The Vegan Consultant

Most experts and health organizations have documented the benefits of living a pure vegetarian lifestyle or vegan including permanent decrease in obesity, blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar, as well as the decrease of risk for heart diseases and some forms of cancer such as lungs and colon. Also, arthritis, rheumatism, allergies and asthma also reacts with vegan nutrition that means no meat, fish, poultry, dairy and eggs. A vegan lifestyle also advocates non-smoking and non-alcoholic practices.

All the important organic nutrients that are needed by humans such as amino acids, vitamins and minerals are produced by plants and micro living things. Animal products contain these nutrients too, but since most animals have also the same nutrient requirements of animals, we get the nutrients second-handed. The unique components of animal foods are really saturated fats and cholesterol which cannot be found in plants.

In switching to a vegan lifestyle, the food transformation is easy since it’s often much easier to prepare vegetables than the usual recipes we are used to. A vegan diet is very easy. You could eat only vegetables, whole grains, nuts and fruits and still meet all the body requirements for essential nutrients. However, for those people who like to cook, there are countless recipes in different books and thousand of vegan recipes available online for the cost of a small subscription fee or for free.

Most vegans are referred to some clinics for serum cholesterol reduction or for treatment of obesity. The reasons are direct: a vegan diet contains no significant amount of cholesterol and very low amount of saturated fat.

As for losing extra pounds, the vegan diet does not contain refined sugar and harmful oil. The average food recommendations are focused on fresh vegetables preferably green leafy ones, and raw in whatever you like, with calorie requirements filled by grains such as rice.

There are no limitations in the amount of food you can eat, and most experts encourage vegans to eat as much as you want as long as the foods are not refined and generally vegan. It is not important to measure the food servings. Our body has three sense mechanisms that can work on this. First, your stomach has the sense receptors that will send impulses to our brain when the stomach has reached the capacity. Second, our body can direct us to eat until we have enough energy to run our metabolism. Lastly, there are complex biochemical processes that can detect the amount of minerals, vitamins, or other nutrients.

You will not have to make big renovation to your kitchen just to suffice your new lifestyle. In reality, there are ways that will favor the whole maintenance of your kitchen. Your kitchen can be very simple because you will only need tools and utensils that will help you in preparation of vegan meals. Usually, vegan meals are very fast, easy and cheap to prepare, once you make some investments. You should purchase a rice cooker, steamer, popper and microwave oven.

The most important kitchen tools that you need so that you can prepare your vegan meals are the following:

1. baking utensils,

2. chopping dish

3. colander

4. grate

5. pots

6. pans

7. soup ladles

8. jars

9. lids

10. measuring cups

11. bread knife

12. paring knife

13. cooking spoons

14. chopping knife

15. bowl

16. muffin tins

Some people think that a raw vegan lifestyle is quite expensive. Well, it doesn’t have to be if you just know how to plan your diet creatively and practically. In starting a raw vegan lifestyle, it may seem expensive, but as time goes by, you will realize that it’s not. Just keep the following pointers in mind:

1. If you are a budding raw vegan, you are probably going to try a number of recipes and normally all of the ingredients are not available at your arms reach. This situation could lead to a frequent trip to grocery stores as you fill up your pantry. Once you have a large stock with the needed herbs, seasonings and main ingredients than you can just buy them as the need arises.

2. There is also a great possibility that you find yourself preparing all varieties of foods to make enough sample for your friends so that they will be able to understand and support your way of living, or perhaps just trying to impress them, or even motivate them to try the vegan lifestyle. This is just normal, but you should always remember that the preparations, recipe books, regular parties can increase in your financial bills of going a vegan lifestyle.

3. Vegan foods can be expensive such as goji berries, acai berries, green powders, cacao etc. Most people do not find them important at all. Most vegans can always maintain their prepared diet plans without purchasing these so called “super foods.” It all depends on your food preference at that time of the day. As an example, if you find that it has been a couple of months without a variety in your diet, you can add some variety to make sure you are getting a rounded diet.

Or if you are travelling, you can always take a green powder to add in water or a glass of juice so that you can still get your green food. Just always remember that in general, if you would take a high amount of super foods, they can always add up the cost of your vegan lifestyle.

4. The raw vegan lifestyle is also synonymous to cutting out trips to restaurants in a regular basis. This can always save you money. The vegan lifestyle can cost you a few dollars in the beginning and some price add-ons. However, you should remember that there is probably no need to buy such things over and over again if you find items of high quality. For a little imagination, you can let your loved ones know that you want things that you can help you maintain a vegan lifestyle for presents during your birthday, holidays, or anniversaries.

5. Take note of the things that you don’t need to buy, which can always save you money. If red meat is expensive, then vitamin supplements are far more expensive but most of them are not a necessity for our bodies. Like some processed and packaged foods that are expensive. Also medications are expensive and being sick and paying hospital bills are also expensive.

If you are also sick, you will not be able to go to work and you cannot pay your bills and you cannot do your usual daily activities such as tending to your child’s needs.