A new diet that’s
a vegan epiphany.
18. Form a habit
If you are not doing this voluntarily, you might have to start a new diet in a mode of self-discipline. But the good news is that I have heard that a habit can be formed in as little as 28 days. That means if you eat fruit every morning for a month, you may form a habit and will not need to impose lots of self-discipline for the rest of your life. So, if you are trying to stay motivated, just keep thinking 28 days. It will get much easier after that.
19. Try to eat as much raw as possible
I used to eat at a vegan restaurant that did not own an oven or stove. Originally, I thought it a novelty, but I will say my body was always thrilled to go there. Everything I ate was “still alive.” And that is the beauty of veganism—nothing needs to be cooked, if you don’t want to. (BTW, their tacos were made with a dehydrator which makes it taste cooked without raising the temperature high enough to kill vitamins.)
For me, I have found that my body has lots of energy when I eat raw foods. On the other hand, when I eat foods that are overcooked (like many Indian veg dishes), my body desires sleep and rest. Not everyone may respond that way, but I certainly do.
20. Learn to cook or prepare foods
If you are not a natural in the kitchen, try to spend some more time there. Get comfortable with handling veggies and fruits. The beauty is that you don’t really have to cook anything if you don’t want to.
I recall one time in the cafeteria a friend invited me over for lunch on another day. But she had never made a vegan lunch and wasn’t sure where to begin. So I showed her my lunch to demonstrate. From my brown bag I took out a single raw carrot, a single raw tomato, an avocado, a cooked Amy’s bean and rice burrito, and some raw broccoli. Plus I think I had some corn chips. She was shocked to watch me eat since I did not even cut anything except the avocado. (I have learned to slice avocados in two and use a spoon to eat.) She said, “That’s it?!? That’s the easiest lunch I will ever make.” Yep, you got it.
This is one reason I don’t want people to get intimidated by the vegan diet since it can be the easiest way to eat (as long as you have access to the right ingredients).
21. Buy a fruit and veggie wash
This one is important for me since I try to eat a lot of raw veggies. They usually come in a spray bottle. They use substances like orange oil and others as cleaners. Here’s the one I use now.
22. Be humble
My old boss told me a joke one day (she knew I ate vegetarian).
Joke: How many vegetarians does it take to screw in a light bulb?
Answer: I am so much better than you.
At first I didn’t get it and when I asked her to explain, she said, “You know, it’s like being an elitist.” For me, I never overtly thought that way and I did not try to project that image. I was a bit embarrassed. However, if I was honest with myself, maybe I did carry a bit of pride about my diet. I honestly thought my diet was best and the healthiest, etc. That message can come across to others if we are not careful.
Granted, the American Medical Association has said that the vegan diet is the best way to prevent cancer. Then again, not everyone eats mainly in order to prevent cancer. So I tend to downplay it when in a group lunch or when with people I don’t know well.
23. Give other people grace
Some people just are not familiar with veganism. I recall being invited over to dinner one time and the host specifically asked me about my diet. I said, “It’s no trouble, but I usually eat vegan.” She said, “Great, that is no problem, I can certainly do that I look forward to it.” When I arrived, there were two huge homemade pizzas on the table, just drenched with cheese. Guess what? I ate up and said nothing.
Another time I was invited over for dinner to an older couple’s home. I had just come off a fast and normally I end fasts with raw veggies and fruits, only. As I entered, I realized that I didn’t know them well and I could not recall if I had shared my dietary preferences with them. Anyway, they were quite wealthy, and they brought out what appeared to be very expensive cuisine. The main course was steak and it was, I kid you not, the thickest piece I had ever seen. I groaned inwardly and ate it slowly until it was all gone. Oh, that was a challenge, but I made it.
One other point relates to holiday meals. If I host, I try to make a vegan feast, but I always have some turkey pre-prepared by Whole Foods as well. If I am dining elsewhere, I always offer to bring something; and I usually bring two vegan items.
24. Only use white rice, white pasta, white bread and tofu minimally
I once read a book that called tofu the healthiest junk food. The author said that the white color is because all the nutrients have been processed out of it, and that there is nothing good left. Not that it will hurt you, it just won’t help.
Using that same line of reasoning, white rice has not much left in it. It’s much better to eat brown rice if you can. The same goes for pasta…use the whole wheat version. And finally, don’t bother at all with white bread ever again. Try to eat bread that has recently milled grains (or mill it yourself) if possible. But either way, use multi-grain/whole wheat breads.
25. Get help with recipes
There are like a million vegan recipes online if you have access to the internet. I don’t even have a favorite site, but I just search for whatever I am making: vegan baklava, vegan cheesecake, vegan pesto. I promise you, you can find a recipe for just about anything you are craving.
26. Be very cautious about advocating this diet for others or implementing it for others. If you have children, do the necessary research. If you have pets, the same thing goes.
This goes along with being humble, but I never try to get people to eat my way. If I host, I ask if they mind if I cook vegan and they never say no. And I rarely talk about it unless others ask me about it.
Sometimes I meet children of my friends who tell me they are going vegan. I always caution them since I know that growing bodies need lots of nutrients. I don’t want people to get stunted just because they might be interested in a fad.
I have heard some people have vegetarian dogs and even one or two vegan cats. Even so, most vets out there say that cats can’t safely eat a veg diet and must have meat. Please research.
27. Respect other motivations than yours
It can be fun to find a new friend who eats like you do. But remember, they might have found this diet from a very different path. I have found it’s easier to focus on the food and what we now have in common, rather than the motivations, which are frequently divergent.
28. Wean yourself off cheese slowly
Some people claim that cheese has addictive properties. I can’t say for sure, but I know that for people who love cheese, this is one of the biggest deterrents to eating vegan. There are cheese substitutes sure, and those might be a good option for you.
29. Learn to listen to the body
Sometimes your body will crave something. Take time to listen to that and try to figure out what that is. I recall one time I was not having a very nutritious week and I was in the store shopping. I walked past the frozen chicken and was overcome with a craving for chicken. I bought a package and started planning dinner for when I arrived home. But before I got to the checkout counter, I also bought some soy milk. When I got home, I opened the soy milk and drank nearly the whole container (something I never do.) And then I looked at the chicken and had absolutely no desire to eat it at all. I realized then that my body was craving chicken because it was craving protein (soy milk has lots of protein). In the end, I threw away the chicken for lack of interest.
30. Research vitamins and nutrients
Our foods are made up with all sorts of vitamins and nutrients. The more you are aware of this, the smarter you will be with what you eat. It will also help you if you are in the mood for something but want to try something vegan instead. I personally like Now Foods.
31. Start a garden or grow in pots
It took me a long time to do this, but it has been very rewarding. It makes me feel even closer to my food. In fact, since the veggies I take from the garden are still alive, sometimes I like to talk to them and heap praise on them. Like, “Wow, you are one huge carrot and I am going to love eating you.” Can my veggies hear me? I don’t know but I would not be surprised if the life in them can somehow respond to the life in me.
32. Use foods as medicine
I started doing this with garlic even before I started eating veg, and I still to this day do it. But there are so many ways you can use food, like garlic as an antibiotic, ginger to quiet an upset stomach and pineapple to reduce arthritis pain. I used to use the Handbook for Nutritional Healing, but probably most of that information is free online now. Try typing something like this into a search engine: “naturopathic remedies for burns.”
Buy on Amazon.
33. Try the Coconut Bliss line (especially if you like/used to like ice cream)
This produce is made from coconut and agave nectar and they make some delicious varieties (like Amaretto Cherry, for one). There are other companies that make similar items as well. You might have to go to Whole Foods, Sprouts or Natural Grocers to find them, however. Coconut Bliss
34. Take advantage of Amy’s line of frozen meals
These have saved me many times when I get home late from work and just want to rest. I just pop one of those into the oven (or you can microwave, if you use them) and soon you will be satisfied. I love their vegan lasagna, vegan meatloaf, vegan ravioli and their burritos. They also have vegetarian items. Amy’s
Buy frozen lasagna on Amazon.
Buy frozen burrito on Amazon.
35. Get inspiration
There are hundreds of sites out there to help you with your new diet. For me, I like www.myhdiet.com since that is how I was originally introduced to a plant-based diet.
BONUS: While not technically part of a vegan diet, you might also find it interesting to try some items that are plant-based, and free from harsh chemicals. Try clay toothpaste; alum-free deodorant; organic floss, plant-based soaps, makeup, shampoo and household cleaners. One of my favorite lines is Desert Essence.
Buy clay toothpaste on Amazon.
Buy deodorant on Amazon.
Buy dental floss on Amazon.
I follow a vegan diet for health reasons.
It has been over two decades now, and my body is much happier than it was before.
It has been over two decades now, and my body is much happier than it was before.
I would like to share 35 things I have learned along the way,
especially if you are considering this diet. (I get no kickbacks from any of my advice. I only share what I eat myself.)
ADVICE FROM
A VEGAN EATER (details below the list)
1. From day one, maintain a balanced nutritional intake
If you want to try a vegan or vegetarian diet, this is the first thing you need to know: You have to maintain a balanced nutritional intake. For example, you can’t start eating macaroni and cheese every day for lunch (or just rice) and expect your body to reward you. If you do, you will probably be dumping vegetarianism in less than a month. In fact, your little adventure into “eating healthy” could become detrimental to your body and make you sick.
There is a lot to learn about a plant-based diet and the first is to understand the vegan diet. It’s is basically these five: fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains and seeds. (Some people consider legumes/lentils a separate category and if that is you, then you have six groups.) Try to eat from all these groups daily.
When adopting a vegan diet, here are the areas where you can easily be deficient:
If possible, don’t start a new diet abruptly. Ease into it little by little. For me, I first gave up those things that I knew would be easiest. For example, I have always hated pork. So that was easy. Gone! However, I ate fish occasionally for 15 years after I adopted a vegetarian diet. That was maybe 6 times a year and usually when eating out. (I never cooked it myself.) The reason I continued to eat fish was because for a long time I was concerned that I might be missing something in my diet.
3. Supplement with B12
B12 is a vitamin found in certain animal products and it is reportedly the one thing that vegans are almost never able to find naturally in their diet. I use a liquid version that goes under the tongue for 30 seconds (for better absorption). My favorite option is Now Foods B12.
Buy on Amazon.
4. Supplement with a daily vitamin
I do this as a precaution, just in case I am not getting enough. But I do not eat these daily. Maybe once a week. However, when you are just starting out, feel free to take daily, especially if your diet is not complete. This is a particular brand that I like since it is made from raw foods. But there are plenty of other daily multi-vitamins out there. This one is labelled as for Men or for Women.
Buy Men's on Amazon.
Buy Women's on Amazon.
5. Consider a plant-based supplement with calcium and magnesium
I do this as a precaution, just in case I am not getting enough. Calcium and magnesium frequently come in the same pill since they work well together. I also do not take this daily…more like once or twice a month. Here is what I use.
Buy on Amazon.
6. Research to make sure you are not deficient in iodine
So, I have heard fear-filled internet stories that both warn you never to take iodine supplements, and those that warn that most people are iodine deficient. For me, I want to make sure I am not missing anything, so I bought a Sprouts 100% vegetarian thyroid supplement. However, I only take one pill like once or twice month. If you do supplement, please only use plant-based products from verified naturopathic producers.
7. Have fun or even make it into a game
My mom always used to say that we eat to live, not live to eat. Not me. I live to eat. I love to eat. It is one of the most enjoyable parts of life for me. I always want it to be a fun and happy experience.
You can make eating vegan seem like a game if you always are trying to figure out how to use vegan items instead of the old ones. For example, if you want to make cookies, what to use to replace eggs? (hint: chia seeds or garbanzo bean flour). If you are in the mood for hot dogs, why not find a restaurant that serves vegan dogs (or buy them frozen if you can’t find a resto).
I once had a roommate who was strong in hospitality. He held a dinner party and knew that a few folks liked vegetarian food. He had prepared six main courses and he said that two of them were vegan. He made the non-vegans taste them all in advance, and guess. He was pleased that in the end, some people could not tell the difference.
Always be looking for new restaurants and stores that you have not yet tried, particularly when you are traveling. (See numbers 16 and 17 below.)
8. Start visiting Whole Foods, Sprouts, Natural Grocers, etc.
These three stores are near me and they have lots of vegan products. Trader Joe’s has some items as well. Other countries will have other stores, like Healthy Options in the Philippines. Do some research to find out what is available nearby. Whole Foods, Sprouts, Natural Grocers, Trader Joes
9. Don’t punish yourself
I want to make sure that my food and my eating is never a form of self-punishment. I want the experience to be happy and satisfying. If someone forgets a new diet and chows down on Doritos, so what. As an old vegan acquaintance used to say, “Anytime I want to, I can eat ice cream…because I don’t eat ice cream.” What he meant was that since he does not regularly eat ice cream, he can eat now and again, and it will not have any detrimental effect on his body.
10. Find your daily and weekly staples
This means, the foods you need to have daily or at least regularly. My staples are: potatoes, tomatoes, corn, beans, almonds, wheat, avocados, bananas, garlic. I eat almost all of these daily, along with other items mixed in. I also love raw broccoli, raw cucumber, sunflower seeds, cashews, pears, peas and spinach. Make sure they provide you a balanced diet and figure out where you can get the products you need.
11. Be adventurous and try new vegan items (new veggies, fruits, nuts, grains or seeds)
You might be pleasantly surprised to see that there are variations you might not have been aware of. This is particularly true if you travel, but health food stores often have specialty items. On inspiration, buy some dragon fruit, leeks, grape seek oil or whatever else they have it stock. Then look online for recipes you can make.
12. Determine your motivation(s)
I don’t care why you want to try this diet, but you should figure it out (or at least think about it) yourself as it may affect your decisions along the way. For example, here are some reasons I have heard:
13. Try eating beans and legumes as often as possible (I eat them daily)
Since I love Mexican food, eating bean comes naturally for me. But you may find out that there are a lot more varieties than you first realized, especially if you can find a store that sells imported products. In India, they eat beans and legumes (lentils) everywhere and I love to eat in India!
I added this item for my friends in the Philippines since there many people believe that beans are not healthy and that they directly lead to arthritis. I personally do not believe that, even though beans do contain folic acid. If you refuse to eat beans/legumes, please know that a vegan diet is likely to be challenging. Why not at least start eating beans as an experiment and see how your body responds? (btw, HappyCow has 366 veg-friendly places in Philippines.)
My favorites are black, pinto and garbanzo. Also try the jalapeno lime from Kuners.
Buy on Amazon.
14. Give yourself a break sometimes
If you are eating vegan voluntarily, then I highly encourage discipline. HOWEVER, there are times when you will likely need a break. Right? Just like people take vacations and have days off of work, you probably will need a break from a new diet. Don’t sweat it and enjoy your chance to eat steak or a hot fudge sundae.
Eventually, as your habits form, and you keep your body happy, you might find that you crave some old items less. For me, I used to love cheese. But just last week I made pizza and as an afterthought I added some almond mozzarella cheese. (The flavor is excellent by the way.) But I’ve been eating cheese-less pizza for so long now, that I realized that my body likes pizza better without cheese. Even after cooking it, I actually ended up taking off the vegan cheese and eating it without.
15. Try not mixing fruits and vegetables if possible
I have heard various voices on this point, so I am not sure who is correct. Someone said that fruits clean the body and veggies heal the body…so if you mix them, the body is trying to do two things at once. Also, the fruits usually digest quicker and so if you mix them with other items, they can sit in your body waiting for the other stuff to digest and they can end up rotting. That’s a gross thought. Anyway, I try to eat fruit first thing in the morning and not eat anything else for about 30 minutes.
Also, as a general rule I do not drink liquids while eating. My body prefers to digest food without any liquids I may add to the mix. I have heard that liquids can dilute the digestive juices and make the process more complicated.
Oh, one other item only because people will ask: I generally only consume water or fresh juices. I have a juicer, but some stores make fresh juices and even bottle it for you (like SnR in the Philippines). I don’t drink soda, alcohol, coffee and I try to stay away from processed juices. That’s just what works for me. Occasionally I will buy almond milk and I normally get it at Trader Joes.
Buy on Amazon.
I also sometimes drink the carbonated juices that Trader Joe’s sells in the wine bottles.
16. Use maps or happycow.net when travelling (or anytime for that matter)
On your phone, you can go to google maps and type in “vegan.” It will show you the establishments that have entered “vegan” as one of their search criteria. Happycow is an animal rights site that also has vegan/vegetarian restaurants. This has helped me sometimes in other nations.
17. Update maps or happycow.net with new places you find
When traveling, if you find a restaurant that has vegan offerings, you can make sure to ask the proprietor if they have updated google maps with the search term “vegan.” Or, if the are not even on google maps yet, you can add them. It is also possible to update happycow.net with new places that might not be there. You might have to make an account to do that.
- From day one, maintain a balanced nutritional intake
- Go slowly and incrementally, if you can
- Supplement with B12
- Supplement with a daily vitamin
- Consider a plant-based supplement with calcium and magnesium
- Research to make sure you are not deficient in iodine
- Have fun or even make it into a game
- Start visiting Whole Foods, Sprouts, Natural Grocers, etc.
- Don’t punish yourself
- Find your daily and weekly staples
- Be adventurous and try new vegan items (new veggies, fruits, nuts, grains or seeds)
- Determine your motivation(s)
- Try eating beans and legumes as often as possible (I eat them daily)
- Give yourself a break sometimes
- Try not mixing fruits and vegetables if possible
- Use maps or happycow.net when travelling (or anytime for that matter)
- Update maps or happycow.net with new places you find
- Form a habit
- Try to eat as much raw as possible
- Learn to cook or prepare foods
- Buy a fruit and veggie wash
- Be humble
- Give other people grace
- Only use white rice, white pasta, white bread and tofu minimally
- Get help with recipes
- Be very cautious about advocating this diet for others or implementing it for others. If you have children, do the necessary research. If you have pets, the same thing goes.
- Respect other motivations than yours
- Wean yourself off cheese slowly
- Learn to listen to the body
- Research vitamins and nutrients
- Start a garden or grow in pots
- Use foods as medicine
- Try the Coconut Bliss line (especially if you like/used to like ice cream)
- Take advantage of Amy’s line of frozen meals
- Get inspiration
1. From day one, maintain a balanced nutritional intake
If you want to try a vegan or vegetarian diet, this is the first thing you need to know: You have to maintain a balanced nutritional intake. For example, you can’t start eating macaroni and cheese every day for lunch (or just rice) and expect your body to reward you. If you do, you will probably be dumping vegetarianism in less than a month. In fact, your little adventure into “eating healthy” could become detrimental to your body and make you sick.
There is a lot to learn about a plant-based diet and the first is to understand the vegan diet. It’s is basically these five: fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains and seeds. (Some people consider legumes/lentils a separate category and if that is you, then you have six groups.) Try to eat from all these groups daily.
When adopting a vegan diet, here are the areas where you can easily be deficient:
- Protein – try replacing with beans, nuts, broccoli, asparagus, etc.
- Calcium/Magnesium – supplement (see below)
- B12 – supplement (see below)
If possible, don’t start a new diet abruptly. Ease into it little by little. For me, I first gave up those things that I knew would be easiest. For example, I have always hated pork. So that was easy. Gone! However, I ate fish occasionally for 15 years after I adopted a vegetarian diet. That was maybe 6 times a year and usually when eating out. (I never cooked it myself.) The reason I continued to eat fish was because for a long time I was concerned that I might be missing something in my diet.
B12 is a vitamin found in certain animal products and it is reportedly the one thing that vegans are almost never able to find naturally in their diet. I use a liquid version that goes under the tongue for 30 seconds (for better absorption). My favorite option is Now Foods B12.
Buy on Amazon.
I do this as a precaution, just in case I am not getting enough. But I do not eat these daily. Maybe once a week. However, when you are just starting out, feel free to take daily, especially if your diet is not complete. This is a particular brand that I like since it is made from raw foods. But there are plenty of other daily multi-vitamins out there. This one is labelled as for Men or for Women.
Buy Men's on Amazon.
Buy Women's on Amazon.
I do this as a precaution, just in case I am not getting enough. Calcium and magnesium frequently come in the same pill since they work well together. I also do not take this daily…more like once or twice a month. Here is what I use.
Buy on Amazon.
6. Research to make sure you are not deficient in iodine
So, I have heard fear-filled internet stories that both warn you never to take iodine supplements, and those that warn that most people are iodine deficient. For me, I want to make sure I am not missing anything, so I bought a Sprouts 100% vegetarian thyroid supplement. However, I only take one pill like once or twice month. If you do supplement, please only use plant-based products from verified naturopathic producers.
7. Have fun or even make it into a game
My mom always used to say that we eat to live, not live to eat. Not me. I live to eat. I love to eat. It is one of the most enjoyable parts of life for me. I always want it to be a fun and happy experience.
You can make eating vegan seem like a game if you always are trying to figure out how to use vegan items instead of the old ones. For example, if you want to make cookies, what to use to replace eggs? (hint: chia seeds or garbanzo bean flour). If you are in the mood for hot dogs, why not find a restaurant that serves vegan dogs (or buy them frozen if you can’t find a resto).
I once had a roommate who was strong in hospitality. He held a dinner party and knew that a few folks liked vegetarian food. He had prepared six main courses and he said that two of them were vegan. He made the non-vegans taste them all in advance, and guess. He was pleased that in the end, some people could not tell the difference.
Always be looking for new restaurants and stores that you have not yet tried, particularly when you are traveling. (See numbers 16 and 17 below.)
8. Start visiting Whole Foods, Sprouts, Natural Grocers, etc.
These three stores are near me and they have lots of vegan products. Trader Joe’s has some items as well. Other countries will have other stores, like Healthy Options in the Philippines. Do some research to find out what is available nearby. Whole Foods, Sprouts, Natural Grocers, Trader Joes
9. Don’t punish yourself
I want to make sure that my food and my eating is never a form of self-punishment. I want the experience to be happy and satisfying. If someone forgets a new diet and chows down on Doritos, so what. As an old vegan acquaintance used to say, “Anytime I want to, I can eat ice cream…because I don’t eat ice cream.” What he meant was that since he does not regularly eat ice cream, he can eat now and again, and it will not have any detrimental effect on his body.
This means, the foods you need to have daily or at least regularly. My staples are: potatoes, tomatoes, corn, beans, almonds, wheat, avocados, bananas, garlic. I eat almost all of these daily, along with other items mixed in. I also love raw broccoli, raw cucumber, sunflower seeds, cashews, pears, peas and spinach. Make sure they provide you a balanced diet and figure out where you can get the products you need.
11. Be adventurous and try new vegan items (new veggies, fruits, nuts, grains or seeds)
You might be pleasantly surprised to see that there are variations you might not have been aware of. This is particularly true if you travel, but health food stores often have specialty items. On inspiration, buy some dragon fruit, leeks, grape seek oil or whatever else they have it stock. Then look online for recipes you can make.
12. Determine your motivation(s)
I don’t care why you want to try this diet, but you should figure it out (or at least think about it) yourself as it may affect your decisions along the way. For example, here are some reasons I have heard:
- Doctor’s orders (non-voluntary)
- Animal rights/animal advocacy
- Personal taste
- Health and nutrition (voluntary)
- Spouse/friend influence
- Trendy thing to do
- Experiment
- For fun
13. Try eating beans and legumes as often as possible (I eat them daily)
Since I love Mexican food, eating bean comes naturally for me. But you may find out that there are a lot more varieties than you first realized, especially if you can find a store that sells imported products. In India, they eat beans and legumes (lentils) everywhere and I love to eat in India!
I added this item for my friends in the Philippines since there many people believe that beans are not healthy and that they directly lead to arthritis. I personally do not believe that, even though beans do contain folic acid. If you refuse to eat beans/legumes, please know that a vegan diet is likely to be challenging. Why not at least start eating beans as an experiment and see how your body responds? (btw, HappyCow has 366 veg-friendly places in Philippines.)
My favorites are black, pinto and garbanzo. Also try the jalapeno lime from Kuners.
Buy on Amazon.
14. Give yourself a break sometimes
If you are eating vegan voluntarily, then I highly encourage discipline. HOWEVER, there are times when you will likely need a break. Right? Just like people take vacations and have days off of work, you probably will need a break from a new diet. Don’t sweat it and enjoy your chance to eat steak or a hot fudge sundae.
Eventually, as your habits form, and you keep your body happy, you might find that you crave some old items less. For me, I used to love cheese. But just last week I made pizza and as an afterthought I added some almond mozzarella cheese. (The flavor is excellent by the way.) But I’ve been eating cheese-less pizza for so long now, that I realized that my body likes pizza better without cheese. Even after cooking it, I actually ended up taking off the vegan cheese and eating it without.
15. Try not mixing fruits and vegetables if possible
I have heard various voices on this point, so I am not sure who is correct. Someone said that fruits clean the body and veggies heal the body…so if you mix them, the body is trying to do two things at once. Also, the fruits usually digest quicker and so if you mix them with other items, they can sit in your body waiting for the other stuff to digest and they can end up rotting. That’s a gross thought. Anyway, I try to eat fruit first thing in the morning and not eat anything else for about 30 minutes.
Also, as a general rule I do not drink liquids while eating. My body prefers to digest food without any liquids I may add to the mix. I have heard that liquids can dilute the digestive juices and make the process more complicated.
Buy on Amazon.
I also sometimes drink the carbonated juices that Trader Joe’s sells in the wine bottles.
16. Use maps or happycow.net when travelling (or anytime for that matter)
On your phone, you can go to google maps and type in “vegan.” It will show you the establishments that have entered “vegan” as one of their search criteria. Happycow is an animal rights site that also has vegan/vegetarian restaurants. This has helped me sometimes in other nations.
17. Update maps or happycow.net with new places you find
When traveling, if you find a restaurant that has vegan offerings, you can make sure to ask the proprietor if they have updated google maps with the search term “vegan.” Or, if the are not even on google maps yet, you can add them. It is also possible to update happycow.net with new places that might not be there. You might have to make an account to do that.
18. Form a habit
If you are not doing this voluntarily, you might have to start a new diet in a mode of self-discipline. But the good news is that I have heard that a habit can be formed in as little as 28 days. That means if you eat fruit every morning for a month, you may form a habit and will not need to impose lots of self-discipline for the rest of your life. So, if you are trying to stay motivated, just keep thinking 28 days. It will get much easier after that.
19. Try to eat as much raw as possible
I used to eat at a vegan restaurant that did not own an oven or stove. Originally, I thought it a novelty, but I will say my body was always thrilled to go there. Everything I ate was “still alive.” And that is the beauty of veganism—nothing needs to be cooked, if you don’t want to. (BTW, their tacos were made with a dehydrator which makes it taste cooked without raising the temperature high enough to kill vitamins.)
For me, I have found that my body has lots of energy when I eat raw foods. On the other hand, when I eat foods that are overcooked (like many Indian veg dishes), my body desires sleep and rest. Not everyone may respond that way, but I certainly do.
20. Learn to cook or prepare foods
If you are not a natural in the kitchen, try to spend some more time there. Get comfortable with handling veggies and fruits. The beauty is that you don’t really have to cook anything if you don’t want to.
I recall one time in the cafeteria a friend invited me over for lunch on another day. But she had never made a vegan lunch and wasn’t sure where to begin. So I showed her my lunch to demonstrate. From my brown bag I took out a single raw carrot, a single raw tomato, an avocado, a cooked Amy’s bean and rice burrito, and some raw broccoli. Plus I think I had some corn chips. She was shocked to watch me eat since I did not even cut anything except the avocado. (I have learned to slice avocados in two and use a spoon to eat.) She said, “That’s it?!? That’s the easiest lunch I will ever make.” Yep, you got it.
This is one reason I don’t want people to get intimidated by the vegan diet since it can be the easiest way to eat (as long as you have access to the right ingredients).
21. Buy a fruit and veggie washThis one is important for me since I try to eat a lot of raw veggies. They usually come in a spray bottle. They use substances like orange oil and others as cleaners. Here’s the one I use now.
22. Be humble
My old boss told me a joke one day (she knew I ate vegetarian).
Joke: How many vegetarians does it take to screw in a light bulb?
Answer: I am so much better than you.
At first I didn’t get it and when I asked her to explain, she said, “You know, it’s like being an elitist.” For me, I never overtly thought that way and I did not try to project that image. I was a bit embarrassed. However, if I was honest with myself, maybe I did carry a bit of pride about my diet. I honestly thought my diet was best and the healthiest, etc. That message can come across to others if we are not careful.
Granted, the American Medical Association has said that the vegan diet is the best way to prevent cancer. Then again, not everyone eats mainly in order to prevent cancer. So I tend to downplay it when in a group lunch or when with people I don’t know well.
23. Give other people grace
Some people just are not familiar with veganism. I recall being invited over to dinner one time and the host specifically asked me about my diet. I said, “It’s no trouble, but I usually eat vegan.” She said, “Great, that is no problem, I can certainly do that I look forward to it.” When I arrived, there were two huge homemade pizzas on the table, just drenched with cheese. Guess what? I ate up and said nothing.
Another time I was invited over for dinner to an older couple’s home. I had just come off a fast and normally I end fasts with raw veggies and fruits, only. As I entered, I realized that I didn’t know them well and I could not recall if I had shared my dietary preferences with them. Anyway, they were quite wealthy, and they brought out what appeared to be very expensive cuisine. The main course was steak and it was, I kid you not, the thickest piece I had ever seen. I groaned inwardly and ate it slowly until it was all gone. Oh, that was a challenge, but I made it.
One other point relates to holiday meals. If I host, I try to make a vegan feast, but I always have some turkey pre-prepared by Whole Foods as well. If I am dining elsewhere, I always offer to bring something; and I usually bring two vegan items.
24. Only use white rice, white pasta, white bread and tofu minimally
I once read a book that called tofu the healthiest junk food. The author said that the white color is because all the nutrients have been processed out of it, and that there is nothing good left. Not that it will hurt you, it just won’t help.
Using that same line of reasoning, white rice has not much left in it. It’s much better to eat brown rice if you can. The same goes for pasta…use the whole wheat version. And finally, don’t bother at all with white bread ever again. Try to eat bread that has recently milled grains (or mill it yourself) if possible. But either way, use multi-grain/whole wheat breads.
25. Get help with recipes
There are like a million vegan recipes online if you have access to the internet. I don’t even have a favorite site, but I just search for whatever I am making: vegan baklava, vegan cheesecake, vegan pesto. I promise you, you can find a recipe for just about anything you are craving.
26. Be very cautious about advocating this diet for others or implementing it for others. If you have children, do the necessary research. If you have pets, the same thing goes.
This goes along with being humble, but I never try to get people to eat my way. If I host, I ask if they mind if I cook vegan and they never say no. And I rarely talk about it unless others ask me about it.
Sometimes I meet children of my friends who tell me they are going vegan. I always caution them since I know that growing bodies need lots of nutrients. I don’t want people to get stunted just because they might be interested in a fad.
I have heard some people have vegetarian dogs and even one or two vegan cats. Even so, most vets out there say that cats can’t safely eat a veg diet and must have meat. Please research.
27. Respect other motivations than yours
It can be fun to find a new friend who eats like you do. But remember, they might have found this diet from a very different path. I have found it’s easier to focus on the food and what we now have in common, rather than the motivations, which are frequently divergent.
28. Wean yourself off cheese slowly
Some people claim that cheese has addictive properties. I can’t say for sure, but I know that for people who love cheese, this is one of the biggest deterrents to eating vegan. There are cheese substitutes sure, and those might be a good option for you.
29. Learn to listen to the body
Sometimes your body will crave something. Take time to listen to that and try to figure out what that is. I recall one time I was not having a very nutritious week and I was in the store shopping. I walked past the frozen chicken and was overcome with a craving for chicken. I bought a package and started planning dinner for when I arrived home. But before I got to the checkout counter, I also bought some soy milk. When I got home, I opened the soy milk and drank nearly the whole container (something I never do.) And then I looked at the chicken and had absolutely no desire to eat it at all. I realized then that my body was craving chicken because it was craving protein (soy milk has lots of protein). In the end, I threw away the chicken for lack of interest.
30. Research vitamins and nutrients
Our foods are made up with all sorts of vitamins and nutrients. The more you are aware of this, the smarter you will be with what you eat. It will also help you if you are in the mood for something but want to try something vegan instead. I personally like Now Foods.
31. Start a garden or grow in pots
It took me a long time to do this, but it has been very rewarding. It makes me feel even closer to my food. In fact, since the veggies I take from the garden are still alive, sometimes I like to talk to them and heap praise on them. Like, “Wow, you are one huge carrot and I am going to love eating you.” Can my veggies hear me? I don’t know but I would not be surprised if the life in them can somehow respond to the life in me.
32. Use foods as medicineI started doing this with garlic even before I started eating veg, and I still to this day do it. But there are so many ways you can use food, like garlic as an antibiotic, ginger to quiet an upset stomach and pineapple to reduce arthritis pain. I used to use the Handbook for Nutritional Healing, but probably most of that information is free online now. Try typing something like this into a search engine: “naturopathic remedies for burns.”
Buy on Amazon.
This produce is made from coconut and agave nectar and they make some delicious varieties (like Amaretto Cherry, for one). There are other companies that make similar items as well. You might have to go to Whole Foods, Sprouts or Natural Grocers to find them, however. Coconut Bliss
34. Take advantage of Amy’s line of frozen mealsThese have saved me many times when I get home late from work and just want to rest. I just pop one of those into the oven (or you can microwave, if you use them) and soon you will be satisfied. I love their vegan lasagna, vegan meatloaf, vegan ravioli and their burritos. They also have vegetarian items. Amy’s
Buy frozen lasagna on Amazon.
Buy frozen burrito on Amazon.
35. Get inspiration
There are hundreds of sites out there to help you with your new diet. For me, I like www.myhdiet.com since that is how I was originally introduced to a plant-based diet.
BONUS: While not technically part of a vegan diet, you might also find it interesting to try some items that are plant-based, and free from harsh chemicals. Try clay toothpaste; alum-free deodorant; organic floss, plant-based soaps, makeup, shampoo and household cleaners. One of my favorite lines is Desert Essence.
Buy clay toothpaste on Amazon.
Buy deodorant on Amazon.
Buy dental floss on Amazon.
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