Vegan for Life

Today marks my first year as a Vegan. Growing up I never fail to eat my vegetables because of all its health benefits. My mom was a pescatarian and sometimes a flexitarian. She was my inspiration to eat healthily and avoid meat as much as possible. When I was a child she would always tell me and my siblings to refrain from eating junk food, processed food including meat as it is carcinogenic (cancerous). I guess she was right all along because if I only paid more attention to my diet when I was young, then I wouldn’t have lost my gallbladder at the age of 34. 

As I grew older I realize that it is “payback time,” indeed. My diet changed drastically after my laparoscopic cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) operation. I decided to cut down on eating pork and went for chicken meat instead and the reason being was, it is easier to digest. Losing a gallbladder may not sound like too big of a deal since it is not a major organ, but I guess I was wrong. I experienced heartburn whenever I eat something even with very little fat content in it. I felt bloated and once in a while had constipation issues. So I increased my fiber intake, I even switched from white to brown or red rice. In spite of it all, I still feel like there is something wrong with how I live my life. It did not occur to me however, that one day I will make the switch to veganism. 

Vegetarian vs Vegan Diet: What is the difference? 

Most people confuse vegetarian and vegan diets to be the same. According to healthline.com, Vegetarian diets exclude meat, poultry, game, fish, and shellfish. Certain types of vegetarians also exclude eggs, dairy or other animal by-products. A Vegan diet, on the other hand, can be viewed as the strictest form of vegetarianism. Veganism is currently defined by the Vegan Society as a way of living that attempts to exclude all forms of animal exploitation and cruelty as much as possible.

Why the switch? 

I became vegan primarily for ethical reasons as well as to live a healthier lifestyle. At first, I was a little concerned because I am not sure if I’m ready to give up eating meat yet, but all my worries were finally put to rest after reading informative articles and watching Netflix documentaries’ “What the Health” and “Cowspiracy.” There’s a lot of documentaries that tackle how switching to a plant-based diet is beneficial to health and the environment but these two definitely got stuck in my head. 

For the love of animals

“I love animals,” I hear this a lot from pet owners including myself before becoming a vegan. We feed and rescue helpless animals, we even open our homes to neglected ones to give them another chance in life. But I still don’t think it’s fair. If we love animals, we have to love them equally not just the ones we share our homes with. Animals are friends,  not food. They feel pain, physically or emotionally just like humans do. We’re not God, so taking the life that is gifted to them is not our decision to make. 

On helping the environment

According to independent.co.uk, study finds that veganism is “the single biggest way” to reduce our environmental impact on the planet. 

Avoiding meat and dairy could reduce the carbon footprint from food by nearly three-quarter. Researchers at the University of Oxford found that cutting meat and dairy products from your diet could reduce an individual's carbon footprint from food by up to 73%. 

Health effects of vegan diets

For many vegans, nutritional choices center around taking better care of the earth’s resources and the environment, ethical issues about animal care, the use of antibiotics and growth stimulants for the production of animals, the threat of animal-borne diseases, and the health advantages of a plant-based diet. In addition, the potential of allergies from dairy products and lactose intolerance have fueled the popularity of soy-based dairy substitutes.

Vegan diets are usually higher in dietary fiber, magnesium, folic acid, vitamins C and E, iron, and phytochemicals, and they tend to be lower in calories, saturated fat and cholesterol, long-chain n-3 (omega-3) fatty acids, vitamin D, calcium, zinc, and vitamin B-12. In general, vegetarians typically enjoy a lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), obesity, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers (source: acedemic.oup.com).

I developed an allergic reaction to poultry products particularly eggs and chicken, as well as seafood like shrimp and crab when I was a kid. I thought I have to deal with it for the rest of my life. I think that is why transitioning to a vegan diet is a piece of cake for me because I don’t have to deal with avoiding certain kinds of food anymore. 

Veganism is here to stay

Becoming vegan is not just a diet, it is a lifestyle. It’s a choice I made because my body is not a graveyard. And no it is definitely not just a phase, like what most people thought. It’s not something that will pass and soon enough I will go back to eating meat again. Education is the key to fully understand what veganism is all about. It is not enforced so please, don’t criticize vegans and disrespect just because you are not, to each his/her own. 

One thing is for sure ... once a VEGAN will always be a vegan, FOR LIFE.

D.I.Y. Notebook & Reusable Cloth Pads

D.I.Y. (Do It Yourself) Notebook

If you are into recycling and d.i.y. stuff, you know for sure that there are many ways to save money while being creative at the same time. Before I start a project, I make sure to find inspiration first. I usually pick ideas from Pinterest. 

The idea of making a d.i.y. notebook came to mind while I was putting away my niece's old books (we have donated all the books, btw) and notebooks, I noticed that there are many unused pages so I thought why not recycle instead of throwing them away? When I saw a denim covered notebook on Pinterest, I knew for sure that it will be my inspiration for this. I'm glad I found an old denim jacket from a pile of used clothes that we are looking to donate soon.

Look how thick it is

Cover (front)

Cover (back)

(Inside) Back

Worth recycling

Inside

I started by binding the pages together with a fastener, then I cut a piece of the denim jacket to the size of the front and back cover. I just basically hand stitched the inside so it will not come off. I also use a glue stick to attach the cloth to the paper cover of the notebook. Lastly, I added a gift wrapping paper to make the inside cover look a little bit artsier.

Reusable Cloth Pads Are Back

It is foldable just like disposable
sanitary napkins

Back in the late 80s until the early 90s, I remember using cloth pads during my period although disposable pads or sanitary napkins already exist. It was my mom’s advise not to use disposable pads all the time because it is dangerous and may cause cancer since it is made of plastic materials with chemicals in it. Disposable pads are not very absorbent or leak-proof back then. Cloth pads a.k.a. “pasador” in Tagalog, is not leak proof at all that is why it is for home use only.

The grey side is the bamboo

charcoal that provides protection 

against slippage and leaks

In my case, I use both disposable and cloth pads during my heavy flow days, unfortunately, I still often experience leaks. Only regular pads are available in the market. There is no such thing as with “wings” or “overnight pads” yet so imagine having to deal with the embarrassment (although later on, I realized that it is nothing to be ashamed of) and agony of removing sudden blood stains on your school uniform skirt while feeling helpless about the situation. My point is if you haven’t experienced any of these, consider yourself lucky.

After thorough research and experiments, disposable pads’ functionality has improved a lot over the years. Cloth pads have become a thing in the past, gone for good. Well at least that’s what I thought until a few months ago, I noticed that it is slowly making a comeback. Online shops selling washable reusable cloth pads (that’s what they call it now) are sprouting like mushrooms. Gone are the days when it is just a piece of cloth, now it comes in a variety of size and printed designs. There are regular and heavy flow or overnight pads. According to the product description that it is made from soft, breathable fabrics so it is less irritating. I thought hmm…really? How is that possible? I was apprehensive at first because I know how cloth pads work. I even checked out Youtube reviews until I was finally convinced that I have to give it a go. 

The outer covering is made of
soft and breathable material

I  bought my first cloth pads from The Vegan Grocer PH when I went grocery shopping for vegan supplies (yes, I am vegan). I got myself a heavy flow pad and panty liner (just one of each) since I am not certain yet if it is going to be worth it or not.

So how do you use it? First things first, make sure to wash the cloth before use to make sure that it is clean. Wash it using mild soap and water then let it air dry. I tried using the panty liner first and I must say that it is quite promising because it feels comfortable, it’s barely there. It moves a little because there is no adhesive but it did not bother me at all. When I finally have my period I got excited to try the heavy flow pad. In case you’re wondering why I got the heavy flow pad, it is because I am more comfortable with longer pads not because I move a lot but I just feel like I am more protected from leaks. So did it work? Yes, it did, and I am ecstatic about it.  Similar to the panty liner, it is comfortable and surprisingly absorbent. There’s no leak because of this bamboo charcoal thingy. Amazing right? It's very easy to wash but make sure to do it properly. Use mild soap, rinse (with cold or tap water but definitely not hot water) and dry. 

You can fold it like this

Final thoughts:

I think these reusable pads saves the day. I don't have to buy a pack of sanitary napkins every time I have my period so I must say that it is a good investment after all. It also changed my perception regarding cloth pads that it is not reliable. I have dealt with leak problems since I was a kid but now I am definitely switching to help reduce waste in our landfills to save mother earth. I have been vegan for almost a year now and if I can help save animals then it would not hurt to contribute to saving mother earth. Maybe I cannot save the world but always remember that whatever we do for the earth no matter how big or small, it definitely counts.

  

Thoughts on Home-Based Jobs // Donate a Book

Working from home

I've been quite busy with work lately I spend most of my day sleeping and working during wee hours of the morning. There are pros and cons of working from home of course but one thing is for sure, it is not for everyone. Let me start with (3) advantages of home-based jobs (for me), first off I like that I can work in my own phase. I can have coffee or restroom breaks anytime I want to. I have control of how I would like to make use of my time. Secondly, I don't have to deal with the hustle of commuting to and from work. If you live in a neighborhood where commuting is such a pain in the neck and it will take you forever to get a ride, then you'd rather stay home, less stress. Lastly, if you are an introvert like me, you don't have to worry about dealing with people you dislike. I would rather spend my time in front of the computer finding something to do than talk about the lives of other people, especially during idle time. It's so typical of a workplace setting really. Now for the cons, let me just reiterate that these are just base on my personal experience. I must say that home based jobs are not very stable and reliable for the most part. If you are expecting a fixed pay or get paid twice a month then, this is not for you. Most home-based jobs are good for extra income but do not expect it to be as good as full-time jobs unless of course, you are in the I.T. industry or a full-time Youtuber.  Home-based jobs, in my opinion, might work as on-the-side jobs. Also, you have to pay your government benefits voluntarily because they will not take care of it for you compared to on-site jobs wherein you just have to work, work, work and wait until you get paid. I guess what I just miss about working on-site are the paid leaves, holiday pay and HMO (medical benefits). Nevertheless, if you are willing to take the risk (like me) if you are really fed up of your daily work routine, then go for it for a change. 

Donate a Book

My niece's old books

I've been wanting to donate my niece's used schools books for the longest time. We've been keeping all her books from grade three so imagine how many bundles of books we already have since she is now an incoming grade six student. I am in dire need of disposing of her used books because it has taken so much space in our storage room when, lo and behold, my sister told me that she saw books being donated in SM Store. She asked me if I can research on how we can donate all the books that's when I learned about The SM Store's #ShareMovement: Donate-a-Book Project, which is the official umbrella campaign of the SM Store Corporate Social Responsibility chain. This joint project of The SM Store and SM Stationery will give its shoppers and customers the opportunity to share the joy of reading by donating used and new books to less fortunate children. Designated booths have been set up in all SM Store branches nationwide where customers can drop their donations. Every donation entitles a customer a P50 discount coupon which can be redeemed from the SM Stationery section for every minimum P500 single receipt purchase on regular-priced items at the SM Store. This program will run from May 20, 2019, until July 8, 2020, so coupons will be valid from the said dates only.

Donate-a-book coupons