Las Vegas vegan group to speak on importance of plant-based lifestyle

The movers-and-shakers of the Las Vegas vegan scene are teaming up to provide free information to those interested in a plant-based lifestyle.

The group dubbed Peace Begins on Your Plate: The Dish on Why Plant-Based Eating Is on the Rise is devoted to speaking about the ethics, health and spirituality of veganism in hopes of spreading its message.

“Our focus is to enlighten, engage and inspire people,” said Jodi Paige, founder of the group and owner of Virgin Cheese. “We don’t want to come off as hard-hitting or negative. We want to be inviting and be living examples of healthy and vibrant plant-based eaters.”

The group features a 25-minute presentation composed of five speakers speaking for five minutes each.

Paige, a Summerlin resident, focuses on what the phrase, “peace begins on your plate” refers to and the benefits of going plant-based.

“Our nation is in a health crisis, and our food system has been hijacked,” Paige said. “We’re such a sick and diseased nation that the attractiveness of eating in more healthful way is on the nation’s consciousness now. There really is this amazing synchronicity that happens when people follow a plant-based lifestyle. It’s an alignment of the mind, heart, soul, gut and body.”

Avi Levi, founder of ONE Family Animal Sanctuary in the northwest and owner of Design & Dine, is another panelist.

Since Levi works up close with the animals every day, he is set to speak about the ethical side of veganism, focusing on topics like factory farming.

“I am hoping to reach people who are not vegan but who are also open-minded people in general and are willing to create their own opinions and not just believe what social standards, marketing, and commercials tell them about the topics we’ll be discussing,” Levi said. “I think the biggest challenge will be making people understand that there is no difference between a cow and a dog — so why eat one and not the other?”

Another one of the panelists is Henderson resident Joanna Blad, a World Peace Diet facilitator and domestic violence survivor who became vegan after she made the connection between human and non-human victims of violence.

“I know what it feels like to have another being violated, hurt and want to kill you,” Blad said. “I thought, ‘How could I feel sorry for myself for being a victim of domestic violence when I was victimizing other non-human animals?’”

Once Blad made that connection, she made it a point to teach others about the spiritual side of the issue with a focus on the “boomerang effect,” or what comes around goes around.

“Men used me, and once they got what they wanted they broke up with me,” Blad said. “That’s exactly what happens to animals. They’re totally used and once they have nothing left to give, they’re slaughtered.”

Henderson resident Nick Brannigan is the talk show host of Health Conspiracy Radio, an adjunct instructor at College of Southern Nevada and non-GMO consultant at VegeNation.

He decided to join the group to talk about how veganism goes beyond being on a diet.

“It’s a lifestyle, and people need to hear about the way that animals are treated, but they also need to focus on themselves,” he said.

His focus is to talk about the nutritional benefits of eating whole foods (versus becoming a junk food vegan) and reaping the rewards of health.

Summerlin resident Sari Dennis, a certified Food For Life cooking instructor and founder of My Wellness Counts, LLC, is also set to speak about nutrition.

“I really understand the power of food, and it’s never too late for anybody to adapt to these changes,” Dennis said.

Throughout her childhood and adulthood, Dennis dealt with digestive issues and acid reflux. After both of her parents were diagnosed with cancer, Dennis decided to make a change and go vegan.

“I no longer deal with acid reflux,” Dennis said. “I’m 52 now and I don’t take any medications. It’s truly a blessing.”

The group is set to have its debut Oct. 1 at the premier of the Grow Your Own Festival at the Vegas Roots Community Garden, 715 N. Tonopah Drive. The group’s presentation is ideal for large congregations, lunches, wellness centers, wellness conferences, culinary union, caterers, gyms, hospital nutritionists, women’s clinics, yoga studios, fitness gyms, libraries, high schools, colleges and senior centers, according to Paige.

“Veganism is not a trend; it’s a revolution,” Blad said. “It’s all about re-learning what you were brainwashed to think. Every single day animals are raped and killed for our own use. Where do you think all of that horrible energy goes? We consume it.”

For more information, visit facebook.com/peacebeginsonyourplate.

To reach North View reporter Sandy Lopez, email slopez@viewnews.com or call 702-383-4686. Find her on Twitter: @JournalismSandy