Day 24: Go Vegan

Vegan is a lifestyle  just  not a diet.  Vegan  means  choosing to be cruelty free by not purchasing leather goods, silks, wool, and any item  that uses animal parts.   Vegan also means living cleaner..  using less man made chemicals.  After  going vegan  for awhile  I started to notice  that  I wanted to research more  on how my footprint  on cruelty  could become smaller and smaller...  Have you thought about that?

Day 23- Go Vegan - Vanity Vegan

Article in Harper's  Bazaar  I think I shared this already  but here it is again.

Day 22 - Go vegan

So  the 30 days  are already  up and I have been slow to add more posts  because I feel  that  many of my previous  posts  really  are packed with great links and information.  I hope you have taken the time to change your life and try veganism.  Here is a link  to a blog  that I hope you enjoy.

Day 21 - Go Vegan- magazine

Check out this magazine, also available in Whole Foods.  A great resource for vegans and vegetarians.

Vegnews

Day 20- Go vegan- Coconut water

I have been busy,  just wanted  to send you over to this blog  to get a review on COCOnut water and its powers.

Day 19 - Go vegan - Know your tea

Tea is a major part of my day.   I enjoy it and I have a mug  next to me as I write this.  Know thyself  and help thyself  by knowing more about the healing powers of tea.  Vegans are health conscious people.  Food gives us the things we need to heal and  knowing the best  sources  makes this life's journey so much more easier.

here are links to information about tea

hot tea
Health Mad
Mayo Clinic

Day18- Go vegan -recipe sites

Okay  so by now  if you are rethinking  your food  you are ready to start preparing and having breakfast, lunch, and dinner vegan meals.  So  for the next few days  I will be posting links to sources for vegan recipes and meals.

This one I  like alot. Choose Veg  sorted by category breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, desserts.

Post Punk Kitchen-  has recipes and baking tips

Day 17- Go vegan- Celebrity Style

The vegan lifestyle is glamorous and many celebrities are public about this.

Here is a link to the Ellen  Show vegan website page

Alicia Silverstone  the Kind Life  website

Joaquin Phoenix speaks out

Learn more  do some research....it is a smart lifestyle it will help your life  and save thousands of others lives.

Day 16 Go Vegan - Nuts

Time to Go Nuts.

Nuts and seeds are a part of my everyday diet.  I love them  so it is easy.  Cashews, sunflower seeds, and walnuts during lunch are a daily favorite of mine.

read here to find out that nuts and seeds  have healing properties  as do all good foods.

Day 15- Go vegan- FOOD

This is what I had for lunch yesterday.  a toasted pita with fresh homemade hummus and garlicky kale.

Here is the  blog you will find the Garlicky Kale recipe and alot of other really good looking recipes  that I am so ready to try.

Scrapbooking- layout

My husband is one of my favorite photographers.  He inspires me with his style and his technique.  If you ask him about it  he won't know what you are talking about  because  he doesn't think  he does anything special, but to me he does. For  information  on the supplies in this layout  see my post in Paper Temptress.

Day 14- Go vegan

Here are some thoughts  that might help you: from  some who went vegan  and  found it to be easier  than they initially thought and they debunk some myths.

read more

Day 13- Go vegan

I  hope you have been trying to eat well and are now close to being off of dairy and reducing your meat consumption.  The energy levels  should be going up.  I noticed  it after a month the surge  was awesome.

B12  is important.

read this link

It is not scary  it is the only supplement I take.  I am healthy.

Day 12- Restaurants EAT OUT Go Vegan

Well  sometimes  eating out and healthy  has it challenges.  If you go to vegan  restaurants  it is much easier to relax.  There are a few places  online  to find out which restaurants  in your area  might be vegan  or have a vegan menu...

from Choices Cafe in Miami

from Choices Cafe in Miami, Florida

This one is my Favorite  Veg  Guide

There is also  Happy Cow

Go to one of the restaurants  listed in your area.  The combinations  of foods  will help  inspire your palette and  make you realize  that  going vegan  doesn't mean  eating has to taste like grass.

Day 11- Go vegan

Okay  if you haven't  felt motivated  then  here is a baby steps  schedule  to follow.


Monday-  no meat  Meatless  Monday

Tuesday-  no dairy

Wednesday- no fast food (you don't want to be eating this anyway)

Thursday-  no meat, no dairy, and no fast food.

Friday- try  Kale,   Go to the Whole Food Buffet and eat dinner  vegan style

Saturday-  make a smoothie

Sunday- plan some healthy  vegan meals,   try hummus,  eating sprouts.

Day 10- Go vegan- Let's eat

Alright  let's eat  I found  some good resources  online to plan meals.

http://veg.ca/images/ch-html-emails/Ch-Week-Two-Menu-Plan.pdf

Meal Plans and recipes


Look these over  and tell me what you think.  Healthy and vegan living.

Day 9 go vegan

More food facts  so you can make informed choices:


Gluten

http://www.naturalnews.com/031999_gluten_sensitivity.html

Nutrition and eating healthy  Mayo Clinic


Preservatives

http://www.cleanse-yourself-lose-weight.com/toxins.html

Meat

http://www.cancertutor.com/faq/faq_meat.html

http://www.rediff.com/getahead/slide-show/slide-show-1-health-the-five-most-unhealthy-meats/20110304.htm

Hope you have started to reduce your meat consumption or have eliminated it all together. Next entry  basic meals.

Day 8- Go vegan and lose weight- inspiration

Here is a video on a girl who lost weight with a vegan diet and she talks about  what being a junk food vegan did to her and how  she figured out what to do  to feel good  with  her life and diet.







balancing your diet  here is a quick link to plan your thinking about vegan food.

Day 7 Go vegan in 30 days

By now  I hope you are really thinking about your life and food  and how  society norms  are not telling you the truth.

To  help yourself and others  compassion and truth is necessary.

Here is the truth that has been hidden from you or that you have chose to hide from yourself

click here to inform yourself (video)


Also see the video below.

Day 6 Go vegan in 30 days

If you have been reading since day one,  You probably realize that is is more than  don't eat meat and dairy.  This is about making a life changing move toward extremely better health and energy and redefining your ideas about food.

SUGAR....if you have a sweet tooth...this is going to be an addiction worth kicking the habit of.  Sugar is crack or heroine..  might as well be.  ever try to stop? well read the article and watch this video  you will learn just how bad it is.

Is sugar toxic? New York Times

Is sugar toxic? 60 minutes video

The risk of some people who change eating habits is to satisfying their sweet tooth.  I know it happened to me. Luckily  I was able to control myself and realized that sugar begins to effect my body in negative ways that I can now feel instantly.. like in the video.   I suggest grapes, and any other fruit like pears as a dessert rather than any baked goods.  Also chocolate  but good quality with a  low glycemic index.

Glycemic Index for Fruits  Livestrong

Glycemic Index chart  check out some of foods you eat..  French Fries 95!

Day 5- Go vegan in 30 days

Hope you have been thinking about food in a different way now.  It is an energy and healing source.

So  you probably will benefit from learning about PH and alkaline foods

This was my last discovery  in my pursuit of changing my diet,  however I think it would benefit you now.  Get good eating habits now...

Check out the link to this chart.

Read this article about alkaline forming foods and why you should know about it.

Tip today is a liver cleansing and weight loss tip.  First thing in the morning  drink lemon water. I use lemon juice and dilute it with warm water.


Elimination:  no dairy and no meat or animal products in fast food....begin to reduce your ingestion of soda and sugary supermarket juice  if you drink those.  You will see why sugar plays a big part in health.

Day 4- Go vegan in 30 days

So once  your mindset is in  I am going to be healthy and help the planet mode.  It is a win win situation.  Going vegan  benefits the earth.  Here is something to show you  the impact you are making on the planet  by choosing  this new lifestyle and thinking about food.  Please click here to see how you are making a difference.

So now lets talk about food.  The biggest thing for me was to focus on cutting out the junk.  Food needs to be  nutritious not just something for the sake of eating...that doesn't work.  I did not focus on what I like  I just wanted a change.  At first  I did mock meat..  I don't recommend that  because they  have a lot of soy and sodium. However it is a place where many people like myself start because that is all part of the previous programming.   I suggest  you start  here:

Superfoods...

You want to change your life and body and mood and really feel great..  Superfood.  Chances are you already have had them.  You just need to incorporate more of them  into your everyday eating habits.  This is a habit change.

5 vegan superfoods - read this

Quinoa  this is one source of protein.  Don't worry about protein...you will get it in a different way now...ignore all the other things you have heard.. you don't need a dead animal to survive-  look at all the people in India that grow up Vegetarians from birth.

I love Quinoa,  I don't eat rice...I eat quinoa - packs more good stuff in it and with black beans  it is a super meal.

What you don't have time to cook  or don't like to cook....then you just said you are not committed to being healthy  or you want a raw food option.  Leave a comment.

FLAX seed.  I have flaxseed oil everyday, but you can sprinkle ground flaxseed in your toast and peanut butter chia seed breakfast too.

Read the 5 vegan superfood article above to see why Quinoa and Flaxseed are so important in my diet.

Elimination:  So far  you have stopped eating butter, margarine, drinking milk,  you are working on eliminating cheese and yogurt....next...no fast food with meat or animal products.

Day 3- Go Vegan in 30 days and lose weight

Okay it is DAY 3...

The key to changing your life and reclaiming your health and wanting to do more than lose weight is changing your mindset.  This is not meant to be a fad  or a quick  lose weight thing.  Being a vegan  and being thin takes dedication and education.  Society is ruled by corporations and governments  that have brainwashed us into thinking  a certain way was healthy(food pyramid)  when it is not.

Choose today to change your mind.   Eating is not about what you like and what you don't like -as is taste...  It is about...  do I want to be healthy and live dis-ease free  or will I make excuses to keep myself in misery, an unhealthy lifestyle, and maybe even overweight.

When I started on my journey  I was lucky  my body was telling me that milk and meat and soy were bad for me and I stopped eating them..  do I miss it..  I laugh when people ask..  Do I miss feeling bad, being poisoned, and being bloated and getting sick?  Ah  no!

Are you ready to really get this party started?

The easiest way to go vegan for me was eliminating foods  and then building my new food "vocabulary"  notice  I didn't  say "substitute  new food for old...

Today I hope you ate breakfast. Remember I eat:

One slice:
Food for life  Sprouted Grain Bread-flourless  7 Sprouted grains

Organic Unsweetened Peanut butter smear

Chia seeds from  bulk bin at Wholefood

Mug of Green tea.

Continue to  eliminate all drinkable milk, and start eliminating all cheese and yogurt  ending all consumption of those products in two weeks..  From today on..  NO PIZZA  read this article to see why this is so important.
Pizza is bad

Tomorrow  I will blog about  which foods  I eat.

Day 2 - 30 days to going vegan and lose weight

Day 2 -  Hope you had your Chia seeds with your breakfast and your green tea.  I eat this everyday.

These tips are not going to be about recipes and such,  These tips are meant to get you motivated to living, appreciating, and creating a better world and healthier lifestyle.

This is real important the exclusion tips are a must..those are the real game changers...so as of day one and beyond  no Butter  no margarine...today   no milk... as in no milk or cream in your coffee and no milk in your cereal, no drinking a glass of milk or whipped cream...I will try to make these baby steps and add on exclusion a little more everyday.

Not eating dairy will help magically eliminate dis-ease  from your body.  You really are what you eat.

Read these articles about dairy to understand why giving up dairy is important for your health and the world.

11 reasons why not to have dairy
Why not drink milk?
video-Why you should avoid dairy at all costs  (by  Dr. Mark Hyman )

This will help you lose weight and feel healthy.  No dairy will equal  surge in energy and health.

How to go vegan in 30 days and lose weight and get healthy

DAY 1.  Learn about the power of Chia Seeds.  Click here .  These little seeds are better than any diet pill because they give you nutrients and curb your appetite and  help your blood sugar levels.  Sprinkle the chia seeds in your oatmeal, or on your  sprouted grains bread or whole wheat toast or English muffin,  like I do.

Now is the time to begin the exclusion: from this day forth  no butter or margarine in your diet  not separate  or  added or as a cooking oil.

Have this for breakfast on Day 2:   1/2 tablespoon  spoon of chia seeds on whole wheat toast smeared with organic unsweetened peanut butter  and a mug of green tea and a vitamin B-12 tablet

This is what I do.  Do not substitute this advice for that of a nutritionists.  I do not claim to have medical knowledge, so seek the advice of your doctor when experiencing any problems.

New scrapbooking layouts coming soon

Tropical Storm Isaac... alot of wind and rain.  I spent yesterday  trying to relax so I scrapped for Paper Temptress.  So look for them soon.

Layout Ripping Seams

A layout using all supplies from Paper Temptress.

supplies:

• Pink Grandma's wall paper
• Red Ruche Paper
• Black textures Leather paper (not real leather)
• ATC Patchwork in Lime
• Hambly stickers
• Pink Overlay All Mixed Up
• Silver Lustre 
• Epic Black Thick Columns

Scrapbook Layout- Hambly Overlays

Using the Hambly overlays on top of white paper makes the Hambly overlays undetectable.  The glare from the light  or even overlaying them on black paper -the overlay  becomes apparent.  Either way the look for scrapbook layouts can be quite unique.  Here I layered the overlays.  I just love the effect it has both as transparent layers and over cardstock.   Supplies:

• Red Vintage Overlay
• Lime ATC Patchwork
• Lime Urban Chic Frames
• Black Leather Paper
• White Felt Grandee

New favorite restaurant

My new favorite restaurant is 70 miles from home and well worth the drive. The food is better than anything here locally and it makes a great little get out of town trip for me and the hubby. Christopher's Kitchen

No Poo Method- Don't Cheat and Advice

Paper Temptress Design Team

Just received my papers for my D.T. kit and wow  what a selection.  Looking forward to creating some "good" stuff.  Living, creating, and appreciating  this abundant life.  Hope you check back to see what I create and also check out Paper Temptress

Design Team Member: news

Thanks to my wonderful friend Kristie Taylor who recommended me for the scrapbooking part of the Paper Temptress (gotta love that name) design team. I look forward to seeing what I can create for them.

No Poo Method- Clarifying

I discovered a formula that works for me. I hope that it works for you too. Creating a sustainable world one day at a time.

This represents my experiences of awakening

I was guided toward this video and I would like to share if with you.

Vipassana Year 2 : PRE-Post Video

Vipassana Year 2- 10 day course pre-video

De-TOX- DIY Deodorant HOW to and review

NO POO Method Day 19

Lemon Rinse instead of Apple Cidar Vinegar today.

No POO method Day 18

This process is one that is very enjoyable to me. The science of the change and how nature really works. Enjoying the process and sharing it will you today. Please watch the video. Namaste.

NO POO Method Day 16

I guess I am really still seeing changes.  So guess the updates will still keep coming.  I have a new camera and I am not sure how to use it and I don't have editing software  so  it is basic  for now.  Hope to  style my hair soon for a picture.  Thank you for reading my blog today.  Namaste.

No Poo day 11

Ok  here is another No Poo installment update, but also my last day by day update.  I feel that the NO POO method is working for me and I am happy with the results.  I am very happy to be participating in a toxin-free way of washing my hair. Watch my video.  I got rained on and my hair has no style today.

 

No Poo Day 8

Day 8  no shampoo.  Hair  doesn't smell anymore when it starts looking like it needs to be cleaned.  I am on my same schedule of every other day  like when on regular shampoo.  Same formula as Day 6.  This time I blow dried my hair.  It came out nice with no added products. Sorry  no picture  today,  I am writing this late.

No Poo Day 6

Day 6, I washed my hair this morning. This time with a cup and a half of water to 1 and about a half tablespoons of baking soda and I put it in a water bottle. I did not use the whole mixture but I rather the more now than need more later method. I rinsed the top to the bottom of my hair with a cup of water with one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and I did not use the whole mix. And I did a cold water rinse. I then let my hair dry naturally to a point and finished it off with a blow dryer and my hair got a little flyaway. But my hair feels like I have hair products in it. It is awesome and my hair feels thick.

No POO day 4

I am writing the results from yesterday. So using less baking soda and only rinsing the middle to ends resulted in a grease-free hair day yesterday, however I am not sure if it was the weather's influence on my hair- very rainy-- most likely it was my hair...but my hair was really frizzy on the top..I think it needed the apple cidar vinegar rinse. Today is day five and my hair is super curly with these amazing -looks like I just came from the beach- curls. I can tell that tonight I will have to wash my hair or I might just forego a day, if I don't plan on going anywhere, just to see what happens.

No Poo Day 2

The the grease (the oily hair) came quick for me.  See the video first  to see my explanation of it.  I decided to use a little less baking soda  less than a tablespoon - I didn't measure how much less and  I also decided to not rinse the top of my hair with the apple cider vinegar  just the middle to the ends of my hair.  My hair  again looked better.  Just as a note : with  regular  Shampoo  I used to wash my hair every  two days  not everyday.  So I was surprised that it got so greasy so fast.. but it is all part of my process.  I am still trying to understand the chemistry of it all.

"NO POO" ing

Day one of "NO POO"ing,  no  I am not constipated.   I am no longer using sham"POO" with all its  chemicals on my body.  I have definitely enjoyed my first  no Poo experience.  Please watch the video to see.

De-tox video

Here is a short video about my first experience wearing homemade vegan deodorant.

DE-tox.. continuing... no longer sleeping Wide Awake

In January of this year, my eyes were opened wide to cruel animal testing procedures that are being performed for  cosmetic companies.  I threw out many of my products and switched to companies that didn't animal test.  Two things  that I changed that bring me to this blog post are lotion and deodorant.  I went from chemical filled Suave  to 100% Organic Shea Butter  and from Degree to Tom's of Maine Deodorant.  Within a month,  I noticed it.  I woke up one morning and just noticed it..  What I am going to say  may sound gross  but,"  I didn't stink!"  I don't wear deodorant to bed and when I woke up  it was shower time before, not anymore  I had detoxed all those impurities out- that caused me to stink.  Commercial deodorant is a scam.  It makes you stink and lotions and shampoos,,all making us  cover our bodies with unnecessary chemicals  and people wonder why they are sick.
    I started  checking the labels more carefully  on the products  I bought  Avalon Organics  (a scam) and Tom's of Maine (also  not chemical free).  Avalon  organics is the worst,  when there are organic preservatives options  they don't use them.  I am looking for a facial routine, but I decided to work on the deodorant first.  So today  my husband  made a batch of deodorant in the kitchen  with 6 ingredients..  Three of them  edible: baking soda, corn starch, and coconut oil.  The other three ingredients are essential oils.. sweet orange, oregano, and peppermint.  So this week I am going to experiment,  One pit Tom's, and one pit natural and organic deodorant.

The Aztecs knew....the super "power" of the chia seed

I have been posting alot of things of facebook and realized that I really need to organize my thoughts here again. So today I will focus on living. My latest changes in my life have come from people sharing with me and Melissa was the one who told me about this amazing discovery she had and I tried it right away. CHIA SEEDS, -little wonder seeds -a superfood. Chia seeds have 5 times the amount of Calcium than milk (but who drinks milk? I am not a cow--cow's aren't suppose to be human food suppliers anyway--vegan all the way) Chia seeds are gluten free, regulate blood sugar, have protein, and best of all are easily incorporated into any diet. Read a complete article on Chia Seeds here. I have Chia seeeds every morning on sproated bread toast or whole wheat English muffins with organic peanut butter.

Organic Chia Seeds from Whole Foods

Whole Wheat English Muffin w/ Peanut Butter and Chia Seeds

Vipassana- Almost a year

Layout

New Layout for Everything Scrap and Stamps. Bo Bunny papers.  The stamps are creative cafe.

Vipassana: video Phillipines

This has a nice easy to listen to summary of the process. Guess what I was blogging about a year ago. ?? Vipassana video experiences.

Road to Vipassana Year 2

I applied and received my acceptance letter from the Georgia Vipassana center a few days ago.  I sometimes wonder if I am brave or just plain crazy to want (really desire) to go back.  I feel compelled to stay on this road to enlightenment.  It is the only place that makes sense to me really.  I have been facing challenges weekly in my meditation and have not reached that equanimous state during the most challenging times yet.  I accept that it is all a part of my process.  Knowing that this is a process,  I believe will help me during my next sitting.  "WE" will see.  Again, I plan on  making a set a videos that I hope others find helpful for their research or in their journey too or just to share.  (Feeling the sensations as I type this.) Namaste and Metta

blogging

I have some things to post.  I have been a little behind on this.  I am still here though.  I am planning on doing a follow up Vipassana video, also.  I have  a layout to post and I am planning a Valentine's layout for Everything Scrapbook and Stamps.  Hope all is well in your world.

Thank you notecards

I like to make Thank you notecards instead of cards.  It saves paper and it also saves me from folding all of the cards.

Favorite JUNK Food- is actually super healthy

 Chili con Kale

Walnut Pate with Chipotle

My favorite JUNK food isn't junk food at all  but it tastes so good  it seems like it should not be good for you.  My new favorite place to eat is Choices Vegan Cafe.  I went there in November and re-visited last week and decided, "Yes, this is my new favorite place."  I wasn't one for spicy food, but I love the way the food is spiced here  and when I say spicy  I don't mean "hot".  The baked sweet potatoes still satisfy the old french fries cravings..  I think eventually I will stop ordering them, once I wean myself off.  The menu has changes and there are so many more options that I can have now.

Happy New Year 2012

This year offers quick change.  I have been very busy with the first edition of mborrerophoto.com magazine and today  I am working on the second edition.  I was putting together thank you cards earlier and later I am working on scrapbook layouts.  From moment to moment I change what I do,  inside I know that is also true.  I am very thankful in this moment  for all the things that have lead me to this moment.  I especially like to thank S.N.Goenka and all the people who volunteer at the Vipassana Centers  for bringing the road to enlightenment to the masses. I am still working on my meditation and I hope on returning to a center this year.  For those who have been looking  you may want to start here.