hello all

i've been watching this community for a while now. and i have decided to go vegan.
i'm already a vegetarian as is, so i think its time i take the next step.

i would love some support and advice and feedback on the vegan lifestyle.

if anyone is willing to support me, please add me as a friend.

thank you.

After a month of eating vegan and feeling fabulous I ate an ice cream sandwich.  Big mistake. Although I had never noticed a reaction to dairy before going vegan I had one yesterday.  I felt nauseous and week and achy the rest of the day and still feel weak and tired, like I used to before going vegan.  Clearly, my body prefers to be vegan.  I hope I remember this feeling the next time I "forget" I'm vegan.

I am taking the boys swimming today and two of their friends.  i would rather lay in bed I still feel so miserable.  But biting the bullet.  I am hoping a good workout in the pool will be enough to get my body out of this funk.

Hi everyone! I started C25K last fall (three race reports I've made can be found here, here, and here) and I meant to make this post oh, almost two months ago, but better late than never I suppose? Well, at the end of May I checked another race accomplishment off my list--the 10k!

I ran the BUPA 10k here in London, starting and finishing at Buckingham Palace, on our second May bank holiday. It was great! My goals have never been time-related, but rather making it without stopping/walking, and I did it. And what's even better (in my opinion), was the continued steady-pace I've maintained. My 5k-split time was 34.57 and my 10k time was 70.16! It was at the end of the race when they started with the "400m to go!" signs that my thighs started saying, "What ARE you doing to us?!"

To get to this point I had used the One Hour Runner program, and since finishing OHR I've created my own program that is basically continuing with the same idea, where I build up my middle and long runs each week by 2-3 minutes (I don't have a good way to track mileage when I run, so I go by time). This has been great for me. It's kept me from burning out, and also gotten my body used to the work I'm asking of it. Plus, I love that every three runs I hit a personal best--my longest run ever! :D Oh, and I still always take a day off in between runs. Last night I did my longest run yet, 85 minutes (somewhere between 7-8 miles), and I'm well on my way to my next goal...the half-marathon. Just a few months ago I laughed at the idea of even considering signing up for one, but now I've signed on up (October 11!). I'm also going to push myself in another way and actually raise money for charity this time (asking people for money is not something I'm comfortable with, so I'll be pushing myself both physically with the run and mentally with the fundraising!). I've picked a charity that means something to me, and I'm excited to wear their neon yellow running shirt on race-day.

Sorry if this is a bit too much of an entry, especially as I'm not doing the program anymore, but I still enjoy reading this community and seeing the progress everyone's made!

Dear Internet,

Who among you has read and has copies handy of Pride and Prejudice and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and would be willing to assist me by answering some questions?

I can offer nothing for this service, but my appreciation of your efforts to assist the development of science my dissertation.

Sorted, thank you!

I'm currently at W8, D2 and I'm registered for a 5k in October. For a long time, I thought I'd continue with the One Hour Runner program which would bring me up to running an hour in 10 weeks. However, I've recently become aware of the Afterburn Energy System Routine, which is interval training, and would be great for weight loss and help me to feel more comfortable running faster.  Regardless, I want to do both, the question is which one should I do first?

Does any have any opinions?  Below I've include the schedule for the Afterburn Energy System Routine.


( Routine for the Afterburn Energy System )

the label at the plant shop said "medium succulent". (thanks, plant shop!) looking online, it could be a sempervivum montanum, based on the long, fairly thin shape of the leaves (compared to a lot of the echeveria with their shorter, chunkier leaves). but i am fairly novice at this, so help is appreciated!

( some more of my lovelies )

Has anyone in this community ever read the book Thanking the Monkey?What did you think of it? I found this book at my local library and it gave me some food for thought on animal rights and how animal rights activist are seen by the media.Please let me know what you think.

So I mentioned a couple of days ago that I was having of-cycle bleeding and constipation, and now I think there is something going on with my hormones for sure because today I feel SO irritable.
I am normally very nice to people and even when I'm PMSing I'm not that bad.
But today I feel like Godzilla.
Oh my gosh.
I want to scream at everyone and my mom has been asking me to do a couple of things around the house and I feel like she is asking me to run the country or something.

I cried this morning just because everyone seems so crappy.
I feel like a monster, I'm so grumpy.
:((((((((
I just wanna cry all day and thankfully I haven't snapped at anybody yet but I'm afraid I'm going to.

And I never cry.
But today it just feels like the whole world is out to get me.

Mods -  if this isn't okay to post, sorry, just delete.

Veganpeoples - I have a spot opening up in the smaller room in my 2 bedroom apartment in Chicago. I'd like a vegan roommate, and I figure if anyone here is in Chicago and looking, it would be cool if I could give first dibs to another vegan!  I've lived in a vegan household for such a long time, I'm loathe to change that now.  Its a cute little apartment, in a cute neighborhood.  I don't want to post the entire ad here, taking up everyone's friends list place, so here's a link to my Craigslist posting:  http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/roo/1275127228.html


If you are interested, please feel free to email me at kandiss@gmail.com.  Even if you just need something temporary, that would be fine, the lease is in my  name and I'm super flexible. 

I hate to post again so soon, but I can't find anything specific online, and this is the most active health community that I'm aware of.

I am very, very fair/pale. I wear the lightest shade in every brand of makeup. I have freckles. My hair was once upon a time blonde, but it's gotten darker over the years and is now a light, light brown. I have blue eyes. I believe that I'm part Irish/German.

As a result of that, I sunburn VERY easily. Just a few days ago, I went to the beach and a water park. I've had my fair share of bad burns when I was younger, so I am very cautious now. I used 100 SPF and reapplied it 4 times over a span of 6 hours. It was waterproof, as well. And yet I still burned pretty badly.

What gives? Is there ANYTHING I can do for this, or do I just have to limit the amount of time I'm spending in the sun? I burn probably 30 minutes after being in the sun, usually. Do they make prescription sunscreen that maybe a dermatologist could give me? That might be a dumb question, idk. But I need to figure out something.

On Tuesday night before bed I took a Difflucan for a yeast infection.

I'm still a bit itchy but I'm not burning much any more.
How long does it take to be "cured" and when should I supplement with something else?
SHOULD I supplement with something else? (I think I've read acididulphis pills in the hooha?)


Also - if I'm not in PAIN can I have protected sex this weekend or would it be a better idea to avoid it all together?

I'm looking for someone who can draw to help me with my logo for the SaveAScream.com cruelty free site logo. I've got an idea - but I'm crap at drawing so looking for someone who might be able to make my idea reality. I can't afford to pay lots but I can pay a small amount if there is anyone who thinks they can draw and can do a job fast (I'm itching to get the site online and just been let down by someone who says he's a bit busy to get it done fast, gah!). If you are interested, can do quick but quality drawings and have paypal for a small payment, email me at shari@blackvelvetmagazine.com

What do you do when you encounter someone with a dog?

I live in Chicago, so I just run the streets near my apartment. People are often out walking their dogs, and I've has at least 3 see me, and try to take off after me. (One even tried to bite me.)

Running into the street to go around people is not really an option, so what am I left with?

Canon is holding a 'Creative for a Cause' photography competition where themed photos can win money to help support related projects. It's probably waaaay to late to enter a photo yourself, but Animals Australia has a list of a few which they suggest you check out and, if you like them, vote for.

(ETA: Apparently voting is only open to Australian residents. Sorry!)

Here are their top suggestions:


This has been an open tab in Firefox for about two weeks now and I've been meaning to post it here.  Good thing I remembered, as voting ends on July 20.

Anyway, speaking of kangaroos and tabs I've had open with every intention of writing about, has anyone been keeping up with the news in Australia ( regarding the export of kangaroo meat? . . . )

Of course, there are concerns about this costing jobs &c, to Mark Pearson responded by saying

"The responsibility for this is not the animal welfare movement.  The responsibility lays with the industry and their lack of consideration for the shooters and their future."

And then there are the usual claims, associated with any discussion of kangaroo meat, which state how much more environmentally friendly it is than factory farming and is therefore the ethical choice.  (Because, as we all know, there are no other possible alternatives to this.)  I guess I'm just happy that the flawed system is finally being made to rethink itself and, I hope, now that it is dying and helpless like the beautiful creatures it murders en masse, it will be similarly rejected for its diseased qualities.

Anyway, I just thought I'd share one of the awesome things that has happened regarding countries other than 'THE GLORIOUS LAND OF MAGIC'.  Goodnight all!**.

---

* It was unclear to me whether this was 76% of the total produced or 76% of the total exported.  But either way, it's far from negligable.
** Not only are there different locations in the world other than the US, but their timezones differ, too!  Right now, it's dark outside in Australia.  Crazy, huh?!

My friend Filmmaker Tom (homagenz) has left the windswept streets of Wellywood for the bright and very yellow streets of Hollywood, and blogs about his Adventures in LA, here.

I just want to point out that this made me laugh like a monkey on nitrous. It's funny because it's true Okay, it's funny even if it's not universally true!:

American money is ridiculous. Chief among the ridiculousness of American money is the continued insistence on pretending like physical bits of money carry value. In the Antipodes there's a clear sense that the money is in the bank and you can write a cheque or hand over an Eftpos card or - if you're backward - some bills, and that will communicate that the bank will recognise your purchase. But in America, everyone carries cash! As if the value of the money was in those little bits of paper! Not remote and universally accessible, like the trust of God, but immediate, weighty and materially-divisible, like the trustworthiness of Gold!

America, I love you, and you are my favourite ever country for roadtrips, but you have got to do something about that money thing.

Tom, I love you too!

So it's been awhile since I've been in Oz, and things have changed. So I was wondering if anyone can recommend any new* "must do's" for vegans in Australia.

I'd prefer Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney, Newcastle, Perth ideas, but happy to hear about any other new things.

* where new is stuff that's opened or come onto the market in the past 2 years or so

(cross posted)

Hey guys,

I was wondering if you could advise me on some vegan pain go-away pills? Anti-inflammatories or other things that would make my uterus cease demanding sacrifices.

Preferably things I could get from Australia, because I know you will probably say "Why, just go to your local Trader Joe's and pick up an Amy's vegan pizza, and seven types of vegan pepperoni and they'll be right next to that" BUT I DON'T LIVE IN YOUR GLORIOUS LAND OF MAGIC WHERE THIS IS POSSIBLE.

And don't be all... exercise, and drink this rare tea every day, and be a good person, and what-not. I am far too lazy for that & want all my solutions in pill form! ...Or in this case, also food/herbal form, but only if I have to take them at times when I am in pain, or then abouts, not all the time in some sort of organised fashion. Though suggestions of helpful foods are also welcome (ok, so I have no conditions). I hear almonds have anti-inflammatory properties, does anyone know about this?

I have a red pimple-like spot on my butt cheek, lol. It's been so long since I've had a pimple anywhere that I'm a little worried about it being something more, because I was at a water park on Tuesday. I'm paranoid that somehow I picked up something there.

How do I know the difference between a regular pimple and MRSA? What should I be looking out for, and when should I go to the doctor? How long does it even take for a regular pimple to go away?

I love checking out everybody's pictures so I just grabbed some random ones i have to share. :)
there's a bunch. :)

( Yay! )

ooking for some inspiration to get in shape?

Try tuning in to Ruby, Style's hit reality show about Ruby Gettinger's battle with obesity.

"One day after watching, I was like, 'I need to go to the gym,'" recalls Molly Sullivan, 42, a human resources worker from Camarillo, Calif. "Ten days later, I joined a gym and now we're four months later and I'm losing weight."

And how's it going for Molly?

Molly has shed 41 pounds! So it was no surprise that she was among the the hundreds of people who came out yesterday morning to join Ruby (see photo above) on the Los Angeles stop of her nationwide "Walk Across America" tour.

"I saw these women crying on Oprah, talking about how they never went out of their homes," Ruby told us. "They're fighting the same thing I'm fighting, but I've always gone out my home. I was 716 pounds and I lived my life no matter what."

Ruby recently heard from one such woman who started riding a bike after she saw her doing it. "She said these kids were making fun of her so she said, 'I'm not going to do this anymore,'" Ruby said. "But then she thought about it and said, 'Yes, I am,' because she heard what I said, that they'll eventually shut up. She said they did shut up and now they're her friends!"

http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/marc_malkin/b133738_ruby_pounds_pavement_lose_weight.html