SHARAN Newsletter - September 2011

IN THIS ISSUE:

• Special Feature: Vegan Travel
• What you can do • Fact or Fiction? • Recipe • News from SHARAN •

Special Feature: Vegan Travel

Once you decide to switch to vegan, you make changes to your everyday life and lifestyle. The kitchen gets transformed as you get rid of any products made with animal ingredients and replace them with healthy, whole vegan foods. Grocery shopping and cooking habits also change along with your eating habits. After a while, you know where to find your favourite foods and how to prepare them. You settle into a comfortable routine which you are in control of. This is why a trip to another city or country can be a cause for some anxiety. You’re stepping out of your vegan comfort zone. What will you eat!? Will you be able to find vegan food? How to manage in a place where veganism and even vegetarianism are alien concepts?

Travel may be a challenge for many vegans but it does not have to be a cause for worry or a reason to make compromises. Sticking firm to your decision while travelling is a chance to open many doors for others. Friends and fellow travellers will be interested in your choice, ask you why you made it and learn about veganism. Travelling is a great way to spread the message of compassion. You will be surprised how many will have changed by the next time you meet them.

Veganism is becoming more and more popular around the world and so are vegetarian and vegan restaurants. You will have an easier time finding vegan restaurants in most North American cities, Australia and the UK but you will be surprised to find them in the most unlikely of cities too. (To find an ever increasing list of vegan friendly restaurants in different cities, visit Happy Cow.)

Some countries in Europe and South America where meat dominates the menu, will be more of a challenge. Here many people may not understand the concepts of veganism and even vegetarianism and you’ll have some explaining to do. Be ready to patiently explain that as a vegan you do not eat any type of meat, including fish and poultry (in some countries, white meat somehow does not qualify as ‘meat’) and that eggs, all dairy products and honey are also off limits. You can carry some literature about veganism with you and hand it to people who would like to know more. The Vegan Passport is a helpful tool for travelling vegans: it has information on veganism in 73 languages!

We have more helpful hints for vegans on the road in the next section…

What you can do

Book a vegan meal with your airline.
At least 72 hours before your departure, make sure you book a vegan meal with the airline you’ll be travelling with. You can do this online via the airline's website or through your travel agent.

Do some research before you go.
You can find out about vegan restaurants in the city you’ll be travelling to by checking websites like Happy Cow and Veggie Heaven. Or just do a google search using the name of the city you’ll be visiting and ‘vegan’ and see what comes up. See if there is an active vegan group in that city. Get in touch and ask for advice and restaurant suggestions.

When ordering, ask about the ingredients.
Soups are often made from chicken or meat stock, pasta can contain eggs and fish sauce is an ingredient in many Thai dishes. Check the ingredients with the waiter before ordering. In many restaurants, chefs are happy to prepare a special dish according to your needs. Don’t hesitate to ask if a vegan meal can be prepared for you and even make a few suggestions.

Stock up on healthy snacks.
Stock up on dried fruits, nuts and seeds and always have some in your bag. These are high in protein and will give you an energy boost if you get hungry on the road.

Have a picnic.
Go to a local supermarket or market and buy some fresh fruit and vegetables, whole-wheat bread, olives, hummus, and other vegan foods which catch your fancy. (Remember to check labels!) Find a park and have a vegan picnic!

Fact or Fiction?

Carbohydrates cause weight gain.

FICTION!

Carbohydrates have received a lot of bad press because of the popularity of high-protein diets. Carbohydrates are actually an important part of a healthy diet. They are found in plant-based foods and provide the body with necessary fuel. Simple carbohydrates however, which are refined foods like white rice and sugar, should be avoided since the nutrient value has been lost in processing. Fresh vegetables, whole grains and legumes are complex carbohydrates which provide the body with a steady supply of energy. These foods also have no cholesterol and are low in fat.

For more information on the importance of eating carbohydrates, watch a video on Dr John McDougall's The Starch Solution.

Recipe

Granola Bars

This is a handy and nutritious snack which can be easily carried for a quick pick up when you’re on the go.

Ingredients:
2 cups quick oats
½ cup slivered almonds or chopped raw cashews
¼ cup ground flax seeds
¼ cup sesame seeds
1 cup dried fruit
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp creamy peanut butter
1 tbsp water, juice or green tea
½ cup date syrup
½ cup chopped coconut
¼ cup sunflower seeds
(Image and recipe courtesy of Veganopolis)

Method:
In a bowl, mix all ingredients. Spread the mixture and flatten in a baking pan. Bake at 175 C / 350 F. Allow to cool before cutting into bars.

You can find these recipes on the recipes page on the SHARAN website as well as a lot of other exciting recipe ideas.

News from SHARAN

From June 25th to July 2nd SHARAN conducted a Wellness Week at Swaswara, an eco resort not too far from Goa. SwaSwara, situated beside the legendary Om Beach in the small town of Gokarna in Karnataka, is a stunning gem of a resort amidst a flourishing landscape. Pampering comes naturally here because there are 26 acres of private forests of banyan, casuarinas, acacia, and kokum, fig, coconut and palm trees within a secluded sanctuary along the Arabian Sea. The resort itself is nestled between the waves and the surrounding lush green hills, so it is a quiet place where one can find true solitude amidst nature. We had yoga, meditation, nature walks, and sessions of learning, films and cooking classes so that everyone was equipped to take home the things they learnt and apply it. Several people watched their blood pressure, blood sugar or weight drop during the seven days that they were on the nutritious SHARAN diet. So next June we are going back there once more to have our 21-day disease reversal program. More information is available here.

SHARAN has a lot of exciting workshops and events coming up in the next few months.

SHARAN has invited Lisa Pitman, a raw vegan chef from Toronto, Canada to India for a series of classes and workshops. Lisa will be conducing talks on the healing power of plants and cooking classes in Auroville, Cochin, Gokarna, Mumbai, and New Delhi.

For more information, see this page.

SHARAN’s on-going series of workshops are designed to help people take charge of their own health.
Reversing Diabetes is for people who have diabetes or are at high risk, and would like to improve their cholesterol levels, avoid complications associated to diabetes, and reduce or eliminate their need for medication. (Watch a clip of Taking Control of Diabetes with Dr Neal Barnard at this link.)

Registrations are now open for upcoming workshops in Kochi, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi. All details are on this page.

There is growing evidence that heart disease can be controlled and reversed with the correct diet. SHARAN’s Reversing Heart Disease and Hypertension workshop will teach participants how to control cholesterol levels and blood pressure and how to make diet and lifestyle changes which will reduce and even eliminate the need for medications and surgery. (Read about how Bill Clinton stopped the progression of his heart disease by going vegan at this link.)

Information on workshops happening in Bangalore and Mumbai is available here.

SHARAN’s popular Peas vs Pills workshops are designed to help participants understand how to take responsibility for their own health by making smart food choices. Learn how to prevent and heal many ailments and diseases by understanding human anatomy, physiology and nature’s laws.

Upcoming workshops in Pune and Auroville are filling fast.
For more details, click here.

SHARAN is starting a series of Healthy Cooking Classes designed to help those who would like to switch to a healthier diet and learn to prepare tasty, healthy dishes, but don’t know how.

For more information, and to register for the upcoming class in Hyderabad, visit this page.

SHARAN announces 3 Training Programmes for people who would like to learn how to help others implement lifestyle changes. These are designed for medical professionals, those who would like to learn how to cook healthy food, and people who would like to train as lifestyle advisors.

For more information, check this link.

A list of all of SHARAN's coming events upto June 2012 is available here. If you’re interested in hosting a workshop in your area or to keep informed of upcoming workshops and events, contact info@sharan-india.org

Meet vegans living in your area. Regular vegan potlucks are held in Bangalore, Mumbai and Delhi and are open to everyone: vegans, aspiring vegans, vegetarians or anyone interested in learning more about the vegan lifestyle.

Wwrite to veganbengaluru@gmail.com or visit the Vegan Bengaluru blog to find out more about the Bangalore potlucks.

Get in touch with Mumbai Vegans here and Delhi Vegans at this link.

SHARAN Healthy Kitchen DVDs
SHARAN has produced 2 valuable DVDs for those who would like to learn how to prepare healthy dishes in the convenience of their own homes. Learn how to make vegan dairy alternatives, healthy breakfasts and delicious snacks. The DVDs are available at all SHARAN events for Rs 100 each. They can also be ordered by mail. For more information, send an email to: seminars@sharan-india.org

Visit the SHARAN photo album to see pictures of our past events. Those who have attended our events may enjoy seeing pictures of themselves and the group. (Click on the image to get an enlarged version.)

Did you miss past issues of this newsletter? Have a look at the SHARAN newsletter archives.

Join SHARAN India on Facebook to find out about upcoming events, join in discussions and share experiences, and meet other like-minded people!

What is SHARAN?

We are a non-profit organization with the goals of spreading holistic health awareness, and an ecologically sustainable compassionate lifestyle. We believe that all life on the planet is interconnected. By reconnecting we can heal ourselves and our earth.