Vegetarian Survival Guide Articles

Vegan vs. vegetarian, what is the difference? While "vegetarian" refers to a meatless diet, "vegan" is a term used more politically, referring to a more comprehensive world view. Usually "vegan" refers to a diet containing no food that is derived from the exploitation of animals. This includes not using dairy products, and often, eggs, or even honey. But what is an animal and what exactly is exploitation? Surely the worst abuses of the meat and dairy industry cannot be defended. But what about a family scale farm with a pet milking goat? Goats do not have to be constantly pregnant to continue producing milk. One kid will ensue that a nanny goat will always have milk, and in some cultures in the world today, small scale diversified permaculture agriculture may be a very realistic choice. It could make the difference between malnutrition, with children left permanently retarded, and happy, healthy children. Replacing factory animal farms with massive corporate-owned, genetically-engineered mono-cropped soybean farms is no solution either. A long, thoughtful process will be required to convert the world to veganism, but our goal is no less than this.

And even vegans probably need to eat "animals" to get their vitamin B-12 needs met, if only with the microscopic animals, bacteria, really, that populate the healthy human gut.

Vegans are also concerned about the harm that people do to animals in other areas. They may refuse to buy products containing leather, or fur, or gelatin capsules with their vitamins, or products tested on animals, and so on.

But it is impossible, in real life, at this time in the world, to truly be a vegan. Blood and milk are mixed into the very glue in the plywood of the walls of our houses, the paint on our walls, the tires of our cars, and yes, even our bicycles! And if we ever go anywhere, or eat or buy anything trucked in from somewhere else, we contribute to the destruction, due to roads and oil drilling, of precious habitat belonging to wild animals.

So "vegan" is an evolving term in our world today. In fact, it is really a movement. It is a movement toward becoming more conscientious about the impact that our species has on the other sentient beings we share the earth with. It is about being respectful toward the amazing and complex web of life that supports us all.

We who call our group "Go Veg" want to respect each person's thoughtful decisions about what is right for each of us. We do not want to judge others; rather, we encourage each individual to do what they can from wherever they are now. Simply to begin to move in the right direction, toward healing and sustainability, is enough. - Mountainskyrainbow

"I have no doubt that it is a part of the destiny of the human race,
in its gradual improvement, to leave off eating animals." -Henry David Thoreau

In the 21st century, humanity will shift toward a plant-based diet. The only question is whether we will do so with foresight and compassion for life or whether we will wait until the decision to do so is forced upon us by global environmental collapse. The reasoning behind this conclusion is straightforward.

Life runs on solar energy, which drives the process of photosynthesis in plants. When animals eat plants they are converting the energy in order to build and maintain their bodies and to walk, run, swim, play, think, and feel. Yet because the conversion process is relatively inefficient, the amount of animal matter on the surface of Earth is only a tiny fraction of the amount of plant matter. In turn, when animals eat other animals, there are two steps in the energy conversion process: plant to animal, and animal to animal. Because the second step, like the first, is inefficient, the amount of animal matter that comes in the form of predators is very small compared to the amount of matter that comes in the form of prey.

As humans have dramatically increased our numbers, and as we have turned to eating meat on a regular basis, we have violated the basic organizational structure of life. In other words, if it takes from 10 to 17 pounds of grain to produce 1 pound of beef, and if the human population increases to ten billion by the end of the 21st century (the median estimate of the U.N.), we face the prospect of global environmental collapse. Already, thousands of species are being driven to extinction each year. But if we choose to have fewer children and if we learn to live lightly on the planet, we may be able to find a sustainable path.

At present, things are not looking good. In the early 1990s, China was a net exporter of grain. But as the Chinese people have increasingly turned to eating meat, they have begun to feed more of their grain to livestock. China is now the world's second largest importer of grain. This drives up international grain prices and makes the poorest of the world more vulnerable to malnutrition, even famine. In Guatemala, due to widespread malnutrition, babies have a 50-50 chance of reaching the age of four. Yet much of the grain goes to feed livestock and every year Guatemala exports 40 million pounds of meat to the United States.

The United States is wealthy and has rich soils. But even here the enormous environmental costs of meat are evident. George Weurthner estimates that, together, grazing and crop production for livestock are responsible for the degradation and fragmentation of 75% of the land base in the lower 48 states.

In the West, grazing on public lands compacts the soil, thereby making it difficult for plants to grow. Grazing also directly removes plant life that birds and other small animals need for cover, and serves as the single greatest source of pollution for environmentally sensitive rivers and streams. Populations of pronghorn antelopes, bighorn sheep, elk, and wild horses and burros have plummeted. Sage grouse and black-footed ferrets are on the verge of extinction. The prospects for the return of wolves and grizzlies are dim. In sum, grazing practices are creating a barren wasteland that is incapable of supporting diverse life.

In the Midwest, as noted by John Robbins, "More water is withdrawn from the Olgallala aquifer every year for beef production than is used to grow all the fruits and vegetables in the entire country." Robbins warns that if we continue depleting the Olgallala, portions of Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Colorado and New Mexico will become "scarcely habitable for human beings." Livestock production is the largest single consumer of water in the United States as a whole.

On the East Coast, Chesapeake Bay is an estuary providing 50% of the total surface area of nursery grounds used by fish from Maine to Florida. By the early 1990s, dead and dying fish lay covered with gaping, bleeding wounds. Bulldozers were used to remove the carcasses of a billion fish from the beach. Hog factories near Famlico Sound and chicken factories in the Chesapeake watershed were responsible. In North Carolina, more than 100 hog factories were caught illegally dumping manure into waterways, and half of the "lagoons" (i.e., enormous pits filled with hog waste) in the state were leaking. The animal waste gave rise to algal blooms, causing an explosion in the populations of pfisteria (a dinoflagellate so small that thousands would fit on the head of a pin). The pfisteria use their toxins to immobilize fish and then turn themselves into amoebae-like creatures that attach to the fish and eat the remains .

The heavy consumption of meat in the United States exerts a toll further from shore. Eliot Norse estimates that the area of ocean floor destroyed annually by fishing boats with dragnets is 150 times the amount of land cleared by logging of the world's forests. And much of the world's tropical rainforest is being destroyed to make way for grazing.

In short, in a world with billions of people, we cannot live sustainably on a meat-based diet. The meatindustrial complex is depleting topsoil and aquifers, polluting rivers and streams, clearcutting forests, eviscerating fragile desert ecosystems, and even destroying the ocean floors. As sources of fresh water and topsoil are depleted, and as forests are cut down, we may be moving toward a time of famine and war. But with some modest changes in lifestyle, we can choose peace and sustainability. It is up to each of us. - David Duemler

"Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for survival of life on Earth
as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet." -Albert Einstein

Girls! Women! Fellow Humans!
Are you tired of being told to just accept your fat body and just concentrate on your inner beauty?

It is almost impossible to be fat on a pure, organic, plant-based diet. How often do you meet a fat vegan? Rotting carcasses in your belly are not inner beauty anyway. As a vegan, you will lose unwanted fat effortlessly, and probably have a better complexion, shinier hair, and even smell nice, too. You will be happier, healthier, and best of all, you will be a more attractive person overall because you will have more of that inner beauty which comes from knowing that you are sustained without the bad karma, the cruelty, that goes with the animal food diet.

It is simple to be a healthy vegan. It is important to have a diet that is adequate in iron, calcium, and zinc, and includes alpha linoleic acid sources (Omega-3s) and B-12, but all these nutrients are easy to get. Americans worry about getting enough protein, but it is extemely hard to eat a diet without enough protein.

There is convincing evidence that vegan diets are helpful in the preventing and treating common chronic diseases such as diabetes, coronary heart disease, hypertension, stroke, obesity, diabetes gallbladder disease, arthritis, kidney disease, gastrointestinal disorders, asthma and cancer. Furthermore, some doctors promote vegetarian diets to improve heart function, and glucose tolerance, and to reduce arthritis, and other diseases.

PROTEIN: All food contains protein. If you eat a variety of foods, you will get the protein you need. It is not even necessary to combine proteins; research has shown the body stores amino acids, the components of protein, until they are needed.

Most vegetarian diets meet or exceed the Recommended Daily Amount for protein by more than 100%. Most non-vegetarians consume way too much protein. Some research suggests that lower protein intake is associated with better calcium retention and improved kidney function in individuals with prior kidney damage. Vegetarian foods high in protein include tofu, tempeh, legumes, nut butters, and whole grain breads. Protein is used most efficiently when you eat enough calories.

FATS: Most diets contain too much saturated fat This leads to high levels of cholesterol, strongly associated with blocked arteries. A vegan or low fat vegetarian diet decreases heart disease risk, increases the size of coronary arteries, and results in fewer heart attacks.

Vegetarians need some omega-3 oils in their diet. Omega-3s are critical for many body functions. The long chain omega-3s, EHA and DHA, come from fish, microalgae, and seaweeds. (Supplements containing microalgae are available. However, Martek and Omega Tech use gelatin capsules. A dried form may be available soon.) Most humans can convert the shorter chain alphalinoleic acid into long chain omega-3s. Alpha linoleic acid is in flax seed oil, ground flax seeds, canola and soybean oils, walnuts, firm tofu, and soybeans. Flax seeds have the most alpha linoleic acid.

IRON is needed for hemoglobin synthesis, to ensure the oxygen carrying capacity of red blood cells. It is also necessary for the production of energy, and other essential functions. People need enough iron but not too much. Studies have shown that vegetarians are no more likely to have iron deficiency anemia than their omnivore counterparts. Vegetarians often consume large amounts of vitamin C, which greatly improves the absorption of iron. Vegetarians include foods rich in vitamin C with their meals, as well as food rich in iron such as blackstrap molasses, dried apricots, lentils, raisins and fortified cereals. Cooking with iron skillet will also help to ensure that there is enough iron in your diet.

Remember IODINE. Make sure you use iodine fortified sea salts or iodine rich sea vegetables like kelp in your diet.

ZINC is a very important mineral. It functions as a co-factor for over 200 enzymes, is necessary for DNA and RNA metabolism insulin metabolism and other functions.

Though found primarily in animals, good vegetable sources include pumpkin seeds, sesame butter, cashews, and soybeans. It is especially important that vegetarians get enough zinc as their diets are usually high in fiber, phytates, and oxalates, all of which bind zinc in the digestive tract and make it less available.

VITAMIN B-12 is only the nutrient that is not available in plant foods. B-12 is only made available through microbial systems. Due to improved hygiene in food processing, there has been an overall decrease in consumption of B-12 producing bacteria, which has decreased the amount of B-12 found on foods.

Supplementation of B-12 is recommended for vegans. Red Star T-6635 nutritional yeast has B-12 added to it, and all B vitamin supplements have it. Make sure that children get adequate B-12 through fortified food and/or supplements, because there is concern that damage to kids' brains is incurable after they have experienced a B-12 deficiency.

CALCIUM maintains bone strength and blood balance, and has many other important body functions. Women of all diets need to be aware of osteoporosis, a weakening of the bones. Starting in young to middle adulthood, the most painful effects are found among the elderly. It also affects men, usually around the age of seventy when their testosterone levels drop. Estrogen replacement therapy is often used to control this phenomenon. However, it is less than ideal, and is often an unacceptable choice for vegans as it is derived from a pregnant mare's urine.

It is important to remember that osteoporosis is not a milk-deficiency disease. To maintain strong bones requires adequate calcium, vitamin D, and various other trace elements. The high levels of protein found in milk and meat have been shown to remove calcium from the blood, causing the bones to leach calcium in order to maintain normal levels in the blood.

Dairy products are not the answer to lack of calcium for various reasons, such as lactose intolerance, dislike of milk, environmental issues, and the treatment of veal calves.

It is important to know which vegetable foods are rich in calcium. Calcium from kale and mustard greens, as well as other low oxalate green vegetables, have been shown to be absorbed as well or better than calcium from cow's milk. Mustard greens have twice as much available calcium as cow's milk. Other great calcium foods include bok choy, tofu with calcium, fortified soymilk, and white beans.

Many plant foods that are high in calcium are also high in oxalates and phytates, which bind minerals. Soaking, sprouting, and roasting these substances releases the minerals, aiding their absorption.

The Sunshine vitamin: VITAMIN D is as essential for maintaining strong bones as is calcium. Many soy and rice beverages are supplemented with vitamin D. Adults are able to store adequate vitamin D if they receive regular sun exposure through out the summer. Here in Eugene, our rainy cloudy winters can decrease the amount of sunshine our children are exposed to, and it may be very beneficial to regularly eat foods that are fortified with vitamin D.

To decrease your risk of osteoporosis get some sun, eat your green veggies, and exercise.

- Karen Booth, Master of Science In Human Nutrition, Registered Dietician, longtime vegan

"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." -John McDougall

"To become vegetarian is to step into the stream which leads to nirvana." -Buddha

Many of us hope to see humanity progress beyond the way of violence and domination and toward the way of peace. Yet as human populations increase, as poverty and environmental degradation and ethnic hatred lead desperate and angry people to ethnic wars and terrorism, it is all too easy to give up hope.

A crucial first step toward peace and sustainability is overcoming the mistaken notions of happiness through material accumulation and peace through strength.

Psychologist Ed Deiner and his colleagues have found that at low levels of income, up to the point at which peoples' needs for food, shelter, and medical care are met, there is a significant correlation between income and happiness. But further increases in income have little relation to happiness. Happiness has more to do with positive social relations, optimism, self-esteem, good health, sufficient sleep, and having a sense that one's life is meaningful. In turn, our lives are meaningful to the extent that we actualize our potentials, and the central feature of self-actualizing individuals is devotion to a task or calling beyond themselves. Indeed, people are happiest when engaged in positive social interactions or when helping others.

The doctrine of peace through strength has outlived its usefulness. In a world with biological, chemical, and nuclear weapons, in a world where rampant poverty gives rise to feelings of injustice, anger, and hatred, peace cannot be imposed by a wealthy and powerful elite. A stable peace can only come when everyone is able to meet his or her basic needs and when everyone feels that they are heard and respected. Global equity is a prerequisite to peace. In the search for equity, we must examine our own lives. Ultimately, humanity will progress toward the way of peace when the ideals of truth, peace, justice, and sustainability are reflected in our everyday lives. We can start by de-emphasizing the accumulation of material goods. We can make choices that reduce our environmental impact, such as reducing or eliminating our reliance on cars, or turning the heat down in winter. We can also learn methods of nonviolent conflict resolution: focusing on the problem, rather than criticizing the person; reasoning with children, rather than spanking them. In recent years, ten nations have created laws against spanking children. This provides children with an opportunity to learn how to resolve conflicts without resorting to violence.

Shifting toward a plant-based diet is part of progress toward the way of peace. This is true in part because of the enormous environmental impact of the meat industrial complex. When one eats meat, one contributes to environmental degradation and to world hunger. But even beyond this, in our efforts to remove violence from our lives we should carefully examine our relations with non human animals. Not only can they experience pain, but they also have social needs and a need to explore. Yet approximately 90% of the ten billion animals raised for slaughter in the US last year spent their entire lives in the intensely crowded and filthy conditions of the animal factory. They never knew what it is like to run free, to play chase in the fields, to dust-bathe or to fly, to wallow in the mud, to bravely cross a river, to perch on the branch of a tree, to smell fresh grass, to see the sky, or to explore a complex environment. Their suffering is compounded by extreme breeding practices, and by a violent death at the slaughterhouse.

At each meal we make a choice. We choose to be a part of this oppression, and to perpetuate it. Or we choose to dissociate ourselves from it, to say "This is wrong and I can no longer be a part of it." Mahatma Gandhi stated, "the basis of my vegetarianism is not physical, but moral. If anybody said that I should die if I did not take beef-tea or mutton, even under medical advice, I would prefer death." When we choose to respect life, consistently, at every meal, the choice of peace with all beings can become a part of our identity. Where once we may have been defensive, we can become open to understanding our place in the universe. We can come to accept that we are part of the web of life, and not godlike beings at the center of the universe. When enough of us progress toward the way of peace, we will be able to shape corporations and governments to reflect our concerns. The desperation and anger that give rise to violence will fade away. Through honesty and humility we can become a part of the progress that we wish to see in the world. On the path of peace, eventually we must... Go Veg! - David Duemler

"Until we have the courage to recognize cruelty for what it is - whether it's victim is human or animal - we cannot expect things to be much better in this world... We cannot have peace among people whose hearts delight in killing any living creature. By every act that glorifies or even tolerates such moronic delight in killing we set back the progress of humanity." -Rachel Carson

When I first decided to start eating a vegan diet, my son was barely three years old. I was concerned that he was too picky of an eater to eat a well-balanced vegan diet, but he soon proved me wrong. Since he had always been vegetarian, he was already used to meat alternatives, and, in fact, was repulsed by the thought of eating animals. But I was concerned that without eggs and dairy products, he wouldn't get the vitamins and minerals he needed. After a few months of seeing me experiment with new foods and having them on his plate over and over again, he soon started to try these new and different foods and found that he loved many of them. Now my once-picky-eater is seven years old and loves trying new foods. He is strong, happy, and very energetic. He and his two year old brother enjoy their daily snacks of raw fruits and vegetables and absolutely crave fruit smoothies.

We've always kept a good supply of natural snack food available, and at an early age the kids learned to help themselves. Since our kitchen simply does not contain any junk food, restricting these snacks isn't necessary! Munching on a carrot won't spoil dinner; rather, it's a great way to eat anytime. (Friends are astonished to see our children go to the fridge for a snack and pull out a stick of celery to eat with gusto and satisfaction.)

I have found that cooking for vegan children is easy. In fact, the simpler the better. My children actually prefer most foods raw, cutting back on preparation time. Children are naturally attracted to the sweetness and bright colors of fruits and vegetables. They will easily go through a pound and a half of uncooked tofu at dinner. They love to add their own liquid aminos (soy sauce, but not fermented and without the added salt and preservatives) and nutritional yeast (fortified with vitamin B-12, the only vitamin found exclusively in animal products).

This is a great time to start bonding with children in the kitchen. Kids love to help and be a part of decision-making. Look at a vegan recipe book together and pick out some yummy sounding recipes. Buying and preparing the ingredients together make trying new foods much more enjoyable. Birthday parties are an important part of children's lives, so we learned to arrange to have dairy-free ice cream available. We always make our own cake or order one from Sweet Life! - Genevieve White

According to Dr. Benjamin Spock, the famous pediatrician whose book the baby boom generation was reared on, "The ideal diet is based on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, peas, and beans. Meat, poultry, and fish are not necessary and can be eliminated." (1998) Dr. Spock also said he "no longer recommend(s) dairy products." He speaks of many dangers in feeding dairy products to children and recommends calcium-enriched soy or rice milk, and of course, breast-feeding baby as long as possible.

I grew up vegan. My friends used to ask me how I could get enough protein if I never ate any dairy or meat. They used to tell me that I would grow up and lose all my bones because I did not drink milk. My friends were wrong. They, like most Americans, had been brainwashed by the meat and dairy industries into thinking that milk and dairy products "do the body good," and that it was impossible to get proper nutrition without them.

The dairy industry's main selling point for milk is that it contains calcium, a mineral that we need to keep our bones healthy. Although milk does contain calcium, it is not the only or the best source of calcium. Furthermore, milk actually interferes with your body's ability to absorb calcium because of its high protein content. Protein upsets the acid-base balance in the blood causing the body to leach calcium out of the bones to compensate. Eventually the lack of calcium causes our bones to become weak and brittle - a condition know as osteoporosis. Protein intake (especially animal protein from meat and dairy) is a major contributor to osteoporosis! It is much better to eat dark leafy greens, broccoli, and sesame seed products for your calcium. Other good sources of calcium are enriched orange juice or soy milk.

It is also untrue that we need dairy and meat to get enough protein. Most Americans consume more that twice as much protein as they need. It is possible to get enough protein on a diet of only vegetables, but if you are worried you can eat high protein foods such as beans and tofu. - Moksha Rainbowlight, senior at South Eugene HS

"The national Diary board's slogan, 'Milk. It does the body good,'
sounds a little hollow these days." -Scientific American, October 1992

"The people of the future will say, 'meat-eaters!' in disgust
and regard us in the same way that we regard cannibals and cannibalism." -Dennis Weaver

With all of the fast food ads in the media, you might conclude eating meat is a wholesome practice. But, the ads don't inform you about the dark side of meat production - the abuse of livestock, the effects on your health, and damage to the environment.

FACTORY FARMING:
Animals are not raised on Old McDonald's farm anymore, but rather in factory farms, where many are overcrowded or trapped in cages or pens. They are fed hormones and antibiotics to make them grow faster or produce more milk.

Chickens are debeaked so they don't peck each other to death living in overcrowded conditions. Veal calves are fed on a diet of powdered milk, in order to keep their flesh white and bloodless. They are chained to pens, not allowed to turn around for their entire lives, then trucked to the slaughterhouse to die.

While the practice of feeding cows back to cows has been curtailed, in response to the outbreak of Mad Cow disease, pigs are still fed to pigs. The pigs may have a similar disease, but are slaughtered too soon for them to develop symptoms.

The gruesome slaughter of animals is the most compelling reason why everyone should stop eating meat. The process resembles the Nazi holocaust. Chickens are electrically stunned and hung upside-down on hooks; a butcher cuts their throats. Pigs and cows are killed with captive bolt pistols. They are hung upside down while a butcher jabs his knife into the jugular vein. Blood gushes out onto the floor while the animals twitch. The butcher cuts off the heads and peels off the skins, then jabs his knife into the abdominal area to allow the animal's guts to fall out onto the floor.

HEALTH EFFECTS:
Americans are the fattest people on the face of the Earth, and many die of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, stroke, and other diseases related to consumption of meat. In countries that eat less meat, fewer people die of such diseases. The Loma Linda University study found that vegetarians live on the average 7 years longer, and vegans up to 15 years longer than meat eaters.

Human bodies are designed more like those of herbivores than of carnivores. Herbivores have intestinal lengths 12 times the length of their bodies, and 10 times less hydrochloric acid (HCl) than carnivores. Their teeth are shaped to pulverize grain rather than to tear flesh. Herbivores hands and feet have no claws. Our inability to digest animal fat is one of the biggest indicators that we are not carnivores. While meat eating animals have 10 times the HCl to digest fat, in human guts meat can putrify.

Livestock carry many diseases, including salmonella & camphylobactor, and e-coli. Raw meat now carries warnings to alert the consumer.

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF EATING MEAT:
The effect of resources used to produce meat destroys the environment. 80% of grain and half the fresh water are used to produce livestock. Animal waste contaminates our water. Grazing turns productive land into deserts. It's time to begin the transition to vegetarianism planet-wide, intelligently, and respectfully toward all cultures. It's time to become more compassionate toward our fellow creatures. It's time to begin to heal the earth, reforest the land, replenish the topsoil, stop global warming and eliminate the problem of world hunger . In short, it's time to Go Veg! - M. G. Laubach

"Animal factories are one more sign of the extent
to which our technological capacities have advanced faster than our ethics." -Peter Singer

Whoever heard of a vegan cat? Even if it were possible, why would we want to do that to our poor kitties whose instincts compel them to hunt? Everyone has heard of vegetarian dogs, but don't cats have special needs that a vegan diet cannot meet?

Your veterinarian will advise you not to feed the dog your family's table scraps. This is because the S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) is not only bad for you, it will also give your dog cancer, heart disease, diabetes, allergies, a shortened life span, etc. But while your vet can't advise you about your diet, they will tell you the SAD is bad for your dog. But guess what? If your family eats a healthy plant based diet, your dog can be healthy on it, too!

Cats do require special supplements, such as taurine, to be healthy on the vegetarian or vegan diet, and some products are now available for this purpose. This writer's family was very glad to discover these products. Our family has always been vegan and our dog lived far beyond her breed's life expectancy on the vegan food scraps from our household, never experiencing health problems of any kind until just before she died. Since our cats were eight years old when we first found vegan cat food, we wondered whether they could adjust to such a radical change of diet. We followed the instructions and switched them over a period of three months, gradually going from 90% regular to 90% vegan before finally making the total change. They did not seem to notice. But we noted that they became more playful, plump but not fat, sleek, with shiny thick luxurious fur, and affectionate. Just nicer. Friends commented on how healthy our cats looked; in the years since the dietary switch, they have had no health problems. As vegans ourselves, we are gratified that we don't have to kill other animals to feed our animal friends.

As for whether we have a "right" to feed our pets this "unnatural" diet, we feel that dogs and cats have been coevolving with humans for such a long time, that they are partly a human creation at this point. If we can help them be healthier, and also less harmful to other creatures and the planet as a whole, that is a benefit to all concerned!

In the interests of full disclosure, I must mention that one of our cats still drags home the very occasional mouse, and one of them likes to dig in ant hives and lick up the ants as they come out! Also, not all of our friends have been successful in switching their adult cats over to vegan. But it definitely is worth a try because feeding our pets vegan is not only better for the environment, it saves the lives of other animals, too. And besides, if you knew what goes into commercial pet food, you would be horrified. Dare yourself to find out more! Consider letting the pets in your life..Go Veg!

You would never dream of killing your beloved pet - just to make a few bucks... Yet each day countless animals, domestic and wild, are enslaved, tortured and murdered for just that - a few bucks! Their bodies are then sliced, ground, neatly packaged, and fed to pets and people. The only difference is, you do not know these animals or watch the suffering and slaughter. Yet all of this is needless, even obsolete. Ethical, nutritional alternatives, even healthier for you and your pet, are available now. Isn't it time the killing stopped!? If you would like to do something about it, something legal, something radical, we need you! Or, for free help in converting to a vegetarian, ethical lifestyle, please call (541) 484-5683.

Please tell your family and friends about S.A.R.A.'s Treasures
Gift Shop, Thrift Shop & Mini Shelter Cat Adoption Center
1035 River Road, Eugene
(541) 607-8892
Tuesday - Friday Noon - 5
Saturday & Sunday 10 - 4

"I care not much for a man's religion whose dog or cat are not the better for it." -Abraham Lincoln

There are no other creatures on this earth that cook their food before they eat it. Raw foods are fruits, vegetables, leaves, nuts and seeds that have not been heated or cooked above 115°. Raw foods are healthier for you because the fresher your food is, the more enzymes and life energy are left in it. Enzymes are essential for proper digestion. Without good digestion you will not get the full nutritional value out of your food. Raw foods are the most natural foods on this planet to eat.

If you want to learn more about the raw food diet you can call me at Long Life at (541) 935-1161 and I can give you a list of local support groups, books, websites, and other resources.
-Pandora Owen, Owner, Long Life, PO Box 570 Veneta, OR 97487

Can there be a connection? Well, most dedicated bicyclists, like most vegetarians, want to do as little harm to the environment as possible. In shunning animal products, vegetarians do not contribute to the degradation of land and water caused by grazing and animal wastes. By limiting their use of automobiles, bicyclists reduce air pollution and greenhouse gasses. It seems pretty likely that many bicyclists and vegetarians have realized that joining forces would certainly benefit the earth.

One individual prominent in the bicycling community is Paul Nicholson, founder of Paul's Bicycle Way of Life which now comprises three bike shops in Eugene (and one in Salem). Paul is no vegetarian. He says perhaps the primary reason for this is that his Chinese mother-in-law does most of the cooking in his family. (Well, we all know that there's not a lot of meat in Chinese cooking.) Nevertheless, his daughter (defying the cultural tradition?) is a vegan. Furthermore, as a senior in South Eugene High School, she did a statistically significant study of vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores that showed that vegans' nutrition was markedly better than that of the other two groups. So, you see, Paul does have some vegetarian credentials.

The Alder Street store, the first of Paul's three Eugene bicycle shops (there's a fourth in Salem), opened in 1978, but there were bicycles in Paul's life for many years before that. As a doctoral candidate in the field of psycho-linguistics at the University of Illinois, bicyclist Paul was so dissatisfied with service at the local bike shops that on a $5 bet, he set himself up with a wholesale bicycle parts account for an initial outlay of $500. He ran a hobby bike shop out of his garage from 4 to 6 PM which proved wildly successful. In the course of time the prospect of an academic career became increasingly unappealing. Paul and his wife moved to Eugene. Soon thereafter, the Alder street store appeared, and Paul launched his career as a bike shop owner.

Paul is not a typical businessman. Aside from a few things which are unavoidable (like filing tax returns), he strives to do what he most enjoys doing and what he thinks is most important. This attitude allowed Paul to serve a term on the City Council at a time when he was one of only three liberal council members. Many of us fondly remember his contributions in a situation which must have been very frustrating at times. His employees all love bikes, and so do most of his customers which makes for positive human relationships, something very important to Paul.

So, you can see from his history that although Paul Nicholson is "not quite" a vegetarian, he embodies many qualities inherent in a vegetarian life style. We do appreciate him.

Greater Goods is a wonderful store. The staff is welcoming and helpful. Greater Goods is a business friend of the Fair Trade organization. Fair Trade is paying a fair price for a creation and allows the people who produce a product to be supported

Joan Klevan, started Greater Goods in her house, and in 1991 moved to a storefront. Initially Greater Goods worked only with sister cities, promoting art and household furnishings. Now they have expanded and include a wide variety of goods from. all over the world - natural fiber clothing, including vegan shoes, non-leather drums and other musical instruments, sterling silver jewelry tapestries, world music, hammocks, masks hats, prayer flags. Every continent is represented in this store with something for every one. Remember to checkout the environmental goods, including paints, sealants and stains, cleaning products, water filters, energy saving fluorescent lights, and rechargeable batteries.

Joan makes an extra effort to ensure that the products she sells are of good quality, including the organic cotton and hemp clothing which can be hard to find.

Most of us would like to feel attractive, no matter what our age and gender. But what does this entail? No matter what physical traits you were born with, lifestyle choices greatly influence how you look and feel, about yourself and others. Our deepest instinctual programming impels us to look for signs of good health in a potential mate because, presumably, our offspring are more likely to be healthy and survive.

Statistics show that vegetarians, especially vegans, tend to be generally healthier, get fewer serious degenerative diseases, and live longer. Certainly your definition of attractive must include not being dead! Consumption of milk products has been linked with prostate problems, and the animal food diet is also associated with higher rates of male impotence.

If your definition of "sexy" includes not being overweight, consider this: Many people who have switched from the animal based, to a diversified plant based daily diet have found that doing this alone, without even trying to lose weight, causes the extra pounds to melt away, effortlessly and deliciously.

Vegetarianism is advised for practitioners of yoga, including tantra, which uses the energy of lovemaking to open up he subtle centers of higher consciousness, for healing, meditation, and many other purposes. The refinement and self control needed for these exercises demands that the practitioner refrain from corpse consumption. The results include greatly enhanced sexual prowess, charisma, enjoyment and even bliss; as well as the ability to make love for hours, even many times a day! Although traditional yogic diet has also included moderate consumption of milk, butter, etc., it must be remembered that this was in a cultural context of reverence, not mistreatment and cruelty toward cattle. The milk was not laced with pesticides, artificial growth hormones, and antibiotics. It was live food - organic, fresh, and local, often literally right from the cow,.

Finally, a major reason that you are considered attractive is that you are a good person - loving, compassionate, caring about others and the world you live in. Choosing to be a vegetarian helps you feel better, and also helps you feel better about yourself. It is indeed an act of helping the whole world. And before you can love an be loved by others in a healthy balanced way, you must first take care of, love, and feel good about yourself! Perhaps your next step towards a sexier you could be to... Go Veg!

St. Frances of Assisi - saint * Buddha - Avatar * Dre - Rapper (Outkast) * Kaia - Real World Hawaii * Crystal Ballroom - Musicians * Mya - Singer * B52s - Musicians * Desree - Singer * Captain & Tennille - Musical duo * Plutarch - Philosopher * Frenzal Rhomb - band * Morrissey - Singer * Pythagoras of Samos - Greek Philosopher * Epicurus - Philosopher * Queen Sophia - Queen of Spain * Moby - Singer * Woody Harrelson - actor * Martina Navratilova - tennis player * John Power - singer * Mahavira . - Jain Religion * Fugazi . - band * Good Riddance . - band * Mushroom . - Massive Attack * Hank Aaron - Baseball player * Scott Adams - Cartoonist of Dilbert * Bryan Adams - Musican * Damon Alburn - Musician * Louisa May Alcott - Writer * Kim Alexis - Actress * Sal Amendola - cartoonist * Jeff Ament - Pearl Jam Bassist * Vanessa Amorosi - singer * Brian Anderson - pro skateboarder * Gillian Anderson - actress * Kim Andrew - singer for Brilliant Sins * Susan B. Anthony - womens suffrage * Fiona Apple - Singer * Shiri Appleby - actress * Rosanna Arquette - Actress * John Astin - actor * Roger Avary - filmmaker * Barbara Bach - Ringo Starrs wife * Leslie Bach - actress * Erykah Badu - singer * Joan Baez - folk singer * Alec Baldwin - Actor * Bridgette Bardott - Actress * Travis Barker - drummer * Bob Barker - game show host * Drew Barrymore - Actress * Clara Barton - American Red Cross * Kim Basinger - Actress * Angela Bassett - actress * Dr. Ruth Bates - Sex Therpist * Meridith Baxtor - Actress * Ed Begley Jr - actor * Candace Bergen - Actress * Milton Berle - Actor * Steve Berra - pro skater * Traci Bingham - Actress * Linda Blair - actress * Lisa Bonet - Actress (Cosby Show) * William Booth - General * General Bramwell Booth - Salvation Army leaders * Annalise Braakensiek - model * Lucy Briers - actress * Peter Brock - race car driver * Brandon Brooks - actor * Downtown Julie Brown - former MTV V.J. * Elizabeth Burkley - Actress * Leroy Burrell - Olympic champion * Peter Burwash - Tennis champion * Lauren Bush - Model * Terry Geezer Butler - Musician * Andreas Cahling - Mr.International Bodybuilder * Kirk Cameron - Actor * Vivian Campbell - Musician * Annie Campbell - Politician * Belinda Carlisle - Singer * David Carradine - Actor * Shaun Cassidy - Actor * Dan Castellaneta - Voice (Homer Simpson) * Julie Christie - Actress * Margi Clarke - Actress * Chelsea Clinton - Daughter of President * Paula Cole - Singer * Nicky Cole - walked to North Pole * Phil Collen - Musician * Kelly Collins II - actress * Rachael Leigh Cook - Actress * Luigi Cornaro - writer * Elvis Costello - Musician * Dave Coverly - cartoonist * Earth Crisis - Musicians * Annie Curtis - Jamie Lees Daughter * Leonardo da Vinci - artist * Jack Dangers - Musician (Meat Beat Manifesto) * Ted Danson - Actor * Charles Darwin - British naturalist * Dave Davies - Singer * Doris Day - Actress * Danny De Vito - Actor * Cathy Dennis - Singer * Lisa Dorfman - athlete/author * David Duchovny - Actor * Bob Dylan - Singer * Sally Eastall - Marathon runner * Thomas Edison - Inventor * Darren Edwards - Brilliant Sins * Semantha Eggar - Actress * Albert Einstein - scientist * Christine Elise - actress * Ralph Waldo Emerson - Poet * Will Estes - Actor * Melissa Etheridge - singer * Diane Fairechild - Author * Mike Farrell - Actor * John Feldmann - band Goldfinger * Matt Field - pro skateboarder * Henry Ford - Ford Motor Company * Michael J. Fox - Actor * Benjamin Franklin - Diplomat * Justine Frischman - singer of Elastica * Eddie Furlong - Actor * Peter Gabriel - Musician * Jerry Garcia - Singer * Janeane Garofalo - Actress * Jennie Garth - Actress * Boy George - Musician * Richard Gere - Actor * Mohandas Ghandi - humanitarian * Sara Gilbert - Actress * Geoffrey Giuliano - TV Ronald McDonald * Carol Givner - Bestselling Author * Dave Goodman - producer * Sylvestor Graham - Graham Cracker * Dick Gregory - runner * Martha Grimes - Author * Larry Hagman - Actor * Kirk Hammett - Musician * Daryl Hannah - Actress * Valerie Hardin - Goth poet/writer * Shalom Harlow - Model * Sunny Harris - Market Analyst * George Harrison - Musician (Beatles) * Julianna Hatfield - Musician * Anne Hathaway - actress * Suzanne Havala - RD, LDN, FADA, writer * Nigel Hawthorne - Actor * Tippi Hedren - actress * Ruth Heidrich - 3 time Ironman * Mariel Hemmingway - Actress * Henry Hiemlich - Doctor * Robyn Hitchcock - singer * Dustin Hoffman - Actor * Susannah Hoffs - Musician (Bangles) * Desmond Howard - Washington Redskins * John Howard - philanthropist * Chrissie Hynde - Singer (The Pretenders) * Billy Idol - Musician * Moses Itkonen - pro skateboarder * Jesus of Nazareth - Avatar * Joe Jackson - Musician * Eddie Jackson - Bassist (Queensryche) * Andrew Jacobs - US Congress, IN * Susan St. James - Actress * Steve Jobs - Apple Computers * Daniel Johns - Musician * Howard Jones - singer * Mike Joyse - drummer * Ashley Judd - actress * Jim Kaat - baseball player * Jean Kasem - actress * Casey Kasem - D.J. * Andy Kaufman - actor * Dr. John Harvey Kellogg - Doctor * Bille Jean King - Tennis champion * Coretta Scott King - Martin L.K. Jrs wife * Nastassja Kinski - Actress * Forest Kirby - pro skateboarder * Gladys Knight - Singer * Romy Korz - Ballerina * Killer Kowalski - Wrestler * Lenny Kravitz - Musician * Krishna - Avatar * Dennis Kucinich - US Congressman * Richard Joseph Lafond Jr. - Actor * Ricki Lake - talkshow host * Chris Lambert - pro skateboarder * K.D. Lang - Musician * Mutt Lange - producer * Frances Moore Lappe - Writer * Tony LaRussa - Baseball Manager * Debbie Lawrence - 5k record holder * Yasmin Le Bon - Model * Cloris Leachman - Actress * Sabrina LeBeauf - Actress * Sheryl Lee - Actress * Pamela Anderson Lee - Actress * John & Yoko Lennon - Musicians * Jarrett Lennon - Actor * Annie Lennox - Singer * Marv Levey - buffalo bills coach * Carl Lewis - Olympic Track Star * Victoria Lidiard - Woman suffrage * Sabrina Lloyd - Actress * Lisa Loeb - Singer * Joanna Lumley - actress * Howard Lyman - Author * Melanie Lynskey - actress * Gavin MacLeod - Actor * Virginia Madsen - actress * Tobey Maguire - actor * Tobey Maguire - actor * Michelle Malone - Singer * Bill Manetti - powerlifting champion * Reed Mangels - PhD,RD,writer * Mike Manzoori - pro skateboarder * Khaled Mardam-Bey - mirc programmer * Ziggy Marley - musician * Johnny Marr - guitarist * Jean Marsh - Actress * Steve Martin - Comedian/actor * Rick McCrank - pro skateboarder * Paul McCartney - Singer/ Activist * Linda McCartney - Cookbook author * Rue McClanahan - Actress * Johanna McCloy - actress * Brandii McCoy - The Honeybees * Vesanto Melina - writer, RD * Yehudi Menuhin - violinist * Natalie Merchant - Singer * Virginia Messina - Mph,Rd, writer * Hayley Mills - Actress * Katherine Monbiot - arm wrestler * Alan Moore - writer (Marvelmen) * Mary Tyler Moore - Actress * Steve Morse - musician * Edwin Moses - Olympic champion * Kathy Najimy - Actress * Joe Namath - football player * Kevin Nealon - Saturday Night Live * Sir Isaac Newton - Scientist * Leonard Nimoy - actor * Krist Novoselic - Musican * Todd Oldham - Fashion Designer * Anna Paquin - Actress * Robert Parnish - center (Bulls) * Alexandra Paul - actress * Guy Pearce - actor * Bill Pearl - Bodybuilder * Anthony Peeler - Minnesota Timberwolves * Lori Petty - Actress * Laban Pheidas - proskater * Lawrence Phillips - Football player (49ers) * Sam Phillips - actress * Joaquin Phoenix - Actor * River Phoenix - Actor * Summer Phoenix - Sister of River * Gary Player - golfer * Tracey Pollen - Actress * Natalie Portman - Actress * Monica Potter - Actress * Stephanie Powers - actress * Stan Price - world record bench press * Phylicia Rashad - Actress * Amy Ray - Musician * Pat Reeves - power lifter * Joe Regalbuto - Actor * Andrew Reynolds - pro skateboarder * John Robbins - Writer * Rikki Rockett - Musician (Poison) * Fred Rogers - TV Personality * Murray Rose - Olympic swimmer * Joanne Rose - Model * Jean Jacques Rousseau - philosopher * Geoff Rowley - pro skateboarder * Zora S. - Model * John Salley - Toronto Raptors * Tom Scholz - Boston * Albert Schweitzer - Humanitarian * Jerry Seinfeld - actor * Peter Sellers - Actor * Bree Sharp - singer * William Shatner - Actor * George Bernard Shaw - Playwright * Ally Sheedy - Actress * Alicia Silverstone - Actress * Russell Simmons - rapper/designer * Upton Sinclair - Writer * Isaac Bashevis Singer - Author * Peter Singer - author * Marina Sirtis - actress * Grace Slick - singer * Heather Small - Musician * Courtney Thorne Smith - Actress * Robert Smith - Musician * Sy Sperling - Hair club for men * Benjamin Spock - Medical Doctor * Rick Springfield - Actor/singer * Adalita Srsen - vocalist-(Magic Dirt) * Brad Staba - pro skateboarder * Ringo Starr - Musician * Gloria Steinem - author * Lucy Stephens - tri-athlete * Jo Stevens - Real World (San Francisco) * Julia Stiles - actress * Eric Stoltz - actor * Rider Strong - Actor * Brian Sumner - pro skateboarder * Geoff Tate - Queensryche * Ed Templeton - pro skateboarder * Tiffani Amber Thiessan - Actress * Jonathan Taylor Thomas - Actor * Jamie Thomas - pro skateboarder * Richard Thompson - singer * Henry David Thoreau - Author * Niels Tijssen - Dutch actor * Leo Tolstoy - Russian writer * Sergei Trudnowski - Pro skateboarder * Shania Twain - singer * Liv Tyler - Actress * Cicely Tyson - Actress * Farin Urlaub - band Die rzte * Steve Vai - guitarist * Amber Valletta - Model * Vincent Van Gogh - Painter * Eddie Vedder - Pearl Jam * Jane Velez-Mitchell - TV news journalist * Kristinia Wagner - Actress * Lindsay Wagner - Actress * Alice Walker - writer * Bill Walton - Celtics * Debra Wasserman - Writer * Charlie Watts - drummer * Keenan Ivory Wayens - Actor * Dennis Weaver - Actor/Director * Jane Weidlin - Go-Go * H.G. Wells - British author * John Wesley - founder Methodist Church * Ellen G. White - Seventh Day Adventist * Roshumba Williams - model * Spice Williams - actress * Wendy O. Williams - Actress * Vanessa Williams - singer * Weird Al Yankovic - Comedian/singer * Dwight Yoakam - country singer * Dweezil, Moon, Ahmet, Diva Zappa - Children of Frank Zappa