New Label for Foodies - Pegan

Any ideas what this might be?  To give you a clue, other labels can include Pescetarian - those who only eat fish and no other animal - or Fruitarians who eat only raw fruit and seeds.  (for more labels of which I'm going to have to add Pegan on the next publication check out my book Why Be Vegetarian …. end plug for book).

So a new label has come into being originating from Dr. Mark Hyman and it's the joining of Paleo and Vegan diets.

Whoa!  Didn't think you'd be able to join those two together as I thought that Paleo needed meat, but apparently not.  Go figure!

His article is a very interesting read, and, if you're into nutrition then I'd suggest you read it -
Pegan Article

VEGAN FOOD

If you don't want to, then I'll give you the main points.

• Vegan and Paleo are very similar as both focus on real, whole, fresh food that is sustainably raised.
• Both shun dairy.
• Paleos do not eat legumes or grains - Vegans do.
• Paleos do eat meat - Vegans don't.

However, Dr Hyman suggests that for the grains, stick to small portions of low glycemic grains like black rice or quinoa.
Beans are great, but again, stick to small amounts - about 1 cup a day is ample - (more than I'd eat.)

Although he's not against eating sustainably raised, clean meat, whereas vegans won't touch it, he does concede that meat does put pressure on the planet …. which it does.

PALEO FOOD

He goes on to to say eggs no longer have the impact on cholesterol as once thought, so they're fine.  Again a no no for the Vegans. 

Then adds that fish, even though you should worry about the mercury that is now abounding through all fish, eat fat rich fish such as sardines or wild salmon to get omega 3.  He fails to tell you that for omega 3 you can get eat flax seeds, chia seeds, hemp seed, mustard oil, seaweed, beans (mungo beans the best) and the list goes on.

Just as an aside:  Wild rice should be a staple for all vegetarians and vegans. One cup cooked delivers lots of iron, protein, fiber, magnesium, zinc, and manganese. You’ll also get 156mg Omega 3 while only taking in 195mg of Omega 6.

Sorry, had to get that off my chest.  Back to Dr Hyman.

He says "…Looking at the research it is easy to get confused. Vegan diet studies show they help with weight loss, reverse diabetes and lower cholesterol.  Paleo diets seem to do the same thing…."

From what I can glean from his article, he's saying that a vegan diet is fabulous, but if you don't want to go vegan then a little bit of Paleo added to it works too = Pegan.

THAT'S A VEGGIE BURGER THERE = PEGAN!

All the above has been written from a dietary point of view only .... being vegan encompasses more than just diet and, even if you go vegan for health reasons, you'll soon discover just how much the animals and planet are benefiting from your choice.

Personally I will stick with being vegan.

Earthquake in Nepal.

Many New Zealanders have such a close bond with Nepal regardless of whether they have been there or not.  This is due to one of our great explorers/adventurers Sir Edmund Hillary.  So when the news of the devastating earthquake reached us, we, as a nation poured out our love to the people there.

I also want to commend the N.Z. team of search and rescue people who have bags packed (so to speak) and will be ready to go if they are needed.

According to the Nepal members of the Humane Society, animals, including large carnivores such as lions and tigers, at the Central Zoo in Kathmandu are believed to be safe.  However, because this has been such a disaster within the urban areas, several pets, street dogs and livestock may have been killed, injured or abandoned.

My heart and my thoughts go out to the people and the animals of Nepal.

Many Blessings

fee
website: http://thevegetariancenter.com

The End of The Line

I called round to catch up with a vegetarian friend of mine today and she told me that she had been on the Auckland (that's the largest city in New Zealand) motorway crawling along at about 30 km (that's under 20 miles) as one does during peak hour.  Add to the slowness, it is also Summertime here and temperatures are soaring.
Got the picture so far?

Lo and behold there right beside her was a huge truck stacked high with crates.  Each crate was packed with live chickens. 

"Well", she said, "some were obviously not alive anymore as they were lying with their feet up."
Most of the chickens had their heads bent and were in a posture of submission.
But the really sad part were their eyes.  She told me that their eyes were vacant almost like they were resigned to their fate.

Remind you of anything?

She was very brave to take the photo ..... I know it was incredibly upsetting for her to witness.

I'm In Vegan Heaven

Being vegan and going away can sometimes be a complete pain in the rear end.  Other times it can be a real joy.  Well, this time that I am away is one of those really joyous times as I am in an area that embraces veganism with a vengeance.

I'm staying with family in Northern California.  Not only am I enjoying my family, the beautiful countryside with the stunning redwoods, but I'm embracing the shopping and the super variety of choice I have with food.

As an example: Where I live, the supermarket offers alternative milk in the form of soy, almond or rice.  It takes up about two sections of the shelving which is not even quarter of the aisle and that's about it.

Imagine my delight at seeing almost half the aisle dedicated to alternative milks!!!! From soy to almond, from coconut to hemp and rice.  Sweetened and unsweetened, flavored and plain.

Couldn't get the entire selection in the photo

Then, in another area there is ice-cream.  Vegan ice-cream, vanilla, coconut, chocolate, peppermint, caramel and even chai … and these the just the ones I've tried!

Past another cabinet and, wow, there's Polenta!  and here's me, making my own!  How easy is that to have it ready made!  (Mind you, it's not that difficult to make Polenta)

 

Of course I do have to mention the cabinets of "ready made" meals, fake meats and fake chicken in a wide variety of styles and flavours....not all are vegan, but there certainly is a huge variety.  My home supermarket offers one vegan brand and one vegetarian brand ... the products are on three shelves, certainly not two plus cabinets!

 

Oh yes, I'm in Vegan heaven.  

The Use of Wool

This is a story about a little company in N.Z. supplying something that, as far as I'm aware, is not available in the big ol' U.S of A.

Well, it's not actually a "story".  It's just something that happened that got me thinking.

Five years ago, I went over to USA to be with my daughter for the birth of baby number 1.  Being a good grandma, I took gifts in the form of organic, reusable cloth nappies (diapers for those of you who live outside N.Z.).  Purchased from:  The Nappy Lady

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Absolutely BRILLIANT!

 

My daughter is extremely environmentally conscious and was absolutely over the moon when she got these nappies.

Along with the nappies .... oh, all right then, diapers!, I took her over a couple of pairs of re-usable woolen breast pads which the Nappy Lady had recommended.  They were AMAZING!!!

Now, she's having baby number 2 and I'm about to head off to be with her.

A panicked letter arrived yesterday

".....mum, where did you get the wool nipple pads?  I held onto those for a long time but eventually they were misplaced...Is it possible that you can pick up some more please?  I would like two pairs if possible...."

Now, what's a mother to do?  Duh, get the "nipple pads" of course.
First point of contact - the lovely "The Nappy Lady" who is always just so helpful.  She put me onto the right website: Breastmates

Voila!  Wool breast pads! 

and, on seeing these, I also found this The Mumdrop Wrap:  - Wow, such a cool idea, wish it had been around in my day.

Getting back to the Wool breast pads.  This now creates a bit of a dilemma and I'm wondering just how many of you will agree or disagree with my purchase.

As you know, I'm vegan - therefore, no animal products which includes wool, leather etc.  and this is where I come unstuck.

I would rather purchase a natural product like these breast pads, that I know from witnessing it last time how healing they were when the nipples were cracked and sore after baby number 1.

Any chaps reading this …. well, cracked nipples, breast pads etc… fact of mummy life.
 

Giving my daughter a product that is reusable, environmentally friendly, has been made entirely in New Zealand sits right with me.

I know that the sheep are killed once their wool life is over and for this I am sad.  However, as I have seen working wool farms 1st hand, I know that our farmers actually do go beyond our strict animal welfare laws and that we have banned the cruel practice of mulesing.  Now I realize that there will be some rogue farmer/shearer who doesn't give a jot but I know some vegans who don't give a jot about other humans....there's always a rotten apple in any barrel.

I'm sure there are other vegans out there who think like me.  Those of us who will recycle leather  and wool from op-shops/thrift stores, those of us who will consider the use of wool and lanolin for the healing properties they offer.  Those of us who know the healing properties of propolis that bees give us.

And for those of us who do think like this, we are grateful to the animals who have provided us with these things.

To finish off …. I'm also a great supporter of small business within my own country - God knows we need to keep small businesses alive!

If you know of anyone who is having a baby, please check out these two sites.

My thanks to Kate from The Nappy Lady and to Franny from Breastmates for the great work you are doing and for caring about our environment.

Movie "Surviving Earth" Review

Have you seen the movie "Surviving Earth" yet?  It's really very good and worth seeing if you get the chance.

I belong to a movie club (docos) and last night's movie "Surviving Earth" was definitely worth trotting along to.

We see and hear lots about the destruction of our planet, the poisoning, the impact of intensive farming and the pollution of our waters.  But for me this was the first time I'd really got into the energy crises.  This film pointed out just how we are artificially sustaining 7+ billion people through our use of fossil fuels.  It is everywhere - from what we eat to what we wear and where and how we live.

The "cast" is made up of Prof. Tim Flannery, Ian Dunlop, Prof. Ian Lowe, Bindi Irwin (who I was very impressed with) and Uncle Bob Randall among others. Directed by Peter Charles Downey it's an excellent film.  It's made in Australia and shown from the Australian perspective.  However, that's pretty close to the rest of the western world.

As for the remedy?  Yes, it does have solutions which is always a good positive.  My view is though, that the environmental crises we're facing is more that just energy.  We must also look at all the factors from economic to animals as food, energy (fossil fuels) to other factors of pollution.  Along with the chemical poisons, rain forest (and other) destruction, population explosion, wars and disease as well as our oceans and water ways.  Once we can understand that it's more than just one or two things, then, I believe we will have a better chance at starting the reversal process.

It's not too late - but time is running out.  Each of us must become aware, and we must start a "movement".  As it says in the movies, the politicians are not going to do it …. we must.

Educate yourself on what you can do. 

Strong Men - Vegan?

AWESOME!  I've just discovered that Gladiators - you know, those fighting men from the ancient time, were VEGANS!!!!  Now, this isn't current news, but it is to me.

60 Roman gladiators unearthed from a burial site in Turkey.  The tests that were done by researchers concluded that these men ate an exclusively plant based diet.  In fact the researchers actually used the V word to describe these gladiators.

(V=vegan for those who didn't get that)

Who says that man needs animal product to be strong ?????????