Category Archives: Veganism

Juice Fast – 1 Week In

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I’m a week into my juice fast and there are a few things I’ve learned from this newest experience.

First, as I said in a past post,  while I love love love fruits and veggies, I’m more particular when they are in juice form. Just because I like a combination (like the image of veggies to the right) in a salad bowl, does not mean that I love them room temperature in a cup. The day that I made that juice, with kale, romaine, celery, carrot, tomato, cucumber, peppers, and radishes, I really thought I would love it. I stuck a straw in that sucker and started drinking. It made me literally gag – literally. I choked down a quart and a third (I am shooting for 2 quarts a day). There was no way I could get the rest down and it had to be dumped. Blech. I have since learned that I do better if I warm pure veggie juices and add some seasonings (a little miso, curry powder, hot sauce). This turns them into “broth” in my head and makes them palatable for me.

Second, your other senses have a lot to do with food enjoyment. What something smells or looks like is going to impact your ability to consume it. When I first started my most recent round of juicing, I was having a heck of a time with green drinks after the last incident. I really could not drink something if I saw it was green. After a few weeks of renewed juicing, this is much improved. If I make a juice and it’s a light green, I am pretty excited about it and I anticipate yumminess. If it’s a dark fern or olive green, I still get a little icked out. So, I try to be mindful of not only what the juice will taste like, but what it will look and smell like. If it seems like it’s going to be mostly savory and a dark green or brown color, I consider the warming plan.

Third, fruits can rescue a lot of juices. I would say that it’s probably not a good idea to go with only fruits, as that would be a whole lot of sugar and also quite acidic on the teeth. But, I don’t beat (or beet – HA) myself up about putting a couple of apples or a pear into most of the juices that I plan to drink with a straw. It helps me to drink them, and that’s the goal. Plus, fruits are also good for you!

Fourth, I know this, but juice fasting reminds me, much of diet is about habit and not hunger. I would say that I’m not really physically hungry on this fast. I’m drinking at least 3 quarts of juice a day. But, sometimes I find myself saying “I’m hungry!” which really seems to mean “I want to chew something!” I’ve been letting myself have a piece of gum now and then just to chew a little. While this might not be ideal from a dietary perspective, again, I would say that if something little like this helps you to complete the fast, and that is what you want to do, then go for it.

Finally, juice fasting might or might not be a time to work on other issues. In the past, when I have juice fasted, I’ve also given up all caffeine. This time, I made a decision to reduce, but not to completely cut it. So, I’m still having a cup of coffee (sometimes 2) in a day. I know that serious juice fasters would say this is a very bad idea, and I’m not thinking it is a good one. But, I also know that I’m not going to maintain a caffeine-free diet after the fast, and it helps me psychologically make it through my morning, so there you go. While giving up caffeine has not been for me during this fast, I have done more meditating throughout the day, even when it’s been a more busy week than usual.

A few of my favorite combos right now are:

* cucumber, apple, spinach
* cucumber, spinach, pear, white grape
* pineapple, spinach, cucumber
* carrot, ginger, lemon, miso
* spinach, carrot, celery, tomato, curry, hot sauce

For more general information about juice fasting, check out the full deal post at Elephant Journal.

If you juice, tell me a little about your strategies!

No Cult, No Anorexia, No Cancer – Just A Bald Vegan

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I explain myself a lot.  It’s my own fault, I realize.  I’m sort of thin.  I’m bald(ish).  I have tattoos.  And (AND), I eat a vegan diet.  It’s quite a combo.

Some of the explaining is just due to my appearance.  I get a lot of people assuming that I’m significantly ill (usually the assumption is cancer).  I get a lot assuming that I’m very anorectic (yes, I would say that I have an ED, but it’s relatively under control – I’m just this size).  I get a few (Grandma, you were such a cutie) assuming that I’m in a cult.  And I get some assuming I’m either a Buddhist or Jainist nun.  There is also something going on where, apparently, in some culture(s) this hairstyle means you are, uh, available for sale.  So, I get some odd looks/offers.

Once people notice the diet, on top of the appearance, I get quite a bit of questions about what I eat (Do you eat fish?  No, I’m a vegan.  How about clams?  No.  Scallops? Sigh.) and why I eat it (Is it because you are sick?  Did your doctor tell you to do this?).  And, I get knowing looks of people who see my shape and my plate and assume that it’s all some sort of weird obsessive eating disordered behavior.  Because, after all, why would anyone voluntarily choose that diet?

So, clearly, some of this is rather particular to me.  I’m guessing that the number of 45 year old female, bald, tattooed, vegan professors in the U.S. is small.  But, some of it is about how much assuming we do about people based on things like how they look and what they eat.   We are all guilty of it.  And why do we do this?  One reason is cognitive. The world is full of infinite stimuli.  We encounter so many different “things” in each moment of each day that we can only make sense of the world by categorizing.  We start with broad categories like “people,”  “dog,”  “boy.”  Then, in order to respond to units in those categories that we have little direct experience with, we create subcategories based on what we believe are connected traits.  That’s where it starts to get tricky, because the more we do that, the more likely we are to go wrong.

When you meet a person, you know you can say “Hi, I’m ____.  It’s nice to meet you.”  You know you can comment on the weather or on an event that is happening in the area where you both are.  So far, so good.  Maybe you find out another thing about someone, for example that he is a college student.  So, on the assumption that most college students have a major, you feel pretty safe saying, “What are you studying?”  When it goes wrong is when we create more complex connections.  Bald + thin = cancer.  Tattooed + young + punk band t-shirt = angry dirty mean dangerous punk.  Big family + female = conservative and religious.  Bald + thin + vegan = religious belief X.     When we head down that road, we not only make assumptions about people that are not true (possibly offending them greatly), we also prevent ourselves from really getting to know the individual, because we stop attending to the other characteristics and behaviors and only focus on those that confirm our belief.

Assumptions are dangerous things to make, and like all dangerous things to make — bombs, for instance, or strawberry shortcake — if you make even the tiniest mistake you can find yourself in terrible trouble. ~ Lemony Snicket

I’ve talked to people who assert that all vegans are jackasses about their dietary choice, are rude to omnivores, and are fundamentally unhealthy.  That’s a lot of assumption to push past to have a real conversation.   Sure, some vegans are all of those things.  Some are none.  Just like with any individual characteristic, those who possess it are as different from each other as they are from others who do not have that characteristic.

Working on not making such assumptions is tough, because our mind wants to do it.  But, if we can go beyond it, we open up the opportunity to better communication with those around us, a deeper understanding of the diversity of experience, and an easier time achieving peaceful community (of all scales) relationships.  And, what is wrong with that?  So, the next time you see a bald, sort of thin, tattooed vegan, or a young, conservatively dressed, mom of 5, set aside your assumptions and get to know her.  You might be surprised.

Namaste,

Lorin

Vegan Asian Sesame Noodles

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I think I’ve posted it before, but this is an old favorite in my house.  We like them served warm with vegetables mixed in, or cold alone.  Edamame makes a great addition or side dish.  They are also a perfect carry-in item for a potluck or picnic, because everyone loves them and they are good warm, room-temp, or cold.

Asian Sesame Noodles

1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds (optional)
1 lb thin spaghetti noodles
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
3 T hot chili oil
3 T balsamic vinegar
3 T brown sugar

Boil water for pasta with olive oil.  Cook pasta per directions until al dente.  Drain.  While pasta is cooking, mix all remaining ingredients except sesame seeds, and wisk together.  After pasta is ready, toss the noodles in the sauce mix.  Chill if desired.  Add sesame seeds just before serving.