Talking Plant-Based Nutrition in Hawaii

I just got back from a trip of a lifetime! My adventures took me to the lush, tropical islands of Hawaii. I was fortunate enough to speak twice while there, thanks to the Vegetarian Society of Hawaii.

My first talk was on the island of Oahu, home of the capital of Hawaii—Honolulu. My next presentation was on the second largest of the Hawaiian Islands—Maui. Both events were received with open arms and enthusiasm by everyone in attendance. You can watch my presentation at the end of this article too, but before that a quick recap of my trip.

Meeting Plant-Based Celebrities

My adventures to the Hawaiian Islands included rubbing shoulders with celebrities—Plant-based celebrities that is. I had the distinct honor of meeting Dr. Bill Harris and Dr. Ruth Heidrich. I also bumped into Chef Will, otherwise known as The Vegan Diet Guy.

William Harris, MD

Dr. Harris is a retired emergency room physician who has been vegetarian (later turning vegan) since before anybody even knew what those words meant! He started eating this way back in the 1950’s, long before graduating medical school. Dr. Harris knew all too well the power of plants on the human body before becoming a doctor. I thoroughly enjoyed his stories, decorating his distinguished career in medicine and beyond. What a special leader he has been to others and myself in this field.

Ruth Heidrich, PhD and
Dustin Rudolph, PharmD

Dr. Heidrich’s story began when she was diagnosed with breast cancer over forty years ago. She treated and reversed her breast cancer by adopting the McDougall starch-based, plant-based (vegan) diet. She opted for a life of competing in grueling Ironman Triathlons and eating healthy plant-based foods instead of toxic chemotherapy and radiation. And she’s never looked back, taking home medal after medal in her competitive racing career, which is still going on today. I was lucky enough to receive a signed copy of her book too, A Race For Life, detailing her entire story.

Another amazing story Ruth told me was of a day that will live in American infamy for generations to come. December 7^th, 1941, the day Japanese warplanes swarmed over the island of Oahu destroying the American naval base of Pearl Harbor. Over 2,300 people lost their lives that day. Ruth was there, living on the island at the time, and spoke of how frightening it was to hear bombs exploding and chaos erupting very near to her. I was fortunate enough to be able to visit Pearl Harbor during my trip, and will never forget the chilling feeling it gave me to see all those scary moments of American history.

Chef Will and Dustin Rudolph, PharmD

Last but not least, I also got to meet Chef Will, founder of VeganDietGuy.com. I had corresponded many times with Will over email during the years, as we both are passionate about plant-based nutrition. Will is full of energy and dedicated to spreading the message of plant-based nutrition and all its wonderful benefits. He is also full of talent when it comes to making delicious raw vegan dishes.

Enjoying Hawaiian Plant-Based Cuisine

Of course I couldn’t go all the way to Hawaii without exploring the local veg-friendly cafes and restaurants.

First up… Honolulu

1) Down to Earth

First on the list was Down to Earth, located near downtown Honolulu. Down to Earth is a quaint, little natural food market, with a small veg-friendly café inside. The local vegetarians and vegans rave about it, as did some FL friends of mine, so I had to check it out. They made wonderful wraps for lunch, including a favorite of mine – Avocado wrap filled with fresh sprouts, tomatoes, red onion, sliced avocados, and their special in-house dressing.

2) Greens and Vines

My next stop was Greens and Vines, located in the heart of downtown Honolulu. Greens and Vines is a raw, vegan food café with decadent dishes. I ordered the Living Lasagna. Of course I couldn’t leave out dessert, which was Pineapple/Mango/Banana ‘cheesecake’. Both of these dishes melt in your mouth. I can see why they’re considered patron favorites.

Living Lasagna

Pineapple/Mango/Banana "Cheesecake"

3) Ethiopian Love

Lastly, the Vegetarian Society of Hawaii really went above and beyond as they held a special Dine Out event in honor of me being there. This event was held at the newly opened Ethiopian Love café in downtown Honolulu.

Sampler Dish

Ethiopian Love served a special dinner that was 100% plant-based just for our group. A variety of traditional dishes were served as a sampler all on one plate for each person. Just the right amount of spice went into each dish to give it that special Ethiopian flare.

On to Maui…

1) Veg Out!

Time to Veg Out! I found this little diner off the beaten path to the Road to Hana. I enjoyed their Rajma wrap, filled with kidney bean curry, arugula greens, and rice. They have several other plant-based choices too, as you can see on their menu.

Rajma Wrap

2) Maka by Mana

Finally, I visited Maka by Mana, a vegan restaurant with mostly raw food dishes. The night I went they were featuring a special of Maka tacos made with a hemp seed tortilla and filled with fresh sprouts, tomato leak salsa, and their special ‘sour cream’ made from the noni fruit. That really hit the spot. But I couldn’t leave without trying one of their many ‘cheesecakes’. I opted for the White Chocolate Cherry ‘Cheesecake’ and I’m glad I did. Delicious!

Maka Tacos

White Chocolate Cherry "Cheesecake"

Random Pics From My Trip to the Hawaiian Islands

 

Hiking Iao Valley State Park - Maui

Pearl Harbor - Oahu

Diamond Head - Honolulu, Oahu

Twin Falls - Maui

Leilani Farm Sanctuary - Maui

The Secrets to an Empty Medicine Cabinet Presentation

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by Dustin Rudolph, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacist

Check out Dustin Rudolph's book The Empty Medicine Cabinet to start your journey towards better health. This step-by-step guide leads you through many of today's common chronic diseases (heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer, and more), giving you the facts on foods versus medications in treating these medical conditions. The book also contains an easy-to-follow guide on how to adopt a whole foods, plant-based diet as a part of an overall lifestyle change, producing the best possible health outcomes for you and your family. Hurry and get your copy today!

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