Hello All-
I don't keep dairy in the house, but I don't shun it when I'm out. I've been a vegetarian for close to ten years and it's true, there are plenty of overweight veggie/vegans (like me!). A close friend did a liver cleansing diet when he completed his rehab for alcoholism and has had great results. It totally eliminates dairy and allows some cuts of meat, but I was totally impressed with the recipes. It's called "The Liver Cleansing Diet" by Dr. Sandra Cabot. His health has improved remarkably which is significant, as he had been a heavy for drinker for some twenty-odd years.It's a pleasure to see him look rested for the first time since we met so many years ago. another wonderful cookbook is "How It All Vegan" by Tanya Barnard & Sarah Kramer. Really fun! It has a sort of retro, Patio Daddy-O layout and the food is insanely good. Plus I learned a lot about veganism in general. Not only so strict vegans eliminate dairy and meat but also down, silk, wool, honey, insulin, commercial beer, some alpha-hydroxy acids, commercial molasses, syrup and sugar,natural sponges, white vinegar and most waxes. It takes a great commitment, I imagine. Finally, the "Tofu Cookery" by Louise Hagler changed my life. Amazing.
Have a wonderful day! To your health!

Slinko - may I add:

Dr. McDougall's diet is probably the most well-known strict vegan diet. I've been on his Maximum Weight Loss plan a couple of times. Personally to follow his MWL plan is VERY difficult for me because of the fact that it excludes all flour products (including bread which I LOVE!).

Here's the basic Maximum Weight Loss plan:
Unlimited amounts of:
Most vegetables (except for the obvious fatty ones such as avocados [I KNOW that's a fruit!] and olives)

Starchy vegetables such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, squashes, etc. (this was my favorite part -- I ate BUSHELS of potatoes on this plan - usually with salsa !!)

Whole grains such as oatmeal, brown rice, millet, etc. (I used to have a huge bowl of oatmeal at breakfast each day - and made a pot of brown rice in my rice cooker to snack on when I got hungry)

Beans, as long as they are cooked without oil (fat-free refried beans and rice with some salsa and veggies were terrific!)

In moderation, you can have:

Fruit - limited to two servings per day.

Sugar - just enough for flavoring.

Here's what you can't have:

No animal products

No oils or fats

No flour products, including pasta and bread

No soy products, including soy milk and tofu

This is just from memory so you may want to check his website...

However, his 14-day plan is much easier to follow although it is geared more towards overall health (i.e. high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, etc) than weight loss (since McDougall doesn't usually have measured portions of a food -- rather you can eat as much as you want of the allowed foods). On the regular 14-day plan you can have flour products and soy, but no animal products and VERY few fats.

Anyone who is interested in this should be able to find his books in your local library. He also has a website www.drmcdougall.com with more information. Definitely worth a look - Dr. McDougall is based in St. Helena Health Center, BTW - and his wife develops the recipes - many are quite good!

MrsJim
265/155/145