Food For Thought: The Joys And Benefits Of Living Vegan

Many a vegetarian has been on the receiving end of jokes, jibes, digs, insensitive quips, and cruel comments, and though it can be hard not to take it personally, the truth is all of these insensitive reactions have nothing to do with you. They reflect a resistance on the part of the non-vegetarian to take an honest and thoughtful look in the mirror held up for them. Though meat-eaters may feel as though they're being judged or made to feel guilty, it's often just a matter of the vegetarian reflecting back his or her own truth and compassion. But vegetarians don't get off the hook that easily. As much as we each have own process and transition to work through as we experience our own awakenings, we have to honor the transition of the people with whom we share our lives. Even though we may feel completely changed, we may forget to look at how our changes are affecting our partner. As much as we want him or her to be understanding and compassionate, we have to provide the same compassion and understanding.

This episode debunks the claim that a "vegan diet is more expensive than a non-vegetarian diet" by looking at a cost comparison of the equivalent amount of animal versus plant protein, by looking at the government subsidies that make food artificially cheap, and by looking at costs that go beyond mere dollars: those of the environment, the lives of the animals, our health, and our peace of mind. I also offer some thoughts about why it's no harder for a person of 75 to change her habits than it is for a person of 20.

Now that I'm vegan, what do I do with my leather couch, my leather shoes, and my wool sweaters? What should I do with the meat and other animal-based products in my kitchen? How do I know about animal-derived ingredients on food labels? Can I still call myself "vegan" if I eat something like honey? These are some of the questions that arise for people who find themselves newly conscious of animal suffering and who don't want to participate in it. And these are also some of the issues that deter people who may be interested in "becoming vegan" but who think it would be too difficult or who think they have to live up to some kind of "vegan perfection." Join me as I address these concerns and offer some suggestions for the practical aspects of living a compassionate lifestyle.

Despite our desperate attempt to remove ourselves from our non-human brethren, we are animals, and we have a lot more animal instincts than we like to admit. Every woman will tell you that her drive to protect her young - what we call maternal instinct - is pure and fierce and real. We even call it an instinct - the maternal instinct. Any right-minded person would agree that this instinct exists in ALL animals. If we know this to be true, then how can we so arrogantly deny animals their desire to fulfill that very basic, fierce, real, powerful instinct? In this episode, I share a couple very moving stories about the connection between cows and their babies and how denying mothers this fundamental experience is one of the cruelest things we do.

When confronted by the ethical considerations of leather, many people exclaim that it is a mere by-product of the meat industry and is thus absolved of culpability. The truth is quite different. Far from the altruistic industry this perception implies, the leather industry is inherently linked with the meat industry, providing the latter with much-needed profits and incentive to survive. In addition to the abuse that takes place in the slaughter industry, the leather industry is also responsible for the suffering and death of animals targeted specifically for their skins. Add to that the huge amount of energy and toxins necessary to turn once-living skins into preserved hides, and you've got an industry that doesn't come out looking good after all.

In today's episode we talk all about this delicious, nutritious food: its history, its versatility, and how it's made. Undergoing a process that resembles the production of dairy-based cheese, tofu has many advantages over its animal-based cousin, namely that no calf is harmed in the making of it. Tune in for more on that, for tips on cooking with it, and for information about the different textures (silken, soft, medium, firm, extra firm). This is an information-packed episode that will inspire and empower you and demystify the "big white blob."

Learning about the atrocities committed against non-human animals is very painful and can leave us full of sorrow and hopelessness. In today’s episode, I’d like to address how to cope with the pain of the awareness of animal suffering and also how to be an effective advocate for animals. These two things go hand in hand; if we don't take care of ourselves, we will be very ineffective as advocates, and if we aren't doing something to be part of the solution, we're missing an opportunity to feel better - to feel hopeful.

In this episode, I talk about what it's like to be a vegetarian at a non-vegetarian BBQ, tell you a little story about when I was on the Food Network, and share some specific ideas about what to serve at a BBQ: ideas for the grill (including vegetable skewers, marinated eggplant, polenta with pesto, portabello mushrooms, corn on the cob, BBQ tempeh, and fruit), recipes for salads (such as Thai slaw, spinach salad, pasta salad), and, of course, dessert. I also talk briefly about why the safest way to avoid the carcinogenic compounds that form on cooked meat is to not eat it. Heterocyclic amines, the cancer-causing compounds found on meat (including "beef," "pork," "chicken," or "fish") cooked at high temperatures (whether grilled, BBQd, or pan-fried) do not form on plant foods. Just one more reason to leave animals off our plates.

Today I want to talk about this amazing animal that endures a number of abuses by humans and yet isn’t really talked about a lot - even by animal advocates. Today I want to talk about and honor goats. Full of spunk and spark and life, we betray them by killing them for their flesh, by exploiting them for their milk, by exposing them to painful military experiments, and by humiliating them in a variety of other ways. This episode is dedicated to Neptune, a most remarkable being.

Our consumption of fish has many consequences - not only for the fish we eat but also for other fish/crustaceans, for cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises), for marine mammals, for birds, and for ecosystems. In addition to the 17 billion aquatic animals we kill in the U.S. for human consumption, countless animals are killed as "by-catch" or "incidental catch." These are the unintended but inevitable victims of the commercial fishing industry. Though we may see one fish on our plate or five shrimp in our seafood salad, countless numbers of animals were dredged up and killed for the individuals we consume.

Perhaps the most offensive thing you can say about people - if you really want it to sting - is that they're "like animals." We use, abuse, exploit, denigrate animals and relegate them to the lowliest place in society and then blame them for being "animals." We compare them to humans and consider them lowly and forget that we're the ones writing that story. If we're the barometer against which we measure everyone else in the natural world, well surely they'll always fall short. But what if our criteria were different? What if value and worthiness were determined by how fast you could run. Or how high you could fly. Or on the ability to climb mountains without rope but only four hooves. How would humans fare then?

A much-anticipated episode, today's topic is dedicated to all the teen vegetarians out there, though its subject matter is relevant for parents as well. Many teenagers don't have the support of their parents when they make the decision to become vegetarian/vegan, and we talk about why this is and how we can remedy it. Making this lifestyle change is an adjustment for everyone, and it's important to recognize this, no matter what age we are. We offer some specific suggestions for family dinners and provide some insight into why sheep get a bad rep for being herd animals, when humans display just as much need to be part of the crowd as our wooly friends. If you've been considered a "black sheep" - whatever your age - this episode is for you.

Today's episode is dedicated to pigs - how wonderful they are, how we misrepresent them in our society, and what affect that has on our treatment of them. Pigs are exploited and used by humans in a variety of ways: as research tools, as "food animals," in high school science classes, as entertainment in a blood sport called "hog-baiting" or "hog dogging," as victims of hunting. We also talk about how our language shapes our perception of them and, thus, our treatment of them, and we examine the cycle of violence inherent in hiring men to work in slaughterhouses, desensitizing them to violence, and then essentially supporting abusive and sadistic behavior - just because we like bacon. The cycle of violence makes its final stop in the homes of these slaughterhouse workers, where alcoholism and domestic abuse is commonplace. Finally, we end on a positive note with a beautiful poem by Pulitzer-prize winning poet, Galway Kinnell - who pays homage to our porcine friends in "St Francis and the Sow."

Study after study concludes that people just aren't eating their vegetables. They're eating plenty of meat, dairy, and eggs, but they're not eating their vegetables. In today's episode, I offer a number of suggestions and tips for incorporating more plant foods into our diet - from chopping veggies and planning meals in advance to identifying what it is we think we're craving and joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). Because there is so much to say, today's podcast is a little longer than usual, and because there is so much MORE to say, consider this Part I in an ongoing series on this particular topic. And because Mom was right all along when she nagged you to "eat your vegetables," give her a call and tell her so.

Vegetarians and vegans often find themselves having to defend not only their own eating habits but vegetarianism and veganism as a whole - both philosophically and nutritionally. When it comes to health, those aiming for a plant-based diet are definitely on the right track, especially considering how few vegetables people are eating these days. When it comes to ethics, they are merely trying to live a life that reflects compassion. I think it's time we turn the tables and start holding each other accountable for the better choices we can ALL be making. If we turn the tables, we can stay focused on the issues at hand: ending animal cruelty and improving our physical and emotional well-being. I also suggest that we take back the word "agenda," something animal advocates are accused of having, and I offer my thoughts about the question: "Do you think you're 'morally superior' to me because you're vegan and I'm not?" Finally, I share some of my favorite communication strategies that might help us all find common

Feeding our dogs and cats the diet that is healthiest for them is something many people are concerned with. An ethical consideration arises when we become vegan or vegetarian and start to question the ethics of supporting the slaughter industry by feeding our dogs and cats meat. In this episode, I offer my opinion about feeding dogs and cats a plant-based diet, provide resources for the "highest grade" (sans by-products) companion animal food, and share my experience about a preventable cancer (Vaccine Associated Fibrosarcoma) that is showing up in cats more than ever before. My hope is that by sharing my story, others can save their cat's life and can avoid going through a horrific and unnecessary ordeal. (Please pass on this episode to others who may benefit.)

Anyone who has ever acted or spoken on behalf of animals has learned that criticism will often follow. Sometimes, it's in the form of a provocation such as: "Why aren’t you helping people instead of wasting your time on animals?" Though it's formed as a question, the inquisitors are not really interested in the answer. I suppose they think they’re catching animal activists in some sort of trap that's supposed to prove that animal activists care more about nonhuman animals than their "fellow humans." The disgust with which they ask it makes it seem as though this may be the worst thing you could accuse someone of. Join me as I address this accusation and lament that some people think so little of their "fellow humans" as to presume our hearts aren't big enough to care about more than one thing at a time. I also read a brilliant and eloquent essay by Nobel prize winner J.M. Coetzee to illustrate why "the animal rights campaign remains a human project from beginning to end."

If you have ever said or thought that you could "never give up cheese," this episode is for you. In it, I explore our irrational attachment to this stuff and suggest that it is a combination of factors that foster our addiction to cheese. I suggest that our desire for it is really a desire for something familiar. I suggest that it acts as a trigger for a nostalgic memory. I suggest that we use it to bring us comfort. I also suggest that it may be as simple as craving fat or salt. And I suggest that all of these things can be satisfied without cheese. I also recommend some good non-dairy cheeses as well as ways to make some of your favorite dishes without any cheese at all - dairy or non-dairy. The bottom line is: NEVER SAY NEVER. Just be willing to be open. You'll find that there is indeed life without cheese. First, we have to stop giving it so much power.

A handful of individuals have been incredibly successful at demonizing a bean - a bean! Our obsession with single nutrients, our reliance on media sound bites for our health advice, our misunderstanding of the power of the anti-vegetarian agenda, our reliance on processed foods are the problems - not soy. Though soy foods are not miracle foods, neither are they poison. This episode seeks to put it all in perspective and demonstrate that whole soy foods can be part of a varied, whole-foods, plant-based diet - but only if you want them to be.

The process of becoming de-sensitized to animal suffering happens at a very early age. Though our innate compassion is unfettered and unconditional when we're young, we receive messages that indicate that not only should this compassion be left on the threshold of adulthood but that certain animals are here to love and certain ones are here to use. As a result, many of us go through our entire lives detached from the animals who once permeated every aspect of our childhood and detached from our own emotions and truths. Only when the spell is broken, when we are shaken out of our sleep do we experience a profound awakening. The key is being *willing* to wake up. The key is letting go of our self-deception and lowering the defenses we built up.