Coconut milk is a great substitute to use in recipes and vegan dishes but finding coconut milk brands without guar gum or carrageenan can be a challenging task sometimes. While both are good thickening agents and are often used in non-dairy milk substitute products, they can be a problem for certain people. Studies have linked both guar gum and carrageenan to intestinal issues and worsening of some health conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease [1]. Given the recent findings in regards to these food additives, we should be cautious and choose products without these ingredients. I wasn’t really into coconut …

Proper sleep is crucial for a healthy body and mind and it’s no doubt one of the most important factors for good health. Insomnia is a problem for millions of people but it’s usually short-lived and never becomes a chronic issue. If you think you’ve developed sleeping problems or insomnia after becoming vegan, there could be several reasons which may or may not have to do with diet. It’s safe to say that most of us have had sleep issues before. In 2007 I took three doses of an antibiotic called Ciprofloxacin and I was not able to sleep properly …

If you’re feeling cold after you started a vegan diet, you’re not alone. Having a low body temperature is something that you probably will experience for some time, especially if you’re also losing weight. But there is good news: you won’t feel this cold forever! When I became a strict adherent to a calorie restriction diet in 2005, I started to lose weight and my body temperature also plummeted with it. This is a natural response by the body to conserve energy because it detects there isn’t food available, so it must hold on to every calorie it can. It’s an important survival mechanism that is …

I’ve known Paul Roe for many years. I came across him while browsing one of my favorite anti-aging forums called Longecity (formerly known as Imminst). On the forum, we shared advice about our diets and also shared pictures of how well we were aging (or not aging in Paul’s case). Paul stood out among the crowd for his extremely youthful looks, despite being middle-aged at the time. He gave many anecdotes of people being surprised when they found out how old he was. He also came on the forum and shared his tips and reasons why he thought he looked so …

A vegan diet is one of the best ways to keep yourself trim without having to count calories and watch everything you put into your mouth. This is great for people who have a few pounds to lose, but for someone who is already lean, it can make them very skinny. One of the stereotypes for vegans is that we are all skinny and you can’t build muscle on the diet. This has been proven to be untrue, and there are many competitive bodybuilders or professional athletes who have adopted the diet and are able to maintain body mass and …

One of the benefits of being a vegan is that your blood pressure is likely to decrease by a lot. Naturally, when you eat a plant-based diet, your calorie intake will usually decrease without you even thinking about it, and so will your waistline. When blood pressure is low but you have no symptoms associated with it, this can be a very good thing. In fact, you’re more likely to live longer than average due to the fact that cardiovascular disease is one of the biggest causes of death in middle and old age. When I started to eat a …