In this episode of the Brand New Vegan Podcast....I'm asking the question.....
Why have you decided to start a Plant-Based Diet?
Why do you want to become Vegan?
We could see fishless oceans by 2048
Largest mass extinction in 65 million years
Ten thousand years ago, 99% of biomass (i.e. zoomass) was wild animals. Today, humans and the animals that we raise as food make up 98% of the zoomass
Because knowing your WHY will ultimately help you through the trouble spots. And if you're "brand new" to this new way of living/eating - trust me....
There WILL be trouble spots!
- lack of family support
- eating out in a restaurant
- traveling
- friends judging you
- meal prep
- strange new ingredients
- not knowing how to cook
- having to make multiple meals
Nobody said this was going to be easy. But is it worth it?
ABSOLUTELY! Because ultimately, no matter what your reasoning is for starting this journey, you will eventually end up helping the animals, planet Earth, and your own health anyway.
It's a win-win for everyone!
So don't worry about the little details just yet if you are brand new.
Figure out your WHY first. And then when those little obstacles start popping up, you'll remember why you're doing this and just become more determined to see it through.
And remember: We'll always be here to help!
Enjoy this episode and please be sure and leave your comments on WHY you are on this path.
Enjoy the show.
BNV Podcast Show Notes
Plant-Based / Vegan Documentaries mentioned:
- Earthlings
- Cowspiracy*
- What the Health*
- Forks Over Knives*
- Supersize Me*
- Food Inc.*
- Food Matters*
- Processed People*
Plant-Based Doctors mentioned:
Cowspiracy Fact Sheet mentioned:
*Disclosure: Books and products denoted with an asterisk are hyperlinked to an affiliate program. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Evelina
My second comment - in reference to Traveling and being whole food plant based. Just sharing some methods I've come up with over the years.
Well, a large cooler is really helpful if you are driving. You don't really need ice. But absolutely indispensable to me is an small Swiss Army Knife that has a can opener on it. That takes care of my can opening needs and cutting needs. Then a little knife, fork, spoon kit. I have one that all fastens together, like nesting on top of each other, and slide into a protective case. The end of the protective case has a little salt and pepper dispenser, (very small but so useful). With these items is how I travel on long drives:
We are getting hungry. We hit up a grocery store, and I can pick something whole food very easily. No need to buy a cheap one dollar can opener, (I have had them break on me opening a can! So frustrating). I have my swiss army knife. I can cut food up, make a sandwich, (wrapped in lettuce if I don't find any good bread). I have my fork and spoon to eat out of the can, I can eat in the car, or at a rest stop during summer at a picnic table.
For the hotel, if we are staying more than a night: I have my little instant pot, the 3 quart size. I bring along the glass lid for it, (and an extra interior pot if the stay is more than a weekend.) All kinds of great canned food can be found in walmart that has no extra additives, like their Great Value brand of some legumes, and greens. Just look around you'll find them. Although when buying already prepared brown rice - WHY do they have to add oil to plain old brown rice?! Anyhow, that is better than the alternative - a fast food, picked apart meal ordered to make it vegan, and yet it is so full of grease it sits heavy in the tummy. Hubby just grabs a bite at a restaurant if he doesn't find anything he likes in the grocery store..
I even drag my instant pots to my families' homes while traveling - they never mind my cooking, and they don't care if it is vegan or not - all they know it is Mexican Food and it is GOOD! Or it is Soup and it hits the spot! I always cook enough to share, there is always someone hungry enough to eat with me. LOL!
Oh, forgot, I travel with blended spice mixes. My Salzon Tropical, (MSG free), Benson's Table Tasty, nutritional yeast, cayenne powder, and my favorite mushroom seasoning broth granules (Asian store, msg free, fat free and vegan), and my favorite Seitenbacher Vegetarian Vegetable Broth and Seasoning powder (health food store, or Amazon, fat free, no chemicals or artificial stuff)... I also have a bowl and a plate, and a large tea mug, plus the instant pot soup ladle that I can stir the food with in the little instant pot, (not in the big one though, need a bigger spoon), and serve myself. Oh, and a little sponge and a small thingy of dish soap. ALL that stuff, including the baby instant pot - get thrown in the the cooler. The best use of a cooler ever - no ice and melted ice to deal with. No food going bad or getting soggy. 🙂 Almost forgot about my microwave ramen cooker. (just a rectangular black plastic container a couple of inches high, fits one thingy of ramen in it with a line marking how much water to fill it with). In a pinch I use it to cook a packet of ramen noodles in plain water, rinse well when done cooking, to get rid of as much oil as possible, then boil up some water in the instant pot for my veggie broth powder, toss the cooked noodles into the pot...add a can of veg if I have any, and...yum!. I sometimes take along my trusty hot water electric kettle, toss that in the cooler, too. I don't really need it if I bring along the extra baby instant pot inner pan liner. 🙂
As I improve my travel "cooking" I have had to expand to bringing two bowls - and a small box of plastic spoons and forks. Hubby is starting to find my instant pot travel foods pretty tasty. Also he'll fix himself a packet of ramen with the seasoning packet and he's happy.. I also wash up fruit to take along- no need for ice for the fruit, he'll have it all eaten up by the end of the drive. (yes, hubby is an omnivore - cooks his own meats, but says he's too lazy most days so just eats what I make most of the time, or supplements it with a home made chopped sausage at home)
Evelina
Yes, it is hard. My eldest daughter, (who is the mother of our grandson), one time told me that I embarrass her at restaurants.. I am polite. I call ahead if I know we are having a family gathering at a particular place, and find out what I can order.. Still she finds I'm embarrassing because I'm too particular about my food. Now my girls were primarily raised vegetarians, with dairy and eggs because of the old myths of calcium and protein the pediatrician pushed on me.. Now that I am whole food plant based I am healthier. I do keep my fibromyalgia under control, and the bad inflammation of my digestive system is a thing of the past, (almost - as long as I don't eat a bite of ham, or cheese).. It was a no brainer for me to ditch the dairy and eggs instead of of eliminating inflammatory veggies like potatoes, onions, etc. I had to do so much research on line till I finally found evidence that the problem I was trying to avoid having surgery for, (lost my medical insurance, didn't need THAT issue), was most likely caused by the MEAT the doctor had me eat for a whole year to help me loose weight. I had lost the weight, but I reached a point where I couldn't WALK, (so much for loosing that weight),, and the pain was worse. I was taking all sorts of meds for pain control.. Plus the issue with the potential surgery. I was so bad off I didn't even tell my surgeon of my problems, he just wanted to pop me under for a couple more surgeries, for sure. Going completely whole food based was the greatest thing ever. Everyone noticed a difference. 🙂 My regular doctor backed me up with going vegan, my surgeon did not. But, on a follow up visit with him, and he found I lost the last of the 20 pounds he wanted me to loose, AND I WAS WALKING not hobbling, he carefully avoided the "vegan" issue, and just loudly told me to keep up what I was doing! LOL!
Sharon
Hi Chuck, I just listened to your most recent podcast which was very good. The personal story was so easy for me to relate to because my husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer almost 4 years ago.. We became vegan almost immediately and so far the cancer has not progressed without any radiation treatment. Our 3 children do not agree with our decision. I agree with you that the "why" has to be the most important motivator over anything else to stay vegan. I listen to a lot of podcasts and some of the reasons I give up on some is because they just ramble to be talking and then tend to talk very slow and keep repeating their own personal story every week.. Your podcast is refreshing and has the qualities to make it a good one.