round, but during times of digestive stress, they can be downright lifesavers. So if you’re looking for an easy way to fight “celebration belly” (ha!), my best suggestion is to eat some fermented foods each day. Here are a few of my favorites:


1. Tempeh
Tempeh is made of whole soy beans, and sometimes whole grains, which are pressed into a patty and then cultured with a special fungus. This process bestows tempeh with a higher protein and vitamin content than other forms of soy. It also gives tempeh that unique, earthy flavor. I have high hopes of making my own tempeh in 2012, but until then I’m still doing store-bought. I like Trader Joe’s for super cheap organic goodness, or LightLife for a gluten-free variety.

Tip: Lightly steam your tempeh (just 5-10 minutes) before you use it. This will cut down on some of the bitterness that newbies may not enjoy. After steaming, use just as instructed.


2. Coconut Yogurt
You can culture any plant-milk to make a yogurt, but coconut is by far my favorite. It’s rich and creamy and tangy and DANG, it’s just so! delicious! I like to make my own, but the commercial stuff (called, wouldn’t you know it? So Delicious) is pretty good. They even make a Greek-style now!

Tip: Use plain unsweetened yogurt in place of sour cream for any savory dish, like tacos or tofu scramble. Or, pop it in the freezer for some homemade frozen yogurt!


3. Sauerkraut
It’s not just for kielbasa! Sauerkraut is an amazingly healthful treat, salty and savory and yum yum yummy. I like to eat a forkful all by itself while I’m browsing the fridge, but that’s just me. You can also put it on sandwiches, veggie burgers, not-dogs, salads, savory grits, and anything else your mind can imagine. I make my own, but commercial brands such as Bubbies are pretty widely available. Just make sure it says “unpasteurized” or “live cultures” on the jar.

Bonus!: Sauerkraut is super high in vitamin C, so eat a bit each day for a super immunity boost!


4. Kombucha
My very first fermented love. How I adore thee, sweet mushroom tea. ♥ ♥ ♥ If you don’t already make your own kombucha, it’s pretty easy to find pre-bottled brew these days. GT Dave’s is everywhere, and smaller artisan varieties are popping up up all over the place. Kombucha is nice because you can drink it discreetly and your relatives won’t give you the side-eye.

Tip: To keep it even more incognito, use kombucha as the liquid base of a smoothie. You’ll get the probiotic punch and the super smoothie nutrition all in one!


5. Miso
Miso is easy to use and as a soup it’s pretty familiar, so you may even be able to serve it to your relatives. It’s purchased as a paste, usually made from fermented soy beans, though these days you can often find chickpea or other soy-free versions. Light miso is a best bet for beginners. Cooking instructions will depend on the product, but they’ll be on the package so don’t worry.

Tip: Miso adds a salty, umami quality to any sauce or spread. Throw a tablespoon into salad dressings, dips, or other homemade condiments.


6. Pickles
Cucumbers are the most common variety, but any vegetable can be pickled using traditional lacto-fermentation techniques. Gingered carrots, spiced beets, or any other amazing combination you can imagine! Pickled veggies are easy to make at home, but they can be harder to find in stores (most “pickles” are vinegared, not fermented). Again, Bubbies is a reliable brand, or check your local health food store, Farmer’s Market, or craft fair for artisan offerings.

Bonus!: Pickling vegetables makes them taste great – salty and crunchy and totally unique. A lot of kids who may shun veggies that are cooked or raw, often like them in pickled form. And the best part is, pickling actually increases vitamin content!


7. Apple Cider Vinegar
Real raw unpasteurized ACV is one of my all-time favorite fermented foods. It’s similar to kombucha actually, and making it is also high on my list of 2012 projects! But for now, I go store-bought. Make sure that your bottle says “unpasteurized” or “living food”. Bragg and Solana Gold are great brands; the Trader Joe’s ACV is pasteurized.

Tip: ACV is easy to slip into many dishes. Try replacing half the vinegar in salad dressings, or half the lemon juice in hummus dip. I think it tastes great!

~~~

So there it is, the very best of fermented fabulousness! And with that, I hope you have an awesome and indulgent winter season, my dears.

Now you tell me – what’s your favorite fermented food??

Did you know that coconuts are freaking fantastic? It’s true! They’re one of my absolute favorite foods, for two main reasons. First, their nutritional profile is outstanding and quite unique. Secondly, their diversity is practically unparalleled. You can do so many different things with coconuts! And the great news is that their popularity is on the rise, which means they’re becoming available in more and more forms, at more and more locations.

Before we get into the nitty gritty, let’s begin with a simple introduction:




Coconuts are not actually nuts; they’re the fruit of the coconut palm and they contain a single seed. This is confusing, since “nut” is in the name, and even more so because the United States FDA has categorized them as a nut for allergy purposes. Because of this, coconuts must be disclosed under the allergy warning on packaged goods. Interestingly, in areas of the world where coconuts are a prominent part of the diet, they compose a large percentage of food allergies (in the top 5). But in places like the US, the UK, and Australia, coconut allergies are virtually nonexistent. Aside from all that, the takeaway is that coconuts are mostly a fruit . . . with an edible seed . . . so sort of both, but not a nut . . . okay, they’re really in a class all their own. As you’ll see!

Coconuts play a major role in many equatorial cultures. In much of the world, they are eaten daily and provide a major source of calories and nutrients. In the Philippines, the coconut palm is referred to as “The Tree Of Life”. Undoubtedly, coconuts are a traditional food with a long history of human use.

The ancient food forms of coconut include:

Young Flesh, raw – soft and gelatinous, sparse
Mature Flesh, raw – harder and more abundant
Mature Flesh, dried – also called “copra”, used in cooking and used to make oil
The Water – actually liquid endosperm (the “meat”), contains protein, vitamins, and minerals, in isotonic electrolyte balance.
The Milk – produced by mixing hot water with grated flesh (fresh or copra) to draw out the oils and flavors. High fat content and will separate into cream if left in cool temperature.
The Oil – extracted from mature meat, can be cold-pressed (raw) or heat/solvent-extracted (not raw, more processed). Very heat stable, with a high smoke point, making it excellent for frying and other high-temperature cooking.
Palm Sugar/Jaggery – sap is collected from the palm flowers and heated until it reduces and dries out. Used as a sweetener, tastes like earthy brown sugar.
Hearts of Palm – the apical buds of adult plants. Did you know that harvesting them in the wild actually kills the plants?

So, why are coconuts so damn awesome? Well, let me tell you.

Raw cultured coconut yogurt parfait with chocolate rye gRAWnola and fresh strawberries. Recipes in Rawsomely Vegan.

Coconut is lower in sugar and higher in protein than other typical fruits. It’s also high in fiber and important phytochemicals, such as phenolic acids. Coconut contains significant vitamin E, and the minerals iron, phosphorous, and zinc. Coconut oil also has impressive antimicrobial properties (1), including as an effective treatment for Candida (2).

Coconut contains a very high percentage of fat. Of the fats found in coconut, about 90% are saturated. “Eeek!” you might be saying. “But isn’t saturated fat, like zee deveel?” Well, maybe not!

Lauric acid is the fatty acid that comprises 50% of the total fats found in coconut. Lauric acid, along with many of the other coconut fats, is a rare medium-chain fatty acid. It also happens to be one of the major components of human breast milk! And there is some evidence, which I’ll discuss below, that these plant-based medium-chain fatty acids do not carry the same risks associated with other saturated fats.

Just to be clear: many doctors, governmental agencies, and the World Health Organization, recommend against consuming a lot of coconut, and especially coconut oil. This is exclusively because of the high saturated fat content, and ignores the fact that there are different types of saturated fat. Early studies on coconut oil indicated a deleterious effect, but these studies were all conducted using partially-hydrogenated coconut oil. That’s trans fat! Obviously, an artificially processed oil “product” can not fairly be compared to minimally processed natural coconut foods.

As noted above, in many parts of the world coconuts are eaten daily and provide the vast majority of dietary fat. In these same regions the risk of chronic disease, including coronary heart disease, is exceptionally low (3) (4) (5). However, these data disintegrate as soon as the culture shifts from their traditional diet (high in plant foods and fiber) to a western diet (including processed foods, refined grain, dairy, and sugar). As always, the protective effect of foods work synergistically within the context of the entire diet, and a singe element cannot be isolated and extracted.

So what about that saturated fat? Should it be a concern?

Well, it sort of depends on the rest of your diet. Coconut oil does in fact raise cholesterol. However, it raises the “good” cholesterol more than the “bad”, which actually results in a preferred lipid profile (6) (7). For some populations, like those eating a plant-strong diet, coconut may be especially beneficial when used as a tool to maintain optimal cholesterol levels. Cholesterol is essential for hormone regulation and other metabolic functions, and a cholesterol number than drops too low can actually become detrimental.

Raw cacao-dipped orange coconut macaroons. Recipes in Rawsomely Vegan.

So what’s the bottom line? I believe that in a plant-strong, whole foods diet – in my diet – coconut oil is an awesome, health-promoting food. I think that if somebody is eating a diet that’s rich in animal proteins, animal-sourced saturated fat, and dietary cholesterol, than coconut oil may not be the best choice . . . but really, then coconut oil is probably the least of their worries!

There are people who will tell you that coconut is some sort of magical superfood; that it can do everything from preventing seizures to killing the AIDS virus. (seriously) Um, I’m not one of those people! What I am telling you, is that using coconut foods to replace other products is a positive step towards optimal wellness. Coconuts are exceptionally healthful as compared to their alternatives. They allow for culinary creativity and a whole new realm of plant-based rich and creamy dishes, from wholesome entrées to decadent desserts.

Along with the traditional preparations, there are a number of modern coconut foods, including:

Flour – made from the dried flesh once the oil has been pressed out
Nectar – the sap from the flowers
Crystals – sap, dehydrated at low temperature
Palm Wine – fermented sap
Aminos – aged and salted sap
Vinegar – fermented coconut water
Butter – the meat pureed together with the oil


. . . but we’ll have to talk about those another time.

And what about you my dears? Do you use coconut foods? If so, how? If not, do you want to try them?

I’ve been writing a lot about my love affair with green juice lately, and I’ve been thrilled to hear that many of you share my passion. I’ve also heard from a lot of people who want to try, or have tried in the past, to get into juicing. There seems to be a series of common roadblocks that stand squarely between a person and their glass of fresh pressed juice – I should know, because I have experienced them myself! Here I outline the five most frequent errors people make – and of course, how to remedy them.


1) Too Much Sweet / Not Enough Green: Fresh Juice is incredible because the nutrients are parted from the bulk that binds them. This means the goods are instantly absorbed into the bloodstream, offering a hefty load of vitamins and minerals. BUT, it also means that sugar is on the loose as well. Thus, those folks (like me) who are sensitive to glycemic fluctuations, need to make sure that their juice doesn’t pack a sugar punch. When I first started juicing I would toss in apples, oranges, carrots, and finally a few greens. I’d drink it down and experience a crazy high (whee! cleaning! writing! FLYING!) and then, a horrible crash (boooooh! cranky! tired! anxious!). So not fun. Now I know to center my juice around low-sugar, high-water veggies like cucumber and celery. I always add plenty of greens, and just a little fruit for flavor. A single carrot, the juice of one lemon – that’s all it really needs.

2) Drinking Too Much At Once: Following from above, this is also about managing blood sugar. The first time I made juice, I was so excited. I took out every fruit and veggie in my fridge, lined them all up, and fed them into my Champion. I made over a quart of juice and guzzled it all in under 15 minutes. Well! I was flying high for about an hour, and then I crashed so hard I nearly took the house down with me. I finally figured out that with juice, a little goes a long way. Now, I only ever take about 8 oz at a time. Sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less, and I drink it slowly. Your own experience will depend on how your body deals with sugar, but it’s good to be mindful – especially at first.

3) “It’s Too Much To Clean Up.” Oh yeah, I’m looking at me here. Guilty! My dear Champion spent over a year (!!!) gathering dust on the counter top, because after the first time I used it, I was like “dang, what a PITA, so much work, grrr graw grumble grumble.” Okay yes, juicers require a little maintenance. They generally need to be cleaned right away, lest you end up with caked and sticky bits. But you know what? It’s less than ten minutes! Now I make my juice and I drink it while I’m washing up. While Waits plays at my feet. And honestly, after I’d done it a few times I realized it’s not so bad. You don’t need to use soap or even a sponge – just rinse under hot water. Toss in the dishwasher once a week (Or don’t. I don’t.) But for goodness sake, you can make the time. Don’t let five minutes stand between you and so much good health!

4) “I Don’t Have A Juicer.” No worries – I got you covered! Done and Done. Next . . .

5) You Make “Everything-But-The-Kitchen-Sink” Juice: I have to admit something. In life and in the kitchen, I’m sort of a compulsive maximalist. And it’s strange, because I actually most enjoy a minimal aesthetic – minimalist design, absolute “un-clutter” in my space, and simple fresh food. But still, I find myself compelled to add add add, and in juicing as in life, it got me into trouble. My first homemade blend was a crazy watermelon-cucumber-celery-cilantro-carrot-lemon-sangria-stiletto-amaretto concoction. Or something. It was crazy! And it tasted just as confusing. But since then I’ve learned that, while juicing is an excellent way to clear out the crisper, a little editing is essential. I advise new juicers to aim for three ingredients or less. Plus maybe a squeeze of citrus. This goal will also help you to manage quantity (see #2), but mostly it’s for flavors sake. Be nice to your tongue, and go easy on the combos.

I hope that these little tips will help you to see juicing as something that can easily become a part of your life. It’s enhanced my health so much, it truly is amazing. And summer’s right around the corner with all the best and freshest juice that’s yours for the taking!

~~~

Lately I’ve been wondering why the more fresh produce I eat, the better it tastes. Once I started increasing the amount of raw fruits and vegetables in my diet, a cycle of bizarre cravings kicked in. The more frequently I ate fresh foods, the more frequently I wanted to!

It’s like my taste receptors have re-learned to love the flavor of fresh vegetables and fruit. Am I fooling myself though? Is this mind over matter, or can you really teach old taste buds new tricks?

How Our Taste Buds Work

Uncovering the mystery of how our tastebuds work is one part revelation, one part inspiration and one part taste sensation!

Those bumps on the surface of our tongues are actually called papillae and our tastebuds are buried inside them. Our tastebuds make direct contact with the chemicals in food and translate this information into electrical signals which then travel to our brains and deliver the sensation of taste. It’s the tiny hairs (or microvilli) within our taste buds that pick up sensory information about the sweet, sour, bitter, salty or savoury (umami) flavours on our tongues.

On average, most people have about 10,000 taste buds. Most are on our tongues, but taste buds are also located on the insides of our cheeks and on the rooves of our mouths.

Before we get to about 50 years old, our taste buds regenerate every 10 days or so. After 50 the number of taste buds declines to about 5000. This is why babies and toddlers often seem to have an enhanced sense of taste, while older people sometimes oversalt their food to regain the taste sensations of their youth!

How to Regain Your Taste Sensation

Loss of taste sensation is often due to factors other than age. We also make avoidable lifestyle choices that reduce the abilities of our taste receptors. These include:

• Smoking
• Ingesting foods loaded with pesticides and other chemicals
• Eating processed foods that are often high in artificial flavors or colorings
• Eating too much mucus-forming foods such as white flours or dairy, which can block olfactory sensors in our nasal passages
• Using drugs (both legal and illegal) which can alter our perceptions of flavor
• Believing cultural influences that tell us junk food flavors are more desirable

Each year more than 200,000 people in the USA report a loss of taste sensation to their doctor. This might help explain why some people who are used to a diet of processed junk food think that healthy eaters are a bunch of weirdos. How could we possibly relish a juicy home-grown tomato fresh off the vine when we could suck on a bottle of ketchup instead? What’s with enjoying sweet, crispy carrot sticks when a carton of deep-fried potatoes is available at the take-away just around the corner? Why do we waste our time preparing divine salads full of bright leafy greens, shredded sweet carrots, plump tomatoes, salty olives and creamy avocadoes topped with pungent fresh herb dressings, when we could simply pick up a cardboard-textured (and flavored) hamburger from the fast food drive-through? We must be out of our minds!

Seriously though, eating a lot of raw vegetables and fruit can reset your body’s natural instincts and intuition about food. As your raw food health levels increase you’ll find yourself drawn towards more healthful and naturally flavorsome foods. Over time you’ll lose interest in letting highly processed foods into your system.

To regenerate your taste buds, choose to eat healthy, fresh, whole foods and avoid artificial flavorings and additives. Eventually your taste buds will regain their maximum potential once again, allowing you to enjoy every last ounce of amazing flavor in your food.



Taste Bud Revivor Salad Dressing

Ingredients

• 2 red bell peppers (capsicums)
• 6-8 sun-dried tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons fresh marjoram (or oregano)
• 1 tablespoon of lemon thyme (or thyme)

Method
Blend all ingredients until well combined.
Makes about 1 cup.

The brilliant thing about this salad dressing is that it’s nearly oil-free, apart from the sun-dried tomatoes. This means that you’re not adding a whole heap of calories and fat to your healthy salad.

Enjoy this dressing paired with leafy green salads, spooned into an avocado half or spread on crackers for a quick and nutritious snack.

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Trina Cleary raves about raw food health at Growing Raw, a healthy eating guide that provides tips and information to help you grow your own food and make nutritious eating a daily habit.

Why am I so obsessed with juicing? Here’s my Top 5 Reasons:

1) Green Juice is a super shot of concentrated nutrition. You get all the goodness from fresh fruits and vegetables – the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals – stripped from the fiber so they’re instantly absorbed and effortlessly assimilated. Green Juice digests in about 10 minutes. How long would it take you to chew 2 carrots, a cucumber, and an entire head of greens? You’d fill up on bulk before you could finish it! Veggie juice lets you consume more vegetables, and thus more nutrients, without feeling too full too fast.

2) Green Juice gives the ultimate energy! I’m not talking about those awful caffeine artificial jitters. No sir. The deep down vitality gifted by green juice comes from the maximum nutrient profile and the easily accessed natural fuel – glucose. Each of your cells gets a straight shot of strength for sustained, slow burning stamina. My green juice keeps me going all afternoon!

3) Hello, glowing skin and improved digestion! The health benefits of juicing are truly unparalleled, which is why it’s one of the most popular healing/ disease-curing modalities. Add fresh juice to your daily regimen and watch your body begin to sing! Though it works wonders on each and every internal system, personally I see my results in radiant skin and great gut health.

4) Juicing saves money and reduces waste! It’s like this: am I going to eat my radish tops? Um, no. But will I juice my radish tops? Heck yeah! Green juice is a great way to get maximum use out of all your veggies. Seriously, you can juice practically anything! So clean out your crisper and hop to it, little bunny!

5) Truth: I love green juice because Waits loves green juice. And what mother wouldn’t be over the moon to see her kid smacking their lips over a kale-cucumber-celery concoction?! Well guess what parents – children love this stuff. See?




Next week I’ll teach you how to make fresh juice even if you don’t have a pro juicer. In the meantime, check out Kathy’s article (and swoon over the photos), posted just this morning over at Healthy Happy Life. Great bloggers think alike? I’m telling you, Green Juice is all the rage and everyone’s doing it, man!

Do you juice? What’s your favorite combo? If you don’t juice, what’s stopping you??