I'm an urban chic woman, who is passionate about art & life. I love adventures and travel. As an artist and a teacher, I care deeply about healthy living, being a conscious steward of our planet, and being kind & respectful towards animals. Learning about a vegan plant-based diet has been like discovering a new country and falling in love with it, so if I sound like I'm enamored you now know why! As a world traveler, I truly wish I had discovered this beautiful new country twenty years ago! Better late than never, as they say, cause there's no going back now!
Born and raised in Scandinavia. Proud owner of a tripod cat & a foxy little pup. Speak four languages...some better than others. Working on the fifth one. We are all either part of the problem or the solution! Health & Happiness to you! ~UrbanVeganChic
A couple of weeks ago I was at a restaurant when I heard a man behind me tell his friends, “My wife is on that Paleo diet.” I thought, “Ugh, when will this madness end?” If you look back in my files, you’ll know that I have written out about the craziness of this diet before and why it’s not a great idea for your overall health nor is it sustainable for our planet. Plus, it’s just not possible to emulate! Today I came across Christina Warinner on TEDxOU. This is a MUST see for anyone interested in the Paleo diet and really want to know about its original source.
From TED Fellows I got the following information about Christina:
Christina Warinner has a Ph.D. in Anthropology from Harvard University. She is a biomolecular archaeologist who uses tissue samples from ancient skeletons and mummies to research how humans have evolved to adapt to changing diets, diseases, and environments over the last 10,000 years. She is currently a Research Associate at the University of Oklahoma and a Research Affiliate at the Centre for Evolutionary Medicine at the University of Zurich where she applies advanced genomics and proteomics methods to the direct investigation of archaeological human remains. She is currently managing a number of projects around the world, dividing her time between laboratory research in Oklahoma and Zurich and fieldwork in the high Himalayas.
Enough said, Christina knows her stuff! Enjoy the next 22 minutes!
This week, I came across a Time Magazine article written about animals and their ability to grieve…or as some would say, perceived ability to grieve. How appropriate, really, since I’m also going through a grieving process due to loosing my mother recently. The article was well formulated and the journalist took both angles, first showing the reader that animals do mourn when another animal dies, but also states what scientists explain for their observed reaction, which could be due to x, y, or z.
One fascinating example was that when a crow dies the other crows will cover up the body with twigs or other items. If one crow finds the body, soon it will call all the other crows, and they will gather around the body, almost holding a vigil for the deceased crow. However, the “scientific explanation” would say that they do this because of the smell of the decaying body. I am not sure I agree with them. Nor do I think that the writer of the article is convinced due to the many other examples of animals who mourn and grieve.
A friend sent me this YouTube video of an unlikely animal couple. A blind horse and his goat companion. It is very touching. I wish the scientific community would watch, learn and be open to more of these types of stories. There’s no question in my mind that animals have feelings and are able to grieve the loss of a loved one whether human or animal. Especially after watching my friends dog after she passed away. The dog mourned for weeks after she was gone, just like a human would. The dog was depressed, lacked appetite for food, would not come out to play, and stayed in bed!
Also, check out Barbara J. King’s new book! It is called “How Animals Grieve”. Here is a YouTube clip, where she talks about animals and their grieving process. I’m personally very interested in reading Barbara’s book this year!
What are your thoughts on this subject? If you have an experience or story, please share in the comments! I would love to hear!
Sometimes events happen in our lives that are beyond our control, that seriously test our strength and character, or that try to take us “down”. I have had a few recently, but this one takes the price, as we would say in Danish!
Two weeks ago, I journeyed back to Denmark to be at my mother’s side. She had gone into Intensive care on a Tuesday, after being found on the floor. Friday I boarded a plane and headed to Denmark. Arriving Saturday (due to the time change) and got to be by her side for two days. The greatest gift was that she knew I was there. She reached out for me after they awoke her, smiled and we hugged! Unfortunately, she never got to speak to me due to the respirator that she was hooked up to. She passed early monday morning at 2:10 am. I got to be there for the last hour, to help guide her to the other side, telling her how loved she is, how thankful I am that she’s been my mother, how much I have loved and appreciated her! Thanking her for giving birth to me. Telling her that it was okay to let go! This picture says it all! (Artist Unknown)
Mom, so thankful I got to be there when you drew your last breath as you were there when I drew my first!
The nursing staff and doctors at the hospital where she was at were so amazing and supportive! I got to stay in the hospital’s small guest/student quarter apartments while I was there. I can’t begin to express how thankful I am to these kind hearted people who helped me through this most heart wrenching time of my life! I know that it is a process of life that we must all go through.
My Sweet Mom
My parents had me late…at 40, so I knew that their day would come, but still it was unexpected! Despite the pain and loss, knowing that my mother doesn’t have to suffer or live in a nursing home, depending on others, this was her worst fear, is of great comfort! She never knew that they found that she had (undetected/diagnosed) lung cancer. Nor did she find out, as far as I know, that my uncle passed away the day after that she had been hospitalized! I dedicate this beautiful song to my mom by James Blunt:
In the coming weeks, I have new scheduled veg interviews and recipes for you all! A new chapter has started in my life! I am still standing with my head raised, willing to smile at strangers and lend a helping hand, despite all of the people, who have been so dear & near to me, who have moved onto heaven! Do me a favor and HUG someone you love…as soon as possible!
I came home today smelling meat cooking on the barbecue from the court yard below and all I could think was, “DON’T eat That! It’s carcinogenic!” Did you know? The fact is that when you grill or cook any type of animal protein at very high temperatures, heterocyclic amines (HCAs), a chemical, are formed! It doesn’t matter if it is chicken, steak, fish, pork…so the next time you put in an order for a grilled chicken sandwich or salad, you might want to think twice! The National Cancer Institute says that these chemicals are known to cause cancer in animals, but they are not sure if they cause cancer in humans. Hello! Well, if you’ve ever heard Dr. Barnard speak about it, he would say that if you send any type of grilled meat to the lab, it will contain HCAs. Imagine those grill lines on a piece of chicken! Yes, they contain HCAs.
In my opinion, if it causes cancer in an animal then the chances that it causes cancer in humans are pretty likely! “They” (the National Cancer Institute) are still out to lunch in regards to whether meat causes cancer and that is a tragedy with the way cancer rates are going up! I don’t know about you, but I personally don’t want to wait twenty years for these folks to bring to the table the research that says, “Yes it absolutely does cause cancer in humans too!” This information is likely to upset a bunch of people who love their grilled meat and associate it with being an American and the fourth of July, but so does getting the diagnosis from your doctor telling you, “Sorry to inform you, but you’ve got cancer!”
Grilled Chicken Contains HCAs
The good news is that if you grill vegetables or a veggie burger that it will be free of these HCAs! Therefore, I urge you to please think twice before you head for that grill! Cancer, as I’m sure you know by now, does not show up overnight…it takes time to grow and is already in each of us! We don’t need to give these nasty cells an all out fiesta on our expense! Again, if you have doubts, read the work of Dr. Barnard or The China Study by Dr. T. Colin Campbell!
On my trip home to Denmark, my talented sister-in-law Mette made this delicious couscous salad for me with baked potatoes to go along. YUM! I was in heaven! I have replicated it once before, after my trip earlier this month. Today, I wanted to celebrate 21 Celsius weather, so this dish seemed absolutely perfect!
First, I cooked up a cup of Bob’s Red Mill Tricolor Pearl Couscous aka Israeli Couscous. Seriously, this only takes 10 minutes to make! Easy peasy! Then I added a whole red bell pepper (sliced & diced), two carrots (finely sliced), and then some sun dried tomatoes. For dressing, I used Annie’s Lite Raspberry Vinaigrette.
After a rather relaxing past weekend of unplugging completely from the world in the company of four sweet dogs (one of them mine) – I was house sitting for a friend, I have been having one of those crazy busy weeks (a couple of 12 hour work days) with little to no time to write, so today I came home to this wonderful uplifting surprise from my friend John Goldfuss in New York City and became inspired to write! You might remember that I wrote a post about his new launch of Tomatina Juice a while back? Well, I came home to a sweet package from John waiting outside my door and inside I found this…
…bottle of John’s wonderful all-natural, premium tomato-vegetable juice! I am going to save it till and savor it on Saturday. This will be my drink after I finish teaching my Food for Life Cancer Project Nutrition and Cooking Class! Tomatina is 100% Vegan, Gluten-Free, and has no GMO‘s! It is such a delicious treat! Best tomato-vegetable juice, in my opinion, that is out there on the market! Also, the juice comes in a glass container, which is big bonus for those of us concerned about cancer prevention!
Way to go, John! YOU ROCK!!! I just know that your product will rock the juice market!
Today on Facebook I came across this incredibly inspiring 98 year old vegan, Dr. Ellsworth Wareham. Thank you to Carrie On Vegan for liking this one, so I could watch this man share his experiences. Dr. Wareham was a famous cardiothoracic surgeon up until the age of…HOLD ON… 95! Can you believe it? That blew me away! What an incredible inspirational voice for a whole foods plant-based vegan diet!
I just returned from the Motherland where I spoke to a group of 50+ women and a few men about the cancer prevention and the benefits of a whole foods plant-based diet. It was my first time speaking to so many people at one time about this issue that is so dear to my heart and that I feel passionate about because I know that it’s the right way to live, eat and thrive! So I thought I’d share some photos from the day I spoke. My sweet cousin Mette is the person behind all of these photos!
Before the talk…
The room we were in was quite nice. There was a woman preparing coffee and baked goods for the audience. I had brought t-shirts and hats from the cancer society here that I had been so generously gifted before this trip!
Survivor T-shirts and hats for the participants
The people arrived…
I received a warm welcome and was introduced by this fantastic woman who teaches exercise classes to the survivors, an important component to cancer prevention and survival!
During the introduction I got to talk about how I got there in the first place. During my last visit, I had run into a cancer survivor named Henning at the library, without that “coincidence” I might not have been there, so I am thankful to the Universe for arranging that nice little meeting!
Also, I’m incredibly grateful to PCRM and for being a Food for Life Instructor! I spoke about what I have learned over the last year or so. Here’s a glimpse of my power point introduction.
Overall I was happy with how it went. I know that the information was thought provoking to those who have never heard this information before, but I was invited back to give a longer lecture the next time I’m in town, so to me that is all that matters! If someone took what I had to share with them home and made just a few changes that would at least be somewhat a step in the right direction, but I am of course crossing my fingers that they will embrace what I had to say and make a total awesome whole foods plant-based vegan switch…because not only is it better for our bodies, but also for the future of our planet! It’s a Win Win situation all the way around!
Here’s Mette and I after the lecture having lunch in a hip cafe. We both had a large salad with hummus and bread!
Cousin Mette & me
What’s next? Hopefully more lectures like this one! I am open and willing to spread the message of the awesome benefits of a whole foods plant-based vegan diet around the world as the opportunities present themselves! My next speaking engagement is in May for the local prostate support group in my city. I’m really looking forward to that one as well! Word for the week is GRATITUDE! Make it a great one!
What have I been up to? I’ve been crazy BUSY lately, but so what’s new? I’m busy a lot! I got my spoon in many pots, so to speak. I thought it was time for an update since I’m about to take off for spring break! I’m flying overseas to speak for the Cancer Society in my home town and to visit my family and catch up with friends. There’s little time left before I leave so I’m trying to get everything done besides working full-time etc etc. Yadda Yadda Yadda…Seriously, you don’t really want to know all that! And now I sound like I’m complaining and as my ardent reader told me when I ran into him on Saturday (besides saying that I’m his muse for healthy eating…Thanks again for that one!), is that he thinks I’m too serious in my posts! That made me laugh, but I guess he’s right! Some of this stuff that I write about is pretty serious stuff, but if you knew me, you’d also know that I can be a goofball and even comical! I love to laugh and have fun too!
Recently, I did a tabling event at a cancer survivors convention. I got to meet many great people at this event and I’m looking forward to further educating them about healthier eating through a whole foods plant-based diet in regards to cancer prevention and get to cook healthy delicious meals for them!
Today, I came across The J-Wro (Jason Wrobel’s show) on YouTube! That “Cruncy Green Salad with Lime Avocado Dressing: Raw Vegan Superfood Recipe that he demonstrates on here looks delish! Subscribe & give the guy a “Thumbs Up”, please! He ROCKS!
Didn’t that just look amazingly yummy? I thought so! I can’t wait to make this salad and dressing. That’s it folks! I’m not writing for another week or so. Please check back then and hopefully I’ll have some overseas Veg stories to tell when I get back and photos too!
Happy Healthy Veggie Easter or whatever you happen to celebrate!
Special Thanks to PCRM (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine) for letting me share this recipe with you that I’ve been absolutely Zippy crazy for since I made it the first time! This has become a weekly dish that I make at my house! (Makes 4 servings)
Ingredients:
1 small onion, thinly sliced (I’ve used a medium onion)
2 large garlic cloves, minced (I like more!)
1/4 cup water or vegetable broth
2 yams or sweet potatoes, cut into bite-size chunks
1 bunch collard greens (~1/2 pound), rinsed and stems removed
1 tablespoon vegetarian Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Thai chili paste (make sure there is no fish in the paste)
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teasooon ground black pepper
2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Start by chopping the onion and garlic cloves.
Chopped Onion & Garlic
Place chopped onion and garlic into the skillet/wok over medium heat and saute until fragrant.
Add yams or sweet potatoes and water/vegetable broth. (I usually just cook it all in vegetable broth).
Sweet potatoes added
Place cover on and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in collards and cover. Keep temperature on medium for 3-4 minutes. Reduce temperature to low.
Add vegetarian Worcestershire sauce and chili paste.
Annie’s Organic Worcestershire sauce & Thai chili paste
Simmer until the collards are soft and the yams or sweet potatoes are soft when pierced with a fork. Add salt and pepper to taste. Squeeze lemon over the mixture and serve. Voila! It’s that easy – this dish takes about 15 minutes to make.
