Lent

Not that I am Catholic to the 1st, 2nd or 3rd degree, but for some reason I have been participating in Lent since my first year of college. Back then, I had a roommate who was Catholic and since she practiced it I thought I would participate to. It gave me a chance to discipline myself to stick to something. Sooo since I am on this vegan and healthy eating kick I thought I would try to take refined sugar out of my diet. I have wanted to do this for a long time anyway and hopefully this will give me the boost to do it. So I missed the first day, but today for the next 45 days I will avoid refined sugar as much as I can. I'll let ya know how it goes:)

Chocolate

My enemy, my nemesis, my kryptonite, is no longer a struggle for me now. Now that I have found out about the cocoa growing business. Sixty percent of the cocoa beans for chocolate are grown in Ivory Coast. I have just found out that they use slave labor to harvest this crop. By slave labor I mean children as well as adults working from morning to evening, for little pay in horrendously bad conditions---slavery. I was watching MSNBC when I found out this fact. I am not one for getting all my facts from the Internet, but let's face it, it is more assessable when you trying to make a quick point. With that being stated here is an article that explains the chocolate slave labor. I know this article is dated, but it gives a small overview of a big problem. So I'm done with chocolate at this time. And I'm not about to search the world for fair trade chocolate. If I so happen to see it fine, but I'm not going to go searching for it. Now I am vegan, so far so good!!;)

Back from Break

I took an end of the year break from posting on this blog (like I have a fan base or something), but any way I am starting a 10 day vegetable and fruit fast inspired by a group on face book (that never wrote me back, mind you). Went to the Walmart and bought about $30.00 worth of veggies and fruits. Got home and pulled out the old Jack LaLanne juicer. I haven't used this juicer in a while. I cut up my vegetables and fruit and then turn on the juicer. Fail. It would not turn on. Now I was saying to myself, is it not working because  I had not used it in awhile. So then I start  to get mad because I paid a pretty penny for this juicer. So I reconstruct the the thing, fail again. So then I reconstruct it once more after reading the directions ( I hate reading directions) and it starts to work. I juice my fruit and veggies and end up with.

Looks tasty huh? It was enough to fill 2 3/4 16.9 oz. water bottles Well it is not the best taste in the world, but it tastes okay, I can deal with this for 10 days. This drink did not take long to start cleansing my body, if you know what I mean. It did not even take 20 minutes for it to start cleansing.The only thing I don't enjoy about this process is cleaning up the waste. But other than that I think I can hang with this for ten days. Whadayathink?

Sticking To My Guns

I was reading on Facebook about some disturbing ingredients that are found in some of the foods and products we use and consume every day. Here is the link on my Facebook page with the information. My ultimate goal, which I know will take sometime, is to be %100 vegan in everything possible. That means animal free lotion, animal free hair products, and even animal free clothes (no leather.....aahhh). My fantasy is to live off the land one day, growing and making everything for myself. Will this take place?, who knows.  I think it is important not just for vegans, but everybody to be conscious of exactly what we are putting on and in our bodies.  Too many people are dying because of not knowing what were are truly eating. This just makes my journey to veganism (is that a word?) even easier. Had not fish, or eggs in the past week. Unfortunately, I had some chocolate (chocolate will be my struggle, I'm working my way through that, though). Have a great Christmahanakwanzika (click on the link to see what I mean).

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This is the beetle where red coloring used in food, comes from

First Day without!

It has been about one day without fish, eggs or milk products. I am okay for now. Now I need to go shopping for my soon to be new eating lifestyle. It will be an expensive trip, but you have to "pay the cost to be the boss". After I get over this hump, I am going to take processed sugar out of my diet as well. Another one of my goals to exercise more. I am trying to work in my mind the motivation, inspiration and dedication to stick with the exercising. I have a problem. I start well with exercising, being faithful to it for a month then "falling off" sort-of-speaking. What are your suggestions?

"First Day of Cold Tofu"

I was to start my first day of "Cold Tofu" today. To be honest I totally forgot and I had chocolate in my coffee today. So after this morning I will start. So how is your day going?

Cold Tofu

I have decided that I am going to go cold Tofu this Monday (12/12/2011) coming up. I have been struggling with taking fish, eggs, and chocolate out of my life. I am okay with not eating meat, but these three vices are the most difficult to give up. What is going "cold tofu" you say? It is like when people say they are going "cold turkey" to stop smoking cigarettes for example. It just stopping something immediately without taking baby steps, or using less over time until it is stopped. I've only tried once to go "cold tofu" and it did not go over so well. I think now that I am not eating meat, it would be easier for me. We shall see, because I will keep you updated of course. Tips for going "Cold Tofu"