Living Naturally?

[Friend of a Mouse]

This could get interesting... but, what are your tips for living cruelty free/naturually? After watching the Beagle Freedom Project and reading books like Fast Food Nation and Omnivore's Dilemma, I'm starting to rethink how I live and what I purchase. I plan to go vegetarian for Lent and then go Vegan by the end of the year. (OF course, I tried that last year and had steak last night... so... we'll see how well this works!) I also want to try to find as many products that are not tested on animals and don't use a lot of chemicals.

I should say that I am trying to do all the research and not do this blindly. As far as the vegan thing goes, that has as much to do with potential food allergies and the latest research on heart disease and cancer prevention as it does with my dislike of what goes on on factory farms and I am working with a nutritionist. As for the other stuff... I realize that some animal testing (like those done by medical establishments ) will alwasy be necessary. But why do we need to tetst cosmetics and cleaners? I'm also not convinced that the amount of preservatives and chemicals we are constantly exposed to are necessarily good for us. I was glad to see the size of the list of branks that don't test on animals on PETA's website, some that I already use.

So... how does your family try to live responsibly/naturally? What brands that don't test on animals do you like/have found effective? If you are vegetarian/vegan, how do you deal with that when going to somebody's house?

 

[Sgt Mickey]

If you don't find what you are looking for here let me know I know of a great website with a lot of tips on what you are looking for. Not sure on the rules and don't want to break any by posting it here or send it to you with you wanting it so just pm me if you want more info.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I just don't have the energy to invest right now into that. Honestly if you are going vegan, research the produce industry instead of the animal industry.

I read about all the current trends because I am a science person after all with a horticultural degree but it is hard to determine fact from fiction.

I get a little miffed when they throw around terms like "organic" and other things that are just basic science terms and label food just to sell it at a higher price.

So step one would be to educate yourself on the terms. Learn what "organic" means when you purchase something.

A lot of times you may find that a company was using "organic" pesticides all along because they have to.

Learn about pesticide residue. That is probably my area of interest with food. What does residue whether organic or inorganic do to the human body?

Research coatings they put on fruits and veggies.

Also transport/storage. Are they gassing your bananas, tomatoes, and avocados with ethylene to ripen them when they are being shipped? Of course they are. Is the organic stuff "gassed"? I would like to know that.

Well there is a start for you. Good Luck on your research!

 

[Teresa Pitman]

I've been vegan for more than five years now and most of my family is also vegan. It's easier than you think!

Colleen Patrick Goudreau has a terrific book out called the 30 Day Vegan Challenge. I know a lot of people who have found it helpful. It has information and research plus (easy) recipes and strategies.

Check to see if there is a vegan or vegetarian organization in your community - they'll know the best places to shop and what's available where you live. For example, I live near a large Mennonite community and can buy lots of produce from them at farmer's markets and roadside stands. It's not labelled organic, but it is as organic as you can get (they even plough and harvest with horses, not tractors).

Don't let people give you a hard time. It can seem overwhelming, but every step you take in this direction helps.

If you have time, consider coming to Vegetarian Summerfest in Pennsylvania in the summer (google the name for info). This is a wonderful conference with top-notch speakers - doctors, researchers, nutritionists, animal rescue groups, etc. - who do outstanding presentations. All the food served (included with your registration) is vegan and menus are created by an award-winning chef. (Honestly, it's worth going just for the food!!)

Teresa

 

[npmommie]

I am vegetarian, striving toward veganism. I have been using cruelty free products for about 22 years, ever since I met some PETA folks on the mall in Washington DC. had no idea before that what kind of testing was done on things like shampoos etc.

peta has a great list on their site where you can find companies that don't test.
I try to use natural cleaners, like baking soda, vinegar, lemon oil
for food, I try to buy locally produced as much as possible. I would rather have the tomatoe grown up the road as opposed to the organic one that came across country.
so farmer market season is something I look forward to!
my dh still eats chicken on occasion and eggs so those come from a local farm. yes it is more expensive but we don't buy that much.

so I guess the biggest things for me are cruelty free cosmetics etc and buying local produced goods as much as possible.

 

[npmommie]

If you want some other documentaries
Forks Over Knives and Vegucated are both very good.

Forks is all about the connections between heart health and a plant based diet.

look up the work by Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn

 

[cornflake]

Vegetarian, no leather, generally no tested stuff, chiming in.

As for the diet - the easiest thing to do imo is go cold turkey, as it were. I think the little by little approach is much harder than just stopping completely.

When I go to someone's house, I don't make any deal. I don't generally even mention unless it's a very specific case. My friends and people I know well obviously know I'm veg from having eaten out with me or whatever, but it takes people a while to notice because I don't mention unless it comes up.

If I'm at someone's house, like invited to a party, I'll just eat whatever I can eat. There's generally bread and sides to anything. I will, yes, ask about a dish if it's something that can have meat in it and it's not clear, and that'll out me. Otherwise, it's no big deal and I don't mention unless asked if I don't want the chicken or whatever, in which case 'I'm a vegetarian, thanks, and these potatoes and green beans are fantastic!'

If it's a situation where I'm at someone's house and they have a big pot of chili with meat on the stove and say 'oh, stay, I made chili' I will say 'oh, it smells great, but I'm a vegetarian.'

Friends ask what they can make me and I usually say I'm sure there's something there I can have or ask what they're serving and etc. First, I think it's rude to be all 'make me a special dish' and second, mostly people want to make weird tofu-based stuff and don't realize how much stuff they make IS vegetarian already, and it's really no big deal. If I'm going over I'm going to see people; I own food. If I'm like staying at someone's house, I'll say I'd like to go shopping and then I cook for everyone, as I like to cook and it's just easier.

The leather shoe thing is more of a pain than anything, but it's getting easier as more and more vegan shoes are being produced. Try it 15 years ago, heh.

The products, I don't use that many and I too like natural stuff just in general (white vinegar does *everything* and it's like $2 a gallon), so it's not been a big deal.

 

[Teresa Pitman]

I do find it is a bit trickier as a vegan, because sometimes there is hidden dairy or eggs, so I have to ask more often (for example, bread often has dairy in it or vegetables might have been cooked in butter). I will usually offer to bring something if invited over.

Teresa

 

[crazyme5kids]

The Cornucopia Institute is a good source for information on organic and sustainable agriculture. I highly recommend it.

 

[fall08CP]

Yay for all the herbivores!

I went vegan last March for lent and never went back. My palate has expanded 10-fold since giving up animal products. We're forced to be creative instead relying on cheese like many (not all!) vegetarians do. My omnivore friends ask me to host our dinner parties because they think my food is the best- lol!

I grow my own produce so I don't have to worry about organic/GMO/long travel/pesticides. The only fruit I buy is from the farmers market, and I know these farmers and their practices.

That said, I don't live 100% on produce. I eat grains, legumes, soy products (in moderation), and even chocolate. We have small local markets here that make most of their products locally and that is how I choose to spend my money.

Besides food.. I walk to work instead of driving. My goal for when I move next year is to not need my car, to live somewhere with significant public transportation. We're installing rain barrels for watering the gardens and using local zoo manure as compost. I buy most of my household products and appliances at Goodwill, and donate what I no longer use.

 

[VBsHustla]

I'm vegan, and I try to reduce chemicals as much as I possibly can, too. This will sound crazy, I'm sure, but I just feel so much better by living as close to the Earth as possible. I like eating fresh, seasonal, locally-grown, organic whole foods. I don't even view things from boxes or packages as food anymore. I have no desire to eat that kind of stuff. When I go to people's houses, I usually eat salad and/or fruit, bring something, or eat before I go. I really don't mind it at all, although most people find it completely bizarre. Eating ethically and mindfully is extremely important to me, and though many of my friends would disagree, I feel like I can socialize without eating.

If you're interested in organics, then I recommend considering organic greens, potatoes, fruit with thin skin or skin you'll be eating (apples, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, tomatoes, etc.) Non-organic bananas, oranges, avocados, etc. should be fine.

In terms of reducing chemicals, I usually teach myself to make an alternative natural version whenever the need arises by googling "natural [whatever]." I find this very useful! I don't like using chemicals on my skin or really putting anything on my skin that I wouldn't put in my mouth, so I prefer making moisturizer, lip balm, and things like that. It's also pretty easy these days to find makeup that hasn't been tested on animals. I'll only use non-animal tested lip gloss, mascara, and eyeliner. (BTW, another benefit of being vegan for me is that my skin has been pretty much perfectly clear at all times for several years since going completely vegan. So I don't have to worry about a lot of makeup and putting chemicals on my face daily.) Also, just wanted to add that I do sometimes use products that are surely full of chemicals like nail polish and bathroom cleaners, but I always leave my windows open while using them.

I also agree with the Dr. Esselstyn recommendation. He's awesome!

 

[Friend of a Mouse]

Thank you for all of the replies!

peta has a great list on their site where you can find companies that don't test.
I try to use natural cleaners, like baking soda, vinegar, lemon oil
for food, I try to buy locally produced as much as possible. I would rather have the tomatoe grown up the road as opposed to the organic one that came across country.
so farmer market season is something I look forward to!
my dh still eats chicken on occasion and eggs so those come from a local farm. yes it is more expensive but we don't buy that much.

so I guess the biggest things for me are cruelty free cosmetics etc and buying local produced goods as much as possible.

I did find the list, there are so many! I'm curious if there are any specific brands people prefer. I've been using Origins, but they're kind of expensive and there appeared to be some cheaper brands. One thing I will need to switch out is my deodorant. I work outside in some pretty hot weather so i want an antiperspirant that works.

as to the going gradual that somebody mentioned (sorry, forgot to post i), the reason I am going gradually is that I still have a lot of Jenny Craig entrees with meat from a promotion they had. I don't want to just throw away good food, so my plan is to replace as I go. I'm starting out vegetarian since that will be easier, and I am still waiting to hear back from food allergy testing, so I dont' want to make changes that are too dramatic before I know the results (I'll know mid March).

 

[disneychrista]

Focus on eating thing that are as close to their natural state. Whole Grains. fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes. Don't be afraid to try new things. A lot of people have the idea that eating vegetarian/vegan is more expensive but that is only if you are looking at packed/processed foods. Beans, lentils, brown rice, couscous are cheap.

 

[cornflake]

Focus on eating thing that are as close to their natural state. Whole Grains. fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes. Don't be afraid to try new things. A lot of people have the idea that eating vegetarian/vegan is more expensive but that is only if you are looking at packed/processed foods. Beans, lentils, brown rice, couscous are cheap.

I think this is a really important point. A lot of people have the idea being veg is expensive! It's so not. I mean it CAN be, as I can spend a lot in the cheese dept., and I'm sortof a foodie and so like "good" artisanal breads, fresh pasta, etc.

However, even with that, I go to the market and get a big bag of fresh produce, even with some organic stuff, and other stuff for the same price as someone buying meat and processed stuff gets a tiny bag worth.

Meat is expensive. Frosted Flakes and such are expensive, while a container of plain steel cut oatmeal SEEMS expensive at $6, it's like 30 servings. Brown rice, beans, lentils, etc., are cheap - even broccoli is cheap.

 

[tasha99]

Meat: I am going halibut and salmon fishing this year, and freezing more than I need. My neighbor is an avid hunter, so I'm hoping to trade some extra fish for moose. I'm also planning on going clam digging.

I have decided the seafood I buy is gross, and so is the chicken. Once I have fish and meat taken care of, I plan on buying local (well, from kodiak or kenai) scallops and shrimp. I'm going to start getting local farm eggs and chicken, too.

For produce: I have a gardening, upick farm hopping, and fruit and veggie preserving summer planned. We have wild blueberries and wild currants, so I'm going to pick a ton of those to freeze. I'm hoping to do enough over the summer that I significantly lower my food bill for meat and veggies. Then I won't feel so bad for breaking down and buying the excellent, but expensive produce people fly up here ($70 per case usually--but very good. Most the produce in stores up here is awful. They barge it up green and it rarely ripens.

We do try to eat natural foods--steel cut oats instead of more processed cereals. We sweeten them with blueberries or cut up dates (not the nasty super dried date pieces--I buy them whole and cut them myself).

I haven't really thought about other things besides eating. I am on a real eat natural kick, in part because it seems like so many additives are just plain gross, and the growing conditions for animals is often horrific.

 

[npmommie]

I like origins too.
I use Longona, Lush, Toms, and one I just discovered at Target called Yes to Carrots, they have some nice moisturizers.
My brother makes soap so he keeps me stocked in that.

 

[PaulaSB12]

How about the lush products they are vegetarian after all.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Also I am just passing this site on to you. Since you are in MO as well we have tons of local farms and produce. It is for everyone in the US though.

http://www.localharvest.org/

 

[leebee]

Vinegar is 5% acetic acid... the same chemical I used in the research lab all the time, just diluted with water (in case anyone is trying to stop using chemicals).

 

[Bilberry]

Well, not so much vegan eating - for now - but with avoiding cruelty being a main concern, thought this development interesting. Synthetic meat made from stem cells will soon be available. With it's production, impact on the land and animals will be significantly less.

Modern agriculture production, with its wide spread use of pesticides and herbicides, loss of top soil, along with plants displacing animals, causes duress for wild life.

Recall this article mentioning some of the environmental benefits that can be had from fake meat.

"Churchill And Mead Agree: Fake Meat Will Save The World"

http://blogs.the-american-interest....and-mead-agree-fake-meat-will-save-the-world/