Balance

Walking in this Turah truth means not being able to eat a great many foods.  It means having to forego foods that we might enjoy, or even foods that the doctors and nutritionist proclaim to be healthy or even needed.

I've been told by some that they still continue to eat unclean because their bodies become ill and afflicted when they eat according to the Turah.  Some state that since all food is hybrid it doesn't matter.  Some even say all food has been made clean through the death of Yahusha.

It is amazing to me that people still do not understand that the blood of Yahusha did not wash away the Turah, but made it complete.  The witness of the letter to the Abarym made this quite clear, in that it explains that His purpose was to become the one and only acceptable slaughtered offering.  The mediator of blood between mankind and YHUH.

So what does this mean for those who want to be obedient to YHUH? It means that we must follow HIS Turah.

Speaking with my sisters a few days ago, it became quite clear that as we continue in disobedience the way we live will continue to take us further away from the perfection YHUH created us to live in.  Understanding that, that perfect state of perfection will not be possible until He returns to us, we still have an obligation to "press toward the mark" of That True High Calling!  This means that we have to look to YHUH to lead and guide us as close as we can get to the place He calls us to be while living in this sin sick world.

When YHUH created the earth, He created all that lives and breathes.  Yet He was very specific about what we were allowed to eat.  However we sinned against Him.  We turned our backs on Him, and
were thus thrust out of that perfect state of being.  The things He created for us to eat became harder for us to grow.  This was the punishment He placed on mankind. (B'Rashyth 3:17-18). And as man continued to become more and more wicked, the punishment was death.  (B'Rashyth 6:6-7).  This purging of constant defilement changed altogether the condition of the world we lived in.  So YHUH made provision.  When He told Nuach to take seven pairs of the clean (Tahur) animals, He was making provision.  Not just for His slaughterings, but as nourishment for His children.  Thus the way we ate was also changed.  But we need to be mindful, that this was not part of YHUH's perfect plan for how we should eat.  This was the punishment of our being disobedient.

Many look at this account and say this is when YHUH said we could eat anything.  (B'Rashyth 9:3). But we need to understand that YHUH was not saying we could eat everything.  I look at the word live in this verse, and understand clearly that YHUH was making separation.  Those things that are Tahur bring life.  Those things that are Tama bring death.  Nuach understood this quite well, which is why he didn't need an instruction manual in order to know which beasts were clean and which ones
were unclean. As the Word states, he was the only being YHUH found worthy to save. (B'Rashyth 6:8) However it is obvious that his descendants did not, as YHUH had to eventually spell out for us just what His words meant.  (U'Yaqra 11). And still, we could not get it right, as He had to continue giving instruction... (U'yaqra 3:17, 19:19, 23-25, vs. 26; Bmadbar 11; Dabarym 14, 20:19-20, 22:9-11)

During the years that I've  been studying how we are supposed to eat according to the way YHUH initially gave us to eat, I've stumbled and I've made many mistakes.  But I kept pressing.  The reason I kept pressing and continue to press is because I do not want to end up as they did in Bmadbar 11.  I want to do what is right and pleasing to Abynu YHUH.

When YHUH said "I have given you every plant that yields seed...and every tree whose fruit yields seed...to you it is for food". He was giving us a perfect diet.  Through sin, greed, and selfishness, we
have polluted and defiled the earth, as well as our own bodies.  How can we expect YHUH to dwell in us, if we are defiled?  We are defiled in how we act, how we speak, how we dress, how we study, how we believe, and yes, in how we eat.

So to those naysayers who believe we cannot eat B'Rashyth 1:28-29 while in captivity and remain healthy, you are wrong.  How we eat, what we eat helps rid our body of plague, parasites, and disease.  It isn't so much as the eating as it is the obedience.  When we obey YHUH, even in something so seemingly innocent as diet, we please Him.  And THIS is truly the answer to how we find delight in our own selves and our own lives.  Delight yourself in YHUH and He will give you the desires of your heart, wisdom says.  It's not that we obey to get what we want.  We obey to give Him what He asks, because we love Him, and want to be found pleasing to Him.  So when we delight in Him, we find that our desire changes from worldly wants to qadush wants.

Here's a list of foods that can help make your plate complete and well balanced, and your eating line up with B'Rashyth 1:28-29:

PROTEIN:
Amaranth.  Rich in lysine, cysteine, methionine, Vit. C, Iron, calcium
Farro/emmer. Rich in fiber, niacin, magnesium, zinc
Spelt.  Rich in fiber, magnesium, zinc, iron
Buckwheat.  This complete protein is rich in magnesium, zinc and B vitamins
Kamut. This complete protein is rich in Vit. B, Vit. E, phosporus, magnesium, zinc, complex carbs
Quinoa. This complete protein is rich in phosporus, B vitamins, Iron, Calcium, potassium
Barley. Rich in fiber, B vitamins, iron, copper, manganese, selenium
Teff. Rich in high quality carbs, calcium, thiamin, iron

Use these in place of rice and potatoes when cooking.

Other sources of protein include almonds, spinach, figs, avocado, hemp seeds, kale, sprouts, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, asparagus, peas

IRON:
Spinach, kale, collards, turnip greens, apricots, figs, black strap molasses, legumes...

VITAMIN C:
essential to iron absorption can be readily found in collards, kale, spinach, turnip greens, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, red bell pepper, pomelo, key limes, and mandarins

CALCIUM:
Believed by many to be found only in meat, is found abundantly in collards, spinach, turnip greens, okra, almonds, and sesame seeds

OMEGAS:
Hemp seed, chia seed, flax seed, walnuts, winter squash, leafy greens, cabbage, berries, mango, olives.  For added flavor to foods, cooking with cloves, marjoram, and oregano also gives a slight boost to the omegas.  For healthier cooking with oils high in the omegas use hemp seed oil, flax seed oil, coconut oil, and pure extra virgin olive oil when cooking.

Bottom line, the ONLY nutrient we cannot get eating the way we are supposed to seems to be Vitamin B12.  The reason being, is because B12 is found only in soil.  The reason why B12 is found in meat, is because when animals eat, they eat the dirt right along with the grasses because no one is out cleaning their grasses before they eat them.  We overly wash our grasses because too many contaminants are found in the soil.  This is what has depleted our ability to naturally absorb Vitamin B12.  It's not because YHUH took it away or gave us a new source, it's because WE have destroyed it.  Because of this, I take a B12 supplement that is derived from... You guessed it... The chemicals found in dirt.  I chuckle....  To get an adequate amount of vitamin D, the kind found only in the sun, I try to be out in the sun 15 to 30 minutes per day between 10am and 2pm, the time of day when the sun is ripe for our bodies to absorb it.  If I am unable to do this on a regular basis, I supplement with a D3 liquid that is derived from lanolin.  And I am healthy.  Now if I could just get this exercise thing down...  Hmmm

With that said, I encourage you to be courageous.  Think and live outside the box...pray and ask YHUH to give you UNCOMMON sense.  Because all things common, are not of Him.

Dabarym 12:8 do not do as we are doing here today, each one whatever is right in his own eyes. 9 because you have not yet entered the rest and the inheritance YHUH your Alahym is giving you.

Alykham Shalum

Tamar

Why Diets Don't Work

For years I've been wanting to lose weight.  I've tried many diets, I've even tried certain "fasts".  I've even tried a cleanse.  I did not lose weight on either one.    Well let me correct that.  I lost weight, but gained it right back.

Diets tend to have a cycle.  You start your diet.  Which basically means you restrict yourself from certain things.  You choose low fat, low carbs, low calories, etc.  so you restrict yourself from food that is high in these categories.  Which is WRONG.  Your body needs all of these things.  So restricting yourself of these things usually leads to......cravings.

"There is no single explanation for food cravings, and explanations range from low serotonin levels affecting the brain centers for appetite to production of endorphins as a result of consuming fats and carbohydrates. Foods with high levels of sugar-glucose, such as chocolate, are more frequently craved than foods with lower sugar glucose, such as broccoli because when glucose interacts with opioid system in the brain an addictive  triggering effect occurs. The consumer of the glucose feels the urge to consume more glucose, much like an alcoholic, because the brain has become conditioned to release "feel good hormones" every time glucose is present. There is evidence that addiction and food craving activate some of the same brain areas. Specifically, when smokers look at pictures of people smoking it activates the same areas of the brain as when obese people look at pictures of food." Wiki-food

What this says, is that when you restrict your body of the things its used to, your brain tells you that you need these things, so your body begins to desire these things.  Once you begin to crave something, with little to no will power, you soon give in. And once you give in, it's hard to go back to leaving those foods alone.

After awhile though, guilt kicks in.  Or you start looking in the mirror.  Or your clothes don't fit.  This is when you start making plans to diet again.  Thus the cycle repeats itself.

So now that you understand the cycle of dieting, as well as the reason they don't work, Let me share with you something that may help you lose weight and keep it off.

OBEDIENCE!

That's right obedience.  The reason why we gain weight, get sick, have faulty digestive systems, contact death threatening diseases, is all due to disobedience.

Dbrym/deut. 28:21 YHUH will make the pestilence stick to you until he has consumed you off the land that you are entering to take possession of it. 22 YHUH will strike you with wasting disease and with fever, inflammation and fiery heat, and with drought and with blight and with mildew. They shall pursue you until you perish.

See this was written thousands of years ago.  However, when most people go to scripture they tend to overlook these verses, erroneously believing that they don't apply to them.  But these diseases aren't just the punishment of Yasharal.  These are diseases and pestilences that afflicted Matsarym, and Babal as well.  So what did Yasharal have in common with these nations?  Chata, sin.  

When YHUH put mankind/adam in the garden, He made everything in perfection.  Including the list of things we were supposed to eat.  Believe it or not, everything created was not supposed to be food. There's a diet going around called the paleo diet, and many people are consuming the things allowed in this diet, believing them to be the foods of the ancient Yasharalyt.  But many of these foods were forbidden to Yasharal, and are foods they would have only eaten when they forgot the Turah, or when they were just blatantly disobedient to Turah.

Many of these foods taste good.  And like Yasharal of old, after years and years in captivity, we too long for and crave the foods of our enslavement.

The ONLY way to set things right is to repent and turn away from idolatry of food! and return to obedience to the Turah YHUH gave regarding what we really should consider food.  And I can tell you, most of what you find in the grocery store is not it.

But what does this have to do with losing weight you might be asking.  So let me tell you.  Once you begin to eat, I mean truly eat the things YHUH would have considered food for His chosen people, you will begin to see a change in yourself immediately.  You become more energized.  Your brain functions more coherently.  And yes, you lose weight.

You lose weight because you no longer are eating additives and preservatives and processed sugars and processed starches and manmade hybrids and genetically modified organisms.  

This is a huge restriction, because it literally means almost every "food" known to man.  

I feel you thinking, well what can I eat then?  Many will argue that eating this strictly means you cannot eat anything.  Some say well all food is a hybrid.  And pretty much they are correct.  All food is cultivated. But there are some foods that hybridized because of natural occurrences, and there are some foods that are hybridized because of man's interference.  These are the foods YHUH said we could not eat in Uyaqra 19:19 and Dbrym 22:9-11.

I remember reading Bamadbar chapter 11.  It says they lusted after the meat of Matsarym...  Buy the time you get to the end of the chapter you discover that all those who lusted were struck with plague, and died because of that lust.

This is what is going on with us today.  YHUH said we show our love for Him through our obedience.  Too many justify their disobedience because we are in "Babal."  Well guess what, we are here because we deserve to be.  And until we truly change we will remain in "Babal", because there is currently no where in the world you can go and escape Babal.  Why? Because Babal is spiritual.  Living in the US is not physically Babal.  We were brought here because of spiritual disobedience.  And we remain here for the same reasons.  Those seeking to escape will find themselves in Babal no matter where they go, because the same sins and enslavement they live with here exists all over the world.

What we fail to realize is that YHUH doesn't say pack up and change location because that's going to change your life.  No! He says obey Him.  Observe to do His command.  Be circumcised in the flesh and the inner man.  Then you will begin to see change occurring in your life.  Because YHUH is just and when we return to Him, He will heal.  Husha 6:1

This requires will, discipline, and a heart to obey.  You have to stop looking at the situation as giving up, and look at it as rewarding.  YHUH says we must learn to delight in Him.  When we find His Turah a delight, we begin to look at every aspect of our lives in a different light.  You begin to truly hunger and thirst for righteousness, rather than than the ways of man.

I had to tell myself, look at that fried chicken, that strawberry pop tart, that mocha almond fudge ice cream, that feta cheese as a ticking bomb.  I had to tell myself that putting those things in my body was like walking around like a suicide bomber, ready to explode.  I had to make a decision as to whether or not food would be my adversary and whether or not I would give in to the temptations, or if I would resist them.

I understood, that just like with everything else I am called to do, I had to understand that YHUH was calling me to life, and I had to make the decision to live or die.  He doesn't make that decision for us. He chooses us...yet we in turn have to turn around and decide whether or not we are going to choose Him.

The moment I made the choice to become obedient to eating according B'Rashyth 1:28-29 was the moment my life changed drastically.  Gone was the asthma, and the allergies, and the anemia, and frequent colds, etc.  though I recently discovered that I have an auto immune disease, it's been attacking my body since before I knew YHUH.  I've managed to escape many of the symptoms because for the past several years, I've been researching and eliminating all the GMOs man made hybrids, and non foods from my diet.  And yes, this resulted in significant weight loss.

Now, I am not saying eat Tahur/clean just to lose weight.  That's not obedience, that's self service.  However, once you become obedient, expect YHUH to heal you.

I pray these words bring encouragement in a world so full of strife, and that the barakuth of Dbrym 28:1-14 be yours.

Alykham Shalum,

Tamar

What Are You Eating

What are you eating?

There's a lot of "tell all" movies about the food industry and how they are making money hand over fist "poisoning" citizens all over the world with its "food."

I recently made the following comment regarding one of the newest documentaries...  "Fed Up."

"The problem is that most people don't really care about what they eat.  It's one thing to say or even believe I want to do better...  But a lot of people's reality is they are too lazy to really put in the effort.  Buying fresh healthy food that you have to spend time preparing and then cooking is too much for today's society.  Everything is about quick and easy.  Had people not wanted everything in five seconds the fake food industry wouldn't be as wealthy as it is.. And the government wouldn't own farms because everyone would be growing their own food...  Restaurants wouldn't be chains because folks would be cooking their own food and children nor adults would be obese because sedentary life styles would not exist..."

I want to add, the biggest problem we have with our health, is that the world has gotten as far away as possible from the commands of YHUH.  Uyaqra 19:19, Dbrym 22:9-11, Brashyth 1:29-30 give very detailed information of just what YHUH intended for us to eat.  And yes I know that after the punishment of the flood, meat was given (Uyaqra 11).  However what many fail to realize is that it was not until AFTER YHUH saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth and that EVERY inclination of the thoughts of his inner man was only evil continuously that He decided to cause the rain to fall to punish mankind for its wickedness... Brashyth 6:5-7... And it was not until after this punishment of death that man was allowed to eat meat. Brashyth 9:3. I also find it odd that there was already a division of the clean and unclean animals and man knew the difference Brashyth 6:21, 7:2,8.

Many look at Brashyth 9:3 and say "we can eat whatever we want."  If that were the case, YHUHwouldn't   have given the instructions in Uyaqra 11 regarding the clean and unclean....  As well as telling the people to make a distinction between the two... Uyaqra 11:47

When we look at Dbrym 28:15-68 it should be of no surprise that our children suffer from heart disease and cancer and skin disease and sickness.  It should be no surprise that immunizations from fatal diseases have been developed, or that new diseases crop up every year.

I am not writing these words for those that do not follow the Turah of YHUH.  There is no chastisement for the people that do not belong to Him.  For those who do not believe in Him their father is of this world.  However, if you follow YHUH and guard to do ALL that He commands, these words are for you.

It is time to stop making excuses and justifying what you eat.  When we give in to our flesh, we are denying the power of the one we "say" we believe in.  When we grumble and complain, we are truly saying we either don't care, don't believe, or want to stay in Babal.   YHUH hears your grumbling..  The ancients grumbled and complained about YHUH's provision.. And they were dealt with accordingly.  Bmadbar 11

My aysh complains about how much money I sound on fresh seasonally local produce and how much time I spend researching farming practices..  He was totally shocked when I went to the store to purchase provision for him and he saw how much money nonfood really costs.  I call it nonfood because YHUH did not make unclean substances food for us.  Man did that.  YHUH created the pig, but He said it was not food for us.  The same goes with all other unclean substances.

You can complain all you want about the cost or the time or the availability....  This does not negate the fact that there is Turah about food.  Is the meat you're eating the result of two different animals mated together?  He did not say an animal that wasn't able to procreate.. He said two kinds mated together.  Is the meat your purchasing from the store meat that has been hunted, presented to YHUH and the blood covered I dirt?  Are you eating halal and kosher?  If so, do you realize that those are foods that have been offered to pagan deities?

Sure the Turah of clean and unclean food is difficult to say the least to follow, in a world that doesn't hold to the Turah of YHUH in any way.  But we are called to be qadush, that is separated to YHUH because He is qadush.  We are called to come out of Babal spiritually, even if not physically.  Once you read, you must do all you can to follow.  We are held accountable, and how much money you make, how difficult it is to acquire, etc. is not acceptable excuses.

When we anah (humble) ourselves, pray, seek YHUH, and turn from evil, He is righteous and will answer... Dbry HaYamym Byth 7:14.  Humbling ones self means to be lowly submissive.  Our biggest problem is, is that not many of us are WILLING to do this.

If you want to talk eating clean, or just want info about how I go about buying and eating clean local produce, please do not hesitate to contact me.  Send an email to shepherdess7@gmail.com.

My prayer is that we become willing to obey YHUh in ALL things, not just the things we find the easiest to do.

May your kneading bowl be Baruk.

Alykham Shalum

Tamar

How Many Times Per Day Should We Eat???

We all like to snack.  In fact, our bodies are not designed to go long periods of time without food, especially if we are active.  This is what causes that feeling of hunger in between meals. 

Most dieticians tell their clients to eat three meals with two snacks in between.  But what usually happens when a person does this, is they tend to over eat during those three larger meals, because their “snacks” are insignificant, and they go too long without fuel.  This causes them to feel hungrier than what they should. Usually, those snacks are also not very healthy, and are laden with sugar and salt, and are overly processed.

At least six “meals” per day, (and sometimes seven depending on your schedule) is really what is needed to give the body enough fuel to make it through the day and keep the metabolism going.  Every meal should be eaten, after drinking at least one glass of water or tea.  This helps to create a fuller stomach, so that the tendency to overeat does not occur. 

Six to seven meals?  Yes.  Sounds like a lot, but it isn’t.  It might require more preparation, but eating less, more times per day, actually fuels your body, increases your metabolism, and helps you to think and function better.

So, how do you do it? 

I for one, am not big on breakfast foods.  In fact, for most people eating a tahur diet there isn’t much besides ancient grain pancakes and waffles and muffins, fruit, or porridge, that would probably be considered normal breakfast foods. 

What I actually like to do, is have dinner for breakfast.  Yes, dinner.   I save portions of my dinner meal, and eat that for breakfast.  Breakfast and Dinner for me are the most well rounded meals of the day.  What I mean by this, is that these are the meals where I am guaranteed to eat a well-balanced portion from the food groups that will give me the most nutrients.  So I have a healthy portion of vegetables, usually leafy greens.  I also have the appropriate sized amount of grains, and then beans or lentils or some other vegetable as my protein source. 

So, what about those six to seven meals you’re probably asking…  well here goes…

1)      Breakfast:  A combination word which literally means to break the fast, is the meal eaten in the morning, after waking, and is the first meal of the day.  (Eaten first thing in the morning, usually within the first thirty minutes to an hour upon waking to maximize the benefits of getting your metabolism kick started)

2)      Snack:  A small share or portion of food or drink or a light meal, especially one eaten between regular meals.  (If breakfast occurs between the hours of 5 to 7, you should be ready for your first snack of the day around 9 or 9:30)

3)      Lunch: A light midday meal  (should be eaten around 11:30 or 12, but no later than 1)

4)      Snack: A small share or portion of food or drink or a light meal, especially one eaten between regular meals.  (this midday snack should be eaten around 3pm.   Right before going home to prepare dinner)

5)      Dinner: What many consider the main meal of the day, supposed to be eaten around midday  (this meal should be eaten between 5 and 6, but no later than 7pm)

6)      Supper:  an evening meal, typically a light or informal one.  (this very light meal should be eaten no later than 9pm, as you are usually preparing for bed, and should not lay down until for at least thirty minutes after eating)

7)      Snack:  A small share or portion of food or drink or a light meal, especially one eaten between regular meals.  (this is a very late night snack, and should be very light, or just simply water or tea without sugar, and eaten two to three hours after supper but at least thirty minutes before going to bed)

As you can see it is quite possible, with careful planning, to eat seven times per day.  And the way to make this easiest, is to plan your meals ahead of time.  

Looking at the above definitions, with the exception of Breakfast and Dinner, all these meals are light meals.   Your snacks should be very simple, such as a serving of fruit or vegetables, or a glass of water or sugarless tea.  I’ve discovered popped sorghum, and it is delicious.  Because of all the crazy stuff going on with corn, popped corn is the absolute last thing I would eat as a snack.  Your lunch should also be simple fair.  A smaller serving of the types of food you would have for dinner.  So if you are eating a huge salad during lunch, believing that you are eating healthy, chances are, you meal is too heavy, and probably not well balanced.  Dinner should be a healthy meal, full of nutrition.  Look at the vegan plate attached to see what a well-balanced dinner plate should look like.  I try to make enough dinner for enough left-overs, to make appropriate sized meals for breakfast and maybe lunch the next day.  Supper is not dinner and should not consist of the same portions as dinner. Instead, Supper should be a light meal.  Just a bit heavier than a snack, but less than lunch.  For me, the perfect supper is a muffin and some fruit, or hummus and a piece of flat bread and a glass of tea, or an 8oz smoothie.  If I am staying up late, I will snack on something light, and have a glass of water.  This usually causes me to get up later for a trip to the bathroom…  Smile

So, there you have it.  Eat more times, but less food, to stay fit and healthy, and keep your metabolism revved up…  

Pray you found this helpful… 

Shalum.   

Vitamin D and B12 and Veganism

Was just sitting here thinking about the misconception that the only way to get natural vitamin D other than the sun is by eating meat.  I shake my head at this, because the reason why the animals are rich in many vitamins, including D is because of the plants they eat.  WHAT?!?!  I know that's what you said, because it's what I said when I first found out.  Yes, animals get their vitamin D by eating plants that have bacteria on them from the soil that produces vitamin D.  The bacteria gets absorbed into their digestive system and then their bodies absorb it making them seemingly rich in vitamin D.  And guess what, it's the same for B12.

Now, since most animals on farms and factories these days are fed feed made with all sorts of substances, what are the chances that these animals are getting their vitamins naturally?  How about slim to none!  You can bet, they are getting them artificially, the same way your doctor tries to get you to take yours.  Through their synthetic supplements.

 So here's what I have to tell you.  Lichen and shiitake mushrooms contain vitamin D, but if you really want a good source of D3 it's found in lanolin.   But that's not vegan you say... Well the truth of the matter it really is the purest way to receive vitamin D3 without the sun, and what is considered a vegetarian way to receive it, simply purchase the drops in olive oil... And  nutritional yeast contains B12.  Since most people wont eat enough lichen or shiitake mushroom (I don't like either) there are some plant, read lichen, based vitamin D3 supplements available.  Just make sure you read the labels because many contain additives that while vegan, aren't necessarily Tahur.  And the nutritional yeast is easy.  A tablespoon per day is all you need, and it's delicious, imparting a cheese like flavor to your food.    I mix it in my stir fries, on salads, etc.  I purchase Braggs nutritional yeast, but I know Red Star makes a B12 nutritional yeast you purchase in bulk.  If you're stuck on supplements, and want to make sure you're getting enough B12 there are vegan options that are based on the mineral found in specific types of soil.

There you have it!  It is very possible to be 100% vegan and still eat  Tahur.  Anyone who tells you different, is lying.

Carnivore to Herbivore: Making the transition to veganism

A vegan lifestyle is filled with variety and countless choices of delicious food. It only excludes the use of animal products. In terms of diet this means no meat, fish, dairy, eggs, honey or other animal derived ingredients. This challenge is not about being environmentally vegan, as our ancestors wore clothing made from the skins of animals, as evidenced when YHUH gave the first man and his ashah clothing made from animal skin. (Brashyt 3:21).  However, it is healthier for your body not to use cosmetics, personal care, or household products that contain animal ingredients, as these things are readily absorbed into the body, via the skin. So you can keep your leather purses, belts and shoes.

The many benefits of becoming vegan, other saving the lives of many animals and being much more environmentally friendly, is that it truly is the lifestyle choice to make.  A well balanced plant based diet is the healthiest of all, is suitable for all ages and can significantly lower health risks, such as heart disease, strokes, cancer, diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol.

 "... vegan diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases, and are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life-cycle including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood and adolescence and athletes."  The American Dietetic Association, July 2009

So, for those of you who are not vegan, and are starting to make this self deserving change in your life, here are a few easy steps to taking your diet from being a carnivore to being an herbivore .

 Dispelling the myth that veganism is difficult

Vegan meal are easy to make, and can be as familiar and as simple as a pot of spaghetti or as exotic as falafel and hummus.

What I find odd, is that most people, whether vegans or meat-eaters, typically use a limited variety of recipes; the average family eats only eight or nine different dinners repeatedly.  So, the idea of switching from a meat based, to a non-meat based diet can be as simple as switching your meat for another protein source, or thinking outside the box and exploring with new, fun ideas and recipes!

The First step, would be to think of a few simple vegan meals that you already enjoy, such as stir fry or vegetable soup.

Next, think of a few recipes that you prepare regularly that can easily be adapted to a vegan menu. For example, a favorite stew can be made by eliminating the meat and adding great northern beans. Most any soup, stew, or casseroles can be made into a vegan dish with just a few changes.

If you are still at a loss as to what to cook, check out some vegan cookbooks from the library or purchase a few from the bargain section at your local book store, and experiment with the recipes until you find a few recipes that are delicious and easy to make.

After that, coming up with vegan options for breakfast, lunch and dinner is easy.

 

Making the switch to a vegan diet doesn't mean buying a lot of special vegan products, as the staples of your vegan pantry should be whole, unprocessed plant foods that are readily obtainable at your local supermarket or wholefood store. 

ELIMINATE JUNK FOOD!

This will be hard for many people.  Because for so many, eating junk food, eating on the go, making quick, non-nutritious meals is all they know.  Their taste buds crave the salt, sugar, and the fat. 

Vegans and omnivores alike often eat lots of junk food, white flour, and too much sugar and salt. My family made this mistake early on in our change to veganism.  But, through a ton of research, and with a depth of commitment to being healthier, most of us have changed.  After all, we only get one body and this lifetime to make it right, and get healthy. Consuming whole, natural plant foods and avoiding processed foods are the answers to achieving a long, healthy life.

For Your Health

 

Vegans have a lower risk of colon and bowel cancers, and some studies suggest a link between plant-based diets and reduced instances of Alzheimer’s disease. Going vegan also offers significant improvements to quality of life. “In our research studies, we see changes almost instantly,” says Neal D. Barnard, MD. “Within the first day or two, digestion improves. After a few weeks, blood pressure and cholesterol are noticeably improved, and if a person has diabetes, it is usually dramatically better too.”

Meal Ideas

 Breakfast:  Cereal or spelt granola with nut milk and fresh fruit | Fresh fruit salad and almond milk yoghurt | Fruit smoothie | Vegan pancakes with maple syrup

 Lunch and Dinner:  Bean soup with matsah | Vegetable Frittata | bean burger | Hearty salads using lentils or beans, quinoa, or pasta | veggie sandwich or wrap or a variety of salads, hummus, roasted vegetables, falafel|

Snack:  Fresh fruit | raw vegetable sticks dipped in hummus, or guacamole | raw almonds or other nuts | pumpkin seeds (pepitas) or other seeds | dates, other dried fruit | Green smoothie

Breads and sweets:  Gluten free, or ancient grain Blueberry muffins | Pumpkin and Walnut muffins | Raspberry & White Chocolate muffins |  | vegan chocolate or caramel

 

 

 

DID YOU KNOW THIS ABOUT CARROTS?

Before I relay the following information, let me start off by saying that I DO NOT EAT CARROTS!  The modern carrot is too far removed from its original wild ancestor for me to consider it a viable nutrient source.

The wild ancestors of the carrot are likely to have come from Iran and Afghanistan, which remain the centre of diversity of Daucus carota, the wild carrot.

Selective breeding over the centuries of a naturally occurring subspecies of the wild carrot, Daucus carota subsp. sativus, to reduce bitterness, increase sweetness and minimise the woody core, has produced the familiar garden vegetable.

The modern carrot originated in Afghanistan about 1100 years ago. Carrots were originally purple with a thin root, then a mutant occurred which removed the purple pigmentation resulting on a new race of yellow carrots.

The stabilised and domesticated orange carrot does date from the sixteenth century Netherlands.
Throughout the Classical Period and the Middle Ages writers constantly confused carrots and parsnips. This may seem odd given that the average carrot is about six inches long and bright orange while a parsnip is off white and can grow 3 feet, but this distinction was much less obvious before early modern plant breeders got to work.

The orange carrot is a product of the 16th and 17th centuries probably in the Low Countries. Its original colour varied between dirty white and pinkish purple.

Most carrot cultivars are about 88% water, 7% sugar, 1% protein, 1% fibre, 1% ash, and 0.2% fat. Free sugars in carrot include sucrose, glucose, xylose and fructose.

The variety of carrot found in north India is rare everywhere except in Central Asia and other contiguous regions, and is now growing in popularity in larger cosmopolitan cities in South India. The north Indian carrot is pink-red comparable to plum or raspberry or deep red apple in colour (without a touch of yellow or blue) while most other carrot varieties in the world vary from orange to yellow in colour.

Eastern carrots were domesticated in Central Asia, probably in modern-day Iran and Afghanistan in the 10th century, or possibly earlier. Specimens of the eastern carrot that survive to the present day are commonly purple or yellow, and often have branched roots. The purple colour common in these carrots comes from anthocyanin pigments.

The western carrot emerged in the Netherlands in the 17th century.

Certain cultivars of carrots have been bred to be used at the "baby" stage. One such cultivar is 'Amsterdam Forcing'. This process was developed at Beechnut Farms, bought by Zellwin Farms.
However these are not baby cut carrots, which are regular carrots cut down to size.

2006, nearly three-quarters of the fresh baby-cut carrots produced in the United States came from Bakersfield, California. Bolthouse Farms and Grimmway Farms are the world's two largest growers, processors, and shippers of baby-cut carrots.The Green Giant company, which resells carrots from Bolthouse Farms, markets their product as "baby-cut carrots".  Bolthouse Farms is owned by Campbell soup company.

To reduce microbial contamination, cocktail carrots may be treated with chlorine.Those that are will be subsequently rinsed with potable water to remove the excess chlorine before being packaged.