Paz Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 I am looking for the best cookbook for me to implement this diet for our family. It is just dh and me and our ds will join us briefly when he graduates from college this spring. He is really into this movie and eating plan so I would like some simple recipes to get us going. I work fulltime so I don't have a lot of time to prepare and plan for food. I would also love to hear your stories and successes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudboots Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 I posted a question about the vegan diet maybe a week or two ago (here's the thread). People gave me some great ideas. We're trying it for 6 weeks. We've done it for about a week now, and I have had more energy. (Of course, that could be due to the beautiful weather, too! :) ) We've watched Forks Over Knives, but we don't have any recipe books. DH is looking at www.drfuhrman.com. We haven't bought his book, either, but we're leaning that direction. DH & I are historically very skeptical of things like this, but so far, we're ok with this guy. I don't feel like we've researched it enough yet, but that's where we are right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenC3 Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 (edited) Yes, we've seen it and are implementing a diet that is a lot vegan, but we are still eating eggs (down to one dozen from three), and a smattering of cheese. Kids still have a bit of raw milk and we did buy sour cream. I'm trying to wean off these things. We only allow meat once a week. I too, am struggling with recipes and think I'm going to pick up Engine 2 Diet which is a book by one of the Dr.'s sons who is a firefighter, the one featured in the doc. Edited March 12, 2012 by JenC3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
threeofakind Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 I've seen the movie but though I am not following it I am for Lent cutting out all meat and a lot of cheese as well as bad carbs. So it is a matter of a lot of salads and getting creative with that= still so fish and eggs too though. But you mentioned you work full time, so I know people who (and I've done this too) prep a lot of veggies on their day off and so they are ready for the week. That's one thought. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyLady Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 What I always tell people who are looking to switch to a more vegan diet is to not drastically change your diet at first. Definitely cut out as much meat and dairy as you can, but try and make your usual meals, only modified. For instance, if you like beef burritos, then use beans or even veggie crumbles to replace the meat. If you like chicken sandwiches, use a veggie chicken patty instead. I don't ever encourage anyone to use the faux meat products as a full-time replacement for meat, but I do say to use them at first to help you transition. I've been a vegan for about 4 years and a vegetarian for 15. I've helped countless people try veganism and I always see the same thing - if people go gung ho vegan at first, they fail and go back to eating the way they're used to. If they do it gradually, they usually stick with it. I know changing your diet seems daunting at first, and it is if you try and do a 180. I really suggest looking up some recipes online before investing in cookbooks. I've honestly found better recipes for free online than in cookbooks. Once you've changed your diet a bit and are comfortable with it, then experiment. Try tofu, quinoa, tempeh...... all foods you're probably not used to. And try looking at your meals differently. Don't look at them like you need a separate protein, veggie and starch. Your meal can be all of those in one. That was one of the hardest things for me because I always thought I need a "meat," "potato," and "veggie." If anyone has any questions for me, please feel free to PM me. I don't always get a chance to go back and read threads where I've commented and am always willing to help anyone. :) Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdmurray Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 I started this diet 6 months ago after watching the movie and then reading Preventing and Reversing Heart Disease. Just this last week I got results from my blood work 6 months out: Total Cholesterol 200 down to 145 LDL 104 down to 77 Weight loss: 38.6 pounds One of the B.E.S.T. Cookbook for this diet is Happy Herbivore www.happyherbivore.com Her recipes are all very flavorful, low in fat and seriously, if you never knew that there were beans in the butter beans cookies or the chocolate mug cake is no fat vegan...well, if you never knew, you would never know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdmurray Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 - if people go gung ho vegan at first, they fail and go back to eating the way they're used to. If they do it gradually, they usually stick with it. I did a colonoscopy cleanse and went completely cold turkey from all animal products. It can be done, just depends upon your way of doing things. My husband tried the gradual process and is back to completely non-vegan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paz Posted March 12, 2012 Author Share Posted March 12, 2012 Thanks for all the advice and ideas so far. The one concern I have is that my ds and I have gluten sensitivities. He's completely gluten free and I probably should be. Will we get enough to eat and enough nourishment since we don't eat wheat/bread products? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyLady Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 I did a colonoscopy cleanse and went completely cold turkey from all animal products. It can be done, just depends upon your way of doing things. My husband tried the gradual process and is back to completely non-vegan. That's awesome! I'm glad you were able to go cold turkey! And yes, it can definitely be done. It depends a lot of your motivations for doing it in the first place as well. And like I said, in my 15 years of experience in helping people the gradual way was what worked the best in the majority of cases, but certainly not all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine State Sue Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 I read Eat To Live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman back in September and have been following his plan since. Since then, I've read and watched many of the plant-based gurus. A website I like for recipes is http://www.fatfreevegan.com, but I borrowed all the plant-based books from the library and copied recipes from them to try. Each week, I make a big pot of soup. That helps cut down on daily cooking. Jan 2011 total cholesterol was 213 and LDL was 129 Jan 2012 total cholesterol was 154 and LDL was 79 Weight dropped from 165# sometime last summer (tight size 14) to 140# these days (loose size 10 - ordered a size 8 today). Bad news (or something to work on) is that I am slightly anemic. I've started supplemental iron, focused a bit more on iron-rich plant foods, and added a bit of animal food back into my diet until I stop menstruating. I'm 51yo and 5'7'' fwiw. I am learning that the older I get, the less wiggle room I've got when it comes to my food choices and how it affects my health. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine State Sue Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 (edited) The one concern I have is that my ds and I have gluten sensitivities. He's completely gluten free and I probably should be. Will we get enough to eat and enough nourishment since we don't eat wheat/bread products? One of the things that appeals to me about Eat to Live is that Dr Fuhrman focuses on eating the most nutritious foods for the calories we consume. From him, I am coming to understand that grains are not that nutritious. Let me quote because I'll probably say it wrong: Whole wheat that is finely ground is absorbed into the bloodstream fairly rapidly and should not be considered as wholesome as more coarsely ground and grittier whole grains. The rapid rise of glucose triggers fat storage hormones. Because the more coarsely ground grains are absorbed more slowly, they curtail our appetite better. So, I wouldn't worry about it. I think it gives you a head start over someone like me who really likes my grains. Note: I am no expert and I am certain others may disagree with me. FWIW. Two E2L acquaintances claim that dropping the grains out of their diet helped weight loss even more. Edited March 12, 2012 by Sue in St Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warriormom Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 I am 6 days in and 5 lbs down. I get all of my recipes online. I have tried gazpacho, raw guacamole, green smoothies and fruit smoothies. This week I want to try squash and apple soup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyLady Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Bad news (or something to work on) is that I am slightly anemic. I've started supplemental iron, focused a bit more on iron-rich plant foods, and added a bit of animal food back into my diet until I stop menstruating. Good luck! Have you tried adding foods high in vitamin C into iron containing meals? Vitamin C helps in the absorption of iron. Calcium inhibits it, in case you weren't aware of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine State Sue Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Have you tried adding foods high in vitamin C into iron containing meals? Vitamin C helps in the absorption of iron. Calcium inhibits it, in case you weren't aware of that. Yes, I do eat vit C foods with most meals. But, this confuses me. What about dark, leafy greens, oranges, and broccoli that are high in both vitamin C and calcium? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyLady Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Yes, I do eat vit C foods with most meals. But, this confuses me. What about dark, leafy greens, oranges, and broccoli that are high in both vitamin C and calcium? Good question! I'll see if I can find out for you. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine State Sue Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Calcium inhibits it, in case you weren't aware of that. I wonder if it's the calcium in dairy that inhibits it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyLady Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 I wonder if it's the calcium in dairy that inhibits it. I do know that yes, the dairy in calcium is one of the big ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athomemom Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 What vitamins and brands are ya'll taking, if any? I am a new vegetarian (again). I have dabbled with it off and on for years and for multiple reasons I am sticking with it. I have been doing research. Some say vitamins are necessary and other say not. Thoughts on this? FWIW, I was anemic when pregnant, but I have not been anemic since. However I am now eating strictly vegetarian/vegan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyLady Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 What vitamins and brands are ya'll taking, if any? I am a new vegetarian (again). I have dabbled with it off and on for years and for multiple reasons I am sticking with it. I have been doing research. Some say vitamins are necessary and other say not. Thoughts on this? FWIW, I was anemic when pregnant, but I have not been anemic since. However I am now eating strictly vegetarian/vegan. I was anemic when I ate meat, but since going veg I haven't been. :) I don't really take vitamins because every time I've had my levels checked they've been perfect, but I do have some to take just in case I feel like it. I'm not a pill taker so I found a chewable one that I like. It's Nature's Plus Adult chewable in the pineapple flavor. I think they're really tasty. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athomemom Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 I was anemic when I ate meat, but since going veg I haven't been. :) I don't really take vitamins because every time I've had my levels checked they've been perfect, but I do have some to take just in case I feel like it. I'm not a pill taker so I found a chewable one that I like. It's Nature's Plus Adult chewable in the pineapple flavor. I think they're really tasty. :) Thanks! I will look for these the next time I am in the store.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine State Sue Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 What vitamins and brands are ya'll taking, if any? Yes, the vitamin debate is confusing. Mostly I find that the people who want me to purchase vitamins have a $$$ incentive which always makes me suspicious. It is my understanding that Vit B12 is not found in plant fare and must be supplemented. But, that makes me wonder how the B12 is created for a supplement. I am not married to a B12 brand. I take 500 mcg based on Engine 2 Diet recommendations. Omega-3 is another good one. I've been taking Natural Factors RxOmega-3 Factors Pharmaceutical Grade EPA 400mg/DHA 200mg since I saw it recommended on the WTM forum by someone who did a bunch of research. I've been taking it for 3+ years probably. Since September, I grind 1 T. flax daily for Omega-3 so I'm not sure if I really need to supplement or not. I stopped for a bit, then started reading The Ultra-Mind Solution (I'm more concerned with dementia than heart disease, cancer, diabetes) and started supplementing the Omega-3 again. Bisglycinate Iron is supposed to be best according to a nutritionist I saw about the anemia. I take other supplements (acidopholus, glucosamine, "Change of Life" formula for peri-menopause), but those are all specific to my needs. I don't take a daily multi-vitamin. I haven't yet been persuaded enough by what I have read. I am by no means an expert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyLady Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 Yes, I do eat vit C foods with most meals. But, this confuses me. What about dark, leafy greens, oranges, and broccoli that are high in both vitamin C and calcium? I just spoke with a vegan nurse and she reminded me that vitamin A helps the iron that's stored in your body to release so if you're low on vitamin A that would cause your iron levels to be low. She also said to look into certain foods that should be cooked in order to absorb more iron. With broccoli for instance, she said we absorb about 7% of the iron, but if it's steamed we absorb 32%. She said the calcium part is more tricky to explain in that yes, calcium can inhibit iron absorption, but foods with natural calcium don't hinder it. She just said to basically avoid calcium rich foods for about 2 hours after having an iron rich meal. She also said drinks like coffee, tea and wine hinder the absorption. I hope that helps somehow. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyLady Posted March 12, 2012 Share Posted March 12, 2012 It is my understanding that Vit B12 is not found in plant fare and must be supplemented. But, that makes me wonder how the B12 is created for a supplement. It's grown on molasses from what I remember. It's a bacteria. They say our ancestors got their B12 from eating dirty fruits and veggies, but since we wash all of our fruits and veggies we won't get it from a plant source. On a side note, as you get older you might find that you're low on B12. Older people absorb less B12 as they age. And if you're taking any sort of acid suppressing medication you're also at risk for a deficiency. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SewingMom2many Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 I've been vegetarian for about 12 or 13 years now (I forget). I was vegan for a while in the middle of that and got pregnant and lazy and started eating lots of dairy and gained a bunch of weight. Back in October I started following a very low fat vegan diet again. I love it - I feel great and I don't really feel hungry. I started with the Eat 2 Live program but I keep over-doing on the nuts. I switched over to Dr. McDougall's plan (no nuts, lots of whole grains) and now the weight is really dropping off with no effort. There are lots of good recipes on Dr. McDougall's site - http://www.drmcdougall.com and he has the whole plan on the website for free. There are lots good recipes on Dr. Fuhrman's site too but you have to pay - I'm a member right now but I'm not sure how long I can justify paying. I've also found lots of good recipes online just by searching for "low fat vegan recipes" or "fat free vegan". And try looking at your meals differently. Don't look at them like you need a separate protein, veggie and starch. Your meal can be all of those in one. That was one of the hardest things for me because I always thought I need a "meat," "potato," and "veggie." :iagree: This exactly! I had a hard with this too when I first was vegetarian/vegan. We eat all kinds of non-traditional meals now though - it just took a while to get to that point. We eat lots of things that people might consider sides and they are our main dish. For the anemia problem, how about cooking in cast iron? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunshine State Sue Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 For the anemia problem, how about cooking in cast iron? I've thought about it, but then it raises the iron content for the entire family, and I'm the only one that needs it. Not sure that's a good idea. Not sure I want to mess with cast iron. I need more pots and pans like I need a whole in the head. But, if I continue being anemic, I'll give it a try... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kim.4dogs Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 I read "The China Study" and watched "Forks over Knives" last September, and changed my diet drastically. I second the recommendation for the Happy Herbivore cookbook. Her recipes are pretty simple and don't take long to prepare! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto2Cs Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 (edited) We just watched Forks Over Knives recently, as a family, and now I am listening to the audio versions of Dr. Fuhrman's Eat for Health books. I also belong to a facebook group based on his works. We're not cutting out meat, dairy, eggs, or fish at this point, just lowering our intake of them quite a bit. We do daily green smoothies. I make a lot of veggie based soups because I can cook these ahead, refrigerate or freeze them, and have something easy to eat. We eat two veggie side dishes with every dinner, and I eat veggies at lunch and breakfast too. I'm in the process of transitioning to a high veggie-foods diet from a more traditional low carb diet. Still not eating grains, but I would like to incorporate them again at some point. I also minimize my intake of starchy veggies right now, since I'm in the process of losing weight. I'm finding a good balance point between the two approaches at the moment, kind of creating my own hybrid between Dr Fuhrman's advice and the paleo diet (I know, blasphemy! But if it works...) I feel fantastic - lots of energy, I'm sleeping better, etc. ETA: I do take vitamins too: Rainbow Light multi, plus Vit D, a calcium/magnesium supplement, and a fish/flax/borage oil capsule or two. Edited March 13, 2012 by momto2Cs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.