Living More Ethically and Veganism

I don't think it is any secret that veganism is on the rise. Many people seem to find vegans as intrusive or as 'bully's' and I can often see why. But honestly veganism isn't about that. It is about leading a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle for both you, the animals and the planet. I see a lot of vegan's online being bullied for putting their message across and I do see why, because it can be often seen as 'forcing' it onto people, but all I want to do is open your eyes to ways you can live more ethically. I recently made the change to become vegan after looking into many documentary's and videos on the benefits of veganism and the truths behind the meat and dairy industry's, which shocked me to say the least. Many people believe that veganism has to be all or nothing, but that really isn't the case and there are so many small steps you can take to living more ethically that doesn't have to be a full of pledge to veganism straight away.

Research
Even if you aren't considering becoming vegan I recommend that you at least do some research on the topic because then you know both sides of the argument and can make a decision seeing it from everyone's angle.

I recommend using YouTube as a resource as well as documentary's such as Cowspiracy and Earthlings. Looking deeper into these industry's may spark something in you into wanting to become vegan when you learn about the harsh truths of industrial farming

Did you know? That male baby chicks are often ground up/killed as they are no use to the egg industry.

Switch out certain products
You don't have to cut everything out immediately to make a difference. By simply switching out your normal milk for soy or nut variety's you will already be spreading a message to the producers. In todays world your money really is your voice. Where you choose to spend your money can really make a difference as by purchasing a product you are showing you support the industry behind it. So by changing to cruelty free alternatives you are showing that you no longer support the other industry's and therefore maybe in the long run there will be less cruelty if enough people take the same approach as the producers come to realise their current approach is not working.

Things you can switch out
Milk // Soy or nut milks (alrpo is a good brand)
Yogurt // Soy or other dairy free alternatives (alpro is a good brand)
Meat // Meat free alternatives such as Linda Mccartneys vegan options or Quorn vegan options
Egg // Egg substitutes such as flax egg of flax seed mixed into water or try a tofu scramble
Makeup tested on animals // Switch to cruelty free brands and look up vegan lists. I have a post on cruelty free brands here
Chocolate // There are endless options of dairy free chocolates
Cakes // Get baking and creative!
Bread // Make sure bread is free from egg, milk or whey. (Hovis label which breads are vegan)

Did you know? Female cows are impregnated or 'raped' for them to produce milk and then immediately/shortly after birth the calf is taken off the mother to insure ultimate milk production for the producers

Simple Meal Plan
Veganism is far from living off salads these days and you don't worry about protein because you get plenty from green vegetables and beans. Everyone is different when it comes to a vegan lifestyle and there are so many different ways of eating, but what is important is to do what is right for you. Whether it be raw, normal or HCLF you can eat pretty much anything as a vegan. Just because you see one trend of veganism doesn't mean you have to follow it. I myself stick to a normal vegan diet eating what I want whether that be chips one day and fruit the next. One thing you need to consider hwoever is you do need to eat slightly more if you are vegan as larger portions of rice and vegetables can equate to the same in calories as a small meal of meat. Therefore you need more to fill your stomach and get the nurtients you need.

Breakfast
Porridge (and all the toppings)
Banana Nice Cream
Smoothies
Cereal

Lunch
Sandwiches
Avocado on toast (or anything you like)
Roasted potatoes/chips

Dinner
Stuffed vegetables
Vegan burgers etc
Rice and beans
Pasta/pizza
Stir Fry's

Snacks
Fruit
Dried Fruit
Nuts

It really is as easy as that, you can pretty much veganize anything and it isn't as hard as you think to get a balanced diet being vegan.


Choose the Vegetarian Options When Eating Out
Start off with small steps. When you are eating out rather than choosing the burger, choose the vegetarian option on the menu instead, because again you are voicing an opinion with your wallet. If the restaurant offers vegan options, then great choose that. Even better would be try out that vegan restaurant in your town and you will quickly see that you can still eat delicious food as a vegan.

Small Steps are Ok
Like I said earlier with veganism it does not have to be all or nothing. There are so many small things you can do to make a difference. Maybe at first try out being pescatarian, then move onto vegetarian and lastly you could take the step to be vegan, that was how I did it. Try out No Meat Mondays or Vegan Thursdays, whatever step you can, try it or maybe just switch out products for alternatives that I suggested above.

I hope this has helped you realise you can live more ethically quite easily today and maybe even made you consider trying out a vegan lifestyle. I have heard many people say that veganism is a privilege, when in reality being vegan can be cheap as chips, literally! Beans, nuts, rice and wholefoods are often some of the cheapest items you can purchase in the supermarket. This post isn't to force you to become vegan it is to simply make you consider the benefits and maybe learn a bit more why the vegan community is growing so quickly today.


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Lush Vegan Favourites

I love Lush products, I mean what is not to like? A company that protests against animal cruelty very openly. If I am honest, initially I thought that a lot of, if not all Lush's products were vegan but after looking in store at the ingredients I found this wasn't the case. So I thought I would share with you my favourite Lush products that are vegan and that I use on a daily basis. Even though not all Lush products are vegan, a lot actually are and where they can they do substitute the animal products for alternatives. But milk and honey are still in some of their products. You can find the vegan products on Lush's website here

Tea Tree Toning Water
I use this toner religiously twice a day. It leaves my skin feeling fresh and also helps to combat spots by calming down any redness with its antibacterial properties.

Cupcake
I used to love the Mask of Magniminty by Lush but after finding it wasn't vegan I was on the hunt for a new face mask. I remembered when I first started getting spots when I was 12 I used cupcake and loved how it made my skin feel. After trying it again I have fallen back in love with it. It's cooling on the skin due to the mint and also after removing the mask my skin is left feeling moisturized and clean.

The Comforter
This has been my top favourite Lush product for a while now. When I first got into Lush this was the first item that I bought and I have just kept on buying it throughout the years. The smell of this product is amazing, it reminds me of Vimto or Ribena so it makes me feel quite nostalgic!

Dragons Egg
This is another old favourite of mine. The scent of this is very refreshing and citrusy from the lemons, so it is a great one to wake up to in the morning.

Avobath
This is my favourite bath bomb by Lush. Again it is a very invigorating scent with the lemongrass that makes it another bath bomb that is great to use in the morning. I love using avobath when my skin is feeling dry as the avocado and oils leave my skin feeling smooth and hydrated after I get out of the bath.

Floating Island
This is a great Lush product if you are suffering from dry, tight skin. It's a bath oil that will melt in the bath and sink into your skin leaving it feeling nourished. I love the sweet scent of floating island and I find it really relaxes me when I'm in the bath.

Rock Star
I don't often use the Lush soaps but when I do it is often this one. I mainly picked this one because of the gorgeous scent it has, but Lush soaps are lovely and gentle on the skin so don't leave it feeling tight or dry after use.

Mechanic
Another soap, however what is different about this is that it is cold pressed. Mechanic has the scent of godmother if you are familiar with that. The benefits of the cold pressed soap is that none of the nutrients are lost like they usually are when the soaps are heated and also it is a great exfoliant for the skin.

Sophisticated
Lush's cream eyeshadows are some of the best I have tried. Often cream eyeshadows crease on me after a few hours but these ones from Lush stay put all day. Admittedly I have only tried sophisticated but it is a gorgeous, everyday champagne/gold colour. It is super easy to use as you just apply it onto your lids and blend it a little with your finger and you are good to go!

Ocean Salt
You know how I said that the comforter was my favourite Lush product, well this is a VERY close second. Ocean salt is another old favourite of mine that initially my mum used, which got me into using it later on. At first I thought it was too abrasive for my skin but less is more with this product. It is a great exfoiliant for anywhere on your body and leaves your skin feeling rejuvenated and refreshed after using it, not dry at all because of the coconut oils and shea butter that are within the scrub.

Sakura
I can't really explain the scent of this bath bomb but it contains jasmine oil along with mimosa and lemon oil, I guess I am a fan of citrus scents. I love this little bath bomb and when I use it in the bath I feel uplifted and relaxed.

Rub Rub Rub
The purchase of this product was initially inspired by my mum, again, who uses this religiously. You can use this scrub anywhere, even in your hair! (I haven't tried this yet). When I first used Rub Rub Rub, I found it a little weird because when you put it onto dry skin it is quite an abrasive scrub however step into the shower and it melts into your skin leaving it feel nourished and beautifully smooth.

Dream Cream
Last but certainly not least of my Lush vegan favourites is a moisturiser. I don't often buy Dream Cream because I do feel like it is a little pricey for a moisturiser but it does wonders for my skin, oh the struggles! I suffer from KP on my arms and this really helps to combat that by reducing the redness and it being anti inflammatory from the chamomile oil. It also feels lovely and cooling on the skin, so I use this product sparingly.

That's it! I know it was a long list but I just so happen to love a lot of Lush's products. When it comes to it I would much rather spend my money on products from a company who support the same message as I do rather than someone who supports cruelty. It is your money and where you spend it that makes the true difference.

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Lush Dream Cream Review
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Crete Travel Diary

I have to say that Greece is one of the most beautiful countries I have ever visited. I love everything about the country. the people, the architecture, the barren landscapes and not forgetting the food, never forget the food. I have now made it my life goal to try to visit as many places in Greece as a I can. I have already been to Corfu and sailed around the Southern Ionian. This years turn was Crete, the biggest island in Greece.

We stayed in Elounda, on the right side of the island, it was stunning and in some ways like stepping back in time looking at the landscapes that give Greece its character. Elounda is such a beautiful coastal town that isn't too touristy and busy but has quaint beaches and an array of traditional shops and taverns. There is a lot to do from adventure tours, trips to Santorini and other islands. They also have a selection of watersports that we went on twice as well as the ability to rent a boat. We stayed in a lovely resort called Elounda Residence that I would recommend to anyone visiting the area but be warned it is a long walk up any hill, although they provide a bus down to the main village to save your legs in the heat. It is also quite easy to get around Crete to other parts of the island if you have a car, so I would recommend renting one. We headed over to Agios Nikolaos, which is a lovely town with a port that cruise ships often stop into. It is a little bit more touristy and busier than Elounda but a great places to visit. We also made a trip to Plaka, which was a favourite of mine. It was a stunning little village, much smaller than Elounda with a gorgeous pebbled beach with crystal clear sea. Again a lovely place to visit if you are on this end of Crete. We also got a boat over to Spinalonga, the old leprosy colony just off Crete. It's a historic island filled with ruins from its past as housing people who were sent their because they had leprosy. You can also get a boat from Elounda and Agios Nikolaos but it was the cheapest in Plaka.

There is no doubt that Greece is a beautiful country but the islands hold a special little place in my heart for their tradition and stunning beauty. Have you visited anywhere in Greece?

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