Speaking Engagements and Coaching

Look Great, Feel Great, Be Great on a Plant-Based Diet

Did you know:  

- The leading killers in the United States are cardiovascular disease (including coronary artery disease, hyptertension, stroke, and heart failure), type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome (a group of risk factors that increases the risk of such diseases as heart disease, diabetes, and stoke), and cancer.  All of these diseases are directly related to what we eat and how much we exercise.

- The Standard American Diet (aka SAD or Western diet) makes us fat.  Obesity leads to coronary heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, cancers (endometrial, breast, colon), hypertension, stroke, liver and gallbladder disease, sleep apnea, respiratory problems, and osteoarthritis.

- The Western diet makes us sick.  Even if you are at a healthy weight, your diet can still damage your health.  High cholesterol , high blood pressure, heart disease, and cancer are common.  It also increases your risk of the above mentioned diseases.

- The Western diet contains too many unhealthy fats and refined carbohydrates (sugar!).  Heart disease is linked to unhealthy fats, which are saturated fats found in animal products and tropical oils like coconut and palm oils.

- The Western diet is too high in salt (sodium).  Too much salt contributes to high blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease and stroke.

- The Western diet causes chronic inflammation.  This may lead to heart disease, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and neurodegenerative disease.  Diets high in refined starches, sugars, saturated fats, and trans fats and low in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and omega-3 fatty acids appear to turn on the inflammatory response.

- The Western diet does not leave room for “the good stuff”.  When we eat processed foods and “junk foods”, we do not have enough room for nutrient-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.  

- Eating a whole foods, plant-based diet can reduce the risk of the common diseases associated with the Western diet.

- When you eat healthier, you look and feel better!  Some benefits you may realize from following a plant-based diet include:  

- Reduced risk of chronic diseases

- Weight loss without counting calories and fad diets

- Healthier heart

- Increased energy levels  

- Clearer skin

- Increased longevity  

- Stronger, healthier immune system  

By following a plant-based diet, you will also minimize your carbon footprint and help reduce the suffering of animals!  

• Please contact me if you are interested in having me speak to your company, group, or organization.  This talk would be a great addition to any company wellness program!

Today it is easier than ever to make the transition to a vegan lifestyle.  The market is exploding with new vegan products.  More and more companies are adding vegan goods to their product line.  Some companies, such as Trader Joe's and Wegmans, have even added a Vegan label to their store brand products that are vegan.

Just check out my Vegan Resources page to see a sampling of resources available to anyone trying to make the transition to a vegan lifestyle or even to maintain a vegan lifestyle.  What makes it so difficult is that there is so much misinformation out there.  Is it healthy?  Where do you get your protein?  Don't you need Vitamin B-12?  Vegans cannot eat "normal" foods.  What will I eat?  What will I wear?  How do I read nutrition labels?  Don't I need to combine certain foods to get complete proteins?  It is too complicated to be a vegan.  Isn't it expensive to be a vegan?  I could never be a vegan because I like cheese too much.  My family would never support me with the transition.  Won't everyone think I am weird?

 Education is the key to becoming and staying a vegan.  The more you know, the more likely you will be to succeed in maintaining a vegan lifestyle!  I have devised an easy-to-follow transition plan to becoming a vegan.  I will explain the transition steps and help you get started on your path to a healthier and more compassionate lifestyle.  Support is available!  

Please contact me if you are interested in having me speak for your company, group, or organization about making the transition to a vegan lifestyle.  If you are an individual in need of support, please check out my Coaching page.  I also do 1:1 vegan lifestyle coaching.

There are many things you can do to help protect the environment, from taking showers using a low-flow shower-head instead of baths to combining errands to create fewer trips or using public transit, biking, or walking instead of driving.  These are great ways to help protect the environment, but you will have a far greater impact by adopting a vegan diet!  

Did you know that it takes 2400 gallons of water to produce just one pound of meat, yet it only takes 25 gallons of water to product one pound of wheat?

Did you know that one person who adopts a vegan diet can save approximately 396,000 gallons of water a year just from food production?

Did you know that a vegan's carbon footprint is approximately 60% lighter than that of a meat-eater?

Did you know that on average it takes 20 times more energy to produce meat calories than it does to produce whole-plant calories?

Learn more astonishing facts about veganism and the environment at a Vegan for the Environment presentation!

Personalized vegan coaching is available!  You pick the topics and number of sessions you want.  Sessions can be done over the phone or in person if you live in the Buffalo area.  I offer a FREE 15-minute phone consult to new clients to determine what your needs are and how I may be able to help.  This is a risk-free consultation, with no pressure to sign up for any sessions.

Topics Include:

Transitioning to a Vegan Lifestyle – First Steps

Macronutrients – Vegan Sources of Protein, Carbohydrates, Fat, and Fiber

Micronutrients – Vitamins, Minerals, and Antioxidants

Meal Planning, Shopping, and Food Preparation

Greens! And other Amazing Foods You Have Never Tried

Communication and Socialization - Living in a Non-Vegan World

Self-Care

Taming the Sweet Tooth

​Vegan Substitutes

Vegan Traveling Tips

Vegan Shopping - can include a shopping trip if you are in the Buffalo area

Overview of a Vegan Lifestyle

If there is a topic you are interested in that is not listed above, please ask!  I am here to help you with your transition to veganism and am happy to cater to your needs.

30- and 60-minute sessions are available.

Transitioning to a vegan lifestyle is even better with a friend!  Small group coaching is also available.

Previous classes held in spring 2022:

Benefits of Plant-Based Eating

Reading Food Labels

Transitioning to a Plant-Based Diet

Coming in fall 2022:

The above courses PLUS

Plant-Based Nutrition

Starting a Small Business

Watch for Plant-Based Cooking classes too!