Let the Vegan Adventure Begin

I had an "Aha" moment while watching Alicia Silverstone last week on Oprah.  Alicia explained that she had suffered for years with constipation, bloating, allergies, skin issues and all around discomfort.  When she transitioned to a Vegan diet all of these symptoms disappeared.  I could certainly relate to her story since I battle many of those symptoms on a daily basis.  I've been exceedingly frustrated that I've never been able to find relief from these symptoms and had resigned myself to the fact that I was probably going to suffer for the rest of my life.  The thing is I've only really tried taking herbal supplements, eating Ginger and increasing my probiotics, I never thought that dairy could be to blame.  These quick fixes would work for a while and then I'd go right back to square one with the chronic bloating and upset stomachs after nearly every meal.  Alicia's story made me think, "What if what I'm eating is making me sick?"  My husband has been trying to convince me to go Vegan for a couple of years now but I love cheese so much I didn't think there was any way I could ever commit to Veganism.  We eat a very healthy meat free diet and I never thought there was a problem with dairy.  We decided to pick up Alicia's book and give it a try since eliminating dairy was one avenue I hadn't explored yet.  We spent this last weekend buying Vegan cookbooks and testing out recipes.  We also visited a Vegan Cafe.  We're both the dive right in type so we've been approaching this head on with full force and commitment.  We had a great time cooking together in the kitchen, shopping, and trying out new foods.  We both thought this was an exciting adventure we'd undertaken.

It's only been a couple of days since I've eliminated dairy from my diet and I can already see and feel a huge difference in my body.  I have so much energy, I've been sleeping better and I'm not bloated all the time.  The health benefits of this new lifestyle are keeping me motivated.  If you're interested in living and eating healthier I definitely recommend picking up a copy of Alicia's book The Kind Diet  .  Her book will teach you about the health benefits of going Vegan and educate you on the nasty foods to avoid.  It will also describe how your body has trouble digesting meat and dairy and the symptoms this causes in your body.  It's filled with great recipes too.   We've already made one amazing meal from it and we plan on making one of her yummy Vegan desserts for Valentines Day.  The book is designed for everyone, whether you want to flirt with Veganism or go full force and become a Vegan Superhero.  Check out her online community to learn personal stories of how The Kind Life has changed peoples lives and eliminated serious health issues.  www.thekindlife.com

And now to the most exciting experience of the weekend, Native Foods!  My husband and I decided to see if there were any local Vegan restaurants and we found a local Vegan Cafe called Native Foods.  Turns out they have several locations in Southern California and they even offer cooking classes.  I can't say enough good things about Native Foods.  The food was incredibly amazing!  We had a hard time deciding what we wanted to order since everything on the menu was making our mouths water.  The food was so satisfying and delicious.  I had the Scorpion Burger and my husband had the Tijuana Tacos, we also had a side of Sweet Potato Fries.  If you're lucky enough to live close to a Native Foods location I highly recommend you check it out.  After our meal we purchased the Native Foods Cookbook and several menus to plan what we were going to eat on our next trip.  We plan on visiting again this weekend to try out another dish. 

At this point in time we're so new to this that we don't know if it will be a permanent thing or if we're just going to incorporate more Vegan meals into our diet.  We have decided to give it a try for at least a month and see what happens.  I encourage everyone to make a step towards a healthier diet whether it's simply bypassing the fast food restaurant, eating more fruits and veggies, giving up soda or eating less meat.  Knowledge is power and when you learn how powerful eating the right food can be for your overall health and well being you'll be motivated to make a step in a healthier direction.