the blog.
20 Things I Don't Miss About Eating Animals
As I approach the start of my fourth year as a vegan, I find myself thinking a lot about how much my life has changed over the past 3 years. I begin to think of all the things that I no longer feel, think, or experience on a day to day basis since deciding to forgo animal products. As many of my readers are new vegans or veg-curious, I think this is an interesting list to share!
As I approach the start of my fourth year as a vegan, I find myself thinking a lot about how much my life has changed over the past 3 years. I begin to think of all the things that I no longer feel, think, or experience on a day to day basis since deciding to forgo animal products. As many of my readers are new vegans or veg-curious, I think this is an interesting list to share!
Let's get onto the list! BUT FIRST... One thing I want to make clear is that I am NOT commenting on anyone other than myself and my own experiences in this post. Just because I have done, felt, or experienced something does not mean I think everyone else does, feels, or experiences the same things. I am not judging anyone, pointing fingers, or criticizing anyone else. I am merely sharing the interesting changes I have noticed in and around myself through reflection over time.
Phew. Ok. List time! (Excuse the copious amounts of memes. They're just so perfect.)
20 things I don't miss about eating animals...
1. The bloating. Ugh. I spent most of the time very very bloated when I still ate meat, dairy, and other animal products. And let me tell you, it wasn't any fun. Pretty much constant puffiness in my belly region, despite being slim and a dancer. Now I'm not saying I never get bloated now, of course I do - I am human, after all! From time to time after eating a more processed vegan meal, or eating too much food too quickly, or while on my period, I will get bloated. But the bloating is far less extreme and painful, and thankfully goes away much much quicker. (And no, beans don't cause crazy bloating. If you experience that it's likely that your body isn't used to the high fibre content and cannot process it properly. The more fibre you eat (and/or the more often you eat beans) the less bloating you'll experience as your body becomes accustomed.)
2. Seeing dead flesh as edible. I mean, how gross is that when you actually stop and think about it? And while we're at it, the texture of meat. Because, ew.
3. Those extra 15 pounds. I hit puberty pretty late, just as I was leaving high school. The natural changes in my body were amplified 2,000% by the terrible diet of beer, pizza, and processed foods I began eating at college (made up of LOTS of meat and dairy). I graduated feeling larger than I ever had and feeling uncomfortable in my body. In the first couple of months as a vegan (even though I pretty much only ate vegan junk food and meat and dairy substitutes) I lost 15 pounds, just like that. Veganism for the win!
4. The cognitive dissonance. I enjoy the newfound clarity I have achieved in lining up what I believe with reality, rather than trying to marry the thought of happy cows, chickens, and pigs with the realities of the industry (of which I was aware, as most are, though ignoring it with all my might). I am no longer wilfully ignorant, nor trying to maintain a paradox in my mind. What a relief!
5. The cheese addiction. It was pretty serious. I would eat a whole block of aged cheddar in a sitting. I would eat an entire bowl of parmesan cheese on its own with a spoon. Literally. I don't believe any addiction is healthy, and while cheese may not seem to be as destructive as cigarettes or drugs and alcohol, I do not want to feel dependant on any substance to get through the day. Plus, dairy isn't great for anyone involved.
6. Being poor. Not only is buying meat and cheese expensive (puh-lease to everyone who complains that eating a vegan diet costs more... eating animals is not cheap!), but spending money on eating out every single day just because I can eat at any random restaurant or fast food joint (of which there are 47 billion within a 4 block radius in every major city in the world) does no good for the wallet, either. Being vegan fixes that problem pretty darn quick!
7. The moral inconsistency. It was confusing to spend 19 years of my life as a serious animal lover, and yet to take pleasure in the products of animal suffering. I don't like being confused. Being certain about where I stand on the subject of animal rights feels so much better.
8. Not caring about the environment. Other than a general avoidance of littering, my environmental consciousness was limited to putting paper in the recycling rather than the trash. Now I get to say that I am saving gallons of water, acres of land, and loads of resources with my daily choices as well as reducing funding for the number one cause of greenhouse gas emissions (animal agriculture).
9. Constipation and other digestion issues. I'm now a well-oiled machine, without the oil.
10. Worrying about getting sick from raw or rancid meat. This was a serious cause of anxiety for me on a daily basis. What if I didn't clean my cutting boards well enough? What if the meat expired yesterday but I didn't notice? It's nice to feel safe in my own kitchen.
11. Having to know someone for a long time to realize who they really are. Now I find out pretty darn fast. Like when the fact that I'm vegan comes up in conversation and the first thing they say is some sort of insult or insensitive comment.
Also...
12. The lack of purpose. I wasn't a robot before I went vegan. I had opinions. I cared about stuff. I was passionate about things. But I didn't really have direction. Going vegan gave me a tangible goal, an area in which I could make a real difference in the world - and that is seriously motivating!
13. Being a follower. I'm not just like everyone else anymore. I don't do things just because they're normal or just because it's what's expected of me. I do what I want. I go my own way. I live my life the way I feel is right, no matter what the majority is doing. And that is incredibly liberating.
14. Not being a a discerning shopper. GMOs, pesticides, high-fructose corn syrup, lists of chemicals so long I can't read them in one breath... none of it mattered. When you go vegan, though, you kind of have to read every ingredient label. And that ended up being pretty awesome, because the more labels I read, the more I became concerned about all of the ingredients in my food, not just the animal ones. (This also applies to clothing, beauty products, home products, and more!)
15. Not feeling a part of a larger community of like-minded individuals. Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, vegans are everywhere and we make it a family affair wherever we go! I love how much we support each other and lift each other up. Also, finding out someone you've known for a while is vegan...
...is like finding out you're both part of some super-secret-awesome club.
16. Accepting (pretty much) everything I was told at face value. Yeah. I'm over that. I'd prefer to decide for myself what I believe.
17. Not caring about my health. I was young. Teenagers don't tend to take notice of their health. They're so resilient that they don't have to. But even still, I was constantly getting sick, getting injured, and feeling off. Since going vegan? I still get the occasional cold (maybe one a year). I've had a dance injury or two. I have low-energy days. But on the whole? My health is noticeably superior in every way.
18. Not standing up for myself. I used to be a people-pleaser. An apologizer. Now I don't let people take advantage of me, put me down, or disrespect me without a word or two. I've to stand up for myself so often that I've become a pro. And that's not a bad thing.
19. Not getting to hear the hilarious things people say to vegans. Seriously, people crack me up. Also, not getting to educate people on very basic, common sense things such as... drumroll please... plants contain protein. Or even better, cows don't just produce milk constantly for human production. They actually have to give birth to a calf, first. Since they, you know, only produce milk so that their babies can live. Like every other mammal in the world, including your mom. Yeah, crazy, I know.
20. Who I was. I've learned so much, not only about the world, politics, industry, our society, nutrition, health, and the way the human mind works, but about myself. I used to be pretty self absorbed. And I hid who I really was from pretty much everyone. Now I shout it from the rooftops. Because we only live once, why spend our short time on earth pretending to be someone we're not to please people we don't even necessarily like? Being true to yourself and leading by example is the most important thing you can do in life.
I hope you enjoyed this slight departure from my usual programming. Let me know what you think in the comments below!
Until next time,
For all my vegans out there, what don't you miss about eating animals that I forgot to mention?
A great one to follow this one up with is my 10 Reasons To Go Vegan post!
Not your thing? Check out one of my many other blog posts below.
2016 Reading List
Hello friends!
I'll be honest with you, I have always been a voracious reader. But in 2015? Not so much. I had so much going on working at sea, getting engaged, moving, starting my blog, getting two new jobs, and two kittens, that reading took a backseat to the craziness that was my life! But 2016 is going to be different. No matter what life throws my way I'm going to make reading a priority.
There is almost nothing else I find as inspiring as reading a good book. They allows me to relax, escape, learn, and keep my mind sharp. They are my safe, cozy, happy place. And who doesn't want to be more safe, cozy, and happy?
That's what I thought.
So without further ado, my 2016 reading list!
Hello friends!
I'll be honest with you, I have always been a voracious reader. But in 2015? Not so much. I had so much going on working at sea, getting engaged, moving, starting my blog, getting two new jobs, and two kittens, that reading took a backseat to the craziness that was my life! But 2016 is going to be different. No matter what life throws my way I'm going to make reading a priority.
There is almost nothing else I find as inspiring as reading a good book. They allows me to relax, escape, learn, and keep my mind sharp. They are my safe, cozy, happy place. And who doesn't want to be more safe, cozy, and happy?
That's what I thought.
So without further ado, my 2016 reading list!
FICTION
VEGANISM
NON-FICTION
PLAYS
And there you have it: the nineteen books I'd like to read in 2016!
I'm cheating a bit here at the end to recommend a couple of the best books of the few I did manage to read in 2015. They are life-changing, incredible books. Do yourself a favour and order/download them now!
This book is a serious game changer. I took pages of notes while reading it and am excited to begin putting the strategies into effect in my life!
This one is in the same vein as The Slight Edge, but talks more about the actions than the philosophy or purpose behind them. I think they really complement each other!
If you follow my blog at all you already know that this book has made a huge impact on me this year, virtually launching my shift to minimalism! It has inspired many posts on the blog such as:
How To Build A Capsule Wardrobe
This book asks that you open your mind and look at the world objectively. It's a masterpiece that EVERYONE should read.
If you've already read it, did you know there's a sequel?
Also a definite must-read!
And last, but certainly not least:
A classic for a reason.
What's on your 2016 reading list? What were your favourite reads of 2015? I want to know! Let me (and everyone else!) know in the comments below.
Until next time,
Winter Capsule Wardrobe
Winter is here and that means it's finally time to reveal my second capsule wardrobe! I had a lot of fun with my Fall Capsule and loved putting together this wardrobe, armed with months of capsule experience. (Learn how to build a capsule wardrobe here!) Some of my choices last time just didn't get worn, so I'm hoping to make wiser picks in my Winter Capsule that can handle the range of weather conditions and temperatures that Toronto winters throw at us Torontonians!
Winter is here and that means it's finally time to reveal my second capsule wardrobe! I had a lot of fun with my Fall Capsule and loved putting together this wardrobe, armed with months of capsule experience. (Learn how to build a capsule wardrobe here!) Some of my choices last time just didn't get worn, so I'm hoping to make wiser picks in my Winter Capsule that can handle the range of weather conditions and temperatures that Toronto winters throw at us Torontonians!
First things first, I promised I would review my first ever capsule wardrobe experience!
F A L L C A P S U L E W A R D R O B E R E C A P
T H E G O O D.
- I LOVED the capsule wardrobe experience and never want to go back to the standard closet explosion of earlier years!
- The neutrals meant that almost every item went with everything else, which made getting ready so much faster!
- I loved the minimal and neutral style I curated for myself.
- I really enjoyed the challenge to create different combinations from the same pieces for the 3 months. Go check out my instagram to see what I put together!
- This experience made me realize that I can downsize my wardrobe even more than I did during my KonMari minimizing spree, which is super exciting for a clothing hoarder like me!
- The majority of my clothes were super comfortable which was AWESOME.
T H E B A D.
- My tall black boots broke the first time I tried to wear them. Yeah.
- I barely wore the dressier items I included - the two white button downs and the deep v neck long sleeve tops in black and white. My day to day and work environments are very casual and I had barely any opportunities to dress up, other than auditions. Since audition wear isn't included in my capsule I just didn't need these items!
- The dress pants, track pants, and green jeans I included are cropped and it was often too cold to wear them, despite wanting to.
T H E U G L Y.
- I definitely didn't include enough clothing for cold weather - it got VERY cold in December and I had to go outside of my capsule to keep warm enough with more layers and heavier sweaters. This is a tough problem in Toronto where fall weather goes from summer heat to winter chill on a day to day basis. I hope next year I can find a better balance!
And now time for my winter capsule wardrobe reveal...
Once again I'm sticking to an almost entirely neutral palette. I considered including a plaid shirt again, but finally decided against it. Only time will tell if I regret that decision!
I did a lot of thinking and planning around layering options, since the temperature in Toronto ranges quite a bit. I also work in a store that can go from freezing to boiling to freezing again within any give day, so I need to be able to take off and put on layers easily! I'm hoping that I have enough of each layering category to keep me going until the end of March, I actually increased the number of tops in my capsule from 18 to 27(!) so hopefully I've covered all of the bases!
I'm also excited about my new vegan coat (see my unboxing video here) as it's black (surprise surprise), super warm, and very comfortable! 20 points to HoodLamb for making an awesome winter jacket. I plan on doing a detailed review after I've had a bit longer with it!
Just like last time, I'll share where I bought everything if you're interested in picking up a couple of the pieces. Once again, a little disclaimer. As I am an ethical vegan, I do not endorse purchasing any items made from or by animals. A couple of these pieces I purchased before my transition to veganism, and are therefore not in line with my current beliefs. If you are interested in my take on wearing products made from or by animals as a vegan, and why I continue to wear some of my old pieces, check out the post HERE. I won't be linking to items containing animal products but will instead link to a similar item made with vegan materials. I hope you understand and respect why I am choosing to do this! Also, some of the items were given to me or I purchased long enough ago that they are no longer available. In those cases I will link to something similar, or the same item in a different colour!
Alright, here we go!
TOPS (27)
- white cami - similar
- white flowy cami - aritzia
- white tank - similar
- white tee - aritzia
- white v neck tee - urban outfitters
- beige deep scoop cami - similar
- taupe waffle long sleeve - aritzia
- deer baseball tee - similar
- heavy patterned cardigan - similar
- grey cropped tank - brandy melville
- grey tank top - hollister
- grey tee - aritzia
- grey v neck long sleeve - similar
- grey hooded cardigan - similar
- grey & black baseball tee - aritzia
- dark grey tee - aritzia
- beatles tank - similar
- black cropped cami - similar
- black cami - similar
- black tee - aritzia
- black deep v neck tee - similar
- black henley - similar
- black long sleeve top - aritzia
- black v neck long sleeve - aritzia
- black cardigan - similar
- black pullover sweater - similar
- black chunky pullover sweater - similar
BOTTOMS (8)
- black skinny jeans - american eagle
- black zippered leggings - zara
- black leggings - urban outfitters
- black vegan leather pants - similar
- grey high waisted leggings - similar
- high waisted blue jeans - urban outfitters
- blue ripped jeans - similar
- blue jeans - anthropologie
DRESSES (1)
- grey sweater dress - aritzia
OUTERWEAR (1)
- black parka - hoodlamb
SHOES (3)
- vegan doc martens - doc martens
- short black cowboy boots - similar
- black winter boots - nice shoes
That's it! I'm excited to see how this capsule holds up over the next 3 months. I will be committing to no new purchases until mid May or so, when I will be planning my spring capsule! Check out my Style and Capsule Pinterest boards to see what I'm loving for spring as I begin looking for inspiration!
I hope you've enjoyed reading my recap and seeing my new picks for winter 2016! I've been considering filming videos to go along with my capsule wardrobe posts, whether sit down chat style or showing the clothes on my body as more of a look book. Let me know if you'd watch and which you'd like better! If you have any questions or suggestions please let me know in the comments and I hope you'll consider giving capsule wardrobes a try!
Until next time,
Are you doing a capsule wardrobe this winter? Leave your link below so that we can check out your picks!
The Truth About Eggs
A month ago I put together a post on the dairy industry and why I will never again support it - but eggs have gone largely uncovered on my blog, that is, until today. Let's talk facts!
A month ago I put together a post on the dairy industry and why I will never again support it - but eggs have gone largely uncovered on my blog, that is, until today. Let's talk facts!
H E A L T H
Most people claim to eat eggs for the health benefits, especially their protein content. Let's consider the actual makeup of an egg:
An egg is 2% carbohydrates, 63% fats, and 35% protein. One large egg (50g) contains approximately 211mg of cholesterol, no fibre, and 2g of saturated fat (almost half of the total fat content).
Now let's take a look at what this means for the human body.
Carbohydrates
The 100 000 billion cells in our body rely on carbohydrates as their main source of energy, as each and every cell can use them for fuel. We need carbohydrates for all of our major systems including the central nervous system, the heart, and the brain to function properly and they are the easiest macronutrient to convert to energy. For a food touted as the perfect health food, you would think it would be made up of more than 2% of our ideal energy source!
Fat
While we need a small amount of fat in our diets for maintaining cell membranes and providing cushioning for organs, it is widely accepted that a high-fat diet is an unhealthy one. Recommendations for fat intake from physicians and nutritionists range from 35% of daily calories on the high end to 10% on the low end.
Not only are eggs high in total fat, but they are high in saturated fat - the single biggest contributor to high cholesterol and heart disease (which killed more than 17.5 million people in 2012).
Cholesterol
From Virginia Tech's Educational Report on Heart Healthy Eating: "A cholesterol lowering diet should first be low in total fat, especially saturated fat, as well as cholesterol."
The only foods that contain cholesterol are animal products, with egg yolks and organ meats ranking highest for cholesterol content. It is recommended that those with heart disease, high cholesterol, or diabetes keep their dietary cholesterol intake to below 200mg per day - less than that found in a single egg. There is also the (often unmentioned) fact that the human body has no need whatsoever for dietary cholesterol. We make 100% of the cholesterol we need for normal, healthy functioning in our own bodies, and never to excess.
"Patients at risk of cardiovascular disease should limit their intake of cholesterol. Stopping the consumption of egg yolks after a stroke or myocardial infarction would be like quitting smoking after a diagnosis of lung cancer: a necessary action, but late." - Dietary cholesterol and egg yolks: Not for patients at risk of vascular disease
But what about egg whites? While it's true that the majority of the fat and cholesterol is found in the yolk, and if your only concern is reducing dietary cholesterol intake eliminating the yolk may seem like the solution, the unfortunate truth is that the egg white is a much more concentrated vessel for animal protein than the whole egg, and that's not so good for us either.
Protein
Protein has been hailed the most important macronutrient in popular culture for decades, and while it is very important for proper growth in children, tissue repair, preserving muscle mass, and creating essentials hormones and enzymes (among other things), we don't need NEARLY as much of it as people think. The average healthy adult of either gender requires 0.66g of protein per day per kg of weight, meaning a 150lb (68kg) person would need 44.9g of protein per day to meet their daily protein needs. This is easily achievable in a vegan diet, and is quickly surpassed in a vegetarian or omnivorous one.
So what's the problem with getting more protein? Excess protein increases the risk of kidney disease, kidney stones, and some types of cancer. Animal protein in particular has a startling effect on the growth of cancerous tumours, as seen in the extensive research done by Colin T. Campbell in The China Study.
Fibre
Eggs are completely devoid of fibre, which is essential for eliminating waste. Low fibre diets can cause constipation, hemorrhoids, and an increased risk of colon cancer while high fibre diets reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity and lower cholesterol.
Salmonella
More than 100,000 people are poisoned by salmonella-tainted eggs per year in the US alone and experience diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps for up to a week.
Diabetes
A review of fourteen studies conducted on the effect of egg consumption on diabetes concluded that highest egg intake increased the risk of developing diabetes by 68% compared to those who consumed the least.
Cancer
Egg consumption has an effect on the development on many types of cancer:
- Consuming 1.5 eggs per week resulted in almost 5 times higher risk of colon cancer when compared to those who consumed less than 11 eggs per year;
- Men who consume 2.5 eggs per week increase their risk for developing a deadly form of prostate cancer by 81% when compared to those who consume less than half an egg per week;
- The WHO found that eating eggs is associated with death from colon and rectal cancer when analyzing data from 34 countries in 2003, and;
- Moderate egg consumption was found to triple the risk of developing bladder cancer in a 2005 study published in International Urology and Nephrology.
Do you still think that eggs are a healthy choice?
A N I M A L R I G H T S
As if the health risks of consuming eggs weren't convincing enough, life is not pleasant for the hens and chicks on factory farms.
While chickens can live up to 14 years on average, hens only lay eggs for about two of those. Guess how many years they're allowed to live on factory farms? Correct. Two. What happens next? They are sent to the slaughterhouse, as they are no longer "useful" for anything but their flesh.
It begins at birth: chicks will never see their mothers and are quickly separated, males from females. Many die from the rough treatment in automated sorting machines. The females are kept and raised to lay, but what about the males? They are of no use to the egg industry and are either thrown in trash bags to suffocate or ground up alive. Babies, only days old, are GROUND UP ALIVE. By the millions. “There is, unfortunately, no way to breed eggs that only produce female hens. If someone has a need for 200 million male chicks, we’re happy to provide them to anyone who wants them. But we can find no market, no need.” - Mitch Head, the spokesperson for United Egg Producers. How is this allowed to go on?
Life for the females may be longer, but is full of suffering nonetheless. Crammed into tiny battery cages, 5 to 11 in each, they are stacked on top of each other allowing the filth from cages above to drop into those below. Dead and diseased hens may be left to decompose in the cages with the living (who are producing eggs for human consumption, mind you), causing further death and disease.
Due to the crammed and stressful living conditions the birds are subjected to, farmers clip off the tips of their sensitive beaks, full of nerve endings, to prevent hens pecking each other to death.
Many turn to organic or "free-range" eggs, under the impression that the hens live happier lives. That is not necessarily the case. Labels on egg cartons, other than "organic", are not subject to any government regulations. That means that there is no government body keeping tabs on the conditions at egg farms ensuring that birds are treated humanely and approving "free-range" status.
Many organic and “free-range” farms are just like factory farms in the way they crowd thousands of birds into sheds or on muddy lots and debeak the hens. Most hens never have the chance to go outside and breathe fresh, clean air. Male chicks are disposed of in the exact same way as on factory farms and death and disease from less-than-ideal conditions still occur regularly.
There is another similarity. The hens will still be sent to slaughter once egg production stops a mere 7th into their lives. The suffering they experience during their lives may be incrementally less than those on factory farms, but they are still only allowed to live until they can no longer bring in a profit.
Chickens are smart, funny, and have distinct personalities from one another. They have a sense of time and can communicate using more than 24 different vocalizations, beginning even before hatching. By the time they have broken out of their shell they can recognize their mother's voice. Chickens have very good memories and can not only count, but understand geometry. They are caring beings who develop relationships and learn from observing the habits of others.
They don't deserve to experience only suffering each and every day of their lives, which are being cut so incredibly short.
Make the healthiest and most compassionate choice available and stop including eggs in your diet today!
Until next time,
What surprised you most about eggs - their negative impact on health or the horrifying conditions of farms?
Not sure what to read next? Try How To Go Vegan or 10 Reasons To Go Vegan!
S O U R C E S
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/dairy-and-egg-products/111/2
http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/348/348-898/348-898.html
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/dairy-and-egg-products/112/2
http://www.forksoverknives.com/whats-wrong-with-eggs/
http://www.mckinley.illinois.edu/handouts/macronutrients.htm
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs310/en/index2.html
http://plantbasedbride.com/blog/vegansvsprotein
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2989358/
http://breakingmuscle.com/nutrition/the-great-egg-debate-4-reasons-you-need-to-stop-eating-eggs
http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/food-poisoning/salmonellosis-topic-overview
http://www.peta.org/features/egg-industry-cruelty/
http://www.care2.com/causes/hipster-farmers-abandoning-backyard-chickens-by-the-hundreds.html
http://www.care2.com/causes/ground-up-alive-baby-chicks-suffer.html
http://www.care2.com/causes/horrific-conditions-for-factory-farmed-chickens-exposed.html