Wed 05/27
Join the Cleveland Animal Rights Alliance (CARA) for a free vegan dinner and presentation with best-selling author Ellen Jaffe Jones on Wed 5/27 at the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library.
Ellen is currently seventh in the 1500 meters (from the National Senior Games in Cleveland) and has placed in 82 5K races on eating a plant-based diet. She has the distinction of having been voted as PETA’s 2014 “Sexiest Vegan Over 50” and was featured as an athlete of the year in the January 2014 issue of Vegan Health and Fitness. She was also “Miss December” in Bad Ass Vegan and was one of several female runners honored by Great Vegan Athletes in 2012. A personal trainer, author of Eat Vegan on $4 A Day, Paleo Vegan and Kitchen Divided-Vegan Recipes for the Semi-Vegan Household, writer of the “Veg Koach” for Kurriosity.com and a monthly columnist at The Running Journal, Ellen has been a vegan for the past 34 years. Her mission in life is help animals (human and otherwise) avoid easily preventable pain and suffering…and to blow up every vegan myth possible.
“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Ellen is excelling so much athletically, being almost 70 years young, and the fact that she follows a healthy plant-based way of eating,” says Jen Kaden, president of Cleveland Animals Right Alliance. “Often people that adopt a healthy plant-based diet find they have increased energy and stamina.”
“This presentation is perfect for anyone interested in eating healthier while keeping their food costs down, those wanting to keep their health care costs down, and really anyone interested in hearing an engaging presentation by a best-selling author who’s an expert on healthy living,” Kaden continues. “We welcome everyone, and especially encourage those who are not vegan to come and try some delicious vegan food. Hopefully they’ll leave with some new ideas for how to eat healthy on a budget,” Jennifer shares.
It’s like Hippocrates said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”. More and more research provides irrefutable evidence that a whole-foods plant-based diet drastically reduces our risk of the top killers in our western culture: cardiovascular disease, stroke, obesity, many cancers and diabetes.
“Protein is such a concern for everyone but what we really should be concerned about is dietary fiber,” says Jen. “Protein deficiency is practically non-existent in the US, but less than 3% of Americans get the minimum recommended intake of fiber. There is absolutely no fiber contained in any animal-based food. It’s exclusively found in plants. As for protein, vegetarians and vegans actually average 70% more protein than they need every day. You literally would need to be be lacking sufficient calories in order to be protein deficient.
“The World Health Organization recommends that we obtain 5% of our calories as protein,” Jen continues. ” Most Americans consume three to four times that amount which is excessive and often leads to many health problems. Our popular understanding of protein needs is seriously flawed.”
Pretty significant studies have found the leading cause of death for both men and women in our country is heart disease. That’s one in every four deaths caused by what has been proven to be a food-based illness. Heart disease is completely preventable and reversible. The good news is that things are slowly changing. Right here at the Cleveland Clinic, a pioneer in the latest heart disease research, Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr. MD. has conducted a comprehensive 20-year study showing that even the most advanced cases of coronary disease can be reversed with a whole foods plant-based diet. This is life-saving information greatly benefiting the general public and is important research for all to explore and make informed choices about their health.
Ellen will have all of her books available for purchase after the presentation and will be signing copies and available to chat with those attending the lecture. Not everyone attending is required to bring food. The intent of the event is to encourage those who are unfamiliar with vegan food to come out and join in the conversation, learn and enjoy. If you’d like to contribute a vegan dish toward the dinner, please send an email to info@clevelandanimalrights.org so they can plan accordingly.
“By far, farmed animals make up the largest number of animals who are suffering and being killed by humans,” says Jen. “It’s close to 10 billion each year in the U.S. alone and that number doesn’t include aquatic animals whose numbers are far greater. Transitioning to a vegan diet is the most impactful action we can take to save lives. These industries are based on supply and demand so as the demand for animal-based foods decreases, fewer animals will be killed, and plant-based foods will continue to be more prevalent.
“Our culture has conditioned us to think of certain animals as being relegated to the status of “food”, but in reality these beings are every bit as sentient as the dogs and cats we share our homes with,” Jen continues. “When we hear about these massive numbers of animals it’s easy to forget these are individuals with distinct personalities and preferences and family bonds. Their lives are the most precious thing to them and it’s really a simple thing to make choices that are merciful and kind. Living vegan extends beyond our food choices but at its core, it’s about living in a nonviolent way that avoids exploitation of others. It’s a conscious way to show up in the world, that respects others and avoids causing unnecessary harm. Just a matter of extending our circle of compassion beyond our own kind and living by the golden rule. The daily choices we make, literally translate into life or death for the animals.”
Cleveland Animal Rights Alliance
Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr. M.D.