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“Once I became vegan, my nails were stronger, my skin was glowing, I lost a lot of weight. … Going vegan is the single best thing I’ve done in my life. I am so much happier and more confident. I made a decision based on my moral beliefs,” says Alicia Silverstone, who is now in the process of getting her book, “The Kind Diet” published by Rodale. The book will include a three-step diet plan and macrobiotic and vegan recipes.

Natalie Portman launched a line of vegan shoes and all the profits from that will go to “The Nature Conservancy” as she is very concerned with ecology and the environment.

It is not just adults who are turning vegan or vegetarian. Now there is an animated series for children called “Veggie Tales” where the animated protagonists are vegetables. The producers have released videos, songs and even a movie. Another movie, The Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything is in the pipeline. This series is pro vegan… (more…)

Research also suggests children who get their nutrition from plants have a health advantage over children who eat meat. Children in Vegan households tend to have higher IQs, grow taller, have less weight problems, and go through puberty later… (more…)

Even those who are not yet ready to fully embrace the vegan lifestyle can benefit from learning about the way vegans eat. Because vegan diets are plant-based, they are healthier than more typical American diets filled with processed and high-fat foods with few nutrients. Vegan eating has many advantages, including: (more…)

After switching to a vegan diet, many report having stronger immune systems… (more…)

Many vegans supplement their diet with a variety of soy products and other protein alternatives, like soy milk, soy burgers, tofu, and textured vegetable protein. Soy products are as protein-rich as meat and dairy products, but contain no cholesterol, no saturated fat, and no galactose, the sugar that causes lactose intolerance.

Along with the health benefits of the vegan way of life is an obvious side benefit: vegans typically weigh less than either vegetarians or meat eaters. The recent widely-praised book by Mark Bittman, Food Matters, describes how he lost 35 pounds just by going vegan for two meals a day. Imagine how much weight you could lose by eliminating animal products altogether!

Vegan food is also much cheaper than a meat-heavy diet. Everyone knows that shopping the produce aisle is far cheaper than shopping the meat and cheese departments; what’s more, vegan milk and protein alternatives, like Silk Soymilk or White Mountain Tofu, are the same price or cheaper than their animal originals.

Finally, vegans can sleep better at night, knowing that their lifestyle is far easier on the planet than that of animal eaters. Animal farming is widely acknowledged to be unsustainable; the earth simply cannot produce enough cows, sheep, chickens, and goats to feed a world population of over six billion. Globally, animal agriculture has been shown to contribute to global warming, deforestation, species loss, and water pollution. Why continue to be a part of that, when by simply changing how you eat, you can help be part of the solution?

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Health benefits are one large attraction of the vegan lifestyle. Those at risk for high cholesterol and high blood pressure are also more susceptible to strokes and heart attacks. In such cases, veganism can save lives, as a life free of animal products tends to lower blood pressure and cholesterol. Forget taking medications to prevent such health issues; veganism allows those at risk to improve their health the natural way. A vegan lifestyle can also decrease risk of cancer, since many animal products are processed, and contain harmful chemicals and preservatives. Hence, many harmful side effects of animal products can be avoided through a vegan lifestyle. (more…)

Red meat, which typically takes several days to digest and rots in your stomach while it’s waiting, and pork, which comes from one of the nastiest animals on this earth. These types of food contributes to several different life threatening diseases such as, heart disease, some forms of cancer, high blood pressure, and diabetes, just to name a few.  A lot of these diseases can be prevented if we would change our eating habits and adopt a healthy eating lifestyle.  This is where vegetarianism comes in… (more…)

Vegans show significantly improved health when compared to the average, thanks to eliminating the saturated fats found in meat, eggs, butter and shellfish; a life-long vegan could have more than a 50% reduction in his or her risk of heart disease1, the leading cause of death in the United States.   Increased fiber intake from fruits, vegetables, and legumes also helps to lower cholesterol, as well as lowering the risk of colon cancer.  Not ingesting dairy products can contribute to an easing of both arthritis and menstrual symptoms, in addition to reducing some allergic reactions (such as rhinitis).  Wow … the information you’re finding about this diet is starting to persuade you of its benefits.  All of these diseases tend to run in your family.  Perhaps there is an easy alternative to carrying on that family tradition … a modification of diet.

Accommodating the vegan lifestyle is much easier than at first presumed.  There are numerous products available which both taste and act as their traditional counterparts do; these can be used to produce delicious meals and treats.  Milk and yogurt both come in fortified soy varieties; there are several different meat substitutes that come in patties and crumbles to use as you would ground beef; and extra-virgin olive oil is an ideal substitute for melted butter.  Sure, cheeseburgers aren’t going to be a part of the family barbecue to welcome the girlfriend; but the vegetable kabobs and grilled flatbreads you’ll serve instead will be fabulous!   Branch out into international fare, and you can enjoy traditional French ratatouille; Indian curried garbanzo beans over rice, with optional “serve yourself” toppings of cashews and coconut and raisins; Cuban fried plantains and yams; or even a simple Chinese-style stir fry.  Truly, the vegan diet is only limited by your imagination.

So, instead of panicking at the thought of what to feed your son’s girlfriend, suddenly you’re excited by the possibilities … a veritable gourmet tour of the world awaits as you experiment with new dishes.  Maybe there’s a little something to this diet she’s chosen, which you can use to modify your own family’s eating habits in an effort to improve everyone’s health.  You now feel comfortable welcoming your guest with both a warm heart and some amazing food.  The intimidation factor is gone — you can now embrace the beneficial and delicious vegan diet!

Being on a balanced diet can be the healthiest thing on earth and a vegan diet proves to be that kind of diet from the few, and is the only diet so very good for the heart, body, mind and soul. Vegans have a slightly higher metabolic rate during rest, meaning that they burn up more calories as body heat rather than storing them as body fat. This small increase in the rate of caloric expenditure means a huge amount of calories burned with no additional effort. This in turn secludes one from obesity, cancer, heart disease and many other ailments attributed to consumption of meat. A vegan diet is also likely to be a high fiber diet and an important ingredient for life longevity.

What about nutrients? How on earth do vegans get their nutrients if they are not eating meat anyway? One would be surprised how easy it actually is to have a very healthy well balanced vegan diet from familiar tastes one knows and loves, and may also be inspired to explore many new foods, opening oneself up to discover a new world of taste sensations. One may notice the great variety of grains, nuts, nut butters, beans, rice, pastas, breads, fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices one may not have cooked with before.

There are daily alternatives such as soymilk, almond milk, rice milk, nondairy ice creams, margarine, dairy-free cream and many more, and the diet can never be boring as most people would speculate. Many familiar favorites and international specialties are naturally vegan like the Italian spaghetti with marinara sauce, the Middle Eastern falafel, Indian rice biriyani, Chinese stir-fry veggies, Japanese vegetable sushi; and French fries, to mention but a few… (more…)

There is a popular slogan, “Be vegan in every sphere of your life.” A short survey was conducted by a team of well experienced healthcare consultants in New York to know the public interest about vegan lifestyle. To be frank, the response was very positive. Therefore, the magnitude of the importance of vegan living can’t be denied.  A guy who opts for vegan diet will have to take lot of fresh vegetables, fruits and whole grains inclusive of legumes.    In actuality,  it is considered to be the powerful source of collecting vitamins and proteins. It is also much conducive to control the calorie percentage of the body.  Micronutrients such as vitamin A, Riboflavin, Biotin, ascorbic acid including Vitamin B12 and so on are available through green leafy vegetables, carrots, squash, peanuts, hiziki, fresh yeast and nori.  Macronutrients like protein and fat can also be collected from Avocados, vegetable oils, nuts and seeds.

Therefore, sufficient intake of vegetables will prevent a number of lethal diseases as well.  Frankly speaking, it is a type of fat free dietary program which will energize human beings boosting up the level of resistance power in men. According to experts, this type of vegan lifestyle is also helpful to persons to check the possibility of the attack of cancer or any type of incurable chronic disease.  Those who want to undergo such dietary program must avoid taking meat and fish.  There are a number of reasons of opting for the vegan living.  Many think that by being habituated to take fruits, vegetables and grains, it is possible to assist the ecological balance. It teaches persons to let other animals live comfortably on the earth. It is also very significant from the philosophical point of view.  This concept germinates the seeds of humanity and philanthropic love in the mind of man… (more…)

The BIG “3” for Veganism – Why We Do It – Don’t Worry, Animal-Rights are #4

Yes we’re a fourth of the way into the year and let’s face it, that New Year Resolution you made to go on a diet, live healthier or go green is just a blimp on your radar.

Well at the risk of sounding like an infomercial-no offense to Ron Popeil.  Love his infomercials at 2:00 in the morning- but I have the magic answer to those resolutions.  The all-in-one solution to all your life’s dilemmas (And no it wont cost you 3 easy monthly payments of $19.99 thank you very much).  Introducing-cue the music- Veganism!  Yes folks I have found the answer to solving your health problems, your weight problems and good ole mother nature’s problems.

Okay, let me back up for a second.  For those who might not be familiar with the terms vegan or veganism, Wikipedia defines it as “a diet and lifestyle that seeks to exclude the use of animals for food, clothing or any other purpose.”  Although there are different degrees of veganism, generally living the life of a vegan requires a lot of diligent work and.  For example, you have to know how and where the products you are buying are being manufactured.  However, the benefits often outnumber the labor involved.   Here are just three ways veganism can be beneficial to your everyday life:

Health Benefits

Since vegan diets do not contain heart-clogging cholesterol and, for the most part, are low in fat, the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease is reduced.  In fact, a British research published in the July-August, 2005 Vegetarian Journal compared 21 vegans to 25 non-vegetarians similar in age and BMI (Body Mass Index).  Not only did the vegans have lower blood pressure, they also had lower blood triglycerides levels and lower fasting blood glucose levels than the non-vegetarians.

Weight Loss

In 2005 the American Journal of Medicine conducted a study on low-fat, plant based diets.  Not surprisingly, the study showed these diets were more effective at helping the participants lose weight.  Vegan diets are primarily made of fruits and veggies, combined with protein rich foods like tofu and nuts which help regulate the blood sugar in your system.  What does that mean?  No more mid-morning crashes.  Your tummy feels full and your mind remains on other things beside the box of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts your coworker brought in this morning.

Environment

Let’s face it we ALL need to start thinking about our carbon footprint.  A vegan lifestyle tends to take Mother Nature into consideration.  According to the UN “the livestock sector emerges as one of the top 2 or 3 most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems.”  Simply eliminating the consumption of animal products can reduce one of the most sizable environmental problems.  If that is not an enough of an eye-opener just think about the following stats Earthsave International compiled:

• Over 80% of the corn and oats grown in the U.S. are fed to livestock;
• An acre can produce either 165 pounds of beef or 20,000 pounds of potatoes;
• It can take 50 times more fossil fuels to produce a meat-centered diet compared to a    meat-free diet;
• It takes 25 gallons of water to produce a pound of wheat and 2,500 gallons of water to produce a pound of meat.

The effects of living a vegan lifestyle can have an impact on your health, your diet and the environment as a whole.  There are endless ways a vegan lifestyle can improve your well-being.

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The possibility of going green can help you save money at the same time as well. The drastic climate changes have shifted the attention of people towards the planet, deservingly so. Through simple steps the carbon footprint can be reduced enabling people to live in greater harmony with the planet.

One way to go green is by saving energy, conserving energy can help reduce the energy bills hence save money. Adjusting the thermostat ever so slightly can help save on the costs of cooling and heating. Installing compact fluorescent light bulbs can help save energy. Appliances which are not in use should be unplugged. A smart power strip can be used on appliances like computers to reduce the power drained by the appliances. Heating the water in washing machines requires a lot of power hence washing clothes in cold water helps save energy.

Water is a precious commodity; most people in the world do not have access to clean water. Simple steps such as shorter showers and installing low-flow showerheads can help save water. Faucet aerators can help conserve heat and water… (more…)

With a vegan lifestyle you do not have to cut back on your eating portions. By mainly consuming fruits, which have very little fat; vegetables, which have no fat; grains, which take more calories to digest then they have in them; and nuts, which have a good kind of fat but can become fattening if eaten all the time… (more…)

Does living a Vegan Lifestyle go Beyond Health? Complex Carbohydrates, Cosmetics and Livestock Waste

Vegan living is a lifestyle choice that has gained much popularity in the United States of America. Those who prefer to live this lifestyle over normal living are individuals who choose to miss out on meat and dairy products. As an alternative, their diets comprise exclusively of plant-based foods. They go so far as to excluding eggs, dairy and even honey from their diets. Animal skin and fur are further excluded from their closets. Down comforters and cosmetics that have been tested on animals are forbidden from their lives as well.

Why Do People Become Vegans?

The reasons behind individuals becoming vegans go far beyond health. At times their sole aim is to live a cruelty free life. They believe that by not including animal products, plant foods are grown and consumed more for human consumption more willingly than livestock which results in a better world.

Individuals are further interested in becoming vegans due to the health benefits that this lifestyle offers. Scientific research that has been carried out proves that vegans and vegetarians tend to have lower rates of cancer and heart disease, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and less incidence of diabetes. Vegan diets have proven that they have a vast number of benefits to individuals that have autoimmune diseases for example multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

What Does Vegan Living Provide?

Vegan diets offer complex carbohydrates that break down in the body to provide unrelenting energy levels. Foods rich in complex carbs include oatmeal, bran, brown rice, pasta, corn, potatoes, peas, beans and lentils. There is a general notion that vegan lifestyles are boring and do not provide essential nutrients. This is not true at all! Those who follow this lifestyle have multiple food choices that include fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. Fruits and vegetables which they consume offer an excess of vitamins and minerals, as well as the most significant dietary fiber. It is believed that people who utilize high fiber diets can considerably decrease their risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and diverticulitis which is a disease of the colon.
Further Benefits of Vegan Living

Taking up vegan living is far more than making a dietary choice. The vegan lifestyle is based on the philosophy of “gentle-living”, which makes them commit to make the world a better place before they leave it. All of them are against animal cruelty; for the most part factory farms in which animals are usually mistreated and abused.
It is believed by the Natural Resources Defense Council that the major source of water pollution is livestock waste and tends to pose a threat to human health and the natural environment. Upon decomposition of manure a number of harmful chemicals are released including methane gas; a greenhouse gas that has been connected to climate change. Unluckily, we live in a toxic world. Even though we cannot shun every chemical and environmental pollutant, the adaptation of vegan lifestyle can considerably decrease our contact with detrimental toxins.

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There are tons of ways that you use self-help to have beautiful, healthy, starry eyes.  The experts suggest a diet high in Vitamin A which includes foods such as carrots, eggs, fish, milk, spinach, papaya, drumsticks, and mangoes. Also exercising, getting adequate rest, drinking 8 ounces of water per day, and not rubbing your eyes under any circumstance to help keep your peepers healthy. To give your eyes a special bright look two drops of pure rose water dropped from a stopper is recommended. Make sure that you get real rose water, as any perfumed product would be harmful to your eyes. For an at home eye remedy a piece of thinly sliced cucumber or potato placed on your eyes for 10 minutes.  This helps erase wrinkles and that “racoon mask” of dark circles around them. The most important eye tip of all though is to always wear sunglasses on bright days because the sun can cause severe damage to your eyes.

Cures from Nature

Natural remedies for healthy eyes can be as simple as placing cold tea bags on your closed eyes for 10 minutes or can involve other plant substances from nature.  The following website suggest some cures: http://www.eyecarebasics.com/eye-care-articles/natural-eye-care.htm

“Natural Remedies To Enhance Eyes

There are several natural (home) remedies available to keep eyes healthy and to deal with (and treat) minor eye problems such as redness and puffy eyes. A few examples of natural remedies are:

Making Use of Natural Creams

In natural eye care healing properties of flowers and plants are used to treat minor problems such as itchy eyes, redness of the eyes and infected (overly irritated) eyes. Different types of advanced eye care are sold by pharmacies and health food shops, mostly containing the following ingredients:

Cucumber or Cucumber Water

Containing Calcium, Vitamins A and C and Magnesium, Cucumber is known for its soothing properties and will help relax eyes and reduce redness of the eyes. Cucumber water or thin slices can also be applied to the skin around the eyes especially if this skin is looking dry. Leaving the slices on the skin for at least fifteen minutes while relaxing will make your eyes look like new!

Agrimony Leaves or Flowers

Dried leaves and flowers of this plant are added to boiled water, after which the infusion is strained and used to bathe the eyes, to reduce swelling and itchy eyes. People who spend a lot of time working behind a computer, experiencing itchy or burning eyes, will also benefit from this remedy.

Marigold Flowers

A weak tea is made, cooled down and cotton wool pads are soaked in the tea, after which the pads are placed on the eyes or the eyes for ten minutes are washed with this liquid.

Eye problems that last longer than two days should always be checked out by a doctor.”

(more…)

Picture sitting at breakfast when you have just had a blueberry and almond smoothie and wheat toast only to look across the table to see your friend holding their stomach as if it is going to combust after downing a stack of bacon and pancakes. I am sure you can guess who feels healthier at that moment. Yet, that same person who just ingested a pound of cholesterol and fat will be the one to argue that a vegan diet is not “healthy” because it lacks nourishment. A common misconception. (more…)

Vegans are Better than Vegetarians – Plain and Simply

This is a very simple subject, and it literally comes down to, where do we begin? Of course, as anyone would say, lets begin from the beginning, and so we shall.

As everyone knows, the heart of being a vegan is becoming a vegetarian. But it goes deeper than that because many vegetarians will consume dairy and egg products, while a vegan passes these foods by. The food chain here between animals and humans has been effectively abolished, and only good things can come from this.

By not eating animals or their byproducts, you have just removed from your diet the biggest problem for a healthy body in saturated fats and cholesterol. By doing this, you have automatically reduced your risk of heart disease, stroke, and adult onset diabetes simply by just changing your diet.

But it gets better! It is proven that while following a vegan diet filled with whole grains, fruits and nuts, you have naturally increased your own fiber intake. These foods are incredibly beneficial in lowering blood pressure, and studies have confirmed that a diet rich in fiber will greatly reduce your risk of colon cancer.

What’s not to love here? So far we have seen that being a vegan is an incredible way to remain healthy from the inside out. So, lets see what it’s like from the outside in. (more…)

A Vegan refers to a person or diet that follows a “Vegan” lifestyle.  A Vegan diet is a type of vegetarian diet that excludes eggs, dairy products and all other animal-derived ingredients and meats of any kind. A large number of vegans do not eat foods that are made using animal products but may not contain animal products in the finished process, such as refined white sugar and some wines and honey. Some liquors are made with a vegan diet in mind. A number of vegans also avoid the use of all products that are tested on animals, as well as animal-derived non-food products, such as leather, fur and wool.

Following a vegan diet should be a well-balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, protein, minerals, vitamins, legumes, beans, omega-3 fats, calcium, and iodine. A vegan diet can consist of beans, peas, whole-grain breads, spinach, raisins, apricots, peaches, nuts, seeds, and iron-fortified cereals as well as strawberries, citrus fruits, tomatoes, cabbage and broccoli.

Another category of a vegan diet is a “raw vegan diet” which consists of eating unprocessed vegan foods that have not been heated above 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46 degrees Celsius). Vegans who go “raw” believe that foods cooked above this temperature lose a significant amount of their nutritional value and are harmful to the body. (more…)

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