Vegetarian Star

Kathy Freston had a chat with Dr. Dean Ornish, best known for his diet and lifestyle approach to treating  on protein, healthy body weight and weight loss.

Here are a few highlights:

On the dangers of animal protein:
DO: Diets that are high in animal protein are usually high in saturated fat, which promotes both heart disease and cancer. A recent study reviewed by Dr. Steven A. Smith in The New England Journal of Medicine found that high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets accelerate atherosclerosis (blockage in arteries) through mechanisms other than traditional risk factors such as changes in cholesterol and triglycerides.

Should you count calories or fat?
DO: In my experience, if you eat predominantly a whole foods, plant-based diet that is naturally high in fiber and low in fat and in refined carbohydrates, and if you eat it mindfully, you don’t have to count anything to lose weight. You feel full before you consume too many calories.

What are those good carbs again?
DO: Good carbs are whole foods. These include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and soy products in their natural, unrefined, unprocessed forms.

Because these good carbs are unrefined, they are naturally high in fiber as well. The fiber fills you up before you eat too much. For example, it’s hard to get too many calories from eating apples or whole grains, because apples are naturally low in calories and high in fiber, which causes you to feel full before you consume too many calories.

Read more at the HuffingtonPost.

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Jonathan Safran Foer spoke with Ellen DeGenres on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, where he created the scenario of whether or not people agree it’s okay to eat meat.

Foer said that while most people say yes, the answer may change when you consider the consequences of modern day factory farming like reduced antibiotic efficiency, environmental damage and pregnant animals living unnatural lives confined in cages.

“Nobody wants that,” Foer said. “I don’t care how much or how little you care about animals.”

Watch the clip for more.

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Jonathan Safran Foer. Credit: David Shankbone on Wikimedia Commons

“I don’t see any point in asking waiters difficult questions. It just makes people uncomfortable. I never, ever get into arguments with people. I don’t think it works. If someone asks me why I no longer eat meat, I explain. This book is an occasion to express what I think.”

—-Jonathan Safran Foer, author of Eating Animals during an interview.

Sounds like Foer is the most easy going vegetarian in the world.

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This year, Woody Harrelson represented the vegetarian actors in the Oscar nominations and over the past years, there have been several meatless celebrities nominated and awarded for their performances on screen.

Forest Whitaker won in the category of Best Actor for The Last King of Scotland (2006) and Diane Keaton won for Best Actress in Annie Hall (1977).

Some celebrities deserve an award for perserving through all the loses, like Kate Winslet.

Says VegNews:

“Although it may have taken six nominations before finally winning that golden statue, Kate Winslet’s vegetarian lifestyle must have given her the energy to continually tackle challenging roles and complex characters.”

Kate was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Sense and Sensibility, Best Actress in Titanic, Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Iris, Best Actress in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Best Actress in Little Children, before she won for Best Actress in The Reader.

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Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert hosted Jonathan Safran Foer on Turn and Burn, a 5 week series discussing food, food ethics and featuring celebrity chefs.

Bourdain and Foer got into the issue of the ethics of eating meat.

While Foer suggested people should at least stop eating meat from factory farmed animals, Bourdain suggested that option isn’t available to everyone.

Safran Foer: “I’m not forcing you to give it up completely, I’m not saying I’m better than you. I’m just saying we have this industry that’s a real problem. Everyone should give up factory-farmed meat — I think that’s something we really should agree on even if we disagree on how possible it is.”

Bourdain: “Everyone who can should give up factory-farmed meat. Let’s face it, most people can’t. They’re lined up outside Popeye’s fried chicken in the Mission District right now for 45 minutes waiting for their $1.99 chicken not because it’s good, but because it’s cheap.”

Ripert: “It’s cheaper than to eat beans at home?”

Bourdain: “Yeah, but come on, try to get some fresh vegetables in inner-city Baltimore.”

What’s your take on the situation?

Is it feasible for everyone to a eat fresh, organic, plant based diet?

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Carol Leifer is set to make an appearance at the Tuscon Festival of Books on March 14 to discuss her latest book, When You Lie About Your Age, The Terrorists Win.

During a recent interview with the Arizona Daily Star, Carol admitted there were a few drawbacks to her decision to go vegan.

“I think the thing I miss the most is cheese,” she said but added that “you can really work around anything.”

On the other hand, she’s being frugal by not purchasing pricier items made from animal products.

“I’m saving so much money because I don’t buy wool any more, and I don’t buy leather.”

Which probably explains why she’ll only splurge on a pair of Stella McCartney shoes every once in awhile.

“Stella McCartney is my new savior. It’s pricey, so I buy it sparingly. It’s really good stuff.”

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Vegan Soul Kitchen by Bryant Terry

Bryant Terry, chef, food activist and author of Vegan Soul Kitchen, has offered his thoughts on getting people to eat better.

Terry describes the process as starting from the “visceral” and ending at the “political” level. This means appealing to people’s basic needs first by making sure the food on the plate is palatable.

“Visceral meaning that first gut reaction, where you’re sitting around the table and eating delicious food!” he said “We’re working towards good food at the table and ending the negative perceptions around healthy food and a plant-based diet.”

The last stop, of course, is at Capitol Hill.

“The ultimate goal is towards helping people organize to make policy changes. That means supporting small farmers who are doing things right, and not continuing to support the large-scale producers who damage the public health. And then actually following through with that [on a greater scale] by getting the populace to put pressure on the policymakers.”

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Working In The Shadows

Working in the Shadows, a book by Gabriel Thompson, chronicles the author’s experiences working alongside Latino immigrants.

The jobs were often low-wage, monotonous and less than ideal.

Two particular short term careers Thompson held were at opposite ends of the spectrum–a lettuce farm and a chicken factory.

Harvesting lettuce in the hot sun sounds miserable, but working the graveyard shift handling greased down chicken meat sure comes in a close second.

Enough to make you go vegetarian, that’s for sure. And according to the New York Post, Thompson already was.

Have you ever worked for a company that you couldn’t buy lunch from because the food blatantly conflicted with dietary restrictions?

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