Living Vegan For Dummies - Alexandra Jamieson [169]
Top government and healthcare organizations, such as the American Dietetic Association, have declared that a vegan diet can be perfectly healthy for every stage of life including pregnancy, infancy, childhood, and adulthood. The competitive sports world even contains many professional vegan athletes. Pro football players, triathletes, ultramarathoners, tennis players, karate champions, and even body builders create their incredible physiques from plant-based diets. Part VI discusses veganism in all walks of life.
Vegans tend to eat more fiber, fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains than nonvegans. These are the exact foods that health experts are constantly harping on the public to eat more of — living vegan almost ensures this.
What Do the Experts Think of Veganism?
Some folks can’t accept a new line of thinking unless they hear positive comments from leading experts in that field. So, when you’re faced with explaining veganism to this type of person, feel free to quote the following expert opinions:
“A low-fat, plant-based diet would not only lower the heart-attack rate about 85 percent, but would lower the cancer rate 60 percent.” — William Castelli, M.D., Medical Director, Framingham, Cardiovascular Institute
“Scientific data suggest positive relationships between a vegetarian [and vegan] diet and reduced risk for several chronic degenerative diseases and conditions, including obesity, coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and some types of cancer.” — American Dietetic Association
The rate of breast cancer among premenopausal women who ate the most animal (but not vegetable) fat was a third higher than that of women who ate the least animal fat. — Journal of the National Cancer Institute
“With all the information now available about the long-term health benefits of plant-based diets, there is really no question that the vegan diet is safe — in fact, it offers the most disease-fighting protection of any dietary pattern.” — Amy Lanou, Ph.D.
Where Can I Learn More?
Many magazines, books, Web sites, Internet groups, and organizations can provide information on how to live a vegan life. An excellent magazine on vegan living is Veg News, which can be ordered online or purchased in health food stores. Some of my favorite books include
Diet for a New America by John Robbins (HJ Kramer)
The Vegan Lunchbox: 130 Amazing, Animal-Free Lunches Kids and Grown-Ups Will Love! by Jennifer McCann (Da Capo Press)
Cooking the Whole Foods Way by Christina Pirello (HP Trade)
Breaking the Food Seduction by Dr. Neal Barnard (St. Martin’s Griffin)
Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero (Da Capo Press)
Excellent Web site resources for finding out more about vegan living include The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (www.pcrm.org) and Girlie Girl Army for vegan fashionistas (www.girliegirlarmy.com). For everything else under the sun, check out www.veganessentials.com.
To bone up on how to become vegan, check out these Web sites:
The Vegetarian Resource Group at www.vrg.org
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals at www.peta.org
American Vegan Society at www.americanvegan.org
Vegan Family Living at www.vegfamily.com.
Chapter 27
Ten Ways to Make Vegan Living Extraordinary
In This Chapter
Broadening your horizons by joining other vegans
Discovering new skills that promote your values
Acting like a global citizen in your local area
In this chapter, I show you how to turn your veganism into a powerful, productive, and satisfying lifestyle by expanding your horizons and getting off the couch. It’s easier to make this diet a lifelong commitment if you begin to create a supportive, exciting community. Reaching out to deepen your awareness and