Plant-based diet | Peace and Fitness

Curing the Incurable

January 26, 2012 by bonni 3 Comments

After weeks of wracking my brains out, reading, researching, trying to make head or tails out of what’s going on with so many people being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, I am convinced of several things. I will refrain from saying anything more about the test and Big Pharma, because I think I have already expressed my feeling on that. (Ya think??) I will say that I revisited The China Study, specifically the chapter on this disease, and am reminded of one of the many reasons I chose a plant-based diet. In study after study, from continent to continent, culture to culture, those who develop diabetes are those who consume the most animal protein. While I will not bore you with all the details of the many studies, “all the findings support the idea that both across and within populations, high-fiber, whole, plant-based foods protect against diabetes, and high-fat, high-protein, animal-based foods promote diabetes.“ Western medicine is prescribing a diet that neglects these findings, (for several different reasons) and we are being made to feel that we are doing all we can and still “failing” at our efforts.

While radically changing our diets is incredibly impractical and often rather undesirable, how practical or desirable is it to have a lifelong condition such as diabetes? The big bonus is the same “diet” that can prevent diabetes can prevent so many other dread diseases. I am a firm believer that The China Study should be required reading for EVERYONE. No, we don’t always want to know, as ignorance can be bliss…but illness definitely is NOT and knowledge is power.

And never, ever underestimate the power of exercise. What a beautiful thing to lunch yesterday with almost 100 of our students. The SilverSneakers program has done so much to improve the quality of life of senior citizens…and me!

Filed Under: health and happiness, Plant-based diet, Silversneakers, vegan thursday ·

Divine, Sublime… it’s Birthday Time

December 30, 2011 by bonni 3 Comments

Good morning and happy birthday to one of my very favorite people, who also happens to also be my son, Derek. 28 years ago, this morning, the entire world became a better place because he entered it! Last night, we (Mitch, Derek, Michele and I) went to Sublime to celebrate (missing Kyle and Nicole, of course!!!) and the food was, once again, simply divine. For those that don’t know, Sublime is an all vegan “fine dining” establishment in Ft. Lauderdale, open only for dinner, with a beautiful ambiance, incredible service and equally beautiful and incredible options! We ate the crispy cauliflower (to die for and as Michele said, no one would even have to know it was cauliflower) and stuffed artichoke as appetizers and after sharing one chopped salad, we were well on our way to full. Michele and Derek ordered the enchiladas, Mitch the penne pasta and I, of course, felt compelled to try their veggie burger, new to the menu since I last went. It was a little on the “less firm” side, but very, very good. We shared some dessert because we had to sing! One piece of pumpkin cheesecake and one piece of chocolate nirvana. OMG! While we had no celebrity sitings last night, it is the hot spot for celebrity vegans like Paul McCartney and Pamela Anderson. The waiter said we would know if she was there Just saw a picture of the good Dr. Oz with the owner, who is said to donate all her profits to animal causes.

Next week, VFT, back on at the house. It’s the third week of birthdays, so next week we celebrate Pete. That definitely calls for a Shepherd’s pie. Hoping to see some of the missed faces back around the table as we begin a new year together.

Still trying to figure out why I can’t post my blog to Facebook, but I will catch up with my other favorite guy over the weekend and get that resolved. I am nothing without my webmaster, but I know how busy he is at Steelcast.

I will be at Tamarac Fitness for my regularly scheduled 11:30 SS class this morning. Last class of the year 2011. The gym will be closed for the weekend and reopen with our regular schedule on Monday morning. It’s been a great year and look forward to the next one with all my students and the new ones to come!

Giving thought to some resolutions? It is suggested we don’t overshoot and set ourselves up for failure. Narrow them down and be specific. More about this over the weekend. Much love. Be safe on the roads!

Filed Under: Holidays and celebrations, Plant-based diet, vegan thursday ·

A Rainbow of Colors

October 20, 2011 by bonni 1 Comment

Good morning. This being Vegan Feast Thursday, I always have lots of things I consider writing about. When I sat down to my computer I found that I never closed the window to a page offering nutritional info about a wide variety of veggies. Since I have been on a mission to help people learn to love not just their greens, but also oranges, purples, reds, whites and more, I decided to simply post this chart. Hopefully the links will work and you can find the bounty of flavors, colors, nutrients, antioxidants and medicinal benefits of a wide array of the gifts mother nature offers us for the taking. One thing I have learned along my vegetarian and vegan journey is that there is NO end to what you can do with your veggies. This week alone, I have made roasted brussel sprouts with grapes and walnuts, (testing a recipe for Thanksgiving–it definitely passed the test) home-made burgers with mushrooms, onions, celery and beans and roasted garlic and cauliflower soup, which I can’t really report on till tonight. Soup always takes at LEAST a day (2 days, even better) for all the flavors to marry. Amazingly enough, it’s easy to make soups creamy by simple putting them in the blender or food processor once done, and then dumping back in the pot!

One of the questions I am asked most often about my plant-based diet is how I continue to stay so committed, making sacrifices and depriving myself of non-plant based foods. It’s interesting perspective to me, because I don’t feel even slightly deprived. (And since I am not allergic to any foods, I CAN eat them whenever I want, if I want…such as the case with an occasional slice or two of pizza when pizza calls me….it’s probably the ONLY non-plant based food that does!) When Bill Clinton, a one-time big eater of all things unhealthy was asked this same question, he answered with such a cute smile on his face and with such an innocent voice, saying how much he loves the things he is eating NOW. Worth repeating– what I have learned over the past year and a half— I have never felt less conflicted about my eating than I do on a plant-based diet. The second most often asked question is where I get my protein from. It takes a little work, but most people really don’t need nearly as much protein as we have been told–but this is a topic for a different day.

Here goes nothing. My computer skills still lack without Kyle here. If for some reason the links don’t work, or the pictures don’t even post, visit www.nutrition-and-you.com/vegetable-nutrition.html

“Let your food be your medicine, and your medicine be your food” – Hippocrates

Artichoke	Arugula	Asparagus
Beets	Bell pepper	Bitter gourd (melon)
Bok choy	Broccoli	Brussel sprouts
Butternut squash	Cabbage	Carrots
Cauliflower	Collard greens	Cucumber
Eggplant	Endive	Fennel
Green Beans	Jicama	Kale
Kohlrabi	Leeks	Lettuce
Mustard greens	Okra	Onion
Parsnips	Peas	Potato
Pumpkin	Purslane	Radish
Rhubarb	Shallots	Spinach
Sweet potato	Swiss chard	Tomato
Turnips	Watercress	Yams
Zucchini

Filed Under: health and happiness, Plant-based diet, Quotes ·

It’s All About the Chi-a

October 13, 2011 by bonni Leave a Comment

Months ago I learned about chia seeds…probably on the Oprah show. No, not the same chia seeds that you make the chia pets with, but from the same source. A few weeks ago my niece, Julie, told me she was making a great pudding with them and I should try it. I kept meaning to buy them but it wasn’t until yesterday that I finally did and I suspect I was not alone. It was after a segment on yesterday morning’s Dr. Oz show about these very seeds, that I found myself seeking them out on my twice a week pit stop at Whole Foods. According to the good doc and several other nutritional gurus, chia seeds are one of the newest super-foods. Chia is the new and improved flax.

Touted as higher in omega 3s than salmon, rich in calcium, obscenely high in fiber, a good source of protein, and a good source of hydration, these seeds are easily digest-able and don’t even have to be ground up. As if that wasn’t good enough, there is great evidence that they can lower blood pressure and because they slow down the way our bodies convert carbs in to simple sugars, studies support their ability to control blood sugar. This leads scientists to believe they may have great benefits for diabetics. Still not sold? Chia seeds can absorb 10 times their weight in water, making us feel full so they are a great way to reduce food consumption and food cravings. Additionally, a big bonus for anyone on a plant-based diet, because of their “gelling” properties they can be used as an egg substitute when baking. In fact, though I haven’t looked it up (yet) on the show they baked wonderful looking muffins with them, which were only about 150 calories each! If you want to include the seeds in your diet and keep it simple, you can sprinkle them on your salad, mix them into a shake or just use your imagination and come up with some creative ideas and share with us.

I googled “chia pudding,” and came up with a bunch of recipes, all of them simple! I mixed 1/4 cup of the seeds with a little over a cup of almond milk and mashed half a banana in. I stirred it well, let it sit for about 15 minutes, stirred again, sprinkled some cinnamon on top, covered it and put it in the fridge overnight. I haven’t tasted it yet, but it sure looks like pudding, though I am sure it will have a bit of a seedy consistency. I’ll let you know as I will definitely be having some with (or as) breakfast this morning.

Since it is VFT, I might as well keep talking food. Last night was dinner at Falafel Bistro and that place NEVER disappoints. First the waitress brought us 3 soups to sample; chicken vegetable, (which Mitch said was great) yellow split pea and garlic cauliflower. I tried both of those and though they were both great, the garlic cauliflower was in a league of it’s own, so we ordered more to share. Mitch had falafel and I had their vegan mushroom veggie patties over a bed of quinoa with a side of hummus and a salad with avocado. This meal was heaven on earth for a vegan dining out at a “mainstream” restaurant. I must always add that their food is “clean,” which means no next day bloat or weight gain from too much salt or additives. Everything is so fresh and this is one place Mitch and I BOTH totally love.

Thanks to Carol for the follow up on BL’s Courtney. She is doing really well and had skin removal surgery earlier in the year, losing another 31 pounds (just from the removal of the skin). She is also nurturing a relationship with one of the contestants from this summer’s Extreme Makeover Biggest Loser show. Marci and Courtney, 2 of my all-time favorite BL contestants.

I just typed and then deleted an entire paragraph about Derek, Kyle and Nicole. In as much as I am an open book, I respect their privacy and so I will simply say, I am incredibly proud to be your mom, every day and in every way. All 3 of you have so much wonderful stuff going on in your lives and that makes my heart so happy.

Off for some outside peaceandfitness with the bigredguy. Make it a great day! I’ll “chi-a” back here, tomorrow.

Ch-ch-ch Chia Seeds: You Just Can’t Go Wrong (fitsugar.com)
Praise for Chia Seeds [13 Things to Know] (fooducate.com)

Filed Under: Food, health and happiness, Plant-based diet, Recipes, vegan thursday, weight loss ·