“Eat your vegetables” as mothers we say it to our children just as our mothers said it to us. I’ve never read about the important qualities that vegetables hold in the prevention or at least the reduction of risk for some diseases. I’d like to share some of those with you.

First of all, tomatoes. Tomatoes contain an antioxidant called Lycopene. Lycopene has been linked to the reduction of pancreatic and cervical cancer. Tomatoes are a tough one to “mask” for children, but as adults we can throw it into a salad, and have a daily serving.

Then there are the vegetables which fall into the Crucuferous famiy, also known as your broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts and tunips to name a few. There is an enzyme called Sulforaphane, which blocks the growth of tumors. My favorite variation with the broccoli is to throw some cheese on it, it takes away that scary green, and makes it different for the kids.

Finally, soybeans, yeah the thought of tofu doesn’t register well, but there are several other ways to get a daily serving of this cholesterol lowering vegetable. For example, soymilk, and vegeburgers. Soybeans have also been linked to the prevention of certain types of cancer. It is a compound in the soybeans called genistein that prevents the growth of certain cancer cells. Amazing.

So at least now we know WHY mom always made us eat vegetables.

Quick, easy and tasty Vegan Recipes, added bonus, they are Wheat Free and Gluten Free.

The next step is to cut out the white meats as well, many then replace the protein with the variety of fake meats available or the variety of tofu's that are available.  A lot of people don't like tofu, but it is usually because they are trying to cook the wrong style of tofu or cook the tofu that already comes prepared ready to consume. Really when it comes to tofu, you just have to seek some advice from someone who is good and experienced at preparing meals utilising tofu.

The next step and often the most difficult step is to remove dairy and eggs from your diet, this can be so difficult for a lot of people as they simply don't understand or know about the substitutes. Cheese can be extremely difficult to cut out of your diet if you are a cheese lover as many people find the substitutes nothing like cheese and quite terrible to taste. One excellent substitute for cream cheese is "Tofutti" it is available in many countries throughout the world and is a good substitute for a dip or a spread. Another cheese alternative worth experimenting with is the Follow Your Heart cheese, it is not great cold, but if you add some garlic salt and nutritional yeast to it and cook it on a pizza or in lasagna it is pretty good, however you do have to heat it to around 450 degrees to melt it.

If you really want to become a Vegan, plan the transition slowly and believe in what you are doing and why you are doing it. If you believe it is going to be difficult, then it will in deed be difficult for you. However if you make up your mind that it is going to be easy and enjoyable and maybe even an adventure, then it will indeed be that for you. Play around with your foods and experiment with herbs and spices, you will be amazed at the flavors you discover. Get advice from someone who has travelled the road before you and there are plenty of people, places and resources available.

Eating naturally, learning and experimenting with how to cook to suit your new healthy lifestyle can be a very exciting and rewarding journey. I suggest that you invest in a few of the best vegan recipe books that are available from people who have taken the journey before you, then once you get the art behind your new style of cooking, experiment more with the ingredients and spices. You will rediscover food, which is probably much healthier for you anyway and feel much more alive and energetic. Remember "You are what you eat" if you eat fresh and healthy you will be fresh and healthy.

Since becoming a total vegan, there has only ever been hints of asthma and thankfully they are few and far between and no where near as severe as they used to be.  Now Cas is a Vegan with a difference, as she has an allergy to garlic, she is not keen on rice or pasta, doesn't like oils and fats either, it really is sounding impossible to cook for this person isn't it. Well because of all of these likes and dislikes, can haves and can not haves, and because of the huge number of requests she has for her recipes, she has been writing a recipe book, it has been in the making for a very long time now, but it is getting much closer to completion, in the mean time Cas has revealed some of her recipes in a smaller version which is available electronically. Go and take a look now, oh and she is even giving away a mini book, with sample recipes from most of the sections of the book.  Even if you are not a vegan, Cas has experimented with many herbs and spices to get flavor that so many others rely on garlic to give, so her dishes are very creative and tasty.

Many other allegies are addressed in Cas' cooking, the recipe book is also Wheat Free and Gluten Free, so if you know of anyone with these issues you might want to recommend her web site to them. If you know anyone who has serious asthma concerns, maybe suggest to them that they try a totally vegan diet, I have witnessed first hand the amazing health turn around of someone who has done just that, now I am not a doctor or a medical person or a dietian, I am just speaking from experience.  There are many dairy substitutes out there, and some you can barely tell the difference, some are terrible, but you will soon learn to avoid them, just open up your mind and try something new. Good Luck.

Psyllium Husk is becoming a well known dietary fibre for everyday use which has been a life saver for many. The fibre is purely Vegan and aids our daily relief of bodily functions. Psyllium seed husk comes from a common plant that helps increase movements through our bowel system leaving you a comfortable and natural response.

If you are looking for a more natural and comfortable fibre source for intake, Psyllium Husk is a wonderful experience for everyone who wants to feel balanced and regular every day of their life.

Phyllium Husk normally comes in a dry form which becomes soluble in water and other fluids, expanding up to six times of it's original volume. Psyllium Husk has no real taste however attaches itself to added items such as muesli, rice, oats, yoghurt and / or stewed fruit.

Simply sprinkle on cereal and foods or add to smoothies and milkshakes or even add to your baking adventures.

 Begin adding Psyllium Husk sparingly to your foods and / or drinks and see how this wonderful substance works in your body. If you need more then simply add more each day until you feel it works naturally for you.  Be careful don't use to much to fast, ease yourself in gently or you could end up with extremely over active movements and that can also be very unpleasant.  Start with no more than one teaspoon per day and gradually increase if required.

Supplied by our Vegan Consultant – Cas Willow.

Cook one whole cauliflower, two small onions, one spring onion until soft. Cool. Then put all the cooled ingredients in the food processor with pepper, salt, a touch of chili and cooked corn kernels. Add two slices of fresh ginger with at least a small head of basil. Process until smooth creamy, approximate four minutes. Serve with fresh snow peas and sliced carrots.

It seems that many people today, with the various diets and lifestyles, lack the essential understanding and awareness of recommended serving sizes. Often we’ll look at that handy and insightful nutrition information label, but we’ll overlook the little part that tells us exactly how much of the product the nutrition facts actually apply to. In general, and contrary to the common assumption among many people, the ‘Nutrition Facts Label Serving Size’ is not related to the ‘Food Pyramid’ recommended servings.

It appears that today the serving sizes that are being printed on products in the US “are more uniform and reflect the amounts people actually eat” (according to the FDA website). A level of concern about this may not be unfounded, especially considering rumors you may have seen on several websites (I’ve been unable to prove or disprove them) stating such unbelievable statistics as 40% of the average diet in America being comprised of dairy and only 8% being fresh fruit!

However, glancing at a few products, the serving sizes do seem reasonable so far, for instance 5 crackers amount to one serving. Therefore it would seem they may be studying the healthier half of the American population to derive these portions. There’s no justifiable cause for over-reaction to the aforementioned FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) statement at the current time. Thank goodness.

Still, I would like to provide for you a basic outline of suggested daily servings and portion examples for a balanced plant-based diet (source cited below):

 Breads/Grains — 6 to 11 servings daily – 1 oz ready-to-eat cereal ~ 5 or 6 small crackers ~ ½ cup cooked cereal, rice, pasta, noodles ~ 1 slice of bread ~ ½ hamburger bun,  English muffin ~ 1 small roll, muffin, biscuit 

Vegetables –– 3 to 5 servings daily – ½ cup cooked beans, peas, legumes ~ 1 cup raw leafy vegetables ~ ½ cup cooked or raw vegetables ~ ¾ cup vegetable juice 

Fruits — 2 to 4 servings daily – ¼ cup dried fruit ~ ½ cup chopped fruit ~ 1 melon wedge ~ ¾ cup fruit juice ~ ½ grapefruit ~ 1 medium apple, banana, orange 

“Meat group” Substitution — 2 to 3 servings daily – 2 tablespoons peanut butter ~ 2 tablespoons nuts or seeds ~ ¼ cup tofu or tempeh  ~ 1 cup soy milk ~ 1 egg or 2 egg whites ~ ½ cup cooked dry beans or peas 

Milk/Yogurt/Cheese — 2 to 3 servings daily – 1 cup milk ~ 1.5 oz natural cheese ~ 2 oz processed cheese ~ 1 cup or 8 oz yogurt

(To maintain a vegan diet you can substitute these animal products with nuts and seeds, tofu, kale, edible seaweeds, watercress, parsley, dried figs, or calcium-fortified soy milk for example) 

Fats, Oils, Sweets which are low in hydrogenated, saturated, and trans- fats, to be used sparingly of course!

 Credit to source: “Vegetarian Diet Information” (copyright 2003-2008)

However, with a little research and planning, a vegetarian can keep to a more full and healthful diet than those who eat meat, without being deficient in any basic nutritional needs and in many instances, can actually have a more robust immune system due to a higher level of antioxidants.

It’s really as simple as eating a wide variety of foods on a daily basis. There are almost limitless possibilities to experiment with and find the right combinations to form a personal diet plan that you will enjoy and that will give you all of the vitamins that your body requires. You can be as satisfied and fulfilled by your vegetarian diet as any meat-based plan (or more so) while feeling even more energetic and healthy, because you are less likely to consume saturated fats and cholesterol, as well as the hormones that are given to most animals today.

We need to remember simple facts such as:

- Vitamin C helps our bodies absorb Iron

- Vitamin D helps our bodies absorb Calcium

         ( We can get Vitamin D from sunshine!)

- Having all 8 amino acids in your diet is essential for complete Protein           

         ( It’s not necessary to have all of them in each meal)

- B12 is the only vitamin a varied plant-based diet cannot provide, but you can find many foods that are B12 fortified

         ( Even in long-term vegans, deficiency is rare)

As in any diet, balance is the key to eating healthy as a vegetarian or vegan. It may seem complicated to plan your meals with vitamin and mineral contents in mind, all while making sure it will taste good and you will enjoy it. But don’t let yourself be intimidated, it doesn’t have to be difficult. There are many resources available to help experiment with all of the possibilities a plant-based diet has to offer.

You can start with recipes and plans already prepared by others who have done the research for you, such as one of the many eBooks on offer at the various web sites. I have included a couple of links to vegetarian recipes to help as you learn how to balance your own meals and create the right plan to suit your personal needs and tastes!

Register for Your FREE Monthly Health and Happiness Magazine that includes Great Tried, Tested and Created Vegan and Vegetarian Recipes by our very own “Vegan Consultant at www.WomensInfoProducts.com ,