Easy Steps to Plant-Based Diet

SKILLEX WEBINAR

Easy Steps to Plant-Based Diets EVELYN VALTIN PEER COUNSELLOR

Background • The Basics of Holistic Living • Work That Reconnects • Nonviolent Communication • Peer Counselling i.e., Peer Support

Experience Peer counselling i.e., peer support Estonian Vegan Society and Estonian Society for the Protection of Animals Coordinator of International Grants and Europe for Citizens programme National Foundation of Civil Society Senior Specialist on Domestic Animals Tallinn City Environmental Board Director and Member of the Board Estonian Society for the Protection of Animals

Topics that will be covered • What a plant-based and animal-free diet means • How your body and mind benefit from a changed diet • Important considerations before switching to a plant-based diet • Healthy options to replace meat and dairy • The environmental benefits of plant-based eating

Step 1: understand and stay in touch with your motivation

Reasons for choosing plant-based diet 1. Health benefits 2. Smaller footprint to environment 3. Reducing suffering for animals

Facts: Health Photo: https://ecocommunitiesuk.com/

Reducing animal product consumption while also increasing whole plant food intake has many potential benefits, based on research studies, including:

Facts: Health • Helps treat acne

• Helps lower LDL cholesterol levels

• Slows the aging process

• Helps manage mental health conditions

• Slows body cell death rates • Increases the chances for breast cancer survival • Increases antioxidant intake

• Slows the shrinking of muscle mass as a person ages

• Slows the growth of certain cancers • Increases the intake of fiber • Helps improve mood • Avoids inflammation caused by endotoxemia

• Decreases oxidative stress • Increases the intake of phytate, an anticarcinogen • Slows the progression of rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, and heart disease • Boosts levels of serotonin • Helps with weight control Source: https://nutritionfacts.org/

Facts: Environment Each year, 13 billion hectares of forest area are lost due to land conversion for agricultural uses as pastures or cropland, for both food and livestock feed crop production.

26% of the Planet’s ice-free land is used for livestock grazing.

33% of croplands are used for livestock feed production.

Source: http://www.fao.org/

Facts: Environment Livestock produces 13.5-18% of all anthropogenic greenhouse gases.

By comparison, cars, planes, trains and other means of transport emit 13.1% of anthropogenic greenhouse gases.

Source: https://vegan.ee/

Facts: Animals Animals are treated as mere commodities, gathered together with little space, natural light or stimuli.

Pain, suffering or distress because of invasive procedures often done without anaesthetic or pain relief.

3 billion animals killed for food every day, mostly fish. Source: https://sentientmedia.org/ Also check out: https://thevegancalculator.com/

Watch Documentaries • Cowspiracy • Forks Over Knives • What The Health • Home • Dominion • 7 Days • Earthlings More suggestions: https://thevegancalculator.com/animal-slaughter/

Read books and articles • Prevent & Reverse Heart Disease • The China Study • How Not to Die • How to Be Vegan • Eating Animals • …

Step 2: find your way to new habits

What is plant-based and animal-free diet?

• vegan • lacto-ovo vegetarian • ovo-vegetarian • lacto-vegetarian • variations of plant-based diets include: • pescetarianism • semi-vegetarianism (or flexitarianism)

Make step by step food swaps • tofu instead of chicken and eggs • chickpeas instead of beef • avocado or nut butter instead of butter • coconut cream instead of dairy cream • black bean cutlets instead of beef cutlets • agave syrup instead of honey • hummus instead of mayonnaise

‘Transitions foods’ Plant-based: • packaged meatballs, sausages, etc.

• cheeses • ice creams • yogurts • frozen pizzas

Replace meat with healthy options 1. Beans and legumes

6. Lentils

2. Tofu, Tempeh, Seitan

7. Beets

3. Mushrooms

8. Cauliflower

4. Potatoes

9. Nuts

5. Eggplant

10.Jackfruit

Options to replace dairy • milk – oat, coconut, cashew, flaxseed, hemp (soy, rice, almond) • yoghurt – coconut milk, almond, soy, hemp yogurts

Prepare for being on the go: carrying some back-up food with you Why? • People might forget or make mistakes with food ingredients • It’s good to have healthy snacks available when needed • Possibility to introduce new foods to others

Step 3: Learn Plant-Based Nutrition Basics

Health The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, British Dietetic Association and Dietitians Association of Australia have confirmed the suitability of vegan nutrition at every stage of life, including infancy and childhood.

The same is stated in the national recommendations of the respective countries - USA, Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia.

Source: https://vegan.ee/

Plant-Based Food Pyramid

Source: http://dietity.com/

List on plant-based food groups • 1. Grains – brown rice, quinoa, millet, wheat berries, or buckwheat; cereal, breads, and pasta. Choose whole and unprocessed.

• 2. Vegetables - choose all kinds of colored vegetables. Leafy greens and cruciferous vegetables are especially nutrient-dens.

• 3. Fruit - choose fresh over dried and include all the colours.

• 4. Legumes - cooked beans and lentils, hummus, bean burgers, tofu, and soy milk. Choose calcium-fortified products.

• 5. Nuts and seeds - flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts.

Foods to Emphasise in General • (dark) leafy greens • calcium-fortified soy products (milk, tofu, etc.)

• cruciferous veggies (cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, etc.)

• berries • Iodized salt or kelp flakes • omega-3 rich foods - flax, hemp seeds, chia, walnuts

Vitamins and minerals

Vitamin B12 and D Vitamin B12 is created by bacteria and fungi is naturally occurring in food and in water. It is removed with sterilization practices in food production together with “bad” bacteria.

Vitamin D: • Sun exposure (for 10-20 minutes) • Vitamin D2 or • Vegan Vitamin D3 Supplement

Step 4: Be prepared for social situations

Find out more about the eating places • Check the menu beforehand • Make sure if there are options to change ingredients or order something suitable not on the menu • Use vegetarian and/or vegan restaurant apps like Happy Cow

Challenges you might face • People being concerned about your health and wellness • People might taunt you and tease you • You might start to feel guilty that you aren’t “perfect”…

Reassuring things to remember • Sometimes people actually are worried or curious about you • You still have an option choose to explain or not • Express clearly your emotions and needs • Practise non-violent communication • Connect with like-minded people • Turn to mental health specialist

Body Mind Animals Environment

Thank you! evelyn.valtin@gmail.com info@skillex.com Instagram: vegan.life.in.estonia

Questions?