Is Being a Vegetarian or Vegan Healthier than Being a Meat Eater?

The answer is...Maybe yes, maybe no. It depends on what you eat. We automatically assume that all vegetarian and vegan foods are good for us. That they're packed full of nutrients, but this isn't always the case. In fact, I've seen a lot of vegetarian and vegan junk foods creeping into the market in the past few years. These are processed foods, cereals, dinners, meat and cheese replacers, dairy free snacks, the majority of which are high in fat, sodium, sugar, sugar substitutes, hydrogenated oils and chemicals I can't pronounce.

Take vegetarian and vegan flavored soy yogurt for example. All of those soy isoflavones and active cultures drowned in 21 or more grams of sugar. Did you know that's over 4 teaspoons of sugar in a single six ounce container! Yieks! Eat one of these puppies and you'll be starving as soon as you come crashing down from your sugar buzz. Not quite so healthy is it?

The same is true for granola bars, cookies, "nutritious" entrees, and various other treats. Have you checked out the ingredient labels for some of the soy and rice based ice creams? How about the soy meat substitutes such as soy bacon and tofu turkey? If you're looking for a real scare, read the ingredient labels on some of the non dairy cheeses. The list looks more like an anarchist's recipe for apocalypse than an ingredient list.

With more people choosing to be vegetarian or vegan, I just thought I'd take the time to point out that junk food is still junk food whether you're vegetarian, vegan, or a plain old meat eating carnivore.

Amy's Healthy Chocolate Banana Mousse Whip

Have a sweet tooth? Throw the following ingredients into the blender and puree until smooth. The result is a low fat treat that tastes wonderful.

Amy's Healthy Chocolate Banana Mousse Whip

1 block of soft tofu, drained
1/3 cup applesauce
1 very ripe banana (optional)
4 squares of semisweet chocolate (melted over a double boiler)
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon maple syrup

Refrigerate for a couple of hours before eating.

Enjoy!

Amy's First Aid Kit Essentials

When you purchase a first aid kit, it's easy to assume that the kit contains everything you need, but even the best first aid kits seem to be missing a few key essentials. That's why I've put together Amy's First Aid Kit Essentials.

That said, a first aid kit that's not within reach is as worthless as not having one at all. I urge you to keep a first aid kit in each of your vehicles and within reach at home. I also encourage you to take a First Aid and CPR/AED Class.

Knowing what to do in an emergency:
1) Gives you a sense of control and helps you stay calm in the worst situations.
2) Helps you help, comfort and potentially save someone's life.
Check out the American Red Cross and the American Heart Association for more info.

First Aid Kit Essentials

Personal Protection

• A Handful of Non-Latex Rubber Gloves
• CPR Face Shield
• Antiseptic/Antimicrobial Hand Wash like Hibistat or Hibiclens

Personal Safety

• Two 12-Hour Glow Sticks
• Traffic Safety Vest
• Reflective Emergency Triangle
  
• A Whistle

Protection from the Elements

• Sunscreen
• Lip Balm with Sunscreen
  
• Emergency Blanket
• Wool Blanket
  

Tools

• A Multipurpose Tool (like the Leatherman Tool that contains a knife, pliers, screwdrivers, etc.) I used mine last week to open the glow stick packages. The knife also comes in handy for cutting athletic tape.
  
• Car Window Breaker (they make keychain versions of these, too.) Like the LifeHammer.
• Tweezers
• A Small Sewing Needle (For removing splinters.)
  
• A Lighter (For sterilizing the needle.)
• A Pen and Paper
• A Permanent Marker
• A Watch
• A Flashlight with Backup Batteries
  

Medications

• Ibuprophen (Advil)
• Aspirin
• Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
• Antiseptic Cream
• Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
• Hydrocortisone Cream
• Stomach Medication (Such as Pepto Bismol and Imodium.)
• A two-day back-up supply of any Prescription Medications you are on in the event you are stranded somewhere.
• A Bee-Sting Kit (If you or someone you know is allergic.)
  

Blood Absorbers/Wound Protection

• A Handful of Gauze Pads of All Sizes
• Adhesive Bandages (Band-Aids) Just go with normal size bandages. The small ones are a waste of space.
• Sanitary Napkins
• Blister Pads (More of a comfort item, than a necessity.)
  

Bandaging Materials

• Triangular Bandage
• Cloth Tape
• Athletic Tape
• Gauze Wrap
• Elastic Bandage (Like an ACE Bandage)
  

Rations

• Emergency Water (I like to keep a gallon available at all times.)
• Emergency Food (Like granola bars. Enough to last a day or two.)
  
• Electrolyte Replacement Powder (Such as powdered Gatorade.)

Clean Up

• Paper Towels
• Heavy Duty Trash Bag
• Duct Tape

Glow Sticks--A Lifesaver

A few nights ago I was stopped at a light on a busy 2-lane highway in Colorado. I looked in my rear-view mirror and saw that the driver behind me was stopping. We'd both been stopped for a couple of seconds when a third driver plowed into us.

It was quite the shock! I sat in the car for quite some time trying to determine whether or not I was okay. I decided I was okay then allowed my first aid training to kick in.

Is this scene safe? No. Absolutely not.
I flipped on my 4-way flashers. Is it safe now? Hardly.

I got out of my car and saw cars and trucks barreling towards us at highway speeds. Both of the other drivers were still in their cars. And by now, we also had several bystanders on the side of the road and on the highway itself, comforting the other people involved in the accident.

The situation was getting more dangerous by the second. Worse, the woman who had hit us hadn't even bothered to turn on her 4-way flashers. I asked her to turn them on and she did, but traffic still wasn't slowing down. We were going to get hit again and a lot of people were going to die if we couldn't slow traffic down.

That's when I remembered that I had GLOW STICKS in my first aid kit. I grabbed the bright green sticks and started waving them around. In a flash, traffic slowed to a crawl making our scene as safe as it could be until the police arrived to block traffic.

Had it not been for those GLOW STICKS, someone would have hit us and hit us hard. It wouldn't have mattered if we'd been on the side of the road, either. The force of an impact like that would have sent the cars flying.

Anyway, the moral of the story is that I want you to go out and buy GLOW STICKS and stick them in each of your cars so that if you're involved in an accident you can make your scene safe.

GLOW STICKS are sometimes called 12-Hour Safety Lights. Check out Glowrus.com for more info. You can also find GLOW STICKS at Wal-Mart and sporting goods stores.

And finally, I know you're thinking. Why not use flares? Same reason it's not good to rely on 4-way flashers. People just don't pay attention. Bright green sticks waving in the air at windshield level are far more attention grabbing than a small burst of fire on the ground. Also, with flares there's always some danger of starting a fire, especially on dry, windy nights.