We caught up with Derulo (in an exchange over email) to ask him for his secrets to his fitness and healthy diet success and were surprised to learn that one of the things he relies on is a secret weapon drink that is now widely available.

Along with daily workouts, DeRulo has become a major fan of drinking the natural substance from tree bark called Birch water, which is the active ingredient in a beverage called TREO.

What are the benefits of birch water?

Birch water is derived from the sap of birch trees and provides natural minerals and antioxidants such as manganese and magnesium. Birch water is low in calories and it may even improve skin and hair health, though more research is needed.

Birch sap is naturally sweet, contains minerals, electrolytes, and micronutrients, and is an alternative to coconut water in sports drinks.

Here’s what Derulo had to share about this new-found natural hydration choice and why he has come to enjoy more plant-based protein choices in the mix of his healthy diet.

The Beet: Does eating dairy-free make you feel healthier? Have you seen any differences in performance when you eat this way?

Jason Derulo: Since transitioning to eating more plant-based foods, I have noticed that I have a lot more energy. I have noticed that I am able to work out for longer periods of time without breaks.

The Beet: Why do you like plant-based protein?

Jason Derulo: Limiting the amount of dairy in my diet and eating cleaner with the addition of plant–based beverages such as TREO has definitely helped me increase my stamina.

The Beet: What makes you stay fit and build muscle?

Jason Derulo: Before and after a workout, I think it’s super important to hydrate. That’s why I like TREO so much because Birch water, TREO’s star ingredient, is packed with vitamins and minerals to hit hydration goals quicker. In terms of working out and staying fit.

The Beet: How often do you work out?

Jason Derulo: I like to work out twice a day, five to six times a week. I do a mix of cardio and weight training and core exercises.

Read More: 7 Rappers Who Dropped the Mic on Meat

Read More: 6 Country Stars You Didn’t Know Were Plant-Based

The post Jason Derulo’s Secret to Fitness? Birch Water. Should You Try It? appeared first on The Beet.

Compared to the alternative, Dry January is definitely a healthier choice, according to the CDC and a study in The Lancet, which found that alcohol, despite the purported benefits of red wine, has “no health benefits” in itself, and in fact, can increase your risk of cancer, liver disease, death, and anxiety. Alcohol is the seventh leading cause of death in adults the world over.

Is Alcohol Bad for You?

Drinking acts against all your best health efforts: It slows the immune system, robs your bones of calcium, and leads to weight gain (a recent study shows the drunk munchies are real as your mind on alcohol tricks your body into thinking it’s in starvation mode). Imbibing also puts you in other danger of accidents (since even after one drink your judgment is impaired), so going dry is a good idea no matter how much the world events may make you want to reach for the vino or vodka.

How to Go Sober for a Month

As we all make our New Year’s resolutions of every variety, and even if yours did not include going dry this month, you can start now. Taking a complete “detox” from drinking right now, for a week, two weeks, or a month or longer, will benefit your health at every level, according to doctors and addiction experts (alcohol abuse or over-imbibing is defined as drinking more than five drinks in a single day in the past 30 days).

Here are seven tips to help you crush Dry January, and go alcohol-free now, or get back on the wagon if you toppled off. (No judging here…)

1. Make a Plan

You may have planned to abstain from the booze for a whole month, but it is not always easy to stick to it. Build a plan with a list of goals –– it may be helpful to write it down somewhere as a visual reminder of your intentions. Don’t take the big leap right away, start by setting small milestones that are realistic for you.

You’re also more likely to follow smaller goals in the early stages of this resolution, according to recent research. So whether you reduce the number of drinks per week or slowly refrain from purchasing your favorite booze, try doing it in small increments to change your relationship with alcohol.

2. Develop Coping Mechanisms

Many use alcohol to cope with their stress or cultivate feelings of calmness. However, drinking only leads to positive feelings and relaxation in the short term, not the long term, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Therefore, it’s best to address the underlying issue of stress and find healthy ways to cope instead of coping with alcohol, recommends Dr. Joseph DeSanto, MD, an addiction specialist for BioCorRx.

“Meditation is a readily available and potent technique, to begin with, he says. Meditation is a part of mindfulness activities, which have been proven to ease anxiety and stress, according to research. Finding a coping mechanism like deep breathing or journaling will help you manage your stress better for both long-term and short-term well-being.

3. Avoid Triggers

For a lot of people, there are probably some environments that they associate with alcohol. It could be pregaming with drinks at a sports event or a weekly happy hour with friends. Whatever the case may be, it’s best to understand these triggering environments and how you can avoid them, says Dr. Stacy Cohen, MD, a double board-certified general and addiction psychiatrist who practices at The Moment in Los Angeles, California.

“You’re best off avoiding people, places, and things that can remind you of drinking. If you’re struggling with going booze-free for the month, perhaps have your loved ones put away the alcohol ahead of time and try not to drink around you. You can also participate in an event with someone else who agrees not to drink so you don’t feel alone,” she says.

4. Focus on Physical Activity

It’s almost the New Year, but you’re probably continuing the same routine as the year before. Shake up things a bit to move around and add more things you love to do, such as a salsa class or an outdoor sport. Joelene Knight, CADC-CAS, Board Member at Awakening Recovery and Executive Director/Co-Founder at Grace Recovery says.

“One of the best ways to fight boredom and continue to abstain from alcohol during Dry January is definitely getting physical activity as it gives your body the chance to release endorphins or “feel-good” chemicals. You can take a walk, hike, walk on a treadmill, or do an online yoga video.”

Whether you hit the gym or walk along the shores of a beach, these active changes will help you curb that urge to pour a glass of liquor and leave you feeling great.

5. Build a Support System

According to a survey conducted in 2019, one in five Americans annually participates in Dry January. Understand that you’re not alone –– there’s probably a community of friends, family members, and colleagues that are giving up alcohol this month too. It may be helpful to make your Dry January goals public so you can cultivate a network of people close to you to hold yourself accountable and on track.

There are also a lot of resources and support groups online as well, says Dr. DeSanto. “Self-help groups, while not for everyone, can help you find a safe environment to communicate with other individuals who have changed their relationship with alcohol. Finding your tribe of supportive people will help you feel less alone,” he says.

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6. Find Drink Alternatives

If you find yourself usually drinking often (this means going over the limits of up to 2 drinks a day for men and up 1 drink a day for women per CDC guidelines), it’s probably time to find a replacement drink. Water is usually the best option as it keeps you well hydrated, crucial for many bodily functions.

However, if it’s hard to give up the fresh taste of your favorite drink right away, an alternative option like an alcoholic-free drink may be your best bet, says Dr. Cohen. There are so many brands out there that have mocktails so you can enjoy the fresh citrus taste of a Moscow mule or sweet champagne without the booze. Some of our favorite non-alcoholic products include Rock Grace Crystal Elixir, Gruvi’s Bubbly Rosé, Martinelli’s Sparkling Cider, and Heineken’s 0.0.

Read More: The Best Non-Alcoholic Drinks

7. Seek Professional Help

Starting the new year booze-free is amazing, but what happens after that? For a lot of people, Dry January is the time when they realize they have an unhealthy relationship with alcohol. In that case, it may be time to seek support from a professional to transform your alcohol habits for the better.

If you’re unsure of where to start, speak to your local healthcare provider about the treatment options available. They will be able to assess your situation and guide you to the right resources for recovery. Remember, it’s never too late to start.

If you feel like you need immediate assistance with your substance use or mental health issues –– in the U.S., call 800-662-HELP (4357) for the SAMHSA National Helpline.

For more expert advice, visit The Beet’s Health & Nutrition articles. 

The post 7 Expert Tips to Stick With Your Dry January Resolution appeared first on The Beet.

Like many celebrity dieters, Wilson focused on eating a predominantly plant-based diet rich in vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes, and nuts –– all foods full of nutrients, and high in fiber that helped her feel full for longer. Wilson added walking and other physical activity to her daily routine, and the pounds melted off.

The result of these doable, positive changes was not a deprivation diet but a lasting lifestyle shift that helped her shed pounds and keep them off. More importantly, it was part of a decision to be kinder to herself, according to her social posts, and to gain control of her emotional eating. This particular celebrity diet is a stellar example of how to shift one’s mindset and focus on prioritizing health and making positive changes that allow for a lasting lifestyle of sustained healthy habits.

Not all celebrity diets are as doable or as healthy as Wilson’s. Some are also not sustainable, while others require surgery, and still, other stars rely on medication to achieve weight loss.

Here, we take a look at the weight loss strategies that work, as well as some that are not worth trying to emulate – since the point is to be healthy long-term, and eat nutrient-rich foods that keep you full and energized to help you reach your physical, mental, and well-being goals.

Find a strategy that is right for you and that you and your medical provider both agree on – since you should always check with your doctor or nutritionist before embarking on any dramatic change in eating.

Which Celebrity Diets Work?

Not all celebrities take a healthy approach to weight loss, and even if they do manage to lose weight, it may not be something you should try, since you need to follow the plan that is right for you. Oprah is an investor and an advocate for WW (formerly Weight Watchers) and it has been an approach that consistently helps her maintain a healthy diet. So while it may not be new or sexy, WW works, for the right person.

By contrast, some A-listers are taking the diabetes drug Metformin in order to lower blood sugar levels and allow the body to burn fat for fuel. But this drug has side effects that range from diarrhea to more serious conditions, according to the Mayor Clinic, so no one should consider taking anything without discussing it with their doctor.

Celebrity Diets For Weight Loss: Which Ones Are Worth Trying?

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1. The Sirtfood Diet

Adele brought the Sirtfood Diet to our attention two years ago, when she lost some 90 pounds, but many other stars have tried the Sirtfood Diet, including Pippa Middleton, Lorraine Pascale, the Food Network chef, Jodi Kidd, and a boxer named David Haye.

A Sirtfood Diet is mostly plant-based and contains high levels of foods that help trick your body into burning fat at a higher rate. Sirt foods help signal the body to should rev up your metabolism and increase muscle mass while you burn fat.

The foods you eat are called “Sirt” foods because they are high in sirtuin activators, which promote seven proteins that regulate metabolism, inflammation, and the longevity of cells. When you eat more foods that contain sirtuin activators, it helps speed up fat burning in the body while creating lean muscle mass.

What Are Sirt Foods?

• arugula
• blueberries
• coffee
• dark chocolate
• kale
• matcha green tea
• Medjool dates
• red wine
• soy
• walnuts

But another reason you lose weight on the Sirtfood Diet is that during the first week of the plan, you eat just 1,000 calories a day and drink three green juices throughout the day, each containing Kale, arugula, parsley, celery (including the leaves), half a green apple, lemon juice, and matcha green tea. By week two you can increase your calorie intake to 1,500 a day and drink two Sirtfood Juices a day, and eat two Sirtfood meals.

Bottom Line: Calorie restriction works, but it’s impossible to sustain.  What’s healthy about this diet is that it encourages eating greens and high-antioxidant foods. High-fiber foods (such as arugula and kale, parsley, and other dark leafy greens) keep you feeling full longer. However, the more restrictive any diet is, the less likely it is that you can sustain it.

When we tried the Sirtfood Diet, we lasted about half a day, until the middle of the afternoon, when we had to lie down and take a nap. This diet just does not allow for enough calories to fuel an active person, and the restrictions are too harsh to stay on it for more than about 24 hours.

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2. The Mayr Method

Rebel Wilson lost more than 60 pounds during her “Year of Health” by following a diet called the Mayr Method, which is less of a diet and more of a healthy approach to changing your relationship with food. The eating strategy itself is focused on a healthy diet of mostly whole foods like vegetables and lean protein, but the key is to stop stress eating, which leads to reaching for junk, and instead be mindful about what’s triggering your emotional eating in the first place.

Practicing journaling and writing down petty slights or unhappy emotions and then flushing or burning these notes helps you process your emotions in a healthier way than smothering them in donuts and chips. By learning how to kick stress-eating to the curb, you are less likely to reach for high-sugar or carb-loaded snacks to comfort your feelings.

Wilson learned to follow the Mayr method, a nearly 100-year-old approach to healthy weight loss that combines emotional healing with smaller portions, plenty of plant-based foods, lean protein, and taking long daily walks for gentle but consistent calorie-burning every day.

A unique aspect of the Mayr Method is that it isn’t so much a specific diet as it is a way of approaching food and exercise that is kinder to your body and allows you to stop being self-destructive with food.

Wilson explained her new approach to her fans in a social media video, telling them how this method helps people put themselves in better situations where they feel in control of their food decisions and less distracted by other thoughts while they eat, so they don’t make poor choices.

Bottom Line: The Mayr Method is a healthy approach to losing weight and keeping it off. The Mayr Method focuses on eating more plant foods like vegetables and high-protein foods which is great. And because it is about being “good to yourself,” it can become a lifestyle. You learn to eat healthy foods that make you feel energized and avoid inflammatory foods such as added sugar, processed foods, dairy, caffeine, and gluten.

We also love the part about Rebel Wilson’s weight loss approach that encourages practicing self-care, self-kindness, and journaling. There’s no question that this method helps you break self-destructive habits and feel better about yourself as you prioritize your health.

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3. Intermittent Fasting

Stars like Halle Berry, Scarlette Johansen, Jennifer Aniston, and many others have talked about how effective Intermittent Fasting can be when it comes to maintaining a healthy weight. This strategy, of only eating during short stints and abstaining the rest of the day or night, is as old as Hollywood itself. Some people succeed by only eating one or two meals a day, and not eating for 12 or 14, or even 16 hours, allowing the body to reset and burn fat for fuel.

The question isn’t whether Intermittent Fasting works, but how to do it safely and effectively, by prioritizing eating foods that are nutritious and full of fiber during the hours when you do choose to eat.

Nearly every celebrity who has to get ready for a movie or a red-carpet appearance has tried Intermittent Fasting. This practice requires you to not eat for a long window of 14 or more hours, then eat only during the remaining window of 8 or 10 hours, and choose foods that are healthy, nutrient-dense, and high in fiber. The science was first tested on patients with dire health issues such as obesity and type 2 diabetes and has been written about extensively by doctors, like Dr. Jason Fung, who has co-authored the book, Life in the Fasting Lane.

Dr. Fung told The Beet that Intermittent Fasting can also help the body fight off infection, since in the absence of food, the body is better able to do the important housekeeping of finding viruses and other cells that are foreign or broken, and perform “autophagy” where it literally eats these cells and destroys them.

How long you fast for is up to you but we don’t recommend pushing it too long. However, Dr. Fung tells us that we sometimes “get hungry” just because we are accustomed to eating breakfast lunch, and dinner, and that our hunger signals are not necessarily to be trusted. We don’t need to eat that often for our health and longevity, he explains since most of us have plenty of fat stores that our body can use to get to a meal a little while later.

Bottom Line: IF is not for everyone. If you are hungry (or hangry) and distracted, then eating more often and choosing smaller portions might be the better route for you. But if you have the ability to eat an early dinner and then a late breakfast, and space out your meals, you may be able to train the body to use the calories already stored (as fat) and lose weight.
When you do eat, however, choose the healthiest foods you can, to resupply the body with nutrients, antioxidants, and the full spectrum of vitamins and minerals to give your cells the important building blocks they need to be healthy and fight off disease.

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4. The Low-Carb Diet

When Kim Kardashian needed to lose weight to fit into Marilyn Monroe’s iconic “Happy Birthday dress, she chose to cut out carbs and managed to drop 16 pounds, making the red carpet appearance a success.

Counting carbs has become popular with keto diets. But should you cut out all carbs and eat fewer than 1,000 calories a day to lose weight? It’s actually a terrible idea, according to all medical and nutrition sources.

According to the USDA, you only need to reduce your daily calories by 500 to lose one pound in a week, or 1,000 calories per day to lose two pounds. So if you’re regularly eating 2,500 to 3,000 calories a day (and most Americans actually eat 3,600 a day) simply cutting down on total calorie intake is enough, without over-restricting or cutting out an entire food group.

Not to be confused with keto, the low-carb diet is a gentler way of teaching your body to burn fat instead of carbs, by eating fewer calories from carbs. But we know that not all carbs are unhealthy. Most vegetables (like carrots) and fruits (apples and oranges) have naturally occurring sugars that come packaged with healthy vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other antioxidants that make them healthy foods that should not be avoided.

As it is, most Americans don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables. Only 1 in 10 of us get the recommended 5 servings a day, and instead eat carbs in the form of refined flour, highly processed foods, added sugar, and sweets. If you cut out those and instead focus on eating natural whole foods, you will lose weight and stay energized and healthy.

Bottom Line: Rapid, dramatic weight loss often leads to gaining it all back.

Achieving rapid weight loss (more than 2 pounds a week) tends to come in the form of losing muscle, bone density, and water weight rather than fat, and when you regain the weight you usually add it back as fat (unless you are strength training). The result: You’ve succeeded in lowering your metabolism.

Instead of cutting out all carbs and restricting your calories to less than 1,200 a day, try cutting out added sugar, refined or processed flour (like crackers, white bread, regular pasta, and white rice), and all junk food. When you choose healthy high-fiber foods such as fruit and vegetables, you stay full longer and unlock satiety cues while curbing cravings.

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5. Raw Vegan Diet

Lizzo shared with her fans that being vegan has been pretty easy for her, and it looks like she’s ready to level up and begin a new challenge. In an IG story she posted on July 28th, the “Bop Star” announced to her 9.1 million followers that she was making the leap to go fully raw vegan, a decision that she made after citing its numerous health benefits.

A raw vegan diet requires you to only eat plant-based foods that haven’t been put through any cooking, heating, or processing so the food remains in its most natural state. We applaud Lizzo’s quest for health and focus on natural whole foods. “So since being vegan I’ve found that I eat a lot of meat substitutes, whether it’s tempeh or jackfruit or Beyond burger or whatever,” Lizzo told her followers.

Lizzo then added more about why she was adopting this new lifestyle, saying, “Just to piggyback on the conversation I was having earlier on raw veganism, a lot of nutrition has been, you know in the zeitgeist lately, and a lot of it has been exterior-based, but being raw has a lot of internal benefits, and those are the ones that are important to me. …

“So for all those people who have GERD, or who have digestive issues, it gives your stomach a break from breaking down and digesting all of those complex, hard-to-break-down substances we eat… “I think it’s important whether you’re vegan, not vegan, pescatarian, vegetarian,” she encouraged fans, “to have one meal a day that’s just simple, from the earth.”

Bottom Line: The more minimally processed whole foods you eat the better, especially when it comes to high-fiber vegetables, fruit, legumes, and whole grains. You don’t have to go fully raw vegan to benefit from this kind of eating. Just try to get more plant-based foods in your diet and avoid processed foods, including fake meat or packaged foods with added sugar.

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6. Juice Cleanse

Stars like Blake Lively and Nicole Richie have been reported to enjoy cleanses over the years, and science supports juicing as a way of adding more healthy nutrients to your diet. As long as it isn’t your only source of calories, juicing can be a healthy way to get vitamins and antioxidants. The problem is that when you use a machine to get juice from vegetables and fruit, you also remove most of the fiber, which means these foods won’t keep you as full as if you ate the whole ingredients instead of drinking only the juice.

Research has shown that even juicing some of the time, over a short stint of 3 days, can help to jumpstart gut health, and possibly promote weight loss. The subjects in this study showed improvements in their gut microbiome after juicing, even days later. According to the study, which followed subjects for 17 days, a three-day juice-intensive diet resulted in increased weight loss and healthier gut microbiota, and the healthy bacteria stuck around for 14 days after the juicing period was over.

Bottom Line; Add juicing to a healthy diet rather than replacing every meal. Juicing can be a great way to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your diet, but it can wind up being extreme if you do it as a replacement for meals. Instead of removing all the pulp and fiver, add back some pulp or squeeze the juice, allowing some of the fiber to stay in the drink. Dietary fiber is a key component in keeping our gut microbiota healthy.

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7. The Alkaline Diet

Kelly Ripa eats an alkaline diet, which is a way of focusing on a mostly plant-based diet that cuts out inflammatory foods like processed carbs, red meat, and added sugar. Dr. Daryl Gioffre, celebrity nutritionist, and alkaline diet expert explains that eating more alkaline foods reduces acid-promoting foods (not to be confused with citrus or other fruits). Ripa’s diet is clean, mostly plant-based, and brimming with green vegetables and moderate protein intake — mostly plant-based sources with wild-caught fish thrown into the mix.

Alkaline diets are not absolutes, however, which means they are more sustainable over time. “Our motto when working together with her demanding schedule is it’s all about moderation, not deprivation, Gioffre has said, adding that none of his clients think of this as a “diet” per se, but simply making their nutrition part of a healthy lifestyle.

Bottom Line: Steer clear of added sugar and load up on fruits, veggies, healthy fats, and lean protein. Avoid inflammatory foods like processed meat or refined carbs, and make the healthiest choice by prioritizing nutrient-dense foods.

So What Works for Healthy Weight Loss? A Plant-Focused Approach

A Plant-based or plant-focused diet full of whole foods is the best way to think about how to eat for sustained weight loss. It doesn’t have to be a strict diet or rely on restricting calories since if you eat more fiber-filled foods, you will stay full longer and keep blood sugar at a healthy level and avoid unwanted blood sugar spikes.

Seeking nutrient-rich foods and avoiding added sugar, as well as avoiding saturated fat (in red and processed meat) and highly processed foods will naturally lead to weight loss.

Bottom Line: Any diet that is plant-focused and avoids processed foods and refined carbs will likely help you lose weight and feel energized.

Check out The Plant-Based Diet and Cooking Course, to learn how to meal prep and eat healthier all year long.

The post Which Celebrity Diets Actually Work? The Healthiest, and Which to Skip appeared first on The Beet.

How do you ensure you are selecting the best, healthiest wine when at the liquor store? Wine drinks are searching for a healthier wine that has the benefits of antioxidants along with the relaxing effects of a nice buzz, minus the residual effects of too much sugar, additives, tannins, or even extra calories.

Here, we have all the answers to your burning questions about wine. Below, we uncover what makes wines vegan (or more importantly, what can make some wines not vegan), plus what makes them organic, natural and biodynamic. Read on for our criteria on what constitutes “healthy wine” and how to ensure you’re buying a bottle that meets your standards.

Is All Wine Vegan?

Vegan wine: You might be surprised to learn that some wine is not technically vegan. Animal by-products are often used as processing aids, called fining agents. Fining agents are added to wines typically to bind and remove unwanted substances. Common animal-derived fining agents include:

• Egg whites
• Casein
• Bone fragments
• Microorganisms including earthworm exoskeletons
• Isinglass (fish bladder)

“The reason that a lot of companies use fining agents is because there is market pressure to get a product into the stores, and they’re trying to rush a natural process,” says Helen Johannesen (of Helen’s Wine Shop based in LA) on her podcast, WINE FACE.

“All of this stabilizing and fining would happen naturally if people would allow time for it to happen.” She continues to explain, if you’re buying wine at a standard grocery store, there is a good chance that an animal-source fining agent was used. Buying from a local wine shop means that you may have a better chance of getting a great wine, and being able to learn about the production process. Ask if it’s vegan.

Is Wine Healthy?

As for the healthy-or-unhealthy metric, vegan wine is not strictly one or the other. You can have a conventional vegan wine that’s filled with a bunch of additives that many would consider unhealthy. But if you personally consider not using animal byproducts in any aspect of the winemaking process as “healthy,” then choosing a vegan wine may be a good option for you.

Tip: How do you know if wine is vegan? Seeking a vegan wine often requires doing your own research. Don’t trust that even a sommelier at a high-end restaurant will know if their wines are vegan or not. There are some great resources to help: Barnivore keeps a searchable database of vegan wines.

Also, BevVeg is a vegan wine certification site that some winemakers have adopted. You can check out a list of BevVeg-certified brands here. PETA has published an excellent list of favorite, best-tasting vegan wines, specifying brands to look out for.

What Is Organic Wine?

There are two defining characteristics of organic wine: No pesticides used in growing or processing the grape, and no sulfates added to the wine. The USDA gives the organic wine designation, and they have strict guidelines for producers. In addition to farming, synthetic pesticides and herbicides are not allowed in order to pass USDA’s organic certification qualifications.

Any kind of pesticide that has been determined to be harmful to the environment or to people is not allowed. Note, just because a wine is organic, does not mean it’s vegan. Sometimes animal-based fining agents are still used in organic wines.

What Is Natural Wine?

Natural wine represents wine made with minimal intervention, both in the vineyards and in the cellar, often called “low intervention” wines. While there is no official designation for a natural wine (like there is for organic wine), generally, the criteria for natural wine are as follows:

• Organic grapes (or biodynamically grown grapes).
• Hand-picked / harvest (no technology in the field).
• Low-yielding vineyards.
• No added sugars, cultivated (cultured) yeasts, or foreign bacteria.

“Many traditional winegrowers around the world are reviving traditional agriculture with modern techniques and know-how,” says Drew Cuddy, managing partner at Satellite, a natural wine shop, and restaurant in Santa Barbara.

“It takes more physical labor and an interest in truly working in harmony with nature, but the benefits are that the wine is simply better and winegrowers’ families don’t need to fear the effects of using Roundup and other incredibly destructive chemicals at their homes.”

Read More: What Is Natural Wine and Is It Better for You?

Tip: Since the natural wine movement originated in France in the 1960’s, many natural wine bars and shops have been popping up around the country. Next time you’re going out for a glass, do a quick search for “natural wine bars.”

What Is Biodynamic Wine?

Biodynamics, as defined by the Biodynamic Association, is a “holistic, ecological and ethical approach to farming,” created by Dr. Rudolf Steiner in the 1920s. Biodynamic farming incorporates holistic practices of the past include using aspects of astrology and focusing on the farm as a complete ecosystem.

They also ensure a “clean” winemaking process so there are no pesticides or fertilizers used. A core premise is gaining a wider connection to the world and the universe. They believe that there are hidden elements that connect a vineyard with the farmers who care for and cultivate it.

What Makes a Wine Healthy?

While everyone’s definition of a healthy wine might vary, below are some of the key criteria that you might use to constitute a beneficial beverage.

• Rich in antioxidants: Dry red wines, since they maintain their grape skins during fermentation, pack a more powerful antioxidant punch. Antioxidants found in red wines are called polyphenols, which have been shown to protect the lining of blood vessels in the heart. Studies have shown that drinking red wine (in moderation) has been linked to lower risks of cancer, stroke, and heart disease.
• Low in sugar: Less residual sugar often means fewer calories, so if you are calorie counting, or just seeking less sugar in your diet, then stay away from the sweeter wines like Moscato. Typically a dry white or a dry red will tend to be lower in calorie count (110-130 per 5-ounce pour).

• No pesticides: Since organic wines are void of pesticide residue, and so are natural wines, some may say they are in fact healthier. Because of the organic farming principles used, they are also healthier for the environment. Also, organic wines don’t have added sulfites and preservatives that can trigger negative side-effects for people like asthma-like symptoms and headaches.
• Alcohol content: It’s possible to enjoy a few more sips of your favorite wine without as much buzz if you choose a wine with a lower alcohol content per ounce. While the difference between 10 percent for most whites to up to 15 percent for some reds sounds negligible, this translates to a higher blood alcohol level the more you drink.

How to Find a Healthy Wine

Since wine labeling does not disclose everything you might want to know, it can be tough to find a wine that meets your personal needs. Cuddy notes to be wary of buying wine from a grocery store. “Do not do it!” says Cuddy. “The wines there are almost all guaranteed to be mass-produced, heavily manipulated, have near the maximum allowable SO2 [sulfite] content, and will have many of the stabilizers, coloring agents, clarifiers, and a litany of other non-wine ingredients they are allowed to add but not label.”

When possible, seek out wine from your local wine shop. The sellers who choose to work at local wine stores tend to be extremely knowledgeable about wine, and many up-and-coming shops are natural-wine-focused, so you’ll certainly find some great, natural, and organic wines from low-yield producers. They will also likely be able to tell you whether a wine is vegan or not — if that’s a box on your wine criteria checklist.

When choosing a wine, look for ones with no sugar added, made with organically grown grapes ( which should be free of glyphosate, the ingredient in Roundup), and minimal added sulfites to extend shelf-life, like those from vegan-friendly Duck Pond Cellars. They were not only extremely tasty but left us with no headaches or scratchy throats the next day, a win.

For more expert advice, visit The Beet’s Health & Nutrition articles. 

The post The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Healthy Vegan Wine appeared first on The Beet.

By one account, the next batch of Rhode products will be some six months out before it can get delivered into the hands of those who have pre-ordered their Rhode beauty. Bieber told insiders that she planned to start small, with just five products, and then grow. Her fans had other ideas.

Rhode Skin launched and instantly became one of the quickest sell-outs in beauty history. One reason: Her glowing skin. Bieber says the secret to skin success is to keep things simple. Her mantra: “Simplicity is key.” That includes her diet, which is a plant-forward approach to eating whole foods, mostly plants, and staying away from processed junk.

While you wait for your Rhode products to come, you can eat like Hailey Bieber (HB) and enjoy naturally clear skin. One way is to stay hydrated by drinking water all day long, as HB does. Another trick is to lower inflammation by avoiding dairy, which has been linked to inflammation and may cause acne breakouts. Thirdly, stick to a mostly gluten-free diet as well, just as Bieber does.

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Rhode’s”Uncomplicated” Success

Before starting the brand, Bieber enlisted a small group of 10 trusted experts who understood her “less is more” philosophy and helped her bring her vision for  “uncomplicated essentials” to life. Bieber’s personal style is easily noticeable in Rhode’s simple packaging and modern branding. She chose to focus on no-frills but high-impact areas like glossy lips and glowy highlighted cheekbones, as well as helping users gain a clear complexion.

Hailey’s dedication to living a clean, low-environmental-impact life is one of the many reasons vegan, gluten-free, and cruelty-free products resonated with fans. “I didn’t think it was right to make products that weren’t good for the environment,” she said in a video. And it’s paying off: The company is predicted to make $14.5 million in its first year, according to Vanity Fair, as demand exceeds supply.

Just two days ago, the company revealed that the team was not fully prepared for the volume and now they’re faced with a shortage of supply which has led to a waitlist of more than 800,000 people with an estimated wait time of six months. The products focus on hydrating skin, creating a healthy barrier to restore your natural glow with natural ingredients.

So, while Rhode products are in the works, gear up for clear skin by avoiding dairy. Here’s why dairy causes inflammation in your skin.

The Dairy and Acne Connection

Simply put, “two servings of dairy can raise your chance of acne outbreaks,” according to writer Anna Keev,e who interviewed Jonar de Guzman, M.D., a board-certified physician in Internal Medicine with a Lifestyle Medicine certification.

“Hormone imbalances can trigger acne,” Guzman said, as well as sugary, high-processed foods. The hormones in milk include prolactin and steroids including estrogens, progesterone, corticoids, and androgens, and can lead to a significant imbalance in human and animal natural hormone growth, according to research.

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What Is Hailey Bieber’s Diet?

Hailey Bieber’s diet is as simple as her skincare routine: Stay hydrated, eat mostly plant-based foods and avoid junk. Recently she’s been eating more plant-based foods than ever (and she kicked meat to the curb for several months) as seen on her Instagram stories: Bieber tends to eat gluten-free and limit her sugar and meat intake as much as she can.

Hailey Bieber’s Breakfast

For breakfast, HB keeps it clean. She usually starts her day with some kind of green juice loaded with fresh vegetables, but more recently she’s been seen walking around Los Angels drinking her Strawberry Glaze Skin Smoothie from Erewhon Market. You can order HB’s smoothie from the gourmet market for a break-the-bank price or make it at home with the following ingredients:

• Almond Milk⁠
• ⁠Strawberries⁠
• Vanilla Collagen⁠
• Hyaluronic Acid⁠
• Coconut Cream⁠
• Sea Moss Gel
• Avocado⁠ ⁠
• Maple Syrup⁠
• Dates⁠
• Housemade Strawberry Glaze⁠

Hailey Bieber Went Meat Free

Last summer, Bieber storied a picture of a homemade gluten-free lemon poppy loaf cake next to what appears to be a latte. “Over the past 2 and 1/2 months, I completely cut meat (other than fish) out of my daily eating and have been sticking to more vegetarian/vegan dishes. I have never felt better! Feel so clear and energetic. Just sharing for anyone who may be thinking about cutting out meat.”

What Hailey Bieber Eats for Lunch

Lunch is a no-brainer for HB. She loves a Kale Cesar without croutons because she tries not to eat gluten as much as she can. For a hearty vegan Kale Cesar recipe made with chickpeas instead of croutons and tempeh for added protein and texture, try The Beet’s recipe.

What Hailey Bieber Eats for Dinner

Since then, HB has posted all sorts of homemade plant-based eats. A picture of brothy vegetable soup was captured in her Instagram story and she wrote in a text, “plant-based soup for dinner is delish!!” For a similar plant-based soup recipe, try The Beet’s homemade Tuscan Chickpea Soup.

When Bieber indulges, she does it the plant-based way. HB is a big fan of Monty’s Good. Burger, a Los Angeles-based fast-food chain known for its meat-free burgers that are made with Impossible meat. Bieber posted a picture of three meat-free burgers, two dairy-free milkshakes, and a tray of french fries.

For more celebrity diets, check out The Beet’s Lifestyle and Culture articles.

The post Try Hailey Bieber’s Clear Skin Diet While Waiting for Your Rhode Beauty appeared first on The Beet.

But with a plan in place, you can stick with your plant-based proclivities, while still soaking up all the seasonal cheer the holidays have to offer. Here’s how to sail through all the soirées on your calendar — not just surviving, but thriving.

Your Vegan Holiday Survival Guide

Here are some easy tips to make any holiday party you attend or host a bit easier for plant-based attendees.

Bring a Vegan Main Dish

Showing up empty-handed to a dinner or holiday party is frowned upon in most social situations — but especially when you’ve got personal dietary restrictions. If you can, let your hosts know ahead of time that you’re vegetarian or vegan, as most consummate hosts will at least try to accommodate. But also let them know you’ll plan to bring along a vegan side dish that can serve as a main course for you or anyone else who’s vegan, so they don’t need to add another big prep to their list.

Try a spelt pizza topped with zucchini and pine nuts, these curry hand pies, or a casserole dish full of vegan stuffed shells.

Whatever you bring, just be considerate of oven space and reheating availabilities — don’t plan to actually do any cooking once you arrive — just a quick pop in the broiler or microwave if necessary.

Give Yourself a Bit of Grace

If you’re pursuing a plant-based diet but aren’t on a strict no-animal-products regimen, consider allowing yourself a little leeway to sample a few of your favorite foods here and there so you don’t feel like you’re missing out.

A whiskey sour at the company party, a cheese puff at your family friend’s bash, and a few oysters and a small slice of beef wellington on Christmas Eve won’t derail all your plant-based progress, especially if you load the rest of your plate with veggies and stick to your normal eating habits when you’re not celebrating.

And if you give yourself a totally free pass for a week or so? That’s okay, too. Show yourself a little compassion and leniency as you navigate this busy season — if you make a misstep, don’t dwell on it, just get back on track when it makes sense. Perfection isn’t the goal, which is why this plan is all about small lifestyle shifts to help you enjoy the party plans and still stay true to yourself.

Choose the Crudités 

An age-old tactic for avoiding overeating at any party is to fill up on healthy snacks at home before you leave for the event, then steer clear of the cheese boards once you get to the party. This applies to those following any healthy diet plan.

Have some hummus and crudites while you get ready. That way, you won’t be so hungry that you’re tempted by that charcuterie spread, because you’ve already eaten your fill at home. Other celebratory foods to try as pre-gamers: Vegan nachos or a small bowl of coconut curry. You can even bring these as welcome nibbles to add to the party spread.

Try a New Recipe

It’s easy to get excited about meal planning for the holiday cooking extravaganza when you’ve got a brand-new, delicious-sounding recipe in your hands. Rather than simply adapting your old traditional favorites, spend some time finding a vegan or plant-forward cookbook you love, then map out the fresh, new, plant-centric meals you want to share with friends and family this holiday season. Maybe it’s a vegan Eton mess cake, a roasted squash salad, or dairy-free gooey cinnamon rolls.

Read More: The Best Vegan Dessert Recipes

Make It a Family Affair

The best part about the holidays is surrounding yourself with the people you care about — so why not share your love of veggies and plant-based protein with your friends and family? Ask Grandma to take part in a vegan eggnog taste test with you.

Set up a DIY cocoa bar complete with oat milk and vegan marshmallows on Christmas morning for your kiddos to create their own concoction and photograph their masterpieces. Whip up a plant-based wellington with your partner in the kitchen to serve on New Year’s Eve. And check out The Beet‘s holiday celebratory recipes to make cooking these new treats easy and delicious.

After all, celebrating the season means you’re making new memories and traditions to remember while honoring old ones, too. 

For more plant-based inspiration, check out The Beet’s recipe library. 

The post Your Plant-Based Holiday Party Survival Guide appeared first on The Beet.

Now Wie wants to share her story and also reveal a secret weapon she uses today: Her favorite plant-based protein drink that has helped her stay healthy and energized while leaning into her latest job, arguably more taxing than hitting perfect drives, approach shots, chips, and putts: She is currently the mother of a toddler who keeps her extremely busy and on her toes.

“I’ve been dairy-free for most of my life and as a result, I have less inflammation, more energy, a cleaner, clearer mind, and I’m faster,” says pro golfer Michelle Wie West, who shared her health journey exclusively with The Beet in a recent interview.

Wie West also revealed how she uses a favorite plant-based protein powder that’s helped her feel healthier and recover after a workout. She even gives it to her two-year-old daughter, along with the veggies the former LPDA legend – who is retired from the pro circuit – grows in the garden of her Los Angeles home that she shares with her husband and daughter.

Anyone who loves to watch perfection on the golf course remembers the Cindarella-like ascent of Michelle Wie. At ten years old, Wie became the youngest golfer ever to qualify for a USGA amateur championship and at 13 years old, she held the trophy for the youngest winner at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links. Now 33, Wie Wests has tucked her pro card in a drawer, but still actively plays the sport when being a busy mom to two-year-old Makenna allows.

Michelle Wie West Struggled with Allergies at an Early Age

During her career, Wie struggled with food allergies which caused breakouts, illness, and tiredness. At a young age, she suffered from aches and pains due to inflammation and decided to seek help. She discovered she was allergic to honeydew, cantaloupe, and pineapple which would cause her to have severe breakouts.

Doctors encouraged Wie to take an allergy test to find out if there were other foods she was allergic to, and the results showed her that she was sensitive to dairy. From then on, she stayed away from eggs, dairy, and also gluten. When, while on tour, she took the initiative to strike these foods from her diet, she felt the difference almost immediately. Not eating dairy and gluten made her body “feel a lot better” both on and off the golf course.

When Wie does adhere to a dairy-free diet, she can better tolerate the fruits she was once extremely allergic to (such as honeydew, cantaloupe, and pineapple). Being dairy-free means she can eat these and “not feel anything” in terms of ill effects. But when she occasionally eats yogurt or cheese, she said, “I can’t go near these fruits with a 10-foot stick. It’s funny how dairy can cause other allergies, presumably because it’s an inflammatory product.”

Michelle Wie’s Secret Weapon: Plant Protein Powder

Recently, Michelle Wie was approached by a former associate who now works on Venus Williams‘ team and mentioned that Williams, who is also dairy-free and eats a mostly vegan diet herself, had launched a line of vegan protein powder and shakes called Happy Viking. Venus herself dealt with health issues related to an auto-immune disease that threatened to sideline her from playing professional tennis. She changed her diet and the aches, pains, fatigue and other symptoms abated and she was able to get back to tennis.

“I love everything Venus does and I find her story and path with nutrition so genuine,” Wie explained. “When I first tried the product I was blown away! And we know toddlers are picky eaters but my daughter loved it. Same with my husband, who’s also a picky eater, but he loved it as well.

“As a mom, it’s so helpful to have Happy Viking in the house, since it puts me at ease to provide my family with healthy nutritious foods.

“Whenever I make protein shakes I feel like I have to add all these other ingredients, like collagen, oils, and chia seeds, and I don’t know if I’m putting in the right amount. That’s why I love Venus’ product because it’s all portioned out and I get exactly what I need. The type of protein matters as well and I also love that it’s not soy-based. It’s made of pea protein.

“It tastes like a milkshake and I know when I give it to my daughter to take to preschool, she is getting all of her nutrients in. It’s so nice knowing my daughter is eating something nutritious. And I feel the same way for myself, too!”

What Michelle Wie West Eats in a Day

Wie typically starts her mornings with green juice full of kale from her garden and a plant-based protein shake with her homemade almond milk. “I like to make my almond milk because unfortunately, the stuff we buy at the store now has ingredients that aren’t so great for you.”

She shared her favorite way to enjoy the chocolate flavor shake by adding cold brew to it since it tastes “just like a frappuccino.” During the day, she’ll snack on fruit from her garden, energy bars, and maybe even nibble on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

“I love my garden. It’s something I always wanted to do before I stopped playing,” said Wie who grows all kinds of fruit trees including lemons, grapefruit, oranges, and kumquats. Her plants include cucumbers, shishito peppers, lettuce, carrots, broccoli, bok choy, peppers, herbs, eggplant, swiss chard, fennel, and kale –– lots of it.

“I have so much kale that I make a ton of green juice and green smoothies. I make a lot of salads and pickled stuff with cucumbers and jalapenos and keep them in my fridge.” Wie shared she loves vegan ice cream from Van Leeuwen and whenever she’s in the mood for a sweet treat that’s her go-to.

Want to fuel up like Michelle Wie West? Go dairy-free and check out The Beet’s Dairy Alternative recommendations, including our taste test of plant-based protein powders.

The post Golfer Michelle Wie West On How Eating Dairy-Free Helps Her Game appeared first on The Beet.

This is not unlike in my parents’ day, when watching TV and movie stars alluringly smoking cigarettes made them want to smoke. It looked sexy. Cigarette ads were banned as killers in 1970. So what about ads for killer foods? Why are they still on air, enticing us to further stuff ourselves?

The ads during your favorite NFL game (or any other sporting event) are full of close-ups of all sorts of junk food loaded with heart-bursting saturated fat. Researchers have linked these marketing campaigns with having a role in contributing to America’s persistent obesity crisis.

Why We Crave Food While Watching TV

The American public is part of a grand Pavlovian experiment. Just as Pavlov’s dogs learned to expect food after hearing a bell, we anticipate the sight, smell, and taste of cheesy pizza to arrive at our door shortly after the food ad for that same pepperoni double-stuffed cheesy pie. Okay so we had a role in texting or calling the pizza parlor, but it wasn’t our fault. Our cravings were talking.

According to Yale researchers, there is a direct relationship between ads and eating habits. Hedy Kober, a Yale Associate Professor who runs the Clinical & Affective Neuroscience Laboratory there, looked at the effect of exposure to food cues (both virtual and real) on cravings, eating behavior, and weight gain. In reviewing 45 studies that took data from 3,300 participants, Kober and her researcher told NPR they saw a direct connection between food cues and eating behavior.

“We found very, very strong relationships between reactivity and cues and weight and eating,” Kober told NPR. The findings, which were published in the journal Obesity Reviews, one would have thought might lead regulators to consider banning advertising food that is harmful to an American public that is overweight and largely on the brink of becoming ill from the foods we eat. Yet that was over six years ago. Nothing happened.

Processed Foods and Diabetes

Currently, over 80 million Americans, one in three adults, have pre-diabetes and don’t know it. Pre-diabetes can lead to type 2 diabetes if unchecked. An additional 36 million Americans have full-blown type 2 diabetes, which can be mitigated (at least partly) by eating healthy, whole high-fiber foods like vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds and avoiding eating extra calories in the form of animal fat like cheese, as well as simple carbs (in chips) and nutrient-deficient processed foods (like plain pasta or white bread), as well as fast foods and what you could simply call junk food.

Of all the calories we eat, and Americans on average eat over 3,600 calories a day (a 24 percent increase since 1961) nearly 60 percent of them are in the form of highly processed or junk food. If we cut out those unhealthy calories, health advocates and nutritionists believe, we could lower our risk of lifestyle diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, and certain weight-related cancers. (The CDC has identified no fewer than 13 types of cancer that are tied to obesity, so if cancer keeps you up at night, you need to know the connection between diet, weight, and cancer risk.)

So why are these ads still on TV, and driving us to eat everything we shouldn’t eat?

Here’s another question: Would an ad for a salad drive us to go eat more greens and vegetables? Like not. Humans are hardwired to seek foods that offer us easy calories since our ancestors had to work to find or hunt our next meal. Easy calories ensured survival through famine and long frosty winters. Until, as of the last few generations, food became so abundant that it posed the risk, not the promise of survival.

The Standard American Diet

Because our food systems have engineered the majority of our packaged foods to contain fewer nutrients, yet more calories, more simple carbs, and more saturated fat that can clog our arteries and lead to heart disease, it means that the same regulators who allow food makers to create chips that are hard to stop eating are also allowing these junk food makers to come into our living rooms day after day and night after night to pump up desire and remind us to want these crappy foods. Like cigarettes, they may be killers but they are hard to quit.

Somehow the ads for running shoes and athletic clothes do not make you feel like jumping up from the couch and going running around the block. Why? Because those ads make aspirational lifestyle look like someone else can do it, but not necessarily us. Prize-winning athletes with sleek strong bodies don’t resemble our own selves, so there’s a gap between what they’re doing and what we could achieve.

But the food ads are full of people who look just like us. Ordinary folks enjoying time at home with the family. And the food ads are shot up close, like food porn, pulling apart a slice of pizza that steams and melts in a way designed to make our mouths water.

Food Ads Make Us Crave the Wrong Foods

Just as ads for cigarettes once brainwashed Americans to believe that Viceroys were sexy and Marlboros made you feel as rugged as cowboys, now fast food ads tell you that the social fun of watching your team with friends also must involve consuming large amounts of calories and unhealthy saturated fat.

In 1969 Congress passed legislation banning tobacco ads from television and radio and President Nixon signed the bill into law, effective September 1970. Just about the same time, people began to quit smoking since as a nation we read the warning labels that stated that rather than a sexy habit, smoking causes lung cancer, serious health problems, and early death.

Though for another several decades, tobacco continued to sell its products on billboards and in magazine ads. Now, today we are seeing cheerful pizza delivery guys opening doors to family gatherings and bonding experiences surrounding cheesy foods, carb-centric chips, stacked burgers with bacon, cheese, and fries, and innocent-looking frothy pints of beer.

Don’t get me wrong, I love junk food. I used to devour pizza as much as the next guy or gal. (The only thing that holds me back now is the knowledge I’ve gained about the health impact of eating cholesterol-heavy dairy and meat.) Now that I am avoiding these types of foods, I notice that when you watch TV, especially football, they are everywhere. Let’s assume I am a grown-up who can make decisions about when to eat garbage and choose healthier foods. Those ads might tempt me but I have enough discipline (more of the time) and incentive (to be healthy) to pass up the offerings, no matter how fast they promise to get the pizza to my door.

Childhood Obesity and Food Ads

In the younger generations, things are not so cut and dried. While the childhood obesity rate in America has nearly tripled in the last 25 years, with 1 in 5 of our kids now being overweight, we are letting the food companies market to these unhealthy kids without restriction.

Cigarettes and vapes can’t make products that are marketed specifically to children, but food companies can. And we are not talking about healthy foods, which rarely if ever advertise. We are talking about the same junk food and fast food that helped create the problem in the first place. If for every pizza ad the company had to buy an ad that promoted health and fitness, there might be some balance.

But since obesity in childhood increases the lifetime risk of diabetes and heart disease, as well as cancer, these ads are literally weaponizing the television that our kids watch, and making it harder for them to make healthy decisions.

The American Psychological Association tells us that research has found strong associations between increases in advertising for non-nutritious foods and rates of childhood obesity. Most children under age 6 cannot distinguish between programming and advertising and children under age 8 do not understand the persuasive intent of advertising. Advertising directed at children this young is by its very nature exploitative.”

Meanwhile, childhood obesity is climbing, and many of these ads are directed at kids who don’t always know the difference between programming and marketing. One study found that within 30 minutes of watching healthy ads, kids will make unhealthy food choices, according to research out of Canada that was published in the journal Obesity Reviews.

Someday we may look back at this time in our history as the moment when the food companies were allowed to lead Americans over a cliff into the nutrition-devoid abyss. Until the day when food ads are regulated, and not allowed into our national pastimes like football, baseball, hockey, basketball, or any televised ball games, it’s up to us to resist their temptations and make healthier game-day eats. Here is a list of our suggestions. There’s always vegetarian chili and guacamole (try it with cruditée for a healthier alternative to chips).

Read More: 7 Game Day Plant-Based Recipes That Everyone Will Love

Bottom Line: Watch the Game and Plan Ahead With Healthier Game Day Eats

The post You Eat More Junk Food When You Watch Football. Here’s Why appeared first on The Beet.

Danger Force, for the uninitiated, follows the adventures of a group of super-powered friends who use their unique powers to fight crime. Mika’s unique weapon: She can generate a super-sonic scream to tame her enemies and win the day.

Among the many things that make Dana unique: She has been a vegan since age nine. To talk to her, you get the feeling she is as heroic off the screen as her character is on it. The Beet had the opportunity to interview the cheerful young TV star about her vegan lifestyle during a quick break between filming. She enjoyed a box of Oreos as she chatted about her family’s upcoming Thanksgiving plans, which will feature vegan dishes, including her favorite creamy dairy-free mashed potatoes.

Why Dana Heath Went Vegan at Nine Years Old

Fans of Danas may not know that no dairy or meat products are included in her lunchbox on set and that she has followed a vegan diet for the past 7 years. The star went plant-based when she was 9 years old, the same year that she and her mom moved to Los Angeles from Sunny Isles Beach, Florida for her acting career.

Her initial reason for switching to a veggie-based lifestyle was for her health. “Non-vegan foods were messing with my stomach and I was sick all the time,” Dana recalls from those early years. “I just never really felt healthy,” she added.

How Dana Heath Became Vegan

The actress was advised by her doctor to cut back on processed foods, more specifically, the foods that most people “have trouble with” to help reduce inflammation and pain in her stomach. Her doctor highlighted dairy and meat products as inflammatory and told her to start by cutting out the burgers and cream-based pasta sauces she once loved. At that moment, Dana decided to make the switch to a plant-based diet, not only for her health but for the sake of her career.

During our conversation, Dana opened up about the health problems she endured before she went vegan. Previously, her stomach pain was so intense that she would have to take five to ten minutes out of the demanding shooting schedule and lay down in a dark room to rest her stomach and recuperate. “I would get super sick,” Dana told The Beet. “Now, eating vegan, I’m able to power through it.” It’s a benefit she’s grateful for since it meant she could step into more ambitious roles and not worry about the toll on her physical health.

How Dana Heath Deals With Cravings

Dana’s journey to eating vegan was pretty seamless, but like everyone else, she has moments where she’ll get a craving for non-vegan desserts. Cutting out meat from her diet was no big deal, she said since she wasn’t eating much beef, fish, or poultry to begin with. About a week into a meat-free lifestyle she gradually removed dairy products from her diet which was the hardest step for her. Especially tough was walking into a bakery or ice cream shop and smelling the aroma of baked goods or soft serve ice cream. She told herself that feeling healthy was worth giving up these momentary pleasures.

A couple of months later, after staying consistent on her vegan diet, Dana says she started to fully reap the benefits of healing her digestive system, and that made it all worthwhile. “I was a lot happier and I could eat a bunch of food and not feel the repercussions as much, I didn’t have as much pain in my stomach and I became less sick.”

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What Dana Heath Eats on Her Vegan Diet

“When I first went vegan almost seven years ago I was eating much healthier, and I’m trying to get back to that.” Starting out, she loved to eat quinoa bowls and Mexican-style dishes that were made with vegan ingredients. A few of her favorites include rice and beans, lettuce wraps, and salads. Now, Dana explains that it’s not always easy to eat the healthiest vegan foods when she doesn’t have the time to meal prep. She gives her grandma a shout-out for helping her pack meals to bring to the set now that they live together.

In fact, the Heath family is so supportive of Dana’s decision to eat plant-based that her mother even went vegan at the same time as Dana did. Dana said that her mom had been spending more money at the grocery store to shop for herself in addition to vegan alternatives for her daughter. Instead of making two dinners or breakfasts, Dana’s mom decided to eat the same dairy-free products she bought her daughter and cut out meat and fish from her diet.

A Vegan Thanksgiving

This year, Dana and her family are celebrating a vegan Thanksgiving in Los Angeles and can’t wait to eat her grandmother’s famous dish: vegan mashed potatoes. “They’re the best in the world,” Dana says confidently. She and her family plan to enjoy corn, green beans, spinach, stuffing, and possibly a tofurkey (tofu turkey), as well as a less-traditional taco bar with all kinds of vegan toppings like lettuce, diced tomatoes, dairy-free cheese, sour cream, and more.

“My grandma’s trying to be vegetarian and we’re encouraging her to eat healthier,” Dana shared. In her household, there’s always something vegan cooking on the stove or in the oven so they’ll often eat whatever is being made.

“I try to encourage my family and others to eat plant-based by telling them how much it has changed my life in a positive light, I’m a lot happier in my mental and physical state.”

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Dana Heath’s Advice for Fellow Vegans

We asked Dana how she thinks parents or anyone with a loved one who eats plant-based should handle a foodie holiday – or any shared meal where everyone is not eating vegan. “To make family members feel more included, I suggest looking up recipes for a vegan alternative so no one feels isolated. It’s not always fun to be eating salad at the table when your family is eating burgers, so it’s better to find a veggie burger recipe or something else that’s hearty. I don’t want to make anyone feel like the weirdo in the room for choosing to eat plant-based.”

For Dana, eating plant-based is all about being inclusive. When she encourages others to eat this way she does it in a gentle manner: “I bring it up as a, ‘Hey this has helped me out,’ but I never force it on people because I don’t want them to turn against plant-based because I pushed it on them.”

At the end of our conversation, the actress explains that she never forces things on others, or judges people on how they live. Words Dana lives by are: “Live and let live.”

For more interviews with plant-based celebrities, visit The Beet’s Lifestyle & Culture articles. 

The post Why Nickelodeon’s Dana Heath Went Vegan & What She Eats On Set appeared first on The Beet.

Fields opts for plant-based protein the same way tennis great Novak Djokovic and a growing number of other plant-based athletes do, including Venus Williams, NBA superstar Chris Paul, and seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady. Every day it seems more athletes are choosing to skip meat and dairy and rely on plant foods for their winning nutrition.

Is Justin Fields Vegan?

Fields went vegan back in May of 2020 when he was quarantined with his family and they set out to eat plant-based as a one-month challenge. By the time the month was over, he was the only one who continued on the diet. “I really liked the way it made my body feel,” Fields recalls. So while the rest of his family went back to eating meat and dairy,  Fields is still going strong.

Drafted as the Bears’ number-one choice last year out of Ohio State, Fields had a stellar first season and is well on his way to establishing himself as a household name in his second season with the Bears. He even credits his new plant-based diet with feeling “lighter and faster.”

In an exclusive email interview with The Beet, Fields shares why he initially made the decision to go vegan, how it makes him feel, and everything he eats in a day, including what he eats to fuel up for a game and his favorite vegan recipe that you can create at home.

Bears QB Justin Fields Shares What He Eats on a Vegan Diet

The Beet: Why and when did you go vegan?

Justin Fields: I started during quarantine as a one-month challenge with my family going into my last season at Ohio State. Once I did it for a few weeks I actually really liked the way it made my body feel. The rest of my family stopped once the challenge was over, and I just kept doing it.

The Beet: How has going plant-based affected your athletic performance?

Justin Fields: It’s changed the way I feel and the way I perform dramatically. I just feel so much lighter and faster. Football as a sport is so hard on your body so I just want to do anything I can to have the longest career possible.

The Beet: What do you eat in a day?

Justin Fields: I normally start off my day by drinking some coffee, lots of water, and eating some fruit. I keep breakfast pretty light compared to my other meals because my days start really early with training right now.

For lunch, I will typically try to eat some vegan chicken nuggets or maybe a vegan burger. I try to get carbs in – either potatoes or rice for energy.

My dinner is also pretty similar to my lunch, and at this point in the day, I try to make an effort to get more greens in.

At the end of the day, I always get myself a chocolate Pro Elite OWYN shake to finish off my day and up my protein intake.

What do you eat before and after a game?

Justin Fields: Before a game, I don’t eat too much as I don’t want to upset my stomach, but after the game, I almost always grab an OWYN shake for recovery. Not only do I like the way the OWYN shakes make me feel but I really enjoy them almost like a dessert.

What’s your favorite plant-based recipe?

Justin Fields: My favorite plant-based recipe to make is falafel burgers. I normally eat those a couple of times a week. I personally don’t feel like they taste any different than normal burgers and they have a lot of added benefits, so I love eating those. As a side, I’ll normally do sweet potato fries too.

For more exclusive content on vegan athletes, check out our column. 

20 Athletes Who Went Vegan to Get Stronger

1. Novak Djokovic: Number one tennis champion in the world

The number one tennis player in the world, Novak Djokovic, went plant-based more than twelve years ago to enhance his athletic performance and win more matches. In recent interviews, he has credited going vegan with helping him rise from third place in the world to first in the world because it helped clear his allergies. Before changing his diet, Djokovic had searched for cures to the breathing issues that cost him matches and focus which caused him to struggled during his most intense matches. The allergies used to make him feel like he couldn’t breathe and would be forced to retire from competitive matches as he did in Australia. “Eating meat was hard on my digestion and that took a lot of essential energy that I need for my focus, for recovery, for the next training session, and for the next match,” he said. Djokovic emphasized he does not eat foods that require a lot of digestion, especially in the morning, when he needs all of his energy for training. Instead, he starts the day with hot water and lemon, then celery juice, and some superfood supplements.

2. Tia Blanco: Professional Surfer and Beyond Meat Ambassador Read More: 20 Who Athletes Swear by a Plant-Based Diet to Boost Performance

Tia Blanco won gold at the International Surfing Association Open in 2015 and credits her success to her vegan diet. Blanco reports that a vegan diet helps her stay strong and she enjoys eating different forms of vegan protein like nuts, seeds, beans, and legumes. The professional surfer was influenced by her mother, who is a vegetarian and grew up in a veggie-forward household, Blanco has never eaten meat in her life, which made the plant-based switch much easier. And speaking of making things easier, Blanco has an Instagram cooking page called @tiasvegankitchen where she shares her favorite simple vegan recipes so all of her fans can eat like their favorite professional vegan athlete. In addition to her home-cooked meals, Blanco recently became an ambassador for vegan company Beyond Meat and now she posts Instagram stories and highlights of her favorite meatless meat recipes.

3. Steph Davis: World Leading Professional Rock Climber

Steph Davis has been vegan for 18 years now and says, “there’s nothing in my life that hasn’t become better as a result, from climbing and athletics to mental and spiritual well being.” Davis has competed on some of the most challenging verticle routes on the planet –like Concepcion (5.13), which is known to be one of the hardest pure climbs anywhere. Davis holds the third overall ascent and is the first female to ever make the ascent of the route. Davis described it as her “most technically demanding climb ever.” Davis explained why she went vegan eight years ago when she partnered with PETA. “What can we do to start making changes in a positive way? And if it just so happens that changing our lifestyle leads to environmental benefits, health benefits, economic benefits, and positive social change, then all the better. One thing I’ve learned is you don’t have to do or be anything you don’t want to be, and you can change anything in your life just by starting to do it. It’s you who chooses who and what you are, by the things you think and the things you do.” She goes on to add, “no one says you have to become a “perfect” vegan overnight. But why not start making small changes and see how it feels? I believe it’s the small choices people make that have the biggest power to change, and nothing is more simple yet also more far-reaching than changing how and what you choose to eat. We’re all here for a short time, in the end, and living a well-intentioned and compassionate life seems like what ultimately matters the most, the only real goal that I aspire to.”

4. Venus Williams: Tennis Great

Tennis champion Venus Williams swears that making the switch to veganism was one of the factors that helped to improve her performance and get over an auto-immune disease. The tennis star went vegan back in 2011 when she was diagnosed with Sjögren’s syndrome, a debilitating autoimmune disease with a range of symptoms from joint pain to swelling, numbness, burning eyes, digestive problems, and fatigue. She chose to eat plant-based to recover to her formerly healthy self, and it worked so she stuck to it. The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion recovers faster on a plant-based diet now, compared to how she felt back when she ate animal protein. When you have an auto-immune disease you often feel extreme fatigue and random body aches and for Venus, a plant-based diet provides energy and helps her reduce inflammation. The Beet reported on Willaim’s diet and what she normally eats in a day to stay healthy, fit, and win more matches. Talking about her favorite dinner meal, Williams adds, “sometimes a girl just needs a donut!”

5. Mike Tyson: The First Heavyweight Boxer to Hold the WBA, WBC, and IBF Titles

Mike Tyson recently said he is “in the best shape ever” thanks to his vegan diet. The boxing legend then announced he’s getting back into the rings after 15 years, to fight against Roy Jones, Jr. in California later this fall. Tyson went vegan ten years ago after dealing with health complications and in the wake of having cleaned up his life: “I was so congested from all the drugs and bad cocaine, I could hardly breathe.” Tyson said, “I had high blood pressure, was almost dying, and had arthritis.” Now, the 53-year-old powerhouse is sober, healthy, and fit. “Turning vegan helped me eliminate all those problems in my life,” and “I’m in the best shape ever.” His new trainer agrees: Watching Iron Mike’s speed during recent training sessions, observed: “He has the same power as a guy who is 21, 22-years old.”

6. Chris Paul: The NBA’s Newest Vegan Who Was Influenced by The Game Changers

Oklahoma City’s point guard Chris Paul decided to ditch meat and dairy and was asked join on as a co-executive producer for the popular documentary, The Game Changers. For breakfast, Paul enjoys oatmeal with plant-based milk and nut butter. For lunch, he fuels up with pasta or brown rice with Beyond Meat sausage, grilled vegetables, and a curry sauce. His chef told USA Today, “The main thing is, we try to keep it as light and clean as possible for his normal routine, with organic ingredients. Anything that can minimize body inflammation. Chris is always worrying about what he can and can’t eat.” So far it appears he’s getting it right. In an exclusive interview with The Beet’s Awesome Vegans columnist Elysabeth Alfano, Paul said eating a plant-based diet helps him keep up with players half his age.

7. Colin Kaepernick: Former (future?) NFL Player and Social Activist

In 2016, Kaepernick made the switch to veganism with his longtime girlfriend to recover from a series of injuries that had him down for the count. The Beet recently reported on how this dietary switch has allowed Kaepernick to stay strong and healthy. Now, he’s in the gym building muscle and looks fitter than ever. But will he be picked up? The professional football player claims that a vegan diet makes him feel “always ready” to perform his best on the field.

8. Cam Newton: New England Patriots’ Newest Quarterback is Vegan

Cam Newton just replaced Tom Brady, who also follows a mostly plant-based diet, as the New England Patriot’s QB, after having made the plant-based switch back in March 2019. The NFL Star first decided to ditch meat and dairy to recover quicker from injuries when he learned that a plant-based diet is proven to help reduce inflammation. “I’ve seen such a remarkable change in the way my body responds to the food that I eat,” Newton told PETA for his recent partnership for a new campaign called, “Built Like a Vegan,” proving that you don’t need to eat meat to be strong. Newton enjoys a meat-free burger on a pretzel bun, heavy on pickles and sauce. He adds: “People often ask, ‘How do you get your protein?’ I just say, ‘I get it in the same way you do, but it’s fresher and cleaner.’ ” Newton shares how to do it: “My advice to a person who wants to become vegan is to eat on schedule. If you can eat on a schedule, you won’t miss [a meal or crave meat] or think anything different, and you’ll be alright.”

9. Elijah Hall: American Sprinter Training for The 2021 Tokyo Olympics

Elijah Hall says about his vegan diet: “Going vegan was the best decision” he has ever made. Hall holds records in the indoor 200 meters and was training for the Tokyo this summer when it got postponed by a year due to the pandemic. Hall said “the effects that it’s having on my body are amazing. Becoming a plant-based athlete has opened many doors to my health and my training.” We predict he’ll only get faster in the next 11 months and break records, come home with golf and be the world champion in 12 months.

10. Morgan Mitchell: Omplyian Sprinter Who Won her First Title at 2014 Australian National Championships

Five-years ago, Morgan Mitchell went vegan and it made her faster, leaner and happier. Last year she was featured in the plant-based athletes documentary The Game Changers and said, “Being vegan has helped me immensely. I don’t feel sluggish like I did when I was eating meat, and my recovery from training really took off. It felt like an overall cleanse for my body, and I started seeing greater results on the track.” Now Michelle is committed for the planet as well. “Ultimately helping the environment and not contributing to animal cruelty was a big thing for me, too. That was my initial reason for going vegan, and the rest of the benefits were just added bonuses.” Mitchell describes what she eats in a day for enhanced performance and more energy to win sprints. “I like to make sure I have three different types of protein in there. I use tofu, beans, and mushrooms, along with spinach, vegan cheese, and hash browns,” she says. “I also love to add Beyond Meat for more flavor, which is a great source of plant protein as well. That usually keeps me full for the better part of the day,” she told Well + Good.

11. Lewis Hamilton: Formula One Driver Who Credits His Vegan Diet For Allowing Him to Be Victorious

“We were taught that eating animal products was good for us but we’ve been lied to for hundreds of years,” said Lewis Hamilton. The Beet reported on Hamiltion’s vegan diet quoting The New York Times that he credits his new plant-based diet with making the difference in his career. Hamilton gave up processed food and animal products for vegetables, fruit, nuts, grains, because of his strong compassion for animals, for the benefit of the environment, and his own health. Hamilton isn’t the only vegan in his family. His dog Rocco is fully vegan and Hamilton says he’s “super happy” on Rocco’s very own IG post. Earlier this year, Hamilton gave up his private jet because he said it’s a big pollutant and aims to live a sustainable lifestyle. Back in February, he started a line of sustainable clothing with Tommy Hilfiger at London Fashion Week.

12. Patrik Baboumian: Arguably The Strongest Man in The World

Featured in The Game Changers for his elite strength and his superhuman ability to lift a car, Patrik Baboumiam is one of the strongest men in the world and also happens to be vegan. Baboumian lifted 358 pounds in the 2009 German log lift nationals. Back in 2014, Baboumiam partnered with PETA in his campaign “Want to be Stronger” describing powering yourself with plants and how you can build muscle without eating meat. One of his 2019 PETA campaigns showed him posing with crossed arms and leaves in his mouths with the text: “The world’s strongest animals are plant-eaters: Gorillas, buffaloes, elephants and me.” Bahoumiam’s diet consists of a dairy-free shake for breakfast with 8 grams of protein and 0 carbohydrates. For lunch, he enjoys vegan sausage, falafel, low-fat oven fires, peppers, and more grilled veggies. He normally eats 250 grams of carbs and 90 grams of protein just for lunch. Dinner includes vegetables cooked potatoes, and tofu. If you want to eat like Boubanian, he reports his food diary on his blog BarBend.

13. Arnold Schwarzenegger: Former Proessional BodyBuilder, Producer, The Game Changers, and former Governor of California

Here’s a guy who has worn many hats: Bodybuilder, Terminator, California Governor, and now vegan and advocate for the plant-based lifestyle. Arnold Schwarzenegger ditched meat and dairy and has proven that you don’t need to eat animal products to be strong, healthy and reverse symptoms of heart disease. Now 73, he had a pulmonary valve replacement 1997 due to a congenital defect and underwent emergency open-heart surgery in 2018 to replace the valve again. He then changed his eating and fitness habits and now extolls the virtues of plant-based eating for the environment as well as health reasons. He is a producer of The Game Changers (a movie with many masters) and an advocate for going vegan for health, the environment and the sake of animals (he posts on IG with his pet donkey and miniature pony, both household dwelling animals). Schwarzenegger said last year: “Right now, seven million people are dying every year. That is alarming and everyone in the government has the responsibility to protect the people…. 28 percent of the greenhouse gasses come from eating meat and from raising cattle, so we can do a much better job.”

14. Scott Jurek: Named One of The Greatest Ultra-Marathoner’s Of All Time Read More: 20 Who Athletes Swear by a Plant-Based Diet to Boost Performance

Jurek is an extreme ultra-marathon runner who has won the Hardrock Hundred, the Badwater Ultramarathon, the Spartathlon, and the Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run (you get the idea). Jurek has been vegan for almost two decades, after easing into it by cutting out meat in college, he slowly stopping seafood and finally giving up all animal products once he realized that eating this way made him feel healthier and happier. To run such an extreme amount of miles, you need to fuel your body with plant-based foods that will give you enough energy and carbohydrates to go the distance. The goal is to eat 5,000-6,000 calories of plant-based foods daily. Jurek outlined his plant-based diet in an interview with Bon Appetite. Instead of waking up to a hot cup of coffee to boost energy, he prefers to drink tea and a green smoothie with spirulina or chlorella and a host of other ingredients. He adds bananas, frozen pineapple slices, or mangoes, brown rice and pea protein, (for protein) to rebuild what’s lost in training. This is not just any smoothie.

15. Alex Morgan: USA Soccer Star, Plays for the Orlando Pride of the NWSL

Soccer star, Alex Morgan is one of the beloved members of the USA National Team that won the World Cup and has shown that the female players deserve to get equal pay as their male counterparts by the US Soccer Federation. She is also an animal rights advocate and longtime vegan, having given up meat when she decided that “it didn’t feel fair to have a dog, and yet eat meat all the time,” referring to her adorable pup Blue. Morgan aims to eat 90 grams of plant-based protein daily to stay fit and lean, especially for her workouts and on the field. Morgan admitted that breakfast was difficult because “a lot of the things I love like pancakes and French toast had dairy and eggs.” But now she enjoys oatmeal with nut butter and berries, smoothies, rice, quinoa, veggies, black beans, protein shakes, Mediterranean food, Impossible burgers, Mexican beans, and sauteed veggie burritos, she told USA Today.

16. Paul Rabil: Pro Lacrosse Player: A Vegan Diet Helped Alleviate His Sciatica

Paul Rabil who played for the Boston Cannons and the New York Lizards of Major League Lacrosse, ditched meat and dairy after his 2019 season ended and revealed he’s now “officially” vegan on YouTube. “At first [switching to a plant-based diet] was to help solve some pain and trauma that I was going through. Over the last two years, I’ve had two herniated discs…. and that has led to a ton of shooting pain down my legs, its called sciatica,” Rabil explains the purpose of his diet switch. He adds: “I’ve tried to a lot of things; I’ve had a number of cortisone shots; I’ve done physical therapy for two years. And I reached a place where I was thinking ‘okay maybe I can solve this with nutrition because a lot of our pain stems from inflammation. Within a few weeks, I started noticing a lot of alleviation so I started focusing and doubling down more on veganism”

17. Hannah Teter: 2006 Olympic Snowboard Gold Medalist

Hannah Teter won Olympic gold and silver in the halfpipe and is also a seven-time XGames medalist. She changed her diet after watching the documentary, Earthlings when she discovered how “horrible” factory farming is. After a strict vegetarian diet, Teter liked the way she performed and believes that her diet helped her win gold at the 2006 games. She now considers herself “plant-based” and in an interview with the Huffington Post, Teter said, “I feel stronger than I’ve ever been, mentally, physically, and emotionally. My plant-based diet has opened up more doors to being an athlete. It’s a whole other level that I’m elevating to. I stopped eating animals about a year ago, and it’s a new life. I feel like a new person, a new athlete.”

18. Nick Kyrgios: Professional Tennis Champion Ranked 40 in The World

Djokovic is not the only tour player to go plant-based. Nick Kyrgios shared that he does not eat meat anymore because of his strong compassion for animals. During the time of the Australian wildfires, the Aussie native explained: “I’ve been passionate about animal welfare for some time now. I don’t eat meat or dairy anymore. That’s not for my health, I just don’t believe in eating animals.” “I tried a vegan diet a couple of years ago but with all the travel I do, it was hard to stick to it. Since then I’ve managed to make it work, and I’ve been vegetarian for quite a while. “Seeing the footage of these animals suffering from the fires only reinforces why I’ve chosen this diet. When I see these terrible photos, I can’t comprehend eating meat.”

19. Matt Frazier: Ultra-Marathoner Credits Vegan Diet For Breaking Personal Records

Matt Frazier has run 27 ultra-marathons in his career so far and continues to write about the endurance strength of being a vegan athlete in his personal blog, which he started 11 years ago: No Meat Athlete. The Beet recently interviewed Frazier about his vegan journey and how to be a successful athlete on a plant-based diet. When asked about the first time he ditched meat Frazier replied, “I had already cut 90 minutes off my first marathon time. I was still 10 minutes away from the Boston Marathon qualifying time. I had plateaued, and I was not sure how I was going to find 10 minutes. [Plant-based eating] was what I was missing. That’s what it took. The other big noticeable difference to me [after going vegan] was I stopped getting injured. Injuries had always been a big part of my running journey. When I became vegan, it was around the time I ran three 50-milers and a 100-miler. I didn’t have any injuries. If it’s done right, [plant-based diets] can really help you recover faster.”

20. Michaela Copenhaver: Professional Rower, World Record Holder, 10,000m Indoor

Rowing is grueling. It’s known as the toughest endurance sport in the world. The world record-breaking female rower, Michaela Copenhaver went vegan in 2012 for ethical reasons, she told Great Vegan Athletes. “Initially, I just wanted to eat more vegetables. Those things are super good for you, and they’re delicious. Being vegetarian and vegan made me more conscious of how many servings I was getting a day (or not).” When she switched from vegetarian to vegan it was almost accidental: “I was traveling for a regatta in the fall of 2012. I had been vegetarian for 1.5 years already but relied pretty heavily on dairy and eggs. While I was traveling, I was bouncing from couch to couch and had no way to safely store dairy or eggs—so I decided to try a week without them. I felt great, and it wasn’t nearly as scary as I thought. I’ve been vegan ever since.” Now it’s a value system: “Once I stopped eating and using animals, I felt I could finally address a question that had been bothering me for a long time—what right do we have to exploit other creatures? Now, I understand that we have no right, and my motivations are primarily ethical.”

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