June 25, 2018

Does Peace Begin on Your Plate?

There are many choices that we can make. What you choose to put on your plate is definitely one of them. While almost everyone who has chosen to forgo animal products grew up eating those same products, however, at some point these people made a choice to not add to the violence and destruction that is so pervasive in the world. After all, if you can choose to not cause harm to anyone else – including other species, why wouldn’t you? When I finally confronted that question myself, I knew that I had to get off the Vegetarian diet and become Vegan.

This was a hard decision, not because of myself, but because of the other people in my life, and others in general. The meat and dairy industries generate a lot of money, approximately $864.2 billion annually in the U.S. alone. Think of the incentive there is to vilify vegans, along with doctors who speak out against these industries, and you will see where the pervasive negative attitudes come from. Not only are vegans portrayed in various media outlets as being slightly insane and/or obnoxious, but there are numerous examples of how extreme veganism is. Why being vegan is considered extreme is beyond my understanding. Isn’t raising an animal for the sole purpose of killing and eating that animal extreme?

Not only are there the ethical questions regarding killing an animal that doesn’t want to die, but if you add to that the environmental damage done by the massive world-wide meat and dairy industry, you can see how the destruction becomes unsustainable.

Now, back to my question, does peace begin on your plate? My answer is yes, of course it does. There is only so much in the way of sustainable food, and when one country has a problem with consumption that causes others to suffer peace also suffers. I’ve left links below for you to read. Look up other information and decide for yourselves whether or not you believe that peace begins on your plate.

https://www.google.com/search?q=How+much+money+does+the+meat+industry+make+a+year%3F&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjknMjQ4djbAhWs6IMKHZpCBUIQzmcIQQ&biw=1366&bih=654

http://www.jhunewsletter.com/article/2016/03/the-representation-of-food-on-television

http://science.time.com/2013/12/16/the-triple-whopper-environmental-impact-of-global-meat-production/

https://content.sierraclub.org/grassrootsnetwork/team-news/2016/10/10-reasons-why-meat-and-dairy-industry-unsustainable-0

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/cutting-back-on-meat-consumption-could-help-end-hunger-by-2030-experts_us_55f3424ee4b077ca094f27a5

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/environment/world-hunger-population-growth-ditching-meat/

Do You Love Animals?

Most people love animals. Who doesn’t love their cats and dogs? But does that mean that you love all animals? Do you also love cows, calves, sheep, lambs, chickens, chicks, pigs and piglets, also? Well, I hate to burst your bubble, but if you eat meat, eggs and dairy, you don’t love animals. I know, it’s a harsh statement, and I once “loved” animals, but I also ate them. Most of us who are plant-based were once just like you. We divorced ourselves from the reality of farmed animal’s lives. We lived with the blinkers firmly in place, and simply tried not to think about it. However, there is so much scientific evidence out there showing us how cruel the practice of raising animals to eat is, that we really morally can’t continue to do so.

From animals who sing, to the fact that they form attachments with each other, our understanding of other animals continues to grow. The level of animal sentience is much higher than was thought, and the new evidence just continues to grow. I am including links below for your education on these topics. Please read, follow the links within this articles to the scientific studies, and think about your own choices. If you have any questions or comments please leave them below.

https://www.alternet.org/food/new-online-calculator-lets-you-see-impact-your-meat-intake-animals-climate-and-your-health?akid=16743.302291.SXinIv&rd=1&src=newsletter1088934&t=8
https://www.care2.com/causes/5-animals-you-didnt-know-could-sing.html
https://www.alternet.org/animal-rights/after-researching-how-pigs-are-treated-their-meat-cambridge-professor-went-vegan-video?akid=16710.302291.ez6JQ3&rd=1&src=newsletter1088387&t=8
https://www.alternet.org/animal-rights/dog-cow-pig-world-sentience-there-no-difference-video?akid=16710.302291.ez6JQ3&rd=1&src=newsletter1088387&t=6
https://www.care2.com/causes/10-amazing-facts-about-animal-sentience.html

February 2, 2018

February Blues

This is the time of year where it seems like it’s been winter for far too long. Luckily, I’ve been able to get out and go for a walk almost every day despite it having been way too cold for a few weeks there. On the days when the wind-chill factor actually got to 15 below zero, I have to admit that I stayed in the house. However, those days weren’t too many, and I’ve been out and about for most of the winter. That being said, I’m beginning think about Spring, and wonder if we will have a “real” Spring this year.

I say that because for the past 5 or so years, we’ve gotten a few days of Spring, and then the temperature zooms up into the 80°’s with high humidity, and summer has made its early appearance months too early. Right now, though, I’m simply waiting. Waiting for the frigid weather to end, the mud to clear up, and the grass to be green again, instead of the brown it currently is. I know I’ve got at least a month or so to go, but how about you? Are you waiting for the winter to be done for good?

December 4, 2017

I Just Can’t…Republican Tax Bill

The Senate has voted to give itself the biggest tax break in years. Yes, that’s right, while the rest of us will be paying more in taxes, the richest people get to pay less. Not only that, they also voted for some pretty terrible things. Don’t believe me? If you’re on Medicare, your cancer treatment will no longer be paid for. Since there is the excessively high cost of medicine in the U.S., and people simply cannot pay for it on their own, now if you’re on Medicare and you get cancer, the “family values” people are basically telling you to “just die already”. People are going to lose their health care, since the help in paying for it is gone, also. And, the price of health insurance is, of course, going to go up.

During the Reagan Administration, we were all introduced to this mythical idea that once the richest corporations got a tax break, they would “trickle down” their profits to the rest of us – you know, the lower echelons of society – the “workers”, if you will. This “trickle down” would be accomplished with higher wages and a much better standard of living for most of society. Has this worked? Did it ever work? Well, wages have been either stagnant, or have actually gone down ever since. Now, at the same time, have prices been either stagnant, or gone down? Oh, please, don’t be silly. Of course not! Now, those of us “workers” just get to work more jobs. Remember, President Bush thought it was “fantastic” to work three jobs. Of course, he himself never had to, but hey, isn’t it just great for you to need to!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFNj5sireDo

I will be waiting with bated breath to see just how the corporations and top 1% of the country will “trickle down” their tax breaks to us this time. Unfortunately though, I fear that I won’t live that long to do so. After all, if I get sick (or if you do), neither one of us will be able to get health insurance, nor will we be able to afford medical care. Oh well…there are a lot of us out here who will have to die before the rich will be affected. And, after all, isn’t it all really just about them after all? We’re just the supporting cast members.

November 15, 2017

I’m Tired

I am simply tired. In fact, I’m sick and tired. I’m tired of signing petitions. I sign on average, ten petitions a day, and sometimes more. I sign petitions telling my congressmen to: protect the earth, protect the poor, protect the sick, protect minorities; protect those who have been impacted by the weather; protect workers and consumers; protect people and the animals. The number of petitions I’ve signed just since January numbers well into the hundreds. I’m tired of being upset, depressed and overwhelmed with bad news and bad behavior on the part of people who should know better.

My question is, why the hell do I even have to do this? Doesn’t it simply stand to reason that people have a right to clean water, clean air? Don’t we have a right to healthcare? How about a right to equality? How about a right to not be lied to and mislead by the companies that we do business with? How about just helping the citizens of our country when disaster strikes? Isn’t that what their taxes have paid for? Why do I have to keep reminding the government what their job is? Their job is not to enrich themselves and their corporate donors. They are supposed to be working for the good of all, not just the rich and powerful.

Of course, I’m lucky. I’m not sick, I’m not a minority. While I do have Fibromyalgia, I don’t take medication for it, I’m coping on my own, and doing okay. I’m not a victim of a disaster. Of course, that could change at any time, and many of us are one paycheck away from financial disasters, not to mention one caused by sickness, accidents or nature. I actually live in a state that, while we have our problems within our state; our federal representatives do vote on the behalf of the people who actually voted for them. I feel sorry for those of you who don’t enjoy the same representation. Of course, the “powers that be” are hoping that we will all get too sick and tired and simply stop paying attention. Hell no, it’s not going to happen. While I may bury my head in the sand for a day or even two, I’ll pick myself up again and make my voice heard. For all of you out there who also are tired, take a breath, take a small break, and then continue plodding. After all, you’ve got justice on your side.

June 26, 2017

Lead in Baby Food

Years ago, when I had babies, I read an article saying that lead was found in baby food. At the time, I was a stay-at-home mother, and decided that I wouldn’t buy any baby food, instead, I would make it. The way that I accomplished this was to simply put some of the food that I’d made into a food processor and then fed it to my babies. I was already making my own applesauce, etc. before learning about the lead issue, since I didn’t want to feed my babies refined sugar. I still make my own applesauce and have only ever added some cinnamon to the finished product.

The reason I’m sharing all this with you is that once again, scientists have discovered that there is lead in baby food. The amount is around 20%, with baby juice and root vegetables being the main culprit. Researchers say that although there is some lead found in the soil where the vegetables may be grown, they feel that it is the high level of processing that is causing the problem. However, since there is no acceptable level of lead intake, this is cause for concern. I know that the time constraints on a family with a new baby are excessive, but I do encourage you to make your own baby food. I know that most people are aware of the effects that environment has on the growth of a child, so if you can, perhaps you should consider making baby food yourself. It really doesn’t take that much time, and the result is that you would have one less thing to worry about. When it comes to raising children, one less thing to worry about is always welcome.

http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/06/15/533103892/lead-detected-in-baby-food-samples-pediatricians-say-theres-no-safe-level

June 23, 2017

Nature

Since it’s summer, I’d like to encourage everyone to step outside and just breathe! Watch the sun rise, or set – or both! Sit on the grass and just be. Let nature heal you. Watch the clouds pass by, feel the breeze on your face. Be quiet and still and just listen. Hear the birds sing and bees buzz. Be at one with nature.

Sunrise

transforminglifenow

Changing my life for health and happiness

Environment

Do You Love Animals?

February Blues

Nature