Vegans - Read This Book!
593169
I'm giving Susan 5 stars. Why give the highest praise to a book that urges me to eat meat? I'm high-raw, high-vegan. I teach high-raw high-vegan on the web and through my newsletters. I sincerely believe we humans need to move toward vegan, where the lion and lamb lie down together. I believe in compassion. When we see a bird or animal who's hurt, we automatically reach out to help.

Susan was a raw vegan for seven years. As a vegan, she wrote&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Live-Food-Factor-The-Comprehensive-Guide-to-the-Ultimate-Diet-for-Body-Mind-Spirit-Planet/dp/0977679519/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Live Food Factor: The Comprehensive Guide to the Ultimate Diet for Body, Mind, Spirit & Planet</a>, the very book I give to friends and family so they'll see the healing power of raw vegan.

Today Susan writes in "Beyond Broccoli": "I usually eat some free-range beef once a week or so.

  My moral programming says, "How can you eat a mammal?"

  My spiritual programming haunts me: "Red meat will create the densest consciousness!"

  My nutritional programming dictates, "Red meat gets stuck in your colon and causes cancer!" (Even though studies have shown this isn't true.)

  My political programming screams, "Red meat causes water depletion and global warming!"

  But my body's cells say, "This is great; it's what we wanted; it gives us carnitine, B12, carnosine, and some other undiscovered ingredient(s) that make me sleep more soundly than ever." The X factor might be tryptophan, but red meat often works better than tryptophan or 5-HTP supplements for inducing a sound sleep."

This is why I feel Susan deserves 5 stars. Because her book is packed with info on the pitfalls to AVOID if you are vegan.

Remember, vegans are the guinea pigs. So far as we know, there has never been a vegan society in the history of the human species. Indeed, Susan points out we've been eating meat for 2.6 million years, while we adopted grains and dairy a mere 10-15,000 years ago.

Be careful, though, if you're on the fence, and not sure whether you belong in the vegan world or not. This book will convince you to jump into meat and fish! You need to be a strong vegan to stand up to Susan's arguments.

Her book helps me to be a better vegan teacher. The research is in-depth and powerful. Now I'm able to teach my readers, "this is what you need to do, to build strong bones and teeth - since you're not getting the fat-soluble vitamins A, D and K2 in your diet."

Thank you, Susan. You deserve 5 stars. I hope everyone buys your book, except for vegans on the fence :)
4178393
Due to health reasons, I decided to become a vegan.  So I searched Amazon and came across this book.  And I must say, this is a terrific resource.  The author has provided what I would call an encyclopedia for vegans.  The book is very thorough.  It covers not only what's vegan, but also what's vegan but not recommended.  The author provides a great list of vegan products & companies and also a menu plan to help you stage into a vegan diet (for new vegans like me).  The author goes into such minute details as: Food Storage Tips, How to press the water out of tofu, etc.  She even has a coffee alternative.  Love the book.  I have started my vegan lifestyle.  Now if only we could have all inclusive resorts that serve only vegan foods!!
4603796
I have been a vegetarian since 1970 and have tried to become a vegan for at least half that long but could never seem to get past craving dairy. A few months ago, I picked up Vegan Bite by Bite and began to read.  By the time I put the book down I was a vegan and have never looked back for a moment. The turning point came when I read in Marilyn Peterson's research that milk and cheese have blood cells and pus in them. That was it! "What am I doing?!" I asked myself. Can I call myself a vegetarian when I am putting the blood and pus of animals into my body?  Finally. It's over. Vegan at last and she made it  so easy for me! This book (obviously a labor of love) strikes the perfect balance of inspiration, information, research and delicious recipes, and she serves it all up with humor (love Swami Vegananda,) anecdotes and down-home, heartfelt friendliness. Bravo! Thank you for giving this gift to the world.
140674
I read this book from cover to cover because it is a subject I am very interested in AND have given a lot of thought to. Fee O'Shea was thorough and, at the same time, fun to read. I loved the recipes. I loved the research. I do not agree with all of her conclusions or all of her convictions. At the same time I am very impressed with how complete and convincing she is with her writing. I LOVED the recipes and truly appreciate what she addressed as vegan issues. I look forward to more recipes, especially and want you to know how much I appreciate your efforts to make this planet a better place for all sentient beings!
3351036
If you've been tyring to lose weight, or have lost it then regained it again, this book is for you.

If you've ever thought about what you're eating, this book is for you.

If you've ever thought that Peta is an extremist organization, this book is for you.

If you've ever thought that vegans were "hippies" or a strange lot, this book is for you.

This book was recommended to me by a friend, who said that she thought that everyone should read it. I bought this and couldn't put it down. I read it in one sitting, even the horrificly graphic chapters--have a box of tissue handy. This book is not for children or the weak. The author's profanity is overboard at times. The authors tell is like it is, and in terms you can understand. They've been overweight, they reached their limit, and they won't take any more. Then they share with you what they've learned.

My family has argued with me that this book is a pack of lies. To them I respond that I know how the editing and publishing process works and to knowingly submit falsehoods as truths is libel. This book could not have been published let alone stayed on the shelves if this was untrue. This book is NOT a work of fiction.

I was not looking for books on veganism. I was looking for an easy & permanent way to lose weight. I've found it.

I've been converted. I joined Peta, which I NEVER NEVER EVER thought I would!! This book has opened my eyes and changed my life.

The moment I finished reading this book, I hugged my dog & cat. My kids and I have not knowingly consumed meat since I finished this book 2 weeks ago (7/06)--much to the chagrin of my family.
2477458
Such great information! I really enjoyed reading this book. Was able to pass it on to other friends who were becoming vegan.
3457412
This book is so on-pointe!  I've been vegan for nearly 7 years, and during that time, have struggled with labeling vegan food choices as 'healthy' vs. 'unhealthy,' which only led to an intense fixation and restricting of food ingredients--ultimately spiraling into self-sabotage and self-judgement.  Mindfulness is the missing key to letting go of this negative cycle, as Lani beautifully illustrates on the guided journey which is The Mindful Vegan.  Life is about so much more than counting calories and worrying about body image.  Vegan is about so much more than perseverating over which foods are 'good' or 'bad.'  Focusing so intensely on 'optimal diet,' calorie counting, food restricting, etc. within a vegan lifestyle is a huge detractor that can ultimately derail our 'bigger picture' and true mission. We are here to learn to love, forgive, and grow our compassion.  Beginning a mindfulness practice helps us to be more loving and forgiving of ourselves and others, and helps us be more appreciative and in tune with our bodies, so that we can be free to live life more fully.  The Mindful Vegan provides the road map to get off of the diet merry-go-round and reconnect with everything that matters more, so you can ultimately navigate toward a more purposeful, productive, and rewarding life!
1792340
I had been vegetarian for over 30 years when I went vegan. On the one hand, it wasn't a difficult change (as my veterinarian had given me info I'd never had before on dairy and poultry farms that horrified and repelled me), but on the other, I didn't know much about nutritional needs for vegans. I have been much slimmer than all of my sisters for decades and I'm sure that's because of my vegetarian diet, but when I went vegan, I still had a few pounds I wanted to get rid of, so I did a little research and decided to read this book by the respected and down to earth Dr. Barnard. It was a great decision!

This book is full of good recipes and great info (for instance, did you know that oil is a highly processed food, chock full of calories but very low in nutrients and has no filling fiber or water? DITCH IT and watch the pounds melt off!) I am now (at 53!) the same size I was when I was an 18 year old after army basic training! I can even wear my old uniform! ;-)

I also highly recommend (TERRIFIC DOCUMENTARY) "Forks Over Knives" and the following books (in order of preference):

* "The Starch Solution," by Dr. John McDougall (also has great recipes!)
* "The China Study" (for science/medical folks) and "Whole" (for lay people) by Dr. T. Colin Campbell
* "Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease," by Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn (also has great recipes!)
* "Unprocessed: How to Achieve Vibrant Health and Your Ideal Weight," by Chef AJ (also has great recipes!)
* "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition" by Julianna Hever
* Forks Over Knives - The Cookbook: Over 300 Recipes for Plant-Based Eating All Through the Year," by Del Sroufe, Julieanna Hever MS  RD  CPT, Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Darshana Thacker
* The Engine 2 Diet: The Texas Firefighter's 28-Day Save-Your-Life Plan that Lowers Cholesterol and Burns Away the Pounds," by Rip Esselstyn (also has great recipes!)

I have never been healthier and I have to say I'm happier, as well, as my values and my actions and choices are in alignment. I am so grateful for this information! Dr. Neal Barnard's other books are also great - check out his newest one on Alzheimer's disease prevention - I enjoyed that a lot, as well.
3257051
Amazing! Not only is this book well written, but it is convincing (and that's an understatement). I feel empowered to transition from vegetarian and start my vegan journey. Tracye Lynn McQuirter MPH (put some respeck on her initials!) has me shook with this one.

Enough fluff, let's get to the meat of the matter (pun semi-intended... can I even use meat puns as a vegan? Is that insensitive?)

This book is not only about health. By Any Greens Necessary addresses veganism in terms of health, ethics, and revolution. By Any Greens Necessary is a quick read (I read it in two hours with some distractions in between), but it is NOT a light read. Prepare yourself to reevaluate your decisions about your eating patterns.

She also includes recipes! That's a plus.

So I still have a question. McQuirter talks about the benefits on sweet potatoes and the unhealthy nature of white, refined starches, but what about red potatoes and white/russet potatoes? Are those included? I love my potatoes. I need answers. Also yucca is like a potato, because it is starchy. Is that acceptable? What the Health (documentary on Netflix) does this too. WHAT ABOUT POTATOES?!?!?!

Overall: this is a must read.
1823777
I've never been a vegan and I've never had the desire to. I got this book because I heard Lierre on a couple of podcasts and thought she was fascinating. I also hoped to gain a better understanding of vegetarianism and the history of food and food politics. I have not been disappointed. This book is a full-on treatise, a virtual textbook on the subject. I have found myself highlighting many things that will undoubtedly give me better ammunition in my discussions with vegetarians and anyone else about what humans were designed to consume based on our nutritional needs. Oh and by the way, Lierre is a gifted writer; the book is fantastic prose, sprinkled with plenty of wit.

Where I would diverge with the author is on the issue of man-made global warming. Sorry, I just don't believe the "real" science supports it. But I wholeheartedly agree that based on the facts, agriculture has done more harm to our planet than really anything else. Through this book I learned just how much of the US and the world has been destroyed by monocrops. Unwittingly, vegetarians are contributing to this at a greater rate than non-veggies. Of course, one has to make wise food choices such as eating grass-fed meats as opposed to those nasty feed-lot meats.

On a side note: I would really like to know why vegan's persist in their eating ways in spite of how sick and unhealthy many of them feel? Are they so wrapped up in their identity and worldview that they don't mind suffering for their cause? I'm just very curious. Also, I had a similar experience to Lierre (when she first ate animal protein), the first time I ate a grass-fed steak. I actually hadn't had red meat in several months, instead eating chicken, fish, etc. It was more of a cost issue. But after I finished that little 6 oz. tenderloin, it was like an epiphany. I actually felt every cell in my body say, "thank you!". For some reason, I've never gotten that feeling from eating a salad or a bowl of cereal. ;-)
2499095
This book is a really really inconvenient truth. Well researched and documented, the author explains why everyone in the entire world needs to eliminate all animal products (meat, dairy and fish) from production and consumption in order for the world to be able to feed everyone sustainably and avoid debilitating global warming. He explains how the land and oceans are being depleted and the adverse affects of eating animal products on our health. He does not think we can take "baby steps" and merely change our ways of food production and eating animal products, but that we need to cut out eating all animal products completely. He explains how the land that is currently used to grow grains to feed to animals that we eat could instead be used to grow healthier grains that would feed many more people and be healthier for the people and the environment. The book is in depth, scientific and presents a frightening picture of what will happen if we continue on producing and consuming animals the way we do now. Everyone should be made aware of this! However, awareness alone will not change us. I know. I understand this book and believe it. I have heart problems and am on two medications for that and I absolutely understand that I would be healthier if I ate no animal products. I have been reading various vegan and vegetarian cookbooks for the past year trying to find healthy real food recipes that don't include gross fake meat products and processed foods. And after reading this book, when I went to the grocery store - I bought a roasted chicken and some crumbled goat cheese along with the produce that I purchased. It was really good too. I imagine that if the animal products were even more expensive and good produce and grains were less expensive - and if I can find better recipes for vegan foods - including ones that my picky kids will eat, it might be easier to just up and quit consuming animal products. Our culture, beliefs and taste buds are hard to change though. If everyone were more aware of this, and we all work together on it, I think we can do it.
1910554
I love this book! I am also a vegan and an animal rights activist as well as someone who completely disagrees with much of our society's commodification of animals and the environment (and people). Many reviews on Sara Levine's novel make statements about her narrator being so offensive and obnoxious as well as a merciless animal abuser ... which she is (all of the above). But who says a narrator has to be likable or even someone you want to be friends with? Often in literature, narrators are unreliable or disagreeable people. Just because you don't like the narrator doesn't mean the book is terrible; the narrator is not Sara Levine, and the narrator is not speaking everything Sara Levine wants her readers to know. Actually, speaking straight through your narrator and telling your readers something from yourself is a kind of writing strategy that is often seen as obviously amateur or overly insistent and not open to interpretation. Part of the joy in reading is reading in-between the lines and figuring out what the writer is trying to do, or letting the emotions you feel from reading tell you something about the story.

I wrote my final essay for my major on the display of animal treatment in Levine's novel, looking at the character of Richard (the mistreated parrot) as a point of view in the story. I believe animal cruelty is terrible, because I believe animals have rights to their own beings; in thinking so, I think Richard has a right to his being a character in Levine's novel, and by naming him, reflecting on him, and placing him in the main action of her novel, Levine is seeing Richard as a character, too, so that her readers can see what is happening to these animals and what kind of ordinary, suburban, slightly ignorant, highly consumerist people exist out there that are doing it.

When I read my essay aloud for a symposium, Sara Levine came to read from her novel and participate. I talked with her, and she confirmed for me that this is true, what I interpreted in her novel. She's also a vegetarian who believes that it's wrong that we commodify animals in our society. And she was very sure to point out for my class and the symposium audience that her narrator is not her, but merely a character.

I really hope this helps sort out things on here! This book is really great. It's so funny in some parts, has great characters and quirky concepts, and still, at times it's so frustrating or controversial, and maybe that's a good thing! We need to start getting angry about these issues, and if you read this book, and you're getting angry, then hey - let's all do something about what we're angry about, not complain that the book was mean or offensive. Levine's novel should be taken seriously as a commentary on today's society. This book is definitely not condoning terrible behavior; it's mocking it and pointing out how wrong and ignorant it all is through her narrator, who can't even put her life together and who, although commits terrible and even violent acts, is a fairly ordinary representation of an immature American 25 year old woman and a good representation of many people in this country and world that need to be seen through this point of view.
572143
Awesome book! very cool cause, and great recipes! The best part is the recipes are complied from vegan chefs around the country. This book offers different perspectives; with new names and restaurants to dig deeper, and open new doors to other vegan chefs. Take time to check out Rebecca Katz as well; a truly beautiful individual.
4493438
This book is amazing!  Whether you are vegan or just wanting to cut down your fat intake but still enjoy cheesy delights, this book is definitely the answer.  I was a vegetarian a long time before becoming vegan.  Mostly because I loved cheese.  This cookbook allows both my husband and I to enjoy comfort foods like Macaroni and Chreeze and Eggplant parmiagno without animal products.  Even a four year old macaroni and cheese expert can't tell the difference!  Definite buy for any Vegan or anyone who is trying to live a healthier lifestyle.  We have purchased this book for many nonvegan who are just trying to watch their weight.  They are always pleasantly surprised!
2717782
I love this book. It's very helpful and easy to understand. I recommend this book to anyone thinking about becoming vegan or going on a vegan diet.
4919494
You don't need to be vegan to love this book! It's full of healthy, wholesome recipes and lifestyle advice. Julie and Rich present a beautiful and approachable way of plant based living. And it passed the ultimate test... both of my teenagers asked to go vegan for a week! The Plantpower way is destined to become a classic of our time.
2167654
If you are already vegan, congratulations! Read this book and have your activist instincts rekindled. You will be inspired to join these 21st century heroines in becoming part of the biggest social justice movement in our history since the abolition of slavery.

If you are not yet vegan, then this may be the most important book you could ever read. These thirty-one women will take you by the hand and gently lead you to the most life-affirming and life-changing decision you could ever hope to make. They have all been where you are now; their stories of finding the path to veganism are as unique and varied as they are as individuals and are shared with great honesty and intimacy. Their kindness, courage, wisdom and gentleness oozes from the pages. They are global leaders all, showing us the quiet and peaceful path to a better world for everyone.