Optimum Health As most of you know already, a vegan diet can be superior to all others. We want to encourage all people to live at an optimum level of health and fitness. We want to thank Michael Greger M.D. for his help and input into this page. (1) Eat a diverse selection of dark leafy greens, colorful vegetables and fruits, cruciferous vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds daily. (2) Most processed foods (boxed, bottled or bagged) offer little in the way of nutrition and frequently use hydrogenated oils containing trans-fatty acids. Trans-fatty acids are estimated to be 2-4 times as bad as saturated fat, so avoid them! (3) Limit your intake of oil to extra virgin, cold pressed olive or canola and use it sparingly. Be sure to get a RELIABLE source of vitamin B-12. Plants are NOT a reliable source nor is nutritional yeast (unless specified on the package). Take a B-12 supplement of at least 100 mcg per day and/or to eat a B-12 fortified food or beverage product. Recent research has determined that many vegans (and surprisingly meat-eaters as well) are deficient in this critically important vitamin. In addition to averting serious neurological problems (some of which maybe irreversible), regularly taking vitamin B-12 brings homocysteine down to a safe level. Elevated homocysteine has recently been identified as a precursor to heart attacks. Try to get 2-3 tablespoons of ground flaxseed into your diet once a day. The high omega 3 fatty acids in flaxseed helps to balance the abundance of omega 6 fatty acids found in most diets, including vegan. Organic flaxseed can be found in natural food stores everywhere and is very inexpensive to buy. Use a blender or coffee grinder to break the hull of the seeds or they will simply pass undigested through your body. Sprinkle the grounds on cereal, salads or add them to baked goods for a somewhat nutty flavor (baking does NOT degrade the omega 3 fatty acids). Drink your greens! Take a quantity of what would be a regular sized, organic (proven to contain more phytochemicals), mixed, dark, leafy-green salad (don't use iceberg lettuce, but do use sprouts). Add to that, if you can, "weeds" such as dandelion, burdock or purslane which are full of phytonutrients. Wash and place everything into a blender (incorporate some sage, mint or other fresh herbs to the blend to improve flavor). Add 1-2 cups of distilled water to the greens and blend on HIGH for at least a FULL minute. The theory is that all of the phytonutients* of the plants spill out into the distilled water and become much more bio-available to the body than chewing could ever accomplish. What you are doing, in effect, is deriving the benefit of many salads from one inexpensive green drink. Give it a month or two and see if you don't see some clear health benefits to this daily routine.  *Researchers have identified over 30,000 phytonutients (not found in meat dairy or eggs). These chemicals are produced by plants giving them taste, texture and smell. When we consume these nutrients they have astounding benefits for us, including lowering cholesterol & blood pressure, enhancing immune response, detoxifying blood, altering estrogen metabolism, relieving allergies, killing cancer cells, serving as antioxidants and repairing DNA damage. As scientists identify and study more phytochemicals it is safe to conclude that other amazing revelations will follow. Drink at least 5 cups of water daily and more when you exercise. Exercise at LEAST 1/2 to 1 hour a day, every day. Always start your program slow and build! Incorporate cardiovascular exercise (brisk walking qualifies) 2-4 times a week and resistance training (dumbbells are best and safest)** followed by flexibility exercises (your body should be warm, don’t bounce and hold stretches for 30 seconds minimum) 2-3 times a week into your program! A sound weekly routine would be (day 1)  resistance & flex, (day 2) cardio, (day 3) resistance & flex, (day 4) cardio, (day 5) resistance & flex, (day 6) cardio, (day 7) cardio. Repeat for life. Vary your routine and exercises to prevent boredom.  Cardiovascular improvements can be maintained by doing them a minimum of 3 times a week. Strength gain levels can be maintained by doing them just once a week. If you miss a day or two don’t worry, just get back into it as soon as you can!   **For those of you wanting to build real strength, 98% of muscle building can be accomplished in only ONE set of 6-10 repetitions, with TOTAL muscle fatigue on the last repetition. Get plenty of sleep. Before the advent of electricity the average person was getting between 9 and 10 hours of sleep a night. Your body needs time to repair itself so give it the opportunity. For definitive and documented answers to a long and healthy life read, Eat To Live by Joel Fuhrman M.D. (Little, Brown - 2003). This book isn't "vegan", but screams it out on nearly every page. Disclaimer: Always consult a VEGAN knowledgeable dietician or medical doctor for advice. Two excellent sources for information are the dieticians at VeganOutreach.org and Dr. Michael Greger at VeganMD.org.

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