Photo Credit: Flickr.com

A Private Oasis

In the hustle and bustle of the urban life all of us long for a spot of green. Vegetation is good for mind body and soul. Who among us has not looked at a beautiful flower or fruit on the tree and felt at peace with nature. The concrete jungles that we live in and lack of space, leaves this need in us to nurture and grow unfulfilled. The good news here is that acres and acres of land and a gardener is not required to maintain a satisfying and helpful kitchen herb garden. Ever looked at supermarket basil and cilantro and felt like just picking some up fresh from a planter near you, well it is not so difficult. People looking for Healthy food choices and most Vegans eat a lot of greens in their regular diet. It is a great idea to connect with your food by growing it, liven up your balcony and get fresh ingredients to perk up your cooking. Herbs are among the easiest plants to grow.  Fresh herbs are one of the greatest ways to jazz up the taste of vegan food without adding harmful spices.  One of the great perks of growing your own herb is that you know what goes into it and it can be organic and chemical free. Also you can use as much of it as you like at one go and don’t have to buy bunches of herbs and store them in your fridge.

Photo credit: Flickr.com

Healthy eating and Vegan lifestyle involves eating a lot of nutrient dense whole foods. Leafy greens are a great source of healthy food. Greens like spinach, lettuce, and arugula grow similarly as the herbs. You can buy them as seedlings, plant them, and use them as and when required. They can be harvested more than once. This is a particularly good time of the year to get started on your herb garden.

All you need are a few basic materials like some pots or planters, some potting soil that is specially used for pots and is easily available at any farmers markets (visit vegalyfe.com to know about one in Gurgaon), some seedlings to get you started again available at farmers markets, some natural fertilizers to reenergize your soil regularly, a trowel and a watering can but that is entirely optional. For me I love those cute little watering cans and cannot resist them. Buying seedlings is always a better option as they are more likely to grow up as healthy plants rather than if you try to do it all by yourself.

Make sure that your pots have proper holes for drainage so that your herbs don’t get waterlogged. The herbs should be properly spaced and not crowded together. Herbs like mint and oregano grow savagely and take over their surroundings. Make sure to give these kinds of plants their individual pot.

Basil is a great starter herb. It grows sturdily, requires little attention and produces handsomely. It can be used in various vegan food preparations as well. Herbs are different from other houseplants such that they require regular attention. Watering regularly keeping track of sunlight and wind conditions is an important part of growing an herb garden. Some other herbs that are easy to grow in home gardens are rosemary, cilantro and mint. Dill, Sage and Chives are also a good choice for your herb garden.

Scallions are easy to grow through their bulbs and can be used to liven up Chinese vegan food (stir fries); mushroom and scallion pasta sauce is also one of my favorites. You can trim the greens as required and the bulbs will go on producing.

Pruning also plays an important role in growing a healthy herb. Prune often to grow a sturdier plant. Be sure to prune wisely from the top, also leave the larger leaves at the bottom intact as they provide the required sunlight to your herb.

Growing a garden at home can be a very rewarding experience, if it does not take well this can turn into a frustrating experience in no time. The trick is to approach your herb garden in a planned manner. Get your equipment ready, read up on the herbs you want to grow, what kind of conditions do they require to be healthy and then shower them with love and affection. As a person with healthy and/ or vegan food choices this will be an enriching experience that will connect you to Mother Nature in no small way.

 Eating the Environment Away

Cattle farms pose a great yet ignored threat to our way of life. Its environmental effects are devastating to contemplate. The milk, eggs and meat that we human beings consume accounts for 40% of all agricultural produce in the world. The food grains that are used to directly feed the human beings form a relatively small portion of the agricultural products of the world. This small chunk includes all grains, vegetables and fruits. Vegan lifestyle supports eating food grains, fruits, vegetables, and nuts. The idea is to not use animals as produce. Cattle farming as the name suggests is exactly the opposite. The animal farming sector employs 1.3 billion people globally and uses up 1/3 of all the worlds fresh water. There is no other single human activity that has such a huge environmental impact that is ignored so blatantly both by its consumers and by its producers.

The numbers are simply daunting.  The fact that the vast majority of land about 30% of the word’s total ice-free surface is used not to raise grains, fruits and vegetables that are directly fed to human beings, but to support the chickens, pigs and cattle that humans eventually eat is simply breathtaking. Not only is all this meat eating cruel to animals it is also cruel to humans. It promotes an unhealthy eating pattern based on myths. Research has proven again and again that Vegan lifestyle promotes eating habits that are good for health and are natural. Natural products as opposed to man-made foods like cattle are the best for one’s health. The growth of the meat industry echoes the rise in global population, and also higher standards of living in developing economies. A sustained effort to educate people on the harmful impacts of consuming and rearing industrial farm animals is required.  These industrial farm animals are kept in deplorable conditions are fed on food spiked with pesticides and antibiotics and then culled mercilessly for their flesh. They are often disease riddled and full of unnatural hormones. Humans who consume them are bound to be affected by such factors. Vegan lifestyle is a compassionate lifestyle that focuses on healthy living. There are many vegan stores that stock products that enable healthy eating habits.

Whereas meat or chicken used to be cooked once a week it is now a part of every meal in many households. To meet the rising global demand for cheap protein, livestock production has grown increasingly more industrialized. Vegan lifestyle is alternative lifestyle that promotes healthy eating and a cruelty free society.

If people exist on food grains and other cruelty free sources of food the food scarcity problem of world could me mitigated. Vegan food is a great compassionate and healthier source of sustenance. Tropical and rainforests are being cut down constantly to provide more land for animal farming. In Brazil, soybean, a feed for pigs is one the largest cash crops causing huge scale deforestation.

Livestock production also is one of the biggest users of the world’s water supply accounting for more than 8 % of global water use mainly for the irrigation of feed crops.  It is also a major source for polluting both surface and ground water through animal wastes, antibiotics, hormones, chemicals from tanneries, fertilizers and pesticides used for feed crops. It is our duty as compassionate and thinking human beings to increase awareness about the dangers that exist both to humans and the environment as a direct result of consuming these animal products. It is also a mission of the vegan lifestyle.

Originally Posted here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/eating-environment-away-vegan-lifestyles-vegalyfe-india

Vegan Store Online

The word Vegan was coined in 1944 by Donald Watson; when he founded the Vegan Society in England. This name was founded as an innovative name for a “non-dairy vegetarian” diet and later to refer to “the doctrine that man should live without exploiting animals”. That means diet that comprise of plant based nutrition such as vegetables, fruits and pulses etc. with no inclusion of animal flesh and animal products in any form. A need for convenience for an online store where customers can easily search for vegan products and purchase these products online without spending money in reaching to the market inspired vegalyfe.com. We are the first vegan store in India that caters to the business of providing vegan life care products with every important standard maintained. Our Vegan store caters to the need for different categories such as Vegan clothing, Vegan fashion accessories, Vegan home products, Vegan Information and grooming, Popular Vegan and Vegan Clothing and styles.

We help you organize a 100% Vegan Party all so easily

Mostly party menu contain cakes, pastries, non-veg items but here is a vegan store that provides you with many exciting options of specially designed menus. We can transform your party menu to vegan food that will be healthy for you and environment friendly. Not only is the food Vegan but upon request many food items can be made oil free as well, with no added colors or artificial flavors. These food items are made with mostly organic, local, seasonal and fresh produce.

Iconic Vegan life style products

We at the vegan store, vegalyfe.com, provide eco-friendly, organic clothing that gives you soothingly impressive and earthy natural appearance. As ethical Vegan who express compassion towards animals and do not use any products derived from animals; the clothing that are made from wool, silk and leather garments are a strict no. In this scenario having options that not only are vegan but also natural and Eco-friendly is an added advantage. We sell modern, casual, designer dresses that suits for everyone expectations. Some of our organic cotton/bamboo clothes are black T shirt for men, organic cotton bathrobe, bamboo towels, and organic cotton yoga pants. Some of our lifestyle products are described below.

Yoga pants for staying fit and healthy

 Everyone wants to stay healthy and slim. For people looking for clothing options to match their health regimen; we have organic cotton fitness yoga pants. These pants are comfort fit pants that are elastic in nature whenever we want to do any physical movement by these pants we will be able to do that comfortably. Work well for your needs to do aerobics, yoga etc. Yoga pants are available in black & white colors and in different sizes. These pants are stretchable and good for even tough exercise regimens.

Natural Yoga Mat

Yoga mat is an essential commodity for people who perform yoga regularly. Normally PVC mats are available in market at very cheap prices. However, these are carcinogenic and hence rod a yogi of the good effects of Yoga. A good substitute is an Organic Cotton Yoga mat, these are natural mats and do not have any side effects as the synthetic PVC mats. The mats are easy to maintain, washable and portable.

India Embraces The Nature http://t.co/Q9iTCPvktJ
— VegaLyfe (@VegaLyfe) January 17, 2015

Originally share on: http://wp.me/p5sIS9-A

Natural Products

We, in India are lucky to enjoy all the seasons and the diversity of terrain. India has a unique relation with Mother Nature. The Indian mythology, tradition and the ancient practices have deep roots in use of Natural Products. With the scientific advancements and evolution in then field of chemistry, many inventions happened. Many new products came about in the markets for sale. Most created in laboratories with intelligence. In India, however, most products are still Natural. Most Indian remedies and recipes use products that are Natural and do not need testing to prove their benefits. A Vegan Store in India is the most logical concept to implement and create.






Home made recipes and the granny's remedies is what about 75 to 80% of the country's population relies on even in the 21st century. Unfortunately, the intelligence and the influences from the west tend to take the Indians away from the tradition and the basics. While two decades ago, a warm drink made with pepper corns and some local herbs was a treatment for cold, today the same gets addressed by popping a pill that was created in a laboratory with some sophisticated, complex compounds and tested on several animals to ensure it’s safe for human consumption. Sounds complex but that's where we are headed.

Natural Herbs and Spices

When Indians go back to basics, they use more Natural products, make life simple and stay happy. While the west adopting many traditions from India, we are staying away from the Nature. India embraces the Nature in its most beautiful form. Starting from the herbs available in Himalayas to the gorgeous produce of herbs, fruits available in the north-eastern forests, India is a country with so many resources. Encouraging more and more farmers to stick to the conventional plant production will ensure most stores get Natural produce. More natural and plant based will ensure weaning us off the complex compounds and the testing on animals. A Vegan store will be a norm then. Sounds like wishful thinking, to a few committed people this works like a lofty mission.

Vegan Clothing Store

Vegan Clothing sounds a bit of stretch to some, while actually this was the most natural one for me. Of course wool, silk, leather products etc. are completely non vegan and out of a Vegan’s life for good. But then I wondered if something could just purely be Vegan clothing. A quick search would find you many alternatives in natural fibres such as jute, cotton and in all man-made synthetic fibres such as rayon, nylon, polyester, microfiber etc. However, for a person like myself who likes more natural material kept searching for more. Especially for my Yoga Pants and sports wear, I wanted a better alternative. Cotton yoga pants have a good range available but to my mind it seemed cruel to the ecosystem.

To make a normal cotton yoga pant would require about half a kilo of cotton which would require gallons of water and several hectares of irrigated land. Organic cotton is much better as a source and more efficient choice for yoga pants for those looking for Vegan Clothing.

Also, came across a wide range of bamboo clothing, organic cotton, banana fabric, soya protein fabric and that was just amazing to come across. Pledging to Vegan is a compassionate way of life where one is more mindful and conscientious towards environment, fellow humans animals and life at large. The first look at these fabrics made so much sense as these required much less resources and were made out of recycling the waste from the plant. For example a bamboo tree does not require too much of effort to grow and not too much of land as well. Clothing made out of bamboo fibre has anti bacterial properties and refreshes itself pretty fast. Not to forget it is a great solution for someone looking for variety and range in Vegan Clothing.

Therefore, if you look for it, you’ll find Vegan Clothing pretty easy and at reasonable prices. I found so many more choices in Vegan clothing as I was looking for alternatives for natural fiber yoga pants.

 

Vegan Food Store

Vegan food is the most closely that one can relate with a Sattvic diet. Here are the five main reasons why:

• Basic Ground: Those who make Vegan food their choice do so in order to not harm any life for their own needs. Sattvic food emphasized on no harm to the larger life. A Vegan store would have products that are lowest on negative energy or the tamasic vibes, and hence more Sattvic
  
  
• Science: All mammals have different lifespan and that also indicates the growth of organs and the overall evolution will be different. The hormones & the fat composition is most definitely different amongst all. Consuming animal fat whether in their meat or in milk is not good for the body. Human body is not designed to digest the hormones meant for the growth of an animal. Additionally, there is enough evidence and research about the carcinogenic properties of casein, the main protein found in milk. Vegan food therefore ensures compliance with the Sattvic way of no harm to our own body and that of other life.
  
  
• Shopping: Vegan stores are not found in India, however if one excludes honey, eggs, dairy products (such as ghee, milk, paneer, cheese, butter, curd etc.) and some other non-Indian foods (such as gelatin, custard etc.) out of any normal pansari or kirana shop in any locality can easily be classified as pretty much a Vegan Store. It is this simple for India to turn Vegan.

• Factory farming: Many wonder that dairy products have been integral part of Indian culture and our food, how does excluding that still stay Indian? Even Sattvic diet emphasized on having the milk from a happy cow. The greed in times today has left the natural happiness way behind and even the sacred cows are being used as machines to produce more. The love that Krishna showered on his herd and the belief the cattle had in his affection is not left the non-Vegan food any way Sattvic. Milk production is in fact harming the ecosystem and the cattle.
  
  
• Vriti: You are what you eat. Every life has emotions and to have a produce of a terrified or pained animal will have the traces of those emotions in the food when consumed. The vriti formed from the energy from such food is nowhere going to be positive.