By Rachel Venokur-Clark •
September 29, 2009
Snacking is not a bad thing. In fact, if you find yourself craving “something” at 3 o’clock or after dinner, you should take the time to really figure out what that “something” is. You body is sending you signals all the time, and it’s your job to listen to them. Wanting or craving snacks is sometimes your body’s way of telling you that it is not completely satisfied or balanced. Maybe your lunch was too salty so you find yourself craving something sweet. Maybe you have been eating too many creamy foods, like yogurt and smoothies and your body and brain really wants something crunchy. Maybe your blood sugar has dropped because you skipped breakfast.
Snacking smartly can help diminish your cravings in a healthy way, help restore balance and help to simply put you in a good mood. By choosing a healthy snack that you actually enjoy you can help with your concentration, brain function and ward off that irritability that may be on its way. So when that next craving hits, ask yourself, “What am I really in the mood for”? Here are some healthy snack options ideas, broken down into categories, crunchy, sweat, salty and creamy, from The Institute of Integrative Nutrition.
According to the folks over at Eat This Not That, there are certain nutrients you should try to eat every day for optimum health. In case you needed a few more reasons to cut back on overly processed and animal based foods, all of the nutrients just happen to be found in natural plant based sources. Not only will you be helping your body by following these guidelines, but by choosing to eat a diet rich in plant based foods, you’ll be lowing your carbon footprint and saving the environment at the same time. It doesn’t get much better then that. Here’s a list of my top 5 of the recommended plant based foods, along with the nutrients they provide for your body and easy ways to start incorporating them into your diet today.
By Becky Striepe •
June 15, 2009
Between June 20th and 28th, folks all over the world will be holding vegan bake sales to raise awareness about awesome vegan food and raise money for the causes of their choice!
[Vegan Green Tea Cupcakes. Photo (and cupcakes!) by Becky Striepe]
Meat production has gotten a lot of coverage for its impact on the environment lately, but what about all those dairy cows? Whether they’re slaughtered for meat or milked, we’re still talking cows and all the impacts that go along with raising them. The Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale organizers strongly feel that veganism is better for the planet and its inhabitants. Check out their intro to veganism to learn about the story behind animal products like eggs and dairy.
From New Zealand to Nigeria to New York, groups around the world are holding vegan bake sales during the last two weekends of this month. They’re encouraging both vegan and non-vegan groups to hold events, as long as the baked goods at the sale are completely vegan. To help facilitate, they’ve set up a page of vegan baking tips and vegan recipe resource guide. Each participating group is working to benefit a cause that matters to them. Check out some of the participating groups:
Snacking is not a bad thing. In fact, if you find yourself craving “something” at 3 o’clock or after dinner, you should take the time to really figure out what that “something” is. You body is sending you signals all the time, and it’s your job to listen to them. Wanting or craving snacks is sometimes your body’s way of telling you that it is not completely satisfied or balanced. Maybe your lunch was too salty so you find yourself craving something sweet. Maybe you have been eating too many creamy foods, like yogurt and smoothies and your body and brain really wants something crunchy. Maybe your blood sugar has dropped because you skipped breakfast.
