Gold Summit Healthy Tips Blog

Experience China After School Program

2012-01-24T09:02:00.000-08:00

Gold Summit Organization for Development of Eastern Culture, our Non Profit, has partnered with The Confucius Institute at University of Buffalo for "Experience China After School Program" for kids ages 4 to 12!

Kids learn Chinese language, culture and top quality Martial Arts at Gold Summit!

Click here to read more about "Experience China After School Program"

Laoshi Erin Markle
Head Instructor Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director of Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

"Everyday in the pursuit of learning,something is acquired. Everyday in the pursuit of the way, something is dropped" ~LaoTzu

A little more about nutrition choices

2012-01-20T07:22:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

I've been busy training my students for Dragon Dance and Martial Arts performance and will probably post one more time before the end of the month. February should be a bit better.

But take a quick look at the article below for a bit more information on good dietary choices for anti aging and disease prevention. See you soon!

Click here to read an article on 5 foods that can age you!

Laoshi Erin Markle
Head Instructor Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director of Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

"Everyday in the pursuit of learning,something is acquired. Everyday in the pursuit of the way, something is dropped" ~LaoTzu

Change your Speaking habits

2012-01-10T08:36:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

One of the more popular topics on our BLOG is this one. Regardless of the culture, religion, lifestyle or background we are from, improving ourselves is probably a worldwide desire. Getting healthy is one of the first steps in self improvement. Most times, this causes us to turn to dieting and new workouts to get fit. This can be a good thing, if the nutrition and exercise are sound and healthy long term, but too often we neglect our ACTUAL self improvement. The self improvement I am talking about are habits-thought processes, lifestyle choices, emotional management,education, and real cultivation.
A healthy body gives you a place to start. In fact, the more healthy in mind, the more healthy the body.

But before you can get a healthy mind, you'll have to change your habits. We've talked a lot about vegetarian diet, and now we'll go to speech habits. The world is becoming an increasingly volatile and emotional place where people often lack a desire to control themselves. In the West, people are encouraged to misbehave, be disrespectful and to say or do whatever they please, even if its not good for society, all in the name of freedom. Indeed this is a person's choice, but it promotes bad habits and the encouragement of bad habits to others. Everyone should have a right to speak their mind, and we aren't talking about political situations here, but when, how and why are important when speaking.

WHEN: timing is important. This is an art form in and of itself. When should we restrain ourselves and when should we have no fear are concepts to be practiced using a moral ground work. HOW: Avoid name calling, racial slurs, gossip, swearing and lying. Try to purify yourself with better speech. Try it for one month and see how you feel and look, you may be surprised. Finally, WHY: Why are we speaking? mindlessly chattering? Wanting to have the limelight at the wrong time? Wanting to make someone else feel bad? Manipulating a situation because we are scared of something, or have an agenda for ourselves? These aren't good reasons to talk. So you can see, the WHY of speaking is actually more important than we could may have ever imagined.

More on changing Habits, next post!

Laoshi Erin Markle
Head Instructor Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director of Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

"Everyday in the pursuit of learning,something is acquired. Everyday in the pursuit of the way, something is dropped" ~LaoTzu

More about Protein!

2012-01-04T08:25:00.000-08:00

It's interesting I was just talking about how we eat too much protein in a previous post and now there has been a study released on the subject regarding obesity. It's all from the scientific prospective which is just fine. With Eastern Wellness and philosophy in mind, I am more from the school of listening to your body and mind when it comes to your health. However, it is helpful to know some facts when you embark on a self journey of health improvement. Though America has the highest rate of obesity in the world, everyone could use some knowledge on their diet! The point that I am frequently trying to make is that we don't need to eat the amount of animal products that we do to obtain vast amounts of protein that we think we need! The study says that it's the calories that make someone fat and not the protein, but either way it supports my point.

Click here for some info on a study on high protein diets and obesity

Laoshi Erin Markle
Head Instructor Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director of Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

"Everyday in the pursuit of learning,something is acquired. Everyday in the pursuit of the way, something is dropped" ~LaoTzu

Some more info on nutritious foods

2011-12-29T20:59:00.001-08:00

I am not a big fan of the fish that is listed in the link below, but otherwise it gives some good information on healthy foods to add to your diet, and a few ways in which to use them! Everyone states that fish are an excellent source of Omega 3 fatty acids. Fish oil, and fish, fish, fish, is all that is ever heard from the health industry. But Omega 3's can be gotten from many different non animal sources. The amount depends on which food- but if you incorporate a variety of the foods into your diet, you should get plenty of those Omega 3's that are essential to the body (essential means that it can't be produced by the functions of the body, so it has to be consumed.)
Flaxseed oil, soybeans, walnuts, and kidney beans are all great sources of Omega 3's. Even olive oil and certain squashes have the Omega 3 fatty acids.

The link below isn't about Omega 3's, but take a look at it to gain some more information on some vegetarian options to incorporate into your diet.

Click here for USA today article on some healthy foods

Laoshi Erin Markle
Head Instructor Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director of Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

"Everyday in the pursuit of learning,something is acquired. Everyday in the pursuit of the way, something is dropped" ~LaoTzu

Protein sources and Vegetarian Eating

2011-12-27T15:58:00.000-08:00

One of the facts that nutritionists or others against vegetarian eating claim, is that protein and B-12 are lacking in a vegetarian diet.

Firstly, protein is EASY to get. Meat has protein and as many say, it is a complete source of protein with all the necessary amino acids that the body needs. Well, soybeans are actually a complete protein, having all essential amino acids! There are 9 essential amino acids that the body needs and cannot produce. A food is considered a complete protein if it provides the 9 essential amino acids in the correct proportion for the body to use for proper functioning. Soybeans supply each one in the correct proportion. Soybeans are one of the most nutritious foods and should be consumed a few times per week.

Quinoa is another superfood that is a complete protein and is chock full of vitamins and minerals. Other complete proteins are hempseed, buckwheat and spirulina. Other sources of protein, though not complete, include whole grain weight bread (5grams per slice!) organic beans, tofu, nuts of course and even dairy products.
There are so many creative vegetarian options now that are often made with soy or wheat, mixed with lots of veggies, such as boca burgers and other fake sandwich meats.

Not only that, but you can get TOO much protein and make yourself fat. Your body will convert the extra protein that it doesn't use into fat for storage. If you watch the documentary "Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead" you can see 2 guys drink fresh veggie-fruit juice 3 meals per day for 60 days and get nothing but healthy. It's a myth that the body needs an insane amount of protein. Some say that the FDA pushes the food pyramid with meat as your main staple because they have corporate needs to consider.

No matter what, with some research, trial and error and making some dietary changes you can observe for yourself the effects. See how you feel, look at your complexion, your sleep, your moods. With good vegetarian nutrition and cooking habits, you should feel great. We'll discuss B12 options next post!

Laoshi Erin Markle
Head Instructor Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director of Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

"Everyday in the pursuit of learning,something is acquired. Everyday in the pursuit of the way, something is dropped" ~LaoTzu

Too much T.V.!

2011-12-21T21:28:00.000-08:00

I know this is Vegetarian Cooking and Tips month, but I couldn't resist posting this link to some new research on sitting, watching t.v. and sedentary lifestyle. The most interesting part of the study is the fact that even exercising an hour a day may not be enough to counteract the effects! Not only does too much sitting, including internet surfing and watching T.V. cause weight gain but it makes the body and mind sluggish and the mood of a person more prone to depression. It contributes to feeling even more unmotivated than you may have felt once you sat down to begin with!

We may not have a choice to sit and do work, but we do have a choice as to what to do before and after work. There are ways to avoid sitting for upwards of 12 hours per day or more. Take a look at your lifestyle and see, how much do you sit in one day and how much do you sit in one week?

Click here to read the New York Times Blog article on health hazards of too much sitting

See you next post on some info on protein in Vegetarian Diets!

Laoshi Erin Markle
Head Instructor Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director of Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

"Everyday in the pursuit of learning,something is acquired. Everyday in the pursuit of the way, something is dropped" ~LaoTzu

Jack LaLanne, nutrition and fitness guru

2011-12-18T08:15:00.000-08:00

Since it is vegetarian cooking and tips month, I'd like to point out the long life of Jack LaLanne. He lived to be 96 years old, and reports have it that he was still doing his 2 hour daily workouts even when he got pneumonia. Though I don't recommend that, he was truly a pioneer of the health and fitness areas of the American culture. Jack LaLanne taught that diet and exercise were everything you needed for a long healthy life. He ate almost no meat, and stayed away from processed foods and high sugar intake.
I put a link below to his wikipedia page so that you could take a look at his life and philosophy. Most importantly, Jack LaLanne had good quality of life into his old age. He did not suffer from the same ailments that many people begin to suffer from even as early as age 60. Though he wasn't an ancient Daoist, he certainly knew one of the ways to stay healthy for longer than the average person.

Click here for Jack LaLanne, Wikipedia

And one of his mottos was basically that if food tasted good, to spit it back out. So remember that fresh, organic food can be an acquired taste. Not everything has to be either boiled to death, or have a "kick" to it. The healthiest things take a little time for the body to enjoy, and then to crave.

See you next post!

Laoshi Erin Markle
Head Instructor Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director of Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

"Everyday in the pursuit of learning,something is acquired. Everyday in the pursuit of the way, something is dropped" ~LaoTzu

Pack your cupboard with some spices!

2011-12-16T10:21:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

I know I said next post we'd talk about protein, but let's talk about spices and THEN we'll talk about protein in the next post-to be coming within just a couple of days. Make sure you have a lot of spices to choose from. When cooking vegetarian, you can play around and try different combinations to keep it interesting and lively. So other than salt, pepper, cane sugar, oregano and basil, what else do you have in your cupboard?

Try to stock up on some of these:
dill
curry powder
Tarragon leaves
Cumin seeds AND powder
mustard seeds
cardamom
coriander
turmeric
rosemary
thyme
basil
fenugreek
cinnamon

And there are so many other spices and other additions like vegetable bouillon, cooking yeast and more goodies that we will go into in our next post.
One of the best ways to learn to cook more healthily and to add vegetarian to your diet is to GO SHOPPING and STOCK UP you cupboard so you have plenty to play with.

See you next time!

Laoshi Erin Markle
Head Instructor Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC Director of Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

"Everyday in the pursuit of learning,something is acquired. Everyday in the pursuit of the way, something is dropped" ~LaoTzu

Take a look at a couple of documentaries on food, since December is Vegetarian Cooking Month!

2011-12-11T16:05:00.001-08:00

Hi Everyone,

Consider taking a few hours here and there to view some documentaries that give some insight into our food and what we should be paying attention to for the sake of having a long, healthy life.

"Forks over Knives"~ This one is packed with scientific research! Why don't we ever hear about this stuff on the front page of every newspaper and magazine?? Most likely it is due to the fact that large corporations, fast food companies and even the FDA might not want people to pay attention to it.

"The Vanishing of the Bees"~a fascinating documentary on the large scale disappearance of bees that happened in the U.S. AND in Europe, and how it has affected our crops, farmers, beekeepers and all the rest of us. Very enlightening.

"Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead"~two guys from different lifestyles who are overweight, pretty sick, renounce all solid food for 60 days and drink fresh fruit and vegetable juice instead!

"Food Inc."~A great documentary that fills us in on the food we are eating everyday and what it is really made of. You may be shocked at some of the things you will find out.

Take a look and feel free to leave your opinions and comments!

Next post will be another recipe and some nutrition facts on how to get your PROTEIN when eating vegetarian.

See you then

Laoshi Erin Markle Head Instructor
Gold Summit Institute President GSODEC
Director of Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

"Everyday in the pursuit of learning,something is acquired. Everyday in the pursuit of the way, something is dropped" ~LaoTzu

Don't kill your veggies!

2011-12-08T06:49:00.001-08:00

Yes, that's right, the more you cook those vegetables the more you "kill" the enzymes that the body can benefit from. Chinese style stir fry indicates that the Chinese have this knowledge. If you watch a person using a wok and good sized flame, you'll see that they will saute the vegetables for a few moments, then turn off the flame and add another ingredient-then turn it back on to saute briefly again. The whole process takes just a few minutes. That's why the vegetables in Chinese stir fry's are generally on the crispier side.

Using spices and sauces with your vegetables is an art. Keeping the food from being overcooked is important. Boiling vegetables is generally not recommended. However, the use of baking and crock pots in addition to the saute style is also great for the health and we'll go into that later.

A quick BASIC vegetable style saute:

You can really do this ANY way you want with ANY vegetables.

YOU NEED:
Veggies
Olive oil or another type
Salt, Pepper, Sugar
Another type of sauce (optional)

Put enough oil to lightly cover the bottom of your frying pan. Heat the oil and throw in the veggies. They should sizzle right away. Saute them for a minute or so. ( You can adjust the time depending on the type of stove you have) Take a few pinches of sugar (try to get cane sugar, or some unrefined unprocessed sugar) and sprinkle it on the veggies. Saute for 30 seconds or so. Add salt and then pepper, or leave out the pepper if you like.
From here, you can either add another sauce of your choice, or you can substitute soy sauce for the salt

The point is to taste it and add what you like, while keeping in mind the basics, which are:
Hot oil
Saute 30 seconds or so after each ingredient is added, before adding others
Don't overcook, veggies should not be mushy
Serve your veggies with another grain, like rice, quinoa etc.

We will post a more in depth recipe next time, but this and the TOFU recipe are to give people with either no time or no idea how to cook vegetarian, a start on healthy cooking.

Laoshi Erin Markle
Head Instructor Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director of Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

"Everyday in the pursuit of learning,something is acquired. Everyday in the pursuit of the way, something is dropped" ~LaoTzu

December is Vegetarian cooking and tips month here at our BLOG!

2011-12-05T06:18:00.001-08:00

See below for a quick tip on how to cook Tofu and why its a good addition to your diet. Whether you are a vegetarian or not, it's still a great idea to add more vegetables, fruits, grains to your diet and cut back on your meat intake. From an energetic prospective, less meat is less strain on the digestive system and the body in general. Less strain, means a free energy flow. Free energy flow actually means less agitation, anger and feelings of being trapped or "stuck." It's becoming well known throughout the world that vegetarian diet has some fantastic health benefits, such as lower risk for heart disease and certain types of cancer. Are you worried about not getting enough protein or the nutrients you need? There are ways to avoid this and we'll talk about it this month during our VEGETARIAN COOKING & TIPS MONTH!

Another post on cooking some good tasting veggies and grains coming up this week!

Laoshi Erin Markle
Head Instructor Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director of Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

"Everyday in the pursuit of learning,something is acquired. Everyday in the pursuit of the way, something is dropped" ~LaoTzu

A Basic Tofu Cooking style/recipe

2011-12-04T07:08:00.001-08:00

When I say basic recipe, that means you can add or modify ingredients to suit your taste. And it's really more of a cooking style, than a recipe. The Dreaded Tofu, actually is an excellent source of calcium, magnesium, manganese and other minerals. It's good for the energy levels of someone who doesn't eat a lot or any meat, if taken 2 to 3 times per week.

For Basic Tofu Cooking style, You Need:
Tofu
Ginger
Soysauce

PREP
1.Mince up some ginger, maybe around a teaspoon or tablespoon full. You'll have to see how much you like the ginger flavor and then go to town and put as much in as you want in the next time you cook it.

2.Wrap the Tofu in a few paper towels and put a bowl on top of it to squeeze out some of the water (this is optional)It helps a little with absorbing the sauces that you'll use with it

COOK
1.Take a frying pan and add enough olive oil (or another oil if you prefer) to lightly cover the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot, throw in that minced ginger. Toss the ginger around in the pan so its covered in oil and then let it fry for 30 seconds to a minute. If you don't do this, the ginger can really be hard and strong tasting in your food

2.Throw in your tofu, chopped up however you like. Saute it in the ginger alone for at least 5 minutes. This is KEY. If you can always saute Tofu FIRST, you'll find however you make it is much tastier.

3. Add Soy sauce, or another sauce of your choice. Saute the Tofu again for another 5 or 10 minutes.

Make sure to taste and see if there is enough of the sauce that you've added to have flavor. Remember Tofu is tasteless and porous and needs to have layers of flavoring. Also, after it cools off and you reheat it again later, you may find the taste is also a little deeper from sitting with the sauces longer.

This is BASIC. We'll talk about how to throw in veggies and how to saute a variety of veggies in our next post!

Laoshi Erin Markle
Head Instructor Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director of Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

"Everyday in the pursuit of learning,something is acquired. Everyday in the pursuit of the way, something is dropped" ~LaoTzu

December is Vegetarian Cooking Month on our BLOG!

2011-11-30T10:35:00.001-08:00

Check back in a day or two for the beginning of Vegetarian Cooking Month on our Healthy Tips BLOG, for cooking tips on Tofu (eeuuw!)Quinoa, soybeans, veggies and potatoes AND some facts you should know on how to keep it balanced for your body's sake and for your palate's sake! Make vegetarian cooking easy, fun and satisfying.

See you then!

Laoshi Erin Markle
Head Instructor Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director of Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

"Everyday in the pursuit of learning,something is acquired. Everyday in the pursuit of the way, something is dropped" ~LaoTzu

Welcome to our Followers from around the World!

2011-11-30T08:19:00.001-08:00

Hello,

I'd like to Welcome our friends who are following this BLOG from around the world, including Peru, Brazil, Israel, Germany,Russia and USA! It makes me happy to see that we have people from all different lifestyles interested in our BLOG and some of the interesting facts and information that Eastern philosophy has to offer. Please keep visiting, and tell your friends and family. And feel free to leave your comments or questions any time!

Sincerely,

Laoshi Erin Markle
Head Instructor Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director of Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

"Everyday in the pursuit of learning,something is acquired. Everyday in the pursuit of the way, something is dropped" ~LaoTzu

The Difficulty in merging Eastern philosophy with Western Lifestyle- Part two

2011-11-28T06:56:00.001-08:00

Our state of mind and sense of contentedness has everything to do with a Healthy body and stress free lifestyle. This is the reason that merging Eastern philosophies into Western Lifestyle can be so beneficial to your health and well being.

As we said in the first part, "the real difficulty in merging East and West lies in some core concepts. Eastern philosophy values cooperation,respect for elders and parents, and cause and effect. Western society values independence, opinions, expression, freedom from any restraint and confidence in the self. If we look at these concepts, they are all quite good. So then where is the trouble in merging them?"

FIRST PRINCIPLE: RESPECTING ELDERS
As Westerners, many of us value independence and expression above all else. When a Western person is asked to respect their Parents, Teachers to the point that you are to show obedience - well, sometimes this very word makes us cringe. How can we be independent if you ask us to listen to our elders at all costs?? This is one of the biggest difficulties. Not only that, but most of us may think "how can I listen to them when they are clearly wrong" or "I don't want to do what they say because I know they are wrong" This kind of thinking puts a huge obstacle in learning from our elders. If we throw into the situation, that many people, especially in North America, don't behave as an elder should and have not proven that they are fit for being in that position - it seems impossible to merge this concept into Western life. But just as any other Eastern concept, there is a time and situation in which it can be applied. But more important than this, is understanding the reason behind WHY these principles have VALUE, even for those of us who have not been raised this way. If you HAVE been raised this way, than other Eastern principles could be applied to your life that you may not have thought of.

Some examples of other types of practices and principles coming next post!

Laoshi Erin Markle
Head Instructor Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director of Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

"Everyday in the pursuit of learning,something is acquired. Everyday in the pursuit of the way, something is dropped" ~LaoTzu

The Difficulty in merging Eastern philosophy with Western lifestyle - Part one

2011-11-25T12:56:00.001-08:00

Hi Everyone,

Most people in North America, and I am not sure about some of our other blog followers from other countries, but most North Americans usually end up on one extreme or the other about this topic. Eastern philosophy and culture is either so beyond a place of comfort, that it is disregarded as useless to everyday life OR it's adopted and used as a partial philosophy that doesn't quite translate into current western society.

For instance, the higher ideals of "letting go" "going with the flow" and using love and harmony toward all - are concepts that are sometimes not used with discipline. To use these concepts without training and discipline can actually make a mess of things. To have compassion for all beings is essential, to harmonize with others is essential but this does not mean that we don't use discipline, morals, virtue and awareness. For example,having empathy can be different than having compassion, to give when the receiver will waste your giving is not wise. There are times and places and appropriate ways to use these concepts.

Another way westerners sometimes use Eastern philosophy in a way that does not bring out it's full potential, is to talk about it more than to understand it. There is a saying that "those who know, speak and those that understand, teach." It's best to teach from example before you talk a lot about what you've just learned. Something western people love to do, is practice a little and then talk a lot.

But the real difficulty in merging East and West lies in some core concepts. Eastern philosophy values cooperation,respect for elders and parents, and cause and effect. Western society values independence, opinions, expression, freedom from any restraint and confidence in the self. If we look at these concepts, they are all quite good. So then where is the trouble in merging them?

I'll give some more examples on this in Part two, coming in a few days!

Laoshi Erin Markle
Head Instructor Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director of Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

"Everyday in the pursuit of learning,something is acquired. Everyday in the pursuit of the way, something is dropped" ~LaoTzu

Working on the "Heart" of the matter Part 2

2011-11-23T07:37:00.001-08:00

Changing our habits and even better yet, our destiny, through the changing of the heart, may be one of the single most important things we can do for ourselves in this lifetime. As we said in the last post, keeping a journal for one week and then observing your moods, and your habits and how they coincide with times of day etc. is an excellent tool for doing this.

Your journal should begin with how you woke up, and end with how you fall asleep each day. And of course, everything in between.
For example:
7am woke up tired, cranky.
7:30 to 8:30 got into the shower got myself coffee, checked my phone, drove to work. Felt better but still unhappy
8:30 to 10:30 working, uneventful
10:45 started feeling really tired and I was bothered by my co workers comments about such and such

You can do your journal any way that you like. Just make sure to finish the entire day. If you absolutely cannot do a week, AT LEAST do 3 days. And the most important thing is to record your feelings, moods, times that you were rushing, times that you could not relax or were overly hyper etc etc. You can record your journal from memory at the end of the day if you want, or take breaks throughout the day to record a few hours of things that you've already done.

After one week, you will have to go back and circle ALL of the difficult spots. Then you will have to observe if there are patterns or repetitions. If you do not see a repetition, you may have to look again. You will also have to draw the connection between the difficulty and what you were doing and/or thinking BEFORE it happened! This form of cultivating is something I have asked a few students to do, and some did and some did not. But the ones that did, had better results in their progress.

Once you try this, if you have questions, you can post them here. Remember, there is no better time to start changing the heart, than now. Don't wait for a better time!

Next Post up just after Thanksgiving! We'll talk about some difficulties of integrating Eastern philosophy into Western lifestyle.

Laoshi Erin D. Markle
Head Instructor Gold Summit Institute
President GSODEC
Director of Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

"Everyday in the pursuit of learning,something is acquired. Everyday in the pursuit of the way, something is dropped" ~LaoTzu

Working on the "heart" of the matter Part one

2011-11-19T18:11:00.001-08:00

Last Post we talked about changing internal habits, and how this is the most effective way to change your life for the better-and also the most difficult. Your habits and thought processes can make or break the happiness and success you have in life. But let's face it, changing our heart, is one of those things that no one can truly do for us. Having guidance in doing so, such as a meditation teacher or a teacher in another artform that keeps your discipline levels up, is extremely helpful and is also faster than doing it alone. However, if this isn't possible, you can do some work on your own in order to make some gains in improving your life and habits.

Start with observation. If you don't observe yourself, you may as well forget realizing the root of any of your problems. Observing the self is also the true way to meditate. Contrary to popular belief, meditating is not just feeling blissful and escaping the world, it is a tool to observe the self. If you don't want to set aside time to meditate just yet, then start by observing your thoughts and moods throughout the day. The easiest way to do this is to use a journal for a one week period.
After one week, you observe your journal, circling the times of day that you find were the most difficult for you.

How is this helpful? IT IS EXTREMELY HELPFUL!

More detail on how to do this in Part 2 - To come before Thanksgiving!

Laoshi Markle
Head Teacher Gold Summit Institute
President of GSODEC
Director of Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

Healthy Mind, Healthy Body Part 3 Internal & External Habits

2011-11-13T07:02:00.001-08:00

Hello Everyone,

Our last post was in regards to changing our habits. I'd like to expand on this a bit more and explain the difference between external habits and internal habits.

Changing your external habits can be challenging, but it is still easier than changing the internal. External habits are just what we do. Whether it's swearing, drinking or just our routines of washing clothes every sunday -its a habit or a pattern. We even have patterns that we repeat every month, year, 3 years, 10 years and so on. (But we will discuss that another time!)

Changing habits externally HAS to involve a true decision on your part. I can't tell you how many times I have heard people apologize for something they've done wrong, and even to admit that they shouldn't have done it-only to repeat it again! Then another apology ensues and so forth. The reason for this, is that they did not actually take the time to contemplate the mistake and then make a decision to change their habit. Even if they make a mistake again while trying to change, this is much better than not actually dealing with the habit.

Internal habits have to do with the Heart. In Liao Fan's 4 lessons, a famous Chinese classic, Liao Fan tells his son that changing in the heart is the most effective way to change your destiny-and it's also the more difficult route. The bottom line is that we can say all the flowery words and apologies that we want to others, but in our hearts we have to do the work or it's all just fluff and lies. But the great news is that when we change in the Heart, we change our external habits, too.
So how to work on the Heart?

More on that Next Post!

Laoshi Markle
Head Teacher Gold Summit Institute
President of GSODEC
Director of Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

Healthy Mind Healthy Body Part 2-Change one of your habits

2011-11-09T07:38:00.000-08:00

Oh our habits! Everything we do in life are our habits and patterns. We can say that some things are out of our control, and indeed they are, but you might be surprised how many things happen TO us that are a result of our habits.

Just how aware are you of your habits and patterns? Maybe you are aware of the easy ones-You wake up, have coffee, get dressed etc etc. but what about the REAL depth of those habits and the ones BETWEEN those?? Are you stumped yet?

OK for example, Maybe you wake up and your thoughts immediately go to either having to work, or wanting to sleep. Already you are setting the stage for creating stress in your body. Maybe you want to sleep more, but if you can't, there isn't much point in dwelling on that. It's actually better to get up and not think about anything and give yourself just a little space to wake up. I'm not a big fan of using the snooze button, but I if you aren't ready to jump out of bed-don't hit the snooze. Try to open your eyes and take some deep breaths, then look around at the room a little bit as if it were the first time you've seen it. Feel your body as you stretch a little and then take a few moments. Then without thinking about it, just get right up. Whatever you do, don't think or dwell on the fact that you don't want to get up, or that you didn't sleep enough. The more you think about it, the crankier you'll become.

The bottom line is that our health and lifestyle changes can stem from the Mind. Don't just think positive and force the negative thoughts out. This is a technique that can only work for a short time if you don't do the work on the reasons why you get the negative stuff to begin with. Instead, use meditation or another art form to watch the thoughts and become aware. Try to have a qualified teacher. If you cannot, then be consistent in taking time each day to reflect on your habits. Decide what are good and what are bad, and try to change one at a time.

Part 3 coming next!

Laoshi Markle
Head Teacher Gold Summit Institute
President of GSODEC
Director of Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

Healthy Mind, Healthy Body Part 1

2011-11-05T07:05:00.000-07:00

If we separate our mental and emotional health from our physical health, we'll eventually hit a dead end. If we eat well and exercise regularly, we've already got a great head start. But what happens when even though you incorporate those things fairly well into your life, you still end up having minor or for some, major problems, eventually? For instance, I have students who eat a good, balanced diet and they do martial arts training or Tai Chi a couple times a week. Though they aren't as serious as some, this is great stuff for the health and lifestyle support. So why is it that some of the students, between the ages of 22 and 40, still struggle with minor joint pains and headaches, while others are just fine?

The answer is habits. Mental habits of thinking a certain way, which can lead to emotional imbalances, thereby cause the physical body to become depleted, hardened, strained or in excess of negative energy.

More on this next post!

Laoshi Markle
Head Teacher Gold Summit Institute
President of GSODEC
Director of Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

Tips for Dealing with Stress Part 2

2011-10-31T08:14:00.000-07:00

OVER COMMITMENT
:
When is that what we choose to become involved in becomes too much for our well being?? Sometimes we become so overwhelmed with projects and work for the wrong reasons. Most people are driven by a need to survive for work and this is just fine. But what happens when we don't realize that we feel under appreciated, lonely or disconnected? Oftentimes we over commit to people and project for the sake of fulfilling these needs. Unfortunately, sometimes it pans out and sometimes it doesn't. Our health may suffer and oddly enough, we may feel more discontented than ever. The more we do, the more we realize there is to do. If we aren't careful, without focus and times in which we just STOP what we are doing, we find we may be spinning out of control.

As I mentioned before, this lack of control and lack of SPACE can really contribute to frustration, discontent, temper flares, confusion and lack of clarity, moodiness and eventually to health problems. So why don't we take that space? If we are honest with ourselves, we might realize that we don't like the quiet or being alone, or the feeling of not accomplishing something. So we rarely stop. Or worse yet, we want to stop, but are so compelled to be in touch with others through the phone, internet that we can't seem to break away.

More on this next post!

Laoshi Markle
Head Teacher Gold Summit Institute
President of GSODEC
Director of Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

Tips for Dealing with Stress Part 1

2011-10-20T07:08:00.000-07:00

Going back to China once more, AND some health tips on dealing with stress!

GOING BACK TO CHINA:
If you go to our other BLOG, gskungfu.blogspot.com, you'll see the story regarding the most recent Chinese Municipal Govt Delegation from Changzhou coming to Buffalo. Not only were they a very kind group, they were constantly laughing and cracking jokes. Surprising! The long and the short of it is, that myself teaching Kung Fu, Tai Chi and Qigong in China will now become a reality. I will be going back next year not only with students to teach, perform and tour some areas of China, but I will also be going with some people from City of Buffalo that work either in City Hall or are local business people interested in learning more about Changzhou and making good connections on Buffalo's behalf. Read more on the other BLOG!

TIPS FOR DEALING WITH STRESS:
One of the main reasons that people feel stress is due to feeling a lack of control over their situations. If you think about this for a moment, frustration arises for most people when they have to wait and are in a hurry, or when a situation that you thought was going to be one way, changes to be something completely different. The simple fact is that we can't control everything around us at all times. So, there are two things that everyone should do in order to lessen their stress, and then to handle it better when it does arise.

1. We can take steps however to make certain areas of our life to be stable and proper. We may not realize just how much we are actually putting up with that we do not necessarily have to. For instance, do you get phone calls from friends at hours that you need to be relaxing or focused and yet you still answer the phone?? Do you constantly look at facebook, emails, Twitter etc. even when you are exhausted and should take a break? Or maybe you have neighbors and family that drop by unannounced, and if this feels good to you, then there are no worries BUT if you don't feel comfortable with this deep down, why would you not do something about it? There are steps to take to give yourself SPACE and room to breathe. This is your right, and unfortunately many people don't remember this. They are so worried about offending others that in the end, they do something unprofessional or unfeeling or impolite because they snap from all the stress. It's much better to set clear boundaries for yourself and maintain good relationships, than to coast along doing what you think others want you to do, until one day you can't take it anymore and then stop returning calls all together.

2. When we can't change a situation that we are in, our minds have to remain stable and calm. Work is a good example. We can't always change the situation at work, but we CAN change how we view and react to it. I don't mean that you pretend you are fine when you are not, but rather keep your distance from a situation that is bothersome if you can, and if you cannot, then keep a clear head. For example, when I directed the Delegation from China, I worked very hard with local officials on their itinerary for a couple of months, much of which they requested themselves. They requested that we change several things last minute. Some of my colleagues were a little distraught at this fact, but in keeping a clear head, no one got upset or overheated and it turned out to be just fine. It's the negative thoughts that run through our heads that we have to watch. This creates negative feelings and we lose energy very quickly this way.

These two things can really have a profound affect on your health and state of mind. We could talk much more in depth about them, but for now, give it a try by making some small changes and observe how you feel.

~Laoshi Markle
Head Teacher Gold Summit Martial Arts Institute
President GSODEC
Director of Buffalo-China Sister City Affairs

Gold Summit connects with China

2011-10-10T08:29:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone!

Please make sure to find "Gold Summit Martial Arts Institute" on Facebook, and find me on Twitter at: LaoshiMarkle and Scott, our General Manager at: ScottLarsonWNY!

Gold Summit Institute is on the rise, as we make plans to expand our facility, I am also working with City of Buffalo's Sister City, Changzhou China, on bringing more Chinese culture to the area. Not only that, but we are formulating plans for me to teach in China! I am hoping to establish an exchange program, in which our Buffalo students can go to China for a tour and training at a China sponsored facility with myself, and other instructors that I have chosen, to teach there.

As this is the veggie blog, if you are interested in learning tips for eating vegetarian, living a lifestyle of health and improving quality of life, Contact us at the Gold Summit Martial Arts Institute in Kenmore, N.Y. We have workshops, ongoing classes etc. to give you the tools and resources for life improvement!

A quick update on the Gold Summit Institute's programs and events for 2011:
~Chinese Dance 6 week Training session in the unique art of Tian Xian Chinese Dance! Starts November 5th!

~True Buddhism 101 Part 2 Starts October 23rd! A rare opportunity to learn the educational side of Buddhism and it's true teachings. Open to anyone of any religion and background. Classes for Kids and Adults!

~Tai Chi & Qigong workshops coming soon! Learn Ba Duan Jin a fantastic Qigong exercise for all ages. This style is a must when practicing martial arts, tai chi or simply by itself.

And as always, the ongoing IRON FIST BOXING classes and The most complete Kids Kung Fu program in the Buffalo Niagara Region are available at Gold Summit Institute!

Hope to see you there and make sure to keep in touch with us!

~Laoshi Erin Markle
Head Teacher at Gold Summit Martial Arts Institute
Founder of Non Profit Organization, GSODEC

More Veggie stuff in Buffalo

2011-06-25T09:40:00.000-07:00

But be sure to follow GOLD SUMMIT MARTIAL ARTS INSTITUTE on Facebook for Institute events, Chinese Martial Arts philosophy and etiquette, Some good Discussions in the DISCUSSIONS link, and lots of cool photos.

As far as this post is concerned, just a quick observation that Buffalo is getting more vegetarian and vegan friendly. Here are just a few observations:

*888 Main street is a newer restaurant with good vegetarian food
*The Delaware, in Kenmore, has 2 good vegan dishes and more on the way the owner says
*Liquid Energy Juice Bar in downtown Buffalo has fantastic smoothies and healthful, yummy food
*Wasabi on Elmwood Ave. has some nice Vegetarian roll Sushi. Sweet Potato tempura, avocado, and others. Definitely yummy

And don't forget existing restaurants that have some or lots of good vegetarian food (not just salad!!) are:

*Betty's on Virginia St. in Allentown
*Any Indian restaurant usually has upwards of 10 vegetarian options
*Any Thai restaurant
*Amy's Place on Main St. Buffalo
*Merge Restaurant on Delware in Allentown
*Kuni's on Lexington Ave. Elmwood Village
*Pizza Plant has a couple locations
*Burger King has a Morning Star brand Veggie Burger (hey you never know)
*Panos has a good veggie burger
*Subway

There are others that have one or two options that can be filling and healthy. Just stay away from eating the same old food if you are trying to be a vegetarian. Also avoid just eating salad and pizza, not only for your health, but because vegetarianism can get real old real fast that way. Try to get veggie dishes with protein in them at least once per day, in other words, don't just have the veggie sub at subway. This is just bread and vegetables and it's one reason why people think being vegetarian is for rabbits. For all of us Kung fu people and athletes who eat vegan or vegetarian, we can tell you that you can't and don't want to eat like that. You'll get cranky, lose energy and develop a bad attitude about being vegetarian. Even if you aren't vegetarian and just want some healthier alternatives, make it fun, make it taste good and enjoy your food.
It's trial and error some of it. Try the restaurants and foods you like. Learn your nutrition. Observe your bodies response. You can post here or follow us on Facebook if you have questions or comments!

Thanks,

Laoshi Markle
Executive Director & Head Teacher
Gold Summit Martial Arts Institute
Buffalo, N.Y

A Review on Starbucks for vegetarian snacks and tea

2009-12-05T11:52:00.001-08:00

For my second review I'm going with a place that I've been going to for a few years - Starbucks. I will say right away that I am not a coffee fan at all so I go there for the tea. And you won't find much there in terms of snacks if you're a vegan, but if you eat dairy then they have a good amount of cookies and things like that.

I know Starbucks is a coffee place but they serve a lot of Tazo teas, my personal favorite being China Green Tips. My kung fu teacher has been telling us for years how good green tea is for you, no matter what your lifestyle or if you're a vegetarian or not. They also have the really fruity, sweet tasting teas and some of the more earthy (which is a polite word for dirt) teas.

I usually go the Starbucks on Delaware and Kenmore because it’s a little smaller and the traffic isn’t as heavy as other place. The atmosphere there is also pretty nice; it’s not too dark and it’s not blazing with fluorescent lights, it’s right in the middle. And they play some pretty cool music too. On a few occasions I’ve asked people behind the counter to tell me which song was playing and I’ve gotten into some new artists by hanging out there. My one complaint is that they don’t have enough cushy chairs. Because I’m pretty lazy by nature (I’d like to say that I’m not ashamed to admit it but I am) I like fluffy chairs and they only have two. So when I go with a friend and someone’s already claimed one of them to type away their newest amazing work on their laptops, we’re stuck at the wooden chairs watching with hawk eyes until Johnny-artiste is done. And I do have to mention that in the last few months Starbucks has been selling breakfast sandwiches with different meats in them but I’ve noticed that over time they have been dwindling in numbers. My guess is that people go there for coffee and tea, not something they can get at McDonalds.

So my overall recommendation is to go. It’s a calm, comfortable atmosphere and would suit anyone looking to hang out with a friend in a place where steaks aren’t flying past your head ever ten seconds. And as for improving on the comfy chair situation…well I guess I’ll just have to suck it up and wait till they get more.

Some quick tips on becoming vegetarian in Buffalo

2009-12-05T11:21:00.000-08:00

It's not easy at first to become vegetarian or vegan in Buffalo, but this post is to help those who are interested in researching their options..

WHERE TO SHOP FOR SOME VARIETY AND A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CONVENIENT FOOD:

*Wegmans natural food section has lots of organic food, and even some frozen food options that are pretty decent. Burritos, veggie burgers, fake chicken, all make for some pretty good stuff, even for those used to eating meat! FOR INSTANCE, Buying frozen soybeans and sauteeing them in olive oil, soysauce and a little sugar and pepper makes for an easy dish that can be eaten alone or added to just about anything. Soybeans are extremely good for you, and are a complete protein.
OTHER PLACES to shop can include your regular supermarket for sauces, tofu, organic beans, whole grain breads, and of course a huge variety of fruits and vegetables.

*FIND THE RESTAURANTS that have some dishes that you like, and then rotate through them to keep things interesting. Most important thing for becoming vegetarian is to keep your palate happy! If you just eat salad and pizza everyday, it's not going to go well - before you know it you'll be hopping back on the meat train before you've even given your body a chance to get used to healthy, interesting vegetarian food.(COMING SOON_We will be giving you some of our reviews and lists of places that have some great vegetarian and vegan food in Buffalo and surrounding areas..stay tuned for that)

*DO SOME RESEARCH on your nutrition. At Gold Summit, when we have vegetarian cooking classes, we cover nutrition and eating habits that are useful for the athlete and average person alike. If you can't make a cooking class, find out the balance of proteins, carbs and fat that your body needs for your lifestyle. The NO CARB thing is a fad diet, as much as the High protein, meat eating overdose diets are. Balance is key for LONG TERM health, which is better than just wanting to drop a few pounds and look good temporarily.

*Lastly, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, You have to schedule EATING TIMES into your schedule!! If you are a vegetarian, your digestion works fast and easy, you burn your energy quickly and will probably have to eat regularly to feel good- that means you can't wait 8 hours to eat between meals! Seriously, if you schedule your eating times around your lifestyle and schedule, your mood will be better, you will feel the FULL benefits of being vegetarian, and you won't get either too thin or too fat. If you eat vegetarian sporadically throughout the day, without having full meals with the full nutrition that you need, you will get weak, fuzzy headed and deficient-YOU WILL BECOME THE STEREOTYPE OF VEGETARIANS! Lots of hulking strong men have become vegetarians these days, without suffering with health problems or energy troubles.

GOOD LUCK AND LET US KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, By publishing a comment or calling Gold Summit!

Laoshi's Review for MERGE Restaurant

2009-08-29T13:18:00.000-07:00

Jen failed to mention that I, too, was at the table with her this past time that she reviewed MERGE. I was ready to point out the fact that Merge portions are way too small, and for the Kung Fu person who has a big appetite, you are left feeling quite unsatisfied-HOWEVER, since I was last there in February, there portions sizes have become normal.

MENU OPTIONS: Lots of vegetarian choices, and the prices range from $6 or $7, up to $16 or so. So, even if you are on a tight budget, which most of us are, there will be something to order within your price range that is healthy and filling.

ATMOSPHERE: It's peachy, except for the confused art for sale on the walls. I am more a fan of art that has something recognizable in it, and of art that inspires and harmonizes. But it seems that it's more popular to put something up on the wall that makes your eyes cross and your body perspire, rather than anything to uplift the spirit. Other than that, the lighting is nice, the music is fun, and the people who work there are cool and approachable.

TASTE: If you are used to a little punch in your food, you know -a little kick, spicy, salty and what not-you might not be used to the food there at first. I don't mean it's bland, but it's mild and healthy, and I find, pretty tasty. But If you are new to vegetarian food, in my opinion, go a few times and try a few things. The pay off for eating healthy, meatless food may take a little time to appreciate. I got the "Buckwheat Crepe" and it was creative, tasted good and didn't leave me feeling like I had shoved a vat of oil or butter into my arteries.

SERVICE: Very good. The waiter was accomodating, friendly and very helpful. He was a little bit inattentive when the place got super busy, but that was AFTER we had been served and he had been to our table a few times, so it was ok.

Being that it is hard to find good vegan, vegetarian food in Buffalo, I will definitely go again!

First Restaurant Review--Merge Restaurant

2009-08-11T15:07:00.001-07:00

WHERE and WHAT PLACE: There is a restaurant on Delaware Ave. in downtown Buffalo called Merge. I went to it because I had been told that it offered a lot of vegetarian and vegan food and the atmosphere was something different from most restaurants, and as it turns out it's a really nice place to grab something to eat.

ATMOSPHERE: Although the building itself is small the atmosphere is very laid back and comfortable and you can actually see the person across the table from you (what is it with these emo-modern places thinking it's jive to have almost zero-lighting to bounce off the black painted walls so you can barely see the fork in your hand, and as a result, you end up stabbing the person you're trying to eat with? You know who you are, and if you're reading this, sorry about that). But anyway, it was a really nice place to visit and they have some really interesting artwork hanging around. Every one of the staff, including the owner was very nice and professional, and not in the fake-sweet, "I want more tips" way that most people in the business are.

FOOD: The food was very good, I recommend the vegan lasagna and the vegan mac and cheese. As someone who grew up on mac and cheese I was nearly crying every day the first week I went vegan because I missed the stuff so much, but now I've found a good replacement and don't feel guilty about eating it. By the way, I've also heard that if you're a singer you should avoid dairy, it screws with your voice. Anyway, they have a lot of options for people who don't eat meat and dairy and there are also a lot of gluten-free dishes for people who avoid that. The menu lets you know what to eat and what to stay away from depending on what you don't eat. Their salads are also pretty good, especially since they're served as apetizers and not a "full meal". **My only complaint is that the portions are small. For the average person you would most likely order a couple dishes for a complete meal, not just one. But if we visist Merge more often maybe they'll increase their portion sizes.

On top of the good food the music they had playing in the background was really nice; it was just stuff you noticed every once in a while, not some kind of blaring noise with some guy who sounds more like a girl screaming about how much he hates his dad and how he won't put chains on his kids...again, the emo-modern thing confuses me. If I heard correctly it was actually one of the employee's iPod that he had playing on shuffle. And when I heard George Micheal's Careless Whisper I have to say that it did nothing but make the experience better. We all know it's a ghastly song but if a guy has the guts to not only have it on his iPod, but actually play it in a restaurant for all to hear, that's really just the definition of a guy going places. But there was a lot of other good stuff playing from all over, the 80's, 90's, foreign, jazz, indie, it was all nice to hear.

So all in all I recommend dropping by Merge for lunch or dinner to enjoy some good vegetarian/vegan food, nice people and some awesome background music all wrapped up in a comfortable, artistic atmoshpere that tells emo to go cry somewhere else.

I am Foxtrot

2009-06-26T09:23:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,
I'm Jen from Gold Summit Martial Arts Institute, also known as Foxtrot. And I'm going to be honest right from the get-go: No one gave me that nickname, I gave it to myself one day in a blinding moment of clarity. Some will argue that that makes it less cool. Well go ahead and argue pal, I'm very good at not listening (you can ask LaoShi Markle about that).
But on a more serious note (or normal, depending on how you look at it), I moved to Buffalo three and a half years ago and started training at Gold Summit the day after I got here. I was not a vegetarian, much less a vegan, and my body ran on red bull, sugar, cigarettes and alcohol. I'm actually not sure how I kept it up for so long, but I certainly felt it my first day of class. I couldn't breath and it felt like every muscle in my body was made of dust. After somehow surviving my first class LaoShi spoke with me and encouraged me to change the habits that were obviously taking a huge toll on me. Considering her advice coupled with the fact that I felt like I was going to die if I had to go through another class in the same condition, I decided that I was done with the unhealthy lifestyle I'd been living for over four years. I quit smoking, drinking and partying in one day and have not gone back to it since, nor do I have any desire to. I also became a vegetarian at LaoShi's encouragement my first day of training and as of last August I'm a vegan and I feel so much healthier and livelier than I ever have.
In addition to being a student at Gold Summit I've been working in the office for the last three and a half years where I started out as an office assistant and was recently promoted to Office Manager. I was recently approached about doing reviews for restaurants with vegetarian/vegan food for Gold Summit and agreed only on the contingency that dessert would be part of the deal. (That's not really true, I would have been happy to do it anyway but it makes me sound tougher than I am...).
So that brings me to the blog. I will be going out to restaurants in the Buffalo area that offer vegetarian and vegan food and doing reviews so people can have a better idea of where to find stuff us "grass-eating freaks" (an affectionate term my dad gave me) can not only eat, but actually enjoy. If there is one thing the vegetarian/vegan world needs it's a better rap for the food it has to offer and it's definitely out there. I've had my fair share of food that gives us all a bad name (hence the whole "grass-eating freaks" thing) and that's why I wanted to do this blog: to spread the word of where to get good food, and to expose people who don't usually go for vegetarian food to the options they've got. The higher the demand for vegetarian food, the more we'll see of it. That's my hope, because I, like most everyone else find tofurkey to be somewhat nauseating. In fact, I have a slight hate of it. It's cool if you want to leave it in the package and let it sit in your fridge while you steadily ignore it every time you go to get something to eat- that's fine, but it's wasteful (*hint: don't buy it). But if all you've got to go with while you're out to eat is a sandwich made of the stuff that you drench in ketchup just to give it some flavor and tone down the rubbery aspect of it, that's just how fires get started people. And nobody likes that.
I've also noticed that vegetarians and vegans have gotten a bad stereotype over the years, being that they're all "wimpy" or "waify". If you'll excuse me for a moment, I just have to make a mental note to look for a baseball bat sometime soon.
Anyway, I have to say that this is simply not true; being a vegetarian does not automatically make you a waif, and it certainly doesn't make you a wimp. A lot of my Kung Fu brothers and sisters are vegetarians, though not all of them and that's totally cool. But when I see that those vegetarians could quite literally take my head off, I gotta say it makes me smile.
So I will be reporting on the best places to find the best kinds of vegetarian and vegan food and hopefully we can make an impact and get more choices out there for us, and at the same time maybe tell those who would call us "grass-eating freaks" or "wimpy vegetarians" to shove it (not you, Dad).

Foxtrot, out.

KUNG FU VEGAN-by Ben Trojan

2009-06-26T07:17:00.000-07:00

POSTED in Jan. 2009, BY FORMER STUDENT, BEN TROJAN:

I’ve been vegetarian for almost 8 years and for more than 5 of those 8, vegan. I’ve been training Kung Fu at Gold Summit Martial Arts Institute for just less than 5 years, and if you’re keeping track of numbers here - have been vegan the entire time.

You may be wondering to yourself, “How does a 90lb weakling vegan train Kung Fu for five years without withering away and becoming dust?” To you, I scoff! The common misconception here is that if you’re a vegetarian, you have to be scrawny, pale and emaciated; but this is surely not true! In the case of myself, and several of my vegetarian Kung Fu Brothers and Sisters, we are in no way scrawny, pale or unhealthy. Many of us train for many hours a week on a completely vegetarian diet, several of us vegan. If you took a look at us (myself, I am about 5′9″ and just under 160lbs. for example) you would be surprised to see that we are not tiny sticks of humans who get blown away in a light breeze. I am not the only person around my height/weight ratio, either. One of my taller Brothers is 200 lbs and as solid as a rock, eating only vegetarian for a number of years mixed with his Kung Fu training. In fact, traditionally, Shaolin monks were (and still are) strict vegetarians to follow a precept and abstain from killing.

WE ARE NOT ALONE EITHER, UFC fighter Mac Danzig; Actors Alec Baldwin, Mary Tyler Moore and Pamela Anderson; Musical artists Moby and Morrissey; and rappers like Andre 3000, Common and Wu Tang Clan’s Masta Killa (the last one being somewhat ironic). None of these people are particularly thin or emaciated looking - so that should be evidence to support my claim as well!

My friend was recently back in town for the weekend, 3 years after he moved to Portland, Oregon. As you may or may not know, Portland was ranked “The Most Vegetarian Friendly City in America” by PETA. He was a long time vegetarian before moving to Portland, but made the dive into vegan when he got there. And why not? He has scores and scores of choices when it comes to restaurants (with some amazing names like “Veganopolis”). Coming back to Buffalo, even just for a few days, he was stumped on what to eat or where. Buffalo literally has one all-vegetarian restaurant. One. That’s it! (Not to bash this particular restaurant or anything, but we need more variety!) This was the topic of an interesting discussion between us, in which he asked me straight out - “How do you do it?”

My answer to him was that, at least in the position that I am, it’s not very hard to do. I’m currently training and working at Gold Summit; training to eventually be an instructor and working toward being an office manager. The reason that this makes it easy for me, is that Gold Summit is an extremely vegetarian friendly place. In fact, I would go as far as to say that we have hands down the best vegan chefs in the city! (This is easy for me to say, with Buffalo’s total lack of vegan restaurants - but also easy for me to say because we have extremely well-planned and delicious meals of consisting of carbs, protein, greens and vegetables every single day. We need to have all of this food to keep up with our hard Kung Fu training!) Every few months, Gold Summit also has vegetarian cooking classes that appeal to vegetarians and meat-eaters alike, and are especially interesting and helpful for people who have recently stopped eating meat or are trying to cut down. These cooking classes are a ton of fun, as Chinese tea and steamed bread are offered during the instruction…and after, you get to try a full portion of everything that is cooked (I usually tell people to come hungry, because they’re going to leave full). On top of the instruction, eating and comfortable atmosphere, you get to take home your own copies of information for vegetarians and all the recipes of dishes you saw cooked! Omnomnomnomnom.

OVERALL, WHAT I AM TRYING TO DISPLAY HERE, IS THAT BEING A VEGETARIAN IN BUFFALO, NY IS NOT AN EASY TASK. And not everybody can eat here every day (though I would personally in no way be disappointed if there was a Gold Summit restaurant that served only things we ate here!). So, for people who aren’t me, you need help so that you don’t have to settle for less than you deserve or have an all-too-familiar feeling of “Ugh, what am I going to eat there ?” or “Well, I guess I’ll just have the house salad ;((((.”

LET ME TAKE JUST A MOMENT TO GO OFF ON A TANGENT ABOUT HOW I FEEL ABOUT SALAD: I think salad is a pathetic invention, and I am personally offended when offered salad. To me, this says, “We are too lazy to care about what will satisfy your palate. Here is a bunch of raw vegetables thrown together with little to no effort on our part.” Salad is for bunny rabbits, not humans. If I wanted to eat like a bunny rabbit, I would live in a cage and drink from one of those weird bottles with the ball at the end of the metal tube. And on this note, the idea that vegetarians only eat salad needs to be abandoned right now or there are going to be some serious problems. I am a vegetarian and I hate salad. I wish salad would uninvent itself. Up with hope, down with -dope- salad!

As far as finding somewhere to eat in this city, there is another option of having someone on the inside. You need a total pain in the neck vegan who is willing to go out to eat and let you know what’s up. You especially need someone who is willing to go out, test the waters, and report back to you to let you know where you can go to get salad and where you can get some REAL FOOD FOR HUMANS.