I recently blogged about how important it is to cleanse between the full and new moons, so that’s what I did this month: armed with the how-to from Andreas Moritz’s The Amazing Liver and Gallbladder Flush. Without going into too much detail, the six days of drinking a litre of organic apple juice a day, before the the seventh day of the flush, were well worth the time invested.
I consider myself to be a very healthy gal, although my carefree 20s likely contributed to some of the toxins released during this all-important health-boosting cleanse. Also being around household cleaning chemicals, hairspray, dousing myself with the latest hip fragrance and eating animal products would have definitely added to my toxicity.
A day after the flush and I feel light, positive and have a mental clarity that wasn’t quite there before.
According to many religions and spiritual cultures, particularly Native Americans, Shamanism and Wicca, the New Moon represents new beginnings and is a great time to perform rituals and cleanses.
See my original post here.
Speaking of new moons, the actress who’s replacing Rachelle Lefevre (who played Victoria in the first two Twilight installments) is Bryce Dallas Howard (below). Bryce had been a vegan before switching to vegetarianism during pregnancy. She went vegan after watching the Joaquin Phoenix-narrated documentary, Earthlings.
So a quick trip to the supermarket to pick up some vegetable stock, turned into a marathon label-reading jaunt. I was shocked to see 99 percent of the vege stock included animal products — namely milk. What gives? Call me daft, but I can’t see any good reason for marrying these two products to make stock: I mean, come on, vegetables and milk?
A little investigating below eye level turned up just the gem I needed. Rapunzel’s vegan vegetable bouillon with sea salt (see below) boasts organic ingredients with no animals involved in the making.
This little trip affirmed to me why it’s so important to read labels with an eagle eye, even on products I wouldn’t have dreamed contained animal ingredients.
Dr Oz has dished up just the medicine for rotund Rocco, a cowboy whose diet of animals and junk food has put him on death’s door.
What is the medicine that is Rocco’s only hope? To follow a vegan diet.
A scan of the cowboy’s plaque-jammed heart, which resembles that of an 85 year old’s, shocked him so much that he’s giving up animal products to save his life.
“I can’t look back, I’ve gotta look forward,” Rocco told Dr Oz. “I’ll make the best out of a bad situation.”
While Dr Oz did well highlighting what many of us know (eating animals and animal-derived products is a death sentence), he misses the point by introducing meat back into Rocco’s diet during week four of the 28-day challenge he set for the cowboy.
The doc also recommends Rocco eat soy products, but should have mentioned soy needs to be fermented before consuming.
Despite these two not-so-wise recommendations, Dr Oz has put the attention squarely on the overwhelming benefits of a vegan diet — and that can only be a huge positive for people, animals and the planet.
Watch the show here…
1) Thou shall not preach. Veganism isn’t a religion.
2) Thou shall inform with understanding. I too was a meat-eater not so long ago.
3) Thou shall lead by example. Glowing complexion and a flat tummy. Check.
4) Thou shall ask for vegan foods at every coffee shop and restaurant I visit. Consumer demand creates supply.
5) Thou shall start an online diary to share all things vegan with anyone who takes an interest.
I became vegan about a year and a half ago. I skipped the vegetarian bit (although I’d given up red meat some years earlier) and dived straight into the vegan pool, to realise I’m a strong swimmer. But to swim well, I’ve discovered, you need to have reasons for doing it. In my pool, there are plenty of sharks to keep me on task. The more reasons you have for becoming vegan, the less it feels like a diet. The more reasons, and being vegan simply becomes a fabulous way of life.
Here’s the deal. Leading a lifestyle free of animal products (spanning food, fashion and anything in between) isn’t about joining an exclusive club. It’s also not a religion. Sure, when you have a solid understanding as to why going vegan is a great health choice for you and the planet it’s hard not to get excited. Heck, I’ve wanted to shout it from the rooftops (and to the nearest butcher) on occassion. But if there’s one thing I have learned on my journey so far, it’s that everyone is on their own path of discovery.
So what are my main reasons for going vegan? Here’s a very brief outline:
• I’ve been allergic to dairy from birth and never gone ga-ga over steak and sausages. Being dairy and meat free is the healthiest choice for my mind and body (and soul, but that’s a whole post on it’s own … stay tuned for that one);
• I believe animals have as much right to be on the planet as I do. It wouldn’t be right for me to take an animal’s life when I can survive perfectly well on all the other goodies God’s green earth provides. If it’s ludicrous to eat a horse, what makes eating a cow any different?
• The biggest cause of global pollution comes from the raising and slaughtering of animals. Being vegan is the greenest thing you can do.
• I understand that meat and dairy consumption leads to diseases such as cancer. My choice is to live a long, dis-ease-free life.
To celebrate whatever stage of your journey you’re at, here’s a delicious raw vegan dessert recipe from The Raw Food Chef. Yummo.
Pomegranate Cheesecake with Clementine Gelato
For the base
1c cashews
2T agave
1/4c coconut oil
2t vanilla extract
¼t salt
2t lemon juice
• First process cashews to flour.
• Add remaining ingredients and process again.
• Press into the bottom of 9” springform pan and place in fridge whilst working on filling.
For the filling
3c cashews, soaked for 1 – 2 hours
1c coconut oil
1/2c lemon juice
2T vanilla extract
1/2t salt
3/4c agave
1 1/2c pomegranate juice
1/2c beetroot juice (optional, just for colour)
• Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender under smooth.
• Pour on top of the base.
• Place in the freezer to set. Once it’s set, the cheesecake can be moved to, and stored in, the fridge until ready to eat.
For the Clementine Gelato
2c cashews
½c coconut butter/oil
¼c agave nectar
1t vanilla extract
3c almond milk*
1c clementine juice
2t clementine zest
Pinch salt
• Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth. Taste for sweetness, you may need to add extra agave if your clementines weren’t that sweet.
• Pour mixture into a rectangular container and place in the freezer to set. Once set, pass through a juicer with a homogenising attachment on. Alternatively, you can pour the mixture (unfrozen) into an ice-cream maker.
*Almond milk is made by blending 1c of almonds with 3c of water, and straining through a nut milk bag or sieve.
