2 month Vegan/Raw Update!

Well, I made it 2 months as a vegan/raw "ex meat eater"!  I don't miss any of it.  Especially not eggs, fish or cottage cheese.  I don't even miss bread.  

I love my salads with fresh fruits and nuts.  My favorite things are the shakes.  I keep trying to add watercress but I have not learned to love that taste in my shakes.  I will need to be leaving them in my salads with loads of garlic, nuts and other tasty things.  I thought I would get a little tired and washed out looking.  I actually think I have become a little more vibrant.  Both in my skin appearance and my energy.

I haven't lost a lot of weight, not as much as I anticipated, because I keep adding delicious things into my shakes and salads.  This is a lifestyle that I can maintain happily.

They sprouted!!!

Now the beans are too cute to eat with those little tails: )  I did it, I made the recipe.  Everyone but 7 year old Kora enjoyed it.  She traded it in for cottage cheese and an apple.

Germinating and Sprouting!

Guess what I am doing today!  I am making a salad recipe from Dr. Perricone's book, Forever Young.  I am going to germinate and sprout my white beans instead of buying it in a can and losing all that nutrition.

White bean and asparagus salad w/watercress

5 stalks green asparagus 

15 oz white beans (mine will be sprouted)

1 orange bell pepper

1/2 onion

2 tbsp olive oil cold pressed

2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp Dijon mustard

sea salt and ground pepper to taste

2 cups watercress, trimmed.

steam 1" cut asparagus for 2-3 minutes

chop and combine everything else except watercress

line bowl with watercress and top with bean mixture

serves 4

Back to the beans!

Germinate:  Rinse and soak the beans in a glass bowl covered with (lol..yes...clean pantyhose cut up) in water that has been purified for 8 hours.  Rinse and drain.

Sprout:  Place in sprouting container, spreading evenly and cover with another stocking.  Rinse a couple of times a day to avoid mold. After sprouting (about 24 hours)...rinse and eat!

What is left to eat?

The only way I ever could have done this was to be ready.  It is just like when I quit smoking 18 years ago.  The trick was to have very strong incentive and great tools.  I found out that second hand smoke could hurt my children and they came out with nicoderm...all at the same time. 

Last year I had every medical test a GI specialist can administer and there really was nothing wrong with me.  I have Crohn's markers....but no active Crohn's disease.  I thought I had celiac's and I don't.  I tried removing and replacing foods, but there were so many problems that I would have just had to give everything up and add one thing a week back in.  The Dr.'s office told me that I could not fix my problem with diet.  It was really my last resort.  

As far as tools go, I am very lucky for all the good information available on the internet and in great books and a lovely friend who is so helpful.

Here is what I quit eating...wheat, milk, cheese, yogurt, meat, fish, all processed foods, including sugar and I no longer use my microwave and very rarely my oven or stove.  I went into this thinking I would allow myself "free days" at least once a week and give myself permission to eat whatever I wanted at social settings or special dinners.  I wanted this to be something that I can live with forever.

Somehow along the line my attitude changed.  I went from feeling like I was going to be deprived to really feeling like I had a zillion choices.  I think the biggest thing that motivated me and excited me was when my gi problem was 100% better within a day of eating this way.  I love the foods I am eating.  I am always, always full and satisfied.  I drink shakes twice a day usually and the shakes make me feel alive and healthy.  

I have been on vacation, gone out to eat and gone through other "tests" and I passed.  It is amazing the healthy food you can find at a restaurant if you are looking for it.  I found a black bean burger in the airport!  I had this fabulous quinoa, couscous, pine nut, spinach salad at Jams (Omaha)...I couldn't eat it all and brought it home and my daughter tried and loved it too.  Biaggi's (Omaha) has an entire gluten free menu and I had a wonderful salad there too that was spicy with nuts and had a nice "kick" to it.  

My very favorite meal at home is a green shake...that usually is not very green.  I keep adding all these wonderful things to it and it is so healthy.  I start with 2 cups of water, 3 handfuls of spinach, some kind of healthy fat like flax oil, coconut oil or an avocado, chia seeds, watercress, and fruit and stevia.  I change my fruit around...my favorite is blueberry, strawberry and banana.  I also add a scoop of protein, usually hemp, soy or pea protein.  YUMMY.  (2) of those a day are pretty nice. I just keep adding more things to it as I find something ultra healthy to add to my diet.  The color ranges from dark green to brown to purple.  It is always really tasty and filling.  Now you know why I have trouble getting my 6 meals in.  I could probably stick 1/2 of this in the fridge and use (1) for 2 meals.  The pea protein has 28g of protein in one scoop...then when I add the other things like spinach and chia seeds...I get my protein.

Last week Dr. Oz said he pours his shakes into ice cube trays and then just pops his cubes into a cup to melt and drink.  What a clever and easy idea for a busy day when we don't have time to put things together.

I eat a pear and a raw protein bar twice a day.  This assures me enough nutrients.  I have hot tea if I feel a desire for something warm.  I am starting to crave things that are wet.

I am resolved to try at least one new recipe each week.  I love salads with fruit, nuts and lettuce.  These are pretty easy to throw into a day without planning too much.  I have had 3 slices of ezekial bread this year and 2 slices of sour dough.  I ate the sour dough for the probiotics.  I also take a probiotic supplement.


I read a book last year by a very intelligent woman who practically cured her severe Crohn's symptoms with a macrobiotic diet.  (I will add her to my page of books), it is a great book for anyone, not just Crohn's sufferers.  It was easy to read and very informational.  This is where I learned about sour dough bread.  I am going to be trying miso soup too. 

Dr. Perricone was on Dr. Oz's show last week and said that if everyone was going to add one thing to their diet to be healthy (fight cancer, have beautiful skin, build immunity, get rid of cold symptoms.....)...well, guess what the grocery stores in Omaha no longer have?  No watercress to be had anywhere: )  I ordered seeds today.  I don't know if I can grow it here, but I am going to try.  Dr. Perricone also has a really nice looking recipe with asparagus, watercress and white beans.  Well, I have the asparagus...no watercress and I no one has white beans either.  This is the problem I have run into....finding the ingredients.  I went to Whole Foods and needed Rooibos as an ingredient for a recipe.  Luckily I found someone who knew it.  They did not have an herb but they had tea.  

Whole Foods posted this photo this week, the internet is a wonderful place to "google" to see what ingredients are and even what they look like.

I need to plan ahead and not buy any parts of a recipe until I find all of the parts...because they will go bad before I find everything I need.  Thank goodness for helpful grocers who will order in and the internet.  

I received 10 pounds of cocoa today from UPS.  I order most of my protein online.  It is tricky buying protein because a lot of them are "shakes" where they have added ingredients that you don't really want.  Also, the minute you add raw to the label, especially in nut butters, you increase the price by 100% or more.

It does not have to be more expensive than unhealthy food.  Not if you are careful and buy in bulk.  I went to Florida to visit my Mom and Dad for a week.  The first day we went to the Fruit Market.  I bought strawberries, blueberries, the biggest avocado I ever saw, watermelon, pears, spinach, tomatoes, cantaloupe....I know there was more...it was 26.00 and that made 2 meals minimum a day for the whole time I was there.  I also counted out 4 bars a day and took them with me and took my soy protein.  I wonder what the bag inspectors thought when they searched my bag.  Especially since I had my Christmas presents packed too....heart monitor and gps watch for running.  I bet those people see some weird stuff.  I am figuring out the food better than the technological gadgets.

When my husband had cancer, I bought him some FRS.  He got so tired and run down and caught everything there was to catch.  He refused to take it, I started drinking it before I workout in the morning and again in the afternoon when I used to get tired about 3.  I continue to drink it, it also pushes me to drink about 24 oz of water with it.  I think it provides a lot of B vitamins and phytonutrients.  I am never tired anymore.  I am not crediting the FRS with that but I do think that it provides some nutrients that I don't want to give up.  I do know that it helps me to put a little extra into my morning workout.

The one thing I have found in all of my vegetarian/vegan books is a small amount of protein.  I am working really hard to keep the protein up in my diet.  The isolated protein helps.  I know I should have more real food.  In the next few weeks I will add more beans.  I love black beans.  I am allergic to kidney beans.  Peas have a huge amount of protein.  I love pine nuts, those things are expensive, about a cup of pine nuts costs $6.50 right now.  I guess if you compare that to a filet it is a good deal.  I have a wonderful pesto recipe, a nice basic oil and balsamic vinegar dressing, with lots of garlic and a little mustard.  I eat raw honey and nut butters.  I use agave syrup for a sweetener and stevia.  I no longer eat processed sugars!  

I feel really good!  ~Cathy

My first obstacle….

Gas! 

Although I have eaten (what I thought was healthy) for several years, my body was not used to all that fiber.  The first 2 weeks were hard on everyone around me.  Thankfully I have passed that problem.

In my frantic research, this is what I found: 

·         Enzyme Supplements (does stop gas if taken before you eat or drink)

·         Maybe I should have gradually increased my fruits and vegetables.

·         Pepto Bismol (does not stop gas but it eliminates the odor...at least that is what I have been told)

Enzymes are the catalysts for digestion.  If we do not have enzymes, it would take forever to digest our meals.  The enzymes induce chemical changes that break down the food we eat into a form that our bodies will absorb.  If we do not absorb enough of our food, we crave more and gain weight.

Nope, they are not paying me!

The acid in our stomach activates the enzymes that break down the food.  I enlisted the help of Beano (yes…enzyme supplements!), Beano is not vegan, it is made with animal products, but I am not doing this for religious or ethical reasons.  This seemed like a necessary compromise.  The Beano did not help me….but, Gas X Prevention did.  I would recommend Gas X Prevention to everyone who ever had a problem with gas.

If you are vegan for religious or ethical reasons, my top tip would be to gradually work fruits and vegetables and legumes into your diet instead of jumping right into the change and additions.

As we get older our bodies produce less enzymes.  Food enzymes are important to help us digest food.  That is why adopting a plan for eating raw and unprocessed foods is important.  Canned, processed and heated (over 118 degrees) destroys food enzymes.  

By eating foods with more enzymes our body will crave less food (looking for more enzymes) and keep from gaining weight.  We have several types of enzymes, lipase is an enzyme that digests fats.  This is why a raw diet with mostly uncooked, unprocessed whole foods is so important.  

This brings me to my next adventure!  Soaking and dehydrating food.  Soaking nuts, seeds and legumes activates the enzymes and makes them easier to digest.  Sprouting adds greatly to the nutritious value of the bean, seed or nut.  I am still working on sprouting almonds...I will be posting a victory picture when I am successful! ~Cathy 

Resources!

I cannot believe the resources that are available to a person who is wanting to improve their diet.  At the beginning, there was my vegan/raw mentor, Debby.  She has gave me some great recipes that I used daily along with sharing the knowledge and understanding she has accumulated through study and by working it out for herself. 

Here is a list of books that I have read.  They are full of great facts and recipes! 

Alt, C. (2004). Eating In the Raw. New York: Clarkson Potter/Publishers.
Alt, C. (2007). The Raw 50. New York: Clarkson Potter/Publishers.
Brazier, B. (2007). Thrive. Canada: Penguin Group.

Brown, S. G. (2005). Modern Day Macrobiotics. UK: Carroll & Brown Publishers Ltd. 

T Colin Campbell, P. a. (2006). The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted And the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss, And Long-term Health. Dallas: BenBella Books, Inc. 

Carr, K. (2011). Crazy Sexy Diet. Guilford, CT: Pequot Press.

Hasselbeck, E. (2007). The G Free Diet. New York: Hachette Book Group, Inc
Nicholas Perricone, M. (2010). Forever Young. New York: Simon & Shuster, Inc.
Patrick-Goudreau, C. (2010). Color Me Vegan. Beverly, MA: Fairwinds Press.

Steven Pratt, M. (2004). Superfoods Rx. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.

 

in the beginning

On January 1, 2011, when this 53 year old grandma first changed my eating style, I was not sure how long it would last or if I could even do it.  Since then I have learned a lot.  I continue to learn and have decided to create a blog to share and document that information.

My nutritional background comes from...plenty of bad diets, plenty of reading and studying and good mentors.  I have met with nutritionists and have taken nutrition classes in a university setting.  I am not a nutritionist and I am not a doctor.  I am simply a proud owner of a body that is improving daily.

The past 10 years I have followed "Eating For Life" by Bill Phillips.  In 2010 he published "Transformation" and proposed 50% good carbohydrates, 30% protein and 20% good fats.   I strongly recommend his new book as it has very good and very easy to understand information that is scientifically supported.  There is also a mind, body, soul relationship in his book that is invaluable.

 

Five years ago one of my doctors did a series of food allergy tests and found that I was allergic to "almost everything."  Gluten, cheese, egg whites, green beans, papaya and milk are only a few of the things that I am allergic to.  At first I tried giving everything up but suffered from "deprivation syndrome."  My GP told me that almost everyone suffered from allergies and life was too short.  So I jumped on this and started eating whatever I wanted again.  

Over the last few years I have suffered from gastrointestinal problems that I just couldn't rid myself of.  Last year I had almost every medical test that there is, including swallowing a camera that took 60,000 pictures of my healthy intestines.  Finally I decided to change the way I eat.  I no longer eat processed sugar, meat, dairy products or wheat.  You might ask...what does that leave?  It leaves everything fresh and nutritious and delicious.  The other thing....I no longer suffer from any gastrointestinal problem and the results were within 24 hours of my "big changeover"!

The food I eat now is so good that I am always full and satisfied.  I no longer crave or even want sugary deserts.  I no longer desire white starchy foods or bread.  I am eating fruits and vegetables, healthy fats like avocado and flax oil and beans and nuts.  I eat raw cocoa, raw honey and raw nut butters. 

My biggest challenge is to include enough protein.  Most of the vegan menu/recipes are low on protein.  I have been using isolated proteins in green shakes.  These proteins are in powder form.  I like hemp, pea and soy.  I do not like rice protein but I know people who do.

I feel really good!  I have tons of energy and I am taking a more active role in preparing my own food.  I am eating as often and as much as I want and I am losing 1 to 1/2 pound per week.  If I wanted to gain weight or maintain my weight, I would simply add more calorie rich foods like nut butters, avocados, flax oil and nuts.

Food allergies have caused major inflammation for me in the last 15 years.  A photo from 2 years ago shows inflammation that resembled a pregnant woman in her 7th or 8th month.  I am beginning to see that inflammation disappear and I know that this style of eating will have major health benefits that I will never even know because I am avoiding problems that would have appeared for me later in life.