Ordinary Vegan Podcast

The amount of faux meats and processed vegan-friendly products has exploded in the past two years. Subsequently, if you are a full-time or part-time vegan who regularly consumes processed vegan foods, these foods can be as unhealthy as animal products. Bottom line, vegan lifestyles aren’t always healthier if you don’t fill your plate with a balance of whole vegan foods. In today’s podcast, I discuss the 10 ten vegan foods you should include in your diet every day. So even if you are already on a vegan diet, sometimes you need to get back to the basics and eat well-planned vegan foods to make sure you don’t miss out on essential nutrients. Once you get the hang of it, it becomes second nature. In brief, no matter where you are on your vegan journey, eating a whole-food, plant-based diet centered on whole, unrefined vegan foods, will drastically improve your health and you will feel better than you have ever felt. I also hope you join us on the 21-day Healthy Vegan Eating Challenge. You can download my Daily Nu

When I saw that September was National Suicide month, a month devoted to inform and engage the general public about suicide prevention, I finally got the courage to do a podcast about this subject.  Suicide is a national health crisis and a serious medical condition like cancer or heart disease, and there should be no stigma attached to suicidal thoughts. Anyone could be struggling and what I hope to accomplish in this podcast is how to recognize the signs and what you can do to help.  If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts yourself, there are immediate confidential options to help you cope and are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Just call 1-800-273-8255 in the United States. Or text HOME to 741741.  You can also seek out a mental health professional at Mental Health America.  There are also over 30 countries known to have national suicide prevention services and strategies.  Thanks for joining me today. Suicide is a difficult conversation to initiate, but with better education and understa

Do you often feel the pain of others? Do you feel drained after being around certain people for too long? Do you find yourself caring for or taking care of others more than yourself sometimes? Do you feel feelings deeper, harder, and longer than others. Are you sensitive to smells, crowds or excessive talking. Do you have a strong connection to nature or the animal kingdom? If so, you may be an empath. The trademark of an empath is that they feel and absorb other people's emotions and/or physical symptoms because of their high sensitivities. Empaths are often targeted by emotional vampires due to the strength of the empath's emotions and vibrant energy. So being an empath can be exhausting, especially if you don't understand this characteristic of yourself, and don't know how to protect yourself. In today's podcast, we will explore the traits of an empath with Dr. Judith Orloff, the leading voice in the field of empaths, psychiatry, and intuitive development. Dr. Orloff is the author of the best selling Book

Cooking with plants is a lifestyle that can be enjoyed full or part-time. Even adding two or three plant-based meals to your diet every week can have significant health benefits. A recent study published in the Journal of The American Heart Association revealed that swapping one or two servings of animal protein for plant protein could lead to a reduction in three main cholesterol markers for cardiovascular disease.  Another study suggests that eating only one cup of leafy greens a day could slow the rate of memory decline in older adults.  Today's podcast is devoted to getting back to the basics of cooking with plants. It doesn't have to be complicated. The methods of cooking that we discuss today provide maximum nutrition and satiate without a lot of time or energy. The kind of nutrition that makes you want to run up a mountain and not take a nap. So please join me today and learn how to create delicious nutritious one-pot meals and easy steps to building a vegan burger.  You can find today's recipes, One P

Health and wellness are not merely about diet and exercise, but also about limiting our exposure to toxic chemicals. For the past two decades, toxic chemicals have been added to everything from make-up, household cleaning supplies, clothing, pots, pans, building materials, mattresses, and even perfume. And scientific studies are now showing us that chemicals found in a wide array of household goods are more toxic than we thought. Today's podcast is devoted to unveiling the most common toxic chemicals that could unknowingly be harming your health and how to avoid them. We will also discuss chemical toxicants that can induce autoimmune disease and the potential for environmental substances to worsen an autoimmune condition. Toxic Chemicals cited: Phthalates Perchloroethylene (PERC) Triclosan Asbestos Book cited: Sick: A Memoir by Porochista Khakpour If you found this podcast information helpful today, please share on social media and consider writing a review on iTunes. The more reviews we receive, the more vis

"The Starch Solution is a diet based on starch. Yes, let me say that again, it is a diet based on starch"                              --Dr. John McDougall “Dr. John McDougall is the dean of medical practitioners in nutrition-centered medicine- because of his incredible accomplishments, knowledge, and courage to stand up for what he believes. Thousands of his patients know him as an icon. When you read this book, you will too.” — T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D., coauthor of The China Study These days, you mainly hear people recommending reducing carbs, particularly starchy carbohydrates. But Dr. John McDougall has experienced tremendous success with his chronically ill patients by emphasizing a vegan starch based diet. If you have never heard of Dr. John McDougall, he has been a pioneer in the plant-based wellness world for many years. As far back as the 1970s, Dr. McDougall began developing the starch based diet. It all began when he was practicing medicine on a sugar plantation in Hawaii. He observed the declining

For those of you who are new to eating vegan, shopping for food can be daunting. Today we take a look at what staples go into a vegan refrigerator, and we prepare a very versatile, rich, savory, creamy vegan white sauce. It is the perfect replacement for a traditional cream-based sauce and has many uses. Filling your refrigerator with healthy, whole plant-based food makes cooking delicious vegan dishes a pleasure and not a chore. And planning ahead not only saves time and money, but it also allows a lot of flexibility and variation in your weekly meals. In This Podcast We Learn: How To Maximize Flavors with Cooking Methods The Benefits of Batch Cooking Which Foods Belong In The Refrigerator - Which Don't How To Make a Fruit Paste As a Healthy Alternative to Refined Sugar Must-Have Vegan Condiments How To Prepare a Creamy Vegan White Sauce You can find the creamy vegan white sauce recipe and fruit paste recipe at Ordinary Vegan.  If you found this podcast information helpful today, please share on social med

The documentary film, Eating Animals, begins with a simple question: where does our meat, eggs, and dairy come from? It then takes us on a eye-opening journey of today’s industrial animal agriculture. Eating Animals, is a enlightening movie about the environmental, economic and public health consequences of factory farming in America. It is slated to hit theaters across the country this month.  The film is produced and narrated by actress Natalie Portman, based on the best selling book by Jonathan Safran Foer and directed by Christopher Dillon Quinn. It received high praises from film festivals across the country including a standing ovation at the 2017 Telluride Film Festival. Director Christopher Dillon Quinn tells the story of factory farming through intimate narratives of farmers, breeders, and activists dedicated to bringing their trade and the way we eat back to its roots. In today’s podcast, we discuss the making of Eating Animals and the state of industrial farming in America with the director Christo

Can what you eat determine how long and how well you will live? Today we discuss fasting, aging and longevity with Dr. Valter Longo who has devoted his life to answering that very question. Dr. Longo is one of the world's leading scientific authorities on the subject of longevity and fasting. He is an Italian-American cell biologist who is the director of USC's Longevity Institute. He also has a best-selling book called The Longevity Diet which features the 5-Day Fasting-Mimicking Diet. Don't be fooled by the name 5-Day Fasting Mimicking Diet because Dr. Longo's approach is fasting with food and having all the health benefits of fasting without the hunger. So let's meet Dr. Valter Longo and discuss how we can protect ourselves from aging and chronic disease with the 5-Day Fasting Mimicking Diet. THE LONGEVITY DIET - Featuring the 5-Day Fasting-Mimicking Diet https://amzn.to/2J20pNJ DR. VALTER LONGO, PhD https://valterlongo.com/ https://prolonfmd.com/ http://twitter.com/prolonfmd https://www.facebook.com/prof

What if I was to tell you that the best home remedies for chronic disease come from Mother Nature and may be sitting in your refrigerator right now?   Though plant-based herbs and foods have been used for hundreds of years to heal, scientists are finally starting to substantiate plant’s abilities to reduce blood pressure, improve skin problems, fight coronary disease, improve symptoms of vertigo, enhance athletic performance and even help with hearing loss.  Find out the foods that have these healing properties and how to include them in your everyday diet. It is easier than you think.  More medicinal foods and their cures can be found here in podcast #14 - Ordinary Foods with Extraordinary Benefits. Hope you enjoy Mother’s Nature’s healthy alternative to conventional medicine. Today’s flavor-packed, hearty, gluten-free, vegan burger recipe made with beets, quinoa, and black beans can be found here.  As discussed in today’s podcast, many people in the wellness world are turning to cannabidiol, commonly referr

Most of my podcasts are centered around nutrition and the value of a plant-based diet to help you live a long, healthy life, but today I want to get back to the basics.  When you first begin experimenting with a plant-based diet, it can be confusing. What are the essentials to buy? How do I  properly cook those essentials? And what foods are needed to keep your family healthy and energized? Those topics are also helpful for anyone who has been practicing a vegan diet for some years because slowing down and re-evaluating how we do things can improve our approach to a plant-based lifestyle. In today’s podcast, we learn what vegan essentials we need to stock and techniques to properly cook those essentials.   We also explore cooking with fresh and dried herbs. Herbs add flavor and brightness to any meal but maximizing that flavor is something that most of us have never been taught. In this podcast, we will learn the difference between delicate and hardy herbs and how to store, prepare, and cook with those herbs.

With the sharp rise in dementia and other brain disorders, it is vital to do everything we can to prevent brain disease. In this week's podcast, we learn brain disease symptoms and how to grow healthy brain cells for extra protection. Many people understand the importance of having a healthy body, but many overlook the value of brain health. The human brain is an exceptional and complex mechanism, and we need to treat it with the utmost respect. Brain scientists in recent years have discovered a number of surprising ways our brain affects our overall health. Some scientists even believe we have the ability to grow healthy neurons. Today, we explore all the possibilities of cranial fitness to help you live a long, healthy, cognitive life. We also go into Ordinary Vegan’s kitchen and make a recipe to keep your brain free of toxins. Thanks so much for listening and for being part of our healthy community. If you have a chance, please leave a rating and review on iTunes and please subscribe. iTunes works in myst

Researchers have found that adopting a vegan diet for diabetes has the potential to prevent and even reverse Type 2 diabetes. A healthy plant-based diet could also help improve symptoms for anyone suffering from the many types of this disease. And one of the best ways to manage diabetes is to learn as much as you can about your condition. Diabetes is now a disease that affects 371 million people worldwide, and 187 million of them do not even know they have the disease, according to the International Diabetes Foundation. People who have diabetes can have numerous challenges. Including not knowing what to eat and conflicting nutrition information. If you don't have diabetes, please note that the US National Library of Medicines predicts that the prevalence of diabetes will increase by 54% between 2015 and 2030, so many people are at risk. It is never too early to protect your body from becoming pre-diabetic. Symptoms of pre-diabetes are easy to miss. This stage is referred to as the "grey area." Without drastic

Americans alone, increased their seafood consumption to 15.5 pounds of fish and shellfish per person in 2015. Up nearly a pound from the previous year, making it the biggest leap in seafood consumption in 20 years. Overfishing has been created by advanced fishing technology and an increased demand for fish. This has caused several marine species to become extinct or endangered.  The seafood business is also valued at billions of dollars, and when that much money is at stake, people can become very greedy.  Fishing vessels as big as cruise ships troll the waters and have the ability to fish four times more fish than ever before. Some scientists are predicting that seafood will eventually run out because of the global loss of seafood species.  In todays podcast, we break down how overfishing impacts human lives, and why it is everyone’s problem.  We also discuss fish toxicity and which high mercury fish to avoid.  Last but not least, is fish a healthy food to consume? Thanks for joining us today. Please subscri

Menopause is a natural period in the life of every woman.  On average, menopause starts after 45 years. It is defined as the point in time when menstrual cycles permanently cease due to the natural depletion of ovarian cells from aging. Many women experience physical and emotional symptoms during menopause, caused by hormonal imbalance.  Today we learn the common symptoms of menopause and key foods to help and even eliminate menopausal symptoms.  The earlier you make sure these foods are staples in your menopause and perimenopause diet, the more manageable menopause and the years beyond will be. Ordinary Vegan also shares one of her favorite plant-based recipes to help manage menopause.  Thanks for joining us today. I am deeply passionate about providing all the information you need to live a long and healthy life. If you enjoyed today’s podcast, please subscribe in iTunes, and if you get a minute, please write a review.  You can find all my recipes and podcasts on Ordinaryvegan.net.  Just getting started on

Flu season is on track to be the worst in nearly a decade. The CDC (Centers For Disease Control & Prevention) has reported that there have been over 56,000 flu-related deaths, 710,000 people hospitalized and 16 million who sought care from a clinician or hospital so far this season.  Many doctors and researchers are scratching their heads about why there are so many viruses and trying to combat the flu involves a fair amount of guesswork.  On today's podcast, we discuss a common food additive called trehalose that has been making headlines because of some recent scientific evidence. What scientists found out is that pathogens like a virus, bacteria or fungus in our body, can be boosted by this additive and might be driving the rise of one of the most aggressive superbugs.  We also discuss the best food to consume during flu season and to fight infections anytime of the year.  Ordinary Vegan also shares her soup recipe that can help combat the flu, common cold and infections.  Join our vibrant, supportive

Many people in the wellness world are turning to cannabidiol, commonly referred to as CBD, for its powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-anxiety effects. But as its popularity grows so doesn’t the confusion and misconceptions about this plant-based oil.  About a year ago I decided to take a long hard look at CBD oil and its health benefits. I must admit in the beginning I was skeptical because I didn’t see enough sound scientific proof.  Well, a lot has changed in a year, and there are now many more studies and compelling personal stories about the health benefits of CBD. In today’s podcast, we break down what exactly is cannabidiol is, the health claims and the vast difference between the hemp plant and the marijuana plant.  You will learn how cannabidiol  (CBD) works in the human body and the surprising ways it affects the human anatomy.  We will also discuss many of the studies linking CBD oil as a potential treatment for epilepsy, inflammation, neuropathic pain, migraines and anxiety disorders like panic di

They say the secret to happiness is helping others. If that is true, Dr. Michael Greger must be one of the happiest men in the world. The great lengths that he goes to help people understand the connection between nutrition and chronic disease is unrivaled. If you are not familiar with Dr. Michael Greger, here is some background. A graduate of Cornell and Tufts University School of Medicine, Dr. Greger has been published in a vast amount of scientific journals, testified before Congress and lectures at countless symposiums. He was even an expert witness in the infamous Oprah Winfrey meat defamation lawsuit. In his downtime, he can be found constructing policy initiatives as Director of Public Health and Animal Agriculture for the Humane Society.  He also wrote a best selling book called “How Not To Die” which explains why the top 15 causes of death in the USA can be treated, prevented and even reversed with plant-based nutrition.  He also runs the popular website NutritionFacts.org, a nonprofit, science-based

Confused about carbohydrates? Well you are not alone and learning what good carbohydrates are is the key to a successful healthy diet. To understand why carbs often get a bad rap, first, we need to be aware of the different types of carbohydrates.   Why is this important? Because carbohydrates are our body’s primary source of energy. If you eat healthy carbs, as part of a balanced diet that includes protein and fat, your body will function the way it should.  If you consume unhealthy carbohydrates, you can develop serious health issues including diabetes, auto-immune disease, and obesity. In today’s podcast, we break it down. Learn which foods are good carbohydrates and how they contribute to weight loss, normal blood sugar and energy. We will also learn where all the bad carbohydrates are hidden and which foods to avoid. If you found this podcast information helpful today, please share on social media and consider writing a review in iTunes. The more reviews we receive, the more visibility and higher ranking

Nathan Runkle is an American animal rights advocate. At the ripe old age of fifteen he founded Mercy For Animals.  Reared on a farm in rural Ohio, Nathan has a deep connection with farmed animals. His advocacy and his organization is responsible for sparing 22 million animals from cages and mutilation, thanks to corporate policy victories. His organization is also responsible for freeing 31 million animals from cages annually, thanks to new laws promoted by Mercy For Animals.  Nathan believes that a world in which all animals are treated with kindness and compassion is coming into view.  Today, we listen to this man’s inspiring story and get his opinion on everything from lab-grown meat to how we can all help animals from inhumane treatment.   Nathan just released a new book called “Mercy For Animals: One Man’s Quest To Inspire Compassion and Improve the Lives of Farm Animals.” You can purchase Nathan's book here on Amazon. If you found this podcast information helpful today, please share on social media and