I call myself a Vegan Life Coach. I began “thinking about” becoming a vegetarian in 1989 after reading A Diet for a New America by John Robbins. In that book I learned about the systemic animal cruelty perpetuated by the meat and dairy industries. Although I’ve been a RN since 1984 and have taken courses in health and nutrition, Robbins removed the “blinders of western medicine” and exposed the myth that “humans are supposed to eat meat.”
Our bodies are meant to be Herbivores! These comments, among others, got me kicked out of bars, restaurants, parties, and family functions – especially on holidays. It has been demonstrated that a plant-based diet reverses major health conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, including high blood pressure, high triglycerides and high cholesterol, as well as Type II diabetes, cancers, and obesity.
Benefits of a Vegan Diet
Dr. Neal Barnard reported that in a recent study in the Nutritional Journal, a Vegetarian/Vegan diet improved mood and reduced stress. In just 2 weeks they found that vegetarians scored significantly better on standardized depression, anxiety, and stress tests. In my own experience being vegan, I am no longer anemic and I’ve reclaimed my height. In my late 40’s I shrunk from 5’8” ¾ to 5’8” ½, even though I was a vegetarian. Once I became a vegan, I am proud to say that I am 5’8” ¾ once again. I also “shapeshifted” – my body is now proportioned to my skeletal frame.
I am defined as a vegan for my strong beliefs that we are stewards or guardians of all of earth’s sentient beings and that as humans we have the obligation to treat all animals with respect and reverence. All health care providers are taught on day one the principles of benevolence - First, Do No Harm. Is it not arrogant to exclude our furry, feathered, scaled, and gilled cousins?
My favorite vegan reads are:
- Diet for a New America by John Robbins
- The Food Revolution: How Your Diet Can Help Save Your Life and Our World by John Robbins
- Breaking the Food Seduction by Neal Barnard, MD
- Foods that Fight Pain by Neal Barnard, MD
- Dominion: The Power of Man, the Suffering of Animals, and the Call to Mercy, by Matthew Scully
My favorite foods in a pinch:
- Gardein ‘I’m not Meat’
- Tofurkey
- Boca Vegan Burger
- (Although I prefer fresh NGM soybeans, organic grains and vegetables)
My favorite Vegan restaurants are:
- Candle 79 and Candle Café in NYC
- Blossom’s Restaurant in NYC
- G-Zen Restaurant in Branford, CT
Although I do not follow recipes myself, I promise vegan recipes to follow.
