11 Month Checkup - Good News!

First a little recap:  I started a vegan diet 11 months ago.   However, the last few months I have reintroduced fish in my diet 3x a week and started iron and vitamin D supplements as my levels were very low.  The symptoms have been hair thinning/shedding which had (and still has) me concerned.

I did not intend for this blog to be a health blog.   I was anticipating my posting of delicious vegan recipes and adventures.   However until I turn this hair issue around, it is consuming my attention.

Okay....with that said...the Good News!     My iron stores are increasing....just popping back into normal range with ferritin levels going from a mere 7 to now 29.   This is good news as it confirms my plant based supplements are working.  However, to start hair regrowth most internet references state that I need to get my stores up to 70 first.   I've got a ways to go.

My Vitamin D levels have tripled and now in normal range.   I am no longer taking 50,000IU a week, but 2000IU a day.   Hopefully this change will maintain a healthy level.

The best news of all  ==>  My  Total Cholesterol (TC) is now 169 with a healthy TC/HDL ratio = 3.3                            

                                         Total Cholesterol = 169 with no drugs, diet only!!

This is down from 225 just eleven months ago.  It has dropped 56 points!  I have never been this low and I have been monitoring this since my twenties due to family history.  Did I defy my genetic makeup?   My doctor says, "Whatever you are doing, keep doing it."   She was impressed with the numbers.

So there you have it.   Finding the right balance is key and staying on top of your blood statistics is very important.   I only wish I tested my iron levels and vitamin D levels prior to going vegan, as I have no evidence that it was the vegan diet alone that reduced my levels, other than the hair thinning symptom. I personally think it was a combination of my heavy pre-menopausal cycles along with stopping all iron rich meat products without efficiently replacing them  with lentils, beans, soy and the like.

I think I have finally found my balance and I am on the right track.   I even think I am seeing some new gray hair growing in.   Gray Hair!!  Yes, I’ll take whatever hair I can get.    I hope to soon put this behind me and I can start posting some wonderful recipes!

The Norwegian Vegan - Plus Fish!

It has been 5 weeks since I started the vitamin D and iron supplement regimen.  At 4 weeks in,  my pharmacist informed me that I wasn't taking enough of the health food supplement to make it equivalent to the ferrous sulfate 325mg that my doctor had prescribed.   I have now doubled my intake (to 65mg elemental iron) and no dire side effects have occurred. However, I got off to a little slow start. My hair is still shedding some and I'm not seeing any new growth yet.  My nails are starting to grow and I am beginning to see cuticles again.  I am optimistic.  I've been eating fish three times a week and really enjoying this addition to my 'vegan' diet.  I guess I'm no longer a true vegan, but I call myself a 'vegan plus fish'. I have wild salmon once a week which I wrap up in aluminum foil pouches and bake in the oven.  So delicious!   It is so much easier going out to a restaurant now as there usually is a grilled fish option.  I do still have to watch out for butter sautes and sauces.   Once a week I have my old favorite, tuna salad sandwich.  I use a vegan mayonnaise and don't notice any difference to the 'Best foods' I used to enjoy.  A little Dijon mustard, red onion, and dill pickles on toasted whole wheat or rye and I'm a happy camper. Other than that, I fill in with King Oscar sardines as they are filled with good source of both iron and Vitamin D. I also started to come home for lunch most days and prepare an iron rich meal such as cooked beans and brown rice veggie wraps.   The cafeteria at work only offers me a salad bar so when I do eat there I make sure to include tofu. I hope these changes help.  It feels like a good adjustment for me.  I think everyone's body is different and finding the right balance is key.   

Well the verdict is in.......

My blood test came back and I have both an Iron and Vitamin D deficiency.  In fact, the doctor says I'm very low in Vitamin D!   Good News - My thyroid, B12, Folate, and other tests came back in normal range.   As far as the iron deficiency, I'm not yet anemic but it is most likely the factor in why my nails and hair have been compromised.

Is the vegan diet ALL to blame? I think it is a combination of my pre-menopausal age and not sufficiently including iron and Vitamin D fortified foods in my new diet. I haven't been in the sun much either this winter.

So now I at least have the area I need to focus on. Doctor has prescribed me 50,000 IUs of Vitamin D a week for 4 months.  The pharmacist calls it Liquid Sunshine!

The high dose iron supplement my doctor suggested was not recommended by my local pharmacy, so I ended up spending $50 on some other supplements that are supposed to absorb easier and not have the bad side effects.  It's a bit of a gamble not going with the doctor’s recommendation.  I'll see how I feel after a week. All the reviews seem pretty encouraging. I'm taking a caplet of MegaFood Blood Builder in the morning and 10ml of liquid Floradix Iron + Herbs in the evening.  It's been 3 days and no side effects. However I don't feel like jogging around the block yet either.

It's funny all this time I've wanted my energy level to improve and I thought the vegan diet was really going to help.   I've read so many blog entries from others that say they have so much energy after going vegan, but I seemed to just be getting worse.   I hadn't yet started exercising since I just didn't have the energy.   Now it makes sense why! It wasn't until my hair started thinning that I finally took action and got my blood levels checked.   Vanity puts the fire under me every time!

I'm not going to blame the vegan diet for the iron deficiency.   I'm sure I must have had a little of it prior to my going vegan since I have pretty severe pre-menopausal cycles (without going into too much detail).   I'm just thankful I got to the bottom of it now and I hope these supplements work and my hair grows back!!!

So bottom line, I'm not giving up on my 96% vegan diet, but the 4% is going to be iron-rich seafood three times a week.   I have already increased my bean, broccoli, and quinoa intake (recommended by my doctor).   I thought my doctor would say 'Go off the vegan diet immediately!', but she was pretty supportive and suggested high iron vegan sources.   She even suggested dried apricots.   I told her I have introduced fish back in my diet and she thought that was a good choice as well.

This journey certainly has its ups and downs, but the important thing is to listen to my body and take action!   If I didn't ask for a Vitamin D blood test, the doctor would not have thought of it.   I went in because of my hair thinning, but thought I should check my B12 and Vitamin D levels since I was having a blood test anyway and these vitamins are hard to get on a vegan diet. Thank goodness I asked!

Well, it is a sunny Saturday morning in Northern California, so I'm going to go out and catch some rays, baby!!

Easter Success

The Easter vegan lasagna came out great! I used Rip Esselstyn’s  “Engine 2  Diet” recipe (see link below), but instead of using just plain tofu (as the recipe states), I made a non-cheese ricotta.   My son told me to hold off making this 'cheese' until he and his girlfriend came over since he favors the taste of her vegan cheese just 'a little' more than mine.    :-/

I think the biggest difference was she added more nutritional yeast than I typically do.   She also adds real garlic rather than garlic and onion powder.   The fresh tomato was a nice touch too.   So together in the kitchen we were adding a little of this and a little of that until it tasted just right.   I think the proportions below are somewhat close to what we used.   Thanks to Jordan!   Her culinary tips did make a difference!

Non-cheese Ricotta

1 cup grated raw cashews - no salt added
4T nutritional yeast
3T lemon juice
3 garlic cloves minced
Olive oil - about 2T
I package firm tofu in water.. Rinse and pat dry
Water, if needed to get right consistency
Salt to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste
Pepper to taste
Fresh Tomato for color

Blend until smooth and like ricotta.

Sweet Potato Lasagna

http://vegetarian.about.com/od/vegetarianlasagnarecipes/r/engine2lasagna.htm

I spread the 'ricotta' on at least a couple of the layers.   It was creamy and Delish!   

The vegan cupcakes Jordan made were out of this world.  My brother asked if he could  take a few home.   She made both carrot cake and vanilla.   They were decorated so beautifully.

It was a very nice day and the weather was warm enough to sit outside for a glass of champagne and appetizers prior to dinner.   We had nice conversation and a few laughs.   Only wished my youngest son could have also joined us.

Oh, and yes my husband and brother enjoyed their lamb steaks. Our barbecue malfunctioned, so I pan-seared, then oven roasted them.    Everyone was satisfied and happy!

Thankful for all my blessings.   Cheers!

Spilling the Beans!

Well, I've managed to make it through the week only washing my hair twice and letting it air dry into a wavy frizz.   At work, two people noticed my hair looked different.   My boss even said it looked thinner. Lovely!  I called the hairdresser  to get more info on what may have happened as my scalp hurt for three days after she colored it, so I think there is more to this story...but only the hairdresser will ever know for sure.   Meanwhile, I will continue to treat my hair gently.   It doesn't seem to be falling out any more than normal now. 

(Side Note:  With my hair and nails showing the signs of a potential protein deficiency, why does my chin still have no problem growing hair?  This 52 year old woman would like to know!!!)  

Notice how I have already devoted three blog entries to my hair? No, I'm not vain! Not at all! :-/.   But this does seem like a test of my priorities.

Like I said in my last blog, I started eating sardines as a supplement.   I felt desperate.   I ate a total of one 4oz can this week .   I selected sardines in part because of the protein, but also the high vitamin D and B12 content, which is difficult to get on a vegan diet.   Also, it aligns with my Norwegian roots!   My dad's family from Stavanger and my mom’s family from the Oslo area. :)

One can of sardines holds 220% Daily requirement of B12 and over 100% of vitamin D. The down side, the cholesterol content is high, so we will have to see what that does to my cholesterol levels next blood test. This is quite a balancing act.

Now that the lock shock has subsided a bit, I have begun to evaluate my vegan protein intake the last few months.   A woman needs about 46g of protein.   How am I getting sufficient amounts eating a spinach salad every day at lunch? Not easily.   Yes, I do sprinkle some sunflower seeds on top but I would have to eat at least a 1/2 a cup to get 13g of protein.   Since I started my new job, a spinach salad is mostly what I eat and I cut out the beans I used to place on top since, after all, I am at WORK!

I have peanut butter on toast most mornings,  that makes up about 10g of protein and in the evenings lots of veggies with rice/pasta, is typical. Maybe I would get another 10g at best.   So I don't know how I am even close to 46g a day.   I should be eating more tofu, lentils, and quinoa as these are fairly high in protein, and yes, I need to bring back the beans!

Below is a link to sample vegan diets that have sufficient protein intake.   I guess I didn't do my homework well enough prior to starting....but it's not too late.

http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.htm

For Easter tomorrow, my oldest son and his girlfriend are coming down to help me make my vegan sweet potato lasagna (based on a recipe from Rip Esselstyn's Engine2 diet).   My husband will be barbecuing lamb steaks that my brother and he will enjoy.   We will have a nice large salad as well.

Happy Easter to All ......and Skål!

This Vegan is going Sardi-gan!

Well folks I'm going directly to plan B (see previous post),  I'm starting to introduce sardines in my diet a few days week. Sorry, I never said I'd be a vegan purist. I'm in this for health purposes and if my health starts declining, adjustments must be made.    I believe my protein levels are too low. Haven't had it tested yet, but I need to take action now.   I was devastated by the salon experience.  I think the blonde strands just broke off after my hair dresser highlighted them since my hair was probably too fragile.  I basically have thinner darker hair than when I went into have my hair done. First time I've ever looked worse leaving the salon than when I came in.  :(   

The sardines will be like a supplement for me as they are loaded with all the vitamins and minerals that I may be lacking in  (B12, D, calcium, iron, protein, A, zinc)  AND  I can still stay in the 96% vegan range since honestly, I've been basically a 100% vegan all this time.   I think sardines are the best choice.  Did you know sardines do not have mercury like the bigger fish do?  They eat plankton and are not bottom feeders. They do not live long enough to build up toxins.   

 If I just opened the door to eating chicken, the next thing you know I'll be pulling out my old recipes and back to my old ways.  No,  I'm eating to live, not living to eat....and I need protein to live.   Maybe at my age of 52 I have more difficulty absorbing the proteins and iron.  Regardless, I need to listen to my body.  I also have been delicately caring for my hair this week. No blow drying and I went three days between washing (that was tough!).  

I recently noticed my finger nails are weaker and chipping too.  These are all tell tale signs that I'm deficient in something.  

So the journey continues.....with King Oscar to the rescue!  

(By the way,I'm officially coining the term Sardi-gan! You've heard it first right here - Haha!)      

This Vegan is Freaking!!!

I went to the hair salon for my usual eight week color and cut pampering.  I happen to mention to my hairdresser that my hair seems a bit thinner than normal. After washing my hair, she asked me if I had thyroid problems (apparently hairdressers are doctors too) and I responded that I have always been within normal limits. She proceeded to say that I was shedding more than usual. When she began styling, a bunch of hair accumulated in her comb!! She then said this would worry her. Okay now I'm freaking! What was supposed to be 2 hours of joy became anxiety ridden.

My beautiful crowning glory! Am I now going bald? My first thoughts were:  Is it the vegan diet? Did I shock my system? Am I getting enough protein? Iron?  Vitamin D? Zinc? I wanted to rush out and eat a steak.  If fact, that  night I dreamt of eating a big roast beef sandwich...and I really enjoyed it.

I searched the Internet for 'vegan hair loss' and many hits came up with woman experiencing similar symptoms after 6 to 9 months of going vegan. I will be 7 months a vegan this week. This isn't helping my anxiety! Okay, do I throw vegan lifestyle out the window to protect my glorious mane (what's left of it) or do I get to the bottom of this and make adjustments?

Am I convinced this hair thinning is because of the vegan diet? After all, I am a 52 year old woman, there could other factors in play here ......Hormonal Chaos!! :-/

Regardless, I need to take immediate action:

1- Make an appointment to have my blood tested for vitamin deficiencies
2- Start introducing supplements: Vegan Protein shakes, green superfood powder, flaxseed oil, use more nutritional yeast in my meals.
3- Treat my hair tenderly:  Don't over wash, over brush, air dry vs. Blow dry.
4- Any suggestions?

If this doesn't start working soon, I may have to introduce a small portion of fish twice a week - such as sardines (after all I'm Norwegian.  I would be supporting my Stavanger roots!). This would still fall within my own 96% vegan guidelines since I have been mostly 100% vegan all this time.

Check Out these articles on sardine benefits

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/30/the-11-best-foods-you-arent-eating/

http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/the-nutrition-of-sardines.html

Wish me luck!

On the Road again - Trip to Santa Monica

We recently spent a few days in Santa Monica. Prior to the trip I sought out restaurants with vegan options. There were many! They even had a few 'vegan only' places. I had to try one of those. For the road trip down we prepared a couple of veggie sandwiches and packed an ice chest. We included fresh fruit and some hummus with pita chips. This prevented us from having to hit the fast food chains on highway 5.

The first night, after picking our son up in LA, we met up with my cousin, Jake, who lives in Santa Monica. He brought us to the Library Ale House. This is a pub/restaurant. I ordered a veggie burger with sweet potato fries. It came with a whole grain bun, avocado, onions, tomato, lettuce, lots of Dijon. It was quite satisfying especially with a pint of golden ale.

Jake then buzzed us over to Hotel Casa del Mar for a night cap. You talk about swanky, WOW! It was quite lovely indeed. My dessert that evening was:

·         A nice glass of buttery Chardonnay

·         Time with my loved ones

·         Live jazz in the lounge    

·         A wonderful ocean view through lighted palm trees with the Santa Monica Ferris wheel in the distance.

Now that beats a slice of chocolate cake any day! :)

The next morning the hotel we stayed at offered, like many do, a continental breakfast where I could get whole wheat toast with peanut butter and fresh fruit.   In the past I would have been all over the bagel and cream cheese and the pastries! We also had brought down in our cooler a small soy milk creamer to use in coffee which worked out very well as the hotel only had dairy cream.

It was a beautiful 80 degree day on the Santa Monica Pier with lots of beach goers.  We stopped off for lunch at an outdoor cafe in the Promenade where I ordered a large spinach salad and an ice tea.   I had plenty of carbs the day before so my body was screaming for greens!

Later that evening we decided to try the vegan restaurant, Golden Mean. Now I hadn't been into eating meatless meat, but this restaurant was all about that, so I tried the chicken and cheese tacos. I'm sure it was made with soy and natural flavorings to make it taste and texture like chicken and cheese and to my surprise, it really did. It was very good. It came with a side of seaweed salad (I'm not quite feeling that yet. It looked like translucent worms)   :-/

There is another restaurant, Real Food Daily, that we will have to try on our next trip down.

I only wish vegan would become more main stream. These modest establishments do not offer wine or any 'non healthy' options. They are purists. All you can order for a beverage is organic tea. Now that is all fine and good, but I'd like to see a 'Mostly Plant Based' restaurant. In fact that is what I'd call it. It would be for those that aren't going to wig out if a veggie burger shared the same grill as the turkey burger. That does not bother me. AND you would be able to order a glass of wine, for goodness sake! What enjoyment do us vegans have if we can't order a glass of wine! I'm on vacation! The more I think about it, a 'real' vegan, would not consider me a vegan. Oh well, I'm a 96% vegan, and sticking with it!

For the trip home we stopped off at a Whole Foods. If you have access to one of those, you are good to go! We ordered some veggie sandwiches for the road, packed our cooler, and off we went!

We had a great time on the trip. We got to visit our youngest son and see where he lives in L.A. I shopped at Bloomingdales the first time ever and bought a sun hat. We saw an amazing concert (my son performed in) and got to visit with family. The food is only a small part of the adventure and I'm starting to get the hang of making vegan work on the road.

The 5 Month Checkup

  

It has now been over 6 months as a vegan and I'm hanging in there.  Last month I had another cholesterol test. The local pharmacy offers health screenings every few months and I decided to pay the $38 dollars for another full cholesterol test (HDL, LDL, triglycerides)   I had been so looking forward to this one as I was certain my total cholesterol would have considerably dropped.  The previous test  I had dropped 27 points in my total cholesterol to under 200 for the first time in years and that was  after only being on the vegan diet  6 weeks! 

BUT! after 5 months a vegan,  I INCREASED my total cholesterol (TC) by 4 points!  Bummer!  On the bright side, this was mostly due to my good cholesterol (HDL) increasing.  This actually reduced  my TC/HDL ratio to 3.29  which is well within an optimum range.  Even though I was satisfied with the results, I was disappointed and surprised the overall total didn't drop more.  I am now up to 204.   Side note:  I also took a glucose reading and that was 78 - normal level.  Not that I have had problems in the past, but just want to keep track since I have been upping my carb intake.         

With that said,  This month I'm going to focus on dropping a few more pounds by cutting back on some of the pasta/nuts and TRY to introduce exercise a few times a week (now that's the tough one!)  but I'm determined to see my stats improve and I would like to see my energy increase.  Energy is one area that I have not seen benefits yet.  I had low energy before the diet and still not much energy.  The exercise should help.    I feel like I am doing a science experience on myself, but it is empowering.

Successes To date:  Keep in mind not only did I cut out dairy and meat, but also most white flour processed foods, replaced with whole grains.

1- Dropped total cholesterol 23 points & ratio in optimum healthy range 3.29 
2- Haven't popped a TUMs in 6 months. No heartburn!
3- Never have the irritable bowels or stomach aches that I used to get frequently.
4- My hands and feet are not cold like they ALWAYS used to be. I think my circulation must be improving.
5- Dropped 7 lbs.
6- I rarely get those sugar low feelings.   I guess you call that hypoglycemic.       

Have I had any adverse side effects to a vegan diet? 

Well, there hasn't really been any adverse side effects.  Other than being a little gassy.   Okay, VERY gassy! :-/  Yes, you will naturally be more gassy as you introduce more fiber and nutrient-rich foods in your diet. Sometimes I hear my stomach singing out loud while it is trying to digest all that goodness. Embarrassing as that may seem, it is a heathy symptom!   As my sister would say , "TMI" -Too Much Information. (I hope none of my friends read this)    

 Initially I may have had withdrawals from chocolate. That was tough to give up.  Now, I can honestly say I don't even crave or think about desserts. If one is staring me in the face, I may choose to take a bite as part of my 4% non-vegan allowance, but I can take it or leave it.

Also in the first few weeks as a vegan I did experience some headaches, and I rarely had got headaches prior to that.  Maybe it was a detox period, but it passed.  

No turning back now!! :)         

Vegan at Work!

Two weeks ago I started a new full-time job. YAY! I am very thankful for a new opportunity of employment. Hey, the USA economy must be improving if a corporation offers a 52 year old American women full-time employment! I'm feeling hopeful and very blessed.  

I am also pleased to see the company cafe offers a nice salad bar with plenty of vegan options.  They have a choice of mix greens, spinach, and/or romaine lettuces and then a wide selection of veggies, beans, olives, and seeds.  I top mine off with a tangy balsamic dressing.  They do offer tofu.  However, I have to say I'm just not that into tofu yet. It doesn't have much taste and I don't know how to prepare it. My son says I don't even know how to pronounce it.    

They also provide microwaves.  Therefore, I  make up a huge batch of pasta on Sunday night, enough to get me through most of the week.  Good thing I'm a creature of habit.  I do not get tired of pasta with salad 4 days in a row. But by the 5th day, I like to get out. This Friday, I went to a local Indian restaurant.  The Indians understand vegan!  For many, it is part of their culture to eliminate dairy and meat certain times during the year/month.   They always have vegan options, and they are mouth watering delicious!   

With a little preparation, it is not that difficult to be a vegan at work.

"Where there's a Will, there's a (Get-a) Way!"

My husband, John, and I have a favorite coastal overnight getaway less than an hour from home.  It is a lodge and spa in the town of Bodega Bay.  This is the area where the Alfred Hitchcock movie, The Birds, was filmed.  We go out there once a year to have a full body massage, a walk on the beach, and dine at a five star restaurant.  The rooms all have ocean views and fireplaces.  It really is a rejuvenating experience.   John even knows the chef and he always makes our stay extra special.   Last year, we had a superb dinner starting with local artisan cheeses, an entree of fresh fish, and to top it off , the chef brought out a slice of his signature chocolate cake.  It was 'To die for!!'.

In the morning, he had Eggs Benedict dishes sent to our room with a flute of champagne and freshly squeezed orange juice.   That was the best Eggs Benedict I have ever tasted. ...and truthfully, the amazing food and the generosity of a friend, made the trip most memorable.

Fast forward to this year, now I'm a Vegan!  We went out to the coast again this year for an overnighter. We got early check-in and a beautiful ocean view room.  It was pretty stormy out, but that just added to the ambience.  We had scheduled an in-room massage which was wonderful as we could relax and not have to get out in the cold.   The masseuse turned on some eastern chant music, the room was warm and dimly lit, and you could hear a distant howling from the wind outside.   It was so very relaxing and meditative.   This was just what the doctor ordered!   About an hour after our massages, we got a knock on the door and a complimentary bottle of Gloria Ferrer sparkling wine was delivered with a platter of local cheeses.  Fortunately there were also fresh raspberries and strawberries included.  This was great!  John enjoyed the cheeses, I ate the fruit.  All was right with the world as we sipped our champagne, counted our blessings, and gazed out our window watching the waves crash the shore.

That evening we proceeded to go to dinner. It was a short blustery walk with high winds and horizontal rains, but once inside it was warm and inviting.  There was soft string music and a crackling fire in an oversized stone fireplace.   We knew John's friend would not be cooking that night, but unbeknownst to us, he had notified the chef to take care of us. UH Oh!!  This is where it got embarrassing.  When I asked the waiter what he recommended with no dairy, no meat,   He said, 'Jeff did not tell us you were vegans!!’.   I told him my husband is not vegan, and he said, ' Good, because Jeff instructed us to prepare a special complimentary crab cake appetizer'.  UH Oh!!, We then had to inform him that John is allergic to shellfish .  At this point, the waiter darted off to the kitchen to stop the preparations!  We felt so bad.  Normally I would have loved fresh crab and I am still hitting myself that I just didn't make that my 4% non-vegan for the week.  However,  I was a little concerned about introducing such rich food into my system ...I did not want to chance a stomach ache later.  

The waiter returned with a platter filled with a lightly fried array of veggies as a replacement.  It was delicious!  I ordered a lovely organic salad sprinkled with cannellini beans and a wonderful balsamic dressing.   John had a very rich pan seared chicken with savory bread pudding and buttery glaze.      We both partook in the nice warm whole grain bread.  As we enjoyed our meal, I couldn't help but feel bad about the appetizer mix-up.   When we finished the meal, we then had to turn down that marvelous decadent chocolate cake!  As part of our mid-week lodging deal, it would have been free...but we both passed.  (Note: Although John is not vegan, he is trying to cut back on animal protein) Geez, what has become of me?  What was considered such a glorious pleasure last year, became a test of my commitment this year and left me feeling like I missed out on something great.  

The next morning Jeff , the chef, arrived at the lodge and called our room to ask us if he could send over a couple of complimentary Eggs Benedicts.  Oh My Goodness!   My weakness!!...and It's a gift from the chef! ...How could I possibly refuse?... But, again, we politely said no.   STRIKE THREE!  

Do I feel strong?  Do I feel better?   No.  I feel that I missed out in a wonderful experience!  Why didn't I just indulge and get back on track the following day?  What if I did indulge? Would it have upset my digestive system?  How guilty would I have been afterward?  

Why does food become so embedded in our experience and memories?   Is it our powerful olfactory system that holds the memory of those tantalizing aromas and associates them with a previous time in our life?  YES, I believe so.  I need to find new aromas...the salty ocean air, the fresh rolling green pastures, the eucalyptus trees that line the back roads and are especially aromatic in the damp air.  

I need to change my focus!!  What happened to 'Eat to live!' not 'Live to eat'?      Well, other than the food, the trip was a success. I came home feeling healthy, relaxed, and I got to share the getaway with the man I love.  Not too shabby! 

...but I'm obviously still in a transitional phase of this vegan lifestyle.    

"We had a meeting on you!"

My husband and I are friends with another couple and we have been having each other over for dinner for years.   Well, when one becomes a vegan, this impacts everyone.  How can I expect my friend to know what vegan is, when I didn't even know a year ago?

They had us over for dinner just before Christmas.  They made sure to include a veggie dish and salad since they knew I had changed my diet. They also made a lovely parmesan chicken that brought glee to my husband's face as he has not seen much meat at our home in quite a while.  I didn’t eat the chicken which made me feel a little guilty as they went to a lot of work preparing the meal.  Spinach salad, no problem but the veggie dish was tossed with cheese.  As I tried to rescue each broccoli morsel from its cheesy cover, I realized this diet is not going to be easy.  This is one of those 4% moments of my strategy where a portion of my meal will be meat/dairy as I do not want to be rude in cases such as this.

We made New Year’s Eve dinner plans with the same couple selecting a nice restaurant in town.   Hoping to get something I would enjoy for the $90 tab, (entrees only included meat dishes) I called to inquire if the chef could make a vegan meal.  He happily replied that he would take care of me.  Great, all set!   Not quite… the restaurant closed 3 days before New Year’s.  We scrambled and found another restaurant but again no vegan entrees.  After my call they said, “No problem, they could make a vegan entrée”

New Year’s Eve:  The pre-dinner appetizers included glorious platters of cheeses, meats, shellfish, and fried calamari…not a good start.  Fortunately, they had a veggie platter but with a dairy-based dip.   As my husband and friends indulged in the decadence, I chewed on my dry carrot stick.  Thank goodness wine is plant-based!!  I was tempted to sneak a lightly battered and crispy calamari, but resisted.  4% non-vegan only gets you so far in one week and the holidays make it extra tough.  

As we ordered our meals, I informed the waiter that I would like a vegan version of the veggie risotto entree, if possible.   This is when I felt like a weirdo.… He got excited and responded  "Oh, are you Rhonda, The Vegan?"  I nodded in embarrassment ... He then said, "We had a meeting on you!"......WHAT?   Was I the only one that called to inquire vegan options? I live near hip San Francisco, for goodness sake!  Restaurants need to have meetings on 'The Vegan'?  At that moment, our friends broke out in laughter. They admitted earlier when buying tickets at the previous restaurant (the one that closed), they had mentioned to the hostess that one of their party was a vegan.  The hostess responded, "Oh, Do you mean Rhonda?" They must have had a meeting on me too.   It seems providing vegan choices are still a challenge in this little town of 60,000!!   Go Figure!  However, I do give them an ‘A’ for effort!

As far as my dinner, the ‘risotto’ ended up being  a mixture of sautéed mushrooms with asparagus...no grains at all.  It turns out a lot of people, including chefs, need an education on what a vegan diet is and how creative, exciting, and tasteful it can be.    

Rollie Pollies

Today I made my 22 year old son Norwegian pancakes before he headed back to Los Angeles, where he now resides. A Norwegian pancake is a basic egg crepe rolled up with butter and jelly (or sugar).   My mother called them 'Rollie Pollies' when I was a girl. They were my favorite breakfast meal!   I would wake up to the wonderful buttery aroma, then immediately jump out of bed and race to the kitchen where I would down 5 of them in one sitting.    This tradition was passed on for my sons to enjoy as they grew up. I would flip the crepes up in the air from the pan to turn them over and their eyes would light up in amazement.   I would make my boys 'Rollie Pollies' at least once a month on those lazy Sunday mornings where there wasn't a soccer practice, music festival, or a roller hockey game to race off to.    

Today was the first time I made them after becoming a vegan. I've been a 96% vegan for over 4 months now.    Today the 'Rollie Pollies' smelled different to me.  I thought I messed up the recipe as all I could smell were the eggs. It was a strong and quite unpleasant aroma.  Thinking I must have done something wrong, I actually went to look up the old recipe that I have had memorized for decades.  I did not stray in the least.   I checked the egg carton to make sure the organic eggs had not expired.  I asked my son if they smelled different to him and he said no.   This was very strange to me.  Is it a next phase of Veganism to start despising the smell of eggs and meat?

I proceeded to eat my granola cereal with Silk soy milk,  fresh blueberries and bananas while I watched my son devour 3 'Rollie Pollies' without missing a beat. It was a joy to watch and it brought back memories of both my son's youth and even my youth.  Some meals which have been passed down through generations are  heartfelt traditions that would be difficult to break.  By preparing them on rare occasions (like before my son takes off on a long journey), how can it hurt?  

            

96% Vegan - What?

So what do I mean by 96% vegan?  Here's my calculation:  3 meals a day x 7 days a week is 21 meals a week. Let's say each meal has 4 evenly divided 'Sections'.  That equals 84 sections a week.  

Since I consider myself a 96% vegan, this then means that I can make 3 sections (84 x 4%) a week meat/dairy/eggs.   In other words 3 meals a week I can have 1/4 of my meal include meat and/or dairy, the other  3/4 must be wholesome plant-based. 

Examples:  

1) A large salad with a few slices of roasted chicken  on it and brown rice

    OR

2) Have a huge spinach salad with a sprinkle of blue cheese on top and a slice of whole grain bread. 

   OR

3)  After a nice wholesome vegan meal, take a couple bites of your husband's chocolate dessert!

I think this new rule will make it very easy for me without feeling any guilt.   It does not mean having a meal consisting of bacon, 3 fried eggs, buttered bread, and a glass of milk. Sorry John! (My husband loves a hearty meat and dairy breakfast!)

Godt nyttår ♥

January 5, 2012 marks 4 months since I've been on a whole grain, plant based diet.  (Yes, you can call me a Vegan...I'm okay with the 'V' word now).   But, there were times I had to 'cheat' a bit.   Especially when going out to dinner at a friends house (don't want to be rude) or at restaurants (minimal options).  Also, holidays, it just didn't seem right not to have a little slice of turkey on Thanksgiving.    

NEW RULES - 96% VEGAN: So now that the new year is here I have decided to declare myself a 96% VEGAN!   Yes, I can do that, because I just did. HA!  Mostly for practical reasons, as mentioned above, as I do not like to feel like I'm 'cheating' when other options are not available to me.   I also think it will not hinder the health benefits gained from a vegan diet.  

Although I understand the tremendous benefit to the environment and I am sensitive to the humane treatment of animals, this was not what triggered  me to drastically change to a vegan diet.  It was purely for selfish reasons - MY HEALTH!  

September 5th, 2011, was the day I removed meat and dairy from my diet.  It was the day after I watched the documentary 'Forks over Knives'.  Six weeks later I dropped my cholesterol by 27 points!  It dropped under 200 for the first time in years.  And as of today,  I have dropped my weight 8 lbs....and I wasn't even trying since I eat a lot and never feel hungry.  This  has been a good diet for me and I have now made it my lifestyle choice.  Yes, sometimes I miss making those old favorite recipes....but, I plan to make new favorites and hopefully stay healthy into my golden years.

Thanks to 'Forks Over Knives' for motivating me to make the switch.....Thanks to my oldest son and his girlfriend (a vegan chef) for all the great cooking tips. .......  Thanks to my husband for supporting me and incorporating at least a 85% vegan diet for himself.  :-)

Good health to all in 2012!