21 Day Vegan Kick-start/Reboot

I have been eating primarily vegan for about 18 months now. I do still eat meat and dairy on occasion but it is no longer the focus of my diet. I have noticed over the last few months that the occasional splurge was becoming more and more frequent. I am not gaining weight but I have started noticing some of the health issues that led me to go Vegan in the first place are returning.

I had to be honest with myself, those splurges were causing issues and if left unchecked I knew I would be right back where I was. Over weight, out of shape, acne, tired, stomach aches and dealing with that sluggish feeling that left me unmotivated.

I have slowly been getting back on track and plan to do the 21 day vegan kick-start starting June 1. If you have been considering giving vegan eating a try or need to get back on track this is a great program to use. It includes menus, recipes, shopping list, motivational tips,a forum for support, and much more. Oh, did I mention it is free? That's right completely free, all you have to do is sign up.

If you are planning to sign up and start June 1 leave a comment below.

Out to pasture

 The bluebonnet ride was a lot of fun but it was also emotional a few times. One of the spots we stopped to take some pictures had a pasture of cows, including a calf that was nursing. The cows had plenty of room to roam, a variety of grasses to eat, and from what I could tell they seemed content.

Before I knew what was going on my emotions got the better of me. I found myself teary eyed and my mind racing with the thought this is how it should be. Even if these animals are being raised for food they are being treated humanly.

It is not the goal of this blog to push anyone into a certain lifestyle but I would like to think that we can all agree that living creatures should be treated with respect and care regardless of rather they are a pet, wild or being raised for food.

A love Story

Take a Back Road

Do you ever listen to a song and think that's what I want to do,  that's what I need today? That happens every time I listen to take a back road. I want to hop on the back of my husbands bike and get away, far away. No noise, no work, no cooking and cleaning, nothing going on,  just relaxing and watching the scenery go by. Problem is we both work full time, he is off on the week-ends and my job basically demands I work every Saturday and rotate Sundays. However every once in a while something catches my eye on the calendar and I do whatever it takes to get off. That happened when I saw the bluebonnet ride on the calendar.  Most rides he goes on involve riding across the state to get a burger or something of that sort, not exactly every woman's dream ride.

 More often than not the ones I get to go on are short distances on either highway or bumpy roads and it is almost always cold.  Don't get me wrong, I always have a great time it's just not usually your ideal riding conditions especially since my husbands bike doesn't have a back rest. A bluebonnet ride though, how could that be anything but perfect?

After overcoming the scheduling issue the next obstacle was the weather. Spring in Texas is a beautiful yet unpredictable season. Despite conflicting weather predictions all week this day turned out to be perfect. The morning was cold , bitter cold, but within a few hours it warmed up to the perfect temperature. The sun was shinning but not scorching hot, there was a light breeze but not so much wind that it made riding uncomfortable what more could I ask for.

On most rides I hang on for my life but this ride was a lot of back roads, just taking it easy and going slow. I was actually able to take pictures from the back of the bike which was something a few months ago I never would have imagined myself doing. The bluebonnets were blooming and animals were everywhere basking in the sun.  You can read more about the ride and watch a video here. Most of the pictures he has up are the ones taken by me from the back seat.

Blue Bonnets and Indian Paintbrush

How it should be for these creatures

Bluebonnet fields every where you looked

We ended the day with a stop at the Ennis Bluebonnet festival. They had a car show, arts and craft booths and lots of food. Instead of junk food we knew we would regret we ate roasted corn and then stopped at  a local Mexican restaurant for lunch. 

Real Beauty Sketches

If only we could see what others see....

Making The Connection Vegan Diet -- A Documentary About Vegan Lifestyle

The following video explores many of the reasons people choose to become vegan. I won't get into my reasons right now and to be honest I still eat a small amount of meat on occasion when we go out. I don't beat myself up over it instead I keep making changes, trying new dishes, and educating myself on ways to become healthier.

  WARNING: The video does briefly touche on animal cruelty, the clip is only a few seconds long but disturbing.

Healthy Life Summit Day Seven

	Healthy Eating TECHNIQUES FOR MAKING REAL FOOD EASY & AFFORDABLE Jenny McGruther, Nourished Kitchen Learn from a farmer's market manager & busy mom how you can get real food on the table quickly & inexpensively. Jenny shares her secrets for pleasing picky spouses & children & how to utilize meal planning to save time and money. Click here to listen!
	Healthy Body NEUROCRANIAL RESTRUCTURING (NCR) Dr. Dean Howell, ND Expand your skull -- feel & look better! Learn how NCR can eliminate sleep apnea, chronic pain, TMJ, depression & anxiety, straighten teeth and expand the palate, improve eyesight and hearing. NCR is a revolutionary new treatment that can optimize your health. Click here to listen!
	Healthy Babies & Kids RECOVER FROM AUTISM WITH DIET Cara Comini, Health, Home & Happiness Cara's daughter, Hannah, recovered from autism. Learn from  a mom who has walked the walk how dietary changes and supplements can make miraculous improvements in children on the autism spectrum. Click here to listen!
	Healthy Living HOMEMADE BEAUTY PRODUCTS: SAFE ENOUGH TO EAT Heather Dessinger, Mommypotamus Did you know you can whiten your teeth with activated charcoal? Did you know that talcum powder can cause  cancer? Let Mommypotamus teach you her tricks for awesome homemade skincare products that are safe enough to eat.   Click here to listen!
	Healthy World FROM CAFOS TO SUSTAINABLE, GRASS-BASED AGRICULTURE Graham Merriwether, Director of American Meat The new movie, American Meat, exposes the truth about the industrial production of meat in America and why grass-based, sustainable farming is the only way to go and how we can get there. Click here to listen!
	Missed one of the presentations? Too busy to catch them all? Own ALL of the presentations -- on sale now for only $79. (Save 60%!) Click here to order the entire Healthy Life Summit to listen anytime, anywhere -- on your computer, mobile device, or tablet. Hurry -- the price goes up to $199 when the Summit ends on March 31.