Veganacious

Archive for the ‘Fitness’ Category

I love the idea of planting peace; one of my favorite photos is of guerilla gardening – it is like a crafty kind of quiet urban relandscape that appeals to my mischievious side. When I first hear about Plant Peace Daily, a website linked to VegFund.org and UnitedNonviolence.org, I perused it over several sessions. Following the publishing of a recent article on Examiner.com, I received a kind letter from one of the contributors of Plant Peace Daily.  He had forwarded to me a link to a couple of videos, one of which I had on my blog already (see above).  I watched the other video, also very informative, and promptly shared it on the Veganacious fan page on Facebook.  When time permitted, I perused their website and found it to be tremendously affirmative and helpful, full of wonderful essays, positive ideas, and excellent resources.  I bookmarked it for later viewing.

Since that time, I have returned to Plant Peace Daily many times.  Their ethical consumer printout is a great thing to have on hand before any shopping trip; it is a handy reminder to consider the consequences of your purchases.  Print it out, stick it in your wallet; it may help you to make more conscious choices when you consume. I have had an article titled Like A Caged Animal on my desktop for some time. It is a great article, beautifully and sensitively written, but I did not remember where I found it and thus could not refer to it or incorporate it into a post. I just found out that it came from Plant Peace Daily and it is only one of several excellent articles and essays on the site (see below).  Their blog allows you to enjoy their travels, too; the amazing photographs give you a close up of what is going on in different parts of the world that you may be missing: fairy doors, telephone poles adorned with hearts, dogs awaiting slaughter – all the good, the glorious and the hideous that life has to offer.

Plant Peace Daily is a crew consisting of JC Corcoran, Rae Sikora, Tikvah and Bean; the first two are bipedic and the last two are quadripedic earthlings. They travel together spreading the good word about peace, conflict resolution, the environment, conscious consumerism, veganism, health and nutrition.  They are a sort of mobile fitness team – fitness for the body, soul, planet, mind; a team that teaches living in harmony.  I love one of the cartoons on their blog. It shows two diverging roads: on the left there is a sign that reads, “Truth, Justice, Wisdom” and on the right is a path that reads, “99 cent burgers,” on which all the people are lined up.  This is such a good graphic of what faces us on a daily basis, but with the left-sided path often hidden.  Rae and JC and their canine pals travel throughout the country, giving workshops and speaking at universities, retreats, schools, and anywhere else that beckons them.  Go to their website if you are interested in having them speak for your organization.

Rae has been speaking on behalf of animals for over twenty-five years. She is co-founder of the Center for Compassionate Living, the International Institute for Humane Education, and VegFund.org, a new organization that provides vegan food for fundraisers and events.  JC co-founded VegMichigan (largest veg organization in the state) and VegFund.org, along with Rae. Their diverse educational backgrounds (cultural anthropology and environmental education for Rae, emergency medicine and fitness for JC) make them uniquely qualified to provide inspiration and incentives to help people live in harmony with their values.  Their speaking programs and workshops include titles such as “Human Billboards,”  ”Despair Repair, and “In Their Skin,” programs sure to increase awareness and compassion.

Do not overlook their essays page.  The articles are wonderful and will draw me back time and again for inspiration. Like A Caged Animal touched me, but Despair Repair caused tears to flow that stayed with me all day; I doubt the imagery will ever leave me.  It so graphically revealed the individuality of our shared journeys on earth, if only we weren’t so very blind and disassociated from them.  Then there is JC’s article, Ingrid Newkirk and Al Gore in the Same Leaky Boat – it is spot on and well done.  It is hope-inducing to know these two are out there, creatively working for a better, more peaceful world. Whenever I need an affirmative shot-in-the-arm or a bit of activist encouragement, I will return to Plant Peace Daily — you should, too.

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I was introduced to Adam Ford by listening to Dr. Monte Ladner’s excellent podcasts, Fitness Rocks. After hearing about Adam’s approach to fitness, I was intrigued and checked out his YouTube videos. I was impressed. This was the type of fitness that didn’t appear to tear down the body (as my former weightlifting and long-distance running tended to do), but rather increased strength and core training within the confines of one’s own home. The equipment required was minimal: your body and a Swiss Ball. I already had the body that needed lots of work and I had a somewhat deflated Swiss Ball. A little bit of hot air and I was ready to go.

I ordered the Ridgeline Abs and Core Fitness tape and awaited its arrival. The videos showed such amazing muscularity and control that I was concerned that I would be unable to do the exercises. But when the tape arrived, I was pleased to learn that the exercises are done in three stages: beginning, intermediate, and advanced. The beginning was just fine for me, although I could see lots of room for improvement in the area of control. I sent the old ball bouncing before I gained the trick of using a lot of patience and control.

If you need incentive, just take a look at the YouTube videos. While I have no delusions that I will have that degree of fitness, even a gentle nudge in that direction would be amazing. And so far, so good. Now I am trying to decide which tape to buy next; I really wish I had purchased the entire set of four, because I want them all! This is a very creative and fun way to get fit. Look at his YouTube videos and let me know what you think. Personally, I think Adam Ford is terrific! Go here to check out his webpage, too.

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Right in Austin, Texas, the heart of cattle country, barbecue, and obesity,* have come these five fire guys with their new vegan diet plan. Rip Esselstyn, the author of The Engine 2 Diet, had been a vegan for over twenty years when his co-fire guy James Rae (JR) tested 344 on a routine cholesterol screening.  That news, coupled with a family history of early heart disease for JR, led the  other four men to support his quest for health and go vegan in the firehouse.  In the process, JR lowered his cholesterol 150 points while the rest of the crew lost weight – some as much as 20 pounds! Esselstyn had been a pro tirathlete and swimmer before joining the firefighters; his father, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn of Cleveland, had been doing research for over a decade with heart disease and had noted that a very-low-fat, plant-based diet along with cholesterol-lowering medicine could bring striking improvement in what otherwise would be considered terminally ill patients. Rip is aptly name – he is one ripped, healthy, athletic looking guy.

Specialist Rae tried eating vegan at the firehouse and then flexing to other foods on the outside. This failed to lower his cholesterol, so he expanded his veganism to a global eating plan which lowered his cholesterol under 200.   Matt Moore, Derick Zwerneman and Scott Walters are the other three firemen who go vegan at work.  Check out the  Engine 2 website here, which allows you to register, get diet and exercise tips, and join a community of other health-conscious folks. Rip Esselstyn takes all the hoopla in stride and admits some folks thing he is daft.  ”For compassion reasons and for environmental reasons, it’s the best way to go,” Esselstyn said of eating a vegan diet. The vegan firemen of Austin’s Firehouse 2 won the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals’ (PETA)  Animal-Friendly Firehouse of the Year Award in 2005.  These five men have demonstrated that firemen can indeed be heroes to the entire community, including the four-legged kind!

*   Nearly two-thirds (64.1 percent) of the state’s adult population is overweight (Texas).  See state report for more information.

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While I have been blessed with the longevity gene (my grandmother died right before her 107th birthday), I have also been cursed with genetic high cholesterol.  Despite over 35 years as a low fat vegetarian, I always had cholesterol around 280 or so.  My employer provided a Wellness Program, and the correspondent dietitian assigned to me put me on a strict diet.  Six months later, there was no change in my high cholesterol.  I exercise, I shun junk food, I shun fast food….still that unyielding high number, 280 or more.

The second phase of my work with the dietitian resulted in a more stringent diet.  It was a very limited eating program, further restricting my already -restricted food choices.  But I persevered, and yaHOO – I got the cholesterol down to 248.  Eventually, I was able to get it down to 210, grimacing the whole way.  It seemed prudent to give up anything resembling good food in order to, well, be able to LIVE.

It was a delight when I became vegan and discovered food for the first time.  Food, glorious food – fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and spices, seasonings and sauces.  Never had I enjoyed eating and never, ever had I enjoyed cooking, like I did when I became vegan. I had given up eating dairy products for a while many years before, but never fully knew what it was to be a vegan.  I started reading labels and avoiding anything that used animals in the product.  I started becoming a vegan.

This week I went in for another cholesterol test, hoping it would not be over the previous 280 mark. I had been learning to cook various yummy dishes and was not watching my diet at all –  purposefully.  I wanted to get a baseline count on my cholesterol before I started avoiding any specific food again.  I had even given up plant stearols (found in butter replacements) and instead used a delicious vegan spread, with abandon.  I admit it – I was indulgent. I even ate blueberry cobbler the night before the test.

I am thrilled to report my cholesterol was only 181! I never thought I could break the 200 barrier without medication.  Imagine – doing what is humane, environmentally sound, socially responsible, healthy and economical, and then getting this medical benefit out of the blue!!  Bye Bye Cholesterol – Hello Vegan Cuisine!!

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