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In the world wide news.......

A Chinese dog-eating festival has been cancelled this year for the first time in centuries, due to massive public outcry.

By Hilary Pollack

In Qianxi, a town in China’s Zhejiang province, a more than 600-year-old dog-eating festival has been cancelled this year after thousands of people took to social media in protest of the event. The festival celebrates a historical military victory, during which all of the town’s dogs were killed and eaten in order to prevent them from barking and alerting the enemy. Since the battle, the yearly celebration has included the killing, skinning, and butchering of dogs in Qianxi’s streets. This year, hoards of Chinese internet users expressed their disgust for the event, leading to the government’s cancellation of the cruel fête. China has recently seen an increased sympathy for animals; dog ownership was banned during the Cultural Revolution, but animal-companionship rates have risen over the past few decades. source. www.vegnews.com

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With inspiration, attitude, and expertise, Tracye McQuirter, M.P.H., shows you how to be healthy, hippy, and happy by eating plenty of delicious and nutritious plant-based foods.

The first vegan food guide for African American women, the book includes:

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Is a vegan diet healthy?As with any diet, a vegan diet requires planning. However, when properly planned, a vegan diet can be considerably healthier than the traditional American diet.

In its 1996 position paper on vegetarian diets, the American Dietetic Association reported that vegan and vegetarian diets can significantly reduce one's risk of contracting heart disease, colon and lung cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes, kidney disease, hypertension, obesity, and a number of other debilitating conditions. Cows' milk contains ideal amounts of fat and protein for young calves, but far too much for humans. And eggs are higher in cholesterol than any other food, making them a leading contributor to cardiovascular disease.

Vegan foods, such as whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and beans, are low in fat, contain no cholesterol, and are rich in fiber and nutrients. Vegans can get all the protein they need from legumes (e.g., beans, tofu, peanuts) and grains (e.g., rice, corn, whole wheat breads and pastas); calcium from broccoli, kale, collard greens, tofu, fortified juices and soymilks; iron from chickpeas, spinach, pinto beans, and soy products; and B12 from fortified foods or supplements. With planning, a vegan diet can provide all the nutrients we were taught as schoolchildren came only from animal products.

 

Will I get enough protein? Virginia Messina, MPH, RD, and Mark Messina, PhD, recommend that vegans receive 0.4 grams of protein per day for every pound of healthy body weight. If a vegan consumes adequate calories and eats a variety of foods, it is very difficult not to get enough protein. This is true for athletes as well. One need not combine foods at each meal to get "complete protein."

The most important plant sources of protein are legumes, soy foods, and nuts. Grains and vegetables also contain significant amounts of protein. Eat a variety of protein sources throughout the day: e.g, a legume (such as beans, tofu, or peanuts) combined with a grain (such as rice, corn, or whole wheat breads or pastas).

 

B12? There has been much debate as to what plant foods supply an adequate source of B-12. Many products that were once thought to be adequate, such as tempeh, are no longer considered so. Fortunately, there are easy solutions for vegans. Vegetarian B-12 vitamin pills are available at most drug stores; the 'sub-lingual' form is preferable. In addition, some foods are fortified with B-12, including Red Star Nutritional yeast. We recommend that all vegans use one of these two methods to insure that they receive the proper amount of B-12.