Your Daily Vegan

November is Diabetes Awareness Month.  Diabetes is a major health concern in the US, and on its way to becoming one in other parts of the world as the typical Western diet is adopted across the globe.  There are three main types of diabetes; type 1, type 2, and gestational.

Gestational diabetes develops in pregnant women.  It generally disappears when the pregnancy is over, but a woman has a greater risk of developing the disease later in life.  Type 1 diabetes accounts for about 5% of all diabetes cases.  Causes are not as clear for this type, which normally manifests during childhood.  Type 2 diabetes is by far the most common form, accounting for at least 90% of all diabetes cases in the US.  That’s alarming.

Here are some more alarming facts about diabetes:

• Diabetes affects 25.8 million people.  That’s 8.3% of the U.S. population
• In 2005–2008, based on studies, 35% of U.S. adults aged 20 years or older had prediabetes (50% of adults aged 65 years or older).  Applying this percentage to the entire U.S. population in 2010 yields an estimated 79 million American adults aged 20 years or older with prediabetes.
• Overall, the risk for death among people with diabetes is about twice that of people (of similar age but) without diabetes.
• Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States.

I take a look at veganism, hemp foods, and diabetes in my new post for Living Harvest titled, Hemp and Diabetes: What You Should Know. Please take a moment and give it a read, the more we understand diabetes- the better we can delay or prevent it.

Artificial food colors, they’re everywhere.  Pick up virtually any food or drink item at the grocer and you’d probably see, “Blah, Blah, Blah, FD&C Red No. 40, and FD&C Yellow No. 5″- or something like that.  There is one place that I often run into artificial food colorings that catches me off guard- vegan recipes on the web.

Not only are these chemicals toxic, they aren’t vegan.  Artificial food colors are tested on animals.

Shocking, right?  I know.  I wouldn’t have immediately thought of it either, but I looked them all up to get an idea of what they are made of.  Guess what?  They’re achieved through the wonder of chemistry and the industry of oil drilling.  Certainly not something I want on my vegan cupcake, gross.

Artificial colors keep the food sitting in warehouses and on grocery shelves fresh and cheery looking so that we’ll buy it thinking how good and tasty it must be.  Perhaps more insidiously, the bright blues, reds, and oranges of candy lure youngsters with promises of tasty delight- an experience and association that persists into adulthood when it’s time to decorate cakes and cookies for the family or work outing….or, Halloween.

Have you ever noticed that the artificial food colorings at the grocery stores always go on sale around holidays?  We are constantly bombarded with ways to incorporate these chemicals into our diets.  I’ve seen special colorings for drinks, for baked goods, for ice cubes for goodness sake- all in the name of Halloween “fun.”  Food colorings don’t add flavor to our food, they actually taste bad.  So, is our fun really worth the lives of animals?

To determine the safety of these chemicals as they are used as food additives, they are tested on animals.  Of course, these tests do not indicate the substance’s effect on humans, only how much is needed to cause cancer and death in the animals they are administered to.

After the jump I talk about the Seven Deadly Primary Colors and how you can replace them with versions that are 100% all natural, chemical-free, and vegan.  Let’s get our cute fun on with compassion for all!

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If you knew me personally, you’d know that I’m not one to be afraid to talk about poop.  Specifically, having healthy eliminations. Like urine, your poo says a lot about what you’ve been consuming- it’s pretty important to know how things are processing.  [Plus, I'm juvenile enough to get a giggle out of the poo jokes told to me by my nieces and nephews.]

The word “poop” comes from the Middle English word poupen or popen which originally meant “fart.”  The word evolved into “poop” (with it’s current meaning) around 1900.  (Origins: A Short Etymological Dictionary of Modern English Also: American Slang)

So, what is poo made of?  Water, dead bacteria, indigestible fiber, a mixture of fats, phosphates, live bacteria, dead cells and mucus (from the lining of the intestines), and protein.  So, why does poop smell?  Simply put, the smell of poo is based on what you eat.  [Meat eaters enjoy stinkier poo, while herbivores have a less pungent smell.]   So you can see, what you put in affects what is put out. Not surprisingly, vegans have the best poop in the land according to a recent study done by University of Bristol.

But I’m going to let Dr. Greger from NutritionFacts.org give you the scoop on poop, he does it with more grace and composition than I’d ever have using the term, “smooth vegan snakes.”

If you’ve never heard of NutritionFacts.org, then you’re missing out.  I love this site.  Launched in August of this year, NutritionFacts.org is a labor of love featuring all the videos from Dr. Greger’s past Latest in Clinical Nutrition DVDs, split into hundreds of bite-sized topical segments that can be searched and shared.  Dr. Greger’s videos are strictly science-based with citations, which makes them the perfect resource for discussing our vegan health.

Dr. Greger has committed to uploading a new video every day for an entire year, so there’s always something fresh for us to learn.  Folks can, and should, subscribe to the daily video feed here NutritionFacts.org or follow on Facebook.com and Twitter.com.  And, come on, with videos like this one- why wouldn’t you subscribe?

In 2009, 50.2 million Americans lived in “food insecure” households.  In other words- during any given time period they were out of money, food, and forced to miss meals or seek assistance for food.  That’s 33 million adults and 17.2 million children.  Hunger is an epidemic that affects children, adults, and seniors in America every day.

June is National Hunger Awareness Month, and was created to help raise awareness of hunger in America.  Feeding American families has become increasingly harder, demand (and need) for food has increased while there is less food surplus and fewer charitable dollars available.

I take a look at how industrialized hemp and eating a vegan diet can help end hunger in America in a guest post for Living Harvest, Hunger Awareness Thru Hemp.  Please be sure to check it out!

Very recently I had an experience that I simply must share.  It’s a little off-topic, but so important that I had to talk about it.

This is Olli:

Pretty cute, huh?  I know, she’s adorable.  Olli lives with me and has since she was a runt puppy that no one wanted.  She’s a tiny little thing, weighing in at only 10lbs, 10 ounces.  She’s six years old, and she’s been my partner-in-crime ever since she arrived at my house.  My pack (I am fortunate enough to live with 6 felines and 3 canines) and I have a strong bond to be sure, but Olli and I have something different- a little special.  I am her human as she is my co-pilot.

Olli has two other canine sisters that live with her and we all hike, jog, and take walks (3 canines, 2 humans) together.  Last weekend was no different.  We all suited up and headed out the door for, what I believed to be, a typical walk.  We got about half-way and Olli started to scream.  This wasn’t your typical, “Ow!” type of scream- this was non-stop, high pitched and continuous.

I’m going to stop here because I want to say that as soon as Olli started to scream, my heart started to go a million miles an hour.  I am an extremely empathetic person (read: Emotional Tornado type of gal) and so I was instantly set on high-alert.

We immediately turned around to come home.  The other dogs were extremely distressed, as Olli still had not stopped screaming.  I was no more than five minutes away from my house, but it seemed like 20.  On the way home Olli began to vomit.  I was able to get the other dogs home quickly (Olli remained w/her other human because she was still vomiting).  I took off their gear, grabbed some towels and I ran back out the door.  I put Olli in some towels and we raced to the emergency vet, breaking every traffic law you can imagine.  I’m not proud of that, but my dog was seriously ill.  During the 15 minute car ride, she vomited again and released her bowels- then went unconscious.  At that point, I knew it wasn’t good.  We called the emergency vet on the way to let them know we were coming- and they met me at the door to take her in for an immediate evaluation.

All of this took place in 20 minutes.  Long, stressful, teary-eyed tale made short, Olli had gone into “anaphylactic shock” from (what I can only assume) a wasp or hornet sting.

Anaphylactic Shock is a severe allergic reaction that, if left untreated, causes seizures, coma, and death.  Anaphylaxis targets the liver.  Signs develop almost immediately, usually within minutes, after the dog has been exposed to the allergen.  The first signs of anaphylaxis usually include:

• Sudden Diarrhea
• Emptying of bowels (defecation/urination)
• Vomiting
• Severe itchiness & development of hives
• Weakness
• Excessive drooling
• Shallow, rapid, and/or difficult breathing
• Pale gums (tacky)
• Fast heart rate
• Poor pulse
• Cold limbs
• Collapse

Anaphylactic shock is almost always fatal if not treated immediately. If your dog exhibits any of these symptoms, take him or her to a vet immediately.

I wanted to tell you Olli’s story because I learned so much from it.  If you had asked me if I was prepared for a pet emergency, prior to Olli’s sting, I would have said yes.  But was I?  In a real emergency situation you are forced to deal with any lack of planning.  Don’t let a random tragedy remind you that you could have been more prepared.  Here’s what I learned.

• I knew that I needed to get my animal to a vet.  I know which vets are in my area, where they are located- but I don’t have them all programmed in my phone.  I have my regular vet information in my phone, but my vet wasn’t open during Olli’s emergency.  I had to call information to get the number of the emergency vet I was driving to- which is a nightmare when you are in a high-alert situation.  Now, I have all the surrounding vet offices programmed into my phone, including the hours that they are open.  Not only are they programmed, they are also a “favorite” so that I can find them easily and quickly in cases of emergency.
• Do you know how to get to the closest vet office?  Do you know what routes to take or back roads?  Do you know how long it takes to get to each one so you know which one is closest?  You should.
• My regular vet has a medical history on Olli because they have been seeing her since she was a puppy.  But, again, I was going to an emergency vet that needed to know information about her so that they could treat her.  I was flustered giving the emergency vet all the information that they needed, thank goodness I had another smart human with me that could keep their head and give any information necessary.  Now, I have a copy of all of the animals’ medical files in a folder in the car.  Easy to grab on the way into an emergency vet.
• Do you have a first aid kit for your companion animals?  I didn’t either.  I do now.  I’ll talk more about this in a minute.

Being (somewhat) prepared is what saved Olli’s life.  And I am thankful.  But I am also still recovering from the stress and shock myself.  I have never had an experience like that with an animal- I hope to never have it again.  And to be honest, the whole situation has put me in quite a state.  See, Olli is extremely allergic to bees- maybe, we don’t know.  We can’t tell for sure if that’s what stung her- or what exactly her reaction is from.  I can make an estimated guess, and I have, but I’m not 100% sure.  And that worries me.

Anaphylactic Shock can happen if the body is introduced to the allergen one time, but more common is an anaphylactic reaction the second time the allergen is introduced to the body.  That means that most likely, Olli has been stung by a bee before.  Which also means that the next time it happens, the reaction will be worse than this one.  So, aside from freaking out every single time she steps her paws outside, I must be prepared for another emergency.

Rewinding a little to my list of things I learned, remember the first aid kit for your companion animal that I didn’t have?  Okay, here’s where we talk about it.  But before we do, I am not a vet.  I am not claiming to be a vet, I am also not claiming that this advice should replace that of a vet.  This post is for informational purposes only, please consult your regular vet with any questions regarding your own animal’s health.  Now, that said- let’s talk about a first aid kit.  Here’s what’s in my (new) kit:

• Scissors
• Tweezers
• Styptic Powder, or cornstarch
• Eye dropper or oral syringe
• Cotton Swabs/Cotton balls
• Paper Towels
• Rectal Thermometer
• Lubricant such as mineral oil/vaseline
• Disposable gloves
• Cold packs/Heat packs (wrap in towel prior to use)
• Gauze (sterile)
• Non-stick pads
• First aid tape
• Bandage rolls (Vetwrap)
• Band-aids
• Wound disinfectant
• Triple antibiotic ointment for skin
• Diphenhydramine  (Benadryl – get the liquid kind) for allergic reactions (get the proper dose from Vet for your pet)
• Hydrogen Peroxide
• I also carry water, a portable water bowl, treats, doggie poo bags, and a spare leash in my car at all times.

Watch the expiration dates on any medication, and replace as needed.

Olli was lucky, we were lucky.  Olli was given immediate treatment at the vet (One shot of Dexamethasone, coming right up!) and was stable (but not out of the woods yet) within 20 minutes.  As it turned out, the vet we were at wasn’t able to care for Olli (because every pet emergency I have always happens on a weekend) and that she’d have to be transported to the nearest animal hospital.  So, another long teary-eyed tale later, we were able to transport her to the closest animal hospital once she was fully stabilized.  And she improved as time went on, and in a day or so we were able to bring her home.  She’s now at home being spoiled.  She hasn’t fully recovered and is still on medication for her allergic reaction.  There’s more blood work that will be done to ensure there was no damage to her liver, another trip back to the vet in a couple of days to see how she’s doing.  But she’s alive.  And for that, I am thankful.

Olli, recovering in luxury (and showing off her shaved fur)

I hope that no one has to go through the same situation as Olli and I, but if you do please- “bee prepared.”

This post is a week old, or rather, I tried to write it for a week.  I know, I’m late.  Sorry! For those who don’t follow me on twitter (what? you don’t follow me on twitter?! why ever not? I’m so much fun on twitter!) might not know that I’ve decided to take part in the {Plate+Simple} Vegan Detox Plan for two weeks.  Or that we started last week.  But we did, we totally did.  See what you miss by not following me on twitter?

Okay, moving on.  Sigh.  Before I get in to the whole detox story let me say this, my fridge broke the night before we were to start the detox.  I woke up to a water logged kitchen and a freezer full of defrosted food.  This might have caused a teeny bit of stress.  It’s not exactly how I wanted to start my detox.  But then again, who wishes for a broken fridge?  Right, moving on.

I decided to do this detox because I had gotten my first cold in three years recently, and I really felt like my body needed to cleanse.  And, I thought it would be fun to track it all down and share it with you.  So here’s a sampling of my first week of detoxing, in no particular order…

Hot oatmeal with blueberries and walnuts

White Bean, red cabbage and carrot salad and Kombucha

Garden Salad with Tempeh

Almond Butter, Coconut flakes, Pecans, Cashews and Cinnamon

Black Bean and Corn Salad w/Brown Rice and Broccoli Guacamole

I am going to admit it right here and now that I’ve cooked and noshed on tofu the past week. The P+S Detox plan doesn’t permit the use of soy, but I am going to include it in my detox. I don’t eat processed soy-based foods, my soy consumption is in the form of tofu, tempeh, or whole soy beans. Because of this, I feel that they those foods fits in with my idea of detoxing. I’ve also decided that I am not going to eat any breads or pasta, regardless of what type of grain it’s made from. It’s not that those things aren’t healthy, they can be. But I have problems with portion control, especially with bread, and I don’t need any temptations during my detox. I’m still including whole grains such as wheatberries, quiona, brown rice, and millet into my detox. But they don’t present as much of a temptation to over indulge the same way that a big bowl of pasta does. One of the greatest benefits of the detox is that I can tailor it to fit me, you can too! (I am not, for the record, telling you to find a creative way to insist that chocolate cake should be consumed during the detox. Though, if you figure that out, hit me up. I want to know)

So I have made it into Week 2.  I feel a little heavier, if you can believe that.  I am attributing this to the increase in whole grain foods I’ve been eating.  I do not normally eat brown rice for breakfast- smothered in almond butter, hemp seeds, and cut up fruit (delish!) and I think it’s causing my heaviness.  These week I’m going to focus more on vegetables and fruits and less on the whole grains.  I’m still going to eat them, I’m just not going to eat them every single morning.  So, even if I want, no- crave the Everyday Breakfast I will refrain.  I won’t make it a point to have a “whole grain carb” with my lunches and dinners.  And that’s okay.  I’m listening to my body and hearing that it wants more vegetables.  Good news for me, I’ve recently developed an insane addiction/craving  for brussel sprouts.  Insane. I love those delicious, savory little cabbages.  Remember, Friends don’t let Friends, Not Like Brussel Sprouts.

I know some of you are doing the detox with Hilary and I, how’s it going for you?

Well, that is, According to the BBC.

But, of course, we knew that.  What’s interesting about this article though is that “…the researchers also found a higher rate of colorectal cancer among the vegetarians.”

It is well known, as a quick web search will reveal, that a diet low in fiber greatly increases the risk of this particular cancer. Vegetarians, who often distinguish themselves from vegans by eating dairy and eggs, can tend not to get enough fiber.  Many vegetarians find it difficult to give up the dairy, and use it for a main protein source, whereas vegans will get protein from sources such as legumes and whole grains, thereby increasing fiber intake greatly.