What is Vegetarianism?

Just read that Beyoncé and Jay-Z are going on a 22-day vegan diet.  People choose to be vegetarian because of religious, health, environmental, political, aesthetic, economic, or cultural reasons.  There are different types and variations of plant based diets that people adopt, but the vegan diet is the strictest one of all.  Let's take a closer look to see what these various plant based diets are about. 

Vegetarianism is defined as not eating meat of any type which includes, red meat, poultry, seafood, and the flesh of any other animal.   Where it gets fuzzy, is some vegetarians will eat by-products of animals, such as eggs, milk, honey, etc., whereas others will not.  Part of being a vegetarian includes reviewing processed foods to check whether it contains any animal-derived ingredients prior to consumption.  Some vegetarians mind whereas others may not mind so much about animal-derived additives. 

There are varieties of vegetarianism.  For instance, an ovo-vegetarian diet includes eggs, but not dairy products.  A lacto-vegetarian diet includes dairy products, but not eggs.  A person can be an ovo-lacto-vegetarian and eat both dairy products and eggs.  A pescatarian diet is a term you do not hear often and is not technically a vegetarian diet because it includes eating fish and all fish products such as fish oil.  Many people adopt this way of eating, but they are not true vegetarians.  The same can be said about semi-vegetarians since they eat poultry and meat as long as it is not associated with mammals.   

A vegan diet is essentially a strict vegetarian diet.  This diet excludes all animal products, including eggs, milk, honey, and beeswax.  Ethical vegans are individuals who not only adopt a strict vegetarian diet, but also exclude the wearing of leather or using any product that contains animal products.  Vegan diets tend to be higher in dietary fiber, magnesium, folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin E, iron and phytochemicals, and lower in calories, saturated fat, cholesterol, long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, calcium, zinc and vitamin B12.  Heart disease appears to be much less of a problem associated with a vegan diet. 

Part of living a healthy lifestyle includes making diet choices and this is just one type of diet that can help you get there.  Vegetarianism can be drastic for some people to undertake, but including more plants in your diet would be an excellent thing to do in general.  Remember what was posted on the Deja Soleil blog recently about great looking skin and being bikini fabulous?  A lot of those food items were fruits and vegetables, so give it a try.   

Holiday Gift Ideas

Most of us are getting in the swing of shopping for gifts or making a wish list for ourselves.  I cannot help but be curious as to what gifts are being recommended by experts, magazines, men, and women in general.  What caught my attention the other day was from a men's online site, AskMen, that had suggested a list of great holiday gifts for women.  I thought I would share which gifts struck me the most on this list and would in fact be "neat" to either give or receive.

 

Bikinis and swimwear in general were not on the list, but that is not surprising.  Most men would not venture to purchase swimwear for a woman because it is such a personal choice.  I cannot blame them for that.  MeUndies by MeUndies.com was one of the items on the list.  I love Victoria's Secret, but this is a nice alternate choice where both men and women can shop.  MeUndies.com offers everything from ultra-soft briefs to sexy thongs and cute matching underwear prints for him and her.  They offer unisex tanks and really nice basic undergarments that make great staples for any lady's underwear drawer.  This was a definite thumbs up on my holiday gift list.

For those who are not up to date on every shoe on the market, Ugg makes ballet flats too!  Ugg Antora Ballet Flats have sheepskin on the inside, so you can wear flats all season long without your feet getting cold.  What a great idea!  They look chic enough to wear to work even, so this made it onto my holiday list of great gift ideas too.

A Breville juicer or any nice high quality stainless steel juicer would be great to have too, so you can make healthy and nutritious drinks at an economical price and on demand too.  The stainless steel design would compliment any kitchen décor and everyone can enjoy the benefits of a juicer.  What a great gift!

 

A wrist watch always makes a great gift and this holiday gift idea was listed 3 times on the AskMen holiday gift list.  Of the watches mentioned on this gift list,the Michael Kors watch struck me the most not because of its cool and luxurious design, but because every watch that is sold gives 100 meals to children in need.  What a great concept and partnership between Michael Kors and the United Nations World Food Programs! 

 

Also, who would not like an iPad mini?  This was on the holiday gift list too and the compact size is great on the go.  Who says you cannot have more than one Apple product?  iPhone, iPad, iPod, and an iPad mini would be the full package deal.  This is one way a man can make sure the woman in his life is socially well connected and entertained all day long. 

TiVo is always a nice holiday gift idea for women who enjoy their television shows, but are too busy to watch when it is broadcast.  Like the Breville juicer, TiVo is a great his and her gift and is not too pricey.   The TiVo Premier package delivers all your TV and streaming apps such as, Netflix, Pandora, Hulu, etc., in one unit.  Special holiday pricing may be available as well.

 

The Louise Christ Jewelry Tree would make a great holiday gift for any woman who likes to wear jewelry and needs a temporary place to put her treasures. 

This mirror-finished aluminium jewelry tree tolerates use over time and has the necessary weight to carry her jewelry without tipping over.  This jewelry sculpture originates from Denmark, so allow plenty of time for shipping. 

Lastly, the item that I thought was the most forward thinking and very practical were the All-Weather Touchscreen Gloves found at Sharper Image.  These special enhanced gloves allow you to operate your iPhone, iPad or any other touchscreen device while wearing gloves! The All-Weather Touchscreen Gloves keep you connected while you keep warm!  I think any woman who lives in a cold place would not mind a pair of these special gloves. 

If you found these ideas "neat" too, now might be a good time to start dropping hints to friends, family or to that special person.  There are lots of great gift ideas, including beach getaways that any woman would enjoy.  Most of these gifts could be enjoyed by both men and women equally, except for just a couple of ideas which are gender specific.  Hope this blog helps you with your holiday gift giving as well.