 
### Diary of a Dieting Madhouse

### The Diet

By Paige Singleton

A Vegetarian is still regarded, in ordinary society, as little better than a madman.

—A Plea for Vegetarianism by Henry Salt (1851–1939)
Diary of a Dieting Madhouse: The Diet

### By

Paige Singleton

Published by: JPS Publishing Company, Dallas, Texas

Smashwords Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system without written permission from the publisher, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.

Copyright © 2012 by Paige Singleton

Jacket Design by D. Claire Hutchins

Publisher's Cataloging-in-Publication

Singleton, Paige

Diary of a Dieting Madhouse-The Madhouse Diet/Paige Singleton

ISBN- 09664924-8-X

## Disclaimer

This book provides information regarding the covered subject matter. Neither the publisher nor the author is engaged in rendering legal, medical, accounting, psychiatric or psychological, or other professional advice. If expert assistance is needed, the services of a professional should be sought.

This book does not contain all the information that is available on this subject. For more information, see the references within and at the end of the book.

The sole purpose of this book is to entertain and inform. The authors and the publisher have no liability or responsibility to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused, or alleged to be caused, directly or indirectly, by the information in this book.

******

For clarity and simplicity of vision, the characters of Kenzy, Sharon and Susan are composite characters of several women. Their stories are based on actual events.

We are not medical doctors, and this book does not contain medical advice.

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for our use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 From the Beginning: Make a Decision (Paige)

Chapter 2 What is a Vegan and Why the F@#! Would I Want to Be One?

Chapter 3 Make a change: Susan's Story

Chapter 4 The Journey Out

Chapter 5 Lies, Propaganda and Myths

Chapter 6 Fat and Cholesterol

Chapter 7 MYTH: Chicken is a Health Food

Chapter 8 MYTH: You Should Eat More Fish

Chapter 9 MYTH: The Benefits of Dairy

Chapter 10 The Biggest Lie of All—Protein

Chapter 11 MYTH: Cleanliness is Healthiness

Chapter 12 MYTH Maintaining Weight Loss

Chapter 13 MYTH: Meat and Masculinity

Chapter 14 Make a Break: Sharon's Story

Chapter 15 MYTH: Your Doctor Knows Best

Chapter 16 MYTH: Screening Saves Lives

Chapter 17 What Can We do about Cancer?

Chapter 18 MYTH: People Won't Change

Chapter 19 MYTH: Death by Drugs

Chapter 20 MYTH: Genetics

Chapter 21 MYTH: Research Miracles

Chapter 22 The Placebo Effect

Chapter 23 Stay out of the Medical System

Chapter 24 Make a Difference: Kenzy's Story

Chapter 25 A Cow Farts and a Tree Falls

Chapter 26 The Frankenstein Effect

Chapter 27 Make a Choice: Paige's Story

Chapter 28 An Unmanageable Life

Chapter 29 The Absence of Will Power?

Chapter 30 Keeping us Addicted

Chapter 31 Make a Fresh Start

Chapter 32 A Day in the Life

Chapter 33 September—Two Years Later: Make a Journey

Chapter 34 Vegan Meal Planner

Chapter 35 Recipes

Breakfast

Salads, Sandwiches and Wraps

Soups and Sides

Main Courses

Desserts and Snacks

End Notes

Chapter 1 From the Beginning

Dallas, Texas—July

MAKE A DECISION (Paige)

I often pull out the photograph of me and my friends—Susan, Sharon and Kenzy—and study it. We looked, in equal parts, fearful and hopeful. I stare at our faces and wonder what happened, how it all changed and why.

The summer sun of 2007 parched Dallas, the steam rising from the baked sidewalks to coat our skins with a film of perspiration. The girls and I met for lunch at the El Fenix near downtown. It seemed appropriate. Lots of fattening Tex-Mex food at low prices. Sharon brought her camera and, after snapping a few pictures, caught another customer and asked him to photograph the four of us together.

You can't live in Texas during the middle of the summer without complaining about the heat. It was worse than we remembered it, but of course, we said that every year. Finally, we worked around to sharing non-events from our daily lives. Somewhere along the way, however, the topic of weight loss came up.

All you had to do was look at us to realize that we were constantly thwarted and discouraged. All but one of us was overweight to varying degrees. What began as a brief mention turned into a conversation that lasted several hours. We had been living for years in insanity, that is, doing the same things over and over but expecting different results. After many years of being overweight, trying and failing at frustrating new diets and often giving up, each of us knew deep down that we needed an overhaul. None of us, however, knew exactly how to go about it. Together, we discussed the need for change and our good intentions of doing so. We vowed to begin as soon as we cleaned our plates of the last refried bean and devoured the tortilla chips to the bottom of the bowl.

Of the four women, Kenzy was the only one who didn't have a weight problem. We were a little acquainted with her eating patterns and observed them again at El Fenix. She skipped the cheesy enchiladas for a tostada made of beans, lettuce and tomatoes, a dish none of us would have considered for ourselves. Because it was obvious whatever she was doing worked, we gradually became convinced to try it her way. Kenzy became the mentor of the group.

We decided that we were stronger as a group because we could support and defend each other. More than "mad" at the time, we were angry mad, crazy mad and (on a positive note, said Sharon) mad with excitement and enthusiasm.

This is a diary of our stories. We chronicle where we were, what we did and how we arrived where we are now. Our hope is to inform others and encourage them to take the same journey. If you have a sincere desire to change and are, at the very least, willing to give it a try, we're ready to help navigate you through the hills and valleys of diet craziness. This is what worked for us.

Susan, Sharon and I adopted Kenzy's vegan diet. By "adopted," I mean we accepted it in different ways, at different levels and at a varying pace.

If someone sat down with you, convinced you that you could lose weight naturally and be thin for the rest of your life, without hunger and without cravings, what would you do? If you learned you could save the lives of your family, your friends and yourself; that you could avoid the diseases that plague most of us, like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, stroke and Alzheimer's; if the changes would not only be much easier than expected, but would be delicious and a lot of fun, what would you do? If you knew that your death of a painful, debilitating disease was just around the corner, would you be able to make the changes needed to save your life? Would you seize the opportunity to be thin and healthy and happy and feel fantastic in your skin?

What could possibly stop you?

Out of a complicated phenomenon, we can isolate three of the big issues that we have to deal with when we begin to make a lifestyle change.

ROADBLOCKS TO SUCCESS

The first roadblock to success is ignorance. Many of us believe what we are already doing is okay. That if we could slow down or eat less, we would be okay. NOT TRUE. In her section, Susan gives you the information you need to turn your ignorance into knowledge. With the right set of facts (and I warn you, you aren't going to like some of it), many of you can succeed where formerly you failed.

Let's face it. Old habits die hard. You are probably practicing behaviors that were learned from your parents which they learned from their parents. We continue down the same blind alleys that led us to the problem in the first place. We are eating, exercising and practicing the same toxic lifestyles that our parents lived.

We are taught to believe authority figures, like doctors, scientists and nutritionists, but they are doing the same things the professionals before them did. They are rarely any help. They might even hurt. A definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over and expecting different results. That's where many of us are trapped. In Sharon's Story, she deals at length with habits, lies and the myths that keep us fat.

What if we have learned for ourselves what we need to do, are gradually replacing old habits with good new ones, but, in spite of all our efforts, are failing?

Another major roadblock to success is addiction. Most of us don't like to admit that we are "addicted" to anything. When it comes to change, however, the same fears and insecurities plague us as those of an alcoholic who can't give up booze and the heroin addict who can't give up his fix. This phenomenon needs to be faced.

We are told that we are fat because we have no willpower. We are told that with a tweak here and there we can achieve the goals mentioned above. Unfortunately, those tweaks are rare and usually fail. If you eat compulsively, for more than simple hunger, you are a compulsive overeater. For a compulsive overeater, willpower is not in the equation at all. In some instances, we are simply powerless over food. Although it may take a little longer to manifest itself, the end results are the same. Like most addicts, if we don't change, we are going to end up fat, sick and dead.

We are encouraged by the government and food industry to take "personal responsibility" to battle obesity and the diseases that come with it. We are told to exercise more self-control, make better choices, avoid over-eating and reduce our intake of sugary drinks and processed food. We are led to believe that "balance" is the answer—there is no good or bad foods. Unfortunately, this is not true. New discoveries prove that industrial processed foods loaded with sugar, fat and salt, "foods" that are made in a manufacturing facility rather than grown on a plant, i.e., processed foods, are biologically addictive. Telling us to exercise self control when dealing with these so-called foods is like telling a drug addict to just say "no." It's impossible.( **1)**

My personal story is about dealing with addictions, especially the addictive nature of certain foods. You will learn how to be free, psychologically and physically, from those addictions.

Our mentor and model, Kenzy, realized early in life that animal suffering is very much a part of the foods we eat. Their suffering served as the catalyst for her change. She takes on animal welfare, which may give many of you the motivation you need to alter and stick with your new eating plan. This is one area where, by helping others, you are saving yourself as well. It's a win-win situation.

At the end of the book, I will give you the tools you'll need to prepare and stick with your new choices.

Remember, there is hope, and that's what this book is about. There's madness everywhere, but we can take a sane course to health and happiness. Ultimately, this diary traces the ascent from madness into sanity for the four of us. It was an amazing journey, and we hope you enjoy it along with us.

Chapter 2 What is a Vegan and Why the F@#! Would I Want to Be One?

A vegan is a person who follows a vegetarian diet that doesn't use any animal products like diary or eggs. There is some disagree as to whether a person who merely does not eat animal products can truly be called a vegan. "Ethical" vegans not only abstain from eating animal products, they also do not wear products made from animals, i.e., leather, wool or silk, nor do they use personal and household products that are tested on animals. For our purposes, however, we are sticking to food choices only.

Why go on a vegan diet? There are four basic reasons for adopting a vegan plan of eating: weight loss, overall health, animals and the environment. If you picked out this book, you are probably most interested in weight loss, although we hope the other benefits will be important to you as well.

What are the benefits? You probably have heard some statistics. Vegetarians are thinner, healthier and live longer than meat eaters. There have been few studies on vegans, but of those studies performed, the results are leaning heavily in favor of the health and weight loss benefits of veganism. As an extra, added bonus, a vegan diet eliminates animals from our diet, thus saving them from mutilation, torture and death at the hands of the meat industry.

Finally, the environment benefits from humans eating a plant-based diet. Becoming a vegan does more for the environment than all other ecological efforts put together.

The real question is: Why NOT a vegan?

Chapter 3 Make a change

SUSAN'S STORY

"Insanity" perfectly described my life during what I now think of as the Fat Years. My madness most often took the form of inertia and the inability to break away from the old, unfruitful ways of doing things.

It's scary what life can do to us before we even realize what's going on. While never beautiful, I used to be pretty in an all-American sort of way. Not exactly glamorous, but I had little trouble attracting men or making friends. It never once occurred to me during the first 35 years of my life that this might change. Well, sure, when I was 80, maybe. But gradually, so I'd have time to get used to it, learn to accept it.

One day I was thin, 35 and pretty. The next day, it seemed, I was "fat, 40 and faceless." One day I had long wavy hair, a shapely body, a job I liked and a strong, virile boyfriend. Marriage and a couple of kids later, I suddenly morphed into an overweight, middle-aged woman with short helmet-hair, generally ignored by everyone except my female acquaintances who were in the same predicament. Overnight, I had become invisible. People looked through me. I ceased to exist. I was "faceless." I called it the Invisible Woman Syndrome.

And, I had a husband who could no longer get it up.

I was cooking and eating the same way my parents did, and they both had weight and health problems. When they started getting sick and old, I started thinking about how I would end up. I didn't want to end up in a hospital bed with tubes running out of every body orifice or in a nursing home, unable to care for myself. I became obsessed, reading the obituaries and using them to calculate how long I might be expected to live in my present condition. It scared me to learn that young people, young to me anyway, were dying of diseases that should have been preventable.

The Fat Years

I spent much of my adult life, the Fat Years, defining myself by my weight. When someone complimented me, I could never say "Thank you." It was always "Yes, but," and I would go on to list all my imperfections, most of them centered on the fact that I was overweight. Nothing would ever be perfect until I was thin. I wanted to be able to receive a party invitation and not worry about what I would wear. When the partygoers saw me, would they wonder why I was so fat? After all, I was eating nothing from the buffet table. Would they suspect that I had eaten before I left home, so people wouldn't see me overeat at the party?

The kids grew up, and I considered getting a job, but I was afraid the way I looked would affect my ability to get hired. Common knowledge dictates that overweight people have to be less competent than normal sized employees. Consequently, they could be paid less. They were also less likely to get hired in the first place.

I suffered from the Invisible Woman Syndrome. The bigger and older I got, the more I faded. I began to feel old; my heavy body was tired all the time. I could not stand to look at myself in the mirror. I became more and more depressed. Crazy eating binges became a way of life. I was MAD, in every sense of the word.

Chapter 4 The Journey Out

After our first lunch meeting, I was "mad" to get started. Then I went home, looked at the refrigerator and immediately wanted to throw everything out. I had only the faintest idea where to begin. And there was supper to prepare. And an unsuspecting husband and children.

Drastic changes didn't happen all at once. At first, it was more of a learning experience. It took me some time to come to a complete understanding of what I needed to do. In the few minutes we had to discuss practicalities, Kenzy suggested a few courses of action. When we returned home, the first thing she did was email me a link to the "Vegetarian Starter Kit" available from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. ( **2)** The Starter Kit gives a "three-step way to go vegetarian," which includes (1) making a list of the vegetarian meals you already enjoy, (2) adapting three favorite recipes to be meatless, and (3) check out vegetarian cookbooks and pick something simple to begin. Kenzy also suggested that I check out my favorite grocery store for meat substitutes and look for vegetarian versions of familiar items. I shopped at Kroger (which turned out to have a large vegetarian, natural and organic section I had completely missed before) and bought vegetarian substitutes for foods I ate most often—veggie burgers, hot dogs and chicken nuggets. I tried soymilk for the first time.

The first cookbook I selected, Ann Gentry's _The Real Food Daily Cookbook: Really Fresh, Really Good, Really Vegetarian_ , **(3)** had so many great looking recipes, I didn't know where to begin. Most of it looked delicious and sounded so easy, I wanted to try it all. Narrowing the selection down was the hard part. Other than that, it was an easy beginning. I jumped right in. I had some failures and lots more successes. I've included some of my recipes in the Meal Planning Guide at the end of this book.

There were a few major milestones, but the overall change was gradual. I gave lip service to the need to change, but the reality was that I didn't think I'd be able to pull it off. Knowledge and motivation came in fits and spurts. I began to educate myself. I read everything I could get my hands on. I talked with my friends, watched videos and TV programs. I immersed myself in veganism.

I tried recipes at home, faced some challenges with eating out, and gradually began adapting a vegan diet to our family dinner table. It came slowly and quietly, I never told my husband or my two sons what I was doing. The meals I prepared were so delicious, no one thought to protest until it was too late. They realized that if they wanted to eat, they had two choices. Eat what I set in front of them or cook it themselves. Not one of them was willing to do the cooking, so they ate what I made. I tricked them with meat substitutes, but mostly I created meals that were nutritious, filing and delicious. My sons started bringing their buddies over for dinner more often than they had in the past. Once I made a dish that looked and tasted like a real chopped barbecue sandwich using frozen tofu that had been thawed and crumbled. (The recipe is included in the recipe section of this book.) The boys ate it like they'd never tasted anything so awesome.

I had begun an incredible journey that I hope never ends. I have left behind dieting madness forever. It wasn't always a smooth, straight line to my goal. I had to deal with a lot of ignorance and misinformation, even from so called authorities, experts and nutritionists. Often, it was a battle to get at the truth. Ultimately, I found the truth because I discovered what worked.

Chapter 5 Lies, Propaganda and Myths

The world of food is filled with madness. You can see it all around you, when a large percentage of adults and a scary number of children are obese. What we think we know, what we are told, what we are sold and how it is sold to us, make for a pretty good horror show.

Current nutritional advice states that there are no bad foods. You can eat anything as long as it is in moderation. Current nutritional advice also states that some meat is good for us. Or at least not bad.

Those are all LIES. The truth is that (1) some "foods" are so bad for us they might as well be slow poison, (2) it is impossible for most of us who are overweight to eat in moderation long enough to maintain weight loss, and (3) meat is not now, nor has it ever been, good for us.

You should never eat meat. If you can't do that, at least reduce its consumption to an absolute minimum. We convince ourselves that if we eat red meat only on the weekends (often grilled or charcoaled) and chicken or fish during the week, we will be fine and are acting in a health-enhancing manner. That is _way too much meat_. If we read standard nutritional information carefully, we'll find that the recommended serving is the size of a deck of playing cards and never fried or grilled. How many actually eat that little? Chances are, those of us who should know better are addicted to our meat and our portion sizes are way larger than we think.

Recent studies are showing you can't even eat a playing card portion of red meat and still be healthy. Researchers discovered that people who eat more red meat were less physically active and more likely to smoke and have a higher body mass index. Still, after controlling for those and other variables, they found that each daily increase of three ounces of red meat was associated with a 12 percent greater risk of dying over all, including a 16 percent greater risk of cardiovascular death and a 10 percent greater risk of cancer death.

The increased risks linked to processed meat, like bacon, were even greater: Twenty percent over all, 21 percent for cardiovascular disease and 16 percent for cancer. **(4)**

But I can still eat chicken and fish, can't I? Hang on. This is just the beginning.

Chapter 6 Fat and Cholesterol

Until the mid-1900s, high calorie meals loaded with fat were considered healthy. My parents and probably yours thought a healthy diet meant eggs, bacon and buttered toast for breakfast, roast beef and mashed potatoes with gravy for dinner. After World War II, Americans could afford meat at every meal, and that's what we came to expect.

Heart disease shot up. Epidemiological studies (studies of populations) in the late 1940s and early 1950s began to show the effects of what we were eating. Unfortunately, many of us still eat that way.

You don't care if you develop heart disease, diabetes or cancer? You just want to be skinny? Turns out, the same foods that cause those diseases, the kind with saturated, hydrogenated, fried or heat-processed fats, convert easily to body fat. Found in many favorite foods like meat, butter, margarine, fried chicken, processed cookies and chips and doughnuts, these fats are also addictive and can cause eating binges.

You can't stop eating them, even if you wanted to.

The language used by health professionals, such as doctors, nutritionists, marketers, even the federal government, obscure the truth. For example, most of us have heard that _saturated fats_ are the worst kind and are harmful to the human body. We have been told that saturated fat raises cholesterol levels, damages the arteries and causes heart disease and stroke and a host of other health problems.

What is saturated fat and where does it come from?

Everyone understands that donuts, cookies and cake contain saturated fat and are dietary villains. What we aren't told, however, is that _saturated fats_ are found in meat and dairy products. Beef derives between 60 and 80 percent of its calories from fat, mostly saturated; pork, between 80 and 95 percent; chicken, between 30 and 50 percent; and fish, between five and 60 percent.

Meats are also loaded with cholesterol. One 3-1/2 ounce serving of beef contains 85 mg of cholesterol; pork contains 90 mg; mackerel fish contains 95 mg; turkey 83 mg; tuna 63 mg; chicken (skinned-white) 85 mg. **Therefore, many of the foods that are commonly believed to be health foods, such as chicken and turkey, are in fact promoters of disease.**

Plant foods never contain cholesterol.

We need some fat. Its primary function is energy storage and second, it serves as fast fuel. Cholesterol is used for many cellular functions and to produce needed hormones, like vitamin D and estrogen. We need very little of both and our bodies produce all the cholesterol they need.

All plant foods contain adequate amounts of fat. You don't need to add extra essential fats like omega-3, fish or flaxseed oils to your diet. The fats contained in vegetable oils and fish, poly and monounsaturated fats, are often called healthy. However, they depress the immune system, increase bleeding and promote cancers, especially those of the colon, prostate and breast.

**All fats are stored by the body, easily making you overweight**. Fat deprives cells of oxygen and is a major producer of free radicals, which damage the body's tissues.

The meat industry has a strangle-hold on the government. As a result, the government cannot tell the truth. The best they can do is give the playing card size portion recommendation, which is better than nothing, but nevertheless is a lot less meat than most people actually eat.

The recommendation is not based on your health needs. Even keeping servings down to the recommended amount (which is highly unlikely if you are overweight), will not give you the long, disease-free life and the slim healthy body that you want.

Chapter 7 MYTH: Chicken is a Health Food

A 3.5-ounce piece of broiled lean flank steak is 56 percent fat. Chicken contains nearly the same—51 percent. Even when the skin is removed, dark meat is thrown away and a non-fat cooking method is used, chicken is still 23 percent fat. Compare that with the fat in a baked potato (1 percent), steamed cauliflower (6 percent) and baked beans (4 percent), and any ideas that chicken is a health food melt away.

Modern chickens contain nearly three times the fat they did 35 years ago, largely because of factory farming. Lack of exercise is making them unhealthy too. The fat in a typical bird now outweighs its protein. Chickens used to roam free and eat herbs and seeds. Now they are fed high energy foods, and they don't walk and peck to find their food. The modern broiler is a baby at 6-8 weeks of age yet weighs the same as a full grown chicken of 20 years ago. Their breasts are so large that, after a certain age, they can no longer walk.

Why should you care? Sadly, the American Heart Association, many dieticians and medical doctors, and others who should know better, lead well-meaning Americans astray. They tout chicken as a health food or at least an appropriate substitute for beef and pork.

There are lots of great reasons to avoid chicken. One of the best came from data gleaned through Dr. Dean Ornish's controlled trial known as the Lifestyle Heart Trial. The Trial showed that people with pre-existing coronary artery disease, who were fed the American Heart Association Diet consisting of chicken and fish, _got worse_. Those on a low-fat, vegetarian diet _improved_. After one year, they experienced a decrease in the narrowness of the coronary arteries, and most were able to avoid surgery and drugs. By contrast, patients in the control group, fed the standard recommended diet of chicken and fish, had narrower coronary arteries at the end of the trial than they had at the start.(5)

Chickens in the overcrowded conditions mandated by factory farming are literally bathing in their own feces. Feces is pounded into their skin. **When you unwrap that chicken carcass you bought at the grocery store, the "juice" oozing from its body and preserved in the package is called "fecal soup.** " Every day the government stamps "inspected for wholesomeness" on feces-infected chicken and chicken parts. If you can't see it, it doesn't count. Bacteria coats packages, counter tops and kitchen utensils, spreading diseases and, sometimes, death.

Back when I still liked my husband well enough to cook for him, I refused to handle raw chicken anymore and always wore plastic gloves when preparing and cooking raw chicken. Unfortunately, all the counter and hand sanitizers in the world are not going to do the trick, particularly if you are actually ingesting the stuff.

Three-quarters of confirmed food-poisoning cases in humans is caused by Campylobacter, bacteria that infects about 60 percent of chickens from today's factory farms. Cipro, the same antibiotic used on the people who were exposed to Anthrax through the mail, is commonly used in chickens due to the stressful overcrowded conditions of the average chicken farm. Exposed humans become resistant to the drug. The increase in infections in people who are resistant to Cipro and its chemical cousins is directly tied to the use of antibiotics on poultry farms.

When cattle are near slaughter, they are shipped to large feedlots, where feedlot operators dose them with antibiotics to keep them healthy under stressful growing conditions. But chickens live constantly in their own feces and are fed a continual diet of hormones, antibiotics and drugs.

If the government tries to stop this excess or at least try to curb it, pharmaceutical companies have a fit. The regulation of antibiotics which are used indiscriminately in agriculture would cause them to suffer huge monetary losses. The end result could well be that the indiscriminate use of antibiotics may backfire, selecting for germs that are tough to kill, making humans more susceptible to infection. **(6)**

How about some arsenic with **that** supermarket chicken?

In June of 2011, pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announced it would "voluntarily" stop selling a widely used arsenic-laced poultry feed additive after FDA tests found traces of the poison in chicken meat. Before that, most poultry produced nationwide had been routinely fed the medication to kill parasites and boost the birds' growth. Nevertheless, because of the stress chickens experience in large-scale poultry facilities, being raised on the ground and therefore in contact with their feces, use of arsenic based additives will continue.

What's wrong with Arsenic? Arsenic is associated with increased risk for several kinds of cancer, including bladder, kidney, lung, liver and prostate. It increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, as well as neurological problems in children. Have a kid that has ADHD? Try removing chicken (and all meat for that matter) from his or her diet. The European Union banned the chief arsenic-based additive twelve years ago, but US customers still get a nice dash of arsenic with their nuggets.

Chapter 8 MYTH: You Should Eat More Fish

The fishing industry and most "diet gurus" have worked hard to persuade Americans to eat more fish.

Unfortunately, there are real concerns about mercury and other pollutants in seafood. Mercury, created by noxious fumes from coal-burning power plants, winds up in streams, rivers, lakes and the ocean and works its way up the food chain.

Each year more than 60,000 babies are born with mercury-related brain damage in the United States. Studies indicate that about 10 percent of women of childbearing age already have dangerous levels of mercury in their bodies. Researchers in Hong Kong found that, among infertile couples who eat fish and shellfish, 35% of the men and 23% of the women had abnormally high concentrations of mercury in the blood compared to their fertile counterparts.

Other toxins such as PCBs and dioxins contaminate rivers where they are used and can accumulate in fish. Dioxin has been linked to cancer, learning disorders and immune disorders.

Do fish protect against heart disease? A study in the May 2007 issue of the _American Journal of Cardiology_ found that the heart benefits so often associated with a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids from fish were more likely the result of the participants having healthier dietary patterns overall. Those in the study who consumed the most omega-3 fatty acids from fish generally consumed less saturated fat and more dietary fiber than their red-meat-eating counterparts. People who regularly eat fish are also more likely to smoke less and exercise more. A fish-based diet has yet to be compared to a vegan or vegetarian study.

Over-fishing has harmed the environment. The fishing industry has overfished certain species. Wild caught seafood can kill or injure other marine life. For example, for every pound of shrimp scooped out of the ocean, up to five pounds of other marine life can be damaged. Farmed fish are not the answer. It can take up to three pounds of wild caught fish to raise one pound of farm-raised salmon. Fish farms can discharge toxic waste into clean waters.

So why eat fish? Go into a fish market where dead fish are sold or a kitchen where fish is being cooked and the smell will knock you over. Let's tell the truth here. FISH STINKS! We can get all the _alleged_ benefits of fish oils by taking flax oil or algae DHA and all the vitamins and minerals in more abundance from fruits and vegetables. What about protein? A pound of salmon has 105 grams of protein. If you add that to all the protein you get from other sources, you're getting far more protein than you need. Unused protein is converted to fat.

Chapter 9 MYTH: The Benefits of Dairy

Like most everyone else, I bought into the dairy propaganda. Proponents insist that we need cow's milk in order to be healthy, especially for bone strength. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The dairy industry has immense financial power and political connections. They can say whatever they want, and few are going to stand up to them. With a $206.5 million annual budget dedicated to confusing people and covering up the truth, there is no hope of regulating the dairy industry and making them tell the truth about their products. **You must stand up and learn for yourself.**

They are so bad, dairy products should be outlawed for human consumption.

Why are humans the only animals that drink the milk of another species and continue to drink it after normal weaning-time? Cows don't drink human breast milk. Our commonsense should tell us that we've been served up a lot of nonsense. Human nutritional needs are far removed from those of baby cows.

**Why are we so fat?** The enzyme necessary for the development of huge bones, casein, is 300 times more plentiful in cow's milk than human milk. Casein coagulates in the stomach and forms large, tough, dense, difficult-to-digest curds that are adapted to the four stomach digestive system of a cow. This thick mass of goo adheres to the lining of the intestines and prevents the absorption of nutrients into the body. Lethargy results. Look at the population of countries who do not traditionally eat dairy products like Japan, China and some parts of Africa. Ever see anyone fat? Now that the traditional Western diet of meat, dairy and fast foods have made vast inroads into those cultures, they are starting to puff up like me and you.

Dairy products always have traces of penicillin and antibiotics in them, which places even more of a burden on the system.

Unlike women's breast milk, which is easily digested by human infants as nature intended, cow's milk can cause big respiratory problems such as runny noses, asthma and chronic earaches. Know any kids who've had tubes implanted in their ears? Parents who have removed their children from milk dependence have no problems with childhood ear infections. In addition to earaches and asthma, childhood milk allergy symptoms include stomach aches, gas, bloating, belching, cramping and diarrhea or chronic constipation.

What about calcium? Won't our bones be brittle without cow's milk?

The Harvard Nurses' Health Study followed more than 75,000 women for 12 years. The study showed no protective effect of increased milk consumption on fracture risk. An Australian study produced the same results. Despite plenty of public urging, especially by the milk industry, there's little evidence that high amounts of calcium prevent broken bones in old age.

**All food plants contain plenty of calcium to meet the needs of both children and adults**. According to Dr. John McDougall, a cup of cooked collard greens contains approximately 360 mg of calcium, while a cup of milk contains about 300 mg. A cup of cooked kale contains 210 mg. You can get plenty of calcium from plant foods. A visit to Dr. McDougall's website will be well worth your time and take you further into the food/health relationship than this book. _See_ Dr. McDougall's website. **(7)**

**Osteoporosis is not caused by too little calcium, but from too much animal protein**. Foods derived from animals create an acidic environment that causes calcium to leech from bones. To preserve skeletal strength and even regrow lost bone, practice a diet based on starches, grains, fruits and vegetables, exercise and get some sunshine.

The ability of the body to regrow lost bone was brought home to me a few years ago when I fell and broke my wrist. After a few weeks in a cast, my x-ray showed the bone shot through with holes. After the cast was removed and my normal activities resumed, the bones repaired themselves and showed no loss in density. The body is great at repairing itself, given the right opportunity.

If we want extra calcium, there are better ways to get it. In addition to the collard greens and kale mentioned above, spinach, broccoli, tofu and other fruits and vegetables are good sources of calcium and are lower in unhealthy fat than most dairy products. They give many extra nutrients to ward off all sorts of diseases. And most importantly for this work, **they won't make you FAT.**

Chapter 10 The Biggest Lie of All—Protein

Is it true that if we cut down or eliminate our meat and dairy intake, we'll be weak and sickly because we won't get enough protein? Aren't meat and dairy products the only place we can get protein?

Meat and dairy producers, anxious that their products not be shown up for the health disasters they are, now refer to them using the euphemism "protein," as if no other food in the world contained protein but them.

Try telling an elephant or a mountain gorilla that his **plant-based diet** is making his muscles weak and undeveloped. Contrary to what we've heard, the elephant is the true king of the jungle. The biggest and strongest animal in the jungle is a strict vegetarian!

Think about it. Plants are the only foods eaten by elephants, horses, hippos and gorillas. They have no trouble growing all the muscle, bone and tissue they need. There has to be enough protein in plant foods to grow a human being, especially since we are tiny compared to an elephant. All plant foods contain protein in amounts more than sufficient to supply every human need.

Do animal products contain some nutrients not found in fruits and vegetables? An acquaintance of mine told me she was at one time attempting to become a vegetarian. But she had an operation, and her doctor told her she wouldn't heal if she didn't eat meat. I don't care if her doctor did say it. _It's total nonsense_.

Doctors, nutritionists and medical researchers rely on animal experiments. This has led scientists down so many blind alleys that it has become a classic case of overlooking the forest to tag a few trees. Studies done on how foods, nutrients and food additives affect mice, dogs and monkeys hasn't done much to help humans so far, health-wise or weight-wise.

It was well known that cigarette smoking caused lung cancer in humans, but because scientists could not duplicate the results in lab animals (monkeys, dogs or mice), the results were withheld from the public for years. Without a doubt, the milk industry is going to tell us that their studies support the drinking of milk. Beef producers will produce studies that support their products.

The war on cancer was declared 50 years ago and still no cures. Hell, they can't even cure baldness! Do you really want to wait on the miracle cure that never comes?

Americans consume six-to-10 times as much protein as they need. Our love affair with animal protein is making us sick. At the center of most dinner plates sits a hunk of cow, pig or chicken. Unfortunately, beans are not used often as a source of protein. That's too bad because beans are an excellent source of protein and other needed nutrients, like fiber and minerals. Start using beans or other plant protein as the center of your plate instead of meat, and you'll enjoy a host of health benefits.

You won't have to depend on your doctor to fix you.

Chapter 11 MYTH: Cleanliness is Healthiness

Many of us are obsessed with personal hygiene. We sanitize our hands and use toilet seat covers to protect us from butt-germs of others. We brush our teeth vigorously after every meal and floss every day. I always laugh when a dinner companion takes out the sanitizer, carefully cleans her hands, then proceeds to eat chicken.

We aren't told this by the government, who is supposed to watch over the safety and health of our food products, but the flesh of chickens, pigs, cows and turkeys are often contaminated with their own feces during the slaughter process. As a consequence, our insides are a seething mass of germs and toxic materials. Unfortunately, we do nothing to keep our insides as clean as we keep our outsides. As a result, most of us spend a good deal of our adult waking moments feeling sick.

Shouldn't the inside of our bodies be as clean as the outside? How can that be accomplished? Clean water, fresh air and sunshine, cleansing foods; a low (as possible) stress lifestyle and natural healing. In one sentence, the underlying principal is that _Mother Nature got it right_. We need to restore commonsense to the health equation.

Does Veganism Require Careful Meal Planning?

If you decide to become a vegetarian and even a vegan, you don't need to do a lot of careful meal planning. As long as you are getting an abundant supply of fruit and vegetables, some whole grains and legumes, and nuts and seeds, you'll do fine. Warnings from nutritionists and doctors are a lot of nonsense. You would have to work really hard and limit yourself to a few foods to be lacking in any of the basic nutrients. What people need to look out for are the meat and dairy products that are slowly killing us. **Meat and dairy eaters are bloating up and dying off like flies before our very eyes, and we don't hear those warnings from so-called nutritionists.**

All animals are created with a natural food source. Carnivores kill and eat other animals; herbivores eat plants. Omnivores eat some plants and some flesh, but in all instances, the animal is equipped by nature with the tools necessary to kill and process its natural food source. Lions have claws, large canine teeth, speed, strength and agility. Antelopes have flat, large teeth for cropping and chewing grass and plants, a stomach and a long intestine designed to digest plants. Carnivores have short intestines designed to move meat quickly through their systems before it has time to putrefy. Carnivores pant rather than sweat (like humans do). Carnivores sleep a lot.

Our bodies, teeth, hands (not claws), stomachs and intestines are designed to eat plants! And no other animal drinks the milk of another species!

Chapter 12 MYTH: Maintaining Weight Loss

In _The Weight of the Nation_ **(8)** documentary on HBO we learned that that if you become overweight or obese, your body establishes a new normal weight, called its "set point," which your body will fight to maintain even after you lose weight. That's why it is almost impossible to maintain weight loss on ordinary diets. A person who has lost weight needs 20% fewer calories to maintain a certain weight than a person who has maintained that same weight throughout their lives.

In _Eat to Live: The Amazing Nutrient-Rich Program for Fast and Sustained Weight Loss_ **(9)** _,_ Joel Fuhrman describes how the more nutrient-heavy the intake, the less caloric and more healthy it is. Personal stories from Fuhrman's treatment of more than 10,000 patients demonstrate that eating increasingly larger portions of healthful, high-nutrient foods decreases our desire for low-nutrient foods, loosening the addictive hold of what is basically garbage. Drawings demonstrate the stomach-filling efficiency of 400 calories of high-nutrition intake versus 400 calories of high-fat and oil consumption, which leaves a nearly empty stomach hungry.

Your body does everything it can to make you regain lost weight. It starts using calories efficiently, it makes food more palatable, and you feel hungry all the time.

**This is where a vegan diet is more beneficial than any other weight loss plan.** Because vegan foods (the right ones, that is) are extremely high in fiber and bulk and low in calories. You can eat much more food and still get fewer calories than you would with meat, dairy or processed foods. That way, you never have to feel hungry again, and it is much easier to maintain your weight loss.

Chapter 13 MYTH: Meat and Masculinity

What is the number one cause of disease and death among men in the United States? **Grilling!**

Try taking a guy's meat away and many of them are going to scream like little girls. There are a lot of men, the majority, who say they could never give it up. To them, meat represents masculinity. But when you understand the effect fat and cholesterol have on a guy's penis (the same as on the arteries of the heart), it doesn't sound masculine at all. At age 50, 50% of men will have erectile dysfunction. The percentages increase proportionately every decade after that.

Clogged penis arteries are caused by the same thing that clogs the arteries to the heart: meat, dairy products, saturated fat. Men think they can compensate with Viagra or some other drug. Believe me, it's not the same.

I have firsthand experience.

My marriage was beginning to feel like a trap. I was changing in important ways, becoming thinner and happier, but my husband insisted on staying the same. He stuck to the old way of doing things, no matter how much he hurt himself or his health.

I realized I should never have quit working to raise kids. I should have at least returned to a job before reaching middle age, because now I was scared. If I divorced Bob, I would be unable to support myself and the kids. Child support only lasts so long, and after that I would be on my own. I decided to stick it out until they were grown. When my nest emptied, I found I had nothing more to say to Bob. Lovemaking was a thing of the past. I was becoming thinner, "younger" and happier. Bob was a sick old man. If he really couldn't help becoming sick, that would be one thing. But I knew from my own experience that he had choices. Choices he was too stubborn or too addicted to make.

My final "Ah-ha" moment came when Bob and I went to Dickie's Barbeque. After our order came (I ordered the vegetable plate), he tore into his baby back ribs. Sauce stuck to his face like flies on syrup. Dark, blood-red sauce ran down his hands, almost to his elbows. I shoveled paper napkins toward him, but he was oblivious. He was having a food orgy and nothing else mattered. This man suffered from Type II diabetes, high blood pressure and erectile dysfunction, yet here he sat, purposely destroying himself. I realized at that moment that all the vegan food I fed him at home could never compensate for the dreadful choices he made on his own. It was the beginning of the end of my marriage. Nothing I said, none of the literature I left around the house, made any difference. He was addicted to meat and became angry and desperate when anyone tried to take it away from him. Kind of like a heroin addict. I found out later that it is like that for some people. Perhaps he was one of them. (10)

Blame me if you will, but I got a divorce.

Chapter 14 Make a Break

SHARON'S STORY

I admit it. I don't like it when people I love die. I don't even like it when people I _like_ die. It makes me angry when people get sick with diseases that could have been so easily prevented. Unfortunately, we've put all of our hopes into the medical profession to keep us healthy, and they have failed miserably.

It's hard for me to be fair, having been exposed to more mediocre doctors than good ones, but my general philosophy is that the farther away from doctors you stay, the healthier you will be. By "doctors," I mean medical, allopathic doctors, the ones who treat illness with surgery and/or drugs.

Like most people, I used to believe that sickness was beyond my control. That's the way I was brought up, and I suspect you were too. But I learned long ago that only one person can keep me healthy. ME! For that, I have my mother to thank. No, I didn't inherit great genes. And she wasn't the kind of mother one usually thanks, but rather a discontented, chronically ill, massively addicted, hypochondriac mother.

After my father died at a very young age of 33, my mother began to become ill often. She was only 35 years old, but her health would never be good again. I cannot remember ever asking my mother how she felt and getting the answer "I feel fine." She never felt fine.

Mother always believed that she was sicker than everybody else. If one of the ladies at church complained of an allergy, a stomach ailment or heart palpitations, my mother was sure to acquire the same symptoms. I used to think she was a hypochondriac. After reading about hypochondriacs, however, I now believe she suffered from chronic illness in various forms. This often occurs in people who are poorly equipped to handle life.

Being sick enabled Mother to cope with everyday problems. Less is expected from a sick person than the rest of us. Mother didn't like disappointing people. She couldn't say "I don't want to," so she would become sick instead. Her conscience wouldn't let her lie, so she made herself sick. Once in a while, she made an effort to pull herself together. For a brief time, she'd eat right and exercise. Eventually, however, her arthritis or some other illness would force her to stop. Mother spent a great part of her last 40 years sitting in a recliner. (As a footnote to this, please stay out of recliners! They are ruinous to your posture. They tip your head forward, thus putting your spine out of alignment. This leads to neck and back problems.

As a child, my mother's violent illnesses left me feeling fearful, helpless and guilty. As I grew up, somewhere along the way I lost whatever sympathy I had for her. Perhaps that was a terrible way to feel, but she had worn me out.

From Mother I learned that being sick exempts you from having to do something you don't want to do. I also learned that sick people are irritating. If you get out of something by being sick (like work), then someone, somewhere has to cover for you. We are not supposed to "blame the victim," but sadly, with a few exceptions, it is usually the victim who is to blame for their own poor health (sometimes, sadly, with their doctor's help!).

After years and years of false alarms, my mother was finally diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver. No, she was not a drinker. No, she never had Hepatitis C. She had been receiving multiple medications from multiple MDs, all of whom were treating a symptom, a body part, not a whole person. One apparently did not know or care what the other one was doing, and Mother ended up with cirrhosis. Why weren't they monitoring this vital organ? Doesn't every TV ad for every drug warn against liver damage?

Chapter 15 MYTH-Your Doctor Knows Best

That was the end of my love affair with modern medicine.

Modern medicine suppresses symptoms rather than addressing the true causes of what ails us. Mostly likely, we will die from chronic and degenerative diseases such as cancer and heart disease that are treated but rarely healed.

Disease is usually a pretty simple proposition. If spite of what the medical business would like you to believe, that disease is a complicated process, all disease is the result of malfunctioning cells. Two reasons cells malfunction are because of (1) deficiency (insufficient and the wrong kind of nutrients from the foods we eat), and (2) toxicity (excessive toxins—poison—in the cells, like drugs and chemicals).

Traditional medicine, doctors, researchers and scientists, would like us to think only they have the power to fix our malfunctioning bodies. But they are like the Wizard of Oz, presiding over a false kingdom. Excessive medical care can actually lead to poorer health, and patients need to remember that saying no to your doctor can improve your prognosis. See, One Word Can Save Your Life. (11)

In a survey of 627 family-practice and internal medicine doctors, published in the September 26, 2011 edition of the Archives of Internal Medicine, doctors acknowledged that financial incentives encouraged them to do more rather than less. Thirty-nine percent said other primary-care doctors would order fewer diagnostic tests if those tests didn't generate extra revenue for them, and 62% said medical subspecialists would cut back if the tests didn't come with financial incentives. See, Patients get too much medical care, doctors say; 28% of doctors say they overtreat their patients. (12)

We don't expect other businesses to purposely dry up their source of income, so why should we expect doctors to? And their business is treating sick people. Why should any industry go against its own best interests? If a majority of people adopted a healthier lifestyle, the medical industry would go broke.

Is a Vegan Diet "Restrictive?" What a load of Crap!

Even Web MD gets in on the act. In its review of _Skinny Bitch,_ Web MD warns against the "strict vegan diet" because "you will probably lose weight... [but] there's a chance you could develop nutritional deficiencies" and further citing "credible, scientific evidence." See, WEB MD Review of Skinny Bitch. (13)

Unfortunately, "well-meaning" (maybe) nutritionists and doctors will warn you about a vegan diet being "restrictive," because it eliminates certain foods from your diet. Nonsense! The foods the meat, dairy and fast food industries advocate give you cancer, heart disease and diabetes, and just about everything else. As a vegan, only by limiting yourself to a few foods would you be in danger of developing nutritional deficiencies.

You are not on a "restricted" diet because there are NO essential nutrients in animal foods that are not also found in plants. What are found in animal foods are cholesterol, saturated fat and no fiber.

1. According to the article, the diet is not practical for "most people who can enjoy meat and/or sugar in moderation and be healthy and lose weight." Do you know anyone who is overweight who can enjoy anything in moderation?

2. "Credible, scientific evidence" is often based on animal studies, which are themselves a **load of crap**.

We have been indoctrinated from childhood on up. Don't ask your doctor or your nutritionist for advice on diet. Most of them mean well, but they are brainwashed like you and me. _WARNING!_ If you are under a doctor's care for a medical condition, don't do something stupid because you **thought** you read it in a book—any book. **Do your research. Use your common sense, please, and proceed with caution on any major lifestyle change.** Get your doctor's input, but evaluate it carefully.

The best doctors will be happy when you decide to do something positive and take control of your health. Congratulations if you have found one of those.

Chapter 16 MYTH-Screening Saves Lives

But what about the valuable "services" doctors provide?

From the 20 million PSA tests performed in the USA for prostate cancer every year, to surgery for chronic back pain, to simple antibiotics for a sinus infection, an amazing number of tests and treatments are now proving either harmful or only as helpful as a placebo.

Yearly mammograms are not nearly as effective at reducing the risk of dying of breast cancer as we would like to think. In fact, mammography may lead many women to consent to unnecessary treatment. There is also a good probability that the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test may do men more harm than good if they don't already have symptoms of prostate cancer. Other widely used cancer screening tests are similarly suspect.

A growing group of scientists, who are published in highly respected medical journals and working at some of the most august institutions, strongly believe that we should rethink the current approach to cancer screening.

Cancer screening tests pick up many small cancers that would never have caused any symptoms. Once diagnosed, most get treated, and treatment can cause harm. Tamoxifen for breast cancer can trigger life-threatening clots in the lungs, for instance. Surgery for prostate cancer leaves 60 percent of men unable to have an erection. And the screening tests themselves carry risks: Up to five out of every 1,000 people who get a colonoscopy have a serious complication, such as a colon perforation or major bleeding. And that's not counting the fact that x-rays are _radiation_ , toxic in and of themselves.

Are these risks necessary to avoid dying of cancer? Not when there is a better way.

For one, these tests have a poor record of catching the fastest-growing and most deadly cancers in time to cure them. Once again, in spite of what we have come to believe, screening's power to cut the risk of dying has been wildly overinflated.

Second, screening tests do a great job at catching cancers destined to exist quietly without causing problems. To make matters worse, they also sound the alarm about cancers that would actually go away on their own because some cancers simply disappear—or would have, if they hadn't been prematurely treated. The standard treatments for cancer, chemotherapy and radiation, are poisonous to the human body. In other words, it may be the treatments causing death, not the cancer itself.

Unnecessary therapies for cancer are a tremendous drain on the national health care budget, which is strained to the breaking point. "Many oncologists would probably tell you that they've had patients who suffered serious side effects, even death, from treatment that they might not have needed," says William C. Black, MD, a professor of radiology at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. The tendency to be aggressive in treatment, just in case, may be doing more harm than good. **(14)** A study was presented on December 1, 2009 at the annual meeting of the _Radiological Society of North America_ _(RSNA)_ that verified that annual mammography screenings may be **responsible for increasing the risk of breast cancer by 150% in women who are predisposed to this disease.** **(15)**

Chapter 17 What Can We Do About Cancer?

Whether you participate in the screening process is up to you. It's your choice. Just like lifestyle and food choices. The medical conglomerate has us scared enough to accept anything they tell us. But it is my opinion—my informed opinion, I believe, that we should work toward **preventing** cancer, not just screening for it.

At least 80 percent of cancers are due to factors that have been identified and can potentially be controlled, according to the National Cancer Institute—an amazing admission by this organization. Not only do we have the potential to prevent most cancers, we can also improve the survival rates of people who have cancer.

It was so liberating to realize that I don't have to be scared of cancer anymore. By _changing my lifestyle_ , I've done more to prevent cancer that all of the screenings that are available. **(16)**

You have the same options. You should, however, spend more time in researching this subject because there is way too much information to be included in a book this size, and I am not advising you medically. Try visiting the web sites of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine **(17)** and Dr. John McDougall. **(18)** Dr. T. Collin Campbell conducted the largest population study on cancer yet conducted. **(19)** Chris Karr's book and website **(20)** can point you in the right direction. These are a few of the sources to get you started.

Is a Hysterectomy Acceptable?

Mother experienced early menopause, an event that produced dramatic symptoms. I remember waking up in the middle of the night to the sound of her body wracked by vomiting. She said it was caused by her "sick headaches." I believe she was either having migraines, or her blood pressure had shot up too high. The next morning she would tell us, "I was so sick last night, I thought I was going to die." Her two little girls, my sister and I, believed her. Only five and six years old, we had unexpectedly and tragically lost our father. Now, we were petrified that some unknown, horrible disease would snatch our mother away from us—a mother who was, according to her own analysis, daily teetering on the precipice of death.

On the other hand, I went through menopause without a hitch, no night sweats, no hot flashes, no angry, drastic mood changes. My vegan diet helped me avoid the menopausal systems and serious "female" problems my mother experienced.

Ladies, that is the way it's supposed to work. Women from poor, less developed countries do not suffer from menopausal symptoms. They don't have junk food, and what they eat is much closer to what nature intended. They don't have hot flashes either; most don't even have a word for them. Menopause is a happy occasion because they no longer have to deal with periods and pregnancies. PMS is not a common problem for them either. They don't get hysterectomies.

Hysterectomy is the most common form of surgery in the United States today. The natural process of aging and menopause is treated like a disease. If doctors have anything to do with it, every American will be on some type of drug or treatment for something.

We don't have to lose our ovaries or uterus if we adopt a healthful diet and exercise. I look forward to the day when women will be able to choose between plastic surgery or hysterectomy. A face lift is much cheaper for your insurance company, and, in my opinion, one of the few justifiable reasons to see a surgeon. It would be nice if we had a choice. Do I want my insurance company to pay for a hysterectomy or a facelift? Mastectomy or breast implants **? If young women were informed that those were their future choices, they might make wiser lifestyle choices today.**

Chapter 18 MYTH-People Won't Change

Doctors claim people are unwilling to make drastic changes in their lifestyle even when faced with potentially fatal diseases. But this has been proven false over and over. Look at the number of Americans who quit smoking once they learned of the potential dangers. Millions of alcoholics quit drinking. In fact, the disease of alcoholism was so baffling to medical doctors, they were totally incapable of treating it. Alcoholics Anonymous has been more successful at helping alcoholics recover than any treatments doctors could devise.

Many MDs will not tell you the truth because they don't want to face the truth themselves. Their diets are as poor as the average person's. We would like to believe that our doctors are infallible, that they have answers that the rest of humanity is not privy to. That is not the case. A doctor will not tell you the truth because he or she is a human being. Change is painful for anybody, even your physician. They make excuses and deny credibility to the mountain of scientific evidence that has accumulated about the results of a healthful diet.

And let's not forget that more people die of infection in hospitals every YEAR (100,000) than U.S. Troops died in the ENTIRE Vietnam War (58,000). Incredible as it may seem, more hospitalized people die from a cause other than what they went in for. Once again, if at all possible, stay away from doctors and hospitals!

A close friend had quadruple bypass surgery. "Did the doctor tell you to change your lifestyle?" I asked expectantly. "To eat more fruits and vegetables, exercise, reduce stress—anything like that?"

"No," Jim told me, "my doctor didn't tell me to change anything."

A few short years later he was dead from heart disease.

Chapter 19 MYTH-Death by Drugs

During my last trip to the medical doctor, the waiting room was filled with people. They had overbooked, of course. As I sat and observed the other people coming in, talking to the nurses or occasionally being escorted to an examining room, an amazing realization struck me. _Most of the people in the waiting room were drug representatives_!

Americans buy more prescribed medicine per person than any other country. The number of prescriptions has swelled by two-thirds over the past decade to 3.5 billion yearly, not counting over-the-counter drugs, which are even more prevalent. We suppress our immune systems by taking antibiotics until they no longer work. We consume huge quantities of pain medications, cold remedies, allergy relievers and antacids. A raft of heavily promoted drugs allegedly treat common, persistent, daily life conditions like depression, shyness, premenstrual crankiness, waning sexual powers, impulsiveness in children. You name the symptom, I'll name the drug.

Drugs act like toxins in our bodies, the same as inappropriate foods. Too much toxicity, and we get sick. Eventually, toxicity kills us. Additionally, these drugs simply suppress the symptoms of whatever is ailing us. Our body is trying to send signals that we are doing something wrong, something that needs to be changed. By suppressing the symptoms of a minor ailment, like stomach pain, we are setting ourselves up for something much more serious, like heart disease or cancer.

No wonder drugs are such a common problem among teenagers and young adults. We are teaching them that drugs are not only okay, but even preferable to real, lasting health.

More and more doctors, researchers and public health experts are saying that America is overmedicating itself, buying and taking far too much medicine, too readily and too carelessly. Over 125,000 Americans die each year from adverse reactions and mistakes such as fatal drug combinations or overdoses. This statistic is based on Associated Press projections from landmark medical studies of the 1990s. **That could make pharmaceuticals the nation's fourth leading cause of death after heart disease, cancer and stroke**.

Do we need all these drugs? Many drugs are ineffective and many more are dangerous. Drug companies are now promoting drugs for long-term use to essentially healthy people, like statins for cholesterol. Why? Money, of course.

Exercise and better diet ward off disease more effectively than drugs. However, drugs are usually promoted as the first option by most health professionals.

Antidepressants, for example, have been shown in randomized trials to help with severe depression but not with moderate or mild depression, yet are widely prescribed for those conditions. At least half, and possibly 70 percent, of the 113 million U.S. prescriptions for proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) prescribed for acid reflux each year are for conditions they don't help, such as run-of-the-mill stomachaches. PPIs can cause bone fractures, severe and hard-to-treat bacterial infections and pneumonia. Millions of people are being put at risk unnecessarily, which is one reason treating adverse drug reactions costs the U.S. $200 billion a year.

_Doctors don't seem to be getting the message about useless and harmful health care. Medicare pays them more than $100 million a year for screening colonoscopies; some 40 percent are for people in whom they will almost certainly harm more than help. 'We're killing more people than we're saving with these procedures,' says UT's Goodwin. 'It's as simple_ as that.' (One Word Can Save Your Life: No!) (21)

**By all means, consult with your doctor! But watch out. Your doctor may be sicker than you are.** With a few lifestyle changes, you may be able to get off some medications completely. Your doctor will have a fit, but don't worry. Like your average nutritionist, that's the way they were trained. They treat symptoms with drugs rather than attempting to discover and remedy underlying causes.

I look forward to the day when I will walk into a doctor's office and he will tell me that, until I get off of my fat ass, start eating right, exercising and maintaining a positive mental attitude, the only thing he can do for me is give me a pill or an operation. Who will admit that his "cures" will mitigate the symptoms but won't really make anything go away. That I am in charge of my health and, unless I decide to change in significant ways, things are only going to get worse. That I am going to get sicker and more crippled with each passing day. On the day a medical doctor says that to me, hell will surely freeze over.

Our systems are miraculous. They are capable of overcoming almost anything if given the chance to go through the healing process.

This is not professional medical advice. This is my opinion based on my rather extensive dealings with the medical profession and my long time research into these areas. **Don't do something stupid and blame me.** Use your commonsense. And take responsibility for yourself.

The American Medical Association says that 70% of what ails us could be remedied by lifestyle changes. _Seventy Percent!_ Coming from this organization, that admission is incredible. Why don't all the researchers, doctors and races for the cure tell you that? If we put half the money that goes into research into encouraging a better lifestyle, we could cut the incidence of the _disease du jour_ by seventy percent! Do I need to repeat—70 _%_?

We must stop putting all our hopes and dreams for good health on the medical establishment's shoulders. Doctors can't save us.

WE CAN ONLY SAVE OURSELVES.

Chapter 20 MYTH-Genetics

Ah, my favorite myth of all.

We are really being sold a bunch of bullshit when it comes to genetics. Most of us still embrace the idea that our fate is written in our DNA. Why? Do we really want to believe that our health is predetermined, and there is nothing we can do about it? Perhaps it is easier than taking personal responsibility. Maybe it's in our nature to accept our condition.

Or maybe we are just lazy.

Every time I ask someone about controlling their blood pressure, osteoporosis or heart disease, almost everyone says my mother (or my father) or my grandmother (or grandfather) had this (whatever they are suffering from at the moment). So did mine! That's just an excuse. Studies of genetics are making us believe that we have no control over our health, but that is fictitious thinking. Conquering our genetic code is not going to change the rate of disease.

We may have a predilection to certain traits and weaknesses, but we don't have to succumb to them. This predestination means that if we abuse our bodies, the toxic effect is most likely going to come out as cancer, heart disease, arthritis, and so on, depending on our genetic heritage.

How long we live and how healthy old age can be is mostly determined by our genetics. FALSE!

As we age, most of us have started to think about old age, and how we want to live it. Perhaps we've had to nurse parents through poor health. Have you heard this said, or have you said it? "I don't want to live to be 100 and in a nursing home, with tubes coming out of every orifice, unable to take care of myself." Many of us think that is the only choice we have.

It doesn't have to be that way! You can have lasting vibrant health as long as you want. Fortunately, in your fifties, sixties, seventies and beyond, it's not too late to make the changes that will bring about the kind of health that will keep you on your feet and active into your one-hundreds.

According to the recent pronouncement of a famous scientist, the first person to live to be 150 years old has already been born. It could be you or me! The so-called miracle of modern medicine won't do it. It will be because someone has adopted the principles of a healthy life.

Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's and Infertility

Everything is affected by what we eat. It would be impossible to cover all of the diseases and the studies that support a vegetarian diet in a work this size, but here are a few examples.

Alzheimer's Disease

It turns out, the same thing that causes the clogging of your arteries most likely causes your brain wiring to go haywire. In a paper published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers said that the incidence of Alzheimer's in the 65-plus age group among African-Americans was 2.5%. Among the (also African) Yoruba people of Ibadan of that age, it was 1.15%. When the scientists looked at all types of dementia, they found an even sharper difference—3.24% in the US and 1.35% in Nigeria.

That's double the incidence. What makes the difference? Obviously, not genetics, since both cultures share similar genetic background. A highly probable conclusion is that the mainly vegetarian diet of the Yoruba, compared with the fatty diet of many Americans, offers protection against Alzheimer's as well as against cardiovascular disease, the biggest killer in the rich world. (22)

Did anyone bother to tell you that elevated cholesterol is almost always associated with Alzheimer's Disease? Do you know where cholesterol comes from? If you don't by now, then you haven't been paying attention. Cholesterol comes only from animals. Plants do not make or contain cholesterol.

Parkinson's Disease and Other Nerve Related Illnesses

Several studies show that diets high in animal fat or cholesterol are associated with a substantial increase in risk for Parkinson's disease (PD); in contrast, fat of plant origin does not appear to increase risk. Age-adjusted prevalence rates of PD tend to be relatively uniform throughout Europe and the Americas, but for groups whose diets are vegan or near vegan, like sub-Saharan black Africans, rural Chinese and Japanese, rates of Parkinson's Disease occurs at much lower rates. **(23)**

Another thing to consider in nerve disease related illnesses are pesticides. Pesticides most often act on the nerves of insects. Even though pesticides are used on plants, those same pesticides tend to accumulate in the bodies of the animals that eat those same plants in higher concentrations that on the plants themselves. Doesn't it make sense that, if they act upon the nerves of insects, these same pesticides may be acting on brain and nerve function in our bodies?

Infertility

The Nurses' Health Study, a long-term research project looking at the effects of diet and other factors on the development of chronic conditions, compared the diets, exercise habits and other lifestyle choices of fertile and infertile couples. Some surprising results were revealed.

Getting more protein from plants and less from animals lowered the risk of ovulatory infertility. Good to know if you want to get pregnant. **(24)**

What do I do if I already have this disease?

You shouldn't do anything until you obtain all the information available on your disease. Chances are, someone else has already tried "alternative therapies," including diet change, and much of this is reported on the internet. Many have been cured by a whole foods, vegan approach. Often it depends on the disease and how far it has progressed. Unfortunately, many try a vegan diet as a last ditch resort, and it is too late by then. Start early with your vegan diet. It won't hurt and will most likely help.

It is not the purpose of this book to cover all eventualities. You will have to do some work yourself.

Chapter 21 MYTH—Research Miracles

Despite decades of research and billions of dollars spent, hundreds of women worldwide are dying of breast cancer. Its incidence has nearly tripled in the past 50 years. A woman's lifetime risk has increased from one in 20 in the 1950s to one in seven today.

The "war on cancer" was declared nearly forty years ago, yet scientists still don't know why women get breast cancer. Over 30 US federal agencies and dozens of foundations, pharmaceutical and biotech companies conduct or fund research. No one knows how much money is being raised, how much money is being spent or where the money goes. Researchers tell us that more people are surviving longer with cancer than ever, but the big picture doesn't reflect that. Survival gains for the more common forms of cancer are measured in additional months of life, not years.

Scientists keep doing the same old redundant research that's simply not working. Doctors still treat cancer using old fashioned surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. There's that same old insanity again—"doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

It is time to think outside the box.

In 1982, the National Research Council published a report called _Diet, Nutrition, and Cancer_ , detailing the existing evidence linking specific dietary factors to cancer of the breast and other organs. As an example, out of hundreds of studies: it was reported that Asian countries, such as Japan, have low breast cancer rates compared to Western countries like the United States. However, it has nothing to do with genetics. When Japanese women westernize their diets, as has been happening since the 1950s, their breast cancer rates climb.

**Among affluent Japanese women, those who eat meat daily have approximately a six times higher risk of breast cancer compared to those who rarely or never eat meat**. When Japanese families move to the United States, their daughters acquire the same risk of cancer as other American women. **So much for genetics and the hopes that it is the magic pill to cure cancer we have been looking for.**

It should be as obvious as the nose on your face—if you can face the truth. What this tells us, if we are paying attention, is that breast cancer is directly related to diet, specifically **MEAT**. The traditional Japanese diet is also low in **dairy products**. Not so when they move to America.

The _Journal of the American Medical Association_ reported in the summer of 2007 on a study of the eating habits of patients with colon cancer in the years following surgical removal of the cancer. Over the next five years, those who ate a traditional Western diet (meat, dairy products, highly processed food) had a threefold greater likelihood of a recurrence of the disease compared to those who ate a "prudent" diet rich in fruits and vegetables. The Western diet restimulated the growth of small deposits of residual cancer cells.

**Hundreds of studies support similar findings** , many more than we can cite here. Foods loaded with fat, cholesterol, animal protein, heavily processed foods and artificial ingredients overburden our blood, arteries, cells and immune systems. Our intestines won't perform efficiently absent fiber and clogged with animal flesh. Our immune systems are crying out for an abundant supply of plant-based nutrients. Nature never intended for us to eat the "Standard American Diet" (SAD) or "Standard Western Diet" (SWD), to be hooked on pills or to sit on our asses all day.

To put it simply: Plant foods= **good**. Meat, dairy and too much processed food= **bad**.

Since the diseases that usually kill us are directly related to lifestyle, it is ridiculous that researchers are still trying to find "cures" for them. Researchers, at least those with some common sense, gave up searching for a cure for lung cancer that is caused by smoking. They may look for new treatments, but they have given up trying to find a cure for something that is so obviously caused by lifestyle.

Changing your lifestyle now is no guarantee that you will never be faced with cancer, heart disease, diabetes or stroke. No one can promise you that any more than they can promise you won't get lung cancer if you give up smoking or never started. We are human. We are not perfect. There are some factors that are beyond our control. But we can greatly improve our odds!

Don't take my word for it. To get at the truth, look at large epidemiological studies and consistency of the evidence, not studies done by vested interests.

Don't buy into the media hype. How many times have we heard of a promising new treatment or breakthrough or potential cure? Has one single, solitary one of those come to pass? In fact, the language has subtly shifted from "cure" to "treatment." There are no cures. There is no cure for slowly poisoning your body. What about "prevention"? Mammograms, stress tests, pap smears, blood pressure checks and colonoscopies are not prevention. They are detection. _A plant-based diet is the only prevention._

Every time you make a contribution to an organization purported searching for a "cure,' such as the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, the United Way, or any other such institution, you are helping maintain the status quo. Plus, you are helping researchers torture, usually for years and always for no reason, millions of helpless, innocent animals.

Animal studies, wherein a group of animals are artificially given a disease and then cured (or not) by one "miracle breakthrough" after another, have too often been misleading. Time after time, it's announced that this research will lead to exciting breakthroughs in human cures. Then, nothing happens. You never hear about it again or a quiet announcement might reveal that such and such did not work in human beings as expected.

The cancer community has published an extraordinary 150,855 experimental studies on mice, according to a search of the PubMed database. Guess how many of them have led to treatments for cancer? Very few treatments and NO CURES. In fact, if you want to understand where the War on Cancer has gone wrong, the mouse is a pretty good place to start.(25)

The cure myth and complete disregard for true prevention are keeping research organizations alive and rich, and your money is being wasted.

Epidemiological (studies of human populations) studies work much better than studies of animals to show tendencies in human health. They have yielded tons of important information and revealed how we were mistaken in the past.

Do not allow your need to conform, or your place of employment, to force you into contributing your hard-earned money to these money-grabbing entities. There are plenty of other health organizations that emphasize true prevention and animal alternatives.

Sometimes the new miracle cure is worse than the disease and may even cause death. This applies to cures for diseases as well as for obesity. We are all led down the path of miraculous scientific frontiers where a great deal is promised, but very little actually delivered.

Much like my ex-husband.

Chapter 22 The Placebo Effect

We've all heard of the placebo effect. What's interesting in many medical studies, about one-quarter to one-third of all cases, is that believing you are receiving the medication is as good as actually receiving it. A January 2012 article in the _Wall Street Journal_ showed "Why Placebos Work Wonders." A particular mindset about our health can lead to a lessening of symptoms of disease, changes in appetite, brain chemicals and even vision.

In one study, hotel room attendants were told they were getting a good workout at their jobs. After four weeks, they showed a significant decrease in weight, blood pressure and body fat, even though they made no changes in diet or exercise. The participants in the control group had the same jobs, but were not told they were getting a good workout. They experienced no change.

Another study published in the journal Health Psychology showed that ghrelin levels, a gut peptide involved in the feeling of satisfaction after eating, depended on how many calories participants were told they were consuming, not how many they actually consumed.

When told a milkshake they were about to drink had 620 calories and was "indulgent," the participants' ghrelin levels fell more—the brain perceived it was satisfied more quickly—than when they were told the shake had 120 calories and was "sensible."(26)

Recent studies have shown that often, even when people know they are receiving a placebo, they still get better. They have learned to believe in medication. Recent studies have shown that tranquilizers are about 75% placebo effect. When I mentioned this to several friends, who insisted on taking them, they were convinced they weren't in that 75%, and that the tranquilizers worked for them.

In _The Magic of Believing,_ first published in the 1950s. Author Clyde Bristol teaches that what we believe about ourselves is exactly what we will accomplish. If we believe certain things about our health, we are forever bound into that preset pattern. If we believe we will never attain success, then we won't.

Most of us expect to be sick at least one or more times each year, to cope with at least one serious illness by midlife and, in all likelihood, to die of one or several diseases by our eighties, if not sooner. Too often our lives depend on what parents, peers and even our doctors have taught us, or how well or sick our parents were. Now we call that "genetics."

**Poor health is not** **the result of bad luck and longevity does not rely on good fortune and genetics.**

I came to a blinding revelation. My health, the most important thing I possessed, was under my control and no one else's, and that I did not have to end up sick all the time like my mother.

I had a choice.

So what does this mean for you? You just want to lose weight.

An Important Side Effect

By choosing to be crazy—and go vegan, you are going to lose weight, but an important side effect, is that you are going to get healthier **. If you let yourself.**

Avoiding toxic substances, eating a proper diet and regular exercise are all extremely important to health and longevity. **But above all, the psychological factor may be the most important.**

Many who don't thrive on a vegan diet are obsessed with their health. They listen to the idiots around them and expect to get sick. They haven't adopted the joyous and free lifestyle that goes with being a vegan, and instead are resentful, angry and feel deprived.

We've all known people who live to a healthy and happy old age in spite of abusing their bodies every day. Apparently, the people who live the longest have certain things in common. An acceptance of "life on life's terms" type of attitude keeps them healthy and alive longer that the stressed-out rest of us. There have been numerous studies of people who live to be over 100 years old. The single thing that they have in common is an accepting attitude. These centenarians often live to be older than their children.

It's not that people who live longer never have anything bad happen to them. Of course they do. They don't dwell on all the sad things. They don't carry grudges or remain bitter about a loved one who died. They don't blame anyone for crushing hopes and demolishing dreams. The difference is that they go through the pain, get past it, accept tragedy as a part of life and go on.

**Holistic** medicine teaches that the human body does not exist independently of the mind, that the mind can be used to aid the natural healing process. Allopathic (traditional) medicine should learn the same thing. Imagine what we could accomplish if modern medicine combined the best that allopathic medicine has to offer, the Placebo Effect and the benefits of appropriate diet and exercise. If the American Medical Association estimates that 70% of the illnesses that plague us are preventable by life style changes, imagine if we combined the three? It could be closer to 99%. We wouldn't be worried about Medicare being able to cover everyone. Our insurance co-pays and deductibles would cease to exist. Hospitals and doctors would go broke. Wouldn't that be wonderful?

Chapter 23 Stay Out of the Medical System

Kris Carr, in her book, _Crazy, Sexy Diet_ , describes how she took charge of her own health after being diagnosed with a rare, inoperable cancer. She did the research and came up with the diet and lifestyle that stopped her cancer in its tracks. **Turns out, she was lucky the medical profession couldn't help her.**

Mother didn't live very long after she was diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver. Even though she was a pain in the ass in many ways, I loved her deeply and miss her. Sadly, my mother's body reacted to the bombardment of conflicting medications and a misdiagnosis which exacerbated a preexisting condition. Disaster resulted, for her and for millions like her, who turn their precious health over to the medical profession.

After Mother succumbed to cirrhosis, my friend Maggie drove with me to East Texas to scatter her ashes. We did manage to put them where she wanted, at the farm where she was born. The people who now owned the farm were not at home, so we drove down the lane until we could see the stock pond over the fence. We had to stand on one side of the barbed wire and reach across to scatter the ashes on the other side. Luckily, the wind blew most of the ashes where they were supposed to go. I also brought seed pods from a vine that Mom had grown for the last several seasons and placed them in the ground. Hopefully, they took hold. Maggie read something very nice while we did this.

When I turned around to face Maggie, my sunglasses were covered with white dust, as were my face, hair and clothes. Mom was a little on the gritty side, I must say. So I brushed her off as best I could, but carried a bit of her around for the remainder of the day. She accompanied us in that fashion to a knife and gun show. Yes, a gun show. On the way back home, I saw a billboard announcing a show going on at Big Town (or where Big Town used to be). I asked Maggie if she would mind if we stopped. She said okay. While there, I had my Mother's little silver pocket knife sharpened and shined by a sweet old guy in a worn denim jacket.

Later, while staring absentmindedly out my car window, a thought occurred to me. If you scatter your mom's ashes on the farm where she was born, then stop off on the way home to attend a gun show . . . you might be a Redneck. Texas born and raised.

Mother's death left me angrier than ever at doctors and the medical system as we know it today. Unfortunately, at least for the present, the medical profession, medical research and pharmaceutical companies are motivated by profit, not making people healthy. If it isn't something that can be bottled and sold, no one is interested.

Am I advocating a complete abandonment of modern medicine? On the contrary, there is much that we can use and some procedures, especially associated with trauma and injury, are outstanding. I am suggesting that we use some common sense, take responsibility and stop hoping that doctors can fix us.

Chapter 24 Make a Difference

KENZY'S STORY

What do you know about how animals raised for food are treated? About how they are raised and slaughtered? How much do you want to know? How much can you handle? Do you think it is "not that bad." How bad is it?

Much worse than you can ever imagine.

This is not a book about the suffering of farm animals. There's much more that you need to know than I can cover in a few pages. However, I want to help you become a vegan—not send you away in despair.

If you care about animals, you will find here enough information, and the kind of information, that will help you make the needed changes in your own life. If you care about animals, _all animals_ , not just puppies and kittens, you need to face a few facts. If you don't care, then nothing I write here will make any difference.

I was raised in a small Texas town where ranching was the biggest business—almost the only business. I always felt out of place. Animal husbandry was a constant reality. We were taught that animals are put here for our use. That also means to eat. I was uncomfortable with the process, but accepted it because I didn't know any better.

When I went away to college, I finally began to seriously question the things I'd been taught all my life. I learned to think for myself, no longer accepting the opinions presented by others—my parents, the preacher, church elders, so-called experts, authorities, or anyone else—as fact. I started to think about what I was eating.

The family farm, where animals are treated humanely, is nothing but a myth. I learned about "factory farming," where animals are treated as little more than machines or products, to provide the meat and milk we want. My previous experience didn't extend to feedlots and slaughterhouses, downed (sick or injured animals) and transportation of animals in trains and trucks without food, water or shelter from extreme heat and cold. But I began to learn about those things.

CHICKENS

Roughly 50 million egg-laying hens are crammed five to 10 in cages so small their lives are void of any natural activities beyond breathing and defecating. In these torture chambers of 48 square inches, hens are unable to spread even one wing. They live literally one on top of the other. Tens of millions are starved for two weeks to shock their bodies into another laying cycle. Because these practices are so cruel, a state ballot initiative to ban current egg industry practices passed in California with the most "yes" votes in California ballot initiative history.

Chickens are not protected by humane slaughter laws. Thousands of birds awaiting slaughter are crammed inside small crates stacked one on top of the other, often suffering death from heat suffocation while waiting to enter the slaughterhouse or from being frozen to death.

Chickens, turkeys, ducks and other "meat-type" birds are intentionally kept alive through the slaughter process in order to keep their hearts beating. After being manually pulled from the delivery crates, they are hung upside down, suspended by their legs from shackles. With their genetically modified huge heavy breasts, they experience an extremely painful strain on their legs and hips. Sometimes they are shackled by one leg.

The next step is an electrified water bath trough that is intended to immobilize, but not render them unconscious. The goal is to keep them from desperately flapping and jerking while hanging head down from the conveyer belt, to paralyze the muscles of their feather follicles in order to facilitate feather removal, and to induce certain characteristics in the muscle tissue marketed to consumers. The paralyzed and semi-paralyzed birds have their necks partially cut by a machine blade and/or a manual neck cutter. When cutting is done inefficiently, birds retain consciousness while in severe pain for up to 8 minutes.

While still alive, but not necessarily unconscious, the birds hang upside down for 90 seconds in a bleedout tunnel. An unreported number of birds asphyxiate in pools of floor blood if the conveyer belt dips too close to the bleedout floor. In order to drain more blood from chickens, reducing blood spots and meat discoloration, chicken slaughter plants are adopting high frequency currents that never, or rarely, kill and cause more suffering than ever. Dead or alive, they are dropped into tanks of scalding water. In 1993, over 3 million birds, known as "red skins" because they are full of blood, officially entered the scald tank alive. How many "unofficially"?

Spent laying hens are so osteoporotic from lack of exercise and calcium depletion for eggshell formation that most slaughter plants won't take them. Because spent laying hens have no commercial value, according to Canadian Farm Animal Care Trust president Tom Hughes, "They are not even worth enough money to go through the normal process of slaughtering and packing. The simplest method of disposal is to pack the _live_ birds into containers and bulldoze them into the ground. Another method is to pack the birds into a closed truck and connect the exhaust to the body of the truck." **(27)**

PIGS

Corporate hog factories have replaced traditional farms, causing the majority of pigs to be "factory farmed." These pigs exist in a nightmare from the beginning to the end of their lives.

Breeding sows are kept in a continuous cycle of impregnation and birth, treated like piglet-making machines, and bearing more than 20 piglets per year. They are often confined in gestation crates—small metal pens just two feet wide that prevent sows from turning around or even lying down comfortably. At the end of their four-month pregnancies, they are transferred to similarly cramped farrowing crates to give birth. From crate to crate, with barely enough room to stand up and lie down and no straw or other type of bedding, many suffer from sores on their shoulders and knees.

Why not a little straw to make their lives easier? Straw is too expensive to be wasted on food animals. The unnatural flooring and lack of exercise causes obesity and crippling leg disorders, while the deprived environment produces neurotic behaviors such as repetitive bar biting and sham chewing (chewing nothing).

Hog factories strive to keep their sows 100% active in breeding in order to maximize profits. After nursing their young for two to three weeks, the sows are re-impregnated. Their piglets are taken away to be fattened. When the sow is no longer deemed a productive breeder, she is sent to slaughter.

The HBO documentary, _Death on a Factory Farm_ , documented the hanging of a sow from a skid loader with a logging chain at Wiles hog farm near Creston, Ohio. Owner of the 6,000-animal hog farm, Ken Wiles, said he had been "euthanizing" hogs this way for 40 years. Portions of the undercover video revealed a convulsing pig suffering for a full five minutes in the kind of agony euthanasia is supposed to stop, not cause. Also documented at the farm were hogs falling through broken floor slats into manure pits, being buried alive and killed with hammers and piglets slaughtered by having their heads bashed against the wall.

Criminal charges were filed. Testimony from experts called hanging sows "abhorrent." The Ohio Pork Producers Council agreed. But a veterinarian named Paul Armbrecht, testifying for the defense, called hanging a "practical method to euthanize an animal," and Wiles farm was found "not guilty" on all but one charge. The fine levied was $250.00.

Don't let pork and other meat "producers" kid you. When there is profit involved, the animals suffer unrelentingly.

Approximately 105 million pigs are raised and slaughtered in the U.S. every year. As babies, they are subjected to painful mutilations without pain relievers. Their tails are cut off to minimize tail biting, a bizarre behavior that occurs when these highly-intelligent animals are kept in deprived factory farm environments. In addition, notches are taken out of the piglets' ears for identification.

Ten percent of piglets die before they reach three weeks of age. Turns out they are the lucky ones. The surviving piglets are torn from their mothers to be crowded into pens in warehouse-like sheds, with metal bars and concrete floors, until they reach a slaughter weight of 250 pounds at 6 months old.

The air they breathe for the remainder of their lives is polluted with dust, dander and noxious gases from the animals' waste. Exposed workers run a high risk for bronchitis, asthma, sinusitis, organic dust toxic syndrome (ODTS) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Unlike these workers, the pigs have no escape from this toxic air, and roughly half of all pigs that die between weaning and slaughter succumb to respiratory disease.

Poor air quality, extreme close-quarters confinement and unsanitary living conditions combine to make diseases a serious threat and their lives a misery.

If given sufficient space, pigs do not soil the areas where they sleep or eat. But in factory farms, they are forced to live in their own feces, urine and vomit and even amid the corpses of other pigs.

During transport, as many hogs as possible are loaded onto each truck because it is cheaper. The numbers of deaths are very high because of the extreme crowding

Stunning at slaughterhouses is terribly imprecise, and often conscious animals are hung upside down, kicking and struggling, while a slaughterhouse worker tries to "stick" them in the neck with a knife. If the worker is unsuccessful, the pig will be carried to the next station on the slaughterhouse assembly line, the scalding tank, where he/she will be boiled alive and fully conscious.

DAIRY

In order to produce milk, dairy cows must have babies. On today's factory farm, they are forced to have a calf every year. Like human beings, cows have a nine-month gestation period, and so giving birth every twelve months is physically demanding. The cows are also artificially re-impregnated while they are still lactating from their previous birthing, so their bodies are still producing milk during seven months of their nine-month pregnancy. With genetic manipulation, modern dairy cows may produce up to 100 pounds of milk a day, ten times more than they would produce naturally. As a result, the cows' bodies are under constant stress. Numerous health problems like mastitis, a bacterial infection of their udders, Bovine Leukemia Virus, Bovine Immunodeficiency Virus and Johne's disease (whose human counterpart is Crohn's disease) are the result. Farmers won't necessarily know they are producing from diseased cows because some diseases go unnoticed. They are either difficult to detect or have a long incubation period.

Cows do not eat a normal grass diet because they need high energy feeds to produce milk at the abnormal levels expected on modern dairies. These feeds cause metabolic disorders including ketosis, which can be fatal, and laminitis, which causes lameness. "Milk Fever" is caused by calcium deficiency, and it occurs when milking depletes calcium faster than it can be replenished naturally.

A natural cow's life expectancy is 25 years, but on modern dairies, they are slaughtered and made into ground beef after three or four years. The abuse on their bodies is so intense that the dairy industry also is a huge source of "downed animals." Downed animals are so sick or injured that they are unable to walk or stand. Investigators have documented downed animals routinely being beaten, dragged or pushed with bulldozers in attempts to move them to slaughter. Some of these were shown on TV a while back, NOT because of the mistreatment of the animals, but because of the resultant meat recall. **Because these scenes are deemed "difficult to watch," we can remain happily ignorant and the abuse continues unabated. (28)**

Although the dairy industry is familiar with the suffering associated with intensive milk production, it continues to subject cows to even worse abuses in the name of profit. Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH), a synthetic hormone, is now being injected into cows to get them to produce even more milk. Besides adversely affecting the cows' health, BGH also increases birth defects in their calves.

Calves born to dairy cows are separated from their mothers immediately after birth. The half that are born female are raised to replace older dairy cows in the milking herd. The other half of the calves are male and, because they will never produce milk, they are raised and slaughtered for meat. Most are killed for beef, with close to one million being used for veal.

An abundant supply of unwanted male calves created the veal industry, an example of factory farming at its worst. These baby calves live for eighteen to twenty weeks in wooden crates that are so small that they cannot turn around, stretch their legs or even lie down comfortably. Torn from their mothers at birth, the calves are fed a liquid milk substitute, deficient in iron and fiber, which is designed to make the animals anemic, resulting in the light-colored flesh that is prized as veal.

Some calves are killed at a few days old to be sold as low-grade "bob" veal for products like frozen TV dinners. According to an Animal Agriculture Alliance newsletter (July 2007), the Board of Directors for the American Veal Association voted unanimously to convert the industry to group housing by 2017. That means baby calves have a few more years before they can lie down comfortably or turn around in their stalls. Good news for those that haven't been born. Not so good for those who are already suffering. **(29)**

BEEF CATTLE

In ranching communities, it is common for kids in 4-H and high school to raise an animal and sell it for meat. 4-H'ers are supposed to learn to make decisions, keep records, manage money, take responsibility for another living thing and budget time. Another thing they learn is how to betray a creature who has learned to love and trust them. The grand finale of these projects is exhibiting and selling their animals at the county fair, area livestock show or State Fair. The animals are sold at the conclusion of the event, occasionally for breeding, usually for meat. The kids invest lots of time, money and energy to keep their project animal comfortable and well cared for. These animals are virtually hand fed, and it is not uncommon for the animal and its human caregiver to form strong bonds.

Judy, one of my best friends in high school, raised a steer one season. She named him Custer. Judy fed Custer, groomed him daily and loved him until the Texas State Fair. At the Fair, he won First Place and was auctioned off to a Dallas steakhouse. While everyone was congratulating her, my friend sobbed shamelessly. That's a big joke here in Texas. It happens a lot. The picture of Judy trying to smile through her tears appeared in the Dallas Morning News. A similar picture is featured every October when the fair winds to a close.

Cattle raised for beef are subjected to numerous painful procedures during their lives, things we wouldn't do to our dogs. They bellow in pain as the brands are burned into their skin. Occasionally a procedure called "waddling" is used. Chunks of hide are cut out under the animals' necks, making it large enough so that ranchers can identify their cattle from a distance. Their testicles are ripped out during castration, and their horns are removed, practices conducted without any painkillers or anesthesia.

Beef cattle typically are born and live on the range. Sounds pretty good compared to the warehouses of torture where pigs and chickens are raised, but again, there is no regard for the animal's comfort, short of death or weight loss and a subsequent income loss. There is no protection against heat, cold, storms or tornados. They may die of dehydration or freeze to death. And there's lots of weather related misery. In the Texas panhandle, cattle often bear 100 plus degree temperatures in the summer without any sign of shade.

Ranchers would like us to think that they care about the comfort and safety of their food animals. They do not. As I recently found out, the Texas Legislature quietly removed the requirement for "shelter" from its animal welfare standards for livestock. When I called to complain to local authorities about some horses that were being left in small corrals in the sweltering Texas summer sun without any sign of shade, I was told there was nothing that could be done. Unlike a dog or a cat, adequate shelter is not a requirement for livestock, and horses are livestock. Unless the animal actually dies, it is out of luck. There are lots of extremes of misery short of dying and the Texas sun in 100+ degrees is one of them.

Injured or ill cattle do not receive necessary veterinary attention. One common malady afflicting beef cattle is called "cancer eye." Left untreated, the cancer eats away at the animal's eye and face, eventually producing a crater in the side of the animal's head. If the animal is not too far gone, he will end up on your plate anyway.

Range cattle become panicky when they are rounded up for shipping to feedlots, auctions and slaughterhouses. They experience extreme stress, cruelty and even death. "Shipping fever" costs livestock producers as much as $1 billion a year, yet is cheaper than providing some comfort for the animals. Cattle may travel thousands of miles on a single trip, and there are no humane laws to protect trucked or shipped animals. Loaded for days onto crowded trucks without food, water or rest, they are subjected to extremes of heat and cold. Some cattle succumb to pneumonia, dehydration or heat exhaustion, and may even freeze to the sides of transport vehicles during long trips. On a cold winter's day, imagine being transported in an open truck with freezing winds. They are not fed during transport or the day before since it will not be converted into profitable flesh.

Injured animals—downed—often unable to walk or even stand, commonly suffer for days without receiving food, water or veterinary care, and many die of neglect. Others are dragged, beaten, and pushed with tractors on their way to slaughter.

In 2008 an undercover animal-rights worker documented abuses at Westland/Hallmark Meat, including workers moving downed cows with forklifts, sticking them repeatedly with electric prods and spraying water down their noses to make them stand, allegedly to get them to slaughter. Horrible—and I wish I could tell you it was a rare incident. But USDA records obtained by the Animal Welfare Institute describe 501 humane-handling or slaughter violations that occurred at other slaughter plants in March 2004, including: a downed cow pushed 15 feet with a forklift at one plant. Other companies drug downed but conscious animals, let downed cattle be trampled and stood on by others, and, in one case, used "excessive force" with a rope and an electric prod to get a downed cow to stand.

What occurred at Westland/Hallmark led Senator Dianne Feinstein of California to introduce a bill to ban the slaughter of all non-ambulatory animals and shut down slaughter facilities that repeatedly violate the rules. The ban would "increase food safety and shorten the suffering of disabled animals." The American Meat Industry, opposed the ban. **(30)**

That's no surprise.

Standard procedure is to deliver cattle to overcrowded, manure-laden feedlots where they will be fattened before slaughter. Routinely implanted with growth-promoting hormones, fed unnaturally rich diets designed to fatten them quickly and profitably, they stand "ankle-deep in their own waste—eating a diet that makes them sick," according to Michael Pollen in _The New York Times._ Torrential rains, mud and blazing heat further add to their misery.

A standard beef slaughterhouse kills 250 cattle every hour. Assembly lines run at high speed, making it increasingly difficult to treat animals with any semblance of humaneness. It is impossible to have a good attitude toward cattle if employees have to constantly overexert themselves just to keep up with the line.

Federal law requires that, prior to slaughter, cattle be "rendered insensible to pain." Most often used is a "pistol" that thrusts a metal rod through the skull and into the brain. However, the law is rarely enforced and routinely violated since shooting a struggling animal is difficult and production lines move so fast ( _Slaughterhouse_ ; Eisnitz, G., 1997). As a result, some animals go through the slaughter process kicking and screaming as they are skinned and dismembered while fully conscious.

An April 10, 2001 _Washington Post_ expose revealed:

_It takes 25 minutes to turn a live steer into steak at the modern slaughterhouse where Ramon Moreno works . . . . The cattle were supposed to be dead before they got to Moreno. But too often they weren't. 'They blink. They make noises,' he said softly. 'The head moves, the eyes are wide and looking around.' Still Moreno would cut. On bad days, he says, dozens of animals reached his station clearly alive and conscious. Some would survive as far as the tail cutter, the belly ripper, and the hide puller. 'They die,' said Moreno, 'piece by piece._ **(31)**

Beef cattle mean money. If you think they might feel hunger or pain or loneliness or fear, you better get over it. They are FOOD. They should know that. Compared to what some other "food" animals experience, beef cattle usually have it pretty easy.

Unfortunately, that's not saying much.

FISH

Poor fish. Does anybody care about them?

We like to believe that fish don't suffer like mammals. Unfortunately, many studies have found conclusive evidence that fish feel pain.

Wild catches of fish have increased by approximately 500% to nearly 100 million tons per year, decimating wild fish population. Other economically useless sea life are caught in trawling vessels and killed in the nets. Non-target fish, birds, sea turtles, sea lions and dolphins are thrown back into the water, dead or dying, equaling as much as 10% of any catch. Captured in huge fishing trawls and squeezed for hours along with any netted rocks and other debris, those dragged from the ocean depths undergo excruciating decompression that ruptures their swim bladders, pops out their eyes and pushes their stomachs through their mouths. On the fishing vessel, they slowly suffocate, mouths gaping, gasping for breath.

**Have you seen a live caught fish—I mean, really paid attention?** They may struggle to breathe for 20 minutes or more. How would you feel if you were being suffocated, and it took 20 minutes? That's in addition to the pain of being snared by the lips with a sharp hook and drug from the water. It's torture, and it is ridiculous to deny it.

About 2 billion fish (mainly catfish and trout) are the victims of intensive farms where they are crammed into tiny spaces. Overcrowding, filth, infections and parasite infestations plague factory farmed fishes. They experience hemorrhages, red, swollen, and oozing gills, eroded skin, tails, and fins; and degeneration of internal organs. Skin lice may latch onto a caged salmon and eat into the salmon's flesh. The fish scrape themselves against their cage in an effort to relieve the intense irritation. **(32)**

When they reach market weight, farm raised fish are loaded into trucks bound for the kill plant, a very stressful process. Upon arriving at the processing plant, the tanker pours the water and fish into large, metal mesh cages. As the water pours through, fish who have survived the ordeal of "harvest" and transportation die of suffocation.

MASS DEATHS

When things go wrong, the suffering of farm animals is even worse. In an industry where millions of animals are routinely confined in crushing situations, the inevitable fire, tornado, flood, hurricane or epidemic disease means even worse tragedy for those already trapped in hell.

(1) In June of 2008, levees broke and torrential rains flooded massive hog farms in the Midwest. Some producers without evacuation plans left animals locked in their pens to thrash about as the water rose over their heads. Rescue workers found bodies later, some contorted within gestation crates, some trapped in ventilation shafts.

(2) During one of 2011's summer extreme heat waves, fans circulating air in a barn housing 5,000 hogs near Kirksville, Missouri, stopped because of a power outage. Half the hogs died of heatstroke.

(3) On a southeastern Kansas farm, in another heat wave, fans were working but temperatures inside the turkey barns reached more than 105 degrees. More than 4,000 turkeys died.

(4) In several states, including Kansas, thousands of beef cattle crowded in outdoor pens with little or no shade baked alive when the sun's heat grew so intense that sprinkling water on them did no good.

(5) In 2011, 50,000 chickens died in North Carolina and 800,000 chickens expired in barns in a Texas fire in 2009.

Livestock in confined pens or factory farms are more vulnerable to mass deaths. These disasters are becoming more commonplace with the advent of factory farming. It is a horrible way to die.

Yet such tragedies may be no worse than countless unseen horrors that unfold behind slaughterhouse doors.

Chapter 25 A Cow Farts and a Tree Falls

Animal husbandry is one of the worst abuses of the environment. Ruminant animals such as cows and sheep also emit huge quantities of methane via burping and flatulence. Methane has 23 times the global warming potential of CO2, and the livestock industry alone is responsible for 37 percent of human-induced methane emissions. Grazing animals often cause topsoil runoff and land degradation. (33)

Meat production affects the environment by the overuse of resources such as fossil fuels, water and land. A 2006 report by the Livestock, Environment and Development Initiative reported that the livestock industry is one of the largest contributors to environmental degradation worldwide, contributing to air and water pollution, land degradation, climate change and loss of biodiversity. The livestock sector is one of the most significant contributors to serious environmental problems, at every level – local to global.

Producing meat and animal products is much less efficient than the harvesting of grains, vegetables, legumes, seeds and fruits for direct human consumption. The vast majority of grain harvested in the U.S. is fed to farm animals, requiring large areas of land to grow. Grazing, a wasteful and inefficient practice, forces agribusiness to exploit forests, wetlands, and other natural ecosystems and wildlife habitats. Ranching-induced deforestation causes the loss of unique plant and animal species in the tropical rainforests of Central and South America, carbon release and the destruction of tropical rain forests in Latin America. The problem is worldwide.

The production of protein from grain-fed animals requires eight times as much fossil-fuel energy as the production of plant protein. Even reducing the amount of meat the typical American eats to 20% less or about six ounces a day, would be more effective than switching from a Toyota Camry to the hybrid Toyota Prius.

The quantity of waste produced by farm animals in the U.S. is more than 130 times greater than that produced by humans. Agricultural runoff has killed millions of fish, and is the main reason why 60% of America's rivers and streams are "impaired" and rife with pfiesteria bacteria, which kills fish and causes illness in humans. Groundwater, like the aquifer under the San Bernardino Dairy Preserve in southern California, is contaminated. It contains more nitrates and other pollutants than water coming from sewage treatment plants.

Farm raised fish are not the ecological answer. They may be raised in highly – controlled tanks or raceways (rectangular concrete enclosures up to 20 acres in size) constructed inland, or they may be raised in artificial enclosures in coastal estuaries. Fish crowded into small areas are susceptible to disease and suffocation.

Raising fish in crowded, excrement-laden water necessitates the broad use of agrichemicals. The chemicals and waste products from the farm-raised fish industry pollutes and destroys vast expanses of increasingly rare estuaries every year.

Chapter 26 The Frankenstein Effect

In order to raise food animals under the stressful conditions of modern factory farming, American cows and pigs are full of hormones like diethyl stilbestrol (DES) (a growth simulator), pesticides that are used on animal feed, and antibiotics. Massive doses of antibiotics are needed because animals are stressed in conditions of overcrowding, with no sunshine and no fresh air. This causes illness, which is treated by massive doses of antibiotics.

Other countries do not allow the importation of American meat because of the chemicals and hormones our "food" animals ingest. Hormones used in animals lead to serious problems for women, like hormonal imbalances, hysterectomies, PMS, endometriosis and infertility. Pesticides used on all crops (except organic) accumulate in the tissues and organs of animals. Consequently, we are being inundated with higher concentrations than we would be if we only ate plants, even if they have been treated with chemicals.

Now animals are being genetically modified with no thought to the health of people much less the suffering of the animals. It is indeed, a mad, mad, cruel world. We are experiencing the unintended consequences of thoughtless manipulation of nature. The Frankenstein effect.

It is easy to become overwhelmed with the problem. There are so many who suffer and the suffering is so intense, that it sometimes is easier to turn away and try to forget about it or ignore the problem. What can I do, when there are so many?

It is estimated that the average person is responsible for eating nine (whole) animals per year. What you do may not make a huge difference right away, but it will certainly matter to those nine animals.

**Instead of turning away, try concentrating on the lives and suffering you will save by becoming vegetarian and vegan**. You in turn will influence others and they will save lives too. Above all, don't pretend as if it isn't happening or that you are powerless. Now that you are reading this book, you have a great deal of power, the power to change yourself.

Nowhere else can we point to such a direct relationship to kindness to others that will benefit ourselves. You will be healthier, skinner for sure and probably a whole lot happier in the long run.

Chapter 27 Make a Choice

PAIGE'S STORY

We have given you lots of good reasons to become a vegan and ways to get started. Yet, you have chosen not to do it. Why not? Knowledge equals power—right? Not necessarily. The threefold roadblock to success discussed in the first chapter is what keeps us from taking important steps toward health and happiness.

**Ignorance** is the first roadblock. You have successfully passed that roadblock. Unfortunately, we can have access to all the best information in the world and still be incapable of changing our old habits.

The second roadblock, therefore, is **old habits**.

I recently watched a TV show, _Confessions of a Reality Show Loser_ , about a guy who won _The Biggest Loser_ by losing over 200 pounds. Over time, he gained most of it back. I realize this is a game show, but it mimics most diets. That is, it fails to show us how to survive once the diet is over. This particular contestant's mother was preparing baby back ribs and huge desserts for the family. The guy was unable to resist.

Sadly, that is what families often do – they keep pulling us back into our old ways of doing things. We inherit from them our genes, but more importantly, we inherit from them old habits, patterns of eating, unwillingness to do the exercise. A baby comes into the world, ready to start fresh, to live a healthy, happy life. Right away, his mother subjects him to the same crap the rest of us have eaten from the time we were born. The excuse? It's always been done that way. It is difficult to change established patterns. "Old habits die hard" is a cliché that still remains true.

I visited a business recently in a strip shopping center that also contained a take-out fried chicken joint. Three hugely fat women of varying generations were going back to their car with their orders. Along with them was a toddler about 3 years of age. In her mouth was a piece of fried chicken.

Are many humans incapable of learning anything? I can understand being unable to resist certain foods, but poisoning our children? It makes me crazy!!

However, even these bad habits can change if we practice persistence. Don't give up. Get out there. Work at it until you get it right.

Or maybe it is more than habit. Maybe it's addiction.

Chapter 28 An Unmanageable Life

At the age of 40, I finally admitted that my life had become unmanageable. Many things contributed to that, but the biggest problem was a large weight gain. At age 25, I weighed 125 pounds. At 40, I weighed 186.

It had become difficult to move and breathe. I was in pain much of the time from my knees and other body parts. Heaving myself out of the car or off the floor (assuming I was able to get down there in the first place) was inevitably accompanied by a groan of pain. My clothes didn't fit, and I had lost interest in my appearance.

What had happened along the way? How did I get this way?

To find answers, I had to revisit my battle with alcoholism.

Many speculate that it is possible to inherit alcoholism. If it is, then I got it from my father. Everyone said I was like my daddy. I had his personality and looks. I also had his disease. He died at the age of 33 of alcoholism and heart disease.

Even though I grew up receiving lots of warnings about the dangers of alcohol, after I left home for college, it wasn't long before I discovered its glories. The first time I took a drink, I felt confident and bold in ways I'd never felt before. Alcohol made me able to act the way I felt inside: witty, sexy and smart, or so I thought. After only a few sips of Pearl Beer, I was intoxicated. I would stay that way, more or less, for the next 13 years.

College drinking is not so weird, but somewhere along the line, my friends changed. When their lifestyles started interfering with their ability to function, to get up and go to work every day, to be with friends without getting drunk and insulting them, to face life with a "natural high," when they started feeling bad instead of good, they quit.

I suffered horribly from my hedonistic lifestyle. Debilitating hangovers kept me home from work. Alcoholic binges brought on blackouts (periods of time I could not remember). The only problem was, I couldn't stop, even if I wanted to. There was a big hole in my gut, and I was always looking for something or someone to fill it up.

In Alcoholics Anonymous, they call it "reaching your bottom." And the bottom is different for every one of us. I reached mine one bar-hopping night and ended up in rehab. After checking into the "jitter joint" (the alcoholic rehabilitation unit of a local hospital), I began to learn to regard alcoholism as a disease. This is the basis upon which it is treated in rehab, and the basis upon which it is addressed in Alcoholics Anonymous. They said I had a choice: I could either quit drinking or go insane or die. My only alternatives were a mental institution or the grave. I may have been a drunk, but I wasn't an idiot. I chose sobriety and as a result, chose life.

The AA program and its 12 steps taught me almost everything I now know about coping with life on life's terms, living happily and in harmony with myself and others. It was a tremendous gift. Getting sober through the auspices of AA was the first time I was aware of making a huge change in my lifestyle, unless you count going from being a naive country bumpkin to a wild party girl. It wouldn't be the last.

I still had a slew of addictions and bad habits that I would have to deal with later, but for that moment in time, I was healthy and energetic. I was happy and still young enough to absorb some of the worst things I was doing to my body without ill effect.

Chapter 29 The Absence of Will Power?

What does the story of my addictions have to do with you?

The dictionary defines "addiction" as the compulsive physiological and psychological need for a habit-forming substance, like heroin or cigarettes. So-called "addictive personalities" may be born or they may be made; I don't know and I don't care. All I know is that I am one. I know this because as soon as I had successfully overcome one addiction, another one rushed in to take its place.

Most people think there is nothing wrong with fat people that a little will power won't cure. That is simply not true.

If you have the knowledge you need to change, if you have persisted in changing old habits with healthy new ones, and you STILL can't make the changes you need to make, then you are addicted to food. If your motto is "one container, no matter how big=one serving," then you have no will power when it comes to turning down trigger foods. It's unlikely that this includes anything healthy. You are powerless over food. You are a compulsive overeater, like I am. You are addicted to your unhealthy lifestyle.

Lifestyle, in this case, includes eating the wrong things consistently, lack of exercise, maybe even the psychological effects of poor nutrition, like depression. Maybe you can't quit overeating and eating the wrong foods, like a heroin addict can't give up his drug.

I've heard many people say that alcoholism is nothing more than an absence of will power or the result of making poor choices. For most people, stopping behavior that has become painful is a choice. **For the true addict, it is not.** The same is true for compulsive overeaters, maybe even more so. Because of my experience with addictions, several of them, in fact, I should have recognized my eating addiction for what it was and been prepared to deal with it. Unfortunately, I wasn't.

When the newness of my sobriety wore off, I started eating. The phenomenon of feeling incomplete, or never being quite satisfied, came back. The booze had kept the weight off and I had never been fat before, so I guess I believed it was okay to put food in my mouth in order to compensate. Whatever my reasoning, I ate and ate and ate. When I ate, I felt satiated for the moment and briefly lost the empty, incomplete feeling. When it returned, I'd have to overeat again. Within less than two months, I had gained 20 pounds. When I quit drinking September 29, I weighed 132 pounds. Thanksgiving day of the same year I weighed 152 pounds, and that was only the beginning.

The idea of chocolate ice cream would come into my head. I would become obsessed with the vision. I felt that if I didn't get some ice cream pretty soon, I would go insane. No amount of rational thought or reasoning would persuade me from this compulsion. Nothing would satisfy me but driving to the store and buying that ice cream, an addict desperately searching for her pusher. The process of driving to the store, putting the ice cream in a basket, paying for it and driving it home was, oddly enough, also part of the satisfaction.

As soon as the first bite hit my tongue, I would begin to feel better. By the end of the carton, I would be relaxed and less anxious. The problem was, I wouldn't realize I was full until nausea set in. Then guilt, depression and hopelessness quickly followed. I felt more miserable than I did before I ate the ice cream. My dream of being skinny seemed more remote than ever. I resolved never to do it again, to start my diet tomorrow and to exercise every day for the rest of my life. The next day, after the gas and nausea had passed, I would do it all over again.

The length and number of my binges increased. My weight started to climb. There were three or four diets in those years that helped me lose weight. I'd be motivated for a few weeks and lose 10 or 12 pounds, but after that – nothing. None of them lasted and within a few weeks I had regained all of the weight and more. I can't definitely tell you what my final weight was. I could no longer bear to step on the scales each morning.

Chapter 30 Keeping Us Addicted

You hear a lot about "personal responsibility" when it comes to battling the obesity epidemic and its associated diseases. We get advice to exercise more self-control, make better choices, avoid overeating, and reduce our intake of sugar and processed food. We are told there are no good foods or bad foods. It's all a matter of balance.

This sounds good in theory, except for one thing—

If you are an addict, then all of the will power in the world won't make a difference.

It is very easy in our society to become addicted to food. New discoveries in science prove that many industrialized foods are designed by the food industry to be addictive. I'm usually not much of a conspiracy theorist, but the government, the food and advertising industry and even the people around us all conspire to keep us addicted.

The mantra, "there are no bad foods," gets a lot of press, especially from people who don't lose control. That's a lie. There are indeed a lot of bad foods and poor health choices, and most of **those foods are addictive to those who are susceptible**. But separating what is good from what is bad can be a discouraging business, and quite frankly, you can't believe anybody. There are thousands of foods to choose from, and most of us have plenty of money to buy whatever we want, when we want it.

Well, food, anyway. I once heard a woman telling her young son in the grocery store that grapes were too expensive, but she turned around and bought him a package of potato chips!

Farmers in the United States produce 3,800 calories worth of food a day for every man, woman and child. In case you don't know, that is twice what the average person needs. So everyone in the industry is encouraging you to eat.

Food merchants spend tens of billions of dollars every year finding new ways to entice us. Our taste for salt, sweets and fats are continually exploited. _The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite_ , by former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner David Kessler, **(34)** shows **that foods high in fat, salt and sugar alter the brain's chemistry in ways that compel people to overeat**. The ingredients by themselves may not be harmful, but when combined in secret ways the food industry will not share with the public and promoted with intense marketing campaigns, they stimulate millions of Americans and create addictions. That's the goal of the food industry: using optimum amounts of fat, sugar and salt, to create a "bliss point." Millions of people can't seem to stop once they begin eating. And long after they have ceased to feel hungry, they are still eating.

Food is sold in gas stations, bookstores and department stores, and belt-busting meals are available everywhere. Then there is supersizing! It is not uncommon to be served a meal that contains 1,500 to 2,000 calories, about what you would need for an entire day. Even the healthy, sensible eater is constantly tempted. Since, like me, you are most likely a food addict, or at least food obsessed, imagine how a heroin addict would feel if her drug of choice were hawked on every street corner.

Obesity rates have reached epidemic proportions. The Center for Disease Control estimates that at least 110,000 people die per year due to obesity and 1/3 of all cancer deaths are directly related to it. Former Surgeon General Richard Carmona remarked that obesity is a more pressing issue than terrorism: "Obesity is a terror within."

The documentary, _Killer at Large,_ shows that not only the food industry, but governmental public policies, actually cause obesity by fighting any healthy changes in public policy. For example, school lunch programs push highly addictive foods on children. The USDA's Dairy Promotion Programs for the year 2000 worked with fast-food chains to make sure that cheese was prominently displayed in menu items. One federally sanctioned program launched Wendy's Cheddar Lover's Bacon Cheeseburger, which single-handedly pushed 2.25 million pounds of cheese during the promotion period, not to mention bacon and hamburger. Another promoted Pizza Hut's "Ultimate Cheese Pizza" with an entire pound of cheese per pizza. And in 1996, a similar federal program helped Subway promote cheese and include it as a required ingredient in two new sandwiches, anticipating the sale of an extra 70,000 pounds of cheese.

You cannot be healthy eating all of that crap. And it sure as hell is a battle to stay skinny.

Newspapers and TV routinely serve up commercials enticing us to buy all manner of food products. These same media feed us contradictory "scientific" information on what's right to eat and what we should avoid. We are confused, and it's easy to choose the wrong path.

The Science of Food Addiction

**There is a physical basis for chocolate addiction**. The taste of chocolate triggers the release of opiates in the brain which causes a rush of dopamine, the brain's principal feel-good chemical. In addition to its creamy texture and deep brown color, chocolate appears to stimulate the same part of the brain that morphine acts on. For all intents and purposes, it is a drug.

One of the things I remember most vividly about my father, and one that was to foreshadow my later attitude toward food, was his love of chocolate. They say that's typical of alcoholics. In the movie, "The Days of Wine and Roses," Jack Lemmon got Lee Remick hooked on booze by getting her to try a drink made with chocolate.

**Dairy products are also addictive**. That is why a lot of women especially, will screech in agony if you mention giving up cheese. In 1981, Welcome Research Laboratories found that cows actually produce traces of morphine in their milk, along with codeine and other opiates. Cow's milk, or the milk of any species, contain casein, which produces opiate compounds, called casomorphins, during digestion. Cheese is especially high in casein, the protein in cow's milk, which may be part of the reason people feel more "hooked" on cheese than on milk. Cheese contains other drug-like compounds as well, including an amphetamine like chemical called phenylethylamine, or PEA, which is also found in chocolate and sausage. **(35)**

What are opiates doing in milk proteins? Opiates from mother's milk may produce a calming effect on the infant and, in fact, may be responsible for a good measure of the mother-infant bond. The drug-like effect on the baby's brain ensures that the baby will bond with Mom and continue to nurse and get the nutrients all babies need.

Gluten, a protein found mostly in the grains wheat, rye, oats and barley, also stimulates the production of opiate chemicals that are similar to endorphins. Since these grains are often highly processed, that's another reason we are addicted to processed carbohydrates like cakes, cookies and chips.

Carbohydrates stripped of all nutrients (refined) such as white flour, pasta, bagels, bread and sweets create bodily changes similar to the elevating effects of alcohol and cocaine. (Contrary to what the food industry says, these nutrients cannot be added back into their products with the same benefits.) Alcohol is also made from highly refined carbs like grains and grapes. Sweet and starch addicts often say their "drugs" make them feel energized, comforted or relaxed. **Over time it takes more carbs to deliver the drug-like effect, leading to stronger sweet cravings, more and bigger binges and faster weight gain.**

Tell a cocaine or heroin addict or an alcoholic to "just say no" after that first snort, shot or drink. It's not that simple. **The "just say no" approach to drug addiction doesn't work, and it won't work for food addiction either**. Nobody chooses to be a heroin addict, cokehead, or drunk. Nobody chooses to be fat either. Specific biological mechanisms that drive addictive behavior override normal will power and overwhelm our ordinary biological signals that control hunger.

In the movie _Super Size Me_ , Morgan Spurlock ate three super-sized meals from McDonald's every day. What struck me about that film was not that he gained 30 pounds or that his cholesterol went up, or even that he got a fatty liver. What surprised me was the portrait it painted of the addictive quality of the food he ate. At the beginning of the movie, when he ate his first supersized meal, he threw it up, like a teenager who drinks too much alcohol at his first party. By the end of the movie, he only felt "well" when he ate junk food. The rest of the time he felt depressed, exhausted, anxious and irritable, and he lost his sex drive, like an addict or smoker withdrawing from his drug. The food was clearly addictive.

This bingeing leads to profound physiological consequences that drive up calorie consumption and lead to weight gain. We live in a toxic food environment, a nutritional wasteland. School lunchrooms and vending machines overflow with junk food and "sports drinks." Most of us don't even know what we're eating. Fifty percent of meals are eaten outside the home, and most home cooked meals are simply microwavable industrial food. Restaurants and chains provide no clear menu labeling. Did you know that a single order of Outback Steakhouse cheese fries is 2900 calories or a Starbucks venti mocha latte is 508 calories?

Environmental factors, such as advertising, lack of menu labeling and others, and the addictive properties of "industrial food," when added together, override our normal biological or psychological control mechanisms. To pretend changing this is beyond the scope of government responsibility or that creating policy to help manage such environmental factors would lead to a "nanny state" is simply an excuse for Big Food to continue their unethical practices. **(36)**

Not everyone is vulnerable to conditioned overeating. No one knows what causes alcoholism either, most likely because they are too busy addicting monkeys and other primates to get to the bottom of human addiction. Drug-like foods such as dairy products, refined sugars, many processed foods and all "junk" foods, regular use of alcohol or drugs, illegal and/or prescription, can inhibit your ability to manufacture the natural brain chemicals that are similar to sedatives, stimulants and pain relievers that we all need that should occur naturally in your body.

Faced with powerful forces that keep us addicted, how can we food addicts control our cravings in order to lose weight? Remember, you're not going to get any help from the government and very little, if any, from the family doctor. If they know what to do, they aren't telling.

Kessler's suggestion is that we treat processed food the way we treat cigarettes—they are neither cool nor classy, as they were viewed in the fifties and sixties. They are considered **evil and disgusting**. That's the way we should now view that huge plate of nachos and fries and double meat cheeseburgers. Not as a guilty pleasure, but as disgusting and as an evil assault on our good health and wellbeing. We shouldn't laugh at places like the **Heart Attack Grill.** Those heart attacks are costing you and me money and killing our friends.

A skinny friend of mine once told me that she stays slim by imagining these foods will poison her if she eats them. Turns out, she's right. There are "good foods" and "bad foods." Bad, very, very bad.

Drive on by that fast food restaurant. Choose water and tea over sodas, even diet ones. Admit to yourself and others that in the presence of certain foods, you lose all control. Don't lie to yourself that you'll have just one piece of candy or one potato chip or one hamburger, no fries. If someone offers you a cookie, tell them the truth.

You want the whole box or none.

Remember the Lay's Potato Chips challenge? "Betcha' can't eat just one." They know you can't, because they have programmed your neurological response, designing foods to induce people to eat more than they should or even want. The result is what food manufacturers want, we buy more food. And so the merry-go-round continues without stopping until we decide to jump off.

Are we fighting a losing battle?

Chapter 31 Make a Fresh Start

My friends and I have proven that it is not impossible and never too late to change our lives, to start over, and to become healthy and slim.

Is a vegan diet too extreme for most people to even attempt? Looking back to the beginning, I can see it might be a bit intimidating; it is so different from where you've been before. There is a considerable amount of information available about veganism. Being a vegan is a rapidly growing trend, and many are enjoying the benefits of a vegan diet, with more and more devotees added on a daily basis. There are many famous vegans, including Alicia Silverstone, Steve-O, Academy Award winner Natalie Portman, Emily Deschanel, former President of the United States Bill Clinton, Alanis Morrisette. Want more? Visit the Happy Cow web site. **(37)**

There are still some who consider veganism controversial. Some physicians, nutritionists and experts warn interested people that they will have to be very careful to get all the proper nutrients if they insist on pursuing a vegan diet. They may try to scare you away from a vegetarian diet by issuing "cautionary advice." They mean well, but they are trained in traditional ways that support the status quo. Much of their advice is complete nonsense. Unless you replace animal foods with French fries, chips and candy, you are not going to have any nutritional problems. **Eat the recommended fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes with lots of green stuff and you'll be fine. In fact, you will be better than you have ever been.**

EAT YOUR VEGETABLES

There isn't a diet guru on earth who denies the virtues of vegetables. Heart doctors endorse them, cancer doctors sanction them, the USDA promotes them, the low-carb king Dr. Robert Atkins supported them. Vegetables are the perfect carbohydrate source for energy, the richest source of minerals and phytonutrients in our diet. They provide enzymes, vitamins and protein. Just like mom told you, **EAT YOUR VEGETABLES!**

But beyond vegetables, other plant sources are desirable carbohydrates. This includes legumes (beans and peas), nuts and seeds, fruits and whole grains. To keep it simple, we refer to the whole spectrum of vegetarian fare as _plant foods_. A basic understanding of carbohydrates when beginning a vegetarian or vegan diet is often crucial because you may be attacked by family and friends, and maybe even your family doctor, with much of the misinformation that we've discussed before.

In the past, the Atkins and South Beach diets attempted to turn carbohydrates into dietary demons, vilifying them as the source of big bellies. Then, like all diet fads great and small, the no-carb craze lost its luster and faded from prominence.

Carbohydrates are the body's primary source of energy. They are the starchy or sugary part of foods. All carbs break down into glucose, the sugar our bodies use for fuel. Fat, as advocated in the high protein diets like Atkins and South Beach, is only a secondary source of energy that can be used by some tissues, such as muscle, but is more often stored for use in times of famine.

Humans naturally crave carbohydrates, specifically, sweet-tasting foods. We have taste buds on the tip of our tongues designed by Nature to seek the starches, vegetables and fruits that supply us with energy, antioxidants and maximum nutrition. In fact, carbohydrates, with their unique combination of flavor, energy and nutrition, are responsible for regulating our hunger drive. Unless we eat enough carbohydrate foods, we will remain hungry and continue looking for food.

There are no carbohydrates in red meat, poultry, fish, shellfish or eggs. Most dairy products are deficient in carbohydrates. That's why eating a diet loaded with animal foods can turn you into a compulsive overeater. Your body is always hungry for the nutrients you need. You never feel satisfied.

Unprocessed carbs will help end food cravings.

Unfortunately, no one can afford to promote spinach or bell peppers the way bad foods are promoted. McDonald's spent $1.1 billion on advertising in 2001. That same year, the budget for the government's pro-vegetable "5 a Day for Better Health" program was $1.1 million. No wonder only 23 percent of U.S. adults are meeting the five-a-day target. With children, it's even worse. About half the population of the United States eats NO vegetables on any given day. No wonder health costs are soaring! Schools are allowed to count the tomato sauce on pizzas as a vegetable. Ridiculous!

Sometimes carbohydrates are so processed, they begin to resemble junk food. Cookies, cakes and candy are also carbohydrates—the bad kind. Once nutrients are removed, like fiber or vitamins, adding them back in artificially is not going to work the same. It's no wonder we're confused about carbohydrates.

Turns out that carbohydrates have a major impact on the risk for major diseases, obesity and even infertility. Yes, there are good carbs and there are bad carbs. The good carbs are the ones closest to what nature intended/created for our use.

It's really quite simple. There are two basic explanations/approaches, which in the end are almost the same thing, at least as far as your eating plan is concerned. However, it is helpful to have some knowledge of the language of carbohydrates, or it is easy to become confused.

The two types of explanations are (1) Glycemic Load Index and (2) Alkaline-Acid Balance. These descriptions are talking about plant foods with different approaches, and sometimes they are used interchangeably.

GLYCEMIC LOAD INDEX

Glycemic load is a relatively new term to define the types of carbohydrates. This measure relates to both the amount of carbohydrate, and how quickly it is turned to blood sugar. The best quality carbohydrates have a **low** glycemic load.

Complex carbohydrates are long chains of sugars that mix with other plant materials. These chains must be broken down inside your intestine before they can be used as fuel. Digesting the low glycemic load (and/or complex) carbohydrates is a slow, steady process. Thus energy provided by this process lasts a long time, which is why you hear about carbohydrate-loading for marathon runners and those who participate in other grueling athletic events. Winning endurance athletes carbohydrate-load, not just before the race, but all year long.

Unprocessed plant foods, such as potatoes, squash, broccoli and apples, are all good sources of slowly digested carbohydrates or low glycemic load carbohydrates.

The wrong kind of carbohydrates, and the ones that give the others a bad name, are **high glycemic load** carbohydrates. High load carbs enter the bloodstream quickly and give off a quick burst of energy, which is lost just as quickly. These carbohydrates are the processed kind, the kind where human beings have taken what Mother Nature provided and screwed it out of recognition. **White sugar, white flour and white rice are all beaten to death and stripped of fiber and nutrients, until they barely resemble what Nature started out with**. Once again, Nature got it right. Humankind, for all our well intentioned interference, didn't.

Yes, these foods are BAD. These high glycemic load carbs, along with meat and dairy products, have led to a host of diseases, not to mention an obesity epidemic never seen before.

Most of your calories should be come from complex—low glycemic load carbohydrates. A diet of low glycemic load foods will make you healthier. **Most important to those of us trying to lose weight, they will make you feel more satisfied by maintaining level blood sugar and help avoid the peaks and valleys which lead to binges.(38)**

Low glycemic foods are _high fiber_ foods. They may also be called complex (verses simple) carbohydrates and _alkalinizing_ carbohydrates. These definitions are not exactly interchangeable with the low/high glycemic load index, but they are very similar in content.

ALKALINE VS. ACID BALANCE

For our purposes, and since most of us don't want to become experts in the field of nutrition, the primary difference between **Low Glycemic Foods** and **Alkalinizing Foods** is the latter trend toward raw fruits and vegetables, minimizing the significance of whole grains. Alkalinizing foods are usually fruits or vegetables, most often eaten raw or lightly cooked, with much less emphasis on whole grains and legumes, which are generally cooked and therefore altered by heat.

Some vegans base their diets on the principal of alkaline/acid balance and we would do well to honor the equation. The alkaline/acid balance is created in our bodies, primarily by the foods we eat. **The human body is alkaline in nature and should remain slightly on the alkaline side.** Therefore, we think it is a good idea to incorporate this principal into your vegan diet, at least to some extent. I don't want to needlessly complicate the issue, but it really isn't that hard to understand.

Wastes secreted by our cells during food metabolism are acidic. The body must change the acid waste before it can act as a poison, and removes the toxic waste by elimination, breathing, sweating, urination and defecation. **All of the 75 trillion cells of the human body are slightly acidic, but they must exist in a slightly alkaline environment if they are to remain healthy and produce energy**. The normal range of body fluids is between 7.35 to 7.45 pH, which is slightly more alkaline than acidic. This balanced pH, the right balance of acid to alkaline, is necessary for a healthy body. When our bodies become too acid, all kinds of problems develop, _including excess weight_.

Vegetables, especially raw or barely cooked, are the most alkalinizing of all foods, making them an ideal counterbalance to acid-forming foods such as meat.

Fruit is also an excellent alkalinizing food. Atkins and his imitators have given fruit a bad reputation as being high in sugar. If so, it is the kind of sugar our body needs. Our genetic relatives, other primates, exist almost entirely on a diet of fruit, and they never get fat. Imagine telling a mountain gorilla that his bananas are bad—that they will cause him to get fat. What nonsense! Our primate cousins, who eat the way nature intended, are three times as strong as humans for their size.

Fruit has more _desirable_ enzymes than any other food when eaten raw (I'm not talking about peach cobbler). Fruit has vitamins and minerals, is a better source of fiber than grain and is as alkaline as vegetables. Our ancestors evolved in Africa from fruit eaters, and our species has not been in existence long enough to change our genetics to that of a carnivore or even a true omnivore. We had to be adaptable, to some extent, in order to leave Africa and roam the colder climates of Europe and Asia, where fruit and vegetation were scarce. But if meat (and "liquid meat"—dairy products) are our primary source of food, they will lead to disease and premature death.

IF YOU ALREADY HAVE HEALTH PROBLEMS

Unfortunately, most of us suffer from a pH imbalance, and obesity is a huge indicator that your body is out of whack. Obesity, chronic fatigue and premature aging are all symptoms of an overly acidic system. Parasites, viruses, bad bacteria, cancer cells and disease cannot exist in an alkaline environment.

In _Crazy, Sexy Diet_ , Kris Carr tells us that the problem is not eating acidic foods, but eating **too much** acidic food. In the standard American diet (SAD), the ratio is usually 80/20; that is, 80% acidic and 20% alkaline. The ratio should be reversed. In _The Acid-Alkaline Diet for Optimum Health_ , **(39)** Christopher Vassey explains that animal proteins are strong acids, uric, sulfuric and phosphoric. Neutralizing these acids takes tons of energy and stresses the liver and kidneys. What is not eliminated is stored in the body.

Dr. Robert O. Young compares the human body to a fish tank. The internal fluids, in which we daily "swim" and which transport food and remove wastes, must be clean and pure. The fish are comparable to the cells and organ systems of our bodies. If the body is poisoned, it threatens the health of the "fish," our cells and organs. If we throw in too many acid forming foods, our "fish" are unable to digest it all, and it decomposes and putrefies in our body fluids, our "fish" tank. **(40)**

Basically, this is an example of what we are doing to our internal fluids every day. We are fouling them with pollution, smoking, drugs, excessive intake of food, over-consumption of acid-forming foods, and any number of transgressions which compromise the delicate balance of our internal alkaline fluids.

Most important, to those other food addicts like myself, a body that is overly acidic experiences extreme food cravings. Healthy, whole foods do not inspire binges. Beans, green and yellow vegetables, whole grains and fruit keep blood sugar steady throughout the day, and we will be less likely to eat unhealthy foods later on. These sources of real nourishment are usually missing from most compulsive overeaters' diets.

Rebalance the pH of your body with whole and raw foods, green drinks (made from grasses and fruit) and scrumptious smoothies. The idea is to skip the cow and "graze" directly since green plants are some of the most healthful foods we can eat. A 60 per cent alkalinizing and 40 percent slightly acidic solution is acceptable if you are healthy. If you are facing serious illness, you should adopt at least an 80/20 ratio of alkaline to acid foods. Please do not make up the 40 and 20 percent with crappy food.

If you are facing serious illness, seek out as many reliable sources as you can and always consult your physician—measuring what he says carefully against your newfound knowledge.

The following are lists of alkaline and acid foods. Even if you are otherwise healthy, be sure to add a generous portion of these alkaline foods to your diet in order to lose weight:

ALKALINE FOODS

Most nuts and seeds, including almonds, Brazil nuts, sesame seeds and flaxseeds

Avocados

Cold pressed oils: extra virgin olive oil, hemp, flax and borage seed oils

"Ancient" grains in moderation, including quinoa, wild rice, millet, amaranth and buckwheat. Common grains like wheat, oats, and brown rice are mildly acidic, possibly because they have been genetically engineered for so many years.

Grasses, especially wheatgrass

Green vegetables, especially leafy greens, including kale, spinach, lettuce, collards, mustard greens, turnips greens, cabbage and endive. Raw is great. Cooked are fine.

Almost any vegetable: asparagus, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, burdock, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, squash, beans, okra, onions, parsley, parsnips, peas, radishes, red, green and yellow peppers, rutabagas, scallions, sea vegetables (nori, wakame, hijiki), sprouted grains or beans or seeds, turnips and water chestnuts.

We think of them as acidic, but citrus fruits (lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruits) have an alkalizing affect in your body.

Lentils, beans and peas. In general, all legumes are alkalizing.

Miso, oil cured olives, raw tomatoes (cooked are acidic).

Root vegetables, including sweet potatoes, potatoes, turnips, jicama, daikon and burdock.

Sprouts and seaweed

Stevia as a sweetener

Acidic Foods

Foods to Avoid

Meat (red meats, poultry and fish)

Dairy products, including eggs, milk and cheese.

Sugar, white or brown.

Heavily processed foods (When in doubt, read your ingredients list!), honey, corn syrup, fructose, refined grains (wheat, oats, white bread, pasta and white rice); do not overuse condiments like ketchup, mayonnaise and mustard.

Alcohol, chemicals, drugs and cigarettes.

Soda, energy drinks, coffee, black tea and sport drinks.

All salted and roasted nuts.

Processed oils: margarine, fake fats, trans fats and refined vegetable oils. Use condiments like ketchup, mayonnaise and mustard sparingly.

Sugar substitutes other than stevia; yeast and vinegar with the exception of apple cider vinegar. Though not yet proven, there is strong evidence that artificial sweeteners actually make you _gain_ weight.

SLIGHTLY ACIDIC, BUT ALLOWABLE IN MODERATION

Use soy sauce and processed soy products in moderation because they fall slightly in the acidic column.

Keep in mind that your diet does not have to be totally alkalinizing if you are in good health. The ratio should be sixty percent to forty percent (60/40) alkalinizing to acid if you are healthy and eighty percent to twenty percent (80/20) if you are struggling with health issues. It is probably not in your best interest to eat **only** alkalinizing foods, but they should be the major portion of your diet.

In her book _Crazy, Sexy Diet_ , **(41)** Kris Carr gives a lot more information that we have included here, and you should obtain a copy as soon as possible.

Chapter 32 A Day in the Life

What do I eat for breakfast?

Breakfast, even for vegans, may be the most important meal of the day. Poor food choices can create cravings that you will have to deal with throughout the day. This is the best time to eat right, and it will motivate you to eat right the rest of the day. What did you eat before? If you were eating eggs and bacon or sausage, you are going to have a bigger hurdle than if you had already switched to healthier eating habits. You probably should start with transition foods: soy sausage or bacon and a healthy margarine choice instead of butter. **But don't make these meat substitutes the core of your new eating plan. They should help you transition, then become a smaller part of your diet.**

When you are ready, you can substitute scrambled tofu for eggs. Tofu Scrambler, a tasty substitute, is available at your locate health food chain (Whole Foods, Sprouts, etc.) or you can order it on the Internet. Add seasoning vegetables (bell pepper, onion & celery) and chopped new potatoes (see Recipes section). Toast a couple of slices of whole grain bread, and you will have a delicious meal that will stick with you for hours.

Pancakes and French toast are fun and delicious, and it's easy to find vegan recipes on the Internet.

Cold cereals are acceptable choices, but make sure you are choosing cereals that have the highest amount of fiber per serving and the least sugar. These will most often be found in the natural foods section of your local grocery store. **Learn to read the side of the box: check the ingredients, compare fiber grams and get smart about what you are putting in your body**.

Transition to whole grain cereals that are not processed—like oatmeal and multigrain cereals. Instead of cow's milk on your cereal, try organic soy milk. It's easy to **eliminate dairy products.** There are soy substitutes readily available for chocolate milk, yogurt, cream cheese and sour cream. In addition to soymilk, try almond milk and coconut milk. These are now available in "regular" supermarkets in traditional "milk" cartons, and are all delicious. These tweaks may make your transition easier.

For those who want to make breakfast more alkalinizing, options could include raw nuts and a piece of fruit taken with water or a green drink, fresh fruit salad or a fruit smoothie.

A green drink is usually made from powders available at health food stores that contain grasses like barley and alfalfa. You can juice your own wheatgrass, but it is very time consuming. Beginners may not be ready for that. A delicious fruit smoothie can be made using frozen bananas (peeled and pre-frozen in a plastic bag) and any kind of fresh fruit (see Recipes section). Purchased smoothies often use ice, but I find they are more icy than creamy. Frozen bananas blended with fresh fruit and soymilk or almond milk will give your smoothie that creamy taste and feel most of us love. (See the Recipes section.)

**Fruit juice should always be fresh squeezed**. Bottled, processed and pasteurized juice no longer resemble the real thing—whole, unprocessed fruit. All the enzymes and nutrients are destroyed in the pasteurization process, and they can't be added back in, regardless of what the industry would have you believe.

These are a sampling of what is available for breakfast. Research the Internet for "vegan breakfast," and you will find everything from the simplest meal plans to the most exotic recipes and everything in between. Be adventurous and have fun.

What do I eat for lunch?

Lunch is a great time of day to incorporate some **raw, alkalinizing** food into your diet. Ideally, at least one-half of your plate will be covered with raw, high-water content food, like a huge raw salad with one side a cooked vegetable and the other side a serving of brown rice, beans, pasta (whole grain) or tofu. Use healthful dips and salad dressings to complement your raw vegetables. I find bottled dressings to be unpalatable because of all the preservatives, so I make my own at home (you will find some recipes at the end of this section), but it is okay to begin with bought salad dressings as long as you watch the fat and sugar content. Restaurants often make their own dressings, so they often taste much better than the bottled kind. Full fat oil like extra virgin olive oil is acceptable because it is cold pressed. "Cold pressed" means it has not been heat treated. Eat lots of salads with fresh veggies, nuts, seeds and fresh fruits. For desserts and snacks, eat bananas, apples, oranges and grapes. Other options could include: veggie sandwiches with faux meat or grilled vegetables, avocado or veggie burgers on whole grain bread.

If you are used to cheese on your sandwiches, salads or burgers, there are some great soy substitutes on the market for all flavors of cheese. There are even soy substitutes for sour cream for baked potatoes. A supermarket that caters to the healthier crowd (like Whole Foods, Sprouts or most health food stores) will most likely have these options. Almost all regular supermarkets have soymilk, almond milk and some brands of faux cheese.

Some are used to frozen dinners at lunch time. If you are, then try Amy's brand of vegetarian and vegan dinners, which are usually available at regular supermarkets. Look for those that are "dairy free." Amy's makes several delicious and low calorie dinners, including "Tamale Verde Black Bean" and "Indian Vegetable Korma" (to name a few).

What do I eat for dinner?

What did you eat before you became a vegan? Spaghetti with meat sauce? Try a simple marinara sauce and add some chopped veggies. Hamburgers? There are dozens of veggie patties on the market that taste great for a satisfying burger experience. Tacos? Try any of the "veggie crumbles" that are available and save yourself lots of fat and quite a few calories. Barbeque? There are even some excellent barbequed "ribs," in the frozen section of your supermarket, and many recipes for delicious barbeque made out of tofu. There are lots of meat substitutes on the market and even in regular grocery stores to make it easier. Many are delicious and can help you get over your cravings for hamburgers, hot dogs and buffalo wings. Some of these may not be vegan, however, so check labels if you are going full-out vegan.

I do not recommend this approach, but if you are a complete beginner, you may want to eliminate red meat first, such as beef, pork and lamb. Later, you will phase out chicken, turkey and fish. If you are the type who can go all out and stick to it, then go for it. If not, you can start more slowly and progress. **You don't want to get stuck at the chicken and fish stage.** Some people get stuck at this point, but you are never really going to feel your best, lose weight and keep it off if you don't continue with the process.

Vegetables should occupy the majority of your plate. Ever had the "veggie plate" at a family restaurant? That's the basic idea. A mixture of starchy (potatoes, rice, corn, sweet potatoes) and green (broccoli, cauliflower, green beans) vegetables will fill you up and make an attractive plate. A small dinner salad and/or soup on the side will make you even fuller and keep your overall calorie count low.

Unfortunately, many of us have diets where we never get any vegetables except French fries. If that doesn't change, you are always going to be sick, probably fat and kill your children as well. **It is human nature to love the foods that we are most familiar with. As you progress, you will find your tastes changing and the old foods will quickly grow disgusting, if you give yourself a chance.** Approach your new diet with resentment and fear and it won't work. Adopt a spirit of adventure and a sincere desire to change, and know there are hundreds of fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts and seeds in the world and in combinations that you have never tried. Now is the time.

What about eating out?

It is much easier to eat out now than it was even five years ago. One of my favorite places is Chipotle, which has Mexican food, but it is very fresh and not greasy. You can pile lots of raw food into your salad or wrap. If you are in the process of phasing out meats, at least their meats are "humanely" raised.

Salads are my favorite eating out food, and many restaurants have some exciting and delicious ones. Veggie plates are offered in many restaurants. Baked potatoes are easy to find. Veggie sandwiches with grilled vegetables can be great. Genghis Kahn Mongolian Grill has a "buddha bowl," or you can improvise your own and pile on lots of delicious vegetables. Sometimes you will find a restaurant that shows a little initiative in its vegetarian offerings, not just pasta or a veggie burger. Metropolitan areas usually have several strictly vegetarian restaurants and college towns have them in abundance.

**Snacks; Dessert** : Transition from sugary desserts to "health food" cookies, then to "Rice Dream" or soy ice cream and finally to fruit. Later, you might want to leave off dessert entirely (or most of the time, anyway). I eat a banana every day of my life. An apple a day is an old favorite. Make it two—or three to help curb your appetite. Eat bananas, strawberries, apples and blueberries. Small amounts of raw nuts (not roasted), of any kind, are very healthy and filling. Peanut butter (raw and organic) makes a delicious snack, but it is one of my "trigger" foods. Once I start, I can't stop. Be careful.

Recognizing your own trigger foods will help you make wise choices. Realize that for you, there is no such thing as "one serving." It's all or nothing. When somebody offers me a cookie, ONE piece of cake or ONE piece of candy, I tell the truth. If I can't have the whole box, package or tray, then I don't want to get started on just one.

If you are still confused about what to eat, try the Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine 21-Day Vegan Kickstart. It tells you exactly what to eat, week by week, and provides you with a grocery list and all the recipes. It's a great tool to get you started on your vegan journey. **(42)**

Chapter 33 September—Two Years Later: Make a Journey

We met at Bliss, a raw foods restaurant in Dallas that we all wanted to try. The food was highly creative and, in most cases, delicious. Each of us had approached our journey a little differently than the others, but all of us had been successful according to our own goals.

Losing weight was Susan's primary motivation. Sharon became a vegan for health reasons. Kenzy wanted to save animals and the environment. I changed because I no longer wanted to be addicted to food. We all wanted to be slim, feel great and stay young and healthy. We congratulated each other on the success of our individual journeys.

We became vegans because that is the diet that best met our individual goals. You can do the same. In the end we gave up on our fear of change, inertia or plain laziness and jumped in. We took the leap of faith that it would work for us, and it did.

The benefits of becoming a vegan were many. I am happier and healthier than I have ever been. I am a normal size, and I don't worry about getting fat again. I no longer worry about contracting deadly diseases. I now know where disease comes from and how it can be avoided. I plan on living a long healthy life, never growing old, at least not the way we've come to expect it, and hopefully leaving this earth slightly better than when I entered it.

Being slim is important, but by itself, it is not enough. Being slender won't keep you from the common diseases that kill and debilitate most of us. Facing change may be hard, but with a little persistence, we can buck the odds. We can defy our genetic predisposition, defeat our own "failure gene," and get thin and healthy.

More than diet and more than exercise, our minds get us thin and keep us in shape for the rest of our lives. **Attitude is the most important lifestyle change we will make, and the most powerful medicine is food.** Adopting a healthy lifestyle is the most powerful gift we can give to ourselves, to the animals and to the planet, and it is available to everyone, rich and poor alike. Money may be able to buy happiness, but it can't buy health. Happily choosing health is a choice we can all make. In the process, we are contributing to a cleaner, kinder and happier planet.

With the advent of the Internet, there is an abundance of information for anyone who is willing to seek it. If you want something you can hold onto, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of informational books about a vegetarian or vegan diet, plus a myriad of cookbooks. We have included links to some great websites with thousands of recipes. If you are in totally unfamiliar territory, try searching for ingredients with which you are already familiar and look for new ways to eat them. Or, be adventurous. Pick a grain (like Quinoa) and do a web search for vegan recipes. Pick out a couple of recipes that look easy and begin with those. You are sure to uncover some fantastic creations.

Please let us hear from you and check out the Madhouse Diet website from time to time. You can find help and hope there https://www.madhousediet.com.

If you found us first, then please read our companion novel, _Diary of a Dieting Madhouse—the Novel_. It's a funny, romantic and courageous journey of an (eventually) vegan heroine. Available at most online booksellers. To read more, subscribe to my blog, check out my website, Facebook and/or Twitter. http://paigesingleton.com/

Chapter 34 Vegan Meal Planner

If you are a beginner, there is a Vegetarian Starter Kit available at The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) website. The Starter Kit has lots of useful information, including three steps to go vegetarian, useful tips, The New Four Food Groups, the "Veganizer," and some easy but delicious recipes. **(43)**

**What are the** _New_ **Four Food Groups?**

1. Fruit–3 or more servings a day

Fruits are rich in fiber, vitamin C, and beta carotene. Citrus fruits, melons and strawberries are high in Vitamin C. Choose whole fruit over fruit juices, which do not contain very much fiber. _Serving size is 1 medium piece of fruit_. We do not recommend using cooked fruit, except occasionally.

2. Legumes–2 or more servings a day

Legumes (beans, peas and lentils) are good sources of fiber, protein, iron, calcium, zinc and B vitamins. This group also includes chickpeas, baked and refried beans, soymilk, tempeh and tofu. Many people have told me that beans give them gas or upset their stomachs, but after they start eating more fiber (including beans), their systems usually level out and gas is not a problem. Don't pass up these powerhouses of nutrition. _Service size is 1/2 cup cooked beans, 4 ounces of tofu or tempeh and 8 ounces of soymilk_ (soymilk is made from soybeans).

3. Whole Grains–3-5 servings a day

Rice, pasta, corn, millet, barley, bulgur, buckwheat groats, oats, quinoa, and tortillas. Bread should be whole grain, but it is easy for vegans to eat too much bread. Some studies show that the yeast may be detrimental to your weight loss. Others have a problem with the gluten. The jury's still out, so carefully monitor your intake of breads, even whole grain breads. An exception is home-baked breads prepared from ancient grains, like those available at Zema's Madhouse Foods (no connection to us!): gluten-free mixes that contain the superseed trio (chia, hemp and flaxmeal), fiber, and protein.(44) If you find it difficult to lose weight, bread and sugar (and fat!) are the usual culprits. Processed cereals should be used sparingly. _One serving equals 1/2 cup hot cereal or 1 ounce dry, or 1 slice of bread._

4. Vegetables–4 or more servings a day

Vegetables are packed with nutrients, including Vitamin C, beta-carotene, riboflavin, iron, calcium and fiber. Dark green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, collards, kale, mustard and turnip greens, chicory or bok choy are especially good sources of these important nutrients. Dark yellow and orange vegetables such as carrots, winter squash, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin provide extra beta-carotene. Include a minimum of 4 servings a day and preferably more. A serving size is 1 cup of raw vegetables or 1/2 cup cooked. It would be hard to get too many vegetables.

**VEGAN 10 DAY MEAL PLANNER**

*Starred recipes are available in the recipe section of this book.

### Day 1

### BREAKFAST

Scrambled Tofu (made with Fantastic Foods brand Tofu Scrambler or recipe found in Recipe Section)*

2 Yves brand breakfast patties or other vegan sausage

Whole grain bagel or toast

### LUNCH

Pear Walnut Salad with Poppyseed Vinaigrette*

### DINNER

Black eyed peas and greens*

Sweet potato fries*

### Day 2

### BREAKFAST

Oatmeal with fresh apple*

### LUNCH

**S** andwich made with whole grain bread and veggie bologna, veggie (cheese) slices, lettuce and tomato

OR

Not-tuna salad sandwich*

### DINNER

Spinach Pesto Pasta*

### Day 3

### BREAKFAST

Green Glamour Smoothie*

Mid-Morning Snack

(Note: when raw fruit is your primary breakfast, you will probably be hungry before lunch time.)

Raw fruit (apples, pears, banana or any summer fruit in season)

One piece of toast or hearty grain crackers

### LUNCH

Sweet Potato Bowl*

### DINNER

White Beans and Crispy Sage with Fresh Polenta*

Golden Beet and Snap Pea Salad*

### Day 4

### BREAKFAST

Paradise Fruit Salad*

OR

Kris Carr's Power Morning Shake*

Mid-Morning Snack

Raw fruit (apple, pear, banana, berries or any summer fruit in season)

One piece of toast or hearty grain crackers

### LUNCH

Strawberry Fields Salad*

### DINNER

Coconut Quinoa and Sweet Potato Curry*

Puree of Peas with Cilantro*

### Day 5

### BREAKFAST

1/2 cup oatmeal with cinnamon and raisins

1/2 cup soymilk

1 slice toast with 1 tablespoon of fruit jam or almond butter

### LUNCH

Zucchini Bisque Soup*

Avocado Reuben with Thousand Island Dressing*

OR

Missing Egg Sandwich*

### DINNER

Butternut-Lima Bean Stew* Note (see below)

Spinach with Raisins and Pimento*

**Note** : We use a lot of butternut squash. All the winter squashes (butternut, acorn, pumpkin, etc.) and their orange flesh pack in huge quantities of vitamins A, B and C, fiber, iron, and omega 3 fatty acids, making them some of the healthiest veggies you can eat.

As Rowan found out in _Diary_ —the Novel, peeling and cubing butternut squash can be a challenge. Try this method to make the process easier (and less dangerous). Stab the squash a couple of times with the knife and microwave it for 2 \- 2 1/2 minutes, depending on the size. The slits are to ensure that it won't blow up in the microwave. Microwaving softens the skin a little bit so your knife goes through it more readily.

Cut off the top and the bottom so the squash sits firmly on the chopping board. Run a knife down the middle to cut it in half. Scoop out the seeds and chop each half one-two inch sections. Once it is in manageable-size pieces, run the knife as close to the skin as possible, in small sections, preserving as much flesh as possible. You then are ready to cube it or slice it, as the recipe calls for.

### Day 6

### BREAKFAST

Tofu Rice Pudding*

### LUNCH

Avocado Tacos*

### DINNER

Butternut Squash Risotto*

Asian Coleslaw*

### Day 7

### BREAKFAST

Fruit Smoothie *

Mid-Morning Snack

Raw fruit

One piece of toast or hearty grain crackers

### LUNCH

Veggie Burger with Boca original patties or other vegan burger

Cauliflower Potato Soup*

### DINNER

Heirloom Tomato Salad*

Rosemary Lentils*

Roasted vegetables*

### Day 8

### BREAKFAST

Breakfast Quinoa*

### LUNCH

Spinach Salad with Fruit Flavors*

### DINNER

Millet Croquettes with Tahini Gravy*

Green Salad

New Potatoes (boiled and seasoned with Rosemary, margarine, salt and pepper)

OR

Cubed Potatoes with Garlic and Sage*

### Day 9

### BREAKFAST

Fresh fruit salad (any combination of fruits in season)

Mid-Morning Snack

Raw fruit

One piece of toast or hearty grain crackers

### LUNCH

Wild Rice and Wheatberry Salad with Avocado*

Lentil Barley Soup*

### DINNER

Pizza with Marinara or Pesto Sauce*

### Day 10

### BREAKFAST

Banana French Toast*

OR

Pumpkin Pancakes*

These are rich breakfasts. Limit to one per week.

### LUNCH

Greek Wrap with Roasted Red Pepper Hummus*

### DINNER

Broccoli salad with carrots, baby corn and snap peas*

Lentils with Curried Rice and Fried Onions*

Indian Potatoes with Black and Yellow Mustard Seeds*

References and Resources

There is an explosion of great information online about vegan diets and recipes, not to mention in books and cookbooks. The following is merely a sampling of available sources:

Vegan meal planners online:

http://www.vrg.org/

http://fatfreevegan.com/

 http://www.peta.org/living/vegetarian-living/two-week-vegan-meal-plan.aspx

Free recipe booklet for download:

http://order.cok.net/easy-vegan-recipes/EVR_2006.pdf

_More vegan recipes:_

http://www.holycowvegan.net/p/recipe-index_25.html

Need more coaching? Try this website: http://www.vegancoach.com

http://www.vegweb.com–Recipes and several vegan guides, including

VegWeb Guide to Cooking Oils

VegWeb Guide to Dining Out

VegWeb Guide to Egg Replacers

VegWeb Guide to Going Vegan

VegWeb Guide to Must-Have Vegan Cookbooks

VegWeb Guide to Non-Dairy Milk

VegWeb Guide to Pesky Animal Ingredients

VegWeb Guide to Stocking a Vegan Pantry

VegWeb Guide to Vegan Baking

VegWeb Guide to the Protein & Calcium Myth

Search for recipes when you have ingredients, and you can even designate vegan, vegetarian, non-dairy, etc.: http://yummly.com

There are hundreds of great vegan websites. Here are a few.

http://www.pledgevegan.com/

http://www.vegsource.com/

http://www.vrg.org/

Chapter 35 Recipes

BREAKFAST

Banana French Toast

Ingredients:  
1 ripe banana  
1/4 cup soymilk  
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract  
2 teaspoons maple syrup  
2 slices whole wheat bread  
Dash cinnamon  
Chopped pecans (optional)

In a food processor, combine banana, soymilk, vanilla, maple syrup and a dash of cinnamon. Blend until smooth. Place bread in shallow pan and pour banana mixture over bread. Turn bread several times to coat. Spray a non-stick skillet with oil and turn heat to medium. Place bread in skillet carefully using a spatula. Brown on both sides and serve warm with maple syrup or raw Agave.

Breakfast Quinoa

Preparation: 20 minutes  
Serves: 2 45

Ingredients:  
1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced  
1/3 cup quinoa flakes (available in the natural food section or store)  
1/2 cup apple cider  
1/2 cup water  
1 teaspoon pumpkin spice  
½ teaspoon cinnamon  
Stevia

Combine all ingredients except strawberries in a medium saucepan on medium-high heat and stir. Bring to a boil and cook for two minutes or until the flakes have completely absorbed the liquid. Transfer cooked quinoa to a serving bowl and top with strawberries.

Fruit Smoothie

Preparation time: 15 minutes  
Serves: 1

Ingredients:  
1 frozen banana, chopped  
1 cup frozen fruit, like peaches, strawberries, mango or any other berry or melon  
1 cup soy or almond milk  
Water for blending  
Stevia to taste

Blend all together in a blender until smooth. You may make it thicker or thinner with water, depending on desired thickness and the amount of time you have for blending.

Green Glamour Smoothie

Inspired by Rory Feldman, co-author of _Skinny Bitch_ _46_

Ingredients:  
Any combination of greens, fresh fruit, and dairy free milk or ice such as:  
1 very ripe banana  
1 nectarine or pear  
1 cup packed chopped kale leaves  
1 cup almond milk, rice milk or soymilk

Combine all ingredients in blender until everything is incorporated

Kris Carr's Morning Power Shake

Adapted from PCRM's 21-Day Kickstart Program 47  
Serves 1

Ingredients:  
1 cucumber  
1 large handful of romaine lettuce  
1 avocado  
1 pear  
Coconut water  
Stevia

Blend all in blender or food processor until smooth

Oatmeal with Fresh Apple

Preparation time: Quick  
Serves 1

Ingredients:  
1 cup apple juice or cider (fresh is best, but it is okay to use processed in this recipe)  
2/3 cup organic rolled oats  
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine the oats and apple juice in a saucepan or microwave. Bring to a boil over high heat and stir in the apple and cinnamon. Return to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer. Most people overcook oatmeal. Let it boil about 1 minute either on the top of the stove or in the microwave. Add the chopped apples and microwave for another minute until apples are soft. Spoon into serving bowl and sweeten if desired. This is a delicious variation on traditional oatmeal and smells like apple pie!

Pumpkin Pancakes

Preparation Time: About 5 minutes, Cooking time: 15 minutes  
Servings: 12 to 14

Ingredients:  
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour  
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder  
1/2 teaspoon baking soda  
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon  
1 teaspoon ground ginger  
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice  
1/2 teaspoon salt  
2 cups vanilla soy or almond milk  
1 (15-ounce) can pureed pumpkin  
1/2 cup brown sugar  
1/2 cup vegetable oil  
Maple syrup or raw agave

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices (cinnamon, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, and salt). In a separate bowl, vigorously whisk together soymilk, pumpkin puree, brown sugar and vegetable oil. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix (don't overmix—small clumps are good). Brush a large nonstick skillet or griddle with canola oil or spray with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking.

Pour about 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto the hot skillet and cook on each side for about 2 to 3 minutes or until undersides are golden brown. Serve with maple syrup or raw Agave.

Tofu Rice Pudding

Preparation: Fast, chill overnight  
Serves: 1

Ingredients:  
1/2 box Mori-Nu Tofu  
1 tablespoon maple syrup  
1 teaspoon vanilla extract  
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon  
3/4 cup cooked brown rice  
1/4 cup raisins  
1/4 cup pecans  
Toasted coconut flakes (optional)

In a food processor or blender, blend tofu until smooth. Soak raisins in boiling water for a few minutes to plump, then drain and combine with all other ingredients. Chill overnight and serve cold. Top with toasted coconut.

Tofu Scramble

Preparation: 25 minutes  
Serves: 2

Ingredients:  
1 14 ounce package extra-firm tofu, drained and crumbled into bite size pieces  
2 tablespoons vegetable oil  
1/4 teaspoon turmeric  
1 tablespoon garlic powder  
1 teaspoon onion powder  
Salt and pepper to taste  
2 small potatoes peeled and chopped  
1 tomato chopped  
1 cup frozen seasoning vegetables (onion, celery and bell pepper)

Sauté seasoning vegetables and potatoes in oil until tender. Add crumbled tofu, tomato and remaining ingredients and lightly toss in pan until well-cooked. Serve warm with toast or biscuits.

SALADS, SANDWICHES AND WRAPS

Asian Coleslaw

Preparation time: (45 minutes total)48  
Serves: 8

Ingredients:  
3 cups thinly sliced bok choy or pac choy  
4 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage  
1 carrot, julienned  
2 cups snow peas, julienned  
1 cup red bell pepper, julienned  
2 tablespoons toasted black sesame seeds  
2 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds

Dressing

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil  
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil  
2 teaspoons ume plum vinegar  
1 tablespoon tamari  
2 teaspoons peeled and grated fresh ginger

In large bowl, combine cabbages, carrot, peas and red pepper. In separate bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over cabbage mixture and toss to coat evenly. Refrigerate 10-20 minutes to help flavors blend. Before serving, toss again and top with toasted sesame seeds.

Avocado Reuben with Thousand Island Dressing

Adapted from Peta's 2 week meal planner, http://www.peta.org  
Serves: 1

Ingredients:  
2 slices rye or pumpernickel bread  
Mustard  
Thousand Island dressing (see below)  
1/2 avocado, pitted, peeled, and mashed  
1/4 cup sauerkraut

Spread one half of the sandwich with mustard and the other half with Thousand Island Dressing (below). Place the bread slices, dry side down, in a lightly oiled skillet. Top one slice with avocado, and the other with sauerkraut. Grill over medium heat until lightly browned and hot, about 5 minutes. Combine the halves and enjoy!

Thousand Island Dressing

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients:  
1 cup vegan mayonnaise  
1/3 cup ketchup  
1/2 teaspoon onion powder  
1/4 teaspoon salt  
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder  
3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish  
2 tablespoons minced stuffed green olives

Blend thoroughly in a mixing bowl or blender.

Barbeque Tofu Sandwiches

Preparation: 20 minutes  
Serves: 6

Ingredients:  
1 pound water-pack tofu, firm or extra firm (frozen in original package and thawed at room temperature), crumbled into medium chunks  
2 cups bottled barbeque sauce (we like KC Masterpiece)  
1/2 cup Liquid Smoke

Sauté the crumbled tofu in a large frying pan. Add Liquid Smoke (for browning) and sauté until liquid is absorbed. Add barbeque sauce and serve hot on buns with pickle or relish and sliced onion.

Broccoli Salad with Carrots, Baby Corn and Snap Peas

Preparation: Fast  
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:  
1 pound broccoli florets (steamed until crisp tender)  
2 tablespoon dijon mustard  
1/4 cup red wine vinegar  
1/4 cup olive oil  
1/2 red bell pepper (chopped)  
1 cup baby corn  
1 cup carrots, julienned  
1 cup snap peas  
Coarse salt  
Pepper

**Dressing** : In large bowl, whisk Dijon mustard with red wine vinegar and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Add carrots, baby corn, snap peas and broccoli. Toss to coat. Serve immediately, room temperature or chilled.

Golden Beet and Snap Pea Salad

Preparation: 30-40 minutes  
Serves: 6

Ingredients:  
4-5 golden beets  
2 cups snap peas  
2 cups frisee or other greens

Dressing

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil  
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill  
1 tablespoon maple syrup  
Juice of 1 lemon  
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place whole beets in large pot of boiling water and cook until tender throughout when pierced with knife (about 20 minutes). Drain water and set aside until cool enough to handle. Holding beets under cold water, gently push away outer skins. Cut away root ends and any blemishes, slice into bite size wedges and set aside.

To prepare snap peas, pinch stems and pull down to remove ends and strings. Place in mixing bowl and blanch with boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain and rinse with cold water. Return to mixing bowl, combine with beets and set aside.

In small bowl, whisk together dressing ingredients, pour over beets and peas, and toss to combine. Arrange beets and peas on bed of frisee and serve. (serves 6)

Hummus Wrap

Preparation: 30 minutes 49  
Serves 4

Ingredients:  
1 cup extra firm tofu, crumbled  
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice  
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped  
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped  
1/4 teaspoon salt  
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped  
2 cups shredded Napa cabbage  
1/3 cup kalamata olives, chopped  
1/2 cup cucumber, diced  
1/4 cup red onion, chopped  
4 whole-grain tortillas  
3/4 cup Red Pepper Hummus (may be purchased premade or see recipe below)

Combine tofu, lemon juice, oregano, parsley and salt. Toss and set aside. Gently combine tomatoes, cabbage, olives, cucumbers and red onions. Add tofu mixture and combine thoroughly. Set aside.

Soften tortillas by heating on the stovetop just enough to soften. Spread each with Red Pepper Hummus and a portion of the tofu mixture. Wrap edge and fold over sides; secure with a toothpick, leaving the top open. Cut in half and serve.

Red Pepper Hummus

Makes 1 3/4 cups  
Preparation: 30 minutes or less

Ingredients:  
1 3/4 cups cooked chickpeas or 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained  
1/2 cup diced roasted red bell pepper  
3 tablespoons sesame tahini  
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or to taste  
1 large clove garlic, halved  
2 teaspoon ground coriander  
1 teaspoon cumin seeds  
1 teaspoon harissa or 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste  
1 teaspoon salt or to taste

Process all ingredients except olives in food processor or blender and process until smooth. If too thick, blend in 1 to 3 tablespoons of reserved chickpea liquid or water to create desired consistency—thick for a sandwich filling, thinner for a dip.) Add more lemon juice, harissa and/or salt if needed.

Missing Egg Sandwich

Adapted from _Recipes for Health, Vegetarian Starter Kit_ , www.pcrm.org

Ingredients:  
1/2 pound firm tofu, mashed  
2 green onions, finely chopped  
1 tablespoon reduced fat soy mayonnaise  
2 tablespoons pickle relish  
1 teaspoon stone ground mustard  
1/4 teaspoon cumin  
1/4 teaspoon turmeric  
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder  
8 slices whole wheat bread  
4 lettuce leaves  
4 tomato slices

Combine the mashed tofu with green onions, mayonnaise, pickle relish, mustard, and spices and mix thoroughly. Spread on whole wheat bread and garnish with lettuce and tomato slices.

Not-Tuna Salad Sandwich

Preparation time: 30 minutes  
Serves: 4

Ingredients:  
1 can chickpeas, drained and mashed  
1 apple, chopped into small pieces  
1/2 cup pecans, chopped  
4-6 small sweet pickles, chopped  
1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise (we like Veganaise)  
Whole grain bread, toasted  
Tomato slices  
Vegan cheddar cheese slices (optional)

Combine chickpeas, apple, pecans, pickles and mayonnaise in a large bowl. Spread onto toasted bread slices and add sliced tomato and vegan cheese slices. A great substitute for tuna salad sandwiches. It can also be eaten without bread as a salad.

Paradise Salad

Preparation time: fast  
Serves 4

Ingredients:  
1 cup sliced fresh pineapple  
1 cup seedless green grapes  
3 peaches, peeled and sliced  
1 gala apple, sliced  
2 bananas, sliced  
2 tablespoons shredded coconut

Combine all fruits and serve on plates garnished with lettuce leaves. Sprinkle with shredded coconut.

Pear Walnut Salad with Poppyseed Vinaigrette

Preparation time: Fast  
Serves: 2

Ingredients:  
1 package washed mixed butter lettuces  
1 cup chopped fresh pear  
1/4 cup chopped raw walnuts  
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese substitute (Daiya brand is delicious and found at Kroger)

Divide greens onto two plates, top with walnuts, pears and mozzarella substitute. Drizzle lightly with Poppyseed Balsamic Dressing (see below).

Poppyseed Balsamic Vinaigrette

Preparation: fast  
Serves: 2

Ingredients:  
1/4 cup canola or other light colored oil  
1/2 cup champagne vinegar  
1 teaspoon Stevia + 1 teaspoon Agave nectar  
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Whisk all ingredients except seeds in blender until white and well blended; add poppy seeds and whirl lightly. Serve over salad.

Spinach Salad with Fruit Flavors

Adapted from "Vegetarian Starter Kit" available through http://www.pcrm.org  
Serves 6

Ingredients:  
10 ounces spinach, chopped  
1 cup berries, grapes or 10 strawberries, chopped  
1 10 ounce can mandarin or clementine oranges, drained and rinsed  
1/4 cup sunflower seeds  
1/4 cup chopped Brazil nuts  
1/4 cup fat-free raspberry vinaigrette

Toss salad ingredients together and top with vinaigrette.

Strawberry Fields Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Preparation time: fast  
Serves: 2

Ingredients:  
1 package washed mixed greens (spinach and romaine are good)  
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries (add Stevia to taste if the fruit isn't sweet)  
1/2 cup chopped raw pecans  
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese substitute (Daiya brand is good)

Toss all ingredients together and serve on individual plates. Top with Balsamic Vinaigrette (see below).

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Serves 2

Ingredients:  
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil  
1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette  
1 teaspoon or 1 packet Stevia  
1 clove garlic chopped  
Dash rosemary & thyme  
2 tablespoons parsley flakes

Whisk together and serve over salad.

Tomato Salad

Preparation: 15 minutes  
Serves: 6

Ingredients:  
5 cups Heirloom (or other) tomatoes  
2 small cucumbers  
1 avocado peeled and pitted  
1/4 red onion, finely chopped  
1/4 fresh basil leaves  
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar  
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil  
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Chop tomato, cucumber and avocado into bite-size pieces and combine in serving dish. In separate bowl combine onion, basil, vinegar, oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour over tomato mixture.

Wild Rice and Wheatberry Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

Inspired by _Naturally Delicious_ on Veria TV 50  
Serves 4

Ingredients:  
1/2 cup cooked wild rice  
1 cup cooked soft winter wheatberries  
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice  
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained  
2 avocados, cut into 1-inch chunks  
1 medium fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced  
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

Orange Vinaigrette

1/2 cup fresh orange juice  
1/2 cup basil leaves, shredded  
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice  
2 large scallions, thinly sliced  
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil  
Salt and pepper, to taste

Whisk together orange juice, basil, lemon juice, scallions and olive oil to make vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper. In a larger bowl, toss grains, chickpeas, avocado, fennel and tomatoes with the vinaigrette; season with salt and pepper. Serve on individual plates.

SOUPS AND SIDES

Cauliflower Potato Soup

Preparation Time: 45 min  
Serves: 6

Ingredients:  
4 medium potatoes  
1 medium head of cauliflower  
1 medium onion  
1 peeled carrot  
Enough water to cover potatoes

Peel and cut potatoes into bite sized pieces. Clean and divide cauliflower into small sections. Peel and dice one medium onion. Dice carrot finely. Boil potatoes in just enough water to cover. Boil or microwave cauliflower, onion, & carrot just until cauliflower is tender. Use as little water as possible. When potatoes are tender, mash lightly, leaving some chunks left unmashed. Do not drain water. This is what makes the soup thick.

Add the cauliflower, onion, and carrot. Add salt and pepper to taste. If soup is too thick, add a little more water. Simmer for about 25 minutes more.

Cubed Potatoes with Garlic and Sage

Preparation: 30 minutes total  
Serves: 4

Ingredients:  
1-3/4 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (about 4 cups)  
1 tablespoon vegan margarine  
2 tablespoons safflower oil  
24 medium garlic cloves, peeled  
1/4 teaspoon salt  
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper  
1-1/2 teaspoons shredded fresh sage leaves

Rinse the potato cubes in cool water and drain them well.

Heat margarine and oil in skillet, preferably nonstick, until hot but not smoking. Add potatoes, cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, turning occasionally, or until they are nicely browned. Add garlic and cook, covered for 10 minutes longer over low heat.

Add the salt, pepper and sage and toss to mix. Serve immediately.

Indian Potatoes with Black and Yellow Mustard Seeds

Preparation: (1 hour total time)  
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:  
4 tablespoons safflower oil, divided  
2 teaspoons black or brown mustard seeds  
2 teaspoons yellow mustard seeds  
2 teaspoons cumin seeds  
1/2 teaspoon turmeric  
2 pounds small Yukon Gold potatoes, rinsed but not peeled, halved  
About 1 teaspoon salt  
1/2 teaspoon black pepper  
2 teaspoons coarsely ground coriander seeds  
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin  
1/4 teaspoon cayenne  
1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro

Heat 2 tablespoons oil and mustard seeds in large nonstick skillet over medium high heat, covered, till seeds start to pop. Stir in cumin seeds and turmeric. Stir in potatoes, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper.

Reduce heat to medium low and add 1 teaspoon water. Cook, covered, until potatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil, coriander, cumin, cayenne and salt to taste. Cook, uncovered, turning occasionally, until potatoes are golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro and serve.

Lentil Barley Soup

Preparation: 45 minutes – 1 hour  
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:  
1 cup lentils, rinsed  
1/2 cup hulled or pearled barley  
6 cups water or vegetable stock  
1 onion, chopped  
2 garlic cloves, minced or crushed  
2 carrots, sliced  
2 stalks celery, sliced  
1/2 teaspoon oregano  
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin  
1/4 teaspoon black pepper  
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes  
1 teaspoon salt

Place all ingredients except salt into a large pot and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, about 1 hour. Add salt to taste. _(Optional: add 3 cups fresh spinach leaves to pot right before serving)_

Puree of Peas with Cilantro

Preparation:15 minutes prep  
Serves: 4

Ingredients:  
1 pound frozen baby green peas  
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves  
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves  
About 2 teaspoons chopped jalapeno pepper (more or less, depending on your tolerance)  
1/2 teaspoon salt  
1 teaspoon sugar  
1 tablespoon vegan margarine  
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil  
1 small carrot, sliced, as garnish (optional)

Bring 3 cups water to boil. Add frozen peas and return to a boil, which will take about 3 to 4 minutes. Boil gently for 1-1/2 minutes, then drain in a colander, reserving a few spoonsful of cooking liquid.

Immediately transfer peas to a food processor and add the remaining ingredients and up to 2 tablespoons of the reserved cooking liquid, if the mixture is too thick to purse properly. Process to a fine puree. Garnish with carrot slices, if desired. Serve immediately.

Roasted Vegetables

Preparation time: 30 minutes  
Serves: 6

Ingredients:  
2 tablespoons canola oil  
1 cup mushrooms, sliced  
1 medium zucchini, cubed 1 inch  
1 medium yellow squash, cubed 1 inch  
1 red bell pepper, cubed 1 inch  
3-4 carrots, sliced  
3 small potatoes, sliced  
1 bunch broccoli, sectioned  
1 red onion, sliced

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Combine vegetables and oil in shallow roasting pan. Toss to coat well. Roast vegetables 30 minutes or until browned and tender; stir while cooking. Serve warm as a side dish. _(Note: the red onion makes this an outstanding dish, but a yellow or white onion may also be used.)_

Spinach with Raisins and Pimento

Preparation: (30 minutes total time)  
Serves 4

Ingredients:  
3 tablespoons good olive oil  
2 tablespoons sliced garlic  
1 pound fresh spinach, large stems removed, washed and dried  
1/3 cup golden raisins  
1/3 cup diced pimento  
1/2 teaspoon salt  
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat oil in large skillet over high heat, add garlic and sauté for about 15 seconds. Add spinach and press it down into the hot skillet. Using tongs, stir spinach so that slices of garlic are mixed with the spinach and don't burn underneath it. After about 1 minute, spinach will be wilted.

Add the raisins, pimento, salt and pepper and sauté the spinach, turning occasionally, for 2 minutes longer, or until completely soft. Serve warm. This is an especially attractive presentation for friends and family gatherings.

Sweet Potato "Fries"

Preparation time: 10 minutes  
Cooking time: 20 minutes  
Serves: 2

Ingredients:  
1 large sweet potato or yam  
1 tablespoon canola oil

Wash potato thoroughly and cut into long stripes, preserving skin. Brush lightly with oil and bake in oven at 350degrees until fork-tender.

Zucchini Bisque

Preparation: 30 minutes 51  
Serves 4

Ingredients:  
1/4 cup oil  
1 medium onion, chopped  
1 1/2 pound zucchini, sliced  
2 1/2 cup vegetable broth or water  
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg  
1/2 pound tofu, crumbled  
2 tablespoons oil  
Salt and pepper to taste

Sauté onions, and zucchini in oil. Add broth or water and seasonings. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool 5 minutes. Blend the tofu and 2 tablespoons oil in a blender until smooth and creamy. Stir blended tofu mixture into sautéed vegetables. Heat, but do not boil. Serve warm.

MAIN COURSES

Avocado Tacos

Preparation: 20 minutes total time  
Serves: 4

Ingredients:  
10 hard taco shells  
1 avocado, sliced  
1 tomato, chopped  
1 onion, chopped  
1 bag prewashed baby salad greens  
1 jalapeno or Serrano pepper, seeded and chopped  
1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves  
2 tablespoons good olive oil  
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425°. Place piece of aluminum foil on baking sheet. Place taco shells on baking sheet. Make "salad" of remaining ingredients and stuff shells. Bake for 4 minutes and serve hot.

Black-eyed Peas and Greens

Preparation time: 5 minutes  
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:  
1 16-ounce package frozen black eyed peas with hulls  
1 10-ounce package frozen turnip greens  
Salt and pepper to taste

Add enough water to peas and greens to cover. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes until peas are tender. (See package directions.)

Butternut-Lima Bean Stew

Inspired by _Holy Cow Vegan Recipes_ 52 _  
_Serves: 4  
(This is the recipe that Rowan cut her finger on in the DiaryThe Novel.)

Ingredients:  
1 cup large Lima beans, cooked  
1 medium red onion, chopped  
1 medium Butternut squash, cooked and chopped into 1 inch cubes  
4 cloves of garlic, minced  
1 teaspoon red chili powder  
Salt to taste  
1/2 avocado, diced  
1 tablespoon canola oil

Sauté chopped onion in oil on medium heat until translucent. Add the garlic and stir about a minute. Add squash and chili powder. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally, add half the cooked beans and salt to taste. Bring to a boil.

Puree the soup in a blender until it rich and creamy. Return the mixture to saucepan and heat, add the remaining lima beans and season with salt if required. Warm to a simmer, and ladle the hot soup into bowls. Garnish with avocado.

Butternut Squash Risotto

Preparation: 45 minutes  
Serves: 4

Ingredients:  
1 cup arborio or other medium-grained "starchy" rice  
1 tablespoon olive oil  
1 Butternut squash, peeled and cut into a 1/2-inch dice (3-4 cups)  
4-5 cups hot vegetable stock or water  
1/2 cup white wine  
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried sage  
Salt and ground black pepper to taste  
Cashew "cheese" (see below) (optional)

Sauté the squash and oil, salt and pepper over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes or until the squash starts to soften and caramelize. Turn down the heat to medium. Add rice and stir it with the squash until it begins to turn opaque, about 1 minute. Add wine and stir until the wine is almost evaporated. Add 1/2 cup of vegetable stock and stir until stock has almost evaporated. Add another 1/2 cup of stock and repeat until the rice is smooth and creamy, approximately 35 minutes. Stir in cashew cheese, if desired.

**Cashew cheese** : Combine 1/4 cup cashews (raw, not roasted), 1 teaspoon nutritional yeast, 1/4 cup of water, and salt to taste in blender and blend until smooth.

Coconut and Sweet Potato Curry with Quinoa

Serves: 4  
Preparation: 35 minutes

Ingredients:  
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained  
1/2 cup dry quinoa  
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed  
1/2 medium onion, chopped  
2 -3 cloves garlic, minced  
2-3 tablespoons coconut oil  
1 teaspoon coriander  
1 teaspoon cumin  
1 teaspoon turmeric  
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder  
1/2 teaspoon cayenne  
1/8 teaspoon cardamom  
1/8 teaspoon ginger  
Salt and pepper to taste  
1 (15 ounce) can lite coconut milk

Prepare quinoa according to package directions. Cook sweet potatoes (either in steamer basket for 5-10 minutes or microwave for 3-4 minutes) until potatoes are fork tender. Sauté onion and garlic in coconut oil over medium high heat until onion is translucent. Add spices, chickpeas, sweet potatoes and coconut milk. Mix well and allow to boil over high heat. Reduce to low heat, cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes until the milk has condensed. Serve alone or over brown rice.

Curried Lentils with Rice and Fried Onions

Preparation: 45 minutes  
Serves: 6

Ingredients:  
2 teaspoons safflower oil plus more for frying  
1 pound onion, sliced thin  
1 cup lentils, picked over and rinsed  
2 cups water  
2 cups brown rice (cooked)  
2 teaspoons curry powder  
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper  
1 teaspoon salt  
1/2 cup loosely packed flat leaf parsley leaves

In large skillet heat 1/4 inch oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Fry onion in batches, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Transfer onion with a slotted spoon to a tray and sprinkle with salt to taste.

Add lentils to large saucepan of water and bring to a boil. Add curry powder, cayenne and salt. Cook lentils at a bare simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Add parsley and serve over cooked brown rice. Serve topped with onion.

Millet Croquettes and Tahini Gravy

Adapted from The Expanding Light 53  
Preparation time: 1 hour, with cooking  
Serves: 5 (8-10 patties)

Ingredients:  
1 cup millet, rinsed and cooked according to package directions  
2 tablespoons canola oil  
1 cup onions, minced  
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced  
1 cup carrots, peeled and grated  
1 teaspoon salt  
1 teaspoon dried dill weed  
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme  
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced  
1/4 cup sunflower seeds, roasted  
1/2 cup bread crumbs or 1/2 cup cooked rice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook millet according to package directions. While millet is cooking, sauté onions and garlic until onions are golden brown. Add the carrots, and sauté for an additional 3 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine salt, spices, seeds and crumbs (or rice). Add the cooked vegetables and millet to the bowl and mix well. Form the mixture into patties and place on an oiled baking tray. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

Tahini Gravy

Preparation time: 15-20 minutes  
Cooking time: 5 minutes  
Makes: 1 cup

Ingredients:  
3 tablespoons canola or sunflower oil  
1 small onion, minced  
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and grated  
1/3 cup raw tahini  
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons water  
2 tablespoons tamari (good quality soy sauce)  
1 tablespoon maple syrup  
1/4 teaspoon black pepper  
1/4 cup fresh parsley or fresh dill, minced

Sauté oil, onion and ginger in a pot until onions are golden. Add remaining ingredients, stir with a wooden spoon and simmer for 5 minutes. Blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth. Add salt to taste. Before serving, mix the parsley into the sauce.

Rosemary Lentils

Preparation: 30 minutes  
Serves: 4

Ingredients:  
1 cup dried French green lentils  
2 shallots finely chopped, about 1/2 cup  
1 garlic clove, crushed  
1 sprig fresh rosemary  
1 bay leaf  
1 teaspoon salt  
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar  
2 teaspoons good olive oil  
Freshly ground black pepper

Put lentils, shallots, garlic, rosemary and bay leaf in medium saucepan; cover with cold water by 2 inches (about 5 cups water). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low. Partially cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. Discard garlic, rosemary stem and bay leaf. Return lentil mixture to pan. Stir in salt, vinegar and oil. Season with pepper.

Spinach Pesto Pasta

Preparation time: About 20 minutes, including cooking pasta  
Serves: 4

Ingredients:  
1 pound fettuccine  
1/ 4 cup walnuts  
2 cloves garlic  
2 packages prewashed baby spinach  
1/4 cup olive oil  
1/4 cup Parmesan style vegan cheese or nutritional yeast (available in health food section or natural store)  
Salt and black pepper to taste  
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and return it to the pot. Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse the walnuts and garlic until chopped. Add the spinach, oil, 1/4 cup of the faux-Parmesan, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Puree until smooth, scraping down the sides of the processor bowl as necessary. Add the pesto to the pasta and toss to combine. Sprinkle with the lemon zest and remaining ¼ cup Parmesan style cheese before serving.

Sweet Potato Bowl

Inspired by _The Engine 2 Diet: The Texas Firefighter's 28-Day Save-Your-Life Plan that Lowers Cholesterol and Burns Away the Pounds_ by Rip Esselstyn 54  
Preparation time: 20 minutes  
Serves: 2

This is one of my favorite recipes. It is almost unbelievable how these flavors mix together to form such a delicious, nutritious bowl. Use a fresh ripe mango in season for the best flavor. If you can't find the best or if they are out of season, use frozen, but your dish will taste a lot better if the mangos are the best.

Ingredients:

1 large sweet potato  
1 large fresh, ripe mango or 1/2 cup of frozen mango  
1 can black beans, warmed and drained  
1 avocado, peeled, seeded and chopped  
1 bunch of fresh cilantro, leafy part only, finely chopped  
Juice from 1 lime  
Balsamic vinegar to taste

The sweet potato may be precooked in the microwave in its skin (about 6-8 minutes for a large) or prebaked in the oven. Remove the skin and chop into large cubes. Divide the sweet potato into two bowls. Warm the beans on the stove, drain and add to the bowls. Layer with cilantro, avocado and mango last. Drizzle with lime juice and balsamic vinegar and serve. This dish could be served cold, but I prefer the sweet potatoes and beans slightly warm. It is a mixture of hot and cold, sweet and tart. Delicious!

Veggie Pizza with Marinara or Pesto Sauce

Preparation: 30 minutes  
Serves: 4

Ingredients:  
1 store bought pizza crust or round flat bread  
1/2 cup frozen corn  
1 bell pepper (chopped)  
1-2 tomatoes (sliced)  
1 purple onion (sliced)  
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pre-cook pizza crust (if using frozen). Spread crust with sauce (pesto or marinara—see following). Add fresh and frozen vegetables. Cook in preheated oven until hot and vegetables are tender.

Low Fat Pesto Sauce for Pizza or Pasta

Preparation: 10 minutes  
Serves: 4

Ingredients:  
3/4 cup pine nuts  
6 large cloves garlic  
6 scallions, chopped  
1 bag fresh spinach  
2 containers (1/2 ounce each) fresh basil  
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice  
1 tablespoon olive oil  
Salt and pepper to taste

Process pine nuts, garlic, scallions, lemon juice, basil, olive oil and salt and pepper in food processor or blender and process until smooth. Add the spinach, a little at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Process until smooth. Add pine nuts and process until blended. Serve with pasta or on pizza.

Marinara Sauce for Pizza or Pasta

Preparation time: 10 minutes  
Serves: 4

Ingredients:  
1 cup cherry tomatoes  
1 bell pepper, red or yellow  
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes  
1 cup basil  
1 tablespoon salt to taste  
1 teaspoon dried thyme  
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until thick and still chunky.

White Beans with Sage and Fresh Corn Polenta

Inspired by Ann Gentry, _Naturally Delicious_ at Veria TV 55  
Preparation and cooking time: 30 minutes  
Serves: four

Ingredients:  
1 package fresh sage  
1 tablespoon whole wheat flour  
3 tablespoons olive oil  
1/4 cup finely chopped onion  
1/2 clove garlic, minced  
1 cup of vegetable stock  
1 15-ounce can white cannellini or other white bean, juice reserved  
1 cup diced Roma tomatoes (seeds and core removed)  
1/4 cup diced roasted red pepper  
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning  
Salt and pepper, to taste  
Fresh Corn Polenta(*see below) or 1 package refrigerated polenta – any flavor

Dredge the sage in whole wheat flour and fry in oil until crispy over medium-high heat. Drain on paper towel and set aside. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in the skillet, and sauté onion and garlic over medium high heat until onion is translucent. Add beans, bean juice, and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and add the remaining ingredients, reduce heat to medium and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Prepare the Fresh Corn Polenta (see below) or slice the refrigerated polenta into 8 rounds and warm in oven. Divide the polenta onto individual plates and serve bean mixture over the warm polenta. Crumble fried sage on the top. Attractive and delicious!

Fresh Corn Polenta

Preparation: 20 minutes total time  
Serves: 4

Ingredients:  
2-1/2 cups corn kernels (from about 4 ears of corn)  
2 tablespoons vegan margarine  
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Put corn kernels in a blender and process until smooth. You will have about 2 cups.

Heat margarine in saucepan and add corn puree along with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook for about 30 seconds until puree thickens.

DESSERTS AND SNACKS

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

Preparation time: fast  
Serves 1-2

Ingredients:  
2 small avocados or 1 large  
1 tablespoon cocoa or carob powder  
1 tablespoon (or to taste) of maple syrup or agave nectar  
Garnish with berries and fresh mint (optional)

Blend all in blender. For best creaminess, add sweetener after blending by hand.

Chocolate Banana Smoothie

Preparation time: 15 minutes  
Serves 2

For chocolate lovers, this could also be a breakfast drink, "milkshake" with your veggie burger or dessert. You can also replace the chocolate with a cup of fresh or frozen fruit for a delicious fruit "milkshake."

Ingredients:  
4 or 5 raw bananas, pre-frozen  
¼ cup cocoa powder  
1 cup soymilk, almond milk or light vanilla flavored soymilk  
Stevia or other natural sweetener

Bananas should be peeled and prefrozen in a plastic bag. Break up bananas and place in blender. Add other ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy. _(It's going to take a while to blend this up in your average counter-top blender, but it will be worth it for that creamy, ice cream like consistency. If you are in a hurry, add a little more soymilk or water.)_

Tahini Banana Malted

Preparation: fast  
Serves: 1

Ingredients:  
2 cups water  
2 frozen bananas, sliced  
1 1/2 teaspoon tahini  
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring  
Stevia (optional)

Blend all ingredients in blender at high speed until creamy and smooth. If too thick, add water. If too thin, add more frozen bananas. _(Tastes like a vanilla milkshake!)_

"Pumpkin Pie" Smoothie

(Can be served for breakfast too)  
Serves: 2

Ingredients: **  
**1/2 cup mashed yam or sweet potato  
3 ripe bananas  
1 1/2 cup water  
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg  
2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon  
1 tablespoon Agave  
1 tablespoon Stevia powder or 1 dropper Stevia liquid  
1 tablespoon coconut flakes

Blend all ingredients in blender at high speed until creamy and smooth. Add more water if blending is too difficult. _(Yummy! Tastes like pumpkin pie.)_

Hope you enjoyed and were informed by _Diary of a Dieting Madhouse-the Diet_. Remember that there is a corresponding novel that can been downloaded at amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com or anywhere ebooks are sold. I'd love to hear from you. Here's my contact information:

Email: paige.singleton@paigesingleton.com or paige.singleton@madhousediet.com

Websites: http://www.paigesingleton.com or http://www.madhousediet.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/paige.singleton.10

Twitter: @SingletonPaige

If you would like a PDF or printout of the Recipes, please visit my website, www.madhousediet.com.

Thanks so much and hope to hear from you!
END NOTES

1 Food Addiction: Could It Explain Why 70 Percent of Americans Are Fat?  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-mark-hyman/food-addiction-could-it-e_b_764863.html; Mark Hyman, M.D.

2 Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (<http://www.pcrm.org/>)

3 T _he Real Food Daily Cookbook: Really Fresh, Really Good, Really Vegetarian_ ; Ann Gentry, Ten Speed Press, 2005

4 Risks, More Red Meat, More Mortality;  http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/13/health/research/red-meat-linked-to-cancer-and-heart-disease.html?_r=1; Nicholas Bakalar, March 12, 2012

5 www.prmi.org.

6 Time Magazine, "Playing Chicken with Our Antibiotics" by Christine Gorman, January 21, 2002; <http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1001675,00.html>

7 http://www.drmcdougall.com

8 The Weight of the Nation (<http://theweightofthenation.hbo.com/>

9 _Eat to Live: The Amazing Nutrient-Rich Program for Fast and Sustained Weight Loss_ , January 5, 2011, Little, Brown and Company, Joel Fuhrman

10 A Natural Cure for Impotence; <http://www.raw-food-health.net/CureForImpotence.html>

11 One Word Can Save Your Life: No! Sharon Begley;  http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2011/08/14/some-medical-tests-procedures-do-more-harm-than-good.html

12 Patients get too much medical care, doctors say; 28% of doctors say they overtreat their patients; by Kristen Gerencher, MarketWatch; September 27, 2011;  http://www.marketwatch.com/story/patients-get-too-much-medical-care-doctors-say-2011-09-27

13 WEB MD Review of Skinny Bitch. (<http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/skinny-diet-not-big-on-meatw-sweets?page=2>

14 Cancer Screening: Doing More Harm Than Good? What you need to know before your next mammogram or colonoscopy; by Shannon Brownlee, original published in Readers Digest, March 12, 2009; <http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/29642490>

15 Mammograms and Breast Cancer; <http://www.greenandhealthy.info/mammograms.html>.

16 Healthy Eating for Life: the Cancer Project; <http://pcrm.org/pdfs/health/HealthyEatingforLife.pdf?docID=1641>

17 Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (<http://pcrm.org/>)

18 Dr. John McDougall (<http://www.drmcdougall.com/>

19 Dr. T. Colin Campbell (<http://www.tcolincampbell.org/courses-resources/home/>

20 Chris Karr, (<http://crazysexylife.com/>

21 One Word Can Save Your Life: No! Sharon Begley;  http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2011/08/14/some-medical-tests-procedures-do-more-harm-than-good.html.

22 Alzheimer's Risk Linked to Diet; James Meek, February 16, 2001; <http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2001/feb/17/jamesmeek>

23 Does a Vegan Diet Reduce Risk for Parkinson's Disease? M.F. McCarty; <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11516224>

24 Fat, Carbs and the Science of Conception; Jorge G. Chavarro, M.D., December 1, 2007;  http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2007/12/01/fat-carbs-and-the-science-of-conception.html

25 Why we're losing the war on cancer and how to win it]; Clifton Leaf Fortune, January 9, 2007; [ http://articles.cnn.com/2007-01-09/health/fortune.leaf.waroncancer_1_gamma-rays-testicular-cancer-national-cancer-act?_s=PM:HEALTH

26 Why Placebos Work Wonders, WSJ, January 10, 2012, Shirley S. Wang;  http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204720204577128873886471982.html

27 The Need for Legislation and Elimination of Electrical Immobilization; Karen Davis, PhD; United Poultry Concerns; <http://www.upc-online.org/slaughter/report.html>

28 Extreme Acts of Animal Cruelty; Katharine Mieszkowski; February 22, 2008; <http://www.salon.com/2008/02/22/animal_cruelty/>

29 Veal Industry Converts to Group Housing; August 1, 2007; Harry Snelson; <http://www.aasv.org/news/story.php?id=2516>

30 Beef recall case: Cattle abuse wasn't a rare occurrence; By Julie Schmit, USA TODAY, March 31, 2008, http://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=4518325&page=1

31 Washington Post, April 2010, <http://www.chooseveg.com/beef.asp>

32 Sealife to Seafood; <http://www.chooseveg.com/fish.asp>

33 Give Trees, Not Animals—Peta; Heather Faraid Drennan; November 29, 2011;  http://www.peta.org/b/thepetafiles/archive/2011/11/29/give-trees-not-animals.aspx

34 _The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite_ , David Kessler, Rodale Books, September 18, 2010

35 Food Addiction: Hi, I'm John and I'm a Cholesterolic; Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine; <http://pcrm.org/search/?cid=1294>.

36 Food Addiction: Could it explain why 70% of America is Fat? Mark Hyman, M.D.; http://www.danielplan.com/healthyhabits/foodaddiction.

37 Happy Cow Website; <http://www.happycow.net/famous_vegetarians.html.>

38 http://www.drmcdougall.com

39 The Acid-Alkaline Diet for Optimum Health, Christopher Vassey, Healing Arts Press, January 31, 2004

40 http://www.greensandlean.com

41 _Crazy, Sexy Diet_ , by Kim Carr, skirt! Publisher, December 20, 2011

42 Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine 21-Day Vegan Kickstart, http://pcrm.org/kickstarthome

43 <http://support.pcrm.org/site/DocServer/vsk.pdf?docID=261>

44 <http://www.zemasfoods.com/>

45 Inspired by Kelly Keough, The Sweet Truth, Veria TV., http://www.veria.com

46 _Skinny Bitch_ , Running Press, December 2005, Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin

47 From PCRM's 21-Day Kick Start program; http://kickstartdev.pcrm.org/celebrity/carr/index.cfm

48 Adapted from _Clean Food: A Seasonal Guide to Eating Close to the Source_ , Terry Walters, Sterling Epicure, October 2, 2012

49 Inspired by Ann Gentry's Naturally Delicious on Veria TV and at  www.veria.com

50 Inspired by Ann Gentry; Naturally Delicious at Veria TV and  www.veria.com

51 Inspired by _Tofu Cookery_ , Book Publishing Company, May 1, 2008, Louise Hagler

52 Holy Cow Vegan Recipes;  http://www.holycowvegan.net/2008/04/silky-soup-butternut-lima-bean.html

53 Adapted from The Expanding Light;  ExpandingLight.org

54 _The Engine 2 Diet: The Texas Firefighter's 28-Day Save-Your-Life Plan that Lowers Cholesterol and Burns Away the Pounds_ , Esselstyn, Grand Central Life and Style, 2009

55 Inspired by Ann Gentry, Naturally Delicious at Veria TV http://www.veria.com
