We feel that the Holistic Holiday at Sea is one of the best steps you can take if you are considering adopting a plant based diet.
Here are 10 tips from www.veganfusion.com to help you on your plant based journey
1. Go slowly. It took years for you to develop your current eating habits. Many times when people do make drastic changes, they find themselves falling back to old ways when the going gets tough.
2. Create a plan. Take a look at where you are at and where you would like to be. You can approach this in several ways. You can commit to having one vegan day a week for a month. Then go up to two days a week the second month, three days a week on the third month…(you get the idea) until you arrive at your desired outcome. Make the changes at a pace you are comfortable with.
3. Choose wisely. Remember the importance of feeling satisfied at every meal. Look for vegan alternatives that come close to the taste and texture of the foods you are craving. There are many plant based products on the market now that can make this a delicious transition for you.
4. Invite a friend. It definitely makes it easier to change your diet and lifestyle if you have some support. A friend can help with recipe ideas, sharing meal preparation, and of course provide words of encouragement when needed. You can also join a local vegetarian society or find websites on line. There are sites with discussion boards on every topic imaginable. Do a search for ‘vegan websites’ and you will be surprised at what you find.
5. Educate yourself. It’s extremely helpful for sticking to your convictions to learn about the full impact our food choices have upon our health and the health of our planet. Check out the following books for starters: Vegan Fusion World Cuisine, Diet for a New America by John Robbins (a big influence for many of the presenters on this year’s cruise, especially Colleen Patrick-Goudreau ), The China Study written by one of this year’s vegan cruise presenters Dr. T. Colin Campbell, and The World Peace Diet by a multiple vegan cruise presenter, Will Tuttle.
6. Consider your health. It is clear that many of today’s major illnesses such as heart disease, obesity and certain forms of diabetes can be avoided and reversed with plant based foods. All health organizations recommend increasing daily servings of fresh fruits and vegetables as a way to optimize health.
7. Preserve the planet. The facts are staggering when you compare the environmental impact of a plant-based diet with a meat based one. It takes a fraction of the water, land and other resources to produce a vegan meal
8. Go to the source. Its good to consider where the meal on your plate originated. Think about the farmers that grew the food. What methods do they use? Is the food organically grown? How far away are they and under what conditions was the food shipped? Asking these questions will lead you to a greener, more sustainable lifestyle.
9. Remember Babe. Many do not realize the conditions under which most factory farm animals live. Actor James Cromwell became a vegan while playing the character of Farmer Hoggett in the movie Babe after discovering the reality behind most meat production. Whatever your personal beliefs, it’s true that we can make food choices that reduce suffering.
10. Take it easy. Please don’t beat yourself up if you find yourself falling back into old ways of eating. Simply accept and acknowledge that it takes time to retrain your body and mind to eat in new ways and remind yourself why you are exerting the effort. Stick to your plan as much as possible and have fun!
On our holistic cruise you will have the opportunity to eat divine meals, become educated on a wide variety of diet and health topics, make new friends and pamper yourself all at once. Taste of Health Holistic Holiday at Sea is more than a great vegan travel experience, it’s an opportunity to jump start a healthy lifestyle or stay on track with the one you already have. 2013 will mark the 10 year Anniversary of the Holistic Holiday at Sea and there will be lots of socials, great classes, opportunities for great yoga and body awareness, thought provoking lectures, dancing, amazing Caribbean ports and even a few surprises!
