I was startled by Catherine Ho's article on the needs of older women and was prompted to write a letter to her before heading for bed last night (and after eating a delicious plant-based mushroom and onion pie with pesto):

Dear Ms. Ho~

I enjoyed your insightful August 12, 2025 article on healthy behaviors during perimenopause and menopause and appreciated the practical guidance from Dr. Kathleen Jordan and her colleagues regarding strength training.

I wanted to respectfully offer some complementary perspectives that contradict the emphasis on meat or eggs as optimal protein sources during midlife:

• Plant-based nutrition is increasingly recognized for its benefits—particularly in supporting heart health, managing cholesterol, and reducing inflammation. Large healthcare organizations such as Kaiser Permanente strongly promote plant-based dietary patterns as foundational to preventative care.

• Dr. Danielle Belardo, co-chair of the American Society for Preventive Cardiology’s Nutrition Working Group, advocates for a whole-food, plant-based approach to prevent cardiovascular disease—offering a clear contrast to recommendations centered on meat consumption.

• Emerging evidence suggests that the overall quality of one's diet—not simply whether it's labeled “plant-based” or “omnivorous”—is more strongly associated with health outcomes like insulin resistance, lipid profiles, and metabolic risk.

Given that perimenopausal and menopausal women face increased risk for heart disease, insulin resistance, and muscle loss, a broader framing that emphasizes high-quality, minimally processed plant foods—alongside lean proteins, strength training, and micronutrient sufficiency—may offer a more holistic and flexible approach for readers navigating midlife nutrition.

Thank you for covering this vital stage in women’s health. I hope these perspectives prove useful in future pieces.

Sincerely,

Tina Martin

Last night an organization I believe in, Senior and Disability Action, had a fund-raiser, a CommUNITY Celebration, and I was relieved that they included some vegan sushi, shown in the picture above.  (I was so happy when I saw it that instead of taking a picture as I'd done with the other plates/platters, I filled my plate.)  This was finger good--for very big fingers.

I took picture, as I was asked, of the whole event, but my pictures weren't sensational.  I wrote the following when the press person thanked me for the photos she hadn't used.

I meant to take a picture of the vegan sushi!  Sometimes one progressive organization sabotages another, and I'm not sure how many people--especially older people--realize that plant-based is the best choice for people concerned about animal welfare and the environment, and of course, it's recommended for seniors.  

"Kaiser Permanente recommends plant-based eating for seniors due to its potential health benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. A plant-based diet emphasizes whole, unprocessed plant foods like vegetables, fruits, beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds, while minimizing or eliminating animal products and processed foods."

Next year, I'll be happy to make a donation to provide something  savory that's plant-based and a sweet, tasty, plant-based dessert.  Please remind me!  

 

 

At a beautiful wedding, the hosts thoughtfully indicated that I was a vegan/vegetarian. But the staff served everyone else before me, which seemed strange because there were so few people asking a for  vegetarian dinner.  It seems that it would be simpler to serve the minority group first.  That got me to thinking about why airlines serve first people who've made a particular dietary request.  Here's what Chat GPT says:  

In most cases, airlines do serve special diet meals (such as vegetarian, gluten-free, or kosher) to passengers first during meal service. 

Here's why:

• Logistical Efficiency: Special meals are pre-ordered and are typically delivered to the plane separately from the standard meal trays. Serving them first allows the cabin crew to address these specific orders efficiently before they begin the main meal service, which can involve a broader range of choices and may take longer to distribute throughout the cabin.
• Accuracy and Verification: By serving special meals first, flight attendants can double-check that each passenger receives the correct meal they requested, especially important for those with allergies or strict religious dietary needs. This personalized approach helps to minimize errors.
• Customer Service and Needs: Passengers with specific dietary needs often rely on these meals for health or religious reasons. Prioritizing their meals demonstrates the airline's commitment to accommodating these needs and provides a better overall experience for those passengers.
• Early Service Benefits: Receiving a meal earlier can be particularly advantageous on longer flights, allowing passengers to enjoy their meal and relax sooner. 

In short, serving special meals first simplifies the meal service process for the cabin crew, ensures accurate delivery, and enhances the experience for passengers who depend on these specialized meals. 

In restaurants serving a banquet, should requests for people with special diets be served before others or after them?

Serving requests for individuals with special dietary needs at a banquet is a matter of 

etiquette, inclusivity, and ensuring a positive experience for all guests. While there are no hard and fast rules demanding that special meals be served strictly before or after others, some considerations can guide the process: 

• Prioritize Safety and Comfort: Individuals with allergies or severe dietary restrictions must receive their food in a timely and accurate manner to prevent discomfort or health risks.
• Coordinate with the Kitchen and Serving Staff: The kitchen should be well-informed of the dietary needs and have protocols in place for preparing and delivering the special meals safely and efficiently, according to Daily.dev. Communication with the serving staff is also critical so they know who receives a special meal and can deliver it correctly.
• Avoid Making it Seem Like a Burden: Ideally, special meals should be served discreetly and seamlessly, blending into the regular meal service to avoid singling out the individual and making them feel like a burden or an afterthought.
• Flexibility is Key: The best approach may depend on the specific circumstances of the banquet, such as the size of the gathering, the complexity of the special meals, and the overall flow of the service. 

 https://preview.mailerlite.io/emails/webview/1401891/160279476950795968

The San Francisco Veg Society is really vibrant now--lots going on and even some people younger than me!  In fact I was sitting next to a young man from India and commented over my huge plate of food that as a kid I was told to eat everything on my plate because the children in India were starving.  He said, "Yes, and I was one of those kids.  I'm here because you ate everything on your plate."  

 

I treated generous friends to Casa Borinquina's combination plate at Saluhall yesterday.  It was kind of a challenging situation because I wanted them to get a particular dish at this  Puerto Rican stall that's part of IKEA.  It worked out great because I pretended it was as if I were hosting at my own home and serving them what I'd made!  I got the dishes ordered and paid for, and while I was getting tea on another floor, the buzzer alerted my guests, who then brought the food to the table!  It takes a village!  They are all meat-eaters, and they loved the plant-based dishes.  I don't usually eat substitute meat dishes, but this really is delicious.  Except for one guest, who took some of her food home, we all cleared our plate, and they kept commenting on how good it was.

These generous friends gave two of us each a box of cookies, which I suspect were not vegan.  They're wonderful people, but they aren't clear on the concept.  Of course, plant-based is a cause for me, not something based on an allergy, so I could have eaten the cookies myself instead of giving them away.  I like to support plant-based dishes by giving people items that are plant-based.  They already know how good products with eggs and milk are.  But they don't seem aware of the abuse of animals--both cows and hens-- on  factory farms that provide milk and eggs.

I gave the beautiful cookies to a neighbor.

Ireland is very vegan-friendly.

When I asked the very friendly man at Killarney Bakery, "Do you have any pastry that's vegan?" he said, "Everything is vegan except these" and showed us about three items!
 

Proposition Chicken's "fake" chicken menu item is actually crispy BBQ tofu. They also offer fried and "flipped" (rotisserie-style) chicken options. Their menu also includes sandwiches (with the "fake" chicken option), salads, entrees, and various wings and strips. 

This is what I found online after I noticed that a place called Proposition Chicken was 

replacing the vegan-friendly Lemonade on West Portal.