Thursday, May 31, 2012

Vegan Diets - The Right Way To Cut Costs On A Vegan Diet?


Healthy Salad
Harmonie Serving Bowl
by Daniel Turbin

Vegan diets are the most nutritious on earth, and usually the most nutritionally balanced. Vegans have long determined the benefits of avoiding animal products in their food, as well as staying away from most of the impacts that eating animal products can have on the human body. A lot of nutritionists and nutritional scientists are vegan because they are informed concerning their food choices and realize this is the only diet that can prevent and even reverse multiple lifestyle illnesses. Vegan meals do not have to be salad, there is a wide, and different array of fruits, vegetables and grains that can lead to a filling and far tastier diet than any omnivore meal can provide.

Vegans have always been called hippy, kooks, animal lovers, and all kinds of derogatory terms used by individuals who do not comprehend the lifestyle. It is not different than any other lifestyle apart from there is conscious thought put in to the nutritional value of anything that passes the vegan's lips. Many will utilize money as a reason, but a savvy vegan can spend less than $30 a week on food that includes every nutritional daily need healthily, and tastily. Vegan diets have been known to have so many advantages for the body, as well as the environment around.

Even though a vegan lifestyle will require forfeiting any form of animal made clothing, decoration, as well as harm as well as food, individuals who are simply nutritionally conscious can still have a vegan diet and wear leather. Vegan vs vegetarian diets are different only to the level of animal produce which they avoid. A vegetarian may still consume dairy and egg products, and despite the fact that they will see some of the benefits by cutting out meat making up for that by taking too much dairy can be just as bad for your overall health as not being vegetarian at all. With any diet it is all about balance.

Vegan recipes can usually be thought to involve nothing but salad. However, the human body cannot survive on lettuce alone so it is important to cover all the nutritional bases. Recipes including tofu, tempeh, or seitan often have omnivores making retching noises however they are not a requirement in any recipe to be a functional vegan. Grains such as quinoa actually supply the complete protein the body needs without the saturated fat and cholesterol that meat would. Almond and soy milks usually contain just as much or even more calcium than dairy milk with substantially less sugar. Substituting vegan onions in conventional recipes mean that countless vegans do not feel that they are missing out on their favorite foods in any way. Vegan diet recipes are in absolutely no way bland.

Vegan diet benefits have always been known to have health effects. The money that you may devote in addition on your food products is truly coming out of your healthcare spending later in life. Vegans evade many lifestyle diseases by simply their choice of food. With vegan diets weight loss is practically effortless as it is hard to overdo fats and processed sugars ingestion when consuming a plant based whole foods regimen. Vegan weight loss has been properly documented, but most discard it because they do not want to make such a drastic change. To be exact, you could have your cake and eat it too however only if it's vegan. There is lots of question concerning vegan low carb diets, though it is extremely difficult to eat such because all vegetables have carbohydrates in them.

Fresh Fruit



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Last Chance for Artisan Market...Shoptobegreen Live

by Katy Green
http://www.shoptobegreen.com/


We must say farewell and a green goodbye to Shoptobegreen's weekly presence at the Artisan Market ArtBridge in Scottsdale, AZ tonight Thursday, May 31st from 6:00 - 9:30 pm. For more information click here.


If you are planning to attend the Artisan Market ArtBridge this evening mention this post and you will be automatically entered to win a WWI/WWII Button Ring or a Fork Bracelet!



Don't wait another minute to view Shoptobegreen products live and in person!

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Travel Photography: Nature In The USA

by Amos Navarro

Photographers, novice and specialist alike, can make a summer time road trip straight into an exhilarating and demanding picture possibility. Scenic national parks during the entire continental United States give wildlife and landscaping vistas not found any place else. Additionally, if you're actually looking carefully, the wonders of nature can be obtained of all roads and freeways.

Chance is abundant for great pictures in Glacier National Park, for example. This area has been formed by glaciers and stays in the primitive condition for the most part. Only one road crosses the Park. Bears, wolves, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, deer, elk and moose will be the larger carnivores who label this Park home. Numerous habitats provide conditions for the selection of plant and animal life, therefore making a distinctive environment not equaled any place else in the nation.

Late June and July delivers chance for an amazing wild flower present that can thrill photography enthusiasts. Some short roads (similar to trails) bring about trail heads that one can navigate to obtain the fields of flowers through the park. Some outside roads in addition provide this chance. Autumn brings the blasting colors that mark the advantage of nature's altering seasons. And photographers enjoy blasting color.

Morning hours shots of wildlife grazing are available for early risers. Traveling Going-To-The-Sun Road (one which crosses the park) and taking some of the offshoot roads leads you to grazing areas. Right now there is also potential for pictures that combine wildlife and wildflowers, a really incredible display of nature's splendor.

Various other photography ops in national parkland include things like Bryce Canyon, also formed by glaciers and also the Grand Staircase in Escalante, New Mexico. Arizona and Utah offer Monument Valley and its particular grand rock formations that have been formed by wind and water erosion. Yellowstone National Park would have been a national favorite for countless years in the future.

Our national parks are probably the many amazing on earth.


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Saturated And Unsaturated Fatty Acids - What Are They?


Saturated And Unsaturated Fatty Acids - What Are They?


by Prince Eric

Unless you live the life of a hermit or are very diet conscious, the probabilities are we will be ingesting a good deal of saturated and unsaturated fatty acid. Conventional wisdom has it that as far as food intake goes, unsaturated fatty acids are far better than saturated fatty acids. So what are saturated and unsaturated fatty acids and which food consists of saturated fat and which consists of the unsaturated? To live a healthy life we will need to learn the answers to these simple concerns.

Saturated Fat Or Fatty Acid


Initially let us take a look at saturated fat. Saturated fatty acid is a kind of fat that contains triglycerides which contain only saturated fatty acids. These fatty acids have no double bonds between the individual carbon atoms of the fatty acid chain. This leads to the chain of carbon atoms to develop into fully saturated with hydrogen atoms. Different saturated fatty acids can have distinctive number of carbon atoms, varying from 3 up to 36. Fatty acids usually have a variety of proportions of saturated and unsaturated fat. Foods that are high in saturated fat may be from animal or vegetable fats. Foods that have a high proportion of saturated fat from animal fats are:


- cream, -butter, -cheese, -ghee, -suet and -lard -as well as fatty meats.


Those Vegetable fats which have high content of saturated fats are:


-coconut oil, -palm kernel oil, -chocolate and so on.


Unsaturated Fat Or Fatty Acid


Unsaturated fat or fatty acid has no less than one double bond within the fatty acid chain. It is called monounsaturated if it consists of a single double bond and polyunsaturated if it consists of more than one double bond. The formation of double bonds eliminates the hydrogen atoms. For that reason, saturated fatty acids, which contain no double bonds has the maximum quantity of hydrogen atoms boned to the carbon. In metabolism, unsaturated fat molecules contain lesser calories than a comparable amount of saturated fat. Having said that, unsaturated fats are prone to rancidity and may trigger food poisoning. Antioxidants can protect unsaturated fat from becoming rancid. Examples of foods containing unsaturated fats are:


- avocado, -nuts and vegetable oils including canola and olive oils. -Meat products contain a mixture of both saturated and unsaturated fatty acids.


Saturated Vs. Unsaturated Fats - Health Comparison


Now that we know what saturated and unsaturated fatty acids are, we can compare them from the wellness angle. Analysis has shown that by replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fatty acids in our diets, assists in lowering cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels in blood. Having said that it is actually pertinent to note that trans-unsaturated fat really should be avoided as it enables fat molecules to form plaque deposits in our blood vessels. Although unsaturated fatty acid is thought of to be safer it must not be consumed in unlimited amounts. The US FDA has recommended that a maximum of 67 grams of unsaturated fat is the upper limit in a 2000 calorie diet. This is roughly about 30% on the daily intake of calories. The saturated fat intake has to be limited to 10% of day-to-day calorie intake and in high risk groups it is actually restricted to 7%.




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Monday, May 21, 2012

Tape Worms and Pork...Monsters Inside your Brain?

by Katy Green
www.shoptobegreen.com

Tape Worms and Pork...Monsters Inside your Brain?
Wash Hands
health.state.mn.us
You may have heard of tapeworms entering the brain as result of eating under-cooked pork... not to freak you out about the tainted stories of meat... according to Huffington Post and Ecorazzi it is possible to get tapeworms that eat into your brain.


Tape Worms and Pork...Monsters inside your Brain?
Always was your Hands

No, this not a B horror movie article ... the Shoptobegreen bloggers don't want to scare you but we make an effort to check our facts and we take time to verify all credible and questionable sources before we hit the publish button ...so continue reading before you viral the article or discard all of your meat (organic meat is not immune to this type of thing either..)

Brain tapeworms aka neurocysticercosis (also Cysticercosis according to the CDC) produce larvae that can latch themselves onto the cranium in the form of large white cysts. Larvae travels through a pig’s bloodstream and attaches to its muscles. Okay so it's in the pig but it may be harmful to you if you eat pork that contains the larvae cysts (not from under-cooked pork but you should never under cook pork).

In addition, the pig has to be infected in order for this to occur (source US National Library of Medicine).  Also according to the CDC, larval cysts infect brain, muscle, or other tissue, and are a major cause of adult onset seizures in most low-income countries.

Seizures are a posisble symptom from Neurocysticercosis

Furthermore, if you work with animals you have a higher chance of contracting tape worms  - if you are in contact with animal stools or with contaminated water which again is more common in certain areas of Latin America, Asia, and Africa that have poor sanitation and free-ranging pigs raised with access to human feces.


Temperature for Cooking Food
We are NOT saying that all meat sold in the USA is always safe either. 

According to multiple sources there has been an increase in Pediatric Cysticercosis and  Neurocysticercosis  - contaminated food which is occasionally eaten in the United States. For example, a person with poor hygiene who is an asymptomatic tapeworm carrier might accidentally contaminate food while preparing it for others (tapeworms may also be brought into the country from someone who travels or is relocating to America unbeknownst to the host).

Main point....observe all precautionary measures when handling, cooking or serving meat of any kind.

If you need guidance on how to cook meat properly, click here.

Or you could go Vegan but that is not 100% contamination free either...always wash your vegetables and if questionable don't eat it.

Dear Shoptobegreen Friends:
Always research anything you read and if you don't have time send us a comment and we will do our best to research it for you for FREE! Why, because we care!
Sincerely, Katy Green

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Moms are Amazing Every Day!

by Kathy Green
www.shoptobegreen.com

Amazing Moms

I think Mother's Day is great but Mom's are amazing every day so this shoptobegreen Mom is Special Every Day article to anyone who would love to celebrate in honor of their Mon but is not able to be present on that special day or who wants to show Mom love on any day.

Why should we show appreciation for Moms across America on one day only...what about the other important days in her life? 

The milestones or monumental moments that made Mom truly happy like when you were born or her anniversary or her birthday or any day that is special to her...why celebrate for only one day.???

If your Mom is no longer with you on this planet - you can celebrate in her honor or show gratitude to other Moms in your family or Moms you  know...appreciation is a wonderful gift that is valuable on any day which results in positive karma for you and the universe.

We have created a list of earth-friendly activities for you and your Mom!

Vintage Art
Hiking Couple

Adventure Moms Unite:
  • Outdoor Mom's will love hiking the trails with friends and family, enjoy fresh air and exercise. Country Walkers and Trek America offer more than maps and pretty pictures...they guide you the entire process from touring the world to hiking across the USA.
Vintage Picnic Art Scene

Park Moms are Groovy:

Change Your Life Ride a Bike

Motorcycle Mamas may be Cool but Bicycle Moms are Hip:
Pioneer Women Leading the Trail

Pioneer Moms are so Green:
Victorian Style and Dress

Victorian Moms are Fantastic:
Happy Mother's Day and we wish all Moms Happiness Every Day!

Monday, May 7, 2012

Shoptobegreen in the News...A treasure chest of Organicopia!

by Katy Green
www.shoptobegreen.com


Shoptobegreen Pop Up Market

My favorite quote "Act Locally Think Globally" and we are so excited to share our "Shoptobegreen In the News" update.

Shoptobegreen.com was recently featured in the Arizona Member Spotlight section of Local First Arizona News.. posted by Erica (no last name). Eric reported, "Shop to be Green is a treasure chest loaded with products intended to help us move toward a more earth-friendly lifestyle – one small step at a time."...what a great quote! Click here for more on the Shoptobegreen article.

We are so proud!

Check out www.shoptobegreen.com website and check out Shoptobegreen Pop Up Store events schedule.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Top 5 Romantic Green Excursions for 2012!

by Katy Green
www.shoptobegreen.com


Beach at Harmony Hotel,
Nosara, Costa Rica
Yes, at times there may too much green and not enough romance if you know what I mean...wink..wink.

I'm sure you are wondering where this is going but honestly, juggling kids, working and staying eco-conscious is a full time job ...where is the romance?

Every woman deserves romantic moments and what could be better if you can incorporate earth friendly romantic activities so partners...pay attention!

Thinking of somewhere to go with rekindle your green fire with your partner or a perfect eco-honeymoon...look no further...

Shoptobegreen Top 5 Romantic Eco-Destinations for 2012!
 
 Costa Rica is one of the most popular countries to visit in Central America. Pristine beaches, volcanos, great food, tons of nature activities and ..only 5 hours via plane. Harmony Hotel is sustainable living and eco-friendly hotel, for more click here. Green Alert: Harmony Hotel as an on-site vegetable and herb garden...green eureka!


Jungle Bay Ecolodge Resort and Spa, Dominica

2. Jungle Bay Eco lodge Resort and Spa, Dominica
Rejuvenate your mind, body, spirit and passion for each other and the earth. Jungle Bay is the brainchild of Dominican born property developer & sustainable development activist Samuel "Sam" Raphael. According to the Jungle Bay website,  the focus is on enjoyable nature-based activities and wellness of guests with quality service, guided by the principles as set by both National Geographic Center for Sustainable Destinations and The International Eco tourism Society (TIES).


3. Gaia Napa Valley Hotel, American Canyon, California
Not into flying out of the country wish to be more local....this 130 room resort is called the "greenest hotel in the US". No beaches but located in beautiful Napa Valley...wine country and they are know for their world class spa.


The Sun Ranch Lodge, Madison Valley Montana

4. The Sun Ranch, Madison Valley, Montana
Known going over the top to reduce their carbon footprint and conserving wildlife corridors and diverse eco-systems in Madison Valley. Sun Ranch is situated on 26,000 acres of land managed by "real life" cowboys who tend to more than 1,500 head of cattle. The recently renovated lodge consists of six rooms and two private cabins, all with breathtaking views of the valley. Horseback ride, fly-fish in trout-laden streams, go on a naturalist-led hike or paddle or relax and enjoy the natural beauty of Montana.

Miraval Villas, Arizona

5. Miraval Arizona Resort & Spa, Tucson, Arizona
I would be a dimwod if I didn't promote our home state of Arizona, birthplace of the spas (next to Switzerland) and green wellness, body and mind. The Miraval experience is comprised of fresh, locally-sourced ingredients, signature Clue-In™ self-discovery and growth activities that make the heart-pump and the head re-think; fabulous Chill-Out™ spa services that ignite the senses; a team of well being Specialists to help you make positive and lasting change in your life...you could leave a new person. It may not sound like an escape but the strength of any loving relationship is a healthy and well balanced you.


"More and more couples are choosing eco-friendly honeymoons,” says Anna Pezik, senior editor at Brides.com."