My Relationship...With Food

Here are my thoughts and 12 elements of coming to grips with your relationship with food. It is that relationship that is both physical and emotional, that is making you fat, obese, chunky, large, Ruben-esque, or whatever you call it. How do I know? Because I'm right there with you sister. There is a payoff at the end in step 13 :)

Vegetarianism, veganism, and plantstrong are not fads. They are commitments to a food choice. The political and ethical overtones that are typically associated with groups like PETA and moral vegans tend to put some people off who don't want to make a political statement with their food choices. The celebrity associations with these choices may prompt some people to join to be like the "stars" - trainer Bob from "The Biggest Loser" went vegan, Bill Clinton went PlantStrong, "Skinny Bitch in the Kitch" spoke to many women to be vegetarian, the national news recently featured corporate titans as power vegans (Steve Wynn for one), and of course Ellen DeGeneris and Portia DeRossi are vegan or vegetarian or something that even got Oprah's attention for 5 minutes.

While all these attachments may be grounds for people to get interested in, give consideration to, or even start a food choice, ultimately, it comes down to your relationship with food. For many of us, it is a twisted and hurtful relationship that should end immediately in divorce due to the abuse. However, as is often the case in abusive relationships, the abusee stays with the abuser. In this case - our comfort associated with many foods leaves us unwilling to leave.

I went vegetarian because I was disgusted by what I learned about factory farming. I had left veal about 20 years earlier after I saw the little calf ads that were so awful. So leaving factory farmed meats was not a tough call for me. I could have gone local and free range, but an added dimension of understanding put me off of meat. One of the points made in "Skinny Bitch" is that at the moment of slaughter, the fear and anxiety that animals experience stays with the flesh. You consume those emotions when you eat the meat. Now that may be bunko science, but it hit me on a gut level and allowed me to refrain from meat with ease.

I went PlantStrong (which is vegan without the ethics of not using any animal product) for health reasons. I had consumed all kinds of heart unhealthy foods all my life in great quantities. Why did I do this? Because I had connected food to comfort. Mom fixed mac & cheese and it oozed love. Each bite contained good feelings. Lose a boyfriend? That can be fixed with copious amounts of comfort food - ice cream, chocolate, mac & cheese... Holiday joy? Can't have it without food - cookies, cakes, tortes, candy, chocolate (from Halloween to Easter), meats, casseroles, canapes... Sporting event? Root for your team with cheesy dips, fried anything, greasy burgers, nachos... Mourning the dearly departed? Have a wake and serve a buffet of never ending casseroles - we learn to comfort, revel, celebrate, and mourn with food.

So having a life-long unhealthy relationship with food (and not everyone has this unhealthy relationship, obviously) requires some reexamination before going vegetarian or vegan. If you are fat, overweight, obese, chunky, big, husky, large, height disproportionate to weight...you have an unhealthy relationship with food. Period. Say whatever you want to say - genetics, bone structure, metabolism, thyroid, family issues, pet issues, angst, anxiety, gallstones - you have an unhealthy relationship with food.

For a long time I was in denial about denial. As in, "I won't deny myself because that just sets off a craving." Well, yes it does. But not denying yourself the food doesn't help either.

For a long time I was in denial about control. As in, "I can control what I eat, count points, count calories, deal meal cards, follow nutrition guidance, shop and buy a balanced grocery list..." The control never lasts because my brain was wired for failure.

For a long time I was in denial about need. As in, "I need this "fill in the bad food" and I "just have to have it." What am I, 2 years old? Mostly it was a "poor me" rap.

I'm an upbeat, positive person. I am not a doom and gloomer. Yet, food became my haven for satiating my doom and gloom. I'm upbeat and positive - as I chowed down on Doritos and cheese dip. Does anyone else see this as an oxymoron?

I loathed skinny women who would pick at a plate of salad and take most of it home in a box...Ha! I'll show them and eat what I like right here and eat it all. Yeah, I showed them - what, I'm not exactly sure, except that I was controlled by food and wanted to be just like them, at least the skinny part.

Going vegetarian, plantstrong, or vegan is not easy, but it is not that hard either. You are simply changing what you use as nutrients for your body. The very, very hard part is redefining your relationship with food. For most women (I can't speak for men because I am not one of you), food is a companion, a foil, an enemy, medicine, validation - you name it. For most women, they would rather eat a box of cookies than go to the gym to get their high. It's not about the high - it's about the nourishment of our psyche. I love these cookies and they make me feel good. It's that simple.

Changing your relationship with food.
The harsh reality of 12 steps and 1 beautiful step

1. food is not your friend. It is just food. Get a pet, get a friend, but do not make food your friend. Neither is it your enemy. It is just food.

2. food has chemical properties that interact with your body chemistry to produce results. These results can be positive or negative to your health. Science tells us the best formula to maximize the value and benefit of this chemistry. Use it. You are going to eat, so make the best of it from the perspective of what food is for - nutrition! Don't eat processed food and chemicals. Don't eat anything with high fructose corn syrup. Science has confirmed that these additives are addictive and affect your body chemistry. Do not ingest them!

3. sugar rush, cheese addiction, grease/fat/oil taste mask are all chemistry responses between food and your body - literally your brain becomes captive of addictions - just like nicotine, crack, heroin, and alchohol. We help people eliminate their addictions to everything but food. Why? because we say, "we can't live without food." Tru dat. But what is not true is that we have to live with these addictions. You can be very well nourished without sugar, cheese, grease. Really, you can. Your addiction can be reset. Not everyone who gets drunk is an alcoholic. Some people have an emotional attachment to booze. Not everyone who eats cheese will generate an addiction to it. But for those who do - get out of denial and recognize the chemistry that is taking place between your brain and body.

4. Some people get full and stop eating. Some people can stop at just one bite. Some people can have two pieces of chocolate and stop without thinking. If you are obese, fat, or otherwise overweight - you have an addictive relationship and reaction to these foods. You have to get off of them, off all of them, to clear your brain and reset your chemistry. When you have a cheese craving, your brain wants more of whatever the chemical reaction is it gets when you eat cheese. The more you eat, the more you want. Just a slice more turns into the entire Cracker Barrel stick of cheese, the entire jar of cheese sauce, a loaf of Velveeta or whatever you eat. This is a vicious spiral that can not be satiated by eating more cheese or sugar or chocolate or whatever you are stuck on. It's like an alcoholic - just one more drink becomes a bender. The brain is the most powerful organ in your body. Don't abuse it. Respect it.

5. You will kill yourself by abusing food. Period. You will die eventually, I know. You will die from obesity and never know if you could have lived longer because you will be dead. The western, fast food diet is designed to kill you. If you abuse fast food, it will kill you. It will clog your arteries causing you grave illness. Now, the roulette of this tale is whether you can safely eat a little, a lot, or none. If you are obese, overweight, or a fatty - the answer is none. This answer is not designed to be evil or to "deny you" your pleasure. The answer is designed to save your life. You have a death wish if you can't see this. Really - it comes down to whether you want to live or die. Having trouble getting up those stairs? Can't catch your breath and feel your heart race? Does the idea of walking leave you breathless but not leave you too breathless to get to the fridge? You have a death wish. It is that simple. I know. I had it. I was just in complete denial.

6. These tough questions and answers are not meant to put you down or make you feel bad about yourself. They are a wake up call to make you see what you are doing to yourself. It is not a matter of will power, it is a chemical reaction between food and your brain. You can't control it. You can stop it only by stopping putting those foods into your body. Once you reset the chemical reaction, you might be able to control it. I don't know. Obviously each person will be different. Once you stop the reaction, you won't want to eat it. That sounds laughable doesn't it? Me not wanting ice cream - that's nuts! Me not wanting cheese is inconceivable! But it is true. It is no longer a part of my life, the chemical reaction is gone, and all that is driving me back to those foods is a memory of those good feelings. The good feelings are no longer there. I chose to live and now I am rewarded with a reset brain. Whoa. Yeah. Will I ever eat cheese again? Perhaps. Do I want to chance it right now? NO WAY! Check in with me in a year. I'll let you know.

7. Do I still have feelings for cheese, pizza, ice cream, Doritos? Oh yes, absolutely! You don't end a lifelong relationship and not retain the feelings for awhile. I'm 3 years into vegetarianism and don't miss meat at all. I'm nine weeks into plantstrong and still have emotional attachments to some foods. But now I can feel the difference between emotional attachment and chemical craving. I can get over the emotions. I could not control the chemical.

8. You cannot go from a fast food diet to plantstrong unless you are prepared for the physical and mental fallout. I did vegetarian for 3 years because I was in strong denial. I would say, "I'm a vegetarian" whilst consuming chips, cheese, fried cheese, cheesy rice, ice cream, cookies, chocolate, ad nauseum. Meat was not causing a chemical reaction in my brain so of course it was easy to give up. I did not have any emotional attachments to meat, with the exception of McDonald's cheeseburgers, so I did not miss meat. When I went plantstrong, I eased into it over a 10 day period, noting everything I ate (still keep a food journal) and not beating myself up over it. I was trying it out. I noted what I could substitute for my regular items in order to comply with a plantstrong regimen. By day 10 I was already on the wagon and decided to go with it. Then the cravings hit. I took naps in the evening to avoid the craving. I distracted myself with videos at night and work during the day. I did not take up an exercise regimen, because I knew it would be too much on me. That was my cave, but it worked for me. I dreamed of pizza. I needed ice cream. If I didn't have some sugar I would lose my mind. But what saved me was thinking about how my arteries were not having to build more plaque to address the crap I was ingesting. I thought about how my brain was resetting and that if I quit now, I would have to go through this again and probably wouldn't - remember - I chose to live. I quit Diet Coke 3 years ago and I thought that was what it must be like to quit cigs. I won't sugar-coat it (haha), quitting what your brain has been led to crave is very hard. But if you can get your head out of denial, your body will follow.

9. Weight is a state of mind and a state of being. The scale number is what it is. You weigh what you weigh. The number is not good or bad, it is a number - a physical property. Your relationship with that number and your physicality is a state of mind - an emotional roller coaster for most women. When I went plantstrong I did not get on the scale. I decided that to succeed, I needed to focus on the food relationship, not the weight relationship. I assumed that I would lose weight, but that was not my motivation to go plantstrong. I didn't want to get wrapped up in the number. I just wanted to see the physical response, first of my brain, then of my body form. Sure, I am losing weight - no doubt. I see it right now as a side benefit to resetting my brain and clearing my arteries. I am in denial about exercise - I'm sure of that. But let me tackle that next. And it is getting easier to face it - because my brain and my emotions are not all caught up in that other stuff that I fed myself.

10. You are what you eat. Your body is a temple because god dwells within you, as you. These are the philosophies that I believe in. You believe as you wish. Your beliefs are what get you to where you want to go. Your emotional relationships are what stop you from getting where you want to go. When I embraced my philosophies, I created a whole new dynamic with food. Food is not my friend, I am my friend. Food is a substance, not a friend. I am more important than the foods I want to be in a relationship with. I am not getting comfort from food - I am being fooled by a chemical reaction that feels like comfort and I turn that into an emotional relationship that is destructive. Get out of the relationship!

It has taken me a couple of hours to write this. All this talk of food reminded me I'm hungry! I'm sitting here eating leftover red quinoa, black beans and chickpeas, and black bean/corn salsa. I just mix them together and eat it cold. I could have heated the quinoa and beans and peas and topped with the salsa. But the point is that the flavors are sooooo good. This is my new relationship with food. I like the flavors. I like the taste.

11. Food will taste different when you reset your brain and no longer mask the taste of foods with grease and oils. I love the taste and flavors of the foods I eat. This is not just wishful thinking on my part to "trick" myself into eating healthy foods. Once the reset occurs, your brain tastes everything with new chemical reactions. I have no emotional connection to my quinoa, beans and salsa, but I do love the flavor!

12. You will learn what it feels like to feel full. There is a receptor in your brain that is supposed to turn on when you eat and let you know when you are full. If you are obese, fat, overweight or chubby - this receptor is not firing properly. You know what I'm talking about. It takes a whole lot of food before you even think of being full. You can sit down and eat a sandwich and then think, great appetizer - what's next? If you are obese, you have no idea what it feels like to feel full even if your stomach hurts. Because I am talking about the brain's "full" response, not your gut being full. The stomach staple, lap band, gastric bypass - is supposed to make you eat less and your stomach feels full with just a handful of food. The problem is that your brain does not feel full and you want to keep eating. Except now you are in a dangerous situation where your body can't consume any more food or it will pop. People who have this surgery regain weight. Not all of them do, but I am betting it is because they change their diet, not the quantity. When you reset the brain by cutting out all the food addictions, you reset the "full" receptors. Now I understand how someone can eat a half plate of food and be full and not just be doing it for show because they are on a date! I ate my bowl of quinoa, beans, and salsa. I feel full! It is literally a new sensation that I have come to recognize and respond to. You will love it.

Beauty = You

13. Love yourself. Choose to live. Do the work. I've been doing the work of self analysis for years, so I have no idea if you can make these choices without doing the work. But I recommend that you do meditation, read inspirational books like Chicken Soup for the Soul, surround yourself with positive energy, go to church, read the bible - whatever works for YOU! But do the work so you can love yourself and choose to live. I did the Landmark Forum (www.landmarkeducation.com) 5 years ago. I learned to meditate in college. I found religion, lost it, found it again, became an atheist, and now practice elements of Buddhism - but none of that matters - just find what works for you in terms of spirituality, positive support, energy creation, feeling good, and seeing the light in the universe. Just don't get it from eating.

Plant Strong Thanksgiving!

I've been a vegetarian for about 3 years, so turkey has been off my table for a while. Friends ask what I will eat on Thanksgiving...as if the Turkey is the only item on the menu!

My favorite part of thanksgiving as a kid was always the mashed potatoes and peas. So that's what I built my meal around today!

Mashed white organic potatoes made with lots of garlic, almond milk, salt and pepper. I leave the skins on the taters too. I whip them in the food processor, then I don't need to add much milk - just for flavor enhancement. I could have added green onions and/or leeks - just wasn't in the mood.

Veggie assortment - fresh green peas, baby portabella mushrooms, fresh french green beans, cooked in Pacific Natural Organic Mushroom Broth.

I put the mashed potatoes on the bottom and veggies on top - and ate my way to #vegan food goodness! Oh yum!

I saw lots of #vegan tweets about vegan pumpkin pie, tofurkey, and other veganized recipes. Maybe I'll be there some day, but for now, I like it simple. I do have some pumpkin and chard and will make that tomorrow. Also have fresh cranberries, but forgot to get sugar and you gotta have sugar with those! Tomorrow - with fresh oranges :)

Hope all of you had a great table of thanks with family and friends!

Onward
<3

New Flavors

So, I'm figuring out that spice, flavors, and textures are essential elements of a plant-based cuisine. Hey, I'm new at this, so don't be a hater, lol.

I had some left over brown rice blend (not just your everyday bland brown rice) from last night. The blend is what makes it a really tasty base. Yum.

I added fresh green peas (I love peas, always have), chopped red pepper, and chopped fresh spinach.

I cooked the rice and peas in a fry pan with tamari sauce - it's like a stir fry, so put the heat up! Then I added the red pepper and spinach and topped it off with a new flavor - seasoned rice wine vinegar. I thought it would perk up the taste of the spinach - oh yeah!!

The red pepper was sweet and the spinach and rice vinegar are sour and the flavors all worked.
Yay me!

UPDATE: I have come through to the other side of the toxins. I feel really good! No more cold/flu symptoms and the lethargy has eased. I have a DR appointment next week to get blood work done - I want to check all my cholesterol levels, vitamins, etc. to see if I need Iron and B12.

Onward
<3

Stuffing - for Mushrooms and...?

I actually made a tasty dish - I mean really tasty. I think my cooking skills are improving!

Stuffed Giant Portabella Mushrooms - Vegan Style :D

baby brown pearl mushrooms - I like them because they have a nutty flavor (total about 8 oz)
chop in the processor until they are sawdust-like, turn out into a large bowl for mixing

leeks - I had 3, 5-inch stalks that I cut in thirds (total about 3 TBS)
fresh green peas (total about 1/2 to 3/4 Cup)
chop these in the processor as well, but not as fine as the mushrooms
add to the bowl with the mushrooms

add minced garlic to the bowl to taste (I use a good heaping spoonful)

add a TBS or two of Panko Japanese style bread crumbs (just enough to give a little binding)

moisten this mixture with Pacific Natural Organic vegetable broth, a little at a time, stirring into the mixture, until it has a paste-like consistency, but not thin.

I also added just a tsp or so of tamari sauce. If I had some traditional fall spices like sage, rosemary and thyme, I would have skipped the tamari and used them. You might like a little lemon juice.

Put giant portabella caps in a baking dish, top down, cup up. This recipe makes enough for 3 or 4.

With a large spoon, or just your hands, scoop a bit of the veggie mixture and make a pattie to top the caps.

Top the stuffed caps with a sprinkling of bread crumbs.

Drizzle a bit of tamari sauce in the baking dish around the caps, to keep caps from sticking.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

I served with a side of Lundberg Jubilee Blend of Whole Grain Brown Rice made with 1/2 water and 1/2 veg broth.

I'm sure some talented cooks could whip this into a Thanksgiving style stuffing to be baked in a squash.

Enjoy!

Onward <3

Toxins

Apparently a radical shift in diet, such as going to an all plant-based diet, triggers detoxification in your body. Toxins get stored in fat cells, liver, pancreas, lungs, colon, etc. When you radically change your diet, the body starts detoxing. Yuck, but eventually good. A side effect of this detox is that as toxins come out, so do side effects. You can feel like you have the flu, a cold, have aches and pains, and lethargy. I had a cold a month or so ago and it was gone in 3 days. I got another cold Friday and it is lingering. A friend suggested it may not be cold or flu but detoxification.

When you take meds for the flu, you are ingesting toxic type elements - that if you are sick, will be helpful. If it is detox, you will thwart the detox. One of the articles I found indicated that people think it is the healthy food that makes them sick and then leave the vegan diet. They reverse the detox diet and feel better - because the body stops sloughing off toxins.

So, the remedy is to stay the course, drink a lot of water, green tea, and clear liquids - and hope it ends soon.

Charting My Progress

I started this journey on Sept. 23, 2010. I am now in the 8th week. Dr. Esselstyn claims it takes 12 weeks to get the craving out of your head! I know that's right...

I have lost some pounds. I can see it in the mirror a little bit. I can fit into a pair of pants I bought online that did not fit when they arrived. So that's good.

My blood sugar swings are nearly gone, though I still get comatose after eating something with carbs between 5 and 7pm, especially when I have not been eating all day. I really try to keep eating all day. I have my doctor appointment in 2 weeks and will get my blood workup done then.

I don't feel like I have more energy. Some days I think I am not eating enough. When you only eat plants, ie. fruits, vegetables, beans, and grains, it sometimes is hard to get enough calories, nutrients, etc. I am trying to be more conscious of the mix of foods, portions (as in eat more), and being intentional. When you aren't just picking food up on the fly - it is not as easy to stuff yourself all day - which is good, but the opposite is not any better. Also trying not to rely on eating too many grains - pastas, beans - as filler. EAT VEGGIES :)

I do feel more like exercising, though that has not yet happened. So perhaps, my energy is higher and it was just so low before, I didn't realize it?

I have not been 100% oil free - I have had at least 2 setbacks on chips - but at least I eat "healthy" chips - baked, veggie, NOT Doritos. I have had a few slips on candy - but no chocolate (dairy) or ice cream. I am VERY proud of that. I have had some vegetable antipasto at a couple of work events where they serve crudites. I have had shrimp twice (not fried). I've had eggrolls - had a craving one day that would not be satisfied - but the result was not gratifying - so I won't do that again.

I'm cooking a lot and I like that! It makes eating more intentional and less of a throwaway activity. Sometimes I really like what I make, other times - well, I am not the best cook in the world by any stretch of the imagination. I have been picking up spices each week to build my cupboard - darn expensive! So I am looking forward to more flavorful - zingy food.

I do taste things now in a different way - clearer, more distinctive palate. That's a big bonus!

I am finding it easier and easier to say no. Someone brought cupcakes in to the office the other day and I declined. I tell others and myself, that I spent a lifetime eating poorly and because of that, I now am treating myself to eating well. It's my decision, but people seem to take it as an indictment of their eating. Maybe it is. This isn't an easy choice I've made, so sometimes I probably make it easier on me by feeling superior. If I've done that to any of you - sorry.

Thanksgiving is coming up and I will be staying at home. I figured this is one holiday on which I need to keep my focus. Next year will be different. I have been scouting out some interesting recipes - side dishes for the big holiday are making a comeback with chefs - even the NYT had a great feature with recipes the other day.

I continue to stay out of the snack food isles, candy isles (which during the holidays is increasingly difficult to avoid because chocolate is all over the store!), cheese section. I spend more time in the produce section - even if it is just looking - to get more familiar with different products and contemplating what I might eventually learn to use - like broccoli rabe. Not even sure what it is...and swiss chard - what do I do with it?...and leeks - oh, wait, I like those!

I follow the #vegan hashtag on twitter and that has produced loads of info, insights, and recipe links. I am getting follows from other vegans and I now follow some of them. Twitter is just amazing as an information and communication portal.

Onward
<3

Quick and Tasty

Quinoa Veggies with Salsa

Made some Quinoa (takes about 20 minutes), steamed corn and peas, mixed with Quinoa, topped with Muir Glen black bean salsa. Really tasty!

Quinoa, like rice, is bland, so you need to be sure to spice it up for flavor.

I have another recipe I found on Twitter #vegan, for shredded beets and Quinoa called Ruby Quinoa - which I'll try with my leftover Quinoa tonight :)

UPDATE: I tried the beet - I like beets, but when you process them and cook them, they get dry. I need to work on learning how to prepare beets :)

Onward
<3

Yummy Pasta

I had a hankering for spaghetti - and I really enjoy the taste of Deboles Jerusalem Artichoke flour pasta!

As that cooked I put into a large nonstick pan - mushrooms, sliced red pepper, sliced leek and turned the heat on medium high, as the pan heat up and the mushrooms start to cook, I added fresh tomato chunks on top and sprinkled italian seasoning over it all. Then I turn down the heat a bit and add a few teaspoons of Pacific Veggie Broth (I open one of their tiny 4-pack containers and it keeps well in the fridge for about a week). Then I put a glass lid that is smaller than the pan right on top of the veggies. They all don't fit under the lid, but that's ok. The tomatoes and the red pepper release some juice to keep the mushrooms from sticking or burning (clever, eh?). The steam under the lid cooks the veggies nicely, and the glass lid means I can see what's going on and not screw up! The beauty of this besides the colors...is no oil!

By the time the pasta is draining, the veggies are done and you can either pour off the excess juice or keep it - depending on how much liquid you like with your pasta. Toss the pasta in the pan with veggies and mix it up.

That's vegan goodness!

Onward :)

Vegan Food I Didn't Know I Like!

Mashed sweet potatoes - better than Yukon Golds!
Vegan Tamales at Farmicia restaurant in Philly
Whole grain organic bread veggie sandwich - piled high with multiple veggies :)
Quinoa
Almond Milk
Baby Roma tomatoes - super snack food
Kashi Island Vanilla Shredded Wheats
Jerusalem Artichoke flour pasta
Leeks
Lentils
homemade hummus without tahinni spread on green leaves (spinach, lettuce, kale, swill chard)
real oatmeal
raw honey (not a strict vegan food)
rice noodles
soba (buckwheat) noodles
Swiss Chard

Things I Like, But Still Don't Know How to Cook
Beets
Butternut Squash


I'll keep adding to this list :D

The Doctors Speak about a Plant-Based diet

Dr. Esselstyn and Dr. Ornish are two of the gurus around a plant-based, whole-foods diet. They are the doctors that President Clinton cites in his healthy turn-around. Dr. Esselstyn's son, Rip, is behind the Engine Company 2 fire-fighters plant-based diet I cite in another post. The Doctors talk here with CNN. Keep in mind that Dr. Esselstyn was a heart surgeon when he began putting his bypass and stent patients on the plant-based diet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoHt9cSWJVI&feature=player_embedded

One of the benefits of a plant-based, whole foods diet is that it will make you feel good.
While I physically feel great, I don't feel as well mentally. It's actually a bit stressful to stay on this regimen because it is such a big shift in my eating patterns. Remember, I was a vegetarian before starting this - or more properly phrased - a meat-avoider. I didn't eat meat, but I did eat dairy - cheese, yogurt, ice cream, as well as oil, fried anything - potatoes, rice, vegetables, and a large dose of junk food - doritos, potato chips, pretzels, cheese sauce, nachos. You get the picture. ALL of that is gone. It's a bigger change than I thought - but that is part of the honesty of the process. There is no - oh, I'll just have a little of this. It doesn't work like that. But the shift does weigh on you - so you need support.

I do this blog to reinforce my own support. I read other blogs for inspiration. But friends, I'm finding, are reluctant to support this effort of mine, except for the occasional query - so how's it going? I think my friends are curious, but do not want to have to face their own eating habits. Too much support for me would mean having to examine their own coronary-damaging diet. I never raise the issue with people because I don't want to be an evangelist and be in people's faces about this. I really need my friends! But I am finding the silence to be pretty deafening. I need to find other people who are doing what I am doing so that I have some support!

I have been doing Landmark Education programs for the last 5 years. We are constantly urged to share the work with friends and colleagues and invite them to participate too. It's an eye-opening experience because most people do not want to face their own issues, nor are they willing to shell out $400 bucks to get real. I have been turned down by friends so many times it makes me feel quite defeated and, thus, reluctant to bring it up again with them. So I do a few gentle reminders to people, invite new friends, and hope that a few will take it up. It completely changed my life and I am thankful every day I have that access to personal understanding. People ask me how I do the things I do. I tell them it's Landmark, but they don't believe it.

I feel the same way about this plant-based regimen. It's new and people will eventually stop asking about it and it will become a curious thing that Robyne does. And I won't understand how to convince people that a plant-based diet is the key to their good health. And I will accept that and be glad I am doing it.

We all have foibles, phobias, baggage, and habits. We are human and flawed. We have so much access to things that can make our lives fantastic, but we refuse to reach out and take them because they go against what we see as the "natural order" of our lives. We would rather take pills and get gastric bypass than eat a plant-based diet. We would rather watch Oprah or Desperate Housewives rather than do the hard work to achieve our best selves. In the end, it doesn't matter! We are here playing a big game - and we can play it any way we wish. These are the ways I am playing my game and you will play yours as you see fit. So let's all have fun while we can and live with our choices.

Onward!
<3