February 24th, 2011

Menopause is a stage of life that no women would like to go through and there is nothing that they can do to reduce it, Right? Wrong!

Menopause symptoms can be reduced by eating a balanced diet and avoiding certain food.

Vegetarian diet can help a lot in increasing your energy  and reducing your menopausal symptoms.With a vegetarian diet you will also experience increased energy and a healthier lifestyle and  not to mention the many health conditions you will be able to avoid with a correct diet. It also helps men who are experiencing andropause  as well.

So it doesn’t matter if you’re in your premenopausal period or postmenopausal period, changing to a vegetarian diet will definitely help you reduce your menopause and increase your energy level.

Here is a list of 7 steps to start a vegetarian diet that will help you with women reducing their menopause and men with their andropause.

1.  Green vegetables into your diet should be encouraged. Green vegetables such as  yam dark leafy vegetables like kale, collard greens, and spinach, Pak Choi, broccoli and cabbage, as well as peppers, tomatoes should be particularly included have wonderful benefits on your health.

2. Get some vegetarian cookbooks that will help you develop ideas for new vegetarian dishes that you can prepare according to your taste buds. There are various sources to find different vegetarian recipes including internet, library, local bookstores etc.

3.  Avoid fried food or junk food  choose food rich with nurtients needed during your transition phase in your life .Instead go for boiled, baked and steamed foodit is better to have wholegrain bread, oat and rye rather than white bread or flour. When choosing rice select  long grain brown rice over white rice. Sweet potatoes and pasta should be more frequently included in your diet in comparison to potatoes. Beans and lentils should be an essential component of your diet.

4. Nuts particularly Brazils and walnuts, seeds of pumpkin, sun flower and linseed and seaweeds should be included in the meals whenever possible. They are very healthy and beneficial, especially during menopause.

5. Include more fruits in your diet  like banana, melons and citrus fruits which are high in potassium content helps in maintain sodium level and retention of water. Dry fruits like apricots and figs should also be included.

6. Soy products are very beneficial for women especially the ones who are going through pre menopause symptoms. Isoflavins present in soy actually substitute the female hormone estrogen present in female body. A rich Soy diet  helps to prevent severe and minimise menopausal conditions and osteoporosis within a woman.

7. Menopause can sometimes feel like difficult time in a women’s life. Remember that sticking to a healthier diet is not only going to help you reduce your menopause, it will also help you lead a healthier and a much longer life which you can spend with your loved ones. If you ever feel disheartened or depressed, find ways to cheer you up and make sure you stick to the diet even in tough times, because in the long run you will be glad you turned vegetarian.

Remember, menopause is a phase in every woman’s life. The best you can do is learning about the subject and prepare yourself for the changes that you will experience. Moodiness and anxiety are a common problems during menopause, but if you know you are in control, you can easily go through this phase without any serious concerns. A good vegetarian diet will help you take control over yourself and reduce all the symptoms.

Consider the vegetarian lifestyle today and take a step in the right direction and discover the simple steps to start the vegetarian lifestyle now.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/nutrition-articles/how-to-reduce-menopause-with-the-vegetarian-diet-2001004.html

About the Author

To get more  free tips on how to become a vegetarian or to start the vegetarian lifestyle to go http://www.vegetariannewbie.com and claim your special free report “10 Essential Facts For The Vegetarian Newbie”

Tags: become a vegetarian, become vegetarian, becoming a vegetarian, becoming vegetarian, how to become a vegetarian, vegetarian
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February 21st, 2011

Being a vegetarian has become much more than a fad these days. It has become a lifestyle and this is because of a very good reason. People are finding satisfaction and happiness in vegetarian lifestyle.The fact is people are learning everyday about the benefits of a vegetarian diet and are willing to turn to vegetarianism to improve their lives.

This is very good opportunity for a person to help people achieve their goal and help them improve their lives. And if you want you can even earn some extra money while helping people. You can become an affiliate for vegetarian products and help people in their quest to start a vegetarian lifestyle. This way you are helping people lead a healthy life by recommending them products that will help them. If they buy the products that you recommend through your website or articles, you get a commission this is known as affiliate marketing. It is a win-win situation for everyone.

If you don’t know how to become a vegetarian affiliate, here are some tips that will help you.

1. You can find a lot of products related to vegetarianism that people will be willing to buy. Some of them are cooking books, how to start the vegetarian ebooks and courses , and food products. These are just the tip of the iceberg and if you dig deeper you will find much more.

There are ebooks for dieting using vegetarian foods, there are ebooks and books for vegetarian sauces, cook books for vegan Chinese food, cook books for normal vegetarian food. So if you do a little research you can find a lot of product and a lot of people that may be interested in these products. The trick is to find a product that will be appealing to the visitors of your website. Find the product that your visitors will be interested in and recommend them the product. Chances are you will make a good amount of money from helping them.

2. Once you know what kind of product you want to promote, you will need to find an affiliate program for that product. For this there are many affiliate networks like Clickbank, Paydotcom and Commission Junction that can give you tons of product to promote on health products. However, most of these products are only information products but there are some other websites as well like Market Health that will let you promote physical products.

But you should not limit yourself to these affiliate networks because on the internet you will find tons of other websites that want you to promote their products. There are some websites that have independent affiliate programs that want you to promote their products. It is a good idea to search through all of them, because you only want to promote the best products to your visitors.

3. The next part is choosing what kind of promotion methods you want to follow. If you want to just start selling products to people right away you can start with PPC (pay per click ), article marketing, video marketing, write product review, place a promotional in your newsletter if you want a free way to promote products.

Becoming a vegetarian affiliate will let you help other people improve their life for better and will also let you earn some money while doing it. Promoting vegetarian products is an excellent way to make money as the market is hot with more and more people wanting to convert to vegetarianism everyday.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/marketing-tips-articles/make-money-as-a-vegetarian-affiliate-1948215.html

About the Author

To become a vegetarian affiliate join our  affiliate list and start promoting vegetarian products when they are released  go to http://www.vegetariannewbie.com/affiliates today!

Tags: become a vegetarian, become vegetarian, becoming a vegetarian, becoming vegetarian, how to become a vegetarian, vegetarian
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February 21st, 2011

Most people find it difficult to turn vegetarian and when they do, the next thing they find difficult to cope up with is cooking vegetarian meals. Many people have the misconception that cooking vegetarian meals is difficult. They couldn’t be further from the truth. Vegetarian cooking is very simple in fact, vegetarian meals can be prepared in so many different ways that anyone with a little experience of cooking can cook a good vegetarian meal. One of the luxuries of being a vegetarian is you can easily prepare a meal for yourself depending on what type of vegetarian you are. There are hundreds of dishes that can be prepared from your favorite plant food. You can always spice up any meal according to your taste buds.

To become an expert in cooking vegetarian meals you need to experiment. Try different cook books or search the internet for new recipes. Don’t be afraid to use those recipes that have unknown ingredients in them or those that look intimidating. If you try them once, you will realize that they are not that difficult. In fact, with a little practice and experience you will quickly become an expert in cooking delicious vegetarian meals.

To begin with cooking a vegetarian meal you need to start with some basic easy recipes. Once you gain a little confidence you can go for more difficult ones. Here are some recipes that are  vegetarian, quick and easy to cook, and yet are delicious.

Bean Pot Stew

What you will need:

4 apples

6 tbsp tomato puree

4 onions

4 kidney beans

4 carrots

Wine vinegar

Mustard powder

Oregano

Cumin

Brown Sugar

Pan

How to prepare:

Cut the onions, carrots and apples. Heat some oil in a pan and add the crumbled onions, apples and carrots in it. Fry for 5 minutes. Then add 4 tbsp of tomato puree and 1 pint of water. Add a little mustard powder, wine vinegar, oregano, cumin and brown sugar; just about 2 tbsp of each. Add salt and pepper (if needed) according to your taste. Cover the pan and let it cook for 2 min. Add 4 cups of kidney beans and then put everything into a casserole. Cook in a preheated oven for 35-40 minutes at a temperature 180°C.

If you think it takes a lot of time to prepare such a meal then there are many meals that can be prepared very quickly. A quick smoothie is perfect for you want something healthy and filling that can be prepared quickly. This is the quality that makes a smoothie a perfect option for breakfast.

Breakfast Banana Berry Smoothie

What you will need:

Around 2 bananas

1 cup  of blueberries

Honey

½ cup apple juice

Blender

knife

How to prepare:

Chop the bananas into small pieces and place them in the blender. Add the blueberries and apple juice. If you want a sweet smoothie then you can add honey to make it sweet. Do not add sugar unless you want it to count as an unhealthy smoothie. Blend it until smooth. Add more juice according to your choice.

Vegetarian diet is like any other diet. Try and practice cooking a vegetarian meal; make some changes to the basic recipes to add a personal flavor and you will realize you can make it as good as anyone else.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/recipes-articles/how-to-cook-a-vegetarian-meal-1938119.html

About the Author

To get more free tips on how to create delicious vegetarian and vegan and get access to a wide range of recipes to go http://www.myvegetarianrecipeguide.com and claim your special Free Report “ 10 Myths About Vegetarian Cooking” Today!!

Tags: become a vegetarian, become vegetarian, becoming a vegetarian, becoming vegetarian, how to become a vegetarian, vegetarian
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February 21st, 2011

Today, people are willing to do anything to achieve weight loss. There are so many new diets added on to the market everyday . The result is that in their quest to become thin, people are starting to take such drastic measures that it ends up harming their health. The weight loss effects of such fad diets or products, which claim to be “miracle diets”, have  short term results and have many side effects. This makes it extremely important that we choose ways of weight loss methods which are healthy.

The vegetarian diet includes many low fat recipes which are used by many people in the world for various reasons. Depending on what kind of vegetarian they are people are trying to create different low fat vegetarian recipes. People are turning towards these low fat vegetarian recipes because they are nutritional, help reduce cholesterol and also help people mentally concentrate better.

A good way of staying perfectly in shape is eating organic food. Vegetables and fruits are the best examples of natural and completely healthy food. What’s even better is that you can cook them easily at home and add a personal touch. Since you prepare the meal yourself, there is absolutely no chance that an artificial additive or chemical might enter it and affect your health. Vegetarian recipes are generally low fat, low calorie and high fiber. The low cal and low fat part makes them a perfect meal when a person is what  to achieve weight loss. The high fiber part increases metabolism and hence again, helps in weight loss by burning more calories. Remember that it is a combination of healthy eating, exercise and resisting tempting foods that leads to healthy and permanent weight loss.

This is perhaps the very reason why more and more people are adopting Vegetarianism as a lifestyle. Below are one low cal delicious vegetarian and fruit juice recipes. The amount of salt, sugar and spices has not been mentioned as these can easily be altered in any vegetarian recipe according to one’s taste.

1. Sweet Potato Fries: A perfect complex carbohydrate lunch. It isn’t like your traditional French fries. It is much healthier and vegetarian.

Ingredients:

Sweet potato

Onion powder

Garlic powder

Oregano

Paprika

Preparations:

Firstly, pre heat the oven to 450 degrees. Now take a non stick  dish and cover it with aluminum foil . Now, slice the sweet potatoes into fine strips and lay them neatly on the dish. Next, sprinkle olive oil, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano and paprika on the sliced sweet potatoes. Lastly, heat them in the oven at the same temp for about thirty minutes and your delicious vegetarian low cal recipe is ready. The spices should be added according to your own taste.

Apple and Blackberry Twist Fruit Juice: This is a sweet fruit juice you can make for breakfast

Ingredients

1 Apple

1 cup of Blackberries

Frozen ice cubes

Equipment

Blender

Knife

How To Prepare

Chop the apple into four pieces. Pour into the blender the chopped apple pieces and a cup of washed blackberries. Add the frozen ice cubes and blend for 2-3  minutes until smooth. Enjoy!

The best thing with Vegetarian meals is they are very easy to cook. Even if you don’t agree with a particular recipe, you can always add a new taste to it by adding a personal touch. Trying to cook new vegetarian recipes is equally easy. Try the above mentioned low cal delicious vegetarian recipes and even if you are a non- vegetarian, you will certainly feel a stronger drift to being all time vegetarian.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/recipes-articles/low-fat-delicious-vegetarian-recipes-1943637.html

About the Author

To get more free tips on how to create delicious vegetarian and vegan and get access to a wide range of recipes to go http://www.myvegetarianrecipeguide.com and claim your special Free Report “ 10 Myths About Vegetarian Cooking” Today!!

Tags: become a vegetarian, become vegetarian, becoming a vegetarian, becoming vegetarian, how to become a vegetarian, vegetarian
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February 21st, 2011

Health is wealth is a well known phrase if you are reading this article then you probably already know all the benefits of starting a vegetarian lifestyle. Many people have a very good reason to turn to vegetarianism but they are procrastinating because they are unsure how to do it.

Well, guess what?

You just found out how to do it.

The best way to do it is to just bite the bullet, and go for it.

You must be thinking there will be so much temptations and distractions and you are right. There will be a lot of temptations and there will be a lot of distractions, but it will be all worth it in the end. It’s your health that is more important than anything else that may look tempting.

In fact, it is quite easy to start a vegetarian lifestyle if you know how to go about it. Here are a few tips that will help you on the way.

A. You must be think about made you decide to adopt vegetarianism .

B. You should minimize meat consumption gradually day by day. You will never be able to turn vegetarian in matter of week or two. It would take at least few months to completely  adapt to the vegetarian way of life. You should first start by becoming a semi vegetarian.

C. You would need to try out different vegetable  dishes. You should learn to prepare and eat  tasty vegetarian meals. Your new menu should be full of fresh fruits and juices of vegetables and fruits, soups, pasta, whole grain breads, spices and herbs etc. You should try to make your meal complete by adding tasty items like  spices, cheese, various sauces to add flavour.

D. Another thing which can help you in your quest of turning a veggie is encourage your family also  start the vegetarian life along with you.

E. You can also join some diet classes which will have professional people who will help you in your goal of turning vegetarian.  You could get over your temptation of eating meat through mediataion.

F. Buy cookbooks and learn new vegetarian dishes from different resources like magazines, internet websites etc. The possibilities are limitless, you just have to find them.

G. If at any point you feel like you want to give up, just ask yourself this basic question. Why did you want to turn vegetarian in the first place? The answer will keep you on track and will give you enough motivation and will power to continue.

Be persistent  and before you know it, you will be a vegetarian.

Remember, your health is your real wealth you . Do it justice and do it right by turning to a healthy, wealthy and wise life style that is Vegetarianism.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/nutrition-articles/start-a-vegetarian-lifestyle-1943277.html

About the Author

To get more  free tips on how to become a vegetarian or to start the vegetarian lifestyle to go http://www.vegetariannewbie.com and claim your special free report “10 Essential Facts For The Vegetarian Newbie”

Tags: become a vegetarian, become vegetarian, becoming a vegetarian, becoming vegetarian, how to become a vegetarian, vegetarian
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February 21st, 2011

There are so many life style related diseases that can affect anybody who doesn’t have a healthy diet. People spend their lives eating unhealthy food and living an unhealthy lifestyle until something serious happens with their health,  that is when they decide to change their lifestyle.

Have you ever stop to think about, what will be the point if you acquire everything in life and you are not healthy enough to enjoy it? Don’t wait until something goes wrong, start eating healthy with the vegetarian diet today!

Here are five tips that will help you achieve your goals of eating healthy by becoming a semi vegetarian.

1. Include More Fruit and Vegetables In Your Diet: Vegetables are good source of many essential vitamins, minerals; and are full of fiber and water content. Vegetables are essentially useful for those who want to lose weight and become slimmer. Most people don’t like eating fruits and vegetables, but gradually add them to your meals each day not as just salad but include them as ingredients when cooking a meal.To improve your health,  you need to start eating healthy and this can started by choosing to start a vegetarian lifestyle. Meats are full of different types of fats and substances which can have negative effects on our system. Vegetarian food on the other hand has many benefits- it maintains and balances cholesterol and blood pressure. It enhances the normal working of other natural phenomenon as menstrual and digestive cycles.

2. Decide To Live A Healthy Lifestyle: To have a healthy lifestyle, another thing that is extremely important is physical activity. If you could spend half an hour to go for a walk, it should go along way improving your current health. However, if you can spend more time and energy on vigorous sports or other physical activities than you enjoy like dancing, it will be even better. Eating vegetarian food and keeping a healthy diet makes a person feel invigorated which makes a person much more active, which encourages a person to enjoy physical activities.

3. Increase Drinking More Water: Another thing is to drink more water. Water keeps the system hydrate, gives a person better mental concentration throughout the day and makes sure that digestion and other bodily functions are carried out smoothly. With enough water and a proper vegetarian diet, you can rest assured that you will have better digestion.

4. Reduce The Amount Of Junk Food and Meat You Eat: The types of foods that we must avoid include the fatty and high calorie foods and all types of meat like the red meat, beef, mutton etc. Sticking to a vegetarian diet will help you in staying off the fatty food your aim is to build good eating habits.

5. You Have The Power To Say No: If you want to start a healthy vegetarian lifestyle, the most important thing that you must have is willpower to resist eating of meat dishes, even if   look or smell very  tasty .

To Get You Started below is a fruit juice recipe

Apple and Blackberries Twist Juice

Ingredients

1 Apple

1 cup of Blackberries

Frozen ice cubes

Equipment

Blender

knife

How To Prepare

Chop the apple into four pieces. Pour into the blender the chopped apple pieces and a cup of washed blackberries. Add the frozen ice cubes and blend for 2-3 until smooth. Enjoy!

Vegetarianism has helped millions of people lead a healthy and if you choose so, you can be one of them. However you just have to take simple steps to a  become vegetarian. The most important part of becoming a vegetarian is your determination to stay on course and fight all the temptation that comes your way. Vegetarianism is an answer to many health problems and a perfect option for anyone who cares about his or her health and life.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/nutrition-articles/start-eating-healthy-with-the-vegetarian-diet-2382956.html

About the Author

To get more free tips on how to become a vegetarian or to start the vegetarian lifestyle to go http://www.vegetariannewbie.com and claim your special free report “10 Essential Facts For The Vegetarian Newbie”

Tags: become a vegetarian, become vegetarian, becoming a vegetarian, becoming vegetarian, how to become a vegetarian, vegetarian
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February 21st, 2011

If you have made a choice and taken the decision of being a vegetarian, it’s important you learn how to be one. This article will help you find the answer to the question “How to become a vegetarian for the first time?”

Each person has their own reason to become a vegetarian.  You need to first figure your own motive ?? below are some reasons people decide to become a vegetarian;

A. Some people are animal lovers, who are against animal cruelty that are slaughtered in meat production and slaughtering houses.

B. Some people are environmentalists, who understand that raising animals for meat requires land for grazing and that the meat production work in different slaughter houses leads to animal waste accumulation and waste run off, apart from emission of lethal gases like methane and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

C .Some people want to become a vegetarian to follow a religion or a philosophy that they have adopted.

D.One of the main reasons why most people are becoming vegetarian these days is because of the various health benefits that come with becoming a vegetarian. People feel more energetic and vigorous following a vegetarian diet.

Becoming a vegetarian is a learning curve. You should realize and understand that human being’s taste buds adopt themselves according to the food that we usually eat. If you’ll try something different or something for the first time, the taste might certainly be rejected which is normal.

Step 1. So, the first step towards becoming a Vegetarian is to have enough patience to travel the path from being a non vegetarian to a complete vegetarian. Once you have committed to your goal of being a vegetarian, the following tips will help you achieve it:

Step 2. Become a gradual vegetarian and slowly reduce junk food out of your daily . Do it in steps so that you get time to adopt yourself to the style. Divide the non vegetarian food items into different groups and start by removing each group at a time out of your diet.

Step 3. Learn to say no. This will be difficult in the beginning when you still remember the taste and smell of your favorite non vegetarian food but with time you will develop the resistance. A good idea will be telling all your friends and family about your newly adopted eating habit, so that they don’t force you to eat meat.

Step 4. Try a new vegetarian food item every time you go to a shop or restaurant . This is important because you are leaving your favorite diet and you will need something good to replace it. If you don’t like a vegetarian product the first time you try it, don’t lose patience. Try the same product but of a different brand. Tastes vary and so are your choices.

Step 5. Read about vegetarianism. Watch videos. Meet people who are vegetarians and talk to them, listen to their ideas. You should have something that should constantly motivate you to achieve your goal of being a vegetarian.

Vegetarianism is a lifestyle choice that has many benefits. It is time to improve your health,  “Your Health Is Your Real Wealth”.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/nutrition-articles/how-to-become-a-vegetarian-for-the-first-time-1933319.html

About the Author

To get more  information on how to become a vegetarian or to start the vegetarian lifestyle to go http://www.vegetariannewbie.com and claim your special free report “10 Essential Facts For The Vegetarian Newbie” Today !

Tags: become a vegetarian, become vegetarian, becoming a vegetarian, becoming vegetarian, how to become a vegetarian, vegetarian
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February 21st, 2011

Believe it or not, I was not born a vegetarian. I had to work hard at it and I did take baby steps.  I didn’t just jump right into the vegetarian lifestyle.  I began eliminating meat from my diet at the age of 12.  I had to figure it out (and I am still trying to figure it out) and learn how to replace meat with healthy foods that would not only nourish my body, but keep me feeling full and just as important, tasted great.

‘My father, the vegan,’ was a vegetarian for a couple of years, then became a vegan.  So as I took my journey to become a vegetarian, there was a point in time when I was still eating seafood (and no other flesh) and I remember him saying to me, “Ebbie Webbie (that’s what he calls me) when are you going to become a REAL VEGETARIAN?”  I was like what, are you kidding me?  I thought I was a real vegetarian.  Who defines who the real vegetarians are?  Are you less of a vegetarian because you eat dairy, eggs, or fish?  My answer is “no” but others would say differently. Either way, you have to start the vegetarian transition somewhere and to help you design a meatless plan that works best for you, here are 10 different types of vegetarian diets that you can adopt to assist you with becoming a “real” vegetarian:

• Lacto Ovo – This vegetarian diet consists of eggs & diary, but do not consist of any animal flesh or seafood.

• Ovo – If you are an Ovo Vegetarian then you don’t eat any flesh, seafood, or diary products, but you still consume eggs.

• Lacto – Lacto Vegetarians do not eat any flesh, seafood or eggs, but still enjoys the taste of diary products.

• Pollo – If you are a Pollo – Vegetarian, then you are probably still trying to ease into the vegetarian lifestyle.  You still eat chicken, but no seafood or other animal flesh.

• Pesco Pollo –  I was a pesco-pollo vegetarian when I was 12.  I ate seafood and poultry and no other animal flesh.

• Semi (part-time) – If you are a part-time vegetarian then you still eat meat/flesh but you have reduced your consumption.  For example, you may be a vegetarian Monday – Friday, but once the weekend hits, you want chicken or steak.

• Pesco – Pescatarians just eat seafood and no other flesh or meats.

• Fruitarian – I would like to meet a fruitarian.  Fruitarians only eat fruits and veggies that do not hurt, harm, or suck the life out of the plants from which they stemmed from.  An example would be oranges and apples.

• Vegan – Don’t eat any flesh or any products that come from something that once had a face (is how I like to describe it).  They don’t eat honey, wear leather, silk, or use or eat gelatin products.

• Raw – Raw vegetarians only eat whole grains, raw or lightly steamed vegetables and fresh foods.  Some raw vegetarians don’t even cook their grains and beans, they just let them soak for a couple of days until they are soft enough to consume.

Remember, which ever path you take to become a vegetarian is yours and yours alone.  Just remember to eat a healthy, diverse range of fruits, vegetables, and plant based proteins to support your smart and new decision to become a vegetarian.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/wellness-articles/what-type-of-vegetarian-are-you-learn-the-10-various-ways-to-go-meatless-and-transition-to-a-vegetarian-lifestyle-3047582.html

About the Author

EJ, as her friends call her, is a progressive vegetarian and a vegetarian cooking maniac.  She is also the creator of Vegetarian Like Me.  Ebony welcomes you to visit Vegetarian Like Me at http://www.vegetarianlikeme.com to help you become a healthier and more informed vegetarian.  Get instant and unlimited access to vegetarian and vegan articles, tips, and vegetarian video recipes.  To receive your 5 Free Vegetarian Video Recipes today, visit http://www.vegetarianlikeme.com/vegetarianchallenge today to join the vegetarian revolution.

Tags: become a vegetarian, become vegetarian, becoming a vegetarian, becoming vegetarian, how to become a vegetarian, vegetarian
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February 21st, 2011

All food pyramids are not created equal.  The beloved “USDA Food Pyramid” that we all grew up with and were reminded of every single day in school, does not quite satisfy the nutritional needs and desires of vegetarians and vegans.  Two reasons why many people fall off the “vegetarian wagon” are; people do not “feel full” or people say they become sick on a vegetarian diet.  The main causes of these two ill symptoms of vegetarianism are rooted in one issue; the lack of nutritional foods and supplements to support the body.  Often times, vegetarians don’t know how to eat properly, thus, leading them to feel sick or not feeling full and satisfied from the foods they are consuming.  This leads to vegetarians loading up on veggie burgers, pre-packaged foods, pizza, cheese sandwiches and junk food, just to try to satisfy their hunger, all the while sacrificing their health.

To prevent vegetarians from failing at their lifestyle and diet; to prevent vegetarians and vegans from eating too much of the wrong types of foods (i.e. veggie burgers, soy-based meat alternatives, and carbohydrates) and to prevent vegetarians from getting sick, here is a vegetarian food pyramid to empower vegetarians and vegans with the foods that they should focus on eating everyday to support their bodies and their appetites.

• Vegetables and Fruits – The foundation of your vegetarian diet should be fresh vegetables; hence the word “vegetarian.” Vegetarians should eat at least 6 servings per day of vegetables and fruits. This is really important because the plant kingdom provides many nutrients, vitamins and trace minerals that vegetarians and vegans need to provide their bodies with energy and vitamins to support cell growth and development.  Avoid canned fruits and vegetables as these types of products do not add much value to the body.  Instead, opt to eat fresh or lightly steamed vegetables to maximize the healthy benefits that the plant kingdom has to offer.  Vegetables and fruits are also packed with fiber and are a great way to naturally cleanse the body.  Vegetarians will be surprised at how much more energized they can feel just by eating fresh vegetables and fruit.

• Pasta, Rice, Whole Grains, Cereals, and Bread - Remember a couple of years ago, everyone was “anti-carbohydrates?”  During that time, carbohydrates caught a bad rap.  The trick is eating complex carbohydrates in moderation.  As a vegetarian, grains and pastas are a staple of this meatless diet.  Vegetarians and vegans should not eliminate this important fuel from their diets.  Just make sure to eat at least 4 servings per day to support the functioning of the brain and provide your body amino acids.

• Legumes (beans), Seeds, Nuts – Beans and nuts are great sources of healthy fats, fiber and proteins for the vegetarian diet. 3 servings is the ideal amount that vegetarians and vegans should consume to balance their meatless diet.  Try to avoid canned beans because these beans are loaded with preservatives and salt.  To really receive the most nutritional value from beans, use dried beans cooked slowly in a crock-pot.

• Meat Alternatives – Meat alternatives such as veggie burgers, textured vegetable protein (TVP), tempeh, tofu, and seitan should be limited to about 2 servings per day.  It is better to eat tofu, seitan, and tempeh then it is to eat the processed “faux meat” products on the market.  The less processed the foods, the more nutrients vegetarians and vegans will receive from meat alternatives.

• Fats, Oils, Sweets – Incorporate fats, sweets, and oils in to your vegetarian or vegan use sparingly.  When selecting fats and oils to eat or cook with, try to select the healthier fats such as oils from Avocado and Olive Oil.  You can apply the same principal for sweets.  Try using agave or applesauce as sweetners instead of sugar.  If sugar is all you have access to, try cooking with the raw sugar cane.

If you are a vegetarian that consumes dairy and eggs or a lacto-ovo vegetarian, then you want to make sure that you are consuming no more than 3 servings per day of dairy products such as cheese and milk.  If you eat eggs then you should eat eggs sparingly. Only 2 to 3 times per week.

As a vegetarian, your primary goal is to have a healthy and diverse diet that includes a range of different meatless foods.   Eat a variety of the foods in the vegetarian and vegan pyramid to ensure that a strong dietary foundation has been established to support the commitment to a meatless lifestyle and the commitment to a healthy life.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/nutrition-articles/vegetarian-food-pyramid-the-building-blocks-to-a-healthy-vegetarian-and-vegan-diet-3220005.html

About the Author

EJ, as her friends call her, is a progressive vegetarian and a vegetarian cooking maniac.  She is also the creator of Vegetarian Like Me.  Ebony welcomes you to visit Vegetarian Like Me at http://www.vegetarianlikeme.com to help you become a healthier and more informed vegetarian.  Get instant and unlimited access to vegetarian and vegan articles, tips, and vegetarian video recipes.  To receive your 5 Free Vegetarian Video Recipes today, visit http://www.vegetarianlikeme.com/vegetarianchallenge today to join the vegetarian revolution.

Tags: become a vegetarian, become vegetarian, becoming a vegetarian, becoming vegetarian, how to become a vegetarian, vegetarian
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February 21st, 2011

We are all striving to lead healthier lifestyles.  It is not always easy and what usually separates the ones who are actually healthy from the ones who only dream about being healthy are two things; knowledge and a plan.  As you may have heard, becoming a vegetarian or vegan is the fastest way to achieve optimal health and if you are a vegetarian or may be thinking about eliminating meat from your life then let me congratulate you in making this decision and committing to finding information to help you leverage this healthy lifestyle.  It is by far the wisest choice you have ever made in your life regarding your health. For those of you switching to a vegetarian way of life, you are focusing a change through the number one factor why so many people have developed certain kinds of illnesses and that’s our dietary routines. Truth be told, you don’t have to be afraid if this new decision will or won’t work and it doesn’t matter if this is your first time trying to go meatless. There is that great chance that this dietary change will work and change your life forever. Transition in everything works with a gradual and progressive way of dealing with something. It can also be applied for a vegetarian change.  Let me show you how to successfully switch to a vegetarian lifestyle with these 3 simple steps.

• Add Vegetarian Recipes To Your Meals Gradually

This is the gradual way of handling the big change in your life;   this approach helps ensure that you stick with the new meatless life you committed to.   In this case you don’t have to prepare a feast of varied vegetarian recipes right away. You can start by adding one vegetarian meal a day or even once a week.  From there you gradually start to add more meatless meals to your routine.   Not only would you know what you like best but you can create your own vegetarian recipes that are not only healthy but are also delicious as well.   It will be much easier as you progress, in replacing your meat based meals with a variety of vegetarian cuisines. Select several meals that you like that are vegetarian and you can start adding replacing these meals for the meat filled meals you eat now.  Always strive to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables too.  Do this and your body will notice the difference and love you for reducing your meat consumption.  From there, it will be easy to eliminate meat entirely.

• Substitution is a Big Factor

A big factor in transitioning to a vegetarian lifestyle is pleasing your senses.  Your taste buds and mouth have to be having and will have become used to “meat substitutions.”  I have often asked people if they have ever tried tofu and I always get the same response, “Yes I have tried it and I will never try it again.”  Most people do not like the “soft” texture of tofu.  The beauty of meat alternatives is that there are more options available then just tofu.  Tempeh, TVP, and Seitan are just an example of the variety of meat substitutions that are available.  Most supermarkets carry these in the produce or “natural foods” aisle.

• Identify Your Vegetarian Resources & Support

Now that you have decided to go meatless, you want to make sure you commit to your plan and diligently be aware of the food choices you are making.  Don’t know where to start?  Having vegetarian resources available at your fingertips to help you with your transition and improve your “vegetarian” success rate.  Get yourself a couple of vegetarian cookbooks (you can never have just one), surf the internet for downloadable recipes that you can print from your computer, and even seek out vegetarian online communities, blogs, and forums to get your questions answered and for support!

It may difficult for you at first, but remember the long-term benefits of adapting a vegetarian lifestyle.  Once you have your vegetarian regimen and you start to experience the impact that healthy eating has on your mind, body, and soul, your meat eating days will become a distant memory that you will want more than ever to forget.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/wellness-articles/become-a-vegetarian-with-these-3-simple-to-follow-steps-3487685.html

About the Author

EJ, as her friends call her, is a progressive vegetarian and a vegetarian cooking maniac.  She is also the creator of Vegetarian Like Me.  Ebony welcomes you to visit Vegetarian Like Me at http://www.vegetarianlikeme.com to help you become a healthier and more informed vegetarian.  Get instant and unlimited access to vegetarian and vegan articles, tips, and vegetarian video recipes.  To receive your 5 Free Vegetarian Video Recipes & Free Vegetarian Cookbook  today, visit http://www.freemeatlessrecipes.com today to join the vegetarian revolution.

Tags: become a vegetarian, become vegetarian, becoming a vegetarian, becoming vegetarian, how to become a vegetarian, vegetarian
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »