The top 5 resources to help you go vegan

If you’ve visited your gym this month, you undoubtedly know that health-related New Year’s resolutions are in full effect.  And while resolutions to exercise more are worthwhile, that’s only half the equation when it comes to becoming healthy, getting fit and staying in shape.  You also need to focus equally on what goes into your body.  Every day, people are making the choice to go vegan for their health, and they are discovering the myriad benefits not only to themselves, but to the animals and environment as well.  So if you want to give veganism a try, here are the top five resources that will help you get started (and they’re all free!).

21-Day Vegan Kickstart: The Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine, a very reputable resource-based organization, has developed a 21-day plan to help with the transition to veganism.  They offer a detailed, day-by-day meal plan, a daily message, nutrition webcasts, tips from celebrities, a community forum, and other useful supports to help you in your transition.

VegWeb: This website has recipes for every possible food you can imagine and many for those you can’t.  There are over 15,000 recipes that you can search by category, and each one has ratings from people who’ve made the dish and feedback.  If you think vegans eat only salad, some time browsing on this site will immediately change your mind.

VegNews: This is the top magazine for the vegan community.  It  has its own vegan starter kit, and it also provides the latest news in vegan products and issues from travel to recipes and everything in between.  It also has a robust website.  The next issue will be focused on vegan men, so stay tuned!

Forks Over Knives and Vegucated: If you love film (and even if you don’t), both of these documentaries set out a very compelling foundation for the reasons behind a plant-based diet.  Forks Over Knives is completely based around the nutritional aspects of veganism as told by Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn and T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D., two of the foremost experts on the subject.  Vegucated follows three New Yorkers who answered an ad to try veganism for six weeks and documents their experiences. 

Happycow.net: You probably won’t want to make all of your meals, and happycow.net can find vegan or veg-friendly restaurants near you.  They have a global directory of restaurants and health-food stores with information on the types of food you’ll find, directions, hours, and more.  You may discover vegan or veg-friendly resources near you that you never considered.

As you discover more about veganism, you’ll find your favorite resources.  You’ll soon see and feel the benefits and maybe even inspire your friends and family to become vegan too.  And who could ask for a better start to the new year?  

Re-imagined resolutions

When I was 15 minutes early to my exercise class today and there was barely any room for me to set up my weights on the floor, I remembered that it is, indeed, the beginning of January.  It's a time when everyone has shiny, new resolutions to eat better, exercise more, and lose weight.  While I applaud the new commitment to health, I have to ask what makes it different from last year?  Will they still be here in February?  History has shown time and again that most new year's resolutions don't stick.  When the going gets tough (and it always does), most of us find excuses and bail.  

Not you?  Well, I like your passion, but it's going to take more than that to stick to it.  Habits are incredibly hard to change.  If your resolutions are similar to mine, you're going to need a little help.  One of the first things you'll need to do is share them.  So to get you started, I'll share mine.  Okay, deep breath, here goes.

I resolve to lose 10 pesky pounds by becoming a healthy vegan, not a junk food one. Have you seen all the delicious, packaged (and processed) vegan food that's sprung up in Whole Foods?  And what about all those cookbooks with cupcakes, brownies, and every other mouth-watering dream?  I have convinced myself that, as long as I'm vegan, I can eat whatever I want, whenever I want, and however much I want.  Well, I'm here to tell you that because this has been my attitude, I've actually gained weight, not lost it.  I will use the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), and I will either write down or photograph everything I eat.  I will also sign up for the 60-day weight loss challenge at my gym with a friend at work (that's another secret to success - make sure you have moral support!).  I will resolve to exercise (vigorously!) at least 3 days/week and more where possible, and I will limit my breakfast burrito fetish to one day/week.

Okay, now I want to hear yours.  See you at the gym!      

2012: Year of Armageddon or Redemption?

Welcome to 2012!  If you listen to the political and economic pundits, it's not a year to be excited about.  The economy remains in the crapper, the coverage of possible Republican nominees is a circus, and the Mayans have even weighed in to say that this year is the end of the world as we know it (EOTWAWKI).  But amid all this gloom and doom, I find a reason to be hopeful.


More people are becoming vegan than ever before!  I've even heard the (admittedly unsubstantiated) statistic that the vegan population doubled in 2011.  Rarely is there an issue that has three easy entry points: animal welfare, environment, and health.  If you care about any of these issues, then veganism is for you!  We are quickly becoming mainstream.  I know there are vegans who don't believe someone can be considered vegan if their main motive isn't to alleviate animal suffering.  But I say, I don't care WHY you stop eating animal products as long as you do it.  Come on in, the water's fine!


If you are one of those considering a change in the vegan direction, or want to support someone who is, consider the 21-day vegan kickstart, offered by the Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM).  All you need to do is to sign up (it's free) and you'll get a 21-day meal plan and all kinds of tips, cooking instructions and moral support.  I would also recommend watching the documentary, Vegucated, which you can rent for $3.99 on iTunes.  It's about 3 random New Yorkers who agree to try veganism for 6 weeks, and it's non-preachy, educational and humorous.  It's a great foundation to kickstart your lifestyle.


So I am of the opinion that 2012 is not about the EOTWAWKI but about redemption - more people choosing to live their lives compassionately.  My hope for the future is in each one of you.  And I wish you all a year of hope and delicious vegan food!

An informal and brief review of the year in veganism

As 2011 draws to a close, it's only natural for us to reflect on the happenings that impacted us, try to make sense of it all, and then move on into the new year.  While 2011 was a rough year for many people around the world, it was actually a great year for veganism.


We got some great celeb endorsers: Bill Clinton.  Need I say more?  There's also Ellen DeGeneres, Portia De Rossi, Russell Simmons, Mike Tyson, Woody Harrelson, Alanis Morissette, Alec Baldwin, Carl Lewis, John Salley, and so many others.  


Veganism got great press: This was the year that being vegan went from being fringe to a mainstream, healthy life choice.  I became vegan after happening to catch Kathy Freston on the Oprah show (and I never watch Oprah!) and buying her book, Veganist.  Martha Stewart also dedicated a show to vegan food.  The health benefits have been featured on major news channels and there were fantastic films like Forks Over Knives and Vegucated to help spread the word.


There was a cookbook and restaurant explosion: Try googling "vegan" on amazon and see how many results you get.  There are so many kinds of vegan cookbooks that I had already spent my Barnes & Noble gift card before I even received it (thank you to my inlaws!).  And all those new and delicious vegan restaurants are a dream come true.  And vegan cupcakes...the crowning glory.


There were also some wins for the animals: Though so many people are turning to veganism for the health and environmental benefits, please let's not forget about the animals.  Organizations like The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and Farm Sanctuary are leading the way in legislation to reduce (and hopefully someday end) the suffering of farm animals.  HSUS struck a deal with the United Egg Producers to phase out those tiny battery cages in which 280 million egg-laying hens suffer each day.  And Smithfield, the world's largest pork producer, said it would phase out gestation crates in which pigs live but can't even turn around.  And since I know you're looking for a place to give your end-of-year charitable donation, please consider these game-changing organizations.


I read in one publication that the number of vegans in the U.S. doubled in 2011.  If that's the case, I know it will continue to grow as more people discover how easy it is and that the benefits are incontrovertible.  I wish you all a very happy, healthy, and vegan 2012.       

Farm animals say, "We are the 98%!"

Since there's so much attention to the Occupy Wall Street movement and the outcry that we are the 99%, I thought it would be appropriate to share another statistic.  This one has nothing to do with Wall Street - at least, not directly.  But it does have to do with the economy.  The economics of the agriculture industry.


According to the Humane Society of the United States, 98% of all animals with whom we interact directly (i.e. have as pets or eat) are farm animals.  And 10 billion of them per year in the U.S. are raised and then killed for their meat, eggs and milk.  We spend a lot of time worrying about the welfare of our dog and cat companions (and rightly so!) but our society turns a blind eye to the other 98%; the farm animals that are treated solely as commodities and whose welfare often runs counter to profits.


The Animal Welfare Act, which governs the humane care, handling, treatment and transportation of many animals, including dogs and cats, does not apply to farm animals.  Since they are considered livestock with an end use of food, they are excluded.  We don't think of them as sentient beings but they feel pain, fear, love and loss just like humans and our pet friends do.  Ask any dairy farmer the worst part of their job, and they'll often tell you it's when they have to separate a mother cow from her calf.  


It doesn't have to be this way.  We can refuse to support this inhumane system.  A vegan or vegetarian diet is the most compassionate thing you can do.  And it makes all the difference to the silent 98%.

Sustainable ways to pass your Thanksgiving weekend

Though we're in the throes of Thanksgiving day (and hopefully you're enjoying a vegan feast), most people have a full 4-day weekend to enjoy.  If you're in the Phoenix area, here are 2 great things to do that also celebrate sustainable living and the environment.


On Saturday at 7pm, the Museum of Science and Sustainability is having an Eco Fashion Show.  It will take place at Bragg's Pie Factory and will feature live music, a dance performance, live auction and fashion showcases.  There will also be vintage resellers for all your sustainable clothing needs.  MOSS is a great institution to support - they don't yet have a main center but are working on raising the needed funds.  Their mission is to bring a much-needed focus on sustainability to the Valley.  


If you haven't seen them yet, don't miss David Rogers' Big Bugs at Desert Botanical Gardens.  These giant sculptures of bugs made of fallen and found wood and other natural materials.  Some of the bugs are as tall as 25 feet.  A fascinating look at the bug world surrounded by the beauty of the desert.  Your kids or those you have visiting this weekend will be mesmerized.  


If you've eaten a vegan feast today and will be enjoying the leftovers this weekend, you won't have that nasty, "I feel sick because I ate too much" feeling, and you'll have the energy to go out and experience these events.  I wish you all a most enjoyable weekend.

Thanksgiving or ThanksLIVING?

Let's face it.  Thanksgiving is not the best holiday for vegans.  It seems like the day is almost as much about the dead turkey on the table as it is about being thankful and spending time with those you love.  And when you're a vegan in a family and social circle of omnivores, you can feel downright disenfranchised. 


But fear not, Phoenix vegans, because there's a wonderful celebration where you can give thanks, celebrate the joys of life and bond with others who share your values.  It's called ThanksLIVING and Green New American Vegetarian restaurant in Tempe is hosting its fourth annual event.   


ThanksLIVING features multiple courses of cruelty-free gourmet food, live music, guest speakers, crafts for the kids, and sparkling conversation with your fellow vegans.  And if you can't stay, they offer food to go too.  While the celebration is at the Tempe location only, you can purchase tickets at either location or on their website.  


Whether you're vegan, curious, or just love gourmet food, start a new tradition that gives thanks and celebrates compassion.  Hope to see you there!