The term philosophy is often used to mean a set of basic values and attitudes toward life, nature and society. In this sense, Veganism is a "Philosophy of Life," guided by what I envision as an essential core of values and principles:
Vegans see life as a phenomenon to be treasured, revered and respected. We do not see animals as either "The Enemy" to be subdued, or the Materials for Food, Fabric or Fun that were put on Earth for human use.
Vegans see themselves as a part of the natural world, rather than its owners or its masters.
Veganism recognizes no expendable or superfluous species that humans are free to hurt or destroy. Species of life-forms need not justify their existence, nor plead for protection from extinction on the grounds of their potential usefulness as food or medicine for humans. We continue to be burdened and misguided by adages such as "A weed is a plant we have not yet found a use for."
Veganism acknowledges the intrinsic legitimacy of all life. It rejects any hierarchy of acceptable suffering among sentient creatures. It is no more acceptable to torment or kill creatures with "primitive nervous systems" than those with "highly developed nervous systems." The value of life to its possessor is the same, whether it be the life of a clam, a crayfish, a carp, a cow, a chicken, or a child.
Veganism understands that gentleness cannot be a product of violence, harmony cannot be a product of strife, and peace cannot be a product of contention and conflict.
Vegan ideals encompass much more than advocacy of a diet free of animal products, or a fervent defense of animal rights. Veganism excludes no sentient being---animal or human---from its commitment to compassionate, gentle benevolence. To show tender regard for the suffering of animals, yet treat humans with callous contempt, is a disheartening contradiction of Vegan principles.
John Muir, talking about the natural environment, once observed "Every time I bend down to pick something up, I find it is connected to something else." There is an equivalent "ecology" to our behavior. Everything we do connects to something else; every action touches on the world around us, either close at hand and noticeable, or far away and unperceived, immediate in its effect or distant in time.
If Veganism has a prime value, it is simply that life-respecting compassion overrides individual issues of custom, convenience, comfort or cuisine.
If there is a single article of faith, it is that commitment to Vegan values will bring us closer to a world in which the fate and fortune of a planet and all its life forms do not hang on the judgment or the generosity of one species.
If there is one single concept that both generates and sustains the meaning and the power of the Vegan worldview, it is found in the word mindfulness. As Vegans, we strive to be thoughtful, aware and concerned about the impact of our choices, our actions and our decisions. The fruit of this awareness is inner peace, the quiet strength of ethical confidence, and an uplifting sense of fulfillment.
Reprinted with permission of Dr. Stanley Sapon
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http://www.govegannow.com/free-range.html
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Eggs (and poultry) may be labeled as "free-range" if they have USDA-certified access to the outdoors. No other criteria, such as environmental quality, size of the outside area, number of birds, or space per bird, are included in this term. Typically, free-range hens are debeaked at the hatchery, have only 1 to 2 square feet of floor space per bird, and --- if the hens can go outside --- must compete with many other hens for access to a small exit from the shed, leading to a muddy strip saturated with droppings.
Although chickens can live up to 12 years, free-range hens are hauled to slaughter the same as battery-caged hens, after a year or two. Free-range male chicks are trashed at birth, just as they are in factory farms. Although free-range conditions may be an improvement over factory-farm conditions, they are by no means free of cruelty.
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Rapid population growth undermines efforts to reduce world hunger. A growing population consumes more space and resources, leading to a rapid loss of arable land and increased competition for remaining land. Our world is challenged to produce more food for more people on less land with less topsoil and fewer resources.
Today [2006], an estimated 841 million people remain hungry and undernourished, a number that approaches the population of the entire world when Thomas Malthus warned about the race between food and people some 200 years ago. Currently, the livestock population in the U.S. consumes over 80% of our corn and 95% of our oats. If Americans were to reduce their meat consumption by only 10%, it would free up enough grain to adequately feed all 60 million people who will starve to death this year.
Population is not just about the number of people in the world. It's about how we each impact the Earth, how we consume, how we develop, and how we recognize our needs and our wants. Source: Population Connection
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Karen and Wesley host a vegan potluck the 3rd Friday of every month (except August) at 7pm at the McNail-Riley House, 601 W. 13th Ave, Eugene. Call Karen or Wesley for more information
541-341-1690.
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Ahimsa is a Sanskrit word for non-killing and non-harming. It is not mere passiveness, but a positive method of meeting the dilemmas and decisions of daily life. In the western world, it is called Dynamic Harmlessness. The six pillars of this dynamic philosophy for modern life (one for each letter: A-H-I-M-S-A) are:
ABSTINENCE FROM ANIMAL PRODUCTS
HARMLESSNESS WITH REVERENCE FOR LIFE
INTEGRITY OF THOUGHT, WORD, AND DEED
MASTERY OVER ONESELF
SERVICE TO HUMANITY, NATURE, AND CREATION
ADVANCEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING AND TRUTH
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Vegan World Fusion Cuisine is a celebration of over 200 international gourmet vegan and live food cuisine recipes. In a simple and easy to follow format, it introduces the ingredients and techniques that allow you to awaken the creative chef within, gently guiding you towards a lighter, more healthful diet.
So much more than a cookbook, this Wisdom Work for the 21st century from the Chefs of The Blossoming Lotus Restaurant on Kauai, HI, is designed as a manual for nonviolent living, with a comprehensive resource guide that lists over 50 groups and organizations working for peace and a sustainable future.
A moving foreword by Dr. Jane Goodall and an endorsement by John Robbins highlights its aim to inspire peace, unity and understanding among individuals, cultures and all who care about our planet.
With stunning food photography and breathtaking sacred site images from around the world, as well as countless wisdom sayings, this book is sure to be a cherished keepsake and reminder of the beauty and hope that life on our planet has to offer.
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Sundance Natural Foods has been a traditional natural food store whose mission is to be "individuals nourishing community nourishing individuals." To this end, Sundance's produce department is 100% organic and the salad bar, hot buffet and "grab & go" items that they make are at least 95% organic. The foods they produce are almost all vegan. The goods they buy and sell are almost all vegan (or vegetarian) as well. They accept special orders, have a friendly, helpful staff and are a member of Unique Eugene. Sundance is open 7A-11P, almost every day of the year! 748 E. 24th Av. (at Hilyard), Eugene, 541-343-9142.
www.sundancenaturalfoods.com
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Begun in 1977, employing traditional and time-honored techniques to make organic tofu and tempeh,
Surata Soyfoods has maintained a steadfast commitment to using only organic ingredients. Find Surata products in your local health food and grocery stores. Surata's outlet store, on the corner of 3rd and Lincoln, is open Tuesday and Thursday from 11A to 5:15P, where fresh factory seconds are available for sale. Recipes and cooking ideas are also available there or by mail if you send a SASE to: Surata Soyfoods, PO Box 652, Eugene, OR 97440.
http://suratasoy.com
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Though osteoporosis is a disease of calcium deficiency, it is not one of low calcium intake. One cause of the bone disorder is too much protein in the diet. Excess protein can leach calcium from the bones. Famed diet innovator Nathan Pritikin has noted that African Bantu women on low-protein diets take in a third of U.S.-recommended daily allowances of calcium. "They bear nine children during their lifetime and breast-feed them for two years. They never have calcium deficiency [and] never break a bone."
The typical meat-eating American is eating about five times as much protein as needed.
- Pamela Rice, 101 Reasons Why I'm a Vegetarian
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[Britney Spears] You've seen the ads: a celebrity dons a "milk mustache" and tells you to drink milk to ensure good health. With promises of strong bones, lower blood pressure, and better sports performance, these milk mustache ads are everywhere, providing millions of people with what unfortunately has become a primary source of nutrition information. But, instead of helping, these ads are confusing and miseducating consumers.
PCRM - Case Against Milk
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Grain needed to adequately feed every one of the people on the entire planet who die of hunger and hunger-caused disease annually:
12 million tons
Amount Americans would have to reduce their beef consumption to save 12 million tons of grain:
10%
http://www.globalissues.org/article/240/beef
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Most people know that beef consumption plays a major role in the development of heart disease, strokes, and cancer. But the over-consumption of beef is also a major cause of human hunger and poverty, deforestation, spreading deserts, water pollution, water scarcity, global warming, species extinction, and animal suffering. We in the United States are a big part of the problem. Americans consume almost a quarter of all the beef produced in the world. Every 24 hours 100,000 cattle are slaughtered in the United States; the average American consumes the meat of seven 1,100-pound animals in his or her lifetime.
www.animalliberationfront.com
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Is beef still an essential part of our diet? Or is growing awareness of the hidden environmental and health costs of beef consumption leading more and more Americans beyond beef? To help you understand this important new trend, we have prepared this briefing kit of facts about rainforest destruction, resource depletion, global warming, world hunger, human disease, animal suffering and other compelling reasons why more Americans are eating less beef.
www.mcspotlight.org/media/reports/beyond
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Vegetarians easily meet their protein needs by eating a varied diet, as long as they consume enough calories to maintain their weight. It is not necessary to plan combinations of foods. A mixture of proteins throughout the day will provide enough "essential amino acids." Almost all foods, except for alcohol, sugar, and fats, are good sources of protein. Vegan sources include: potatoes, whole wheat bread, rice, broccoli, spinach, almonds, peas, chickpeas, peanut butter, tofu, soy milk, lentils, kale...
For example, if part of a day's menu included the following foods, you would meet the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein for an adult male: 1 cup oatmeal, 1 cup soy milk, 2 slices whole wheat bread, 1 bagel, 2 Tablespoons peanut butter, 1 cup vegetarian baked beans, 5 ounces tofu, 2 Tablespoons of almonds, 1 cup broccoli, and 1 cup brown rice.
(Vegan Diets in a Nutshell)
www.vrg.org/nutrition/protein.htm
"Vegetarians always ask about getting enough protein. But I don't know any nutrition expert who can plan a diet of natural foods resulting in a protein deficiency, so long as you're not deficient in calories. You need only 5 or 6% of total calories in protein... and it is practically impossible to get below 9% in ordinary diets." - Nathan Pritikin
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By eating calcium-rich vegetarian foods, including leafy green vegetables such as broccoli and kale, white beans, fortified soymilks and juices, and a variety of fruits and vegetables, you can obtain all the calcium your body needs. But keeping your bones strong and avoiding osteoporosis depends on more than [just] calcium intake—you also need to keep calcium in your bones. Exercise and vitamin D help keep the calcium in your bones, while animal protein, excess salt and caffeine, and tobacco can cause calcium loss.
"An important fact to remember is that all natural diets, including purely vegetarian diets without a hint of dairy products, contain amounts of calcium that are above the threshold for meeting your nutritional needs....In fact, calcium deficiency caused by an insufficient amount of calcium in the diet is not known to occur in humans." - Dr. John McDougall
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is a local non-profit that rescues, assists and advocates for shelter animals. In the past 5 years, they have rescued 926 dogs and 471 cats from euthanasia at local animal control shelters and other rescue situations. They operate S.A.R.A.'s Treasures - Gift & Thrift Shop at 871 River Road in Eugene as their main fund-raiser. The shop also serves as an adoption center for their rescued kitties. They always need reliable, friendly, hard-working volunteers to help at their shop and to care for the kitties. S.A.R.A.'s is open 7 days a week from 10a - 6p and invites all of us to stop by. These are truly good folks. Hope to see you all there!
www.sarasavesanimals.org
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A well-balanced vegan or vegetarian diet is safe and healthy for any person at any stage of life, including infancy, childhood, and adolescence. Vegetarian diets are packed with all the essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that growing children need. And meatless diets have many important health advantages: Vegetarians enjoy a reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer. Since eating habits are set in early childhood, choosing a vegetarian diet can give your child the opportunity to enjoy a variety of nutritious foods---and to carry those healthy eating habits into adulthood.
PCRM - Veg Diets for Children
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Feeding Vegan Kids and a host of informative pamphlets, including "Tips for Parents of Young Vegetarians" can be found at www.vrg.org/family.
"Of course it takes time and thought to feed vegan children. Shouldn't feeding of any child require time and thought? After all, the years from birth to adolescence are the years when eating habits are set, when growth rate is high, and to a large extent, when the size of stores of essential nutrients such as calcium and iron are determined." (Reed Mangels, PhD, RD)
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This is an excellent and practical guide to raising vegan children from pregnancy and on. Includes information on Weight Gain, Protein, Calcium and Vitamin D, Iron, Vitamin B12, Folate, DHA, Iodine, Nausea and Vomiting and more. Includes nutrition tables and sample meal plan! >>MORE
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The One Essential Parenting Book. That most famous of child rearing gurus, Dr. Benjamin Spock, advocates veganism for children in this last and most recent edition. You will most likely disagree with many of Spock's orthodox medical ideas, but this book is a great reference tool for emergencies or diagnosis. He gives much practical advice on feeding children.
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Children raised on a healthy, vegan diet of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds gain significant protection against overweight and diabetes and have much higher intakes of fiber, important antioxidants, and minerals than omnivorous children.
The American Dietetic Association has given the vegan diet the green light for children, saying it can provide all the necessary nutrients for growing infants, toddlers, and adolescents. Meal planning guidelines for nutritionists assisting vegan parents can be found in the June 2001 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.
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This annual outdoor celebration of a healthy and humane lifestyle brings together diverse individuals and organizations who want to make the planet a more healthy, sustainable, and compassionate place for all to enjoy. The mission of the festival is fourfold:
1) to highlight the benefits of a lifestyle free of animal products (vegan);
2) to outline the direct and indirect harm caused by the exploitation of animals;
3) to provide resources which facilitate the transition towards a vegetarian/vegan lifestyle;
4) to advocate compassion as the means by which to alleviate the suffering of humans and animals alike.
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"Overcoming the reverent belief in drugs is a big step in regaining your health and taking control of your life. You have been lied to about the value of most popular medications. The drug industry is inventing new illnesses and broadening the definitions of old diseases so that soon everyone will be classified as 'sick.' Learn the truth behind HRT, cholesterol (statins), heart disease, hypertension, depression, PMS, PMDD, osteoporosis, IBS, and other medications."
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12 oz. can of soda = 155 cal. = 40 grams of sugar = 10 teaspoons of sugar
16 oz. can of soda = 207 cal. = 53 grams of sugar = almost 14 teaspoons of sugar
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"Americans are drowning in soda pop---teenagers, in particular. The average teenage boy is consuming two cans of soda pop a day. The industry spends over $500 million each year promoting the sale of these worthless products....Obesity is an epidemic. One-third of youths already are overweight or obese...." says Michael Jacobson, director for the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). Jacobson has filed a petition with the Food and Drug Administration, requesting that warning labels be put on soft drinks with more than 13 grams of refined sugar for each 12 ounces.
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In 2003, Americans spent over $54 Billion [now up to $60 Billion] on soft drinks. In 2004, the average American consumed 37 gallons - or 59,000 calories - of carbonated beverages. Sodas are empty calories (high calories, low nutrients) that deprive the body of important nutrients that could be found elsewhere. 6 of the 7 most popular sodas have caffeine---an addictive drug---35-38mg. per 12 oz. can (even more---42-56 mg.---in diet sodas!). Soda consumption is strongly linked to obesity---especially in children---and can increase diabetes rates, worsen the severity of kidney stones, and lead to nervousness, insomnia, attention deficit disorder and addiction.
Soda promotes tooth decay because it bathes the teeth with sugar-water for long periods of time. Diets high in refined carbohydrates, such as sugar, may promote heart disease in insulin-resistant people by raising triglyceride levels (blood fats) in the blood. Soda has been linked to broken bones and osteoporosis because phosphorus, a common ingredient in soda, depletes the bones of calcium.
The best substitute for so-duh is always water.
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"Sugar isn't the cause of either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. However, people with diabetes do have to be careful with sugar because their bodies don't deal with it well. But the primary culprit in diabetes is not sugar! For Type 2 diabetes, it's the fat-rich, animal-protein-rich, low fiber, super-sized eating habits of Americans. The typical high fat diet causes weight gain, clogs our arteries, increases blood pressure, and encourages our cells to become insulin-resistant. As a result, many then develop Type 2 diabetes.
The solution to the diabetes problem in America today is simple. We just need to turn our bad diets and eating patterns around by avoiding the troublemakers---meat, dairy fats, fried foods, and unhealthy oils. Then we need to replace these foods with healthier choices---fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes. A diet high in complex carbohydrates and fiber, based on low-fat and cholesterol-free foods, is the best way to go to avoid diabetes." - John Westerdahl, PhD, MPH, RD 11/05
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Did you know that...
the science of growing apples is called pomology?
it takes energy from 50 leaves to produce one apple?
there are 7500 varieties of apples on the planet, making them the most varied food on earth?
apple juice was one of the earliest prescribed antidepressants?
apples ripen 6-10 times faster at room temperature than in the fridge?
one apple provides as much dietary fiber as a serving of bran cereal (about 1/5 the RDA)?
eating an apple cleans the teeth and massages the gums, removing more bacteria than two, three-minute brushings followed by a gargle?
a medium-sized apple has only 80 calories, 5 grams of fiber, no fat, no cholesterol and no sodium?
And scientists have proven that apple eaters have fewer headaches, intestinal disorders, colds, respiratory problems and illness associated with the nervous system.
Wow!
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"The stalking and killing of animals, which probably began during the Ice Age when plant food became scarce, has become a form of recreation; it is rarely necessary for human survival. Less than 7% of the US population hunts. Hunting is permitted on 60% of US wildlife refuges and in many national forests and state parks. 45% of hunters do their killing on public lands. On federal land alone (more than a half a billion acres), more than 200 million animals are killed every year.
It is illogical that hunters are allowed to kill and maim animals who theoretically 'belong' equally to the 93% of Americans who don't hunt. But because the state wildlife commissions and federal agencies that regulate hunting are now run by hunters, they perpetuate hunting year after year, regardless of the ecological damage it causes or the objections of non-hunters...
Natural Balance - The ecosystem and food chain form a complex web of interdependencies that, if left alone, provide for the survival of most species. Natural predators help themselves and their prey species to survive by killing only the sickest and weakest animals. Hunters, however, kill any animal that they come across or any animal that would look best mounted above the fireplace---often the large, healthy animals needed to keep the population strong.
In fact, hunting creates ideal conditions for accelerated reproduction. The abrupt drop in population leads to less competition among survivors, resulting in a higher birth rate. Even if an unusual disaster caused an animal population to temporarily overpopulate, the group would soon stabilize through natural processes. Starvation and disease are unfortunate, but they are nature's way of ensuring that the strong survive. Shooting an animal because he or she might starve or might get sick is arbitrary and destructive; the healthiest animals find a way to survive and maintain the strength of the entire herd or group.
The stress that hunting inflicts on animals---the noise, the fear, and the constant chase---severely restricts their ability to eat adequately and store the fat and energy they need to survive the winter. Hunting also disrupts migration and hibernation, and the campfires, recreational vehicles, trash, and other hunting side effects endanger both wildlife and the environment. For animals like wolves who mate for life and have close-knit family units, hunting can severely harm entire communities. Rampant poaching for 'trophy' animals and commercial gain is squeezing vulnerable populations.
Hunters claim that they pay for 'conservation' (what are they "conserving"?) by buying hunting licenses, duck stamps, etc. But the relatively small amount each hunter pays does not cover the cost of hunting programs or game warden salaries. The public lands many hunters use are supported by taxpayers. US Fish and Wildlife Service programs, which benefit hunters, get most of their funds from general tax revenues, not hunting fees...
Hunters kill more animals than recorded tallies indicate. It is estimated that, for every animal a hunter kills and recovers, at least two wounded but unrecovered animals die slowly and painfully of blood loss, infection, or starvation. Those who don't die often suffer from disabling injuries. Because of carelessness or the effects of alcohol, scores of horses, cows, dogs, cats, hikers, and others are wounded or killed each year by hunters." - Source: PETA - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals www.peta.org
More than 100 million animals are reported killed by hunters each year. That number does not include the millions of animals for which kill figures are not maintained by state wildlife agencies. Each year, more than 40 million animals are killed for their fur... (Delaware Action for Animals)
Americans consume a million animals an hour. Every second, 300 living beings are slaughtered for food. (Orange County People for Animals)
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A lovely film clip about why people become vegan -
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--A substantial body of scientific evidence raises concerns about health risks from cow's milk products. These problems relate to the proteins, sugar, fat, and contaminants in dairy products, and the inadequacy of whole cow's milk for infant nutrition... [Also] Dairy products offer a false sense of security to those concerned about osteoporosis. In countries where dairy products are not generally consumed, there is actually less osteoporosis than in the United States. Studies have shown little effect of dairy products on osteoporosis. The Harvard Nurses' Health study followed 78,000 women for a 12-year period and found that milk did not protect against bone fractures. Indeed, those who drank three glasses of milk per day had more fractures than those who rarely drank milk.
http://www.pcrm.org/health/veginfo/dairy.html
what_about_milk
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For Strong Bones, Kids Need Exercise, Sunshine, and a Dairy-Free Diet
...dairy products do not promote bone health in children and young adults. Physical activity does have a positive impact on bone health, while evidence linking bone health with dairy product consumption is weak, at best...
© 2006 EVEN - Eugene Veg Education Network