It has become the norm in today’s society to see our flaws instead of our beauty. It seems like anytime anyone looks in the mirror anymore all they see is what they would change. They see love handles, they see flab, they see rolls, moles, and freckles. It seems that finding the good in one’s appearance has become an impossibility.
It’s sad really. We place the other people around us on pedestals, while we try to find a rock to hide behind. Then those of us who have managed to find the beauty within ourselves are considered vain and self centered. This is most visible in Hollywood, we pick apart the beauty of the most well known and admired women in the world. But then what are we left with? If these women can be the subject of such scrutiny, with every flaw pointed out on the pages of some tabloid magazine, what is the everyday woman left with?
Women, it’s time to take back our strength and our beauty! No longer shall we be the victims of our own self hatred. It’s time to take action and learn to love ourselves. We women have an immensely powerful combination of strength and beauty within us and in our bodies. It’s time to release our innate power to the world.
So how do you get to the point where you truly love who you are and the body that you live in? You take it one step at a time. Start by noticing at least one thing that you love about yourself every time that you look in the mirror. It’s there somewhere. Maybe you’ll find it in the color of your eyes, in the curve of your shoulders, or the strength of your thighs. It’s there, and you’ll find it.
The next step is to quit your diet. There is no quick fix that will suddenly have you wake up tomorrow at the size of your dreams. It’s about loving yourself as you are right now. If you’re on a diet than you’re telling yourself that you need to lose weight, and the more you tell yourself that you need to lose weight the more weight you have to lose.
Learn how to be healthy eating foods that you love. Find a way to learn how to think and act like one of those naturally thin women that have never counted a calorie in their lives. You know the ones, you may have silently resented them your whole life and now it’s time to become one. Being naturally thin is possible, and it is possible for you.
The next step is to treat your body like it is the love of your life. You want your best relationship in the world to be the one you have with your own body. It’s time to end the war we women have been raging on our bodies. We and our bodies want the same thing, to be strong, healthy, energized, and at our optimal size. We are far more likely to have that when we work with our bodies than if we work against our bodies.
Now is the time to reestablish your connection with your body. Imagine that you had someone around you all the time telling you how awful you are, how fat you are, that you are worthless, and that you aren’t worth being taken care of. You were constantly neglected by this person, and when ever you did try to speak up, they shoved chocolate cake into you. Your body desperately wants to be heard. However, your body has become so used to the neglect and abuse that you dish out to it on a regular basis that it is shutting you out.
How do you reestablish your connection with your body? Start by listening to and honoring the signals your body gives you. Do you need to sleep? Go to bed? Do you feel like getting fresh air and moving? Go for a walk. Are you hungry? Eat something yummy and enjoy every bite. Are you not hungry? Then don’t eat that doughnut your coworker offered you. Your body is constantly sending you signals that indicate what it needs, start listening to these signals. The more you listen, the easier these signals are to hear.
Another way to reconnect with your body is to start moving it. For me, I connect best with my body when I dance or do yoga. My body loves to dance, and the more I do it the happier my body and I are together. It also tends to do good things for my waist line in fun and natural ways. For you, it may be that you connect with your body on your daily walk or run, playing tennis, or swimming. Discover your favorite way to move your body, and do it consistently. If you’re not sure what activity your body likes best than take some classes and try new things. There is a physical activity out there that you and your body will love to do together.
Finally, take the time and put care in the way that you present yourself to the world. You treat your body with respect when you honor it and dress it nicely. You already know that you feel vastly different when you walk out the door in your favorite outfit with your hair and makeup done, than if you fall out of bed and throw the first thing on that you see.
Fill your closet with clothes that you love and that you look good in. No matter what your current size is, there are clothes that you look good on you and that you feel beautiful wearing. Make wearing these clothes a daily activity and you will boost your confidence and the feelings of you own beauty. Imagine how different your days will go if you start off feeling like the goddess you are. Start today! You deserve to feel beautiful right now.
Go to http://www.divinepathcoaching.com for your free 25 minute Having It All Coaching Session with expert intuitive life design coach Stephanie Russell and receive a personalized action plan for having it all. Spaces are limited so contact today.
Author:
Go to http://www.divinepathcoaching.com for your free 25 minute Having It All Coaching Session with expert intuitive life design coach Stephanie Russell and receive a personalized action plan for having it all. Spaces are limited so contact today.
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Three Reasons Why Personal Development Is Important
Do you want to get the most out of your life and career? If you do, then you should pay special attention to your personal development. Personal development is the way to go to achieve success in life. Those who ignore personal development will stagnate in life while those who work on it will grow.
Here are three reasons why personal development is essential:
1.Personal development directs your attention to important things
There are many things in life that can distract your attention away from the important. Those distractions are mainly in the form of short-term pleasures. They may make you feel good in the short-term but cause your long-term growth to suffer. Personal development helps you direct your attention back to what are important. For instance, personal development reminds you of the universal and timeless principles that can guide your life for the better.
2.Personal development increases your capacity
Not only does personal development direct your attention to what are important, it also helps you increase your capacity in those things. You have certain capacity to handle different kinds of challenges in your life and you can only handle challenges that lie within your current limit of ability. Personal development is a way to increase your limit so that you can handle more difficult challenges.
3.Personal development connects you with positive people
When you focus on something, you tend to find things that are related to it. For instance, if you are learning economy, you will spot many more economic-related stuff than you normally would. That’s because your mind has a filter that filter out irrelevant things. When you focus on something, your filter is set in such a way to give you more of it and less of other things.
When you focus your attention on personal development, you are more likely to find like-minded people than you would otherwise. Having these positive people around you will in turn make it easier for you to grow. It’s a virtuous cycle that brings you to higher and higher level in life.
Now that you know how important personal development is, you need to make conscious effort to grow yourself. Start reading personal development books and apply what you learn. Of course, growing yourself is a process that takes time, but by being aware of its importance you will have the necessary motivation to move forward.
Hey You, Discover These Secrets Of Attracting The Right Friends
When you’re able to magnetize and attract the people & friends you want into your life, I describe that smoothness of life like a train.
A train moving along its rails, and the people surrounding you like the burning coals and better on-board equipments that not only let you move forward, but let you move forward faster and safer.
The night before I’m writing this e-mail to you I actually attended another birthday dinner of a friend. It was a surprise party/barbecue, and this time – it was held in a huge elegant mansion up in the hills.
See as I write this, I realized I’m kind of a lucky one.
I come from a humble background. Our family wasn’t rich, but for some reasons my parents were able to transfer me into an English private school while I’m at age 16.
What I didn’t realize is that when I enter this school, I was going to be surrounded by people who’ll soon keep me mesmerized for the rest of my 2 years in high school.
People there either looked better, dressed better, had better manners, were more intelligent in some ways, had greater talents that shows, come from very affluent backgrounds… or ALL of it.
This is something that I didn’t tell anyone back then – but in those high school times, I was consciously aware of how well people
were living and how poor I was.
After school, I’d observe how my peers would get on big luxurious cars to get home, while I would wait and wait until my mom arrives (usually pretty late) and get on the less appealing transportation which belongs to my family.
Of course, I don’t feel the same way now.
Things have gotten so MUCH better in the past 2 years alone, and it’s not just because my financial life improved – but because how I THINK improved.
Ever heard, “RICH is a state of mind?”
This is true. Of course, it was also meant as something for people to think over. How can RICH be a state of mind, and even so, how do you apply it so it brings amazing results into your life?
That’s what “Wealth Conditioning” is all about.
There are conditions for wealth that once fulfilled, will inevitably give you what you want in return. In the sentence “RICH is a state
of mind,” the originator indirectly meant in order to get rich, you have to have the state of mind that you’re rich first.
Until you fulfill this condition, it is really hard for one to become rich simply because his mindset won’t attract for him the wealth he wants and lead him in the right direction.
When you can fulfill the condition however, you open yourself up to chances that are everywhere around you.
And you’ll act on them simply because that’s what the RICH who got to where they are do.
So back to friends: I enjoyed the night at the party. Being surrounded by affluent friends is one thing – your mindset will always be brought back to the right course, but being surrounded by genuine friends who enrich our lives in unexpected ways meant a whole lot more.
And what I realized is most of the times, the more wealthy or well-off friends I come to know who understands the value of it had made greater, better and more genuine friends than those who aren’t. Generalization? It’s for you to find out.
The rest of the night we spent barbecuing, chatting with each other, doing things that made us smile or laugh and much more. Because of the real enjoyment we had there, it was a night incomparably better than the nights we had out in anywhere.
But hey, it wasn’t always like this for me.
I had my times when I had not a single friend because I’d chosen to leave them for the better. And to get to know a different group of friends who are out of the reach of my previous “MINDSET,” I had my tough times.
That is why conditioning is the key. You can probably ‘get it’ overnight, or you can’t. But either ways you will, as you put effort into it with time.
When you’ve conditioned yourself right, you won’t need to struggle to get what you want. You’ll get what you want, since they’ll be naturally attracted and magnetized to you. Instead of going out to pursue it, they’ll all come to you in zero resistance.
Looking down from the balcony of the Garden that night, down at the huge city underneath while my friends were chatting behind me having a great time and laughing away…
I was glad to learn what I’ve discovered – and have also revealed inside my book on how to know and become friends who MATTERS to the people you want to attract into your life.
Author:
Chong Xin Yun Seth owns the “Wealth Conditioning Newsletter.” It offers FREE, highly-valuable and practical secrets on how multi-millionaires and billionaires in the world achieved what they have! If you want more recognition, financial security and personal control – SIGN UP for the “Wealth Conditioning Newsletter” right now at: http://www.Wealth-Conditioning.com
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Learn how to speak in public from a professional speaker!
Speaking is not an easy activity like seems to be for some people. Public speaking is one of the top fears for almost all people, statistically more than heights, but not if you choose to train these abilities with one of the best public speakers ready to teach you how to speak with confidence. One of the main requirements for a successful speech is to believe in what you say to be convinced yourself and then try to convince the others.You can chose between many types of services onsite, services like motivational speaker, corporate training, sales training, presentation training, etc.
Most small business owners and managers fully recognize this yet even the thought of standing up in public to speak to a room full of strangers can provoke an anxious feeling in many people. Mr Matthews will teach you how to discuss with your employees how to find a way to achieve your goals without any violations or negativity of some kind.
After attending the first seminar you will know how to operate in your inner circle, you will be able to handle any type of replies respectfully and persuasive. The participants will learn true and successful techniques to avoid making the most common errors of presenters and practice them on video tape.
The good news is that you do not have to be flawless. In fact, usually public speakers do not have to be particularly good to be a great success. Your audience is usually more than half on your side. They want you to do well.You will see immediate results in your presentations after attending the seminar. Public speaking is something we cannot avoid in our life.
Mr. Matthews is a dynamic and entertaining motivational speaker who delivered speeches and conducted training courses in North America. Mr. Matthews will teach you how to relax during the speaking experience, when is the best time to speak and stop, how can you send message, what words to use, how to visualize your audience listening to your speech.
Only observing his gestures and listening to him is a big progress. Romans believed that speaking skills can be learned from others and others like the ancient oratores were permanently in a search for inspiration. And what brings more benefits than learning from the best?
At the beginning you feel that your hands may sweat and your mouth goes dry. Your knees begin to shake and a quaver affects your voice.Your heart may race and those well known butterflies invade your stomach. When all that happens most people do not think of getting their message across in a compelling and interesting way; they just think of getting off the stage as quickly as possible! You need to face this fear and Mr Matthews will help you to do it. When an experienced public speaker tells you how to become a motivational speaker, you would do well to pay strict attention to what he said.
As you do a couple of speaking engagements, you will find how motivational speaking works, and you will become better at it. As the ancients said, practice makes perfect. You probably know how important speaking is in all areas so if it is not a requirement will definitely be an advantage.
Author:
Training new innovative technologies, procedures, systems and processes in the public speaking area and persuasive discussions.
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Over the years, it has become increasingly easier to commit special events in your life to film. From the introduction of moving pictures, people have been avid fans of being able to create their own memories by making movies of their homes, families, vacations, and, of course, their pets. Dog owners, in particular, get special pleasure from getting their pet dogs to do tricks and other cute things for the camera.
Now that everyone in the world who can afford them has access to video cameras, web cameras, and even cell phones that can record videos, most people can become their own film makers. As pet dogs are generally considered members of the family rather than just pets, many people choose to make movies or videos of them as well as their other family members. Some of the best videos in existence are dog videos.
It’s been proved throughout time that dogs make wonderful companions and provide much love and affection to their owners. They are very loyal and can be trained to do many helpful things. Seeing eye dogs have been vital to the blind for many years. Older people who would otherwise be living alone own dogs to be their companions as well as offer protection. This does not count the families who simply feel their children will benefit from having a dog to care for and love.
Dog videos are made for pleasure and to create memories. They are also made to use as instructional training videos for those who want to teach their dogs how to do different things. These include tricks, obedience, and other useful abilities. The need for these videos is just as strong as the need for families and individuals to have pet dogs. They serve the purpose of putting these dogs on film and commemorating them forever.
Think of how it will be to enjoy and learn from these dog videos for years to come. You will come to understand how important it can be to have a pet dog as part of your household. The memories that these videos will bring back to life in full color are going to make you smile and laugh out loud each time you watch them. Passing along these videos to share with others is a wonderful legacy to leave those you care about.
Anyone who has had the experience of owning and loving a dog will appreciate just how important shooting videos of their pet will be some day. If you are a trainer, making dog videos that show how to teach a dog tricks or obedience can be an invaluable talent. Many people will appreciate not only your video, but the time and dedication you took to put the video together.
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To learn about creating dog videos please visit us at Dog Videos.
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Yes, indeed you are addicted; but you *can* go vegan! Let me explain- You see, all mammalian mothers (including cows and humans) secrete a protein called casein in their milk which when consumed by their babies converts into a substance called casomorphine- Yes it’s related to *that* morphine- Nature puts a little of this calming “drug” in there so that babies of all species want to go back to mom for milk and grow up strong and healthy eating what’s best for them Now, having messed with the natural order of things, stealing milk from other species and continuing to drink it into adulthood, humans are consuming large amounts of casein every day- Unconsciously we’re getting that subtle high as our bodies process casomorphines – The product that is most concentrated with the stuff is cheese -Casein is what makes cheese melt (which is why some manufacturers put it into soy cheeses– so always read your labels!) and also what makes it addictive to us I know what you’re saying; “hey, it’s a natural high; what’s wrong with that?” Well—It’s not really *natural* for humans to be drinking food designed to make calves gain hundreds of pounds of weight within a few months- The authors of Skinny Bitch say that if women give up one animal product to lose weight it should be dairy – Kinda makes sense, doesn’t it? There’s also the fact that many, many people, especially people of African, Asian and Latino backgrounds are actually allergic to dairy in some capacity – its been linked to frequent stomach irritations, constipation and acne among other common health complaints – Furthermore The China Study singles out casein as the most dangerous animal protein we consume- Seems that what makes your butt grow too big for your jeans is also what can make a few anomalous cells grow into cancerous tumors-Scary stuff “But I need calcium!” You certainly DO need calcium, but you’re way better off getting that from plant foods as they generally offer more absorpable sources of calcium without all the heart-clogging saturated fats and harmful animal proteins present in dairy-The dairy industry has spent a ton of money on “Got Milk” ads and other campaigns to get you to think dairy products are the only sources of calcium but this isn’t true at all- If you’re eating a well-balanced, varied vegan diet then getting the calcium you need is no problem-Did you know that tofu, sesame seeds, collard greens, figs, almonds, flax seeds, arugula, white beans, kelp, kidney beans, black beans kale and LOTS of other foods actually have more calcium that cow’s milk (per 100 grams)? If you’re still worried about getting enough, add some fortified soy milk or orange juice or maybe some blackstrap molasses to your breakfast- Easy and yummy So if that doesn’t get you off of the cheese, there are other points to consider too- For instance, did you know that the veal industry is a byproduct of the dairy industry? You see, cows need to have babies to give milk, and while female calves will become dairy cows themselves, the males will be turned into veal (typically after living a short, miserable life in a dark crate deprived of the nutrition they need– to keep their flesh pale) or, if prices are low some factory farms will simple kill them straight away- In any case all calves are simply taken away from moms within hours of birth since it is their milk farmers are after– and they won’t be sharing it. Something else to consider is the rennet used in cheesemaking- Traditionally rennet (used as a curdling agent) is made of baby cow stomach-Some cheaper cheeses use vegetable or microbial rennet from non-animal sources, but if you’re eating fancier-type cheeses (including cheddar, parmesan and brie), or eating out in a restaurant where you can’t check the labels– you can’t really be sure you’re eating a product that can even be labeled vegetarian- Oh, and goat cheese often requires rennet from goat stomachs too- So you aren’t off the hook there either- Finally, I’ll attempt to simply gross you out: dairy products are fulla pus- Yup, you’re eating—pus- Since dairy cattle are generally kept in pretty heinous conditions (standing on dirty pavement hooked up to machines all day and never getting to see the sun or step foot on grass) they tend to get an infection of their udders called mastitus which causes the area to become inflamed, pus-filled and really painful for cows-Pretty much all milk and cheese in the U S contains unbelievable levels of pus “Ok, you got me you crafty vegan demon; what can I eat now?” I highly recommend the The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook by Jo Stepaniak Her recipes are all-natural blends of healthier ingredients like tofu, nuts, sea vegetables, tomato products, tahini, vegetable oils, beans, herbs and spices I also like some of the commercial products on the market such as Follow Your Heart brand vegan cheeses or Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese (make sure to get the trans fat free version with the yellow label!) but you may want to give yourself some time away from cheese before you try some of these recipes and products- They don’t taste *exactly* like cheese and you’ll appreciate them more once you’ve conquered your post-addiction jitters (they really do go away after two weeks or so, honest!) Health and compassion will taste so much better than concentrated cow pus ever did The delicious picture up top is the “Gooey Grilled Cheez” from Ultimate Uncheese cookbook on whole grain oat bread with slices of a farmers’ market tomato-The recipe is very easy and fast and probably have all of the ingredients you need to make it already- I love how it has that crazy orange Kraft Single look (fun fact: Kraft Singles cannot legally be labeled “processed cheese food” anymore as they don’t even use milk, but some weird milk byproduct- Now it has to say “processed cheese product” on the package- Scary eeh?) to it even though it’s colored only with nutritional yeast and tumeric! I promise it’s really, really yummy too http://bitchinvegankitchen.blogspot.com/ ********************** More information is available at: Compassionate Cooks Life after cheese Episode from E: The Environmental Magazine, “Just like cheese? Avoiding ‘Addiction’ with Dairy Free Alternatives”" VEGAN GOURMET® Cheese Alternatives by Follow Your Heart ********************
My dad, from a small town outside of Matador (near Childress), used to ride bulls. So did other members of my extended family.
When my parents moved to Amarillo from New York in 2001, I knew Texas would be a bit of a culture shock. It wasn’t all that bad, as I was already accustomed to my father’s West Texas ways: the slow drawl and random farm animal noises he regularly enlisted to entertain my northern friends.
Cowboy hats and drawls I could handle. There was, however, one thing I refused to embrace, no matter how many times my parents begged me to: the rodeo.
A Washington Post article on April 7 touted bull riding, only one of several rodeo sports, as “America’s original extreme sport.” In this day and age of dangerous and extreme sports, Americans are apparently saddling up to their televisions to watch “men” engage in the most dangerous eight seconds of their lives. The Post reported Nielsen ratings that show bull riding now brings in more viewers than NBA games.
This past weekend this hit close to home when the ABC Rodeo bucked into the Lubbock Coliseum. The mere presence of the rodeo was painful for me. But it is the pain the animals endure that concerns me beyond what I can explain in this column.
Driving to work one rainy, windy day this past weekend, I passed horses tied up to trucks, just standing there in the rain, dangerously close to Brownfield Highway traffic. I knew then I had to learn more about rodeo abuses.
“Awe, it doesn’t hurt ‘em,” is a statement several of my relatives in the area have used to convince me that rodeo sports are not harmful to animals.
I’m not convinced.
Showing Animals Respect and Kindness (SHARK), an organization that investigates animal cruelty, found alarming and heart breaking videos of rodeo abuses throughout the nation. SHARK, at www. sharkonline. org, provides videos and a long list of documented occasions when the horror of rodeo abuse was found.
What are a few of these horrors?
Calf Roping
I remember seeing calf roping on television when I was very young; I have refused to view it willingly since, and the image still haunts me. The words to describe how ridiculous this particular sport is escapes me.
Roping calves are typically three to four months old – mere babies. These babies are repeatedly subjected to acts of cruelty: they are violently roped, normally becoming airborne, and slammed into the ground. Then, the rodeo contestant picks the baby up and slams it on the ground again, and ties up its tiny legs. All the while, its neck is squeezed by the rope tightly circling it.
As SHARK states, if this were done to cats or dogs the same young age as these calves, the offender would probably face charges.
But calf ropers get to perform their atrocities on television and in front of screaming fans.
Last I checked, the Lubbock Coliseum and other rodeo arenas aren’t “out on the ranch” where runaway calves are roped to stay with the crew and not for cruel amusement.
Any man (or woman, as the case may be) who uses calf roping to prove masculinity is no man at all. They’re not even human.
Tail Twisting, Pulling, and Raking
This was an aspect of rodeo sports I had to look into because I had never heard of it. This involves the raking, pulling or twisting of one of an animal’s most sensitive body parts: its tail. The pulling, twisting and raking are done to make calves and steers run chaotically from their enclosed chutes. SHARK caught rodeo contestants, even in the Olympic rodeo of 2002, using these methods to agitate the animals and make them more hostile.
Now, let me ask you something, cowboys: if someone yanked the most sensitive part of your body – your penis – over a fence, would you become hostile too? Probably. But not to worry – you would soon forget about your anguish when someone came along to slam you down on the ground while you were still in pain, tie up your hands and feet, and throw you around a few more times. Then you would be defenseless and in so much pain, you might just stop breathing. You would probably suffer a few broken bones and torn muscles, and maybe even die.
All in the name of sport.
Beating
While probably fairly uncommon in televised rodeos, a SHARK investigator documented a rodeo horse named Cinnebar being beaten to make the animal buck when it initially refused to. Cinnebar was kicked and punched, slapped and had his ears pulled. He was even kicked in the face.
Shocking
Another discovery for me was the use of electric prods in rodeos, which send about 5,000 volts of painful shocks into the animals. These prods are used to make the animals buck and run, contorting their bodies into the unnatural forms we often see flailing through rodeo arenas.
Shocking just made rodeo cruelty all the more shocking to me.
Disturbing
I do not have room to discuss all the exploits of rodeo cruelty. At SHARK’s Web site, anybody can view numerous videos documenting cruelty the investigators have captured. But people should not need videos to convince them of the cruelt in ths “sport.” This is not a sport – this is sanctioned abuse. Animals are defenseless – even the largest, most powerful animals are defenseless to the cruel mechanisms designed by humans.
Humans are the real danger here. That anyone would consciously harm an innocent, living creature is unthinkable. How did such unspeakable abuse ever become OK?
If Americans want to watch “extreme” sports, let’s cut out the rodeo and let humans beat the hell out of each other. At least then they’d be picking on someone their own size..
Most of us don’t think too much about it and the rest of us are unaware that our consumption of fish leads to the demise of other fish, cetaceans (such as whales, dolphins, and porpoises), birds, and ecosystems – Now, for me – like for many people – fish were the last animals I stopped eating- First were land animals (though hoofed animals did come before birds), then aquatic animals and their secretions (ya know fish eggs), then the secretions from land animals – chicken’s eggs and cow’s milk – So, at the time I was still eating fish – and mind you, I was an animal advocate at the time – totally missing the boat on my role in the suffering of aquatic animals – I remember starting a conversation with my now-husband, who joined me on this journey when we met over 12 years ago- I wanted to explore why we – not just us specifically but humans in general – could eat certain animals and be appalled at eating others- Was it the cute factor? Was it size? Was it their similarity to – or lack thereof –humans? Our ability to identify with them? Have relationships with them – or not? What was it?
As David and I talked about this, we tried to come up with a reason we were able to justify eating aquatic animals and not eating land animals – insofar as we were even doing it consciously- Every avenue we went down, we just couldn’t do it- We just couldn’t find a good enough reason-Excuses? Yes- Justifications? Yes- Solid reasons that were good enough to make us feel comfortable eating them? No- And I remember saying – damn, well, we can’t keep eating them- That’s it- I just can’t do it- And so we stopped – That was it- Fish were out-
I mentioned in another episode that one of my blocks – even though I was eating other fish – was lobster, because I could see the whole body and had to break the body myself in order to eat it- Couldn’t do it – I could see it for what it was – ya know a body – a head, eyes, legs- And now, when I think back to eating shrimp – the idea of just biting into their entire body – just breaking the body with my teeth is repulsive to me- I just hate thinking about it- But I did it for a long time- And now I’m glad I don’t do anymore
So, we have a lot to talk about, and I thought we would start with one of the aspects of fishing that we don’t think about a lot – we don’t hear about a lot, and that’s the inevitable, expected, inherent part of commercial fishing called by-catch
I had been planning on covering this topic for a long time, but it was an email I received that inspired me to put it at the top of the queue- I’ll just read you a bit of the email – it’s from a gentleman named Karl, who lives in Arizona
“Since in every podcast you ask about topic suggestions I will mention something that was one of the hardest things for me personally to give up: Sushi- I thought I would never give up fish until I saw a video podcast by Greenpeace, called “Thanks for all the Fish,” which shows a legal fishing boat as they pull up their catch- In the podcast, they show how many endangered animals they legally pull up and kill – This podcast above all other arguments changed my mind about eating fish”
We often hear the quote: “10 billion animals are killed for human consumption every year in the United States – Worldwide, I believe it’s 45 billion,” but it’s more accurate to say that “10 billion LAND animals are killed for human consumption every year in the U S Otherwise, we’re just disregarding the billions of aquatic animals killed for the same purpose – human appetites -Although the number of aquatic animals killed for consumption in the United States goes unreported, annual estimates are more than 17 billion in the U S alone, and sport fishing and angling kills another 245 million animals annually- So, basically, we’re talking about over 27 billion animals – both land and aquatic – being killed every year in the U S so we humans can eat them – We’re not talking about survival – we’re talking about appetite- And these numbers don’t count the millions of aquatic animals killed as incidental catch
By-catch refers to unintended or unwanted animals caught by the fishing industry- It is estimated that by-catch-related mortality is causing population declines in 13 out of the 44 species of marine mammals that are suffering high death rates from human activities- Commercial fishers use a number of techniques for ensnaring animals, from setting miles of line and baited hooks (called longlines) to catch animals such as sharks, swordfish, and tuna; to using large nets to catch schools of fish- These large nets are towed underwater by what are called trawlers- A trawler is a fishing vessel designed for the purpose of operating a trawl, a type of fishing net that is dragged along the bottom of the sea (or sometimes just above the bottom at a specified depth)
A single pass of a trawl removes up to 20% of the seafloor fauna and flora- And the fisheries with the highest levels of by-catch are shrimp fisheries: 80%-90% of a catch may consist of marine species other than the shrimp being targeted- I just wanna make sure you heard that: 80%-90% of the animals caught in these nets that are targeting shrimp and prawns are actually non-target animals – they’re by-catch
Shrimp are bottom-dwellers, which is why trawling nets are used to – remove them from the ocean- Since even jumbo shrimp are really small, the nets used to catch the shrimp are very fine, which means these nets scoop up all the animals – all the life – found on the ocean’s floor -According to a 2003 U S News and World Report article on fishing and its detrimental affects on the oceans of the world, every pound of shrimp that’s caught results in the killing of ten pounds of other marine life- According to the Worldwide Fund for Nature, in the Gulf of Thailand it can be 14 pounds of by-catch per pound of shrimp
Now, a lot of the dead by-catch is made up of tiny animals that people don’t have emotional attachments to – you know, they may not be cute like baby seals or dolphins – but they contribute to the oceans’ biodiversity and they have a right to be there – to live
The other thing to consider is that the dredging along the ocean floor also breaks up coral and the habitats of bottom-dwellers- And because the same areas are dredged again and again, it’s not like these habitats and inhabitants have time to recover before being destroyed again- So, if you consider yourself an “environmentalist,” and most people do – it’s something to consider – Fish populations, communities, and ecosystems are being destroyed so we can have shrimp cocktail – and I used to eat that- I used to eat shrimp cocktail
Now – by-catch is often discarded back into the ocean already dead or dying- Many are half-alive and die slow, unnecessary deaths- Trawl nets in general, and shrimp trawls in particular where the discard may be 90% of the catch, have been identified as sources of mortality for many species of concern, including endangered animals and cetaceans, such as whales, dolphins and porpoises- Sea turtles, already endangered, have been killed by the thousands in shrimp trawl nets-
Another way to put this is anywhere between 6..8 million and 27 million tons of fish could be being discarded each year- It’s hard to get exact numbers, but part of the problem is that we tend to have pretty myopic vision- We may be looking at the one fish on our plate or the 5 shrimp in our seafood salad, but countless numbers of animals were dredged up and killed for the individuals we see on our own plates
Now, we’ve been talking primarily about the by-catch caused by trawling nets and shrimp nets, but there are other commercial fishing methods that also result in by-catch- Nets tend to kill cetaceans (dolphins, porpoises and whales), and longline fishing kills birds, for instance- As for the first group, an estimated 300,000 cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) die as by-catch each year, because they are unable to escape when caught in nets- So, you may not think cod fish are particularly cute, but most people get pretty emotional about whales, dolphins, and porpoises- So, if we don’t consider the cod, perhaps we can consider the animals for whom we do have sympathy
It has been estimated that a staggering 100 million sharks and rays are caught and discarded each year- Tuna fisheries, which in the past had high dolphin by-catch levels, are still responsible for the death of many sharks
Again, sharks don’t inspire warm cuddly feelings and they’re perceived as a great menace to humans- In reality, sharks typically attack fewer than 100 people per year, killing fewer than 20, and it’s not because they’re evil; it’s because they think we’re prey, because, as noted by the International Shark Attack File, human population growth means more people in the water every year- And, continued human pollution means less habitable water for sharks- In addition to the millions of sharks we kill each year as by-catch, we kill between 26 to 73 million sharks for their fins alone- It’s common practice to catch the sharks, cut off their fins, then throw their dismembered bodies back into the ocean – Just the thought of that is so, so disturbing to me- So, even if you might not want to cuddle up next to a shark, it doesn’t mean they deserve what we do to them -They’re victims of our appetites as well
I mentioned birds being killed in long lines, and I just wanted to follow up on that- Birds dive for the bait planted on long fishing lines, they swallow the bait along with the hook, are pulled under the water, and drown- Around 100,000 albatrosses are killed by longline fisheries every year, particularly where tuna are fished, and because of this, many species are facing extinction- This is very prevalent in waters off Chile, where sea bass is aggressively hunted by boats towing fifty-mile longlines- 50 miles long!
DOLPHINS
The public became aware of the problems of by-catch in the 1980s when campaigns were led against tuna companies for harming and killing dolphins when tuna were the targets- The relationship between dolphins and tuna is that yellowfin tuna follow and school beneath dolphins, so fishing fleets would look for dolphins on the surface, herd them and encircle them and set out the nets to catch the tuna – ensnaring the dolphins at the same time – An estimated 7 million dolphins have been killed by this fishing method over the past four decades, the largest marine mammal kill in history
In 1986, the International Marine Mammal Project organized a campaign, including a consumer boycott of tuna, in order to urge U S tuna companies to end the practice of intentionally chasing and netting dolphins and to adopt “Dolphin Safe” fishing practices to prevent the drowning of dolphins in tuna nets – Dolphins are mammals and don’t have gills, so they drown while stuck in the nets underwater – There are other standards that a company must adhere to in order to label their tuna “dolphin-safe,” but it’s worth noting that just because it says “dolphin-safe” or “dolphin-friendly,” its doesn’t mean that dolphins were not killed in the production of a particular tin of tuna- It means that the fleet which caught the tuna did not specifically target a pod of dolphins
Though the numbers are down since new techniques are used to catch tuna (400,000 dolphins killed annually in the 1960s and 100,000 in the 1980s), several thousand dolphins are still killed each year to satisfy our appetites for tuna – Dolphins, social, playful, intelligent animals, are also killed as by-catch in nets targeting trout – According to a 2003 BBC story by Alex Kirby called “Nets Kill 800 Cetaceans a Day,” more than 800 dolphins, porpoises, and whales die every day as they get tangled in fishing nets – that’s 300,000 every year
TURTLES
Turtles are also common victims – Sea turtles are killed by the thousands – It’s estimated that more than 20,000 sea turtles die each year after getting hooked on longlines – Six of the seven species of marine turtles are listed as Endangered or Critically Endangered, and the outlook is increasingly grim – In the Pacific, leatherbacks are heading for extinction, fast, and in the Mediterranean, green turtle numbers have plummeted – Though pollution and disease contribute to this, the nets and long-lines of fishing fleets play a major role in their demise -
According to Duke University who recently conducted a global assessment of the problem, more than 250,000 loggerhead and 60,000 leatherback turtles are snared each year by commercial longline fishing, and tens of thousands die. The authors estimated that longline fleets from 40 different countries set about 1..4 billion hooks in the studied year of 2000 the equivalent of about 3..8 million hooks each day
Again, longlines are fishing lines that can stretch for 40 miles and dangle thousands of individually baited hooks – They are set at optimal depths and times to catch tuna and swordfish, shark, and other fish, and according to the data studied, the turtles most often die – not by drowning by some kind of injury related to hooking or entangling
SEALS
Another by-product of the fishing industry is the brutal death of baby seals – Because of the Overfishing of cod by the Canadian fishing industry in eastern Canada – in the Atlantic Ocean for Newfoundland’s northeast coast, the cod population declined to such a degree that the government stepped in the late 1980s and imposed severe restrictions on commercial fishing – But it was too late – Because of overfishing, the fishery collapsed, never recovered (and never will), and the ecosystem changed such that it was no longer able to support cod fish
What does all this have to do with the seals, you ask? Scapegoating the seals for the collapse of the cod fisheries, fishermen demanded a kill – In 2003, the Canadian government bowed to pressure from the fishing industry and ordered the massacre of hundreds of thousands of seals, declaring war on the seals in hopes that massive seal kills will bring back the cod and keep their disgruntled fishermen working – In fact, cod is not a major food source of the harp and hood seal diet – Further, recent evidence suggests that killing seals contributes to bacterial infestation on the ocean floor which leads to hypoxia, a condition in which patches of ocean lose all the dissolved oxygen and are unable to sustain cod or fish or marine life of any kind – However, these facts seem to have been brushed aside by the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans in their efforts to justify and continue the slaughter – During the 3-year period of 2003-2005, the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) allowed a kill quota of 975,000 baby and adult harp seals and 30,000 adult hood seals – When the “struck and lost” seals are included (these are the animals who’ve been hit but lost in the icy waters), the total killed exceeds one million, making this the largest marine mammal slaughter in the world
To find as many avenues as possible to profit from the annual, government-subsidized slaughter, Canada exports sealskins (furskins/pelts and leather), seal oil, and seal meat – Unfortunately, the demand for seal pelts has sky-rocketed, especially in Europe – Though seal meat isn’t doing so well, the Canadian government is trying to find markets for the bodies of the skinned seals
The kill continues to this day; even as I write this – The quota for the 2007 massacre is 270,000, and as I write this, 213,000 have been killed this year – Visit http://www.seashepherd.org/seals/ for more information about this horrific annual slaughter
TSUNAMI
Finally, while we’re talking about by-products/effects (not just by-catch), there is another by-product of consuming aquatic animals that went under the radar screen when an earthquake and subsequent tsunami in southeast Asia destroyed lives and communities at the end of 2004 – Over 200,000 human lives were lost and uncounted non-human lives – Experts agree that the destruction of coral reefs and mangrove trees played a significant role in the destruction caused by the tsunami – In many countries across Asia, including Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, mangroves stood all along the coasts in shallow waters – They offered protection against things like tsunamis – Over the last 20-30 years, they were cleared for shrimp or prawn farms – The shrimps and prawns are sold to Europeans and other foreigners at a price that does not take into account the environmental cost – The destruction of the coasts was also due to the building of large resorts where they should never have been built
Of course, there are efforts to rebuild the shrimp farms, and we’ll see if we learn anything from the disaster – I’m a little skeptical, considering the fact that worldwide, shrimp farming has grown at an annual average of over 18% since 1970, and is the single most valuableinternationally traded seafood product worldwide, valued at an estimated $50-60 billion at the point of retail
So the cost of our consumption of aquatic animals is extremely high – Not just to the target species who were living perfectly lovely lives before we come along and snatch them out of their homes but also to the non-target species and entire ecosystems- And this is just one aspect of this issue – We have yet to talk about all the others, including factory-farm raising fish, the pollution in the ocean, the fishing of smaller fish to feed to the larger fish we raise to eat, the toxins, such as mercury, in the fish that we consume when we eat their bodies, the research that supports the fact that fish feel pain, the human health concerns of eating fish, the problems with “catch and release sport fishing,” and more – I can do an entire podcast on salmon alone and the many problems with consuming it – from the problems with farm-raised Atlantic salmon, which is probably one of the worst choices we could make: The fish are raise in cramped pens in the ocean; their waste pollutes the surrounding water and spreads disease to wild fish – In the Pacific, escaped farm-raised salmon also compete with wild fish for food and interfere with spawning – Furthermore, salmon are fed a diet of fish meal (tinted to give their flesh that characteristic “salmon pink” color) which further depletes the ocean food chain – Wild Washington or Oregon salmon is a poor choice since overfishing and habitat destruction have endangered many species – Anyway, just some food for thought before we return to this topic – And do re-visit the podcast called “Skip the Middle Man” to answer your questions about the importance of Omega 3 fatty acids – not from fish but from plant sources – Because don’t forget: the fish have to consume the fatty acids from the phytoplankton, from the algae-If they don’t consume it, they don’t have it in their flesh
Until next time, consider this: A recent issue of Fish and Fisheries Magazine cited more than 500 research papers on fish intelligence, proving that fish are smart, that they can use tools, and that they have impressive long-term memories and sophisticated social structures – The introductory chapter said that fish are “steeped in social intelligence, pursuing Machiavellian strategies of manipulation, punishment and reconciliation … exhibiting stable cultural traditions and cooperating to inspect predators and catch food ” – With that in mind, my hope is that each of us questions what criteria we use to determine the value of an animal’s life – To determine who deserves to be spared pain, to determine who has a right to live free from harm, free from suffering, free from premature and unnecessary death
May our hearts be large enough to include not only those with whom we can identify, with whom we can communicate – May our compassion be unbiased enough to embrace those who don’t look us, those who don’t sound like us – May we be as fascinated by our differences as we are consoled by our similarities – We don’t need to travel to other planets to find interesting, exotic, different life forms-They exist right here, right now, on the earth and in the sea – We would recognize them – if we could just get the way long enough to look through a different lens, a broader lens
Some people are afraid that their social lives will suffer when they eliminate meat and dairy from their diet, since social occasions and food tend to go hand-in-hand. For anyone who has ever thought it is difficult as a vegetarian to dine out, to eat at the home of a non-vegetarian friend, or to find food to eat at parties, I hope this can be a guide and a resource.
1) Be Specific Not everybody knows what it means to eat “vegetarian” or “vegan,” and it’s important for vegetarians/vegans to be specific about what their needs are- I know plenty of people who think chickens are plants with wings or who think “chicken broth” is vegetarian- They think as long as there are no chickens floating around in it, it’s acceptable for those who don’t eat birds- So be clear and ask for exactly what you want.
Scenario Suggestion: When eating out, or when invited over a friend’s for dinner, it’s helpful to state specific foods – So you can say to your server “This dish/menu sounds wonderful – Just to be clear, I’m vegan, so please tell me if I order something with eggs, meat broth, cheese, milk, or cream” – I’ve never had a server unwilling to accommodate me, and this takes care of any potential misunderstandings
2) Be Positive Most likely, you made the choice to leave animals off your plate because it makes you feel good — physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually – If that’s your truth, then that’s exactly what you should express to those around you – Your attitude will influence the perception and attitude of others about what it means to be vegan -
Scenario Suggestion: When ordering in a restaurant, of course it’s polite and appropriate to thank the server for accommodating you, but try not to apologize to the point of being self-effacing – If you had a food allergy, you would just explain to the server and move on – Your food preferences are just as valid when based on ethical reasons- And remember, you’re paying them – they should accommodate you if they want to keep your business -So thank them, but then just move on
3) Be Confident Food is a personal as well as political subject that has been known to bring up people’s defenses, and vegetarians have found themselves on the receiving end of ridicule, criticism, interrogations, jokes, and plain old rudeness- Remaining confident that the attack has nothing to do with you personally will help you take the encounter in stride – Also, don’t feel you need to carry the weight of defending all the benefits of vegetarianism-If asked why you make the choices you do, speak from your heart and tell your truth- That is much more powerful than trying to espouse all the latest nutrition research that supports vegetarian eating (and of course there’s lots of it!)
Scenario Suggestion: You are at a party, and someone – rather hostilely – says to you, “I just finished a book by a prominent anthropologist, and he provides a lot of evidence that humans were never pure vegetarian at any point in our evolution ” – Many might be tempted to respond with the fact that early humans actually gathered more than they hunted, that we’re physically designed to eat vegetarian diets, etc , and if your goal is to win an argument, then argue away- But, consider an alternative response that diffuses the attack, speaks to the real issue, and enables you to remain true to yourself – You could say something like “I don’t know much about anthropology, but I do know that I feel really good about eating this way- It’s better for my health and certainly better for the animals- And besides, isn’t being human about doing things better than the way we did them before, especially as we learn more?”
4) Be Generous Co-workers, neighbors, clients, friends, and family all appreciate the gift of homemade goodies, and every vegetarian knows the power of delicious food – Anytime non-vegetarians try your infamous meatless chili or your decadent dairy-free cookies, they are exposed to dishes they may have never chosen on their own, and often they’ll walk away with a new perception about “vegan food”
Scenario Suggestion: Bring muffins in for your morning office meeting, leave cookies on your neighbor’s porch, make a cake for a special occasion and share it with co-workers – You can visit http://www.compassionatecooks.com/ to get lots of delicious recipes
5) Be Assertive I’d be lying if I said that healthful plant-based options are available in every restaurant, but they are available in almost every restaurant whose focus is not “American cuisine “- Every other cuisine, from Italian and Thai to Indian and Mexican, offers plenty of healthful vegan dishes – But for those times when you don’t have a say in choosing the restaurant, at an employee lunch or office party, it’s worth calling the restaurant in advance to find out which menu items can be made meat- and dairy-free or what they can make special to accommodate you-
Scenario Suggestion: Most people don’t like having their food choices be the center of attention, especially when people may already perceive veganism as “different” or “difficult,” but anytime I’ve asked for something “off the menu,” everyone else at the table has coveted my meal – They had no idea you could suggest something different than what’s on the menu, and they will wish they followed your lead!
6) Be Attentive The stereotype that vegans talk all the time about being vegan is, well, true, but only because once a meat-eater learns you’re vegetarian, you become their Confessor, counselor, and sounding board – They often proceed to tell you how often they eat meat or how they’ve become vegetarian except for the chickens and fish they still consume – Though you’ve heard it before, be respectful, be attentive, and be sensitive – They clearly want to identify as a “vegetarian” and are trusting you with a bit of information about themselves – What they are saying may be more important than what you have to say in response – Ask them questions instead of simply responding -
Scenario Suggestion: A non-vegetarian tells you she tried to be vegetarian but it was too hard-Ask her what was hard about it – She tells you she doesn’t want to know about how the animals are treated – Ask her what she thinks might happen if she knew- The point is to create a dialogue and to realize that it is not “me against you,” the “vegetarian against the meat-eater,” but rather us against cruelty, us against violence- For those of us who are vegan, it’s also important to remember our own stories so we don’t become self-righteous- At one time or another, most of us ate animals and their secretions and some of us relied on silly excuses to continue eating them
7) Be Prepared There may be times when a work or family event centers around meat (like a barbecue) or takes place in a restaurant that is unfavorable to vegans (such as a steakhouse) – At such times, it might be worth eating something before you go and/or bringing your own food to eat when you get there- It may be inconvenient, but it’s better than not eating at all, and once again, the food you bring will most likely inspire others to try something new – To be perfectly frank, BBQs – when they’re not vegetarian – are the one event I refuse to attend- It’s just much too painful and offensive to witness the ravenous gluttony of this meat-fest, but I don’t want to make it seem like being vegan isolates you – I don’t not attend because there wouldn’t be something for me to eat – I don’t go because I don’t want to; it’s just too upsetting
8 ) Be Equipped There are numerous occasions that offer the opportunity to bring a dish- Bringing your favorite vegan lasagna or chocolate cake is a surefire way to ensure that you’ll enjoy the fare, and it’s a wonderful way to introduce people to delicious and nutritious veg food-
Scenario Suggestion: If you are attending a dinner party where guests were not asked to bring a dish, you might want to call to find out if it’s okay that you bring something- Or, better yet, ask the hostess if you can alleviate some of the cooking burden for her and bring one of the dishes – It would also provide you with an opportunity to clarify what you eat (see #1)
9) Be Humorous Non-vegetarians as well as vegetarians can get a little uptight around such a sensitive subject – Humor has a way of diffusing tension – Always keep in mind that whatever jokes non-vegetarians might make at your expense, it really has nothing to do with you – Passive aggressive though these people are, it will help to respond with humor and levity -
Scenario Suggestion: I try to keep things light while at the same time telling the truth – So, for instance, when I’m around non-vegetarians and one might say something about the chicken sandwich they had for lunch and then they turn to me to apologize, I usually say something like “look – don’t apologize to me – Apologize to the chickens” – It’s a good way to get people thinking without being judgmental; besides, this has nothing to do with me – It has everything to do with the animals – Responding with levity to hostility is always a good way to go
10) Be Vocal – One thing some non-vegetarians don’t understand – I don’t think I really understood it before I was vegan – is that to sit in a restaurant watching everyone chewing on animals is an incredibly painful experience – Eating at a vegetarian or, better yet, vegan restaurant is so wonderful – not just because you can choose anything on the menu – but because it’s a nonviolent atmosphere – There’s kind of a feeling of serenity when you look around you and know that no animals were (intentionally) killed in the making of the meals and everyone’s just munching on wonderful plant-based food
Scenario Suggestion: So, when you can speak up and ask your friends or family or co-workers to try a vegetarian restaurant, I encourage you to do so – If you’re a non-vegetarian, extend an invitation to your vegetarian friend to go to a veg restaurant – That way, everyone can eat and experience the abundance!
The Holidays: I want to say a quick note about the holidays – Many of these suggestions will help, I think, but here’s another sure-fire way to ensure all the food is vegan: host a holiday dinner yourself – You can make it potluck style, guiding non-vegans about what to bring, giving them recipes, etc – It will inspire them to make something vegan, although they’ll probably realize they cook vegan all the time but never called it vegan- There are times I’ve gone back East for the holidays and cooked the entire holiday meal (with some help from my hubby, of course) for our families- They were happy to have someone do all the cooking, and the meal was something everyone was able to enjoy – Yes, it means more work, but whatever -A few hours in the kitchen is nothing compared to what the animals endure.
The delicious picture up top is the “Gooey Grilled Cheez” from Ultimate Uncheese cookbook on whole grain oat bread with slices of a farmers’ market tomato-The recipe is very easy and fast and probably have all of the ingredients you need to make it already- I love how it has that crazy orange Kraft Single look (fun fact: Kraft Singles cannot legally be labeled “processed cheese food” anymore as they don’t even use milk, but some weird milk byproduct- Now it has to say “processed cheese product” on the package- Scary eeh?) to it even though it’s colored only with nutritional yeast and tumeric! I promise it’s really, really yummy too 
