Thanks to Roger Ebert for sharing his review of the documentary Forks Over Knives…
Here is a film that could save your life. So you’d better stop reading now, because you don’t want to go to the trouble. You are addicted to fat, salt, sugar and corn syrup. Your body has established a narcotic-like dependence on them, and you’re comfortable with that, just like smokers know why they keep on smoking. If you have to die 10 or 25 years sooner than necessary to smoke, if you need Viagra because your vascular system is compromised, or if you’re overweight, you can live with that.
Hey, I’m not going all holier-than-thou on you. Think how fat I was for years. I knew the solution, I was weak and lazy. Over 12 years I was eventually able to lose about 70 pounds with a proper diet, but my current weight and superb physical condition can be attributed to my illness. I am unable to eat or drink anything, and my (therefore) perfect diet of canned nutrition has given me an ideal weight and incredibly good blood numbers. I don’t recommend that you get sick to get well, however.
What every human being should do is eat a vegetarian diet based on whole foods. Period. That’s it. Animal protein is bad for you. Dairy is bad for you. Forget the ads: Milk and eggs are bad for you. Skim milk is no better, because it contains proportionately more animal protein. What you’re trying to avoid is dietary cholesterol. You also need to cut way down on salt and sugar, and run like hell from high fructose corn syrup.
“Forks Over Knives” is a documentary in which Lee Fulkerson enacts a mirror image of the journey taken by Morgan Spurlock in “Supersize Me.” Instead of eating only at McDonald’s for a month and nearly killing himself, he eats a plant-based whole food diet for six months, gets off all of his cholesterol and blood pressure medications, drops a lot of weight, sleeps better and has more energy.
His film follows three other sick people: one with breast cancer, one given less than a year to live because of heart problems, one with murderously high cholesterol. All are well again after the vegetarian diet. The movie opens with a warning that no one should take such steps without consulting a physician, and I quite agree; I would not have depended on nutrition to cure my cancer, but I’m convinced that I would always have been healthier if I’d eaten correctly.
Over the years I tried vegan and low-protein vegetarian diets, benefited from and enjoyed them. I found by experience that all one needed was a rice cooker, a knife, a chopping block, whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables. I got all the protein and calcium I needed. I enjoyed it. But I was tempted. I strayed into the elysian fields of pizza, steaks, hamburgers and soft drinks. I once was blind and now I see.
The film hammers us with information. It centers on the work of famed nutritionists Dr. T. Colin Campbell of Cornell and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn of the Cleveland Clinic. Campbell conducted the awesome China-Oxford-Cornell study, which followed millions of Chinese over decades and found that increases in their incidence of cancer and heart disease directly paralleled their adoption of a Western diet.
Short term studies show the same thing: When Nazis commandeered all the food animals in Norway and rationing forced Brits away from meat, disease rates plummeted. After the war, they moved up again. In the traditional Japanese diet, breast and prostate cancers are all but unknown.
These facts have long been established, not only by Campbell and Esselstyn but also by Dean Ornish, John McDougall and the researchers at Pritikin. There is a Catch-22. The federal government subsidizes such crops as corn, which is used for lethal corn syrup and to feed animals which we then eat. It puts bad foods in school lunches. The lobbyists of agribusiness control national farm policy. The government spends millions to subsidize an unhealthy diet. We are raising the first generation of children who will not live as long as their parents.
Over the years I tried vegan and low-protein vegetarian diets, benefited from and enjoyed them. I found by experience that all one needed was a rice cooker, a knife, a chopping block, whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables. I got all the protein and calcium I needed. I enjoyed it. But I was tempted. I strayed into the elysian fields of pizza, steaks, hamburgers and soft drinks. I once was blind and now I see.
“Forks Over Knives” is not subtle. It plays as if it had been made for doctors to see in medical school. Few doctors seem prepared to suggest proper nutrition as an alternative to pills, stents and bypasses. Although regular exercise, especially walking, is invaluable, the film shows only a little exercise and focuses single mindedly on nutrition.
The government spends millions to subsidize an unhealthy diet. We are raising the first generation of children who will not live as long as their parents.
The bottom line: I am convinced this message is true. A plant-based whole foods diet is healthy. Animal protein is not necessary, or should be used sparingly as Asians did, as a flavoring and not a main course. This adds the advantage of allowing us to avoid the chemicals and carcinogens pumped into livestock and poultry. Fast food is lethal. Parents who feed it to their children are helping them get hooked on fat, salt and sugar addiction. The facts are in. Didn’t I warn you to stop reading?
P. S: I have recently decided to ditch my canned nutrition and switch to a liquid diet based on fresh fruits and vegetables. Yes, I consulted my physician.
I recently launched a new website EcoBeautyEditor.com — a resource of natural, organic beauty and health information, research, interviews, reviews, vegan recipes, expert recommendations and holistic treatments.
For the site’s launch, I interviewed Mimi Kirk, the inspiring 72-year-old woman who just a couple of years ago was named PETA’s Sexiest Vegetarian Over 50. Mimi is about to launch her new book Live Raw: The Natural Way to Good Health and Timeless Beauty, so to celebrate, I wanted to share an excerpt from my interview with Mimi, in which she shares not only an insight into her life, but some great tips on how to embrace life, no matter your age. To read the complete article and see more photos, please click here.
Mimi is offering a special gift for those who buy an autographed copy directly from her site. Visit youngonrawfood.com/live-raw to find out more information and to order your copy.
You’re 72 and yet you look like you’re in your 40s. What’s your secret?
I would place what I eat at the top of my list, a raw vegan diet. Second I think exercise is important. I know that now more than ever before, so I’ve included strength training to my walking, yoga and qigong routine. I think moderate exercise is enough. I would also include to my list of “secrets” a positive attitude, compassion and passion, and of course having a boyfriend 19 years my junior doesn’t hurt.
Do you know any other 72-year-olds who share your youthful vibrancy?
Yes, I think there are many youthful seniors today. The face of aging is changing and those of us who eat healthy can attest to that, but still, I think there is a common agreement amongst advertisers and drug companies pandering to the senior set, that we have to look our chronological age and take a fist full of drugs to combat aging and diseases.
It’s obvious you’ve not had any plastic surgery. What do you tell people who question you about that?
I’m not much concerned with the lines on my face. I’m more concerned with how I feel. I think plastic surgery is a mistake. I’ve seen some really bad surgery, loss of character on the face and even tragedy associated with plastic surgery. I think people can tell I’ve not had surgery when they meet me in person. I have laugh lines and look natural, well my blonde hair is not natural, but I find it fun at my age.
What gets you up in the morning? What are your greatest passions?
I love life, I’m a happy person and certainly passionate about my family. I have a book coming out in May, and I’m thrilled about it. To pass along what I’ve learned about being healthy over the years certainly keeps me passionate. I accept a few coaching clients each month and I’m passionate about seeing their results.
Vegan life is a compassionate one, for the animals, the planet and our own wellbeing. There was a spiritual awakening when I realized I did not have to take part in killing to eat. I love looking at my plate and seeing live food and not a deceased animal.
Did you always know you’d become a vegan? How did your life path lead to it?
I became a vegetarian over 40 years ago. I had an epiphany while eating a slice of roast beef. I realized I was eating flesh. That was it for me. I soon learned of the inhumane treatment of farm animals and although I would occasionally go off course, I would immediately get back on just thinking about where meat comes from. Vegan life is a compassionate one, for the animals, the planet and our own wellbeing. There was a spiritual awakening when I realized I did not have to take part in killing to eat. I love looking at my plate and seeing live food and not a deceased animal. Sorry to be so graphic, but I really do believe this is the humane way to live.
What is it about being vegan that has changed your life?
All the above and more! My health is fantastic. I look at things differently in many ways. Buying organic produce at farmers markets and from farm stands makes me feel I’m eating clean food, and helping farmer who are making a difference by keeping chemicals out of our food chain. One day I realize that wearing leather felt disturbing to me. People say “well, the animal is dead anyway, so why not use the hide.” Well, that is not always true. Some animals are killed for their hides. It took time to realize the connection but now I couldn’t buy leather or even wear any of my old leather goods. I personally prefer finding faux leather, shoes and bags. I think it amusing when I’m stopped so many times with people asking where I bought my leather boots or bag. Of course they are surprised when I tell them they are not leather, and maybe sometimes I can’t help myself and I give them a little education on why I wear faux leather. I try not to be preachy, as I believe people are ready when they’re ready to make a change and not a moment before. I know this from my own experience.
You’re an author, can you tell me about your book and why you wrote it?
My book contains my thoughts and experiences on health and wellbeing. Over 120 raw food recipes will help those who think that going raw means carrots and celery sticks. When people begin a raw food diet, they are in need of delicious gourmet food. I am a foodie at heart, I love to grow food, shop for food, prepare it, serve it, and needless to say, I love to eat it. I’ve traveled around the world and love international foods; I’ve included some of my favorite dishes in my book LIVE RAW. I have so many recipes I’ve experimented with over the last three years; there was not enough room to include them all. My boyfriend Mike’s beautiful photographs grace the book and everything really looks mouth watering. I wrote the book at the requests of so many of my Facebook friends. I always post recipes on my pages, and then people started saying “why don’t you write a book”. I was inspired to share my recipes, so hence a book was a good idea. I feel lucky to get published, as it’s not easy these days. I feel if my book helps one person create a healthier life, I’m happy.
Visit Mimi’s website at YoungonRawFood.com.
When celebrities look to a nutritionist for ultimate health advice that will not only give them a toned, slim physique but also radiant, glowing skin, they look to Kimberly Snyder (pictured below). The yoga instructor and clinical nutritionist spends her time between her homes in New York and LA — when she’s not working on set, whipping up organic green smoothies for the likes of Drew Barrymore and Owen Wilson.
I met Kimberly a couple of years ago and was amazed at how present, vibrant and happy she was — a portrait of perfect health thanks to her raw vegan diet, yoga and spiritual practice. Since then, the sought-after wellness expert has been busy working with her high profile clients to help them achieve great health. She has also been working on her book, The Beauty Detox Solution, which is due to hit the shelves this Wednesday (March 30) — it’s an invaluable resource, packed with the very knowledge she passes onto her celebrity clients.
Kimberly is a joy to know and is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to achieving true health and beauty. I asked if she could have a quick chat with me in the lead up to her star-studded book launch…
It has been a few years since we met in LA. What have you been up to since then?
I’ve been pretty busy! For the past few years, my focus has shifted to all things related to my nutritional philosophy and work. I’ve been working and traveling with celebrity actors worldwide, creating customized dietary programs for them, and making specialized meals for quite a few of them on a regular basis. I now have an apartment in LA as well as New York, and well, it’s been an exciting ride!
I know you’ve been working tirelessly on your new book, among your many projects. What’s it all about and why did you decide to write it?
My first book, The Beauty Detox Solution, is launching on March 29th! There’s so much confusing information out there, and being beautiful and reaching your perfect weight isn’t about micromanaging, or complex and confusing calculations that revolve around carbs and calories. My plan is simple, proven, and allows inner beauty to radiate from the inside out. My motivation in writing my plan out was to share the information with women and people everywhere that had helped me and my clients so much.
You’re a nutritionist to the stars now. Can you chat a little bit about how you got started?
Word of my program spread through LA and New York, and I was put in touch with a celebrity to work with. Then it grew to a few and then more and more… the inner circle of Hollywood is extremely tight and small. I didn’t plan to work for the “stars”, but I guess it’s my karma!
Are there any star secrets you’re allowed to reveal?
I respect all my clients’ confidentiality. But I will say that the principals that I explain in my program are the same ones I explain to everyone, celebrity or busy mom alike.
What is your definition of beauty?
My philosophy is that beauty and health are synonymous. Healthy skin is beautiful skin. A healthy body is a beautiful body. And no matter how many products we slather on, or diets we follow, true beauty must begin from within.
What pitfalls do you think some people fall into when it comes to trying to maintain and preserve the idealized Western idea of beauty?
There’s so many myths out there and confusing information. The most alarming and common thing I see is that people don’t even realize that the foods they think are healthy are actually aging them at an accelerated rate. I bet if I looked in someone’s fridge, and they had foods like organic yogurt and free range chicken, they would think they were doing pretty good. But when you see their skin, you can see those acidic foods show up on their faces in the form of wrinkles, lines, and dull and sagging skin. It is a vicious cycle. What good is it to be a size 4 or a size 2 if you look 10 years older than you really are?
How can a healthy diet, spiritual practice and positive thoughts help to achieve natural beauty?
Our minds and bodies are intrinsically connected, and therefore loving and peaceful vibrations emanate out of someone’s being in an inexplicable radiance. Mediation is in my opinion, the highest form of union with the infinite, which creates an inner and outer beauty in a way nothing else can.
Who are, in your opinion, some of the most beautiful people and why?
People that have the following characteristics: kindness, cleanliness — externally, in their diet and in their speech and thoughts, compassionate and thoughtful eyes, a genuine smile, a natural, not-overdone style and confidence.
What’s next for you?
Over the next few weeks I’m focusing on all things book launch-related, including a huge launch party hosted by some of my celebrity clients. At the end of this month I head to New Orleans for a few months to work as the nutritionist on a major film. And there are many other exciting projects in the works!
To get your own copy of The Beauty Detox Solution, click here.
For the complete interview with Kimberly, and some of her beauty-fying recipes, sign up for updates at the soon-to-launch EcoBeautyEditor.com
My Journey from Illness to Health and How I Got There
A lot can happen in a year. With the good can come the bad, with the bad also come blessings. About year ago today, I was extremely unwell. I couldn’t get out of bed due to bouts of chronic fatigue and low blood pressure that made me so lightheaded I’d almost topple over every time I tried to stand up. My weight plummeted to a bony 47 kilos. My hair was lifeless, my skin sallow.
It came as a shock to everyone who knew me – I was one of the most healthy people they knew. My diet was spectacularly healthy, to the point of obsession. I walked regularly, I thought positively, I was all about self-growth. So how could someone so healthy become so sick? For those who don’t understand the vegan way of life, for them, it naturally came down to my diet. I could instinctively hear people’s thoughts (or sometimes they’d say it): “being vegan has made you sick”. If I were on the outside looking in at my skeletal frame, I would have put my money on an eating disorder. Something obviously was wrong.
But as any healthy vegan will tell you, it’s just not possible to get sick from some of the most nutritious food on earth. I had to dig deeper, much deeper, to find the root of the illness that had stopped me in my tracks. I stopped blogging, I couldn’t work. My diligence and constant drive for creating new projects had to cease. My body was shouting at me, “no more, I’m going to make you stop and take check of your life, examine what it is you’ve not dealt with”.
My wise and straight-shooting Reiki Master, Patti Penn, asked a simple question that lead me to the life-changing tool that brought me back, some months later, to better health than ever. She asked me, in no uncertain terms, “What’s eating away at you Shannon? What haven’t you dealt with?”. Having studied through all the Reiki levels to Master, I was stunned to think there could be anything left that I hadn’t sent healing energy to… old stuff that I had sub-consciously swept under the carpet, believing it would be much safer kept there. But what I did know, without a doubt, was that I couldn’t heal others, unless I first healed myself.
“Go tap on it,” Patti advised. And so I did. Then, as if the universe was listening, I received an email just a few days later from someone who had experienced transformation using Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), or tapping. There was going to be a free, 10-day, online event focused purely on EFT, with practical workshops you could “tap along to”. For the next 10 days, I tapped until I was bruised, and what I uncovered was miraculous (I later heard that 100,000 people had tapped along too).
While I was already familiar with EFT thanks to Patti, who had guided me through routines many times before, I’d not used the technique to dig deep enough – into the caverns that housed all the emotional stuff that had impacted me throughout my life. As I tapped away, my sub-conscious mind took over, telling me in no uncertain terms what was eating me, the stuff that had contributed to years of feeling self-conscious and unsure. While it wasn’t major stuff, perhaps in many people’s eyes, it was related to events that had impacted me deeply enough to cause emotional scarring. I purged so many negative emotions and false beliefs about myself during those 10 days, and for some time after, that a whole new world opened up to me. I felt light, I was gradually regaining my health, my thoughts had even changed, my mind was quieter. A year on from my first fainting episode, I’m healthier than I could have ever imagined.
I was stunned to think there could be anything left that I hadn’t sent healing energy to… old stuff that I had sub-consciously swept under the carpet, believing it would be much safer kept there. But what I did know, without a doubt, was that I couldn’t heal others, unless I first healed myself.
So many people, from Deepak Chopra to Jack Canfield (see video below), recommend this life-changing technique not only because it works, but also because of its simplicity. It’s a modern form of acupuncture, if you will, that stimulates the meridian points to help you release old, limiting patterns that manifest in dis-ease and other negative experiences. As one website states: EFT is a powerful method based on the discovery that emotional trauma contributes greatly to disease. Scientific studies have shown that EFT is able to rapidly reduce the emotional impact of memories and incidents that trigger emotional distress. Once the distress is reduced or removed, the body can often rebalance itself, and accelerate healing.
While I have been wanting to write this blog post for a while, in the hope my experience might inspire others enough to find their own healing path, it hasn’t felt quite right, until now. Yesterday I received an email telling me the Tapping World Summit 2011 is due to start on February 21. If you have even half an hour available each day during the 10 day free online workshop, you may just open your world to incredible healing, and a life free of dis-ease and issues caused from past events or long-held negative beliefs.
Click here to hear Dr Bruce Lipton, author of many books, including bestseller Biology of Belief, explain the workings and life-changing benefits that can be achieved through this simple, yet powerful technique.
You can also sign up for a free tapping workbook here, or check out the film The Tapping Solution, which was put together by Nick, Alex and Jessica Ortner, the same people behind the Tapping World Summit.
Besides the Summit, and if you’re lucky enough to live in or near Los Angeles, I highly recommend my Reiki Master Patti Penn, who has recently opened a healing centre, Pause in Joy, where she teaches Reiki and EFT.
I’ve often thought about why we deem some plants “weeds” and others fit for planting or eating. As I’ve delved into raw food nutrition (I’m studying through The BodyMind Institute) I’ve been amazed at how readily I’d dismissed some of the most healing herbs on the planet as little more than mower clippings.
Now some of the most common weeds take pride of place in my kitchen, ready for use in herbal teas, poultices, raw food recipes, natural beauty preparations and more. Weeds are particularly nutritious because they have had to make it on their own … withstand nature’s elements to remain strong and vibrant. It takes a lot of energy for them to simply live – energy that we directly benefit from when we eat these incredible herbs.
Here are my favourite four:
DANDELION (parts used: leaf and root)
Dandelions are those plants with the fluffy “flower” that, as kids, we likely made a wish or two with. It’s a wonderfully nutritious herb that has been used by ancient cultures, including Chinese and Ayurvedic healers. The leaves are a natural diuretic and are great for relieving the bloated feeling that can come with PMS. The root of the dandelion is a good liver tonic and is brimming with antioxidants such as vitamins A and C.
BURDOCK (parts used: roots)
Known as a blood purifier, and as the most effective herb for treating chronic skin problems. It has been known to ease such conditions as eczema, acne, psoriasis, boils, herpes and syphilitic sores, styes, carbuncles and cankers. It contains polyacetylenes – natural killers of fungi and bacteria. Burdock also expels toxins and promotes urine flow and perspiration (the Chinese use it to calm).
NETTLE (parts used: leaves)
Nettle tea has been widely used to combat intestinal weakness, diarrhea and malnutrition. It also acts as a diuretic and is said to be good for treating kidney weakness and bladder infections. Nettles can help rid the body of excessive fluid, be used topically to treat eczema and rashes, as well as soothe arthritic and rheumatic conditions. It’s also great for bone density.
RED CLOVER (parts used: flowers and leaves)
Red Clover, an anti-cancer herb, is great to use powdered (sprinkle it on salads) and it can also be used as a tea. It’s also a source of nutrients including calcium, chromium, potassium, thiamine, magnesium, niacin, phosphorus and vitamin C.
Find out more – books that include some valuable information on common edible weeds:
• Herbal Medicine, The Natural Way to Get Well and Stay Well
• The A to Z Guide to Healing Herbal Remedies
• Heinerman’s Encyclopedia of Fruits, Vegetables and Herbs
There are certainly weeds out there that aren’t edible, and those that aren’t are generally very bitter to taste. If you’re keen to go grazing, be sure to take a wildcrafting workshop first or know without a doubt what you’re looking for. Some herbs may look similar, but can be poisonous.
There’s a lot of controversy surrounding the topic of raising children without meat or animal byproducts in their diet. Opponents of veganism will argue that vegan kids won’t get the vitamins and minerals that they need or that the diet is overdoing it at best and fanatic at worst.
The truth is, however, that feeding your child a vegan diet has a range of positive effects not only on their bodies, but other humans as well as the environment as a whole.
Vegan Kids Maintain a Healthier Weight
The rate of childhood diabetes is an ever-increasing epidemic. The Center for Disease Control estimates that about 13,000 children are diagnosed with this chronic disease annually. This is largely due in part to the excessively high instances of childhood obesity, with about 33% of children being overweight and half of them considered obese. Studies have shown that body mass index is directly related to the intake of meat. Thus, vegans are less likely to be overweight than those who regularly include meat in their diet.
Being overweight or obese contributes to a number of health problems and chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, increased likelihood of heart attacks, clogged arteries, cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal problems – the list is endless. Starting your children off with a well-rounded vegan diet is setting them up to live longer, healthier lives.
Vegan Kids Contribute to a Greener Earth
One of the most disturbing side effects of meat eating is the damage done to the environment. In the scramble to “go green” before our Earth is irreparably destroyed, diet is often left out of the equation. However, it is one of the easiest things to change that would create the biggest impact.
The hidden killer of the environment is the agricultural sector. Meat and livestock production account for almost 20% of the world’s greenhouse gases – that’s more than transport! As a vegan, your child won’t be a part of this toxic equation.
Vegan Children and Reduced Consumption of Water
Though 70% to 75% of the Earth is covered in water, and up to 60% of our own bodies are made of this liquid substance, we are having a serious water crisis. Up to one billion people aren’t afforded the luxury of clean water – that’s one in six people.
What does veganism have to do with water consumption? A lot. Meat eaters who enjoy fine dining at a California steakhouse or eat hamburgers regularly are probably unaware that their dinner requires 5,400 gallons of water. For the same amount of water, your vegan child can eat 41 pounds of bread or 150 servings of pasta. Raising a vegan child equates to utilizing this precious resource in a more conscious way.
Enough Food for Everyone
World hunger is another huge problem that we are facing as a global community. However, it’s not for lack of food that there are so many people going without – it’s that the food is being kept out of people’s mouths. The majority of the world’s soybean supply, along with an obscene quantity of grains, is being fed to fatten up animals being raised for food. According to a study done by Cornell University, in the US alone, the grain used to feed livestock could feed 800 million people. Vegan children aren’t contributing to the world hunger crisis.
Vegan Kids Enjoy Spiritual Benefits
Killing is denounced by practically every major and minor world religion. However, the meat eaters of the United States are responsible for the death of almost 10 billion animals every year. The saddest part? This only accounts for about 15% of the animals that are murdered annually around the world. No matter what type of religion, spiritual path, or moral principles you practice, eliminating needless murder from your life and your children’s lives will only improve your spiritual fitness. Children beginning life without ingesting animal products is a great first step to leading a spiritually balanced life.
Jasmine Stephenson is a guest blogger for An Apple a Day and a writer on earning your online nursing degree for the Guide to Health Education.
Photo courtesy of Robert Whitehead
Making the decision to go vegan is a different path for everyone. The reasons behind the choice may range from healthy living to animal rights. Whatever they are, making the decision to be vegan is one of the biggest gifts you can give yourself, animals and the planet.
I was chatting with Be Genki‘s Sam Sample last week and she mentioned she’d recently made the transition to veganism, after years of flirting with it. I asked if she would be happy to share her journey in the hope of inspiring others who are thinking about becoming cruelty-free. Here is her story…
There’s a high chance that you may be toying with the idea of choosing to be vegan. The reason for writing this particular article is that you may find that it touches a part of you, just as living it has touched all parts of me, and that it may help inspire you to take the final step. ~ Sam Sample
Last month I finally chose to walk the vegan road. I use the word ‘finally’ because I feel it has been a slow and gradual progression over the last 15 years.
In 1995 I read the book Fit for Life
Over the next five years my taste for meat declined. Correction, not so much the taste of it, but more so the flesh component. Have you ever bitten in to a piece of meat and visualized biting in to the arm, leg or torso of an animal, and that the chewy bits of meat is too closely associated with chewing your way through the flesh of that animal? Those type of visualizations also grossed me out and ended my meat eating days, with exception to mince meat in lasagna, spaghetti bolognese and carpaccio (the paper thin raw beef), as these styles of meat required no tough chewing and melted in my mouth.
My fascination for food, health and wellbeing led me to study a 3 year Diploma of Nutrition and it was during those classes that I was exposed to the horrifying documentaries about chickens in battery farms, their ghastly diet, abnormally unhealthy living conditions and outrageous cruelty and suffering. Add to that, the accounts of negative health effects that the consumption of these chickens and eggs were having on the human population. I was so appalled by this information that I have never eaten a piece of chicken since, but somehow I remained an egg eater, as long as they were the biodynamic organic free-range variety.
As time went by and my love of food and good nutrition grew, so did my love and respect for mother earth. Each day I was inspired to learn a little more about the “truth” of the type of world we live in, how my choices can have an effect on the future of the world based on the simple fact that every time I buy a product I am saying to that company, ‘keep on doing what you are doing.’ I am supporting everything that company does: every source of raw material, every packaging solution, every environmental standard that they are undertaking, every form of employee relations and every marketing choice.
When creating Be Genki, the range of bath, body and home care products, I was adamant that the brand had to be certifiably “animal cruelty free”, not containing any animal derived ingredients and certainly not allowing any of the products or ingredients to be tested on animals. Yet, I still was consuming eggs, cheese and a portion of meat once every few months. Hmmm… I wasn’t wanting to use animal products in my skincare products but was happy to eat them. Interesting inconsistency don’t you think?!
Being an advocate for holistic health and wellbeing, and possessing the inclination to think about what consequence my choices are having on my life, my loved ones’ lives, the community, the planet, and future beliefs, standards and ideals, choosing vegan seemed like the natural thing to do that would honor everything that I believe in, (that is, to help improve my awareness, consciousness and communion with mother earth.)
The tipping point for making the choice, however, was watching the short clip VEGAN For the People. For the Planet. For the Animals. (see below). Quite simply, the short film clip makes sense. Choosing to be vegan not only nurtures myself, but my loved ones, future generations and the world in which we share. Oh… and I look and feel so much healthier since making the change. Love those extra perks!
Photo courtesy JelleS
