swatiprakash

7 Reasons People are Choosing Adoption over Reproduction

We all talk about the world and its myriad problems caused due to the human condition. Could adoption be one of the major solutions for these issues? Here are some reasons people have for adopting children and pets rather than bringing more new children into the world.

It Feels Better: To have an opportunity to uplift and help another person, child or animal feels phenomenally better than to stay busy satisfying our own ever- increasing desires. When we rescue that stray animal who was dying on the streets with no food, water or shelter, or adopt and educate a beautiful child who has no family of her own, we know that we are living from our heart and doing what feels right.
Conscious Alternative to Fertility Clinics: Thanks to the overrated image of pregnant women as mothers, we have forgotten that motherhood or fatherhood is more about raising children than producing them. We all see IVF centers mushrooming everywhere and pharmaceutical or medical organizations make plenty of money promoting fertility clinics to help childless people have children of their own. Why would people prefer to spend that much time and energy trying to conceive when they could simply adopt and have a beautiful little person to share space and love with?
Spiritual Awakening: The reasons such as genetic urge to carry on your own bloodline or the need to keep up with highly valued social customs of reproduction are all illusory and insignificant for those who are awakened spiritually. We do not live our life as per outer rituals and systems any longer because we have discovered a far more valuable inner truth through spiritual realization, meditation and inner change. The mindless race of consumerism and material life is less important and having a better inner quality of life and love is more.
Solution for Homelessness: We all have seen the familiar homeless person in all our major cities, subways and streets. The poor person who is unable to afford the mortgage, loan or rent for property might have had a difficult childhood or no family to support him. When we provide a home to those children who face poverty in the world by opening our hearts to them, we reduce the chances they will end up struggling on the streets.
Population Control: We all know that the way our population seems to be growing, it could be impossible to look after all of us in the near future with just this one planet to live on. We can spend trillions of funds trying to discover and colonize new habitable planets, or we could be wiser and promote adoption that not only prevents over-population but also helps us look after the existing children of the world who actually need helping.
Animals Matter Too: Having our own biological children might seem to satisfy the reproductive urges of some people, but they probably have not tried having pets yet. Animal life is not less precious than human life, and pets are as loving and innocent as human children are. Having a pet can cure our reproductive cravings to a large extent by giving our maternal and paternal instincts an outlet in the form of unconditional love beyond our own species.
Solution to Poverty and Child Labor: In financially weaker nations it is common to see little children walking around on dangerously busy streets, begging for alms, or performing manual labor at construction sites and highways. If parents were encouraged not to have their own children unless they are capable of looking after their material needs and provide them a safe childhood, we could have a more conscious world. Until then we could at least encourage adoption of those children living in deplorable situations facing child abuse that is unthinkable to most of us.

August 25, 2018

11 Types of Foods to Avoid and Their Positive Replacements

Much of the foods cleverly packaged, branded, advertised and widely distributed in supermarkets can actually cause us tremendous harm. Even though we might see many people around us purchasing and consuming these everyday we should not assume that it is alright for us to follow suit. Most importantly, even though they may not always pose an immediate risk, over a period of time human society has, due to consumption of packaged products, been affected by ills of cancer, heart disease, high blood sugar, obesity, autism, mental and emotional illnesses, violence, dullness and stress. We have also brought a severe strain on our eco-system and threatened the life and wellbeing of other species with all the excess packaging and plastics that these foods lead to. Here are positive or ‘sattvic’ alternatives that are healthier for everyone including earth, to replace the common negative or ‘tamasic’ diet options that have been popular all around.

Canned foods and Ready Meals: Tinned beans, canned tomatoes, spinach, and all kinds of pre-cut, pre-cooked and packed meals that you can open and eat right out of the box or cans are regarded as ‘Tamasic’ or low-vibrational, toxic meals that can bring our spiritual energy and wellbeing down. Storing pre-cooked meals in the refrigerator overnight and for long hours, or on supermarkets shelves is also a cause for loss of ‘sattvic’ qualities in our foods. A much more ‘sattvic’ or positive vibrational alternative is to consume only fresh and whole foods that are cooked at home and eaten immediately after cooking.
Bottled Juices and Smoothies: Although they are widely marketed as healthy and ethical foods, juicing of fruits and bottling them for distribution and sale can cause a loss of positive vibrations making these products ‘tamasic’ and stale. The energetic value of fruits is best when eaten whole and especially when they are organically farmed without pesticides and chemical products. Fresh fruits are also readily available and require no processing making them ideal for busy people who do not wish to spend time cooking and juicing.
Fizzy Drinks and Diet Colas: Although we might reach out for fizzy drinks for quenching our thirst on a hot day, the truth is they have absolutely no nutritional benefits and provide an artificial feeling of cooling while artificial sweeteners such as saccharine and aspartame in diet colas are linked with cancer. The best alternative to thirst quenchers is a glass of clean water that you can easily have at home or work, and carry your own bottle while on the go.
White Breads and Refined Flour Pastas: Having a crisp toast or sandwich made with fluffy bread for breakfast, packaged biscuits or cakes for tea and shapely white pastas for dinner may not be as healthy for us as we thought. Due to refined flour, preservatives and additives used for most of these products, they are likely to impair our digestive systems if we consume them regularly. A much healthier alternative is to use traditionally milled whole-grain flour that contains the husk and fibres within and to prepare oven-fresh brown breads, biscuits, home-cut and dried pastas, home baked pizzas and easy to cook brown ‘rotis’ (flatbreads) within minutes at home without any unhealthy additives that packaged breads would normally contain.
Crisps and Cheesy Snacks: Reaching out for the easily available bag of crisps or nibbles is so very convenient when we feel a sudden hunger pang, even though we know it is not actually healthy for us. The artificial processing in factories, added salt, cheese powder and MSGs make these products ‘tamasic’ for us. Children fed on such foods on a regular basis are normally found to face more illnesses and developmental delays too. Instead of substituting these with alternative packaged foods, try wholesome and nutritive vegetables and fruits such as cucumber and banana which require no preparation and can be consumed on the go by children and adults alike.
Snack bars and Granola: Nutty and cereal bars packed with sugars, sweeteners and chocolate as well as preservatives might be marketed as great health-foods but they are obviously not so. When we need to carry a nutty snack to work or play, we can easily pack some whole organic nuts in a bag and carry them with us to supply all the protein and fibre that we need, minus added sugar, sweeteners or preservatives.
Packaged Cereals and Cornflakes: A box of cornflakes or muesli or some of the colourful or sugary cereals that we quickly pour out for our children and for ourselves each morning may not be the brightest way to begin our day. Due to the packaged nature of these products we end up eating sulphites and preservatives as well as excess sugar that can be easily avoided by consuming homemade cereal such as boiled oats, broken wheat with whole fruits and nuts, or toast some oats and nuts in our own oven and prepare our own crunchy muesli within minutes.
Ice-creams, Sweets and packed Desserts: Cool softies and tubs of ice-creams, colourful sweets and lollies have been heavily marketed to children all over the media and through the tempting sounds of ‘ice-cream vans’ that haunt every school building each day of summer. We all know that these sweets and frozen desserts are completely devoid of any nutritional value and contain mostly fluff, artificial colours and sugar. Avoid all the sweet junk by focusing on fresh, whole, organic fruits such as creamy avocados and juicy oranges that can be easily carried over to every playground whether school and home and give yourself and your children a healthier life.
Frozen Vegetables: Some people think that frozen vegetables contribute to the ‘pre-day’ requirements for a healthy vegan life. However frozen goods are just as ‘tamasic’ or negative in energy as canned or processed foods. Instead, purchase organic fresh vegetables from your local organic farmers who can either home-deliver or sell fresh seasonal produce at the farmers markets regularly, or reach out for the ‘organic fresh vegetable’ shelf when you go shopping everyday.
Meats and Poultry: Chicken, beef, mutton, fish, ham, eggs and virtually all dead meats are ‘tamasic’ in nature as their spiritual energy is dark as well as painful due to the way all animals are treated and killed for the purpose of consumption. Consuming fresh vegetables and fruits that do not kill the plant is much more natural and ethical, while being full of health benefits of ‘sattvic’ nature.
Dairy and Cheese: Just as meats and eggs can distress and kill animals, so does the dairy industry too. Instead of substituting your diet with vegan cheeses and packaged vegan milks which have been processed in factories and thereby ‘tamasic’, we can ideally eliminate our dependence on dairy and cheese altogether by training our mind to enjoy whole fruits and vegetables with water as the best ‘sattvic’ choice.

July 15, 2018

12 Eco Friendly Homemade Alternatives to Personal Care Products

We all know that personal care products such as shampoos and shower gels not only contain harsh chemicals but also harm our planet with excess plastic packaging. While eating healthy raw vegan foods and enjoying a meditation routine are the best way to ensure healthy body, skin and hair, through the power of consciousness we can use completely natural, homemade, organic, ethical, vegan and plastic-free products for personal care and do our bit to save the world, one day at a time… and save money too.

Body Wash and Scrub: A great homemade alternative that can be easily incorporated in our bath is ‘ubtan’ or a gentle paste of oatmeal or gram flour (besan) mixed with a little water, to which we can add a sprinkle of ground turmeric for its wonderful antiseptic qualities. As we apply and scrub our body with these all natural ingredients we feel relaxed, healed and cleansed at the same time.
Hair Wash: We may not need to search far and wide for shampoo alternatives. Going ‘poo’ free is easier when we can have all natural and organic Shikakai or hair-fruit, a few pieces of which added to warm water can give us a mild lathery and fragrant concoction for washing our hair. Herbal teas such as nettle and rosemary can make excellent rinses for the hair too.
Detergent: Laundry can smell wonderful and be really clean with a small muslin bag of soapnuts (reetha) tossed into your bucket or washing machine.
Hair Conditioner: All those expensive brands of conditioners can be easily replaced with pure and natural organic oils such as coconut oil, olive oil or gooseberry (amla) oil which can be lightly applied to the hair follicles before washing to result in clean as well as balanced hair.
Skin Care: Our skin loves the feeling of fruit pulp such as organic avocado which can give most skin creams a run for their money. Expensive brands or beauty parlors may not be necessary; mashed banana applied on the skin with cucumber slices on our eyes can make a great home based beauty treatment. Most natural organic vegan oils such as coconut oil can bless our skin with moisture and that nourished feeling.
Ear Cleaning: Ear buds are terrible for they push wax back into our ear canals to block our ear drums causing infections and the plastic in them is unhelpful to the environment too. Simply add a drop or two of olive oil in your ear canal and leave it in for a few minutes before repeating this for the next ear so that within a few days the excess wax is released naturally.
Hair Color: Harsh bleaches and chemical dyes in our hair color and treatments are not only expensive but also damaging to our health in the long run. A homemade paste of organic henna leaf powder with a bit of water can be easily applied all over our hair and washed off after an hour for a gentle and natural color that is easy on the eyes and leaves the hair soft with a beautiful natural fragrance.
Mouthwash: Fluoridated and alcohol based mouthwashes can be harmful in the long run. A small piece of cinnamon bark can cleanse the mouth effectively with its anti-microbial action. You can also boil it in water and cool it to prepare a fresh home-made mouthwash in minutes. Chewing a pod of cardamom can freshen breath in an instant without any of the sugars or plastic of chewing gums or lozenges.
Teeth Cleaner: While toothpastes without fluoride and sulfates can be hard to find, we can try to cleanse our teeth with a home made paste of powdered cinnamon and clove. Chewing a neem bark or ‘dantun’ as a natural toothbrush has germ repellent effects. Chewing a clove can be extremely effective in warding off tooth aches too.
Skin Detox: Acne, eczema and skin problems can be easily remedied at home with the help of neem leaves, a few of which boiled in water, strained and cooled can be added to bath for an effective skin detox. A paste of neem leaves can cleanse and purify skin as a face pack. Herbs such as basil, lavender and chamomile are not only great as herbal teas, they can also be great for skin care when added to bath for a fragrant and chemical free spa experience at home.
Lip Color: Wax, chemicals and plastic in lipsticks can be harmful for the skin and environment. Organic dragon’s blood tree sap or ink can actually be healing for our skin as well as provide a beautiful red or pink tint at the same time. Lip gloss can be easily made at home using by grinding and straining beet juice and adding a bit of coconut oil to it which can even be solidified.
Perfume and Sprays: Highly devoured brands of fragrances and body sprays not only cost much more than they are actually worth, they might have artificial fragrances and harmful ingredients too. Simple and pure essential oils that can be safely dabbed on to our clothes include lavender, geranium, rose, patchouli and many more. Essential oils such as peppermint, citronella and eucalyptus can also be sprayed or diffused in rooms for deodorizing and repelling insects sans chemicals.

June 10, 2018

15 Common Addictions and Healthier Alternatives

We all have felt these common cravings to some or the other extent in our lives, and these can easily turn into addictions if not conquered through consciousness. Here are 15 ways of transforming them to healthier alternatives:

Cakes and Sweets: While a bit of sweet treats every now and then would not ordinarily harm anyone, cakes and sweets can be highly addictive and unhealthy in the long run due to excessive fat and sugar content proven harmful for our heart and overall wellbeing. What our body is actually looking for is energy and a positive feeling of comfort. Juicy fruits make for a delicious alternative by supplying us 100% natural sugar and desirable nutrients to keep us radiantly healthy.
Breads and Chips: Cravings for pastas, biscuits, crispy fried snacks and carbohydrate rich foods is an indication that we need a feeling of a full tummy. However the excess gluten and heavy calories can easily show up on the waistline, in digestive discomfort and on the health of our skin. A healthy substitue are raw or sautee organic vegetables and crispy salads that provide natural fibre minus the excess calories to keep us feeling full as well as aid healthy digestion with a glowing effect on the skin.
Hot Curries and Spices: Our taste buds certainly seem to feel excited, but it is often the result of burning sensations and not really the flavours that your body actually desires, not to mention the acidity and upset moods that follow. A great way to add the flavour to our diet are vegetable soups laced with natural herbs such as sage, basil, parsley, cumin, rosemary and tarragon and that are soothing yet yummy and good for our tummy.
Icecreams and Fizzy Drinks: Excellent advertising and marketing through the decades has most of us thirsting and craving for sodas and ice, especially in dry and hot weather. Not only do they have poor nutritional value, they can harm our throat and stomach too. A much more satisfying substitution is found in water as well as homemade drinks and coolers such as watermelon, minty lime or lemon water and fresh berries to quench, cleanse and purify our system.
Tea and Coffee: Some of the most addictive substances are our daily cups of tea and coffee which are hard to let go of at times inspite of the nicotine and caffeine that can be harmful despite the engineered marketing claims of health benefits and research often promoted by industrial cartels. Herbal teas or Tisanes including home made concoctions such as ginger, lemon, nettle, lemongrass, hibiscus, peppermint, chamomile, dandelion and more are delightful alternatives to our daily requirement of hot beverages for healing and detoxification.
Juices and Concentrates: Contrary to what we might have believed juices brought over the counter are not usually healthy as they are often filtered and diluted to remove fibre and containing concentrated sugars or even artificially sweetened at times. Keep all the fibre and pulp in, minus the sweeteners with homemade smoothies prepared with a combination of vegetables and fruits such as spinach, cucumber, kale, grapes, beet and avocado that can be prepared in less than five minutes.
Smokes and Alcohol: Whether tobacco or other herbs or drinks that claim to provide a high, what we are really seeking is mental peace and destressing. Avoid cancerous and addictive substances by simple breathing techniques to take in fresh, clean air with yoga and meditation for stress relief. Aromatherapy with essential oils can be an excellent alternative too with therapeutic effects on the mind, body and soul.
Music, Movies and Telly: Constantly being plugged into gadgets for entertainment can be stressful for our third-eye as it blocks our inner creative vision and inner music from higher dimensions. Clear away thought pollution and noise in the head with simple habits of good restful sleep, noting down your dreams, receptivity and intuition training and meditative states to sharpen our inner senses. This way we can also develop extended sensory perceptions and lucid dreaming skills for awakening our consciousness.
Social Media and Gossip: Chatting with friends, sharing updates and exchanging sweet pleasentries is one thing, while being unable to spend a single moment alone or with loved ones who we are responsible for due to addiction to socialising and social media is another. What we are actually seeking is a loving connection with the universe and this can be found through heart-centered meditation and compassion practice, family activities or through social work and volunteering for good causes.
Looks and Popularity: We all like looking beautiful and receiving compliments, but an obsession with outer beauty, selfies, cosmetics, clothing or style can sometimes be at the expense of not allowing the real substance of the soul to shine through our natural face and natural body. Detach from false admirers and envious eyes by focusing on your inner talents, true or real friends, supportive and positive relations who bring our our true inner worth and through self-development at an integral level.
Money and Status: Whether through the next big car, house, designer labels or vacation we sometimes entangle ourselves with the illusion of materialism promoted steadily by some moviestars, celebrities and business tycoons. We can stop wasting our precious resources on meaningless things and start working on our inner and true resources by discovering our soul purpose, inner power and spiritual wealth that is the mark of true abundance that grows when shared.
Daydreaming and Fantasy: It is indeed healthy for our inner child to have a good imagination and to create fantasies in our mind, yet an excess of this can have us ungrounded and be a sign of inner depression or being stuck in unfulfilled dreams that float in our subconscious for a long time. Past regression for discovering our suppressed memories from earlier years or even past lives can help heal these issues or traumas that are at the core of our subconscious.
Religious Fixation: Cultures, religion and mythology are great subjects to delve into so that we can expand our mind, but a fixation on any limited belief system can make us judgemental or even fundamentalistic if we are unable to accept various points of view and stay open to learning. We can fulfil our search for truth and justice minus the indoctrination by learning about nature and karmic laws and make peace with the universe through understanding and love.
Occult Power: We all love to have power over our reality, but it may be unhealthy if we are obsessed with the occult and seek to control others or their minds through our ego-centrism. The illusion of me versus others is broken through an expansion of consciousness through self-realization so that we realize our inheret unity and see our own reflection in all people and things in the world to bring about compassionate awareness.
Sex and Sensuality: We all need a healthy sensual experience of life for accepting joy and for balanced romantic relationships, yet an excessive focus on sexuality can be a sign of past repression, lack of inner joy and even depression. Let go of dependency with inner love and joyful creative activities such as music, yoga and arts to express the sacral chakra energy more beneficially instead of draining out all your power so that the kundalini or inner energy ascends to higher levels of consciousness without being repressed or blocked.

May 16, 2018

Eight Easy Ways to Reduce Plastic Everyday

Plastic, short for pliable elastic, was invented in 1907 and contained no molecules of nature whatsoever, making it hazardous to the environment as it does not biodegrade like other natural substances. Within just a few decades plastic has managed to pollute our planet to a great degree by being falsely marketed to us as an inescapable part of our daily life. Little do we realize that plastic was popularized only in the 1960s and many of us had relatively plastic free childhoods. Here are some easy ways we can return to a greener lifestyle.

Bring Your Own Bottle: We instinctively buy a can or bottle of juice or water when we feel thirsty outside but this habit can cost us our planet. Cans and bottles used in packaging beverages account for a majority of our plastic waste all over the world. According to this Greenpeace report on plastic, of the 480 billion plastic beverage bottles sold in 2016 alone, less than half were collected for recycling, and of that only 7 percent was turned into new plastic.. We can easily change our one behavior pattern and save the world, and our money, by simply carrying a durable and long lasting bottle of water from home whenever we set out.
No Unnecessary Disposables: We do not really need straws to sip liquids. Similarly we do not always require disposable shopping bags if we simply carry a spare bag with us. Electric razors could reduce plastic waste as compared to disposable razors. We could use cardboard applicators instead of plastic ones for tampons. Disposable plastic cups, spoons and stirrers can easily be replaced with regular mugs and durable cutlery. Better still, having our coffee at home could be great for our health, wallet and for the environment than cafes that serve us in disposable plastic.
Go Micro-bead Free: Fine plastic beads in our toothpastes, exfoliating scrubs, shower gels, face wash and other cosmetic or personal care products are likely to be commercial gimmicks that are neither very helpful to our health nor good for our environment. As they go down the drain they contaminate our water bodies such as rivers and oceans threatening life and health by entering our food chain. According to this shocking report on micro-plastics, 80 percent of tap water all over the world is contaminated, Simply do not purchase products containing micro-beads.
Eco-friendly Grocery: While ordinary supermarkets have been selling plastic packaged food items, we also have fantastic organic farmers that home deliver fruits and vegetables to us in eco-friendly boxes and paper bags, as well as green grocers who sell whole foods without plastic bags and boxes. We can also use our own shopping trolley and say no when offered plastic bags at checkout. Reducing pre-packaged food in our diet is also great for our health as our bodies love fresh and raw produce. Eating fresh would also reduce the need for storing foods in plastic bags and zippers in the fridge.
Beware of Hidden Sources of Plastic: Many people are surprised to know that some of the things we consume everyday, such as teabags and chewing gum may contain plastic which could be hazardous for health. Using a tea-strainer with loose tea, especially herbal infusions and getting rid of the chewing gum habit could be healthier and more eco-friendly.
Alternatives to Plastic Packed Toiletries: Most of us find it convenient to use plastic packaged washing products, however paper wrapped soap bars could minimize our dependence on plastic bottles, while natural alternatives such as Shikakai and Reetha (Soap Nuts) are considered great for hair and can also be sealed in a muslin cloth and tossed with our clothing in the washing machine for cleaning and a wonderful aroma in our linen too. Natural homemade products such as avocado pulp cream, banana mash face pack, olive oil for hair can be good alternatives to packaged brands.
Be Natural: By having a simple, minimalist and spiritual lifestyle we can reduce our overall consumption of unnecessary cosmetics, hair products, plastic gadgets such as hair dryers, personal care brands and other lifestyle products that rely heavily on plastic packaging. By loving our natural hair, skin and healthy body and using less plastic we not only enhance our well being but make our planet more beautiful from within and outside.
For Babies and Children: Many parents are trying cloth nappies instead of disposable ones, not only to save up on their expenses but also to reduce non-biodegradable waste as disposable nappies or diapers do contain plastic. Similarly glitter used in crafts and many stationery products such as pens and glue-sticks may contain plastic, the usage of which we can keep to a minimum by using pencils, eco-friendly glue and stationary. Many eco-conscious parents try to buy wooden toys instead of the common plastic ones for their children.

May 11, 2018

Can There Be a Healthy Diet that Does not Kill?

Most people in the western world have grown up in an environment so rich in meats and animal products that the concept of not killing to eat is almost alien. However, those of us who have lived in India and walked through the streets where vegetables are sold all around, find it absolutely normal to have a vegetarian diet that contains no meat or eggs whatsoever.

The food industry in USA and other leading western countries has been highly dependent on sale of meat and dairy rich items. A lot of research seems to be ‘targeted’ at somehow proving that vegan and vegetarian diets might be ‘nutritionally deficient’ and might even pose a ‘health risk’ stating that meats and dairy items contain more protein, vitamin B12 and calcium. These researches do not mention that an excess of any vitamin, protein or mineral can be harmful and our consumption of meat rich or dairy rich foods need to be controlled due. Can we always be certain that the intention of research studies to discourage vegan diet, is not motivated by fear of change and financial reasons especially that of the meat and poultry intensive businesses who would want to maintain their commercial success?

Even by a simple observation we can see that severe health issues such as heart disease and cancer are linked with our modern lifestyle that includes factory processed, excessively fried and meat or dairy rich diet. Clearly we all need a diet that does not kill us.

At the same time we can see the significant pain we are putting animals through simply to feed our human population merely because of our habits and taste which can simply be transformed through time and effort for a very positive cause of animal welfare. As an intelligent and evolved specie, we can easily adapt to a diet that does not kill others and tastes absolutely delicious too.

Spiritual humans are likely to take on vegetarian and vegan diets for some very important reasons:

Compassion: Those who meditate and develop compassion are less likely to want to kill or harm other beings for the sake of their own health or survival. Such individuals try to research and use their intuition in discovering diets that cause as less harm as possible, for example consuming plants and plant based foods. Plants naturally release their ripe fruits and regrow their leaves and stems once harvested. Consuming vegetables and fruits causes significantly less harm than consuming animals who lose their life once killed for food. Vegans also wish to not harm cattle and poultry by respecting the needs for freedom and health for all specie and not just humans.
Health: Meditation is all about observing yourself. By observing their body and their own reactions to various foods through meditative living, those who are on the spiritual path are more likely to discover what suits them through personal intuition instead of merely following the often biased research statistics. We might find that our stomach and overall body reacts much better to juicy fruits and vegetables than meat or dairy rich foods processed in factories. We also experience more relaxation in our bodies and our minds leading to healthier life. Plant based foods are naturally high in fibre and help us require less intake of food than what we need, as well as keep our digestive system clean and clear. Plants contain plenty of vitamins and minerals and carbohydrates, less harmful fats and a good amount of water that helps us feel naturally healthy and abundant with energy.
Environment: Growing plants and trees for fruits and vegetables is great for our planet and seems to puts less stress on our resources than the meat and poultry industry. We all can do with more oxygen, soil, water and more food for the world and switching to a plant intensive diet helps us in going green and conserving our natural resources. Significantly less land is needed to grow plants than to feed cattle. When we promote plant foods we are likely to reduce global warming rather than cause more of it through harmful gases released by cattle farming. Increasing our consumption and hence demand of fruits, nuts and vegetables, especially organically grown without harmful pesticides or chemicals, is a great way to protect our world from global warming and industrial pollution.

Some of the reasons vegan diet in particular has been criticised are:

Proteins: Those who claim that plant based diets are not rich in protein are not considering that most vegetarians consume legumes such as dal, nuts, peas, beans and other protein rich foods such as broccoli to a substantial quantity in foods.
Calcium: It is not just milk but green leafy vegetables that are a significant source of calcium in our diet.
Iron: Women especially require healthy amounts of iron in diet, and these can be found easily in vegan foods.
Omega 3 fatty acids: Plant based sources of this nutrient are equally or more effective than fish based.

4. Vitamin B12: Neither plants nor animals are capable of independently producing Vitamin B12 which is only created by bacteria found in the digestive system. Vitamin B12 is excreted out of our bodies and not required in high quantities. Supplements and fortified foods are rich vegan sources of Vitamin B12.

5. Vitamin D: The only way of obtaining this vitamin seems to be through daily exposure to natural sunlight or through supplements and fortified vegan foods.

Looks like it is absolutely possible to remain healthy without killing ourselves or others!

November 24, 2017

Five Super-Easy Ways To Go Eco-Friendly

You do not necessarily need to rush to an eco-friendly store and buy a lot of ‘eco-friendly’ products in order to start living a more eco-friendly life. Sometimes simplification can be the easy way to natural living. Living a healthier life on a healthy planet is possible right now with these simple daily initiatives that each of us can adopt without much ado.

Always carry a large foldable bag or a smart looking big bag when you go shopping. Not only will you save money in buying new bags at last minute, you will also do nature a favour by reducing the demand and usage of plastic which indirectly helps a LOT in reducing overall plastic manufacturing. Say no to the cashier when he or she offers you a plastic bag. You will certainly look much smarter without those ugly plastic bags in both your hands.
Is your shopping list full of processed foods that are packed in boxes, bottles, cartons, cans and plastic covers? If you are interested in a quick meal and used to buying ready packaged foods, you will find that in the same or lesser amount of cash you can enjoy delicious fruits and salad vegetables that can simply be washed and eaten without much cooking or spicing. Not everyone is lucky to have a garden or allotment space to grow your own foods as often as you can. Why not try to buy more fresh and healthy raw foods from your local grocers and give your body as well as the planet a health boost? Ditch your processed foods section in your supermarket and head to the fresh food store instead.
Go easy on your makeup and personal care products. The natural look is not only much more attractive, it is also a life-saver for our eco-system simply because all these chemical based products we use on our body and skin can damage our environment and not just our health. We can reduce the risks of various cancers and allergies while enjoying the fresh feeling of beautiful and healthy skin, no matter what our colour. Allow your inner radiance to shine through.
Get your news online and the lesser and more positive, the better. Huge amounts of trees are cut to manufacture papers even to this day. We still find people reading papers while commuting and at home when all they are filling their mind with is news about violence, accidents and murders that are of no personal relevance most of the time. The only people benefitting from these papers are advertisers who draw attention to purchase whatever we do not really require. The more negativity we read, the more we attract because what goes into our head also projects out as our reality. Instead, try being more choosy and get your news only as and when really needed online, and go easy on your ad exposure.
Keep separate bins for separate types of trash for recycling and composting. Many families have just one large bin at home for all kinds of trash that cannot be recycled even though their local government allows recycling and waste segregation. You can have a much cleaner environment both at home and outside and save the planet which you live on, simply by using differently coloured and labelled bins for different types of trash. Your home will look and feel better as a result too. If your local authorities have not introduced recycling you can form a group and encourage people to create a movement and motivate the relevant authorities through people power.

August 16, 2017

Songs of the Self

If you love the poetic words on this blog you might want to own a copy of this book where you can read these at leisure and feel the connection with love and light at any time.

January 26, 2017

The Timeless Truth

Who are we and why are we here? This little book is intended to raise awareness through messages from the higher Self, the unlimited part of us which is beyond the restrictions of time and space. Let the sacred voice of the inner self unite all of us into the One being.

January 25, 2017

The Global Spiritual Revolution

What is it that the world needs the most today and always? Is spiritual awareness not the one thing that can change everything for the better? Explore these ideas about a new global spirituality that is taking over the world today. Learn about the five sacred elements of nature that have been honored in the east and west in the form of earth, water, fire, air and spirit. A multi-religious approach based on the law of karma – to Harm None, explained in detail through the three-fold law of karmic return. Learn about the ways to banish negativity and manifest positive energy through exercises and techniques involving the five elements as connected through our thoughts, intentions, emotions and physical actions with the divine guidance of the higher self or Spirit at each step in alignment with out intuition.

January 24, 2017

Author: swatiprakash

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