NewMexicoVegan
The views expressed by contributing authors are not necessarily the views of New Mexico Vegan.
In the past several weeks, life has presented me with some challenges, which resulted in delayed publications for: 1…2…Vegan (Youth); New Mexico Vegan; and my Vegan Pulse podcast. My need for rest, it seems, was greater than my need to “create as an advocate” or was it?
Hospital admissions, can be… “a big ‘ask’ - from life.” Nonetheless, as we all can attest, every experience brings a new tool, with which… we can go forward, …and with a more refined purpose.
My newest “New Tool” is this: when difficult health issues arise, you must look for the positive, certainly… but see positively, to a certain extent………… look for the universe’s guidance to “the healing that is available to…………. the whole world as it comes through you ”
Remaining calm & positive… one may hear a Universal Healing Voice, speaking, “There are other beings (than you) to be healed, through the offering of a ‘New Tool’ which I am now giving you ”
Here is an example: due to a recent, week-long, in-patient ‘journey,’ in a local hospital… I am, now, on a VeganMission with unprecedented fervor I am, here and now, making this personal pledge: Vegan food in Albuquerque hospitals – will become ‘a model of excellence’ worthy to be the worldwide standard of nutritional-healing: simple; clean; economically sustainable; and wait for it… deliciously prepared. Hospital-food need be… nothing more… nothing less
You have, no doubt, guessed by now, that… while the hospital’s vegan-options (i.e., my meals) were shockingly disappointing, they were, nonetheless motivational; they are, motivating me to legislate for a new and worthy vegan-menu on behalf of: Albuquerque hospital kitchens; vegan in-patients; and vegan visitors to the cafeterias
My recent hospital disappointments will become ‘healing for others.’ Reaching to that certain extent……..... pain… is not wasted It drives us to satisfaction to justice to victory
I will segue to my finish, with another hospital anecdote. Here is a thought, that I whispered to myself, after witnessing it, during my most recent hospital stay: “That patient, who is recovering from last night’s stomachsurgery is, this very morning, being served animal-fats, animal-blood, and other ‘animal-body-fluids-&-solids’ …for breakfast. And don’t forget this part: animals had to give up their lives, so that, this story, could be …real.”
So, you see, I “never left the action” of my calling to vegan-advocacy And I hope you will please ‘speak-up,’ every time you see… injustice.
Livegan, Nancy
1. New Mexico is the 36th most populous and the 5th most extensive of the 50 states of the United States.
2. New Mexico was not an American state until 1912
3. New Mexico 's nickname is the "Land of Enchantment," due to its beautiful and varied scenery, which ranges from mountains and forests to lakes, rivers, and deserts.
4. People came to the area that’s now New Mexico more than 12,000 years ago
5. New Mexico is home to black bears, bighorn sheep, cougars, coyotes, and what may be North America’s rarest mammal the black-footed ferret.
6. A UFO was spotted and crashed in Roswell, New Mexico in 1947
7. In 1706 the city of Albuquerque was established
8. New Mexico has also been called the Tyrannosaur State, as several T-Rexes have been found there.
9. New Mexico chiles and frijoles pintos (pinto beans) are the state vegetables of New Mexico
10. Known for having a speed of 18 mph, the Great Roadrunner, otherwise known as the Chaparral Bird, is the state bird of New Mexico.
11. There are around 6000 black bears in New Mexico, and it is the official state mammal
12. New Mexico even has an official state cookie, the Biscochito
13. New Mexico has 84 national monuments, more than any state except Arizona. They protect ancient ruins, cave dwellings, volcanoes, rock formations, petroglyphs, and more
14. In terms of agriculture, New Mexico grows onions, potatoes, beans, corn, lettuce, cabbage, pumpkins, and watermelons.
15. 85% of the nation’s fresh onions are supplied by New Mexico during June
Hospitals are places where people go to heal and recover from illnesses and injuries. However, many hospitals still serve food that is high in animal products, saturated fat, cholesterol, salt and sugar, which can worsen the health of patients and staff. Moreover, many hospitals do not cater to vegan patients, who follow a plant-based diet that excludes all animal products, such as meat, dairy, eggs and honey. Veganism is not only a personal choice, but also a moral stance that respects the rights and welfare of animals.
There is a growing movement to change this situation and make hospitals serve healthy vegan food instead of the standard diet. Vegan food can benefit everyone, not just vegans, by providing a balanced and nutritious diet that is rich in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Vegan food can also prevent and treat many chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity and some cancers Vegan food can also promote sustainability and environmental protection, by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption and land use associated with animal agriculture
Some hospitals have already taken steps to offer more vegan options or even go fully plant-based. For example, NutritionalFacts org (nutritionfacts org/video/hospitals-with-100-percent-plant-based-menus/) reports that some hospitals in the US have adopted 100 percent plant-based menus, such as the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine's Food for Life program at Bellevue Hospital in New York City Other hospitals have joined the Meatless Monday campaign or the Healthy Food in Health Care pledge to reduce their meat consumption and increase their plant-based offerings (www.vegansociety.com/take-action/campaigns/cateringeveryone/information-news/hospitals), provides advice and resources for hospitals that want to cater for vegan patients and staff, such as menu ideas, recipes, nutritional information and legal guidance
Serving healthy vegan food in hospitals is not only possible, but also desirable and beneficial for everyone involved. It can improve the health outcomes of patients and staff, reduce the costs of health care, protect animal rights and welfare, and contribute to a more sustainable and compassionate world
After all, health should be a priority…..especially in hospitals.
Becoming vegan has been a path of personal transformation for me. When I learned about factory farming and awoke to the immense suffering of farmed animals, I became determined to make changes in my own life to reflect compassion for all sentient beings. I also wanted to help others move toward and sustain a healthy and compassionate plant-powered lifestyle. This led to me finding a deeper sense of purpose than I had ever experienced before. I saw that in the choice of what I ate daily, I had power to say No to cruelty and oppression - and "vote" through my choices for a kinder and healthier world.
I also found my Voice As an introvert, I've generally lived a quiet and private life After becoming vegan a little over 4 years ago, I was trained as a Vegan Lifestyle Coach and Educator through Main Street Vegan Academy – an educational experience I highly recommend (1). Through this experience, I gained confidence to share my vegan values with others I started a blog and website and began research for a book on the transformative power of a vegan lifestyle I now speak and teach about the benefits of compassionate vegan living for our emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual well-being.
It gives such deep meaning and fulfillment to live our purpose And through each of us living our purpose, we contribute to healing our world
Living our purpose doesn't mean we will be happy all the time When we awaken to suffering and injustice, it can be really painful And yet, research (and personal experience) shows that making choices that are aligned with our values and being guided by our higher purpose is more fulfilling than simply trying to "feel good" all the time
Here are some keys to living your purpose in a way that is healthy and impactful You may want to have a journal to write in as you reflect on these ideas and questions.
1) Notice - what are your passions, what intrigues you, and what makes you curious? Are there certain aspects of veganism or plant-based living that you are most drawn to learn more about and/or share with others?
2) Also notice what makes you angry - what feels unjust or not right? What problems in the world are most upsetting to you? Where do you feel most called to make a difference?
3) Make a list of your gifts, abilities, and skills. Think of all the different areas in your life where you have shared your gifts Ask others for input - they may see gifts that you overlook because they come so naturally
4) Where is the intersection between your passions, your gifts, and the issues that most concern you? Create a list of ways that your gifts can be applied to help the causes you care about. Write down all the ideas you can think of and then see where you feel the most energy and alignment Choose one idea to start, take one step forward - and see where it leads
5) Don't forget your own self-care in the process. When we are empathetic to the suffering of others (especially animals, whose voices often are not heard), we can forget or neglect our own well-being But to be a sustainable and truly impactful advocate, we must include healthy lifestyle practices, have a good support system, and remember our own limits. We are most effective when we take care of ourselves emotionally and physically Consider what daily practices will help you stay healthy and well
6) It helps to be connected to something larger than yourself - whether that be your love of nature, your deepest values, spiritual faith, and/or sense of connection to a Higher Power. For me personally, a strong spiritual faith and trusting my inner guidance have been integral to finding and sustaining my purpose. I also have found that it helps to visualize the compassionate world I hope to see – to stay connected with my larger vision, even during difficult times.
7) To be even more impactful, connect with others who share your vision. Find aligned groups or organizations to partner with – we can accomplish more when we collaborate with others.
The vegans I have spoken with through my research have found countless ways to bring their unique passions and gifts toward their vision and purpose. This includes cooking and sharing great vegan food, working for animal protection organizations, coaching, mentoring, activism, gardening, volunteering, creating vegan businesses, artwork, writing, nutritional guidance, and educating others about veganism and plant-based living
There are many ways we can make a difference. Our individual steps may feel small – but when we work together, we create momentum and synergy As each of us shares our individual gifts, we are part of a greater whole Together, we can envision and create a compassionate, healthy, and sustainable world
(1) https://mainstreetvegan com/
Note – this article was modified and adapted from a recent article on my blog (https://angelacrawfordphd com/2023/04/03/6-keys-to-livingyour-purpose/)
Angela Crawford, Ph D has 25 years of experience as a licensed psychologist, psychotherapist, and coach, helping clients make lifestyle changes to achieve better physical, mental, and emotional well-being Since becoming vegan, she has been passionate about sharing the benefits of a plant-powered, vegan lifestyle for human health and mental health, the planet, and most of all, caring for all sentient beings
She holds certificates as a transformational coach, master vegan lifestyle coach and educator, and in plant-based nutrition She offers coaching programs to support women to emotionally thrive with a vegan lifestyle and to express their unique voice and purpose
Dr Crawford is conducting research for a book on the transformative impact of a plantpowered, vegan lifestyle She serves as a Psychology Advisor for www WeDIDIt Health and authored the e-book 7 Best Practices to Inspire Your Loved Ones to Go Plant-Based. Dr. Crawford can be reached through her website: www angelacrawfordphd com
Francisco “Vegan Frank’ is from Argentina He loves animals so he draws them His favorite topics are animal rights, nature, climate change, mindful living and yoga. 30% of profits from his sales goes to The Art of Compassion Project (@artofcompassionproject), an international art collective that aims to support the compassionate lifestyle of veganism
He is spreading animal rights through drawings and paintings Art to inspire change
Reprinted with permission.
Contact info: fatencio@gmail.com
https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-francisco-atencio/shop
Facebook: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100070132632433
Instagram: www.instagram.com/vegan.frank/Twitter: linktr.ee/vegan.frank
ABQ Vegan: http://www.meetup.com/ABQVEG/
Albuquerque Vegan and Vegetarian Parents: https://www.facebook.com/groups/323534174705753/
Cooking with Compassion
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1702731393294024/
HeartnSole Spiritual Community: https://heartnsolerevna.wordpress.com/
Leaf: Taos Vegan Society: http://www.meetup.com/Taos-Vegan/
New Mexico Vegan: https://newmexicovegan.wordpress.com/
Plant-Based Eating New Mexico: https://www.facebook.com/PBENM/?rc=p
Plant Powered Events www.facebook.com/plantpoweredeventsnm
Positive Links
http://www.thelinknm.com/
Red & Green VegFest Albuquerque: https://redandgreenvegfestabq.wordpress.com/
Santa Fe Vegan: http://www.meetup.com/Santa-Fe-Veg/photos/4704212/445478790/
Santuario de Karuna: https://www.santuariodekaruna.org/
Sprouting Compassion
https://www.sproutingcompassion.org/ https://www.facebook.com/sproutingcompassion
Vegan Pulse www.sproutingcompassion.org www.facebook.com/veganpulse
VIP (Vegans in the Park): https://www.facebook.com/events/363650444507091/
If you have an article that deals with veganism and would like to submit it for possible inclusion in an upcoming NM Vegan Magazine, please email us at welcome22day@gmail.com, on the subject line please write NMV Article.
If you are vegan and offer cruelty-free services and products please let us know for possible inclusion in upcoming NM Vegan Magazines, please email us at welcome22day@gmail.com, on the subject line please write NMV Vegan Products & Services.
Growing social inequality and the way it intersects with the climate crisis are two of the largest challenges we face as a global society. How can research help us address both?
Moving forward, some researchers argue that creating truly safe and equitable societies will mean two things: Fixing social inequalities to improve people’s well-being while at the same time reducing the harms facing our planet.
But how do these two dimensions (human and ecological well-being) affect each other? More specifically, how will people’s treatment of the environment change as we continue to improve human equity and overall well-being? For example, research consistently shows that as countries become more wealthy, their meat consumption tends to increase (e.g., see this studyfaunalytics.org/meat-consumption-income-global-review/).
The authors of this paper suggest that combining two fields of study human behavioral and wellbeing research — might lead to a better understanding of how we can help the environment and reduce poverty and inequality at the same time. While the insights may be interesting to animal advocates, the authors ultimately hope to inspire scholars with research ideas to further explore this issue
Behavioral research has investigated many issues related to the environment For example, researchers have recently tried to understand why societies haven’t taken action against climate change and biodiversity loss Ultimately, behavioral research has taught us that information and attitudes are not the only driving factors for change Often our surroundings and the social context we are in (faunalytics org/ethics-social-norms-andeating-animals/) determine our behavior more than we think
Unfortunately, behavioral research regarding the link between social inequality and environmental behaviors is not always clear In some contexts, it seems that social inequality can have negative effects on how people cooperate and engage in sustainable behaviors for example, some research has found that inequality, when visible to everyone in a group, hinders cooperation Meanwhile, other research suggests that people may be more likely to rally together when faced with an environmental emergency (although cooperating as a group doesn’t necessarily mean the group will engage in pro-environmental behaviors). Nevertheless, it remains unclear how different forms of inequality directly affect how people treat the environment
Well-being research can potentially help us understand what it means to create safe spaces for humans and what impact this will have on the environment However, this field of study has thus far not been heavily involved with environmental behavior Although some researchers have looked at the relationship between monetary wealth and sustainable behavior, poverty is just one way of looking at well-being. It is important to understand well-being as multidimensional, including factors such as health, food justice, and social acceptance We may also discover other measures of inequality and well-being that need to be addressed as we move toward collective justice.
In order to gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between inequality and sustainable behavior, the researchers suggest several different topics in need of further investigation. For example, scholar-advocates might consider the following questions:
How can poverty reduction programs and efforts to promote sustainable natural resource use work in harmony?
How have different groups interacted with the environment over long periods of time as they’ve experienced poverty and other inequalities?
How does the experience of inequality impact how people treat the environment? Similarly, how do different dimensions of well-being (e.g., wealth, health improvements, food security) impact people’s environmental behaviors?
External Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877
Kevin Xia is a Philosophy and Psychology student at the University of Vienna and is involved in several animal advocacy and Effective Altruism communities in Austria Besides his studies and his passion for animal advocacy, Kevin likes to do sports, cook, and discuss ethics, social psychology, and veganism
Animals are sentient beings who deserve respect and compassion from humans. They have the right to exist without fear of abuse, exploitation or extermination. However, many animals suffer from cruelty, neglect and violence at the hands of humans every day. How can we help them and make a positive difference in their lives? Here are some ways to step up as an animal advocate:
•Educate yourself and others. Learn about the issues that affect animals, such as factory farming, animal testing, hunting, fur trade, etc. Find reliable sources of information, such as White Coat Waste Project (ww.whitecoatwaste.org) or Defenders of Wildlife (defenders.org), and share them with your friends, family and social media followers. You can also join or start a book club, a discussion group or a webinar on animal rights topics.
•Support animal welfare organizations. There are many groups that work hard to protect animals and promote their interests, such as In Defense of Animals (www idausa org) or Animal Legal Defense Fund (aldf org) You can support them by donating money, volunteering your time, signing petitions, attending events or spreading the word about their campaigns.
•Adopt, don’t shop. If you are looking for a companion animal, consider adopting one from a shelter or a rescue group instead of buying one from a pet store or a breeder. You will save a life and help reduce the overpopulation of unwanted animals. Make sure you spay or neuter your animal and provide them with proper care and love.
•Go vegan or vegetarian. One of the most effective ways to help animals is to stop eating them and their products. Animal agriculture is a major cause of animal suffering, environmental destruction and human health problems. By going vegan or vegetarian, you can save hundreds of animals per year and reduce your ecological footprint.
•Speak up for animals. Whenever you witness or hear about animal abuse or injustice, don’t stay silent. Report it to the authorities, contact the media, write a letter to the editor or a politician, or organize a protest or a boycott Use your voice and your power to demand change and justice for animals
Being an animal advocate is not always easy, but it is rewarding and meaningful You can make a difference in the lives of animals and inspire others to do the same Remember that every action counts and every animal matters.
Animals can feel empathy just like humans do. Empathy for each other, for us, and even for other species.
Parrots
1. There are around 393 species of parrots
2. Parrots are the only animal in the world capable of mimicking human speech.
3. Parrots have an intricate system of sounds, shrills and squawks that can tell other parrots things, from warning them of predators to telling them there’s food in the vicinity.
4. Parrots taste with the tops of their beaks.
5. Parrots eat with their feet. all birds have amazing grip but only the parrot is able to hold food up to their beak while eating.
6. Parrots can live for over 60 years.
7. In order to find a mate, a male parrot puts on what is called a courtship display, parading itself, dancing or making various expressions and sounds to attract the female.
8. Parrots mate for life. once a male and female parrot get together, then they generally stay together.
9. Parrot mates will forage together, groom, and sleep next to each other. Once they find their mate, that is it for them.
10. A baby parrot is called a chick.
11. A group of parrots is called a pandemonium.
12. Parrots are known for being smart creatures. Not only are they capable of mimicking human speech but they can also add, subtract and understand the meaning of zero.
13. Most parrots live in tropical areas.
14. As a result of experimenting, scientists have discerned that parrots have the logic of a four-year-old. They can use tools and solve problems!
15. Parrots are social creatures that live in groups of about 20 to 30 birds.
They have families.
They protect their young.
They have friends.
