If you (still) think veganism is a diet, this one is for you. And who better to dissect this misconception than a vegan and anti-diet registered dietitian?! Taylor Wolfram, RD (@taylorwolframrd), describes her journey as a vegan dietitian who is committed to intuitive eating, self-care, and vegan nutrition. Taylor and Alisha discuss what it means to eat intuitively, how the philosophy intersects with veganism, and ways to transform the mainstream vegan movement into one that acknowledges body diversity and denounces diet culture. 

To do list:

What is casteism? And how does it manifest in veganism? Anti-caste vegan advocate Rama (@ramavgan) joins Alisha to clarify the history and origins of the Hindu caste system, the problem with misattributing ethical veganism to Hinduism, and how to divest from casteism in the vegan sphere. A follow-up episode on the intersections of veganism and anti-caste activism will be the next in this series.

Rama's Recommendations

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Is veganism anti-Indigenous? And if not, why do so many people believe it is? Let's discuss! Indigenous vegan and anti-oppression advocate Jen Bell Rivera joins Alisha to dispel this myth and clarify its origins in white veganism - the whitewashing of mainstream veganism that leads to BIPOC erasure within the movement. Jen discusses how the movements for animal liberation and Indigenous sovereignty share many common values and recommends actions vegans can take to make the movement more inclusive of and accessible to Native peoples. // Find Jen on Instagram at @jenriverabell and on her blog, jenriverabell.com. // Subscribe to Jen's YouTube channel. // Become a patron of Jen on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/JenRiveraBell. // View the MeatBusters episode webpage for a list of resources recommended by Jen: thelishlife.com/blog/2021/1/29/is-veganism-anti-indigenous

EXPLORE THE LISH LIFE - Get to know Alisha outside of MeatBusters! Follow @lish_life on Instagram, @thelishlife.com on TikTok, and @thelishlife on Twitter. Subscribe to Alisha's blog, TheLishLife.com, for free vegan recipes, lifestyle advice, and more.

Here's some food for thought: Our food system isn't broken... but it does require some fixing. Food insecurity and food apartheid are only symptoms of the systemic oppressions that define society as we know it, and we cannot address them without addressing both racism and speciesism. Founder of Might Be Vegan, Kimberly Renee, joins Alisha to explain food apartheid, its roots in redlining, and how animal agriculture factors into it all. She also discusses Food Love by Might Be Vegan and why providing plant-based foods to residents of low income communities is a crucial first step towards a just and sustainable food system.

Find Kimberly on Instagram at @kimberlyrenee and support Food Love by Might Be Vegan by donating at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/food-love-by-might-be-vegan

EXPLORE THE LISH LIFE - Get to know Alisha outside of MeatBusters! Follow @lish_life on Instagram, @thelishlife.com on TikTok, and @thelishlife on Twitter. Subscribe to Alisha's blog, TheLishLife.com, for free vegan recipes, lifestyle advice, and more.

"I have food allergies or sensitivities... can I still be vegan?" Of course you can! In fact, Alisha herself suffers from severe food allergies, which she addresses during her conversation with vegan allergy mom and food blogger Nicole Dawson. Alisha asks Nicole about how her son's food allergies led their family down the road to veganism and how to make the most of a nut-free and 100% plant-based diet. // Follow Nicole on Instagram at @allergylicious and visit her blog, allergylicious.com, for tons of tasty and allergen-friendly vegan recipes. // Browse Nicole's vegan and allergen-friendly cookbook recommendations: https://allergylicious.com/free-from-cookbook-list/

EXPLORE THE LISH LIFE - Get to know Alisha outside of MeatBusters! Follow @lish_life on Instagram, @thelishlife.com on TikTok, and @thelishlife on Twitter. Subscribe to Alisha's blog, TheLishLife.com, for free vegan recipes, lifestyle advice, and more.

Do doctors encourage the consumption of animal-based products? Not if they practice lifestyle medicine! Alisha interviews Dr. Silvia, MD, an ophthalmologist-turned-lifestyle medicine doc who is passionate about helping people improve their overall health through positive lifestyle changes. Silvia addresses the existing divide between medicine and nutrition and offers ways for doctors to overcome this gap when treating patients with chronic health conditions. She also discusses the physiological and psychological benefits of transitioning from a meat-heavy diet to a plant-based one. // Follow Dr. Silvia on Instagram at @dr.silvia.md.

For more content from Alisha, including vegan recipes and lifestyle advice, visit TheLishLife.com.

Fact: Poor diet increases the likelihood of developing of certain chronic health issues. Another fact: Marginalized communities around the world do not have adequate access to whole plant foods and minimally processed ingredients. Coincidence? Nope. In fact, this intersection is precisely what plant-based nutritionist Rohini Bajekal aims to address through her work. Rohini discusses why certain chronic health issues disproportionately affect people of color, the role of diet in treating these issues, and next steps for making plant-based education more accessible. // Follow Rohini on Instagram at @rohinibajekal. Visit Rohini's website at https://rohinibajekal.com/.

To stay up to date with Alisha's content, don't forget to follow her on Instagram at @lish_life.

You’ve heard the stories… you know, the ones of people losing their hair or — more recently — their brain function, presumably because they were vegan. But is veganism really to blame for these health issues? Or are there other factors at play here? Alisha asks Muzammil Ahmad (Dr. Plant-Based), a medical student and host of the Plant Prescription Podcast, to unpack medical misconceptions and misinformation related to veganism and plant-based eating. Muzammil addresses Miley Cyrus’s recent comments about omegas, dissects the most popular myths about fish and eggs, and explains why it’s taking the medical community so long to actively recognize and promote the benefits of a plant-based diet. // Find Muzammil on Instagram and Tik Tok at @dr.plantbased and check out his podcast, the Plant Prescription Podcast. // To see Alisha's vegan recipes and lifestyle blog, please visit TheLishLife.com.

Does being vegan = sacrificing part of your social life? No way! Just because you don't eat, wear, or buy the same things as your non-vegan friends, family members, or significant others doesn't mean that outings with these people are off limits. It just means that brunch or date night might look a bit! But that shouldn't be an issue for those who care about you and love you. Vegan food blogger and mathematician Shanice White (aka The Carbetarian) joins Alisha to share tips on navigating everything from friendships to marriage when it feels like you're the only vegan you know. // Follow Shanice on Instagram at @thecarbetarian and check out her food blog, TheCarbetarian.com

To get the deets on the vegan recipes Alisha talked about in this episode, check out her blog at TheLishLife.com.

Can veganism coexist with religiosity? Unless a core tenet of your religion is the exploitation of nonhuman animals, veganism absolutely is compatible with religion and spirituality! Psychology Lecturer and PhD candidate Hark aka Vegan Sikh is on MeatBusters this week to discuss his own experience reconciling veganism with his religion, Sikhism, and how others can do the same. Hark also talks about the evolution of religion and religious practices over time and the real reason why so many non-vegans mistakenly attribute carnism to their religion. // Follow Hark on Instagram at @vegansikh. 

Head over to https://thelishlife.com/ to learn more about Alisha and browse her vegan recipes, lifestyle blog, and shop!