Not all carbohydrates are equal, and I find it unfair to grains like brown rice and quinoa that they get lumped in to the same category as highly processed, sugary breakfast cereal and stale, packaged cupcakes.  Despite what their ad executives would like you to believe, those little “o” shaped pieces of cereal are not whole grains! The whole grain category includes include foods such as quinoa, brown rice, barley, millet, amaranth, buckwheat, wheat berries and spelt berries (also know as farro).

The truth is that whole grains have been a main part of the human diet since early civilization. When it was discovered that grain crops could be harvested and eaten througout cold weather months, people ceased being hunter-gatherers and settled down into farming communities. People living in these communities—on all continents—had lean, strong bodies. Each region had their own staple grain: corn in the America, rice in Asia sorghum in Africa and buckwheat in Russia. In the Middle East, people made pita bread, tabouli and couscous from wheat. In Europe, corn, millet, wheat, rice, pasta, dark breads and even beer were considered health-providing foods. People were rarely overweight.

So why eat whole grains? They’re actually very nutritious! Here are just a few reasons why they should be part of your diet.

8 Reasons to Eat Whole Grains

1. Energy. The body absorbs the nutrients in grains slowly, so they provide sustained and high-quality energy and help regulate blood sugar.
2. Fiber. Whole grains are high in dietary fiber, so they will keep the body “regular” and help flush out toxins. Studies have shown that grains can contribute to gastrointestinal health.
3. Vitamins. While the vitamin content varies from grain to grain, most are high in Vitamin E and B-Complex vitamins.
4. Minerals. The mineral content also varies from grain to grain, but they can be high in iron, magnesium, selenium zinc, potassium, and calcium.
5. Protein. Most grains are high in protein. In fact, quinoa contains all eight essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. Half a cup contains 11 grams of protein!
6. Weight Management. The fiber in whole grains can help you feel full with very little calories. Some of the B vitamins found in grains, such as thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin, play a key role in metabolism, as they help the body release energy.
7. Stress Management. The B vitamins found in whole grains are essential for a healthy nervous system.
8. Disease Management. Studies have shown that the fiber found whole grains may help reduce blood cholesterol levels and may lower risk of heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.

The post 8 Reasons to Eat Whole Grains appeared first on Chic Vegan.

Chic Vegan: What motivated you to become vegan? Was it an overnight switch or more gradual shift?
Heather Nicholds: Initially, my motivation was learning about the environmental impact of animal agriculture. That was my tipping point. I realized I could do something to make a difference. Something that was entirely under my control. When you add in saving animals’ lives and hopefully boosting my chances of staying healthy into old age, it’s a no brainer. I went vegetarian overnight, and then a few months later I went vegan overnight, when I learned that all the same issues applied to dairy and egg production. I know that not everyone can make such a big change overnight, but I love change and challenges, and my motivation was so strong that it wasn’t really a choice – it was the only way I could go forward with the knowledge I had. Learning how to make healthy, balanced and delicious vegan meals every day, though – that was a very gradual process! There were definitely some disasters in the early days. That’s when having the trifecta of motivation really helps to perservere through the failures.

CV: What changes did you notice in yourself after going vegan?
HN: I began actually enjoying cooking. Up to that point, I struggled to figure out how to cook foods properly, I hated handling raw animal flesh, I worried about bacterial contamination, It was gross and frustrating trying to clean pots and pans. Going vegan ended all of that, and opened the door for me to learn about flavors, experiment with different ways of preparing foods, and discover new foods I’d never heard of before – like buckwheat.

From a health perspective, as I added more whole foods and fresh produce, I found that some really bad indigestion and gas cleared away, I had more energy and I got sick a lot less often.

CV: Tell me a little bit about your new book Protein from Plants and what inspired you to write it.
HN: Essentially the reason I wrote this book is: when people think about going vegan, they worry about protein. And if I can help explain why that’s nothing to worry about, and give the information that they need to be healthy, my hope is that more people will be willing to make the shift.

The book is part nutrition resource, part cookbook… my approach as a nutritionist is about making the science easily understandable, plus giving delicious recipes to make it actionable.

So the first half of the book is three sections that give a full understanding of protein, including how much you actually need and how you can more than enough from plant foods. The second half is full of high-protein vegan recipes, along with 7 days worth of balanced meal plans to show you exactly how to get all the protein you need from plants.

CV: The number one question most vegans get asked is, “where do you get your protein?” Why do you think our culture is so obsessed with protein?
HN: I honestly don’t know. Someone has done a really good marketing job promoting protein, and the idea that “protein foods” are the best. To think that a meal is healthy just because it’s high in protein is so strange to me. All the focus on protein pancakes doesn’t make for an overall healthy, balanced diet. There is such a thing as too much protein! Early signs are mild – things like being irritable, having brain fog, feeling thirsty, being constipated, having bad breath. It could progress though, and put a serious toll on your kidneys from having to break down and filter the protein.

From the perspective of non-vegans, I think the obsession comes from being taught to balance our plates with portions of protein foods, starch foods, and vegetables. The trouble is, in the plant kingdom, most foods have protein, starch, and vitamins and minerals – along with fiber, water, antioxidants and more. So we don’t have a direct swap for “protein foods” and we have to rebalance our plates a little bit. We can’t point to our plates and say “that’s my protein quadrant.” There’s protein in everything on the plate, but it’s a different way to think about it than people were taught for so long.

CV: Do vegans really need to worry about getting enough protein in their diets?
HN: No, they don’t need to worry – there is plenty of protein in a typical vegan diet. There are some things they need to be aware of, like getting enough variety of foods to get all the amino acids we need, cooking said food properly and chewing fully to ensure proper digestion, and certain situations when we may need to boost our protein intake above the average. The idea that it’s impossible to be protein deficient is an oversimplification – but that doesn’t mean it has to be complicated. And it certainly isn’t common to be protein deficient in developed countries.

CV: Do you have a favorite recipe in the book?
HN: Good question! I’m a bit tempeh-deprived at the moment, so the tempeh bourguignon is the one I’m most craving!

CV: What’s the number one piece of advice you would give to someone who wants to go vegan, but doesn’t know where to start?
HN: Just start. No need to be perfect, no need to do it all at once. Just start. And pick up some advice from a really good nutritionist (wink, wink) so you stay healthy and have answers to the questions your friends/family will invariably ask.

CV: What is your favorite vegan indulgence?
HN: There are so many… if I had to choose only one, I would say a really dark, rich dairy-free chocolate!

CV: What vegan product could you not live without?
HN: Well I now have a tense debate going on in my head between tempeh and chocolate… My nutritionist brain is saying tempeh for the literal reason of having more nutrients to support life… however, my regular-person brain is saying chocolate for the metaphorical reason of having more deliciousness to support my soul…

CV: In your wildest dreams what will your life look like in 5 years?
HN: I will have an endless supply of tempeh and chocolate, along with a few mango and fig trees in the back yard. There will be more vegans than non-vegans in the world, and leadership of countries around the globe will be implementing the changes to policy, infrastructure and economic systems we need to save our planet.

The post Interview Series: Heather Nicholds appeared first on Chic Vegan.

When I went vegetarian in the early 90s, I decided to try them out of curiosity and I discovered that I really liked them. My mom would smell them cooking and ask to try them. I once heard her tell someone that she didn’t like mushrooms unless I cooked them, and I had to explain to her that I wasn’t doing anything special, and that I suspected what she actually didn’t like were the kind from a can, but I don’t think she listened.

These days, mushrooms are a mainstay in my diet and I eat them several times a week. And with good reason – not only do they have umami, which is a flavor that a lot of vegetables are lacking, but they are also packed full of nutrients. There are thousands of varieties of mushrooms, but only about 100 have been studied for their health benefits. Because they have tough cell walls, they should be cooked before eating. Heating them before eating will health release the vitamins and minerals they contain.

Here Are 10 Reasons To Love Mushrooms:

1. They’ll Keep You Regular – They are full of fiber, which is crucial for keeping the bowls regular and for flushing toxins out of the body.
2. They Can Lower Blood Sugar – The high fiber content of mushrooms, along with their natural insulin and enzymes, have been shown to help improve blood sugar levels in diabetics.
3. They’re Good for Heart Health – The fiber, potassium, and vitamin C in mushrooms are all good for the heart. These nutrients work together to regulate blood pressure and lower cholesterol.
4. They Can Help with Weight Management – Another benefit to the high fiber content of mushrooms is that the body will feel satiated longer, resulting in less of an appetite. 
5. They’ll Give Your Immune System a Boost – They contain beta-glucan, which can protect against colds, the flu, and other viruses. They also contain selenium, which can boost the body’s production of killer T-cells. Shiitake, portobello, oyster and reishi mushrooms contain lentinan, which can help stimulate the immune system. 
6. They’re Known to Fight Cancer – The immune boosting compounds in mushrooms are known to fight cancer cells and prevent tumors from forming. Studies have shown that eating mushrooms on a regular can decreased the risk of breast, stomach, bladder and colon cancers. White buttons in particular have been shown to significantly suppress breast cancer growth.
7. They’re Full of Antioxidants – Antioxidants are substances that fight free radicals in the body, and mushrooms are loaded with them!
8. They Can Speed Up the Metabolism – They are chock-full of B vitamins, which help the body turn food into fuel. They can also help the body metabolize fats and proteins. 
9. They Contain Vitamin D – They are the only vegetable that contains vitamin D. Just like humans, they produce vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D is crucial for calcium absorption and immune function, among other things.
10. They’re Delicious – They are also a good source of umami, which is known as the fifth taste. Umami often described as the savory or meaty ‘mouth-filling’ taste, which a lot of foods in the plant world are missing.

What are you favorite ways to cook mushrooms?

The post 10 Reasons to Love Mushrooms appeared first on Chic Vegan.

10 Health Benefits of Chocolate

1. Nutrient Dense – High quality dark chocolate is rich in omega 3 fatty acids, fiber, protein, iron, magnesium, copper, manganese, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, and selenium, as well as other trace minerals.
2. Great Source of Antioxidants – Dark chocolate is loaded with antioxidants, such as polyphenols, flavanols, catechins. One study showed that cocao and dark chocolate contained more antioxidants than any other fruit.
3. Balances Cholesterol Levels – Studies have shown that the powerful antioxidants in dark chocolate can raise HLD levels (“good cholesterol”) and lower LDL levels (“bad cholesterol”).
4. Lowers Blood Pressure – The flavanols in dark chocolate can stimulate the lining of arteries to produce nitric oxide, which send signals to the arteries to relax. When the arteries are relaxed, blood flows easier and blood pressure is reduced.
5. It’s Good for the Heart – Several long-term observational studies have shown drastic improvements in heart health in those that eat chocolate on a regular basis. Balanced cholesterol levels and a lower blood pressure are obviously good for the heart. Chocolate is also known to lowered the risk of having calcified plaque in the arteries.
6. It Protects the Skin from the Sun – The high levels of flavonoids in chocolate are known to protect against sun-induced damage, improve blood flow to the skin, and increase skin density and hydration
7. May Improve Brain Function – The high amount of flavanol in cocoa boosts blood flow to the brain, which improves performance and alertness. It’s also been shown to significantly improve cognitive function in the elderly.
8. Improves Feelings of Wellbeing – Chocolate contains tryptophan, which is a building block for the feel-good hormone serotonin. It also contains phenethylamine, which is a stimulant that’s released in the brain when we fall in love.
9. Weight Loss – This may sound counterintuitive, but a little dark chocolate in your diet might be helpful to your waistline. Studies have found that dark chocolate is rather filling, cutting down on cravings for sweet, salty, and fatty foods.
10. Stress Reduction – A Swiss study found that when people suffering from anxiety ate an ounce and a half of dark chocolate every day for two weeks, their stress hormone levels were significantly reduced and the metabolic effects of stress were diminished.

The health benefits of chocolate don’t mean that you should be eating large quantities of it though, as it is relatively high in calories. A little bit of chocolate a day goes a long way.

If you want to learn more about chocolate, I suggest reading Vegan Chocolate by Fran Costigan, Superfoods for Life: Cacao by Matt Ruscigano with Joshua Ploeg, and Naked Chocolate by David Wolfe.

The post 10 Reasons to Eat More Chocolate appeared first on Chic Vegan.

After I’ve explained to people what vegans eat and that I do indeed consume plenty of protein, conversation can sometimes turn towards the topic of calcium. If I’m not drinking milk or eating cheese, I’ve probably bought myself a one-way ticket to osteoporosisville, right? Wrong! The idea that calcium can only be found in dairy products is a common myth here in the U.S. – one that’s probably been fueled by all of those pesky white moustache ads that have become so pervasive in our pop culture. Studies have shown that cultures that don’t consume very much dairy have fewer occurrences of osteoporosis and hip fractures than those who consume mass quantities of it. A 12 year U.S. study conducted by Harvard looked at the milk intake of 78,000 women. Those who drank milk three times a day actually broke more bones than women who rarely drank any. That doesn’t mean that people on a vegan diet don’t need to worry about their calcium intake at all, because we need just as much as everyone else, it just means that it’s not coming from a glass of thick, white liquid.

First we have to think about where calcium comes from. If it comes from the food we consume, where does the cow get it? Is she drinking cows’ milk too? No, cows stop drinking mother’s milk when they’re about a year old. Cows, when living the way nature intended them to, primarily eat grass. Now I’m not saying you should run outside, mow your lawn, and then sit down to a heaping plate of grass clippings, but rather turn something similar that can easily be found at the grocery store: leafy greens.

The most nutritious sources for calcium are greens such as kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collards, mustard greens and Swiss chard. They’re also packed with lost of other nutrients too. Why? Because minerals are actually found in soil. Greens pull minerals in through their roots and then disseminate them through their leaves. Beans are also loaded with calcium, as are foods like tofu, sesame seeds and sweet potatoes. The Recommended Dietary Allowances for calcium for adults is between 1,000 and 1,200 mg, and a cup of collard greens has about 350 mgs – or one third of the recommended amount. One cup of calcium-set tofu has about 500 mgs, 10 dried figs contains around 270 mgs and an English muffin has about 92 mgs of calcium, so you can see how it can quickly add up after a day of eating.

The tricky part isn’t really getting the calcium into the body, it’s holding on to it. It’s important to exercise so that calcium has somewhere to go. Studies have shown that active people keep calcium in their bones, and that weight lifting can improve bone density. Adequate Vitamin D levels are also crucial, as it controls the body’s use of calcium. Most Americans are deficient in Vitamin D and don’t realize it. It’s a nutrient our bodies make from exposure to sunlight, and most of us need to supplement it. I always recommend that people get their blood tested for D and talk to their doctor about supplementing. Smoking, heavy salt intake and carbonated beverages can all cause calcium to be leached from our bones, so be careful with the salt shaker and opt for water instead of soda.

Another problem with cows’ milk is that it’s a common allergen, and if you have allergies, it will make things worse because it can cause the body to produce excess mucus. It’s also very common to be lactose intolerant. About 75% percent of the world’s population can’t properly digest lactose, which are the sugars found in milk. The reason is that humans are usually weaned off of mother’s milk around the age of 3, so the body’s production of lactase, the enzyme that breaks down lactose, starts to wane around the same time. Some believe that it was an accident of evolution that some humans began to continue to produce them into adulthood.

Humans are the only species that drink milk into adulthood, and we’re the only species who drink milk from other animals. The mother’s milk of any species is suited to the specific needs of her babies. The biochemical composition of cows’ milk is perfectly suited to turn a newborn calf into a very, very large cow in a year. It can cause things to grow in humans too, such as waistlines and tumors, as studies have shown that the intake of dairy products has been linked to certain cancers such as ovarian cancer and prostate cancer.

The one thing I hear over and over again is, “I could never be vegan because I could never give us cheese.” There’s a reason for that. Mother’s milk contains certain chemicals that act as opiates in the brain of the their babies. This creates the mother-baby bond, and it keeps babies from straying too far from their mothers in the wild. Humans barely notice it when drinking a glass of milk, but it’s very present in cheese. The chemicals are known as casomorphins, and it’s not an accident that word “morphine” is in there. Just as mother’s milk as an opioid affect on the brain of the baby, cheese can act like a drug in humans. Cheese addiction is a very real thing.

So there you have everything you always wanted to know about calcium and dairy products but were afraid to ask! And before you ask me about goats’ milk, I must ask you – are you a baby goat?

The post Got (Vegan) Calcium? appeared first on Chic Vegan.

We’re a protein-obsessed culture. There are protein bars, protein shakes, protein powders, protein packed salads, high protein bread, protein covered protein – the list goes on and on. I’m not really sure how this preoccupation with protein started, or where the idea that it can only be found in meat products came from. The truth is that protein can be found in almost all foods, and those on meat-free diets don’t really have any problems with obtaining it. Protein deficiency is not a problem that’s commonly found in countries where food is abundant, and it’s not something that Americans really need to put any effort into eradicating.

What exactly is protein? Protein is a macronutrient, and the body needs it to build, repair and maintain tissue. Protein is made up of amino acids. There are 20 amino acids, and the body can synthesize 12 of them on it’s own, so we need to get the other 8 from food. A “complete protein” is a food that contains all 8 essential aminos and an “incomplete protein” is one that doesn’t. It used to be believed that we needed to eat all 8 amino acids together in order for them to be useful, but that was proven to be untrue many years ago. The body’s a smart machine and it knows what to do with each amino acid when it gets it.

So where do I get my protein? The question should problem by more like “Where don’t I get my protein?” Protein is found in almost every plant food under the sun. Soy foods such as tofu, tempeh, and soy beans themselves are very high in protein, as are beans such as lentils, pinto beans and black beans. Whole grains are also very high in protein, and quinoa contains all 8 essential amino acids. Nuts and seeds are also chock-full of protein. Hemp seeds are a complete protein, and they taste great sprinkled on top of a salad or mixed into your morning oatmeal. (And no, you won’t get a buzz from eating them.) Seitan, which is a wheat-meat, is also packed with protein, with about 24 grams in each serving.

Okay, so beans, grains and nuts are great, but what about vegetables? Contrary to what you might think, most vegetables are also packed with protein. 1 cup of broccoli has about 6 grams of protein. (That might not sound like a lot, but chances are that you think you need more protein than you actually do.) A cup of spinach also has 6 grams. Most green vegetables contain a lot of protein. In fact, asparagus is so high in the amino acid aspargine, that the amino was named after the plant. Even fruit contains protein! I cup of blackberries has about 2 grams, and a banana has about a gram and a half.

So just how much protein do we need? Well, the average person is probably eating a lot more than necessary. To find out how much you need, multiply your body weight by .4. The number you get is the amount of protein you need in grams. Athletes and women who are pregnant or nursing will need a little more than that. I kept track of my protein intake for a little while because of the culture’s obsession with it, and I found that I get about 20 grams more than what I need a day.x

I would love to think that this is the last time I have to answer the question “Where do you get your protein?” but sadly, I’m sure it’s not.

The post Where Do You Get Your Protein? appeared first on Chic Vegan.

Chic Vegan contributor Ines Lopes is a social media junkie who currently works at Rutgers University and is pursuing a Masters in Fine Arts in Poetry. She also holds a Masters in Teaching and hopes to one day combine her educational background and extreme adoration of food and fitness to help others lead the healthiest, strongest, fittest (plant-based) lifestyle possible. In her spare time she volunteers at a local animal shelter, loves to work out and blogs about recipes, product reviews, and fitness related musings.

Chic Vegan: How long have you been a vegan?

Ines Lopes: A little over a year.

IL: I started volunteering at an animal shelter and worked really hard at saving the lives of those cats and dogs. One day I just realized that it seemed silly for me to be putting in all that time and energy if I was just going to go home and eat other animals, so I stopped. Eventually, I phased out all animal products.

IL: Be kind to yourself, be patient. It doesn’t necessarily happen overnight and it can be daunting. There is a lot to learn.  There are a lot of resources out there – which is great – but can also be overwhelming, considering you’re going to pretty much overhaul everything you’ve ever known. It’s easy to beat yourself up if you slip up and have that nonvegan cookie or a piece of cheese.  Let it go and move on, and know that every passing moment is completely new opportunity.

IL: I’m a lip gloss junkie! Crazy Rumors probably makes my favorite because it goes on smooth and they have the best flavors!

CV: Where are the best vegan bargains?

Also, pretty much anything at Trader Joe’s! I’m completely obsessed.

The post Take Five: Ines Lopes appeared first on Chic Vegan.

My colleagues and I in clinical medicine spend the vast majority of our time in operating rooms, emergency departments and outpatient offices largely cleaning up the wreckage of the “Standard American Diet.” Whether they choose to recognize it or not, the medical practice of every physician across the medical specialties – from internists to surgeons, from pediatricians to radiologists, from gastroenterologists to dermatologists, rheumatologists to public health and preventive medicine specialists – is largely focused upon repairing the damage resulting from what our patients are eating.

The time has come – for physicians and patients alike – to recognize that our food is chemically “alive.” The nutrients – or contaminants – from every meal and snack flow through our cells within minutes of eating, playing our un-coiled DNA like a piano, turn- ing on some genes and turning off others – inducing the production of some enzymes and inhibiting the production of others that determine who we are and how well we function. This means that every bite does matter. Food affects our functioning on the most fundamental levels, moment to moment, year in and year out – from determining our skin’s oil production to turning cancer-promoting genes on or off.
Eating a fast-food hamburger predictably sends a witch’s brew of denatured muscle proteins, saturated fats, pro-inflammatory arachidonic acid, endotoxin, and sialic acid Neu5Gc, growth-promoting hormones, along with antibiotics and bio-concentrated pesticide residues though the bloodstream. This toxic mixture is bathing every cell in the body within minutes of swallowing the meal and can promote cellular reactions that lead to inflammatory diseases in artery walls, inhibit the function of insulin recep- tors and promote the growth of several kinds of cancers.

The polluted river of pizzas, chili dogs and their ilk, flowing through one’s tissues creates a far different symphony of cellular reactions than an antioxidant-rich meal of a colorful fresh salad, hearty lentil stew, steamed green and yellow vegetables and fresh fruit for dessert. The phytonutrients in these foods generally promote healing and stability of tissues, and, thus, play a key role in the prevention and reversal of most of our common degenerative diseases.
We can look at any organelle in the cell such as the mitochondria, ribosomes, Golgi bodies or endoplasmic reticulum and see how flooding them with arachidonic acid, and other substances from animal-based foods might adversely affect its struc- ture and function. The interaction between our food and the genes on our chromosomes that determines the function of our cells is called nutrigenomics. Understanding that relationship gives us tremendous power to stop using foods to create disease states in our body and to start using each meal to foster deep and true healing.

The influence diet has on the cellular level is even more apparent when we look at the telomeres at the ends of our chromosomes, the tightly wound coils of our DNA that contain all our genetic information that let’s our cells function normally. Telomeres are special regions on the ends of the chromosomes that keep the chromosomes healthy and protect them from damage. Long, healthy telomeres are directly correlated with long, healthy lives; conversely, the shorter the telomere length, the shorter the lifespan.1 As we get older and subject ourselves to the chemical barrage of modern life, we can see under the electron microscope how eating a diet filled with free radicals and oxidizing agents damages our telomeres. When we eat food that abuses our chromosomes, the damage is akin to going outside in the snow without a jacket. The telomeres become damaged and shortened, and expose the DNA within the chromosomes to genetic injury that can affect every aspect of cellular function – and echo down the generations through every subsequent cell division. Conversely, we can see evidence under the same electron microscope of injured, shortened telomeres visibly healing and becoming longer as plant-based nutrients exert their restorative effects.

All this has profound implications for all practicing physicians, like dermatologists, most of who apparently still do not believe that their patient’s diet affects the health of their skin, especially in cases of acne. There are now numerous studies showing how cow’s milk products, with their powerful concoction of growth factors such as estrogens and IGF-1 can launch a cascade of reactions that can play a direct role in acne eruptions.

Of course, our diet alters everything in the skin, from blood flow that determines wound healing, to the lubricating quality of skin oils, to the populations of bacteria living down in the hair follicles. Since most skin conditions have a strong component of inflammation – which can be promoted by many factors in animal-based foods – dramatic improvements in skin conditions such as acne4, atopic dermatitis5, and psoriasis6 are predictably observed when the diet becomes one based upon whole, plant-based foods.

We find ourselves in a seminal time for medicine and public health as we recognize each individual’s power to largely determine the course of their health – and, thus, their lives – though their food choices. As physicians, nutritionists, and scientists, we must stop hiding behind the linguistic barrier of “Etiology Unknown” when it comes to most of health challenges in the Western world. As we grow ever more ravenous for a meat-heavy, fast-food diet, waistlines expand, children become obese, and the costs for diabetes and stroke care alone threaten to bankrupt our nation, we must stop overlook- ing the obvious. “It’s the food!” Physicians, government policy makers, food producers – and all of us – need to grasp that the molecules that we choose to flush through our cells on a daily basis hold the key to preventing and overcoming disease and to creat- ing abundant health and optimal function. Such a powerful tool, and it is available to everyone. “Let food be your medicine,” indeed. As the title of this book so aptly states, the time has come for scientists and physicians who want to effectively treat the cause of diseases – not just to deal with symptoms – to rethink food.

Reprinted by permission from RETHINK FOOD: 100+ Doctors Can’t By Wrong by Shushana Castle and Amy-Lee Goodman. Two Skirts Productions, LLC

We have free copies of RETHINK FOOD for five lucky Chic Vegan readers! Follow instructions below to enter. US resident only, please. Contest ends at midnight EST on May 4th. Good luck!

The post The Effect of Food On Skin–And Everything Else! appeared first on Chic Vegan.

March is National Nutrition Month. Since we have an excuse to celebrate nutrition all month, let’s use this opportunity to kick it up a notch.  Here are some suggestions to help you on the road to better nutrition:

Eat a Rainbow of Color

When we eat a rainbow of color from fresh fruits and veggies we know that we are getting the nutrients our body needs to function at its most optimum level.  Plants get their vibrant colors from phytonutrients and it is those phytonutrients that provide us with the antioxidants our bodies use to slow the aging process and reduce our disease risk.

Fresh juice

Fresh squeezed juice is a fantastic way to provide our bodies with concentrated doses of phytonutrients and antioxidants.  When you juice, use vegetables as the base of your juice and use fruit sparingly to sweeten the juice.

Smoothies

Smoothies are another fantastic way to consume a rainbow of color.  Unlike fresh squeezed juice, smoothies provide your body with fiber, which is essential for a healthy digestive tract.  Experiment with your smoothies this month.  Many people are surprised to discover that a handful of spinach or half of a cucumber will not change the taste of a fruit smoothie.

Cut out processed foods

Challenge yourself to forgo processed food this month.  Vegan or not, processed food is processed food.  Reacquaint yourself with fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.  I know that convenience is a huge factor, but you will be surprised by how easy it is to whip-up a tasty soup from scratch or a batch of beans and rice with steamed veggies on the side.

Try some new recipes

The internet is a smorgasbord of amazing recipes.  There are so many wonderful websites dedicated to vegan recipes that are sure to inspire you to try something new.  On the weekend take some time to search the web for recipes to make for the following week’s meals.  When you do a little prep work, making meals from scratch can be quick and cost effective (and the left-overs make awesome lunches the following day!).

Add some super foods

Try a new super food this month.  It is easy to enhance your health by adding a teaspoon of maca (for hormone health), or spirulina and chlorella (both are natural chelators) to your smoothies.  Another great add to a smoothie is açaí pulp (super concentrated antioxidants).

Give wheat grass a try

There are a lot of people intimidated by wheat grass.  The next time you are at a juice bar or health food store, give it a try (ask for a chaser of orange juice).  Wheat grass contains chlorophyll, amino acids, minerals, vitamins, and enzymes; many of which help to combat oxidative stress.  If you don’t have access to wheat grass juice, try the powdered form and mix it with water as I often do.

Live active cultures

Add yogurt and kefir to your diet.  Thankfully, So Delicious now offers coconut yogurt and kefir.  I personally add coconut kefir to my smoothies on a daily basis since the live active cultures are so beneficial for our gut.  According to Dr. Perricone, “[P]robiotic microbes help the body’s ongoing fight against infectious diseases by competing with the pathogens for food, nutrients and survival.”

Exercise

While exercise is not something we consume, I consider it a valuable nutrition partner since it aids digestion.  Studies have also shown that exercise can help prevent gastro intestinal symptoms.  That being said, it is important not to eat a large meal before exercising since the digestion of that meal will compete for your energy.  A great pre-exercise snack is a banana and a few nuts.

Drink more water

I know we all are aware of the importance of consuming enough water.  Really focus this month on upping your water intake and replacing other beverages (namely soft drinks) with water or herbal tea.  Since our bodies are on average 70% water, your body will thank you for properly hydrating it.

image via ericawondergirl

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Gretchen Tseng is a Nutrition Specialist with Certification in Plant-Based Nutrition through Cornell University. At a young age she experienced a series of illnesses which propelled her to seek nutrition based solutions. Gretchen is absolutely passionate about sharing the health benefits of a plant-based lifestyle and can be found doing so through her website Veggie Grettie at www.veggiegrettie.com . Gretchen lives in Southern California with her husband, two children, and 4 legged best bud. She dreams of living on a farm someday surrounded by animals and the most amazing organic garden she can imagine.

The post 10 Ways To Ramp Up Your Nutrition appeared first on Chic Vegan.

Lately, more and more athletes have been proving this point by choosing a cruelty-free diet and in turn, blowing away the competition. This progressive movement is turning away from heaping plates of flesh and whey protein shakes, and towards nutrient dense vegetables, fruit, grains, legumes, seeds and nuts. The result is a healthier, happier herbivore – that can kick your ass.

What makes for a healthy vegan?

It is true that vegans, just like any other person, can be terribly unhealthy. If you eat a diet consisting mostly of processed, packaged, high calorie, and nutrition-less foods – whether they originate from an animal or not – you are going to be unhealthy.  However if you take the time out to consider the nutrition factor of what you are eating, and love your body enough to fill it with the best things for it, then you will be healthy. Now the question of what is healthy gets mighty confusing when it comes down to the nitty gritty of omnivores vs. herbivores. The meat and dairy industry have spent many years and billions of dollars to make us believe that meat and dairy is mandatory for a healthy existence. Unfortunately, this is not true. There have been many studies that show quite the contrary.

There is abundant evidence that vegetarian diets are more healthful than the average American diet, especially for preventing, treating or reversing heart disease and reducing the risk of cancer.¹ Research has shown a low-fat vegetarian diet is the single most effective way to stop progression of coronary artery disease or prevent it altogether. Several other health conditions, such as diabetes,² obesity,³ gallstones,⁴ and kidney stones,⁵ are much less common in vegetarians. The health benefits of a vegetarian diet may be linked to the fact that vegetarians tend to eat less animal fat, protein and cholesterol and more fiber and antioxidants.⁶ Simply put, the fewer animal foods and the more varied, whole plantfoods consumed, the healthier the individual will be compared to the general population.

1. Key TJA, Thorogood M, Appleby PN, et al. Dietary habits and mortality in 11,000 vegetarians and health conscious people: results of a 17 year follow up. BMJ 1996;313:775–79.
2. Snowdon DA, Phillips RL. Does a vegetarian diet reduce the occurrence of diabetes? Am J Public Health 1985;75:507-12.
3. Key T. Prevalence of obesity is low in people who do not eat meat. BMJ 1996;313:816.
4. Pixley F, Wilson D, McPherson K, et al. Effect of vegetarianism on development of gall stones in women. BMJ 1985;291:11-12.
5. Robertson WG, Peacock M, Marshall DH. Prevalence of urinary stone disease in vegetarians. Eur Urol 1982;8:334-339.
6. Krajcovicova-Kudlackova M, Simoncic R, Babinska K, et al. Selected vitamins and trace elements in blood of vegetarians. Ann Nutr Metab 1995;39:334–39.

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The Protein Myth

The most ridiculous thing anyone has ever said to me would be “You can’t get big muscles without animal protein.”  -What? I have lovely muscles thankyouverymuch, and I did not get them by shoving rotten carcass down my throat.

Unfortunately that is the thought process of most people who spend most of their time in gyms, training to add that extra inch onto their biceps. These people live off bacon cheeseburgers sans bun, whey protein shakes and various other powders and gels found in big plastic tubs  with pictures of overly-tanned greased up abs on the label.  There is a reason why they are called “meatheads”.  They have a whole lot of poor, cholesterol-laden or synthetic protein in their lives. And nothing else. They may have rippling abs and Bruce Lee lats, but they are the prime candidate for a heart attack, high blood pressure, and they are going to age very, very quickly.

This might be an extreme example (or maybe just a bitter rant from too much time spent in gyms), but you get my point. Protein is obviously necessary for a strong and healthy physique, but animal protein is most definitely NOT the only source.  I often get the question (as i’m sure you have more times than you would like to think about) “Where do you get your protein?” To that I always reply, “Everything I eat has protein in it.”  Veg staples like beans, lentils, nuts, veggies, soy, and grains all contain ample amounts of protein and other lovely treats such as fiber, carbs, and a vast cornucopia of vitamins and minerals, all mandatory ingredients in an athlete’s diet.  The result? More nutritional bang for your buck.

Believe it or not, humans do not need as much protein as we have been led to believe. Most American’s eat a diet consisting of about 20-30% animal protein. This is a whole lot.  We actually only need about 10% of our calories to come from protein and that protein does not have to come from an animal – it is actually more efficient if it doesn’t.

To learn more about our protein needs check out theproteinmyth.com.

Eye of the Tiger : Training Advantages

There is no special rule to vegan fitness training. We workout like everyone else. However we do have a few advantages up our sleeves.

First of all, we are totally in tune with our body. I assume it has something to do with the clear mind and digestive tract that come with vegan living. The moment something is off with our bodies, be it a slight cold or food that is not sitting right, we know it right away. We know how our bodies like to move and what limits we can push it to.  One thing that is important while training athletically is to listen to what your body is telling you. If you are genuinely tired, take a break. If something is hurting or very sore, don’t use that muscle for a while. These things sound very obvious, but you would be amazed how often athletes ignore what their body is telling them and continue to over-train until they hurt themselves or develop serious imbalances. I find that being vegan has helped me listen to and respect my body more. This prevents me from inflicting pain upon it for unnecessary reasons.

We have energy, and lots of it! Meat and dairy take a lot of energy to digest. They make you sluggish, and many times they can make you sick. Plant based foods however, digest quickly, giving our bodies the opportunity to spread the energy around to our muscles and brain.

Our diet naturally contains healthy amounts of carbohydrates, fiber, protein, and healthy fats – all needed to fuel hard workouts and build muscle. We don’t have to worry about trying to cram these foods into our daily meal plan because they are in everything we eat!

We smell better! Vegans naturally have less offensive body odor and better smelling breath. (It probably has something to do with the lack of decaying flesh in our digestive tracts.) So we can get gross and sweaty and not worry so much. We also make for better workout partners.

More Information

veganathlete.com

theproteinmyth.com

veganfitness.net

brendanbrazier.com

veganbodybuilding.com

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