Why Some Vegans Stay Fat

You think that being a vegan would help you lose weight but this is not necessarily true. In general a plant based diet that does consist of whole foods can help you lose weight over the long term but the key words here are “whole foods.” Many vegans eat a lot of sugar and fat to make up for the lack of dairy and meat in their diets.

Consuming a low whole foods plant based diet will help you to lose weight and the best news is that the more you weight the quicker you will lose it once you switch to a vegan based diet that does not include things like so many refined carbohydrates. Many vegans eat and drink their nutritious zero calorie fruits and vegetables and then sabotage it all by eating a lot of oily, carb heavy sugars and starches.

Avoid Carbs and Sugar!

If you are going to be a vegan, the optimal diet is a whole foods, plant-based diet that does not contain a lot of carbs or sugar!

To lose weight you need to go on that strict vegetarian diet or you could turn into one of these fatter non meat eaters.   Some people become vegetarian and then load up on pasta and pastries made from refined grains. These are what have become to be known as the junk food vegans!   Even though they aren’t consuming meat they are consuming foods that are problematic for them and that might even cause them to gain weight. This is why you see so many heavier vegans around.

You can be as vegan as you wants but if you never take part in any type of physical activity you could be incredibly fat after all. You can still be a vegan and be fat and soft because you have not been exercising. Exercise in combination with the right diet is crucial as well, or you will simply be an overweight vegetarian.

The third reason you may not lose weight is because you have a genetic disposition to be overweight. If you were one of these individuals, who are becoming more and more common in all races across the world, then it would not take much of a lapse in diet to immediately cause an immediate gain in weight.

Keeping Weight Off Is A Lifestyle Choice

The point is that keeping weight off is not a gimmick nor is it ever going to be the result of simply staying off of meat dairy. . It has to be a long-term life style choice that includes exercise... Choosing a vegan diet is choosing health and dispensing with long-term pain like kidney problems, cancer, heart disease, and cancer and joint problems.

Vegans are quite prone to the psychological lows that come with gaining weight. They often blame their own bodies when it seems that “even the vegan diet” is not working. The next thing you know they are back in a vicious cycle of eating junk food in order to self-medicate for feelings of inferiority brought on by the condition of obesity itself!

For more information or to book a consultation about anti-aging, diet and weight loss programs or any health issue you may be experiencing, visit the Pinewood Natural Health Clinic website that has a list of full services and products at www.pinewood.ca or call our Toronto Office at  (416)-656- 8100.  We also have an office in Pickering, Ontario at (905)-427-0057. You can also email us at info@pinewoodhealth.ca and we would be happy to answer any question that you have about our holistic health services.

Vegans! Make Sure You Are Getting Enough Protein!

One of the biggest concerns of vegetarians is getting enough protein. Thankfully most foods that exist have a great deal of protein in them. Foods that do not provide protein are alcohol, sugar and fats.

Excellent sources of protein for vegans include lentils, chickpeas, peanut butter, almonds, spinach, rice, potatoes, broccoli, kale and quinoa.

The following food vegan food suggestions meet the daily recommended daily amounts for protein for a grown adult male if eaten on their own:

·      1 cup oatmeal with almond milk

·      2 tablespoons peanut butter

·      1 cup beans

·      1 cup broccoli and 1 cup brown rice

Although strict protein planning and food combining to make proteins is not necessary on a vegan diet you may want to combine foods that they have a complete amino acid profile into one meal. Amino Acids are the building blocks of protein.

The amino acids necessary to stay healthy are –

·       Histidine

·       Isoleucine

·       Leucine

·       Lysine

·       Methionine

·       Phenylalanine

·       Threonine

·       Tryptophan

·       Valine

Animal proteins contain every single one of these essential amino acids, which is why meats and eggs are considered to be whole proteins.

Plant proteins are a bit different because they can be high in some amino acids and low in others. For instance, grains and cereals are low in lysine but if you throw a few lysine rich nuts or legumes into the mix then you end up with a complete amino acid profile.

As a general rule all grains and legumes are called complementary proteins because once combined you get a full protein.  Nuts and seeds are also complementary to legumes.

You do not have to eat these nuts and grains or nuts and legumes together at every meal. You just have to consume at least all of this once a day.

However if you do choose to food combine then here are the vegan solutions –

Combining grains and legumes to get a full protein -

·      Black beans and rice

·      Pasta and peas

·      Bread and peanut butter

·      Beans soup and bread or crackers

Combining nuts and seeds to get a full protein –

·      Seeds, nuts and peanuts

·      Hummus (chickpeas and sesame seed paste a.k.a. tahini)

·      Lentils and almonds

Both soy and quinoa contain all of the amino acids and qualify as complete plant proteins.  Soy is also sold as tempeh, tofu or soymilk. However of the two sources quinoa is a bit healthier as it less likely to be contaminated with GMOs. 

For more information or to book a consultation about anti-aging, diet and weight loss programs or any health issue you may be experiencing, visit the Pinewood Natural Health Clinic website that has a list of full services and products at www.pinewood.ca or call our Toronto Office at  (416)-656- 8100.  We also have an office in Pickering, Ontario at (905)-427-0057. You can also email us at info@pinewoodhealth.ca and we would be happy to answer any question that you have about our holistic health services.

 

Eating Clean is Eating Vegan!

There is a good reason that eating vegan is sometimes called “Eating clean.” Living Clean or Eating Clean as is built on the premise that “if you are what you eat then you should eat the best that you can.”

If you are eating dirty, then you are eating old dead food.  The more refined a food is, the deader it is and the worse it is for your physical health. 

Eating vegan means –

Eat live foods. Eating live foods means consuming fresh foods  Stay away from eating dead foods. These are foods that must be trucked from far away and are sprayed with preservatives, have been processed or that have been sitting around on a store shelf for too long.

Eating locally. Eating locally means that you are not going to eat food that is transported from a long ways away.  This also reduces your likelihood of eating a GMO food that has been altered not to rot.  Food that is not grown near you tends to be grown with more pesticide, is more at risk of being rotten or containing e-coli and is older so it does not taste as good.  Foods that are grown locally are fresher, have more nutrition and taste better.  When you eat locally you also help reduce global warming and it helps your local economy.

Eating raw. Eating raw means eating as many raw vegan foods as you can so that you can get the most nutrients from what you consume.  Most of us eat food that is heated over 188 degrees, which destroys most of its nutrients.  Cooking food also destroys many of the natural enzymes that are used by the body to break down food for digestion and facilitate the absorption of nutrients and the expelling of waste.  Old dead food that is processed, salty and stoked with chemical preservatives simply passes through the body with no real benefits.

There are a lot of benefits to eating raw and that includes more energy during the day and a deeper, more satisfying night’s sleep.  When you eat raw you can practically feel your skin healing itself at night.  You have more than enough fiber to keep your bowel movements regular, which in turn improves cell respiration and fights cell oxidization and aging.

Yet another benefit of eating raw is that you can eat as much as you want without becoming toxic or clogging up your system. You never have to go hungry because raw foods are complex carbohydrates that have a low glycemic index. 

Eating organically is another principle to keep in mind as you become vegan.

There are two great reasons to eat organically and that is that is your only assurance of totally avoiding pesticides and antibiotic-resistant infections. You also support local farmers and smaller agricultural operations when you eat organic; it is more ethical.

Finally it is also important to eat alkaline.  Eating alkaline means mostly eating raw foods with a low acid content. Bacteria and viruses cannot live in a highly alkaline environment and if your body is not acidic no disease can take root. 

There is a good reason that eating vegan is sometimes called “Eating clean.” Living Clean or Eating Clean as is built on the premise that “if you are what you eat then you should eat the best that you can.”

If you are eating dirty, then you are eating old dead food.  The more refined a food is, the deader it is and the worse it is for your physical health. 

Eating vegan means –

·

Eat live foods. Eating live foods means consuming fresh foods  Stay away from eating dead foods. These are foods that must be trucked from far away and are sprayed with preservatives, have been processed or that have been sitting around on a store shelf for too long.

Eating locally. Eating locally means that you are not going to eat food that is transported from a long ways away.  This also reduces your likelihood of eating a GMO food that has been altered not to rot.  Food that is not grown near you tends to be grown with more pesticide, is more at risk of being rotten or containing e-coli and is older so it does not taste as good.  Foods that are grown locally are fresher, have more nutrition and taste better.  When you eat locally you also help reduce global warming and it helps your local economy.

Eating raw. Eating raw means eating as many raw vegan foods as you can so that you can get the most nutrients from what you consume.  Most of us eat food that is heated over 188 degrees, which destroys most of its nutrients.  Cooking food also destroys many of the natural enzymes that are used by the body to break down food for digestion and facilitate the absorption of nutrients and the expelling of waste.  Old dead food that is processed, salty and stoked with chemical preservatives simply passes through the body with no real benefits.

There are a lot of benefits to eating raw and that includes more energy during the day and a deeper, more satisfying night’s sleep.  When you eat raw you can practically feel your skin healing itself at night.  You have more than enough fiber to keep your bowel movements regular, which in turn improves cell respiration and fights cell oxidization and aging.

Yet another benefit of eating raw is that you can eat as much as you want without becoming toxic or clogging up your system. You never have to go hungry because raw foods are complex carbohydrates that have a low glycemic index. 

Eating organically is another principle to keep in mind as you become vegan.  =.

There are two great reasons to eat organically and that is that is your only assurance of totally avoiding pesticides and antibiotic-resistant infections. You also support local farmers and smaller agricultural operations when you eat organic; it is more ethical.

Finally it is also important to eat alkaline.  Eating alkaline means mostly eating raw foods with a low acid content. Bacteria and viruses cannot live in a highly alkaline environment and if your body is not acidic no disease can take root. 

For more information or to book a consultation about anti-aging, diet and weight loss programs or any health issue you may be experiencing, visit the Pinewood Natural Health Clinic website that has a list of full services and products at www.pinewood.ca or call our Toronto Office at  (416)-656- 8100.  We also have an office in Pickering, Ontario at (905)-427-0057. You can also email us at info@pinewoodhealth.ca and we would be happy to answer any question that you have about our holistic health services.

Veganism Is Holistic Medicine

There are quite a few reasons why you should consider eating vegan at this point in time and one of them is that it is a holistic practice. Changing your diet for the better can heal a vast number of medical and psychological ills plus, because it is more ethical, you feel better about yourself because you are not eating meat and you are not leaving a large carbon footprint on the planet when you are gone.

Veganism Is Good Medicine For Some

Our bodies can change vastly for the better after eating a single in even just a few minutes.  That is why food is so important!  We really are what we eat and food really is medicine.  The reaction we have to some foods has an immediate impact on us, and it is so immediate for some people that it is  similar to ingesting a pill. If you are looking to accomplish a drastic change in health then veganism might be for you.  [1]

Most of us have experienced a change in physicality. When we eat a hot chili pepper, an immediate flush, sweating and a feeling of warmth can pervade the body.  In this way, just eating that chili pepper is practically medicine already. It is increasing circulation to parts of your body.

On the other hand eating junk food can put your metabolism under stress. The sugar in junk food can cause your pancreas to secrete high amounts insulin and cause a dangerous spike in blood sugar levels. [2]

According to research presented by Vincent Lee of the University of Calgary at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress the consequences of eating high-fat food can become apparent within a matter of hours. The study fed twenty healthy university students two junk food breakfast sandwiches that included processed cheese, egg and ham on a bun and found that added up to 860 calories, 1,500 milligrams of sodium and 50 grams of fat—roughly as much sodium and fat as an adult is supposed to eat in a day.  The study then calculated the student’s arterial health and concluded that just two hours of eating the sandwiches the student’s blood vessels had shrunk and were fifteen to twenty percent lower than on days when they hadn’t consumed any food at all.[3]

The Benefits of Becoming a Vegan

So what can taking good medicine in the form of good food actually accomplish for you in the long run?

When you eat a healthier diet, quit smoking, exercise, meditate, and have more love in your life, then your brain receives more blood and oxygen.

You also think more clearly, have more energy and need less sleep. Your brain may actually grow more brain cells. In fact if you eat a good diet your brain can actually get bigger in only three months. [4]

Your face will glow and your circulation will improve so that you show less wrinkles. Your heart gets more blood flow so toxins are eliminated from your body faster. You simply have more stamina and resilience against everything that your body must do to fight to stay alive every day.

Eating the right foods can also reverse heart disease and help you drop pounds. Your sexual organs receive more blood flow, so you may become more potent— guys won’t need Cialis or Viagra to function anymore!

For many people, these are choices worth making—not just to live longer, but also to live better.

In contrast, meals high in fat, sugar, and calories cause your arteries to constrict, so blood flow is reduced. The same is true of chronic stress. Nicotine, caffeine, cocaine and amphetamines also hurt your body. So does a lack of exercise.

Your brain receives less oxygen if you eat badly. You and your skin will look older. You will lose fertility and oxygen and seem a lot older than you actually are…

Stay Away From "Dead Food"

This causes your body to enter a state of acidity that leads to inflammation and disease.  Aging is actually matter of oxidization. Your cells receive less oxygen over time which intern leads to free radical damage because they suffocate to death.  That is why it is so important not to eat “dead food” that is over processed, high-carb and lacking in nutrition.

Dead food is the opposite of the raw “live food” you eat on a vegan diet.  If you are eating everything baked, broiled, boiled and fried you are eating “dead food.”  For most of us 70% of what we eat every day is dead food.[5]

Every time you eat processed food you are starving your cells to death. You are clogging your colon, turning your liver into a fatty pate and creating insulin resistance that causes your body’s blood sugar to skyrocket.  Before you know it, you are not feeling very well because you are, unknowingly, starving the cells in your body to death by not eating properly.[6]

Eating a vegan diet is your best defense against disease and aging in general. However it is not for everybody which is why you should consult with a naturopath who can give you a blood analysis to see if this is the absolutely best diet for you.

For more information or to book a consultation about anti-aging, diet and weight loss programs or any health issue you may be experiencing, visit the Pinewood Natural Health Clinic website that has a list of full services and products at www.pinewood.ca or call our Toronto Office at  (416)-656- 8100.  We also have an office in Pickering, Ontario at (905)-427-0057. You can also email us at info@pinewoodhealth.ca and we would be happy to answer any question that you have about our holistic health services.

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[1] Joseph Stromberg. Even in Healthy Adults, High-Fat Fast Foods Affect Arteries Almost Immediately. October 3, 2014. http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/science/2012/10/even-in-healthy-eaters-high-fat-foods-quickly-affect-arteries/.  Retrieved September 2, 2014. 1:20 pm.

[2] Fitday Staff. Fast Food Nutrition: Junk Food’s Effect On Your Body. (No posted date.) Fitday. http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/fast-food-nutrition-junk-foods-effect-on-your-body.html. Retrieved September 2, 2014. 4:45 pm.

[3] Stromberg. Retrieved September 29, 2014, 3:15 pm.

[4] Wharton Gossett, 11 Steps to A Better Brain. New Scientist. (date unknown). http://gosset.wharton.upenn.edu/mortality/new_scientist.html. Retrieved September 30, 2014, 2:50 pm.

[5] S.D. Wells, Health Basics: What is dead food and how much are you eating daily? Natural News.  Retrieved October 11, 2012. http://www.naturalnews.com/034770_dead_food_diet_nutrition.html.  Retrieved September 27, 2014, 7 pm.

[6] S.D Wells. Retrieved September 27, 2014, 7:10 pm.