For most people, the idea of going vegan is scary. It is one thing to add some delicious vegan smoothies to your every day diet, but to take the plunge into life as a full vegan is frightening.

What do you eat?

What if you miss foods you used to eat?

Do you have to give up taste?

Can I really do it?

This might surprise you, but you can become a vegan and enjoy a wide variety of delicious foods, many similar to your old favorites, and be happy. Yes, you can!

The secret is the transition. The time between your old lifestyle and habits, and the new vegan lifestyle you are moving towards. That transition period can be the hardest time to get through. This is why I spent time putting together a simple guide that will lead anyone through the fears and worry of transitioning to becoming a vegan.

My ebook, How to Transition to a Vegan Diet, is packed full of tips and ideas for getting through cravings and getting through dinner. Plus I added 10 super yummy, and super simple vegan dishes at the end. Foods that anyone can make, and everyone will love.

For only $9.95 you can be walked through the common transition problems, and be given links to websites and cookbooks that will offer you even more information. Plus learn how to make blueberry pancakes, chili, fettuccine alfredo, and more all vegan!

Are you ready to make the change?

photo credit: Lollie-Pop

Changing your diet to a raw smoothie one can bring amazing health benefits, yet it is not always easy to do. For most, this is a completely different way of eating than they are used to. With that difference means a lot of adjustments. If you want to try a vegan smoothie diet, but fear it may be too hard, here are some simple tips that will help you succeed.

1. Take it slow. You do not have to become a full-time smoothie drinker on your first day. Start with just one smoothie a day, then add more over the course of weeks. This can be frustrating for those looking for fast results, but studies repeatedly show that a slow weight loss plan works better in the long run.
2. Keep plenty of good snacks on hand. It can be tempting to reach for the chocolate doughnut when you hit an afternoon slump, but that one temptation can undo all the hard work you’ve already done. Keep a supply of nuts, fresh fruits, vegetables, and low-fat snacks nearby when you feel temptation creeping in.
3. Be creative! – When it comes to green smoothies, there are no rules set in stone. Do not be afraid to mix things up to your liking. Go ahead and sprinkle cinnamon in your apple-pear smoothie, or add water to thin it out more. The important thing is that you enjoy your smoothie experience.
4. Don’t rely on just smoothies – Despite some claims, you cannot sit on the couch all day long and lose weight by drinking a smoothie now and then. You are going to have to put some effort into your weight and health goals. Along with drinking smoothies, regular exercise will do wonders for your body.

When you are starting out on a vegan smoothie diet, you can feel overwhelmed and not sure what to do. You can succeed though, it is possible to change your life one step at a time.

photo credit: Tim Patterson

Not everyone gets excited at the thought of drinking a green smoothie. Yet there are many great reasons to reach for one of these drinks every day. If you are still on the fence about drinking your vegetables, here are 5 reasons you should make the jump towards vegan green smoothies every day.

1. Get fresh produce in your diet – The average diet today consists of a lot of boxed and packaged foods. Even vegetables are more likely to come from a can than the garden. Drinking vegan smoothies, however, is a great way to get plenty of fresh foods in your diet. The fresher the food, the more nutritious it is.
2. A pure source of vitamins and minerals – How many people take vitamin pills each day to make up for what they lack? And of that, not everything in those pills will be absorbed into the body. Drinking green smoothies means you are getting everything your body needs, in a delicious drink rather than a huge pill. It’s the easy way to be healthy!
3. Antioxidants – It’s a big word that we hear tossed around a lot today, but exactly are antioxidants? They are those special vitamins and minerals in food that helps clear out the toxins that build up in our bodies. Vitamins E and C, Beta-Carotene, selenium, and more gather up the harmful toxins we absorb and helps filter them out our digestive track. And the best source of antioxidants? Fresh fruits and vegetables, of course!
4. Alkaline – Most people probably do nt have a clue what the pH of their body is. Many probably do not even know how important it is. The problem is, eating meat raising the acid levels in your body significantly. And higher acid levels leads to decreased health. Plants, especially raw plants, work to lower that acid level down to an acceptable range.
5. Increased sex drive – OK, let’s get personal here. When we’re unhealthy and feeling sluggish, sex is the last thing on our minds. Many green smoothie drinkers swear by the claim that drinking smoothies every day not only makes them feel more energized and alert during the day, but that good feelings lasts well into the night also. Consider it your secret powerhouse in a glass.

Are you still uncertain about getting on the vegan green smoothie bandwagon? The only way to really know if they will work for you is to just try it! Add one green smoothie to your diet each day and see how you feel. If, after a few weeks you feel great, add more. You never know how you’ll feel unless you try!

Not sure where to begin? Check out some of the great recipes listed here. Or check out the books I have selected on the side. Go green and get healthy!

photo credit: tiffanywashko

Can organic fruits and vegetables make your vegan green smoothies healthier?

Most of the food you buy today is grown or raised with fertilizers, pesticides, hormones, and antibiotics. All of which make their way into you with every bite you take. These toxins can build up in your body making you tired, moody, and gripping tight to the fat you are trying to lose. Choosing organic instead, can help.

The body has to process and break down everything that goes into it. When it cannot break down and expel these toxins fast enough, they become stored in your body. Over years these toxins build up in your vital organs, causing damage. Many of the pesticides and fertilizers used to grow fruits and vegetables have been found to be carcinogens, meaning they can cause cancer. Think about how many meals you have eaten in your lifetime and it starts to get scary.

When people start on a vegan smoothie diet they are often significantly increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables they are eating. And with that, the risks. Choosing organic foods is a simple way to reduce those risks greatly. Foods grown organically do not have these toxic chemicals in them. Your smoothies can be even healthier with organic produce mixed into them.

photo credit: ginnerobot

If you want to lose weight in a healthy way, then it might be time to look at raw food diet weight loss plans.

Supporters of raw food diet weight loss programs say that it is virtually impossible to gain weight on raw food, especially if you are overweight to begin. For that reason there is no particular food plan to follow when you go raw. The only rule is that you do not eat anything that has been cooked or processed using heat over 115 degrees Fahrenheit. This automatically rules out almost anything that you would buy in a package or a jar.

Even people of normal weight who switch to a raw diet usually lose weight. The exception might be people who eat a very large amount of nuts. Even then, you will probably find that you lose weight in the beginning. If you hit a plateau where you stop losing for a while, you might want to consider your nut consumption and reduce it if it is very high. The raw food diet is sometimes criticized for having a high level of fat and the culprit is usually nuts.

Many nuts are anyway subject to heat processing to remove the shells when they are available commercially. It is best to buy nuts in their shells. Cashews, macadamia nuts, Brazil nuts that you buy shelled and many other types of nuts are not really raw even if you buy them not roasted. The nuts in nut butters have also usually been heated in the processing.

When you do buy raw nuts such as filberts, it is best to soak them overnight before eating, to reactivate their growth enzymes. The same is true of seeds although seeds only need to be soaked for 2-4 hours. Pre-soaking your nuts and seeds will help you avoid eating too many.

You can eat sprouted grains as well as many beans and lentils. These should be soaked overnight before sprouting in a jar or purpose made sprouting trays.

Red kidney beans should not be eaten raw because they are toxic. There are many other foods that contain some toxins which may or may not affect people depending on the quantities consumed and your sensitivity. These include buckwheat greens, alfalfa sprouts, cassava, peas, eggs in large quantities, apricot kernels, brassica vegetables and parsnips. Raw milk and raw meat may carry microbial disease including tuberculosis.

However, any raw food including lettuce can carry microbes that can give you food poisoning. Nobody cooks lettuce. Therefore raw foodists say that there is no point in stressing out about the idea of microbes on raw food. They believe that the body is better equipped to deal with any disease, including food borne illnesses, when it is fed on a raw diet. Still, it is a good idea to always wash your food well.

If you do not plan to eat 100% raw food, then whatever cooked food you eat should be natural, whole, healthy foods. Avoid refined grains like white rice and anything made with white flour including white bread and pasta. It is best to avoid refined sugars and anything containing them.

The majority of your cooked food should be vegetables and perhaps some brown rice and low fat meat such as skinless chicken breast. For example in winter you might want to have vegetable soup with some chicken. Have salad as a first course before your cooked dish and finish with fresh raw fruit instead of any other type of dessert.

If you follow this plan then even on 75% raw you should have no trouble losing weight in a healthy way. Raw food diet weight loss plans do seem to work for anybody who is able to stick to them.