Autoimmune diseases

I have two autoimmune diseases. One has been solved by going vegan. The other? It's a lot like Type 1 diabetes. A specialist pronounced the organ dead but I have minimized the side effects by going vegan. I often wonder if a lot of autoimmune diseases could be cured or minimized by going plant-based.

On Tuesday the Wall Street Journal featured an article on celiac disease, also an autoimmune disease. This has increased 20 fold since the 1950s. What else has doubled since the 1950s? Our dairy intake. How about processed foods? I don't know the rate of that consumption but I'll guess it's similar. Then stop to think, what foods are available on WIC? What are grocery ads full of? What foods are cheapest for the poor in our society? And then you wonder why healthcare is such an issue? I digress...

I can't imagine how frustrating it is for someone like, say, Dr. Neal Barnard who has already discussed and proven how Type 1 diabetes occurs. (Bovine milk proteins are passed into the blood stream in some children, whose bodies then make antibodies, then mistake insulin-producing cells for the milk (they are molecularly very similar), thus resulting in diabetes.) And then sit back and watch an increase of Type 1 occur in children because your recommendation hasn't been followed. I know I get terribly frustrated when I find people, loved ones, who would benefit from this and won't even give it a try.

Yet...It is so exciting when someone does come on board and expresses how great they feel! Yes! Another convert! For me, it's so very similar to sharing the Gospel. Until someone "experiments upon the word" they won't know the joy; but when they do, and they feel the joy, even if we mess up sometimes, it feels wonderful to have another brother or sister in Christ.

This week I found out I have another covert through a convert, and from church no less! One more person to share recipes and dinners with!

The Breastfeeding Vegan

Nothing can help the human milk supply than a diet rich in produce. Even as I experimented with veganism 18 months ago I quickly discovered this was the fastest way to weight loss and more-than-sufficient lactation. Now, with trial 2 I'm doing even better. As someone who normally puts back on the pounds to feed my infants, the pounds plus more have come off. I feel like the body is fine-tuning itself.

I've fugdged here and there (who wouldn't want to eat fabulous wedding cake?), but when that cheesecake is looking tempting I remind myself that carrying around an extra 20 pounds isn't worth it and the compliments I receive is much more fulfilling.

And to those wondering how it went with pregnancy all I can say is awesome. Minimal weight gain, perfect-sized   baby, no complications. I didn't even take the glucose test!

Have I mentioned Bountiful Baskets?

Bountiful Baskets has expanded it's reach and with your help it can go further.

I've been participating in this co-op to get my veggies and fruits on the cheap...and I throw away a lot fewer expired produce than when I shop at the grocery store. Thanks to it's expansion, I could even order my basket and pick it up near my vacation home, keeping my grocery budget still reasonable and ensuring I fed my enormous appetite. As a vegetarian I order a basket once a week. As my family gets older I'll probably order two. For my omnivore neighbors ordering twice a month is sufficient.

Check it out! www.bountifulbaskets.org Orders are due Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, depending on your location. This week they even have bulk pears and mangos for those who love to can and dehydrate for food storage.

More dining in Utah

Again, while on vacation, I dine out much more often than when I'm trying to stay in a budget at home. Here's the result.

Pizza Factory: If you have ANY dietary restrictions steer clear of this place. The poor waitress ran to the kitchen several times for me while I seriously told my table-mates that all I could have was water with a lemon for dinner. Ultimately the sweet waitress was determined to help and created a pasta dish. $9 for a bowl of veggies with Asian sauce. Decent, but hardly a dinner.

Olive Garden: As a national chain this restaurant does better with diets. Ultimately I had a gluten-free pasta. Lessons at Pizza Factory taught me to make sure I at least order a drink in case the meal is less than satisfactory. Thanks to our wonderful server, he set aside a salad without dressing for me and brought me un-doctored bread sticks.

The best for last...
Gingers Garden Cafe: This is in Springville peeps, (15 minutes south of BYU, next to Magleby's) but it is the best vegan dining I've come across yet. They do offer some meat options and cater beautifully to raw foodists. I ordered the portabella burger and a salad. It felt good to taste ranch dressing again and all the sprouts in my salad just made me feel great! Ah, healthy eating.