How to Keep That Blood Pressure in Check...the Natural Way!

Peep the scene.....it's 2011, and I'm flying cross-country every week to Pasadena, California for work. I had just moved back down south from New York City, and I was ready to embark on my new role working for a Big 4 Consulting Firm. At first, it was the dream job. I was like, "Shiiidd, I'm traveling to Cali, EVERY week! I'm getting these hotel points, sky miles, seeing the world, etc. And for a while, it felt  like that. But after about a month of the same routine, my body suffered from jet lag, the 60-hour work weeks, the red wine and margaritas every night with my co-workers after work, and the fine dining meals. It came crashing down on me, but I kept going.

I can remember one Thursday afternoon being on-site with our client, and packing up my things to head to LAX airport and then to Charlotte. I felt sick as a dog!! I was lightheaded, and I had a migraine headache that I couldn't get rid of. Because I was cross-country, most of my flights back home were red-eyes. So, while sitting in the airport all of those hours, I popped about 4 200mg pills of Advil to make the headache go away. It went away....for a while. When I got home the next day, my headache came back....so did the dizziness. I was on the phone with my dad, and he said, "Check your blood pressure." "For what?" I said. "I'm tall and skinny. I don't have those problems!" 😂 But he stayed on me about checking. I went to CVS Pharmacy to buy a blood pressure monitor....I thought that was silly and a waste of money. Until I saw them numbers!! 😨😨 My reading at the time was 152/100. I remember it like it was yesterday! I checked it again the next day, it was a similar reading (high 140s/low 100s). I freaked out! How could this happen to me?? The "normal" blood pressure reading for most people is 120/80. I've always been relatively slim for most of my life....this kinda shit doesn't happen to skinny people!

I made an appointment with the doctor, and he told me that if I couldn't get my blood pressure down, he would put me on medication. I was in my early 30's at the time, and I wasn't having that! Plus I'm bad about taking medicine....be done f'kd around and 3 days go by, and I'm like, "Oh shit, I forgot to take my BP meds!" 😂 I convinced him to give me a chance to get it down on my own by making adjustments to my diet and exercising. He agreed to let me do that. And here's what I did to put my blood pressure in check:

1. I ditched the pig and the cow. Yep! I cold turkey cut out red meat and pork. This is the girl who ate a beef burger every day in her 20's, and would die for some bacon. Yep, I had to let that thang go!
2. I ditched the job. Sure did!! Not right away though. Working the long 60-70 hour weeks and being sleep deprived was not sustainable in the long term. I managed to last for 3 years at that consulting firm. I'm surprised I didn't drop dead with all the stress I was under! 😫😂 I managed to find a less stressful job that I still work for to this day.
3. I incorporated more exercise.  I literally made myself work out at least 30 minutes a day! Particularly cardio.
4. Nutribullet became my best friend! Y'all remember when the Nutribullets became popular? Oh yeah, I was the poster child for those things. Initially, I substituted one meal a day for a tall smoothie. Not only did my blood pressure drop, I lost like 10 pounds and I became way more regular.

Some other things you can do to keep your blood pressure in check!

• Get your rest!! You'd be surprised how getting the proper amount of sleep (ideally 8 hours) can help regulate your blood pressure.
• Drink more water! I shoot for a gallon a day, but you can work your way up to that. Drinking more water prevents dehydration and helps to maintain normal blood pressure levels. When you're dehydrated, it causes you to retain more sodium, which can lead to high blood pressure.
• Add Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar to your daily routine! Just a tablespoon a day mixed with a glass of water can help maintain your blood pressure levels.
• Chill out with that Salt! Most of us grew up on Morton's salt, but Himalayan pink salt or regular sea salt is much better for you. It has less sodium in it than regular salt, and it is all-natural. Click here to check out a good brand of Himalayan pink salt that I swear by when I'm cooking!
• Go Vegan or Vegetarian- In 2016, I decided to give up chicken, turkey, fish, and dairy and went vegan. It was a drastic change, but my blood pressure and cholesterol levels are now excellent for the most part.

Have any other suggestions or tips on how to lower your blood pressure? Hit me up in the comments. I welcome any other tips that I have not mentioned here. Welp, that's it for me. Treena V. is signing off. Stay healthy, my friends! I love us for real!

-The Vegan World Traveler

Vegan Dish of the Week: Roasted Asparagus w/Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Vegan Sausage with Peppers!

What's up, what's up, y'all! I promised that I would post more vegan dishes on the blog to give you guys who are transitioning to vegan (or just want to eat more plant-based meals) more ideas as to what in the world to eat besides salads! LOL. A friend of mine sent this dish over to me and it looked so yummy, I decided to post it on my blog this week and provide a general recipe ('cause remember, we don't do no measuring!😂😂).

What you will need:

1. Asparagus (Duhh)😂
2. 3 or 4 Potatoes
3. Vegan Sausage (Any flavor will do. I typically get the Field Roast Grain Sausage. They have them in Publix! Click here to see what they look like or to purchase a case!
4. 2 Red peppers or Green Bell peppers
5. Himalayan Pink Salt (If you ain't got that, get you some! It has minerals in it that your body needs, also has iron in it, and it is much healthier than Morton's salt!)
6. Black Pepper
7. Garlic
8. Smart Balance Vegan Butter (make sure it says "Vegan" on the front!)
9. Grapeseed oil
10. Any other seasonings you like to season your food with!

Here we go:

The Potatoes

1. Peel the potatoes with a knife until all of the skin is off. In a saucepan, add about 4 or 5 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes with a pinch of the Himalayan pink salt. Boil potatoes for 20 minutes or until soft (if you stick a fork into the potato and it goes all the way through with no problem, they should be ready!)
2. Once the potatoes are done, drain the water, but leave a little bit of water in the saucepan (this keeps the boiled potatoes from drying out)
3. Whip the potatoes with a large spoon until potatoes are mashed and smooth
4. Add salt, pepper, garlic, and 2 tablespoons of the Smart Balance Vegan Butter

The Asparagus

1. In a baking pan, coat the pan with 1 tablespoon of grapeseed oil. (please y'all, leave aluminum  pans alone!! Consistent exposure to aluminum every day causes long term health problems, including dementia, Alzheimer's and cancer. Use glassware, cast iron or stainless steel)! Sorry for my rant! 😂😂
2. Add the asparagus and season to your liking
3. Turn the stove on "roast" and cook for 20 minutes

The Vegan Sausage and Peppers

1. Slice up 2 or 3 sausage links evenly into pieces. Dice up the red or green peppers.
2. In a frying pan, add 1 tablespoon of grapeseed oil on medium heat (remember, olive oil is not ideal for cooking or frying. Actually, cooking olive oil at high temperatures is toxic to the body.  Just use grapeseed oil, sesame oil, or avocado oil).
3. Sautee' the sliced vegan sausage and peppers for 5-10 minutes.
4. Season to your liking!

And that's pretty much it!! It may take 30 minutes or less to cook this simple vegan meal! If you have a tasty vegan dish that you have prepared, and would like to show off your skills, send it over to me via Facebook or via email (theveganworldtraveler@gmail.com). I will feature your dish on my blog. Don't be scurrrrred!!😂😂 This is helpful experience for all vegans and to those who are transitioning. Give us some ideas!! 

Welp, that's it for me. Treena V. is signing off. Stay healthy, my friends! I  love us for real!

-The Vegan World Traveler

The Impossible Burger--Tastes so Good, I Can't Believe It's Not Meat!!

So check it-- I was home, chillaxin' on a Saturday, and I hadn't eaten all day. And lately, I've been killin' vegan processed food!  I don't know why, but the last few weeks I have. I need to do better. Anywho--I was trying to find a place in town (Charlotte, NC) where I could grab food. I had heard that Duckworth's Grill and Taphouse had a new burger on their menu with a vegan option. It was called "the Impossible Burger." Uh-huh...okay. Initially, I wasn't impressed because I have been vegan for quite some time now (next month will be two years), and I've had some really good vegan burgers. But I wanted something different, so I figured I'd give it a shot.

The Impossible Burger...What's In It?
The good news? The Impossible Burger has a lot of vitamins in it: Vitamin E, Vitamin C, Thiamin (Vitamin B1), Zinc, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Vitamin B12. The bad news? It has soy in it. There are different opinions out there on the world wide web about soy or soybeans. In my opinion, soy is not good for you, but there have been claims that it is.  Other ingredients are: Water, Textured Wheat Protein, Coconut Oil, Potato Protein, Natural Flavors, 2% or less of: Leghemoglobin (Soy), Yeast Extract, Salt, Konjac Gum, Xanthan Gum, Soy Protein Isolate. Check out more information about the Impossible Burger here.

The Taste...
So I ordered the Impossible Burger, no mayo (the mayo is vegetarian), with lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickle (it didn't come with cheese). I also ordered the french fries. It was smelling so good, but I decided to wait until I got home to eat it. Baaaaaaybeeeee!!!😂 I got home...and I tasted that burger!! I had to keep looking at the burger....did they give me the wrong damn burger??? I kept looking at the receipt, because surely, I was eating meat!!! Yes! It tasted JUST like meat. I couldn't believe it! Now, I've had some vegan burgers that tasted a lot like meat, but not like this! Yeah, I know I said I don't believe that soy is good for you, but all that shit went out the window when I was eating that! It had the texture and the seasoning of a beef burger! Hey, love me with my all of my flaws! 😂😂😃 I know me...and I know that I will be killing that about 2 or 3 more times within the next week!! LOL

Where Can You Get The Impossible Burger?
The Impossible Burger was created in California, so it's slowly starting to pop up in restaurants across the U.S. If you live in Charlotte, NC or surrounding areas, you can go to Duckworth's Grill and Taphouse and enjoy it! Also, you can find the Impossible Burger at the Umami Burger restaurant in Anaheim, Los Angeles, and Cosa Mesa CA. The Impossible Burger is also available at Hopdoddy Burger Bar in Austin, Dallas, and Houston TX. Check back on this link to get updates as to when this burger will be available near you! The way this burger tastes though, it won't be long! HA!

Welp, that's it for me. I HAD to blog about my new favorite burger right quick. Shout out to Duckworth's Grill and Taphouse---y'all are the real MVPs! 😂😂 Y'all go check them out if you're in Charlotte, NC. Stay healthy my friends! I love us for real!

-The Vegan World Traveler

Oil Pulling- 20 minutes a day to whiter teeth and a healthier body!

When I was in my twenties, I made it my business to bleach/whiten my teeth every six months. I had my braces taken off, and I wanted to have that pearly white smile! The Crest Whitening strips were my fave! But after a couple of years of consistently using the strips, my teeth would be super sensitive! And after doing some research, I found that whitening your teeth eventually wears down the enamel. I was trying to find a healthier, more natural way to whiten my teeth, and I stumbled upon oil pulling. Oil pulling? Yep! And I've been hooked ever since!

Oil Pulling?? What's That?
Oil pulling is when you take a tablespoon of oil (typically coconut oil, sesame oil, or olive oil) and swish it around your mouth for 20 minutes. You heard right--20 whole minutes!  This method has been used primarily in Ayurvedic (Indian) medicine, and has been around for thousands of years. It is said to greatly improve your oral health--amongst other things! I personally can attest to the health benefits! Check out some of the health benefits of oil pulling when doing it on a consistent basis:

Oil Pulling Benefits

1. Oil Pulling reduces the amount of harmful bacteria in your mouth.  There are hundreds of different types of bacteria in your mouth. The bacteria build-up creates a film on your teeth that we know as "plaque." Plaque causes bad breath, inflammation of the gums, gingivitis, and cavities. Basically, the "yuck mouth!" 😂 When you oil pull consistently on a day-to-day basis, that can "dead" all of that and even reverse the effects of gingivitis!
2. Oil Pulling Naturally Whitens Your Teeth Over Time. Now, I can attest to this! When I oil pulled consistently for 2-3 weeks straight, I noticed a huge difference in how white my teeth were! And it doesn't affect the enamel on your teeth like bleaching agents do in dentist offices or with whitening strips.
3. Oil Pulling Detoxifies the Body. Research has shown that the antibacterial and antifungal properties of coconut oil and sesame oil effectively removes toxins from the mouth that can cause inflammation, infection and disease. I don't know about y'all, but I have several mercury fillings in my mouth from eating too much candy as a kid. Studies have shown that the fillings (including root canals and other dental work) often leave behind toxic agents in the mouth that get into the bloodstream. Oil pulling minimizes the amount of toxins that get into your bloodstream!
4. Oil Pulling Boosts Your Immune System. Because oil pulling removes toxins from your mouth, they are not able to make their way down to your gut, which is where 80% of your immune system is located. When you're swishing the oil around in your mouth, you're also cleansing your tongue and gums. When you spit out the oil, you're also spitting out the bacteria too! That's some nasty shit, ain't it?? 😂😂 But it works!
5. Oil Pulling Promotes a Healthy Heart.  I know right? How do you even connect the two? Well, studies have shown that good oral hygiene has a direct link to a healthier heart! Research has also shown that bacteria and inflammation in the mouth are linked to heart attack and dementia. It might sound far-fetched, but what do you have to lose trying it?

A Few Things To Mention When Oil Pulling....

• You should oil pull first thing in the morning on an empty stomach!  That means when you first wake up....no food or drink. That's how you maximize the benefits!
• DON'T swallow the damn oil!!! Honey, can you imagine, trying to swallow some thick ass oil that you've been holding in your mouth for 20 minutes?😂😂😂 Child, you wouldn't want to....just don't do it, ok??
• It's THICK and you will probably gag the first few times!  If you're new to this, you will probably gag trying to hold it in your  mouth for that long....and  honestly you might even swallow a little bit of it until you get the hang of it. 😲😲 But don't worry, it ain't gonna kill you. 😂
• Do it while you're doing something else to keep your mind occupied! I literally pop it in my mouth when I jump in the shower. By the time I get out, dry off, and lotion down, it's pretty much 20 minutes later!
• DON'T spit it in the toilet or in the sink!! You know the saying "pressure bust pipes??" Well, if you spit that stuff in your sink or toilet, you are dying to fuck up your pipes, my G!! 😂😂  I'm trying to tell you! The oil thickens and clogs up your pipes over time, which can definitely cause a hefty plumbing bill that you can avoid if you do what I tell you to do! Just spit it in the trash can!

Welp, that's it for me, y'all! My brain is fried, but I think I've covered everything. I've been oil pulling for years now, and I've gotten used to the technique.  If you decide to try oil pulling (or you're already doing it), please leave me a comment and tell me what you think about it! Treena V., signing off. Stay healthy, my friends! I love us for real!

-The Vegan World Traveler