PLANTPURE NATION UPDATE
Yesterday, on a rare day off, I took an extra long time at the gym. I did a longer workout, and then rewarded myself with a visit to the sauna.
Sitting across from me was an older gentleman. I don’t remember exactly how the discussion started, but it soon led to a place very personal to him. He shared with me that he had served in Vietnam for two years as a paratrooper. He was one of the guys who jumped from planes into the jungle, with a backpack and gun strapped to his back.
While there, he suffered a number of debilitating injuries, including a damaged, and now chronically pained spine, as well as shrapnel in his legs, buttocks, back, and head. Worst of all, he suffers from post-traumatic stress syndrome.
His dad died a couple of years after his return. His mom died a few years after that, followed by his only sibling. He now lives alone, wrestling the demons from his past, and struggling with an array of health problems. He has tried to get help from the Veterans Administration, but he says effective help has been a near impossibility. The only “solution” they have given him is an extensive cocktail of drugs.
Needless to say, he does not trust our government, which gave me an opportunity for some discussion about our movie, PlantPure Nation. As I told the story, I explained to him the healing powers of a plant-based diet, and how this diet, combined with other practices like meditation, exercising, getting moderate exposure to sunshine, and staying hydrated, might offer some relief. Then the discussion turned to the specific support we offer, including our food line. I discovered that my new friend is of limited means, without even a computer or cell phone. So I suggested he stop by my office later in the week so I could give him some key components of our Jumpstart program and share ideas for going plant-based in a cost-effective way. I told him this was the least I could do for a man who had given so much. Luckily, he used to work in a deli and likes to cook.
I left the gym having gained a new friend, and some extra motivation for developing strategies that will provide people like him access to information on the healing powers of a plant-based diet, and to highly affordable food options. We are working on a number of such strategies now, and will be ready to announce the first of these later in June. So stay tuned.
We are going to do some things that no other company has done before. Our bottom line is a human one. Yes, we need to achieve financial success, because without this, we cannot sustain ourselves. But what we want most of all is to launch a social movement, and this cannot happen unless it involves everyone.
We will leave no one behind.
— Nelson Campbell
FROM OUR JUMPSTART DIRECTOR
The PlantPure Jumpstart Program is continuing to grow and blossom! We are currently working on finalizing plans for a 21-day Jumpstart. Many of you have requested a longer, more comprehensive program that helps guide participants into a plant-based lifestyle. As a result we are busily working to get the program ready for distribution.
The 21 days will include a variety of frozen entrees in conjunction with the new dry line of foods, called PlantPure Essentials. PlantPure Essentials allows people to create family-style entrees by adding the Essentials packet to a few other pantry staples, and preparing as directed. The goal of PlantPure Essentials is to have the Jumpstart participants get used to cooking during the 21 days so that they are comfortable creating their own meals. We are also expanding our online education offerings to include a lot more training on how to make this a lifestyle.
The free coaching calls are really fun, and we have had quite a few people calling in. The feedback so far is that the calls are very helpful for getting questions answered and being able to listen to others who are on the same path. We will be having the calls every Monday evening and sending out reminder emails, so feel free to call in and join the conversation!
—Laura Dietrich
NOW AVAILABLE
If you missed the May issue of our new publication, PlantPure Magazine, it's now available in our store. This issue focuses on basics. Food Editor Kim Campbell goes over core concepts of a plant-based diet, and we interview Amy Johnson, aka Mrs. Plant, about her journey from the standard American diet to a whole-food, plant-based diet. Dr. Amy Joy Lanou inspires us by reminding us that we don't need to achieve some unattainable point of readiness to make changes in our diets; we can start wherever we are and see where the journey takes us. We also catch up with two Pod group leaders, Pennsylvania nurse Jean Hayes and Iowa leader Scott Putnam.
Our next issue comes out June 15! It will be available as a single issue in our store, or you can help support PlantPure Nation by purchasing an annual subscription. In this issue, we examine whether it’s better to stay local or go organic when buying produce, and we also take a look at some super useful smartphone apps. We check in with the Awtreys, who lead a Pod group in the heart of Texas, and pediatrician Yami Cazorla-Lancaster, whose Yakima, Washington, group has grown to 150 members. Also, Editor in Chief Amy Joy Lanou weighs in on dietary guidelines and nutrition policy.
FROM OUR EDITOR
For the last few years, I’ve planted a small but productive veggie garden in raised beds. This year, I’m renting a very tiny cottage with an even smaller yard. Gardening here requires creativity and no small measure of acceptance; what will be, will be.
I did stop by my local co-op, which has tables of locally grown starts outside every spring, and pick up a baby Mexico Midget tomato plant. I’ve had one of these (only one!) every year, and not only are they hardy, they are incredibly prolific. I have no doubt that it’ll be quite happy in a big plastic nursery pot, tied to the south side of my back porch, and I’ll be getting tomatoes for months to come. I miss my old garden, but this is how things are now.
Sometimes life requires improvisation, flexibility, and the willingness to adapt. Maybe your life got turned upside down due to a job change, or a health crisis, or the demise of a relationship. You find yourself sitting back and taking stock of what you have, what you need, what you want, and what you can do. Sometimes reconciling these things isn’t a comfortable exercise, but it has to be done. You may find yourself making big changes that you never would have thought you would do or were capable of, but in some ways, these times are very powerful and very enlightening.
These times give you the chance to realize what’s really important to you and what isn’t, and how you can structure parts of your life differently to spend less time and energy on things that don’t bring you joy. Life is too short to waste time. Find the people, activities, and pursuits that bring you joy, and focus on those.
Be well in all ways.
— Amy E. Bissinger
A PLANT-BASED PILGRIMAGE
Marianne Shalewa has been planning this trip for the past three years, and after meeting her boyfriend, Matt, two years ago, they decided to embark on the adventure together. After all of the planning, the adventure is finally happening! They will cycle from Tofino, British Columbia, to St. John’s, Newfoundland.
In general, it takes about two months to cycle across Canada, but Marianne and Matt are taking three months so they can visit Pod groups along the way. To get ready, they’ve been contacting different groups and are trying to get in touch with as many as possible. They are planning to average around 100 kilometers (62 miles) per day.
Marianne became interested in the PlantPure Pod network after watching PlantPure Nation. After hearing about the health benefits, especially for athletes, Marianne and Matt became motivated to spread the message. Marianne has done exercise therapy for six years, and she became certified in plant-based nutrition through e-Cornell in order to consult with clients more effectively.
She says, “I can’t believe what I can do now as an athlete that I could never do before.” She anticipates the journey will be challenging in terms of planning meals, but they are both up for the challenge.
Marianne recently started the Pod group Yegplant, in Edmonton, which you can visit at www.facebook.com/groups/1685041395090868/.
If you’re a Pod group leader in Canada, get in touch with Marianne and Matt now via Facebook! You can follow them on their journey through Facebook, Instagram, and their YouTube channel:
Facebook: MnM Explore Canada
Instagram: Vegan Incline and Bicycle Banana Bum
Twitter: @MnMExploreCAN
Tumblr: Banana Bicycle Bum
Vegan Incline Youtube Channel (They’re planning on posting as many videos as possible on the journey, to keep people updated on what they’re eating and where they are, and to serve as a resource for others doing the same.)
—Whitney Campbell
CONNECT WITH US
We would love everyone to follow all of our social media channels, and tag us/use the hashtag #plantpure as much as possible. Share our social media posts on your own social media and let's spread the message! Also, we'd love to see what your Pod is up to—feel free to post pictures of your Pod's activities to our Facebook page.
 @plantpurenation  PlantPure Nation  @plantpurenation
 plantpurenation
 PlantPure Nation @plantpurenation  PlantPure Nation  PlantPure Nation
POD SPOTLIGHT
After a PlantPure Nation showing at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, the Greater Cincinnati Pod group was one of the first Pod groups formed. Shortly after the showing, group leader Chris Christenson signed up immediately to become a group leader, along with her co-leader, Preeti Bansal Kshirsagar.
Together, Preeti and Chris went on to organize the first group meeting to discuss goals and plans for the group. Going forward, they organized a table at the University of Cincinnati’s Resolve to Get Healthy event, a talk and interview by 94-year-old plant-based marathon runner Mike Fremont, and three free PlantPure Nation screenings. Their most recent event, a talk given by Dr. Rekha Chaudhary on nutrition and cancer, was a grand success, with a turnout of over 100.
Mike Fremont’s interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfo__YrWxrg
Rekha Chaudhary’s talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woxRvewIy7g
Through her work in health care, and a longtime interest in health, Chris was drawn to the PlantPure Nation message from the beginning. When her father was diagnosed with prostate cancer 10 years ago, and chose to forego chemotherapy and radiation, he researched all of the foods that feed cancer, and all of the foods that fight cancer. This inevitably led her parents to go on a plant-based diet, leading her father to recovery. Her interest in health and her dad’s success combined to give Chris the motivation to jump into a plant-based diet.
Dr. Pam Popper’s book, Food Over Medicine, was one of her earliest inspirations to become plant-based. From there, she learned about The China Study and went on to read all of Dr. T. Colin Campbell’s books. This made her a true believer in a WFPB lifestyle, and opened her eyes to a wealth of plant-based information. Before the Pod group, she was inspired to start a Meetup group for plant-based eaters. We asked her for advice for other individuals looking to create change in their communities.
Chris emphasized the importance of free film showings, adding that anything free will always attract people. She also offered some valuable, often overlooked advice when it comes to being a group leader, saying, “It’s been really helpful for Preeti and I to have each other as co-leaders, because we have complementary skills, and it’s nice to have someone else to bounce ideas off of, and get these things organized, which can be a lot of work sometimes.”
Chris and Preeti have also gotten some of the vegan restaurants in town to donate food for some of the potlucks, which she says works both ways, as it’s a marketing tool for restaurants. Chris also mentioned that many people coming to their meetings are just getting started, so it’s important to remember that any sort of interest is valuable, and transitioning to a plant-based diet is a process—being welcoming and supportive is especially important.
—Whitney Campbell
EVENTS
June 4: Maine Animal Coalition’s Vegetarian Food Festival, Portland, Maine. Local PPN member organization Plant IQ will have a table at this event! www.maineanimalcoalition.org/vegetarian-food-festival
June 4: Long Beach Vegan Festival, Long Beach, California. Food, activities, vendors, a cookoff, and music! www.lbveganfest.com
June 11: Rehoboth Beach VegFest, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Screening of PlantPure Nation June 10 at 8 p.m. at the new Rehoboth Beach Cinema Art Theatre! Followed by festival festivities on June 11. www.vegrehoboth.org
June 11–12: Brother Wolf Animal Rescue’s Asheville VeganFest, Asheville, North Carolina. Speakers on Saturday, outdoor festival with over 100 vendors on Sunday. Local PPN member organization Plant-Based WNC will have a table at this event! veganfest.bwar.org
June 11: Portland Vegan Beer and Food Fest, Portland, Oregon. www.veganbeerfest.com
June 18: Mad City Vegan Fest, Madison, Wisconsin. Local PPN member organization Madison Ahimsa will have a table at this event! www.veganfest.org
June 18: LA Vegan Beer and Food Festival, Pasadena, California. www.veganbeerfest.com
June 25: Richmond Vegetarian Festival, Richmond, Virginia. Food, music, speakers, local businesses, and family fun. veggiefest.org
July 6–10: Vegetarian Summerfest, Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Large conference with speakers and many activities. Featuring a cooking demo with Kim Campbell on July 7, and talks with Nelson Campbell and Dr. T. Colin Campbell. www.vegetariansummerfest.org
July 16: Spokane Vegfest: Healthy Living Expo and Music Festival, Spokane, Wyoming. www.inveg.org/vegfest.html
July 29–30: International Conference on Nutrition in Medicine, Grand Hyatt Washington
hotel, Washington, D.C. Hosted by Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. www.pcrm.org/health/diets/nutrition-medicine-conference/nutrition-conference-dc
July 29–31: The World Vegan Summit & Expo, Berkeley, California. Summit, expo, and kids camp. worldvegansummit.com
—Caroline Dyar
FEATURED PLANTPURE RECIPE
From Kim Campbell
Carrot Dogs
When I first saw this recipe all over the web, done in a variety of ways, I thought it sounded very strange. Being adventurous with plant-based foods, I had to give it a try. Surprisingly, it's very good—even my carnivore friend loved them! So I'm joining all the vegan foodies out there and throwing out our favorite carrot dog recipe. I am not sure where this idea originated, but much thanks to the creator.
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
4 large carrots, peeled with the ends cut off (cut to the size of a hot dog bun)
2 tablespoons low sodium tamari sauce
1/4 cup water
4 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon molasses
1/4 teaspoon Liquid Smoke
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 whole grain hot dog buns
Directions
Boil the carrots for 5–8 minutes, or until fork tender but not mushy. Place them in cold water, which shocks them and prevents them from getting any softer. Whisk together the remaining ingredients for the marinade. Place the cooled carrots and marinade ingredients into a large zip-top bag and toss gently. Refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the marinated carrots on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cook for 15–20 minutes or until heated through and slightly browned.
Kim's Hints: I love to serve these as a hot dog bar with lots of toppings: ketchup, mustards, chili and chili sauces (for chili dogs), diced onions, relish, and sauerkraut.
START COOKING WHOLE-FOOD, PLANT-BASED RECIPES!
As the film’s official companion book, The PlantPure Nation Cookbook brings this powerful, science-based approach to nutrition from the big screen to your kitchen with some of the same mouthwatering recipes that kick-started the film, promoting the health benefits of a whole-food, plant-based diet.
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