Most of those interested in the raw food diet are looking to lose weight... to release extra weight. But some are concerned about maintaining their weight when transitioning to a raw food diet.

Here's a question I received recently:
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Let's get a good start by defining what "vegan" is.... by definition, it's a person that eats a plant-based diet. That means they don't eat meat, fish, dairy, egg, honey and all foods made with these ingredients. I prefer to concentrate on the positive aspect of what vegan's choose to eat rather than what they avoid though.

There are additional aspects to being vegan that some adopt, including respect for life (environment, human and animal) , ethical treatment of animals, electing to purchase non-animal based products among others. In this forum, I will focus primarily on the health aspects of the vegan lifestyle and the benefits I believe it offers.

Related links for more information:

http://www.vegan.com
http://www.vegweb.com
http://www.vegan.org/going_vegan
http://www.vegsource.com

Peace.

Recently, the only co-op in the Phoenix area, Gentle Strength, and a leader in locally grown, organic produce, went out of business.

Why?

Bottom line... not enough shoppers.

Sure there were probably a few other reasons, but the main one was lack of business.

It's funny, though, everyone I talk to in the area is disappointed and saddened by the closing (as I was). However, I believe there was too much talk and not enough action.

If we want to have better, fresher, organic and locally grown choices, we have to support those organizations. Support them with our shopping dollars and with our help in letting others know about the organizations.

Personally, I'll miss the co-op and the friends I've made there. They were the -only- central place to get fresh, locally grown greens and other produce. All the produce sold was organic and as much as possible was sourced locally. The only choices now are the national chains including Whole Foods and Wild Oats (now owned by Whole Foods), a few smaller chains and some traditional grocery chains that now carry some organic produce. I'm happy that they're all carrying more organic foods, although little, if any, is locally grown. Whole Foods advertises 'local' although a quick walk through shows just a few locally grown out of over 200 produce items.

Alternative sources include farmers markets and visiting farms directly. I've found a few farms and frequent farmers markets on weekends and can find some of the same items. Although not as convenient, it's a solution for now.

Find the local co-ops in your area and support them. It's a fact, traditional companies will continue to market non-organic products and source all over the world unless we 'vote' with our dollars. Using as much locally grown organic produce not only supports your community and the environment, the food is also more nutritious and benefits your health.

We can make a difference.. just do it!

To your best health!

Mark

A truly inspiring video of an interview with long term raw vegan Storm Talifero and his brother Mike Talifero who recovered from cancer by switching his eating habits to a completely raw vegan diet. What you'll find interesting
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As you may recall, a directive from the Almond Board of California and backed by the USDA was put into effect in September of 2007 requiring all almonds to be pasteurized.

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Tonya Kay, professional dancer, performance artist, actress and raw foodist talks about how she overcame manic depression by switching from a vegan diet to a raw vegan diet.
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This light, but satisfying Gazpacho soup is delicious!

What you'll need:
(makes 1 serving, adjust if necessary)

• 2 tblsp extra virgin, cold pressed organic olive oil
• 2 large tomatoes
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 tblsp raw honey (optional)
• 2 tblsps lemon juice
• sea salt to taste
• fresh basil to taste
• 1/2 avocado (cubed)
• 1/2 red bell pepper (cubed)
• 2 stalks of celery (cubed)
• chopped parsley
• 1/4 yellow or red onion (chopped)

Make organic produce your first choice whenever possible.

How to make it:

First, blend the oil, lemon juice, sea salt, tomatoes, garlic and basil. Add small amount of water if necessary and blend until smooth.

Pour the soup into a bowl and add chopped vegetables.

Mix all ingredients and top with chopped parsely.

If you like a little spice, add a dash of cayenne pepper... wow!

This is a wonderful soup to start your evening meal, or make several servings for a full meal. Easy to make, satisfying and delicious!

Enjoy and all good things,

Mark
The Vegan Raw Diet