Vegan Recipe Websites

I've been asked for my favorite sites with great vegan recipes. Here they are:

• Fatfree Vegan Site
• McDougall Recipes (you have to use their search to find specific recipes in their archives)
• Fatfree.com Site (both vegetarian and vegan recipes)
• Vegweb.com site (both vegetarian and vegan recipes)
  

However, when I really want to make a particular meal (and don't already know how), one of the first things I do is go to Google and type in "Vegan" and whatever the meal is (I also often add "lowfat" or "fat free" to my search). I've read a variety of awesome advice this way, including finding tips and suggestions on how to prepare various foods (like tofu, which I originally hated and now love since I know how to use it correctly).

Most vegans I know still use all of their regular cookbooks. They just veganize the recipes.

I also often use premade ingredients, such as jarred pasta sauce and Boca products. Here is an example of a super easy "Vegan Chicken Parmesan" I made last week (we cut out a piece so the layers could be seen):


2 packages Boca "Chicken" Patties
1 jar of your favorite fatfree vegan pasta sauce
2-3 chopped tomatoes (optional)
1/2 chopped onion (optional)
misc. chopped up veggies (optional)
1 package of WHOLE WHEAT pasta (I used spaghetti here)
1 package vegan Mozzarella cheese (shred for best results)
few sprinkles of vegan Parmesan cheese
sprinkle of your favorite spice (we used oregano)

Cook pasta as directed, heat patties in oven (not necessary, but I like them very crisp). Assemble in this order: pasta, sauce, veggies, patties, vegan Mozzarella, vegan Parmesan, spices. Bake at 400F or so for about 30 minutes. Actual preparing time is very minimal (less than 5 minutes, not counting boiling time). Makes 8 servings, tastes delicious, and is only 5 Weight Watchers POINTS per serving.

Wonder Falling

Ever notice the intense wonder in a young child's eyes? Wonder why the older children and adults you meet don't have it any more? I've spent a lot of time wondering about this very thing. When my first daughter was a baby, I wanted her to keep this sense of pure amazement as long as possible. I didn't ever want her to lose it. I loved that wide-eyed look of pure joy in her eyes. I wanted it, too.

My kids still have this wonderment and I'm gaining it again -- more and more every day. The conscious decision to not let it disappear has helped stop me in my tracks every time I've almost taken some of it away from my children.

I believe, and it has been shown to me many times, that well meaning parents and teachers are to blame for knocking this wonderment about life out of their children. Every time a parent or teacher teaches a child a "life lesson", sparkles of joy leave that person -- usually for ever. These "life lessons" are almost unequivocally never taught to people in any other way. What I mean by this is that these lessons aren't real life and in real life, they aren't found. If, perchance, they are -- the person living it will certainly learn the "lesson" very quickly. It need not have ever been taught. I'm not telling you this to make you feel guilty for your past behavior. I'm saying this in order to give you hope that all happiness can be regained if you desire it to be!

I love this quote from Radical Parenting:
"Most of the psychotherapy I have done with people has been to help them get over the damage they suffered from parents/teachers preparing them for life."

It is our obligation to the future generations of this world to be the very best parents we can be. Who cares how you were raised! You still have it in you to be an excellent parent. I believe everyone does. Don't blame the people that raised you for your own failings. Decide to change them now and make a commitment to not pass them to your children. Spankings and put-downs are not hereditary. You have the power to not perpetuate poor parenting.

As an Unschooling Mom, I vowed to never stop appreciating the wonder in my children's eyes. I see it in them every day. Yes, EVERY day. They've given me my spark back -- it is the best gift ever. Sometimes I feel as though I am walking around in a wonderful daze of pure joy. This world is astounding, interesting, and superbly amazing. When was the last time you felt that way? It isn't too late. Try playing with a young child -- on their level -- for a few hours. It is inspiring to become fascinated with every little thing in your surroundings again. Getting lost in the wonder of it all, whilst sharing the time with a child, is one of life's greatest pleasures. Look closely at things. Even the dirt on your floor is pretty interesting up close and personal. Pretend, if you have to, that you've never seen that exact thing ever before. Notice the beauty of it. It doesn't have to be a thing of nature, it could be a plastic toy or a bite of food.

Find your WONDER! Enjoy its peace.

Kitt Peak and Tohono O'odham Diet

My family and I spent yesterday afternoon exploring Kitt Peak and the Tohono O'odham reservation area (just west of Tucson, Arizona). It is GORGEOUS there! This is not to be underrated. It didn't hurt that the weather was perfect (although it usually is with its 300+ sunny days per year), of course, but the photographs of the area in inclement weather proved that it is spectacular then, too.

My children are incredibly interested in space. They were delighted to see the telescopes at Kitt Peak. With 26 huge telescopes in work, we were only able to see a couple up close and personal. I was the most fascinated to find out that there are currently 895 potentially dangerous meteors hurling themselves toward/near the Earth right now. It is amazing what all we can discover about space today. We loved hearing about the process in place for getting time on the telescopes for research. We can't wait to attend one of their overnight sessions that are open to the public (all attendants must now be 9 or older).

As a completely random and happy surprise, we saw a shocking and wonderful billboard in this Indian Nation. It read:
"Diabetes is Preventable"
with subtext stating that a change in diet is all that is necessary to rid people of the disease (I sadly did not get a photograph). I was VERY impressed with the message and the gorgeous vegetables on the sign! The Tohono O'odham people are taking back their health. They've discovered that the people in their nation that have changed from a native diet to a SAD (Standard American Diet) are falling prey to the wide variety of diseases that the rest of America is riddled with. Changing back to a diet high in vegetables, whole grains, and fruit completely reverses the diseases. Diabetes in particular has been proven to be completely preventable amongst the Tohono O'odham people, which is an amazing thing since eating a poor diet causes four times as many Native American people to develop diabetes as in the U.S. population at large. Before this study, between 50 and 75% of the Tohono O'odham people had diabetes. I look forward to hearing the new statistics as dietary changes are sweeping the area.

What is the most surprising to me in all of this information is not that it is true -- it definitely is; what surprises me is that this hasn't become common knowledge. This dietary information should be on the news and in the newspapers. This is the stuff that will change the world! Can you imagine a disease free world, or even just a world free of diabetes? It's a glorious thought.

Think you have to change your diet to a Tohono O'odham native diet of prickly pear pads, chia seeds, tepary bean, and other Sonoran Desert plants? You don't. I live here and I have no idea how to prepare any of these plants (although I'd like to learn). Any lowfat whole foods vegan diet will work in the prevention and reversal of diabetes. Native people around the entire globe have been showing us their healthy diets -- all will work at keeping all people disease free. It isn't until a group of people change their diet to include huge amounts of meat and/or dairy that they develop the killing diseases of today (like heart disease and diabetes). Try one style of food and stick to it only, or mix it up from day to day. You don't have to have a boring, uninteresting, tasteless or difficult diet in order to eat healthy.

Here are a couple of of the many sites that talk more about this tremendous information, with specific information regarding diet and the Tohono O'odham people:
TOCA: Tohono O'odham Community Action
CBS News: 60 Minutes: "Why is America So Fat?"
W.K. Kellogg Foundation: "Fighting Diabetes with Native Foods"

I left the Tohono O'odham Nation with a sense of peace. It is a beautiful nation with amazingly beautiful people that are talented, artistic (their baskets are amazing!), and intelligent. Their culture is strong with a rich and and fascinating history. I can't wait to learn more.

Writing Truth

"If a writer is so cautious that he never writes anything that cannot be criticized, he will never be able to write anything that can be read.
If you want to help other people, you have got to make up your mind to write things that some men will condemn."
From Echoing Silence: Thomas Merton on the Vocation of Writing,
Edited by Robert Inchausti.

I've been asked why I am so blunt, why I tell the truth, why I can't handhold people into learning a better way to live. If one cannot be blunt, especially when so well researched, truth rarely comes out. I am honest. I am truthful. Truth can change as perception changes, but honesty never can. I may change my views on everything tomorrow (I'd honestly be shocked if this happened!), but I'd be honest with it and explain the reasoning behind my sudden changes. If I am not completely and utterly honest with my words today, then I wouldn't want anyone to believe anything I say tomorrow -- even if my words become what others want to hear. Life is short, if we don't become better people each and every day, we become stagnate and wilted. If others before me hadn't had the strength to tell me their truths, I wouldn't be where I am today.

I live in a country, the United States of America, that cherishes the idea of free speech. Check out the First Amendment. Our ancestors fought for this privilege, yet thousands are unduly ridiculed and chastised every day due to the words that they say and pen. The founders of my country would be appalled.

I am a writer. I was reminded yesterday that I should write what I know. I know this deep in my soul, yet it is when I bare the most honest truths of my existence and experience, when I open myself up the most with my truthful honesty, it is then that I am condemned the most. I am told that I am not telling the truth, not saying how things really are. There is no other way for me to show my truthfulness than to show the realities of my own life.

Here and in my fiction, I will persevere and continue to tell the truth. I may never be published in the manner that I desire, but I will know that I never faltered from being myself. Ultimately, it is the only gift I have to give this world.

This is me. This is my life. My writing is my truth. Enjoy and may you be empowered to live the best life that you have in you while I live the best life that I have in me. This is me:

"Meanest Mom in the Whole Wide World"

It has come to my attention that there is a rather large group of women in the world that are proud of the fact their children consider them to be the "Meanest Mom in the Whole Wide World". So proud, in fact, that their goal for their children is for them to become mean parents, also. (I've actually heard mothers bragging about this with other mothers!) These women are bigger lizards than the one above. [The one above is actually one of our quite cute friends here in the Sonoran Desert -- no worries about her future, she's a great mom.] Hate me for telling you this, but please love your children and stop bragging about being mean. Your children do hear you say these horrific words.

Please concentrate on being the nicest and most giving and loving parent in the world. Say yes to your children next time they ask to do something you would normally say no to. Do you really consider what they are asking to be dangerous? Then do it with them (even if it isn't dangerous, you should seriously consider doing it with them). Talk about the activity before you do it, while you are doing it, and after you did it. Was it really so horrible? Did your children come to the same conclusions as you? Why? Why not? Did you get to know your child better? Did he get to know you better? Seriously -- Ask yourself these questions! Would you rather that your child do these things behind your back in a sneaky way, or happily with you right there?

Go watch that movie or play that video game right next to your child! You might find that your world expands from the new experience it brings you. I wouldn't be surprised if you get a hug, a kiss, or at least a thank you. If you're lucky, you'll hear, "You are the best Mom ever." And, you'll know you can trust them, since they'll know they can trust you. Trust is the only way to have an open and honest and REAL relationship. Building a trustworthy relationship is totally worth it, too.

Healthy and Hearty School Lunch Choices Needed

When I was a child, I was taught the four basic food groups (the Meat Group, the Dairy Group, the Fruit and Vegetable Group, and the Cereals and Grains Group). Seems as though the Federal Health Guidelines haven't changed very much. Public and private school children are still being fed an unhealthy diet that causes diseases, although it is now officially called "The Food Pyramid". The USDA still calls what should be called the Calcium category, the "Milk" group. Even more shocking is that even their mediocre recommendations aren't being met by a huge percentage of schools. Their details on their "Dietary Guidelines for Americans" should be researched better and should be replaced with PCRM's "The New Four Food Groups" (Fruit, Legumes, Whole Grains, Vegetables); PCRM's easy to read illustrated handout can be found here. Our schools should be required to live up to PCRM's standards, with severe penalties for noncompliance. The present and future health of our nation is dependent on them.

The Hawkeye (a Burlington, Iowa, newspaper) had an article last week about a vegetarian high school senior that is not being offered proper vegan options for her daily school lunch (plain iceberg lettuce is NOT a good option). This reminded me, again, of the changes that need to be made in the quality of foods that are served to the youth of America. Dietary guidelines should be based on actual researched and proven facts, not on old wives' tales from decades ago.

Diet directly affects learning. We should be giving our children the very best foods, not the second rate foods that the schools are cooking. While as an Unschooler I don't believe in testing children as an accurate indicator of their true knowledge, I still find the results of diet on actual learning to be astounding.

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has this recent news release on the school lunch program. The "report card" made for various schools regarding the actual healthiness of the foods that they offer to their students is very enlightening!

What can you do? Demand that your children are being offered healthy food choices. Stand up for their health. Write to your state representatives. Don't support the school lunch program until it is changed. Pack your children's lunches every day. Be aware of your own diet and talk to your children about your own food choices. You could even ultimately make the same decision as my family made and keep your children home.

My Food Gave Me Headaches

Dr. McDougall is famous for saying, "Sick people take medicine. Healthy people don't take medicine."

I LOVE THIS! It was an epiphany for me the first time I read it. Astounding! Did this mean that I shouldn't be taking regular over the counter headache medicines, as well as vitamins and prescription drugs? Yes. Any and all pills and liquid medicines are drugs. I didn't want to be a sick person any longer. I didn't want to be a person that needed drugs to get by any longer. I wanted to be a healthy person -- then and forever.

The biggest step for becoming a healthy person was changing my diet. I did it as a trial; I was a skeptic. I'd read that minimal results could be seen in a mere three days, and major results could be seen in two to three weeks. I didn't think it would work, but I was desperate to feel good and willing to try just about anything. (I'd already tried dozens of other lifestyle and diet changes over the years. They either minimally improved my health temporarily, or had no visible effect on my health.) After only three days of being dairy-free, I was headache free, acne free, and free from the severe stomach and intestinal woes that had previously plagued me daily since I was very young. I had never, ever before felt so healthy before in my entire life -- ever. It was a shocking surprise!

No doctor in real life (of the dozens that I had went to) had ever told me that my health was directly related to the foods that I consumed. I'd asked, too. I was told time and time again that there was no correlation whatsoever. It wasn't until I was learning how to take back my own health (by doing my own research) that I found out that medical doctors receive less than three hours of nutrition education in their entire schooling (many receive less than one hour). Three hours! I'd already studied for probably a thousand hours or more on nutrition, yet my doctor had less than three behind her? How was this possible?

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine is working on changing this shocking fact. They have created an absolutely amazing book, the "Nutrition Guide for Clinicians" that they are giving out FOR FREE to all medical students in the United States. Contact PCRM for more details on how to support this huge undertaking.

Oh, and my headaches (migraines, actually): they're gone. Dairy was the cause of my migraines! Be forewarned that even the tiniest slightest bit of animal products in your diet can cause severe body reactions such as migraines. Check your foods (even the soy products and cereals); there might be hidden animal ingredients in them. Read here for specific details on how to eliminate migraines from your life. I dream of the day when all people can live the pain free, healthy life, that I believe all people are meant to live.

Talk to Strangers -- I dare you not to

"Don't talk to strangers." I hear the parents at the park telling their children again.

I've never said this phrase to my kids. I have, OTOH, modeled talking to strangers thousands of times. Every new person we meet is a stranger. Every waitress, every pilot, every dance class teacher, every other parent in a playgroup, even every doctor we meet for the first time is a stranger... *YOU* are most likely a stranger to me, yet you just might be a person that comes into my life and stays for a very long time. I'm always on the lookout for interesting people. My kids are always on the lookout for people with common interests. If we see a person in a store looking at an item that we are interested in, one of us just might start talking to that person. If we see a family at a park playing on the playground equipment, we almost always say "hi".

I don't believe in "Stranger Danger". I do, however, believe strongly in modeling communication with other people of all ages in front of my children. Part of that includes knowing to trust your instincts. My children and I honor our gut reactions. We don't stay around people that feel dangerous to us, no matter who they are. They know when to hold my hand and when it is safe to run and play. They trust themselves and they trust me. My husband and I trust them. We model not getting ourselves into dangerous situations (we TALK-TALK-TALK about this -- especially when traveling) and most importantly, we model how to get out of dangerous situations as quickly and efficiently as possible. So far, this has always worked quite well.

I should also mention here that we also have never forced our children to hug, kiss, or otherwise show affection or talk to anyone that they weren't comfortable with. Sure this can cause relatives to have hurt feelings, but I would never sacrifice my children's natural instinctive knowledge by forcing them to hug a friend or relative that they didn't want to hug. Forcing someone to do this is very dangerous and makes children start to not trust themselves. Any adult friend or relative that doesn't understand this doesn't need to be around my children. (I always politely explain this philosophy and rarely have had problems once I've explained our reasoning.)

The key point here is an Unschooling point: Our children have never been in a situation without me, my husband, or someone that we ALL trust completely. Some day, sooner than we'd like, our children will be all grown up and on their own. I strongly believe that they'll have to interact with strangers on a regular basis, probably most days of their lives. I want them to gain the knowledge of how to do this safely and politely before they are out on their own. They might even have to talk with strangers on the telephone! It is good that they are watching us, learning how to talk with people now. I'd hate for them to not learn how to talk to people until they turn 18.

Think I am insane and not "protecting" my children? Try reading Gavin De Becker's "Protecting the Gift: Keeping Children and Teenagers Safe (and Parents Sane)" or his "Gift of Fear: Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence". These books can help parents learn how to relearn how to trust their own natural instincts and how to not squash these instincts out of their children. There is nothing more peaceful than feeling safe.

Cholesterol Free Diet

I keep hearing (and reading) about cholesterol lowering drugs. Random strangers at parks, checkout lines, and luncheon meetings tell me their woes about having high cholesterol. It makes me feel like climbing on a rooftop and screaming at the top of my lungs, "A VEGAN DIET IS A CHOLESTEROL FREE DIET."

As my friend Peggy from Lovin' Spoonfuls says, "Heart Disease is a Meat Disease." This is a proven fact.

If you don't eat cholesterol, you don't have high cholesterol. It just isn't physically possible.

Would you rather be burdened with drugs and constant worry over your diet and the quantity you consume, or would you rather be drug-free and eat a virtually unlimited McDougall style lowfat vegan diet that is full of all the flavor you are used to and MORE? It's a non-question to me. It doesn't surprise me that the people with the most bodily health complaints are the ones with their plates full of the most meat and dairy.

I hear it all the time: "But, I love flavor. I could never eat a bland vegan diet." This is another silly myth about vegan diets!

I love food. I love a wide variety of flavors and textures and I demand to eat only food that is high quality and tastes fantastic. No mediocre foods for me and my family, yet we always have more delicious food in our house than we could possibly eat in one sitting. We seldom have problems eating out, either. We've just learned HOW to order and HOW to prepare food. It really isn't that hard once you are used to it. We've actually found that all of our previous foods' flavors actually came from the toppings and sauces anyway. We still eat those toppings and sauces (some needed to be "veganized"), we just now put them on vegetables, grains, seitan, and tempeh instead of cholesterol laden meats.

Try it for a month. Get your cholesterol tested today, then eat according to PCRM's guidelines for a month, then get your cholesterol tested again. You just might be shocked with delight at how a simple change in diet can improve your health so drastically!

Arizona Pumpkin Patch

My daughters and I visited Agua Linda Farms pumpkin patch this afternoon with one of our local homeschooling groups. While clearly the patch (and the other vegetables growing on the farm) needed irrigation, we still found the farm beautiful. We love the scenic mountains in the background, although I personally miss Iowa's silos. The typical Midwestern corn maze (or soybean maze) were replaced with a hay maze [although it has been pointed out to me that at least one corn maze does exist each fall in Arizona, I just haven't seen any yet]. The whole experience was a lot of fun. My youngest especially appreciated the petting zoo. If you haven't had a chance to visit one of your local pumpkin patches this fall, try and find the time to do it! Connecting with where your food comes from is always a rewarding experience.

Iowa Pumpkin Patch

World Go Vegan Days

In honor of my upcoming birthday (next Sunday, the 28th), I'd like to tell everyone about World Go Vegan Days. If this blog has helped you or annoyed you, please make the commitment to eat a vegan diet from October 26-28th. Telling everyone today should give everyone plenty of time to decide what meals to have for this special event.

Try veganism for a mere three days and see how you feel. You just might be surprised at how much more energy and health you have! Thank you for your support!

Crown of Wonder!

Today was a huge day for us in Webkinz World. After over 6 months of gem hunting, my oldest daughter finally collected the last of the 30 gemstones needed to get a "Crown of Wonder". Here is a picture of Fluff (our Lil' Kinz Lion) wearing the legendary crown. Fluff shares a room with Eshe (our Elephant) and Lumina (our Leopard).

Don't forget to look for leaves during October 20-26th during the Webkinz Fall Festival. We won a maple leaf sweater just a little while ago when we clicked on a floating leaf. Very fun!

Zen Gardening

Here is my family's ~30' labyrinth. We built this for meditating, relaxing, walking (exercise), and for just plain enjoyment. I've always wanted a rock labyrinth. Sometimes we walk as a family, sometimes individually. I believe that everyone needs their own little space (inside or outside) to help allow for a zen filled existence. Whether yours is a garden, a meditation area, or a labyrinth like ours, I hope you get a little corner of the world that is all yours.

Happy Birthday to my Mom!

Today's my Mom's birthday and we've given her a variety of surprises (we were even lucky enough to adopt two new Webkinz in honor of her -- a Googles named Tisha, and a Gorilla named Dude). Here is a photo of my Mom and me from about a year ago.

Unschoolers and College

Here is a recent comment I received: "Since you Unschool your children, they'll never be able to go to college." The statement behind the statement is: "Your children will never amount to anything."

I realize that these comments are coming from a place of fear on the speaker's part, and even sometimes from a place of genuine concern and love. The fear is unwarranted and the concern is unnecessary. Homeschoolers (and especially Unschoolers) are thriving and successful.

Grown Unschoolers have been proving for years that school was not necessary for them to have healthy, happy, and fulfilled lives in the real world. They've been allowed to live in society for their whole lives (unlike children who are forced to spend hours and hours every day in school -- which is a completely different environment than "the real world") and they have no difficult transition period between adolescence and adulthood unlike their schooled age-mates. I have not met a single unsuccessful grown Unschooler. I can't say the same about schooled adults...

Think that Unschoolers aren't qualified to attend college? Think again. I must state, however, that Unschoolers might not feel the need to receive a traditional college degree in order to feel like a worthy citizen (and their friends and family don't force them to believe this myth, either). They've learned from an early age that learning and education do not necessarily go hand in hand. Living in society proves this to them.

If an Unschooled individual has the desire to attend college, then they'll attend college. It's really that simple. If you want something badly enough, you learn how to do it (which is the whole premise behind Unschooling). If, in fact, you don't want to know how to do it, your heart will never be in it no matter who forces you to go through the motions of "learning it" (and you'll never remember it). People need to WANT to learn about a topic before they actually learn it.

Some resources to begin your researching journey on this topic:

• BestHomeschooling.org's College & Career Information
• The Chronicle of Higher Education's October 12, 2007 article titled "Home-Schooled Students Rise in Supply and Demand"
  
• Sandra Dodd's "College Considerations for Unschoolers"
• Alfie Kohn's "How Not to Get into College: The Preoccupation with Preparation"
  

In my early quizzing of possible colleges and universities for my children (now 11 and 7), I've found many (just about all the ones I've looked into) are actively seeking out homeschooled children. These higher education schools are thrilled and excited about this "new breed" (their words) of young adults that actually want to be attending their classes (and aren't being forced to be there by their parents). The professors are happy to have them since they ask the important questions in class and are searching for the knowledge that the professors are trying to impart. The entrance requirements are easily met by all types of homeschoolers, so I have no worries and neither should other unschooling parents. Our pioneering children know exactly where they need to be, exactly when they need to be there. It might not be the "traditional path", but it will be the right one. Their happy and fulfilled lives prove it.

Vegan Perspective on Heifer International

With the Holidays right around the corner, I've been seeing more and more ads for Heifer International again (whose link I am consciously not putting on my site). I've also been hearing more and more people say that this is the gift they are giving friends and family this year. This makes many of my vegan friends and me very sad! Please consider this carefully before you pay money to this organization; your friends and family just might not agree with Heifer International's premise.

To be brief, Heifer International is an organization that allows givers to purchase a variety of animals (for different fees) that are then given to individuals, families, or villages. The animals are then raised by these people and either sold, raised for milk and eggs and wool, or outright eaten. I believe the organization's goal is to help end world hunger, clearly an admirable goal, but also clearly not possible in the manner they are attempting.

To share why this isn't possible, here are links to just two of the many articles that give voice to a vegan's discontent:

• Unitarian Universalists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals's Article on "What's Wrong with the Heifer Project?" [Note for those concerned: UFETA is not affiliated with PETA]
  
• The Independent's Andrew Tyler's article "Don't follow the herd and give a cow for Christmas"
  

So you like the idea of giving to a charity that can help starving people, rather than spending your money on gifts that may or may not be appreciated? Consider these humane alternatives that are doing a lot of good:

• Food for Life Global
• Sustainable Harvest International
  
• Fruit Tree Planting Foundation

Still not convinced that a vegan diet is the only way that world hunger can be ended? Consider these facts:

• The average number of lives saved [per year] by being a vegetarian is 95 (being vegan saves even more)
• GoVeg's "Meat and the Environment" page
• The Human Farming Association's "Factory Farming" page
• Vegetarian USA's Food "Choices & the Planet" page
  

My last words for today are actually The New York Times words from their "Reasons To Be A Vegetarian" article dated June 20, 1989.

New Unschooling Book!

The Unschooling Unmanual has been released. This book is sure to be a winner!

Here's a quote from the Natural Child site:

"School is out. Unschool is in! Our newest book, _The Unschooling Unmanual_, by Nanda Van Gestel, Rue Kream, Mary Van Doren and Jan Hunt, will be published this fall. The book will include an excerpt from Learning All the Time by John Holt. Through engaging personal stories, examples, and essays, the writers offer inspiration and encouragement for experienced and prospective unschoolers alike. The book can be pre-ordered at the discounted price of $12 at www.naturalchild.org/unmanual. "

Create Your Own Community

With families often living great distances from each other, and friends often going separate ways, finding a community to share your life with can often be tricky in this day and age. Are you feeling alone? Consider creating your own community!

Since there are not a lot of Unschoolers in Southern Arizona (where my family and I live), some friends and I started the SOARing Unschoolers (SOuthern ARizona Unschoolers) group to seek out other families with similar parenting and lifestyle interests. We talk online and have gatherings that average out to about once a week. While none of us are identical in our beliefs and come from very diverse backgrounds, our bonds strengthen whenever we are together since we all believe in Unschooling. Unschooling is a lifestyle choice that bonds families in very interesting and strong ways, even when cultural and individual differences exist. It is a whole way of thinking that respects children as fully formed human beings and believes in their innate ability to learn from living.

Advertise what you are looking for. Libraries, bookstores, and online lists are great ways to seek out like-minded people/families. Thousands and thousands of google and yahoo groups exist just for people to find communities of people with similar interests. If in your search you can't find a single individual with a similar lifestyle, consider broadening your scope and definition of lifestyle. Just get out there (or stay home) and do the things that interest you and look around at the other people doing them with you. The people might not be a similar age or from the same background as you, but these are the people that make up your community. Take a class, browse around a hobby shop, ask your co-workers out to dinner. You might find that you have a lot more in common than you originally thought (or you might learn about new ways of living that you never knew of before). Don't be afraid of talking to random strangers in stores. You might find a new best friend in that carseat aisle. Then again, you might not, but at least you'll know that you broadened your horizons and took a chance!

Breast Cancer Prevention -- It is possible! -- Part 2

"What if you or someone you love already has cancer? Shouldn't you be supporting the organizations that help in the research?"

Yes, definitely! My post yesterday wasn't saying you shouldn't; quite the opposite actually! Just look into what each organization is actually doing before giving them your well earned money. Do you want to support actual cures, or do you want to support a few more drugs that might kill off already existing cancer, yet do nothing for helping the person be healthy now and in the future?

Most people have no better way of showing their support for something than how they spend their money. Even people that have very little money can make a huge difference in this world just by choosing where their money goes.

I give my money to causes that I support. I know where the money is going and I approve of how it is spent. I encourage others to do similarly.

I write in order to help empower people to choose their lives for themselves! Just because your grocery store might have decided that an organization is worth supporting doesn't mean that you should (doesn't necessarily mean you shouldn't, either). Choose for yourself what you believe in, then use your money to support it.

The vast majority of cancers are caused by dietary factors. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine shows the following:

Estimated Percentages of Cancer Due to Selected Factors

• Diet 35-60%
• Tobacco 30%
• Air and Water Pollution 5%
• Radiation 3%
• Medications 2%

While radiation and pollution factors aren't always easily controlled, diet, tobacco, and medications are. "Foods are important, not only in preventing cancer, but also in improving survival for those who already have cancer." If you have cancer, it is essential that you make your diet healthier immediately in order to have the highest chance of survival. If you want to make a difference in cancer research, use your money to help in the research that shows how diet affects health.

For more information on breast cancer survival, prevention, and mammography, check out the Cancer Project site.

Breast Cancer Prevention -- It is possible!

With October being "Breast Cancer Awareness" month, I've been asked at just about every check-out counter I've been to whether I'd like to donate to breast cancer research or not. I've always said no and I've been made to feel like an ogre for this. I'm not. With Do Life Right, I am promoting a true healthy diet (low fat pure vegetarian -- vegan) that prevents diseases from occurring. This is a much better use of my time, energy, and money than donating to these organizations or participating in a walk for the cure. If you check out the various awareness sites, you'll find no mention of how a vegan diet can cure diseases and little information on food at all. You'll mostly find information on drugs and other "therapies" with a little information thrown in about moderate exercise and getting more fiber. This is not enough!

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has this to say: "Breast cancer rates are dramatically lower in countries where diets are typically plant-based. When people from those countries adopt a Western, meat-based diet, their rates of breast cancer soar. "

This isn't new information, although it isn't well publicized. Doctors such as Dr. John McDougall have been telling their patients and the world about this information for over thirty years, check out his information on breast cancer (there are a bunch of wonderful articles listed on this page!). While you are reading, check out The Cancer Project's information on Cancer Prevention and Survival for Breast Cancer, too.

McDougall also dispels the myth of mammograms. Have you been lead to believe that these are a necessary part of a woman's health care? They shouldn't be! The unpopular truth is that mammography fails. (Be sure to read the mammography links on the McDougall website.)

For in-depth information on diet and how it affects our health, check out The China Study by T. Colin Campbell. I strongly believe that in another thirty years this information will be well known. People will be saying, "I wish someone would have told me the benefits of a vegan diet all those years ago. It would have saved me so much suffering." I'm here, telling you now in 2007. Please do the research yourself! The information and proof exists. Take back your health today! It is never too late to become a healthier you.

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I will give credit where credit is due. The American Breast Cancer Foundation, the A.P. John Institute for Cancer Research, the Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Crusade, and the United Cancer Research Society have all passed PCRM's "Humane Charity Seal of Approval". None do testing on animals (which is a very good thing!). I still strongly believe that if you are wanting to donate money to a worthy organization, your best bet is PCRM. Dollar for dollar, they are doing the best to actually help and prevent diseases.

Green and Clean

Part of the vegan lifestyle is to not purchase products that have been tested on animals or made from animals. My family also lives as "green" as possible, making our search for cleaning supplies even more challenging. I'm often asked what products we use for cleaning. I've tried out a variety of products, and I've found the following to work best (and we are really good at making BIG messes!):

• White vinegar. Yes, this simple and inexpensive liquid cleans amazingly well. If you want sparkling windows and mirrors, or just an all around clean surface, vinegar is your power liquid. Some people mix it with water and/or a drop or two of tea tree oil and squirt it onto surfaces. I prefer to just dump a little on a nice flour sack style white cotton kitchen towel, then wipe my surfaces with it (microfiber cloths work excellent, too, even with plain water). I then use the dry side of the towel for wiping the vinegar up and making sure there are no streaks. I never have any and it is great! Vinegar is great for getting rid of old cleaning product films, too. When you want exceptionally soft clothes (or if you have any bodily fluids on your dirty clothing), put a couple of Tablespoons of vinegar in your bleach compartment. Vinegar even cleans up urine stains on carpet and furniture from animals and little kids. Combine this with good ol' sunshine and you'll get a thoroughly clean item. For clogged drains, try a combination of vinegar and baking soda. Put the baking soda in first, then the vinegar. Close the drain if you can. Let your kids make volcanoes in the sink while it cleans itself.
  

• Bi-O-Kleen laundry detergent. This excellent product is all we ever use for laundry detergent. ONE (yes, one) tablespoon is all you need for a full load of laundry. Our clothing comes out perfectly clean with no stains. This product is safe for the environment and costs less per load than non-environmentally safe alternatives. We also wash all of our clothing on cold/cold. When we still had a baby in (cloth) diapers, we used Bi-O-Kleen and vinegar and washed all diaper loads on hot/cold, then again on cold/cold. This double washing was probably overkill. We use Bi-O-Kleen in foam dispensers for hand washing in our kitchen and bathrooms.
  

• Goo Gone. This product is one of the world's greatest inventions. Citrus power cleans all of our goo off all of our stuff. DVD stickers are instantly gone with Goo Gone. So are crayon stains, Sharpie marks, and a variety of other messes that you probably don't want to keep permanently. This stuff lasts a really long time, too, since you don't need much. If you haven't tried Goo Gone yet, you'll be amazed! It really makes your goo be gone. :)
  

• Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. When all else fails (which it seldom does), this tough product erases your mess. I keep a box in my kitchen just in case. I'm on my second box and I've been using these since they first came out. Amazing!

• Boiling water. Contrary to all logic, boiling water gets rid of all berry stains, no matter where the stain is -- the hotter the water, the better. We've gotten berry stains out of clothing, carpets and more with boiling water. Just be careful to not burn yourself. For a particularly large stain, try pouring the boiling water on the item more than one time.
  

• Tea Tree Oil (there are many brands, my favorites are Melaleuca and Desert Essence. When you need something to be disinfected, a drop of tea tree oil can do the job. You only need a drop, with a whole pan of water, as this stuff is very concentrated and powerful. There are a lot of cleaning products and beauty supplies made using tea tree oil. I've never appreciated the cleaning products, since I've found the above materials to work better and for a significantly smaller price. OTOH, I've loved some of the shampoos and other beauty products that I've used with tea tree oil. I don't find them "necessary", but they are a fun extravagance when you feel like it. I've been using tea tree oil for over eleven years now and I am still very happy with it. Try it on acne next time you have an outbreak.

• For dish cleaning, we either use Trader Joe's liquid dish soap and liquid dish washer soap, or another similarly environmentally conscious brand (depending on where we are shopping when we are running low on these products). We are careful about what we put back into the Earth, especially with our plans to use a large gray water system.
  

Have a Vision: Vision Boards and Vision Boxes

Vision Boards and Vision Boxes are becoming very popular! They are similar to Wish Lists, yet significantly deeper. Vision Boards can encompass not only our material desires, but also our deepest and innermost wishes and dreams such as "more peace" or "a magical existence". With The Law of Attraction and "The Secret" so popular, we're learning that our thoughts and dreams really can come true! We just have to really want them.

My daughters and I have vision boards. We made ours out of cut peg board. We glued cork on different areas of the boards (different for each of us), strung wire on the back, and stained little wooden boxes that we later glued on the boards. We use the cork area for the material things and/or short term events we want (ours are evolving with us). The other area we've mod-podged things that make us feel good -- pictures of things, words, etc. that reflect who we are and who we want to be (I've put lots of calm, zen images on my board; my oldest daughter has lots of magical images; my youngest daughter has gemstones and ballet photos). Basically, we put things on our boards that we want to manifest into our lives. My youngest daughter cleverly hooked a cup onto her board that she fills with little homemade clay items.

Some people choose to make Vision Binders or Boxes where they put photos and magazine words/pictures/items into. We prefer our Boards that hang on the wall, so we can look at them throughout the day. The boards definitely lack the portability of a binder though. I've seen a variety of Vision Boards made out of cardboard, foam board, and other materials. The great thing about these is that there is no set way of making them. It is entirely up to you! Christine Kane wrote a really great "How to Make a Vision Board" blog entry for those interested. Some people even make computer wallpaper Vision Boards for their screen's background. This is a very neat concept!

We enjoy our Vision Boards so much that we held a "Vision Board Day" with our Girl Scout Troop (I'm a Girl Scout Leader for both of my daughters' troops). I've been amazed at the wonderful and creative ideas the girls have had! This also gave us a chance to share our collection of catalogs and magazines. Some of the girls put only words all over their boards, others chose only pictures. One thing is for certain: our boards have to evolve since we keep getting everything we hope and dream for! It is amazing how these things keep appearing in our lives.

With the Holiday Season just around the corner, I'm excited to see the items that are popping up on my daughters' Vision Boards. I know what they'll love to receive and I don't have to ask them.

Don't forget to periodically take photos of your Vision Boards. It is fun to look back over time and see how your dreams have come true!

Travel Light and Carry a Camera

Traveling with two children has made me realize that traveling LIGHT is much much better than traveling with everything imaginable. You never know when children just can't take another step and you'll need to carry them. Having your hands empty and ready to carry whatever comes your way is very handy. I like to keep one hand empty at all times so that it can be carrying my camera or water bottle.

Three years ago, my family of four (the kids were 8 and 4 at the time) traveled around Europe for a month. We carried one large (carry on size) backpack, one small backpack, and one super tiny kid sized backpack. We also had a fold out nylon backpack (folded into a teeny tiny thing about the size of a roll of film) that we used for grocery shopping. We were able to travel very comfortably and we actually did not use everything that we took. That taught me that we could travel even lighter with even greater comfort. The lighter we traveled, the less burdened we were (physically and mentally). Our arms (and backs) became unencumbered. We were able to spend our time and strengths on our surroundings and each other rather than having to worry about keeping track of our stuff. We kept the essentials on us at all times, and kept the rest ready and packed to travel at a moment's notice. The kids became entertained with the smallest and oddest items. We enjoyed going into European toy stores and finding small toys to purchase. Don't forget that you can always mail things home to yourself if you find a treasure that cannot be parted with.

Websites that I've found really helpful in learning how to pack light:
Rick Steves -- This site has a lot of great resources regarding traveling around Europe with minimal luggage.
One Bag -- "The Art and Science of Travelling Light"
Smart Packing for Today's Traveler -- Good information and fun to read through the site, but we pack significantly lighter than she recommends.

The added bonus is the environmental one: The lighter you pack, the less fuel you use. In a land vehicle, every extra 100 pounds you take out of your vehicle can reduce your fuel consumption by up to 2 percent.

Don't forget to take lots of photographs! Those are the best souvenirs of all!

Baby Steps to a Better Life?

I became a vegan over a period of about five years. First, I cut out beef, pork and exotic meats. Next, chicken and seafood. Finally, eggs and dairy and leather/silk goods. This was the order that I clearly needed to go through.

Was this good? No. My body didn't appreciate it (and neither did the animals!). Yet, I had a thousand excuses why I had to eat various things. It most often came down to cravings of foods that I was used to. In today's grocery world, this can no longer be a justifiable excuse. There are so many mock meats and vegan cheeses available that tastes can not only be mimicked, but flavors can be surpassed. I love seitan, tempeh, and properly prepared tofu (don't eat this stuff plain; yuck!). The best tasting vegan cheeses available today are made by Follow Your Heart.

While it is true that every meatless meal will help your health and the environment, your body and soul will thank you if you make all of your meals with no animal products. World Vegetarian Day was October 1st. October is World Vegetarian Month. It is not too late to eat a vegetarian diet for the rest of the month!

Your body and conscience will thank you if you make the switch to a healthier lifestyle in one giant step, rather than baby steps. However, for each vegan meal you eat, you bring your health up a notch and you save the lives of animals. The food you eat really is the food you wear. Remember this at the beginning of every meal and snack and you will certainly be on your way to a healthier lifestyle.

"Where Should I Live?" Find Your Best Spot

I've been asked this question several times now, so here is my answer.

I believe that everyone should live in the place where they thrive the most. This physical place will absolutely not be the same for everyone, nor do we want it to be! That would just cause horrible overcrowding issues. However, if your surroundings are causing you pain (physical, mental, or emotional), then it is time for change. Maybe you only need a small rearranging of your living room. Maybe you need to move to the other side of the planet.

Yes, I am enamored with where I live. My family and I have determined that where we live is the only place on Earth where we want to be. We look out our windows and feel ultimate contentment. We strive every single day to keep our level of contentment the same or better. It has taken a lot of time and questioning for us to get where we are and we still don't have our dream home, but we are working on that aspect also.

Do not be afraid of change. Your own personal "best place" might change over time. This does not mean that you were wrong before; it means that your needs have changed as you and your lifestyle change. Your "best place" might be a combination of places (e.g. Alaska in the summer and Florida in the winter). Perhaps you thrive best as a traveler. I'm always amazed at the people that love that lifestyle. It must be exciting. I, however, need roots to feel content. There is no correct answer on where your "best place" is. However, it is a huge mistake to not listen to yourself when you know that you are in a bad place.

If you aren't 100% happy with where you live, try spending as much time as possible checking out alternate locations.

Ask yourself these questions (and more!):

• Why do I live where I live?


• What brought me to this location?


• Do my surroundings give me pleasure and happiness?


• Does the weather where I live make me happy or bring me down?


• Do I need a lot of sunlight, or is snow skiing what gives my life passion?


• Do I spend more time dreaming of faraway places than I spend enjoying my present surroundings?


• Am I happy with where I am? (You might find that you are, even if at first you don't think you are! Maybe there is no better place for you than your current town.)


• Do I want to live off-grid or on-grid or with a grid-tie system?


• Do I need a large area for gardening? Small area for gardening? Or, does gardening not matter to me at all?


• Do I hate lawn care? What about shoveling snow?

Do you feel trapped in your town, in your life and want to move, but you don't know where to go or even how to determine where to go? If you don't have the time or the funds for traveling around the world, try checking out the following sites. I've found their questions worth thinking about in helping my family determine where our own personal "best spot" is.

Find Your Spot
Sperling's Best Places

Once you have determined the location of your "best spot", put up photos around your home to help you bring it into your life. Don't have photos? Check out that area's tourist sites. Order free newcomer packets. Check out real estate companies in that area. Print photos of what you want your life to look like. We've found that vision boards work nicely for helping us manifest our desires into our lives.

Above all, make the best of where you are. Live as if your dreams have already come true. After all, you are where you are today. Work on getting to your dream location while enjoying the best that your current location has to offer. Where you are right now is someone's dream location. Enjoy this day!

Unschooled Vegan Children? Yes, They Can Exist!

My two daughters, ages 7 and 11, are vegan. They've both been vegetarians their whole lives and vegan for the last couple of years. I'm often poo-pooed in Unschooling circles, since many Unschoolers are Radical Unschoolers and believe that children should be allowed to eat what they want when they want it (and not forced to eat anything, nor disallowed from eating other things). I find this interesting. These people make a lot of assumptions about our dietary decisions based on the fact that I am the mother in this family. They are forgetting that we, too, are Radical Unschoolers and did not take on the decision to become a vegan family lightly nor without a lot of thought, research and time.

These Radically Unschooled Vegan children of mine are healthy, strong, and brilliant. Their bodies and minds are healthy and pure. They don't get sick often and are growing at a healthy rate. While their genetics make it appear that they should have a variety of ailments and maladies by their ages, neither does. While it is still possible for them to have something physically wrong with them later in life, their chances are significantly reduced by their diets.

Do I leave this decision up to them, as Radical Unschooling dictates? Yes. My children are allowed to eat whatever they want, whenever they want it. They have, individually, decided to become vegan on separate occasions with no pressure from any other member of our family or anyone else. If anything, I pressured them not to become vegan even as their hearts and minds encouraged them to. I didn't want to make this decision for them, yet honestly told them the facts as they asked (many questions over years). My children can, at any time, eat whatever they want (I always do point out what ingredients are in various food items when we are at potlucks, etc., as many of our personal vegan foods do not look vegan and could easily be confused with their meat/dairy counterparts). While we do have a completely vegan kitchen at this point, I would drive them to a restaurant and purchase non-vegan food for them if they asked me to -- they know this. With all the incredible vegan choices available today, they've never made that choice. They know that they can though; control of their bodies and what to consume are their decisions. Their lives are theirs. They listen to their bodies' wisdom and always make the right decision for them. And, they always know that whatever their decisions are, I will never be disappointed in them. Veganism is a very big decision and I've left it up to them to make it.

From the moment my oldest daughter was born, she showed that she was not going to consume anything unless she knew EXACTLY what it was. At the time, my husband and I were omnivores, eating meat and/or dairy with every meal. Our baby refused to eat anything except breastmilk until she was nearly a year and a half old. Considering that both her father and I had had serious dietary caused ailments by that age and she had none, her baby wisdom was a lot smarter than what doctors were telling us.

It wasn't until she was three or four that she asked to possibly eat a bit of meat that was on my plate. She wondered what it was. We said chicken. She wondered if the word chicken we were using was the same word chicken that was the bird that we saw in books and in chicken coops. She first thought we were kidding when we said yes and she laughed and laughed. When she saw that we were serious, she was flabbergasted, then appauled, then very upset with us. She made us seriously consider our own personal food choices. She led us on our journey to veganism. She was our leader, our teacher, our guide. In an Unschooling family, the learning goes in all directions -- Not just from the older people down. We are on this journey together, learning every day -- together.

All four members of my family are introverts. We relish in our time alone in the solitude of our own home. However, several years ago my oldest daughter wanted to become a vegan activist. She led our way on that journey, too, and it is her that I thank every day for broadening my mind and my world so much. I wouldn't be who am I today without her wisdom. Without her, I never would have wondered if it was my di