Great Places to Find Vegan Food

Being a vegan has many benefits, but convenience has not traditionally been one of them. Over the years, vegans have often had to either eat raw food or make their own fruit and veggie creations. Packaged snacks and convenience foods for vegans were few and far between.

But today, it’s not so difficult to find vegan foods. In fact, most grocery stores carry a respectable selection of vegan foods, including some meat and dairy substitutes. Many of these items aren’t marketed as vegan, so you may have to do some detective work to find them. But there is help available online. PETA has a handy guide to vegan groceries on their website at http://www.peta.org/accidentallyVegan/default.asp.

Another good place to find vegan food is your local farmer’s market or produce stand. There you’ll find fresh, locally grown produce that hasn’t been touched by preservatives. Farmer’s market vendors also often carry sauces, dressings and other locally made items that do not contain animal products.

Health food stores usually have vast selections of vegan items. They feature veggie burgers and hot dogs, soy cheeses, non-dairy frozen treats, and much more. And these stores are no longer just found in major metropolitan areas. Most smaller cities have at least one or two health food stores these days.

You can also order vegan foods online. A growing number of grocery stores are now offering online ordering and will either ship your order or deliver it to your door. There are even some vegan grocery stores that sell online, such as Food Fight Grocery.

Dining Out as a Vegan

It wasn’t long ago that eating out as a vegan was next to impossible. Few restaurants had any vegan choices besides salad, and fast food chains rarely had that. While there still aren’t as many choices for vegans as there are for meat eaters, prospects have improved significantly.

Most restaurants have at least one or two menu items that are suitable for the vegan diet. And an increasing number have entire menu sections of vegan choices. Most fast food restaurants have salads, and some have other items that vegans can eat.

There are also restaurants that specialize in vegan fare. These are most often found in larger cities, but as the popularity of veganism grows, so does the number of areas where vegan restaurants can be found. You can easily locate vegan restaurants in your area online.

Finding vegan food is much easier than it once was. A trip to any grocery store will yield many options, and if you want more, chances are there’s a store nearby that has what you’re looking for. There has never been a better time to go vegan.

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When you’re doing the cooking, being a vegan isn’t so difficult. There are many items you can make at home that do not require meat or animal products. You can make substitutions to mixes you buy at the store, and you can find delicious recipes in vegan cookbooks. But when you walk out your front door, it gets a little more complicated.

It’s true that vegans have fewer options when dining out than most people. But don’t despair. Veganism does not doom you to a life of never going out to eat with friends and family. There are few restaurants where a vegan can’t find anything at all to eat.

Fast Food

Eating at a fast food restaurant is usually rather tricky when you’re avoiding animal products. Most chains feature hamburgers or chicken as the main menu item. One might wonder if there is anything at a fast food restaurant you can eat other than the French fries. Luckily, many fast food restaurants have items that can be made vegan with a few small adjustments.

Most fast food establishments now offer salads, something that was nearly unheard of in years past. Some only have side salads, but others offer a variety of options. These salads often include pieces of chicken, bacon bits, cheese, or other animal products, but most restaurants will leave off these items if you ask.

If you’re not in the mood for salad, you could always request a bun with veggies and no meat. Add some condiments, and it could actually be quite tasty.

Casual and Fine Dining

Most sit-down restaurants offer at least a few options for vegans. Virtually all of them serve salad, but you’re rarely limited to that these days. An increasing number of restaurants are adding vegan items to their menus, and some have an entire section dedicated to foods that do not include animal products.

Even restaurants that do not consciously cater to vegans usually have items that can be modified to meet your needs. Vegetables could be prepared without butter or using non-dairy butter substitutes, pasta could be served with meat-free sauce, and breakfast plates could be served with fresh fruit instead of eggs and meat.

There are some restaurants that serve only vegan cuisine. They’re not on every corner, but many areas have them. Such restaurants offer lots of variety in their menus, making them favorites of vegans who are tired of going through menus with a fine-toothed comb just to find something they can eat. Check the Yellow Pages or a travel guide, or search online to find vegan restaurants in your area or the area you’re visiting.

Eating out as a vegan might seem like an impossible task, but it’s not. While it’s unfortunate that many vegans do not have access to exclusively vegan restaurants, there are items at most restaurants that satisfy their requirements. And remember, if you’re in doubt, you can always call ahead.

Top 5 Foods that Flatten the Belly

When it comes to wanting to lose weight, most people are looking for ways to flatten their belly. This seems to be the trouble area for most people when it comes to dieting. There is a way to work at getting rid of that trouble area. You can workout and burn calories. Overall this will help you to lose weight but it will not target your belly fat. To target that stubborn belly, you need to change the way that you eat.

A link has been found between monosaturated fats and losing belly fat. Yes, you can eat a type of fat to flatten the belly. Monosaturated fats are found in different types of plant foods. You can mix and match these healthy fats to help you to lose weight.

The first food that you need to think about when it comes to a flat belly is nuts and seeds. The best nuts to eat are going to be unsalted. Some nuts that will work for you are cashews, walnuts, and pecans. Two of the best seeds to eat are pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds. A couple of tablespoons of these healthy foods will be a great snack for your diet.

The second food that will help to give you a flat belly is oils. There are healthy oils that actually help you to lose weight. Some of the oils that you can use for your diet are sunflower oil, flaxseed oil, olive oil, and walnut oil. One tablespoon of one of these healthy fats used to sauté some vegetables and you are on your way to your weight-loss goals.

The third food to use in your diet is avocados. Avocados are packed with monosaturated fats. They can be used in a variety of ways. Place some in your salad or on you sandwich to make your meal belly friendly.

Olives are another food that will help to flatten your midsection. It does not matter what type of olives that you choose to eat - they are all healthy for you. For a unique way to eat your olives, try an olive tapenade spread on your next sandwich.

The final food to be added to the list is chocolate. Yes, chocolate can be a diet food when consumed in small portions. You can use either dark or semi-sweet chocolate to get the wonderful qualities of the monosaturated fats that this food has.

By adding a serving of one of these five belly fat-fighting foods to every meal, you will begin to see your midsection shrink. A simple addition to your diet and workout routine that you already have in place is all that you need to have that flat stomach that you dream about.

Beat the Blues: Serotonin-Boosting Foods

When we’re depressed or in a bad mood, some of us get the urge to eat. But if we eat the right foods, that’s not necessarily such a bad thing. In fact, there are some foods that can help improve our mood.

About Serotonin

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter present in the brain. It is responsible for controlling anger, aggression, mood, sleep, body temperature, appetite and metabolism. When we’re depressed, our serotonin levels go down. That’s why some depression drugs are designed to raise serotonin levels.

But drugs are not the only way to increase the amount of serotonin present in the brain. There are certain foods that can raise serotonin levels. By eating these foods, we can improve our mood and outlook safely and naturally.

Using Food to Boost Serotonin Levels

Foods do not contain serotonin, but some do contain substances that help our bodies produce more serotonin. Tryptophan is an amino acid that is one of the most important building blocks of serotonin, and it is found in many foods, including:

* Poultry
* Chocolate
* Milk
* Spinach
* Eggs
* Crab
* Shrimp
* Pork
* Tofu
* Nuts

It’s important, though, to eat something that is high in carbohydrates with the food that contains tryptophan. Carbohydrates are needed to help tryptophan move across the brain.

Foods that contain Omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA, will also help improve mood. DHA works by improving the synthesis and function of serotonin in the brain. However, eating foods containing DHA does not have as immediate an effect as eating those with tryptophan. DHA is found in fatty fish such as salmon, tuna and mackerel. If you’re not a fan of fish, you can try products that are fortified with DHA. These foods will be clearly identified on the label. Try to eat foods with DHA at least three times a week for best results.

Foods with high levels of protein can block the effects of serotonin. Turkey, for example, contains tryptophan, but it is also exceptionally high in protein, so it may do little to improve mood. Similarly, when trying to boost serotonin levels through diet, it’s important to avoid eating other foods that contain lots of protein. All foods containing tryptophan contain protein, but if it is present in small amounts, it won’t negate the effects of the serotonin.

Going on a binge when we’re depressed is unhealthy, but eating certain foods in moderation can help us beat the blues. By choosing foods that boost serotonin levels, we can see effects similar to those of prescription depression drugs, but without the expense and side effects. So the next time you’re feeling out of sorts, grab a snack that contains tryptophan and carbohydrates.

Snap Out Of Your Slump With These Healthy Foods

Do you ever feel in a bit of a slump and need something to give you a boost to help snap you out of your mental misery? No need to mope around like a miserable misanthrope feeling blue-here are some great food choices to help boost your mood and get you back in high spirits or at least perk you up a bit.

**Try Some Dessert- Yes! You read that right, try some dessert! Sugar soothes us when we're feeling stressed out ( I know that to be true and will take full advantage). But before you binge on a pan of brownies, cookies and candy, know that a little sugar may soothe you, but too much will wreak havoc with your blood sugar. So, as always moderation is the key here.

**Beans -Like most legumes, beans are rich in iron. If you're low on iron like many active people are--you can be tired and have trouble sleeping, which as we all know can make you cranky, cranky, cranky. Beans are great thrown in salads, over white rice, in a tortilla with salsa, in chili and soups.

**Bananas-Stress and the lack of magnesium are so closely related that it is a good idea for those who lead an active life to add foods rich in magnesium, such as bananas to their diet. Increasing the intake of magnesium reduces anxiety and makes for better sleeping.

**Oranges-Two glasses of fresh orange juice are enough to help say goodbye to some nervousness, bad moods and depression; lack of vitamin C, can make you irritable and cranky.

**Chocolate-Hurrah! Hurrah! Now I know it cannot get any better than this! Some experts believe that like many other foods sweet and rich in carbohydrates, chocolate can have a soothing effect; others, however, consider that the caffeine and other substances contained in chocolate could act as stimulants. I don't care why, I am just so glad to hear it! Ahem, moderation here though, again.

**Spinach and Lentils-Both Lentils and spinach are full of folate, a B vitamin that you need to make the serotonin that makes you feel good. Folate is strong enough to ease clinical depression, say researchers and low levels of folate have been linked to depression. A cup of cooked lentils provides 90% of the recommended daily allowance of folic acid-so try some lentil soup and be happy and healthy. Also, you could add frozen spinach and make a low-fat spinach dip, have a nice spinach salad or use on sandwiches instead of lettuce.

**Walnuts- Are a great source of omega 3 fatty acids-a type of fat that's needed for brain cells and mood-lifting . Also been shown to relieve mild depression. I love to eat walnuts as a snack but they are also delicious on salads.**Salmon-Salmon is also rich in omega fatty acids and canned Salmon with bones contains vitamin D which has been linked to possibly increasing our levels of serotonin- one of the key neurotransmitters influencing our mood.

A couple other remedies that I have found lift my spirits are physical exercise-take a walk or go to the gym and having an animal companion. My cat Jaap cozies up to me and all is right with the world.

I am going to start having more walnuts, oranges and bananas for snacks and incorporate spinach and lentils into my diet. Don't worry, I already have the desserts and chocolate covered. To feeling better!

Burn Fat With These Healthy Foods-Eat and Lose Weight!

Burn Fat With These Healthy Foods-Eat and Lose Weight!

I love to eat but do not like to gain weight so any foods that are going to help me lose or maintain weight are an absolute plus. The list below is a great resource as I religiously drink green tea, eat string cheese and nuts and really find that I am able to maintain my weight and feel full. Hope these help you out!

Super Foods To Rev Up Your Metabolism

**Tofu-is a good source of leucine-a friendly protein that helps you stay thin. Dietary leucine in tofu is an amino acid linked to maintaining muscle mass and reducing body fat during weight loss. I think that the extra firm tofu is the best so if you are new to tofu I would give this a shot first..

**Green Tea-has caffeine and catechins (plant nutrients) that might help raise your metabolic rate by up to 3.5 percent. So studies indicate that green tea may give you an increased metabolism, a positive effect on blood sugar and insulin regulation, and possibly the inhibiting of certain enzymes which are required for the processing of carbohydrates and fats. It is recommended to sip 32 ounces a day. I love green tea with a little Stevia-cold or hot!

**Lean Meats-are rich in protein, which takes more energy to digest than carbs or fats. Protein makes you feel satisfied too. (I'm a vegetarian but I refuse to be biased).

**Whole-Grain Cereal-complex carbs in the morning are a great way to fuel your body for the day ahead. I find that these also keep you fuller longer so you aren't apt to snack on unhealthy alternatives.

**Coffee-Caffeine speeds up your metabolism making it easier for us to burn more calories --- even while at rest, and coffee gives you more energy for a tougher workout that lasts longer, making it possible to burn more calories (if you exercise that is-I am still working on getting the exercise in).

**Low-Fat Dairy-it is packed with protein and helps build muscle and banish fat. Please keep in mind that due to all the bovine growth hormone in our dairy products I am not a big proponent of dairy unless it is organic and then I say proceed with some caution. Did you know that U.S. milk is banned in Europe because of the bgh hormone? Another scary food thought.

**Nuts-packed with protein and fiber, a handful (or entire jar a day in my case) at snack time keeps your body full. Anyone who reads my blog on a regular basis knows that my number one diet secret is NUTS. I love them and it is the only way I can stay thin. Long live nuts!

ref for this article from my mysteriously appearing Good Housekeeping April 2009.

Think Meat Will Help You Lose Weight? Maybe You Should Think Again!

This is the part 2 promised from my last post and is from Kim Klaver's blog (and my personal hero). As I mentioned before, Kim and Dr. Heidi ( I have met them both in my quest for better health and they are the real thing) are my amazing in their knowledge of nutrition and what works and does not work to lose weight and stay healthy. They bypass all the hoopla and commercialism and give you the truth.

Now not to get into my own personal thoughts too much (well it is my blog so maybe just a little) I would like to say that I completely oppose (find them the worst of the worst) factory farms which is where most commercial burgers and meats come from (remember I am a vegetarian). On a humane note, the animals are treated horribly (and horribly is a nice way to put it as I have seen videos that still make me cry when I think of them) and on a health note as you will see you are not doing your body any benefit by eating it. Kim gives you a healthier alternative for you carnivores.


Warning: These Meats are fattening.
by Kim Klaver

Most folks think meat is good if you want to lose weight. (90% - 208 - of 228 respondents said so on our recent survey.)

But alas...

Big Fat Surprise #3: Most meat is fattening.
Meats are not created equal.
Nor are chickens, turkeys, fish, eggs and dairy.

We compare two burgers: An industrial burger and a grassfed burger.

They may look the same, but one is fattening and the other is reducing. Yes, assume you are eating either one WITHOUT the BUN.

An industrial burger is fattening.
Its grassfed counterpart is reducing.

Here's why the industrial burger is fattening. It has:

• An abnormal amount of total and saturated fat: 4 to 6 times more total fat and twice as much saturated fat as grassfed.

• Hardly any omega 3 fats – the type of fat that burns fat, like salmon has. Omega 3 naturally present in cow fat plummets in the feedlot – the longer the cow is in the feedlot, the lower the omega 3 content.

• Excessive amounts of omega 6 fats – the fats found in corn oil that are correlated with obesity and diabetes.

• High level of toxins: growth hormone, antibiotics, pesticides and genetically modified organisms. (Toxins are fattening. See Fat Surprise #4, coming soon.)

• In industrial feedlots cows sleep in deep piles of manure – a source of bacteria that may end up in our hamburgers. They are fed synthetic nitrogen, chicken litter, blood and fat products of other slaughtered cattle, along with as much corn as they can stand. Cows naturally eat grass, not corn. Corn messes up their digestive systems, causing all kinds of disease requiring antibiotics and other medication – which end up in our steaks and burgers. "A growing body of research suggests that many problems associated with eating beef are really problems with corn-fed beef ." (Pollan 2008, p.75)

On the other hand, grassfed meats come from cows that eat grass – food they’re made to eat and digest. They stay healthy, and develop ideal amounts of total fats and the essential omega 3 and 6 fats. Grassfed meats are a boon to folks who don’t like fish, because they provide the omega 3s that we prize in fish.

There are similar differences in the weight loss effects of industrial versus pastured chickens and turkeys, and farmed versus wild fish. I often tell my students that when they eat farmed fish, they might as well be eating a feedlot cow.

Other products from grassfed and industrial animals are also wildly different in the nutrition they offer.

Milk, butter and cream from grassfed cows can help burn fat and build muscle. They contain CLA, a type of fat that causes that to happen. (see Tom, 1977 in Robinson, p 20). Grassfed milk has 5 times more CLA than industrial milk.

Bottom line, meat lovers; meat shunners.

Industrial animal farming has spawned an industrial food syndrome epidemic – folks who are obese, diabetic, and prone to heart disease, cancer, asthma and arthritis.

The reaction against cruelty to animals and dangers to human health from industrial food has given vegetarianism new life. Even Michael Pollan who started out as an omnivore, advises us on the cover of his newest book:

“Eat food, not too much, mostly plants”.

But we need not throw the baby out with the bathwater. Instead, we say:

“Eat food, low carb, grassfed and wild.” And of course, eat real fat.

Great advice! Dr. Heidi has an extreme regime weight loss program that gives results and is highly affordable while keeping you healthy. Please see my last post for more information or email me!

Can Eating Fast Make You Fat? Slow Down To Slim down!

I have heard over the years to not eat so fast and not eat until I am completely full or in the case of me and chocolate, not eat until I am going to be sick ( I still do it every time which is why I CANNOT keep chocolate in the house). I do try to keep this in mind but sometimes find myself eating and eating and eating until I am so full that I do not want to move (why, why, why?). I found this information at the Daily Mail on how eating fast really can contribute to weight gain so I suppose that I should reevaluate my eating habits to help me slim down when I need it and feel better. Do you eat until full and eat fast?

Why Eating Until Full and Like You Are In A Race May Not Be Your Best Idea

A recent study published in the British Medical Journal Online first blames the couch potato lifestyles of fast food, larger portions, TV dinners and the demise of family mealtimes for contributing to the problem. Professor Hiroyasu Iso and colleagues from Osaka University, Japan, carried out a study involving 3,200 Japanese men and women aged 30-69 years between 2003 and 2206. Participants were sent a diet history questionnaire. Half of the men and 58 percent of the women said they normally ate until they were full. A third of the women and just under half of the men said they ate quickly. Interestingly enough, the group of participants who said that they ate until full and ate quickly had a higher body mass index (the scoring system that measures obesity levels) as well as higher total energy intake than those who did not eat until full and did not eat quickly. The men and women in this group were three times more likely to be overweight than those who did not eat this way.

Professor Iso said the combination had a “supra-additive” effect on the risk of being overweight-more than would be expected if each eating habit was examined in isolation. “If you eat slowly then there is some feedback from the brain that this is enough, and this helps you to stop eating before you are full”. It is speculation at the moment but it is worth pursuing and fits with modern lifestyles”. The article went on to further say that, “ These kind of studies are very helpful because they’re not about genetic causes of obesity, which people feel they cannot do anything about, but human behavior”, according to Dr. David Haslam, GP and clinical director for the National Obesity Forum.

Hmmmmmm…..definitely going to slow down and not eat until I am so full that all I do is complain how full I am.

Reduce Your Chances Of Cancer With These Healthy Tips

Cancer is one of those things that I don’t really like to think about happening to me or someone that I care for but the reality is that it is out there and since there are ways to help you improve your chances of not getting it I decided to post these tips to help lower your risk of getting cancer. For some reason I don’t see myself getting cancer (my friend Deanna says that I seem to think that I am invincible-I know that I am not but try to be positive) but one never knows so it cannot hurt to live a healthy lifestyle that may keep the evil cancer away.

Easy Tips To Keep Cancer Away-Healthy Too!

Obesity is a risk factor in six types of cancer. Consuming alcohol, red meat and processed meats like ham, sausage and bacon also raises your odds, while eating more fruits and non-starchy vegetables and getting more exercise lower your risk. Apparently these findings are noteworthy because a team of international experts spent five years reviewing all the evidence.

1.) Eat vegetables like baby carrots, a refreshing leafy green salad with some broccoli, tomatoes or cauliflower thrown in, red pepper slices and snap peas instead of eating chips, zebra cakes, and other fun yet not so healthy snacks.

2.) Eat more fruit- freeze grapes, make fruit salsa, warm up an apple with cinnamon and a bit of sugar. Add some berries to your diet-The anthocyanosides in blueberries are currently the most powerful antioxidants known to scientists and are beneficial in the prevention of all types of cancer.

3.) Have a nice relaxing cup of Green tea-Green tea is a rich source of a class of flavonoids known as catechins. Studies have shown that the catechins present in green tea are able to slow or prevent the development of cancer in colon, liver, breast, and prostate cells. Oh how I love my green tea!

4.) Have whole grains whenever possible-Whole grains contain a variety of anti-cancer compounds, including fiber, antioxidants, and phytoestrogens. When eaten as part of a balanced diet, whole grains can help decrease the risk of developing most types of cancer.

5.)Don't count on vitamin supplements to protect you against cancer; in some cases, they may even increase your risk. Visit http://www.howsafeisyourvitamin.com/ for a free report on what really is in vitamins.
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6.) Don't Smoke- "The single most important agent that has been unequivocally linked to cancer is cigarette smoking." It is very ,very compelling:lung cancer, cancer of the throat, tongue,bladder,stomach and lips.

Once again many of the same foods keep recurring for good health, burning fat, helping you sleep, and now fighting diseases. Thanks for stopping by.

P.S. I have had several people ask me my favorite green tea and I will tell you it is Tazo Zen green tea. It is a nice smooth tea with spearmint and lemongrass (I am not getting paid to say this). I have tried what feels like a hundred different ones and to be honest (I hate to admit this) completely was disgusted witht the green tea taste. The ones with fruit taste added made me want to spit (although I drank them all it was a true effort to get it down) and then the plain ones bored me but then this one FINALLY came along and I can drink at least 5 or more cups a day and love it (it smells really good too). What is your favorite green tea or try the Tazo and let me know what you think (I get it at the grocery store-Target-and it is only about $3.00 for 20 bags-so affordable). And as always I am way, way, way behind on my commenting and dropping of entrecards but trying to catch up so hang in there with me if you will. I always pop back up somewhere.

Health Benefits of Sex (why do I have a hard time typing that word?), Vita-Mix And More All Coming Up

Just to let all you all know that I have not fallen off the earth and am currently working on my Vita-Mix post and (okay I still get nervous discussing this publicly) a post on the health benefits of sex. I saw an article and was completely amazed at all the benefits of sex (heart, prostate, bones, immunity, mood, longevity, fertility and more). Normally I would not write on this subject because you never know who is going to get all riled up over it but the benefits outweighed my fear of offending anyone and we are all adults here so I think it should be okay (oh my, I am blushing even typing the word sex-okay I am 40 not 16-I need to get with the program-sorry but growing up we NEVER discussed such things and if you did you would probably well who knows since it was not discussed-ahhhhh-stop blushing-so ridiculous). So, that is what I have coming up hopefully tomorrow. Until then……