Make Our Food Work For Us

by guest blogger Jody Perrecone

Earlier this month, I attended Veggie Fest in Naperville, Illinois.  Not just for vegetarians, this festival drew over 25,000 people, had food demonstrations, dozens of speakers, and over 100 booths.

One of the speakers was Sara Sukumar, PhD, Professor of Oncology and Pathology and Director of the Breast Cancer Program at Johns Hopkins University. She spoke on anti-cancer properties in specific foods.  Here is her list:

What's The Best Plant-Based Diet?

Your health depends heavily on your lifestyle and, more importantly, the foods you choose to include in your lifestyle. Over the past few years there has been a popular and growing movement to transition towards a plant-based diet in order to achieve better health and trimmer waistlines. The science and evidence is certainly there to support this move towards a plant-centered diet, not only in terms of health, but also in terms of benefiting the environment and the welfare of all living beings on the planet.

Along with these many benefits comes many choices. There's at least a dozen or more different plant-based diets to follow so which one is the best? Which provides the greatest benefit to you?

We'll get to these questions soon, but first let's take a look at just a few of the popular plant-based diets out there to give you a sense of what's available.

Popular Plant-Based Diets

1) The Fab Five - The Plant-Based Pharmacist

I've laid out some simple guidelines to adopting a whole foods, plant-based diet and which foods to incorporate as part of this eating style at my website. This includes five basic food groups I like to call my Fab Five:

• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Legumes
• Whole Grains
• Nuts/Seeds

I focus on keeping things simple and including all of your calories from these five food groups. The amounts of each food group and tips on how to adopt this health-promoting diet can all be found here.

Main Street Vegan Radio - The Plant-Based Pharmacist w/host Victoria Moran - "2013 - A Healthy Start To A New Year"

I had the wonderful opportunity a couple weeks ago to kick of the New Year with radio host Victoria Moran on her radio show Main Street Vegan! Victoria Moran is the bestselling author of 11 books and hosts a weekly radio show on Unity.FM geared towards improving the health and lives of others and the planet by promoting a vegan lifestyle. She has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and was voted Vegan Of The Year in 2012! To learn more about Victoria's work check out her book Main Street Vegan: Everything You Need to Know to Eat Healthfully and Live Compassionately in The Real World.

In this segment, Victoria and I talk about a number of interesting health-related topics including:

• My childhood years and dream of pursuing a pharmacy career
• How America got itself stuck in the current healthcare crisis
• Big Pharma's role and influence in the healthcare system
• The best available treatment options (both conventional and alternative) used in treating some of the most common chronic diseases
• Which vitamins and supplements are truly necessary
• How to make a healthy lifestyle a permanent fixture in one's life

Athletes Fuel Up On Plant Protein

by guest blogger Jody Perrecone

Scott Jurek- six time ultramarathoner winner, Patrick Neshek- Minnesota Twins relief pitcher, Brendan Brazier-ironman triathlete, Mac Danzig – ultimate fighting champion, Martina Navratilova – 18 time Grand Slam tennis champion, Robert Parish – Boston Celtics Hall of Famer, Arian Foster – NFL Pro Bowl 2010 and 2011, Rich Roll - world champion ultra man, Billie Jean King – #1 ranking in tennis five times, Carl Lewis nine time Olympic Gold Metal winner and world’s fastest human, Dave Zabriskie – Tour de France winner, Timothy Bradley - WEO welterweight champion – what do these athletes have in common?  #1 - they are all world-class elite athletes. #2 - they are all vegans (don’t eat meat or dairy products).

Food Fight! - Overcoming The Social Stigma Of Going Veg

Being different isn't always easy and so goes the life of those who choose to be vegetarian or vegan. The choice of what one eats is very personal. Every single time one of us puts something in our mouth there's something deeply moving about this experience wether we realize it or not. Don't think this is the case? Try imagining going without your favorite foods for a month. Now imagine never being able to eat these foods for the rest of your life. Things just got a little more personal didn't they?

We've all grown up eating certain foods and developing certain tastes which have secretly molded our decision making process come each meal time. In America this may mean lunch served from a drive through window, a night out to your favorite seafood restaurant, or a plate full of meat and potatoes grilled to perfection during a backyard barbecue (this is how I grew up). So it's no wonder that if you decide to give this all up and adopt a diet consisting only of healthy, wholesome, plant-based foods things can quickly become a problem, especially in the social aspect of life.

Family, friends, and strangers alike will probably think you've gone off the deep end by making such drastic changes in your food selections. This happened to me and still happens from time to time even though I took the plunge over 3 years ago to this lifestyle. I'm here to tell you that you're not alone in your feelings of isolation and rejection if this is what's happened or is happening to you in your life. Nor are you destined to live a life of a veggie hermit because the rest of the world sees things differently than you. We all view and experience life differently. After all, it's what makes life so beautiful by providing us with uniquely different perspectives from our woven traditional ways. We can learn from these unique perspectives just as others can learn from us even when our differences are so personal and steadfast (like what we eat). Getting past these "Food Fights" is crucial in fostering loving, nurturing relationships for the rest of your life. My goal in this article is to share with you ways to make this easier so that you can enjoy all the benefits that come with your new food selections without sacrificing the social and loving aspects of your current and future relationships with the people you love most in life.

Healthy Eating While Abroad

by guest blogger Rob Toledo

So you’re completely prepared for your trip. Your bags are packed, passport ready, currency exchange complete… But you also happen to be someone who focuses on healthy eating. This can pose a bit of a problem while abroad, but here are some helpful tips before you hit the road.

Eating healthily while traveling abroad can present the same kind of challenges as eating at a restaurant at home. It’s just hard to know for sure how good a dish is for you when you don’t know how it was prepared. But there’s one big difference: in a foreign country, you might not have the language skills or knowledge of ingredients to be able to ask the questions you need to know, like, “Is this fried?” or, “Are these rice and beans made with meat products?”

Still, eating healthily abroad isn’t entirely out of the question, just as long as you get a little strategic.

Go vegetarian or vegan

Yes, this is probably the most difficult way to eat while traveling, especially since so many cultures view meat as a rare delicacy and a gift for visitors. But it’s very difficult to know where meat came from and how it was prepared. Better to stick to vegetables and whole grains whenever you can and avoid the risk of illness.

Know the most important lingo

Just like at home, the best way to determine whether or not a meal is healthy is to ask a lot of questions. What kind of vegetables does the dish have? Does it use brown or white rice? Look up key terms ahead of time, especially if you’re going to be eating vegetarian in a culture that’s heavily meat-based. In general, it’s best to stick to appetizers, which on a whole tend to be healthier and of smaller portions than main meals.

Get social

In some cultures, “vegetarian” can mean “there’s one carrot on the plate” or “we picked out the meat.” Even “salad” in Britain can mean something different than it does here; most often, a lowly shred of iceberg lettuce.Try reaching out to English-speaking locals on social media sites like Twitter ahead of time to run your phrasing past them. You can also enlist your tour guide or someone who works at your hostel or hotel to write out a more complete message to hand to the waiter.

Prepare your own food

Before you leave, look up staple crops in your destination country and research a few good recipes. This won’t prevent you from experiencing the culture if you seek out local recipes filled with vegetables and whole grains. In fact, browsing through farmer’s markets can give you a truly unique cultural experience. Fruit and vegetables are often available very cheaply and are a great way to keep your fiber intake high. However, if you’re going to be visiting a country with different sanitary habits than our own, go for thicker skinned veggies and fruit to avoid catching any local bugs.

Pack your own supplies

Before you leave home, go shopping for dried fruit, trail mix and energy bars made without hydrogenated oils. While none of these options are ideal as a long term strategy, they make a good tide over option when you’re in a bind. It’s also good to pack your favorite spices as an easy way to take that bland dish filled with random ingredients up to the next level.

Travel to healthy eating hubs

If you’re really set on healthy eating while abroad, travel to places known for their healthy cuisine. India and much of Southeast Asia can be a great option for vegetarians just as long as you stay away from heavy creams. And Greece is heaven for people who love their vegetables.

No matter where you go, healthy eating is possible, though do forgive yourself if you slip up once in awhile. After all, there’s no harm in embracing that local delicacy once in awhile, just as long as you stay healthy the rest of the time. When authentic local cuisine combines with healthy eating, there’s nothing quite like it.

Rob Toledo loves world travel. His ultimate goal is to have visited 100 countries in his lifetime. He recommends doing lots of research about a country before visiting, using a currency converter to avoid scams, and making sure to always have something a little healthier packed away in your bag to ensure the best healthy eating while abroad.

photo credit: Spieke (Wikimedia)

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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!

We'd love for you to join us in spreading the good word about plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine by telling your family and friends about our website at www.PlantBasedPharmacist.com. 

Share and rate this post below or tell us what you think by posting a comment. Thank you again for stopping by and until next time... be happy, be healthy, and live the life you've always dreamed of!

Balancing The Vegan And Athlete In You

by guest blogger Holly VicHammond

Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to commit to a vegan lifestyle and also be an athlete. Most of the sports world subscribes to eating a substantial amount of protein as part of a training diet. Protein ensures peak physical condition, muscular repair after workouts and success in a given fitness-related endeavor. Though vegan meals might take a little more planning, it is possible to be a successful athlete who does not consume any animal products. Plant-based eaters simply have to rely on a bit more strategy. 

Whether an athlete chooses to be a vegan for personal, ethical or religious reasons, they will need to pay special attention to ensure they’re consuming the proper nutrients to fuel their workouts. Many successful athletes and famed fitness trainers, such as distance runner Scott Jurek, television fitness trainer Bob Harper, bodybuilder Mike Mahler and football player Ricky Williams, choose to live a vegan lifestyle. Clearly it is possible for athletes to eat vegan, thrive and achieve great success in their chosen sport.

Oral Health And Plant-Based Diets

We all know that eating a plant-based diet abundant in fruits and vegetables does wonders for our health. The reduction in the three most talked about diseases in these regards are obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. All of them can be prevented or reversed just by adopting healthy eating habits but there's another great benefit to eating wholesome, healthy foods―superb oral health!

Following a diet of whole, plant-based foods has been shown to reduce bad breath, prevent gingivitis and periodontal disease, and even reduce the risk of oral related cancers. A closer look at each one reveals why this is so.

Beating Back Bad Breath

Bad breath, also known as halitosis, is caused mainly by the formation and release of volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) during bacterial breakdown of proteins [1]. Eighty to ninety percent of halitosis cases originate in the mouth due to the abundance of food particles left behind after eating. Bacteria, located within the oral cavity, then have a field day with feasting on these food particles. This is especially the case in individuals suffering from gingivitis and periodontal disease as these bacteria can be found hiding beneath diseased gum lines. However, the main stomping ground for these bacteria is on the back third of the top surface of the tongue. In fact, four times as many bacteria are found there than in any other part of the mouth [2].

The other 10%-20% of bad breath cases originate from sources such as infections, medication, kidney failure, liver failure, and pancreatic disease amongst other things. The putrefaction of food in the lower digestive tract is also a likely culprit in these cases. Sulfur containing gases from certain foods like garlic and onions can be absorbed into the bloodstream and make their way to the lungs where they are then exhaled through the mouth producing a foul odor. This odor can last up to three days after consuming such foods.

Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bites

Vegan desserts are notoriously tricky because of the substitutions you need to make for traditional dessert recipes to work. It can be difficult to come up with a dessert without eggs, milk, cream or other dairy products, especially if you aren't vegan but are cooking for people who are. Many people who are vegan are also health-conscious and prefer to keep their sugar intake low. Cooking a tasty but healthy dessert can seem difficult but isn't.

When you need something simple, delicious, healthy and vegan, chocolate peanut butter banana bites are a great option. Frozen bananas actually have a consistency and flavor similar to ice cream, but are much healthier. As an added bonus, desserts that only require microwaves and don't need any actual cooking or baking are always a great option when you're low on time.

For this recipe, you only need a few ingredients:

• 4 bananas
• 1 cup natural creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup vegan dark chocolate chips
• ½ cup unsweetened coconut shavings

For supplies, you'll need:

• 1-quart microwave-safe glass bowl
• Mixing spoon
• Cutting board and knife
• Cookie sheet
• Parchment paper
• Fork

Vegan Shopping Tips

One of the main fears busy moms have about adopting a vegan diet is that it will be too time-consuming and too expensive. However, as many Americans have turned toward healthy lifestyles, Vegan and organic foods have become widely available at local grocery stores. Because these are high-quality foods, they do tend to be pricier, but utilizing a grocery coupon for produce or organic products can help cut costs.

Where to Shop for Vegan Foods

Knowing where to shop can help you save a bundle on healthy, vegan food for your family. Here are a few places to consider shopping:

·         Bulk food stores - Bulk food stores, such as Costco, are a great place to stock up on staples such as whole grains and rice. If you're squeamish about digging in those bins after everyone else (I am!), note that many bulk stores have prepackaged containers of various sizes available, instead of the loose items.

·         Organic food stores – Healthy stores, like Whole Food Market, are a one-stop shopping paradise for vegans; however, they do tend to be more expensive than standard grocery stores.

·         Farmers' Markets - Stock up on fresh produce from the farm fruits and vegetables in season at your local farmers' market.

·         Online shopping - Online vegan stores are popping up frequently. Some of these are great sources for hard-to-find items. Even Amazon.com is getting into the food staple business, with attractive prices and free shipping for orders over $25.

Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet

When you hear the words "vegan" or "vegetarian", you may think of trendy people who disavow T-bone steaks and leather jackets and are ardent supporters of PETA. You may think of activists who throw red paint on people wearing fur. You may even think of yoga-practicing, granola-crunching hippies flashing peace signs. But what you might not realize is that a plant-based diet has many health advantages, and can benefit anyone regardless of age, gender or personal philosophy.

The Cure

A plant-based diet can reduce the risk of developing a number of diseases and serious conditions. Loma Linda University found that vegetarians are 36 percent less likely to develop metabolic syndrome, which is characterized by a large waist circumference and high cholesterol, glucose, blood pressure and triglyceride levels, and can lead to serious health problems such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke. This condition can drastically affect your life, making you less able to perform your daily activities. If not treated properly, these illnesses can lead to physical incapacitation to the point where you rely on wheelchairs and wheelchair accessible vans to stay mobile.

A vegetable-rich diet can lower your risk of obesity and certain types of cancer, as well as your cholesterol and blood pressure. This is because a plant-based diet includes more nutrients the body needs like vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, as well as fewer of the elements that should be limited like cholesterol and saturated fat. Additionally, vegetarians tend to eat fewer calories and keep a healthy weight.

10 Tips for Making a Plant-Based Diet Affordable

Plant-based diets revolve around produce and whole foods, with little to no nutrients coming from animals. For those who know where to find the nutrients they need, this does not pose a problem. Plants can provide all of the nutrients people need to remain healthy and disease free. Because whole foods are sometimes more expensive than highly processed foods, it may take a little research to make vegan or vegetarian diets affordable. The following tips can help lower your grocery bill when implementing this healthy lifestyle.

1. Grow as much of your food as possible 

Growing and preserving fruits and vegetables can drastically cut down the cost of buying fresh from the produce section of the store. Frozen and canned foods maintain much of their nutritive value and you are sure of what they contain. There are no additives and preservatives that you don't know about.

2. Buy in bulk when you can 

Many times, a store will offer a promo code or coupon for a percentage off if a specific amount is purchased. Buying large quantities and storing it yourself can prevent unnecessary trips to the store.

3. For convenient pre-packaged foods, try shopping online 

These companies may also offer coupons or discounts if you decide to purchase their products in bulk. Online coupons can also be redeemed for extra savings.

Vitamin B12 Supplements At A Glance

by guest blogger Boris Washington

What Is Vitamin B12 And Its Functions

Vitamin B12 is one of the most valuable vitamins in the Vitamin B complex. It plays an important role in the functioning of the brain and nervous system, production of proteins and red blood cells. Vitamin B12 is a water soluble vitamin and for that reason our body can’t store too much vitamin B12. This is why we have to take care of our vitamin B12 levels.

Who Should Take Supplements?

The best way to obtain the necessary doses of vitamin B12 is from food, but there are cases when people need to take supplements. This can happen either because they can’t absorb vitamin B12 from food due to some intestinal problems or diseases or because they don’t consume meat or dairy products. Accordingly, there are several groups of people who may experience vitamin B12 deficiency and need to take supplements:

• older people
• those who lack intrinsic factor protein
• strict vegetarians
• people affected with pernicious anemia
• people who use medications to reduce stomach acid

Movie Marathon - 20 Extraordinary Documentaries For Your Health, Our Planet, And Our Four-Legged Friends

There's nothing better than having one of those lazy, rainy days come along to fulfill your desire of becoming the world's greatest couch potato for a day.  While I wouldn't advocate doing this too often we could all benefit from kicking back and having a movie marathon once in a while.

I could think of no better way to spend this day than to enjoy some feature films that are not only entertaining and inspiring but also have the potential to be life changing.  So I present to you 20 sensational movies below that could literally save your life and/or make the world a better place all in one combo.  So sit back, relax, and check out these trailers/movies and don't forget to leave your comments or reviews at the bottom for any of your favorite flicks. Enjoy!

A Plant Based Odyssey

I grew up in the Central Valley of California in the 60's and 70's, and had a Huck Finn and Tom Sawyer sort of a childhood, filled with adventures in an area of the country known at that time as "The Fruit Basket of America." Thousands of acres of peach, almond, walnut, and olive groves stretched for miles in all directions, and I and my best friend often hiked out along the railroad tracks or canal banks into the country to catch lizards, snakes, and frogs or just explore and play in and around the orchards on the blistering hot, summer days we often had.

The son of a small business owner and an 8th grade English teacher, my early diet was filled with economically conservative-type meals like tuna casserole, hot dogs, burgers, chicken, pork chops, and other generally meat heavy bills of fare, some of which I resisted like it was deadly poison, much to my mother's aggravation. In retrospect, perhaps I wasn't too far off in my early assessment of this kind of food.

One good habit that I can really thank my mom for was that she always insisted that I eat some fruit every day, and was always happy to cut up an apple or an orange for me as an afternoon or evening snack, as well as making sure she sent me to school with something packed in my lunch pail or brown bag. Of all the dietary advice I received in my early years, that has been one that has stuck with me, and one that I have tried to pass along to my kids as well.

Going Veg - From A Pharmacist's Perspective

I was sitting in my podiatrist's office one day back in February 2009 waiting to see the doctor about my plantar fasciitis.  This was only my second or third trip to see Dr. Sal and little did I know that it would change the entire course of my life.  It just so happened that the health care debate in the U.S. was heating up right around this time and a copy of Time magazine was sitting in Dr. Sal's waiting room with an article on this very topic.

This was perfect to pass the time as I was always looking for information and different points of views on the subject.  As a pharmacist this topic really touches home to me because the health and wellness of others is my passion and its the reason I get up every morning and do what I do.  So I started reading away but before I could finish my name was called by the nurse.  It was my turn!  Isn't it funny how excited we get when our name is finally called in a doctor's office?  Anyway, I brought the article into the exam room and continued to finish it while waiting for the doctor to enter.

When Dr. Sal walked in he greeted me with an energetic smile and asked how I was doing.  He noticed I was reading and asked how the magazine was treating me.  I said "Great!  I was just reading up on all this health care stuff going on."  This in turn led into a very interesting and enlightening discussion as the two of us medical gurus went back and forth on the whole debate.  And then Dr. Sal hit me with it... "You know regardless of what legislation is put forth regarding health care it will never really get to the heart of the matter."  I was a little confused and not quite sure what he meant by that but very curious as to what was to come next.