I know that I’m not alone in the world. There are thousands, maybe even millions of cheese junkies like myself. I could relate to George Costanza of Seinfield, who wanted to eat a block of cheese like an apple. But what is it about cheese that makes it so delicious? When I started to listen to my body and tried to understand its nutritional needs, I thought that a craving for cheese was simply my body telling me that I needed more fats or salt. It turns out that my body wasn’t craving fat or salt but simply a “drug”.

In 1981, scientists started researching the opiates in cheese. After much intensive investigation, it was discovered that casein, a protein found abundantly in dairy products, releases opiate molecules (called casomorphins) when digested. It is said that one casomorphin compound has about one-tenth the opiate strength of morphine.

During cheese processing, lactose, water and whey proteins are removed concentrating the levels of casein remaining in the cheese. In his book, “Breaking the Food Seduction”, Dr. Neal Barnard states, “A cup of cow’s milk contains about six grams of casein. Skim milk contains a bit more, and casein is concentrated in the production of cheese. A one-ounce slice of cheese holds about 5 grams of casein, and each of those grams holds millions of individual casein molecules.” (Reference Link) I’ve never had morphine but I have had a cheese lovers pizza; probably pretty close.

Morphine is a common opiate derivative; as are codeine and heroin. The opiate release in casein could explain why I crave cheese and chose to have it added to nearly any food item. Turns out that the one (or more) pizza night I enjoyed each week was more like my need to satisfy a chemical dependency. As one lady put it, “It has been harder for me to give up dairy than cigarettes. I am not joking about that.” (Reference Link)

After understanding my own chemical addiction to cheese, it has changed the way I look at the stuff. Recently, I have actively tried to cut it out of my diet. When I feel the all-too-familiar cravings, I now realize that it’s my body telling me it needs a fix. This kind of understanding makes me not want to each cheese at all. I need to focus on giving my body what it really needs, and not just what it is craving. Now, I think I’ll have a no-cheese pizza loaded with colorful veggies.

I was fortunate enough to have a little chat with them about their diet and lifestyle.

(WV) How were you introduced to vegetarianism?

(EP) When I was a sophomore in high school I was experiencing chest pain. Slightly worried, I visited multiple doctors who couldn’t explain what was causing the pain. I had done my own research and learned about how detrimental red meat can be for your heart health. I had a lot of friends who were experimenting with a vegetarian or vegan diet, which influenced me to give it a try.

(NP) Erin actually introduced me to vegetarianism. As we were dating and planning to get married, we often wanted to share what we were eating. This was difficult whenever I ordered meat. She never asked me to be a vegetarian, but, eventually, I could see the merit in it and wanted to try it ­as an experiment. That “experiment” has now turned into a lifestyle.

(WV) How has a plant-based diet influenced your life?

(EP) Living a plant-based diet for the last ten years has made it easier to make healthier decisions in all facets of diet and lifestyle. The longer I eat this way the more I realize that it perfectly fits into my personal life philosophy in all areas, including: religious, fitness and health, ecological, sociological and financial. I could never imagine eating any other way. I think it’s important to feel at peace with what you are taking in to your body.

(NP) I think that because I started my vegetarian diet without any real motivation, other than to see if I could go without eating meat, the lifestyle of being a vegetarian has dawned slowly on me. However, it has certainly changed my perspective on food, tenfold. It has also enhanced my religious life and sharpened my political outlook. It’s pretty amazing how a simple thing like not eating meat can influence every part of your life.

(WV) What do you enjoy most about a plant-based diet?

(EP) What I enjoy most about a plant-based diet is not ever feeling guilt over what I’m putting into my body. I have more control and knowledge about my nutrition. I never get that bogged-down gross feeling after eating like I used to as a kid. I also enjoy cooking new foods. I make a lot of pasta and potato dishes. Its fun preparing and combining different vegetables to make unique dishes. I like trying to make ethnic foods. I don’t settle for plain vegetarian foods. The more I try, the easier it is to prepare deliciously creative cuisines from the vast variety of healthy foods available. Perhaps, most of all, I love to cook veggie burgers. I load it up with spinach, garlic and balsamic vinegar and eat it on delicious wheat buns.

I couldn’t agree more with Erin that peace in this life is of great importance. Peace – a state of harmony – is a fusion of lifestyle and consciousness. Truly finding that peace in diet and existence can only help to influence the world where peaceful moments can be few and far between.

You can see more of the Potter’s artwork on their website (link). They also have an upcoming show at Blonde Grizzly (15 East 400 South SLC) (link). The opening reception will be held on September 17^th, from 6-10 pm. Check them out and help support local creativity.

The following is a facebook dialogue spanning several months.  One of the people, Zach (Z) , got a hold of me, Noel (N).  We haven’t seen each other in roughly 10 years but thanks to facebook being ubiquitous, we’ve reunited somewhat via the www.  The convo goes as follows:

(Z) Hey Noel,
It’s been eons since I heard from you. I ran into a guy here in Houston who served a(n LDS) mission with your brother.  Anyway, he thinks the world of you guys and he made me all curious about your guys’ diet. Kind of random, me coming out of nowhere, but that is something I’m kind of interested in these days.

(N) Hey there Zach! Good to hear from you. I’m not sure I know who (the guy) is but I’m sure my brother Dayton does. I’d ask him but he’s in China at the moment.  Later buddy.

(Z) How bout you? What have you been up to? Also, tell me a little about this vegetarian diet. I’m thinking of making the switch. When I think about what I’m eating, I get nauseous and pretty much have to not think about it. It has me thinking that maybe there’s no point to eating it in the first place.

Noel in a Slot Canyon

(N) Veggie stuff: There’s a lot I could say here. I’ve been vegetarian for well over 11 years. It’s treated me really well, I’m very pleased with that decision 11 years ago, and I feel fantastic.
I didn’t go into it ignorantly. And I continue to study and read and learn more that supports that decision. I don’t eat meat for a lot of reasons but most of them could probably fit into 3 categories:

1) For my sake

2) for the planet’s sake, and

3) for the animals’ sake.

For the sake of brevity, I’ll aim to simplify this as much as I can for now.
Everything I’ve read leads me to believe a plant-based diet is ideal for health and longevity. If you eat a halfway balanced (variety of food) vegetarian diet you will not be lacking in any nutrient save B-12 (I take a supplement every month or 2).
Raising animals for food is detrimental for the Earth. Most (I think around 70%) of the grain we produce in the U.S. is used to feed animals for the slaughter-let alone energy, water, fossil fuels, land. This becomes incredibly inefficient due to the production ratio of 1 lb of meat requiring approximately 12 lbs of grain.
Lastly, I don’t think it’s ethical to have a sentient animal raised in a hellish environment and then killed because we enjoy the taste of it. If I needed it I would eat some meat. But there’s never been a time in my life when I’ve been that desperate.

I hope this wasn’t too long or too much. I think you leaning toward less meat shows you’re a person who has a lot of awareness and is conscious of his life, surroundings, and choices. Good job dude. I’ll link you to 2 things. 1 is a 20 minute speech and the other is an interview I had with 1 of my former professors.

Ted Talk: Dan Beuttner (Link)

A Conversation with Marty Mendenhall (Link)

(Z) Yeah, man. I entirely agree with everything you said. I’ll definitely check this stuff out. I may be your next convert. But yeah, I’m going to look into this “veggie stuff” and get back to you. Talk to you soon.

(Z) Noel, I made the switch! I haven’t had meat or dairy for a couple weeks now and I already feel great! I’ve also lost over 5 pounds in that time. I look at it as a lifestyle change that will be relatively natural for me to make. I never liked the idea of eating animals anyway. Finally I can just go with what feels right and not have to block out how repulsed I am by what I’m eating. I think I continued to do it more out of convenience than anything else. Anyway, I’ll keep you posted on how it goes. Thanks for the info you provided. I had always thought about making the switch, but you gave me the little nudge I needed to get over the hump. So, thank you!

(N) Zach! That’s great news dude. You’re very welcome. I’m stoked you feel better physically and your conscience is at ease. That’s a big deal. And losing 5 lbs makes a lot of sense when you cut that stuff out. If you ever need/want some reading material or vids to back up your decision, let me know. There’s a ton of solid material to back your choice.

(Z) Seriously, I’m going to get out and advocate your cause. Lost another pound since I last wrote and I’ve noticed I actually don’t feel as hungry during the day. I don’t know exactly why that would be, but I don’t get the crazy urge to stuff my face when I get home in the evenings. It’s great.

(N) Ha! Nice dude. Yeah, you can be a missionary for vegetarianism.
Later

(Z) By the way, I’ve now lost over 12 pounds since mid June. Feeling lighter, more active, and more energetic than I have in a LONG time. I’ve taken a lot of crap from just about everyone, but I’m kind of beyond caring. However, I’ve already got five other people who are trying it out to see how it goes. Not bad, eh? That interview of Mendenhall was interesting and also the TED speech. All this stuff goes right along with the book I’m reading, The China Study. I’ll tell you, I’m completely converted and I could not be more happy with my decision. I’ll continue to keep you posted.

I remember that run vividly.  My body knew nothing of pace, distance measuring or breathing, yet all of that was inconsequential.  My mind was drawn very quickly to sore joints, as each stride was a reminder that my knees, ankles, hips and back would not be easily enthused about my new found sport.  Walking around school became a new experience as I limped from class to class, ever-sore from the previous day’s work out.  For weeks I just figured it was the battle wounds of hard work and the growing pains of becoming a champion.  Then I started to notice coaches talking about shoes.  SHOES!  That must be it!  My all purpose sneakers were the source of my problems… right?

I convinced my parents to take me out to buy some running shoes. I remember those bright, multi-color Reebok’s well.  They were a tremendous relief to my aching body.  Training no longer hurt every step of the way and I could actually strut about the school again.  Good shoes seemed to be the saving grace I needed to be a serious runner and I spent the rest of my high school running career learning more about shoes.  Coaches would invite shoe stores to do sales pitches for our team. Meanwhile, cross-country camp would always promote different shoes and shoe magazines frequently littered the floor of my bedroom.  I stayed well equipped with new training shoes and racing flats that I liked.

After that first new pair of running shoes way back when I started training in high school, I always figured I was putting the right things on my feet.  After all, that first pair of running shoes had saved me from my worn out sneakers I was using to workout in and that had caused me so much pain.  I’ve since had a paradigm shift and I’ve taken up running without shoes altogether.  Barefoot running.

Over the years since high school, I slowly lost interest in running.  There were plenty of excuses that I made. Foremost was that I didn’t have the structure and team that drove my high school running.  However, I’ve discovered that I wasn’t running anymore because it was simply uncomfortable.  Old, familiar running shoes placed an unnatural strain on my muscles that frustrated me and tired me more quickly than I felt I should have been tiring.  When comparing running barefoot to running with shoes, I noticed that my joints were still pained by shoes.  I had trained my mind to ignore those pains, because they were significantly less than what I had experienced those first few weeks of training several years ago.

I’m really new to barefoot running (and quite frankly have gotten out of shape), so to help ease my feet into this new paradigm, I’ve taken to running a mixture of the concrete paths and grasses at local parks.  A few blisters and scrapes have naturally been a part of my beginner’s experience, but the trade off is worth it.  Running is becoming a natural experience for me and I am finding that I have a greater opportunity to commune with my environment as my bare feet carry me into an experience that transcends simply working out my body.

Look for more on my barefoot running experience in a later piece.

Written by Kyle W.

I make sure to bring lots of water with me to keep myself hydrated. Snacks are a must too. Next to apples and raisins, almonds may be one of the top snacks I like to take along when I go swimming. Recently, as I was soaking in the water I recalled learning that it’s better to soak raw almonds in water before you eat them. Inquisitive about the idea, I went home to do some research on this process.

Why Soak Almonds?

One of the most nutritious of all nuts, almonds are a delectable source of protein, fiber, vitamin E, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, calcium, magnesium and zinc. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are important for proper brain function. Consuming almonds on a regular basis helps to increase the level of high density lipoproteins (HDL or good cholesterol) in your body and reduce your level of low density lipoproteins (LDL or bad cholesterol), which will lead to stable cholesterol levels.

Unless almonds are properly soaked, our bodies don’t have the digestive power to access and utilize all of the amazing nutrients in them. The enzyme inhibitors in almond skin prevent our bodies from breaking down the nutrients correctly. Soaking allows these enzyme inhibitors to be released into the water, enhancing the almond’s ability to keep your heart healthy with essential fats, antioxidants like vitamin E, and magnesium.

Soaking Almonds

Soaking Almonds

I know I’ve been in the water too long when my fingers and toes get wrinkly, but what about almonds? Here’s how to prepare them for optimum nutrition:

• Use raw, organic almonds.
• Rinse the desired quantity of almonds in purified or filtered water.
• Use a glass or stainless steel bowl to soak the almonds.
• The volume of water should be double that of the almonds.
• Cover the bowl with a cloth or towel.
• Let almonds soak at room temperature.
• Drain the water and rinse the nuts thoroughly after 8-12 hours of soaking.

This process doesn’t take much of your time at all. The water can do nearly all the work while you sleep soundly at night. It should also be noted that if you eat almonds first thing in the morning, they will provide all-day protein digestion. Including almonds in your breakfast routine can easily give your body more nutrients to help it function at maximum performance. Don’t feel limited to eating almonds in the morning. Allow yourself to enjoy eating them throughout the day as a handy and healthy snack. I like to think that almonds help me to stay energized longer at the water park – more swimming, more volleyball, more water slides, more fun!

Emme Packer

Can choosing to be a vegetarian make you a great musician? Maybe as much as writing for this website makes me a real author. When I realized that a vegetarian lifestyle wasn’t going to give me super powers (other than living a long and healthy life), I was a little disappointed. However, I recently discovered a great musician personified in a vegetable-built frame.

Emme (pronounced M. E.) Packer is an indie singer/songwriter. She has released four full length albums on her own Blue Siren Label. Her latest release, “Earlier, Later” (2009) is quite revolutionary. It’s a two disc set; each has its own unique feel and mood. This release also features a full band.  Her music and lyrics emanate from a life of rich experience and long hours of practice. In an earlier interview Emme stated, “All my prominent life experiences from the day I was born to now are written about. Music is my only way to get my emotions out and to feel that I’ve grown in some way. We all have our struggles and our stories: this is what my music is about. If it can impact even one person in a positive way, then I feel it was worth all the embarrassing admissions.” (link) No doubt that her eight years of compassionate vegetarianism has influenced her perspective on life, which she manifests in beautiful melody.

In a recent WV (WasatchVeg) interview, Emme shared her thoughts on vegetarianism and a healthy, conscious life:

(E.P.) I originally became vegetarian because it seemed like a weird concept that people actually choose to eat the flesh and fat of another living thing. After much thought, it started to disgust me and I would notice the veins and tendons on the food I was eating. I just couldn’t handle the consistency of meat. After making the change, I began to enjoy being vegetarian for health and humane reasons.

(WV) How has choosing a vegetarian diet enhanced your life?

(E.P.) Being a vegetarian has enriched my life in many ways. I feel cleaner and leaner instead of greasy and heavy. I feel like I am balancing out the universe through the good effects of living a plant-based diet. It’s been 8 years and I haven’t looked back.

(E.P.) I’m not a “stand on the corner of KFC with a sign” animal activist. However, I feel that if we had just stayed with farming our own animals and humanely putting them to rest, it wouldn’t be as big an issue. But as we’ve industrialized farming and caused so many health problems and treated the animals so inhumanely, it just doesn’t seem right to contribute to the problem by eating meat. I find that most people don’t know what actually happens on factory farms, so their lack of education keeps them doing what they are doing, or they would stop. But if you are determined to stay a carnivore (which is perfectly fine), purchasing home raised, organic meat is the only way to go.

Emme Packer

(WV) What’s your favorite vegetarian dish when you go out to eat?

(E.P.) My favorite vegetarian dish has to be anything Asian. If I can find somewhere that makes really good fried tofu with amazing sauces.. I’m in heaven.

(WV) What’s your favorite homemade dish?

(E.P.) My favorite homemade dish would have to be black bean burgers or veggie mango salsa tacos. Yum.

I like to think of Emme as a vegetarian whose lifestyle has definitely enhanced her desires and dreams. Taken to heart, following your dreams  can greatly be enhanced by enriching your body with what it needs most – whole foods (professional hot dog eaters are exempt from this sentence). Perhaps we could all reach a little higher by eating a diet and living a lifestyle that would enable us to not only achieve our goals and dreams but to exceed them, and in the process improve the world around us.

Look for Emme’s innovative music on iTunes or check out her website at Emmepackeronline (link).

Perhaps the easiest way to get around Ayutthaya is by renting a bicycle. So Jeff and I grabbed a couple of bikes and peddled our way around town. It only took a few minutes for me to be thoroughly soaked in sweat from biking in the 95 degree heat. So we decided to head over to At Coffee, which is a little cafe we found the day before. At Coffee is nestled on Chikun Road, which is lined on one side with cafés and restaurants. Wandering past all the different places to eat, we were first drawn to At Coffee because of the vegetarian substitute offered for all dishes on the menu, but especially for the English speaking owner. It’s hard to ask for tofu instead of chicken when your waitress can only speak ten English words.

Fried Tofu with Peanut Sauce

We rolled in on this sultry day, and, being recognized by the owner, she invited us to sit. Before we could even get our backpacks off she put a plate of fried tofu and peanut sauce in front of us. Asking her what this was for, she told us that it was complimentary; on the house. It was as if Siddhartha himself had told her we were coming. Delighted with the idea of free food, I dug right in. Maybe you don’t understand – there are few things I enjoy more than free food. So the experience was doubly delightful for me. The tofu was ultra crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. I like my tofu really crispy. Maybe even almost burnt, and this dish was definitely up to par. I find tofu to be pretty tasty when fried but dipping it into the freshly made peanut sauce was just divine. It had huge chunks of peanuts and was about as thick as peanut butter.

View of Wat Mahathat from At Coffee

Across the street from At Coffee is Wat Mahathat. This is one of the amazing wats that are around the city. It was awe inspiring to munch down some tofu while feasting my eyes on the ruins of this once magnificent Buddhist temple. People would still visit the temple ruins to worship some of the Buddha’s that remain intact. There’s something mystical about the wats in Thailand. Perhaps it’s their ancient history, the beauty of their meaning, or the majestic architecture. As we devoured the last of the tofu, the owner walked outside to the mango tree and picked off a green mango. She cut it up and gave it to us as we gazed at the wat. Breaking from the trance, we chatted with our generous friend and jumped on our sweet wheels for some more city exploring.

On the way there, our guide regaled us with stories about the Island, the sea life, and the joys of snorkeling. The best advice given to me by a friend was to fight the natural urge to panic because you’re face down in the water. It is difficult to imagine what it is like until you’ve tried it. We anchored just off shore, and, with some trepidation, Jeff and I hiked over to the marine sanctuary, put on our gear and jumped in.

After about an hour, Jeff and I started to get the hang of it. We were able to swim with all kinds of fish. We saw 40 or 50 clown fish (Nemo Fish) that would swim right underneath us. The bright purple and green coral they nest in looks soft but was razor sharp; I found that out the hard way. When I had my fish named Gil, I’d notice that the pet stores sold fake coral that was an unnatural neon color. I thought that it was ridiculous to sell such a thing. But after snorkeling, I realized what I thought was an unnatural hue was actually completely natural and quite amazing!

After five hours and a blistering sunburn, Jeff and I headed to a local restaurant on Apo Island for some food before taking the boat ride back to the hostel. We found a cozy little restaurant that overlooked the calm ocean, Liberty’s Restaurant. Looking over the menu, I decided on the vegetable yellow curry.

Yellow Curry

Our meal must have been cooked over an open fire as Apo Island only has electricity for a couple hours a day. I eagerly awaited this new foodie experience. I swam more in five hours here than I have swum in the last five years of my life, which left me with a starving belly. While we waited for our food we assessed how bad our sunburns were. Conclusion: fried. Luckily, a beautiful Filipino girl distracted me from my sunburn as she served my hot vegetable curry and rice. The smell was just tantalizing. The slightly firm carrots, string beans and cabbage were delightful with the mildly spicy curry. It was if the locally grown vegetables were manna to my starving body. Perhaps the best part was leaning over my food, taking a huge bite, then looking up and seeing the blue ocean contrasting against the green plants and white sand. It seems at present there was no logical reason to leave that captivating place.

Jeff (left) and Dayton (right) in Guilin, China

“The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.” Jon Krakauer, an American writer and mountaineer.

Adventure is a big part of my life; so when my friend Jeff proposed a journey to Asia, I couldn’t say no. As adventure seekers, we have climbed the local mountains, rafted the rivers, checked out California’s coastline, and repeatedly visited several water parks. So off to China we went! We started in Hong Kong; then moved to the Philippines and on to Thailand. Our last stop was mainland China. We explored the nature, the culture and, of course, relished in the vegetarian food.

We landed in Bangkok, Thailand, where, after a humbling night trying to sleep in the airport, Jeff and I stumbled to a nearby vegetarian/vegan shop for some much-needed sustenance. We decided on a great little cafe called Ethos, located just off Khau San road (where most of the tourists end up staying while in Bangkok). Outside, the cafe appeared small but welcoming. Once inside I was immediately at ease. Removing my sandals and sitting native-style on the floor with some pillows to comfort my western backside, I got settled in for a new gastronomical experience. Aside from the obvious vegetarian and vegan food appeal, the menu had English translations, which was awesome.

Coconut Porridge

Now what to eat for breakfast? Rice? Pad Thai? But it was the Coconut Porridge that really caught my eye. Fresh hot porridge, made from delicious porridge stuff, much like oatmeal, bathed in cold coconut milk and topped with dried fruit…I was sold.

I tasted a little of the sweet, fresh coconut milk before mixing it into the piping hot porridge and it was like nothing I’ve ever had before. It was so sweet and rich. The scent and texture of the porridge brought to mind a feeling of peacefulness not often had in this hectic city. The tuk tuks, the local chariots for vendors and tourists alike, emit such a deafening sound that taking a conscious bite of the porridge was nourishing to the mind as well as to the body.

For my entire stay in Bangkok, I made sure to start my day with real breakfast of champions, porridge – with coconut milk of course!

So far I’ve been to Philippines and am currently in Thailand and already the food has been amazing. I’ve really enjoyed trying new veg foods everywhere I go. I especially like the mango shakes! Upon my return I’ll be posting articles featuring the foods I ate and where I ate them. Keep checking back with us for my stories of delightful veg food from around the world.