The workshop series

Intro to Vegetarian Nutrition: So, ya wanna veg!

So, what’s a vegetarian anyway?  And, are the health benefits of going veg really as  dramatic as people say they are?  What’s in it for you?  In this first Veg 101 talk, we will:

• discuss the different types of vegetarian diets;
• count down the top six reasons to adopt this healthy way of living;
• dissect some of the health myths about eating plant-based foods;
• explore the Vegetarian Fab Four; and
• look at easy things you can start doing to get yourself eating the Veg 101 way.

A big thank you to Neil, who provided free samples of SmartMonkey Bars – a blend of organic fruits, nuts and seeds – on March 3, 2007.

The Big Three: protein, carbs & fats

Protein, carbs, and fats, oh my!  Where do vegetarians get their protein?  Are low-carb, high-protein diets OK? What kind of oils are the best to use?  And, what about omega-3's and 6's?   When it comes to going veg, these are the big topics that garner the most questions.  In this second Veg 101 talk, we will:

• probe further into the myth that plant-based protein isn’t quality enough for human growth;
• take a look at the adverse effect that too much protein has on your body;
• put to rest once and for all the unfortunate fallacies about carbohydrates (remember, your body absolutely requires carbs to run efficiently!); and
• review the different types of fats – good fats, bad fats, cholesterol – we’ll analyze them all.

A big thank you to Neil, who provided free samples of Tofurky, Bionaturae organic foods, and Bettylous organic vegan bars on March 17, 2007.

Healthy living for a lifetime

There’s a lot more to a healthy lifestyle than just eating! Sure, it’s a great start, but we’ve also got to pump some physical activity into our daily living. Then, there’s sleep – are you getting enough winks at night? How about water – most of us are dehydrated and don’t realize it! And then there’s stress! That stuff will kill you, if you’re not careful! In this third Veg 101 talk, we’ll tie all of these in to a healthy lifestyle. Plus, we’ll talk a bit about successful Veg 101 cooking and shopping. And, as a bonus, there’s a great natural food store just up the street that you might want to visit right after the talk!

A big thank you to Neil, who provided free samples and a cooking demonstration on March 31, 2007.

About Bev

Beverley Edwards-Miller, BASc, RD, has facilitated numerous workshops and presentations on healthy living, as well as hands-on, vegetarian cooking classes. She is a frequent speaker at various community health events and churches. Bev enjoys being the Ontario Regional Coordinator for CHIP – the Coronary Health Improvement Project, a 16-evening, healthy lifestyle education program. Bev is also lead author of our Veggie Challenge emails.