10 Phenomenal uses and Health Benefits of Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar

I can remember vividly growing up as a child watching my dad take a tablespoon of vinegar every day to keep his "pressure" down. It smelled disgusting and it damn sure didn't taste good! Yuck! Back then, I was unaware of the health benefits and the many uses it is used for. And trust me--there are A LOT of them! You can get any kind of apple cider vinegar, but I prefer Bragg's. Check out the link here to purchase Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar. Make sure to get the one "with the mother." It is said to be high in acetic acid, and contains strands of proteins, friendly bacteria and enzymes (basically providing more health benefits)! Here are 10 phenomenal uses and health benefits of using apple cider vinegar:

1. Drinking apple cider vinegar daily can regulate your blood pressure. Studies show that apple cider vinegar can lower triglycerides, blood pressure, and cholesterol. This could potentially reduce your risk of developing heart disease. Like I said, my dad took 1 tablespoon per day! Make sure you dilute it with water though (if not, it can potentially affect the enamel on your teeth over time).
2. It can be used as a natural astringent on your face. You can dab diluted apple cider vinegar on a wet washcloth and apply it to your face. Apple cider vinegar has both antiviral and antibacterial properties. Also, applying apple cider vinegar on pimples and cold sores overnight can greatly reduce their appearance.
3. Ladies, it can keep your "cooch" (in other words, the vagina) smelling fresh! 😂 Yep, I said it! One cup of apple cider vinegar in warm bath water gets rid of toxins and bacteria that can cause va-jay-jay odor and also regulates your PH balance and naturally cures bacterial vaginosis. Soak in the tub for 15-20 minutes and you're good to go...I know, right? TMI!😂 Just saying, you don't need to run to the doctor for that!  Drinking a glass of water mixed with one or two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar also helps!
4. It works as a deodorizer. Have a lingering smell in your house? Just cooked fish? Have cat or dog odor? No problem! Just add a cup of vinegar with a bowl of water and just let it sit in the room where the smell is. The apple cider vinegar neutralizes the odor. Your house may smell "vinegar-y" at first, but that scent will quickly go away!
5. You can use apple cider vinegar as an all-purpose cleaner. Yep! Mix one cup of water with a half a cup of apple cider vinegar, and there's your all-natural, all-purpose cleaner. Apple cider vinegar is antibacterial and antiviral, without all the harsh chemicals of some well-known cleaning products.
6. You can make your own homemade vinaigrette dressing. Yep! I've made this several times. All you need is 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons of lime or lemon juice, salt and  pepper, 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar and 1-2 tablespoons of honey (you can also use cane sugar).
7. Apple cider vinegar gets rid of dandruff.  It really does! Just mix 1/4 cup of water and 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar in a spray bottle. After shampooing your hair, spray on your scalp and let sit for about 15-20 minutes (then rinse). Use twice a week for maximum results!
8. Apple cider vinegar regulates blood sugar levels.  There have been several studies that have determined that consuming vinegar was found to lower blood sugar levels and helped significantly improve insulin sensitivity. Try diluting one to two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in 8 ounces of water and on an empty stomach.
9. You can use it as a detoxifier. Apple cider vinegar has antibacterial and antiviral properties. In a glass of warm water, mix 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, and 2 teaspoons of lime or lemon juice! Drink daily before meals. It detoxifies your body and aids in proper digestion.
10. Apple cider vinegar fights bad breath. Apple cider vinegar can be used as a mouth wash! Mix 1/2 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water. Stir this mixture and use it to rinse your mouth. Use daily to rid bad breath!

So as you can see, there are many uses of apple cider vinegar that can be beneficial to your health! Try it and let me know what you think! Well, that's it for me. Treena V. is signing off. Y'all be easy!




-The Vegan World Traveler

"Ice, Ice Baby!" Reykjavik, Iceland--the popular new vacation spot!

When we think of "vacation," most of our minds wander to white sand...aqua blue water...warm, sunny weather. I've been to Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, Costa Rica, Miami, the Dominican Republic...all beautiful places; however, I wanted to go somewhere different. I've always gravitated to the unfamiliar. I had just recently joined a travel group, and I kept seeing pictures of my fellow travel members flying to Iceland....Iceland?? But the pictures looked so dope, so I was very curious. My friend Sherra said, "You want to go?" "F-k it....why not?" But--due to unforeseen circumstances, Sherra couldn't go...shit!! Now what?? I wasn't going to no damn Iceland by myself! 😂😂 I hadn't gotten enough courage to do that yet! So my friend Stephanie (Step) said she would meet me there. We were going to Reykjavik, Iceland!


The flight
I flew out of Baltimore, Maryland on WOW airlines. WOW was....OKAY. I paid fees for baggage, there was no internet service in-flight, and they didn't provide complimentary snacks or drinks. I was bored on my 5 1/2 hour flight to Reykjavik with those uncomfortable, cloth ass seats!!😂😂 I did purchase my flight for under $600 bucks though...so not too bad!

Downtown Reykjavik

Downtown Reykjavik, Iceland

Reykjavik, Iceland

Reykjavik, Iceland

So we took a shuttle bus from the airport to downtown Reykjavik, which was about a 45-minute ride each way (if I remember correctly). It was approximately $23USD each way. (Side note: It's better to take a shuttle to and from the airport. Taxis are about $200USD round trip)! When we got to town, I was SURPRISED!  There is actually civilization there! LOL. Before I arrived, I was thinking I was going to see a lot of ice, frozen bodies of water, and not a lot of people! Seriously, Reykjavik is way bigger than I anticipated. It is the largest city in Iceland. It is very clean, and supposedly one of the cleanest, greenest, and safest cities in the world.


The first day, we stayed in the city of Reykjavik at the Hilton. Check out pictures here. It was nice and clean! We rented a car to drive countryside (in my opinion, it's much cheaper to rent a car than to take taxis everywhere).  It's easy to drive around in Reykjavik--every sign is in English and also in Icelandic (their native language).


Wildlife and Black Beaches
The Icelandic dog, the Icelandic horse, cattle, reindeer and Icelandic sheep are prevalent in Iceland...and driving countryside is beautiful! We drove by greenery, mountains, glaciers and churches built in odd places....one was sitting on the tip top of a mountain! LOL. We drove two hours from Reykjavik to Reynisfjara Beach. It was the first black sand beach that I've ever been to! And it was absolutely gorgeous. We went in May and it still was cold as shit! LOL. NOTE: You can NOT swim at this beach. There are no lifeguards and the water is freezing cold. There have been a few unfortunate deaths at this particular beach because tourists got too close to the water and the current took them under. Still feeling froggy?? Check out the link here! So stay your ass out of the water! LOL...BUT--pretty, nonetheless...and I admired...from a distance!

Me at Renisfjara Beach, Vik, Iceland

Renisfjara Restaurant, Vik, Iceland

Renisfjara Beach, Vik, Iceland

The Blue Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon was the main reason why I wanted to go to Iceland. Honestly, I saw a picture of Bey and Jay posted up in this hot spring. I was like, "Where are they? That looks HOT!" LOL. Aside from the fact that my travel members had gone and had a good time, I was anxious to go! So, we went. If I could do it over again, I would have gone to the Blue Lagoon first. It's only a couple of miles from Keflavik International Airport, so we had to travel 45 minutes from downtown Reykjavik back to the Blue Lagoon.

We Made It!
The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa that was formed in 1976. It's basically a hot spring surrounded by volcanoes and mountains. The water was about 100 degrees Fahrenheit, although outside the water, the temperature was about 30 degrees....yikes! LOL. So, as long as you stayed in the water, you were comfortable! While in the water, we swam up to a "bar" and got facials (mineral masks)...pretty cool! Wait--"swam" is not the appropriate word...the water was only about 4 feet high....you could literally stand up or sit down in the water and be fine! And we had our own private room. They offered our own private showers (you are required to take a shower before entering the water...kinda glad about that!), our own coffee, pastries and chocolate (my pre-vegan days, LOL!), and a fireplace. I think we paid an additional $200 for the private entrance, and we could use it all day until the spa closed. It was toasty in there too....dope!

The Blue Lagoon

There was also a fine-dining restaurant on-site at the Blue Lagoon. They had steak, lamb, filet mignon, and quite a few other entrees on the menu. We toasted to free champagne (I love "free" LOL), and people-watched from inside the restaurant. We stayed at the Blue Lagoon for about 5 or 6 hours before we headed back to Reykjavik. Check out the Blue Lagoon here.


Gulfoss Waterfall
Simply amazing....and colder than a MF'er!!! HA!! Word of advice: Bring your gloves, the thickest ones you have! And ear muffs!!The temperature around the Gulfoss Waterfall was so cold, it burned my hands! Very beautiful though. For more information, click here:


Me at the Gulfoss Waterfall....cold AF!! LOL

Northern Lights
We missed the Northern Lights...I was so disappointed! Like I said, we went in May, and I think the best time to go to see the Northern Lights is between the months of September and April. And there's still no guarantee you will see them; however, your chances are a lot higher if you go during those times! And get this y'all, the sun doesn't go down until like 11:00pm at night! And even then, it's still lighter than normal nightfall!

Reykjavik, Iceland at 11pm at night!!

Overall
Overall, I had a great time in Iceland. It definitely killed a lot of misconceptions of how it would look or how it would be once we arrived. We only stayed 4 days and 3 nights...and honestly (to me), that's all you need to see everything you want to see (unless you want to see glaciers, hike, and all that other outdoor stuff, which I'm NOT into). 😂😂 I'm glad I had the experience to go though, most definitely! Welp, that's it for me. Treena V. is signing off .Y'all be easy!


-The Vegan World Traveler

Treena was here! :-)

Treena's Beefless Spaghetti...the recipe!

I had a friend stop by my house while I was cooking spaghetti...she said, "Hmmm, whatcha cooking? It smells like spaghetti!" I said, "It is spaghetti. It's almost done....do you want a plate?" "Oh nah...I don't want none of that vegan stuff you be eating." 😂😂 Why it gotta be like that?? Suit yourself. I was planning to eat the whole pot all by myself anyway! LOL. In college, that was one of my favorite meals to eat (I had graduated from the flavored ramen noodles), and if you cooked enough of it, it could last you for 2 or 3 days! Side note: I ain't knockin' those ramen noodles though....I was the model, broke USC college student and that's what got me through hard times!😂

What you need:

Like I said, whenever possible, I only use organic, non-GMO or all-natural products. (I know I can't avoid all chemicals/pesticides that we eat, but I at least try).  You don't have to though:

1/2 bell pepper

1/2 carton of portobello or white mushrooms

1/2 small white onion

3 tbsp. of sesame, grapeseed, or avocado oil (plant-based oil)

1 box of whole wheat angel hair pasta

1 bottle of marinara sauce (I use the portobello mushroom pasta sauce)

1 pack of Beyond Meat beefless crumbles (they're vegan, non-GMO, soy-free, and no cholesterol!)

Spices:

Let me reiterate, I typically don't measure my food or spices when I cook. 😂 I measure with my eyes, and I season to taste! LOL. Here are the spices I use for my spaghetti:

Pink Himalayan sea salt

Cayenne Pepper

Black Pepper

Oregano

The veggies:

Diced white mushroom, white onions, and bell peppers

1. Dice up the white or portobello mushrooms, bell peppers, and onions
2. In a small frying pan, heat 1 tbsp. of oil (medium heat), then add veggies (I season the veggies with Himalayan salt, black pepper, oregano, and cayenne pepper once I add them in the heated oil)
3. Stir fry the veggies for about 5-7 minutes
4. Set veggies aside (for now)

The Noodles:

1. Boil 4 quarts of water in a sauce pan
2. Add the noodles and 1 tbsp of oil, stirring gently until water boils again
3. Cook noodles for 7-8 minutes
4. Drain and rinse with cold water in a spaghetti strainer.

The Beefless Crumbles:

1. Heat oil in a cast iron skillet (or regular frying pan) on medium heat
2. Add the beefless crumbles
3. Stir the beefless crumbles consistently for about 5-6 minutes (I season the crumbles once I add them in the pan.)
4. Add the onions, bell peppers, and mushroom...stir for 1 minute
5. Turn heat on low and add the marinara sauce
6. Cover and let simmer for 8-10 minutes
7. In a large pot, mix the noodles along with the marinara sauce, veggies, and beefless crumbles--and enjoy!

Beefless crumbs and veggies (cooked)

Marinara sauce, beefless crumbs, and veggies

Voila! The finished product!

Ohhhh-You know the friend that came by my house that day while I was cooking this spaghetti?? Yeah, her.  She ate two plates of it!😂😂 Enough said! Well that's it for me. Check you later! Please leave a comment and let me know what you think! Thanks!

-The Vegan World Traveler



Suarez Bakery's Vegan Treats--knocking down misconceptions with every bite!

Suarez Bakery's Vegan Original Glazed Doughnuts

I'm currently assigned to a project for work in Indian Land, SC. It's about 20 miles outside of Charlotte. Cute little town--not many vegan options. Let me rephrase that...hardly any. I'm the only vegan on my team, and I typically get made fun of from time to time. I recently went with my team to lunch. Where did they want to go?? Jim and Nick's Barbecue. What the ?? LOL! No worries...I watched them devour their brisket sandwiches and cheese biscuits while I ate my garden salad with no meat and cheese, with balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Meh...Such is life...


Fast forward to last Thursday...it's our "Friday" and we were wrapping up the week to travel back home. Our manager was generous enough to bring in two dozen doughnuts as a token of his appreciation. Krispy Kreme doughnuts!! Are you kidding me?? As the whole team patiently waited in a line to gobble down buttery, warm, original glazed doughnuts (YES- the hot light was on!), I didn't flinch. "You're not gonna get one, Treena??" they said..."Come on y'all, you know I can't eat those!" My manager tried to encourage me to "eat just one," and "one wouldn't hurt ya!" But nah..."I'm good." They literally rubbed it in my face, y'all!! But I got the last laugh though! LOL!


Before we left on Thursday, I told the team, "I'm going to bring y'all some vegan doughnuts on Monday, so I can shut you guys up!" My co-worker Carl frowned, giving me the "Eeeww!" look. I told them that they won't be frowning once they taste these doughnuts!!




Suarez Bakery's vegan glazed doughnuts and vegan donut holes!

Monday-the Moment of Truth
Monday is a travel day, so most of my co-workers stroll in at various times (depending on what state they're traveling from). I bought a dozen original glazed doughnuts and a dozen doughnut holes from Suarez Bakery! Their vegan pastries are DELISH!!! I walk in, and there's Katina, Devin, and Derrick. "Look y'all! As promised, I brought some vegan doughnuts for you to try!" But they wanted to wait until they got back from lunch. Fair enough. But--Katina decided she wanted to "stick her toe in the water" and try the doughnut hole first.
"Hmmmm, hmmmp!!" "This is GOOD, guys!"
"Mmmm-hmmm...told ya!" HA!
An hour goes by and my other co-workers are strolling in from lunch and line up to get their doughnut...correction--doughnut(sssss)! HA!

Suarez Bakery's vegan cinnamon twist

Tell the truth and shame the devil!
Maaaaan, I just have one word to describe the fate of those vegan doughnuts.  DEAD. ASSASSINATED. SLAUGHTERED. My co-workers ate the hell out of those doughnuts! Devin and Derrick came back for seconds, thirds, and so on! LOL. My greatest victory was taking a picture of the non-vegan that talked the most trash about vegan food--Carl! He was gobbling down his second doughnut, raving about how delicious it was and how "it tastes like a 'real' doughnut!" Well, it IS a real doughnut, Sir!  Hey Carl--I told you I'd put you on blast! **evil laugh**

Carl, the non-vegan devouring a vegan glazed doughnut!

"Don't believe the hype"- Flavor Flav
 There are so many misconceptions on vegan food and desserts--how we only eat "rabbit food," how the food is not tasty. To the contrary, we enjoy delicious food just like everyone else!! If you're ever in Charlotte, NC, swing by Suarez Bakery to try their vegan sweets!! Their banana bread, original glazed doughnuts, doughnut holes, apple fritters, cinnamon twists, and pretzel twists are all vegan! I promise you, you won't be disappointed!! Check out their menu here for tasty pastries! I think I proved my point today. Don't knock anything until you try it!  Well, that's all for now.  Y'all be easy! Have a "doughpe" day!

Treena V., The Vegan World Traveler

"Migos" Vegan Chik'n Stir Fry with Brown Rice (Recipe)

"Pockets Blue Cheese, I'm in that Kitchen"- Migos
Alright, alright, alriiiight (**Kevin Hart voice**)! 😂 A lot of people that are trying to go vegan (or trying to eat more plant-based meals) have been asking me, "What do I eat?" "What do I cook?" etc., etc...Contrary to popular belief, vegans don't eat "rabbit food" all the time! Where do people get their information from? HA! I throw down on some food, and it ain't always veggies! So I wanted to share a signature, "Migos-inspired" vegan dish that is quick, filling, and most importantly, TASTY. Oh yeah, I've attached their song for your entertainment! 😂 (I do not own rights to this music)!


The Recipe
Look here, now--where I'm from, we don't do no measuring! I measure with my eyes!😂😂😂 But I tried to come up with a reasonable serving amount for you to cook this dish. Tweak it how you want to, now! LOL.  Typically, I only buy organic, non-GMO, or all-natural food products (but you don't have to).  Here's what you need:


1 cup of uncooked brown rice
1 large bell pepper (diced)
2 tbsp. of grapeseed, avocado, or sesame oil (you can use any kind of oil, I use plant-based oil)
1 pound of asparagus (diced)
1/2 of a small onion (thinly sliced)
Half a bag of soy-free Quorn Vegan Chik'n tenders
1 1/2 cup of white or Portobello mushrooms

The following are the spices I use for this dish. Season to your liking (don't follow me up, I'm heavy on the spices)!
Pink Himalayan Sea Salt (or regular sea salt). You can purchase the one I use here:
Oregano
Basil
Thyme
Cayenne Pepper
Black Pepper

"In the kitchen, wrist twistin' like it's stir fry..."- Migos

The Rice...

1. In a medium sauce pan, add 2 cups of water and one cup of uncooked brown rice. Bring to a boil.
2. Cover and cook on low for 45 minutes (some brands of brown rice make take long/shorter. I suggest you look on the back of the bag for cooking instructions).

The Veggies and Chik'n

1. Heat oil in a large skillet (I use a cast iron skillet or copper frying pan) over medium heat. Add the onion, asparagus, diced bell pepper, chik'n, and mushrooms.
2. Stir consistently for about 5 minutes (During this time, I season the veggies/chik'n to taste once I add them in the skillet)
3. Cover and cook on low for an additional 8-10 minutes (this will make a little broth).
4. Serve over brown rice and enjoy!!

Side Note: If you want to add sauce (i.e., teriyaki, sweet and sour sauce, etc.), you can by adding the sauce, then stir-fry for one additional minute. I usually don't add sauce though!  And voila!!! Total cooking time is under an hour. The mushrooms and the chik'n have a meaty texture, so this is a good "transition" dish. Let me know what you think! Leave a comment below! Well, that's for me...Treena V is signing off. I'll holla!


-The Vegan World Traveler





Havana, Cuba--the city you don't want to sleep on...

"Havana, ooh na-na (ay)"
About 10 years ago, I was working for a large financial institution in Charlotte, NC, in the compliance department. One of my job responsibilities was to monitor debit card activity (related to Office of Foreign Assets and Control, or "OFAC") if the customer flew to a sanctioned country. I remember monitoring this one particular customer's debit card activity who flew to Havana, Cuba. Back then, if a person flew to Cuba, their debit card/credit card would be blocked until they came back! For various reasons, of course...and one of them was trade restrictions between the U.S. and Cuba.  I always said if I ever got the opportunity to travel there legally, I was going!

Overlooking Havana, Cuba

Chillin' in a rented condo, downtown Havana

Cuba, what's good?!
For the last year or so, I kept hearing that there were restrictions on traveling to Cuba...that you couldn't go. Some of the craziest things people have told me are "Nah-uh, I wouldn't go to Cuba....they might not let you back in (the States)!" or "It's too much going on right now, you should stay your ass in the States!" HA! First of all, I'm going to do just the opposite! LOL. There are ways to go to Cuba, you just have to do your due diligence. There are twelve travel authorizations you can choose from when flying to Cuba. One of them is "Support for the Cuban people." You can do that by supporting their restaurants, going on a tour, staying in the natives' homes (i.e., renting out a condo through Airbnb, etc). That is the category I chose when I booked my flight. And if you go, make sure you keep a documented itinerary just in case U.S. Customs start to interrogate you (which they probably won't)! Click here to view the frequently asked questions on traveling to Cuba and pay particular attention to number 5 on the list! Also, you have to purchase a Visa prior to arriving in Cuba. You can either purchase it at the airport, or at the time you purchase your ticket (depending on the airline you're flying with). The cost was $100...not too bad.


Money, Money, Money!
If you want to exchange currency prior to arriving in Cuba, you have to exchange it to Euros first, then exchange currency from Euros to CUCs (Cuban money). The United States doesn't take their money! AND-- Cuba doesn't accept debit cards/credit cards...you MUST have cash. You better bring enough! Ain't no Western Unions down there! (HA!). Also, when you get ready to travel back home, make sure you spend ALL the Cuban money you have, or exchange it back to Euros before you leave Cuba (then you can exchange Euros back to U.S. dollars once you get back to the States). If you don't, you're stuck with the money until you go back!




We ain't makin' no noise...just chillin' in the hood in Havana:)

Touchdown in Cuba

Taking a taxi ride back to our condo in downtown Havana. Excuse the hair! HA!

When we touched down in Cuba, it looked exactly how it looked in the magazines and on TV! The one thing I was fascinated with was the old cars! They drive those "1950's" cars-- pink, aqua blue, and white in color! We actually rode in a convertible taxi back to our condo in one of them...pretty cool! From what I've seen, there's not a lot of gentrification in Cuba...yet.
The buildings are run down and a lot are abandoned, but the city has an overabundance of culture and authenticity! It is very safe in Havana--the crime rate is extremely low. We felt safe walking the streets at night, and the Cuban people were very friendly and welcoming.

Get your grub on!!

We went to this restaurant called Atelier. It was highly recommended and Michelle Obama had visited there during her stay in Cuba. The food was delish...and cheap!! Of course, I'm vegan, so I only had steamed veggies and rice...oh yeah, and a Margarita too! BUT- nonetheless, very good! I was surprised that the restaurants down there had a lot of vegetarian options on the menu! Bring A LOT of snacks though...you must bring snacks...if you don't eat after 8pm, you're shit outta luck! HA!! I couldn't find a bag of potato chips the entire time I was there! Lol

Atelier Restaurant, Havana Cuba

Our tour guide, Adriana, explaining each authentic Cuban dish we were about to grub on!

Our tour guide, Adriana, speaking on Afro Cuban music and culture

Afro Cuban girl dancing

Internet Access
I have Verizon Wireless, and they didn't have an international plan via cell phone service for Cuba. So if you use your phone, your bill will be high!  And wifi is scarce, my G! You have to purchase "wifi cards" for 1 CUC (their money) and walk to a nearby café to use the card. That's if they offer wifi at that particular establishment. Your best bet is to go to a nearby hotel to use the internet. Most of the hotels have a wifi network. But you still need to purchase a wifi card to do that!



Off guard pic, walking through the streets of Havana...

Cuban Cigars on Deck
Yes! We went to the market to shop for oil paintings, souvenirs, and of course, Cuban cigars! There were so many brands to choose from, but I purchased the Cohibas'! If you ain't going to Cuba anytime soon, you can purchase those Cohiba cigars here.

Cohiba Cuban Cigars

Global Entry should be your new Bestie

If you travel internationally often like I do, I'd strongly suggest signing up for Global Entry! It includes TSA pre-check and is good for 5 years. That means when you go through security check at the airport, you go through an expedited line (TSA pre-check), you don't have to take your shoes off, you don't have to take your laptop out of your bag, none of that "aggy" shit!😂 And when you come back into the country (Global Entry), you scan your passport, answer a few questions, and go through another expedited line through U.S. Customs! My first port of entry coming back from Cuba was Miami, and folks who did not have Global Entry had to stay in the U.S. Customs line for over an hour. I went straight through!  It took me all of 5 minutes. It costs $100 to get and TRUST ME, it's well worth it...Sign up for Global Entry here.


Like I said, the media hypes up the negative things about Cuba. I say go see for yourself! There's a lot of cool things I didn't get a chance to talk about in this post. So, if you have any questions, shoot me an email at theveganworldtraveler@gmail.com. I will try to get an answer for ya! Well, that's Treena V. signin' off! Y'all be easy! I'll holla!


-The Vegan World Traveler

Team #NoMeat: My journey to becoming Vegan

My Road to Becoming Vegan...
I grew up eating meat every single day, with every meal (and I do mean EV-ER-Y). I'm talking hog maws, turkey necks, neck bones, ham hocks, liver pudding, fried chicken, pig feet...the list goes on. If you're grossed out, that's too bad...I grew up in South Carolina and we got down like that, ya dig! HA! Honestly, I can still smell the aroma flowing through the whole house when we came home from school or on Sundays after church.  My mama threw down in the kitchen!

Ham Hock and collard greens

When I was in my early 20's, I ate a hamburger at least 5 days a week! A cold Meatlover's pizza from Pizza Hut in the mornings with a Mountain Dew for breakfast! Looking back though, my stomach would hurt ALL THE DAMN TIME! I'm not kidding....and I used to wake up in the middle of the night, and my stomach would be vibrating...."da'hell is that??" And I wasn't hungry y'all....used to freak me out, but I'd dismiss it and go back to sleep. My doctor tried to diagnose me with "Irritable Bowel Syndrome"...yeah, ok!  HA! Now I know that it was parasites loungin' in my stomach! From eating red meat. Fast forward to 2012, I decided to give up red meat and pork for good. At first I thought I was gonna die...but after a month or so, my stomach stopped hurting completely....I thought "Hmmm, I might be on to something here..." 




Ditch the "Bird"
January 2015...I was in Jamaica, Queens New York visiting my cousin that I used to live with and I wanted some Popeye's chicken. So I went to my favorite spot on Guy R Brewer and got me a two-piece leg and breast, fries, and that blazin' ass biscuit!! It was soooo good...at first...but I noticed the chicken leg was super big...bigger than normal...and there was this black stuff coming out of the chicken that grossed me out. Something in my head said, "Treena...you need to stop eating chicken, too..." so I did. From that moment on, I stopped eating the bird.

My "Fall back" game is not that strong...
Maaaan.....March 2015 (HA!).....I'm driving to Augusta, GA and on the way, I stopped in "the Rock" (Rock Hill, SC) to get gas. I hopped out of my car and what do I smell? Popeye's.....it was smelling so good, I HAD to get me some. So I did....dammit I relapsed!  The bird and I had officially rekindled our relationship for another year and a half!


Truth or Dare
August 2016...I was preparing for my birthday party in November. It was a crazy time! I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off. I knew I wanted to look fabulous for my party, but my diet and exercise routine were horrible at the time. A friend of mine suggested I go vegan for 30 days...whaaaaa? No meat? For 30 days??? "I bet you can't go a week without meat!" is what they said...shittin' me! "You can do this, Treena." So I started following Dr. Sebi's nutritional guide and the alkaline diet. (You can go to Dr. Sebi's nutritional guide here). I started drinking a gallon of water per day. By the third day, I thought I was going to DIE!! (HA). BUT--I started feeling better. My skin was so clear and smooth...I started losing weight...my stuffy nose cleared up. My migraine headaches suddenly went away. So I kept going, and never looked back.


Trader Joe's veggie burger

"I realize that I just don't love you...not like I used to" -John Legend
Some say, "You never miss a good thing until it's gone." Well, this is my exception to the rule. I can actually sit around my friends and family and watch them devour barbecue smothered ribs, fried chicken, shrimp, lamb...and not flinch. Although I do still enjoy the smell of meat, and sometimes smile when I think of my past love affair with Popeye's, it's not enough for me to pull-up at the drive-thru to order a two-piece.  I'm good.  Baby listen--you want to give up meat?? You can do it. I went from eating meat at least three times a day, to none at all. Last I checked, my blood pressure was 118/78. A normal range for cholesterol is 100-200...mine was 123. That's my motivation! But going vegan was not a fly-by-night thing or a cold turkey situation. And it's not for everyone....but it was just enough for me. Stay tuned for tips, alternative foods, and suggestions on helping you transition over to becoming vegan (IF that's what you want to do, of course)!

Well, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it. Y'all be easy! Hasta la vista, baby!


- The Vegan World Traveler