The Benefits of a Vegan Diet

Veganism is a word that often scares people and why wouldn't it? Most people think a vegan diet is bland, lacking flavor, variety and most importantly, PROTEIN!

But these thoughts couldn't be further from the truth.

Being a vegetarian myself for many, many years, and a vegan off and on, my diet consists of a multitude of foods. Fruits, veggies, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds & healthy fats. If you think about it, meat is one type of food, all the other food out there is vegetarian in a sense, as long as it's in it's whole state. So you ask, where do I get my protein from on a vegetarian/vegan diet?

And I answer, plenty of places. One, whole grains, especially quinoa, amaranth and millet are high in protein, perfect protein in fact, as well as loads of vitamins and minerals. They are a nutrient-dense food and easy to digest. Secondly, veggies are a great source of protein. Protein is made up of amino-acids and when you ingest amino acids, they turn to protein in the body and there are tons of aminos in veggies. Legumes, nuts and seeds are all sources of high levels of protein.

Numerous studies have shown that animal protein & products, in fact, are a large contributor to cancer, more specifically, liver cancer. T. Colin Campbell's book, The China Study proves this enormous and sobering fact through 20 years of food and nutritional studies conducted using people and rats. Campbell also proved that active cancer cells can be made dormant by changing from a diet consisting of animal products to a plant-based diet.

Brendan Brazier, Professional Ironman Triathelete and author of Thrive, The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports & Life, touts a vegan diet for highest & quickest recovery rate after long and grueling workouts. Brendan ate every kind of diet under the sun, but after 20 years of experimenting with food, he concluded that eating a diet free of animal products resulted in a phenomeonal boost in energy, reduction in stress, quickest recovery after workouts and unending vitality.

Yes it is true that we need protein to survive, but Americans especially, have taken protein to an unhealthy level. We are eating above and beyond what our bodies need to survive, grow and heal, which can lead to an acidic environment, arthritis, digestive problems and a whole slew of other ailments. Studies have proven that plant protein allows for the slow-yet-steady synthesis of new proteins in the body, which is the healthiest way to acquire protein. To read another article on the vegetarian diet and protein, check out Veg News.

This is not meant to make meat eaters feel badly. This is to an bring awareness that anyone can get sufficient amounts of protein by following a vegan/vegetarian diet. It does take some planning and level of commitment, but it's worth it and I promise you will feel healthier, look better and maybe even live longer!! Remember your body is like a bank account, you are making an investment in your health! SO give it a try, give up meat maybe once or twice a week. How about on Mondays? Check out Meatless Monday's for some amazing Veg recipes!

Day 3 - Candida Cleanse Chronicles

Well it's day 3 of the cleanse and honestly, I am feeling like doo -doo on a stick, as Daniel would say. First off, I am so proud of him for taking this journey with me and staying the course. I think the caffeine has been a bit harder for him since he was drinking multiple red bulls, rock stars, pit bulls..whatever these energy drinks are called, to keep himself going. I am blown away by his dedication to want to be & feel healthier and to support me through all of this!! We recently read in a the Quantum Wellness book that these CRAZY energy drinks thicken the blood and can cause STROKES in young men. I think that really hit home for Daniel. It's amazing how many packaged, processed, chemical ridden products are out there that are so bad for us. Just think of how many people drink Diet Soda and think they are cutting calories, but in turn tricking their bodies only to crave more sugar! UGH!!!



After being off caffeine for 6 days, I realize that the yerba mate' that I was drinking in the morning and sometimes in the afternoon was a serious vice for me too. I used it to wake up with and to get me through my afternoon slump. Now there is nothing to get me up or through the slump but ME! And that's a good feeling, although a tiring one right now. I know that "this too shall pass" as does all else, but today is a tough one. Thank goodness that I had a free day to just putz around and nap at will. I am not much of a napper, but today I needed it. Among all the neighbor frenzy that goes on outside I managed to slip in a few zzzz's here and there. Yes, we live in LA and it is a city, even though we are close to the beach...so the screaming kids and mariachi music out the window is sometimes a bit much!

Another thing that happened is I just started crying..I was feeling so out of control and like I was in jail. This deprivation thing is hard for me since I have suffered from an eating disorder most of my life. It literally feels like I am in a prison, my very own self-made one, but prison nonetheless! Once I cried, and Daniel talked me through it all, I felt so much better. I know I have said this before, but if you are going to do a cleanse or anything else that requires serious willpower, find someone to do it with. The SUPPORT is profound and necessary!!!



All the meals I cooked were a success and I am ready to hit the kitchen for another round. The creamy cauliflower carrot soup with fresh dill is awesome. I throw a little cooked millet into it and Daniel and I have been having it for breakfast. Soup for breakfast is awesome! Have you ever tried it?? Today I made some scrambled eggs with zucchini, red onion, asparagus and dairy free/nut free pesto! The eggs were delicious, but I am still craving my damn Greens + Chocolate Peanut Butter High Protein bar...ugh. Just to bite into the gooey richness would take me to a happy place. BUT, I know that this kind of set back will not help me heal, so off I go back into the land of chocolate free. I also made some suprisingly tasty herb & veggie burgers which I have been enjoying immensly. I am allowed to use a little Amaranth flour to hold them together and boy it feels like I am cheating. Amaranth is a seed that is high in protein. Most people think it's a grain, but it's actually a seed, so it's allowed on this cleanse. The only grains we are allowed to eat are Quinoa, Buckwheat, Amaranth & Millet. All of which are very good by the way and loaded with protein!



Ok, well Daniel and I are off to get our Colonics. Did I really say that? Yes, we are getting colonics. I know..too much information. And I had to do a lot of co-ercing to my other half. He just felt that it was all wrong, but has now seen the light. And this is about the good, the bad and the ugly and who says we need to be so darn politically correct anyway? I am a health practioner and a chef and my mission is to teach people how to be healthy through whole foods eating and having a stellar digestive system. That's where it all starts. If you don't have a healthy digestive system, you will most likely end up with a lot of ailments and disease.



So, on that note, I must run but in case any of you are interested in jumping on board this cleanse or doing one in the future, I am happy to help. Donna Gates' book, The Body Ecology Diet is amazing and she will teach you all about the ins and outs of killing yeast. Oh no, is that coffee I smell wafting through the window again..someone help me!!!


I am here to teach the world to eat healthier, be healthier and feel better, so if any of you are interested in learning more please email me at missy@karmachow.com



Truly yours,

the Ambivalent Cleanser