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.

Here are pictures of the recipes in the previous post from the Thanksgiving feast I shared with friends this year. The dishes consisted of kale avocado salad, jicima potatoes and gravy, veggie stuffing, succulent cranberry sauce, fall acorn squash soup, pumpkin pudding and sweet! sweet potato pie. These recipes were all delicious, easy to make and enjoyed by everyone. They're great to make for all your holiday guests... they'll never know they're vegan and raw!

Create your mini album at ShowMyPics.com

Included are some additional pictures of the Thanksgiving meal at our local 'Raw Friday' restaurant prepared by Chef Moon at the Blue Nile Cafe in Tempe, Arizona. The meal was outstanding and included a spicy spinach and avocado soup, side salad with tangy dressing and a Thanksgiving Platter with a rosemary veggie loaf, walnut raisin and celery stuffing, sweet and tart cranberry sauce and mashed 'potatoes'. Delicious!

I'm very grateful for sharing this celebration with friends. One of the greatest gifts in life is the expression of gratitude. It not only feels good, but also brings joy and more of what you wish into your life. Try it and I'm sure you'll agree.

All the best for your health and happy Thanksgiving wishes!

Mark

We all know that activity is essential to optimal health and weight right?

One of the more well rounded and effective exercise routines is rebounding. One of the main benefits is drainage of your lymph system which rids your body of toxins and waste build-up. Without activity, your body gets clogged up and is open to development of disease, illness and obesity. Rebounding is very effective in activating your lymph system.

Read my article on the benefits of rebounding for health and reviews of top rebounder equipment.

For your best health!

Mark

Ran across a very helpful web site for vegans and vegetarians looking to eat out and shop at veg-friendly restaurants and shops.

The site offers world-wide coverage, although most of the reviews are for locations in North America.

Nice site design makes it easy to use and you can review and suggest your favorite places. Many listings include pictures and links to a map - very handy! Looks like my local favorites are well represented

http://www.vegguide.org

Enjoy - go vegan!

Mark
http://vegandiet.blogspot.com

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

Several times this past week I have been attacked for making suggestions and encouraging the raw food diet. One in particular was from a 'fitness professional' that lashed out at my so called criticism and promptly removed my comments from her blog.

What was my crime?

Read more...

One of the things many talk about when transitioning to a raw food diet is 'how do I travel when eating raw?'.

Some look at it as a challenge, some as an obstacle, some as the natural thing to do.

Read more...