The rising value of food

I am in LA visiting my sister and her family for the week (thus, the delay in posting to this blog). To make sure my "rawer vegan diet" is being fed, this weekend I went to food markets to purchase fresh fruits and veggies. When at home, I don't really need to shop at grocery stores as much of my produce comes from the food pantry where I weekly volunteer, or from the kitchen at the camp where I work. Thus, this weekend was the first time in a long time I entered a store to buy food for myself. I was shocked by the prices I found! Surprised. Blow away. I had heard that food prices had risen because of the rising costs of fuel, but I could not believe what I was seeing as I walked down the aisles.

I discovered just how much more organic locally grown food really is, and how expensive fresh fruits and vegetables currently are. Thus, I realized how lucky I am to have access to the bounty of produce, which is always available in the refrigerators at camp, even though it is not organic but similar in quality to grocery stories. And I also realized how blessed I am when organic selections become available at the food pantry, which is stocked by Trader Joe's through the "scraps" pulled from the shelf when the "sell by" date is reached. The multitude of perfectly wholesome food would literally be taken to the dump, if it was not for the non-profit groups that thankfully and gratefully pick up the many many bags everyday. (The group I work with gets the Saturday and Sunday scraps from the Trader Joe's in Millbrae.)

With food costs on the rise, and me, personally seeing the domino effect that American lust and obsession with autos has created, it becomes even more of a horror for me now to see food go to waste. Each piece of fruit has so much more value - with value being assessed not just by the grocery bill factor.

Though the value of food is accentuated today because of its economic cost, vegan-me is also learning about how the value of food is increased because of its nutritional value.

When I share about my dietary transformation to vegetarian to vegan to now a "rawer vegan" (a vegan considering and transitioning into a raw foods diet), people always ask questions about something they assume I would be lacking, like protein or calcium, enjoyment or taste. To be honest, I've never felt like I had a good succinct answer as I still am coming to understand nutrition, what the body needs, what my body needs, the amino acids of protein, the purpose of calcium, and so forth. While the resources are helpful (to a point), some are confusing, others conflicting, a few overly technical with too much information, and a few too simplistic with no good explanation. It's been a challenge.

A resource I found recently by George Eisman, one of the nation's foremost educators on nutrition, has provided the simple clarity I've been looking for and needing. The author of The Most Noble Diet:Food Selection and Ethics, Eisman in his second work, A Basic Course in Vegetarian and Vegan Nutrition, provides an excellent overview of the advantages of the vegan dietary, expert guidance on the "whys", and clear nutritional information with insightful illustrations. With my limited background and non-scientific mind, this resource has been a God-send.

A study-at-home course on basic nutrition, one copy is listed on Amazon for $49.99 + $3.99 shipping! I bought my copy for less than the cost of shipping -- $3.98 at Half Price Books in Berkeley. I value my brand new copy now more than ever, though copies are available for $21.95 from American Vegan. However, in the coming weeks, I will be highlighting (for FREE - a real value) some of the key nutritional insights I'm gleaning from the text related to protein, calcium, and other issues with which vegans are confronted.

For me, one of the key breakthroughs in my transition to a raw vegan diet is the simple realization that to benefit from the nutrition in raw plant foods, I will need to eat more. I'll explain why in the coming weeks, but the value of food is increasing in my life as I recognize the life-giving energy in whole, natural, unprocessed foods, as the Creator has intended.

Because of my limited financial resources, I was not able to purchase all organic vegetables and fruits for my time in Los Angeles this week. I did get to a local Farmer's Market for a few valuable purchases like large luscious locally grown apricots, but at the grocery stores, my most valuable purchase by far was a homemade local raw vegan chocolate brownie, which I've been enjoying (in small chunks) after each run - definitely worth the sticker shock $5.95 I paid!

Eisman writes, "We each must choose foods everyday, and in that choice some rippling effect takes place. Every dollar spent for food sends a message to food producers, some of which are the largest and most powerful corporations in the world. They are motivated by profit, and will respond to what is and what isn't consumed. Therein the power of the individual lies." (A Basic Course in Vegetarian and Vegan Nutrition, p. 123)

Being vegan: A is for...

Today is Easter, the day we celebrate the hope we have as God's people, because of the resurrection of Jesus who was crucified, but was raised to new life by the power of God. The "good news" of Christ (the gospel) is the promise of life beyond death for those who place their trust in the God who raised Jesus from the grave. That is the message of Easter - a message of hope and healing for all that suffer, struggle, and toil under despair and oppression. God has not forgotten those God created and loves.

This is good news! And good news needs to be shared, an imperative which is echoed in the final principle of veganism. For a vegan:
A is for ADVANCEMENT of understanding and truth
When the light bulb of new insight clicks on, excitement overflows as we naturally share our discovery with others and advance the message of what we've come to believe.

The basic message of Christianity is that new life is possible for those who believe in the transforming power of God. To understand and to live the truth of this message, one must turn from the "old self" to the "new self", a lifestyle which follows after Jesus and nurtures a daily dependence on the love of God.

The basic message of veganism is that all life is precious. To understand and to live the truth of this message, one must consciously choose to live each day with conscience and conviction in compassion for all of creation.

As one's perspective of truth deepens, and as transformation occurs, opportunities open for new convictions to be shared. My decision to become a vegan, for example, grew out of my faith as a Christian, who desires to honor God by caring for all that God has made. The link I made between Christianity and veganism is a truth I now believe, which shapes how I live out my faith. To anyone who asks and is willing to listen, I share what I have learned.

My "vegan conversion" came in a fashion similar to my "Christian conversion". I made a decision for Christ on a bunk at summer camp in the summer of 1977. Lying in bed, I realized that God loved me, that I loved God, and that I was already trusting Christ. There was no reason not to make a commitment to follow him. Camp was simply the moment I decided that I would not turn back. Last summer as I was reading about the values of being a vegan, I literally woke up one day and realized that I was already choosing compassion in my diet and my purchases. I simply drew a line in the sand on my birthday to mark the moment when I decided that I would not go back.

Joanne Stepaniak in Being Vegan underscores my experience when she writes, "Most people who come to veganism feel jolted awake, as though they had been asleep at the wheel and are only now becoming conscious of the truth that has always surrounded them" (p. 66). As outlined in my first vegan-me blog, intellectually, spiritually, environmentally, practically, physically, politically, and ethically, I realized that a vegan lifestyle fits who I am, who I believe God is calling me to become.

With more people discovering that someone like me is now a vegan (someone who once loved sashimi, parmesan cheese, and prime rib cooked rare), the question comes up, "Why?" I am still learning how to respond in a way that reflects my understanding, my convictions, and the truths I have now come to believe, without being pushy or proud, or provoking guilt.

Stepaniak suggests a "brief and upbeat" answer, such as: "I believe in the value of all life and in not harming others. Since we can live healthfully and happily without eating of using animal products, there is no reason to do otherwise." (Being Vegan, p. 103)

The response I am beginning to give when asked, "Why vegan?":
"As a follower of Jesus, I believe I am called to care for creation and to be a good steward of the environment. Thus, I value all of life and desire to honor God by honoring all that God has made. Since I can live healthfully and happily without eating or using products that come from animals, there is no reason for me to do so."

Through this lenten series, I highlighted the 6 principles of a vegan life.
- A is for ABSTINENCE from animal products
- H is for HARMLESSNESS with reverence for life
- I is for INTEGRITY of thought, word, and deed
- M is for MASTERY over oneself
- S is for SERVICE to humanity, nature, and creation
- A is for ADVANCEMENT of understanding and truth

The 6 principles are an acronym spelling the Sanskrit word, "AHIMSA", which means "non-violence". As a rule of conduct that bars the killing or injuring of living beings, it is the guide for vegan living delineated by the American Vegan Society.

Though ahimsa is a philosophy common in eastern religions, I believe it reflects God's original intention in the Garden of Eden, and is prophesied as being restored in Isaiah 11:6-9 when the Christ comes. (Refer to H is for...) I have come to believe ahimsa is very much part of what it means to be "Christian" for it is rooted in love, God's love for all that God has made.

Referring to our communion with God, Henri Nouwen writes, "It's there that you receive the love which empowers you to take the way that Jesus has taken before you: a narrow way, a painful way, but the way that gives you true joy and peace and enables you to make the nonviolent love of God visible in this world." (Show Me the Way, p. 80. Emphasis added.)

The Easter message of Jesus is that beyond death, there is life for those who trust in the resurrection power of God. When I consider Jesus' suffering and death on the cross, I see the hope of ahimsa in the good news of Easter. Beyond death and violence, there is the promise of new life for those who would believe.

There is much violence in our world today, especially in the death of animals in the farm industry. While many vegans are animal activists, I am not, though the atrocities I read about in Fast Food Nation were pivotal in my vegan conversion. My hope is that through this blog and my sharing with others about the truth in veganism, the violent death of billions of God's creatures will not be in vain, but will be a wake up call, and give birth to a new vegan life in someone... may be someone like you!

This Easter, may the hope of new life overshadow the power of death, and be replaced with the compassionate love of non-violence for all the earth -- a truth found in ahimsa, veganism, as well as the gospel of Jesus the Christ. Amen.

Being vegan: A is for...

As my vegan choices are becoming more "public", more questions are being asked about why I made that choice, what I eat, what I need. When I saw her this week, my goddaughter began to ask me what I do and do not eat now. While it is easy to say that I simply do not eat any animal products (or that I am on "an indefinite animal consumption" fast), there is more to being a vegan than dietary choices.

I was reminded of that as I've begun reading Joanne Stepaniak's book, "Being Vegan: Living with Conscience, Conviction, and Compassion".

Last week marked the start of the Lunar New Year, but it also ushered in the season of Lent, which began on Ash Wednesday, February 6th. Lent is a season of preparation, when the cold dark deadness of winter breaks forth with the warm new light and life of spring. It is also a time when many followers of Christ fast or abstain from something, so to feast on Someone (God) through the disciplines of sacrifice and prayer.

On the journey to Easter joy, I thought I'd use the next 6 weeks to share more about the principles of a vegan life, and to encourage you (if you've not already made a commitment) to fast this Lent from animal consumption. That might mean not eating meat, or cutting back on meat to once a day or once a week, or pursuing a strict vegetarian diet by not eating anything that comes from an animal source (including dairy, eggs, honey, and butter).

To begin... For a vegan:
A is for ABSTINENCE from animal products.

The popular conception of a vegan today is a person who simply does not eat animal products. A vegan diet is often regarded as one step more "severe" than a vegetarian diet, as all animal sourced food items are "off limits". In other words, vegetarians will eat eggs and cheese, vegans however do not. While this is true, the choice of a total plant-based diet really grows out of the larger vegan commitment.

Veganism grew out of the vegetarian movement in the 1940's. According to Stepaniak, "The term vegetarian was devised solely to describe diet -- nothing else. On the other hand, the term vegan encompasses far more than just what one eats. It is - and has always been - a philosophy of compassionate living, and this is a vital distinction." (p. 9)

In its Articles of Association, The Vegan Society in its conception, defined veganism as a "philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practical, all forms of exploitation of animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefits of humans, animals, and the environment".

Stepaniak writes,

"Based on these explanations, the practice of veganism entails abstaining from the use of animal products in every aspect of daily living as much as is possible and practical. Although this includes what one eats, it also extends to all other types of consumables. In addition, vegan practice is coupled with the active pursuit of alternatives to commodities typically made from or with animal products or by-products, as well as the avoidance of animal exploitation and cruelty for any purpose" (p. 3).

Abstinence from animal products is the place where veganism often begins.

As a follower of Christ, I have discovered that "vegan values" under gird my desire to honor the Creator by caring for all that the Creator has made. Veganism embodies compassion for every living creature, and embraces responsible stewardship of earth's resources, built on the simple tenet - "Do the least harm, and the most good."

"In the beginning" of Genesis, a portrait of peace in creation is described which God the Creator deems as "good". We often gloss over it, but a plant-based diet is prescribed for humans and for animals in Genesis 1:29-30. It is this harmonious co-existence that God had made, not the creation of humans, I believe, which the Creator deems "very good" (1:31).

Animals were Adam's first companions, whom he names. As Mother Theresa has said, "They (animals), too, are created by the same loving Hand of God which created us.... it is our duty to protect them and to promote their well-being." With continuous reports of animal cruelty, and questionable food industry practices abstaining from any product that comes from an animal is one way to honor the God who has made all and is in all.

As Meister Eckhart has written, "God loves all creatures equally and fills them with His being, and we should lovingly meet all creatures the same way."

This Lent, may you consider reducing your use of an animal product as a sign of your commitment to love and to care for all the creatures God has made.
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