In this week’s Gary Null’s Newsletter:
• Vegetarianism, Part 2: Getting Started on the Vegetarian Diet—An Overview
• Show Notes
• Recipe for Spicy Peanut Sauce
Vegetarianism, Part 2: Getting Started on the Vegetarian Diet—An Overview
In this issue of Gary Null's Newsletter, we continue our look at the benefits for yourself and for the planet of Vegetarianism.
What does it mean to heal? When you look up the word, you will get any variety of definitions: to make healthy, whole, or sound; to restore to health; to become free from ailment. It’s a common word in medicine, in terms of healing wounds, bone breaks, or ulcerations and lacerations and such. It is also used when referring to breaks or chasms in relationships, such as healing a broken heart, which it turns out is both an emotional and physical experience.
In 1993, Harvard University began a nine-year study on “Broken Heart Syndrome,”—-a phenomenon where a surviving spouse’s death is linked to grief over the loss of a spouse. The highly publicized report[1] showed a stunning 66% increase in the rate of death of surviving spouses. Nicholas Christakis, M.D., Ph.D., professor in the Department of Healthcare Policy at the Harvard Medical School, had this to say about their findings: “Our study showed that people are connected in such a fashion that the health of one person is related to the health of another.”
There are many reasons I bring up this study first, to illustrate that health is, in reality, inextricably linked to one’s external environment, conditions, and situations; second, to point out that connection is critical to animals, humans included; you will see this as a running theme throughout the book. Additionally, there is the premise that most of you have heard before and numerous other studies demonstrate: overall health is unequivocally tied to physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health; they are dependent, and you cannot have health in one area without having it in the others.
Furthermore, health is much more than just the absence of disease, as we have tended to think of it here in the US. The definition of health by the World Health Organization is: “As a complete state of physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease and infirmity.”[2] So, we will need to take a look at social factors too.
How any one person defines and achieves health is different; however, the foundational components of health (exercise, rest/sleep, pure water, nourishment, recreation, purpose, community, consciousness development, etc.) that we will explore in this section are largely similar across cultures and disciplines and arouse general agreement from a majority of health practitioners and philosophers for some time now.
In our country, particularly, we tend to look at things as separate components. What is required, then, for healing to occur, is to first correct our thinking along these lines. We need to start thinking holistically. Then, we need to take it upon ourselves to recognize when we are out of balance and bring wholeness to these areas. The world (as we know it) will heal itself as each of us takes responsibility to heal our self.
This holistic approach that I’m speaking about is, in fact, the essence of traditional medicine practices, such as Chinese Medicine or Ayurveda. While these systems and the healing practices associated with them have been largely dismissed by Western medicine, there is growing acceptance of them—one-third of Americans now partake[3]—along with plenty of scientific evidence backing their efficacy in healing.
The following discussion of Native American ancestors’ philosophy about health and healing encapsulates my thinking and, in essence, summarizes the great task we have in not only defining the components of health but also what is required for healing.
With more than 2,000 tribes of indigenous people in North America, the healing practices varied widely from tribe to tribe, involving various rituals, ceremonies, and a diverse wealth of healing knowledge. While there were no absolute standards of healing, most tribes believed that health was an expression of the spirit and a continual process of staying strong spiritually, mentally, and physically. This strength, as well as keeping in harmony with themselves, those around them, their natural environment, and Creator, would keep away illness and harm. Each person was responsible for his or her own health and all thoughts and actions had consequences, including illness, disability, bad luck, or trauma. Only when harmony was set right, could their health be restored.[4]
Let’s take a look now at what all of this might entail for us in modern society today, addressing the question: what does it take to become truly healthy?
Where Do We Begin?
There are no two people reading this page right now who are starting at the same place. You may be a person that has been a vegetarian at some point in your life but found that you couldn’t follow through with it at that time, for whatever reason.
Maybe you are still a vegetarian but recognize you aren’t as healthy as you would like to be. For example, there are a lot of young people who will not eat meat because of ethical reasons—they don’t want to see an animal sacrificed for a hotdog or hamburger—but they might be consuming a lot of foods high in refined carbohydrates (bread, pastas, pizzas), or partaking of foods that taste and smell like animal products like soy bacon. They may be doing this without awareness of the challenges associated with them, such as they often contain gluten and flavor enhancers like MSG.
Or, perhaps you have become aware of the benefits of a plant-based diet and are looking for some healthy parameters within which to launch your exploration; you’re an athlete who’s concerned about adopting a plant-based diet because you were told that you’ll lose your muscle mass, your strength, your endurance, or speed; or, you’re a connoisseur of fine foods who goes out to eat a lot and are afraid that you will miss the variety of foods that you are accustomed to or worse have not yet been exposed to the amazing world of gourmet plant-based cuisine.
Whatever your reasons for reading this book, know that being a healthy vegetarian means so much more than just eating vegetables; it is a state of mind, a consciousness, a way of life. But let’s just say you’re that person who wants to make positive, healthy choices, and you simply do not know where to begin. You know that you want to look better, feel better, sleep better, have more energy, enjoy clearer thinking, and wake up feeling excited about the day. Or, maybe you’re tired of the indigestion, the constipation, the headaches, the insomnia, the high blood pressure, the elevated blood sugar, the excess weight, foggy brain, poor memory and the pains; you don’t want this anymore. Okay, but where do you actually begin? Let’s start with the actual diet because that is the most obvious, and physical health has a huge impact on other areas of life.
Getting Rid of What’s Harmful
In terms of the diet, we always begin with elimination.
Step one in becoming a healthy vegetarian is to eliminate anything that may be causing a lower energy state. Go into your refrigerator, go into your storage pantries, and look to see: Is the food that you are eating a living food? Is it a vital food? Does it really represent health at its highest level? If not, throw it away. Throw it away because you don’t want it in your body.
Here’s the short list: all dairy; eggs; meat in any form, including fish, chicken, beef, pork, venison, nothing with eyes or a head; no artificial sweeteners; no processed foods (chips, TV dinners, etc.); no refined carbohydrates or sugary foods, meaning bagels, most breads and cereals, pastries, cookies, cakes and most crackers; no deep-fried foods; no artificial flavors, sweeteners, coloring agents; no sodas or coffee—nothing that triggers an inflammatory reaction. Inflammation is one of the bedrocks of most diseases—cancer, diabetes, heart disease, arteriosclerosis, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, osteoporosis, ALS, fibromyalgia, macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma; all of these disorders exist because of inflammatory agents. If you want to be healthy—or become a healthy vegetarian for that matter—you’ve got to get rid of these items. Instead, you will be consuming food from the delectable, health-giving world of plant-based foods and, as you will see, it is a vast and wondrous one.
A vegetarian diet free from animal products is alkalinizing to the body, which is in harmony with the body’s natural slightly alkaline state; it rejuvenates the body and promotes health and healing. Whereas, the foods that I mentioned just above are acidic; they throw off the body’s natural pH balance and promote inflammation and disease. Even though we like them and they taste good, even though they comfort us on many levels—we like the salty, crunchy, soft, and sweet and sugary—these are the foods that are proven to negatively impact our well-being and cause our diseases. So, we’re going to eliminate them all. Now, you may feel deprived for a period of time, but that will completely resolve itself once you start eating healthily. For some people, it’s not possible to get rid of everything unhealthy. In this case, I would then suggest that you get rid of one unhealthy item per week, like beef in any form in week one; chicken, week two; fish, week three; pork, week four; alcohol, week five; caffeine, week six; sugars, week seven; artificial sweeteners, soft drinks, colas, week eight; French fries, pizzas, week nine; and dairy, week ten. What’s nice is there are natural vegan alternatives that are healthy and vital for all of these. As soon as you take this important step, you are starting to become healthier. Congratulations, you are now on your way!
What’s So Bad about Inflammation?
Inflammation is a natural and complex biological process initiated by the body in response to harmful stimuli, the aim of which is to protect the body so that damaged cells, irritants, pathogens, etc., can be removed, and the body can begin the healing process. Inflammation, specifically acute inflammation, shows that the body is trying to heal itself. Take the example of a sprained ankle: inflammation prevents us from “walking on it” until we have given the inflammation sufficient time to subside. Inflammation, however, does not mean infection, even though infection causes inflammation. Infection is caused by a bacterium, virus, or fungus, while inflammation is the body’s response to it. In and of itself, inflammation is an incredibly helpful and healthy reaction; the problem occurs when inflammation becomes chronic, as is typically the case in people consuming the Standard American Diet.
I’ve noted in previous works that it is a complete myth that an inflammatory attack is tissue-specific when, in fact, the contents of your blood are reaching every cell in your body. Inflammation in the body from any source extends throughout the entire body, negatively impacting all cells. For example, the pro-inflammatory cytokines produced in the body after eating a well-done hamburger may cause a person’s knees to swell. Even though it appears that the knees are the only affected part, the cytokines are also, for instance, contributing to the buildup of toxic amyloid plaque in the brain and impairing normal liver function. By the same token, a lack of knee swelling after eating the hamburger doesn’t mean that someone isn’t being affected by inflammation on the fundamental level. This is the dangerous thing about inflammation. Let’s say every time you eat a hamburger, your knees don’t swell. Does this mean that your joints and other organs are not being affected or that your brain or liver are fine? The answer is “no.” Chronic inflammation is problematic for everyone, and it affects everybody; it just may take years or even decades until the damage is so severe that you’ve reached your tipping point.
Unfortunately, by this time you have a verifiable, diagnosable condition, and you are long past the moderate response stage—you are, in reality, at the end stage, which is different, but your doctor cannot tell you so. What we do know is that one person may end up with arthritis or fibromyalgia, and someone else with diabetes or cancer, all of which are diseases of inflammation. This is what the healthy vegetarian diet will help you avoid.
Here is a list of acidic foods, which are to be avoided on a healthy diet:
Refined sugar (basically all conventionally prepared baked goods) Refined flour
Dairy (milk, egg and cheese products)
Meats of all kind especially ham, bacon, and foods cooked with lard Seafood
Soft drinks
Alcohol
Coffee
Deep-fried foods
Overcooked foods
Processed foods
Trans fats (partially hydrogenated oils)
Synthetic sweeteners (Splenda®, NutraSweet®, and Equal®) Artificial colors
Food additives Food preservatives
Genetically Modified (GM) foods, or foods containing GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms)
Dangers Lurking in Processed Foods
Why must we eliminate the foods I’ve just mentioned if we want to be healthy? The short answer is because they are toxic to the body. They can create chronic states of inflammation and disrupt our pH balance, and significantly, many of these foods are highly processed. This means, among other things, that they are full of chemicals in the form of harmful additives and preservatives. There are essentially two types of processing—mechanical and chemical. What I am speaking about mostly here is chemical processing. However, even with mechanical processing, where you think chemicals are not being added, this is likely not the case. In 2004, the FDA approved the “Modified Atmosphere Packaging” (MAP) system1 (reportedly used in up to 70% of packaged meats[2]), which is the process of treating meat by sucking oxygen out of a package and pumping in carbon monoxide (CO), which preserves the red color of meat just after processing. The practice, which saves meat processors billions of dollars a year[3]—in that consumers do not want to purchase unappealing-looking meat—is just one of the tricks that food processors use to increase the appeal or shelf life of foods. One report noted that to enhance the meat’s color and freshness and to mask any discoloration from spoilage, the carbon monoxide is combined with myoglobin, a globular protein of 153 amino acids, to form carboxymyoglobin—a bright cherry red pigment that is injected into most red meats, including pork.
And it’s not as if “fresh foods” are safe, either. Non-organic apples, for example, which are typically harvested in September and October in the US, are picked when they are slightly unripe and then treated with the chemical 1-methylcyclopropene (also known as “SmartFresh,”) waxed, boxed, and then stacked on pallets, where they are kept in cold storage warehouses for an average of 9-12 months.[4] In fact, according to the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, “On average, treated apples stayed firm for 3 to 6 months longer than untreated controls when placed in controlled- atmosphere storage conditions. Red Delicious apples, for example, stayed crunchier 2 to 3 weeks longer than untreated controls after removal from storage.”[5]
But let’s get back to chemical processing. In reality, nothing but harm can come to the body from bombarding it with endless chemicals. Here are just a few of the noxious substances used in the processing of foods[6]: Nitrites and Nitrates, which have been implicated in cancer; Sulfites and Sulphur Dioxide, which are known allergens for many asthmatics; and Aspartame, a popular additive in many beverages and athletic supplements today, which accounts for over 75% of the adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA.[7] including seizures and death. The FDA even denied approval for aspartame for 20 years because of brain tumor findings in animals.[8] Other noxious substances include BHA (Butylated Hydroxyanisole) and BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene), which is considered a possible human carcinogen by The World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer[9]; Benzoic Acid/Sodium Benzoate, a preservative often added to milk and meat products, fruits juices and soft drinks, low-sugar products, and cereals that temporarily inhibit the proper functioning of digestive enzymes and cause headaches, stomach upset, asthma attacks, and hyperactivity in children; Potassium bromate, used to increase volume in white flour, breads, and rolls, is linked to increased cancer risk for humans; High-Fructose Corn Syrup has been noted as a causative factor in heart disease, as it raises blood levels of cholesterol and triglyceride fats while making blood cells more prone to clotting; the more well-known Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), the world’s most utilized and controversial flavor enhancer, has been implicated in tightening of the chest, headaches, and a burning sensation in the neck and forearms as well as obesity. Since the public does not want to consume MSG, the food processing companies have become wise to this and instead now disguise it in many forms: hydrolyzed vegetable protein, autolyzed vegetable protein, textured vegetable protein, hydrolyzed yeast extract, autolyzed yeast extract, plant protein extract, sodium caseinate, calcium caseinate, yeast extract, textured whey protein, and textured soy protein; even the innocuous terms spice and natural flavor can designate the presence of MSG[10]; and, we’ll stop at Olestra, a fake fat commonly known to cause “anal leakage” and other gastrointestinal problems, forcing the FDA to require foods containing it to carry a warning label.
Do you get the idea? Processed foods, which comprise most of the food sold in supermarkets, convenience stores, fast food restaurants, many restaurant chains, and gas stations across America, are not health-promoting in the very least. Most processed foods also contain sugar, excess salt, and fats; they are also low in nutrients and fiber[11] and easy to consume quickly. Food manufacturers go out of their way to combine chemicals for the sole purpose of creating “foods” that are highly intoxicating and addictive, which leads to overeating. If you cannot pronounce the ingredients on a label or know what something is, don’t eat it; it’s not going to help you, no matter how “good” it tastes.
As if this weren’t enough, we have two additional topics to discuss here related to the heating of some of the foods I talked about previously. First, let’s look at the browning of carbohydrates—the bagels, toast, pizza crust, buns, and potatoes, in particular—and the link to cancer. The National Cancer Institute notes research pertaining to the heating of certain foods, including vegetables, to a temperature above 120 degrees Celsius (248 degrees Fahrenheit), which causes the chemical acrylamide to occur. Potato chips and French fries were found to contain higher levels of acrylamide compared with other tested foods, and foods prepared below this temperature did not contain acrylamide.[12]
The International Agency for Research on Cancer considers acrylamide a “probable human carcinogen.”[13] “Acrylamide has also been linked to nerve damage and other neurotoxic effects, including neurological problems in workers handling the substance. While the EPA regulates acrylamide in drinking water, and the FDA regulates the amount of acrylamide residue in materials that may come in contact with food, they do not currently have any guidelines limiting the chemical in food itself.”
In 2003, Swedish researchers analyzed the acrylamide levels of some common foods such as processed potato products, bread, breakfast cereals, biscuits, cookies, snacks, and coffee. They estimated the average daily intake of the chemical to be high enough to be associated with potential health risks according to US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and World Health Organization (WHO) data.[14]
Let’s now turn our attention to the chemical that occurs during the cooking of muscle meats such as beef, pork, fowl, and fish products—the Heterocyclic Amines (HCAs) and how they are carcinogenic and also mutagenic[15], meaning they can change DNA. One study conducted by researchers from the National Cancer Institute’s Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics found a link between individuals with stomach cancer and the consumption of cooked meats. They also found that people who ate beef four or more times a week had more than twice the risk of stomach cancer than those consuming beef less frequently, and additional studies demonstrate an increased risk of colorectal, pancreatic, and breast cancer associated with high intakes of well-done, fried, or barbequed meats.[16] Moreover, HCAs are not present in significant amounts in foods other than meat cooked at high temperatures.[17]
So, in summary, we’re eliminating two known cancer-causing items in the diet, but also a large number of pro-inflammatory agents that result in any of the numerous lifestyle diseases that our nation is plagued by today. There is enough evidence on both of these fronts, however, to demonstrate the value of replacing all of these foods with healthier plant-based alternatives. But, before we discuss what to eat, I want to take a moment to address portion sizes and America’s appetite for food, both of which tend to be large, and the negative effects associated with this.
America’s Need to Super-Size
Let’s talk about portions and learning to control our appetite. Also, let’s examine why we also must eliminate super-sizing as a way of eating and living. We have become accustomed to eating way more than the body needs and can possibly handle. For example, the body cannot store protein. So when we consume more protein than the body can use, it’s stored as fat, which adds a host of additional problems. We need, therefore, to eat smaller quantities of protein—which a plant-based diet inherently provides—three times a day in order to stay trim. In doing this, not only will we drop unnecessary weight, we will be protecting our kidneys, our heart, our liver, and in reality, our overall health.
Meat isn’t the only problem as it pertains to super-sizing. As a population, we are obsessed with sugar; in fact, according to the USDA, the average American consumes 150 lbs. of added sugar a year[18]; by “added,” we are not speaking about naturally occurring sugars in fruits, such as fructose, or glucose and sucrose in vegetables. Added sugars include agave syrup, brown sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, sugar molecules ending in “ose” (dextrose, fructose, glucose, lactose, maltose, sucrose), high-fructose corn syrup, fruit juice concentrate, honey, invert sugar, malt sugar, molasses, raw sugar, sugar, syrup.[19] The problem has gotten so bad that the World Health Organization issued a plea early in 2014 for a significant reduction in the consumption of added sugar, saying: “There is increasing concern that consumption of free sugars, particularly in the form of sugar-sweetened beverages, may result in... an increase in total caloric intake, leading to an unhealthy diet, weight gain, and increased risk of noncommunicable diseases.”[20]
Too much sugar consumption is linked to everything from metabolic syndrome to depression, obesity, diabetes, and cancer. One example of a disorder related to a diet that is high in processed sugars, is non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which affects 40% of the adult population. As the name suggests, NAFLD isn’t from alcohol; it’s from sugar in the diet. In fact, the American Liver Foundation notes that NAFLD tends to develop in people who are overweight or obese or have diabetes, high cholesterol, or high triglycerides.[21] They specifically say that rapid weight loss and poor eating habits also may contribute to the disease. NAFLD may cause the liver to swell (steatohepatitis), which, over time, can cause scarring (cirrhosis) to the tissues, and may even lead to liver cancer or liver failure.
This is why we must let go of all the foods I’m discussing. In reality, a diet full of meat, dairy, and processed foods is a harmful diet that leads to disease. And, as you read on, you will learn even more about the toxins in these foods that are preventing you from experiencing the health that you desire. From pesticide-ridden foods to environmental pollution to negative thinking, literally everything needs to be examined and evaluated for its effectiveness in helping you create a joyous, happy life. Before we get into a more in-depth look at these, however, I want to spend a little time speaking about what it takes to create health in the physical body related to what we eat.
What Can We Eat, Then?
You say, “Okay, I’ve got rid of all or most of this unhealthy stuff, so what do I eat now?!” And this is where we go to the healthy vegetarian diet. The healthy diet, which we will speak more about in the future, includes:
VEGETABLES of all kinds, including tubers (yams, potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes, etc.), root vegetables (carrots, parsnip, daikon, etc.), stalk vegetables (celery, asparagus, kohlrabi, etc.), leafy vegetables, including dark green leafy vegetables (kale, lettuces, cabbage, etc.), inflorescent vegetables, meaning we eat the flower of the vegetable (broccoli, cauliflower, artichokes, etc.), and fruit-like vegetables, meaning foods that we call vegetables but that are botanically considered fruits (a seed-bearing structure that develops from the ovary of a flowering plant such as olives, tomatoes, avocados, peppers, cucumbers, peas and beans, etc.), and sea vegetables (arame, kombu, wakami, etc.).
FRUITS, the best being apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, plums, grapes, or citrus fruits. Although the sugar content of these fruits is fairly high, it is diluted with water and released relatively slowly into your system as you chew and digest the cellulose-encased cells of the pulp. Bananas and other tropical fruits should be eaten in moderation by those sensitive to sugar, since their sugar content is higher. Similarly, dried fruits, including figs, prunes, raisins, dates, dried apricots, pears, and apples contain three times the sugar dose of the fresh fruit, and as such, they should be eaten sparingly.
WHOLE GRAINS, for example, are a good source. These include whole wheat, rye, triticale (a cross between rye and wheat you may be able to tolerate if you are allergic to real whole wheat), corn, barley, brown rice, oats, millet, and buckwheat.
BEANS and LEGUMES such as soybeans and soy products such as tofu, tempeh, and miso, as well as mung beans, lentils, azduki beans, split peas, black-eyed peas, kidney beans, navy beans, red beans, pink beans, pinto beans, black beans, turtle beans, fava beans, chick-peas (garbanzos), and peanuts.
NUTS and SEEDS such as sunflower, pumpkin, chia, sesame, alfalfa, chia, and flax seeds, as well as almonds, cashews, walnuts, pistachios, and pine nuts.
Let’s look at what a typical day of eating might look like. Starting the day with a healthy smoothie is one of the best ways to get the nutrition you need at the beginning of the day. Take your favorite liquidapple juice (if you do not have sugar sensitivities like in the case of diabetes), rice milk, almond milkthen add some chia seeds, perhaps some blueberries and pomegranate seeds, a little bit of almond, cashew, walnut, or pistachio butter, a teaspoon of organic coconut or flaxseed oil, and a tablespoon (of about 20 to 30 grams) of high-quality plant-based protein, from hemp, split pea, rice, or organic soy. Now you’ve got a full spectrum of what you need to start your day: protein, fats, and carbohydrates. Add a little bit of non-dairy yogurt (for probiotics) or some powdered probiotic for intestinal health and a teaspoon of vitamin C, and you are good to go—all the fiber, polyphenols, phytonutrients, and antioxidants needed for one meal. It’s a great way to start the day, and you can vary the fruits and the nut butters for variety; you can even get vanilla and chocolate flavored proteins or just add raw cacao powder, or if you are in the mood for banana flavor, just add a banana.
When you’re thirsty during the day, have coconut water with lemon juice (two ounces of lemon juice and 16 ounces of coconut water), instead of soft drinks, sweetened fruit juices, or teas. This concoction will quench your appetite, give you electrolytes and potassium, and doesn’t spike your blood sugar. If you don’t want coconut water, then some purified water with some citrus or some decaffeinated green tea will do the trick.
Have your major meal in the afternoon: try to include a little bit of sea vegetable (those from the Atlantic coast are best because some from the Pacific Ocean have tested positive for radioisotopes as a result of the Fukushima disaster), a little bit of fermented vegetables, and some starchy vegetables such as parsnips, kohlrabi, squash. Have beans or legumes as an entrée dish, served over brown rice or quinoa pasta, or as toppings to a big green salad. Then, in the evening, have your smallest meal, such as a bowl of soup or some salad. If you’re hungry at night, you don’t want to ingest anything that will keep the metabolism going, such as fruit or sugary snacks which will spike your blood sugar, or even a heavier snack. Instead, have organic popcorn, which will satisfy the appetite but doesn’t add calories and doesn’t affect your blood sugar. Eating before bed is not a good idea, as the food will sit in your stomach, which could cause restless sleep. If you don’t want food, then have iced lemon water; it will kill your appetite. This is even better for your body, especially if you want to reduce your weight.
The world of plant-based eating is so vast and astounding; you could spend years experimenting with the diet and not exhaust the possibilities. If you live in a multicultural area, which many of you do, visit different food markets to get a sense for what I am saying. Go to a Korean market, a Japanese market, a Chinese market, an Indian market, a Spanish market, a Caribbean market; you will find interesting and amazing foods that will expand your foray into plant-based eating. These cultures all have healthy foods; they also all have unhealthy foods. If you go to an Indian market, for example, in New York City around 27th Street and Lexington Avenue, there are several. I can guarantee that if you go in there, you’ve never experienced those particular kinds of smells and wonderful aromas. They might have 30 different types of lentils, and you’re used to one. Along the same lines, Chinatown will have 25 different types of dried mushrooms, and mushrooms are very important—shiitake mushrooms and maitake mushrooms in particular. Americans usually eat white cap mushrooms, and we don’t eat the medicinal nutritionally rich mushrooms, so go to the specialty markets to find those.
You can start by incorporating some into soups, or mix them into grains with other vegetables. I also encourage you to experiment; get creative and blend things that you know you enjoy the taste of separately (or in other dishes), and mix them together—that is how we expand our food experience. As an example, take some fresh tomatoes and blend them in a blender with a little ginger, garlic, fresh basil, raw spring onion, and a pinch of cayenne—that’s a phenomenal gazpacho! Add some chunks of cucumber and avocado for a heartier meal. Not only does this taste great, but it fills you up, and it's healing—kills viruses and bacteria. Purchase a number of vegetarian cookbooks that help build your excitement to the delectable world of plant-based foods. Vegetarian recipe books not only provide valuable information on plant-based foods, but they can give you hundreds of tips and ideas while helping you plan meals in advance.
A lot of these items can be cooked in advance. You can even make smoothies and juices in advance—make them all on Sunday, for example, and then freeze them into containers. The night before, place what you want to consume for the next day in the refrigerator; the next morning your juice or smoothie is thawed and ready to go. The same principle can be applied to grains, soups, legumes, or stews: cook them all one day a week and freeze them, thawing the night or day before as you go along; this way you don’t have to do a lot of cooking. Salad prep is so much easier today with our modern air-tight storage containers. Cleaned salad greens that are either blotted or spun dry with a salad spinner, with chopped vegetables (ones that do not decay quickly) such as carrots, cabbage, celery, onion, grated beets, turnips, rutabaga, etc., can easily be stored for a week in air-tight containers. If you want to add other fruits like apples, pears, pomegranate seeds, etc., or vegetables like cucumber, pepper, and fennel that spoil more easily, simply chop and add those throughout the week.
So it’s joyful, it’s fun; it’s exciting. You do all your food prep on one day; you do your food selection on the previous day, and you have meals for a week! The vegetarian diet offers a far greater range of tastes and dishes than you’ve ever experienced in your life. But in order to gain the full benefit of it, you’ve got to break the habit of just eating the same foods and especially the ones that are highly addictive and highly allergenic, such as dairy and processed wheat.
But when you do, you’ll find weight drops off easily and quickly. You’re also going to have more energy because plant-based foods are far more easily digested and assimilated by the body. Plus, it will not be constantly stressed by having to digest such massive amounts of food. Most people don’t realize they’ve eaten so much (in terms of quantity and calories) for breakfast that by the time lunch comes round, they still have breakfast in their stomach; then, by the time dinner comes round, they haven’t fully digested lunch; by the time bedtime comes, they have dinner, or a late-night snack, in their stomach—that’s why we have so much insomnia and indigestion. Eat vegetarian, lighter; eat less; eat living foods.
It really is simple on one hand: the diet should be 70–75% raw, uncooked foods, and 25–30% lightly cooked, so the nutrients are actually liberated—I will explain this next—and we can enjoy the experience of warm food. When you heat broccoli, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower, for example, you’re actually breaking down the vegetable slightly so that more phytonutrients are available to you. You can break down a vegetable or fruit for that matter in a couple of ways; I recommend juicing or blending and steaming or sautéing for a short period of time.
Juicing is important. Start with one fresh 16-ounce glass of vegetable juice or combination vegetable and fruit juice (with emphasis on the vegetables) per day for one week. The next week, add a second one, and so on and so forth up to six weeks; at the end of the six weeks, you will be drinking six glasses of juices a day, which will be flushing toxins, cleansing and purifying your blood, your kidneys, and your liver. During this process, your blood will become thinner, lessening your likelihood of having a stroke or heart attack; you will also become energized as your tissues become oxygenated, healthy, and thriving. So within three months, you will have lost weight, cleaned up your complexion, experienced more energy and better sleep, as well as improved digestion and elimination, to name a few. You will also have a new and exciting diet that you love.
Plus, in the ever-expanding world of plant-based cuisine, we now, of course, have younger, creative people getting into the field. With their youth and vitality, they’re bringing new passion to the field and helping to form new opinions about vegetarian living. They’re actually opening up vegan restaurants that have chefs trained in plant-based food preparation who are creating inspiring dishes with a wide range of tastes, appealing to both the eye and to the palate. We also have more raw foods being introduced to the health market that are assisting those on the health journey, and we have more gourmet frozen vegan dishes than ever before. So, today it has never been easier to find foods to support you in the vegetarian diet. At the back of this book, you will find some helpful resources.
The Importance of an Alkaline Diet
The internal environment of our bodies is maintained at a slightly alkaline pH range of 7.35–7.55 (anything below 7 is considered acid). According to Russell Jaffe, M.D., PhD., “When an alkaline environment is maintained in the body, metabolic, enzymatic, immunologic, and repair mechanisms function at their best. Maintenance of this state is a dynamic, not static, process mediated moment to moment by numerous reactions that produce acid products... For necessary reactions and functions to occur, our body must maintain a proper pH.” Jaffe goes on to say that “the acid-forming metabolics of stress and inflammation and of high fat and high protein foods are adequately and effectively neutralized only when sufficient mineral-buffering reserves are present. Mineral-buffering reserves are the gift that alkaline-forming foods give to our body. A diet that is predominantly alkaline forming is essential to the maintenance of sustained health. Most vegetables and fruits contain higher proportions of alkaline-forming elements than other foods... In foods containing large amounts of protein and fat, the acid-forming elements predominate over the alkaline-forming elements.”[22]
So, the foods that I suggested that you part with earlier in the chapter cause both inflammation and an imbalance in pH, both of which lead to disease in the body that over time leads to diagnosable conditions, some of which can shorten one’s life by a wide margin. The health situation of our nation’s people is so out of hand that the CDC has gone on record to say that for the first time in recent history, today’s newest generations are expected to die at a younger age than their parents.[23] This, indeed, should tell us that something is very wrong with the way we are thinking about health and how we are going about establishing and maintaining it.
This is what we are taking on in this series of articles—to provide you with the important information you need in a straightforward format so that you too can create a truly healthy existence for you and our planet. To do this, we need to reconnect to what is natural for our bodies, which, as I said, begins with the elimination of what is not natural. Let’s continue this conversation with a discussion on food processing, and then we will move to portions and how we learn to eat in rhythm and harmony with our body, thus controlling our appetite.
Alkaline-Forming Foods
To optimize prevention and healing of chronic diseases such as arthritis, the diet should consist of 80% alkaline-forming foods. In addition to most vegetables, some common alkaline-forming foods are:
Vegetables
Alfalfa sprouts, artichokes, asparagus, bamboo shoots, green, lima, wax, string beans, beets, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, celery, cauliflower, chard, chicory, corn, cucumber, dill, dulse, eggplant, endive, escarole, garlic, horseradish, Jerusalem artichokes, kale, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, okra, onions, parsley, parsnips, peas, bell peppers, potatoes, pumpkin, radish, romaine lettuce, rutabagas, sauerkraut, spinach, sprouts, squash, sweet potatoes, turnips, watercress, and yams
Beans/Legumes
Green beans, lima beans, peas, soybeans, sprouted beans, tempeh (fermented), and tofu (fermented)
Nuts and Seeds
Alfalfa, almonds, Brazil nuts, chestnuts, chia, coconuts, radish, and sesame
Whole Grains
Amaranth, buckwheat, millet, quinoa, and teff
Fruits
Apples, apricots, avocados, bananas, berries, currants, dates, figs, grapefruit, grapes, kiwis, lemons, limes, mangoes, melons, nectarines, olives, oranges, papayas, peaches, pears, persimmons, pineapple, quince, raisins, raspberries, strawberries, tangerines, and watermelon
The most alkaline-forming foods are lemons and melons.
Dietary Vegetarianism Defined
The Various Names for Vegetarianism
To most people, being vegetarian means nothing more than abstaining from the flesh of anything with eyes or a face, but people partake of this abstaining by drawing the line on what they will eat at different points. Some vegetarians eat dairy; some eat eggs; some eat fish; some eat varying combinations of these. Here are a few examples:
Total vegetarians or ethical vegans live on plant foods alone, eating vegetables (including greens, sprouts, and juice of grasses), fruits, nuts, seeds, grains, and legumes. This regimen rigorously eliminates all animal foods, including meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, and honey (because it is made by insects), and abstains from using products derived from animals, such as leather, wool, and silk, to name just a few. See page 268 for a list of popular products that utilize animal-based components.
Vegans abstain from eating all animal foods and dairy products, including honey, and live on the same plant-foods listed above; and depending on where they are on the spectrum, they also may not use products derived from animals, such as leather, wool, or silk.
Lacto-vegetarians include dairy products in their diet in addition to vegetables.
Lacto-ovo-vegetarians consume eggs along with dairy products and vegetables.
Pesco-vegetarians add fish to their diet. Such a diet is common in Asia where hundreds of millions live on rice, fish, and vegetables.
Pollo-vegetarians eat poultry (chicken, duck, game, and birds) but omit red meat.
The term vegetarianism has evolved to connote diet alone, whereas, originally, it was used to describe the lifestyle of someone who lived naturally, in harmony with their surroundings, and acted in ways that did not harm fellow humans or the animals with which they co-existed. The word vegetarian hails from the word vegetare, meaning “to enliven.” So, a vegetarian not only was thought to make something more exciting and vital, but to honor life through their every action. In its essence, vegetarianism is a spiritual undertaking, which we shall see by examining a brief history of the vegetarian movement.
Further, the term vegan was coined by Donald Watson in 1944, who defined it as follows: “Veganism is a way of living which excludes all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, the animal kingdom, and includes a reverence for life. It applies to the practice of living on the products of the plant kingdom to the exclusion of flesh, fish, fowl, eggs, honey, animal milk and its derivatives, and encourages the use of alternatives for all commodities derived wholly or in part from animals.”[24]
A Brief History of Vegetarianism
Vegetarianism has been around for a long, long time. In fact, in the book of Genesis in the Bible, Adam and Eve were vegetarians. And they were living in the Garden of Eden. What better recommendation is there than that?
More seriously, this first book of the Christian religion does advocate a decidedly vegetarian diet of fruits, seeds, and nuts. Genesis (the first book in the Bible) chapter 1, verse 29, says, “Then God said, ‘I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.’”[25]
While the Bible is one place to find ancient references to vegetarianism, other roots of vegetarianism are found elsewhere in the early history of the East. A number of ancient religions believe that a soul could “transmigrate” back and forth between animals and humans. A man may come back in the next life as a cow while, vice versa, a cow may in the next life be reborn as a person. This led followers of these religions to maintain a vegetarian diet out of respect for the animal life that might be housing human souls. Buddha later commanded, “Do not butcher the ox that plows thy field,” for, after all, that ox may contain the soul of an ancestor. Buddhism quickly spread eastward from India, becoming the state religion of China around 500 A.D. and arriving in Japan a century later. For Japanese Buddhists, vegetarianism included the belief that eating animal flesh polluted the body for a hundred days.[26]
While not every Eastern religion believes in transmigration – I will give a fuller exposition of this doctrine later in the book—vegetarianism is a hallmark of many of these faiths. In the Hindu religion of India, vegetarianism is founded on health standards that go back to the epic poem The Mahabharata, which states:
Those who desire to possess good memory, beauty, long life with perfect health, and physical, moral, and spiritual strength, should abstain from animal foods.
Jainism, another religion that started out in India, preaches nonviolence and abhors the killing of animals for food. Believers strive to move toward a greater purity, resembling that of higher beings, and they find vegetarianism is part of the life of these angelic entities.
Yoga, not so much a religion as a set of practices to help achieve a more integrated body and mind, arose in India and draws on the vegetarian beliefs of the Hindus and Buddhists, teaching that all life is formed and sustained through prana, the “life force.” One gains and sustains one’s life energy by eating foods rich in it, including vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, and grains. It follows that the meat of dead animals, which have lost their prana along with their life, is useless for true nourishment and should be avoided.[27]
Moving to the Near East and looking at ancient Egypt, where the state religion did not promulgate vegetarianism, it is interesting to find that analysis of the intestinal contents of mummies has shown that some Egyptians were also vegetarian. This group in Egyptian society has been named by students of the society “the eaters of bread.”[28][30] Much later in the Middle East, Mohammed’s holy book of Islam, the Koran, prohibited the eating of “dead animals, blood and flesh,” although, like the injunctions against meat-eating in the Bible, this prohibition was seldom strictly practiced by followers.[29]
Of the ancient civilizations that have been customarily (though perhaps not correctly) put as the direct forbears of Western culture, one, Greece, was named a place of thinkers, and the other, Rome, the land of warriors. Both these types of humans had a penchant for vegetarianism. Among Greek thinkers, Pythagoras pioneered and Plato and Socrates followed. What began as a green-eating policy coming out of religious and ethical concerns moved on to become in classical Greek society a full-spectrum belief that saw vegetarianism as natural, hygienic, and necessary for healthy living.[30]
Perhaps more surprisingly, the Romans, who were considered the warriors among the ancient societies, carried out their conquest of the known world with an army fed in large part on bread and porridge, vegetables, wine, and occasional fish. “The Roman army conquered the world on a vegetarian diet,” writes historian Will Durant. “Caesar’s troops complained when corn ran out and they had to eat meat.”[31]
While a vegetarian philosophy continued in the East, after the fall of the Roman Empire, it was no longer on the front burner in the West for the next 1,200 years since the Catholic church, which promulgated what was the dominant world view, did not emphasize plant-based diets outside of those eaten by a few cloistered orders of monks or nuns, such as those belonging to the Benedictine and the Cistercian orders.
However, the ancient teachings were revived during the Renaissance, which went in the direction of “back to the future.” In other words, the Renaissance thinkers and artists made major innovations, inspired by new translations of Greek and other old, forgotten writings. In this period, modern vegetarianism was born. This humanist movement of the Renaissance, which put the emphasis on humans rather than on god as the Middle Ages had, is the world view which still prevails today.
Along the way, some of the world’s greatest humanists, whether scientists or artists, were vegetarians, including such people as Frances Bacon, Shakespeare, Voltaire, and Benjamin Franklin.[32]
Moving closer to the present, while there was a general increase in meat-eating in the nineteenth century, partly because a growing fraction of the lower classes could now afford to add meat to their diets, there was also the growth of organized vegetarian movements. These differed from earlier moves toward vegetarianism, which had either been connected to religious belief, in the case where green eating had many adherents, or were the chosen paths of intelligent but quirky individuals such as Franklin. While the 19th century movement did have many religious adherents, such as William Metcalf, the minister who was mentioned at the head of this section, it now also had many secular spokespeople.
One of these was Anna Kingsford, a medical practitioner who devoted much of her scientific writing to the subject of vegetarianism. She emphasized, against meat-eaters’ propaganda, the physically empowering effects of a green diet. She reported, for instance, that the strongest animals in the world, including the horse, elephant, hippo, and rhinoceros, were herbivorous, eating only plant foods, and she drew parallels to the amazing athletic prowess of the ancient Greeks.[33] With powerful boosters such as Kingsford, in the US in 1850, the American Vegetarian Society was established. This remained a small but vocal movement in the 19th century.
In World War I, meat scarcity prompted scientists in the US to re-evaluate the national diet.[34] Forced to find alternative sources of protein, they worked to persuade people to switch to a green diet and began to discover the health benefits of non-meat-eating at the same time. Other countries that were similarly war-wracked followed suit. In 1917, Denmark, for example, asked its citizens to adopt a simple, meatless wartime diet based on whole grains, vegetables, and dairy products. The result was overall improved health and lowered mortality rates in the country.[35],[36]
The need for restricting meat consumption also arose in many countries during World War II. In Norway, the public drastically cut its meat consumption, turning instead to cereals, potatoes, and other vegetables. As it turned out, this new diet improved the country’s health and lowered mortality rates. As you might have predicted, these health statistics were reversed when the war ended and “normal” meat consumption resumed.[37]
Even though vegetarianism began to take root within the society throughout the 1960s, it was still closely identified with a countercultural lifestyle. Nowadays, it is more mainstream, attracting anyone who is sophisticated about health and social/ spiritual issues, and aware of the potential dangers of meat-based diets.
Still, meat eaters are the bulk of the population, and vegetarianism has a long way to go to once again become the dominant choice. To my mind, meat eaters are in a situation that can be characterized as “ignorance is bliss.” They continue blithely along consuming animals because they have not learned about the practice’s negative health (and ethical) effects nor tasted the joys of vegetarianism. I’m guessing that if a confirmed meat eater picked up a book such as this or heard a persuasive vegetarian speaker, that individual would think twice about loading up their fork with toxic and acidic meats. One thing that could possibly shift them in this direction is finding out that their favored meat myths, such as that about the necessity of getting protein from meat, have been completely shattered.
Vegetarianism Today
I’ve said that in the last 20 years there has been an upsurge in vegetarianism in the US. In this instance, our country is getting in touch with the rest of the world, where a plant-based diet is often the norm. There are a whole lot of people out there who do not eat animal flesh and therefore are technically vegetarians, but they don’t live anything resembling a healthy vegetarian lifestyle. If you live on breads, pasta, French fries, and ketchup, then yes, you’re technically a vegetarian—one who will certainly develop a host of health issues as you age. To eat a vegetarian diet does NOT automatically mean that your diet is a healthy one, and that is NOT the brand of vegetarianism we are promoting in this book.
Healthy vegetarian eating means getting the host of nutrients that your body needs into your body. This is the first step, after elimination. To do this, you need to eat the full range of fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, seeds, and nuts available to you. Some might eschew peanuts and pistachios, for example, because of their acidic pH, but that is another discussion. And as long as these people are eating other nuts, they’re fine.
As an example of a population of people that eats a vegetarian diet that is primarily an unhealthy one, take India, which contains over 1.2 billion people (roughly 17% of the world’s population).[38] The number of Indians who are thought to be vegetarian ranges from 20 to 42%.[39] The Indian society is, perhaps, the largest collective of vegetarians on the planet today because of their native religion of Hinduism, which deems the cow as a holy animal and therefore not to be eaten.
While these numbers and ones we would find in other less developed nations dwarf those in industrialized nations, even in the latter the number of vegetarians is growing. A 2000 Zogby poll found that 2.5% of Americans were vegetarian, while a 2003 Harris poll put the figure at 2.8%.[40] Today, a reported 16 million Americans are vegetarians or vegans, which is about 5% of the population. You will see studies later on in the book that speak about the number of “vegetarians” who do consume meat from time to time. However, my optimism about the growth of this movement is hardly dampened by this. Americans are now starting to get the message: If you want to decrease your risk of developing any one of the so-called “lifestyle” diseases (heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, etc.), eat a plant-based diet; you will begin reaping the benefits almost instantly.
As the number of vegetarians grows in the West, so does a vegetarian support system, including restaurants offering gourmet vegetarian entrees, meatless cookbooks, even radio shows and magazines produced specifically for vegetarians. Plus, dieticians across the nation are now increasing their support in rising numbers. From these facts alone, we can glean that eating a plant-based diet will only continue to increase in popularity. We’ve even invented other names for people partially on the path, such as “flexitarian.” This, indeed, is a sign that our population is becoming more aware of the benefit of a plant-based lifestyle and desiring to be a part of it. Still, there is a lot of confusion about what it means to be a healthy vegetarian, let alone what it means to lead a healthy lifestyle, all of which will be addressed in future issues.
First, we will take a look at the physical component. It is, perhaps, the easiest and quickest way to become healthier and more vital. I have seen this first-hand in coaching people for decades. When you give the body the essential nutrients it needs to function well, through foods that it can readily assimilate, you will be surprised and maybe even shocked about what is possible for you, in terms of healing symptoms, improving sleep, gaining vital energy, promoting positive thinking and emotional balance, and feeling alive and well in general. The body is incredibly resourceful and responds rapidly to good, properly applied nutrition. Some people realize significant benefits in their body in as little as three weeks.
After we address the physical aspect of health and healing, I will be spending time in the last two chapters of this section addressing the mental, emotional, and spiritual components of wellness. The American Psychological Association reported that studies show that your mind and your body are strongly linked. As your mental health declines, your physical health can wear down, and if your physical health can wear down, it can make you feel mentally “down.”[41]
Along the same lines, Professor David Goldberg of the Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK, reported that the rate of depression in patients with a chronic disease is almost three times higher than normal. He explains, “Depression and chronic physical illness are in reciprocal relationship with one another: not only do many chronic illnesses cause higher rates of depression, but depression has been shown to antedate some chronic physical illnesses.”[42]
To support the importance of this aspect of health, I turn to the APA, once again. This time, the study, led by author Sonja Lyubomirsky, Ph.D., of the University of California, Riverside, upended assumptions that success makes people happy. Instead, the study found that happiness leads to success via positive emotions. The report notes:
...happiness does lead to behaviors that often produce further success in work, relationships and health, and these successes result in part from a person’s positive affect. Furthermore... a person’s well-being is associated with positive perceptions of self and others, sociability, creativity, prosocial behavior, a strong immune system, and effective coping skills, and... that happy people are capable of experiencing sadness and negative emotions in response to negative events, which is a healthy and appropriate response.
Much of the previous research on happiness presupposed that happiness followed from success and accomplishments in life, said the authors. “We found that this isn’t always true.” Positive affect is one attribute among several that can lead to success-oriented behaviors. Other resources, such as intelligence, family, expertise and physical fitness, can also play a role in people’s successes... and happy individuals are more likely than their less happy peers to have fulfilling marriages and relationships, high incomes, superior work performance, community involvement, robust health and even a long life.[43]
It is important to note from the above studies that all of them speak about some aspect of physical health. So, as we bring wholeness to our personal experience, we build on our opportunity to affect the health of those closest to us, perhaps others around the globe, and the planet at large. To this end, we will start first by asking ourselves: how do we heal the physical body? Once we detail the answers to this, we will discuss emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being within the context of the vegetarian lifestyle, and how to put that to work in your life for the greater good of humanity and the planet.
FOOTNOTES
1 Lily Armstrong, “Carbon Monoxide Food Poisoning – what you need to know,” A Guide to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Accessed Mar 31, 2015 from http://www.carbon-monoxide- poisoning.com/article7-carbon-monoxide-food-poisoning.html
2 Martha Rosenberg, “We’re Eating What? 9 Contaminants in US Meat,” OpEdNews.com, (9/28/2013), Accessed Mar 31, 2015 from http://www.opednews.com/articles/2/We-re-Eating- What-9-Conta-by-Martha-Rosenberg-Animals_Animals_Beef_Cancer-130928-645.html.
3 “Carbon Monoxide: Masking the truth about meat?” Food & Water Watch, (2008), Accessed Mar 31, 2015 from http://documents.foodandwaterwatch.org/doc/CarbonMonoxide_web.pdf.
4 Kristen Michaelis, “Your apples are a year old,” (foodrenegade.com, 2013), Accessed Mar 31, 2015 from http://www.foodrenegade.com/your-apples-year-old/.
5 James P Mattheis, “Keeping apples crunchy and flavorful after storage,” AgResearch Magazine, (United States Department of Agriculture, October 2007), Accessed on April 12, 2015 from http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/oct07/apples1007.htm.
6 Valerie Liles, “List of chemicals used in food processing,” (Demand Media Inc, 2011), Accessed March 31, 2015 from http://www.livestrong.com/article/419242-list-of-chemicals-used-in-food- processing/.
7 Joseph Mercola, “Aspartame: By far the most dangerous substance added to most foods today,” (Joseph Mercola, 2011), Accessed March 3, 2015 from http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/ archive/2011/11/06/aspartame-most-dangerous-substance-added-to-food.aspx
8 Samantha Olson, “Coca-Cola spreads lies about Aspartame and dangers of artificial sweetener,” Medical Daily (IBT Media, Inc., 2014), Accessed March 3, 2015 from http://www.medicaldaily. com/coca-cola-spreads-lies-about-aspartame-and-dangers-artificial-sweetener-311300.
9 Coupon Sherpa, “Top 15 chemical additives in your food,” (Phys.org, 2010), Accessed March 3, 2015 from http://phys.org/news183110037.html.
10 Barbara P Minton, “The Dangers of MSG,” (Food Matters, 2010), Accessed April, 2015 from http://foodmatters.tv/articles-1/the-dangers-of-msg.
11 Kris Gunnars, “9 ways that processed foods are slowly killing people,” (Authority Nutrition, 2014), Accessed March 3, 2015 from http://authoritynutrition.com/9-ways-that-processed-foods- are-killing-people/.
12 National Cancer Institute, “Acrylamide in food and cancer risk,” (National Cancer Institute, 2008), Accessed March 3, 2015 from http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/causes-prevention/risk/ diet/acrylamide-fact-sheet.
13 Acrylamide,” International Agency for Research on Cancer, Accessed May 20, 2015 from http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Monographs/vol60/mono60-16.pdf
14 K Svensson et al., “Dietary intake of acrylamide in Sweden,” Food and Chemical Toxicology, 41 (2003):1581-1586.
15 Takashi Sugimura et al., “Heterocyclic amines: Mutagens/carcinogens produced during cooking of meat and fish,” Cancer Science, 95 (2004):290-299.
16 “Heterocyclic Amines in cooked meats,” (MedicineNet, Inc., 2005), Accessed March 3, 2015 from http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=47818.
17 National Cancer Institute, “Chemicals in meat cooked at high temperatures and cancer risk,” (National Cancer Institute, 2010), Accessed March 3, 2015 from http://www.cancer.gov/ cancertopics/causes-prevention/risk/diet/cooked-meats-fact-sheet.
18 Alice G Walton, “How much sugar are Americans eating? [Infographic],” (Forbes.com LLCTM, 2012), Accessed March 3, 2015 from http://www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2012/08/30/how- much-sugar-are-americans-eating-infographic/.
19 American Heart Association, “Frequently asked questions about sugar,” (American Heart Association, Inc., 2014), Accessed March 3, 2015 from http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/ GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/HealthyDietGoals/Frequently-Asked-Questions-About-Sugar_ UCM_306725_Article.jsp.
20 Jacque Wilson, “WHO-proposed sugar recommendation comes to less than a soda per day,” (Cable News Network, 2014), Accessed March 3, 2015 from http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/06/ health/who-sugar-guidelines/.
21 American Liver Foundation, “NAFLD Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease,” (American Liver Foundation, 2015), Accessed March 3, 2015 from http://www.liverfoundation.org/abouttheliver/ info/nafld/.
22 R Jaffe and P Donovan, Your Health: A Professional User’s Guide, (Sterling, VA: Health Studies Collegium, 1993).
23 P Belluck, “Children’s Life Expectancy Being Cut Short by Obesity.” The New York Times. Mar 17, 2005. Accessed 4/28/2012.
24 Stepaniak, J.”The Name Game: Coming to Terms.” Accessed Mar 17, 2015 from http://www. vegsource.com/jo/essays/namegame.htm.
25 Genesis 1:29.
26 G Mervyn et al., “Nonflesh Dietaries,” Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 43 (1963):545.
27 George Parluski, “The History of the Vegetable Passion in the Orient,” Vegetarian Times (March/ April 1977): 17.
28 SS Altshuler, “The Historical and Biological Evolution of Human Diet,” American Journal of Digestive Disease, 1 (1934):215.
29 “What’s Wrong With Eating Meat?” Amanda Marga Publications, (1977): 5.
30 “Vegetarianism: A New Concept?” National Health Journal 2nd ed., 1 (Washington: Herald Pub. Assoc., 1973).
31 Colman McCarthy, “Meatless Meals: A Change in America’s Menu,” Washington Post, 13 Jan. 1976, 19.
32 Hardinge, “Nonflesh Dietaries.”
The Healthy Vegetarian: Healing Yourself, Healing Our Planet
33 Sarrat K Majunder, “Vegetarianism: Fad, Faith, or Fact?” American Scientist, 60 (March/April 1972).
34 Helen Zoe Veit, Modern food, moral food: Self-control, science, and the rise of modern American eating in the early twentieth century (Chapel Hill, North Carolina: The University of North Carolina Press, 2013)
35 S Lepkovsky, “The Bread Problem in War and Peace,” Physiological Review, 24 (1944):239.
36 M Hindhede, “The Effect of Food Restriction During War on Mortality in Copenhagen,” Journal of the American Medical Association, 74 (1920): 381.
37 A Strom and RA Jensen, “Mortality From Circulatory Diseases in Norway, 19401945,” Lancet, 260 (1951):126.
38 “What’s the current population of India?” (Yahoo, 2007) Accessed from https://answers.yahoo. com/question/index?qid=20080104100147AAtFgok
39 Accessed from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetarianism_in_specific_countries#India
40 “How many Vegetarians are there worldwide - or, What %tage of the world’s population
is vegetarian?” (Yahoo, 2007), Accessed from http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/ index?qid=20070221074745AARnMgh.
41 “The Connection between Psychological and Physical Health,” Accessed from https://www. cqu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/57282/The_Connection_between_Psychological_and_ Physical_Health_slides_for_webinar_pdf.pdf
42 D Goldberg, “The detection and treatment of depression in the physically ill,” World Psychiatry, 9 (2010):16-20.
43 “Review of Research Challenges Assumption that Success Makes People Happy: Happiness May Lead to Success via Positive Emotions,” (American Psychological Association 2005), Accessed April, 2015 from http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2005/12/success.aspx.
Adapted from The Healthy Vegetarian: Healing yourself, Healing our Planet, by Gary Null, Ph.D.
Gary Null Show Notes
04-08-22
Zinc deficiency linked to chronic inflammation
Oregon State University April 6 2022.
A report published in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research reveals how being deficient in the mineral zinc results in immune dysfunction and chronic inflammation, which is involved in cardiovascular disease and other conditions. Emily Ho of Oregon State University (OSU) and her colleagues examined the effects of zinc deficiency in cell cultures and aged mice. The team observed an increase in the responses of the cytokines interleukin 1beta and interleukin 6 following the administration of an inflammation-provoking substance to human white blood cells known as monocytes. In aged mice, zinc deficiency was also associated with an increase in interleukin 6 gene expression.
Turmeric compound helps grow engineered blood vessels and tissues
University of California at Riverside, April 6, 2022
A finding by UC Riverside bioengineers could hasten development of lab-grown blood vessels and other tissues to replace and regenerate damaged tissues in human patients. Curcumin, a compound found in turmeric, has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and is known to suppress angiogenesis in malignant tumors. Bioengineers at UC Riverside have now discovered that when delivered through magnetic hydrogels into stem cell cultures this versatile compound paradoxically also promotes the secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor, or VEGF, that helps vascular tissues grow. When cultured with stem cells derived from bone marrow, the magnetic hydrogel gradually released the curcumin without injuring the cells. Compared to hydrogels embedded with bare nanoparticles, the group of hydrogels loaded with curcumin-coated nanoparticles showed a higher amount of VEGF secretion.
Exercise shown to release protein reducing bowel cancer risk
Newcastle University, April 7, 2022
Scientists at Newcastle University have shown that physical activity causes the cancer-fighting protein, interleukin-6 (IL-6), to be released into the bloodstream which helps repair the DNA of damaged cells. Previous scientific evidence suggests that more exercise is better for reducing bowel cancer risk as the more physical activitypeople do, the lower their chances of getting it. When exercise is repeated multiple times each week over an extended period, cancer-fighting substances—such as IL-6—released into the bloodstream have the opportunity to interact with abnormal cells, repairing their DNA and reducing growth into cancer.”
Ginkgo biloba Extract Improves ADHD Symptoms in Children
University of Tübingen’s Center for Medicine (Germany), April 6, 2022
Ginkgo’s usefulness for children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder has now been confirmed by a clinical study from Germany. This is supported by previous research showing Ginkgo’s effects on cognition among the elderly. Researchers tested a Ginkgo biloba extract called EGb761 on 20 children diagnosed with ADHD in an open clinical protocol. The children were given the Ginkgo extract for three to five weeks at a dosage of up to 240 milligrams. This maximum dosage was given to those children who did not have immediate effective responses to a lower dose over the initial period of three weeks. The researchers found that the Ginkgo extract improved ADHD symptoms among the children. This improvement corresponded with improved Contingent negative variation (CNV) testing results.
Pomegranate-date cocktail a day keeps the doctor away
Technion-Israel Institute of Technology , April 6, 2022
Glorious, red pomegranates and their Middle Eastern sister, luscious toffee-like dates, are delicious, increasingly trendy, and healthy to boot. As it turns out, when consumed together they are a winning combination in the war against heart disease. Just half a glass of pomegranate juice a day with a handful of dates can do the trick! A team of researchers at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology has discovered that the combination of pomegranate juice and dates along with their pits provide maximum protection against atherosclerosis (plaque buildup or hardening of the arteries), which can cause a heart attack or stroke. Pomegranate juice, rich in polyphenolic antioxidants (derived from plants), has been shown to most significantly reduce oxidative stress. Dates, which are rich sources of phenolic radical scavenger antioxidants, also inhibit the oxidation of LDL (the so-called “bad cholesterol”) and stimulate the removal of cholesterol from lipid-laden arterial cells.
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Recipe for Spicy Peanut Sauce
Yield: 2 servings
¼ cup all natural peanut butter
1 tablespoon tahini
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 drops hot chili oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
⅓ cup hot water as needed
1 tablespoon chives, minced, for garnish
Combine peanut butter, tahini, garlic, lime juice, chili oil, apple cider vinegar in a blender or food processor and run until smooth.
Add hot water as necessary to achieve desired consistency.
Garnish with chives.
Serve over cooked noodles or with assorted raw vegetables.
Snack Suggestion: Make spring roll wraps by reconstituting wrap in a bit of warm water for 20-30 seconds, adding avocado, shredded cabbage and carrot, basil and chopped peanuts. Roll and dip in sauce.
Tahini is high in fat, but it does not contain cholesterol. It is also high in manganese, which is helpful in nerve and brain health. Most importantly, tahini is a solid source of copper--a mineral that has anti-inflammatory properties.
From: Anti-Arthritis Anti-Inflammation Cookbook: Healing Through Natural Foods. By Gary Null, PhD. Essential Publishing
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An internationally renowned expert in the field of health and nutrition, Gary Null, Ph.D is the author of over 70 best-selling books on healthy living and the director of over 100 critically acclaimed full-feature documentary films on natural health, self-empowerment and the environment. He is the host of ‘The Progressive Commentary Hour” and “The Gary Null Show”, the country’s longest running nationally syndicated health radio talk show which can be heard daily on here on the Progressive Radio Network.
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