How long do you want to live?

I always find people's responses to this question fascinating. Broadly speaking, they fall into one of two categories:

#1 "I'm here for a good time, not a long time," and

#2 "I have so much that I want to experience and accomplish, I want to make it to 100 - or beyond!"

When I dig a little deeper, I usually find that those in category #1 associate aging with an inexorable decline into physical and mental decrepitude. Often, they've endured the almost unbearable pain of having to watch helplessly as a parent or grandparent succumbed to an incurable, progressively debilitating condition such as dementia or emphysema. This shapes their concept of aging to such a great extent, that they simply can't imagine wanting to be alive past the age of say, 70.

People with this negative concept of aging aim to pack as much pleasure into their lives as possible in the here and now, assuming that all too soon, they'll be so sick, worn out or demented that they are no longer capable of experiencing any pleasure and just want to end it all.

The sad thing is, the pleasures that they usually seek - rich food, illicit and licit drugs including alcohol and cigarettes, sedentary entertainment - almost inevitably lead to them developing the conditions that they fear!

It's a self-fulfilling prophecy: Heart disease, stroke, dementia and common types of cancer such as bowel, breast and prostate are 'age-related' only in the sense that if you consistently apply the causes of these diseases (the Western diet, too much booze, smoking and not enough exercise), your risk of developing them rises as you get older, in the same way that water running over a rock will eventually carve a channel in the rock. It's not time that creates the channel, or the illness; it's the application of cause over time.

Conversely, the consistent application of the 'causes' of health including a high-nutrient diet, regular exercise, nurturing relationships with others and a sense of purposeful engagement with life, results in physical vitality, mental sharpness and enthusiasm for life in one's latter years.

So if you're currently in category #1 - afraid that living longer just means enduring illness and incapacitation for longer - I highly encourage you to study and become inspired by individuals who are physically and mentally healthy in later life... like 100 year old Dr. Ellsworth Wareham, pictured above, who only retired at the age of 95 and still maintains his garden and home all by himself.

And if you're already in category #2 - keen to live a long and fulfilling life while maintaining your physical health and mental sharpness - then you'll want to pay close attention to the latest research on eating for longevity.

Researchers tracked over 70 000 Swedish men and women who were aged between 45 and 83 at the time of enrolment, for 13 years. They found that compared to those who ate 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day, those who never consumed fruit and vegetables had a 53% higher mortality rate, which translated to lopping a full 3 years off their lifespan. Vegetable consumption accounted for the lion's share of extra lifespan.

Imagine how much extra healthy life-span you could enjoy, if you ate more than 5 servings per day! Personally, I eat 5 or more servings of vegetables just at lunchtime, and even more for dinner!

Previous research found that regular consumption of legumes (dried peas, beans and lentils) also provides a longevity leg-up. The "Food Habits in Later Life" (FHILL) study examined dietary patterns in 5 cohorts of elderly people (aged 70 +) in Japan, Sweden, Greece and Australia, and found that for every 20g increase in daily intake of legumes, the risk of dying dropped by 7-8%. Now that's worth more than a hill of beans!

Some statistics

1. In 1985, the Adventist Mortality Study analyzed the risk of diabetes in 25,000 vegetarians and meat eaters and found that women who ate red meat increased their risk of developing diabetes by 40%, and men who ate red meat increased their risk by 80%.
2. In 2008, the Adventist Health Study-2 evaluated 8,401 people and found that long-term (17-year) weekly meat eaters were 74% more likely to develop diabetes as those who ate totally plant-based.
3. In an analysis of meat consumption and diabetes, scientists found that for every 3.5 ounces of red meat consumed per day, diabetes risk increased 10%. And for every 1.75 ounces of processed red meat consumed per day (about the equivalent of one packaged hot dog), the risk increased 51%.
4. In the Nurses’ Health Study II, eating processed red meat more than five times a week increased the risk of diabetes by 91%; eating unprocessed red meat increased the risk by 59%.
5. The recent EPIC-Interact study found that every 10 grams of animal protein consumed daily increased the risk of diabetes by 6%. (Keep in mind that 100 grams is 3.5 ounces, so this is a very small amount.)
6. In a recent study of over 100,000 participants, diabetes risk doubled in daily fish eaters compared with those who never ate fish.
7. Meat-based diets are associated with higher levels of inflammatory markers like hs-CRP, which are commonly found in patients developing diabetes.
8. Meat-based diets can have excess amounts of the pro-oxidant iron and preservatives like nitrates, which damage tissues and result in insulin resistance.
9. Substituting legumes for meat improves blood sugar, insulin, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

Q. Why is the RSPCA in business with the largest battery egg producer in Australia?

The RSPCA says it’s against the cruel battery cage yet maintains a business arrangement and accepts sponsorship from Pace Farms, Australia’s largest battery egg producer.

The RSPCA say their Liberty Barnlaid Egg Endorsement Scheme with Pace will ensure some hens get out of their cages, yet the number of battery hens in cages has not decreased while the RSPCA gets paid (to date) over $182,560 in royalty payments. 

Meanwhile, Pace Farms has just built the largest battery hen factory in the southern hemisphere (West Wyalong).

We eat too much meat

Australians consume an average of 116 kilograms of meat a year, second only to Americans. Since the 1970s, there's been a dramatic shift away from beef and lamb to pork and, most notably, chicken - its consumption has quadrupled in 40 years, to make it our top choice at 43 kilograms.

Meeting this demand has consequences for production. ''Conventionally'' farmed broiler chickens, harvested in five-to-eight weeks, half the time it takes to raise organic birds, are routinely fed prophylactic antibiotics. Yes, they're hormone free, as advertised, but hormones in chickens have been banned for decades.

And ''chemical free'' doesn't refer to the farm, but to processing, where chlorine is otherwise routinely used to wash the carcasses.

Then there's stocking densities. In July, in response to action by the ACCC, the Federal Court of Australia found that Baiada, owners of the Steggles brand, and the Australian Chicken Meat Federation misled consumers by using ''free to roam'', because the chickens were stocked at up to 19 birds a square metre, up to 33 days of their 42-day lifecycle. Turi Foods, suppliers of La Ionica chickens, were fined $100,000 over the issue in 2012.

Australia doesn't even have national standards for something as basic as the definition of ''free range'' eggs, which now make up 40 per cent of sales and rising.

In June, the Queensland Government changed the definition from a stocking density of 1500 hens a hectare to 10,000. Coles now uses the same definition, while the Australian Egg Corporation was pushing for 20,000 a hectare.

Former High Court judge Michael Kirby summed up the issues around our love of meat in an opinion piece for the ABC in June: ''In truth, meat is not cheap. The sticker price is far from the real price. There are enormous costs to be paid, by the environment, by our health, and by the 500 million animals suffering on Australian factory farms.''

The Reason Red Meat is So Bad for Our Health

We’ve known red meat isn’t the healthiest choice for a long time now. It’s a leading cause in heart disease, inflammation, cancer, and even digestive problems. While its highly touted by meat-lovers as being a good source of iron, (though we know there are better sources), the truth is, red meat is not a healthy food. But what is it about red meat that’s so bad?

Scientists at the University of California Found The Secret

Researchers at the University of California found that meat triggers a toxic reaction within the body that weakens the immune system due to a natural sugar it contains our bodies can’t digest. Yes, you heard that right – meat actually has a natural sugar, as small as it may be. Known as Neu5Gc, this sugar is a foreign agent to our body that is seen as an invader.

The body launches an immune response as it tries to get rid of it and in the mean time, a host of health problems occur, such as cancer (which is largely a disease of a weak immune system). The unique findings are that other carnivores can eat red meat fine because their bodies actually contain the natural sugar that digests the meat. Our bodies don’t – clearly a sign that we’re not meant to eat it.

Meat and Tumor Production

The sugar, Neu5Gc, is already in the body of other carnivores that consume meat for food. Mice (who don’t contain the sugar as we don’t) were fed meat and actually developed tumors quickly.

“This is the first time we have directly shown that mimicking the exact situation in humans increases spontaneous cancers in mice,” said Dr Ajit Varki, Professor of Medicine and Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the University of California. ”The final proof in humans will be much harder to come by.”

We don’t think we need more proof to go meat-free, do you? Meat has led to a host of negative environmental and health factors for years. Harvard University found that a diet high in red meat raised the risk of breast cancer for women by 22 percent, and found those who regularly ate 5.6oz (160g) of red meat a day had one third higher risk of bowel cancer.

These studies provide more proof that meat really isn’t a healthy choice. If our bodies don’t see meat as a welcomed food, it’s time to stop eating it once and for all.

Cheese...it is addictive

Cheese...it is addictive. Physiologically. The casein in the dairy promotes an opiate-like effect in the brain for the benefit of the baby calves who need to grow into a big cow rapidly. That drug-like, euphoric feeling helps ensure that the calves drink enough milk to develop appropriately. That same effect occurs in humans, which is what makes it so addictive. We want more. Because our body chemistry craves it.

Hence why it is so tough for so many people to give up. It was one of the last animal products I let go of on my journey towards vegan. This is very common. So much so, that from 1909-2007, cheese intake increased from 1.7 to 14.9 kg per person per year!!! To make matters worse, the food industry and the government work together to promote the consumption of cheese, making it out to seem like a health food!

One of the best things you can do for your health is to ditch dairy entirely and it takes little more than committing to cutting it out entirely and getting it out of your system for a good 3 weeks or so, to enable your taste buds to readjust. Almost everyone I have witnessed try this experienced dramatic improvements in their gastrointestinal health, skin quality, immune function, sinuses, allergies, asthma, and so much more. It is worth a try just to see how beneficial it may be.

*Resources:
--->Why and How to Ditch Dairy: http://bit.ly/1kqXw4t
--->Here are 10 Reasons to Ditch Dairy: http://bit.ly/15K2SUO
--->Neal Barnard, M.D.'s Trends in Food Availability: http://bit.ly/1qgXVx5
--->Eat Drink Politics on Whitewashed: How Industry and Government Promote Dairy Junk Foods: http://bit.ly/1l4J7AR
--->Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine's Santa is Lactose Intolerant: http://bit.ly/1JU5wLB
--->UnCruel Eats on Cheese: http://bit.ly/1zn6CHi

Beef is bad for your health

Beef is bad for your health. Physicians, researchers, and medical organizations clearly state the consequences of eating red meat. Harvard University has published numerous studies associating meat consumption with chronic disease. The World Health Organization notes the correlation between meat and colorectal and prostate cancers in its dietary recommendations. The American Heart Association published findings saying that women who had two servings per day of red meat had a 30 percent higher risk of developing coronary heart disease. Physicians Committee researchers found that eating meat is a risk factor for diabetes.  The American Institute for Cancer Research recommends reducing and removing red and processed meat, as does theAmerican Cancer Society. Even government officials in the United Kingdom have been clear in their recommendations to British citizens to cut red meat consumption.

Want to know more about the research? Check out this sample of studies from just the past two years linking red meat and chronic disease:

Red and Processed Meats Increase Risk of Bladder Cancer
Red Meat in Childhood Increases Risk for Breast Cancer
Breast Cancer Linked to Eating Red Meat
Iron in Meat Linked to Heart Disease
Even Modest Amounts of Meat Increase Risk for Diabetes
Meat-Eating is a Risk Factor for Developing Diabetes
Red and Processed Meat Endangers Health
Many Ways Meat Causes Colon Cancer
Red and Processed Meat Products Linked to Mortality
Cutting Out Meat Boosts Heart Attack Victims’ Chance of Survival
Red and Processed Meat Linked to Death for Colorectal Cancer Patients
Researchers Discover New Way Meat Causes Heart Disease
More Evidence That Red and Processed Meats Are Deadly

Dairy and Meat and their Relationship to Cancer

A choice

Omega-3 fats

New evidence shows that omega-3 fats decrease risk for cardiovascular disease....and this goes for those found in plants as well as those found in fish.

Fish eat the microalgae, which is rich in omega-3, and that is why their flesh contains the omega-3 fats. Cut out the middle man and attain your omega-3 fats from plant sources. Avoiding fish and fish oil pills will help reduce your intake of toxins such as mercury, lead, DDT, dioxin, PCBs, other industrial pollutants, and even possibly radioactive compounds.

ALA (alpha linolenic acid, found in plants) converts in your body to EPA and DHA, the longer chain omega-3 fats essential in the body for the brain, nervous system, and cell membranes.

To improve conversion of ALA---EPA---DHA, recommended intake of ALA is double the RDA and is 3.2 grams per day for men and 2.2 grams per day for women. Or consider a direct supplement of EPA and DHA of 200-300 milligrams 3 times a week. These are recommendations based on fatty acid expert Brenda Davis, RD.

Food sources rich in ALA include chia seeds, hemp seeds, flax seeds, walnuts, leafy green vegetables, and soybeans and soy products (tofu, tempeh, soy milk).

*Further Resources:
---Original article "The Evidence for α-Linolenic Acid and Cardiovascular Disease Benefits: Comparisons with Eicosapentaenoic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid": http://bit.ly/1yq9qo9
---ScienceDaily's Nothing fishy about health benefits of plant-based omega-3 fatty acid: http://bit.ly/1uaX7rp
---Omega-3 Fats: http://bit.ly/1m06iHB
---Why I Recommend Avoiding Fish: http://bit.ly/1xPsLQ6
---NutritionFacts.org's Plant-Based Omega-3 Supplements:http://bit.ly/1vpn113
--- Ovega-3 vegan microalgae supplements: http://amzn.to/1t4K7UT

REVERSE DIABETES EATING FULLYRAW

Why love one but eat the other?

Why love one but eat the other?
Especially because we do not need to eat animals, and because we actually do better when we do not eat them.
All nutrients found in animal products are found in plants, but packaged better...alongside with disease-fighting, health-promoting fiber and phytochemicals, which are exclusive to plants.

The exception, of course, is vitamin B12, which is not native to animals, but made in the soil by microorganisms. Since we wash our produce and therefore do not access it directly, supplementing with vitamin B12 is cheap, effective, and simple and helps avoid a need to eat animals and their accompanying saturated fat, cholesterol, hormones, antibiotics, heme iron, carnitine, Neu5Gc, environmental destruction, and horrific, inane breeding and torture of billions of animals per year.
Eat plants. For your health. For the animals. For the planet.
*In the news:
--->One Green Planet's What Would it Look if We Treated Our Pets Like Animals in a Factory Farm? (PHOTOS): http://bit.ly/1z10mJK
--->Mercy For Animals' 7 Factory Farming Practices Straight Out Of A Horror Film: http://bit.ly/1vSIGO7
*Resources:
--->To B12 or Not To B12: http://bit.ly/1f9ebMP
--->Notable Nutrient Sources: http://bit.ly/1pmm0xZ
--->Melanie Joy's Carnism: The Psychology of Eating Meat: http://bit.ly/1zmKGSc
--->6 Reasons Plant-Based Nutrition Is The Solution to The Healthcare Crisis: http://bit.ly/1C1TmLH
--->6 Steps Towards a Plant-Based Diet: http://bit.ly/1slIIcV
--->5 Non-Nutritional Reasons to Go Meatless: http://bit.ly/1m5lkvL

Veganism: Be the change. Go vegan.

Grocery list: Top 50 staples for a meat-free diet

A well-stocked vegan kitchen can make the difference between ho-hum and hubba hubba when it comes to plant-based cooking and eating.
By: Melissa Breyer

Just because someone doesn’t want to eat things that once roamed about doesn’t mean they have to sacrifice the pleasures or cooking and eating. On the contrary, with the right ingredients, a vegan diet can be as sumptuous as any other.

The items listed here fall into three basic categories:

• ingredients that can stand in for their animal-based counterparts; 
• ingredients to enhance plant-based dishes; and 
• ingredients to add nutrients that a vegan diet may be lacking. 

This list is in no way complete — but it’s a fantastic place to start.
A word to the wise: When first transitioning to a vegan diet, you may feel the need to add fake animal products to your meal plan. That’s fine if it helps you step away from the cows; but in general many of these items are highly processed — glorified vegan junk food –—and you may be better off without them. We’ve listed some of the better products here; just be aware and take a look at the ingredients list when shopping.

DAIRY
Alternative milks: Almond, soy, rice or hemp milk.
Buttery spread: Look for non-hydrogenated versions, like Earth Balance.
Dairy-free cheese: Daiya melts and doesn’t taste like plastic.
Cream cheese: Tofutti makes a reasonable mock cream cheese.
Sour cream: Again, Tofutti.
Soy yogurt: Good for probiotics.

PROTEIN
Tofurkey: If you can’t live without a “roast.”
Field Roast products: Grain-based faux meat products, not too processed and unusually tasty.
Tofu: Silken for smoothies and puddings; medium or firm for cooking.
Tempeh: Soybean-based meat substitute.
Seitan: Meat substitute made from wheat gluten; great texture, great protein.
Frozen vegetable burgers: Making your own is better, but these are convenient in a pinch.
Edamame: Fresh (frozen) soy beans are a great high-protein snack or side.
Beans: Dried and home-cooked are cheap and the healthiest.
Chickpeas: In addition to beans, because they’re so versatile.
Seeds: Sesame, sunflower, poppy, pumpkin, chia … all high in protein and healthy fats.
Nuts: Because, protein.
Nut butters: Because, peanut butter!
Cashews: In addition to nuts, because they can be soaked and used in so many ways.

GRAINS
Brown rice: Ditch the white for more-nutritious brown.
Quinoa: One of the few plant-based perfect proteins.
Steel-cut oats: Good for breakfast.
Whole grain grits: Because they’re filling and delicious.
Whole-wheat couscous: More nutritious than regular.
Multigrain pasta: Whole-wheat or legume mixes offer more nutrients and don't all taste like cardboard.
Sprouted bread and tortillas: Food for Life products are nutrient-rich and altogether lovely.

COOKING
Agar agar: Vegan substitute for gelatin.
Nutritional yeast: A must for B12 and very palatable; use like Parmesan cheese.
Miso paste: Excellent for adding umami to vegetables; great anchovy substitute.
Vegetable broth: Go for organic, and watch the sodium.
Vegetable bouillon: Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base works well.
Tomato paste: Great (surprising) source of iron.
Dried mushrooms: Like porcini, to add a meaty component to soups and stews.
Sun-dried tomatoes: Fantastic for adding texture and flavor.
Capers: Great for adding a punch of flavor.

BAKING
Ener-G Egg Replacer
Flax seeds: To make a viable egg substitute for baking.
Chia seeds: For nutritious puddings and egg substitute.
Vital wheat gluten: A great binder that also adds protein.
Coconut oil: Great for replacing butter in some recipes.
Vegetable shortening: Non-hydrogenated, like Spectrum.
Agave syrup: Instead of honey.
Maple syrup: Instead of honey.
Blackstrap molasses: Fantastic source of iron.

CONDIMENTS
Mayonnaise: Vegenaise tastes most like traditional mayo, Spectrum is a bit sweeter.
Bragg Liquid Aminos: Liquid protein concentrate, delicious soy-sauce taste.
Sriracha: Or other favorite hot sauces.
Harissa: Tunisian hot pepper paste makes anything taste good.
Tahini: Sesame paste can be used as a condiment or in preparing Middle Eastern recipes.
Kimchi: Great source of probiotics if you don’t like soy yogurt.
Sauerkraut: A surprising source of health benefits.

The Last Heart Attack by Dr. Sanjay Gupta CNN

Egg consumption increasing risk for colorectal cancer and bladder cancer

While egg consumption and cancer risk have not been studied as thoroughly as the consumption of meat and dairy products as they relate to cancer risk, there is still enough evidence to encourage dietary alternatives to both egg whites and egg yolks. The most convincing evidence points to egg consumption as increasing risk for colorectal cancer and bladder cancer.

A case-control study done in Argentina found that people consuming approximately 1 1/2 eggs per week had nearly 5 times the colorectal cancer risk compared with individuals consuming less than 11 eggs per year. And, the World Health Organization analyzed data from 34 countries and determined that egg consumption was significantly and positively correlated with mortality from colon and rectal cancers in both men and women. Moderate egg consumption also tripled the risk of developing bladder cancer as determined by a case-control study of 130 newly diagnosed bladder cancer patients published in the journal International Urology and Nephrology.

Eggs have zero dietary fibre, are devoid of cancer-fighting antioxidants, and about 60 percent of the calories in eggs are from fat—a big portion of which is saturated fat. They are also loaded with cholesterol—about 213 milligrams for an average-sized egg. Because egg shells are fragile and porous and conditions on egg farms are crowded, eggs are the perfect host for salmonella—the bacteria that is the leading cause of food poisoning

Iscovich JM, L'Abbe KA, Castelleto R, Calzona A, Bernedo A, Chopita NA, Jmelnitzsky AC, Kaldor J. Colon cancer in Argentina. I: Risk from intake of dietary items. Int J Cancer. 1992;51(6):851-857.

Zhang J, Zhao Z, Berkel HJ. Egg consumption and mortality from colon and rectal cancers: an ecological study. Nutr Cancer. 2003;46(2):158-165.

Radosavljevic V, Jankovic S, Marinkovic J, Dokic M. Diet and bladder cancer: a case-control study. Int Urol Nephrol. 2005;37(2):283-289.

lentils and beans?

A question asked on a blog was "What vegetarian route can a person take who reacts badly to lentils and beans?"

And the answer from Dr. Kerrie Saunders aka Dr. Food.

As part of the plan protein powerhouses (beans, peas, lentils, and sprouts), we usually need to find a way to incorporate them, or the person gets blood sugar imbalance symptoms in my experience. Nuts and seeds also have nice amounts of protein, but packaged in more fat, which just doesn’t ‘feel’ the same way to people.

I have found sufficient beans, peas, lentils or sprouts is the foundation for a well-planned baseline food intake. The goal is typically 2 cups per day for men, 1.5 cups for women, and 1 cup for kids. Legumes average 26% calories from protein.

If the concern is a true allergy or hypersensitivity, consider serum IgG food testing.

The least allergenic bean to typically try first, is adzuki/adzuki beans. With 18,000 varieties of beans, peas and lentils to choose from, it is hard to get bored, and I have never had a patient allergic to all 18,000. Sprouts, hummus, lentils, pea soup, etc. can round out their attempt, usually. Eating beans WITH cheese is the worst combination I have heard of, because (cow) cheese is so toxic in a human.

Gas during the first 3 days of including sufficient and daily legumes is normal. It is because there are chemical components IN the legumes that attach themselves to toxins existing in the gut, and convert them to air. It is actually a normal detox process, and the cleaner the gut, the less gas is produced. The more toxic the gut, the more gas is produced. It usually only takes about 3 days for the average person to simmer down, typically. We say don’t blame the beans, blame the waste that was present before.

Rinsing the dry beans, cans or jars of beans, peas and lentils helps a great deal. The ‘gelatinous goo’ that surrounds them can be a cause of extra gas, and some companies ship their dry beans, peas and lentils in a fine layer of soap. Rinse all until the water is clear.

Plant-Based Nutrition Support Group Drives Health

BY JOEL KAHN, MD

Although we see daily signs that plant-based eating is on the rise, in the 25 years I have been counseling my cardiology patients to adopt such a diet, it has been challenging to convince them long term. Undoubtedly a neighbour, family member, coworker, or some other pundit would try to derail their efforts. It seems everyone is a nutritionist when you announce that you are embracing a vegan lifestyle. What can be done to improve the odds of long-term success?

In the past few years, I have come to appreciate the power of support groups in strengthening our will to succeed and persevere when we make a decision as momentous as eschewing all animal products. I saw this firsthand in my visit to Pastor Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church in Southern California where, beginning in 2011, the “Daniel Plan” spread a plant-based health message through this massive church. The result? Some 15,000 parishioners collectively shed more than 250,000 pounds in one year. This success was built on small groups of people sharing, celebrating, and comparing notes regularly, as they made major changes in their routines.

Hoping for the same impact for heart patients, I cofounded a program in Detroit earlier this year, teaching plant-based nutrition using group activities. When I was asked to do this, I figured I could round up a dozen or two dedicated heart warriors to meet with once a month. A small article appeared in a local paper, and I also invited all the patients I knew who were seeking to eliminate meat, eggs, and dairy.

On a cold night in February of this year (2014), in a room at my hospital designed to hold 60, people kept streaming in, until more than 130 souls packed the auditorium. To this day, I have no idea where they all came from. I spoke on the scientific basis for preventing heart disease with a whole food, plant-based no-added-oil diet, and several people shared their stories.

Over the following months, our dedicated all-volunteer “PBN” (Plant-Based Nutrition) Support Group scheduled monthly lectures, organised a walking club, and visited restaurants that were willing to prepare a special vegan menu for 20 to 50 people. We also created a website (www.PlantBasedNutritionSupportGroup.org). Our lecture meetings have drawn over 100 attendees every month, often with many new faces, and we quickly generated a list of well over 300 email addresses.

Recently, we stepped up the excitement by having our first out-of-town speaker, Rip Esselstyn, talk to our PBNers. With the help of a bit of advertising by a national grocer, we filled a high school auditorium with over 475 faces, all eager to learn the secrets of thriving with plants in a world dominated by meat eaters. The energy, excitement, and appreciation were amazing.

In less than seven months, many dedicated participants have lost 20 to 40 pounds, reduced or eliminated medications, and developed new eating habits … largely because they shared their journey with like-minded companions. Our group has inspired more people to commit to a vegan lifestyle during this time frame than I had in my entire previous 25 years of practice!

We plan to continue meeting in large groups, to host small-group study sessions, and to celebrate the holidays together.

Orange is the New Pink!

From the Plant-Based Dietitian

Orange is the New Pink!

"Breast Cancer Awareness Month" should be renamed "Breast Cancer Prevention Month" every October!

Here are 2 great articles:

1. Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (where the graphic comes from) talking about how carotenoid-rich foods (veggies and fruits pigmented with deep oranges, reds, and yellows) have been found to reduce breast cancer risk: http://bit.ly/1uYJBNw

2. Joel Fuhrman, M.D.'s fantastic argument as to why supporting the pink campaigns (including KFC's epic offering of pink buckets of fried chicken) will not provide protection against breast cancer the way a health-promoting, disease-fighting diet can: http://bit.ly/1yLdHXy

Ways to Reduce Cancer Risk:

--->Maintain a healthy body weight by eating a nutrient-dense, calorie-poor diet and exercising regularly.

--->Make at least half of your plate/diet/day be filled with colorful fruits and vegetables. Eat a minimum of 7 servings of fruits and vegetables a day.

--->Eat a whole food, plant-based diet to get a continuous flow of cancer-fighting phytochemicals and fiber running through your GI tract and promoting immune health.

--->Avoid meats, fish, dairy, and eggs to decrease toxin load.

--->Limit alcohol intake to no more than one serving a day for women and 2 servings a day for men.

--->Clean up your environment as best as possible by reducing use of chemicals in your home, in your laundry, on your body, and with the tools, equipment, and cookware you use to cook and prepare food in.

--->Practice stress reduction and mindfulness.

--->Quit smoking.

*More Resources:
--->Cancer and Lifestyle: http://bit.ly/1sbCTBT
--->New Dietary Guidelines For Cancer Prevention: http://bit.ly/SuZI4g andhttp://bit.ly/1BOWV5V
--->NutritionFacts.org Videos on Breast Cancer: http://bit.ly/1t1P06D
--->Linus Pauling Institute's Carotenoids: http://bit.ly/1uyWgFF
--->Yahoo Screen "Foods that Make You Look Younger" for more on carotenoids: http://yhoo.it/1uYMvBX

Like

Chronic diseases are largely preventable diseases

Lifestyle and diet transformation over the last century coincides with the evolution of diseases from mostly infectious to mostly noncommunicable (chronic) in origin.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), chronic diseases will be responsible for almost 3/4 of deaths around the world by 2020.

They also say, "Chronic diseases are largely preventable diseases....Diet has been known for many years to play a key role as a risk factor for chronic diseases. What is apparent at the global level is that great changes have swept the entire world since the second half of the twentieth century, inducing major modifications in diet, first in industrial regions and more recently in developing countries. Traditional, largely plantbased diets have been swiftly replaced by high-fat, energy-dense diets with a substantial content of animal-based foods." http://bit.ly/1nW4Pda

*More Resources:
--->Dr. Neal Barnard of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine's Trends in Food Availability: http://bit.ly/1qgXVx5
--->U.S. Department of Agriculture's Tracking a Century of American Eating: http://1.usa.gov/1BHkzBr
--->6 Reasons Plant-Based Nutrition Is The Solution to The Healthcare Crisis: http://bit.ly/1C1TmLH
--->6 Steps Towards a Plant-Based Diet: http://bit.ly/1slIIcV
--->Rouxbe's Online Plant-Based Professional Certification Course:http://bit.ly/1a8FEg9
--->Dr. Joel Kahn - America's Holistic Heart Doc's Heart Healthy? It is as easy as 1-2-3 (4-5): http://bit.ly/1xU6V00

What To Expect When Adopting A Vegan Diet

by Eve Nguyen of Renew Vitality

We know that a vegan diet is a healthy choice. The internationally recognised American Dietetic
Association has stated that appropriately planned vegan diets are healthy, nutritionally adequate,
and can provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Closer to home
and the Victorian government's Better Health Channel has also said: "A well-balanced vegetarian or
vegan diet can provide many health benefits, such as a reduced risk of chronic diseases, including:
~ Obesity
~ Coronary artery disease
~ Hypertension (high blood pressure)
~ Diabetes
~ Some types of cancer."

So what can you expect when making the transition to a vegan diet?

In short, the answer is that it depends what sort of diet you are switching from and what sort of vegan
diet you are adopting. It will be an individual experience for everyone. There are healthy vegan diets
and there are junk-food vegan diets. Let me explain further.

A healthy vegan diet contains ample portions of fruits, vegetables, legumes and pulses (lentils,
chickpeas, kidney beans, red lentils, green split peas etc.) and wholegrains (oats, barley, and gluten-
free grains including brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat etc.) with a smaller amount of nuts and seeds.
When people adopt a healthy vegan diet they often report many changes in their body in the first
week or so of adopting the diet. Changes can include more regular bowel movements because
the intestinal tract is cleaner and more efficient on a vegan diet, high blood pressure can start to
normalise, high blood sugar levels can start to normalise, pain from various conditions (arthritis, gout
etc.) can lessen, people may start losing weight, skin conditions/rashes may start to clear up or lessen
in intensity and digestive symptoms such as heart burn may improve.

Simply speaking, adopting a vegan diet eliminates nasty meat-derived substances from the body that
can aggravate inflammation, pain and other conditions in the body such as arachidonic acid and uric
acid for example. Eliminating dairy products from the diet may assist in clearing up the sinuses and
may lessen joint pain (in addition to other health benefits!). Also, the vegan diet eliminates all forms of
cholesterol from the diet as cholesterol is only found in animal-derived ingredients.

If your diet regularly consists of meat products, processed meats, fried foods and dairy products such
as butter, milk and ice-cream and you move to a healthy vegan diet then you may experience some
detoxification symptoms. This may occur when the body is moving from an acidic and overburdened
state to a more alkaline and healthy state, and can be a sign that the body is rebalancing and trying to
regain health.

These signs may include headaches, sinus congestion or a running nose, discomfort in the digestive
system, perhaps some pimples on the skin and feeling tired and irritable or not quite optimal for a few
days to a week. If your body has been highly acidic and undernourished by your previous diet you
may experience cold-like symptoms as the body tries to cleanse itself by eliminating mucous from the
body. Bowel movements will probably increase. Urination may increase as you take in more fluid from
the fruits and vegetables.

Remember these symptoms can be due to a previous diet that burdened the body and digestive
system. As a new, healthy vegan diet is adopted with an abundance of plant nutrients, vitamins and
minerals, the body may put more energy into clearing old waste and trying to bring health and vitality
to parts of the body that have been stressed.