A Holiday Message From Us to You

Hi Dear Readers!

Happy Thanksgiving Eve.

We are proposing a holiday challenge for all the omnivores out there...and it won't be easy: GO VEGAN ON THANKSGIVING DAY.

If you succeed, leave a comment below. We expect ZERO comments, because people are weak and social conventions (like slaughtering millions of birds and eating them) are strong. But if you manage to complete the challenge, we want to recognize you!

Take care.

The End.

Alternative to the Med Bed

Hi Dear Readers!

Med Beds are all the rage right now. But, fyi...you can get all the benefits of them AND MORE with some simple lifestyle changes:

1. Eat a largely plant based diet.

2. Exercise aerobically daily.

3. Avoid social and mainstream media.

OK, that's it. I have led the horse to water and the rest is up to you.

Bye!

The End.

Happy Earth Day

It's Earth Day.

Do you want to know what one of the best ways to protect the Earth is? I'll tell you. It's going to a plant based diet!

You don't even need to go 100% plant based - just a little more plant based than you are currently.

Switching to a plant based diet is probably one of the most impactful AND easiest things you can do for the Earth. But you can also buy things locally from mom and pop shops, boycott large multinational corporations (polluters), drive a fuel efficient car, join a CSA farm, bike/walk to more places instead of driving, compost kitchen waste, and recycle. Also, try to use less plastic.

It's so easy to be more Earth friendly and a win-win. The main obstacle is ignorance about how to do it. But here's the thing - you have a giant library at your finger tips that you can use to figure it out. It's called the Internet and you should spend five minutes using it to identify ways you can be more Earth friendly.

Don't forget to fast from social and mainstream media (SMSM) regularly too. Those server farms that house and run SMSM use a ridiculous amount of energy.

Take care.

The End.

Maybe This is the One

Hi Readers!

It's November. And that means we are nigh on another Thanksgiving (aka, the Great Turkey Holocaust).

Perhaps this will be the one where you finally eschew eating meat, and instead focus on the variety of healthier plant based food options you can substitute for it very easily? If you want to give it a go, but find it hard to break with the meat eating tradition of the holiday, consider eating vegan "turkey." There are a lot of great meat substitutes out there these days. [I like the Gardein Turk'y Roast a great deal.]

As a reminder, eating meat is toxic physically, mentally, and spiritually. Unfortunately, the consequences tend to be karmic and happen down the road a piece, when it's far too late to undo the damage. I put forth this post every year as a PSA reminder and wellness challenge for any and all who want to participate.

But, it's your body (mind and soul) and your choice.

In any case, have a superb day!

Numbers

Vegan diet for the win!

8/16/24 Lab Results:

Cholesterol: 156

LDL: 91

HDL: 54

Non-HDL Cholesterol: 102

Triglycerides: 53

Glucose: 91

The End.

Plant Based and Pelotoning

I'm not gonna lie. My life is f*cking good. And the reason it is good comprises two things: a plant based diet and a Peloton workout every day.

If you want a f*cking good life, do those two things too. Also avoid toxins.

Ciao!

REVIEW: Mosaic Foods Online Vegan Frozen Meal Delivery Service

I decided to try Mosaic Foods vegan (and vegetarian) online mail order frozen meal delivery, after seeing some positive reviews online.

I signed up for the 18 meal plan, the biggest plan they have (and the best value after discount and free shipping). I filtered for vegan only meals (although they have vegetarian options too, I'm strictly vegan). You have to choose a recurring order option; there is no one time only option like there is with MamaSezz vegan mail order meals. So, I chose to reorder every 4 months, and then paused all order until July. You can customize and pause shipments whenever you want, but you know how that goes. I'll probably cancel my subscription and then restart it when I am ready for more.

First, lets talk about the cost. My total order cost for the 18 meals I chose for my box, after discount and free shipping, was $176.78. That works out to $9.82/meal. Let's just round up to $10/meal for argument's sake. For a mature adult male of my activity level and energy needs, one meal is about one serving. More petite and sedentary people might get two servings out of one of these meals. They fill an average sized bowl. The meals range from about 400 to 600 calories each. However, one of my meal choices was a "4 serving" Thai peanut curry that would probably actually serve two hungry people of my size. So, I kind of got 19 meals for the price. One of the meals was a soup. Another was a smoothie, which I'll try tomorrow morning.

The meals are completely pre-made and frozen, shipped with dry ice (although the dry ice was gone by the time the box arrived in Wisconsin, by truck from New Jersey, so I might not order these meals in the middle of the summer). You microwave or bake them, and eat. I fortified the soup with some brown rice I had on hand, and generally I think you can make these meals go farther by adding rice or pasta to them.

The cost of these meals is competitive with other pre-made meal delivery services, and the cost can be justified by the minimal prep time to eat them. They are convenient.

The meals are pretty tasty too, thus far. I have not gotten through them all yet. These will be nice to have on hand in the freezer sometimes when we are too busy or too lazy to cook plant based vegan meals.

I endorse them.

The End.

Reminder

The key to a long and healthy life comprises:

1. A whole food 100% plant based diet.

2. Daily aerobic exercise.

3. Self care.

4. A sense of purpose.

5. Avoidance of drugs and alcohol.

A good day to you!

The End.

Religion

I'm not religious, but if I were, I would start my own religion with three simple tenets:

1. Eat a plant based diet.

2. Exercise daily.

3. Practice radical self care.

I don't think being kind and compassionate to everyone, including yourself, needs to be a formal tenet because:

1. That seems obvious.

2. That follows naturally from the tenets above.

3. I wouldn't want unkind and dispassionate people in my religion anyway.

Douchy people tend not to be plant based vegans as a general rule.

Fin.

BOOK REVIEW: Skinny Bitch

I read (via audiobook) "Skinny Bitch," by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin. After getting past the fat-shame-y and somewhat caustic first chapter (to be clear, some people do enjoy being ridiculed and cajoled into action, but it's not for everyone), the rest of this fairly short and concise book is informative and entertaining. The casual parlance of the prose can get a bit annoying after a while, but the book covers a lot of ground on nutrition, health, and the toxic food industry. I didn't need or want the food planning recommendations at the end of the book, because I'm already compliant of this way of living. 

Read this book if you are looking for forthright, yet acerbic, guidance on how to eat right and adopt a healthy lifestyle toward weight loss and wellness.

Study

I came across this new study: https://scitechdaily.com/remarkable-weight-loss-study-finds-new-benefits-of-a-plant-based-diet/.

I'll just leave it here for you.

Happy Holidays!

REVIEW: Deep Nutrition by Catherine Shanahan, MD

Give it a miss.

The "science" this overrated book is based on is dated to early and mid 20th century misogynistic (patriarchal, male-dominated) and ethnocentric research and waxes of eugenics, notwithstanding the author's explicit claims to the contrary.

With claims like "beautiful people are healthier," it's laughable.

Read The China Study instead. It's much more objective, empirical, and free from subjective and ethnocentric biases.

The Best Way to Prevent Global Climate Change May Surprise You

When I listen to the mainstream media and hear people talk about the best ways to reduce human dependence on fossil fuels and prevent global climate change, almost invariable the pundits focus on driving less (in more efficient cars), turning down the thermostat, turning off lights, regulating energy companies, and using public transit (as well as walking and biking more). Some suggest incentivizing alternative energy development with subsidies similar to the ones (still!) given to the fossil fuel industry.

But almost always, they overlook one of the simplest and most impactful ways for individuals to help prevent global climate change, even if society and individuals don't make any other significant changes. What is that?

Well, if you haven't guessed by now, it's adopting a plant based diet (SOURCE). Meat, dairy, and egg production in its current form is a primary producer of greenhouse gasses and it is extremely wasteful of fresh water and other resources, compared with plant food production (SOURCE).

So if you want to make a significant impact on global climate change through your own actions, while keeping the thermostat right where it is and leaving the lights on at night, just eat less (or no) meat, dairy, and eggs (SOURCE). 

Importantly, you don't need to wait for the government to step in and do something about global climate change. First of all, they won't! There are too many powerful interests in the food industry working against governmental policies to promote whole food plant based eating (SOURCE). Secondly, eating less meat and more plants is something you have total control over, rather than waiting for an apathetic and bureaucratic government to impose a nanny state on you, over which you will have almost no control, except for civil disobedience. As we have seen, historically, when the government imposes regulations on people and businesses, the result is usually disastrous, because people rebel against any infringement on their personal freedoms, even if doing so goes against their best interests (Freedom First, baby!). But if you have the choice to do something on your own to make the world a better place, with very little impact on your safety and comfort, wouldn't you consider it?

It's just a question. Post your responses in the comments.

A Little Over 2.5 Years WFPB Vegan and the Results Exceed Expectations

I've been vegan for 2.5+ years, with a good 1.5 of those years as a whole food, plant based vegan. I expected to see some minor health improvements when I switched to this way of eating. However, my modest expectations were significantly exceeded.

My osteoarthritis pain in my toe from a sports injury over 20 years ago has essentially disappeared and has not returned. I sleep great. I feel great. I am the lightest weight I have ever been in my adult life. My airways are clearer than ever before - I can breath through my nose at night. I don't need alcohol or caffeine to keep me happy and motivated, respectively (I've largely quit both and I don't miss it at all). I feel mentally content most of the time (some of which is attributed to supplementing with ashwagandha, an adaptogenic herbal supplement from Chinese Medicine). My blood test at each of my annual physical exams has provided empirical proof that the whole food, plant based diet is ideal for maximal, if not optimal, health.

The only physical issue I have is some pain in my left knee when I go on long bike rides. But this pain is mild and resides almost as soon as I am done with the exercise.

I can't speak highly enough of adopting a whole food, plant based diet for health and wellness. The experimental case study will continue for the foreseeable future and I will report back periodically. But, the evidence thus far is clear: A whole food, plant based diet can't hurt, and it might help.

Good day.

Plant Based Diets

The corporate food industry does a pretty admirable, if diabolical, job of keeping important scientific information from consumers regarding the types of foods one should eat for optimal health. This is because a lot of money rides on getting people to ignore evidence-based dietary health advice and eat more "value-added" foods. 

"Value-addded" is  a fancy moniker for refined and processed foods, which mean more money in the pockets of food company shareholders when consumers eat them. That being said, value-added foods are not, in and of themselves, always harmful to human health. In fact, many minimally processed foods can be harmful to human health, especially if they are derived from animals. 

Take, for example, meat. Most meat is minimally processed in that the animals from which it is derived are fed optimal, yet artificial (as compared with their natural diets), foods designed to develop the animal's muscle tissue in such a way as to make it appealing to humans, so they will eat it. For example, beef cattle are fed corn* because it's cheap. This adds value to the corn by turning it into much more expensive cuts of meat. The muscle tissue is then rendered from the carcasses in slaughter houses, refrigerated, sometimes mechanically ground and/or treated with chemicals, and packaged, adding still more value to the meat. Such processing can be pretty basic and still increase the food's value immensely. 

We know from the scientific research on diet that meat consumption is strongly correlated with poor health outcomes and premature death, even after controlling for confounding factors like caloric intake (meat is more calorie dense) and lifestyle factors (smoking, exercise, etc.). It's also true that the more processed meat is (cured meat, for example), the worse it is for health. Conversely, a plant-based diet that contains little to no animal-based foods (including dairy) has been clearly linked to longevity and a reduction in the incidence of chronic diseases like diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. This is true even though many completely plant-derived foods, such as sugar and flour (even tofu!), are highly processed and refined (to add value) by comparison to the processing and refinement that happens to meat-based foods. 

The current scientific evidence strongly suggests that the degree of refinement and processing of a food is less of a predictor of health outcomes than whether a food is plant- or animal-derived. Another confounding factor is that many dietary food components are significantly correlated ("fries and soda with that cheeseburger?"). That is to say, people who eat a lot of meat generally do not eat meat exclusively, and meat-heavy meals are often supplemented with plant-based foods, often highly refined and processed. So, in any diet in which meat is consumed, epidemiological studies are likely to show adverse health outcomes linked to both the meat in the diet as well as the refined/processed plant-based foods in the diet. This is why studies of diet and health have to be really large to be able to tease out these slight statistical nuances, and it is also why the food industry can reasonably question and critique any scientific studies that purport to show adverse health consequences from their precious value-added foods. 

As a result, some of the most compelling studies on the role of diet in health are the ones that look at overall dietary patterns in large groups of people (population studies), rather than individual foods, and then use factor analysis to determine statistically the effects on health of particular food groups (beef, poultry, fish, dairy, whole grains, nuts, oils, sugars, fruits, and vegetables, etc.) within those dietary patterns. It is studies like these that have given us the Paleolithic, Mediterranean, Okinawan, Standard American, Vegan, Vegetarian, and other dietary patterns that we hear about in the media. Studies like these also have the advantage of being conducted with humans, rather than in mouse or rat models of diet (humans eat very differently than mice and rats, so it is literally like comparing apples to oranges...pun intended). These studies clearly link plant-based diets to better overall health outcomes in humans than meat/dairy-based diets. Factor analysis reveals that greater animal-derived foods in the diet are the main contrbutors to poorer health outcomes and death. Starchy, salty, oily junk food also correlates with poorer health outcomes, even when such foods are plant-based (potato chips and French fries, for example), but this effect is strongly linked to the greater consumption of meat in diets that have a high consumption of junk food. Junk food is so highly refined and processed that a consumer cannot get enough of the required nutrients (mainly protein) for survival without eating high-protein animal-based foods as well (in general). The mechanism of action of many of the effects of diet on health is inflammation in the body, which is beyond the scope of this post.

Note: Other corn by-products are oils, sweeteners, and food additives that increase the caloric content, flavor, and shelf-life of other foods to which they are added.

KEYWORDS: lifestyle coaching, best weight loss diet, best diet for health

A Fortnight of Fitness: Day 8

After a week of this, I guess you know the drill by now.

Weight was down to 215 pounds today, from 216 on Day 7. Blood pressure was 120/77 at bedtime. Not bad.

I worked out at the gym for about an hour today. I was 100% compliant on the plant-based, whole food diet and did not over eat.

KEYWORDS: vegan diet, plant based diet, whole food diet, best weight loss diet, health and wellness