Life in the raw – a day in the life of a raw vegan

Raw vegan Ann has been a vegetarian for most of her life. Far from experiencing the health enhancing benefits usually associated with being vegetarian, Ann was borderline obese with high cholesterol, high blood pressure and dangerously high body fat. In addition, she was suffering from chronic constipation and kidney stones that she describes as more painful than childbirth. Ann was also suffering from quite severe depression; looking back, she realises now this was mostly due to her diet, which was massively lacking in vital nutrients.  Ann had been living on a diet of (mostly) bread and cheese, with very few vegetables other than potatoes. After a series of tests revealed she was at high risk of a number of chronic diseases, Ann vowed to turn her life around and discover the best version of herself she could be and achieve optimum health. Not wanting to compromise on her vegetarian values, she extensively researched the best alternative lifestyle she could get without including animal products in her diet. Seven years ago she embarked on a journey into raw veganism and has never looked back. Her body weight has dropped by over 20kg and her BMI is down from nearly 29 to 21.5, which is considered ideal and her blood pressure is now in the healthy range. Recent testing has had Ann’s doctors stunned by the amazing results; she is, in some respects, now one of the healthiest people they have ever tested. Ann is now a high energy, very happy, fit and healthy 55-year-old woman with health stats that could rival many 20 year olds.

All of this has not, however, come easy. Ann has dedicated the last 7 years of her life to making sure she is not one of the 70% of the population who will fall foul of a myriad of age-related disorders and that she will enjoy optimal health well into old age. Integral to Ann’s health is a carefully planned and diverse diet containing a huge range of raw ingredients to provide all her nutrient needs. In addition, Ann exercises every day and helps keep stress levels low with daily meditation. Below, Ann shares with us her daily routine for achieving optimal vegan health.

“On rising I skin brush to stimulate the lymphatic system and drink a pint of warm water (1/4 pint of boiled water topped up to a pint with room temperature filtered water) with 1 tsp organic apple cider vinegar- this is to stimulate my digestive juices and hydrate my body. I then prepare another pint of warm water to take outside with me to start my exercises.

My exercise regime has increased considerably since the beginning of this year following an injury I sustained to my lower back (I was trying to help lift a wood burner out of a car boot and it was much heavier than expected!). I was so shocked at how incapacitated I was, I couldn’t even get my own shoes on, that I was determined to strengthen my core muscles so that I would not end up walking like an old person.

My youngest son is a personal trainer and he gave me some weight resistance exercises to do to strengthen my core. I have subsequently added:

• Bouncing on a rebounder for 10 minutes broken down into 4, 4, 2; this is amazing for strengthening the bones and pumping the lymphatic system, thus boosting the immune system.
• Leg Master to firm up and shape my leg muscles, as well as tighten my buttocks and stomach. I do 1 minute before the rebounder and a minute between each set of bounces and a minute at the end. They say that a minute a day will work wonders so I think that 4 will work even quicker!

Before I do the next section of my exercise regime I have a 1/3 of a Cantaloupe melon cut into cubes providing vitamins A, C, and folic acid.

I then do a series of stretching moves as my knees have become arthritic and I found it impossible to sit on my heels; going up and down stairs had also become painful.  I can now do the resting Swan posture in Yoga, which is brilliant.

Following my stretches I eat a previously prepared fruit mousse. The one this morning was:

• Blackberries, blackcurrants, red grapes, black cherries (from fruits of the forest frozen selection) blended with cashew nuts, coconut oil and maple syrup: very high in antioxidants, thiamine and zinc. Coconut oil is a medium-chain fatty acid, which is used by the liver  for energy, will not be laid down as fat and is fabulous for lubricating the joints..

After this I meditate for half an hour; this always leaves me feeling fabulous and knowing that all is well.

Next I prepare either a Green Juice or a Green Smoothie, using ingredients like these:

• Juiced: Spring Green leaves; 1/3 cucumber; 2 sticks celery; 1 large carrot and 1 Braeburn apple. I then transfer the juice to a blender and add 1/2 avocado. To this I add my supplements:
  •  Vitamin B12, Juice Plus Veg, fruit and berries (I empty the content of the capsules into the juice. This adds 26 varieties which have been proven to be bioavailable through 27 scientific studies*) zinc, glucosamine sulphate, grapefruit seed extract and powdered kelp
  • After blending this I take out a spoon of the mixture and drip 2 drops of vitamin D3 onto it and take that directly so as not to lose it in the mixture, then I have 2 Echiomega capsules, made by Igennus Healthcare Nutrition.
  • All of this gives me vitamin A, C, E, K, B6, B12, niacin, folic acid, pantothenic acid and biotin plus manganese and molybdenum from the cucumber juice and amino acids from the celery juice, and essential fatty acids.
  • This will help to regulate blood pressure, reduce inflammation, treat eczema, acne and water retention.

I ‘chew’ my juices, as saliva is part of the digestion process and people who gulp tend to end up with more gas.

Later in the day I have my equivalent of tea and cheese on toast, which is what my standard daily diet used to be. Now I have one slice of organic sunflower seed rye bread and two slices of sprouted Spelt bread lightly toasted and spread with pure sunflower spread (free from trans fats). Onto those I spread my homemade spreadable cheese.

• In a small bowl mix 1 tbs nutritional yeast flakes; 1 tbs tahini; 1 tsp Tamari and a drop of water. Mix well.  This is high in all of the B vitamins including B12 if you get the Blue Engevita or Red Star version of yeast flakes; these are what Raw Vegans use for a cheesy flavour and as an ex cheese addict I can tell you that I would never go back to the dairy version, having tasted this. The tahini provides calcium, copper, iron and potassium.

When I ate the standard versions of tea and cheese on toast I used to suffer with terrible sinus issues and chronic constipation and bloating. Now I have none of those problems!

The tea I drink is always herbal, usually Liquorice Mint, so I don’t have milk and sugar and I haven’t had any caffeine in 12 years.  Caffeine adds to stress on the adrenals which in turn increases the stress levels in the body, raising the cortisol levels and interfering with the production of insulin, which can make losing weight very difficult.

Despite the changes I have made, I love the fact that I can still eat in similar ways to how I used to but now I have discovered or created healthy versions.

For example, I love chocolate, even more now I’ve discovered that raw cacao is incredibly good for lifting your mood as it contains theobromine and serotonin and is very high in Magnesium, so it’s really good for your heart too. I often make raw vegan chocolate orange brownies – not only are they not cooked but they don’t contain any wheat or sugar either. For special occasions I have found a whole range of chocolates including a delicious range of truffles by “Booja Booja” that are also, of course, free from sugar. I consider myself to be a decadent epicurean as I love quality food and eat whatever I want to but without any repercussions.

This evening I will eat a mixed green salad made with spinach, Chinese leaves, coriander leaf and rocket as these will give me so many amino acids I will be busy making my own protein out of them.

My energy levels and health have soared with each step I have taken and this will just keep getting better and better!

Since increasing my nutrition levels and ensuring that I am in the optimum state to absorb them, my depression has completely lifted and I no longer have any of the health issues that used to plague my life.”

Ann is so passionate about the health benefits of living as a raw vegan that she has trained as a Raw Food Coach as well as a Law of Attraction life coach and now uses her skills and knowledge to help people to achieve their health dreams.

To find more about Ann’s journey and how raw vegan foods could help you achieve optimal health, together with some delicious recipes, visit Ann at www.sparklingenergy.co.uk.

Vegetarians and vegans may exhibit wide diversity in their dietary practices, but they are linked by what they omit from their diet.  When a vegetarian/vegan diet is well-planned, diverse in choice and includes fortified foods, it can be nutritionally adequate, offering a wide variety of health benefits for both adults and children.

Knowing which nutrients could be missing from the diet can help the health conscious vegetarian/vegan to plan meals ensuring all aspects of good nutrition are met.  As such, we have listed the most common nutrients whose absence may be of concern.

Omega-3 fatty acids

The long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA are important for cardiovascular health, improving immune function and counteracting inflammation, as well as for infant visual function and neurodevelopment. Compared with non-vegetarians, vegetarians (and particularly vegans) tend to have lower blood levels of EPA and DHA as these are predominantly found in marine foods.  Non-fish eaters must derive these long-chain fats from the plant-derived omega-3 ALA.

Physical signs of fatty acid deficiency include rough or dry skin and hair, dandruff, and soft or brittle nails, low mood and forgetfulness.  Long-term omega-3 deficiency is linked to a number of cardiovascular, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, as well as conditions such as depression and chronic fatigue syndrome that respond well when EPA levels are increased. Whilst there are algae sources of DHA, no vegetarian source of EPA is currently available.  ALA, the precursor to EPA and predominantly found in seeds, nuts and oils such as flaxseed oil, doesn’t convert well to EPA and DHA.  Echium seed oil, on the other hand, is a new and unique source of omega-3 that has ‘fish-oil like’ qualities because of its high content of the omega-3 fatty acid SDA and is considered to be an ideal solution for vegetarians and vegans to achieve optimal omega-3 levels.

Zinc

Zinc is required to support numerous functions within the body, including supporting the body’s immune system.  Although overt zinc deficiency is not common in vegetarians, their zinc intakes may be marginal or fall below recommendations.  Vegetarians and vegans consume foods that are high in products called phytates, compounds that can have a significant effect on zinc absorption.  As such, vegetarians consuming diets rich in unrefined grains, nuts, and legumes, may have zinc requirements that are higher than non-vegetarians.  Consuming fortified cereals can help meet requirements, and certain food preparation techniques, such as soaking and sprouting beans, grains, and seeds can increase zinc bioavailability.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 or cobalamin is needed for building proteins in the body, the formation of red blood cells, and for the normal function of the nervous system.  A slight deficiency of vitamin B-12 can lead to anaemia, fatigue, mania, and depression, while a long-term deficiency can potentially impact on the normal function of the nervous system.  Whilst found in high amounts in cheese, eggs, and milk, vegans must obtain this important vitamin through fortified foods, such as fortified soy and rice beverages, breakfast cereals and meat substitutes, with marmite being a well recognised source.

Iron

Iron is probably best known for its role in forming haemoglobin, needed for transporting oxygen around the body in red blood cells. Vegetarians often have an iron intake that is similar to or slightly better than that of non-vegetarians, so the issue of iron adequacy is really one of iron bioavailability.  Iron from plant sources or ‘non-heme’ iron is less well absorbed than iron derived from animal sources.  People should avoid drinking beverages, such as tea, coffee, herb teas, or cocoa, with meals as compounds like phytates, and the polyphenolics present in these drinks, can seriously reduce the bioavailability of iron. On the other hand, swapping for drinks known to be a rich source of vitamin C such as orange juice will help increase iron absorption from plant foods.

Calcium

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body, providing structure for bones and teeth, aiding in the control of muscle and nerve function and playing a role in blood clotting.  Calcium intakes of lacto-vegetarians are similar to, or may be higher than, those of non-vegetarians, whereas intakes of vegans tend to be lower than both groups and may fall below recommended intakes.  As such, vegans may require calcium-fortified foods such as fruit juices, soy and rice milk, and fortified breakfast cereals to meet their calcium needs.  Calcium levels are regulated in part by vitamin D, which is present in spreads and fortified cereals.  Vitamin D is also made in the skin through sun exposure, so getting out into the sunshine is another way of increasing levels.

Being aware of which nutrients are needed daily and which possibly less often, what not to eat with certain foods, and which foods should definitely be combined may require a little education but also ensures that the vegetarian or vegan diet not only offers colourful and tasty food but food that is sufficiently nutritious to meet all of the body’s requirements.