By: C L Cohen PhD

This article is published by citydebate.com

Miami Beach – City Debate – March 29, 2009 – There are not many vegan newspaper columns or columnists to whom I can turn on a daily or weekly basis. I have found two. Occasionally, newspapers showcase a “healthy lifestyle” cover feature by displaying facts to help us get in shape and stay healthy; statistical analyses; recipes. However, there is not a dedicated vegan daily or weekly column sharing information and delicious foods.

A sprinkling of vegetarian magazines do exist, among them, Vegetarian Times – which has been publishing for 25 years. (The magazine has recently decided to include a monthly vegan column.) As for the internet, yes, there are websites devoted to vegetarian/ vegan recipes. Most include a brief definition of each ism, recipes and comments by bloggers.

Today, people’s personal mantras and our advertising slogans are about ‘living simpler lives, about going green, about decreasing our carbon footprint ‘. Remember FLOWER POWER? – The same back to nature (translation: living simpler lives), organic foods and natural products useage (translation: going green), recycling (translation: decreasing our carbon footprint) mantra was chanted everywhere. The easiest means I know to accomplish these goals is to change to a vegan diet. Your life will evolve dramatically; your eyes will open to what is really happening to people’s health, to the lives of animals, and how eating meat IS the global warming problem. More discussion on the politics of eating in future columns…

Of course the health benefits of a vegan diet are a given. The deliciousness and ease of eating this way are a joy to discover.

I have now been following a vegan diet for 43 years. Wow! You say. How could you?! Isn’t it hard? My answer is NO. Not today, anyway. People even know what “vegan” means today. A top chef in a three/four star establishment knows not only what the term vegan means, may even offer up a couple of vegan items on the menu. (Yes, even GORDON RAMSEY, everyone’s beloved, chef extraordinaire)

This is not rocket science. This is a way of life which does not require a PhD, long hours of study, nor a huge investment of cash. More on the economics of vegan to follow in future columns…

My journey has been filled with humor, inquisitiveness, international culinary intrigues and downright disdain by people I have met along the way. It has thus far been a delightfully delicious global adventure and one, which I would love to share with you.

More vegan politics, answers to your questions, fabulously easy-to-prepare recipes, miscellaneous nibbles coming soon…

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Trying to change your entire dietary habits might sound a bit frightening but for most people it is not that scary.  What is really scary is trying to determine which foods are acceptable to eat and which are prohibited.  Working through these issues also tends to bring up the questions about where you can even find proper vegan foods as well.  These are issues that tends to occur for everyone who is looking to switch to a Vegan lifestyle and is certainly not something that you are likely to skip over yourself.

The majority of people simply do not realize that Vegan is just a more advanced form of vegetarian eating.  This means that unlike what you are likely thinking purchasing foods that are vegan friendly is actually quite simple.  You perhaps were thinking that the local health store was going to be the only place to shop, and which this is always an option it is certainly not a requirement.  Most vegans are able to easily do their shopping at the same places that everyone else shops, the only differences are the foods in the buggy, rather than the places to actually shop.

The standard grocery store is still frequently a favorite for vegans.  Going here is great because it will allow you to quickly and easily handle the majority of your grocery shopping at an extremely affordable price.  However, you will typically find that you might be a bit tempted by the foods that you previously ate as well.  This is common and does tend to wane after a bit of time.  However, the standard grocery store is often the best place to get started since you already know the layout of the store where you typically shop.

If you have a local farmer’s market this is another great place to do some shopping.  You can purchase a wide variety of fruits and vegetables here, which are extremely useful in the Vegan diet.  The added benefit of this produce is they are typically grown locally as well, and often you can get organic produce as well.  Reduced prices and locally grown makes these a great asset for many vegans.

You can also look towards your very own yard to obtain many of your foods.  Growing your own food is always going to be one of the cheapest and least expensive ways to feed your family.  A few minutes of your time every day tending to your garden will lower your grocery costs by thousands of dollars a year plus you will have the sense of pride that growing your own food brings.  Adding this together with some other typical shopping methods will give you the biggest impact and allow the greatest variety as well.

As you can see, getting the foods you need for your vegan diet is not difficult nor complicated.  A well thought out plan will have you well on your way to getting the process moving smoothly and with a least amount of effort.  A vegan diet is not something that will break the bank, nor is it something that will require numerous trips to a specialty store in order for you to survive.  Some planning ahead and a bit of effort to ensure a well balanced menu is all it will take to ensure you are still able to eat delicious meals that do not require extensive shopping.

Article Written By J. Foley

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