Namaste and welcome my friends, family, and fellow knowledge seekers. Thank you for reading my posting today.
For a new year there are many resolutions that could be made, for a whole plethora of reasons. I've never, personally, been one to make new years resolutions, for my own reasons... mostly excuses.
This year is different, however. I have had illness a lot in my life. Cancer couldn't keep me down, not once nor twice. I'm a survivor through and through. I've faced death. I've faced demons. I've sacrificed for myself, my family and friends, and for my country when I served in the U.S. Navy. I've been fearful. I've shed blood, sweat, and tears. I've been cursed and I've been blessed. For all of this I've come out and grown to be a stronger man, ALWAYS working to be better, ONLY in competition with my SELF to be better than yesterday. All this is true.
Recently I have been in the grips of sickness. I was shook. For years Western medicine has failed me, as it fails millions more every day; every year... recently I was diagnosed with fatty liver disease and a dysfunctional gallbladder. The doctors are recommending surgery to remove my gallbladder. Even with advances in modern medicine surgery is still surgery. It's still traumatic to your body which can never function at 100% with a missing organ.
For this reason I have chosen to take my life and health back into my own hands, but with the help and support of others.
Veganuary got off to a great start as my family and I started our alternative, plant-based diet. I didn't want to call myself or my family vegan. Somehow the title has been associated with Nazi-like Gestapo behavior by those who still chose to imbibe meat and dairy products. This is what I was lead to believe. What I discovered is far worse. YES, there are the vegans that choose to be assholes to meat eaters, but...
I've personally found that meat eaters are WAY BIGGER ASSHOLES toward vegans than vegans are towered them. Since the diet change, HATERS have come out of the woodwork to be jerks and to cast shame and doubt onto my family's decision. I've even had to deal with my 2 youngsters being hateful of three idea. Mind you how I wrote that. They're hateful of the IDEA. Because I'm a trained chef I have the skills and knowledge to not only make this diet work, but I believe we can have lasting and successful results. That doesn't stop the haters, though.
We keep getting asked where we are getting enough protein from? Veggies.
We keep getting asked where we are getting our nutrients from? Veggies.
Not enough people are asking the important question... where are you getting your fiber from?
I have gone from DAILY morning sickness with vomiting and nausea, to almost completely free of that burden, only feeling nausea 2 times in the last 3 weeks. I realize that we are new to this and results vary from person to person, but I'm grateful for this positive feeling (except for having to deal with haters and skeptics). On that note, my wife and I have begun an unofficial video and photo diary documenting our health, our fitness, and our new way of cooking. Even though I went to culinary school, I really do believe that this diet is not only affordable, but easy to do. The industries that stand to fail are busy pumping out hatre and misinformation against veg heads to keep the gravy train coming from their carnivore consumers. The big pharma industry wants to keep making billions per year selling you medicine for your blood pressure, GERD, diabetes, heart disease, etc., etc.
The cure is in your diet.
This isn't a huge soap box to try to convert ANY ONE to my new diet or lifestyle choices. In fact this really isn't about any one else but ME and MY family. We love it. We're eating MORE good food than before, LESS fast food and soda, and having MORE positive feelings both physically and emotionally. I've even felt more of a spiritual connection with the universe and planet recently.
If it's not the diet for you... I understand. If you want to eat meat and animal products, then by all means risk your health. That's YOUR business, NOT mine. As I wrote, I am NOT trying to convert the masses, only share my story. Over the next month's and year I will be posting more about this subject and our successes. I've already lost 10lbs and am gonna keep it off. Today I'm making veggie tamales in my instant pot. Some of my meals this past month have included pad Thai, pho, corn and potato chowder, fried rice with crisp pot stickers, curried tofu and veggies, Mexican rice bowls, fajitas, tempeh, etc.
The point is that it IS possible to be vegan and eat healthier on a budget. It usually requires a bit of prep, cutting fresh fruits and vegetables, and organization in the kitchen. You CAN eat healthy on a budget. I encourage EVERYONE to grow your own veggies in your own garden. Or join a co-op and share the bounty of your harvest with friends and family. Visit and support your local farmers markets as well as good veggie friendly stores like Chucks Produce and New Seasons markets. Point is that you CAN live a happy, healthy lifestyle that is free from animal cruelty and harmful to your body. You just have to get past the psychology of it, as it is mostly mental. Protein is created by plants. The only supplement needed is B12 and that's easy to find.
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages, Namaste. Mind, body, and soul are all connected. They are the real trinity. Treat yourself well. Eat healthy and change the world.
For a new year there are many resolutions that could be made, for a whole plethora of reasons. I've never, personally, been one to make new years resolutions, for my own reasons... mostly excuses.
This year is different, however. I have had illness a lot in my life. Cancer couldn't keep me down, not once nor twice. I'm a survivor through and through. I've faced death. I've faced demons. I've sacrificed for myself, my family and friends, and for my country when I served in the U.S. Navy. I've been fearful. I've shed blood, sweat, and tears. I've been cursed and I've been blessed. For all of this I've come out and grown to be a stronger man, ALWAYS working to be better, ONLY in competition with my SELF to be better than yesterday. All this is true.
Recently I have been in the grips of sickness. I was shook. For years Western medicine has failed me, as it fails millions more every day; every year... recently I was diagnosed with fatty liver disease and a dysfunctional gallbladder. The doctors are recommending surgery to remove my gallbladder. Even with advances in modern medicine surgery is still surgery. It's still traumatic to your body which can never function at 100% with a missing organ.
For this reason I have chosen to take my life and health back into my own hands, but with the help and support of others.
Veganuary got off to a great start as my family and I started our alternative, plant-based diet. I didn't want to call myself or my family vegan. Somehow the title has been associated with Nazi-like Gestapo behavior by those who still chose to imbibe meat and dairy products. This is what I was lead to believe. What I discovered is far worse. YES, there are the vegans that choose to be assholes to meat eaters, but...
I've personally found that meat eaters are WAY BIGGER ASSHOLES toward vegans than vegans are towered them. Since the diet change, HATERS have come out of the woodwork to be jerks and to cast shame and doubt onto my family's decision. I've even had to deal with my 2 youngsters being hateful of three idea. Mind you how I wrote that. They're hateful of the IDEA. Because I'm a trained chef I have the skills and knowledge to not only make this diet work, but I believe we can have lasting and successful results. That doesn't stop the haters, though.
We keep getting asked where we are getting enough protein from? Veggies.
We keep getting asked where we are getting our nutrients from? Veggies.
Not enough people are asking the important question... where are you getting your fiber from?
I have gone from DAILY morning sickness with vomiting and nausea, to almost completely free of that burden, only feeling nausea 2 times in the last 3 weeks. I realize that we are new to this and results vary from person to person, but I'm grateful for this positive feeling (except for having to deal with haters and skeptics). On that note, my wife and I have begun an unofficial video and photo diary documenting our health, our fitness, and our new way of cooking. Even though I went to culinary school, I really do believe that this diet is not only affordable, but easy to do. The industries that stand to fail are busy pumping out hatre and misinformation against veg heads to keep the gravy train coming from their carnivore consumers. The big pharma industry wants to keep making billions per year selling you medicine for your blood pressure, GERD, diabetes, heart disease, etc., etc.
The cure is in your diet.
This isn't a huge soap box to try to convert ANY ONE to my new diet or lifestyle choices. In fact this really isn't about any one else but ME and MY family. We love it. We're eating MORE good food than before, LESS fast food and soda, and having MORE positive feelings both physically and emotionally. I've even felt more of a spiritual connection with the universe and planet recently.
If it's not the diet for you... I understand. If you want to eat meat and animal products, then by all means risk your health. That's YOUR business, NOT mine. As I wrote, I am NOT trying to convert the masses, only share my story. Over the next month's and year I will be posting more about this subject and our successes. I've already lost 10lbs and am gonna keep it off. Today I'm making veggie tamales in my instant pot. Some of my meals this past month have included pad Thai, pho, corn and potato chowder, fried rice with crisp pot stickers, curried tofu and veggies, Mexican rice bowls, fajitas, tempeh, etc.
The point is that it IS possible to be vegan and eat healthier on a budget. It usually requires a bit of prep, cutting fresh fruits and vegetables, and organization in the kitchen. You CAN eat healthy on a budget. I encourage EVERYONE to grow your own veggies in your own garden. Or join a co-op and share the bounty of your harvest with friends and family. Visit and support your local farmers markets as well as good veggie friendly stores like Chucks Produce and New Seasons markets. Point is that you CAN live a happy, healthy lifestyle that is free from animal cruelty and harmful to your body. You just have to get past the psychology of it, as it is mostly mental. Protein is created by plants. The only supplement needed is B12 and that's easy to find.
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages, Namaste. Mind, body, and soul are all connected. They are the real trinity. Treat yourself well. Eat healthy and change the world.
