I believe our lives are full of lessons to be learned. Each and every one of us is surrounded by teachers, if we are willing to see them. Perhaps they teach us something we may want to attain, or something we may want to leave behind. Some teach by words, but for me, the best teachers can be those who have no words. They teach by example alone..............animals!

We, as humans, like to think we are the smartest "animal" on the planet, but I beg to differ! Animals, both wild and domesticated, large and small, can teach us more than we imagined, lessons we may not have learned otherwise. God had a purpose when he created animals and it was NOT to serve us or to be our food!!! They are here as co-inhabitants of this earth, SHARING the earth as our companions. No matter how big or small the lesson, we can learn something from each and every animal. Animals teach us unconditional love, trust, loyalty, forgiveness, emotional and physical healing, patience, happiness, joy, generousity, acceptance, contentment, gentleness and heroism. I truly believe that animals are angels among us, ultimately here to teach us compassion and empathy and how to be better people.

How amazing that these voiceless beings can teach us SO much without words! Humans have more in common with animals than we care to admit........actually we are more alike than different. We all live in bodies with bones, skin, organs, hair and blood. We all require food, air, water and a place to live for survival. We all feel pain and communicate in some fashion. We all share the earth and have a stake in the fate of it. Unfortunately, animals have been forced to allow us to capture them, confine them, tame them, study them, and completely control them and abuse (kill) them with acceptance and little protest. We have neglected to listen to them simply because they lack a voice, because they utilize different forms of communication!

For those of us who share our lives with animal companions, we will all attest to the fact that they love us unconditionally, no matter how we dress, where we live, how much money we have, what we do for a living or what we look like. They do not judge us according to our race or our creed. They just love us with all they have! They don't see our imperfections. If only humans could be the same way to our fellow humans. Even animals that have been abused, neglected or mistreated, forgive, forget, show loyalty, trust and are loving and protective to their owners.

Animals teach us to relax, to play, to "stop and smell the roses", and to enjoy the simple things in life that we sometimes lose sight of. They bring out the kid in all of us, make us laugh and forget about our troubles of the day and appreciate the moment. They live for today and don't worry about events in the past they can not change, or become overwhelmed about the events of the future they can not predict. They are content spending time together with their human companions.

Animals teach us emotional and physical healing. Nuturing a pet makes us feel needed, espeically for senior citizens when taking care of a pet can take away their lonliness and give them a reason for living. Studies have shown that having a pet can add years to our lives. The survival rates of heart-attack victims who had a pet were almost 30% higher than those of patients who didn't have an animal companion. Petting our pets and having contact with them actually reduces levels of stress hormones and relaxes us...........and when we are depressed, lonely or upset, our animal companions sense this and they know to console us.

Animals not only do great acts of bravery for members of their own species but also for those outside their species. They are very protective of their human guardians and have been responsible for saving drowning children, rescuing family members from a burning house or alerting another when their owner has fallen or is unconscious (to name a few). They will risk their own lives without hesitation.

Wild animals, like domesticated animals, can teach us volumes as well. Most animal species are actually better parents than many humans! "Planet Earth" is a fascinating series that aired on the Discovery Channel but is now available on DVD and one of my favorites. If you have not seen it, watch it! It depicts just how interconnected we are with the animIal kingdom and the fate of the earth. Even the tinest of organisms has a purpose in the big picture. It really opened my eyes to just how intellingent and caring wild animals are as well. They only take/use what they need. They are not greedy. They only injure us if provoked. They rarely invade our territory even though we continually destroy theirs'. Many animals live in groups and teach us about getting along with other animals. They are capable of living in harmony with other species, and keeping the natual balance in nature unless their lives are threatened and their habitats destroyed by pollution and construction. They live simply and with pleasure, something we all should be doing.

I truly believe all animals are messengers from God. They know what their purpose here is and don't question it. They simply know and accept. They don't try to change or improve on what God has made. They follow their hearts and their instincts with no regrets. They don't question their existance They just "are". They have the distinct ability to be content with just "being" with no complaints, no questions, and no change. Wow, that in itself is the most valuable lesson we can learn from animals! We spend our entire lives searching for a purpose, for the true meaing of life, for what we think is success, or attaining possessions thinking they will make us happy, when perhaps our purpose is to be content with just "being"........being alive! By learning to appreciate the life that God has given us, as all animals do and to live in the moment. Animals deserve our utmost respect and love and perhaps if we opened our eyes to the great inspriation they are we could all live as better people : ) A bumper sticker I read once: “Dear God, please help me be the person my dog thinks I am.” Words for us all to live by.

• (1) The Vegetarian Podcast. Hear the latest in vegetarian news and issues.



• (2) Vegan Radio. Heat the lastest in vegetarian news and issues! is a show about vegan culture; animal rights issues, the vegan diet, the vegan lifestyle, and the greater relationships to environmentalism, spirituality, politics, etc.



• (3) Go Vegan Radio. The Planet's First and Only Commercial Vegan Radio Show with host Bob Linden. Go Vegan Radio covers everything from slashed-food to cookie recipes, animal rights, diet, health, environment, world hunger, morality, justice, peace, etc.



• (4) Raw Vegan Radio. Host Steve Prussack........The FIRST Raw Vegan Radio Show On The Internet! The Most Comprehensive Source for Information on the Raw Food Diet Available ANYWHERE!



• (5) Vegan World Radio. Telling the story of the vegan revolution that's saving animals, the planet and our health.

Here are a few of my favorite books that I would like to pass along to you. If you can recommend others, please let me know and I will post them here. Some of these are available on my products page at either Vegan Essentials or Raw Food World......if you can't find them there, they are probably available at Amazon.com.

The following is taken from VegFamily and it lists the most important dietary requirements for a vegan pregnancy. For me, being pregnant and vegan was a little scary with my first child That fear, however, was instilled in me by people who were not vegan, and thought I would not have healthy children without eating meat and drinking milk, etc. That was 26 years ago and I know times have changed a lot, but some of us still get the "meat argument". As it turned out, I had 7 big healthy babies. My children ranged in weight from 9 lbs to almost 11 lbs....4 being over 10 lbs (and I'm a small person) I think that is a true testimoney to how healthy and positive a vegan diet can be, especially while pregnant. I ate mostly raw foods, as my diet usually consists of, but did increase the amount I ate, and concentrated on eating more protein and the other nutrients you see listed here. I ate a lot of small meals throughout the day. I must say I felt fantastic throughout my pregnancies, had lots of energy, never had morning sickness, relatively easy deliveries, and breastfed all till they were all a year old. The only concern I had while breastfeeding was eating a lot of raw foods because anything the mother eats that can create gas for her, will do the same for the baby. I did cut out certain foods for a while (all veggies from the cabbage family). Another thing I was so happy about was that I went back to my original weight after each child, without working out! After having 7 kids, I wear a size 3 and weigh 115 lbs and I chalk that up to my vegan diet.

• Protein
• Requirement: 60 to 66 grams per day
• Foods high in protein: Beans, tempeh, brown rice, barley, whole wheat, tofu, legumes such as peas, lentils, and garbanzo beans, soymilk, nuts and seeds, nut butters, veggie burgers, and veggie deli slices
• Calcium
• Requirement: 1000 milligrams per day
• Foods high in calcium: Calcium fortified orange juice, fortified soymilk, broccoli, bok choy, kale, figs, tofu made with calcium carbonate, almonds, and tahini
• Iron
• Requirement: 30 milligrams per day, minimum
• Foods high in iron: Dark leafy greens, beans, legumes, tofu, nuts and seeds, dried fruits like raisins and apricots, whole and enriched grains, sorghum molasses
• Zinc
• Requirement: 15 to 30 milligrams per day/li>
• Foods high in zinc: Whole grains, green leafy vegetables, mushrooms, nuts and seeds like tahini, legumes, tofu, miso, wheat germ, miso, and nutritional yeast. Fortified cereals also contain good sources of zinc, read the labels
• B12
• Requirement: 3 micrograms per day
• Foods high in B12: Nutritional Yeast (Red Star Vegetarian Support Formula), fortified nondairy beverages, fortified juices, cereals, meat substitutes. Beware seaweed and fermented soyfoods as they are not necessarily reliable sources of B12
• Folic Acid
• Requirement: 600 micrograms per day
• Foods high in folic acid: Green leafy vegetables (spinach, asparagus, broccoli, romaine lettuce), oranges and orange juice, corn, green beans, beets, peas, peanut butter, whole wheat bread, bran breakfast cereals, dried beans, peas and lentils, nuts, and seeds
• Vitamin D
• Requirement: 5 - 10 micrograms per day
• Foods high in vitamin D: Fortified cereals, and possibly soymilk. Read labels
• Essential Fatty Acids
• Requirement: 4 to 5 grams per day
• Foods high in omega-3's: Canola oil, safflower oil, olive oil, flaxseed oil, and avocados, and to some extent whole grains, legumes, and nuts
• Vitamin A
• Requirement: 800 micrograms per day
• Foods high in vitamin A: Sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, apricots, mangoes, cantaloupe, collards, and kale
• Vitamin C
• Requirement: 85 milligrams per day
• Foods high in vitamin C: Strawberries, oranges, lemons, broccoli, tomatoes, red and green peppers, and juices made with 100% fruit juice

A great book to read is "Pregnancy, Children and the Vegan Diet", by Michael Klaper

***NOTE***: If you are pregnant or have a baby already, please consider using cloth diapers (see my links page for http://www.simplewondersdiapers.com/.) On average, it will cost ~$2500-3,000 to diaper one child in disposable diapers for the life of that child in diapers. If you were to use cloth diapers, the cost would vary between $300-700! Using cloth diapers significantly reduces trash and reduces contamination to groundwater and soil. Check out this website.....you will be amazed! Natural fabrics, great colors, and great quality.

After years of telling people chemotherapy is the only way to "try" and eliminate cancer, JOHN HOPKINS is finally telling us there is an alternative way.

• 1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.



• 2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.



• 3. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.



• 4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.



• 5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.



• 6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.



• 7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.



• 8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.



• 9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.



• 10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.



• 11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

• a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal,Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in color. Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.



• b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastrointestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soya milk cancer cells are being starved.
  
  
• c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.



• d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains,seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment.About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts)and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).



• e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine.Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.



• 12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines become putrefied and leads to more toxic build-up.



• 13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.



• 14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence,Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body's own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.



• 15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, unforgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.



• 16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

A few more important pieces of information:

• 1. No plastic containers in micro.
• 2. No water bottles in freezer.
• 3. No plastic wrap in microwave.

Dioxin chemicals causes cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies.Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital , was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us.. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food. You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else.

Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons. Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.

I think we can conclude one thing from this article.........KILLING ANIMALS IS KILLING US! GO VEGAN!

Animal Place's directory of Farm Animal Sanctuaries, organized by state.

To be listed here, shelters must not sell or breed animals or promote the consumption of farmed animals.

Scientists, Philosophers and Spiritual Leaders throughout history have affirmed the advantages of a vegan/vegetarian diet from the standpoint of morality and compassion and also from the perspective that it is necessary to ensure the welfare of our planet. So, merely by changing our eating habits we can bring infinite benefits to humankind. Some of those advocates are listed here:

• Dalai Lama Of Tibet, Spiritual Leader
• Supreme Master Ching Hai, Spiritual leader
• Socrates, Greek Philosopher
• Confusius, Chinese Philospher
• Diogenes, Greek philosopher
• Plutarch, Greek Philosopher and Moralist
• Isaac Bashevis Singer, Laureate of Literature, 1978 Nobel Prize recipient
• St. Francis Of Assisi, Christian Teacher
• Henry David Thoreau, US author, poet, and naturalist
• Charles Darwin, English biologist and naturalist
• Gandhi, Hindu spiritual leader
• Pythagoras, Greek Philosopher
• Thomas Paine, English born American patriot, author and political thinker
• Yogi Maharishi Mahesh, Indian Philosopher
• Seneca, Roman Philosopher, tutor to Nero
• Benjamin Franklin, Inventor, Scientist, Writer
• Leonardo Da Vinci, Italian Painter
• Ralph Waldo Emerson, US Poet
• George Bernard Shaw, Irish Writer
• Mark Twain, US Writer
• Emily Dickinson, writer and poet
• Albert Schweitzer, German Philosopher and Physician
• Charles Darwin, British Naturalist
• Albert Einstein, German Scientist
• Vincent van Gogh, Dutch Artist
• Thomas Edison, US Scientist and Inventor
• Sir Isaac Newton, British Scientist
• Aristotle, Greek philosopher
• Voltaire, French writer and philosopher
• Plato, Greek philosopher and student of Socrates
• Abraham Lincoln, US President
• Henry Ford, Founder of Ford Motors
• Nikola Tesla, Croatian Scientist
• Susan B. Anthony, Activist
• Rosa Parks, civil rights activist
• Mahatma Gandhi, Indian Civil Rights Leader
• Coretta Scott King, American Civil Rights Activist

I would like to suggest that any of you who are vegetarian or vegan, such as myself, get a living will and specifiy in there what your dietary wishes are. Of course, a Living Will is a good idea for everyone to have. I really hadn't given it much thought until my parents got a living will some years ago. I know they primarily are for you to answer such questions as: Do you want your organs donated? If necessary, would you like to be resuscitated? Do you want to be kept alive by life support? Would you like to be fed/hydrated through a tube?

However, it dawned on me that as important as making my wishes known in response to those questions, I may not be able to verbally make my dietary wishes known. I may be in the care of a nursing home, a hospital, hospice, or even just my spouse or my children, and I need to let them know exactly how I am to be fed.

I had watched my grandmother being fed pureed foods every day for many years in a nursing home.......watched my mother get protein fed to her interveniously when she was very ill. Who knew what they were being fed? It terrified me that I could be in that same situation. So, I met with my lawyer who drew up a regular will and then a living will. I specified in that that I was never to be fed animal products, in any way, shape or form, and certainly not to be kept alive with them, even if that was the only option. I did not want medications or any pharmaceutical products that were derived from animals. I could not have lived almost my entire life eliminating animal products and believing in animal rights so deeply, and then end up being kept alive on something that I would have rejected had I been able to. How hypocritcal would that be?

Believe me, I recieved a lot of criticism about my requests, but hey, it's my life. I have no idea whether my wishes will be respected or not, but we all have our convictions. I can only try. I met with all my kids and discussed my desires with all 7. Made my wishes known to my parents, siblings, and spouse. Of course, it is also in writing, though, in great detail, in my living will.

Some people choose to keep their Living Will locked up in a safety deposit box or another secretive location in their home......however, if you fail to provide your doctor with a copy of your Living Will, and you become unable to communicate, they will treat you as if you never had a Living Will drafted, so make sure that you supply your doctors with copies. Also, provide a copy to a potential surrogate, and other family members so that there is no doubt as to what your wishes are should a situation arise.

One last thought......if you are in a position to financially support a vegan/vegetarian charity, animal shelter, etc make those wishes known in your will.

Some of you may have seen this already on the news, but it's worth viewing again. It touched my heart!

A friend sent this to me. It's been said that God first separated the salt water from the fresh, made dry land, planted a garden, made animals and fish..... all before making a human. He made and provided what we'd need before we were born. These are best & more powerful when eaten raw. We're such slow learners...

Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being. It is not simply defined as just the absence of disease. Eating right, getting physically fit, emotional wellness, spiritual wellness and prevention are all apart of creating a healthy lifestyle. All aspects of one's self must work in harmony to achieve total well-being, since your body, mind and soul are all connected.

I tried to list here what I find to be important to total wellness in regards to the "physical you", the spiritual you" and the "emotional you". Much of my website discusses a Vegan diet so I am not going into too much detail about that here. (Check out "vegan nutrition" on my reicpes page.)

• Physical Health: Most important because without a healthy body, it's hard to concentrate on the rest of this list. It can't be said enough, "YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT". A plant-based diet has been proven to contribute to a long healthy life, along with excercise. Simple things you can do are parking a distance from the store and walking, or taking the steps instead of the elevator.
• Love: "To love and be loved is the greatest joy on earth". Numerous studies prove that love does indeed improve our health. When we feel loved, cared for, intimate, nutured, supported we have a much lower risk of getting sick and a much better chance of survival. Every human being wants to love and needs to be loved in return. It creates an bond between a husband and a wife, a parent and a child, etc.
• Family Values: In this crazy fast-paced world we live in, we can lose track of our spouses, our kids and ourselves. Make "Family" a priority......eat dinner together, take a walk together, talk to each other, attend religious services together, make your own "family day" filled with activities that will reconnect you with the ones you love most! A close family unit provides a safe, happy, positive environment for all members to thrive. Teach by example. Chidren who grow up in a strong family have less emotional problems, commit less crimes and are divorced less.
• Free Your Mind Of Worry: As hard as it is to do, it is so important for not only our mental health but our total physical health. Great stress relievers are reading a book, exercising, listening to music, cooking.......everyone has problems to deal wiht in their lives. They will always be there. Don't let them take over your life.
• Curiousity and a Zest for Life: If you have small children or can remember when your kids were small, surely you can remember that indescribable curiousity they have! Somehow along the way, many of us lose it. Try to find the inner child in you. It's there, you just have to find it. Learn something you have always wanted to learn, but never had the time........take a college class, take up dancing, learn to draw or paint, get into photography, take a cooking class, learn yoga (that's my desire :)
• Generousity: Giving of oneself has to be the most rewarding feeling inside. There are so many places you can either donate money, or better yet, donate your time. Do you have a special talent you can share with others? If you love kids, get involved with underprivileded kids, donate time at a homeless shelter or a soup kitchen, voluneer at your church, volunteer companionship to senior citizens in a nursing home, work at an animal shelter, orgainize a fundraiser for a local organization that needs financail help. There are lots of ways you can help someone less fortunate than yourself. Many of us are so blessed in this life and we lost sight of the fact that there are many who stuggle to get by. To let someone else know that you care is priceless!
• Gratefulness: I read once that we should have a journal and every night before we go to bed, write down 5 things we are greateful for each day. What a fantastic idea! It makes us actaully stop and think, and appreciate what other's do for us on a daily basis. It could be a smile, an apology, a "thank-you", a hug, a card, a phone call, a letter, a pet curled up next to you, a meal, a gift, a raise, time spent with a friend, something your child made for you at school, a kiss from your spouse that says he/she loves you......the list is endless. A great quote to live by is "Appreciate the small things in life........they may turn out to be the big things." Aside from keeping that journal, always acknowledge your gratefulness. Don't let a good deed go unnoticed.
• "The Grass Is Not Greener": I think we all at one time or another have fallen into this trap. I know I have. It can cause us to change our lives, our careers, our relationships, our homes, our entire plan we may of had for ourselves. I think it's one of the greatest lessons to be learned in life. Some would call it giving into temptation. Others, trying to "keep up with the Jones". Others yet, are just not satisfied with what they have. In this materialistic, sometimes shallow world we live in, which emphasizes beauty and wealth more than what's on the inside, may cause us to lose track of what life is really about. Look in your own backyard and see how "green" your own grass is : )
• Make the Time: Whether it be for yourself or for someone elee......find the time. It is so easy to get caught up in our daily lives, and as my mother always said, the dishes are always gonna be there, the house is always gonna need to be cleaned, the laundry is always gonna pile up. Take time to reward yourself once in a while with a well deserved nap, dinner out, vacation........and make time for your spouse and your kids. Take the time to do special things for the ones you love. Before you know it they will be grown up and gone. Read to them, cook with them, spend time with them.....and most importantly, take the time to tell them every day that you love them!
• Work Hard: Having a good work ethic is pertinent to a productive life. There is something very rewarding about doing a good job, whether we are working for someone else or ourselves. It gives us a sense of accomplishment and builds our self confidence and self esteem. And of couse, what we do is just as important as how we do it. They say you should find something you love to do and learn how to make money doing it........I was fortunate to be able to be a SAHM for 25 years with my kids. I would do them all over again in a minute. It was a hard job with 7 kids, but the rewards are immeasureable.
• Think Positive: Having positive thoughts is the key to being truly happy. We make the choice every day to think positive or to think negative, and thus we are making the choice to be happy or not. If you think about it, you are faced with hundreds of choices every day, such as what to wear, what to eat, how we respond to problems, how we will treat others, etc. Make the choice to think positive. Find the silver lining.........see the glass half full.
• Set Goals: Set achievable goals, but challenge yourself. When we reach our goal(s), it generates enthusiasm, gives meaning and purpose to our life and also provides direction and keeps us focused. Goals can be anything from losing weight and eating healthier, to being kinder and more compassionate, to going to college.
• Laughter: It is truly THE best medicine and it's free. When you can look at the lighter side of life, when you can laugh at your mistakes, tell a joke, laugh with friends or your kids, it makes you forget your problems and worries. It relives tension and stress and opens up our hearts. The best thing is, it is very addictiting! Laughter (and tears!) are great gifts that allow us to release our feelings in healthy ways. So, LOL!
• Don't Waste Time: "Don't put off till tomorrow what you can do today" rings so true. None of us know how long we have on this planet. Time is precious. We really should live every day like it's our last. Say the things you want to the people you love. Be a risk-taker. Don't procrastinate. I dont mean to confuse wasting time with "relaxation". My ideas of wasting time are: drinking to excess, watching too much TV, excessive gambling, fighting, worrying, complaining, gossiping and spreading rumors about others, judging others, vanity and paying too much attention to ones' ourward apprearance, trying to "keep up with the Jones", being fake and insincere, holding onto anger, etc.
• Do Not Judge Others: The biggest lesson I learned from my father was not to judge others. He taught me that everyone has good in them, we just have to find it sometimes. You know what they say "do not judge, or you will be judged." I think it's human nature to make conclusions about people, but what I mean here is to judge with hatred, to condemn someone for their skin color, religion, sex, size, etc. It could cause you to lose out on some wonderful relatonships with people.
• Spirituality: Without a spiritual responsibility, we live in a state of existence in which there is no accountability for negative actions, thoughts or energies. Spirituality gives our life morals, meaning, purpose, security and hope. Spirituality, along with meditation and prayer can help us achieve inner peace.

World Vegan Day is a vegan holiday celebrated since 1994 on November 1 – the anniversary of the creation of The Vegan Society. 2009 marks the 65th anniversary of veganism and the Society. World Vegan Day is celebrated by vegans around the world. In November 1944, a British woodworker named Donald Watson announced that because vegetarians ate dairy and eggs, he was going to create a new term called "vegan," to describe people who did not. Donald Watson both coined the term "vegan" and started the Vegan Society and the Vegan Society Newsletter.