TPP 036: November Reflection

Our society is being challenged in ways we never expected, and our futures have been shaken.  The uncertainty is terrifying.  In the midst of human and economic fallout however, it has become clear that connection and good spirits are essential. People have found those connections not only through Zoom, but also through their pets. NYC residents have gone out in droves to adopt animals, and amazingly the shelters are empty!  Clearly, people are caring about their pets during this crisis, and with that comes responsibility.  Responsibility not just to give pets shelter, but also to give them the quality food they deserve.  Since the crisis began, pet food sales have gone through the roof.  Today we share with you what you need to know in order to provide canines with the absolute best quality dog food, while looking out for the planet.  Even if you don't own a dog yourself, surely your friend does and you might help them think twice next time they go to pick up kibble.

When Ryan Bethencourt learned about how animals are produced and killed for human consumption over a decade ago, he quickly changed his diet in order to reflect his values.  He brings the same sense of ethics to his work, and eventually went on to found Wild Earth. Wild Earth is a sustainable pet food company and their mission is simple: "to make dog food better because our pets and our planet are worth it."

One of the many interesting facts we learn from Ryan is that the population most likely to put their fur-friends on Wild Earth's clean protein pet food is the cohort that feeds their dogs raw meat.  This at first may seem counterintuitive, considering Wild Earth's clean protein comes from plants, but it actually makes complete sense.  This group of pet parents wants the purist, cleanest, best protein source for their animals.  The myth about domesticated dogs being carnivores has long be debunked, so people can have a clean conscious about giving clean protein to their pets.

If you're someone trying to reduce your carbon footprint or reduce the number of animals used in the food supply chain then listen closely.  Ryan explains that a significant segment of the animal agriculture population actually goes to our pets, so switching to clean protein not only helps shrink the horrific animal agriculture sequence, but also directly reduces the carbon footprint.  The protein found in fungi has complete amino acid chains that helps keep dogs healthy while keeping our planet green.

They are so sure your dog will be happy and healthy with your purchase that they offer a 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee to ensure 100% customer satisfaction. If for any reason you or your dog doesn't like the food, Wild Earth will promptly issue a refund!

Ryan is thought provoking and is creating a better path forward for all of us who are trying align our choices with our values.  We hope you enjoy our conversation with Ryan.

SHOW NOTES:

Check out Ryan Bethencourt at Wild Earth here to learn more about clean protein food for your dogs

TPP 059 are you interested in a trip with World Vegan Travel? Sign up here

Brighde and her husband Seb have truly made their passion their life. World Vegan Travel, their brainchild, provides vegan group tours to off the beaten path destinations. Realizing the challenges vegans and vegan curious travelers can experience when they embark on exotic travel journeys, Brighde made it her mission to create offerings that let you explore and experience local culture and tradition while sticking to your dietary choices.

As a second time podcast guest, Brighde gives some close insights on the recent trips to Rwanda that included a one hour visit to the gorilla families in volcano national park. It’s an experience of a lifetime, as the local organization has implemented strict regulations around visiting the gorillas and the number of people entering the park is highly limited. Other trips that World Vegan Travel hosts include adventures to Vietnam, trips to France and upcoming trips to south Africa and Italy.

Traveling and sticking to eating plant based can be challenging because of perceived or real cultural pressures as well as sometimes limited access. However, with the right research and mindset, it’s not that overwhelming. Brighde and Seb are inspiring guides in that field and empower the guests on their trips with the right tools. Oftentimes, we can get into our own heads and be overly worried about what others think. The key is to be respectful and conscious, while not being embarrassed to explain our choices.

Reflecting on our year, we did a simple exercise and wrote down our respective highs and lows. The highs were abundant, and we have much to be grateful for. The lows present room for improvement, and we are grateful for those opportunities too.

In our final episode of 2019, we pinpoint specific moments of the year as we overcame fears, focused on the process rather than the result, or creating space for ourselves. These three themes became emblematic for growth this year.

We like to remind ourselves that News Years is just another date in the calendar. Opportunity for change and growth waits in plain sight every single day. That’s why we aren’t huge fans of aggressive goal setting for the month of January and then reverting to bad behavior afterward...how about instead, moderate and deliberate choice you can sustain for a longer time period?

A 30-day challenge is a great way to change habit, and even more powerful if you can change habits to create a more fulfilled version of yourself that continues after Jan 31. So if you’re eyeing a dry January, 30 day vegan challenge, or getting back in the gym, we encourage you to do it! Part of the challenge is creating new improved behaviors that are sustainable for the long run.

We hope you find a few moments to reflect on your 2019, and set yourself up for a successful year to come.

SHOW NOTES:

Check out our recent episode with Krisann Polito-Moller here about her vegan journey

TPP 022 with Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, on beating his heart disease with a plant-based diet

TPP 024 with Registered Dietician Karin Gibson, a plant based lifestyle

TPP 026 with Dr Michelle McMacken, the science behind a plant based diet

Follow us on Instagram @theplantiful

And a special thanks to Caleb Jones, our audio engineer and latest addition to the pod – thank you @partcalebjones !

This episode is sponsored by hundred. hundred takes a one-of-a-kind, holistic approach to vitamins. Sleep, nutrition and stress all directly impact your energy levels, and hundred takes them all into account to recommend you the right vitamins. hundred also guides you with free check ins from a Nutrition Expert, so you can feel comfortable knowing you're taking the right vitamins for your unique goals. Use code PLANTIFULPODCAST for 30% off your first order at joinhundred.com

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau was one of the first vegan authors

that I started reading when I transitioned in 2013. What always stood out to me, was how clearly she articulated her values and beliefs related to veganism. Colleen talks about the fact that you are ‘not becoming vegan’, rather, you are expressing your full self when you start abstaining from animal products and living a vegan lifestyle. She also isn’t willing to compromise on her values and clearly states throughout her work how living according to what you belief is not something you need to do halfway and that, if there is resistance in any form from family, friends, co-workers, neighbors or others, it’s from a place of insecurity, sometimes even defensiveness or it’s from a place of unnecessary self consciousness. Her 30 Day Vegan Challengeis the original work that inspired Noah to embark on his vegan journey - and as Colleen says it so eloquently, it wasn’t her doing, it was he who chose it.

Colleen’s words could not resonate more with us. And her latest book that just officially hit the on- and offline shelves on 11/12 is a summary of tools she has been crafting and sharing for the last 10 years through her podcast. The Joyful Vegan: How to Stay Vegan in a World that Wants You to Eat Meat, Dairy and Eggsshares Colleen’s personal story, which a lot of us will be able to relate to. It’s the story of a child with empathy, asking questions about the animals we love and the ones we eat, from a very young age on.As she says, it’s not an original story, in the sense that a lot of children evolve this way. One of the crucial points Colleen makes in her work is that the interaction with animals is often used as a ‘barometer for determining mental and emotional health’ - but most of us go on and eat animals.

In our interview we talk with Colleen about this profound contradiction that a lot of us embody and live. We talk about the reason why we eat animals and why it’s so hard to stick to a vegan diet in a society that collectively believes in the commoditization of animals. We also dig into the question if veganism is going mainstream and if we are going to reach the tipping point of conscious consumerism soon.

We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did. It was an absolute highlight for us to sit down with Colleen and to be able to share a little bit of her deep presence and her incredibly well articulated thoughts on empathy with all of you.

SHOW NOTES:

Colleen’s website here

Check out her latest book on Amazon The Joyful Vegan

Colleen’s very own Food For Thought Podcast

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau on IG

One Part Plant IG

Go Further and check out previous posts if you are new to the pod:

Check out our recent episode with Krisann Polito-Moller hereabout her vegan journey

TPP 022 with Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, on beating his heart disease with a plant-based diet

TPP 024 with Registered Dietician Karin Gibson, a plant based lifestyle

TPP 026 with Dr Michelle McMacken, the science behind a plant based diet

Follow us on Instagram @theplantiful

And a special thanks to Caleb Jones, our audio engineer and latest addition to the pod – thank you @partcalebjones !

This episode is sponsored by Hundred. Hundred takes a one-of-a-kind, holistic approach to vitamins. Sleep, nutrition and stress all directly impact your energy levels, and hundred takes them all into account to recommend you the right vitamins. Hundred also guides you with free check ins from a Nutrition Expert, so you can feel comfortable knowing you're taking the right vitamins for your unique goals. Use code PLANTIFULPODCAST for 30% off your first order at joinhundred.com

Jessica Murnane is more than inspiring: she’s truly moving. Her powerful experience with her own health struggle around endometriosis, which affects 1 in 10 women in the US, has not only made her an incredible educator about this emotionally taxing condition but she is also an example of resilience and grit.

All the shades of eating plant based

Jessica found the plant based diet right before her scheduled hysterectomy and it changed her life. Her perspective is realistic however: while she would never eat animals or recommend eating them, she strongly believes that everyone is different and has different needs. Bio individuality is what should guide our plant based food choices, not the pressures of the latest trendy diet.

There is no one ‘cure it all diet’

Jessica  talks to us about how she navigates having different guests on her own podcast, One Part. She explains why it’s important to disagree and why healing yourself is a journey with many stops. There is no magic pill or diet.

Education about endometriosis is still not mainstream - Jessica is here to change that

We also dive into Jessica’s endometriosis awareness work through her platform Know Your Endo and he upcoming book #2, that will address this topic.

When you talk to Jessica, you feel so much warmth and empathy. Our conversation left us so full and we are sure you will feel the same.

SHOW NOTES:

http://www.jessicamurnane.com/

http://www.jessicamurnane.com/onepartpodcast/

https://www.instagram.com/jessicamurnane/

https://www.instagram.com/knowyourendo/

https://www.instagram.com/onepartplant/

Go Further and check out previous posts if you are new to the pod:

Check out our recent episode with Krisann Polito-Moller hereabout her vegan journey

TPP 022 with Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, on beating his heart disease with a plant-based diet

TPP 024 with Registered Dietician Karin Gibson, a plant based lifestyle

TPP 026 with Dr Michelle McMacken, the science behind a plant based diet

Follow us on Instagram @theplantiful

And a special thanks to Caleb Jones, our audio engineer and latest addition to the pod – thank you @partcalebjones !

With travel so accessible these days, 

it is all the more imperative that we take a mindful approach when embarking on our journeys.

Having just returned from an incredible trip to Kyrgyzstan, Isabelle and I cherished the country's pristine nature. From hiking and biking, to staying in yurts in the mountains or with local families in villages, we got a taste for an on-the-ground experience.  As tourism is on the rise in Kyrgyzstan, the opportunity to explore its beautiful landscape will be increasingly accessible.  This benefits the local economy, but comes at the risk of pollution, improper waste disposal, and a strain on local food supply chains.  Unfortunately, Kyrgyzstan is no stranger to pollution from foreigners, as they've experienced several deplorable chemical spills in their gorgeous alpine lakes due to foreign mining activities.

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All this to say, we are raising our awareness of how to travel mindfully, while at the same time experiencing and respecting the lands and cultures of others.  When it comes to eating plant based in foreign places, this yields its own sense of adventure and determination - and Kyrgyzstan has a knack for finding ways to put bits of meat in almost every local dish.  Navigating those conversations on top of a language barrier, presents an opportunity to share some of our own convictions too.

We hope you enjoy a reflection about 2 of our favorite topics - travel and plant based nutrition - and think about the impact you wish to make when setting foot aground a foreign land.

SHOW NOTES:

In November 2018 when Noah committed to doing an Ironman Triathlon in July of 2019, a high degree of mystery lay ahead of those 9 months.  He fear all the unknowns, including the possibility of failure in both the athletic endeavor as well as in his personal life.  Inviting those fears to have a seat at the plant-based dinner table, of course, ultimately paved the way for both hard lessons learned and personal growth.

Eating a whole foods plant-based diet as pillar during the training presented it's own obstacles too.  For example, Noah didn't use any of the "Gu" products and other processed foods or energy drinks, so he created his own home-brewed blends of sustenance and electrolytes.  During the highest training loads, he had to find ways to add even more-nutrient dense foods into his diet to ensure he was meeting the calorie and protein requirements his body demanded.

There is no such thing as balance.  Rather, proactively scheduling activities and relationship-time around the training proved critical.  At times Noah struggled with prioritizing his personal relationships while training, and eventually learned that "you don't just find time," but instead he had to carve out time to ensure the nourishment of those personal relationships.  As he discovered, Ironman training is anything but a solo adventure, and it takes a village to accomplish this goal.

Richard Miron’s ‘For the Birds’ is more than a documentary about animals rights, which was the initial angle that the filmmaker took when following Kathy’s story. Miron meets Kathy, who owns close to 200 birds, during his work with the Woodstock Sanctuary in 2011. Still in college, Miron’s advisor urges him to follow Kathy’s story, when originally he thought not much more of it. He wanted to make a movie about mammals, cute animals that people can relate to, in the spirit of more classic animal rights work. 

When Miron starts following Kathy’s story, the emotional rollercoaster that unfolds in front of everyone, it becomes clear how complex and nuanced this story is. It’s the story of a woman who loves animals and grows her love from one little duckling to close to 200 ducks, geese, chickens and turkeys. When word gets out about an alleged animal hoarding situation, the Woodstock Sanctuary gets involved take custody of the animals and place them into new homes. The story unfolds from there and leads to a court trial and unexpected events that give deep insights into Kathy’s life: her relationship with her husband Gary of over 20 years, her estrangement with her only human daughter and the complexity of this love for her birds.

Richard Miron masterfully depicts all the grey zones, the moral challenges, the broken trust,  the pain and the hope. He leaves us feeling empathy for all human and non human animals involved in this story and creates a new conversation in the field of traditional animal rights. 

We loved sitting down with Richard Miron and can’t wait for you to check out his documentary now available on Amazon, Google Play and iTunes. Find out more in the show notes below:

SHOW NOTES:

About the movie: 

http://forthebirdsdocumentary.com

https://www.instagram.com/forthebirdsdoc/

Trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfUY9lraOKU

Go Further and check out previous posts if you are new to the pod:

Check out our recent episode with Krisann Polito-Moller hereabout her vegan journey

TPP 022 with Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, on beating his heart disease with a plant-based diet

TPP 024 with Registered Dietician Karin Gibson, a plant based lifestyle

TPP 026 with Dr Michelle McMacken, the science behind a plant based diet

Follow us on Instagram @theplantiful

And a special thanks to Caleb Jones, our audio engineer and latest addition to the pod – thank you @partcalebjones !

Parenting is not an easy task. As a matter of fact, it’s one of the most challenging things in life and we truly don’t learn
it in school or anywhere else. When it comes to feeding your kids, meal times and making sure to get the right food
into their bodies, can be a challenge, more often than not.

With the increasing interest in plant based eating among adults, and millennial parents starting to have kids -
millennials have the highest rate of vegans among any generation - more and more parents are raising their kids on a
plant based diet. While a growing trend, there is still ample skepticism around this decision.

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Karin Gibson joins us for the second time on The Plantiful Podcast to not only share her experience as a plant based
registered dietitian but also her very own journey with her baby daughter Tilda. Last time when we spoke to Karin on
the pod, Tilda was just born so we focused on her plant based pregnancy. This time around, Karin was able to share
so much of the past few months around Tilda transitioning to solids, how she loves eating her veggies and how to
develop a healthy relationship with your toddler when it comes to eating and food. It’s all about not obsessing and
letting your child guide you instead of bribing or rewarding with food so you are happy.

Karin is an inspiring voice in the community, bringing together deep knowledge around nutrition and hands on
experience as a new parent, navigating the world as a new mom.

SHOW NOTES:

Check out Karin's plant-based nutrition website Grazing Greens

How Not to Die Cookbook, Dr Michael Greger

Everything we eat these days is in some way processed.

Even the fruit and veggies, picked from the fields, will undergo some type of treatment.

As you know, we think about food a lot. And you probably also know that we are big advocates of real, whole,
minimally treated food vs relying on processed foods. But what does processed even mean? In this episode, we will
tell you all about it and share how we read labels at the grocery store, what foods we gravitate to and how we
navigate feeding ourselves with real food, without missing out on social occasions.

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We also share some of our favorite resources (mostly books) that have helped us on our journey.

We know - and feel this every day ourselves - that identifying good food can be hard. With companies like Beyond
Meat taking off, we have seen plant-based going mainstream. We believe in the value of some of these foods as
transition foods but we also believe that real food and minimally processed ingredients and products are the best long
term health insurance.

SHOW NOTES:

How Not to Die Cookbook, Dr Michael Greger

Feeding You Lies, Vani Hari