102 Reasons Why I'm Vegan

102 Reasons Why I'm Vegan

102 Reasons why I am and why I went vegan, and also why I remain vegan. Not all are about food, some deal with fur, leather, etc.
I'm sorry I don't have sources for these, it became too tedious!

   1. Vegans on average live up to 6 years longer than non-vegans.
   2. Vegans on average are 10% lighter than non vegans.
   3. It's virtually impossible to get a heart attack if you are vegan because the lowest cholesterol level for a heart attack was 150 and on average a vegan's total cholesterol is 128.
   4. It's always nice to know you haven't eaten a dead animal for breakfast.
   5. Or lunch or dinner for that matter.
   6. Leather is dead skin, something I use an exfoliator to get rid of.
   7. Animals are cuter and softer when they are living and breathing, not in jackets or trim.
   8. Because cows also feel pain.
   9. Because a lobster doesn't have a shock system that inhibits extreme pain when it's cut in half or boiled alive.
  10. Meat and dairy makes your farts smell worse.
  11. Lettuce doesn't ooze blood when you cut it.
  12. Cucumbers don't have faces.
  13. I don't see anything different between eating my dog and eating a cow.
  14. Because I have 9 pet chickens and they are so cute and lovable!
  15. Because animals can't speak up and say they don't want to be eaten.
  16. Because giving a damn is attractive.
  17. It takes over 3000 gallons of water to feed an omnivore for a day, and less than 400 gallons to feed a vegan.
  18. Because most of the deforestation in the Amazon is for increasing cattle grazing lands.
  19. And the Amazon Rainforest has the most rare species than any other place in the world.
  20. The man who made the word vegan, Donald Watson, lived to be 94
  21. Dr. Atkins however, had severe heart disease and died at the age of 70.
  22. A lot of rabbit fur used for jacket trim is actually mislabelled dog and cat fur.
  23. Animals in China used for fur are killed by smashing their heads against brick walls.
  24. Many pet dogs die each year by stumbling into fur traps in the woods.
  25. Beavers are drowned to death by traps to use them for fur.
  26. Fur smells like nasty chemicals.
  27. Faux fur is cheaper anyways.
  28. And leather is disgusting when it rips and you can see all the fibers of the skin of the animals it used to be.
  29. Leather tanning is extremely harmful to the environment.
  30. Fiber (found in veggies) helps keep you regular.
  31. The casein protein in milk causes your bones to lose calcium in urine.
  32. Countries that have low intake of dairy actually have less hip fractures, a sign of osteoporosis.
  33. I have a lot more energy than I did before I went vegan.
  34. Eating meat means you payed for the slaughter of an innocent animals.
  35. On average, vegans save 90 lives per year.
  36. Humans have characteristics that show they were meant to be herbivores.
  37. Because I don't salivate when I see roadkill.
  38. Milk is the breast milk of another species.
  39. Have you ever seen a dog suckling from a giraffe?
  40. And we drink it past infancy too, something that certainly isn't normal.
  41. I don't go to zoos because there was a dolphin who attempted suicide from the stress of being watched 24/7 and being confined in a small tank.
  42. How would you like to be confined to a cage not much bigger than your bedroom for the rest of your life?
  43. Because the only way to train circus animals to do unnatural tricks is by fear.
  44. Elephants are beaten with electric prods to get them to perform.
  45. Soy milk doesn't have pus (somatic cells) in it.
  46. 98% of chicken contains a small piece of feces, aka SHIT.
  47. That gives new meaning to the phrase "chickenshit."
  48. I don't have to worry about cross-contamination between raw meat and vegetables.
  49. If I under cook my food, it won't kill me.
  50. A hamburger is a patty of ground of cow brains, meat, and tissue.
  51. Under animal protection laws for slaughtering, birds don't count as animals.
  52. Not that those laws are adhered to anyway.
  53. Pigs have the mental ability of 3-year old children.
  54. That little piggy is smarter than your dog.
  55. Fish can concentrate toxins from its environment up to 9 MILLION times stronger in their flesh.
  56. Shrimp has more cholesterol than beef.
  57. Chickens and humans both have a tongue, 2 legs, a brain, a nose, and nails. And we both have hearts.
  58. Eating something that died doesn't make you manly.
  59. It shows you have disrespect for life.
  60. Every year in the UK ALONE, livestock is fed enough food to feed 250,000,000 people while in the world 30,000,000 people die of starvation.
  61. 1 acre yields 165 lbs of beef or 20,000 lbs of potatoes.
  62. It takes 2500 gallons to produce 1lb of meat; compared to:
  63. 25 gallons of water to produce 1lb of wheat.
  64. 49 gallons of water for 1 lb of apples.
  65. 23 gallons of water for 1 lb of lettuce.
  66. The water used to produce 10 lbs of steak is equivalent to the average consumption of water for an entire household for an entire year.
  67. 70% of all grain grown is fed to animals, and that grain is fit for humans.
  68. Calf leather comes from animals killed at just 2 weeks old.
  69. Vegans have a 20% lower rate of mortality from all causes.
  70. Omnivores have double the risk of Alzheimer's disease than vegans.
  71. Chinese people (living mainly on a vegetarian diet) consume 20% more calories than Americans but Americans are 20% fatter.
  72. The cling film used to wrap meat in supermarkets & butchers contains chemicals linked to falling sperm counts in men.
  73. Because slaughterhouses are rarely regulated, many animals have their throats slit while fully conscious.
  74. Meat packing is the most dangerous job to have.
  75. If not for the animals, go vegetarian for the people who have no choice but to work in slaughterhouses and risk losing their lives and limbs.
  76. In the land it requires to feed one meat eater, 20 vegans can be fed.
  77. It takes 16lbs of soy protein to make 1 lb of beef.
  78. 90% of cattle ranches created on cleared forest land go bankrupt in less than 8 years .
  79. Which leaves that deserted, barren, and unusable because of nutrient loss.
  80. Many of our rivers and streams are polluted because of animal runoff (poop)
  81. To produce 1 calorie of energy from meat , it takes 60 calories of fuel.
  82. Growing grains and beans to directly feed people produces 20 calories for every calorie of fuel used .
  83. You do the math, veganism is 1200 times more effective in this respect.
  84. Fish caught by nets die by suffocation.
  85. I can easily make/buy brownies, pancakes, pies, cakes, pizza, "ice cream", nachos, crepes, burgers, burritos, tacos, soups, "hot dogs", pasta, noodles, fajitas and much more without using animal products, so I can feel good about not contributing to animal torture.
  86. And those foods can be made even healthier than their "real" counterparts.
  87. Being vegan has opened my eyes to new foods that I never would have tried before.
  88. Indian cuisine has some of the best vegan food ever, and most of it is healthy and cheap.
  89. Because being vegan makes you learn to cook better.
  90. I wont lie, you'll need to cook more than before as a vegan, but everyone knows home-cooked food is so much better for you!
  91. Cows naturally produce 5 liters of milk per day for their calves , with factory and profit-driven farming they produce 25-40 liters per day.
  92. Spent dairy cows (from overproduction) are turned into hamburger.
  93. To make milk a cow must have a calf, so she will be impregnated numerous times over what is natural so she will have more milk.
  94. Almost all male calves born will become veal calves.
  95. So there is a chunk of veal in every glass of milk.
  96. That is why I made the switch to vegan from vegetarian, because everything is connected and the deadly cycle needs to be broken.
  97. Countries with the highest meat and dairy consumptions have more brittle bones (osteoporosis.)
  98. On average, a normal cow can live between 25-30 years, but dairy cows only live 3-5 years.
  99. That is only ten percent of their natural life span!
 100. Free-range and organic milk, eggs, and meat are hardly differently than their non-organic and non-free-range counterparts because there are no guidelines to specify what free-range is, and organic only applies to what is fed to the animals, not how they are treated!
 101. Free-range chicken can mean that the chickens were crammed together tightly on a cold, concrete floor where they can't even turn around, and will be trampled on as they try to reach the food trough. I don't see how this is any less cruel.
 102. And lastly, being vegan isn't hard, it's easy when you realize just how much you are helping animals, people, and the planet!

-----------
click this link  for more - http://aveganlife.blogspot.com/

Be Like A Vegetarian for Your Life Expectancy

Be Like A Vegetarian for Your Life Expectancy

Life expectancy can be linked to three factors that vegetarians excel at: fewer bad fats, more antioxidants and lower weight. Before we go in to how being a vegetarian can help your life expectancy, though, we have to define what we mean by vegetarian.

There are some vegetarians who are "junk food vegetarians." These types of vegetarians eat cheese pizzas and ice cream all day long. That is not good for health or life expectancy. What we mean is the person who is eating lots of vegetables prepared in healthy fats (such as olive oil) while limiting animal products, such as cheese and cream. We'll call this type of vegetarian a "whole foods vegetarian."

    * The leading cause of death and the number one shortener of life expectancy in the U.S. is heart disease. As your heart ages, there can be a build of gunk in your arteries and your arteries themselves can become harder (see heart aging for more information). This causes your blood pressure to rise and your heart to work harder, leaving you at risk for heart disease. Vegetarians (whole foods vegetarians) have some of the best arteries around because eating healthy vegetables avoids bad fats and other unhealthy foods.

    * People who eat lots of vegetables take in lots of antioxidants. Antioxidants help your body repair some of the damage caused by aging. The more plants you eat (and the greater variety) the more raw materials your bod has to make repairs. Read more on antioxidants and their evil counterpart, free radicals.

    * Finally, vegetables simply fill you up with very few calories (if prepared without creams, butter or cheese). A healthy vegetarian diet should help maintain or lose weight. A healthy weight is tied to a longer life expectancy.

So be more like a vegetarian to increase your life expectancy and live healthier.

Vegetarian Lifestyle - Is It Right For You?

Vegetarian Lifestyle - Is It Right For You?

There are many reasons that people decide vegetarianism is the best lifestyle choice for them. Some people do not eat meat because of religious or spiritual reasons, others choose vegetarianism as a means of supporting the environment and still others adopt vegetarianism for health related concerns. If you are reading this, you probably want to learn more about vegetarianism for its health benefits. Read on!

What Is Vegetarianism
Vegetarians fall into many different categories. Some abstain from all meat, fish and poultry products. Others, called Vegans, abstain from eating any food that comes from animal products. This may include eggs, cheese, yogurt or milk for example. A vegan diet is a bit more challenging to follow than a vegetarian one, and may require extra effort to get the right mix of nutrients to support the body. For purposes of this article we will focus chiefly on traditional vegetarianism.

Here is a break down of the primary types of vegetarian lifestyles you can adopt:

Vegan – Vegans consume no animal products. This means no dairy, eggs or other products gained from animals (like honey).

Lacto Ovo – This type of vegetarian is the most widely adopted lifestyle. Lacto ovo vegetarians eat eggs and dairy products but do not eat meat from animals like beef, poultry or fish. You can further divide this category into ovo vegetarians, who eat eggs but not dairy products, and lacto vegetarians, who eat dairy products but not eggs.

Raw Vegetarianism – Raw vegetarians eat only raw food. This consists mainly of raw vegetables, seeds, nuts and fruit.

There are even some vegetarians that eat only fruit and vegetables that fall from plants, like tomatoes and cucumbers. This rare form of vegetarianism, called fruitarianism, is the most extreme and least common.

If you plan to adopt a vegetarian lifestyle, you have to make sure you eat a good combination of healthy foods. These foods include:

    * Vegetables
    * Leafy Greens
    * Whole grains
    * Seeds
    * Nuts
    * Legumes
    * Fruits

Key Nutrition for Vegetarians
There are many benefits to a vegetarian lifestyle. Most vegetarians enjoy a low fat high fiber diet. It is important if you are considering a vegetarian lifestyle however that you consume enough protein and calories. There are multiple protein sources in a vegetarian diet. Many of these come from natural or meat substitute products. Some common protein sources in a vegetarian diet include:

    * Lentils
    * Tofu
    * Tempeh
    * Nuts and Seeds
    * Dairy products

Other nutrients important to a vegetarian diet include iron and calcium. You can easily consume the iron you need from animal products. Thus if you decide to elect a vegetarian diet you will need to make sure you get enough iron. Acceptable sources of iron include dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, prune juice, certain beans and even blackstrap moles. You can also cook your meals in a cast iron skillet, which will add iron to your diet. Most people associate calcium intake with dairy products. Fortunately there are many other sources of calcium in the diet including broccoli, kale and other dark green leafy vegetables. Some meat alternatives and tofu have added calcium. You can also by soy milk that is fortified, thus contains high levels of calcium.

B12 is another important nutrient often lacking in vegetarian diets. Much of the B12 we eat comes from animal products including eggs. You can however get ample B12 by eating fortified food products. In some cases, especially if you opt for a vegan lifestyle, you might consider supplementation with vitamin B12 or a B complex product.

Can Vegetarianism Improve Weight Loss
A vegetarian lifestyle can promote weight loss. Keep in mind that weight gain occurs when the calories you eat exceeds the number of calories you burn in a day. This can happen with a vegetarian diet or a traditional one. That said, vegetarian diets typically include lots of fiber and low calorie but nutritious food selections.

As with any diet there are certain steps you can take to promote weight loss. These include:

    * Drinking at least 8-10 10 ounce glasses of water every day. Water helps flush the body and helps reduce food cravings when the body is dehydrated.
    * Chose high fiber, nutrient dense food products including dark leafy greens, legumes and nuts.
    * Opt for whole grain products whenever possible to help you feel full longer.
    * Consider eating six mini meals instead of three large meals every day.
    * Select a multivitamin and mineral supplement to accompany your diet to make sure you get enough trace vitamins and minerals.
    * Exercise consistently. If you can, try to get some form of exercise each day. This may consist of a walk around the block or a light jog. Any exercise is better than no exercise.

Many find vegetarianism a rich and rewarding lifestyle. If you want a diet that is high in fiber and nutrient dense that won’t pack on pounds, vegetarianism may be a good choice for you. You might consider experimenting with different types of vegetarianism before you find the lifestyle that suits you best.

*********
Aileen//
    - i think its about time to consider eating like a vegan. If you think, you're not energized with your current eating behavior, why not try the vegetarian lifestyle and see the difference. Click for more - http://www.womenshealthcaretopics.com/bn_nutrition_Vegetarian_lifestyle.htm
  
   

Ideas for Adding some Variety to your Vegetarian Lifestyle

Ideas for Adding some Variety to your Vegetarian Lifestyle

When you’re planning a healthy vegetarian diet, you’re only limited by your imagination. It’s important to incorporate a wide variety of whole grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits in different meals, including seeds and nuts. Variety is the spice of life, and it will help ensure your vegetarian diet is nutrient-dense, interesting, and fun! Aim for variety, even when you serve favorite entrees over and over again, by serving different side dishes, snacks and desserts.

Be creative in planning meals. Boost your consumption of beans and vegetables by eating these foods at lunch time rather than just for dinner. Make it a goal to serve a vegetable every day for lunch and two for dinner.  Plan a meal around a vegetable. A baked potato can be a hearty entree; serve it with baked beans, a sauce of stewed tomatoes or a few tablespoons of salsa. Or make a simple meal of sautéed vegetables and pasta.

Try new foods often. Experiment with a variety of grains such as quinoa, couscous, bulgur, barley, and wheat berries. Try fruits and vegetables that are popular in different international cuisines, such as bok choy.  Accentuate the positive. Focus more on healthy foods that fit into a vegetarian plan instead of foods to avoid.

If you’re unsure how to include a new food into your vegetarian diet, ask the produce manager at your local grocer or health food store for ideas on how to prepare it. The internet can be a great resource for new recipe and preparation ideas.  But be sure that you’re building your menu on a strong plant food base.  Make them the core of your diet.

Don’t stress about getting enough protein. As long as calories are sufficient and the diet is varied, vegetarians easily meet protein needs. Grains, beans, vegetables, and nuts all provide protein. Vegetarians do not need to eat special combinations of foods to meet protein needs. However, it is important to be aware of fat. Even vegetarians can get too much fat if the diet contains large amounts of nuts, oils, processed foods, or sweets.

***************
Aileen//

Lazy Vegetarians Who Choose the Wrong Carbs Risk Health

Lazy Vegetarians Who Choose the Wrong Carbs Risk Health

We’ve all been there. We’ve just come in from a long day at work and the last thing on our minds taking the time to prepare a healthy, nutritionally sound vegetarian meal. But choosing a refined or enriched carbohydrate over the beneficial carbohydrates that a solid, well-balanced vegetarian diet offers defeats the purpose of your decision to live a vegetarian lifestyle, and that’s for optimal health. Consuming refined carbohydrates presents different hazards to your health.

The over-consumption of refined carbohydrates and sugars can result in excess insulin in the bloodstream. In the presence of excess insulin, glucose, the blood sugar, is converted to triglycerides and stored in the fat cells of the body.

According to one study, consuming refined grains may also increase your risk of getting stomach cancer. The research found that a high intake of refined grains could increase a patient's risk of stomach cancer.

In addition, refined sugars and carbohydrates have been implicated as a contributing factor in increased gallbladder disease, according to a recent study. It showed a direct link between the amount of sugars eaten and the incidence of gallbladder disease. Another study looked at the role carbohydrates play in the incidence of heart disease. The researchers noted that as carbohydrate consumption increased, so did the level of triglycerides in the blood of the participants. Diets low in fat and high in carbohydrates not only dramatically raised triglyceride levels but significantly reduced levels of HDL, the “good” cholesterol.

And lastly, refined white sugars increase the rate at which your body excretes calcium, which is directly connected to your skeletal health. Simply put, as your sugary and refined carbohydrate intake increases, your bone density decreases.

So don’t be lazy! Do your body right and take the time to prepare a nutrient-dense and delicious vegetarian meal. Your body, and your conscience, will thank you for it in the long run.
*********
Aileen//
- Eating vegetables is not a problem for me but can't resist eating delectable meat. But i think its just a matter of discipline.

Ideas for Adding some Variety to your Vegetarian Lifestyle


When you’re planning a healthy vegetarian diet, you’re only limited by your imagination. It’s important to incorporate a wide variety of whole grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits in different meals, including seeds and nuts. Variety is the spice of life, and it will help ensure your vegetarian diet is nutrient-dense, interesting, and fun! Aim for variety, even when you serve favorite entrees over and over again, by serving different side dishes, snacks and desserts.

Be creative in planning meals. Boost your consumption of beans and vegetables by eating these foods at lunch time rather than just for dinner. Make it a goal to serve a vegetable every day for lunch and two for dinner.  Plan a meal around a vegetable. A baked potato can be a hearty entree; serve it with baked beans, a sauce of stewed tomatoes or a few tablespoons of salsa. Or make a simple meal of sautéed vegetables and pasta.

Try new foods often. Experiment with a variety of grains such as quinoa, couscous, bulgur, barley, and wheat berries. Try fruits and vegetables that are popular in different international cuisines, such as bok choy.  Accentuate the positive. Focus more on healthy foods that fit into a vegetarian plan instead of foods to avoid.

If you’re unsure how to include a new food into your vegetarian diet, ask the produce manager at your local grocer or health food store for ideas on how to prepare it. The internet can be a great resource for new recipe and preparation ideas.  But be sure that you’re building your menu on a strong plant food base.  Make them the core of your diet.

Don’t stress about getting enough protein. As long as calories are sufficient and the diet is varied, vegetarians easily meet protein needs. Grains, beans, vegetables, and nuts all provide protein. Vegetarians do not need to eat special combinations of foods to meet protein needs. However, it is important to be aware of fat. Even vegetarians can get too much fat if the diet contains large amounts of nuts, oils, processed foods, or sweets.

Double Broccoli Quinoa

Double Broccoli Quinoa

3 cups cooked quinoa*
5 cups raw broccoli, cut into small florets and stems

3 medium garlic cloves
2/3 cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 big pinches salt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup heavy cream

Optional toppings: slivered basil, fire oil (optional)**, sliced avocado
crumbled feta or goat cheese

Heat the quinoa and set aside.

Now barely cook the broccoli by pouring 3/4 cup water into a large pot and bringing it to a simmer. Add a big pinch of salt and stir in the broccoli. Cover and cook for a minute, just long enough to take the raw edge off. Transfer the broccoli to a strainer and run under cold water until it stops cooking. Set aside.

To make the broccoli pesto puree two cups of the cooked broccoli, the garlic, 1/2 cup of the almonds, Parmesan, salt, and lemon juice in a food processor. Drizzle in the olive oil and cream and pulse until smooth.

Just before serving, toss the quinoa and remaining broccoli florets with about 1/2 of the broccoli pesto. Taste and adjust if needed, you might want to add more of the pest a bit at a time, or you might want a bit more salt or an added squeeze of lemon juice. Turn out onto a serving platter and top with the remaining almonds, a drizzle of the chile oil, and some sliced avocado or any of the other optional toppings.

Serves 4 - 6.

*To cook quinoa: rinse one cup of quinoa in a fine-meshed strainer. In a medium saucepan heat the quinoa, two cups of water (or broth if you like), and a few big pinches of salt until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer until water is absorbed and quinoa fluffs up, about 15 minutes. Quinoa is done when you can see the curlique in each grain, and it is tender with a bit of pop to each bite. Drain any extra water and set aside.

**To make the red chile oil: You'll need 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil and 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes. If you can, make the chile oil a day or so ahead of time by heating the olive oil in a small saucepan for a couple minutes - until it is about as hot as you would need it to saute some onions, but not so hot that it smokes or smells acrid or burned. Turn off the heat and stir in the crushed red pepper flakes. Set aside and let cool, then store in refrigerator. Bring to room temp again before using.
===========
Aileen//
- i love broccoli. i will try this healthy broccoli menu.