FAQ

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Where will I get my protein if I don’t eat meat?
For this let’s look at the biggest strongest animals in the kingdom; gorillas ( they are 99% whole food plant-based as they eat insects and millipedes etc), elephants, rhinos, giraffes, cows, buffalo, and horses. Do any of these animals look like they lack protein. No. There is more than enough protein to sustain a person on a diverse whole food plant-based diet.

In fact excess protein is a bigger problem as it can cause weight gain, constipation, dehydration, kidney damage, kidney stones, increased risk of heart disease and cancer and increased loss of calcium (osteoporosis). According to the plant-based experts a female needs about 46 g of protein a day and a male 56 g of protein a day. Dr McDougall, Dr Esselstyn, Dr T Collin Campbell all agree that you will get more than enough protein if you eat a diverse whole food plant based diet.

Plant-based sources of protein include tofu, broccoli, garbanzo beans, other beans, lentils quinoa and the list goes on. PS Do you even know anybody with a proteins deficiency?

Do I need vitamins and supplements?
You will only need vitamin B12 and maybe vitamin D. Vitamin B12 typically comes from animal foods because our veggies and fruits are very clean they no longer have bacteria on them. So you will need a B12 supplement. Make sure it is vegan. Otherwise it is derived from milk or animal products.

Vitamin B12 is used to make red blood cells and it is necessary for nerve function. if you don’t get enough you can develop nerve damage and anemia . It can also be found in fortified plant milks and nutritional yeast .

Vitamin D is mostly made when our skin is in the sun, but most people don’t get enough . So supplementing vitamin D is often a good idea.

What about oils?

Contrary to what you hear in the media ALL plant-based doctors believe oils are harmful to your heart health. That includes all oils, olive, coconut, grape-seed, avocado, sesame, flax oil etc. See www.nutritionfacts.org for the studies or any of the books from the plant based doctors.

What equipment do I need?
More than likely you have most of these items already:
• A good knife and cutting board.
• A blender or food processor.
• A nonstick pan, I really like my nonstick wok.
• An electric pressure cooker.
• Food storage bags and containers.
At first use what you have and slowly buy the things that you need as you can afford them.
Are soy products safe to eat?

Yes by soy I mean tofu, tempeh, soy milk (soy plus water not other additives) miso, edamame, soy beans. Medical studies show that soy may offer several health benefits, such as lowering the risk of certain cancers, it may even lower the risk of cancer reoccurrence. Soy may reduce the risk of fibroids, help with lowering inflammation etc. See www.nutritionfacts.org for information on soy medical studies and all other sorts of medical studies pertaining to whole food plant based eating.

I feel gassy and bloated?
This is normal it takes a while for you to get used to all the fiber, drink more water. Your body is detoxing, and your gut microbiome is not used to the fiber yet. HANG IN THERE. This is where most people quit. Please give it some time. The worse you used to eat before the more headachy, crampy and gassy you’ll feel. Those who ate the worst SAD diet before however also have the biggest results.
Why don't you list all the studies?
While I might discuss some studies from time to time. I defer to the experts such as Dr. Michael Greger at nutritionfacts.org and his book “How Not to Die” and Dr. T Colin Campbell and his books “The China Study” and “Whole”, Dr. Ornish Dr. McDougall Dr. Fuhrman etc.
Where will I get my calcium if I don’t drink milk?
Where does the mommy cow get the calcium to produce the calcium in milk? Well you guessed it from the green grass. You’ll get yours from vegetables such as broccoli, kale, figs, spinach, cabbage, bok choy, beans and many others. PS for bone health limit salt intake, don’t smoke and make sure to exercise (mooooove… sorry I couldn’t resist) and sure you also get enough vitamin D.

In addition the cows milk is made specifically for a baby cow. It is intended to build something that weighs over 1,000 pounds. It is high in cholesterol, causes intestinal and inflammatory problems for many people. Watch Forks over Knives for the gross details.

What is the difference between whole food, whole food plant based, plant based, vegan, and vegetarian diets?
• Whole food plant based (WFPB) is eating for health by eliminating, all animal derived food products such as chicken, beef, seafood, pork, dairy and eggs. It also includes the elimination of all processed foods, including oil. Often sugar, salt and flour products are also eliminated.
• Vegan is a political affiliation used for those advocating to stop what they believe to be animal cruelty in the food and other industries. Vegans, do not eat any animal or any animal derived products nor do they purchase other animal products such as leather and wool or beeswax. They however can eat anything processed, and still call themselves vegan. You could eat Oreos for breakfast with hash browns slathered in margarine, lunch have a “fake meat” burger, fries, vegan ice cream, and for dinner a vegan pizza. Vegan is not in of itself healthy! Vegan is an affiliation. Be careful, if you eat “vegan” it isn’t exactly healthy. Note however a vegan can eat a WFPB diet.
• Vegetarian are individuals that typically don’t eat meat, fish, poultry but still consume milk, eggs and cheese. They also can eat highly processed foods and can still be vegetarian.

Click here to see a chart

Do I need to buy organic?

No. Buy what you can afford. Buy frozen and canned to save money. But if you are worried, the dirty dozen found on ewg.org are the ones you want to buy organic (if you can afford it). The clean fifteen don’t matter.

What weird ingredients do I need?
Eating WFPB sometimes uses a few items you may be unfamiliar with, you need not use them if you don’t want to. Things like tofu, tempeh, edamame, raw cashews, nutritional yeast, chia seeds, miso paste, flax meal, some strange whole grains and spices. They will however bring flavor and variety to your meals.
What books should I buy?

Gosh I have them all. I would recommend the following books:
“How Not to Die” by Dr. Michael Greger
“The Starch Solution” by Dr. McDougall
“Eat to Live” by Dr. Fuhrman
And then depending on what your problem is I would suggest you get a book specializing in say: heart disease or diabetes or gastrointestinal problems.
For a quick intro watch the movie Forks Over Knives and Eating You Alive.

I poop like crazy?
Oh yes, the fiber will make there be more poops. This will subside, but I must be honest I still poop three times a day (I also no longer have a gallbladder).
What about cosmetics and other products what do you recommend?
I had all these oils and I stopped eating them so I started to make products with them. I make my own lotion bars, body butters, soaps, and shampoo bars. I will from time to time put some recipes up in the blog if there is an interest.

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