DV

Sure. If you get enough sun exposure and/or respond to vit D2 supplementation. Some people are able to maintain adequate levels with vit D2 (my husband and I are not those people, unfortunately).

Yeah, I wish he had used the generic "nature" rather than god.

We're taught as children to keep our logical beliefs hidden.

That third video link is the best, IMO. I'm no fan of Dr. Mercola and I believe there are many vaccines that account for a decrease (and complete obliteration in the case of smallpox) in death and illness. However, I don't get a yearly flu shot. On a side note, I've gotten a respiratory infection twice in the past 4 months - after not getting sick for over 5 years - and my recent vit D level was 12!!!! I don't know what my levels were before but this might explain my weakened immune system. As I mentioned in another thread, my husband and I both have been taking 1,400 units of vit D2 for over a year, only 400 units prior to that, and we both had extremely low vit D levels (this was the 25-hydroxy D level which is what you should test). If you don't test your level then you don't know if you're deficient. Some studies show that D2 is only 1/3 as effective as D3 and some studies show that they are equivalent. Decide for yourself whether or not you want to risk it. D3 is not vegan as it's sourced from lanolin (wool). You can find some D3 in veggie caps instead of gelatin. I have found no vegan vit D supplements larger than 1,000 units. If you are advised to treat a low vit D level with a prescription for a high-dose vit D supplement then it will most likely be D3. (Before anyone gets vegangelical about vit D3 in a veggie cap, examine the various products in your home for wool or lanolin. Vegan alternatives exist for many products but they may not be effective for everyone.)

Thanks Denise - I hope you have a calmer year in 2009! I could not keep up with your schedule. Robert, I sent you a pm. Joe, I can always count on you to drag me back to the forum when I'm away for long. I've been sick for over a week, after being stranded outside of Portland due to the snow storms. Therefore, I haven't been to the gym in 2 weeks and I've lost some weight - probably muscle since I've had no appetite and have had some long stretches without food. I'm staying away from airports and sick children!

Pink, you are too kind.

I found this link - http://us.univera.com/products/fortify/metagreens. I went to a "seminar" where this company was pushing products - which was not apparent from the advertising for the event. From what I can see, they are not very transparent when it comes to who is being paid to represent them. And the presenters started stuttering when I asked them serious questions about the products and their claims. I assure you that Eric Carlson did not build his physique on this product any more than others did who advertise products on this forum. They built their bodies on regular foods, possibly some supplements, and then got offered money to represent companies AFTER they built their physiques. So try the metagreens if you have the money to do so but it's not necessary, IMO. Additionally, if you click on the "Opportunity" link you can discover how to join the company and push product for your own financial gain. (Sorry to get on my soapbox but I'm always wary when someone is making money off a suggestion).

Since nutrition is just as important as lifting and rest when it comes to bodybuilding, it's understandable that someone would desire a look at vegan bodybuilding books. The closest thing I've seen comes from Clarence Bass. He's not vegan but he eats a whole foods, mostly plant-based diet. And he's still shredded at age 70. Take a look at his books - Ripped, Ripped 2 and Ripped 3 - if you can find them. Or you can peruse his fabulous website at http://www.cbass.com.

It was a bit rough for sure, Aaron. We plan our family get-togethers so that we separate just before getting on each others nerves - not this time! I think we'll all stay in our own states next Christmas unless time does its magic on our memories. Glad your family made it back as well.

This weather stranded a LOT of holiday travelers. I was scheduled to come back home on Monday but didn't make it in until 2 am on Friday. At least I was with family, most of whom are vegan. But my poor hubby was all alone for the holiday.

Off the top of my head, the list for those who really keep things real and on-track: Offense Hilary VeganEssentials Johan Blabbate VeggiePrincess SydneyVegan BeforeWisdom Gaia ...and numerous others who don't come to mind right now. We really need a few more strong women around here!

That's very convenient that she did not publish any of her studies. Are we to just take her word for it since she wrote a book? Of course not! A valid experiment is reproducible so there should be more studies just like this one if we are to believe this theory. Does anyone know of other published, reproducible studies such as this one?

of course!

That can't even come close to !

And if you like that, Jaleel, there are a few Cheech and Chong movies you might enjoy as well!

These are not excuses but scientific fact! Remember levers and fulcrums from your basic physics classes? Of course this might not work the same for the human body but it sounds good to me.

Hey, thanks for the invite. I'm taking the little girl whom I mentor out to see the holiday lights tonight and then it's off to bed early to catch my flight. Say hi to everyone. I'll catch you later. P.S. - The Vancouver show didn't look like that big of a deal to me last year.

Yes, I'm talking about the Vancouver NPC show on March 28th. Look me up the next time you're in town for more than one day!

If we lived in a natural world then I might believe that all things natural are good and desirable. However, I live in a manmade home with electricity, furniture, forced heat, clothing, computers, cultivated foods, etc. in an area that nature never intended a naked human to inhabit 365 days a year. Nature, it would seem, doesn't believe I should live as I do. I'm very happy that human ingenuity has come up with so many synthetic (ie, manmade) things to improve my quality of life.

Who the hell let I'm Your Man back in the pool?!? Just when I thought he was gone, he comes back and crawls right up my ass. Dude, stop mentioning me in your posts. Get over it already.

There are a number of recipes that use okara but I've only really enjoyed it as a parm base. This is a bit of work but I freeze each batch until I have enough to make a lot. I grind it all fine in a food processor and then dehydrate it until it's totally dry. Then I process it again with white miso, a bit of salt if necessary and a bit of nutritional yeast. Then store in the freezer or fridge. I think Misomaster makes the most parmesan-y tasting white miso. Enjoy!

The problem with that video is there are no sources for the information and the misinformation. The idea that we are "overworking" our pancreas with modern cooked food is completely unfounded. Additionally, plant enzymes are denatured by hydrochloric acids, unlike our human enzymes which are specific to our bodies and therefore able to withstand the various environments of our GI tracts. Here is an example of how digested enzymes work in the human body - the example being someone with blocked pancreatic ducts, someone with cystic fibrosis. No one has successfully treated cystic fibrosis by eating raw foods. (Indeed, even those who follow all treatments will eventually succumb to the disease as it affects more than just the pancreas.) Please note that some of the enzymes used by those with cystic fibrosis are coated or encapsulated to avoid being denatured by the hydrochloric acid of the stomach - as raw enzymes are denatured in the stomach. Additionally, plant enzymes are not used for treatment of CF - the enzymes are pig-derived for the most part, although there are some synthetic and even plant-derived enzymes tablets/capsules available now. Perhaps in the future there will be good synthetic enzymes just as we've managed to produce synthetic insulin. But don't look to raw plants as the enzyme answer. Plants do not have the mammalian digestive system so their enzymes do not substitute for ours. Raw plant enzymes are physiologically/chemically impossible of replacing those human digestive enzymes released by the pancreas). (Full disclosure - I have a biology degree, undergrad and graduate nursing degrees, although CF is not my area of expertise. I understand that these concepts can appear more simple than they really are).

Laura, my MOHS was in October of 2001. The reconstructive surgery was in 3 stages, spanning 18 months. My noticeable scar is about 3 inches long but it's in the laugh line/crease around my mouth so it's not terribly noticeable. The skin on my nares gets a bit redder than the rest of my nose skin. The skin around the scar, and nares, now has a tendency to form little broken capillaries. I've had them laser-removed about every 2-3 years since 2001. I don't worry much about sun in Portland but when I'm out for any length (like a bike ride or blueberry picking) I use a variety of sunblocks. I'm completely confused about which ones are the best so I look for one that covers UVA and UVB rays. I usually just apply to my face, neck, chest, back, shoulders and arms. My lower body does not tan without determination so I leave that free for vit D conversion! On a daily basis, I don't use any sun block. However, the face powder I use is mineral-based and therefore blocks both rays fairly well. Good luck with your healing.

You and L&G should consider competing on March 28th. I'm definitely going to the prejudging that day. The problem with the evening show is that there are somewhere around 50-60 figure competitors (2 rounds!!!) you have to watch before getting to the actual bodybuilding and the males. My trainer judges most of the local NPC shows so I'm going to find out from him how I can organize my morning to just get in for the bodybuilding posing.

I have this DVD but have not viewed it for a few months. As I recall, his main point about soy was that isolated soy protein raises your IGF-1 levels - which may not be healthy. If that's true, then ALL protein powders may be unhealthy as they all increase your IGF-1 levels. Of course, lifting heavy weights will also increase your IGF-1 levels and help you to build mass. The question is: how much of a rise in IGF-1 levels is a good thing and how much is a bad thing? The supplement companies are at one end of the spectrum and right now McDougall is at the other end. I'm not sure where the sweet spot is on this one. Additionally, I don't know how the studies cited were conducted. Did the subjects eat soy protein isolate foods alone or with other foods that would slow absorption time, thereby decreasing the IGF-1 spike? Is a soy sausage patty worse or the same as a soy powder shake with a cup of blueberries and some ground flax seed? Certainly, isolated nutrients are somewhat foreign to our bodies and that may cause imbalances in our blood chemistry after ingestion. But what does that mean in the long run? I think McDougall may be onto something here but his video left me with many unanswered questions. I've decreased the amount of isolates that I use but it's sometimes difficult because they're so darn convenient!