Week 17 of My Vegan Journey

“Dave, are you 100% vegan?”

People ask me this question almost every day.

I actually am not sure how to answer it. What does it mean? Why are you asking?

I do not eat animals. I do not eat fish. I do not eat birds. I do not eat anything that comes out of an animal’s body such as milk or eggs.

Now, over four months after going vegan, when I see the food I used to eat, it actually makes me sick. Bones sitting on a plate. Wings from an animal that used to fly peacefully, being scarfed down by drunks at a football game. Dead flesh that contains antibiotics. Yogurt made from the milk of a suffering cow, scared and in pain.

Here’s what I have been finding. The health of the food that we eat ultimately determines OUR OWN health. When we eat healthy food, we become healthy. When we don’t, we develop disease. We are made from the food we eat. As it is commonly said, “we are what we eat!”

But am I 100% vegan? I try to be. But in a world where we kill animals and use their by-products for almost everything, it is virtually impossible. The tires that are on our cars contain animal products. The streets are paved with concrete that contains animal products. My 2005 Volvo still has leather seats (selling that car and getting one with cloth seats will help no animal).

Bottom line: I try to personally do the very best that I can.

I feel great. And people tell me that I am looking better every single day!

You? Just do the best you can and do what makes you comfortable.

That’s it!!!

Sending my love to you today. Can you feel it?

Dr. Dave

51 – Finding Time for Exercise / Stress / Food Addiction / More

Slice-Your-Age-PodcastDr. Dave and Yoko do a show today where they answer many listener’s questions. Subjects include finding the time to exercise, food addiction, what to eat late night, stress reduction, how to become a speaker, and more! This is a very cool and informative episode!

YOKO IS BACK FROM JAPAN
Yoko went to Japan to see her most  favorite band, Smap! This band makes her happy Smap is top band and entertainers for past 20+ years in Japan. She saves and plans for flying back to Japan to see this band with her friends. It is a lot of fun from start to finish and it makes her so happy. It all starts with health and happiness. Find  your happy and do more of it! Learn more about Yoko’s beloved Smap: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-19279741.

FINDING TIME TO WORKOUT EACH DAY
Betty from Detroit wants to know how to make myself workout each day. Marsha M. wants to know how to find the time each day to work out because she cannot find it!

Everyone on the planet has the same 24 hours a day. 1 of those hours is only 4% of  your day. Does your health and fitness deserve 4% of your day and life? Think about what you do for one hour’s time. Do you watch television? Is that tv show more important than your health? Can you sit on that exercise bik

Start somewhere! Start with walking just 15 minutes a day on a break or at lunchtime. Start with just 3 days a week. Don’t throw out the whole idea of exercise if you cannot make the time for an hour each day to start. Everyone needs to start somewhere with with working out and getting out of the house and around the block is a start. Maybe you walk while dinner is cooking. Maybe you get home, change out of the those work clothes and go for a walk before transitioning to your home life? Maybe you grab the kids and they walk with you as part of your daily connecting and routine? Find the time on your calendar starting today! Find me 15 minutes today to go for a walk.

WORKING OUT AT THE OFFICE OR AT HOME
Listener Mary Beth wants to know to exercise at her desk during the day. Dr. Dave does many home exercises that can be done at home or work. You can do lunges, squats, pull ups. Dr. Dave has one of those $15 pull up bars in his door. You can do planks which are good for your core. These all can be done in 5 minutes at a time. Get some inexpensive dumbbells and do some arm workouts. If you are mom, your kids love to workout out with you. They can do it with you and count you down doing crunches too! Yoko suggests doing squats while brushing your teeth. Or fold your clothes on the floor and sit and stretch while folding clothes. Dr. Dave loves his standing desk and standing while working. Some people use a big balance ball at their desks instead of a chair to work on their core.  Just find ways to work it in.

FOOD AS DRUG OR ADDICTION
Listener Jane B. wants to know how to deal with a food addiction. Many people use food as a soother for emotional issues. People are using food not to nourish their bodies, but to nourish other parts of them. Many people eat food when they are sad or stressed or bored. Yoko suggests that maybe people are filling holes in their heart with food. Maybe you start with what you are trying to fill with food and get some help with therapy. Why are you eating for non-nourishing reasons?

Now, another thing to consider is that Dr. Dave and Yoko are vegan, plant only eaters now. It takes a whole lot to fill you up on plant only diet. You could eat all the vegetables like crazy and not put on weight. 🙂

HOW DO YOU BECOME A GREAT SPEAKER? WHERE DO YOU BEGIN?
Listener Janetsa R. wants to know how to be a speaker. You have got to start speaking in front of groups. You could join your local toastmasters, which are local groups for people that want to learn how to speak. For more information on Toastmasters International: http://www.toastmasters.org/. You need to figure out your topic(s) and find who would want to listen to you. Speaking is teaching and helping others. What do you have to offer to other people? What is your passion? Then find a small group, find local church group, find club and start talking. Dr. Dave believes in also being well prepared for your topic and outline it and research it. You can practice in the mirror and even record yourself and time yourself how long your talk is. Don’t give up and keep practicing in front of real live people.

WHAT IS THE MOST VALUABLE THING YOU GET FROM BEING HEALTHY?
Listener Charlotte asks what is the most valuable thing you get from being healthy? Dr. Dave says, “Waking up and enjoying each and every day!” Being healthy allows you to enjoy each day being great. “Being healthy brings you happiness,” says Yoko. “When you are healthy you can do anything you want!” says Yoko. How you spend your time or time with your loved ones is greatly affected by your health. Living your life in health and fit and strong is a whole different life than one that is sick and unhealthy and not able to really live your life.

EATING BEFORE BED
Listener Joe wants to know what to have at night for a snack. He needs to eat some food before bed for medication. Dr. Dave and Yoko do not recommend eating just before bed. Can Joe back up the time and not have it right before bed. Could it be 2 hours before bed? When you do eat before bed it should not be fruit or carbs. It should be something like nuts or almond butter or beans.

HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH STRESS?
Listener Doc Doc Webber wants to know what to do about stress. Life has stress and there is no avoiding it. #1 was to cope with stresses of life is meditation! Listen to Dr. Dave and Yoko put you through a quick meditation on this show!

CONNECT WITH ME AND SHARE
“Thank you very much for listening! The show is literally downloaded by thousands and thousands each week now. In fact, we have passed the 150,000 downloads mark! Wow! I so appreciate you listening and sharing this show with your family and friends. I love to help people live a healthier life! It is so great that we have listeners from all over the world from the United States to the UK to Canada to Europe to Japan to Australia. I love hearing from people all over the world on Facebook, Twitter, Email, and our phone hotline too!” says Dr. Dave.

Did you enjoy today’s show? Do you have any questions for me? Do you have any comments or feedback? You are not alone! We want to help you live better, stronger, happier, thinner lives!

—>The epicenter of all goodness:
Website: http://www.sliceyourage.com
Check out the podcasts, special bonuses, recipes, blog posts, and more!

—> Connect with Dr. Dave on Facebook:
Personal http://www.facebook.com/davidmadow.
Slice Your Age :http://www.facebook.com/sliceyourage.

—> Tweet with Dr. Dave on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/davidmadow

—>Connect with Dr. Dave and his professional portfolio on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmadow

—>Watch Dr. Dave in action on his NEW YouTube Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/sliceyourage
See and hear Dr. Dave in action making smoothies and talking to you from his car with his tip of the week.

—> Send Dr. Dave an Email:
sliceyourage@gmail.com

—> Call Dr. Dave on the NEW Phone Voicemail Hotline: 410-429-7190.
Leave us a question or comment. Please speak clearly because we may even use your question on one of our episodes of the show.

—> Share the show with a friend:
Do you have a friend that needs to hear this show and live a better life and slice their age in half? Share this show with them and send them to http://www.sliceyourage.com.

 

 

50 – My Job Sucks / Weight Gain / Juicer vs Blender / More

Slice-Your-Age-PodcastDr. Dave does a show today where he answers many listener’s questions. Subjects include weight gain during the upcoming holidays, what is better – a juicer or blender, someone who absolutely hates their job, looking for a coach and more. This is a very informative episode!
 
WHOLE FOOD PLANT BASED DIET
Dr. Dave and Yoko have decided to go completely meat-free and go vegan. They no longer consume any kind of animal products. When you go to plant based whole foods diet: your health will increase, your energy will increase, your weight will go down, your blood pressure will go down.
 
WE DON’T USE ANIMAL PRODUCTS
We do not even use any skin or body products that contain anything animal related. We do not wear leather shoes or belts. Dr. Dave even gave up his leather wallet!
 
ARE YOU IN A JOB YOU HATE?
Dr. Dave has always said if you are not happy in your job, it will cause you stress, affect your health, and spill over to all over areas of your life.  Try to fix the job you are in. Try and make the best of what you have.  If it cannot be fixed or made better; you need to make a change.
 
NO MONEY OR NO CHOICE TO SWITCH JOBS
You always have a choice. Your health and happiness should be a top priority. What can you do outside of your work hours to prepare for a new direction or new career? Do you need to take classes to get updated or different skills?Have  you started a job search to see what is out there? Do you need to downsize your home and your life to afford a different lifestyle where you will be happy?
 
DREADING UPCOMING HOLIDAYS
Listener Tim is already worrying about the upcoming holidays – Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s. He always gains weight during this season – 5-10-15 pounds every year. What can he do? What can you do?
 
This is a lifestyle. It is not about overeating at parties and celebrations and then dieting and starving. You need to control your portions and make good choices. Start with taking the smaller plate and only making one trip to the buffet table. Concentrate on visiting with the people at these events and don’t make it about the food. You could even eat a healthy meal beforehand.
 
For tips and tricks and how to control holiday eating; Listen to this previous episode Dr. Dave recorded: https://www.davidmadow.com/episode-8/
 
JUICERS OR BLENDERS FOR HEALTHY DRINKS
Listener Mary P, from New York City wants to know what Dr. Dave thinks about juicers and blenders. Dr. Dave loves the NutriBullet for making smoothies with vegan protein powder, fresh fruit, almond milk, and greens. It is quick fast nutritious for a great snack.  Dr. Dave also has recently started juicing and is really enjoying great fruit and veggie drinks that taste great and give great energy.
 
 PERSONAL COACHING FROM DR. DAVE
Amy from the UK is looking for even more from Dr. Dave and wants to know if is doing any personal one-to-one coaching. At this time, Dr. Dave does not have a one-to-one or group coaching program. There are many thoughts and ideas around this, but no programming in place at this time.
 
CONNECT WITH ME AND SHARE
“Thank you so much for listening! The show is literally downloaded by thousands and thousands each week now. In fact, we have passed the 100,000 downloads mark! Wow! I so appreciate you listening and sharing this show with your family and friends. I love to help people live a healthier life! It is so great that we have listeners from all over the world from the United States to the UK to Canada to Europe to Japan to Australia. I love hearing from people all over the world on Facebook, Twitter, Email, and our phone hotline too!” says Dr. Dave.
 
Did you enjoy today’s show? Do you have any questions for me? Do you have any comments or feedback? You are not alone! We want to help you live better, stronger, happier, thinner lives!
 
—>The epicenter of all goodness:
Website: http://www.sliceyourage.com
Check out the podcasts, special bonuses, recipes, blog posts, and more!
 
—> Connect with Dr. Dave on Facebook:
Personal http://www.facebook.com/davidmadow.
Slice Your Age :http://www.facebook.com/sliceyourage.
 
—> Tweet with Dr. Dave on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/davidmadow
 
—>Connect with Dr. Dave and his professional portfolio on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmadow

 
—>Watch Dr. Dave in action on his NEW YouTube Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/sliceyourage
See and hear Dr. Dave in action making smoothies and talking to you from his car with his tip of the week.
 
—> Send Dr. Dave an Email:
sliceyourage@gmail.com
 
—> Call Dr. Dave on the NEW Phone Voicemail Hotline: 410-429-7190.
Leave us a question or comment. Please speak clearly because we may even use your question on one of our episodes of the show.
 
—> Share the show with a friend:
Do you have a friend that needs to hear this show and live a better life and slice their age in half? Share this show with them and send them to http://www.sliceyourage.com.

 

 

The Salesman in Paragon Sports – Slice Your Age Quickie

Slice-Your-Age-PodcastListen to what the salesman at Paragon Sports in Manhattan was saying to Dr. Dave. It will be a learning and inspirational experience for you! Please do not miss it!

How to Meditate

Week 16 of My Vegan Journey 

Hey I just realized I have made it to four months of being vegan. It has actually been very easy. I don’t feel as though I am missing anything at all. The only thing I am not eating is anything that comes from an animal and since I have removed all of that from my diet, I am actually feeling better than I have in my entire life.

Let me please share something that I have been also doing pretty much every day since I went vegan.

It’s called meditation.

meditate

Now don’t let that word scare you. Meditation is simply a way to calm or relax the brain.  We can call it being mindful or being aware.

This is not some mystical weird whacko stuff. There are incredible proven health benefits of meditation.

I will teach you how to meditate in a minute, but first, here are 77 benefits of meditation. I am sure there are many more!

Meditation:

Normalizes to your ideal weight
Harmonizes our endocrine system
Relaxes our nervous system
Produces lasting beneficial changes in brain electrical activity
Helps with infertility
Builds self-confidence.
Increases serotonin level, influences mood and behavior.
Resolve phobias & fears
Helps control own thoughts
Helps with focus & concentration
Increases creativity
Improved learning ability and memory.
Increased feelings of vitality and rejuvenation.
Increased emotional stability.
Improved relationships
Mind ages at slower rate
Easier to remove bad habits
Develops intuition
Increased Productivity
Improved relations at home & at work
Able to see the larger picture in a given situation
Helps ignore petty issues
Increased ability to solve complex problems
Purifies your character
Develops will power
React more quickly and more effectively to a stressful event.
Increases one’s perceptual ability and motor performance
Increased job satisfaction
Increase in the capacity for intimate contact with loved ones
Decrease in potential mental illness
Better, more sociable behavior
Less aggressiveness
Helps in quitting smoking, alcohol addiction
Reduces need and dependency on drugs, pills & pharmaceuticals
Need less sleep to recover from sleep deprivation
Require less time to fall asleep, helps cure insomnia
Increases sense of responsibility
Reduces road rage
Decrease in restless thinking
Decreased tendency to worry
Increases listening skills and empathy
Helps make more accurate judgments
Greater tolerance
Gives composure to act in considered & constructive ways
Grows a stable, more balanced personality
Helps keep things in perspective
Provides peace of mind, happiness
Helps you discover your purpose
Increased compassion
Growing wisdom
Deeper understanding of yourself and others
Brings body, mind, spirit in harmony
Deeper Level of spiritual relaxation
Increased acceptance of oneself
Helps learn forgiveness
Changes attitude toward life
Helps living in the present moment
Increases blood flow and slows the heart rate.
Leads to a deeper level of physical relaxation.
Good for people with high blood pressure.
Reduces anxiety attacks.
Decreases muscle tension
Helps prevent chronic diseases like allergies, arthritis etc.
Reduces pre-menstrual syndrome symptoms.
Helps in post-operative healing.
Enhances the immune system.
Enhances energy, strength and vigor.
Helps with weight loss
Healthier skin
Drop in cholesterol levels, lowers risk of cardiovascular disease.
Improved flow of air to the lungs resulting in easier breathing.
Decreases the aging process.
Prevents, slows or controls pain of chronic diseases
Significant relief from asthma
Increased energy

How do you start?

Meditation is not difficult. If you can make time for ten minutes a day, that will do it. I meditate in the morning and evening. I would recommend that you begin with once a day. Morning is probably best because it’s a great way to start your day.

How to meditate:

Sit down in a comfortable chair, on a bed, on the floor, on a yoga mat… anywhere that is comfortable is fine. The room should be quiet. Soft relaxing music is ok.

Set a timer for ten minutes. I use an app called “Insight Timer” on the iPhone. I love it. I am sure there are plenty apps or just the built in timer on your phone.

Sit with your back straight. Do not lean over or curve your spine. Your shoulders should be back and not slumped forward. Place your hands comfortably on your thighs or on your knees. Relax your fingers. Do not make a fist.

Close your eyes and just breathe in and out very slowly through your nose. Try your best to be aware of your breath. That’s all. If random thoughts come into your mind (they will), just release them.

If you need help being aware of your breathe, you may use a mantra such as “sat” on the inhale and “nam” on the exhale. Or even easier, you can simply say “in” and “out.” Mantras should be said to yourself and not spoken out loud.

When the timer goes off, you are done. Don’t jump right up! Ease yourself gently out of your meditation pose!

Try this every day and I am sure you will begin to see many benefits over time. Do NOT expect immediate results. Meditation is not magic. It is something to be practiced every day.

Namaste.

Dr. Dave

49 – Nutrition / Cancer Prevention / Achieving Optimum Health

Slice-Your-Age-PodcastDr. Dave brings expert guest Sharon McRae on to the show today to talk about how food plays a major role in preventing cancer and other diseases. If you are experiencing ANY health issues at this moment, or are worried about future problems, this is a serious not-to-be-missed episode.

Sharon received her training from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition®. Her education has equipped her with extensive knowledge in holistic nutrition, health coaching, and the importance of preventive care. Drawing on her education and experience, Sharon works with clients to help them make the dietary and lifestyle changes that produce real and lasting results.

In May 2012 Sharon completed additional training to become a Food for Life instructor for PCRM (Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine).  In this role she conducts nutrition and cooking classes designed by physicians and dietitians to teach disease prevention through a plant-based, low fat diet.

SHARON’S JOURNEY TO BE VEGAN
Sharon was always bothered eating animals, even as a child. She eventually was vegetarian. After a series of time in the cancer clinic with family members, Sharon was inspired to no longer eat any animal products. Her whole family was vegetarian at the time of her decision and even they were surprised. Listen to her story on this podcast.

FORKS OVER KNIVES MOVIE
Forks over Knives is a life-changing movie that both Dr. Dave and Sharon have watched and highly recommend.”Two out of every three of us are overweight. Cases of diabetes are exploding, especially amongst our younger population. About half of us are taking at least one prescription drug. Major medical operations have become routine, helping to drive health care costs to astronomical levels. Heart disease, cancer and stroke are the country’s three leading causes of death, even though billions are spent each year to “battle” these very conditions. Millions suffer from a host of other degenerative diseases.Could it be there’s a single solution to all of these problems? A solution so comprehensive, but so straightforward, that it’s mind-boggling that more of us haven’t taken it seriously?

Forks Over Knives examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting our present menu of animal-based and processed foods.” More information: http://www.forksoverknives.com/synopsis/

THE CHINA STUDY BOOK
“In The China Study, Dr. T. Colin Campbell details the connection between nutrition and heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. The report also examines the source of nutritional confusion produced by powerful lobbies, government entities, and opportunistic scientists. The New York Times has recognized the study as the “Grand Prix of epidemiology” and the “most comprehensive large study ever undertaken of the relationship between diet and the risk of developing disease.”
http://www.thechinastudy.com/

UNPROCESSED – VEGAN RECIPE BOOK
When Sharon was transitioning her family from vegetarian to vegan, she really enjoyed the cookbook “Unprocessed” by Chef AJ. “Chef AJ has a unique ability to create healthy foods that taste great. Whether you want to lower your cholesterol, prevent or reverse many common lifestyle diseases, lose weight or just look and feel great, Chef AJ can show you how to incorporate more fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet in ways that are easy, delicious and fun.” More information about this great book: http://www.amazon.com/Unprocessed-achieve-vibrant-health-weight/dp/1456576097

EAT TO LIVE  AND SUPER IMMUNITY BOOKS by DR. FUHRMAN
Sharon was inspired and highly recommends Dr. Fuhrman’s book Eat to Live.

“The more nutrient-dense food you consume, the more you will be satisfied with fewer calories, and the less you will crave fat and high-calorie foods. If you are an adult diabetic, you will likely be insulin-free in no time. If you are on heart medication, your doctor may stop your prescription.”

“Dr. Fuhrman is the father of Nutritarian eating. His health (longevity) equation H = N/C, (healthy life expectancy is proportional to lifetime intake of micronutrient diversity and quantity per calorie) has interested scientists the world over. As an advocate of diets rich in a vast array of plant micronutrients per calorie, his ANDI scoring system (featured in Whole Foods Market), has directed millions of consumers to eat an anti-cancer diet-style.”
Learn more here about Dr. Fuhrman and his books: http://www.drfuhrman.com/ask/default.aspx

MILK ALTERNATIVES
Since Sharon and her family are vegan, they do not drink cow’s milk, So now, Sharon primarily consumes hemp milk and almond milk, You can mix 4 cups of water with 3 tablespoons of hemp seeds in a high power mixer like VitaMix. Sharon also makes almond milk from almond butter.

FOODS TO HELP WITH CANCER PREVENTION
Sharon has researched and studied many foods that have been proven to be preventative against cancer, such as:  Kale, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Bok Choy, Button Mushrooms, Onion, Garlic, Green Tea. You can get more info from http://nutritionfacts.org/about/
 
THINKING ABOUT TRANSITIONING TO VEGAN?
Get support from like minded people. Search your local meetup site to connect with groups that connect and share recipes and advice.
 
sharon-mcrae-guest-dr-dave-podcast-health-fitness-vegan-podcast-itunesCONNECT WITH TODAY’S GUEST SHARON MCRAE
“For more than three decades I have been adopting and applying principles in my own life that I now impart to others as a Health Coach.Prevention and health have therefore been guiding principles of my life.Today, as a 52-year old mother of three, I am happily eating and feeding my family a whole food, plant-based diet. I am enjoying excellent health and abundant energy, and I feel –far younger than my years.” says Sharon.
 
Website: http://eatwell-staywell.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Eat-Well-Stay-Well-LLC/157321120980882
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HealthyVegCoach
 
CONNECT WITH ME AND SHARE
“Thank you so much for listening! The show is literally downloaded by thousands and thousands each week now. In fact, we have passed the 100,000 downloads mark! Wow! I so appreciate you listening and sharing this show with your family and friends. I love to help people live a healthier life! It is so great that we have listeners from all over the world from the United States to the UK to Canada to Europe to Japan to Australia. I love hearing from people all over the world on Facebook, Twitter, Email, and our phone hotline too!” says Dr. Dave.

Did you enjoy today’s show? Do you have any questions for me? Do you have any comments or feedback? You are not alone! We want to help you live better, stronger, happier, thinner lives!

—>The epicenter of all goodness:
Website: http://www.sliceyourage.com
Check out the podcasts, special bonuses, recipes, blog posts, and more!

—> Connect with Dr. Dave on Facebook:
Personal http://www.facebook.com/davidmadow.
Slice Your Age :http://www.facebook.com/sliceyourage.

—> Tweet with Dr. Dave on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/davidmadow
 
—>Connect with Dr. Dave and his professional portfolio on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmadow

 
—>Watch Dr. Dave in action on his NEW YouTube Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/sliceyourage
See and hear Dr. Dave in action making smoothies and talking to you from his car with his tip of the week.

—> Send Dr. Dave an Email:
sliceyourage@gmail.com

—> Call Dr. Dave on the NEW Phone Voicemail Hotline: 410-429-7190.
Leave us a question or comment. Please speak clearly because we may even use your question on one of our episodes of the show.

—> Share the show with a friend:
Do you have a friend that needs to hear this show and live a better life and slice their age in half? Share this show with them and send them to http://www.sliceyourage.com.

 

 

 

48 – Ways to Improve Your Life / Running / In the Car

Slice-Your-Age-PodcastDr. Dave and Yoko recorded this episode in their “car studio” while on the way to the Annapolis Ten Mile Race. It began by talking a bit about the upcoming race, but by the time it ended, they gave you a ton of great health and lifestyle tips as well as MUCH MORE! Learn about morning routines, meditation, race hydration and recovery and more.

10 YEARS AGO YOKO COULDN’T EVEN RUN 1 MILE!
Yoko remembers when she met Dave 10 years ago and she couldn’t even run one mile! They started Yoko from literally the couch to run her first race = the Annapolis 10 mile race! You start one step at a time, one minute at a time, one mile at a time. Just get out that door and get started even walking.

ANYONE FINISHING A RACE IS A TRUE WINNER!
It does not matter how fast your time is! If you finished that race, you are a runner and a winner! Dr. Dave has run year after year. He is not the fastest

MORNING ROUTINE
Every single morning Dr. Dave and Yoko have a morning routine. It may vary during the week or on the weekend or travelling, but they always have a routine. Dr. Dave makes sure he is up 2 hours before he actually has to go anywhere or do anything on a schedule.

One of his morning routines may look like: connecting with his pets (who may or may not have woken him up), meditate, exercise, a nice bath or shower, a cup of tea, a nice healthy breakfast.

MEDITATING IN THE MORNING
While Dr. Dave does daily meditation he focuses on his breathing and says a mantra to keep their mind relaxed. A common yoga mantra that he uses is = when you inhale “SAT” and when you exhale “NAM” and keep repeating.

There is tons of research to prove that people meditate all over the world and they are healthier and live longer! To learn more about meditation, take a look at this article: http://www.yogajournal.com/practice/2223

AVOIDING THE NEWS AND TELEVISION
Dr. Dave and Yoko have stopped watching television, and watching the news reports, and reading the newspaper. There is so much negative energy and stories that can really affect your mind, attitude, and spirit. Take a break from the news for a week or two and see how it changes your day and your life.

HYDRATION FOR LIFE 
You really need to make drinking water a focus of your life until it becomes an unconscious habit! One of our superfans and recent guests Melissa @DigitalGeekGirl fills up a jug of water at the start of the day and drinks from that all day long and drinks it until it is gone. No more counting glasses – just finish the jug no matter what or how! Read this article called 10 Life-Changing Reasons to Drink More Water: http://breakingmuscle.com/health-medicine/10-life-changing-reasons-to-drink-more-water

HYDRATION, ENERGY DRINKS, AND ELECTROLYTE DRINKS FOR RACES
Dr. Dave makes sure that a day or two before the race he really concentrates on drinking water and makes sure he has zero caffeine or alcohol too!

During races he takes Hammer Endurolyte Capsules or gel. Yoko likes the Japanese Pocari Sweat fizzy energy beverage that can be found world-wide.

Note: DURING a race only use what you have been used to using during your training. If you try new and strange things your body is not used to it; this could have bad reactions to your stomach or digestive system!
More info on Hammer Nutrition:
http://www.hammernutrition.com/products/endurolytes.elt.html

More info on Pocari Sweat:
http://www.pocarisweat.com.ph/about.aspx

POST-RACE RECOVERY
Continue to hydrate, still replace your electrolytes. Do not stop moving right away. Keep walking around and cool down. Also, Dr. Dave and Yoko take a nice hot bath and get a massage to get that built up lactic acid out of their systems.

JOIN DR. DAVE AND YOKO IN 2015 AT THE BAY TO BREAKERS RACE!
It starts at the San Francisco Bay and takes you through the city right to the Pacific Ocean. It is an amazing and fun 12K race that Dr. Dave and Yoko have done for years!

Dr. Dave and Yoko challenge you to sign up for this race AND join them! This will be the first official Slice Your Age team meet-up! The 2015 race takes place on Sunday, May 17th, 2015. Once you sign up be sure to tweet or facebook or call the free hotline to let us know!

Check out their live podcast from this year’s race:
https://www.davidmadow.com/35-live-from-bay-to-breakers-12k-race-in-san-francisco/

Also, here is a link to the San Francisco Bay to Breakers race page: http://www.baytobreakers.com/

CONNECT WITH ME AND SHARE
“Thank you so much for listening! The show is literally downloaded by thousands and thousands each week now. In fact, we have passed the 100,000 downloads mark! Wow! I so appreciate you listening and sharing this show with your family and friends. I love to help people live a healthier life! It is so great that we have listeners from all over the world from the United States to the UK to Canada to Europe to Japan to Australia. I love hearing from people all over the world on Facebook, Twitter, Email, and our phone hotline too!” says Dr. Dave.

Did you enjoy today’s show? Do you have any questions for me? Do you have any comments or feedback? You are not alone! We want to help you live better, stronger, happier, thinner lives!

—>The epicenter of all goodness:
Website: http://www.sliceyourage.com 
Check out the podcasts, special bonuses, recipes, blog posts, and more!

—> Connect with Dr. Dave on Facebook:
Personal  http://www.facebook.com/davidmadow.
Slice Your Age :http://www.facebook.com/sliceyourage.

—> Tweet with Dr. Dave on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/davidmadow

—>Watch Dr. Dave in action on his NEW YouTube Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/sliceyourage
See and hear Dr. Dave in action making smoothies and talking to you from his car with his tip of the week.

—> Send Dr. Dave an Email:
sliceyourage@gmail.com

—> Call Dr. Dave on the NEW Phone Voicemail Hotline: 410-429-7190. 
Leave us a question or comment. Please speak clearly because we may even use your question on one of our episodes of the show.

—> Share the show with a friend:
Do you have a friend that needs to hear this show and live a better life and slice their age in half? Share this show with them and send them to http://www.sliceyourage.com.

 

 

 

Week 14 of My Vegan Journey

It’s getting better and better!

I just had my annual physical with the same doc that I have been seeing for ten years. Her name is Dr. Michele Kettles and she is one of the partners at The Cooper Clinic in Dallas, TX.

When I saw Dr. Kettles earlier this week, she told me that my lab results were even better than before (and she has always told me that my numbers were always good).

But they got even better since going vegan!

And my weight was down about four pounds and I was not even trying! I would say that going vegan has gotten me to my absolute ideal weight!

GoVegan

I saw my lab results on Dr. Kettles’ monitor but I do not have them in front of me. As soon as I get my printed results I will share them with you. But suffice it to say that our overall health absolutely correlates to what goes into our bodies. I am just another tiny bit of proof in the big picture that a plant based whole foods diet is a big deal! Food matters.

I would like to take a moment to mention a few of my friends who have been reading my posts and listening to my Slice Your Age podcast who have connected with me and my message. The following people have told me that they have gone vegan or are at least VERY close.

Dr. Lori Cockley
Cheryl Mullins
Linda Burstyn (95%)
Denise Hyde (95%)

This makes me so incredibly proud, I cannot put it into words! And countless others have contacted me to say they are listening to the message very closely and are seriously considering it.

Congratulations to the four of you and to anyone else who is trying.  If you should be on the list above, but for some reason I missed you, please message me.

If I may be of any help in any way, please email me at SliceYourAge@gmail.com or message me on Facebook.

Vegans seem to be some of the kindest people I have ever met. In general, they really care about the environment. There is simply so much positive energy when you are around this group. It’s not about money, materialism, competing with others, etc. It’s about health, caring and compassion. I don’t know about you but these are the type of people that I like to hang with.

One of the most common things I hear from others is that going vegan will be difficult or inconvenient. I beg to differ with those statements. It is easy!

Really easy!

You just need to care. Once you care, the rest is simple.

Someone said to me the other day: “But I NEED my cheese.”

Truth is, you do not NEED your cheese. It is full of bad fats and cholesterol.  If you “NEED” your cheese, you may need your statins as well. And please do not forget about the suffering and death of the innocent animals.

There are some vegan cheeses that rival the taste of any secretion from cows. Believe me, they are delicious!

If animals matter to you and if you believe that we should not impose any unnecessary suffering on them, then you are just about there. You just need to take that next step and not eat them. How may I help?

If you like this, I have a lot more for you. Please be sure to request my free e-report “12 Baby Steps to the Best Shape of Your Life” at http://SliceYourAge.com.

47 – After the Divorce She Ran WHERE?

Slice-Your-Age-PodcastMelissa went running after her divorce. On this episode, we find out where she ended up.  An incredibly inspiring story.

PART #2 WITH GUEST MELISSA:
If you haven’t listened to last week’s show with Melissa and how she was unhappy, fat, drinking milkshakes to soothe the pain, and in a marriage that long needed to be over. She talked about her journey of how she was able to leave that situation finally. She told us how she completely overhauled her life and eating. Today she will talk about her workout program and how she worked off over 80 pounds of fat! Listen to it here:
https://www.davidmadow.com/46-married-fat-and-very-worried/

COMMITMENT TO WORKING OUT 60 MINUTES A DAY
Melissa committed from Day 1 in her new life at her new condo with her kids to make time for herself daily. She knew needed to change her life and her weight and cope with all these changes and stress. “I am an all or nothin’ gal and I knew I need to commit to 60 minutes a day. every. single. day!” says Melissa. She did it. She could only find time in the evenings as a newly single mom of 3 kids. So, she put the 2 younger kids to bed and extended the oldest teen’s bedtime and hit the pavement each night.

RUNNING + WALKING ALTERNATING
Melissa started with running 1 minute and walking 1 minute, repeating and alternating. She did this for 2 weeks for 60 minutes a day. Then she moved up to running 2 minutes, walking 1 minute, alternating. She kept upping the running minutes every 2 weeks until she was running 10 minutes and walking 1 minute alternating. Then she decided to sign up for her first race.

PUSH THAT FAT OUT
Walking doesn’t do it for weight loss and stress loss. Walking the dog with a cup of coffee doesn’t push the fat and stress out of your body. Fat needs to be pushed out of your body. You need to run, skip rope, or rebound on mini or big trampoline. (this was studied by NASA and referenced in the book “Fat Flush” by Ann Louise Gittleman). The slowest run/jog is better than fat loss than the fastest walk. Many people can maintain their weight with walking, however, if you are on a mission for fat loss you need to run!

BENEFITS AND REWARDS OF CHANGE
You need to recognize the benefits of making a change and acknowledge those. You also need to reward yourself for accomplishing your goals in small and big ways. Maybe you get a calendar on your wall and give yourself a smiley face or star on each day you workout. Maybe after 10 workouts, you reward yourself with a nice pedicure. Maybe after 10 pounds, you get a new pair of jeans. Find your incentives and reward your good behavior.
 
SHE SIGNED UP FOR A 5K AND A MARATHON
Once Melissa could run 10 minutes straight, she signed up for TWO races: a 5k and a Marathon. The 5k was in 30 days and the Marathon was in one year. She always wanted to run a marathon and thought THIS is the time. I want to run a marathon before 40 years old! Well, she researched and looked around and the Detroit Motown Marathon was a year away and just days before her 40th birthday.
 
TRAINING FOR THAT MARATHON
Melissa followed one of the Runner’s World marathon training programs and ran when it said run. She also did weight training, rowing, fitness classes, and biking. Here are a variety of Marathon training programs and schedules: http://www.runnersworld.com/training/marathon-training-plans.
 
RUNNING HER FIRST MARATHON
Be sure to tune and and listen to Melissa and Dr. Dave talk through Melissa’s entire first marathon race and what she expected and what she was surprised by. There were many surprises along the way of finishing this journey of her lifelong goal of running her first marathon. She had just ended her year of separation with her husband and they decided to officially end it and divorce a few days before and just a few days after the race was her 40th birthday. “I needed to run this race for me, to close a chapter, and start a new chapter, start my 2nd half of my life, and a new me.” says Melissa.
 
FIGHT FOR YOU – YOU DESERVE IT!
You deserve an hour a day to make yourself a priority. “Choose your sweat. Sweat 60 minutes a day!” says Melissa. Choose what you like to do and that you will do for 60 minutes and work hard enough to sweat it up good. You can bike, rollerblade, run, take a class or switch it up! Find what kind of sweating makes you happy.
 
FIGHT! FIGHT FOR FITNESS, HEALTH, RELATIONSHIPS
“Fight for the relationship you want, Fight for the health you want, Fight for the fitness you want!” Do not give up! says Melissa. Do not suck it up. Do not give in. If you want date night, set it up, plan it, and grab your spouse and go! If you want to take that tennis class, do it! Your family will survive without you for an hour or two a week. Fight for that daily workout time and me time. You will be able to take care of your family and be a better partner if you have had me time and time to sweat. It will serve everyone better.
 
melissa-dawn-lierman-photo-by-karl-raupp-port-stanley-marina-september-18-2012GUEST INFORMATION: You can find Melissa Lierman all across the interweb tweeting, blogging, facebooking, photographing, and instagramming. She was over 200 pounds, size 2xlarge, and has lost loads of weight and baggage. She knows what it takes to take it off with determination, a good attitude, good nutrition, and lots of healthy active fitness.
 
She is Woman 42. Grateful. Kids 15.13.6. DigitalGeekGirl. College Professor. International Speaker. Runner. Marathoner. #MomsRunning Founder. Locavore. Gardener. Baker. Narrative Photographer. GlobeTrotter.
 
You can connect with her all over social media!
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/melissadawnlierman,
FaceBook http://www.facebook.com/digitalgeekgirl,
Twitter @DigitalGeekGirl,
Instagram http://www.instagram.com/digitalgeekgirl.
 
CONNECT WITH ME AND SHARE
“Thank you so much for listening! The show is literally downloaded by thousands and thousands each week now. In fact, we have passed the 100,000 downloads mark! Wow! I so appreciate you listening and sharing this show with your family and friends. I love to help people live a healthier life! It is so great that we have listeners from all over the world from the United States to the UK to Canada to Europe to Japan to Australia. I love hearing from people all over the world on Facebook, Twitter, Email, and our phone hotline too!” says Dr. Dave.
 
Did you enjoy today’s show? Do you have any questions for me? Do you have any comments or feedback? You are not alone! We want to help you live better, stronger, happier, thinner lives!
 
—>The epicenter of all goodness:
Website: http://www.sliceyourage.com 
Check out the podcasts, special bonuses, recipes, blog posts, and more!
 
—> Connect with Dr. Dave on Facebook:
Personal  http://www.facebook.com/davidmadow.
Slice Your Age :http://www.facebook.com/sliceyourage.

—> Tweet with Dr. Dave on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/davidmadow

—>Watch Dr. Dave in action on his NEW YouTube Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/sliceyourage
See and hear Dr. Dave in action making smoothies and talking to you from his car with his tip of the week.

—> Send Dr. Dave an Email:
sliceyourage@gmail.com

—> Call Dr. Dave on the NEW Phone Voicemail Hotline: 410-429-7190. 
Leave us a question or comment. Please speak clearly because we may even use your question on one of our episodes of the show.

—> Share the show with a friend:
Do you have a friend that needs to hear this show and live a better life and slice their age in half? Share this show with them and send them to http://www.sliceyourage.com.

 

 

Are You Ready to Make a Change? Here’s How! – Slice Your Age Quickie

Slice-Your-Age-PodcastYour fifth quickie with Dave! This is a short one where Dr. Dave talks to you about change. If you are sick of the way things have been going and if you are ready for change, this quickie is for you! Dave is direct and to the point on this one! Please do not miss it!

46 – Unhappy, Married, Fat, and Very Worried

Slice-Your-Age-PodcastOn today’s show Dr. Dave’s guest Melissa discusses her marriage, and what it did to her life. This episode contains some incredible lessons. Not for the faint of heart. Please listen carefully!

—> Call Dr. Dave on the NEW Phone Voicemail Hotline: 410-429-7190. <—

If you call into our voicemail hotline and we use your question on our show, you will get an *free* and autographed copy of my book: “Impress your world with your body in 7 days”. Leave us a question or comment. Please speak clearly because we may even use your question on one of our episodes of the show.

MELISSA – MOM OF 3, 39, MARRIED, FAT, AND SAD

You will want to tune into this episode! It is a life changer! There is a lot to learn from her story. Are you overweight? Are you in an unhappy relationship or marriage? Are you staying just for the kids? Listen to how Melissa’s life was dumped upside down one afternoon and her life was launched on path she did not expect. Listen how she turned she went from being over 200 pounds, crying every day, and was not living a happy or healthy life.

OCTOBER 2010  MELISSA’S INDUCED MIDLIFE CRISIS

“In October 2010 I found myself in the middle of an unexpected induced mid-life crisis. To me “midlife crisis” means that you cannot live your life another moment as it is. It must change. Sometimes it is your job, your relationship, or everything!”, says Melissa.

HAVE YOU TRIED EVERYTHING?

Dr. Dave has always said that being an unhappy circumstance will affect your entire life and health. You need to try everything to fix it of course, however, at some point you need to face that things may not change. You need to move forward in your life. You need to get unstuck. Sometimes you may need the assistance of a professional to help mitigate the situation and extraction. People are terrified of change and are more scared of the unknown than what they do know even if it is sad, bad, and horrible.

ONE YEAR TO FIND YOUR WAY BACK and JOY RISING

Melissa gave her husband of 14 years and partner of 17 years one year to find his way back to his family and marriage. Melissa sat there in the Oprah show audience as a live tweeter and blogger for a show called “Joy Rising”. She sat there thinking I am feel peace and calm, but I do not feel joy. “I felt stuck… one foot in the past…. on one foot in this intermediary area… not even one foot in the future.”, says Melissa.

STAYING FOR THE KIDS

I hear from so many people that they are “staying for the kids”.  This is a phrase that Melissa said to herself over and over during those last rough years in her marriage. Then at one point, when it all fell apart, she literally thought to herself, “What am I showing my children? A man that does not love me, does not care for me, does not spend time with me. A mom who is crying and sad. A mom who is not making choices for her food and body?” Melissa needed to leave FOR the kids. Melissa needed to show her kids that she deserved to be treated well and be respected and cared for, and to be a good example for her children. She has made her children so proud in so many ways you will hear on today’s show AND next week’s show. “We love this mom so much better! This mom is happy! This mom is fun! This mom is adventurous!” is what Melissa’s kids have said to her.

EMOTIONAL EATING

Is anyone out there an emotional eater? Do you cope with your pain by eating food to sooth yourself? Melissa was soothing her pain with food day in and day out that last year of marriage. “If you see someone overweight and fat, I say they are in pain. Find their pain and heal that. Then you can find their way back to health.” says Melissa. Melissa replaced her pain soothing and emotional eating with a pair of running shoes. She kept a pair at each door and sometimes went out more than once a day.

NO MATTER WHAT SIZE YOU ARE WEAR CLOTHING THAT FIT

“No matter what your size, wear clothing that fits!” says Melissa. No matter what size you are wear clothing that is nice, clean, and fit you properly. “Women, stop wearing big baggy clothing and huge tops that cover your butts! It makes you look bigger!!!” says Melissa.

FOOD, EXERCISE, AND DETERMINATION

“I attacked the food and exercise category the minute I moved into that condo. I was forced into some big changes and my life was turned upside down. So I took a look at everything and made even more changes that were in my control,” says Melissa.

FOOD

I started fresh with an empty pantry, empty cupboards, and empty fridge and freezer. I took this opportunity  to start fresh. There are only healthy foods in the cupboards and fridge. She had fresh fruits ready to go on the kitchen table, fresh cut veggies in the fridge, and great snacks and meals. There were only healthy food options for her and her kids. 90 days of this new program completely overhauled their health and energy levels. Can you do an entire food make-over in your home? Can you just take a big black garbage bag and throw out all the crap?

HEALTHY JUNK FOOD RULE

“We bake weekly as a family with all fresh healthy ingredients, we give away 1/2 to someone, we eat our portion that night, and they save one item for each school lunch that week.” says Melissa. They still enjoy baking, control the ingredients, and limit the quantity and portion.

FOOD HELPS YOU OR HARMS YOU

“You have a choice to consume food that helps you and nourishes you or takes away from you and harms you!” says Melissa. “Healthy eating is one of the most important things you can do for your life!” says Dr. Dave. You are nourished, energized, more vital, better skin and complexion.

CHEATING ON YOUR DIET

Some people in your life do not like change. “People put a lot of pressure on me to just cheat a little with this here and there. I had to tell those people the only cheating I am doing is to myself. I love you and your cake has nothing to do with that.” says Melissa. This is not a diet to follow until you lose some weight and then go back to crappy eating. This is way to live and  lifestyle!

 COME BACK FOR MORE MELISSA + DR. DAVE

Melissa and Dr. Dave had so much to talk about that Dr. Dave invited her back next week. They talked about the emotional side of making changes, the food and nutrition side of making changes, and next week they will talk about the physical side of making changes. This is another one not to be missed. Tune in!
 
melissa-dawn-lierman-photo-by-karl-raupp-port-stanley-marina-september-18-2012GUEST INFORMATION: You can find Melissa Lierman all across the interweb tweeting, blogging, facebooking, photographing, and instagramming. She was over 200 pounds, size 2xlarge, and has lost loads of weight and baggage. She knows what it takes to take it off with determination, a good attitude, good nutrition, and lots of healthy active fitness.
 
She is Woman 42. Grateful. Kids 15.13.6. DigitalGeekGirl. College Professor. International Speaker. Runner. Marathoner. #MomsRunning Founder. Locavore. Gardener. Baker. Narrative Photographer. GlobeTrotter.
 
You can connect with her all over social media!
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/melissadawnlierman,
FaceBook http://www.facebook.com/digitalgeekgirl,
Twitter @DigitalGeekGirl,
Instagram http://www.instagram.com/digitalgeekgirl.
 
CONNECT WITH ME AND SHARE
“Thank you so much for listening! The show is literally downloaded by thousands and thousands each week now. In fact, we have passed the 100,000 downloads mark last month!!! Wow! I so appreciate you listening and sharing this show with your family and friends. I love to help people live a healthier life! It is so great that we have listeners from all over the world from the United States to the UK to Canada to Europe to Japan to Australia. I love hearing from people all over the world on Facebook, Twitter, Email, and our phone hotline too!” says Dr. Dave.

Did you enjoy today’s show? Do you have any questions for me? Do you have any comments or feedback? You are not alone! We want to help you live better, stronger, happier, thinner lives!

—>The epicenter of all goodness:
Website: http://www.sliceyourage.com 
Check out the podcasts, special bonuses, recipes, blog posts, and more!

—> Connect with Dr. Dave on Facebook:
Personal  http://www.facebook.com/davidmadow.
Slice Your Age :http://www.facebook.com/sliceyourage.

—> Tweet with Dr. Dave on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/davidmadow

—>Watch Dr. Dave in action on his NEW YouTube Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/sliceyourage
See and hear Dr. Dave in action making smoothies and talking to you from his car with his tip of the week.

—> Send Dr. Dave an Email:
sliceyourage@gmail.com

—> Call Dr. Dave on the NEW Phone Voicemail Hotline: 410-429-7190. 
Leave us a question or comment. Please speak clearly because we may even use your question on one of our episodes of the show.

—> Share the show with a friend:
Do you have a friend that needs to hear this show and live a better life and slice their age in half? Share this show with them and send them to http://www.sliceyourage.com.

 

 

Week 12 of My Vegan Journey

I attended a really cool event in NYC yesterday called The Seed. There were great speakers all day long, exhibitors with very cool vegan products and services, over 1000 attendees, and a food court with delicious food! There was a sense of peace and health and concern for the planet. Some of the kindest people that you would ever want to meet were there. I definitely made some new friends and contacts.

I feel a sense of peace throughout my entire body. I am not rushed. I am not hyper. I am calm, cool and collected. Toxins exiting!

pig and dogI feel healthy. I feel younger than I did before. I never realized what a “cleanse” meant. I have heard that term for ages and it means different things to different people. I think being vegan is the permanent cleanse. Nothing bad is going into this body any more.

One of the speakers yesterday, a doctor, stated that vegans have the cleanest guts on the planet. I have been researching, and it seems as though the human digestive system seems not to have been designed for animal products. It is much longer than those found in carnivorous animals, hence the problem with animal protein rotting away in people’s guts who are eating meat, eggs, etc. If you do not believe me, try eliminating all animal products for just one week and tell me what you notice.

I was doing some shopping at the organic food store today. I loaded up on healthy organic produce. Yes, I pay more for organic, but I look at it as my “health insurance.” No Obamacare needed for me!!!

I forgot a few things at my main market so I made a quick stop into Trader Joe’s on my way home. The cashier was spending a bit of time talking to the woman in front of me about some of her favorite restaurants. She was describing all of the steak, salmon, crabs, chicken, etc. that she eats at these restaurants and was rating it all. I was listening with a bit of sadness.

When it was my turn, I smiled and made some pleasant conversation with the cashier. I told her that it sounds like she loves food and eating out. She said yes she does.

Me: Do you love animals?
Cashier: Oh yes, of course I love animals.
Me: Well, maybe it’s not a good idea to eat them if you love them.
Cashier: Honey, I come from Ukraine and everyone eats meat there. As I was growing up, that’s all we ate.
Me: Oh, really? Well things are changing and you really don’t have to eat them now.
Cashier: But I would go hungry if I didn’t.
Me: No you wouldn’t. I am not hungry and I don’t eat animals.
Cashier: But I am from Ukraine.
Me: But you are no longer in Ukraine. You are in the US. And you REALLY do not have to eat animals. As a matter of fact, you would be healthier if you ate a plant based diet.

I could see that there were people behind me, and the man behind me actually was listening pretty intently to our conversation. I did not want to hold up the line. I promised the cashier that we would talk again and asked her to think about what I was saying. I smiled and said goodbye!

45 – Happiness and Other Important Things in Life!

Slice-Your-Age-PodcastOn today’s show Dr. Dave visits an incredibly important topic – HAPPINESS. He goes fairly deep into how to achieve happiness in your life. Several other very important life changing subjects are discussed as well. Please listen very carefully to the entire episode!
 
 FOOD CHOICES
No matter where you are: a party, a cruise, a vacation, a work event – make healthy choices! Do not make exceptions and think you will make it up or fix it up later. There will always be “special occasions” like birthdays, work events, holidays, weekends, dinner with your friends, dinner at your friends. Do not roller coaster on and off “a diet”. This is not a DIET that is temporary. These are lifestyle choices that are permanent! Don’t “cheat” this once! You will only be cheating yourself and your health and it is just not worth it!
 
PEOPLE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE EVENT OR FOOD
Remember when you are on a vacation or cruise or a family event, that the PEOPLE are more important than the event or the food. It is about connecting with the people in your life. Do not focus on the buffet line or the food table. “Life goes really fast and spend time with the people you love,” says Dr. Dave.
 
EATING FOOD WHEN NOT HOME
It is possible to stick to your lifestyle and healthy choices while traveling and when going to events. If there are absolutely not any healthy choices or choices in your lifestyle plan, then don’t eat what they have. You are not going to die without one meal! Eat beforehand if you know and just focus on connecting with the people at the event. Or eat afterwards. Again, you can survive a couple hours without food. It is so much better to just drink some water or tea, and wait to eat healthy than fill up on crap at an event to be polite or because their are no good choices.
 
Dr. Dave and Yoko recently went on a cruise with their family and let the travel agent and cruise know ahead of time they were vegan and they had not a moment’s worry over their food. They had access to fantastic salads and fresh fruit and many other options. This is your life and your body. Do not eat anything out of obligation or eat bad food because that is all that is at the table. No one is going to arrest you for skipping the dessert table on the buffet line!
 
TAKE A LOOK AT THE PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE
Do you need to make some changes? You need people in your lives that are filled with happiness and love. Are you around people in your life filled with negative energy or treat you poorly? If you can make the relationship better, try that first. Talk to them directly about how they are in your life and how it impacts you. You may need to even go to counseling if it is significant person in your life like a partner or spouse.
 
If you have tried everything to make it work and it is not getting better, you need to make a change. It could be a time-out, a separation, even a divorce. This is your life!
 
ARE YOU HAPPY IN YOUR JOB/CAREER?
Do you love what you are doing? You need to change something! If you don’t love what you are doing and your heart, mind, and gut will know even if you are denying it with your mind. This will manifest in your health and could result in disease and digestive problems. I have heard person and after person tell me about their stress and poor health from their careers. I have heard amazing fantastic transformation stories of people changing their entire careers and doing something that makes them happy. Makes them happy to go to work, makes them happy on Mondays and Wednesdays.
 
CHANGE – ACT NOW!
Do not be paralyzed by change. I know it can be scary. I know the familiar can be easier than the unknown. You need to take steps to make change happen now! Don’t set some random future date where you put it off. Take the knowledge and information you have now and have learned from this podcast, and do something now!
 
FORGIVENESS
“Never harbor hatred!” says Dr. Dave. You are causing yourself stress and pain. Negative energy is so harmful! Learn to forgive. You have to let it go. You need to move forward and not get stuck!
 
ARE YOU FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE?
“If  you spend more than you earn, your life will be filled with problems and stress!” says Dr. Dave. If you are making $65,000 a year you should not be spending $70-80,000 and putting things on credit cards or getting loans. You need to be living UNDER your means, not just at what you are making. If you keep spending what you make, life happens to tip you over to debt. If you have a house and car you cannot truly afford, then when you need a home repair or a car repair, you have to put it on a credit card.
 
So many people are making A LOT of money and living outside of and above their means. They are living a lie! You do not need that bigger more expensive house. You need to not have debt, have money in savings, and money in investments for your future and your retirement. Life the life you can truly afford.
 
HAPPINESS AND LOVE
“We all need happiness and love in our lives,” says Dr. Dave. Choose happiness! Make choices focused on happiness. “If you have happiness and love in your lives, good health will follow!”
 
CONNECT WITH ME AND SHARE
“Thank you so much for listening! The show is literally downloaded by thousands and thousands each week now. In fact, we have passed the 100,000 downloads mark last month!!! Wow! I so appreciate you listening and sharing this show with your family and friends. I love to help people live a healthier life! It is so great that we have listeners from all over the world from the United States to the UK to Canada to Europe to Japan to Australia. I love hearing from people all over the world on Facebook, Twitter, Email, and our phone hotline too!” says Dr. Dave.

Did you enjoy today’s show? Do you have any questions for me? Do you have any comments or feedback? You are not alone! We want to help you live better, stronger, happier, thinner lives!

—>The epicenter of all goodness:
Website: http://www.sliceyourage.com 
Check out the podcasts, special bonuses, recipes, blog posts, and more!

—> Connect with Dr. Dave on Facebook:
Personal  http://www.facebook.com/davidmadow.
Slice Your Age :http://www.facebook.com/sliceyourage.

—> Tweet with Dr. Dave on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/davidmadow

—>Watch Dr. Dave in action on his NEW YouTube Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/sliceyourage
See and hear Dr. Dave in action making smoothies and talking to you from his car with his tip of the week.

—> Send Dr. Dave an Email:
sliceyourage@gmail.com

—> Call Dr. Dave on the NEW Phone Voicemail Hotline: 410-429-7190. 
Leave us a question or comment. Please speak clearly because we may even use your question on one of our episodes of the show.

—> Share the show with a friend:
Do you have a friend that needs to hear this show and live a better life and slice their age in half? Share this show with them and send them to http://www.sliceyourage.com.
 
 
 

44 – Superstar Guest Marla Rose – Part 2 – Your Questions

Slice-Your-Age-PodcastOn today’s show we are again honored to have superstar Marla Rose from veganstreet.com for part two. Whether you are a vegan, are aspiring to become one, have a tiny bit of curiosity, or have absolutely no desire, this episode is a VERY important one that could actually be life changing!  You should definitely give it a listen! Marla answers many of your questions!

Dr. Dave Madow asks special guest Marla: “I noticed you are coming up on your 20th anniversary of being a vegan Marla. What are some of the differences or what have you experienced over the past 2 decades?” 

Marla answered: We struggled with getting vegan options even at the local coffeehouse like having soy milk. Now, living in a big city like Chicago definitely made it easier overall than many other places people live. It was a struggle to find places to eat out or even get what you need to cook at home. It is so much easier today and so much more accepted. We are creating change now and more people are open to it and we have more access points and resources at our disposal with the internet to make this happen faster and better than ever.

QUESTION FROM LISTENER MISTY: “What changes happen physically once becoming vegan?”

ANSWER: Marla was vegetarian at age 15 and vegan at age 26, so she did not experience huge physical changes and transformation. Many people see amazing transformations. However, Marla did have really bad psoriasis as a teen. Once she went vegan it went away and never went back. She suspects it was the dairy in her diet as many other people have experienced.

QUESTION FROM CALLER JILL: “How do I  convince 3 teenagers to adapt to a vegan diet?”

ANSWER: Marla would treat a teen like any reasonable adult. She would start with educating them why you think it is a good idea. Dr. Dave recommended maybe having kids connect with the animal side of the picture. There is a strong movie called “Earthlings”. Now neither Marla or Dr. Dave have seen it and it is very disturbing and not for the faint of heart. But maybe the teens would want to see it.  See where they are on the issue and what are their thoughts. Listen to your teens. Dr. Dave says bring your kids to Marla’s VeganMania in Chicago in the fall – details here:  http://chicagoveganmania.com/.

QUESTION FROM CYNTHIA: “I have been vegetarian for 10 years and eat dairy and eggs. Isn’t that enough?”

ANSWER: Marla says that the drive for her veganism vs. vegetarianism is ethics of eating animals and animal products. Eggs and dairy do contribute to a variety of health concerns. You are also ingesting whatever hormones and antibiotics are fed to the animals that produce the milk and eggs. Also, do chickens and cows kept in humane conditions and are treated as disposable commodities. Marla shares some strong information about how these animals are treated and what drives her to be vegan.

QUESTION FROM DR. RICK: “What is the best way to discuss what people will be gaining being vegan?”

ANSWER:  You get all the fruits, all the vegetables, all the grains in wonderful abundance. You also get it completely guilt-free of any harm to animals! Actually many people who are vegans are exposed to far many more vegetables than meat eaters. You will try fruits and vegetables you have never heard of and/or never knew even existed!

QUESTION FROM DR. LAURIE: “I was vegan for short periods of time before like for a month and I ended up very week and tired.”

ANSWER: Marla says that when you initially cut out all the meats and dairy your body needs to adapt and will be detoxing all those chemicals and hormones. Also, many new vegans and old vegans rely heavily on grains, breads, and carbs right away which can slow you down. It is recommended to give it a good 90 day try and see how she feels at the end of 90 days. Also, maybe find a vegan support group that will support you, provide information, and answer your questions as you go along. Also, make a concentrated effort to get your daily required protein in your diet. You will not be able to function efficiently without proper levels of protein.

QUESTION FROM MANY LISTENERS: “Just where do you get your protein in a vegan diet???”

ANSWER:  Listen to the laughter of Marla and Dr. Dave talking about the non-vegans needing fiber in their diets! There are entire rows and aisles at stores devoted to fiber and fiber issues! Nuts, seeds, quinoa, green peas, nuts, nut butters, beans, chickpeas, tempeh, tofu, hemp seeds, chia seeds, and so much more! Here is a great article about great sources of vegan protein: http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.php.

CLOSING WITH MARLA

“Plug into your heart and what you know is right for you, future generations, and the planet.” says Marla.

 

CONNECT WITH ME AND SHARE
“Thank you so much for listening! The show is literally downloaded by thousands and thousands each week now. In fact, we have passed the 100,000 downloads mark last month!!! Wow! I so appreciate you listening and sharing this show with your family and friends. I love to help people live a healthier life!” says Dr. Dave.

Did you enjoy today’s show? Do you have any questions for me? Do you have any comments or feedback? You are not alone! We want to help you live better, stronger, happier, thinner lives!

—>The epicenter of all goodness:
Website: http://www.sliceyourage.com 
Check out the podcasts, special bonuses, recipes, blog posts, and more!

—> Connect with Dr. Dave on Facebook:
Personal  http://www.facebook.com/davidmadow.
Slice Your Age :http://www.facebook.com/sliceyourage.

—> Tweet with Dr. Dave on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/davidmadow

—>Watch Dr. Dave in action on his NEW YouTube Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/sliceyourage
See and hear Dr. Dave in action making smoothies and talking to you from his car with his tip of the week.

—> Send Dr. Dave an Email:
sliceyourage@gmail.com

—> Call Dr. Dave on the NEW Phone Voicemail Hotline: 410-429-7190. 
Leave us a question or comment. Please speak clearly because we may even use your question on one of our episodes of the show.

—> Share the show with a friend:
Do you have a friend that needs to hear this show and live a better life and slice their age in half? Share this show with them and send them to http://www.sliceyourage.com.

 

43 – Superstar Guest Marla Rose Vegan

Slice-Your-Age-PodcastOn today’s show we are honored to have superstar Marla Rose from veganstreet.com. Whether you are a vegan, are aspiring to become one, have a tiny bit of curiosity, or have absolutely no desire, this episode is a VERY important one that could actually be life changing!  You should definitely give it a listen!

Vegetarianism and Veganism has very definite proven health benefits. It also kind, good, and right for the environment, the planet, and the animals.

GUEST MARLA ROSE OF VEGANSTREET.COM
We were thrilled and excited to have 20+ year vegan Marla Rose on the show today! Marla was a vegetarian since age 15 and then in college she got involved activism and feminism and this reinforced her lifestyle choice of vegetarianism. “Every day is profound blessing to be able to experience this and work on a social justice issue, so deep and wide-ranging,” says Marla. Learn more about Marla and veganism at her website: http://www.veganstreet.com.

VEGAN HEALTH BENEFITS
So many people have lost some real significant weight after being a vegan. Additionally, they have found such increased energy levels. Study after study proves people living a better healthier longer life as a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle.

HUMANE FOR ANIMALS
There are so few examples of animals truly being treated humanely that are bound for being a part of someone’s meal. We do not need to eat animals to survive or even live a good life. So many people find their life and lifestyles and their connection to the planet so much better after changing to vegan. It creates such a compassionate view on life inside and out. Listen to Marla’s thoughts on treatment of animals on farms that people will end up consuming.

WHAT IS VEGAN STREET?
“With VeganStreet 2.0, expect unique recipes, eco-and-budget-friendlyDIY home and personal care tips, interviews, reviews, and smart, original, and honest content each and every week. In addition to this, you’ll find stylish Vegan Street message gear and a supportive, welcoming community as we grow. We’re also at work on our first volume of a series of books called The Vegan Street Guides that will make it easier and more rewarding to live a vegan lifestyle, build a community, speak your mind, and leave a positive stamp on the world.” from the VeganStreet website. Check it out! So much fantastic information: http://veganstreet.com/aboutus.html.
 
CHICAGO VEGAN MANIA – SATURDAY OCTOBER 11, 2014
“Chicago VeganMania is a celebration of the dynamic vegan community. We bring together the vegan restaurants and food companies, leaders and entrepreneurs, doctors and chefs, businesses and organizations, singers and dancers, and we put them in one big place to show them all off to the world. You certainly don’t have to be vegan to attend or enjoy Chicago VeganMania. You don’t even have to understand or care why people would adopt a vegan lifestyle. We just want you to have fun. Chicago VeganMania is basically a big friendly party, a festival where you can eat wonderful food, enjoy great music and lively entertainment, and have an opportunity to discover unique vegan products and learn the secrets of vegan chefs. There are even places where you can learn about the whys and hows of veganism is you’re so inclined.” from VeganMania website. This year is their 6th annual festival. Check out more info on their website and if you live in Chicago or are looking for a great reason to visit Chicago here it is!
http://chicagoveganmania.com/about.html
 
GUEST MARLA ROSE WILL BE BACK NEXT WEEK!
Stay tuned for next week when Marla and Dr. Dave answer questions from the hotline, facebook, and twitter about vegetarianism and veganism. It will be a great show with fantastic info. Even if you are a meat eater, everyone could use more veggies and more options in their diets. Maybe even start with the Meatless Monday movement. One day a week “no meat” for you and your family. Learn more about this world-wide international movement called Meatless Monday and get some great new recipes for all meals of the day to try too!
http://www.meatlessmonday.com/
 
CONNECT WITH ME AND SHARE
“Thank you so much for listening! The show is literally downloaded by thousands and thousands each week now. In fact, we have passed the 100,000 downloads mark last month!!! Wow! I so appreciate you listening and sharing this show with your family and friends. I love to help people live a healthier life!” says Dr. Dave.

Did you enjoy today’s show? Do you have any questions for me? Do you have any comments or feedback? You are not alone! We want to help you live better, stronger, happier, thinner lives!

—>The epicenter of all goodness:
Website: http://www.sliceyourage.com 
Check out the podcasts, special bonuses, recipes, blog posts, and more!

—> Connect with Dr. Dave on Facebook:
Personal  http://www.facebook.com/davidmadow.
Slice Your Age :http://www.facebook.com/sliceyourage.

—> Tweet with Dr. Dave on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/davidmadow

—>Watch Dr. Dave in action on his NEW YouTube Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/sliceyourage
See and hear Dr. Dave in action making smoothies and talking to you from his car with his tip of the week.

—> Send Dr. Dave an Email:
sliceyourage@gmail.com

—> Call Dr. Dave on the NEW Phone Voicemail Hotline: 410-429-7190. 
Leave us a question or comment. Please speak clearly because we may even use your question on one of our episodes of the show.

—> Share the show with a friend:
Do you have a friend that needs to hear this show and live a better life and slice their age in half? Share this show with them and send them to http://www.sliceyourage.com.

Another Important Tip – Your Fifth Quickie With Dr Dave – Look at Your Plate

Slice-Your-Age-PodcastYour fifth quickie with Dave! Today Dr. Dave explains what you can learn from what is left over on your plate!

Extremely Important Tip – Your Fourth Quickie With Dr Dave – Workout in the Mornings!

Slice-Your-Age-PodcastYour fourth quickie with Dave! This is a short one where Dr. Dave passes on an important tip about working out. Please do not miss this one!

“Never in my life have I finished a run or a workout and was sorry that I did it. In fact, I was extremely happy that I got in and got it done!” says Dr. Dave. Morning is proven  the absolute best time for a workout. Get your workout done before life gets in the way. Don’t wait for your day to have space or time for a workout. You MAKE time for your workouts. Plan this in your calendar for the week and then plan the rest of your life around those workouts. You are important! Make yourself a priority.

Make it a goal to do the recommended Dr. Dave “Magic 4 Miles”. If you run 4 miles a day your entire life will change. Start where you are and even alternate jogging and walking. Keep at it until you are jogging the whole time. Then go for a goal to get it done in 13-15 minutes average per mile. Wherever you are start there. Strive for progress, not perfect. You will never regret the workout you DID do. You will always regret the workout you did NOT do!. Get out there and do it! I believe in you and know you can do this.

~Dave

 

CRUCIAL Life Advice – Your Third Quickie With Dr Dave – Are You Living Your Best Life?

Slice-Your-Age-PodcastYour third quickie with Dave! This is a quick one where Dr. Dave teaches you some CRUCIAL life advice. Please do not miss this one!

“Live the life you love and don’t be afraid to do things! Do not wait! Go for it! Life moves to fast and we do not know what tomorrow brings!’ says Dr. David Madow. If Dr. Dave had put off things in his life, he would not be happy living the life he is living now. You might be in a dead end relationship or job, but are not doing anything about it. The day to change this is Right Now! Too many of you are putting things off and are afraid of what is on the other side of if  and when that change takes place.

Make it better or make a change. What can you do TODAY to make it better or make a change in your life? Are you living your best life possible and enjoying every single day? Why can’t you take the risk? You can do it! It may not work out and you learn from that and try again in a different way. Don’t stick with things because they are comfortable. Change can be scary and uncomfortable, but this is how you grow and evolve and lead to a life of happiness and authenticity aligned with you are and meant to be.

You get one life to live and make it the best one you possibly can. Do things! Try things! Fail at things! Better to have tried than not tried at all. Stop living in fear of the unknown or in the different or uncomfortable.

~Dave

42 – Questions From Listeners – Lose the Love Handles / Stretching and Driving / More

Slice-Your-Age-PodcastJuly 17, 2014 – Episode 42 – We take listener’s questions in this episode! Glenn asks how he can stretch out during his long driving/commuting times. Joe asks how he can get rid of his “love handles!” Mike, a long time runner, wants to know if he should see a chiropractor! Much more!
 
QUESTION:  What can long distance drivers do when legs get sore and stiff?
Glen, a hiker from Maryland, legs get really sore and stiff from sitting in the car for hours at a time for his job. What can he do about his sore legs without changing his job?
 
ANSWER:
Many people have no choice in their work and have to do a lot of driving for their jobs. First he needs to get out and stretch every hour or two. He needs to get out of the car.
 
First, get out and walk around and get your circulation moving around. It would be great to even do some good old-fashioned jumping jacks.
 
Next, it is great to do some stretching. Hamstring stretches are a great stretch:  http://www.fitsugar.com/5-Easy-Hamstring-Stretches-1983373.
 
Another tip is take a rolling pin are roll out your muscles. Yes, a rolling pin from your kitchen. You can easily take this in the car and is easier to use than a foam roller on the roll. Here is the idea: http://www.rearickstrength.com/2010/12/how-to-use-rolling-pin-for-soft-tissue.html.
 
These are also GREAT things to do if you are sitting at your desks and computers for hours!
 
MINDFULNESS MATTERS
Be mindful when you drive. Do not zone out. Be present in the moment of where you are and where you are going when you drive.  16-20% of all motor vehicle accidents are caused by distracted driving.  60% of people admit to driving while fatigued and an astounding 15% of people have admitted to even falling asleep while driving. Be mindful while driving and when tired, please PULL OVER! Also, due to the body’s circadian rhythms they are less alert between 2:00-4:00am and 2:00pm-4:00pm. Be especially aware during these times and again pull over if you need to – your life and the lives of others are just not worth it.
 
QUESTION: What can you do about love handles?
Joe, a runner who runs 15-20 miles a week, called in wanting to know what he can do about his love handles.
 
ANSWER: FOOD!
The answer is one word = FOOD! If you are truly just eating lean meats, fruits, and vegetables then you will not have love handles. If you are having pie, cake, donuts, beer, and snacks and goodies that goes right to the love handle area – especially for men. “Great job on your running Joe! This comes right smack down to eating my friend!” says Dr. Dave. “Eat your biggest meal in the morning, then less at lunch, and least amount at dinner,” says Yoko.  You really need to get rid of all the artificial foods and sweets. Try to have as much fresh whole foods as possible. You will lose weight and lose those love handles. You can take your measurements and do the “naked test”. Stand in front of a full length mirror naked and look at yourself head to toe and see where it is you want to lose some pounds.
 
JUICING
Dr. Dave and Yoko want to thank Dr. Dave’s brother, Richard Madow, for his Breville juicer. They eat a wonderful healthy breakfast and wanted to take it up a notch. Here are the Breville juicers to check out: http://www.breville.ca/beverages/juicers.html. They also didn’t want a store bought juice without any preservatives. Just today Dave and Yoko had a juice with romaine lettuce, apple, cucumbers, pear, celery, and radishes.
 
There is a guy named Joe who was over 100 pounds overweight who inspired them to get a juicer. His movie and story is very interesting and we encourage you to check him out: http://www.fatsickandnearlydead.com/.
 
QUESTION: Should I use a chiropractor?
Listener and fan Mike called in and just read an article how chiropractors can help runners. Mike would like to know what are some of Dr. Dave and Yoko’s thoughts about chiropractors for people into fitness and exercise.
 
ANSWER:
Getting checked out by a professional massage therapist or chiropractor or doctor can be a great idea. Ask them questions. Ask if they deal with people into physical fitness. Ask them how their treatment plans work. “Chiropractors work on bones and Massage Therapists work on muscles,” says Yoko. These two can be a great combination for your health.
 
CONNECT WITH ME AND SHARE
“Thank you so much for listening! The show is literally downloaded by thousands and thousands each week now. In fact, we have passed the 100,000 downloads mark last month!!! Wow! I so appreciate you listening and sharing this show with your family and friends. I love to help people live a healthier life!” says Dr. Dave.
 
Did you enjoy today’s show? Do you have any questions for me? Do you have any comments or feedback? You are not alone! We want to help you live better, stronger, happier, thinner lives!
 
—>The epicenter of all goodness:
Website: http://www.sliceyourage.com
Check out the podcasts, special bonuses, recipes, blog posts, and more!
 
—> Connect with Dr. Dave on Facebook:
Personal  http://www.facebook.com/davidmadow.
Slice Your Age :http://www.facebook.com/sliceyourage.
 
—> Tweet with Dr. Dave on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/davidmadow
 
—>Watch Dr. Dave in action on his NEW YouTube Channel:
http://www.youtube.com/sliceyourage
See and hear Dr. Dave in action making smoothies and talking to you from his car with his tip of the week.
 
—> Send Dr. Dave an Email:
sliceyourage@gmail.com
 
—> Call Dr. Dave on the NEW Phone Voicemail Hotline: 410-429-7190. 
Leave us a question or comment. Please speak clearly because we may even use your question on one of our episodes of the show.
 
—> Share the show with a friend:
Do you have a friend that needs to hear this show and live a better life and slice their age in half? Share this show with them and send them to http://www.sliceyourage.com.
 
 

Leaf – Not Beef – the Truth About My Vegan Journey

Yep, you read that right. I have some fresh news to debut: I’m vegan, and have been so for a little while now. That means I don’t consume anything that is made from or came out of an animal. I don’t eat animals and I don’t wear or use any of their products. And I wouldn’t go to a circus, rodeo, or participate in any other activity that uses animals for “our” entertainment. Sound restrictive? Self-righteous? A little over-the-top, maybe?

Well, let me ask you this: what’s your favorite food in the whole wide world? Pizza? Mac and cheese? A big juicy burger? What if I told you that there are options that feel, look and taste better, that are easy to prepare and make you just as full, that also happen to be 100% free of animals products?

Would you take a bite?

Of course you would, because good food tastes good, and meatless doesn’t mean tasteless!

Lots of Americans – perhaps you included – believe that going vegan is an inconvenience at best and downright impossible at worst, given the presupposed nature of food provided at parties, restaurants and social gatherings. And then there’s the hanging question of “where do you get your protein?”

Going vegan is vastly easier and less inconveniencing than you think, and the health benefits are enormous and surprising. I’ve been a religious, non-cheating vegan for almost two months at the time of my writing this. Before that, I had only been a regular vegetarian (no meat, but dairy and fish were allowable) for many months. As a fledgling vegan, these breakthroughs are already occurring:

  • People whom I have haven’t seen in a few months consistently comment on how my appearance has improved. Note I said months, not years. These compliments are unconnected and happen at random times when I just happen to catch up with a friend. Oftentimes, the people that notice aren’t quite able to put a finger on how I’ve freshened up. Apparently, I just look healthier, more vigorous… just better. (I’m not trying to brag, I swear!)
  • My energy levels are explosive and my own stamina surprises me. I don’t feel like I have to “dig deep” to motivate myself to work out or work late. Effort and alertness come naturally.
  • I’m losing weight without even trying. I’ve always been a pretty healthy eater, avoiding soft drinks and processed foods, but my dietary upgrade has made me physically leaner.

Now, reread these three points and pretend you heard them during an advertisement for a prescription drug or workout regimen. Would you think about getting onboard with it? Some food for thought…

Though I’m a vegan for ethical as well as for health reasons, it doesn’t feel like a disrupting boycott. It’s not a daily battle to stay vegan, and I’m not struggling to suppress the temptation of milk, cheese, or even the exalted bacon. (Gasp!)

veganfood

I personally think that meat’s taste isn’t necessarily bad or disgusting. The way our food industry treats animals, however, is both of these. My “last straw” moment before I made the transition to veganism was knowledge. Look up the documentary “Forks over Knives” on YouTube or Google Gary Yourofsky – a passionate, well-spoken activist on the subject. Go to VeganStreet.com. The institutionalized torture of animals that we not only turn a blind eye to, but endorse with every trip to the grocery store, is eye-opening. But I don’t want to go on a tirade against Foster Farms nor do I want to try to make a point grounded in outrage or conflict. I simply ask that you understand all of the evidence and be an active player and connoisseur of information when it comes to your own life choices.

Want to learn some of my favorite go-to vegan dishes, and how to make going vegan a simple, natural transition? Look out for “leaf not beef: part 2” coming soon! And if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to drop a comment in the comment section.

All the best,

David

P.S. Please make sure to listen to the “Slice Your Age” podcast. CLICK HERE to listen. Subscribe on iTunes by clicking on the right sidebar!