Dr. Jai Maharaj posted:
>
> > >>>>> In article <14359064.5Uv1HhjnyE@Dharma>,
> > >>>>> Peter Terpstra > posted:
> > >>>>> [
> > >>>>> [ U.S. vegan population doubles in only two years
> > >>>>> [
> > >>>>> [ By Hope Bohanec
> > >>>>> [
> > >>>>> [ According to a new Harris Interactive study commissioned
> > >>>>> [ by the Vegetarian Resource Group, the number of vegans in
> > >>>>> [ the United States has doubled since 2009 to 2.5% of the
> > >>>>> [ population. An amazing 7.5 million U.S. citizens now eat
> > >>>>> [ vegan diets that do not include any animal products - no
> > >>>>> [ meat, poultry, fish, dairy or eggs. Close to 16 million,
> > >>>>> [ or 5%, identify as vegetarian, never eating meat, poultry
> > >>>>> [ or fish.
> > >>>>> [
> > >>>>> [ If this rate continues, vegans will be 10% of the U.S.
> > >>>>> [ population in 2015, 40% in 2019, and in 80 % in 2050!
> > >>>>> [
> > >>>>> [ This would mean an end to the exploitation and suffering
> > >>>>> [ of billions of farmed animals. The study also revealed
> > >>>>> [ that 33% of U.S. citizens are eating vegetarian meals a
> > >>>>> [ significant amount of the time and ordering vegetarian
> > >>>>> [ meals at restaurants, though they are not vegetarians.
> > >>>>> [ That is over 100 million people, one third of the
> > >>>>> [ country!
> > >>>>> [
> > >>>>> [ Interestingly, the demographic breakdown of the study
> > >>>>> [ discovered that it was equal percentages of Democrats and
> > >>>>> [ Republicans eating vegetarian. Perhaps these two parties
> > >>>>> [ CAN agree on something - the vegan lifestyle is healthy
> > >>>>> [ and compassionate.
> > >>>>> [
> > >>>>> [ Conscientious eating is going mainstream so if you
> > >>>>> [ haven’t already, reduce or eliminate your consumption of
> > >>>>> [ animal products-everyone’s doing it!
> > >>>>> [
> > >>>>> [
http://www.occupyforanimals.org/us-v...two-years.html
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>> Dhanyavaad for your post!
> > >>>>>
> > >>>>> Jai Maharaj, Jyotishi
> > >>>>> Om Shanti
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Making Vegan a New Normal
> > >>>>
> > >>>> J. Emilio Flores for The New York Times; Anais Wade and
> > >>>> Dax Henry for The New York Times; Axel Koester for The
> > >>>> New York Times
> > >>>>
> > >>>> From left, vegetarian sashimi from n/naka; Kathy Freston,
> > >>>> a high-profile advocate for veganism, dining at Craig's;
> > >>>> the quinoa burger at Golden Road Brewing. More Photos »
> > >>>>
> > >>>> By Jeff Gordinier
> > >>>> NYTimes.com
> > >>>> September 24, 2012
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Slide Show
> > >>>>
> > >>>> In Southern California, Courting Vegans and Vegetarians
> > >>>>
> > >>>> It was a warm California evening in the city of West
> > >>>> Hollywood, and Kathy Freston was sipping a martini.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> "Just because you're a vegan doesn't mean you don't want
> > >>>> to have fun," she said, sitting in a booth at a
> > >>>> restaurant called Craig's. "I'm a decadent gal. I want to
> > >>>> drink. I want to feel full at the end of a meal. I just
> > >>>> don't want it to have any animals in it, for a variety of
> > >>>> reasons."
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Tall, slim and golden-tressed enough to be mistaken for a
> > >>>> movie star, Ms. Freston is the author of books like
> > >>>> "Quantum Wellness"*and "The Lean," and a high-profile
> > >>>> advocate for veganism. She strives to consume nothing
> > >>>> that can be traced back to sentient creatures: no meat,
> > >>>> no eggs, no dairy.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> But chilled vodka with extra olives? No problem. Nor did
> > >>>> she have any qualms about eating from a menu that
> > >>>> includes an 18-ounce bone-in rib-eye steak.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Craig's, hatched last year by Craig Susser, an alumnus of
> > >>>> Dan Tana's, the age-defying hangout on Santa Monica
> > >>>> Boulevard, is not a vegan restaurant. It represents a new
> > >>>> culinary wave that can be felt all over Southern
> > >>>> California, that reliable ripple-generator of so many
> > >>>> national trends: the omnivore's restaurant that courts
> > >>>> vegans and vegetarians (particularly the glamorous and
> > >>>> powerful ones who are a crucial engine of the dining
> > >>>> economy here) by preparing meatless dishes that surpass
> > >>>> the droopy steamed-vegetable platters of yore.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> "You picture vegan restaurants with a lot of people with
> > >>>> sandals and dreadlocks, drinking carrot juice," said
> > >>>> Ellen DeGeneres, who stopped by with her spouse, the
> > >>>> actress Portia de Rossi, to chat with Ms. Freston. Here
> > >>>> at Craig's, the mood was more high heels and blond locks.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> In fact, from power tables in Beverly Hills to pubs in
> > >>>> the San Fernando Valley, the surging popularity of plant-
> > >>>> based diets is drastically changing the dining landscape.
> > >>>> That shift is under way in various cities around the
> > >>>> world, but it's happening in an explosive way in and
> > >>>> around Los Angeles: at the elite gastronome magnets, at
> > >>>> casual gathering spots and everywhere in between.
> > >>>>
> > >>>> Continues at:
> > >>>>
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/26/di...nia.html?_r=2&
> > >>>
> > >>> McCartney Presses India On vegan Day
> > >>>
> > >>> Paul McCartney Urges Indian Prime Minister To Declare National Day Of
> > >>> Vegetarianism
> > >>>
> > >>> Associated Press
> > >>> CBS News
> > >>> Tuesday, January 4, 2011
> > >>>
> > >>> Indraprasth aka New Delhi (AP) - Outspoken vegetarian
> > >>> Paul McCartney is urging India to declare a national
> > >>> Vegetarian Day to celebrate meat-free living and
> > >>> compassion toward animals.
> > >>>
> > >>> People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals says
> > >>> McCartney sent a letter to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan
> > >>> Singh saying such a day could save animals while helping
> > >>> to protect both the environment and people's health.
> > >>>
> > >>> McCartney's letter says "it would be a celebration of
> > >>> life."
> > >>>
> > >>> The U.N. food agency in 2003 estimated 42 percent of
> > >>> India's 1.2 billion people are vegetarian, due mostly to
> > >>> financial and religious concerns. Strict Hindus and Jains
> > >>> do not eat meat.
> > >>>
> > >>> Singh's office could not immediately confirm receipt of
> > >>> McCartney's letter Tuesday.
> > >>>
> > >>> More at:
> > >>>
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/...n7211309.shtml
> > >>
> > >> Vegan diet reverses diabetes symptoms, study finds
> > >>
> > >> By Maggie Fox
> > >> Reuters
> > >> ABC News
> > >> July 27, 2006
> > >>
> > >> [Caption] The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has
> > >> found that Americans don't get nearly enough fruits and
> > >> vegetables in their diets. fruits and vegetables
> > >> (Clipart.com)
> > >>
> > >> Washington (Reuters) - People who ate a low-fat vegan
> > >> diet, cutting out all meat and dairy, lowered their blood
> > >> sugar more and lost more weight than people on a standard
> > >> American Diabetes Association diet, researchers said on
> > >> Thursday.
> > >>
> > >> They lowered their cholesterol more and ended up with
> > >> better kidney function, according to the report published
> > >> in Diabetes Care, a journal published by the American
> > >> Diabetes Association.
> > >>
> > >> Participants said the vegan diet was easier to follow
> > >> than most because they did not measure portions or count
> > >> calories. Three of the vegan dieters dropped out of the
> > >> study, compared to eight on the standard diet.
> > >>
> > >> "I hope this study will rekindle interest in using diet
> > >> changes first, rather than prescription drugs," Dr. Neal
> > >> Barnard, president of the Physician's Committee for
> > >> Responsible Medicine, which helped conduct the study,
> > >> told a news conference.
> > >>
> > >> An estimated 18 million Americans have type 2 diabetes,
> > >> which results from a combination of genetics and poor
> > >> eating and exercise habits. They run a high risk of heart
> > >> disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness and limb loss.
> > >>
> > >> Barnard's team and colleagues at George Washington
> > >> University, the University of Toronto and the University
> > >> of North Carolina tested 99 people with type 2 diabetes,
> > >> assigning them randomly to either a low-fat, low-sugar
> > >> vegan diet or the standard American Diabetes Association
> > >> diet.
> > >>
> > >> After 22 weeks on the diet, 43 percent of those on the
> > >> vegan diet and 26 percent of those on the standard diet
> > >> were either able to stop taking some of their drugs such
> > >> as insulin or glucose-control medications, or lowered the
> > >> doses.
> > >>
> > >> The vegan dieters lost 14 pounds (6.5 kg) on average
> > >> while the diabetes association dieters lost 6.8 pounds
> > >> (3.1 kg).
> > >>
> > >> An important level of glucose control called a1c fell by
> > >> 1.23 points in the vegan group and by 0.38 in the group
> > >> on the standard diet.
> > >>
> > >> DROPPING DRUGS
> > >>
> > >> A1c gives a measure of how well controlled blood sugar
> > >> has been over the preceding three months.
> > >>
> > >> In the dieters who did not change whatever cholesterol
> > >> drugs they were on during the study, LDL or "bad"
> > >> cholesterol fell by 21 percent in the vegan group and 10
> > >> percent in the standard diet group.
> > >>
> > >> The vegan diet removed all animal products, including
> > >> meat, fish and dairy. It was also low in added fat and in
> > >> sugar.
> > >>
> > >> The American Diabetes Association diet is more tailored,
> > >> taking into account the patient's weight and cholesterol.
> > >> Most patients on this diet cut calories significantly,
> > >> and were told to eat sugary and starchy foods in
> > >> moderation.
> > >>
> > >> All 99 participants met weekly with advisers, who advised
> > >> them on recipes, gave them tips for sticking to their
> > >> respective diets, and offered encouragement.
> > >>
> > >> "We have got a combination here that works successfully,"
> > >> said Dr. David Jenkins of the University of Toronto, who
> > >> worked on the study. "The message that we so often get
> > >> with diet is that it is no good because nobody follows it
> > >> for very long."
> > >>
> > >> Dr. Joshua Cohen, George Washington University associate
> > >> professor of medicine, said everyone diagnosed with
> > >> diabetes is told to start eating more carefully.
> > >>
> > >> "That may be among the hardest things that any of us can
> > >> do," Cohen told the news conference.
> > >>
> > >> The vegan diet "is at least as good, if not better than
> > >> traditional approaches," Cohen said.
> > >>
> > >> Vance Warren, a 36-year-old retired police officer living
> > >> in Washington, said he lowered his a1c from 10.4,
> > >> considered uncontrolled diabetes, to 5.1, considered a
> > >> healthy level, over 18 months. "My life is much better
> > >> being 74 pounds (34 kg) lighter," Warren told the news
> > >> conference.
> > >>
> > >> More at:
> > >>
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Diabete...ory?id=2244647
> > >
> > > Vegan diet 'help' for arthritis
> > >
> > > Rheumatoid arthritis patients may be able to reduce their
> > > high risk of heart attacks and strokes with a gluten-
> > > free, vegan diet, a study suggests.
> > >
> > > [Caption] Meat was off the menu for half of those in the
> > > study group
> > >
> > > BBC
> > > Tuesday, March 18, 2008
> > >
> > > Heart attacks and strokes are among the leading causes of
> > > death for sufferers, as the inflammation caused by the
> > > disease impacts upon the arteries.
> > >
> > > But an Arthritis Research and Therapy study found those
> > > who pursued a vegan regime had less "bad" cholesterol.
> > >
> > > By clogging arteries, this is seen as a key risk factor
> > > for heart problems.
> > >
> > > Rheumatoid Arthritis affects around 350,000 people in the
> > > UK.
> > >
> > > Millet and sesame
> > >
> > > But researchers at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm
> > > say this risk could be reduced through a diet which
> > > excludes animal products and gluten -- found in wheat,
> > > oats, rye and barley.
> > >
> > > "A vegan diet may be helpful in reducing cholesterol,
> > > but it is difficult to get enough of some important
> > > nutrients on a vegan diet"
> > > - Arthritis Research Campaign
> > > [Which nutrients? - JM]
> > >
> > > They placed 38 volunteers on the diet, in which protein
> > > accounted for 10% of daily energy intake, carbohydrate
> > > 60% and fat for 30%.
> > >
> > > It included nuts, sunflower seeds, fruit and vegetables,
> > > millet and corn. Sesame milk provided a daily source of
> > > calcium.
> > >
> > > A further 28 volunteers followed a healthy diet with
> > > approximately the same proportions of protein,
> > > carbohydrate and fat.
> > >
> > > Saturated fats were not to make up more than 10% of daily
> > > energy intake, and wholegrain products were to be chosen
> > > as often as possible.
> > >
> > > Those on the vegan diet showed a decrease in the total
> > > level of cholesterol and specifically a reduction in the
> > > amount of low-density lipoprotein (LSL), also known as
> > > "bad cholesterol".
> > >
> > > In contrast, those on the non-vegan diet showed no
> > > significant variations in these levels.
> > >
> > > The researchers pointed to a "large body of evidence"
> > > suggesting that these changes were beneficial when it
> > > comes to preventing blockage of the arteries and
> > > cardiovascular disease.
> > >
> > > The vegan volunteers also had a lower Body Mass Index
> > > (BMI) at the end of the 12 month period, while the
> > > control group remained the same.
> > >
> > > The Arthritis Research Campaign, which is currently
> > > looking into how statins may reduce cardiovascular risks
> > > for sufferers, said the study was of interest but said
> > > the role of diet could be exaggerated.
> > >
> > > "However we do know that, for example, eating oily fish
> > > can reduce inflammation, and risk factors for developing
> > > the condition include high consumption of red meat and
> > > low consumption of fruit and vegetables, so diet does
> > > play a role -- however limited," a spokeswoman said.
> > >
> > > But the charity also sounded a note of warning: "A vegan
> > > diet may be helpful in reducing cholesterol, but it is
> > > difficult to get enough of some important nutrients on a
> > > vegan diet."
> > >
> > > More at:
> > >
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7301188.stm
> >
> > Forwarded post:
> >
> > October 4, 2005
> >
> > Dining with Friends: The Art of North American Vegan
> > Cuisine Cookbook
> >
> > By Priscilla Feral and Lee Hall with Friends of Animals
> > Nectar Bat Press, 2005
> > $19.95 Paperback
> >
> > End of forwarded post.
>
> Vegan on the Road with Most Precious Blood
>
> By Justin Brannan and Most Precious Blood
> Satya Magazine
>
> [Caption] Most Precious Blood, Justin Brannan, center.
> Photo by Chris Mottalini
>
> Driving 13 hours to the next show with one headlight and
> four flat tires has never been a big deal for us. But for
> our vegan/vegetarian hardcore band, finding food to eat
> on the road was a cause for alarm. However, throughout
> our years of touring and intense ingredient
> investigations, I am proud to say we have become
> connoisseurs of vegan cuisine on the road.
>
> Before leaving for tour, we always hit the familiar New
> York establishments, like Red Bamboo (and their signature
> Creole Soul Chicken), Atlas Caf? (a vegan cake paradise),
> and Foodswings (vegan fast food, where they even named a
> pizza after us). Chinatown's May Wah is also a great spot
> to hit especially if you're the frugal type or prefer to
> do the cooking yourself. They carry all the mock meats
> served at your favorite vegan dining establishments --
> just don't be too upset when you see how cheap the faux
> meats really are.
>
> Before we head out on the road, we head over to our
> practice space on Staten Island to write our ?hit' songs.
> It costs $9 to get onto the island, so we like to make
> the most of our trip and stop off at Chin Chin Palace, a
> small nondescript Asian restaurant located in a strip
> mall. With their enormous vegetarian/vegan menu, this
> place has been an institution in our lives for years --
> great food, massive quantities and it's fairly cheap.
>
> Okay, so now we hit the road. First stop is Rhode Island,
> and one of several Spike's Hot Dogs locations. They serve
> meat hot dogs with a myriad of dressings and toppings,
> but they also have veggie dogs, which you can dress any
> way you want. The thick and hearty buns alone are worth
> the price of admission and will fill you up.
>
> Onward to Boston -- outside of Boston to be more specific
> -- to Allston, MA. One door down from the legendary
> Grasshopper Asian vegetarian restaurant, there is a dumpy
> little pizza spot, TJ's, that serves some insane mock
> creations. Try the BBQ Chicken Pizza or the Meatball
> Parmesan Hero. Although they serve meat, they have a
> clearly labeled separate grill and oven just for their
> vegan items. I promise, TJ's will leave you a changed
> person.
>
> Let's head up to Canada. Over our years of touring
> Canada, we've found that the best part of the country is
> their vegan cuisine. Let us tell you about a place we
> stumbled upon years ago called Harvey's! Harvey's are
> pretty much all over the country -- like McDonald's in
> the U.S. -- but they serve some of the best vegan burgers
> you will ever taste. We can't sing enough praises about
> this spot. It has become our Canadian sanctuary. You must
> stop at Harvey's.
>
> If you happen to find yourself in Ottawa, swing by Wild
> Oats. Although it's a chain, they're a great little
> health food store with tons of vegan options. Try the
> tofu cutlets and the samosas. From the border police to
> possible strip-searching, Wild Oats makes it worth the
> hassle.
>
> In Montreal there's a chain of restaurants called Le
> Fleurs, home to some of the greasiest food you'll ever
> eat. They do veggie burgers and dogs just right, and the
> french fries and vinegar are what dreams (and triple
> bypass surgeries) are made of. Our Le Fleurs motto: ?it's
> always good to go to bed on a full stomach.' It's worth
> the throbbing and numbness in the extremities, trust us.
> Also in Toronto, you will bump into hot dog vendors on
> the street who'll make you a mean veggie dog for cheap.
>
> Now that you've rolled yourself back over the border and
> into the States, let's visit Chicago. First stop, the
> Pick Me Up Caf?. We've walked 10 miles to this place --in
> a blizzard wearing short sleeve shirts -- just to get
> down with the vegan french toast and pancakes. There's
> tons of stuff on the menu here, but the vegan breakfast
> is by far the best.
>
> Let's take a long drive now to Houston, Texas. Located in
> another nondescript strip mall is a surprisingly yummy
> place called Tien Ren. This jewel of the south serves a
> cheap vegetarian and vegan buffet. The atmosphere is
> calm, relaxing and perfect for stuffing your face.
>
> When you get to California the only spot you need to know
> is In & Out Burger. This place is another institution for
> those "in the know." They have a secret language of
> different codes and nicknames for all the styles and
> techniques in which they can make your burger. Even
> though the only things listed on the menu are
> "hamburgers, cheeseburgers, fries, shakes and sodas,"
> there are at least 100 ways you can order your food. Most
> people opt for the "wish burger," which is basically a
> grilled cheese sandwich with all the regular burger
> fixins. For the vegans, opt for the wish burger without
> the cheese and you'll be welcomed to a world of grilled
> onion goodness. In addition, the fries are made fresh
> like every 10 seconds or so. In & Out is the spot.
>
> Most of our time on the road is spent at gas stations and
> rest stops where the vegan options are few and far
> between. You can always go for the Grandma's Brand peanut
> butter cookies, Luna and Cliff bars, and most of the
> cheap sugar wafer cookies are vegan and good to go as
> well. It usually takes us a good hour to stop for gas,
> with most of the time spent wandering the aisles reading
> ingredients. When something new and vegan is found,
> everyone comes running over to check it out. You simply
> don't realize the impact of being vegan and the endless
> quest for good food until you hit the road. Luckily, we
> also have friends who will bake for us -- bring brownies
> and cookies to our shows -- or pile us into a car and
> take us to local vegan spots.
>
> In Times of Desperation...
>
> Taco Bell is a necessary evil of the road. I wouldn't be
> caught dead in a Taco Bell when we're not on tour, but
> once we shove off, it serves as a last resort. Depending
> on your confidence with the intelligence of the person
> behind the counter, you can create some pretty
> interesting meals by substituting this and that. But, it
> can get very confusing and frustrating when you get to
> your seat and realize your burrito is full of everything
> you said to leave out. The easiest thing to do is ask for
> the seven-layer burrito minus cheese and sour cream.
> (They actually have a minus button on their keypad.) Also
> easy is the bean burrito sans cheese. If you're feeling
> lucky and have some time to kill, go for the grilled
> stuft burrito minus meat, cheese and Baja sauce, but add
> potatoes. This makes a pretty serious burrito that will
> fill you up for a good 50-100 miles, at least.
>
> Burger King is an absolute last resort, but if you must,
> their breakfast options aren't bad and -- believe it or
> not -- some are vegan. The french toast sticks and the
> hash browns are good to go with just enough grease to
> kickstart that heart at seven a.m. for another long
> drive. And you can grab a Dutch Apple Pie -- a vegan
> treat for later when the belly starts grumbling again.
>
> I've saved the best for last, a place called CiCi's
> Pizza. This is where gluttony lives and breeds. CiCi's is
> basically a pizza buffet place where $5 gets you into an
> all-you-can-eat pizza paradise. There aren't many vegan
> options on the buffet table but you can order your own
> pie for no extra charge. Hold the cheese, load up on
> toppings and you are now on board with a one way ticket
> to carb-coma-city. You can also order the garlic bread
> without the cheese. For $5, this is the best you will
> find on the road in terms of value and quantity.
>
> There's a ton of places across the millions of miles of
> asphalt. These are just the joints we swear by. In fact,
> if you hit up any of these places and you don't
> absolutely enjoy them, we'll send you a free Most
> Precious Blood T-shirt. Hey, we're serious about our on-
> the-road cuisine.
>
> Most Precious Blood is a vegan/vegetarian hardcore band
> born in Brooklyn, NY, of which Justin Brannan is a
> guitarist. Keep your ears open for their album Merciless
> coming out September 20th on Trustkill Records. Visit
> www.mostpreciousblood.com for more information.
>
> More at:
>
http://www.satyamag.com/sept05/mostprec.html

Beyond Tofu: A Vegan Lifestyle

By Ana Arias Terry
Conscious Choice
November 1998

One of my brothers thinks chickens exist solely to be
eaten by humans. No ethical or philosophical argument
seems to convince him that a chicken -- or cow, pig,
fish, or any other animal deemed a potential tasty meal
by a human -- has an inherent right to live. If the
living conditions for these factory animals are
horrendous, it's too bad, he'd say. But that's the way it
goes when you're at the bottom of the food chain.

As a passionate vegan, it's a little hard for me to
swallow my brother's zest for meat; it obscures his
vision of the numerous negative ramifications that his
dietary and lifestyle choices convey.

After a series of highly intense debates that threatened
to sever our relationship, we called a truce. He
disagrees with my environmental and ethical reasons for
becoming vegan four years ago, but respects them. I am
bewildered by his lack of compassion for animals he deems
inferior to humans, but I still love him. I hold out hope
that I can offer him the right piece of literature to
help him see the connections between our food and
lifestyle choices and the use or misuse of the Earth's
finite resources.

A vegan lifestyle goes beyond eating tofu instead of
meat. It's about a life-changing commitment that chants
in your heart and gets renewed daily.

What Vegans Put in Their Mouths

Vegans (VEE-guns) eats no animal products or byproducts,
so they don't consume meat, poultry, eggs, seafood, dairy
products, or honey (some vegans don't have an issue with
honey). Because their diet consists of vegetables,
fruits, legumes, nuts, and seeds, it's generally high in
fiber content and moderate in fat.

As a vegan, you quickly learn to read food labels
routinely, query educational vegetarian organizations
such as The Vegetarian Resource Group about vegan
ingredients, and sometimes go right to the manufacturer.

Once you learn to identify the numerous non-vegan items
that can be found in some food items, planning a healthy
vegan diet is no different than planning any other diet,
say a lacto-ovo (one that allows consumption of dairy and
eggs) or non-vegetarian diet. If planned poorly, any diet
can be unhealthful. But with a vegan diet, you're
certainly starting from a much healthier place than with
a meat-based one.

A perpetual myth that makes the rounds says that a vegan
diet doesn't provide sufficient protein, iron, and
calcium for healthy living. Not so, says Ginny Messina,
an internationally recognized registered dietician with
an advanced degree in public health. Messina is a
consultant on vegetarian nutrition projects, editor of a
monthly newsletter on vegetarian diets published by Loma
Linda University, author of vegetarian nutrition
textbooks for health professionals and consumers, and
Internet editor for Vegetarian Nutrition: An
International Journal, published by MCB University Press.

According to Messina, protein is virtually a non-issue
for vegans. The majority of plant foods, including soy
products, beans, nuts, grain, seeds, and vegetables,
offer protein. If individuals consume sufficient calories
and make reasonably varied food selections, it's close to
impossible to have a protein deficiency. People on
intensely low-calorie diets or young kids with very picky
appetites, however, do need to ensure that they consume
more frequently foods very rich in protein content, such
as soy products and additional legumes.

Messina adds that as far as iron goes, the majority of
the population find it surprising that vegan diets are
higher in iron than lacto-ovo or meat-based diets.
"Although iron derived from plant foods is absorbed less
well than iron from meat, vegans should take measures to
boost their iron absorption," says Messina. "The best way
to do this is to include a good source of vitamin C at
every meal since this greatly enhances iron absorption
from plant foods -- although not from animal foods."

Calcium is a mineral that vegans need to monitor and
consume more carefully, Messina continues. She contends
that while older studies demonstrated that vegan women
had very low calcium levels, this trend could be changing
thanks to numerous high-quality vegan foods that are
fortified with calcium today. Some of these include
fortified rice or soy milk, fortified breakfast cereals,
fortified orange juice, leafy green veggies, and even
some beans and nuts. Incidentally, Messina suggests that
for vegans who like to boost their calcium intake with
supplements, they should reserve these for between meals
as opposed to with meals because calcium inhibits the
absorption of iron.

But isn't a vegan diet boring? Au contraire, ma soeur.
Some of us vegans would argue that a vegan diet is
actually more varied than when we ate differently. While
we do indeed wipe out entire food categories from our
culinary repertoire, most vegans seem to more than make
up for that by exploring the whole scale of vegan food,
says Messina. The spectrum covers a wide selection of
breads and pastas, grain, bean dishes, and a significant
range of nuts, seeds, vegetables, fruits, and soy
products. "Vegans are very likely to explore
international cuisines so that items that are staples in
many vegan diets are actually foods that many Americans
don't eat."

Virtually anyone who's a vegetarian has been asked by
meat eaters ad nauseam why it's okay to eat plants and
not animals, and how do we know vegetables don't feel
pain when we pull them out of the ground. If you're
vegan, the two-part question always has an extra edge.
Messina answers this question easily and fluently.

"I think most of us perceive a difference between plants
and animals. Animals have a central nervous system, and
we know they feel physical and emotional reactions like
fear. I can't prove to anyone that plants don't feel
pain, but I know animals do. We absolutely need plant
food to survive. It's essential in the human diet, and
it's clear that the greater the ratio of plant to animal
food in the diet, the better our health and chance of
survival. I think most would agree that it's a reasonable
decision to eat the foods that are necessary for our
survival."

Erik Marcus, President of the Vegan Foundation and author
of an excellent, recently published book entitled Vegan:
The New Ethics of Eating, holds a similar view to
Messina's. "It's fairly obvious that animals are capable
of demonstrating pain and fear," he says. Marcus offers
an engaging philosophical argument to further illustrate
his point. "Let's say that plants are as capable of
suffering as animals. It can take around ten pounds of
grain to produce a single pound of beef. So if you ate a
couple of pounds of grain rather than a pound of beef,
you would have saved wheat the supposed agony of
producing eight pounds of grain. And that's not even
counting the quite visible agony you've saved the cow."

Recently someone asked me why plant life such as fruit is
treated differently than chicken eggs when they're seed
for life just like the fruit. Messina summed up the
answer more succinctly than the tome I was preparing.
"Vegans avoid eggs because egg production is notoriously
cruel. It isn't so much the fact that an egg is a seed
for life as it is that chickens suffer greatly on egg
farms."

Of Passion, Compassion, & Sterotypes People choose
veganism for a broad range of reasons, including, yes,
ethical reasons, but also environmental and health
concerns. And while many select this diet for ethical
issues and as such are activists on behalf of animals,
few are militant, according to Messina. Many are
relatively mainstream folks who are also raising kids,
attempting to balance family and work, paying mortgages,
and engaging in community activites. They simply adhere
to a set of concerns about the place and treatment of
animals in a human-centered society; the huge amounts of
water, land, and fuel used up to produce grain to feed
farm animals; the pollution generated by animal excrement
and waste products by the dairy industry; the loss of
biodiversity suffered in the name of ranching; and the
health consequences of a meat-based diet.

These are strong arguments that fuel the passion of many
vegans and which extend beyond what we put in our mouths.
They affect what we wear, what health and beauty products
we buy, what household cleaning supplies we seek, what
forms of education, entertainment, and sports we choose,
what stores we patronize, what charities we support, and
even where, when, and how we tread.

But even within this movement, the degree of vegan
commitment varies. Some don't extend their veganism
beyond their food choices. Others make occasional
exceptions for the byproduct use of dairy or eggs. Some
may not think twice about using refined sugar, which is
bleached with charcoal filters that use animal bones.
Others may wear wool, but not leather. Some will never
again purchase soap or lotions that contain animal
byproducts or that were tested on animals but will use
their remaining supply of Gillette razors from eons ago.
Yet others immediately rid their households of any item
that's not vegan.

Passion for compassion and the environmental well-being
of this planet does not equate to a militant disposition.
In the words of Dr. Albert Schweitzer, "until he extends
the circle of his compassion to all living things, man
will not himself find peace." And Alice Walker reminds us
that "the animals of the world exist for their own
reasons. They were not made for humans any more than
black people were made for whites, or women for men."

Vegans err just as much as the rest of the population.
It's just that we've allowed ourselves to seek out, read,
learn, and digest the gruesome realities of the behind-
the-scenes details of the meat and dairy industry and of
the impact our life choices make on the sustainability of
a finite planet.

When I first started reading Diet for a New America by
John Robbins, the Baskin-Robbins heir-to-be who decided
his conscience wouldn't let him pursue the family living,
I had no clue it would change my life forever. But one
painful and often highly-disturbing fact at a time
brought me out of my plush state of ignorance. I found
myself no longer able to support a system of abuse and
misuse just to satisfy a craving or whimsical fancy for a
product. You'd be amazed how easily knowledge will help
you say no to things that may look appealing on the
surface.

Despite my passion on this subject, I do believe diet is
a highly personal decision that no other soul but
yourself can make on your behalf. I applaud the efforts
of anybody who even in the smallest way attempts to lower
her consumption of and reliance on animal products. It's
not vegans that I admire, but the person who takes that
first bold step to gently remove her blinders and educate
herself in spite of the heartache.

More at:

http://www.consciouschoice.com/1995-...lifestyle.html

Jai Maharaj, Jyotishi
Om Shanti

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.fan.jai-maharaj

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