My cholesterol has always been high - around 233 – even after 12 years on a vegan diet.  How can a 12-year vegan have such high cholesterol?  Genetics, of course.  We love to use genetics as an excuse.  We blame...

The next time you meet someone who has been vegan for a long time, ask what made them go vegan.  There is a high likelihood that their answer will start with, “I read this amazing book by John Robbins…” Before...

The next time you meet someone who has been vegan for a long time, ask what made them go vegan.  There is a high likelihood that their answer will start with, “I read this amazing book by John Robbins…” Before...

I saw a post on Facebook today.  It went like this:  “I'm in CVS. Guy in line ahead of me knows cashier, but they haven't seen each other in while. He invites her over. "I don't eat meat anymore," she...

I’ve already blogged on the vagaries of oil.  You’ll remember back in October of 2011 I made some salient points about the research on oil: The Lyon Heart Study turned olive oil into a health food when they found that...

I went to Whole Foods and was blown away by one of their delicious “Health Starts Here” soups, whose main ingredients were kale and white beans.  If you’re not familiar with the “Health Starts Here” program, it marks foods around...

The verdict is in – many of us have long suspected that sugar is addictive.  If you struggle with cutting back or cutting out sweets (like I do), then you must watch this 15 minute segment of 60 minutes. http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7403942n&tag=contentBody;storyMediaBox...

At a recent lecture in a spiritual bookstore, I covered some of the spiritual aspects of going vegan.  Yet even if you’re not spiritual or religious, many of the same principles apply, simply because many spiritual traditions come down to...

A common question I receive is about organic foods.  Are they really healthier?  Are they easier on the environment?  Doesn’t “organic” imply a more natural and cruelty-free environment for the animals?  What about organic seafood?  There are loads of myths...

A very good friend brought up a great question to me today, after hearing that my husband and I got voracious food poisoning after eating salads at the Cheesecake Factory.  What he wanted to know was (in a polite way),...

Every once in a while I meet someone who used to be vegan, but for whatever reason, eats meat again.  I am always surprised by this, but I don’t worry.  I know the vegan diet is not a temporary fad....

Honey.  It has caused a big debate amongst vegans:  Is it vegan, or is it not?  The answer simply depends on how you define vegan.  Those who define a vegan diet as devoid of animal products may claim that a...

My new book coming out will be called Vegetarian to Vegan.  I wrote this book for all the vegetarians who have asked me questions about why or how to give up dairy and eggs.  Among the most common questions are:...

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and what do we vegans like to receive on Valentine’s Day more than anything else?  Chocolate, of course!  But not all chocolate is vegan, so how do you find out what the best...

It feels like I’ve become a vegan therapist lately.  There have been a rash of people who have come to me with concerns that they are not 100% vegan … people who used to be 100% vegan but now slip...

Buying a home in Haiku has been one of the best things to ever happen to me.  Not for the home itself, nor the beautiful weather of Maui … but for the genuine, authentic, loving people that I now consider...

While the US leads the world in many things, we seem to be sadly behind in the area of food.  Huge corporate interests lobby hard to keep the public from seeing just how gruesome the slaughterhouses are (if you knew,...

We are often told that “all things are okay in moderation.”  A little bit of chocolate, a couple of glasses of wine, a small piece of cake… As long as we eat and drink in moderation, all is well.  But...

I’m really, really mad. Most people can tell you how many days Kim Kardashian was married, yet hardly anyone I ask has heard about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.  Google it.  It will freak you out. In the middle of...

The holidays are stressful for most people, but there are added stresses for vegans:  How do you ask your family to cook a vegan meal for you?  If they are coming to your house, do you make two meals, or...