Depression. PMS. Banana Bliss. Plants on Prozac? Bananas for the Blues? Mustard Seeds for Sleep?

From Dr. G: nutritionfacts.org

According to the studies cited in the video:

Fruit for depression? If that's the case, then the entire country should be growing fruit and not GMO corn & soy!!  Sure, some drugs can boost the serotonin levels, but do you ever actually listen to the entire "effects" list on those TV ads?  Maybe a "safer" approach is needed.  Especially since so many people don't even have medical insurance! And you don't need a script to buy fruit!

What kinds of foods?  Plantains.  Pineapple.  Bananas.  Kiwis.  Plums.  Tomatoes.

Spicy Plantains from Anupy Singla's "Vegan Indian Cooking" book.

Got Melatonin?  White & Black Mustard Sees.  Wolfberry.  Fenugreek.

Tryptophan.  Soy Protein, Peanuts, Beans, Wheat Flour, and Potatoes.

Tofu Curry from Anupy's New "Vegan Indian Cooking" book.

Vegan Indian Cooking: 140 Simple and Healthy Vegan Recipes

Plants have all the same stuff that we do!  Melatonin.  Dopamine.  Serotonin.  

Humans use the serotonin as a neurotransmitter.  Plants use it in a protective role.

Raw Vegan Matcha Ice Cream.  No added fats, salts, or oils.

NanaZen

nutritionfacts.org

According to the studies cited in the video:

High Veggies, fruits, shrooms, and soy have been associated with lower rates of depression.  Leafy greens and fruit (Doug Graham, eat your heart out, no wonder you are so happy!)  have been implicated in better behavior & better mental health in early adolescence.  Why??

Serotonin is in plants.  But it does not (alone) cross the blood brain barrior.  But Tryptophan, apparently does.  Tryptophan is a precursor to serotonin. Looks like people got pretty pissy when they didn't get enough tryptophan (in experiments with a low/no tryptophan diet).  What about those pills you can just pick up at a supplement store?  It sounds like there have been some deaths that were related to this supplement.  However, Dr. G notes that it could be due to a dietary impurity.  Meaning, maybe some type of contamination, etc....However..........there are pill free ways to amp up that tryptophan.

nutritionfacts.org

Tryptophan..........Most people think of Turkey or Milk.  According to these studies, tryptophan is only in small quantities in animal foods, and is muscled out.  However, according to this, the carbohydrates in plant foods allow the tryptophan to be better absorbed.

In the Video:  

"When Trypotphan is ingested as part of a protein meal, serum tryptophan levels rise but brain tryptophan levels decline.  This paradoxical relationship is due to the mechanism of transport used by tryptophan to cross the blood-brain barrier."

The tryptophan in the turkey, cheese, egg breakfast dropped.  The waffle, OJ group-the levels went up.  

And carbon rich, protein poor evening meals actually improved PMS!  After carbs?  The serotonin increases.  So peeps with PMS may actually "over"eat carbs to try and improve their bad moods.....

Vegan Recipes! Win money by voting for your faves. Shape Magazine's Raw Recipes. Dirk, his girl, Kersee, Tony, Elsa and McCloud. East St. Louis Dogs need You!

Crème Fraîche and Berry Parfait by Jenny & Heather of Spork Foods

Hawaiian BBQ.  Teriyaki Chickpeas.  From Lindsay of "Happy Herbivore"

Ethical Ocean is a great site with loads of eco, ocean, vegan friendly products.  They are also sponsoring a "Vegan Recipe Contest".  And you can vote daily for your favorites & you can win some money just by voting!  Check out these beauties!!  Recipes included on their site.  Link to Ethical Ocean Recipes & Contest.  Voting is open until August 12, 2012.  These are just a few of the choices! Many more on their site!  All images from Ethical Ocean.

Pomegranate Ice Cream Pops from Hannah of "Bittersweet".

Cherry Amaretto Pancakes. By Claire of "Gluten-Free Life"

Curried Raw Food Sun Burger by Tanya of "Better Raw"

Five Seed Crackers with Olive & Cilantro Tapenade. By Anna of "EcoSalon"

Grilled Sweet Potatoes and Black Bean Quesadillas from Barbara of "Was that Vegan?"

Shape Magazine is flirting with some raw, nearly vegan recipes.  Just swap out the honey for a vegan sweetener of your choice.  My choice is coconut sugar or date paste.  Skip the bee pollen! So these are kind of run of the mill raw dishes.  You know, the kind that are high in nuts.  However......it is all perspective.  Because if you are currently eating regular desserts with sugar & butter & the works-well this stuff is going to be a delicious mecca that still has fat, but plant based.  So your arteries may be happier.  A lot of people flirt with the raw food diet & initially eat dishes like these all of the time.  And they may lose weight, a lot of it!  Just because if you are truly only eating raw foods, then you are eliminating so much junk-that the plant fats aren't going to ruin you.  So while people may have an initial weight loss of astounding numbers-the scale might eventually get stuck.  If I wanted to lose weight on a rawish diet, I would reduce the fat intake somewhat.  So while I love a good raw vegan cheezecake just as much as the next person, I try not to eat it daily!  For the wiring in my body.....trying to keep those pipes clean!

Happy Shake. Skip the Bee Spit, it's not Vegan & you won't miss it.  But the Bees might.
Mediterranean Broccoli Salad
Key Lime Pie Swap out the Honey & put in some date paste, maple syrup, coconut sugar or a high quality agave.
Peace Out Chocolate Cake
Jacob's Peace Pie (swap honey out for vegan sweetener)

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East St. Louis, Illinois & Washington Park, Illinois.

Feeding the Strays & Dog Rescue.

(United States)

Tony & Elsa are in East St. Louis.  Always together.  Always super sweet.  Their friend Daiya has already been rescued.  Pj had to drag Daiya from underneath someone's house.  Someone had cut her & she was bleeding terribly.  Daiya is now a tripod & GPG would love to pull these kids before something bad happens to them as well.

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McCloud is in Washington Park, Illinois.  Pj adores this guy.  Sometimes Pj & GPG feed over 16 dogs in a very small area of Washington Park.  The area with strip clubs, debris, and abandoned homes.  And we call other places "third world countries"??  It's absolutely crazy that these cities exist in these states of squalor, pollution, and amount of government corruption.  It's pretty dismal.  But apparently the Hustler Club is a strong enough draw to bring in guys for Bachelor Parties & whatever else.  Doesn't matter the size of paycheck or color of skin or language spoken.  Women's bodies are bought & sold everywhere.  No exception here.  We see another lady walking around this whole area collecting cans daily.  Sometimes there are a few dogs that follow her around.  There are some streets that have only a couple of inhabited homes.  Often it's difficult to tell if there are people living in the houses.

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I think that Kersee (it's the Olympics!) has been rescued.  But she still needs a forever home! What a doll!

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Dirk & "his girl".  Pj has a hard time naming the girl dogs.  So they are always "somebody's girl".  Dirk was missing for a bit & showed up again today.  At this point, his girl still hasn't been seen for awhile.

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Cocks eat Kale to Grow Big & Strong. Blowhards and BullSht. Did the USDA eat some BSE? Virgin Mates. Rebels, Sisters & Puppies.

This Cock is making his way to the Kale (he already nibbled on the cabbage & broccoli).  He knows what makes a Cock grow Big and Strong! 

After reading and listening to the barrage of news, about, everything.

HardNight.

Time to christen a new mate gourd.  This was from WholeFoods! I have fried 3 computer keyboards from spilling other gourds, the gourds with the wire rimmed holders.  Luckily we had old keyboards and they are about 25 bucks. But that is why I can't get a laptop.  Yerba Mate is the tea I drink.....It is not officially a "tea", but close enough.  People traditionally drink it from a gourd, but first you must "cure" the gourd.......I drink Guayaki Air Dried San Mateo.  I say that, just because the majority of mates are actually smoked prior to being sold-that creates that gaucho flavor.  But that also makes PAH's, which aren't so great for the bod.  So truly air dried mate may be quite healthful for you.   But the smoked mate leaves too many unanswered questions in my book.  And I have already done enough bad stuff to my body!

You have to fill it with Mate & Warm water for a few evenings before using.  Like that this one has a wider base & may be slightly more spill proof in my clumsy hands.

Hubby like it's Visual Aspects.  

Just love getting articles like this, Meatless Mondays,  on my social media pages.  Just another reason why I bow to the Gods daily and praise all of them for the USDA and it's total integrity for acting as Good American Christians and putting people over profit.  Okay, so truly, I didn't bat an eye, because I am a jaded sarcastic Vegan who has little or no faith in what a bunch of old suits come up with-I know their Cock Ain't Comin' up On it's own though-Ain't no way WitheredWeiners can ComeToAttention with all that CloggingCockJuice they drink.  

And from Meatless Mondays from the USDA is Off The Table, Love This:

"Meatless Monday at the U.S.D.A. is off the table. The USDA's "Meatless Monday" suggestion to its employees was rather short lived—apparently thanks to Republican outrage over the vegetarian-for-a-day idea. Sen. Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, for one, had this to say: "I will eat more meat on Monday to compensate for stupid USDA recommendation [about] a meatless Monday," Likewise, Sen. John Thune, offered his take: "Who at USDA thought 'Meatless Mondays' was [a] good idea? Anti-[agriculture] agenda at USDA is irresponsible, even for a day."

And Apparently to some men getting their PantiesInABunch, The USDA had said this:

Here's what the USDA said in the original newsletter, for posterity's sake:

"How will going meatless one day of the week help the environment? The production of meat, especially beef (and dairy as well), has a large environmental impact. According to the U.N., animal agriculture is a major source of greenhouse gases and climate change. It also wastes resources. It takes 7,000 kg of grain to make 1,000 kg of beef. In addition, beef production requires a lot of water, fertilizer, fossil fuels, and pesticides. In addition there are many health concerns related to the excessive consumption of meat."

 So if you want your ManlyMan parts to still work, Ya might Want to stay away from the Cock & Eat More Maca.  Or Kale.  Eat Maca For Your Balls.

Yum! Beets! Their Greens are great for juicing.  And they are growing great in my parents's square foot garden!

Frozen Bananas & Strawberries.  For a little Flavor put a scoop of your favorite protein powder in it! Vita-Mix it and you've got some Raw Vegan Strawberry Smoothie!  For ice cream, just put the minimal amount of water in blender, just enough to get it started. Zero Fat. Zero Oil.  Zero Crap. Bullshit Free.

And More PlantPowered Foods......

The Black Forest Burger Recipe

*Smaller Shorter Schlongs Caused By Eating Cock.

Raw Vegan Banana Brazil Nut Pancakes from Brigitte Mars's "Rawsome" Book: Forks Over Knives-Diabetes.

* Weiner Warts.  STD's from Meat? HPV in the Kitchen.  "No Honey, it wasn't another man.  Just a slab of bacon".  "Cock Cancer".  It's not Just For the Chickens.

*Tempeh, Tofu, Teats, & Tamoxifen. Soy and Cancer. You need to know. Anupy's Masala Tofu Scramble Recipe. Get Skinny on Soy? Eggs & Celery.

I may be a Dirty Girl but I don't eat Poop! Fecal Free Pesto Kale Chips from "Everything Raw Book". Kale makes you Glow! Vitamin Vendetta? Do Vitamins increase your cancer risk?

 

*Everybody's just a Little Bit Gay. Allen Ginsberg. My Big Gay Ginger Lime Balls from Palmcrantz's "Raw Food" Book. And Hehe, Dates DON'T raise your blood sugar, EVEN the Wet Ones!

  *Bladder Blues. Did chicken cause your bladder infection? Anupy's Arsenic & UTI Free,         Tradtional Vegan Zero Chicken Curry. Bill Maher & Jane Lynch for "Weinerlogues" and Belly Laughs

* Toxic Cock Syndrome. 92% are Poopy Cocks

*Meat eating Tea Partiers and Republicans accepting Welfare? Why Meat Eaters have to PAY for sex.

  Sunflower Power Balls from Brigitte Mars's Rawsome Book.

Wanna get Knocked Up? Stop the Cock. Raw Vegan Broccoli Miso Salad from "Raw Garden Cookbook". Are you reducing your fertility by 50%? Or your chances of having Grandchildren? Super Simple way To Get Staph.

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GPG is a group of people, Pj & Friends.  Pj has gone to East St. Louis, Illinois every single day for well over a decade.  And she has not missed ONE DAY!  Pj & GPG feed, care for, and rescue the dogs & cats on the streets.  GPG is in dire need of funds now.  The heatwave has put so many of these kids in eminent danger.  We need your help!  Please spread the word!

Sharpei Mix and Friend.  The black dog in this video wasn't seen for a few days.  Now she has both front legs badly injured and she needs an emergency rescue.  Pj tried to get her the last time out, but she was still able to outrun Pj in a very wooded area.  She will need medical attention & then a foster home.

www.gatewaypets.com

Rebel is a doll.  She hasn't been seen lately, but there is hope.  Sometimes we don't see a dog for a year, and then they show up again.  Although, often the story ends in a more melancholy tone.  Or we just never find out what happens.  In any event, we want to have a foster for this doll, if we are blessed enough to find her.

www.gatewaypets.com

Pj found out these puppies are actually claimed.  However, they are always running loose in the streets so she makes sure that she stops & gives them hugs, kisses, and a steady supply of food.

Watch Full CNN Show. The Last Heart Attack. Esseltyn, Sanjay Gupta, Bill Clinton.

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Raw Vegan (Emergency) Brownies in under 10 seconds. PuraVegan Raw Vegan Pizza. Horton gets out of Jail. Laughing Giraffe Raw Vegan Granola.

PuraVegan. In St. Louis, Missouri-United States.  Barbecue Pizza.  Had zero idea what to expect.  Um, amazing.  I went home & made raw bbq sauce for a week afterwards!  Lots of food and the crust was dense.  Very filling, and that's no BS. I hate "light" dishes as I am a powerhouse eater & can't stand it when there are a few pretty sprouts with some "raw" dressing and some nuts and it's called a burger or something.  But PuraVegan totally delivers & I have been to a fair number of Raw Places.  Try it!

My first PuraVegan Post and Second PuraVegan Post.

This was the Italian Pizza I think...Deliciousness with the olives.  Once again, a great crust that had lots of flavor and was perfectly "done".  Raw crusts can be tricky.  They have to be thick enough to hold food, yet thin enough that they can fully dehydrate.  Also, when "wet" food hits the crust, the crust (if not protected), can get a bit damp.  So you can protect the crust by putting down an initial layer of collards, a dry nut base, or something to create a kind of barrier between the sauces and the crust.  It is not essential, but it does help the integrity of the crust last a bit longer.  Loved these pizzas!

And Raw Vegan Laughing Giraffe Granola.  I have never tried this, since it is usually not on sale & it has agave in it.  Usually I aim for the snacky snacks that are date sweetened.  But, I splurged.  

 The stuff is delicious.  Cranberry Orange.  Yum.  But delicious comes with a price.

190 out of 260 calories from fat.  That said, it is all from nuts.  Walnuts, Pecans, Almonds, Pumpkin Seeds, and Raw Cacao.  I have been trying not to overdo the nuts (my belly revolts) but of course I ate the whole bag within the day.  Yeah, I know.  I tried to pawn some off on my hubby but he likes to "save" the raw treats for me.  The combo of cacao, cinnamon & oranges rocked though.  And I might try to make a low fat version of these same flavors.  Without the agave.

So the whole bag has something like 28% RDA of Iron.  14% RDA of calcium.  7% Vitamin C.  

Improvisational Salad......Cabbage, Apples, Avocado, Cayenne.  Have been using Apple Cider Vinegar, salt free seasonings, and some dates as toppings.  

Ever heard the jokes about how raw vegan cookies are some nuts and dates smushed (yeah, it's a made up word) together?  Well, they are wrong.  Because usually it is in the food processor! :) But if I want some chocolate, and I mean, fast.  I don't want sugar. I don't want preservatives.  I pull out those Cacao Beans & grab a few dates from my 15 pound box from The Date People.

Ingredients: Cacao Beans.  Dates.

Usually I don't get this brand of Cacao.  It's fine, but this type is pricey & from Whole Foods.  I shop online for the best deal, typically.  

Step 1. Gently Massage/twist the peel of the Cacao Bean.  You can eat it.  But it is a little bitter.  My hubby loves the things, straight up.  But for the 10 second brownie, I peel it.  The cacao bean may break into nibs.  Try to keep them kind of together.

Step 2.  Take the pit out of the date.

Step 3.  Put the Cacao Bean into the date.  And Smush!

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Pj & Horton.  Before he was rescued.  Horton is a doll.  He has hung out with multiple packs of dogs & all of his friends had been rescued.  We had plans to rescue him, but he actually went in an Animal Control Trap just prior to that!  Luckily a beautiful girl who works at the adoption center part of that, recognized him from some photos sent out weeks before.  We were notified, and Pj & GPG made a beeline for Animal Control.  If I did what Pj did every single day, I would have either have a yearly subscription to yoga, an organic vegan wine club & mandatory meditation classes-or be on high doses of Prosac.  Going into Animal Control was hard............We left with Horton but heard the cries of so many other dogs.  It was hell.  I was trying not to actually just sob uncotrollably and have a meltdown.   That's when I play "The Suffering Game".  I just have to focus on all of the suffering on the entire planet.  The ocean that is polluted.  The millions of animals on factory farms, that no one cares about.  The chickens with their beaks cut off, laying eggs.  The people in other countries risking their lives just to make water runs.  The widows of India, exiled from their families, spending their days begging.  The plants that are crying because their planet has been so polluted.  And what is happening inside of this Animal Control, is just a small piece of that suffering, that is happening as I type this.  So we are saving this one life, reducing the suffering by just a little bit.  And we cannot alleviate all of the suffering, all of the time.  We can only do our best.  So I just take those bad moments & try to put them in another spot in my head & try not to visit it too terribly much.

East St. Louis, Illinois

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Here is Horton walking out of Animal Control (in Illinois) with Pj & Gateway Pet Guardians.

Horton getting kisses from the gals at Hillside Animal Hospital.

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Walking out of Animal Control. Sigh. Cry. Sigh.

Pj helping Horton out at Hillside Animal Hospital.

Horton gets weighed!

A doll!

RaRa.  Still on the Streets.  East St. Louis

www.gatewaypets.com

www.gatewaypets.com

RaRa is in East St. Louis, Illinois.  If you would like to help her out, or any of the other kids on the streets.........please contact us.  Horton still needs a forever home as well. 

www.gatewaypets.com

314.664.7398