Category: Veganism - Anima Journey

Markus video on weight loss

8/11/2016

by Willow

Not sure how many of you have heard about Markus Rothkrantz; he and his wife Cara, who sort of seem to sex-up their videos somehow, have a business where they promote raw foods and raw food products.

I thought his video on weight loss might be interesting to some; it really reinforces [a little heavily] the importance of a healthy and fresh food diet, although I don't think eating some steamed veggies every now and then is a bad thing, to keep our bodies functionally optimally. Of course, getting all of our nutrients in fresh raw foods can sometimes be iffy depending where and how they are grown, and how long they had to travel and then sit on shelves. We grow many of our own greens, such as lettuce, kale, parsley and even celery, and we put our own soil amendments in the raised garden beds. But many people can't or don't want to grow their own. I am not so keen on buying supplemental 'green powders' but maybe they can help at times, especially if one is low in some nutrients.

Anyway, maybe you'll learn something from his video and/or pass it on! He mentions the documentary "Fed Up" in his video; I haven't watched that one yet. Hope to soon!

Markus Weight Loss Special Epic Finale

Ahhhhh summer!

8/11/2016

by Willow

Summer in Hawaii is outrageous for fruits! So many yummy things are coming to fruit, literally! It would be great if we had a bigger place so we could plant more fruit trees, but maybe in the future...

Last month [well, June, actually], I picked about 3 or 4 five gallon buckets of mangoes - wow! This doesn't include those that we just picked up when we walked by the trees and saw some mangoes on the ground. Many of them were the 'common' mango, which is small and fairly stringy [these were already growing on our property when we bought it], but still! We are also getting Keitts [these cut like butter! and they have an interesting tang to them], Julies [our favorite so far, but the Keitts are not far behind!], and a couple of unknown seedling mango trees that have just started to produce - one of them produces a mango that is FOUR TIMES bigger than the Julie! Wow! However, the birds really like those, too, and eat most of them on the tree before they have started to ripen! Big Bummer! We're trying paper bags around the mangoes [birds peck thru plastic] to see if that works because we'd really like our work and effort in taking care of the trees to bring us some of that fruit! I have tasted one of these 'unknown' giant mangoes and while the flavor is 'okay' [good, but not as good as the Keitt or Julie], they are still outrageously huge! But, the mango season is almost over [although the Julies can have two seasons in one year sometimes]. The other fruits we are getting: tropical raspberries, soursops, jackfruit, bananas [of course!], papayas, white sapote, mulberries, avocados, acerola cherry, and probably one or two others I'm forgetting. Summer is the time of year when we get the most fruit off our land; winter [Dec thru March] is our slowest season [we might only get a handful of banana bunches, total, during those months, whereas we pick a banana bunch roughly every other day or so during the summer and fall]. Of course, we only have one or two of some of those trees, like we only have one acerola cherry, so we get limited amounts [although plenty for us!]. So summer is the best time of the year to be in Hawaii, although it does get pretty warm [comparatively] in August and September! It was 88 in the shade the other day. Ah.... summer! Lots of fresh and amazing tropical fruits! See our photo album for pictures of many of our fruits! More are posted regularly!

Pig Business - A Documentary on the Inside Story of "Growing Cheap Meat"

1/19/2016

You may want to check out this documentary on the Pig Business. From the website Documentary Heaven, this documentary explores the rise of pig factory farming, as well as how the methods used in the U.S. have been transferred to Eastern Europe, where human standards are much less 'strict' than in the U.S.

Fast Against Animal Slaughter on October 2nd

9/22/2015

Did you know:

Most animals being trucked to slaughter are not given food or water for at least 12 hours. For World Farm Animals Day, take a pledge to fast, or just fast, to show your solidarity for farmed animals.

Learn more at this website.

Have We Been Lied To?

8/21/2015

by Willow

Although I think the title speaks for itself (unfortunately, there is a lot of lying going on!), this animated video from Farm Animal Rights Movement [FARM] presents some of the dismaying facts about agribusiness. It is not a gory or blood-filled video, so I encourage you to watch it. It's only about 3 1/2 minutes long, too.

World Farm Animals Day is Oct. 2, and FARM encourages all who care about farmed animals to participate! You can check out this event more on the FARM website.

You can also pledge to fast for 12 hours in honor of farmed animals who are denied food and water for at least 12 hours before being slaughtered. You can post your pledge on the FARM website above.

Compassionate Holidays

11/26/2014

gorgeous salad, and most items from our garden!

As we move into the hollyday season, I encourage folks to check out this website called Compassionate Holidays, which was established by FARM: Farm Animal Rights group. If you haven't yet experienced a vegetarian or vegan Thanksgiving, now is a great time to do so! There are all sorts of substitutes out there for the traditional Thanksgiving treats that most of us enjoy or have fond memories of! I know in years past I have made "Tofurkey" from scratch - a 'turkey' made out of tofu and seasonings and it was GREAT! I've also made stuffing, vegetables, pies, vegan eggless nog, and more! I have experimented with all kinds of vegan goodies during the holiday season and many are just soooo delicious! If you check out the Compassionate Holiday website, there are many suggestions and recipes for making vegetarian and vegan substitutes for your favorite holiday dishes! If you attend in a holiday event that isn't vegetarian or vegan, bring a vegan dish to share and bring a card that has the ingredients on it. Many folks are shocked to taste these often very delicious vegan substitutes for the traditional animal-based dishes. Better yet, go to a veggie hollyday gathering! There is bound to be at least one not too far from you this year! On the Compassionate Holidays website, you can scroll down to "Attend an Event", click on the link and put in your zip code to find a veggie gathering near you for this hollyday season!

Cowspiracy: The Vegan Documentary

11/20/2014

female turkey checking out the vegan garden!

If you haven't yet seen the documentary entitled Cowspiracy, I highly recommend it! This documentary exposes why environmental organizations do not discuss the largest producer of global emissions: livestock. If you have ever wondered about global emissions, environmentalism, sustainability, agricultural practices, the large numbers of fish being taken out of the ocean, how MUCH of an impact going vegan can make, and whether or not you can be healthy on a vegan diet, then this documentary is for you! Check it out, share it with friends and family [and anyone else willing to watch] and talk about it with people. It's one of the important documentaries of this period, and will hopefully help even more people make the decision to switch to veganism.

You can also learn about the film at this website.

More vegans in the U.S.!

11/12/2014

There are more vegans in the U.S. according to a 2011 poll, and accordingly, more vegan options at restaurants. See the full article here.

How to become vegetarian, vegan or a raw fooder overnight!

11/11/2014

by Willow Aureala

How long does it take to become a vegetarian, a vegan or a raw fooder? It can take a long time, or it can take an instant!

When I first found out about vegetarianism in my first year in college, I would say that it took me about 6 to 8 months to switch to vegetarianism after I was informed about it. I joined a womenʻs action group in college and several of the members were vegetarian. When I was asked how I could eat animals if I loved them [which at the time I would say that I did], and informed of the philosophy and ethics of vegetarianism, that idea really struck me. However, it took several months of thinking about it, as well as reading materials and information about being a vegetarian before I finally switched.

I became a vegan in an instant in 1989. I went to a presentation at Whole Foods given by a librarian who was vegan. He told the audience about the link between the dairy industry and veal [and how veal would not exist if it werenʻt for the dairy industry; veal is the ʻby productʻ of getting cows pregnant so that they can be milked; some of the calves are slaughtered immediately, while some are raised in inhumane conditions as veal calves]. As soon as I learned about this connection, I immediately gave up two of my favorite foods: pizza and ice cream! I thought it would be very difficult to give those up, but I think because I really did not want to support the dairy/veal industry, it wasnʻt that difficult for me.

As for becoming a raw fooder, I sometimes went for it all the way - went 100% raw for months at a time, while at other times ate more cooked foods. So, my raw food track has been less ʻcementedʻ than has my vegetarian and vegan track.

So, if you want something enough, especially for ethical or health reasons, then you can switch your position in an instant. Other times, the switch may take longer. I think it depends on oneʻs motivation, as well as social support. Some of us need more social support than others, and it may vary with time. Find a social support group if you can to help you on your journey. Then, the transition may take a lot less time than you think it might!

What about you? How long has it taken you to make a major switch in your life, such as to vegetarianism or something else equally as important? What factors helped you make the switch? What helps you maintain it?

Is it morally wrong to eat fish? Paul McCartney says it is!

8/27/2014

by Willow Aureala

Paul McCartney is wearing a shirt in public that has "Eat No Fish" on it. He also tells a story about when he used to fish, using a rod and reel, and how he realized that he was killing the fish for "the passing pleasure it brings me. And, something inside me clicked. I realized, as I watched him fight for breath, that his life was as important to him as mine is to me."

I can relate. I stopped fishing around when I was 10 or 11 years old due primarily two events. One was when I was fishing with a cousin and his friend. My cousinʻs friend, after catching a fish, cut off the fishʻs fins and put the fish back into the water, for some unknown reasons. I was very upset by this display of cruelty, and really didnʻt understand why he would do that [I wonder now if that friend is cruel in other ways still]. Some time later, maybe a year or so later, I was fishing with my father and I saw a guy across the bank of the river. It appeared that he was catching fish, and if he was upset by the fish he caught [maybe they were too small or not the right kind, I donʻt really know], then he stomped on them to kill them. Again, I was very upset by this display of cruelty and from that time on, I no longer fished. I still ate fish until I became vegetarian in 1981.

I feel sad and, sometimes even horrified, when I see fish hauled in from nets on large fishing boats or struggling to get free from a hook. Could you imagine someone reaching into your home and hooking you in the mouth with a sharp [or sometimes dull] hook? Yikes! I see the fish gasping for breath on the boats and I feel so sad for those creatures, who are left to slowly die. Too much cruelty and suffering.

There are other reasons to stop eating fish, or even to stop fishing. Fish, according to research studies, have great long-term memories, live in complex social groups, learn from other fish and develop traditions. They can also recognize themselves and others, cooperate with one another, and use tools. Fish ʻtalkʻ to each other, even talking to other species. They may shake, point with their snouts or noses, use elaborate mating rituals, and even decorate the sea floor with shell fragments.

Thus, it could be time for others to consider removing fish from their diets, as well as discontinuing the practice of fishing. And, not only may it be a moral decision, the additional fact that the number of edible fish in the oceans is decreasing rapidly is another important consideration.

What about you - do you think it is morally or ethically wrong to eat fish, or to engage in the practice of fishing?

References:

Culum Brown 2014 "Fish intelligence, sentience and ethics. Animal Cognition.

http://www.zmescience.com/ecology/animals-ecology/fish-ethics-animal-cruelty-20062014/