October is the vegan mofo (month of food). From my experiences teaching nutrition courses at the college level, I am well aware of the wide array of understanding and misunderstanding related to veganism in our culture.
The British Vegan Society defines veganism as "the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals." Some are skeptical of this practice, declaring that people cannot possibly live healthy, active lifestyles without eating animal products. While I am by no means a vegan, I do respect the lifestyle and believe with careful planning, one can maintain optimal health on a vegan diet!
There are a number of professional athletes, in both endurance and strength sports, who live the vegan lifestyle and are peak performers in their respective sports: Scott Jurek (successful ultramarathoner), Brendan Brazier (professional tri-athlete), Christine Vardaros (world class cyclo-cross racer), and Kenneth G. Williams (bodybuilder) are just a few that come to mind. These individuals have certainly learned to maintain optimal physical health on a plant-based diet!
One of my nutrition students just started a fantastic vegan blog with much better recipe ideas than I could ever give. Her background in culinary arts helps bring a creative twist to vegan cooking. Check it out at http://vegvenus.blogspot.com/ Try a recipe or two this month to celebrate vegan mofo!
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