Michael Canney

I have been living in Phillips since October 2018, when June and I moved into an 1850s house on Pleasant Street and began fixing it up. My family roots are in Maine and New Hampshire, and after living for many years in Florida, I’m happy to be back in the North Country.

1. How long have you been vegan? I was eating a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet for over 40 years, with no meat but fish on occasion. June and I have been eating strictly whole food plant based (vegan) for several years now, and we haven’t looked back. We’re hooked!

2. What made you decide to go vegan? After struggling for years with the ethical and environmental issues related to the commercial meat, dairy and fishing kindustries, it felt right to stop supporting these practices. Also, for personal health reasons. When I was eating eggs, yogurt, cheese, fish, and a lot of refined and processed food (pasta, pizza, etc.) I was overweight and starting to feel older and slower. When June and I watched Cowspiracy we both decided to go totally plant-based, and our decision was reinforced when we watched Forks Over Knives and What the Health.

3. What are the benefits eating vegan have done for you? Ten years ago, I weighed 200 lb. and was not experiencing optimum health. I made some adjustments in my diet & lifestyle and lost a few pounds, but was still uncomfortable at 180. After going totally WFPB vegan (and doing a couple of liver cleanses with June), my metabolism was reset and I’m feeling much better at 160-165 lb. I’m 67, take zero pharmaceuticals and havenever used my Medicare card.

4. What did you find to be the biggest challenge of eating
vegan? At first, there were cravings for yogurt, cheese and eggs. Not any more. The biggest challenge is the social aspect of eating differently than 95% of the population. Becoming stricter about eating only healthy food limits the options, both for eating out and for family gatherings and social events. It can be awkward at times.

5. What are your go to foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner?
Breakfast: My “rocket fuel” breakfast consists of a mix of oats, seeds (chia, flax, hemp, sesame, sunflower), nuts (walnuts or almonds) and fresh fruit or dried fruit (usually raisins, sometimes dates or figs). I soak the oats, chia seeds and dried fruit. I grind the flax, sesame and others seeds in a coffee mill, and then heat the mix in a bowl set on a small pan of water (I simmer it but don’t boil it). In summer I also eat it cold, like muesli. Lunch & Dinner: Meals are usually diverse and exciting, but made from the same menu of healthy WFPB options: greens & sprouts, vegetables and fruit, whole grains, seeds, nuts, legumes, and tempeh or tofu. We aim for a 50-50 mix of live/raw and cooked. We have always been sprouting (mostly lentils and clover, lots of great sprouting options) and recently June has been growing microgreens in trays (wheatgrass, sunnies, pea shoots, buckwheat), with help from a grow light. We use them in green drinks or salads and sandwiches.

6. Do you have a favorite cookbook, tip or recipe to share?
Tip: Let food be your medicine! Lots of vegan recipes here:
https://www.plantbasednews.org/recipes Stick with whole foods from nature, ​avoid factory refined & processed foods. Most commercial foods contain GMO ingredients (corn & soy especially), and glyphosate, pesticides, etc., as well as bad sugars and oils. Buy organic and/or local when possible. Experimentation and innovation are okay!

7. Do you have a website you like or would like to promote?
Plant Based News at https://www.plantbasednews.org and Forks Over Knives at https://www.forksoverknives.com are great resources.

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