Want to learn about Veganism?

"Have Courage and Be Kind"

-Cinderella

I put together this little pack for people interested in learning about veganism. I put it together quite a while ago but figured this might be a good time and place to share it. The links, books and films mentioned below answer pretty much every question I have ever asked or been asked about being and becoming vegan. Included are recipes, meal plans, information on environmental aspects as well as animal rights and the bottom is a list of vegetarian, vegan and/or plant based public figures. I hope this helps people on their journey and that you learn a little something. Articles: http://www.onegreenplanet.org/natural-health/vegan-sources-of-protein/

<- site is great for healthy recipes http://www.nursingdegree.net/blog/19/57-health-benefits-of-going-vegan/

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/justin3.htm

http://www.veganbodybuilding.com/?page=article_samplenutritionprograms

http://greatist.com/health/complete-vegetarian-proteins

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4771/10-Vegan-Sources-of-Protein.html

http://www.peta.org/living/food/top-10-reasons-go-vegan-new-year/

http://nutritionfacts.org/?gclid=CNih35WdxMYCFQeLaQod1kILgw

Cook Books:

Thug Kitchen *contains swearing and possible cultural appropriation

Forks Over Knives Cookbook

China Study All Stars

Documentaries: (inrecommended watching order) Forks Over Knives (*disclaimer*some data debated) Food Inc (isnt related to cutting out meat but good food film) Cowspiracy (focus on enviromental issues&diet) Speciesism the movie (raises ethical questions) Recommended Books: Beasts : What animals can teach us on the orgins of good and evil By Jeffery M. Masson Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs & Wear Cows By Melanie Joy PhD The Pig Who Sang To The Moon: the emotional lives of farmed animals By Jeffery M Masson Skinny Bitch By Rory Freedman & Kim Barnouin Famous vegetarians and/or Vegans: Intellectuals: Greek philosopher Pythagoras (known for Pythagorean theory, 6th century BC vegetarian activist) Plato Leonardo Da Vinci William Shakespeare Voltaire Leo Tolstoy Sir Isaac Newton Socrates Vincent Van Gogh Benjamin Franklin Nickola Tesla Einstien Franz Kafka George Bernard Shaw Mark Twain Tomas Edison Henry Ford Steve Jobs *rumored* Abraham Lincoln Susan B. Anthony Ghandi Gautama Buddha (founder of buddhism) Celebs :

Jon Stewart Richard Gere Steve-O Carrie Price (hockey player) Natalie Portman (PhD & Actress) Ringo Star Paul McCartney Stella McCartney Bob Dylan Bob Barker Dustin Hoffman Jerry Sienfield Travis Baker David Duchovony (there are obviously way more but this is becoming a novel lol) Atheletes : Patrik Baboumian - World Record holding Strong man Bill Manetti - body builder Carl Lewis- Olympic track star Joe Namath - NFL Quarterback Martina Navratilova - Tennis star Tony La Russa - NFL Manager Robert Parish - NBA star Prince Fielder - MLB David Scott - Iron man Billie Jean King - Tennis Star Jim Morris - 79 year old body builder http://www.greatveganathletes.com/

Winter Kindness: Cause Baby It's Cold Outside

Goodness is about character- integrity,honesty,kindness,generosity,moral courage, and the like.

more than anything it is about how we treat other people

-Denis Prager

 I would add and animals! or change people to beings but you get the idea.  I don't usually post twice in a week but I was saving this topic 1. until after my trip reports but more so 2. for closer to Christmas when people are in that extra kind mood. I mentioned in my intro blog how I chose the name for this blog , a loving vegan and what those words encompass for me which basically boils done to my motto of harm less, but also my other motto being from Disney (because of course it is) have courage and be kind. So that's what I want to talk about today, kindness. 

Nobody is perfect and we all have bad days but I do believe that each and everyone of us should always strive to be a little better,kinder and do more so lets talk about doing more. What we can do can be limited by many things financial capabilities, physical capabilities , mental capabilities etc. So I want to give some ideas, suggestions and bring light to some great groups.

Financial giving. This is something not everyone can do, for a long time I couldn't as I live mostly pay check to pay check like many of you I am sure can relate. If you can though one tip to keep in mind is that all charities have to make their financial statements public they will be on their site, if they aren't don't donate to that group its a scam.  Also do a quick google search you might be surprised that some popular "charities" are not the shinning examples they claim to be. I try to donate to a different cause every pay cheque the amount varies based on what I can do at any time. One site for various human causes I recommend are  rescuesite.org, amnesty.org. For animals I recommend mercyforanimals.org or animalequality.net .

Not everyone can give financially though so lets talk about little day to day type things. Homelessness is on the raise and even in warm climates it gets cold at night. I've also noticed a growing contempt and distrust of homeless people with less and less people willing to give thanks in no small part to sensational "news" stories of people scamming the system and faking homeless. Does this happen? sure probably, but that's not the majority, the majority are people who have for whatever reason fallen to the bottom of the poverty cycle, and statically they wont be able to get out even if they make all the right choices. Choices is another thing I hear a lot, a lot of judgement about the assumed bad choices these people made,so lets talk about that. Even if we remove every external factor that affects the way people make choices and assumed they should just make better choices does making a bad choice mean your no longer worthy of compassion? When does a mistake become so awful that your stripped of your humanity and left a piece of dirt?

 As a Disney fan I love Once Upon A Time on ABC and one of the things I love most about it is the psychology. I love how it will show you a villain and you will hate them and then you see their back story, from their point of view and you start feeling bad for them and suddenly their bad choices make sense , they still did bad things, the queen still shouldn't kill Snow White but suddenly you get why she felt that way and your rooting for her to turn it around. Everyone deserved the forgiveness we grant these fictional characters, everyone deserves kindness and second chances, third chances, all the chances! If Regina can teach us anything let it be that it's never to late to change.   

So what can we do? Great question!

and the answer is lots! Did you know that most popular coffee chains like Tim Horton's or Dunkin Donuts will give a cup of hot water for free (some charge 5 cents for the cup cause they're greedy but still next to free) so idea number one go to a dollar store pick up some scarves, gloves and a box tea, and/or snacks; wrap a tea bag, snack,gloves and 5 cents in the scarf , keep the rolled up scarves in your purse and give them to homeless people you see.

Idea 2, ladies special, use and old purse or buy a couple cheap purses and fill them with various things a woman may need, snacks,tea,gloves,pads, etc same idea as the scarves but with a feminine twist. 

Idea 3 with it being Christmas go to the dollar store and buy some give bags, fill them with various items and hand them out (same idea holiday twist.)

Got a gift card for somewhere you don't like? Give it to someone on the street!

Another way to give is to give time. Volunteer at a shelter once a month, or a grassroots group like Food Not Bombs, if you haven't heard of them they are a group functioning all over north america that does community food serves, serving local plant based foods encouraging solidarity,community and peace try doing a facebook search to find one near you. Or help build Tiny Houses , tiny houses are popping up all over the world to provide homes to the homeless they cost less than 2000CAD to produce and only take a couple days to build.

There are so many ways to give back get creative, no one can do everything but everyone can do something.

Have courage and be kind , Happy Holidays!