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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This looks like it will be a good colum. I plan to read it every week.
Thanks
thanks to all at BECOMING VEGAN for not only publishing my first column for CityDebate.com, but crediting the online newsletter.
have you read the second column with fabulously delish recipes? (well, what are you waiting for?)
how long have you been eating/living a vegan lifestyle?
stay well, again, thanks.