Food Allergies

I've never had any food allergies in the past. Now that I've changed my diet drastically, I've been trying many new things. The other day I was shopping at a grocery store that my boyfriend's cousin works at. He was throwing in weird stuff every time I wasn't looking: baby food, wrapping paper, wine, you name it. I got most of it, except for this package of pita-like tortilla wraps - my boyfriend eats a lot of wraps so I figured he had put them in the cart. Since I had already paid for them I made one for lunch...

My face and neck broke out! I was bright red and not to mention ready to scratch my face off! Then my palms started itching to the point I wanted to cut them off. After checking the package, the only "odd" ingredient was wheat gluten which was in bold print, I guess for a reason. I decided to look some things up about it to share with fellow new vegheads.

Gluten allergy is also sometimes called coeliac disease. The symptoms of the allergy are not at all similar to what I experienced though. The actual disease is related to many abdominal and bowel problems. So was it the gluten I had a problem with? I found on mayoclinic.com that you can have reactions without the disease,

"Signs and symptoms of wheat allergy range from mild to severe and can include skin reactions, congestion and digestive issues. Rarely, wheat allergy can cause anaphylaxis, a life-threatening reaction." It's one of the top eight food allergies as well.

Many people are aware of allergic reactions to nuts, soy, etc., but does anyone have further knowledge on gluten?

Oh, Nuts! and seeds, and legumes!

Since becoming vegetarian, nuts have become my new best friend. Like I have mentioned before, I keep some on my desk and eat a few handfuls a day. Besides being a great protein substitute for meat, they have many great nutritional benefits. Hey, they're even in the meat group on many food pyramids.


They do have some fat, which is sometimes called "good fat." What does that mean?
Almonds and walnuts, my two personal favorites, have recently been show to lower your bad cholesterol (a benefit of monounsaturated and polyunsatured fats). Thus, they may reduce the risk of heart disease and related problems as well as colon and lung cancer (American Heart Association.) The fat in nuts gives you needed energy and calories and can help you curb cravings for more unhealthy snacks. Looking at my jar, I also see that they have Zero mg. of cholesterol.


What nutrients do they contain? Fiber, iron, vitamin E, potassium, niacin, zinc, phosphorous, biotin, riboflavin, and selenium to name a few. My current jar of vanilla bean almonds have 20% of your daily magnesium (helps you absorb calcium, prevents abnormal blood clotting, helps maintain blood pressure); which leads to something else great about them - they don't get boring. You can get different flavors, textures, healthy and semi-sinful - but chocolate has many benefits, too - so I say go for it. They go great in salads, side dishes, main dishes - there are lots of ways to cook with them, have them in "butters," or just plain.


There are so many different kinds, too - in case you're not a fan of some.
Almonds, Cashews, Hazel Nuts, Macadamia Nuts, Peanuts (a legume), Pecans, Pistachios, Sesame Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Walnuts, that's all that come to mind right now but I'm sure there are many more.


Eat an ounce or two a day for health!

Daylight Come and Me Wanna Go Home - Foot Cramps :(

I was about to eat dinner last night and on my way to my chair I started screaming. Both of my feet cramped up at the same time for about five minutes. It's happened a few times lately, but never so extreme or in both feet simultaneously. So, I had to look up why that would happen. The only answer I found - lack of potassium. It plays a big role in muscle contraction and nerve stimulation. It also helps you keep a normal water balance and keeps your brain functioning, but that is besides my current dilemma.

I checked my vitamins with 80+ ingredients and potassium wasn't one. Something as basic as that is not in there but random, never heard-of things are.

How do you get potassium besides the obvious, bananas?

Cantaloupe, Grapefruit, Oranges, Tomatoes, Tangerines, Prune Juice, Potatoes, Honeydew Melons, Lentils, Dry Beans, and Raisins to name a few.

I've eaten several of those items in the last week, so I'm a little confused as to whether potassium is really the culprit or not. I still felt it was important to cover potassium, as it is a vital mineral but not sure if I can attribute my foot cramps to it. With it being in so many fruits and vegetables, it seems I should be getting my RDA easily, even without vitamins. As my research seems to be failing me, does anyone else have any ideas why I'd be having frequent foot cramps?

If Oprah approves, it must be good!

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a great food for new veg*ns to try. If you haven't frequented natural food stores, you may not have come across it before. It is gluten-free if you have allergies. It contains lysine, making it a complete protein - good news for us VegHeads! It made Oprah's Top 10 Superfoods list, too!

1 cup has:
22 grams or protein
(approx. 50% of RDA) More than a 1/4 lb. Hamburger!
87% of your iron!
10% of your calcium
(peertrainer.com)

There are many other nutrients in this cross between a cereal and a grain, too. It looks similar to sesame seeds. One cup has about 15% of you daily fat and 40% of your carbs, so you may want to adjust your carb intake on days you eat this. (It is worth 3 points).

See the complete nutritional label on nutritiondata.com.

I wanted it to be the next 'food of the week' but there's too much to say, I doubt it would fit in the right column. Here are the nutritional benefits:

Lower Type II Diabetes risk
Eases altitude sickness
Protection against heart disease
High fiber content prevents gallstones
Cardiovascular health
Magnesium and Riboflavin can ease headaches and cause them to occur less.

You can find many recipes featuring quinoa! VegWeb has a great collection!

vegparadise.com suggests raw quinoa in salads, cooking the leaves like spinach, or including it in soups or rice pudding

Iron Deficiency in Veg*ns

One of the most important considerations in a veg*n diet is whether or not you are getting enough iron.

Calcium and protein are much easier to substitute than iron, since the best source of iron is red meat.

A good supplement is probably the best way for veg*ns to get iron, but not the only.

It is important because not getting enough iron can cause you to become anemic, which can also be caused by blood loss. Basically, your red blood cells are not giving your body tissues enough oxygen (source: MedlinePlus).

I have been tested for anemia several times but have always had normal iron levels.

The side effects are commonly fatigue, always feeling tired, lack of stamina, shortness of breath, rapid heart beat, weakness, and lightheadedness. There are many more side effects that are not as common. If you have any of the major ones, you should consider reading all of them to see if you have more signs of iron deficiency.

According to wikipedia.org, 20% of adult women and 50% of pregnant women have iron deficiency, while only 2% of adult males do.

If you need to take an iron supplement with food, make sure you are not taking it with any milk products, it can hinder the absorption. Vitamin C can increase absorption.

On wisegeek.com, they suggest females over 18 and under 50 should be getting 18 mg. daily while males tend to only need around 8 mg.; apparently men store iron better.

According to the American Dietetic Association, recommended iron intakes for vegetarians are 1.8 times those of nonvegetarians because of lower bioavailability of iron from a vegetarian diet.

Too much iron can also cause problems, or iron poisoning. Not eating red meat can make it more difficult to get iron, but you still don't want excess intake. If you want to get iron through your diet, here are some sources I found on various websites upmc.com, McKinley Health Center, and cdc.gov. (These are all approximate, be sure to check your specific food labels of what you are consuming.)

Whole-grains

Almonds (.7 mg in about 1 dozen almonds)

Bagels (1.5 mg.)

Pumpkin seeds (4.3 mg in 1 oz.)and cashews (1.7 mg in 1 oz.)

Raisins (1.1 mg in a 1/3 cup serving)

Eggs (.7 mg in one yolk)

Bran (3.5 mg in 1/2 cup)

Baked beans (2 mg. in 1/2 cup)

Dried beans

Kidney beans (3 mg. in 1/2 cup)

Soy Beans (4.4 mg. in 1/2 cup cooked)

Fruits

Peas (1.3 mg. in 1/2 cup)

Dark, leafy vegetables (boiled spinach 1.7 mg. in 1/2 cup)

Raw spinach (2.7 mg. in 1/2 cup)

Peanut butter (.6 mg in 2 tbsp.)

Spaghetti noodles (1.6 mg. in 1 cup)

Things that are iron fortified like cereals, oatmeal, and cereal bars

Tofu

White rice (1.8 mg. in 1 cup)

Soymilk - the chocolate is great!

What do you do to get your iron? Does anyone have a multi-vitamin for veg*ns that they want to recommend?

J-E-L-L-O... It's Alive!

Remember those Jell-O commercials from Halloween, maybe they're even still around...? Well I had no idea that Jell-O actually did used to be alive. Am I the last to know where gelatin comes from? For a quarter per box, I wouldn't have guessed animals. I guess it comes from cows' and pigs' skin. Their tissues and bones are boiled to form the powder. What a weird concept.. I wonder who thought to do that and then flavor it with fruity flavors for a dessert. I'm sure they are millionaires though.

I am a beginner and learning and I'd like my site to be helpful to other beginners.

Does anyone else know of other items that are surprisingly from animals? I don't feel like everyone has to be petty and avoid any and every thing possibly from animals, it just has peaked my curiosity.

Famous Vegetarians

I've learned some people are vegetarian that really surprised me. I'd like to keep a list of all celebrities, or other people well-known today, that are vegetarian/vegan. Some pretty intelligent, revolutionary people were veg*n even long ago. If you have anyone to add, let me know!

Paula Abdul
Bryan Adams
Pamela Anderson
Susan B. Anthony
Fiona Apple
Christina Applegate
Alec Baldwin
Bob Barker
Drew Barrymore
Kim Basinger
Victoria Beckham
Linda Blair
Orlando Bloom
Michael Bolton
Brandy
Kirk Cameron
Johnny Cash
Jackie Chan
Chelsea Clinton
Elvis Costello
Ted Danson
Charles Darwin
Leonardo DaVinci
Ellen DeGeneres
Bob Dylan
Clint Eastwood
Albert Einstein
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Kevin Eubanks
Michael J. Fox
Benjamin Franklin
Woody Harrelson
Josh Hartnett
Davey Havok - AFI
Billy Idol
Jenna Jameson
Tony LaRussa
Lisa Loeb
Bob Marley
Billy Martin (of Good Charlotte)
Ricky Martin
Alyssa Milano
Dave Navarro
Kevin Nealon
Sir Isaac Newton
Jerry Seinfeld
Alicia Silverstone
Ringo Starr
Jonathan Taylor Thomas
Henry David Thoreau
Shania Twain
Liv Tyler
Carrie Underwood
Vincent VanGogh
Weird Al Yankovich
Rob Zombie!

Calcium Without Milk

Calcium is an essential nutrient, everyone knows you need it for strong teeth and bones among other things such as blood clotting, nerves, and the heart. Many people consume large amounts to prevent problems such as osteoporosis later on in life. Many people also think milk is the best source of calcium; we need it. In piecing together the facts though, milk and cheese have a lot of protein. Excess protein decreases calcium, so is it that great of a source?

I've talked about alternative sources of protein, now let's look at calcium sources.You can get your calcium in a healthier way, from plant sources such as dark green vegetables, legumes, and soy products. According to "The Herbal Collective," the calcium from these sources are absorbed better than from milk.

While I am still drinking milk and consuming milk products, I am slowly reducing my consumption of them. I found an interesting fact in the book, "Being Vegetarian for Dummies." To sum it up, it says that humans don't even need milk after they're done nursing. Most people can't even digest cow's milk. People of Northern European descent have developed the ability because of the history of the tradition to do so. Lactose intolerance is becoming increasingly more widespread. I found supporting facts from the Harvard School of Public Health: "Certain groups are much more likely to have lactose intolerance. For example, 90 percent of Asians, 70 percent of blacks and Native Americans, and 50 percent of Hispanics are lactose-intolerant, compared to only about 15 percent of people of Northern European descent."

Here is the calcium content of some common foods:
(The RDA is about 1,000 - 1,200 mg./day) source: calciuminfo.com

1 cup of oranges has over 70 mg. of calcium.
1/4 cup of almonds has over 80 mg. of calcium.
1 cup of broccoli or peas has over 90 mg.
1 cup of baked beans has 150 mg.
1 cup of the average trail mix has over 160 mg.
1 cup of spinach has over 200 mg.
Some calcium-enriched products such as orange juice can give you around 300 mg. You can also find a variety of other calcium-enriched items such as soy milk, oatmeal, snacks, and my favorite - Goldfish crackers :) .
1 oz. of cereal can contain 200 - 1,000 mg.
1/2 cup of tofu can have over 250 mg.

Even if you're not concerned about the treatment of animals or the environmental effects, cutting out cow's milk products can save you from unnecessary cholesterol and fat, and prevent a harmful excessive protein intake. There are many tasty alternatives! :)

Veggie Food Pyramid

Following this pyramid will create a healthy, nutritious diet for you. As long as you are getting the recommended servings and getting enough calories for your physical activity level, you will feel great!

You usually eat more than one serving with each portion you eat. Here are some examples of what exactly constitutes a serving:

Whole Grains: 6 - 11 servings
1 slice of bread
1/2 of a bagel
1/2 cup of cooked rice, cereal, or pasta
5 - 6 crackers
1 tortilla
1/2 of a muffin or bun
1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal

Fruits: 2 -4 servings
1 apple, orange, or banana
1/2 of a grapefruit
1/2 cup of chopped, cooked, or canned fruit
1/4 cup dried fruit
3/4 cup of fruit juice

Vegetables: 3 - 5 servings
1 cup of raw, leafy vegetables
1/2 cup of other vegetables, cooked or raw
3/4 cup vegetable juice

Nuts, Seeds, Legumes, and Meat Alternatives: 2 - 3 servings
2 tablespoons of any nut or seed
1/2 cup cooked dry beans or peas
1/4 cup tofu or tempeh
2 tablespoons of peanut butter

Vegetable Oils: 4 - 7 servings
3 - 5 tablespoons of plant oils

Dairy and dairy alternatives: 2 - 3 servings
1 cup of milk or yogurt
1 1/2 - 2 oz. of cheese

Getting all of your daily protein without meat is easier than most people think! I will go into more detail about protein requirements in the next post.

Why become Vegetarian?

Vegetarianism is becoming more and more common. A rough estimate is that approximately 7% of Americans are vegetarians or vegans. There are many reasons people decide to adopt a vegetarian diet.

Some do it to lose weight, as there are many health benefits. Some do it to help the environment. Others, such as myself, do it to prevent animal cruelty and protect animal rights. Some religious people do so out of their interpretation of the Bible.

I will expand on these individually in later posts, but here is a summary:

Health Benefits of a Meatless Diet:

You can meet your protein and calcium requirements but avoid the cholesterol and fat that comes along with meet. The foods are high in fiber and low in fat. You are encouraged to eat more fruits and vegetables, which have a protective quality and prevent free radicals which cause cancer. Many studies show vegetarians have a reduced rate of coronary artery disease, obesity, and hypertension. Of course you must keep your diet balanced. Eating all twinkies and cheesecake is not a healthy diet.

See the next post for the vegetarian food pyramid.

Benefits to the Environment:

It takes a lot of water and grain feed to produce beef, which is very inefficient. One hamburger takes up more water than approximately 40 showers. People are also destroying forests and rainforests in Central and South America to raise beef. It is a weird fact but I read a statistic a couple of times that said livestock flatulence is responsible for 25% of global warming emissions. Meat production also causes an extreme amount of soil erosion.

Animal Rights:

Ever seen a video of modern-day farms and slaughterhouses? I have. The animals are treated very inhumanely and even abused. Most of them don't get to roam large pastures like they used to. They're crammed into spaces so small they can barely move in order to produce bigger quantities at cheaper rates. You can find these on many websites if you think you can handle watching one. Why should animals be bred to suffer through life and killed in painful ways so we can eat greasy, cholesterol-filled meat?

Religious Reasons:

This was a topic I came across on accident. I had no idea this was a reason for vegetarianism. Apparently in the Bible, it says in Genesis 1:29 "…God said, ‘Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be for meat." It never mentions animals for food.

Isaiah: "He that slayeth an ox is as he that killeth a human."

Hindus are commonly vegetarian. They believe what they do to animals will end up happening to them. Buddhism also reflects that belief, of karma, and doesn't think any life should have to endure suffering. Many Islam followers are vegetarians because they can not eat meat that is improperly slaughtered, which is hard to come by.

Buddha: "To become vegetarian is to step into the stream which leads to nirvana."

Why did you become a vegetarian or vegan?