“I’m healthier, lighter, and have better endurance during my workouts. [As a vegan] I’m just as strong on the arm wrestling table and at the gym. My diet is cruelty-free now and that feels gratifying.”
Name: Rob Bigwood Occupation: Interactive Art Director City/State/Country: Queens, New York, USA Age: 32 Height: 5’11” Type of Competing: Professional Arm Wrestler Weight: 250 lbs. Website: www.rbigwood.com Twitter: twitter.com/rbigwood IG: instagram.com/rbigwood
Q: What inspired you to start lifting weights as a young man?
My best friend regularly competed in arm wrestling tournaments when I was in high school.
He was a smaller guy that convincingly beat the entire football and wrestling teams combined. He convinced me to start training with him, and after a few months, we decided to travel to North Carolina for a competition.
I ended up taking fifth place, not bad for my very first tournament. The weight training that I do is 100 percent geared towards arm wrestling.
Q: Who is your hero?
I wouldn’t call them heroes, but I do enjoy listening to Bill Maher, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and Gary Yourofsky.
Q: What are your personal passions outside of fitness?
I’m pretty good at designing websites and mobile apps. I’ve worked on some big brands, including Comedy Central, Emirates, Scottrade, MSG, and Air National Guard. I’ve also been playing poker in Atlantic City since I was barely 21. I’m really good at binge-watching certain Netflix series, if that counts.
Q: What one thing would you change about yourself?
I could be more patient and understanding with people. I easily get aggravated and automatically expect them to think and feel the same way I do.
I first thought about giving up meat back in 2002 when a group of baby pigs caught my attention at the Pennsylvania State Fair.
They looked like puppies playing with each other, and I felt disgusting knowing that I had a bacon and egg sandwich for breakfast that morning.
“All animals have the same feelings and emotions and should also have the same rights and respect.”
A vegan lifestyle is beneficial for our environment, our health, less fortunate people and countries, and especially the millions of innocent animals murdered each and every year.
Q: Daily meal plan?
Unlike a bodybuilder, I honestly don’t have a meal plan. I eat whatever I’m craving.
“The ONLY thing I make myself do is have a protein shake mixed with BCAAs after each workout (usually followed by pasta and veggies).”
Breakfast: I usually make a protein shake with vegan protein, a banana, organic almond or peanut butter, and almond milk. Or I’ll have oatmeal with a variety of nuts and seeds (almond, sunflower, pumpkin), but If I’m hungover, I’ll eat a bagel with tofu veggie spread.
Lunch/Dinner: I honestly have so many options, I mix up. I do organic salads (kale or spinach salad with tofu and quinoa, veggies, nuts, and avocado). I like to eat all sorts of veggies like carrots, sweet potatoes, broccoli, peas, tomatoes, asparagus, etc. I’m also a big fan of quinoa noodles, brown rice, tempeh, and those new Beast Burgers.
Q: What does your training regimen look like as a professional arm wrestler?
Just the basic exercises anyone at the gym would normally do: bench, dips, squat, pull-ups, etc. I do use a fatter grip on my back and bicep day, though, and do more isometric and half-rep type exercises. I have garage springs hooked up to the wall, where I do motions that mimic arm wrestling. I also try to get home every few weeks to train with my brother on the table.
I train heavy static holds that replicate arm wrestling motions with cables, rubber bands, and garage springs once a week. I break up the rest of the week by training chest, shoulders with triceps, and legs on separate days. Back, forearms, and grip have their own day, also.
Q: What tips can you share about training for arm wrestling?
The best way to get started is by hooking up with a group of guys that already practice and compete. Get some table time.
The Northeast Board has a great community of pullers from around the country and even the world. Also, check out the World Arm Wrestling League’s website and their Facebook page for upcoming events.
“It’s REALLY easy to hurt yourself in this sport. Broken bones, snapped muscles, and torn tendons are too common. My best advice is to practice with seasoned professionals.”
Q: If you have to pick only three exercises, what would they be?
Arm Wrestling:
Static table locks with rubber band or garage spring
Q: Could you expand on your philosophy about supplements and the industry?
Steroids are also common in professional arm wrestling, like in bodybuilding. Most of the top guys are taking something (e.g. testosterone, HGH, etc.). It really creates an unfair advantage that’s almost impossible to compete against. Until organizations start regularly testing, athletes will continue to abuse these drugs and not have to pay any consequences.
Sometimes, I’ll take creatine and BCAA with my protein shakes, but I regularly take vitamins D, B, and C complexes.
Q: What ways has transitioning into a vegan diet improved your health?
I used to weigh 290 pounds, felt sluggish/lazy, and would be tired after each meal.
Every meal had to include some type of meat, or it wasn’t a real meal.
Now as a vegan, I’m around 245-250 lbs. and have more energy than ever. I’m healthier, lighter, and have better endurance during my workouts.
[As a vegan] I’m just as strong on the arm wrestling table and at the gym. My diet is cruelty-free now, and that feels gratifying.
A vegan lifestyle is also beneficial for our environment, the less fortunate, and especially the millions of innocent animals murdered each year.
Q: What advice do you have for someone who wants to try a plant-based diet?
“Don’t rush into it, and find out what works best for your body.”
Do some research online, and pick up a few books. It’s honestly a lot easier than people think. There are a variety of mock meat products that mimic the taste of any type of meat you already like.
Q: What are the next big goals you have for yourself?
In a few months, filming starts for a documentary called “The Game Changers,” directed by Louie Psihoyos and executive produced by James Cameron.
I’m also currently gut-renovating a new apartment, which has been fun (insert sarcasm).
A lot of research has been put in this program. Furthermore, a lot of professional bodybuilders and athletes tried and tested the program, praising its progressiveness and efficiency.
The program is about taking control of your own body and health according to your potential and needs. And worry not; you’ll get plenty of proteins with this system. It will boost you with energy, and you’ll feel just a strong as any carnivore would (perhaps even stronger, depending on how much you invest in your exercise). It avoids vitamins deficiency and provides you with a lot of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Instead of saying things like “I think a plant-based diet is good for athletes and bodybuilders,” the V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System claims “I know a plant-based diet is good for athletes and bodybuilders, and I have results to prove it.”
PLANT-BASED NUTRITION GOES MAINSTREAM AND FUTURE PREDICTIONS
There has been an explosion of interest, best-selling books, supplements, websites, festivals, and award-winning documentaries in the plant-based nutrition domain.
Vegetarianism has quickly transcended from a fringe new age diet (despite being thousands of years old) to a serious contender in the health and fitness arena. Just walk into Whole Foods and look at their sports supplement section. Vegan protein powder products have nearly as much shelf space as any others.
This has been accelerated partly because several professional athletes have been endorsing the vegetarian lifestyle and demonstrating superior athletic performance while eating plants. Mainstream culture loves anything that seems cool, and dozens of vocal vegan celebrities have made going green the new black.
This article about plant-based nutrition by the Huffington Post has predictions for 2015:
We are lucky to work with a number of nutritionists, doctors, and thought leaders in the vegan community. We asked them for their plant-based predictions for 2015 with regard to the science, awareness, and popularity of the vegan diet. Here’s what they had to say.
“Over the past year, we published three meta-analyses showing that plant-based diets improve body weight, blood pressure, and blood sugar, adding to the huge body of evidence showing the power of plant-based nutrition. Although there is always a lot of “noise” about low-carb diets, etc., the scientific basis for setting aside animal products is now very, very strong, and I expect continued growth in acceptance by the scientific community, doctors in practice, and the public.
Meanwhile, the popularity of plant-based diets has been growing exponentially for years, and now we are at a cultural turning point and a scientific turning point.
Restaurants are steadily increasing vegan and vegetarian menu options — Chipotle added the wildly successful tofu Sofrita. Even Dunkin’ Donuts now carries almond milk. Celebrity chef Jose Andres declared veggies are the new bacon. Popular celebrities — like Ellen DeGeneres, Joaquin Phoenix, and Peter Dinklage — are all very vocal about their healthful diets. —Dr. Neal Barnard
The Next Ten Years
We as a society are waking up.
Recently I read the article “Plant Proteins Poised to Take Third of Market by 2054.” As the title suggests, the market seems to be going in the right direction.
Marketwired reports, “Growth of alternative protein sources is poised to accelerate, potentially claiming up to a third of the protein market by 2054, profoundly affecting agriculture, food technology, and end products, according to Lux Research.”
“Consumer preference, concerns over the planet’s ability to produce sufficient meat, impact of livestock agriculture on the environment, and mounting scientific advances are driving the changing protein demand,” said Camilla Stice, Lux research analyst.
My prediction complements the tone of this article, and it integrates a more nuanced definition/expression of vegetarianism that includes flexitarians.
A flexitarian diet simply means eating mostly vegetarian with occasional meat.
The question some ask is it healthy or unhealthy to be flexitarian, or can it be another beneficial path for plant-based fitness? Allow me to suggest that a flexitarian diet is healthy, plant-based, and misunderstood.
Flexitarians are often confused with omnivores, but omnivores don’t typically care whether they eat meat or plants. Flexitarians strive to eat mostly veggies and fruits, and hardly any meat. The meat they do eat is carefully selected to be produced open-range and antibiotic/hormone free.
Oddly enough, a flexitarian diet can be even more plant-based than a vegan diet.
Are Flexitarians a Type of Vegetarian?
Yes, sort of. A flexitarian/semi-vegetarian is an expression of vegetarianism, but only if you have the willingness to see the world in shades of color, so to speak. It’s funny how some people treat this domain of nutrition like a competition or a VIP club.
Many of my fellow vegetarian bodybuilders do consider semi-vegetarians as part of the family; they don’t feel the need to turn their noses up at someone just because they express their diet a little differently.
I predict that some form of vegetarianism, including part-time vegetarianism, will be adopted by 50 percent of the U.S. population in the next 10 years.
That may not sound like a big deal, but it is nothing short of a revolution on many levels.
It will drastically change the landscape of food production. It will create new business models and jobs, and most importantly, it will help the health of the planet.
In 10 years, plant-based fitness will produce mainstream vegetarian bodybuilding competitions with worldwide recognition.
First, it’s important to make the distinction between the act of eating meat versus meat production.
Eating meat that’s produced as nature intended and consumed in moderation can be ethical and healthy (e.g. farming 100-200 years ago). However, some say that the way meat is produced now is flat-out sinister and hazardous to your health and the planet.
The solution is to drive the market towards plant-based products. Remember, the market goes where the money flows.
The solution is generating thoughtful, well-crafted information that compassionately whispers in society’s ear. It isn’t demonizing people who eat meat and yelling in their face about it.
The solution is attraction, not polarization.
The solution is to stop telling folks they have to be 100 percent vegetarian or be in the VIP vegan club to make a difference.
Let’s keep it simple.
If we all eat more plants and less meat, it will create cascading positive change. Let’s not divide and conquer our brothers and sisters, it’s the system that needs the critical eye.
A lot of research has been put in this program. Furthermore, a lot of professional bodybuilders and athletes tried and tested the program, praising its progressiveness and efficiency.
The program is about taking control of your own body and health according to your potential and needs. And worry not; you’ll get plenty of proteins with this system. It will boost you with energy, and you’ll feel just a strong as any carnivore would (perhaps even stronger, depending on how much you invest in your exercise). It avoids vitamins deficiency and provides you with a lot of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Instead of saying things like “I think a plant-based diet is good for athletes and bodybuilders,” the V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System claims “I know a plant-based diet is good for athletes and bodybuilders, and I have results to prove it.”
Completely Heal Erectile Dysfunction Permanently - How ED Causes Premature Death
It’s been long known that men suffering from ED are at a higher risk of dying younger. And there are two associated risk factors that may explain that:
But which risk factor is it that actually causes men to die so young?
A new study published in the Endocrine Society finally has the answer for this question and a possible way of preventing early death if you suffer from ED.
Two of the most common causes of ED are cardiovascular disease and low testosterone. Men with cardiovascular disease can obviously die early, and some studies also show that men with low testosterone also do.
The researchers wanted to find out how ED, cardiovascular disease, and testosterone levels contribute to early death, and whether it was testosterone or cardiovascular disease that increased men’s risk of dying early.
They identified 1,913 participants in the European Male Ageing Study whose information on hormones and health outcomes were available.
They observed these men for an average of 12.4 years during which 25 percent of them died.
Men with low testosterone, who also exhibited sexual dysfunction, were more likely to die than those with normal testosterone and no sexual dysfunction.
Men who had only erectile dysfunction were 1.4 times more likely to die than those who had no sexual dysfunction.
In other words, the more serious the sexual dysfunction, the more likely the men were to die early.
But was the main contributor to this early death low testosterone or cardiovascular disease?
Free testosterone, which is the type of testosterone your body uses most easily, was lower in the men who died.
This suggests low testosterone plays a crucial role in the early deaths.
But when they looked at the men with normal testosterone alone, they still found that sexual dysfunction increased their risk of dying early by 51 percent.
In other words, while low testosterone sometimes is the main cause, sexual dysfunction can easily occur in men with normal testosterone and therefore it increases their risk of premature death, primarily because of cardiovascular disease.
This study shows that ED can be an early indication of cardiovascular disease, regardless of whether men have low testosterone or not.
Completely Heal Erectile Dysfunction Permanently - 5 Misleading ED Myths You Should Have Ditched Years Ago
Because many men are reluctant to talk openly about ED, it’s the kind of subject that is surrounded by numerous myths that seem to get amplified in anonymous online chat rooms or in discussions with confused and uninformed partners at home.
The worst part is that since you can easily cure ED naturally (I’ll tell you how in a second), these myths are blocking millions of men from doing so.
Of all the strange ED-related myths, these are five of the most common ones that you should never believe again.
1. ED is inevitable as you age – you just need to put up with it. While it is true that ED is more common among older men, it is not inevitable. Many conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease that are more common among the elderly may contribute to ED in both older and young men.
Older men are also often stressed about work, family, and financial security during retirement, while younger people often have parents to fall back on when life is at its toughest. Therefore, it is not age that brings about ED, but other factors that are prevalent from your middle age onward.
In addition, an increasing number of studies, such as one published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine in 2013, show that more young men than ever are now seeking help for ED. Of those 26% who reported are now under 40 years of age, and young men are more likely than older men to report severe ED (48 to 40 percent). This is probably caused by the spread of the former age-related diseases to the young, and to their heavy smoking and drug habits.
2. ED is always a psychological problem – you should just get over it. While ED can be caused by anxiety, depression, or lack of confidence, it can also be caused by any physical condition that interferes with your hormonal balance or damages your arteries or nervous system. All these systems cooperate to make an erection possible. In other words, of all purely physical illnesses that exist, very few can be ruled out as unable to contribute to ED.
For example, high cholesterol and blood pressure damage your arteries, including those that need to relax to make an erection possible. Diabetes and most inflammatory conditions, in turn, wreak havoc on your hormones. These are not psychological problems. They are treatable physical diseases.
3. ED is not a serious physical condition – you can just ignore it. ED itself is not life-threatening, but many of the conditions that give rise to it are. You do not want to ignore prostate cancer or cardiovascular disease.
4. ED means you are no longer attracted to your partner. This could be a cause of ED, but it is far more likely that some physical or psychological condition is responsible. Don’t throw your relationship under the bus before you have ruled out the other, more likely causal factors.
5. ED is treatable only via drugs or surgery. Fortunately, there is a lot you can do before these become necessary. You can eat a balanced diet to ensure that you receive all necessary nutrients. You can adopt a daily exercise routine.
You can stack your diet with natural supplements like pomegranate and cranberry juice, Korean red ginseng, yohimbine, and L-Arginine. In fact, most common erectile dysfunction drugs only help 40% of men, while almost everyone suffers some level of side effects.
Completely Heal Erectile Dysfunction Permanently - Men: Improve Your ED 70% in Just 30 Minutes
More than half the male population over 40 suffer from some level of erectile dysfunction, or ED. And medications help less than 40% (while adding side effects).
But what if you could get better results, in only 30 minutes, without any side effects?
Kind of cool, right?
While it should come as no surprise that a man’s circulatory health determines his ability to produce and maintain an erection, ED affects about half of all U.S. men between the ages of 40 and 70 years – showing age has a part, too.
Since physical exercise is one of the best ways to improve circulation, numerous studies have investigated which categories of men with ED, in terms of age, race, overall health status and other potential contributing factors, might benefit the most from exercise.
Older Men
Men between the ages of 50 and 85 who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey wore motion trackers for one week and answered questions about their erectile function.
The study found that those who spent 30 minutes more than the average each day engaged in some kind of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity reduced their risk for erectile dysfunction by 43%.
Young and Middle-Aged Men
A study that focused on erectile function in young and middle-aged urology outpatients (30-45 years of age) found that sedentary patients scored significantly higher on erectile dysfunction and lower on sexual desire, orgasmic function, intercourse satisfaction and overall sexual satisfaction.
In a similar study that included urology patients aged 18-40 years, sedentary lifestyle increased erectile dysfunction by 44% and decreased orgasm function by the same amount.
Sedentary participants reported 24% greater reduction in intercourse satisfaction compared to their more active cohorts and 28% lower overall satisfaction. These results are compounded by the fact that sexual desire scores were similar in the two groups.
In one study, participants with a history of myocardial infarction and were at low risk for a second heart attack were asked to participate in a home-based outdoor walking program for 30 days.
By the end of the study period the exercise group reported a 71% decrease in erectile dysfunction while the control group that did not participate in the walking program reported a 9% increase in erectile dysfunction.
Metabolic Syndrome-Related ED
The modern Western lifestyle, characterized by dietary excesses and exercise deficits, can lead to a condition known as metabolic syndrome – a combination of symptoms, including obesity and impaired blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol regulation, that can cause a host of degenerative diseases along with the kind of faulty circulation that puts men at risk for ED.
In one study, men with metabolic syndrome who were concurrently taking Viagra-like drugs for erectile dysfunction participated in an exercise program for 2 months. At the end of the study period the exercise group doubled their score on a functional improvement rating scale.
Racial Disparities
Race is not an issue with regard to the effects of exercise on ED, according to researchers of one clinical trial. The study, which aimed to remedy a lack of research on ED in black men, found that exercising at approximately 18 times the resting metabolic level, considered a highly active level of exercise, yielded the best sexual function scores regardless of race and with no difference between black and white men.
This post is from the Erectile Dysfunction Master Program, which was created by Christian Goodman for men who are looking for the best erectile dysfunction natural remedies. This is an all-natural system that utilizes the power of exercises to permanently cure erectile dysfunction. By following the techniques in this program, you will be able to get hard fast without pills and maintain stronger erections for hours so you can enjoy sex again.
Erectile problems can be physical or emotional. If your problem is physical, you need to exercise the muscles around the genital area. If your problem is emotional, then you need to learn relaxation techniques. Erection Master will teach you steps that can help get rid of your erectile dysfunction for good. As long as you're willing to commit 30 minutes of your time, 3 to 7 days a week for 1 to 2 months, they'll work for you. You can practice the steps alone or with your partner.
These techniques are far more effective than Viagra, Cialis or other drugs for erectile dysfunction. The drugs only help about 40% of men who use them and can also cause very serious side effects.
Get Rid of Acid Reflux as Soon as Today - How Acid Reflux Causes Broken Bones
Acid reflux and broken bones – it’s not an obvious connection.
But a new study published in the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition reveals that people taking common acid reflux drugs have a 20% increased risk of bone fracture.
The research found that PPIs could disable children through causing bone fractures.
The team studied children between 6 months of age and 15.5 years of age. All had previously been given PPIs.
The team compared those children that had been given PPIs to those that had not.
They checked which kids had been hospitalized with bone fractures in the following 2 years.
They found the kids who had been prescribed PPIs were 20 percent more likely to experience fractures soon after the PPIs. This was especially true for kids who had been prescribed long-term PPI use.
But it gets worse.
Fractures aren’t uncommon in children. Usually they get fractures in their upper parts of the body, such as their arms, hands, and shoulders. However, the PPI kids were different – they were more likely to suffer from leg and spinal fractures.
In other words, the PPI kids suffered more serious fractures than non-PPI kids.
Therefore, if you have children, who suffer from acid reflux, it is much safer to adjust their lifestyles and diets than to place them on PPIs.
Just in case you thought that this was irrelevant to childless adults, the relationship between PPI use and bone fractures in adults is also the same; however, studies show that hip fractures are more common in adults who have been given PPIs, which increases their risk of premature death by 3 times.
What causes fractures to happen?
PPIs reduce the density of our bones and increase the risk of fractures and breakages.
Get Rid of Acid Reflux as Soon as Today - Date Night Ruined: The Embarrassment of Excess Burping
Most of us have graduated from the season in life where we have to go on dates and worry all the time about impressions, but hopefully most of you still make time to go out from time to time to see the sights, take in a good movie, or to dine on tasty cuisine.
A reader and Acid Reflux client of mine had commented that he and his wife of 45 years go out at least a couple times a month for their regular “date nights,” but lately have been not going as much.
He explained that his wife hadn’t been as interested in going out and was more and more likely to just stay home with a video and some home cooking.
He thought originally it was because she was being a good steward of their finances and trying to keep the entertainment budget down during the recession. He was a little disappointed, though, because he always loved date night and the chance to get out with his “beautiful bride.”
Then he opened up about how she spilled the “beans.” She had been avoiding public dates because of a habit he had developed that was worsening…a lot of post-meal burping and flatulence.
He had noticed it but didn’t think anyone else had, but when he pressed her on why she was suddenly not interested in going out she said she didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but it’s gotten to be too embarrassing.
He was floored. And then came the questions…Why did you wait so long to tell me? Why does this only happen when we go out and not at home? What is causing the problem, anyway?
Like most people who have lived in the same area for most of their lives, they had their favorite restaurants and their favorite dishes at each. They had been pretty loyal to not only the dining establishments but the specific menu items at each place.
Consequently, he didn’t think anything of it when he started having gastrointestinal disruptions after eating the food he’s loved for many years. After all, he’d survived just fine for more than 60 years on his ol’ standbys, so why fix something that isn’t broken?
She sure thought something was broken, though. That’s why she preferred to do the cooking…she had noticed that when he ate certain meals, she was in for a whopper of an embarrassing evening afterwards. So if they stayed home, she could control what went on the plate, and therefore into his mouth.
The culprits? Beans, peppers, potatoes, hamburger buns, and carbonated beverages. Where there used to be a cast-iron stomach before in his younger days now was replaced with a temperamental bag of gas. His favorite foods had become the enemy. She knew it, but was too afraid of hurting his feelings to bring it up.
As we age, our tummy’s ability to squelch the belch weakens along with the sphincter at the end of the esophagus that guards the entrance to the stomach. More air gets in, added to a weaker ability to digest foods that were formerly no problem, and wham! A cacophony of malodorous sound begins. And that’s just the burping part.
From the other end, the carbohydrate-loaded foods were finding it easier and easier with his aging digestion to turn the body’s normal process of digestion into a compressed gas cylinder factory.
His wife had been completely changing his diet at home, and that helped a lot. But when they went out, she had no control over what he would order. She’d make recommendations, sure, but he apparently figured she was just buying into those “organic tree-huggers’ messages” and dismissed it as so much fad nonsense.
His reason for writing was not just to talk about what he could and could not eat anymore. Rather it was to bring some awareness to others in his situation that while a rumbling of gasses might be cute and funny for the grandkids, it’s no laughing matter when you still have a ton of romance left with your one true love and suddenly eruptions come to crash your date like an evil third wheel.
More importantly, he discovered after the gas conversation (which led to an appointment with the doctor) that he had developed Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, or GERD. So his new diet had taken on even more importance because of the added health consequences.
His comments were in support of the guide and to thank us for helping to save the romance on date night.
Get Rid of Acid Reflux as Soon as Today - Why Milk and Digestion Problems Don’t Mix
A reader asked me recently about some unsettling assertions about milk that had been getting attention in the news.
Her question was in regard to whether or not milk is bad for you. As with a lot of these questions, the answer is frequently yes and no.
The benefits of including milk in your diet include:
– Good source of calcium – Fortified products are a good source of Vitamin D – Healthier to drink than soft drinks – Doesn’t stain teeth
Another benefit of the 1% and higher varieties is that in order for the body to make use of fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and K, one must first have proper fat stores in the body. Specialists from Pediatricians to Gerontologists stress that too little dietary fat can spell deficiency for these vitamins that are critical for health.
However, there is a large body of evidence to suggest that milk is the cause of a lot of problems for a lot of people, specifically when considering digestive health.
Milk has gotten a bad rap, as many foods will get as they fade in and out of favor with experts. But the problems with milk are not so easily outweighed by its potential nutritive benefits.
People who are lactose intolerant already know what this dietary ‘staple’ can do to a person’s gut. So do people who have an intolerance to cow’s milk that isn’t lactose-specific.
But the biggest stinger is the claim that commercially produced, non-organic cow’s milk contains high levels of synthetic hormones. Some have gone so far as to assert that the hormone overload in milk is what’s causing the younger and younger age trend for pubescent girls.
Studies don’t tend to support that organic milk and commercial milk differ in the hormone content. Both have detectable amounts of testosterone and estrogen.
Some would split hairs over whether or not the hormones are synthetic.
Unfortunately for the resolution of the debate, in the laboratory both milks look exactly the same.
An organic isn’t always what you think. For organic producers to be able to legally claim their product is organic, they simply have to prove their animals are not given SYNTHETIC hormones…they don’t have to show that zero hormones are given.
That doesn’t even take into consideration the pasteurization process required now just to make the milk safe to drink. This breaks down many of the hormones and destroys them- but not all of them
Back to splitting hairs, I guess.
So what is a person to do? Well, humans weren’t originally designed to drink cow’s milk at all. Our ancestors generally stopped drinking mothers’ milk in favor of other liquids found in nature- such as water- once they were weaned. Everything we think we need from milk has always been provided in a balanced diet if care is used in choosing foods.
If you are on a restricted diet because milk aggravates your Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Acid Reflux Disease, Celiac Disease or other conditions, then you will need good options for replacing nutrients that would have been found in the milk, such as calcium, iron, Vitamin D, and protein.
Foods rich in the vitamins and minerals you need that you’ll want to add to your list for the next time you go shopping:
You may not like all these foods (or any of them) but you also may not have had them in dishes that are really tasty. Remember that your food preferences and palette will change over time, and what you may have turned your nose up at as a child might actually be quite yummy now.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with new foods, especially if you are looking for ways to work yourself away from milk.
For more information on natural methods to improve your digestive health, see my guides for Acid Reflux, Cholesterol, Arthritis, and coming soon, IBS.
This post is from Scott Davis’ Acid Reflux Solution. This program helps you to cure your heartburn and acid reflux by using natural remedies to quickly heal your stomach without dangerous medicine or risky surgeries. It can also help you to remove some disorders of acid reflux such as constipation or IBS.
“A whole food vegan diet is the way to go. You will have more energy, much less risk of disease, and rarely get sick. I interview vegans all the time, and all of them tell me they wish they had done it sooner.”
Name: Brenda Carey Occupation: Editor-in-Chief/Founder of Vegan Health & Fitness Magazine City/State/Country: Phoenix, Arizona, USA Age: 46 Height: 5’9″ Type of Training: Triathlete (swimming, running, biking), as well as weight training and yoga. Weight: 122 lbs. Fitness Accolades: Former lifeguard, Ashtanga Yoga instructor, 4th female finisher at CrossFit Games in Santa Monica in 2013, first place overall 5k in the 2013 PowerMarathon in Austin, Texas, first female finisher at 50k Saturn Day ultramarathon on 7.5.14 in San Antonio, Texas, ran 17 miles in the Vegan Global Run on 4.4.15 in Miami Beach, Florida, daily victories in getting stronger and faster, breaking old PRs…
Modern/Living: Ellen, Oprah, Kathy Freston, Alexandra Paul, Leilani Munter, Fiona Oakes, Andrea Kladar, Pope Francis. All of these people have used their lives to make a statement that is changing the world for the better, involving compassion, athletics, education, intelligence, and humor.
Historical: Krishna, Buddha, Jesus Christ, Joan of Arc, St. Francis of Assisi, Mother Teresa, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., John Lennon. These people all used their lives to make the world a better, more compassionate place, also.
Q: Tell us the story of how you became the founder of Vegan Health & Fitness Magazine.
The short version is that I spent years trying to find my path to a career that makes the world a better place for animals, promoting a compassionate lifestyle. I became vegan as a 20-year-old model. Shortly thereafter, I put myself through college and law school with the idea that I’d be an animal rights attorney.
By the time I graduated, I realized that was not my path. The law is not very animal-friendly, and I don’t really like fighting, especially when it is a losing battle.
So I tried using the law to help animals by starting a Humane Society in California that consisted of Humane Officers that were trained very well in the law (by moi).
“There are no exemptions under the animal cruelty laws for farm animals in California. So we busted a slaughter house and with a warrant and aided by the LAPD, we seized animals and took them to sanctuaries.”
Shortly thereafter, we were faced with a lot of frivolous legal challenges (seems that we made the status quo nervous), and after a year of very little sleep and witnessing a lot of animal cruelty in investigations and fighting in court, I folded that organization.
After that, I moved to Hawaii for two years and became an Ashtanga Yoga instructor and a professor of Communication Studies at Hawaii Pacific University. I also got into improv comedy acting and standup comedy.
From there, I ended up doing standup comedy in NYC for eight months. From there, I moved back to LA and created a sort of silly online TV show on the paranormal.
At the same time, I met Robert Cheeke after reading his bodybuilding book.
I was searching for my way to make the world a better place for animals and was inspired by Robert to start a blog called “Female Vegan Bodybuilder.”
I got so much positive feedback that I decided to start the magazine.
“At the time, I knew nothing about graphic art or publishing.
Fortunately, I had a background in photography and a very supportive boyfriend (Brian Acree) who helped me teach myself everything and start this magazine all by myself on my laptop.”
At first, I thought I’d make a few and give them out for free.
Then I called the distributor who handles the magazines for Whole Foods Market and sent them some emails with images and information on the first issue, and they ordered several thousand copies right away!
And we were off and running!
We were quarterly from the Summer 2012 (first issue that featured Robert Cheeke on the cover with Koya Webb) until the November/December 2013 issue (that featured John and Ocean Robbins and family on the cover), when we went bi-monthly. That was also the first issue where we went international, into eight countries.
We are currently working on expanding our digital reach and starting a book publishing branch.
Q: What are your personal passions outside of fitness?
Vegan nutrition and science! I love researching the tough stuff. I spend days obsessed on scholar.google.com. Some of the articles I have written (or helped research for other writers) literally represent hundreds of hours reading intense scientific journal articles.
It’s important for me to get a complete understanding of plant-based nutrition so that I can explain it in simpler terms to our readers and share life-improving information.
The magazine always includes the citations to the articles, too, so that our readers can see the science for themselves.
Sometimes I get so excited about an article or two that I find on a controversial topic, that I have shared it on social media. This can get me into trouble, as people will often react with disdain against something that brings new information that they don’t understand.
I encourage them to read the science, but a lot of people are intimidated by the medical jargon and don’t feel comfortable reading science for themselves. Instead, a lot of people will “follow” a certain doctor or nutritionist and take their word for what is scientifically true. I think this is dangerous.
Often, trusted doctors and nutritionists sell supplements and other products, and even though they mean well, they have bills to pay like everybody else.
“Any time the [doctor/nutritionist] has a vested interest, there is a tendency to be biased towards what will help them make a living.”
Only what we are willing to research and understand on our own can truly be trusted.
Q: What uncommon activity do you schedule into your daily routine?
I suppose that putting together a magazine is rather uncommon. Every day, I spend quite a few hours on the computer developing articles with my contributors and scheduling photos shoots and overseeing them, etc.
Other than that, I spend time preparing (and gathering) organic vegan meals for myself, my dogs, and sometimes our whole staff.
Since we moved to Miami, we don’t have an office, we all work from our respective homes. But when we had an office in Austin, TX and had a staff there daily, I enjoyed making everybody big salads for lunch almost every day. I love nurturing others with nutrition. It’s my maternal instinct or something, I guess.
When I was a little girl and I found out what meat was, I didn’t want to eat it. I grew up in Mississippi and had never heard of a vegetarian, so I was on my own.
“I tried to eat plates full of canned vegetables and clearly did not get enough calories. Without support from an adult, I became very weak and fainted a few times.”
This scared us all, and I was told that if I didn’t eat meat, I would die. So I reluctantly ate it after being reassured that the animals did not suffer, etc. When I was nineteen years old, I was finally out of Mississippi and modeling in Miami Beach.
“I went to a Macrobiotic convention with a photographer friend and sat at a table full of people who had healed themselves from cancer and heart disease, etc. with their (mostly vegan) diets.”
At the time, I also had an acquaintance who was an angry vegetarian who challenged my supposed love of animals and my food choices. As rude as she was in her approach, I could not deny that she was right and I was being a hypocrite.
Now that I knew of the health benefits of eating vegan, it was a no-brainer to go vegan.
I gave up chicken and fish first, because a cow is a larger animal. I read about 20 books that summer (that I got at the library in Mississippi— this was in 1991, who knew those books were even there!) when I went home to visit family.
I learned about the animal cruelty of factory farming and about the nutritional benefits of the vegan diet.
I gave up beef about a month later, then eggs and dairy within another month. Then I gave up all my leather clothes because I was being challenged by non-vegetarians for being a hypocrite for refusing to eat animals when I was okay with wearing them.
“Again, I hated their approach, but I knew they were right.”
I gave thousands of dollars’ worth of leather clothing to the homeless, because I read that giving animal skins (leather and fur) to the poor helps take the status symbol away. Nowadays, I don’t even like to wear fake leather for a similar reason. I don’t want anybody to think that wearing leather looks cool and want to buy it to copy my look.
By the way, I’ve been vegan for about 24 years now and have never taken supplements of any kind. I dabble with chocolate protein powder because I like the taste, but I try to limit that, too.
Unfortunately, most vegan processed foods are fortified with vitamins, so I can’t say that I don’t get dosed with vitamins occasionally. I try to avoid processed foods, eating mostly raw.
As for the athletics, I took ballet as a kid and dabbled in that again in my teens, twenties, and thirties for short periods (along with jazz and tap), but never took it very far. My first job was as a swimming instructor (age 15); shortly thereafter, I became a lifeguard, which required a lot of testing of my athletic ability in swimming laps, etc.
I became an aerobics instructor in 1989 (you should have seen my colorful, crazy 80s aerobics outfits). I played a little softball and volleyball on teams in school and did a little running (5k) with my dad and brother as a teen. Again, nothing very serious.
I dabbled in fitness after that as I modeled (and mostly starved myself to stay thin, until I went vegan and found out I could eat fruits and vegetables all day—by then, I think I had caused a lot of muscle atrophy, which is unfortunate). I did a little yoga, starting in law school in 2000. I had a gym membership for years and would go months without walking in the doors.
But I didn’t get serious about fitness until recently (2011). Right before I started the magazine, I got pretty serious about bodybuilding because of Robert Cheeke’s influence. But since I am so tall and thin, my muscle is hard won.
It has taken me almost four years to put on enough muscle to be seen. It amounts to about eight pounds of solid muscle, which is about right for four years of training, but when you spread it out over a long frame, it doesn’t look like much.
I started running to burn off some of the fat that I put on with my massive protein diet I experimented with my first year of bodybuilding. Now I realize muscle growth does not require such massive doses. Dating Austin Barbisch has influenced me a lot.
When we first met, I hired him (and paid him a lot of money) to train me in the gym.
It was worth every penny. I put on more muscle training with him for six months than I’d put on the prior two years. He is also an ultra-marathoner, and I’ve covered a few of his races for the magazine.
That influenced me to want run a 50k. Brian Acree actually ran it with me, and his support was instrumental in getting me across that finish line.
Nowadays, I am continuing to put on muscle in the gym and keep the fat off on the running track. It is the most efficient means of getting that fit look that I need when I make public appearances and speak on behalf of Vegan Health & Fitness Magazine.
Someday when I have more time, I’d love to do a triathlon and play team sports.
Q: What does your daily meal plan currently look like?
Breakfast: Fruit smoothie, a cup of tea, and a couple large glasses of water (often with lime or lemon juice).
Lunch: Large salad for lunch with tons of raw veggies, sprouts, olives, and Bragg’s Mango dressing (I love it because it’s organic, vinegar based, and oil-free).
I snack on fruit all day (apples, mango, raspberries, whatever is organic and on sale).
Lest you think I am an angel, I will admit that I do occasionally eat dark chocolate, peanut butter, vegan baked goods, and other vegan junk foods and treats. I just try to keep that fattening, processed stuff to a minimum and eat them rarely (once a week or less) as a treat.
Q: Philosophy on supplements?
“I don’t take any supplements (no, not even B12, as I often get asked). Supplements are not necessary if you eat a variety of whole plant foods.”
The vegan diet, when it is unprocessed, organic, and varied, provides everything the body needs to be optimally healthy, with no need for synthetic, laboratory-extracted pills and potions.
If you look into the science, you will see that taking supplements is also quite harmful. Many cancers have been related to taking vitamin pills and even oils.
Read my favorite book, “Whole,” by T. Colin Campbell for more on that. For more on the B12 controversy, see the VHF website, as we love to delve into that controversial topic and have a couple articles on the science posted there.
Q: Favourite butt exercises and describe the form you use.
This is a great (and very specific) question! Wow! Okay, I have scoliosis so I cannot do squats or deadlifts with heavy weight.
“If you are lucky enough to have a straight spine, squats and deadlifts are the best exercises to grow/tighten your glutes. Just start with light weight, and keep your spine straight (neutral) as you move.”
I recommend working with a trainer until you get the form down, as it can be complicated, and if you don’t do it right, you can really get hurt. If you have an imperfect back like me, you have to get more creative.
But I can do lunges with quite a bit of weight without hurting my back. I also do thrusts laying on my back on the floor with weights on my hips.
I also do cable kickbacks (I even have my own ankle strap since the ones at the gym are often missing or really dirty). I use the abductor machine at the gym. My trainer taught me to do way more sets and reps on this machine than I had ever done before. Sometimes, we hog that machine for half an hour as we do our reps to failure over and over.
Just when I think I’m done, he will say “Give me five more.” Then he will say, “Five more” or “Ten more.” It’s gruelling at that point, and sometimes I will call him names, but he knows it’s just the muscle fibers talking, and I apologize later and thank him for pushing me harder.
I think it’s a huge benefit to have a workout partner pushing you past what you thought were your limits (check out all the big, muscular guys at the gym who do that, and you will see what I mean.) I also do indoor rowing (which is a killer butt workout) and run long distances on the track (any time I run for more than 30 minutes, I feel it in my butt later).
As someone who had a pretty flat butt before I started working out, I can attest that these moves work. In all of them, I am very aware of keeping my spine neutral and not arching or curving out.
Q: Describe your training regimen: favourite exercises, weekly training schedule, etc.
I do yoga every morning for anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour, depending on my schedule, to get my spine in alignment and get ready for the day. I work out at the gym about six days a week for about an hour a day, sometimes two hours, if we have time.
When I am preparing for a running race, like the Vegan Global Run, I will alternate running at the track for an hour one day with working out at the gym for an hour the next day. Sometimes it gets to be too much, and I am just exhausted and have to take a day or two off of running and lifting weights.
On those days, I just do my yoga, hydrate really well with water and electrolyte blends (recipes in several issues of the magazine), and take a power nap to help my body recover faster. I also take an Epsom salt bath every night and add turmeric to my food as often as possible to help recover faster.
My smoothies have fruits like cherries and pineapples, which also help recovery. Finally, I eat lots of greens in salads and munch on seaweed, which helps reduce inflammation and speed recovery, also.
Q: If you have to pick only three exercises, what would they be?
That would be tough. I do so many different exercises and keep mixing it up all the time so I don’t plateau. If I have to choose:
Push-ups
Lunges
Pull-ups
This would hit every muscle in the whole body if you varied the angles a little and did them right. Note that yoga utilizes push-ups and lunges. There are lots of benefits to these moves.
Q: What tips can you share about fitness that you don’t typically read in magazines?
“Going vegan is the best thing you can do to be a better athlete and/or get more fit! That is something you don’t read in other magazines (besides Vegan Health & Fitness).”
We are seeing some other mainstream magazines acknowledge the vegan diet and its health benefits recently. I know it is because they see our publication on the shelves and they know we’re selling and they want to compete. Whatever it takes to bring veganism into the mainstream!
Q: What are the biggest trends you see in fitness right now?
People want excitement in their workouts, so they are doing obstacle courses and CrossFit type workouts where you don’t know what you’re going to have to do until you get there. It’s more mentally stimulating than doing the same old thing in the gym every day.
The camaraderie people are experiencing in these new styles of workouts is also wonderful. We are social creatures, and we like to compete with other people and have someone to high-five when you do something really well.
“If you don’t sit (or lay) still for a few minutes every day and/or pray, or just get quiet and clear your mind, you will never be your best self.”
Life is stressful. We need to turn off occasionally, and not just by passing out and sleeping. We need to learn to control our minds and relax. I am a spiritual person, so I pray. I heard someone say once that meditation is actually when you stop praying (talking to your higher power) and listen.
I love that. We so rarely listen.
If you’re not religious, you can just sit still and turn inward to connect with your inner compassionate nature.
Q: What advice do you have for someone who wants to try a plant-based diet?
Do it! Do it now!
You can truly maximize your life when you go vegan because you are more productive and you just function better.
Tons of bodybuilders and athletes know it, and they are at the tops of their fields.
Tons of people have turned around diseases like cancer, heart disease, immunological, and inflammatory problems. Not only that, but who wants to be a part of the horrible animal torturing and slaughtering meat industry?
It’s a great feeling knowing I’m not a part of that. It’s a perfect example of good karma. When you choose to do the compassionate thing, you benefit greatly in your own body, too!
A lot of research has been put in this program. Furthermore, a lot of professional bodybuilders and athletes tried and tested the program, praising its progressiveness and efficiency.
The program is about taking control of your own body and health according to your potential and needs. And worry not; you’ll get plenty of proteins with this system. It will boost you with energy, and you’ll feel just a strong as any carnivore would (perhaps even stronger, depending on how much you invest in your exercise). It avoids vitamins deficiency and provides you with a lot of proteins, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Instead of saying things like “I think a plant-based diet is good for athletes and bodybuilders,” the V3 Vegetarian Bodybuilding System claims “I know a plant-based diet is good for athletes and bodybuilders, and I have results to prove it.”
