Green bean plants

I was out of town, driving with my friends in the middle of nowhere
and I saw this



close up

yupppp..... green beans
I got so excited because I've never seen the plant before hohoho
and I thought the plant would grow low near the soil :)

How to Stop Hiccups ?

My friend once told me the best way to get of hiccups is to
bend over and drank water upside down.
like so

I laughed at him and thought he was nuts.
turns out it really works !!!!
I mean you don't really have to drink lots of water, just a sip, and it works

Just becareful not to get water inside your nose :)

What do people eat back then ?

I mean, way way back then.
Were they all Vegan ? Raw Vegan ?

What about winter times ?
No Vegetables around, they have to eat meat, right ?
although they do have dried seed, nuts, grains, etc

What about people who live in warm climate where there's no Winter and fruits and Vegetables are available all year long ?
Do they still eat meat ?

I suppose even if people do eat meat, the meat came from wild animals,
a. which means these animals eat natural food from the forest
b. their living conditions are well... the jungle
no stress from being crammed in small cages without sunlight
c. no pollution from their environment
d. no antibiotics, drugs, hormones to make them grow bigger and fatter and faster.

And back then, people ate the meat :
1. Without additional preservatives, artificial coloring, artificial flavors.
2. The meat wasn't frozen and then thawed and then frozen again and then.... (u get the point)....during shipping
3. People don't eat meat on a daily basis.

So in short... Back then, People ate healthier with a better meat quality, not daily.

Let's look at NOW
Eating meat has become a daily habit, breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner.
plus desserts, dairy, cheese, sugar, sugar sugar
Yes, most of us make sure to eat all those junk food on a daily basis !!
All those meat and dairy and egg is filled with antibiotics, hormones, etc
What we eat is not lean meat, but unhealthy fatty meat.... yummm...;p
and the food we have at our table is filled with preservatives, artificial color and flavor, salt, salt, sugar, sugar.
then to make it worse, we fry them.
again... on a daily basis.
No wonder people are sick.

Of course you also get pesticides from vegetables, but we can still opt for organic ones, right ?

" Then, what about people who eat everything and are still very very healthy ?
Won't I be wasting life's pleasure of gluttonous food by just eating a restricted food choice ? "
Well... it's your choice.
Maybe Those people who eat everything and stay healthy are the lucky ones, maybe they only look healthy outside but who knows what their health condition is really like ?
Those people aren't you !
You are different from me & from everyone else.
and You have to take care of yourself.
Stay healthy, don't focus on staying thin.... but aim to be healthy, that's the main goal !!

So you ask yourselves "Do I have to be a Vegan too ?
I can't eat vegs everyday...."
You don't have to be a Vegan, but pay attention to what you eat.
If you drink sugary soda, fried fast food, creamy desserts on a daily basis, let's just start by cutting back on those.
Hey instead of eating candy, why not try fruits instead.... I don't think anyone hate fruits. Try figs, pomegranate, mangoes, anything.
Just don't make a dessert out of fruits by cooking it in sugar, all you get is well, sugar.
Start small.... start taking in more fresh vegetables and leaving the unhealthy ones behind and you'll find yourself wanting more fresh fruits and vegs by the day.

For me.....
First
I love vegs and fruits
I love what I eat
I love healthy Vegan meal
I never eat processed Vegan food (Vegan cheese, Vegan meat, Factory made Vegan desserts etc) just because they're not available here, so in a way I'm lucky that I won't have a chance to even get tempted by them.
I just have to fight my wanting to eat so much of the other Vegan "junk" and crispy crunchy fried food, but the aftermath is a really really bad sorethroat.

Second
Since I started being a Healthy Vegan, where I try to avoid white rice, white bread (but still allowing complex carbs such as sweet potato, and also some "junk" --> fried food and sugar)
My weight's been constant, it's ridiculous
No matter how much Vegan food I ate, or how full I got, I never gain weight during this 6 Vegan month.
And I know sometimes I can eat like crazy and being too full is not good for my digestion system either, but my weight's been constant during this time.
It's not like before when I still eat everything, I'd do portion control, eat less carb (rice,paste) eat less meat, eat less ice cream, eat less cheesecake but in the end I only end up wanting more and losing control the next day. Why ? because I feel hungry.
Now I never feel hungry, I can eat whenever I feel hungry.
I'm now feeling good in with my current weight and I don't even exercise to help me lose weight.
(I should exercise though, listen people, move your body and be healthy)

So...
The key is to love what you eat,
So if you force yourself to be a Vegan but you never enjoy your Vegan meal and you hate your Vegan food, then it's hard for you to benefit from it.
Just start by simply adding more vegs n fruits on a daily basis, and you'll see that in time you'll want more and more of fresh fruits and vegs :)
You'll eventually lose weight automatically without even trying, or maybe gain some weight if you're too thin. You'll have your ideal weight.

I've been a Vegan for 6-7 months now, but I had some meat a few days ago, I just wanted it so bad, I gave in and it was good.
So, Does that mean that I'm going to start eating meat again ?
I don't know.
Maybe I will, maybe I won't, maybe I will, rarely,
If I did, I'll definitely choose a good quality meat and preferably not fried, not overly processed with artificial everything, etc. (ok...here I'm totally repeating what I said that in the previous post ;p)
But for now, I still want to continue being a Vegan.
Even as I'm typing this, I'm drooling for some steamed broccolis & spinach mixed with some raw walnut, drizzled with a little bit of roasted sesame oil and seasoned with salt for dinner.
Yummmm............ :)

I ate meat

Confession :
2 Oct 09 - I ate 2 slices of roast duck at night
3 Oct 09 - lunch, I ate 7 slices of roast duck
6 Oct 09 - dinner with a tiny morsel of fried fish - So Good !!
9 Oct 09 - a lil bit of fried vermicelli (mixed with meat, but didn't eat the meat)
11 Oct 09 - chocolate bread
20-21 Oct 09 - Chocolate n cheese bread & Fried vermicelli again
25 Oct 09 - a tiny portion of chicken noodle without the chicken

In my defense :
I was "very good" for 2 months
(Vegan, No rice, flour, sugar, fried food)
and I was "good" for another 4 months
(Vegan, starting lil rice, flour, sugar, fried food)
During those months, I didn't want to "contaminate" my body with meat because all the effort I've made, eating meat would waste all those "clean" months, right ?

Entering month 7, I probably started to lose motivation
I was alone during my Vegan months, I enjoy my Vegan meals, but no one to share it with, except at my blog :) and nobody support my being a Vegan. oohh poor me :) but I'm a tough one :D
and I sometimes feel kinda annoyed of the limited food choice I have when eating out and feel like I'm missing out, not on the food, but on spending time together sharing food at dinner tables.
You know how sometimes the best food is the one you have to fight over with your families/friends, when there's only one thing left on the plate with 5 hungry people staring at it. :)

So I gave in and I finally ate all those things above.
I'm sorry but I honestly totally enjoyed it, No guilt, well maybe a little.
Some part of me felt like I was betraying my Vegan friends and I felt like I failed at being a Vegan but ..... it was okay.
I really really wanted to eat those food.
I'm surrounded with people who eat everything daily, so I guess after a while, just smelling them is no longer enough, (yes I do that)
I guess I missed the taste, I missed the whole eating together experience.
So I ate some of those food along with my usual Vegan food....
and It made me feel happy :)

Will I start eating meat again ?
I don't know, I hope it's not one of those "If you start, you can't stop" thing.
But even if I do, I don't think it's going to be for everyday and I definitely wouldn't want to eat a low quality fatty ones.
Okay that sounds disgusting.... I think I'll stick with Veganism for now :)
Here's an example,
After I ate that chicken noodle (without the chicken), I craved Salmon sushi and Unagi sushi, and I even planned to eat it the next day, but the next day I was at a mall and I was literally in front of the Sushi Restaurant and I didn't want sushi at all. I wanted a bowl of salad instead, and so I did and I felt good.
So there :)

Tips :
Another thing I found, sometimes eating raw salad with minimum dressing can be tough, so I allow myself to mix it with a little fried food.
The crunch and the taste totally made it easier for me to finish that big bowl of salad, and it totally made my eating experience more enjoyable.
The taste was better, although slightly "sinful", but I was much happier eating it and I enjoyed it soooo much and I think that counts for something :)

Do you need Vitamins / Supplements as a Vegan ?

Ask yourself this....
Do you happily eat a Healthy balanced Vegan diet everyday ?
If you don't, then you should....eat a Healthy Balanced Diet, happily :)

and If your lifestyle doesn't allow you to have a daily Healthy Diet, then you might want to consider adding Vitamins/Supplements.
But do your research, ask your physician, and don't overdo it.
I read somewhere that all Vitamins/Supplementations that goes inside our body are not absorbed but instead they're treated as toxins.
So honestly, I don't know.
My 88 year old grandmother eats everything all her life and has been taking lots of supplements most of her older adult life and she still has a very strong memory, although she's recently developed glaucoma and a slight knee problem.
But that's just 1 person, others might have different result.

Decide for yourself whether or not you need supplements, then consult the experts.

Let's see....
I consider myself healthier than some of my busy friends that would often eat :
breakfast : coffee and toast + jam
lunch : rice and scrambled egg + chili sauce
or even anything from a fast food restaurant
dinner : eating out in a restaurant + sinful desserts (sugar & bad fat)
or just instant noodle (msg all the way)
and if they survive without supplements, I suppose so will I.

But I don't eat a complete rainbow salad with all the good fats (avocado, raw nuts, etc) and an array of fruits on a daily basis.
Some days I eat very very healthily and very very satisfied :D
But
Sometimes I cheat and eat lots of fried food till my throat hurts, very clever right.
Sometimes I get so lazy I just eat steamed broccolis and cauli flower with olive oil and salt for lunch and dinner.
Sometimes I don't get the chance to cleanse and eat plenty of fruits.
Other than food,
Sometimes I don't even get enough sleep and I easily get stressed.

So I decide to start supplementing again.
and I think it's always a good idea to choose a vitamin / supplements that contain a lower amount of everything so you don't take in too much.
If you need more, just take 2 tablets, or 1 and 1/2.
Remember to find a Vegetarian / Vegan formula.

Here's what I'm planning to take :
Cal, Mag, Zinc (3 in 1)
Kelp
B12 and Folic Acid
Vegans are always associated with B12 deficiency, although our B12 is stored in the liver and it might take years to show any symptom of deficiency, but I figure, since it's water soluble, it's ok to take.
There are different types of B12
Hydroxycobalamin to cyanocobalamin, and Methylcobalamin.
and Supposedly the latter is the better one.
Mine happens to be Cyanocobalamin.

I also might add Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, organic ones aren't available here.
Morinda / noni capsules, Fresh noni fruits are available here, but I can't stand the smell. :0
I might add other supplements later.

But..........
I don't really feel like taking them at all.
I think I should, but I don't really want to.
I don't know whether that's my pride telling me that I'm perfect and I can always have enough nutrients from my food and I don't need factory made supplements,
or is it my body telling me to not take supplements.
I don't know.

But I suppose I will eventually start supplementing... slowly
maybe tomorrow ?

FYI, There are other stuff that might contain B12 if you prefer that instead of supplementations, Fortified Nutritional Yeast for example, but in this article,
http://www.veganhealth.org/b12/vegansources
it says :
* Nutritional yeast often comes from bins in health food stores. If not careful, it would be easy for a store employee to order the wrong nutritional yeast out of the distributor catalogs which often list many yeasts. It would also be easy to accidentally put the wrong yeast into the Vegetarian Support Formula bin.
* B12 is light sensitive. Nutritional yeast is likely to be exposed to the light because it is often stored in clear bins or plastic bags.
* At least one vegan who thought he was getting B12 from nutritional yeast developed B12 deficiency symptoms that cleared up upon taking a B12 supplement.

So....Do your research, and Don't copy someone else's vitamin/supplement routine because we're all different.
If you want to get your B12 from raw foods, also do research :)
I'm still doing mine.

Take your of yourself :)

Do you need to have a bloodtest if you are a Vegan ?

I say if you can afford it, why not ? Go for it.
It's good to know your blood test result.
So if there's something wrong, you can fix it.

For me, I was going to have my blood check after 6 months of being a Vegan.
I was all excited about it, like a kid wanting to see her school report card after being "good" for 6 months, i even marked my calendar ;p
I also wanted to check my B12 and Folic Acid Level
But it cost around US$45-50 just to do that, each !!
besides I read that a bloodtest might not give an accurate reading of your B12 level anyway, but then again, I could be wrong.
and when you Add in the normal thorough blood check fee, it would cost me around US$250
So I decided to safe the money and not do the blood test.
Kinda disappointed, but it's okay :)

Now what ?
Well....
I'm now going to keep eating healthily and HAPPILY :)
also adding more Healthy Organic Raw Vegetables :)
and I think I'll add some supplements in my diet, because there are just some days that I don't eat a complete balanced diet and I might need some supplementations.
(It's a good idea to always consult your physician first if you want to start supplementing.)
but the bottom line is... I'll stay eating Healthily and Happily :D

Can u be 100% strict healthy vegan ?

Sometimes Vegans still eat a lot of junk food, me included ;p
I find it hard to be a 100% strict Healthy Vegan, but I'm trying though :)

I said in the beginning that I choose not to eat
Refined carbs,
Refined Sugar,
Fried Food,
etc

But sometimes
(again.... similar reasons as before)
- There's no one at home and there's no food at home
so I have to eat whatever's there because I'm hungry
white rice/noodles and little portion of leftover vegs and maybe I boil some beans, but that takes a lot of time and I was hungry so I didn't.
So... white rice = refined white carbs

- I didn't have the time to prepare food
so I have to eat whatever's already prepared in the kitchen
white rice and fried tofu/tempeh and vegs from vegs dish mixed with meat
No time to boil those dried beans because I was way too hungry at that time.
So.... white rice = refined white carbs
fried tofu/tempeh = Fried Food
Vegs n Meat dish = Meat, although I didn't eat the meat, but still
or I work late at night and got so so very hungry I have to eat and so so very sleep at the same time, so I can't be bothered to wash vegs and prepare them , nor to cut some fruits, coz I know I'll get hungry again in 30 mins.
So I find rice (there's always leftover) and I make fried rice, sometimes with fresh garlic, chilli and ginger sautee together, and my recent guilty cheat is using instant fried rice paste !!!!
I seriously need to throw that little packet of dark paste out of my fridge ;p

- I just lack self control ;p
Craving attacks of refined sugar and refined carbs in the form of Traditional Vegan desserts !!! yummmmm
and craving attacks of fried tempeh and fried savoury crackers.

So... problems are :
Hunger ;p
If I get too hungry I just eat whatever available
then it's
Laziness... If I get too lazy then I just eat whatever's available
Time... If I don't have time, well... u get the picture.
and Cravings & Gluttony ;p

Luckily in the course of 6-7 months, that doesn't happen all that often.
Well... only on these past few weeks.... end of month 6 and going on month 7, I seem to be "out of control"
At least I'm making green smoothie almost on a daily basis now :)
and I'm improving..... promise !!