See You Later Alligator

Anthropocentrism is the belief that the human race is the best most adept species for this planet or the central most important element to life. This egocentrism began when man kind domesticated animals and used these creatures for laborious tasks. After this, our closeness to animals began to fade and a divide was drawn between us…one that for thousands of years would cause pain and suffering

Today, a rise in compassion and consideration has begun to stich this gap between man and beast together. Peoples desire to eliminate the suffering that takes place in the world created a new belief called Sentientism. The birth of sentientism, a belief that involves giving moral consideration to the interests of any sentient being - that is, any being capable of experiencing

pleasure or pain, which includes all or most animals - and accepting that they have a moral claim like that of the interests of humans considered as sentient beings, has proven that man in not a selfish kind simply a lost one.

For many, the lifestyle of a vegan is a difficult one to lead. It takes time, consideration, and above all will. However, it is the most rewarding gift to give back to mother earth who has provided us with everything we know.

With this in mind, many years ago, I obliterated the stigma that, “old habits die hard”. Instead, my poor habit of choosing pleasure over selflessness died swiftly and gracefully overnight. What I had learned about veganism, the food industries, clothing companies, and cosmetics stuck with me in the best way, a way in which I could apply my knowledge instead of solely preach it.  

Having covered almost every aspect of veganism and the benefits it offers I feel it fitting to end this blog with an inspirational quote from one of my favorite vegans in the world:

"The time will come when men such as I will look upon the murder of animals as they now look upon the murder of men." ~ Leonardo Da Vinci

This quotes gives me and everyone in the vegan community hope that soon people will continue to make more conscious decisions when they shop for food products, clothing, and any other materials. Soon enough, there will be a spike in the vegan community of people aspiring to live a life where no traces of violence were ever left.

I have made a list, from the top applications that our generation uses today, of the most recommended vegan/vegetarian bloggers who post mouth watering vegan delicacies, inspirational quotes, and advice on how to reach your goals whether it be going meatless for one meal or an entire lifetime. The following is not in any order of preference:

 

Instagram:

·             @brusselsvegan

·             @BeVegan

·             @fullyrawkristina

·             @rawvana

·             @nanaicecream

·             @bestofvegan

Twitter:

·            @IsaChandra

·             @vegan

·             @thevegansociety

·             @veganfusion

Facebook:

·             The Vegetarian Times

·             Vegan

·             AnimalLover

·             Crueltyfreeliving

 **Image Credits to : Jaime Oliver

The belief behind this list is that with a more consistent exposure to the vegan foods and its beliefs, rather than just receiving information from my weekly blog, you (the reader) would be more inclined to desire a yummy meatless meal or would be more willing to reduce meats and other form of animal use as time goes on.

The future is in our hands and it is up to us to make sure its going to be an exceptional one. If you choose to take nothing but one thing out of reading this blog let it be a bit of enlightenment into the damages we have caused and how we have the power in our hands to reverse them.

Credits: Teachertoolbox

Starting Small; Resolving Big Issues In Little Ways

In a world populated by 7 Billion people and counting, conserving our resources and environment is critical.

As humans we require food, water, and oxygen. However, the human race is consuming more resources on the planet then ever before.

Some of the worlds most elite scientist, engineers, biologist, and environmental specialist have gotten together to find ways to reduce this problem and though they have come up with many different plausible ways of handling this, the one which solves the most issues all at once is the hardest to apply.

Global warming is upon us and is recognized by the environmental community as one of the gravest threats to the planet. Skeptics and critics can no longer make up conspiracy theories about it.

The rise in green house gasses such as methane and CO2 are affecting our environment deeply. Ice caps are melting, sea levels are rising, droughts are becoming more potent, and the ozone layer is practically as thin as a piece of paper.

Not one of us is exempt from causing these changes in our planet to occur, but some people are slowing down the process in which it does–vegans.

Normal CO2 has the spotlight when it comes to greenhouse gases, however, the focus solely on CO2 is fueled in part by misconceptions.

It’s true that human activity produces vastly more CO2 than all other greenhouse gases put together. However, this does not mean it is responsible for most of the earth’s warming. Many other greenhouse gases trap heat far more powerfully than CO2, some of them tens of thousands of times more powerfully. When taking into account various gases’ global warming potential—defined as the amount of actual warming a gas will produce over the next one hundred years—it turns out that gases other than CO2 make up most of the global warming problem.

Methane is 21 times more powerful a greenhouse gas than CO2.

With methaneemissions causing nearly half of the planet’s human-induced warming, methane reduction must be a priority. Methane is produced by a number of sources, including coal mining and landfills—but the number one source worldwide is animal agriculture. Animal agriculture produces more than 100 million tons of methane a year.

About 85% ofthis methane is produced in the digestive processes of livestock, and while a single cow releases a relatively small amount of methane, the collective effect on the environment of the hundreds of millions of livestock animals worldwide is enormous. An additional 15% of animal agricultural methane emissions are released from the massive “lagoons” used to store untreated farm animal waste, and already a target of environmentalists’ for their role as the number one source of water pollution in the U.S.

The resolution now seems to be clear: arguably, the best way to reduce global warming in our lifetimes is to reduce or eliminate our consumption of animal products. Simply by going vegetarian/vegan we can eliminate or reduce one of the major sources of emissions of methane, the greenhouse gas responsible for almost half of the global warming impacting the planet today.

No Meat Athlete

Are you an athletic or active individual? Have you considered living a vegetarian/vegan lifestyle?

Credits: Heidi Powell

Do you believe that these two lifestyles are conflicting because of a deficit in protein intake along side other nutrients that the vegan diet mythically inhibits?

You are not alone when thinking such things. A majority of people are not fully knowledgeable in this field but are not entirely wrong to think this way.

Transitioning into a vegan/vegetarian can pose certain difficulties and challenges if not done correctly. Unlike food companies who seek to hide health risks, I will elaborate on them.

Here are some important facts to consider for making an informed and intentional switch to this lifestyle. Vegan/vegetarians are deficient in the following nutrients:

• §  Animal protein- contain essential amino acids and is important for muscle mass and bone health.
• §  Creatine – which helps form energy reservoir in cells. Too little of this proves to have negative affects in brain function.
• §  Carnosine- protective against degenerative processes and aging quickly.
• §  Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) – the most active form of Omega-3 fatty acids in body
• §  Vitamin B12- involved in the function of every cell in the body. Critical for life.

Though people following this regimen of living cannot simply receive these kinds of nutrient from veggies, fruits, and legumes alone, there are supplements (such as natural pills or powders) which substitute for the beneficial nutrients that animal products reveal to have.

Credits: Sean Nalewanyj

These such supplements can be obtained in stores such as: GNC, Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, and any FDA approved sellers.

However, a huge myth that animal industries have been trying to sell their consumers is that vegans/vegetarians do not receive any sort of protein in their regular diet. Believe it or not vegetables also produce protein which is both beneficial to their growth and cellular processes. This protein is not as potent as that of meat however in large quantities it gets the job done.

This only proves to be a good reason to stuff your face with as many delicious veggies and fruits as you’d like!

To tie in the point of athleticism, athletes and people who lead active lives depend on these specific nutrients on a daily basis. During aerobic exercise we burn energy which we previously consumed from foods.

Though people usually focus on caloric intake, athletes understand that this is not the focal point for an effective diet. They eat foods that will enhance performance making sure to reduce the intake of sugars and processed. They focus on finding the more nutritionally beneficial products which most of the time are leafy dark green vegetables such as kale.

There is no optimal diet for one specific person, however, the diet with the most health benefits is a vegan one and if you cannot accept the information from me take it from some of the most well known players in the industry who have made the switch.

Credits: Brendan Braizer

“I can honestly say that being vegan is not only the most efficient way to be full-body strong, its also the most human”

- David Carter, Vegan, NFL Player