My Vegan Experiment - Day 6

I'll be honest here. It's day 6 of My Vegan Experiment and I'm not exactly feeling great. Yes, I have dropped a little weight. My congestion has definitely improved. However, my energy is low, my head hurts, and I have a wicked cold sore. There may be some other explanations for these symptoms, but I'm thinking that I may not be getting all the nutrients I need.

Believe it or not, my current state hasn't detracted me from a vegan diet in the least. I actually feel more sure than I ever did that I want to change my diet. I just realized that I still have a lot to learn about the best way to go about it.

How serendipitous that the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart Program would be starting on March 1, just as I am ready to really start learning!

Here's what I ate today. I still did not drink enough water, which could be one of the reasons I feel the way I do. It was one of those days where I couldn't even take the time to get myself a drink. I also wonder if I'm eating enough. I'm not hungry exactly, but I just feel kind of weak and sluggish. Am I just going through some kind of withdrawal period?

I really need to do a nutritional analysis of what I ate.... but I'm too tired right now!!

• coffee with rice milk
• my perfect breakfast - this time with fresh raspberries instead of cranberries
• orange juice
  
• organic raw cashews
• fresh strawberries
• earl grey tea with rice milk
• stir fry vegetables with whole grain noodles: organic bok choy, organic spinach, organic cabbage, mushrooms, red peppers, olive oil and soy sauce
  
• edamame (soy beans) with olive oil and sea salt
  
• cereal and rice milk
  

Want to Kickstart into a New Diet this Monday?

A reader told me about this 21 Day Kickstart program that starts on Monday, March 1. Basically, you enter your email address and receive daily emails that walk you through a three-week introduction to a vegan diet. It's FREE, of course.

This couldn't have come along at a better time for me. I am on day 6 of My Vegan Experiment. I'm definitely psyched about making the change, but I'm realizing that I still have a lot to learn about how to properly implement this diet. I'm hoping this kickstart program will help me hone in on the information I need to learn as well as provide the daily encouragement that helps keep me going.

This program is being offered by the non-profit organization, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), I don't know much about PCRM, so I'm a little skeptical about the credibility of their research related to nutrition. However, I'm keeping a an open mind and taking all the information with a grain of salt, as always.

If nothing else, I hope to get some new vegan recipes. I'd love the company if anyone wants to do the program with me.

Thanks to the reader who told me about this! She did the kickstart in January to get some healthy recipes for her family. She is thinking of becoming a vegetarian. Good luck on your journey to better health!

Free Busch Gardens Pass for Preschoolers

Busch Gardens is giving away FREE passes to children under 5 to commemorate the opening of their new children's area. The pass is for Florida residents only and is good through December 31, 2010. The parents will have to pay for admission, of course (right now you can purchase an annual pass for $69). Keep in mind that children under 3 always get in for free.

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