health

February 27, 2021

We need to change the conversation we are having about climate change. Evidently, the current approach is not working. Far too many people doubt the impact humans have on our planet. If they do acknowledge that our climate is changing, the realities of environmental catastrophe remain removed, far-flung, a future generation’s problem. If the crisis is the future’s concern, after all, how could they not prioritize their home life, career, family’s health and safety, and passions? Humans are fundamentally selfish beings – our survival demands this. But what if subjective wellbeing and environmentalism were not at odds? In this case, it would be not only possible, but advisable, to prioritize sustainable living. Doing so ensures the most selfish of futures. This is the only opportunity for our progeny to continue human history, to prolong the influence of our species upon this universe.

If the wish is to wipe humanity off the face of the planet, following along our current trajectory of materialistic and mindless consumption is a safe bet for destruction. How would this happen? There is a pandemic of short-term thinking that plagues decision-makers and consumers in our world. In the near future, clearing an acre of forest to plant crops to feed your cowherd seems like a profitable and reasonable decision. No farmer is individually responsible for deforestation that increases toxic atmospheric gases, but they are not alone. With the colossal impact compounded by billions of humans demanding animal protein or fossil fuels, each unsustainable action pushes us further into the path of destruction. There are finite quantities of freshwater, oil, coal, topsoil, and precious earth minerals. We either adapt to the environmental and resource challenges before us, or we let them defeat us.

We only have one planet. In the idealistic future painted by Elon Musk, there is a chance we may be able to colonize Mars. If this plan succeeds, it will require generations of investment, adaptation, and sacrifice. Early human settlers on Mars would live entirely indoors with brief excursions in specially crafted suits with artificial oxygen. They would not be able to breathe fresh air, grow plants in the ground, or experience wildlife in a natural habitat. Every experience on the Red Planet would be marred by careful scientific planning and precision. Gone would be the spontaneity entitled to humans on our home planet, the natural habit that has cradled our species throughout our existence. Certainly, any successful human colony on Mars would be an impressive and commendable feat. However, this should not encourage us to abandon Earth. The future of humanity on any planet requires immediate action to curb our emissions and change our lifestyles to conserve energy and resources.

Why? What might a future look like where humans have abandoned any environmental concern? Let us paint a picture of environmental apathy. It is one we should carefully consider, as a refusal to act on this knowledge guarantees a grim future for everyone.

Let us imagine that environmentalists around the world cease and desist, instead pretending the planet will be fine. Earth will live on in some form, surely, she is a resilient rock; but how hospitable will the world be after humans have wrought all the havoc we are capable of wreaking? This practice takes little imagination. In fact, all we must do is look at current behaviours and consumption patterns around the globe, and imagine we add 3 billion more humans into the mix. Currently, the Earth disproportionately provides for 7.8 billion humans. By 2050, forecasts predict a global population of approximately 10 billion. Disparate growth and living standards indicate that coming years will see explosive demand for middle and upper class luxuries enjoyed by the western world. The needs and wants of humans in 2021 have already deforested the Amazon, depleted fisheries, extinguished wildlife, polluted waterways, paved over countless habitats. What further destruction could we reap before people wake up to the fault of our actions?

There is a fundamental disconnect between what we want, what society has told us we need to be happy, and what our planet can supply us with. Minimalism, consuming with a sustainable mindset; these are not austere activities of penance. Mindful consumption is necessary to ensure the future of our species. To provide for 10 billion humans, we must drastically reconsider our lifestyles. It is absolutely possible to be happy, successful, and live a fulfilling life while providing for your family without robbing the environment of all its natural glory.

To meet the exponentially accelerating human demand, we have strained oil, phosphorus, freshwater, coal, natural gas and rare earth element reserves to near depletion. Within the next few decades, humanity’s fate will be sealed. We either face the threat of climate change and revolutionize our relationship with our planet, or life does not continue as we know it. Humanity might survive flooded coastlines, higher global temperatures, more frequent catastrophic weather events, toxic levels of atmospheric pollutants along with a litany of other problems too numerous to detail, however, there is another option that requires far less human sacrifice.

The behaviour change sought by environmentalists requires a rapid reconditioning of deeply ingrained beliefs and practices. If our goal is to reimagine sustainable human societies that coexist with healthy, balanced and thriving ecosystems, that respect, rather than neglect the natural world, we must change our approach. After all, if you want to do something that has never been done, you must think and act in ways that have never been thought or done before.

We ought to look to human societies that thrive without destroying their natural environment. There are many groups today and throughout history that have sustained their population without the use of fossil fuels, industrial agriculture, and plastic. Environmentally-friendly living is possible and enjoyable, it simply requires a shift in values. The maintenance of the Earth we love is worth every small sacrifice. In switching to regenerative agriculture that heals the soil, choosing less carbon-intensive, healthier plant-based foods, and favouring low-energy transportation options like walking, bikes and public transportation, we will have a profoundly positive impact. Is it not worth it, to preserve the planet for future generations, so that they might know and understand the simple joy of Nature?

by Sierra

March 25, 2020

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The world is on lockdown – it’s epidemic time. In a few short weeks, the previously dismissable coronavirus has gone from a benign Chinese contagion to a global monolith with grave health and economic implications.

Coronavirus is not the problem, it’s a symptom of the problem. We have a careless attitude towards our planet. Although this Earth is our home, we do not value it for everything it provides us. The reason we are here today with such prosperity and “infinite growth” is because we ravaged our planet. We have got it completely wrong. In this mindless quest to satisfy every desire, we have doomed our own species’ future livelihood.

The Earth cannot sustain the harsh demands of our bloated industrial and technological empire. Our greedy lifestyles have evolved to strip innumerable natural resources from our planet and doom entire ecosystems.

Nothing about our current way of life is natural or sustainable. Merely the fact that there are nearly 8 billion people with economic activity that creates widespread extinction events shows how unreasonable we’ve become. So many of our daily habits are toxic to our home environment.

One should consider our lifestyles in comparison to the rest of the animal kingdom to grasp how absurd we truly are. We are too many revolutions removed from a lifestyle that our ancestors thrived in. It would be simple for someone to defend our current society – to talk about progress, technology, communications illuminating our lives. However, the lives we enjoy in the 21st century came at a steep price that we are still paying.

Even Vancouver, our seaside gem of glass and emerald, suffers from chronic issues that bear healthy consideration. The wealth disparity between the West Hastings penthouses and the street markets of Strathcona is unsettling to say the least. Our neighbours are experiencing debilitating poverty, yet we consider the vulnerable in our population no more than a nuisance. We have rejected the condition and environment of our natural human communities. Cities of 1 to 20 million people are the norm, yet alienating to our natural state.

Simply put, we have overcomplicated our lives. Monks and Buddhists, ascetics and minimalists are seen as extremists, while the lawyers, bankers, and politicians are the everyday-man. We are ignorant and careless regarding the natural world, when in fact it should be our first priority. We do not value the plants and animals, the environment around us when we would be nothing without them.

Technology has bought us time; it has bought us Band-Aid solutions, but one must only peak at the chaos that is unfolding around us in March 2020 to understand that there’s a fundamental issue in the way we operate our lives.

We ought to take stock of our immediate surroundings – to disconnect ourselves from the world economy to build self-reliance. Our global network brought a pandemic, a climate disaster, countless wars, and countless other casualties. We have alienated ourselves from our innate condition and forgot every aspect of what used to anchor us to our ecosystems. How could people be healthy when they’re fed deep-fried battery-cage chicken tenders, greasy fries, “diet” cokes, and carcinogens wrapped up in deli rolls? Our diets in the West are not nutritious. They have nothing to do with their local environments, and rely on society’s love of convenience and speed to barely fuel our busy lives.

Once this virus runs its course, we have to reassess. We ought to seriously consider how we source our food, clothing, raw materials, technology, and household products. The origins of these possessions define our global economic system. We are mutually dependent. This has spelled success for many a businessman and export-oriented economy, yet with a tangible cost that may be too much for us to bear. The shock waves of our irresponsible lifestyles reverberate throughout the world to the tune of COVID-19. This pandemic ought to be the wake-up call we need to live more mindfully, sustainably, and well. Once the social isolation measures are relaxed, we have a tremendous opportunity to source more food locally, support our local economy, and build community resilience. These changes are absolutely possible and beneficial in our ongoing fight against climate change as global health scares radically shake up every societal norm we once took for granted.

by Sierra

October 25, 2019

Health is a powerful weapon. It may not be a violent, conventional weapon, yet it is a tool that can be equipped to maximize human potential. The journey to health is one of self-discovery, empowerment, peace and renewal.

There are many reasons people give for transitioning to a vegetarian or vegan diet. Often they cite a combination of factors, related to the ethics of consuming or harming animals, the environmental degradation associated with animal agriculture, and negative health effects of consuming animal products. Although the final argument is contentious within health circles, with opposing parties all eager to claim they hold the antidote to humanity’s nutritional woes, there are many proven health benefits linked to a vegetarian diet.

In 2018, the Progress in Cardiovascular Disease report showed that a vegetarian diet lowers an individual’s risk of heart disease by an average of 40%. When properly planned, a whole foods plant based diet can stave off some of North America’s greatest health culprits, such as; osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, and heart disease. Animal protein is rich in saturated fat, which can build unhealthy levels of cholesterol within the body and endanger the heart through arterial narrowing. Vegetarians are found to have lower BMIs on average, as plant-forward diets typically feature more nutrient-dense and less calorically dense foods.

Particularly when departing from the Standard American Diet, the journey to a plant-based diet has the potential to completely shift an individual’s relationship with food. This lifestyle is empowering, as it enables vegetarians to mindfully choose each day which foods they will eat. No meal is a given, as it may have been prior to this change. When following the ways of our parents, culture and religion without question, we blindly subscribe to notions of familiarity. Inhabiting this mindset, there is little space for independent thought. Conversely, a plant-based diet involves a conscious shift towards a new way of life. In this daily decision-making, we have no choice but to be mindful. New questions enter our minds, and new solutions are discovered.

Community is a vital component of the health equation. VVS is one example of a healthy, sustainable and compassionate community, but we are only one player in Vancouver’s prolific wellness scene. If it is possible to surround yourself with individuals who share your values, then you are much more likely to follow through with your goals. What better opportunity exists for your path to self-improvement than to be encouraged by like-minded peers? You deserve to be part of a group that supports and reinforces your beliefs, rather than having to fight against the tide of negativity that floods our world today.

It is not a universal phenomenon, but for many, changes in diet can be the first domino to fall in the path of pursuing health changes in all directions. There is power to be enjoyed in the knowledge that you are capable of changing something as fundamental to your existence as the food you consume. If this is possible, why should other lifestyle changes evade you?

Many individuals who have made the switch from omnivorous to plant-focused diets report higher energy levels with an increased desire to exercise. Living in a place as beautiful as British Columbia, there are ample opportunities to explore the natural environment. With your newfound energy and stamina, you will be well-equipped to make the most of the mountains, forests and bountiful bodies of water that endow our province with its spectacular reputation. Fortunately, regular exercise is linked to improved mood, better sleep patterns, lower stress levels, and a slew of physical health benefits.

For those who prioritize health, the benefits need not be limited to individual gains. When we are able to take care of our own needs, we are better able to care for our friends, family and community. We know that we have benefited from positive lifestyle changes, so we can wholeheartedly recommend these pursuits to those we care about. There is no underestimating the power of influence, which is as effective in the online world as it is in business or politics.

Moreover, why should we stop at meeting our own health needs? Empowered by the positive feeling of eating well and exercising, we have the potential to be better stewards of our natural world. Compassion and diligence engineer progress towards a kinder future. If we are not crippled by our own doubts and problems, we can ambitiously tackle the issues facing our world. Individual wellness sparks the opportunity to pursue societal wellness. Let us move consciously in the direction of our dreams, for there is no mountain too steep for human potential.

by Sierra

July 17, 2019

More than the rest of us, athletes must be incredibly careful about what goes into their bodies. They know that the food they eat fuels their physical activity, which must be at a peak level. For the best training results, they know their diet must be optimal. We could all learn a little bit from athletes when it comes to health, even if we aren’t about to run a marathon.

So why might athletes give up meat or other animal products? Don’t they need lots of protein to build muscle and keep their energy levels high? Doctors, researchers, and countless vegetarians around the world would beg to differ. The truth is, it is possible to get all the nutrition your body requires from a carefully planned, plant-based diet. Switching to plants could even make you healthier, while feeling great about your decision that also helps animals and the environment.

The findings are in – humans definitely don’t need to eat flesh to be healthy! The overconsumption of fatty, cholesterol-filled animal products is actually linked to heart disease, atherosclerosis, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. Those conditions would absolutely not be conducive to athletic performance. So it is easy to see why some may look for a better option.

Plant-based diets, with their focus on whole, plant foods, tend to be much lower in fat and have much more fiber than the Standard American Diet (filled with highly processed, fatty animal foods and simple carbohydrates).

Sadly, even those who are at the peak of physical fitness can be at risk for heart disease. One study found that 44% of endurance cyclists suffered from coronary plaque. A great way to combat this buildup is to eat more plants, or leave animal products behind altogether.

Plant-based diets are known to reverse plaque build-up, lower blood pressure and reduce body weight. Because they are low in saturated fat and cholesterol, this diet can improve blood viscosity, helping oxygen travel through the bloodstream more efficiently.

Without being bogged down by heavy, meaty meals, plant-based athletes have more energy at their disposal and have higher endurance levels. Inflammation, which is created through factors ranging from stress to high levels of meat consumption, can be a huge hindrance to athletic success. Studies have recently shown that a healthy-plant based diet can fight this inflammation by alkalizing the body and protecting it against the slew of diseases and discomfort that inflammation is linked to. Anti-inflammatory superfoods that some athletes swear by are turmeric, flax, hemp, dark leafy greens, ginger and blueberries.

Flinging himself far from the fate of plaque buildup and heart disease, Adam Hansen, an endurance cyclist, claims that a “healthy, plant-based diet” helped him shatter the record and finish 20 Grand Tours in a row. He is not alone in aweing at the power of a plant-powered transformation. Record breaking, world-class strongman Patrik Baboumian credits his abnormally long career and natural-built buscles to his clean, vegan diet.

Athletes from every sport are touting the success of their new lifestyles. One of the best female tennis players in the world, Venus Williams follows a vegan diet to manage her auto-immune disease naturally. Rich Roll, famous podcaster and ultraman, used a plant-based diet to overcome his addictions, lose weight, and completely transform his lifestyle. Tia Blanco, World Surfing Champion of 2015, cut out animals from her diet after being horrified by the treatment of animals in Cowspiracy. She now feels more energetic than ever before, and her diet and active life keep her effortlessly lean.

Some will be in denial about the comprehensive benefits of a plant-based diet. They will ask where you get your protein, wonder if your muscles are withering away, and worry you will pass out from lack of chicken. You can breathe easy, run ahead and join the millions of others who are making the healthier and kinder choice – for the animals, the planet, and their own wellbeing.

Save the Planet, Save Ourselves

How Carelessness Created COVID-19

The Power of Healthy Eating

Green Power: How Plants Fuel Today’s Top Athletes