One of the wonderful aspects of our change of seasons is the variety of foods we can choose from.

And although in our consumer driven, commercial world where foods of all types are available most everywhere and at most times of the year, there is a great benefit in eating seasonally as well as locally.

Read more...

Those that eat legumes live longest reports a study by the National Aging Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia.

"There is a 7% - 8% reduction in mortality hazard ratio for every 20g increase in daily legume intake"

The study showed that legume consumption is the most protective dietary predictor of survival regardless of their ethnicity.

Legumes have long been associated with good health, and are a staple among vegetarians and vegans. Legumes include soy, tofu, natto, miso, brown beans, peas, lentils, chickpeas, white beans among others.

Read more of the study at PubMed.

To your best health!

Mark
http://vegandiet.blogspot.com

"Let food be thy medicine and

let thy medicine be thy food"

Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine (460-377 B.C.)

Here are some pictures of delicious raw dishes I've prepared over the last few months. Recipes and more pictures to come. Enjoy!

Create your mini album at ShowMyPics.com

To your best health!

Mark
Vegan Raw Diet

Vegans have a higher rate of bone formation than meat eaters reports the Agriculture Research Service, a branch of the USDA.

In this study, although the calcium intake was higher for meat eaters, vegans still showed higher rates of bone formation. The reason behind the difference is that meat protein turns into sulfur when consumed and is acidic. This causes a temporary state of acidosis, a high state of acid. Our bodies compensate to reach a balance by pulling calcium phosphate, an alkaline buffer, from our bones. As you can imagine, the more meat you eat, the more calcium is pulled from your bones.

Vegetable protein, on the other hand, is not acidic and doesn't require the "borrowing" of calcium from the bones where this natural mineral is most abundant in the body.

Bone formation is critical and lack of bone density can lead to osteoporosis and being more vulnerable to bone fractures.

Read more at the USDA web site.

To your best health,

Mark
http://vegandiet.blogspot.com

If you live in Arizona or happen to be visiting the Phoenix area, you won't want to miss the Friday Raw menu at the Blue Nile Cafe.

Although I now am happy to eat very simply with many whole fruits and salads, I enjoy the creativity and taste of the raw dishes Chef Moon prepares each week. She presents a new cultural theme each Friday, from Middle Eastern, to Italian, Indian... each week something new. The presentation is awesome with taste and flavor to match.

The soups are particularly enjoyable... one of my favorite is the sweet carrot ginger.

There are normally at least three choices of entrees (one or two often include a salad), a salad, soup and desert.

The raw menu is available for both lunch and dinner and in between as well. You'll leave satiated... great for raw fooders and anyone looking for a delicious and healthy meal.

The Blue Nile Cafe is located off the corner of Rural and University at 933 E. University Drive, Tempe, AZ 85281

Phone: (480) 377-1113

To your best health!

Mark

Just returned from my second raw roadtrip driving almost 2000 miles from Chicago back home to Arizona. This time I decided to start my journey at Cousin's Incredible Vitality one of the premier raw and vegan eateries in Chicago. After a nice visit with Chef Mehmet, I selected several burritos wrapped in collard greens along with a vanilla cheesecake to go.
All the dishes were delicious and the vanilla cheesecake was better than any cheesecake I've ever tasted! Chef Mehmet was welcoming and has made available some unique services to the health community in Chicago. He offers a wide range of classes and certifications including detox sessions, raw food how-to prep classes, associate raw chef certifications as well as yoga. You can regularly find an interesting event hosted there including authors, health practicioners, and for holiday gatherings. Cousin's also has an amazing raw food bar that's 'all you can eat' in addition to its abundant selection of menu items. Stop by to say hello to Chef Mehmet for an experience you'll remember and want to return to regularly.

These to-go meals were great for late afternoon dinners over the next few days while fruit and water kept me satiated in the mornings and evenings.

I found eating raw much easier than stopping and waiting for a S.A.D. meal (as I did many years ago) when I would then normally feel tired from the excess burden of processed foods on my digestive system. Now, I enjoyed abundant energy for the 12-14 hours a day driving and was grateful for the fresh and organic fruits I found at Whole Foods on my way out of town.

Next I stopped in St. Louis to meet a new friend for lunch at 'Eternity Vegetarian Deli'. The food and company were great and learned much. The deli is transitioning into mostly raw and living foods and now has a good mix of vegetarian, vegan and raw dishes. If you're in the area, stop by for a nice treat.

Going through Missouri you'll notice, just before the south end of the state, several factory outlet stores. Of particular interest to me were the wooden bowls... they're perfect to serve dishes at potlucks and get togethers and are great looking as well. I stopped at the Shepard Hills outlet shop and found some nice 'factory second' bowls at about half the retail price.

Just over two days after I started I was happy to be back in Arizona on my way home. Another great roadtrip with fun and healthy experiences!

To your best health,

Mark