Petit Vour is a brand new company offering a monthly delivery of cruelty-free beauty products, hand-picked from businesses that align quality with progressive standards. From the Petit Vour Facebook page:
"Catering to beauty devotees interested in living a more compassionate lifestyle, Petit Vour delivers fresh beauty miniatures - culled from beauty’s finest - right to your doorstep each month.
Inside your box, you’ll find a range of chic beauty & grooming products for you to apply, blend, buff, groom, lather, soak & spray. The samples are generously sized, with enough product for you to figure out if it’s right for you. You’ll also find exclusive promo codes for all of your new favorites. Compassionate & affordable -- how’s that for guiltless?"
My box came today and I absolutely love every item inside! I think this box it totally worth the price! Looking forward to next month already!! Here's my video unboxing of the their first box:
Ooh La La! My first Petit Vour box arrived!
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Be Bold. Be Kind.
♥ FOR THE ANIMALS, THE PLANET & HUMANKIND ♥
Time to Hit the Reset Button!
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
It's spring - time for renewal! Lately, as a result of being "on the go" with a lot driving our kids to rehearsals to two cities in opposite directions, my food choices have been less than clean and vibrant. I am allergic to soy/gluten intolerant and have been suffering the consequences of letting both gluten and soy sneak back into my diet, as I have been eating more processed vegan food. My digestion is all out of whack and I feel sluggish. The good news is that I know the solution: simply hit the reset button with a cleanse, so that I am able to kick processed food cravings to the curb and have the ability to listen to what my body needs. Sooooo, I picked up a cleansing kit from a Seattle gem, The Herbalist. They had two different kits available and I chose the Detox-it Kit.
According to The Herbalist website, "This kit contains products that offer a gentle, yet effective approach to whole body cleansing. It is specific for those with sensitive digestion or an irritable bowel. Blood sugar challenges, poor blood fat metabolism, and stress intolerance are also addressed. A key element of this cleanse is the G.I. Gel Plus Fiber which is soothing and helps to restore digestive and intestinal health. The L.B.T. Caps promote healthy peristaltic action, while the tonics and tea offer support to the liver, pancreas, and adrenals. The Detox-it Kit is the first step towards improving digestive and glandular imbalances."
Included in this kit:
To give you an idea of a typical day on this cleanse, here's what I do:
7:00AM Dry brush massage with Renew-U oil (blog post coming soon on this wonderful ritual!)
Wait 10 minutes, then take hot shower.
7:30AM Fiber, herbal extracts, and tea.
8:00AM Eat Breakfast.
8:30AM Morning Exercise.
10:30AM Snack.
1:00PM Eat Lunch. Take vitamins, if applicable.
3:00PM Fiber, herbal extracts, and tea.
4:30PM Snack.
5:30PM Herbal Extracts and Tea.
6:00PM Dinner.
7:00PM Light Exercise.
8:30PM Hot bath, sauna, or steam bath.
10:00PM Take 2-3LBT Caps with water
In addition to using the Detox-It Kit, I have been referring to the cleansing program from Kris Carr's book, Crazy, Sexy, Diet. It is full of such great information & inspiration. I highly recommend this entire book for anyone looking to make positive and lasting changes for their overall health & wellness!
For meals, I am eating raw vegan foods...things like green smoothies, fruity smoothies, green soups, green salads with fresh sprouts and colorful veggies, veggies & hummus, energy balls, tonic drinks, parsnip rice veggie sushi, chia seed pudding, and more!
Before this relapse, I was leaning toward a high raw vegan diet. It truly is the best fit for me. Whenever I have eaten raw vegan foods consistently in the past, I have experienced tons of energy, better skin, and beautiful digestion...so with those goals in mind, here I go!
*Raising my glass of green juice in a toast to fresh starts!!*
Becoming Vegan: My Personal Story
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
But then my tipping point happened. Several years after my mom died from a year long battle with brain cancer, I remember visiting a smoothie shop in Seattle. This visit sticks out in my mind because I came across some animal rights literature there that forever changed me. I read through it and couldn't believe what I was seeing and learning. I read about and saw photos of the millions of brand new male chicks in the egg industry that are literally discarded through suffocation or live grinding after birth, simply because they are male. I read and saw photos of the sad fate for newborn male calves who are taken from their mothers in the dairy industry, so that her milk can be given to humans instead, while the calf suffers in a small crate until he is slaughtered and sold as veal. I quickly made the connection that the "harmless" eggs and dairy I was still consuming as vegetarian were not so harmless. In fact, these industries were just as bloody as the meat industry, if not more! I switched between outrage and tears that this horror goes on daily and most people either don't know or don't care. I was still processing my own beloved mom's death and dealing with painful memories of her suffering...I knew that I certainly didn't want to contribute to the suffering of another, and that included animals.
One might ask why I didn't just try to seek out "humanely raised" animal products. Well, I made the connection pretty easily - that there is no such thing. What is humane about using an animal, only to eventually slaughter him or her? And no matter how humanely my sweet friend treats her backyard chicken, that chicken can be traced to a male chick that was ground alive. I also knew that if I subscribed to the fallacy of eating "happy meat", there would be times that I would cave in, out of convenience and eat animal products that were abused in horrific factory farm conditions. It's all good and well to try and eat ethically, but how does one do that consistently? Going vegan and eating organic veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, grains, beans, and legumes seemed to make the most logical sense. I also believe eating this way is without a doubt kinder to our planet Earth and can help world hunger issues. It is well known that people in poorer nations starve while the grain and water that could sustain them is fed to animals for the greed of other wealthier populations. And contrary to popular belief, vegans can and do care about other causes in addition to the animals. That is why being vegan is so awesome - with the vote of my fork and my wallet, I can impact so many issues that I care about in the world!
That day in the smoothie shop was indeed a tipping point...I left with a vegan starter kit and vowed to give going vegan my best effort...for the animals, the planet, and people. I went home and got rid of the remaining dairy and egg products in my house. I checked out some really fun vegan cookbooks from the library. I watched Earthlings. And cried. I researched more info on animal rights issues and vegan nutrition. I felt highly motivated to learn all I could. I slowly started to give away my leather and wool items and replaced them with vegan items, as I could afford to. I read labels like nobody's business. Most importantly, I started listening to Colleen Patrick Goudreau's podcasts because I didn't know anyone who was vegan and I needed good information, inspiration, and support. Colleen definitely delivered and I still highly recommend her to anyone considering going vegan.
I was fortunate that my family offered to eat only vegan at home, so that I could really get my footing. When we ate out at restaurants they would order whatever they wanted. In time, however, they each went vegan too, without any pressure from me. They enjoyed the food and it really was like our world expanded...we were trying so many new things together. My young kids love animals and when they realized that is what they were eating previously, they just didn't want to anymore, especially when they tasted so many delicious alternatives.
Here we are six years later and I still say going vegan (at the age of 41, better late than never!) was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life. I have more energy than ever before, my health is great (as confirmed by physicals and blood panels too), and best of all is a sense of peace and joy in knowing I truly do walk my talk when I say I value life and love all creatures on this earth.
Yours in the JOY of LIVING vegan,
Tami
xoxo
What I eat when I need a quick healthy meal, FAST!
Monday, May 6, 2013
You know those times when you are SO HUNGRY that you know you might just grab the junkiest, most processed "food" around? Even when you committed to eating healthier? Well, as long as you have some fresh produce chillin' in your fridge, the solution is quick and easy...and delicious!
Begin with a green base. I used organic baby kale, which I love because it is so tender and much easier to chew than regular kale. Kale is a nutritional powerhouse, so it's a great base to use in a salad.
Next, add-in whatever fresh veggies you have on hand. The day I made this salad, I had some organic grape tomatoes, hass avocados, and hemp seeds. Last and very important, top it off with a dressing you adore. If you haven't found a dressing you adore, please allow me to introduce you to my favorite: Tessemae's Cracked Pepper Dressing. It is OUT OF THIS WORLD DELICIOUS and the ingredient list is so simple...and REAL: "Olive Oil, Organic Lemons, Organic Garlic, Mustard, Sea Salt, Cracked Pepper". It's like something I would make at home, yet perfect for those times when I am crunched for time. It totally makes this salad SING! I found it at my local Whole Foods, but you can also order it from the Tessemae's site. Try it...you'll LOVE it!
The other nice thing about using kale is that it won't go all wilty-limp on you from the dressing, so you can easily make kale salads for "on the go". So, there you have it...no excuses the next time you (or I) are famished. As long as we stock the produce, we can make a quick meal and feel great afterwards!
Yours in JOY of vegan eating!
Welcome to the World, Bleat!!
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
OH. MY. STARS!!!
Perhaps you've heard the buzz that 2013 is "The Year of the Vegan"... that is awesome, but I think it's going to buzz on much longer than a year...and I think it's much more than just a buzz also...it's a total world-wide transformation! And I think Bleat will have a lot to do with that. What's that? You say you don't know what Bleat is? Allow me to introduce you.
Dear Reader, Meet Bleat:
I was lucky enough to register & try out Bleat (the Beta version) a few days before it went live and instantly fell in love with it.
First, the design is gorgeous to look at. It is clean, modern, and inspiring. It feels good to be on Bleat.
Second, it is a heck of a lot of fun to use. It is user friendly and there are really cool people there already. Within minutes I was connecting with other like-minded people and I felt at home. I even received a positive personal comment from the founders - how cool is that?
Third, this is just the beginning. Whatever I am loving about Bleat right now, is only the tip of the carrot - there is so much more awesomeness headed our way!
So, today Bleat went LIVE to the world...and I checked my profile and already had 47 notifications waiting for me...from other like-minded people. Little old me, who just joined Bleat a few days ago and bleated a handful of things that spoke to me, and enthusiastically re-bleated a few more items, has already started making wonderful vegan connections! The vegan world grows larger today, but it also grows smaller, in the sense that we have all found a home to share! This is the start of something truly wonderful in the WORLD. Thank you, Bleat!
PS - Head over to http://ble.at/ to have a look about and create your own profile!
Be still my ♥!
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
As a VegNews subscriber and HUGE Moby fan, I find this photo of Moby reading "The Music Issue" whilst on his vacation quite EXCITING!! :D
I'm having a BOODAFUL little giveaway on my FB page...
Saturday, April 27, 2013
You might want to check it out...just sayin'...
Come on over to Joie de Vegan! on Facebook and "spread the love"!!
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