Nostalgia: Vitamix 3600

Now that I'm cooking up a storm, I'm missing one very important item in my kitchen: a Vitamix. But unfortunately, it's way out of my budget. Then it occurred to me, I technically already have one.

When I was at a young age I discovered something very exciting in my kitchen

Eco-Vegan Shopping: local, organic, & bulk food

A few days ago I made a video about a great trip to the farmers market, and today I made a similar one about my visit to the Santa Monica Co-Opportunity. I felt incredibly empowered after buying spices, grains, and seeds in bulk and fresh organic produce - I barely used any packaging and I saved a ton of money. I invested in some glass jars, which were only $1.69 each, and then filled them up with the amount of organic spices I needed - in total this cost about $2. And of course, none of the items I bought contained gluten, soy, oil, or refined-sugar (with the exception of some flax crackers that had a tad of soy in them).

Back to Basics: why I stopped eating gluten, soy, refined sugar, and oil

Please read my health disclaimer

Since I stopped eating gluten, soy, refined sugar, and most oils I've been getting one question: why? I'm still trying to figure out how to word it and I'm collecting resources to back me up, but one major reason occurred to me tonight: I want to go back to basics because I want more control over what goes into my body.

Farmers Markets: one stop eco-vegan shop for food naturally free of gluten, soy, refined sugar, and oil

Every Friday there is a farmers market within walking distance from my apartment, but I rarely go because it closes at 11am and I'm usually still sleeping (I'm a night owl and don't go to bed until 3 or 4am)! However, since I've been eating so much produce recently I decided it's worth getting up "early" at 10am and making it a weekly trip. Today I made my first trip there in a while and bought a bunch of delicious, local food that will last me about a week - all for less than $30! The best part is, most things at the farmer's market are naturally free of gluten, soy, refined sugar, and oil (unless you buy pre-made food like bread).

Veggie Burgers: Taste of a Poison Paradise?

I've been writing articles for Healthy Bitch Daily for a few months and they give me the greatest assignments. I love researching the topics, and my most recent contribution is one of my favorites. HBD asked me to write about hexane in veggie burgers, and what I found was shocking. Before you bite into another piece of soy, please read this. I list some companies that make soy-free (and some gluten-free) burgers in the article.

Other pieces I have written for them:

• Great Agave Debate
• Bake Me a Cake
• More to come in June!

Healthy Bitch Daily is the brainchild of Kim Barnouin, Co-Author of Skinny Bitch. The site is a fantastic resource on health and beauty with a cheeky twist. You can subscribe to their daily feed/email newsletter, follow them on Twitter, and like them on Facebook.

Chemtrails: a myth or a government conspiracy?

Is the above a photo of a beautiful cloudy day, or a toxic sky?

A few months ago I met someone who told me that the government was secretly spraying chemicals into the air that were harmful to our health. I was terrified, so I did a little research and most sources said they were a myth. However, today I found the following video which provides some visual evidence that chemtrails may be the real deal. This trailer for the documentary What in the World are They Spraying? is horrifying.

Hot, Rich & Green: book launch

Last night I attended yet another amazing green event: the launch of Hot, Rich & Green by Rebecca Harrell Tickell. As you may know, I assisted with the production of the book and it inspired me to turn my full attention to running this blog. Though the book has been out for a little while, this was the official media launch. In attendance were many of the women who shared their stories and advice on
how to run green businesses.

Sometimes it's the simplest thing that gives the greatest pleasure

I am slowly savoring an organic grapefruit and it tastes beyond words. It reminds me of being in Florida with my parents when I was little. I haven't had a grapefruit in so long and I don't know what prompted me to buy one, but I'm loving it. This one is from Sunrise Farms in California. If you can get organic, local grapefruit right now, I highly recommend a trip to the farmer's market or natural grocer to buy one. : )

What fruit are you enjoying today?

No Need For 'Poo

I'm sure it is obvious that I'm obsessed with finding new ways to be healthier and greener, and I'm about to take a step in a pretty radical direction: I'm going to stop shampooing my hair.

Who needs olive oil when you can eat organic olives?

Please read my health disclaimer

I am on another health mission/journey/experiment: greatly reduce the amount of oil I consume, or eliminate it all together. This topic will be elaborated in another post - I have a lot more research to do. In summary, many people that I trust have explained that oil is actually not that good for us, even olive oil. This may seem strange, since olive oil is something most people think is very healthy - turns out that might not be so true. Like most things, moderation is key, though some people believe we shouldn't eat oil at all. My friends Lex & Kristen have a great blog called The Healthy Vegans where they discuss this more in detail - most of their diet is based on Dr. McDougall. You can also check out Exsalus Health & Wellness. Again, I will do a well-reseached post soon and let you know more.

This post, however, is about olives.

UCLA Celebrity Panel Discussion

Last night UCLA's student activist organization Bruins for Animals held a special event featuring well-known vegetarians and vegans, many of which are my personal friends. Vanessa Meier, vegan activisit and scientist, moderated the panel, who were:

Do It Gorgeously - Sophie Uliano at T Salon

Today I went to an event at the T Salon in West Hollywood. I have been to the cafe/store before and really enjoyed it - almost all of their desserts are vegan, the building is very eco-friendly, and their tea is fabulous (video review coming soon). I wasn't sure what the event was going to be like, but I was excited because there was going to be a demo on how to make organic skin care products. I was also intrigued after hearing rave reviews of the book Gorgeously Green, so I looked forward to learning about Do It Gorgeously. The event turned out to be fantastic!

Eco-Vegan Q&A (from Google Analytics)

One of my favorite parts of having this blog is receiving questions and doing the research to answer them. I get a chance to step out of my own mind for an hour or so and tackle a topic I haven't considered. I've always wanted Eco-Vegan Gal to be a resource on everything healthy and sustainable. With that said, please feel free to contact me via email, Facebook, Twitter, etc. if you have any questions now or in the future.

I also check Google Analytics pretty regularly to see how people are finding my sites. Sometimes there are phrases that have led someone here that I don't think they found the answers to, so I figured I'd do that right here. Here are some keywords that were typed in since March and the answers to them.

Gluten & (mostly) Soy free: Eating Healthy in Portland, OR

I've wanted to go to Portland, OR for years because many say it's one of the best cities to be a vegan. I looked forward to trying fun things like vegan corn dogs at Hungry Tiger Too, but when I did I had quite the stomach ache from all the grease and processed soy. Or perhaps it was the trip to VooDoo Donuts that did me in... Don't get me wrong, all of that was delicious and worth a try, but the next day I decided to try the gluten-free and soy-free diet - and boy was I glad I did. I partnered up with former PDX resident Robert Cheeke on this new health experiment and we set out to discover all the options in town. While we jumped right off the gluten, it took us until the end of the trip to stop eating soy, though I'm sure you could have the same meals without it.

Vegetarian in Sierra Leone

This may seem like an odd post, but it stems from a friend who wants to know how her friend can be vegetarian while living in Sierra Leone. She asked if I could recommend a simple cookbook, but before I could answer I had to look up what food is available in the country.

Gulf of Mexico oil spill: what's going on and what can we do?

Is it just me, or is this oil spill situation kinda confusing? Maybe I just don't pay enough attention to the media/news, but I barely understand what's going on and how bad it is. Therefore, I figured it would benefit myself and perhaps some readers if I did some research and broke it all down.

What Happened?

• An explosion and and subsequent fire sank the drilling platform Deepwater Horizon (which BP was leasing from its owner, Transocean) and triggered the mile-deep oil gusher that has defied efforts to stem it, taking 11 workers with it. (CNN 1; 2; 3)

Pre-Opening Party for Mooi: new raw restaurant in Echo Park

I've been hearing rave reviews about Mooi for months now, mainly from QuarryGirl, so I was thrilled to get an invitation to their private pre-opening party last night. However, I can't say the experience was all that I expected it to be and I was quite disappointed. The restaurant was incredibly crowded and extremely noisy - I could barely participate in conversations - so much so that one of my friends showed up and left 5 minutes later. To make matters worse, I practically had to fight through the mob to get a few small bites of the food I was there to try. An hour and a half later I left after sampling a few items, none of which were the desserts I was most looking forward to (though I got to salivate over them in the display case). The portions were very tiny and I wish I hadn't skipped dinner. It just seemed like the event was poorly planned - perhaps they didn't expect so many people to show up.

WorldFest 2010

I just returned from a wonderful day at WorldFest. It was similar to last year, but my personal experience was quite difference. Going there on a gluten-free and soy-free diet definitely restricted my food options, but I felt great the entire day and had some fabulous food.

• Rawsheed had an awesome combo plate with his new pizza, a salad, and soup. He is opening a new cafe soon, which will be entirely gluten-free and oil-free!
  
  

WorldFest L.A. is tomorrow!

In case you didn't know and your day is open tomorrow, I hope you make plans to go to WorldFest, an amazing annual eco-vegan event in Los Angeles! This will be my third time going and I'm really looking forward to it. There will be food, live music, speakers, vendors, and tons of amazing people.



Last year I did a ton of interviews, many of which I still have to edit (yes, I'm that behind), but here are some links

Organic Nectars: organic, raw chocolate free of gluten, soy, and refined sugar

Organic Nectars chocolate is just the kind of sweet I want in my life right now: organic, raw, gluten-free, soy-free, and refined sugar free. Most importantly, it's delicious and satisfying. In fact, I can barely tell that it's raw - it just tastes good; though it definitely has a unique flavor and texture. While it is not smooth like most chocolates, I didn't mind the grittiness because I enjoyed the natural, full-bodied flavors.

It's hard to say which bar was my favorite. I loved the

The Simpsons Go Green

I used to love The Simpsons, but these days it's the last thing I want to watch on my Hulu queue (I'm more of a Family Guy gal now). Since I finished watched all my favorite shows, I tuned in and was pleasantly surprised to find that the entire episode was about the environment! It started out about wind power and turned into a sweet story about whales. You can watch it below.

Robert Cheeke interviews Gene Baur at Farm Sanctuary

Robert Cheeke and I had the pleasure of attending the Farm Sanctuary Hoe Down and we had a fantastic time. It was my first time at the sanctuary and it was a wonderful reminder of why I'm a vegan. We also had the opportunity to interview many of the speakers, including Biz Stone, Will Tuttle, and Gene Baur. Gene is the president and Co-Founder of Farm Sanctuary, and in this interview he speaks about the history of the organization, advice he has for people who want to reduce animal suffering, stories of lives changing at the sanctuary, how you can support them, and internships on the farm.

The scoop on vitamin B12

A reader asked me today,

I have a question about b12, are there different types? I heard that vegans have to take supplements because you can't get it from plant sources, but spirulina and nutritional yeast both contain b12

Here are the answers to her questions, and then some. **Please read my health disclaimer**:

Why do we need B12?
Vitamin B12 is needed for cell division and blood formation. Although recommendations for it are very small, deficiency is a very serious problem leading ultimately to anemia and irreversible nerve damage. (Vegetarian Resource Group) Symptoms include excessive tiredness, breathlessness, listlessness, pallor, and poor resistance to infection. When deficiency occurs, it is more commonly linked to a failure to effectively absorb B12 from the intestine rather than a dietary deficiency. (Vegetarian Society)

How much B12 does one need?
The requirement for vitamin B12 is very low (about 2-3 micrograms per day), however it is especially important for pregnant and lactating women, infants, and children to have reliable sources of it in their diets. (Vegetarian Resource Group). You can get a test to check out your levels of B12.

Why is it hard for vegans to get B12?
Plant foods do not contain vitamin B12, thus vegans need to look to fortified foods or supplements to get it in their diet (Vegetarian Resource Group).

B12 comes from our soil. When a cow, for instance, chomps on grass she eats this enriched soil. There are also microorganisms located in the animal's intestine that produce Vitamin B12...Our food today is usually very clean by the time it makes it to our stores, and then we further clean it in our own kitchen. Goodbye Vitamin B12. (Vegan Coach)

Are there different types of B12?
Yes. There is "true" B12 and inactive analogues. Vegan Health has a great article on measuring B12.
There are also different forms of B12, the major types being: Methylcobalamin (the primary form found in the human body), Cyanocobalamin (most commonly found in vitamin supplements), Hydroxycobalamin and Adenosylcobalamin. You can read more about each of them on this Buzzle.com page.

Do vegans have to take supplements to get B12? 
Not necessarily. You may be able to get it by eating nutritional yeast, fortified cereal, fortified soy milk, fortified meat analogues, seaweed, or algae. However, some analysis shows that the soy and algae may not have significant amounts. Instead they contain analogs of B12 that are not active and may actually block the absorption of true vitamin B12. Be wary of labels that say "excellent sources of B12", as that might just be marketing. Carefully read the labels and see if the product contains the daily amount needed. (Vegetarian Nutrition)

If you'd like to take a supplement make sure it does not contain animal products like gelatin. Check out DEVA tablets. In order to meet your needs, you should take a daily vitamin B12 supplement of 5-10 micrograms or a weekly supplement of 2000 micrograms. (Vegetarian Resource Group) Some suggest that B12 supplements should be thoroughly chewed for better absorption. (Vegetarian Nutrition)

Are spirulina and nutritional yeast good sources of B12?

• The B12 content of spirulina is not significant enough to count as a good source (Vegetarian Society). Studies have shown that spirulina (and some soy products) contain predominantly B12 analogues, which is not a true source of the vitamin. (Beyond Vegetarianism)
• One brand of nutritional yeast, Red Star T-6635+, has been tested and shown to contain active vitamin B12. About 2 rounded teaspoons of it provides the recommended amount of vitamin B12 for adults (Vegetarian Resource Group) **make sure it says that it is fortified with B12** 

In the 7 years that I've been vegan I've never taken any B12 supplements (though my doctors have suggested I take calcium and I do from time to time). I love nutritional yeast and eat it often, so it seems I should try to have some everyday! Nutritional yeast is delicious in salads, soups, rice, and pasta dishes - it has a cheesy taste to it. 

Fresh organic ginger tea with lemon

I haven't been feeling well today - been kinda nauseous with a bit of an upset stomach. I hope I'm just detoxing from the big change in diet I'm going through (no gluten, soy, or refined sugar). I also had a ton of daikon radish last night, which is known for having cleansing properties. 

This ginger-lemon tea is incredibly soothing and easy to make.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of water
• 1 tablespoon of organic ginger
• 1 teaspoon of organic lemon

Preparation:

1. Add water into pan
2. Shred ginger into water
3. Bring to boil, then cover and simmer for 10 minutes
4. Taste to see it's strong enough. If necessary, continue simmering until it reaches desired strength
5. When ready, add lemon
6. Strain the tea and enjoy

Ode to Joy: a Mother's Day post

I wouldn't be who I am today without the influence and support of my mother, Joy. She inspired me to follow my dreams since I was a little girl and has believed in me throughout all of my endeavors, constantly saying how proud she is of me. Her favorite line has always been, "you don't ask, you don't get" and I remember that whenever I need the courage to try something bold. With that encouragement, I became a filmmaker, moved to Los Angeles, found amazing opportunities, and started this site.

My love and respect for animals began on her farm in Massachusetts where she provides a beautiful life for horses, dogs, cats, chicken, and geese. At one point we had pet turkeys, and because of that the entire family stopped eating turkey. When I went vegetarian and later vegan, my mom fully accepted my decision and eventually stopped eating meat herself.  She too gets excited about natural cleaning products (especially Mrs. Meyers) and loves to buy me eco-friendly clothing.

My mother is a strong woman who stands up for herself and has always found a way to get what she wants out of life - she is an incredible role model and I am so grateful to be her daughter.

Happy Mother's Day Mom!

Women of the Green Generation - impact of food on health and environment

The Women of the Green Generation event last week was really wonderful. Though it was a smaller crowd than normal, there was beautiful energy and the conversations were mainly about food and health. I spoke on a panel along with some of my favorite women in town:

• Heather Lounsbury
• Pam Sterling
• Rachel Avalon
• Silvie and Maryl Celiz

I was also excited to see a bunch of my friends in attendance, including chef Christy Morgan and vegan scientist Vanessa Meier. Robert Cheeke came along (despite it being a mainly female event) and helped me with video and photography.

Delicious food was prepared by chefs Rawsheed and Tigre, and the event was held at the beautiful LEED certified Evo-South building in Downtown L.A. The event was hosted by the lovely Kris Willey and Elisa Brown.

Here is a video summary of what we discussed (gave a shoutout to Forks Over Knives at the end):

Food for thought: the global impact of thai coconuts

I first discovered the bliss that is a thai coconut when I worked at a raw food restaurant years ago. I already liked the taste of coconut, but only experienced had it in artificial or sugar-coated form. When I saw someone crack open a young thai coconut with a mallet I thought she was going to cut off her fingers, and I also thought the water would be gross - I was wrong on both accounts. Coconut water and flesh is one of my favorite, pure, refreshing treats. But there are two problems - they're from Thailand and they're not usually organic, so this effects the environment and your health. Bummer. Oddly enough, this didn't occur to me until recently. When I wrote about mixing Vega into a coconut, several people commented:

isn't transporting that massive bulk all the way from Thailand and then using only a fraction of it a little eco-unfriendly? My eco-spidey sense is going off like crazy. 

The most eco friendly is going to be grown in your own backyard or town gardens.

Be careful, Thai coconuts that aren't certified organic are generally dipped in formaldehyde for shipping purposes. They're also radiated, but I find that less disturbing. Coconuts are amazing though, just organic certified is very important for this seed. 

Is this one more thing I have to avoid now? It seems these days I'm cutting so much out of my diet: gluten, soy, sugar, nightshades... My sister said to me today, "next thing you know you'll be living off air alone!" While that certainly won't be the case (I love food too much), taking those items out of my diet has made me feel a lot better. However, coconut would be a sad thing to give up, especially since it's in some of my favorite products like Coconut Bliss, So Delicious, and Coconut Aminos. But what's more important, my taste buds or the earth?

Here are quotes from the research I did - it was hard to find, as there weren't many reputable sources:

"The only states in the U.S. where coconut palms can be grown and reproduced outdoors without irrigation are Hawaii and south Florida....Most authorities claim [the coconut] is native to South Asia (particularly the Ganges Delta), while others claim its origin is in northwestern South America." (Wikipedia)

"If you're in Florida or Hawaii you can likely find coconuts locally, but for the rest of us in the U.S., it's just not an option...The bottom line is that coconut milk is not something that you should be making every week." (Planet Green) 

"Some tropical foods travel farther than others and hence have a larger impact on the planet. Know the facts before you indulge so that you can make an informed decision." Turns out most bananas, mangos, and nuts have a huge carbon footprint too.  : (  (Planet Green 2) 

"The best idea is to give them up or cut way back, unless you live in a place or are visiting a place where they grow locally. Wherever you live, there are local delicious fruits that just don't have the carbon footprint of tropical fruits...But always purchase organic and fair trade varieties of coffee and tea." (Planet Green 2) Speaking of organic, check out the Dirty Dozen: 12 foods to eat organic and avoid pesticide residue

In 2008, L.A. based raw food chef Matt Amsden wrote about the formaldehyde rumor. In summary, he had some coconuts tested at an accredited microbiology and chemical lab and discovered "there was absolutely no indication whatsoever that the Thai Coconut samples provided...was ever in contact with formaldehyde." (Basil and Spice)

One source stated, "FUNGICIDE DIP. Some coconuts are dipped for 5 minutes in a fungicide solution (such as formaldehyde or sodium metabisulphate) before exporting. This is to eliminate mold and bacteria during the "6-week" shipping process." (Awesome to be Rawsome forum) 6 week shipping?!!

Genefit claims to sell "the only strictly untreated young Thai coconuts in the entire US -  now CERTIFIED ORGANIC." 

As I was writing this article I mentioned my thoughts to a friend, and he pointed out that sometimes buying food from other countries helps their economy and/or communities. This is an interesting point, and reminds me of what Urth Caffe is doing with coffee (video soon to come on that topic). However, I'm not sure how many companies actually practice true fair-trading, so the key is to speak to the owners and ask them. If they don't know or don't seem to care, then I don't want to buy from them.

My advice? Look in your fridge and cabinets, pull out your food, and turn it around. What does the label say? Where is it from? If it's not from your area, or at least from North America, consider the impact it has on the planet. But don't throw it away - enjoy it - just keep their location in mind next time you're at the store. If you love that food, have it as an occasional treat. If you can live without it, do.

What are your thoughts?

May I Be Frank: a dramatic comedy about one man's radical transformation

Yesterday I was invited to speak at UCLA's Bruins For Animals, which is a wonderful student group that meets once a week to discuss their animal rights activism. They often have guest speakers and I was flattered that they asked me to talk about my eco-vegan lifestyle.

After the meeting I joined some of the students in an on-campus auditorium to see the documentary May I Be Frank, which was a special screening as part of UCLA Health Week. The theater wasn't very full, but I was really happy that such an important movie was being shown. I watched the trailer before arriving on campus and learned that it was about an unhappy, overweight man's journey to find himself via  food and friends from Cafe Gratitude in San Francisco. I was sold after the words Cafe Gratitude, since I had an incredible meal there just a few weeks ago.

This movie has some powerful moments - at times it brought the audience to audible tears and sniffles. It was inspiring and fascinating to watch a man go from lethargy and lack of passion to someone full of energy, driven, and jovial (not to mention quite attractive). Though the movie ends after the 42 day vegan cleanse, the closing titles explain that Frank continued on the path and eventually lost a total of 110lbs. When he walked to the front of the auditorium for the Q&A it was hard to believe it was the same man from the movie; he had a completely different look and energy.

I have to say, as a filmmaker I can't help but focus on the production value of a movie, and May I Be Frank is lacking in that area. Though it had some cool graphics for title sequences, I was quite distracted by the poor sound quality and mix, the camcorder video look, and some bizarre editing choices. It is clear that this was the first feature these filmmakers have made. However, the story really holds the movie together and it prevails through the amateur production value.

What I loved most about May I Be Frank is that it's an honest look at an average man diving into a situation that is anything but familiar or comfortable. The filmmakers take the audience along for the entire ride of the cleanse: from cafe to colonic to the toilet. Frank openly talks about his sexuality, family struggles, bowel movements, and even stands naked in front of the camera at one point. These are important moments: not only do they bring humor to the story, they show that going through a transformation may not be pretty but it is worthwhile in the end. One of my favorite quotes was,

"The more you give away, the more you allow yourself to take in."

At the beginning of the movie, Frank's goal was to fall in love one more time before he died. At the end of the movie he realized that he did fall in love - with himself.

Since May I Be Frank is an independent, low-budget film, it needs your support in order to progress. If you'd like to see it, contact the filmmakers for information.

Robert Cheeke interviews Will & Madeleine Tuttle

Robert and I had some great conversations with Will & Madeleine Tuttle, on and off camera at Farm Sanctuary. Though I enjoyed listening to them speak, I especially liked the tour of their traveling home, which you'll see towards the end of the video. The Tuttles are truly living a eco-vegan lifestyle! Please check out Will's wonderful book, The World Peace Diet, which you can also get as an audio book. Will has some beautiful music on CD as well.

What does the term "plant-based diet" really mean?

A friend of mine asked me,

"Can I claim that I am on a plant-based diet if I'm not vegan? Is that against the rules? Because I'm a vegetarian for now, but that means that I am primarily getting my nutrients from plants."

This question threw me off a little. I consider my diet to be plant-based, because I only eat plants, but the word "based" means foundation or main ingredient, so wouldn't that include vegetarianism? I did a web search and the answer was unclear.

Wikipedia says the plant-based diet "may refer to herbivore...veganism...vegetariaism...macrobiotic diet" and defines vegetarianism as "the practice of following a plant-based diet"

Then I reached out to my Twitter community, asking, "Does plant-based diet mean vegetarian, vegan, or either?" I received a variety of answers, some were even heated:

@veganhope: I will say plant based vegan - because I only eat plants :) no junky stuff...I get people ALL the time who tell me they are plant based and eat meat and dairy. a lot of people think it just means a majority of their diet is based on plants. also in my recent plant based nutrition class there were people who took plant based to mean less than 10% animal products.

@CaraVegan: when fruitarians eat "chicken fruit" eggs, vegans eat honey &vegetarians eat fish chickn bacon, plant-based can mean evrything 

@GodsDreamsForMe: plant-based means no animal protein at all including dairy and eggs. I guess that's vegan and more.

@VeganInfoLine: I've always taken it as a gentle codeword for vegan, since milk and eggs aren't from plants. It's the phrase you use when you don't want to freak newbies out with the V word. 

@vegansalt: It depends who says it.  Dr Campbell says "plant based diet" and means vegan, but I saw a blogger use the term for pescatarian. Which is why I always clarify and specify veganism. People can hear "plant-based" and think "plants, plus whatever I want."

@MarylTweets: PBD to us (HLife) means mostly eating whole foods from the plant kingdom. High fructose corn syrup is vegan but doesn't qualify. PBD is about nutrition, which is what plants (whole) offer. Diets mostly consisting of processed vegan junk food don't count. PBD is a concerted focus on consuming what Nature (not bioengineers) provided via the plant kingdom. Plants, not franken-foods.

Silvie Celiz Wight (via Facebook): It means eating unprocessed, whole foods from the vegetable kingdom only.  

Carrie Lynn Morse (via Facebook): it's kind of a misnomer since mushrooms are a fungus. (and yeast and the beneficial bacteria etc etc etc.) i guess that is why it's qualified with "primarily" so you can have those exceptions. (but that means it can have other exceptions as well, such as bits from the animal kingdom.) so there isn't really a terminology using these words alone that specifically means vegans who also eat fungus/bacteria 

Julio Paez (via Facebook): No kill. No abuse. Eco-friendly. Fair trade...... 

@monodistortion: I don't think there's any rule. I just depends on who says it. 

Robert Cheeke (via Facebook): V.E.G.A.N.

@lyricgaia: Vegan! 

@extremevegan: are you an idiot? how much more specific could "plant based" be?

Most people don't consider vegetarianism to be a plant-based diet, but it's in a grey area.

What do you think?

Interview with Biz Stone, fellow vegan and co-founder of Twitter

It's hard to imagine what my life would be like without Twitter. However, I remember the day I signed up - I had no idea how to use it, what to say, or why anyone would care. From my iPhone, I wrote that I was at a party. I read a few of my friend's posts. And that was it. A few months later I gave it another try, and I soon became addicted and listed on two major lists of eco people to follow (on Mashable and NBC)! Today I have written over 5,000 tweets and have close to 4,000 followers - wow. I use Twitter to spread the word about living healthy and green, and I love meeting other people who share the same passions. In fact, my boyfriend Robert and I started flirting via Twitter!

So, it's no surprise that Robert and I were thrilled to meet Biz Stone, the co-founder of Twitter, at the Farm Sanctuary Hoe Down. Even better, we had the chance to interview him about the business and his plant-based diet.

Mother (Earth)'s Day: how to be eco-friendly on May 9th

May 9th is Mother's Day, so why not do something that will benefit both your mom and Mother Earth? Here are some ways you can make this Sunday eco-friendly:

• Donate to a great cause or organization in her name. There are so many places, so do a web search for causes you or your mom care about. For example, donate to an animal rescue or shelter, or to help with the Gulf oil spill.
• "Adopt"/sponsor an animal from Farm Sanctuary or Animal Acres in her name.
• Make her a local, organic, healthy meal. Try to use ingredients with the least amount of packaging. Check out these cute ideas from VegNews
• Buy her a potted plant or seeds and plant together (check out Garden in a Bag). If she doesn't have a garden, start one! Check out this cool gadget - Easybloom helps determine which plants will grow best in your area .
• Go for a hike - get some exercise and fresh air.
• Set up a spa in her home with non-toxic products like No Miss and Elliott's Ethos  
• Make her a card out of recycled materials that you have around your home, or send an eCard to support Breast Cancer Research
• Clean her home with all natural cleaning products like Seventh Generation, Begley's Best, or simply baking soda & vinegar.
• If you're set on getting her flowers, check out Organic Bouquet - they're offering 10% off. Or, be creative and make these Recycled Newspaper Roses for Mother’s Day
• Does your mom love jewelry? If so, there are some eco-friendly options for that too. 
• If you'd like to buy something, check out my green gift guide from the holidays. Look for products with minimal packaging and make organic and local your top priority. 
• Empower your mom to be Hot, Rich and Green - get her the book and watch her take charge of her passion(s)...or nag you until you take charge of your own. ; )

Other ideas:

• Your Daily Thread: Mother’s Day: Coming Up Roses
• Planet Green: 7 Perfect Mother's Day Gifts That Help Other Moms Around the World
• Inhabitat: 14 Smart, Green ECOnomical Mother's Day Gifts
• Treehugger: Green Gift Guide for Mother's Day
• EcoSalon: 5 Eco Outside the Box Gifts That Moms Will Love for Mother’s Day
• Green Options: Mothers Day Green Gift Guide
• Gifts.com Mother's Day Eco-Friendly Gift Ideas

Got any more ideas? Leave them in the comment section below.


Let me know what you end up doing and how your mom(s) react! : )

The Age of Stupid FREE to watch today only!

Thanks to Siel (aka Green LA Girl) for letting me know that one of my favorite documentaries, The Age of Stupid, is streaming FREE on Vimeo for a very limited time (perhaps only today). PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE watch it while you can, it is so well done and incredibly inspiring. This opportunity has expired, but please find a way to see this movie - it's amazing. : )

Interview with Tamara Henry, aka Green T

Tamara Henry (aka Green T) is an eco TV host with a very positive message to spread about healing the planet. Tamara is the spokeswomen for Big Mama Earth, which you can hear more about in the video. I really love what she had to say at the Home Tree Earth Day VIP Reception.

Eggplants and other nightshades: what's the dealio?

Please read my health disclaimer

A friend of mine recently asked me this question:

"is it true that eggplant does not have any nutritional value?"


I was surprised at the notion because I hadn't heard much about eggplant, but when I looked it up I remembered that they are nightshade plants and heard they should be avoided (this is mentioned in books like Alicia Silverstone's The Kind Diet). However, I didn't recall the details, so here is some of the information I found:

• Nightshade is a term used to describe the Solanaceae family of plants. Members of the nightshade family include: potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplant... (Suite 101)
• Nightshades are thought to contribute to inflammation and pain (specifically in the joints) because they produce irritating chemicals (Suite 101)
• Anecdotal case histories link improvement in arthritis symptoms with removal of these foods; however, no case-controlled scientific studies confirm these observations (Whole Foods)
• Eggplant contains oxalates, chemicals that can crystallize in the body when levels are high enough. This can cause kidney or gallbladder stones. Oxalates can also inhibit calcium absorption. (Live Strong)
• ...even if you are an individual with no existing health problems potentially related to nightshade intake, you will want to take precautions to avoid excessive intake of alkaloids from these foods. Handling of potatoes is especially important in this regard (Whole Foods 2)

To answer my friend's question about nutritional value of eggplant:

• some studies have shown that is it effective in the treatment of high blood cholesterol, though other scientists disagree (Wikipedia)
• The phytonutrients in eggplant act as antioxidants that help to reduce the number of free radicals in the body which damage cells and may contribute to certain diseases, including some cancers and heart diseases. (Live Strong)
• Eggplants are also a good source of dietary fiber, which can help improve cardiovascular and digestive health. (Live Strong)
• Eggplant is richer in nicotine than any other edible plant (Wikipedia)
• They contain a lot of nutrients when broken down in a science lab, but their overall alkaloid content is too high for daily consumption, and there are definitely easier ways to get those same nutrients (Alicia Silverstone, The Kind Diet, page 99)

I'm going to take my usual point of view with food: guilty-until-proven-innocent. If I have an legitimate uncertainty about food then I'll avoid it, and in this case I will do the same with eggplant. I've had some delicious eggplant dishes (especially in Thai restaurants), but it's not something I have often or crave. I like how Alicia puts it in The Kind Diet: "my policy with nightshades is to keep them out my kitchen most of the time, but I'll eat them for a treat at a restaurant...but as part of my daily diet, I recognize that these veggies are not good for me." That being the case, I thought it was odd that she has a recipe for Eggplant Chana Masala in the book...

If you have further information please add it below for all of us to consider. 

Greetings from Farm Sanctuary

I'm back up North at Farm Sanctuary for the first time for their Hoe
Down. This place is beautiful and amazing. Taking lots of photos and
videos (as usual) and doing interviews - spoke with Will Tuttle and
his wife earlier.
Not sure when the full posts will be up, but I hope you enjoy these
photos in the meantime! : )