DO YOU THINK I’M STARVING?

Many people believe that a vegan diet limits you to eating a nutritious and balanced meals.  That is simply NOT true.  You do not have to eat meat or dairy in order to receive proper nutrients – despite what “experts” say.  The World Health Organization (W.H.O.) has recently indicated that meat causes cancer, something many vegans, holistic health-care practitioners and doctors already knew.

Today’s blog IS NOT about proving the above claims as I don’t require the proof as what I eat and the state of my health is proof enough.  So, what do I eat??  Here are some of the many vegan dishes I have made and eat regularly:

Tofu scramble, baked home-fries, meatless sausage, toast and beans in a tomato sauce make for a delicious and hearty breakfast, lunch or dinner.

This is a vegan version of an egg salad sandwich.  It includes seasoned tofu, vegan mayo, celery and green onion.

Breakfast could not be more delicious with a serving of vegan pancakes topped with maple syrup and fresh and organic strawberries.

How can you make a vegan pizza??  Easy – this pizza was made with quinoa balls, green olives, tomato, dairy-free cheese and tomato sauce.  The crust is a whole-grain crust.

I love experimenting with salads.  This is a lightly fried tofu and garden salad.  I add a combination of mixed greens, carrots and cucumber.  For the dressing – it’s either a home-made oil and vinegar or I buy an organic vinaigrette dressing.  I also add hemp, pumpkin and sunflower seeds.

This is a seasoned tofu stir fry – I make sure only to use NON-GMO and organic tofu.  I also use a salt-free stir fry sauce if I don’t make my own.

Another mixed green salad – this one includes avocados and beans.

Meatless ‘loaf’ with some baked potatoes and seasoned peas.

Oven roasted tofu with mash and seasoned roasted vegetables.  Great substitute for turkey during the holidays.  The key is knowing how to season it.

Seasoned tofu steaks, lemon-ginger brocoli and carrots.

A mixed bean salad with meatless ‘italian sausage’.

Mixed vegetable salad with rice and breaded and meatless ‘chicken’.

I sometimes drink a vegan wine and prefer Yellow Tale from Australia.  I occasionally have coffee and only drink it with either soy or almond milk.  I rarely have any white pasta or rice – the rice is usually whole grain and the pasta either kamut, rice or quinoa.

My decision to become first vegetarian then vegan was mainly due to my spouse’s decision to go vegetarian.  I later became vegan after watching a video of rabbits screaming in pain – it changed my life.  At that moment, I decided that I could no longer support an industry that caused animals so much pain and suffering.  I later concluded that by not eating these tortured souls that I wouldn’t be consuming the pain and suffering those animals endured.  I really am conscious of what I buy and what companies make an effort to support a cruelty-free life for animals.

Along with the ethical reasons I became vegan – I wanted to make a difference in curbing climate change.  Agriculture and raising beef for food is the biggest culprit in climate change.  Cattle ranching is a huge cause in deforestation across the planet – and this is the tip of the iceberg (pardon the pun).  You can find proof of the effects cattle ranching has on our environment by visiting any of the following sites:

http://www.350.org

http://www.peta.org

http://www.greenpeace.ca

We all have a responsibility to end cruelty against one another, including the animals we share the planet with.  We also have a responsibility to the planet that has given us so much.  We need to focus on healing it and ensuring the children of tomorrow have the right to clean water, clean air and clean food.

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!

ARE ONLINE PETITIONS SUCCESSFUL?

Today, information from around the world is almost instantaneous.  We receive images from events taking place all around the world and the world is able to respond.  Not all information is generally good in fact, most of it is to ask for assistance in spreading word of injustices happening to people and places all over the world.  We have seen and heard about some of these injustices such as; the right for women to receive proper education, equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans gendered people, equality for minority groups, protection of sensitive geographical locations on the earth and so on.

When you receive a petition, do you generally dismiss it or are you more than likely to sign them in order to create positive change in the world?  And by signing, do you feel that a particular petition will make a difference?  After some careful research, I believe they do.  Here are some examples of some successful petitions:

• Greenpeace, League of Conservation Voters, Environment America and other organizations started a petition to support the Environmental Protection Agency’s Standards for limiting carbon pollution from power plants.

OUTCOME:  In the first 10 weeks over 1.4 million signatures were received.  According to Change.org: “By utilizing promoted sponsored campaigns on Change.org, these organizations increased the number of people voicing public support for the Carbon Pollution Standard to the EPA by 300% for a total of 2.1 million comments.  This is the largest number of signatures and comments submitted to any federal regulation in the U.S. history.”

• Avaaz.org, 350.org and 1,700 other organizations decided to deliver the largest mobilization on climate change in history.  Avaaz Executive Director, Ricken Patel presented a 2 million strong petition to UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon on the march in New York, calling for 100% clean energy worldwide.

OUTCOME:  The marches let to many leaders at the following UN summit acknowledging the pressure coming from the streets.  The pressure is working – less than two months after the march, the US and China signed a landmark agreement, including new targets for carbon emission reductions by the US and a first-ever commitment by China to stop its emissions from growing by 2030.

• Michigan high school student Katy Butler, 17, and Change.org organizer Mark Anthony Dingbaum delivered petitions with over 300,000 signatures to the Motion Picture Association of America in Los Angeles on March 7, 2012, asking the group to change the R rating on the anti-bullying documentary Bully.

OUTCOME:  In April, the Weinstein Company came to an agreement with the MPAA.  After toning the profanity, the film received a new rating of PG-13 (for intense thematic material, disturbing content and some strong language – all involving kids), which meant that children of all ages could watch the movie without and adult.  The Weinstein Company subsequently announced that the PG-13 rated version of Bully would be released nationwide.

• Greenpeace’s ‘SAVE THE ARCTIC’ campaign from SHELL has gathered over 7.3 million signatures to date.  Their goal is to reach 10 million signatures and stop Shell and the Russian oil and gas giant, Gazprom to access the Arctic through Russia.

OUTCOME: Pending.

Petitions are important and vital to a campaign because the people or companies that the specific petition is written for tend to receive their message loud and clear.  If the countries or companies in question don’t listen – they end up losing votes or losing money and that speaks loud and clear.

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!

HOW TO GO FURTHER…..

A few years ago my spouse picked up a book entitled, “Ho To Go Further:  A Guide to Simple Organic Living”.  The book was written by Woody Harrelson & Friends and is based on the film, Go Further by Ron Mann.

It has become very evident that many government’s don’t want their citizens to know about alternative and sustainable ways to live.  We are bombarded by television commercials stating that we must take pills to become more sexual active, to cure certain ailments, to fight colds, headaches, depression and so on.  We are told that we must depend on gas guzzling cars/SUV’s for work or pleasure.  We are excessively reminded that we must keep working hard to buy bigger cars, boats and bigger houses but what are the consequences to these materialistic and unrealistic goals?  Who pays the price?  Our environment, its inhabitants and ultimately – THE PLANET.

Instead of working towards a so-called better life by trying to attain all things materialistic – why not live a life that will be rewarding for you, give your children a future and ensure that our planet isn’t destroyed by those who falsely state that have more is better FOR YOU.  Besides, all the things you acquire, can’t follow you after you are gone.

How To Go Further is an excellent book and as stated is simply a guide to simple organic living.  The book was published in 2005 by Warwick Publishing Inc. in Toronto, Ontario Canada.  Here is the message on page six of the book:

This Book Leaves a Lighter Footprint on the Earth

This book is produced in a manner that is friendly to the earth and its environment.  Specifically:

• The paper is 60lb Rolland Enviro Smooth, which is acid-free and contains 100% post-consumer recycled material.
• The inks used throughout the book and on its cover are vegetable-based (soy) pigments that contain no harmful chemicals.
• The coating on this book’s cover is a matte water-based acquiesce varnish that contains no harmful chemicals.

This book was produced for Warwick Publishing by Transcontinental Printing at their InterGlobe plant in Quebec, Canada.  

For further information on environmentally safe printing and print manufacturing, contact Lori Rennie of Transcontinental at (416) 758-6356 or via e-mail at rennie@transcontinental.ca 

This statement alone clearly indicates the commitment of everyone involved in writing this book has towards are environment and the respect they have for the planet.  It is a true testament that if we want to do something badly enough, without harming the planet, we can.

You can buy the book via amazon through this link:  http://www.amazon.com/How-Go-Further-Simple-Organic/dp/1894622391

You can also check out the film here:  http://www.sphinxproductions.com/films/gofurther/

Just by reading the book and watching the film – you can decrease your carbon footprint through everything you learn.  What’s the worst that can happen – saving the planet?  Aren’t you ready to create positive change in the world?

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!

HOPE FOR THE NEW GENERATION

When you allow your passion to shine – anything can happen.  This is a video of a young 15 year old who passionately speaks on climate change at the United Nations.  This speech is one that we must ALL listen to and stand behind.  This young man is our future – a future that is concerned about their well-being, the well-being of the planet and of future generations.  Listen and share the words and passion of Xiuhtezcatl Roske Martinez:

For more about this great and passionate individual, please visit:

http://www.earthguardians.org

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!

DOES EATING MEAT HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT?

There are many negative health implications related to a diet that is mainly made up of red meat.  In the last century, there have been huge increases in obesity due to poor diet and nutrition.  People are more keen to visit a fast-food restaurants rather than preparing their own food.  Fast-food corporations, with their endless marketing budgets, entice people with processed foods that are cheap and unhealthy and reaping the benefits of their unwillingness to take a more proactive approach to their health and well-being. 

What are the benefits to a diet high in meat consumption? (They are not really benefits):

• High cholesterol and heart disease due to high fat and cholesterol content.
• Conventionally raised beef contains hormones and antibiotics.
• Processed meats (bacon, ham and sausage) are unhealthy due to their high fat, preservative and salt content.
• The mistreatment and murder of animals. 
• Obesity.
• Linked to diseases such as diabetes, heart attack and cancer.

What many people are not aware of are the implications a diet high in meat has on our environment.  Factory farming is not only promoting cruel and the unethical treatment of many animals, it has a devastating effect on the environment, especially when we are seeing water shortages across the globe.  Here are some of the environmental implications:

• Animal agriculture is responsible for 18% of greenhouse gas emissions, more than the combined exhaust from all transportation.
• Livestock and their byproducts account for at least 32,000 million tons of carbon dioxide (Co2) per year, or 51% of all worldwide greenhouse gas emissions.
• Methane is 25 – 100 times more destructive than CO2.
• Methane has a global warming power 86 times that of CO2.
• Livestock is responsible for 65% of all emissions of nitrous oxide – a greenhouse gas 296 times more destructive than carbon dioxide and which stays in the atmosphere for 150 years.
• Emissions for agriculture projected to increase 80% by 2050.
• US methane emissions from livestock and natural gas are nearly equal.
• Fracking (hydraulic fracturing) water use ranges from 70 – 140 million gallons annually in comparison, animal agriculture water consumption ranges from 34 – 76 trillion gallons annually.
• Agriculture is responsible for 80 – 90% of US water consumption.

All above facts are available via the following link:  http://www.cowspiracy.com/facts/

Our population is growing at an alarming rate.  Due to this population growth, the demand for meat grows and with the demand for more meat, there will be more deforestation (trees provide oxygen) and more demand for water.  Ask yourself, why is there such a huge increase in pulminary (asthma/bronchitis) disease, heart disease, diabetes, cancers and obesity?  The introduction of processed foods and factory farming are definitely contributing factors.  People are dying because of what they eat.  Does this seem right to you?  Our elected officials are not doing enough to contribute to a more sustainable future for the people those who have elected them.  They pander to big corporations who only care about their profits. 

We must take a more proactive approach to our health and our environment.  There are many people out there who have viable solutions to make our world more sustainable.  Isn’t it time to allow them to bring their initiative and ideas to the table?  Isn’t it time for REAL change and not the false identity of change our current leaders keep talking about?  Isn’t it time our governments stop spending money on war in favour of creating real positive change across the globe? 

The earth can’t sustain the population growth and our demand for more meat.  People must assess what is more important, the need to eat meat or saving our planet from destruction.

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!

HERE IS WHAT LOVE and PASSION LOOK LIKE

I believe that our LOVE for the environment and our planet should be a real indication for our governments to lead the way to more sustainable and renewable energy sources.  Climate change is happening and REAL action is needed by our governments. If there was any time in history for a shift to happen in order to create positive change in the world – it is NOW.

Corrupt governments are afraid of environmental activists.  They brand them ‘hippies’ and ‘terrorists’, as a matter-of-fact, many governments want to ensure that any individual or group that speaks out or protests for environmental issues, against pipelines, fracking or oil drilling, be put in jail because it is a form of environmental terrorism.  Canada is proposing a bill (C-51) that would do just that.  Legislation like this says much about a government.  It would rather support the big oil tycoons in potentially creating environmental disasters versus protecting our forests, rivers, lakes and oceans. 

It is time for a new generation – time for governments to listen to people who don’t care about creating more wealth for those that have enough.  People want to focus on social issues, environmental issues and issues that would be inclusive to all and not just a few.  This generation that I am talking about is our future and they won’t have much of a future if governments don’t listen to the issues they care for the most like, the environment, affordable education, proper health care, a new economy plan that revolves around sustainable and renewable energy and not getting involved or starting wars.  We clearly see that the “old ways” don’t work.  Bailing out banks and the auto sector didn’t work, there is still much corruption in Wall Street and other financial centres around the world.  It’s time for new ideas that will not support and allow corporate greed to continue.  We need a more holistic and grass-roots movement to politics and it has to begin with all of us.

Here are photo examples of how many of us in the world want to create positive change in government politics, social issues, the environment, income inequality and human rights:

        

March against MONSANTO – Vancouver, Canada May 25, 2013.

People’s CLIMATE MARCH – New York City, USA April 2014 ***The largest environmental march ever with an estimated 400,000 in attendance.

Women’s Rights March – Washington D.C., USA 2009 ***marching against George W. Bush policies regarding women’s reproductive rights, including abortion.

ANIMAL RIGHTS MARCH – Istanbul, Turkey 2014 ***marching for the protection of animals.

CIVIL RIGHTS MARCH – Washington D.C., USA 1963 ***marching for equality of black people during the civil rights movement in America. 

NO Keystone XL Pipeline MARCH – Washington D.C., USA ***marching for the eradication of the Keystone XL Pipeline bringing dirty oil from the Alberta Tar Sands in Alberta, Canada to the USA.

AUSTERITY MARCH – Montreal Quebec, CANADA 2015 ***Students protesting government cuts.

Governments DO NOT want peaceful protests to happen because they want to keep people distracted from the issues that matter – ENVIRONMENT, INCOME INEQUALITY, WOMEN’S RIGHTS, HUMAN RIGHTS, ANIMAL PROTECTION, CIVIL RIGHTS and any other rights that would not oppress people. 

The corrupt didn’t realize that more and more of us DO NOT want to be distracted anymore.  We want to hold our governments and big corporations accountable for their corruption.  We want governments to do the jobs they were elected for – not for the corporations but, for the people who elected them.  It’s time for a revolution of love.  It’s time for REAL change.  It’s time to have your voices heard.

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!

LOVE can CONQUER GREED and CAPITALISM!

Many of us tend to overuse the word love even when we don’t really mean it.  Think about the many times throughout the day that you say, “I love (fill in the blank)”  We love clothing, cars, televisions, television programs, songs, artists, art, houses, boats and other material possessions.  These material possessions provide a temporary form of love and gratification that is somewhat meaningless.  These possessions are reason that there is a widening income inequality gap between the masses.  Is that really love?

Why are so many of us so preoccupied with wanting and needing instead of helping and giving?  We are all so conditioned to follow – get an education (if you can afford it), find a life partner, get married, have children, buy a big house (beyond your means and necessity), buy a car (or two, or three), buy a vacation property, save for your future/retirement, save for your children’s education and then die.  I understand the desire to want the best for yourself and your family – but so many people have become desensitized to the realities of our world, so many just don’t care about the wellness of others and will only act out of greed and their desire to want more material possessions, money and wealth.

Capitalism – an economic and political system in which a country’s trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit, rather than by the state.

Corporations are nothing without the consumer.  We are all contributors to all the issues the world faces today.  People are so concerned with status and having the latest gadgets, the biggest houses, and the best cars that our planet and our humanity is paying the price for.  All of these gadgets and our demand for product is taxing the earth’s natural resources.  Corporations don’t want you to see the negative impact YOUR demand is having on the planet and the people who create these materialistic things.  Is the destruction of our planet worth the price the planet has to pay for the next iPhone or iMac – aren’t these products already doing what they are supposed to do?  Why do we need the latest version(s)?  It’s simple – to make outstanding profits for shareholders and CEO’s.  Household appliances, cars, televisions and many other products are produced to have short ‘life’ expectancies because they want to ensure people continue to buy.  Shouldn’t a car be made to last 15 to 20 years instead of 5 to 7?  Why must a new model entice us every year?  To ensure wealth for the auto industry CEO’s and shareholders.

Personally, our society today makes my head spin.  I am astounded at how many of us are distracted by the greed or corporations and how they buy politicians in order to sustain their wealth and to dictate legislation.  It shouldn’t be the BIG oil companies, auto industry or pharmaceutical companies that dictate what we should do or what we should think.  We know that drilling for oil in the Arctic would wreak havoc in that area should their be an oil spill (and there will be).  We know that fracking (the process of drilling and injecting fluid into the ground at a high pressure in order to fracture shale rocks to release natural gas) takes 1 to 8 millions gallons of water to complete each fracturing while there is a shortage of water globally.

http://www.dangersoffracking.com

We must review our priorities and we must curb our need to want and need.  Future generations will pay for the decisions we make today.  Do we not love the planet enough in order to make the hard decisions today in order to save our planet and future generations?

I love my mother – I love her tremendously.  She is my hero.  She provided love and nurturing that made me the man I am today.  Shouldn’t our greatest love be the mother of us all?  Our mother – EARTH,  she cares for us and she provides us the breath of life, the food we eat and the water we drink and how do we show our gratitude?  We pollute her waters, poison her soil and cut her forests down in an alarming rate in order to build bigger houses for people who are slaves to the corporate world.

Let your love for life be the catalyst for positive change in the world.  Make conscious choices in what you buy, who you buy it from and what type of impact it will have on our planet.  Ask your government for renewable and sustainable energy options for our homes and our cars.  Support companies that plant trees instead of removing them.  Support housing developers that don’t clearcut in order to build their sites and use sustainable materials.  Eat vegan/vegetarian meals as often as you can.  Sign petitions to stop BIG OIL companies from drilling in eco-sensitive areas in the world such as the Arctic.  Don’t contribute to landfills by buying things you don’t need.  Support auto companies that are making commitments to build cars that use clean energy sources.  Show the planet your love and make a difference for good.

Some resources to create positive change:

http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/

https://www.worldwildlife.org

http://www.peta.org

http://350.org

http://www.davidsuzuki.org

http://climaterealityproject.org

http://citizensclimatelobby.org

LOVE OUR MOTHER

Images from the internet.

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!

HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY YOURSELF?

If you had to write a brief description of yourself, what would you say about yourself?  What are your greatest attributes?  What are the things you don’t enjoy about yourself?  Have you really ever thought about how others see you?  Do you even care?

I’m going to take a look at these questions and answer them as honestly as I can. 

What are my greatest attributes?

My loyalty, my passion, drive and desire to create positive change into the world, my empathy, my honesty and sincerity.

What are some things I don’t enjoy about myself? 

I like everything about myself.  I like the direction my life took.  I love that I advocate for the ethical treatment of animals.  I love that I have made the choice to become vegan.  I love that I think with my heart.  I love my strong convictions in creating positive change into the world.  I love being in love.  I love learning and growing.

Do I care about what others think of me?

The only person that matters in my life is ME.  Without trying to create the best possible me – I would not be able to motivate others into creating positive change in the world.  I do care about how other people view me – especially if they view me in a negative way.  I encourage feedback in order to ensure I become a better person.  What I don’t care for is when people make judgments about me.  I don’t care if you do not like what I am wearing, the colour of my eyes or hair, that I have gained a few pounds or that I raise my voice a bit when I am defending the earth, our environment, animals that have no voice or people who are oppressed because they were born with certain uniqueness. 

A brief description about myself:

To expand on what I have said above – my commitment in my life is being the best partner, husband and friend to my partner of 21 years.  I want to continue to advocate for the things I am passionate about (animals, environment and the LGBTQ community).  I want to become a beacon in creating positive change in the world – if I have influenced just one other person to be kind to animals, our planet or to each other – my job is done but I’m not going to stop.  I am comfortable and love living my life in the most authentic way possible.  I am not afraid to share my views about many of the injustices in this world.  I really believe that we should treat others in the same way that we want to be treated.  I am not afraid to be expressive and passionate in my convictions and have been known to get into heated discussions about those passions and beliefs.  I am avid believer that ‘one person can make a difference’ and get quite offended when people say that a problem is too big to solve.  I get annoyed when people also say, “you can’t change the habits or thoughts of so many people.” – I don’t think Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa, Gandhi, Rosa Parks, Jane Goodall, Ingrid Newkirk or so many other influential people thought this way.  Even Adolf Hitler didn’t think this way. 

I believe I am honest, caring, loving and passionate.  I am overly sensitive – which is an amazing attribute considering most people think that being overly sensitive is a negative trait and a sign of weakness.  Sensitivity is a sign of strength and empathy – people who are sensitive can really put themselves in any situation and act to ensure a positive outcome is not too far from reach.

Today, so many people are too concerned about how others see them and are afraid to live an authentic life.  Imagine the changes we can make in the world if people would just live authentic lives.  Imagine if more people cared about the environment, the poor, the ethical treatment of animals, child poverty, income inequality and other issues that are more deserving of our time and efforts.  More people care about Hollywood gossip than the possible extinction of certain animal species.  We can make huge strides in protecting our declining forests, lakes and oceans but we need to raise our voices and we need to raise them LOUD and STRONG!   The time is now.

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!

WE NEED TO SAVE VIRUNGA NATIONAL PARK

How would you feel if your home was destroyed and your loved ones killed?  That is precisely what is happening in this region of the world, more specifically, Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Virunga National Park is Africa’s oldest park.  It borders Uganda and Rwanda and is the continent’s most biologically diverse protected area.  It covers 7800 kilometers (3000 square miles) and includes forests, savannas, lava plains, swamps, erosion valleys, active volcanoes, and glaciated peaks of the Rwenzori mountains.

The park is composed of three sectors:

1. The northern sector – Rwenzori mountains that border Uganda.
2. Lake Edward – The Isasha river valley and the Rwindi plains are the dominant geographical features that define the parks central sector.
3. The southern sector – Best known for the mountain gorilla’s that live on the flanks on the dormant Mikeno volcano.

Why should you care?  The park is in another continent and we are nowhere near the political conflicts that are happening there.  Just because the conflict is happening elsewhere doesn’t mean that we are not obligated to do whatever we can to help.  We are all citizens of this planet and it is in our best interest to speak out against human, environment and animal atrocities.

Our planet continues to be raped for its natural resources.  Big businesses are buying governments all over the globe for those limited natural resources.  Wars are waged, animal and human lives are lost all at the expense to earn a big corporation more money.  This is absolutely wrong and must end.

When I talk to people about environmental disasters, the inhumane treatment of animals and human rights violations they turn a blind eye and figure that there is nothing they can do.  They are wrong.  All they have to do is take interest and act – and this can be done right from home.  First, educate yourself about the issue then decide what your plan of action is.  I make monetary donations when I can but mainly share information via social media as I am now.

So, what can you do about helping Virunga National Park?  Here are two suggestions:

• Educate yourself by watching the amazing documentary Virunga – this is available on Netflix and via live stream on the official movie website: 

http://virungamovie.com/

• You can learn about the Virunga National Park, what they do, current projects and all sorts of other information on the parks official site:

http://virunga.org/the-park/

Virunga National Park is pivotal in protecting the few remaining mountain gorilla’s.  They also help protect the elephants in this region.  Virunga’s elephants drastically reduced in numbers due to poachers from 3000 to approximately 400.  In the last year – the Mabenga herd was hit particularly hard – less than 100 remain and are in grave danger of being wiped out entirely.

The park supports local villages and citizens.  It supports the families of rangers that have been lost due to the conflict and fighting in the region.  How can we not assist people who have such passion to protect a national treasure and all its inhabitants, with their lives?  It is our duty and it is our right. 

It’s time that we start a revolution of love and a revolution for the planet and our environment.  We need to give a clear message to those who wish to see our planet destroyed because of their love of money.  We need to rise and form a coalition to protect the planet from further destruction.  Together, with strength, we can make the difference that is needed.

Please support Virunga by visiting  http://virunga.org/the-park/ and http://virungamovie.com/ be part of history and a revolution of love.

Together, we can make the world a more positive one!

 

IS YOUR FOOD CAUSING FATIGUE?

We all know and understand that food plays a very important role in how you feel.   We need to feed our bodies food that will provide proper nutrients and minerals so that we can have energy throughout the day and function at optimal health levels.  Our bodies will let us know what foods makes us feel good or make us feel bad. 

NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF FOOD

A diet that consists of sugary, processed, meat and unnatural foods can increase cancer rates, diabetes, heart disease and stroke because of the artificial flavours and colours, GMO’s (genetically modified organisms), MSG (monosodium glutamate), trans fat, antibiotics and hormones.  Here are some foods that are consumed in large quantities and why they are bad for your body and overall health:

Milk

• Doesn’t provide the calcium our bones require
• Increases risk of fractures
• Mother’s milk is good for babies i.e., human to human, cow to calf, goat to goat, etc. once weaned off milk, animals and humans never need milk again.

http://saveourbones.com/osteoporosis-milk-myth/

Meat

• Contain artificial preservatives which are very toxic to the body
• Most meat today, contains antibiotics and hormones
• Many animals are raised on foods that are unnatural to their diet and are fed GMO’s
• Ingesting inhumane meat is unhealthy for the body and soul (the trauma and violence an animal goes through – all that negative energy is then consumed and lives within those who eat it)

http://www.onegreenplanet.org/news/the-secrets-out-the-reason-red-meat-is-so-bad-for-our-health/

Processed Foods (mostly boxed and packaged for longer shelf life)

• Can be high in added sugars, low in fiber and whole grains, processed with sodium, high in fat or include trans fat and lots of saturated fat

Soft Drink/soda/pop/colas 

• Too much sugar
• No nutritional value
• Could cause early menstruation in young girls

POSITIVE EFFECTS OF FOOD

Eating a plant-based diet consisting of 80% fresh, raw and organic produce is vital for our bodies to receive proper minerals and nutrients.  Eating a plant-based diet, consisting of more vegetables than fruit is beneficial for the following reasons:

• More energy and less fatigued
• Lower cholesterol
• Lower blood pressure
• Lower risk of cancer
• Better blood sugar 

You can provide the body all the proper nutrients, vitamins and minerals on a plant-based diet that includes whole grains, seeds and nuts.  Taking a proactive approach to our diet is a great way to prevent illness and maintain a healthy body.

Eating a vegetarian and vegan diet is not only a health benefit to you, it is an excellent way to be environmentally conscious and save hundreds of animals from being slaughtered/murdered.

http://www.forksoverknives.com/we-are-more-than-what-we-eat-the-hidden-benefits-of-eating-a-whole-food-plant-based-diet/

Sources:

• http://www.forksoverknives.com/
• http://www.onegreenplanet.org/
• http://www.naturalnews.com/
• http://www.thechinastudy.com/
• http://www.vegsource.com/event/campbell.htm

 Together, we can make the world a more positive one!