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Review: Dr. Furhman’s One-Day Immersion in Chicago

March 11, 2013

by Nikki Horvath

NicoleHorvathGrowing up with a vegan mother makes for an interesting adolescence in the kitchen, especially when the rest of the family eats the Standard American Diet. I was always open to my mom’s “crazy” ways. I also thought it was cool that she was different from the other moms—despite not understanding all of her lifestyle choices. Then one day the flood gates opened.

I watched some documentary films I found around the house (The Witness and Mad Cowboy). If you’ve seen them you may relate to the overwhelming sense of emotions that followed: grief, confusion, anger, compassion and betrayal. This is where it all started—my inevitable exposure to animal cruelty in the meat and dairy industries. I couldn’t deny what I was seeing. But for me, making what seemed like such a big change from everything I thought I knew seemed like it was going to be an impossible task—even with having my own mother available with knowledge and open arms. Like many who embark on this journey I had a difficult time connecting the suffering of these poor, beautiful creatures from what was on my plate. I needed to cross that bridge at my own pace.

From introduction to intrigue I threw myself into the nutritional aspect of plant-based eating and veganism. While immersed in books, films, published studies, articles, lectures and the like, I came across one stand-out source of information—Dr. Joel Fuhrman. Many of the foremost experts on plant-based nutrition had an impact on me, such as Dr. Colin Campbell, Dr. Michael Gregor, Dr. John McDougall, Dr. Alan Goldhamer, and enthusiasts like cowboy and former cattle rancher, Howard Lyman, and actress Alicia Silverstone.

While most, if not all plant-based doctors, nutritionists and health practitioners agree on 90% of what the others are teaching, there was something about that 10% difference of Dr. Fuhrman’s approach that screamed “YES!” to me. So needless to say when I found out he was coming to Chicago for a one-day health immersion, I jumped at the chance to attend and I was not disappointed.

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Learn to Cook

February 25, 2013

It's Easy Being VeganGo Vegan Step-by-Step, Part 12

Step 6: Learn to Cook

If you don’t know how to cook, learn—now. Sign up for a cooking class, read cookbooks or watch cooking shows on TV. Cooking is one of the most important skills you can have for good health. When you eat out, you don’t know exactly what goes into your food (think salt, fat and sugar), nor do you know the quality of the ingredients. I don’t mean you should never go out to eat, but eating nourishing meals at home, more often, is a healthier option. Make cooking a family affair. A family that cooks together stays together.

PetPeeveIconPet peeve: Eating dinner in front of the TV every night. It’s one thing if you live alone and eat in front of the TV. It’s another thing if you live with your family and eat in front of the TV. Every family should eat one meal together a day.

Suggested reading: Cooking Solves Everything by Mark Bittman

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15 Quick Tips From Dr. Fuhrman

January 28, 2013

Last week I attended a talk by Dr. Fuhrman at the Center on Halsted. This talk was based on his book, Super Immunity. He presented information on cancer prevention plus delivered quite a few funny jokes.

The Standard American Diet (SAD) was developed by the Taliban. ~Dr. Fuhrman

Consider the following list the “Cliff Notes” version. If you want to learn more, check out his book, Super Immunity.

BerriesMushroomsGreens and Onions

  1. Chew your food — well! It helps with digestion and accessing specific nutrients that are released during the chewing process that otherwise are not available.
  2. Eat your G-BOMBS everyday. That is, eat a lot of Greens, Beans, Onions, Mushrooms, Berries and Seeds.
  3. Eating white flower and sugar are cancer causing, especially for breast cancer.
  4. Synthetic nutrients, i.e. vitamin supplements, can cause cancer when taken in excess. It is best to get your nutrients from whole foods.
  5. Antibiotics increases the risk of breast cancer.
  6. Cruciferous green vegetables lower the risk of breast cancer.
  7. Overcooking vegetables reduces some of the cancer-fighting compounds. He’s not against cooking them, just overcooking them.
  8. Eat one large raw salad per day and include a few nuts (for fat) to help absorb nutrients from the vegetables.
  9. Avoid processed foods.
  10. Take care of your health so that you don’t need to go to a doctor for remedies.
  11. Alcohol: 2-3 glasses a week otherwise the risk for breast cancer increases.
  12. Coffee: He doesn’t advocate coffee, especially if it’s an addiction, but acknowledges there are some healthy promoting properties.
  13. Desk jobs are killers. Get up and move–often.
  14. Supplements that vegans may want to consider: DHA/EPA, B12, Zinc and Iodine.
  15. Use food synergistically for good health.

 

 

 

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It’s Easy Being Vegan in the Kitchen

January 14, 2013

It's Easy Being Vegan in the Kitchen v1.0

I recently created a guide for the yoga classes I speak with on the connection between yoga and diet. I wanted to share the guide with my readers as well.

It’s Easy Being Vegan in the Kitchen  will show you how to:

  • Stock your pantry, fridge and freezer so you can make healthy meals at any time
  • Which kitchen tools are necessary and which are nice-to-have for cooking with ease
  • Create simple and healthy vegan meals

Plus it includes:

  • Sample 7-day meal plan
  • Recommended resources

 

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Healthy Vegan Snacks Revisited

January 10, 2013

Recently I read a report on 2013 food trends. Not only did it mention meatless meals and veganism, it reported that mini-meals and snacking were on the rise. Below is a  post I wrote in 2011 — offering readers 12 healthy, vegan snacks. Check it out, and remember to always keep a healthy snack at the ready. Enjoy!

Recently I read a blog post about nine quick and healthy snacks to keep you going until dinner. Animal products made up five of the nine snacks. Not too healthy in my book.

My definition of healthy may be narrower than the average consumer, but it is based on science.* I came up with 12 vegan snacks (not nine but 12 because I love you.) to keep you going anytime of day. All are plant-based, whole foods and simple.

12 Healthy Vegan Snacks

  1. Raw nuts and seeds: Just a handful.
  2. Piece of fresh fruit. An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Better yet, switch it up. Variety is the spice of life.
  3. Sliced apple with peanut butter: Make sure the PB is just peanuts and preferably organic.**
  4. Raw veggies and humus.
  5. Whole grain crackers with peanut butter or humus.
  6. Dried fruit
  7. Smoothie: Make it green for an extra nutritional punch.
  8. Homemade trail mix: Again, just a handful.
  9. Half of a peanut butter & banana sandwich. (Try other nut butters such as almond too.)
  10. Air-popped popcorn with nutritional yeast***
  11. Toast (whole grain) with Mexican butter, aka avocado.
  12. Edamame

*Good news! Science supports a compassionate diet. Not only is a vegan diet good for you, it’s also good for the planet and all the creatures that live here. Get the facts on healthy vegan diets from the experts:

**See this post for information on my favorite, all-natural peanut butter.

***What the Heck is Nutritional Yeast? from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen.

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