Vegan Cabbage Rolls 6-23-21
Something Else I Didn't Know: The US government subsidizes the meat, dairy, and egg industries with our taxes while not subsidizing fruits and vegetables...except for the plants produced for animal agriculture like corn and soy. This is why it seems like the produce section the grocery stores is so much more expensive than animal products. Lobbyists, advertisers and those at the top of industrialized animal agriculture are making the $$$ at our expense. It's difficult for smaller farmers to switch over to producing healthy foods for us when their income is better by supplying Big Ag.
Good news: We could solve world hunger with less acreage by phasing out animal agriculture and instead supporting farmers in growing fruits, vegetables, grains-for-people, nuts and seeds. We could then replant trees which were cleared to make way for the increased demand for animal agriculture...like the Rainforest which is being destroyed mainly for beef and other livestock. Wild horses would no longer be rounded up and killed for the sake of "grass fed beef." Water would no longer be contaminated from animal agriculture. Air would be cleaner. Diseases like heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, hypertension, hypothyroidism, dementia, some kidney diseases, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, many autoimmune diseases, ++ could be nearly eliminated.
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Vegan Cheese Sauce 11-18-19
Something else I didn't know:
Consuming dairy can increase breast cancer risk as much as 50% (link). There's also an increased risk of prostate cancer.
The good news:
We do not need animal milk to survive. Our health is better without dairy. (And the cows and planet are better off without the dairy industry).
💚
Sage and Onion Lentil Loaf 10-26-19
Mashed Yams with Pineapple 10-10-19
Something else I didn't know:
Not all carbohydrates are created equal. In the diet and diabetes industry, a carb-phobia has been created, and unfortunately the good-carbs have been dragged down along with the bad carbs. This has resulted in a lot of confusion and messed-up metabolisms and eating habits.
Good "whole" carbs have natural fiber and include all vegetables, whole fruits, legumes, nuts, whole grains, tubers (potatoes).
Bad "refined" carbs include processed foods like sugar, white flour, sugary drinks, fried potatoes, white rice.
The good news:
We need good carbs and can enjoy them knowing they help us thrive! And, T1 diabetes insulin resistance can be greatly helped on a plant-based diet with good carbs while T2 diabetes can be reversed!! No one used to think T2 could be reversed and that those suffering from it would be on meds the rest of their lives. There is actual hope to get off the meds...tangible, doable, life-saving hope and results! Click here to find out more at MasteringDiabetes.org It's the animal protein and fats that interfere with insulin resistance...not fruit!
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Edamame 10-1-19
Some people are concerned about soy products having too much estrogen. Some of that fear stemmed from backlash from the dairy industry threatened by soy products like milk, yogurt, cheeses. Soy has phytoestrogen which is not harmful to humans. However, cow milk has mammalian estrogen meant to grow a calf into an adult cow and is harmful to humans. We are supposed to be weaned from milk, and forcing our body to consume breast milk especially from another species over the long-term has negative health consequences.
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Banana Bread 8-9-19
Something else I didn't know:
In nature, hens lay 10-15 eggs per year and mate naturally. To meet consumer demand, the egg industry has artificially bred hens to lay 200-300 eggs per year, which is very taxing on a hen's body and can result in painful complications. The industry has tricks to manipulate more egg production which includes intermittent starvation. Commercial egg production packs their hens into rows of tiny crates with other hens, cutting off the tips of their beaks to prevent pecking and eating their own eggs. "Organic" and "free-range" are marketing terms and don't mean the conditions for the hens are much better than the caged. Male chicks are of no-use to the egg industry and will either be ground-up alive or dumped into a plastic bag to suffocate.
The good news: We don't need eggs to survive. On the contrary, regular egg consumption is not good for us. The government-subsidized egg and dairy industries were sued and it is illegal for them to advertise that they are healthy or nutritious (nutrient-dense, yes, but not nutritious). Just like the tobacco industry lying to generations before about the benefits of smoking, the egg and dairy industry have also lied while using biased, industry-funded "studies" trying to show health-benefits so they can make money.
I used to cook eggs for my kids every single morning. Omelets, homemade eggnog, quiche, crepes: these were a regular part of our diet. Knowing what I know now, I am whole-heartedly happy to give those things up.
💚
Beans n Greens n Grains 8-8-19
Something else I didn't know: Once our digestive system is free from animal products and adapts to beans, beans won't cause the bloating and flatulence for which they are blamed. Much of the bad rap for beans grew out of short-term studies in the 60s that didn't account for our body's ability to adapt. Dairy products are actually the leading cause of flatulence.
The good news: Our body adapting to beans is the good news because beans are so good for us! They are a great source of protein, fiber, and other nutrients. We can survive and thrive on a whole food plant based (WFPB) diet. More good news: tastebuds CAN change. I never liked beans (except jellybeans). Now I love them!
💚
Mango-Banana 8-6-19
Something else I didn't know: People with diabetes don't need to avoid whole fruit. Type 1 can manage their insulin resistance through a whole-foods, plant-based diet. Type 2 can reverse and eliminate their diabetes. For more information, see MasteringDiabetes.org
The good news: I'm no longer pre-diabetic and my blood pressure has dropped well into the healthy range.
💚
Chocolate Cream Pie 8-5-19
Something else I didn't know: Remember the E.Coli scares that resulted in recalling spinach and Romaine lettuce? The contamination came from animal agriculture. Animal waste from the thousands of tightly packed livestock contaminated the water supply. Some farms spray waste water into the air.
Something else I didn't know: Feeding our growing population industrial meat is extremely inefficient. While about 40% of the world's grain is fed to livestock (and about 70-80% of the USA's grain is fed to livestock), a billion people go hungry each day. When we get this grain back in the form of meat, it comes at a significant calorie loss. For every 100 calories of grain fed to livestock, we only get 3 calories of beef and 12 calories of chicken back.
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Mock Tuna Fish Salad 7-16-19
Something else I didn't know: Fish feel pain. The hook they are tricked into eating hurts. While trying to breathe, they suffer and drown in our atmosphere like we would suffer and drown in their environment. And sadly, they are often alive when cut open and gutted. Their brain and nerves feel that pain.
Vegan Cheese Sauce 11-18-19
Something else I didn't know:
Consuming dairy can increase breast cancer risk as much as 50% (link). There's also an increased risk of prostate cancer.
The good news:
We do not need animal milk to survive. Our health is better without dairy. (And the cows and planet are better off without the dairy industry).
💚
Sage and Onion Lentil Loaf 10-26-19
Something else I didn't know:
Over 40 million turkeys are artificially bred into existence and held in cramped living conditions each year for our holiday meals. Their transport and slaughter prep cause fear and pain. Because of the high assembly-line rate of their slaughter, not all of them are dead when they begin going through the scalding, plucking, dismemberment, etc.
The good news:
We aren't required to eat turkey, and we don't need to. There are so many other plant-based options (which are healthier than turkey flesh)! And when we choose plant-based options, we are truly showing our gratitude and respect. "If my happiness depends on another being suffering, I need another kind of happiness." Choose ethics over habits.
💚Mashed Yams with Pineapple 10-10-19
Something else I didn't know:
Not all carbohydrates are created equal. In the diet and diabetes industry, a carb-phobia has been created, and unfortunately the good-carbs have been dragged down along with the bad carbs. This has resulted in a lot of confusion and messed-up metabolisms and eating habits.
Good "whole" carbs have natural fiber and include all vegetables, whole fruits, legumes, nuts, whole grains, tubers (potatoes).
Bad "refined" carbs include processed foods like sugar, white flour, sugary drinks, fried potatoes, white rice.
The good news:
We need good carbs and can enjoy them knowing they help us thrive! And, T1 diabetes insulin resistance can be greatly helped on a plant-based diet with good carbs while T2 diabetes can be reversed!! No one used to think T2 could be reversed and that those suffering from it would be on meds the rest of their lives. There is actual hope to get off the meds...tangible, doable, life-saving hope and results! Click here to find out more at MasteringDiabetes.org It's the animal protein and fats that interfere with insulin resistance...not fruit!
💚
Edamame 10-1-19
Some people are concerned about soy products having too much estrogen. Some of that fear stemmed from backlash from the dairy industry threatened by soy products like milk, yogurt, cheeses. Soy has phytoestrogen which is not harmful to humans. However, cow milk has mammalian estrogen meant to grow a calf into an adult cow and is harmful to humans. We are supposed to be weaned from milk, and forcing our body to consume breast milk especially from another species over the long-term has negative health consequences.
💚
Banana Bread 8-9-19
Something else I didn't know:
In nature, hens lay 10-15 eggs per year and mate naturally. To meet consumer demand, the egg industry has artificially bred hens to lay 200-300 eggs per year, which is very taxing on a hen's body and can result in painful complications. The industry has tricks to manipulate more egg production which includes intermittent starvation. Commercial egg production packs their hens into rows of tiny crates with other hens, cutting off the tips of their beaks to prevent pecking and eating their own eggs. "Organic" and "free-range" are marketing terms and don't mean the conditions for the hens are much better than the caged. Male chicks are of no-use to the egg industry and will either be ground-up alive or dumped into a plastic bag to suffocate.
The good news: We don't need eggs to survive. On the contrary, regular egg consumption is not good for us. The government-subsidized egg and dairy industries were sued and it is illegal for them to advertise that they are healthy or nutritious (nutrient-dense, yes, but not nutritious). Just like the tobacco industry lying to generations before about the benefits of smoking, the egg and dairy industry have also lied while using biased, industry-funded "studies" trying to show health-benefits so they can make money.
I used to cook eggs for my kids every single morning. Omelets, homemade eggnog, quiche, crepes: these were a regular part of our diet. Knowing what I know now, I am whole-heartedly happy to give those things up.
💚
Beans n Greens n Grains 8-8-19
Something else I didn't know: Once our digestive system is free from animal products and adapts to beans, beans won't cause the bloating and flatulence for which they are blamed. Much of the bad rap for beans grew out of short-term studies in the 60s that didn't account for our body's ability to adapt. Dairy products are actually the leading cause of flatulence.
The good news: Our body adapting to beans is the good news because beans are so good for us! They are a great source of protein, fiber, and other nutrients. We can survive and thrive on a whole food plant based (WFPB) diet. More good news: tastebuds CAN change. I never liked beans (except jellybeans). Now I love them!
💚
Mango-Banana 8-6-19
Something else I didn't know: People with diabetes don't need to avoid whole fruit. Type 1 can manage their insulin resistance through a whole-foods, plant-based diet. Type 2 can reverse and eliminate their diabetes. For more information, see MasteringDiabetes.org
The good news: I'm no longer pre-diabetic and my blood pressure has dropped well into the healthy range.
💚
Chocolate Cream Pie 8-5-19
Something else I didn't know: Dairy calves are forbidden from drinking their mother's milk. I naively used to believe that somehow dairy cows made enough milk to share with us humans. Newborn calves are taken from their mothers within 24-48 hours. If female, the calf will be put in a tiny pen and fed supplemental food. If male, he will be either immediately slaughtered and disposed of or kept alive for a couple months then sold and slaughtered as veal. When dairy cows collapse from the exhaustion of multiple consecutive artificially-produced pregnancies, they are dragged off and slaughtered for ground beef. "The dairy industry is the meat industry."
Good News: We don't need cow-milk to survive. In fact, we are supposed to be weened. We can obtain all of our nutrients from plant sources, which provide better calcium absorption and superior protein over casein. More good news: There are many yummy plant-based cheeses, yogurts, ice-creams, and milks... and tastebuds do change!
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Chopping Greens 7-20-19Something else I didn't know: Remember the E.Coli scares that resulted in recalling spinach and Romaine lettuce? The contamination came from animal agriculture. Animal waste from the thousands of tightly packed livestock contaminated the water supply. Some farms spray waste water into the air.
Good news: Reducing consumer demand for animal meat will reduce the amount of animals the ranchers artificially reproduce. Less animals, less contamination, better water, better air.
💚
Oatmeal 7-18-19Something else I didn't know: Feeding our growing population industrial meat is extremely inefficient. While about 40% of the world's grain is fed to livestock (and about 70-80% of the USA's grain is fed to livestock), a billion people go hungry each day. When we get this grain back in the form of meat, it comes at a significant calorie loss. For every 100 calories of grain fed to livestock, we only get 3 calories of beef and 12 calories of chicken back.
Good news: We can all fight world hunger by choosing more sustainable foods every time we eat. The less animals we eat, the less ranchers will artificially reproduce them. If we redirected all crop production for human consumption instead of livestock, we could feed an additional 4 billion people.
Mock Tuna Fish Salad 7-16-19
Something else I didn't know: Fish feel pain. The hook they are tricked into eating hurts. While trying to breathe, they suffer and drown in our atmosphere like we would suffer and drown in their environment. And sadly, they are often alive when cut open and gutted. Their brain and nerves feel that pain.
Good news: We don't need to eat them to survive (unless you live in a region where fish are the only source of food). Plant protein is much healthier and provides fiber. With all of the contaminants fish muscle absorbs, we definitely don't want to be consuming them anyway. And if you are concerned about getting your omegas, get them from where the fish get them: PLANTS!
By ceasing to eat fish, the marine life thanks you and the exploited* oceans thank you.
*The news today reports that fish may be extinct by 2048
