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March 02, 2005

Thanks a lot, Starbucks

I ordered a decaf soy latte at Starbucks today. I tasted it and it didn't taste like it usually tastes. I took another sip, then another. Then another. I was sure it was milk, but I took another sip. Then my stomach started to hurt and make strange noises. I took it back inside and asked the girl if she had made it with soy milk.

"Uh, hmm, no, I made that with milk. Sorry!" She made me a fresh one with soy.

Yeah, so six months off milk and taking a few sips gives me a stomach ache. Says a lot, doesn't it? It makes me realize just how often I've had a bad stomach my whole life and didn't realize it was because of the milk.

So next time you order coffee with soy in Starbucks, make sure it's really soy. For those with a real dairy allergy, that could be devastating.

Posted by Anna at 12:54 AM | Comments (5)

How to Get Rid of Acne

Most of us at one time or another have had acne. Even Britney Spears has acne! What do millions of Americans have in common with Britney Spears? They drink milk! A few days ago you might have rolled your eyes at me and said, "Wait, but they say milk does a body good." Who exactly is they? The Dairy Council? Well, it turns out researchers have found that dairy does indeed cause acne. All those "freaks" who said milk was linked with acne (how unAmerican!) have now been shown to be not so freaky after all.

The Dairy Council must be rolling over in its butter dish, right? Well, after I saw the story published on the Health Diaries news I decided to go search the wires to read more articles about it. Would you believe that hardly any American newspapers picked up this story? Gosh, it couldn't be because the Dairy Council pays their salaries through non-stop milk advertising, could it? Hmm... looks like the story was published in the UK Telegraph, The Daily Mail (UK), Newsindpress (India), The Scotsman (Scotland), Health India, Channel 4 (UK), and ... The New York Post.

Yes, folks, The New York Post is the only U.S. newspaper I can find online who has mentioned this story. How is that possible? A story about one of America's favorite drinks, a story about a substance that millions of teens drink every day, and only one newspaper picks it up? Maybe I'm missing something here. Does the Dairy Council control the entire media?

They're playing with our health for profit. This makes me angrier than anything has in recent years. If you feel strongly about this, write to your local newspapers and tv stations and ask them why they didn't publish this news story. If you saw this story reported on any U.S. news broadcasts or saw it in your local paper please let me know. We can't let them get away with this.

Milk: it does a body in, but they don't want us to know.

Posted by Anna at 05:46 PM

March 24, 2005

Natural Pet Food

Every vegetarian or vegan at some point struggles with the fact that we have to feed meat to our animal companions. I know some vegetarians try to turn their feline or canine friends into vegetarians and I've written before about how unethical and cruel that is. While dogs can survive on a vegetarian diet because they are omnivores, cats are pure carnivores and will not survive without meat.

One problem I have is the fact that most commercial pet food contains animal byproducts. If the label says "chicken byproducts" it means your cat or dog is probably consuming chicken beaks, cartilage, feet, undeveloped eggs, and intestines. All of it is ground up and rendered into something that looks benign and passes for "food". It isn't very nutritious or digestible, but saves the food manufacturer money because it adds bulk and helps them to use every last part of the chicken.

If the first ingredient of the food you're buying is a byproduct, you know it's low-quality. If you can't afford natural pet food, choose one that lists byproducts as the second or third ingredient, not the first.

Some people prepare fresh meals for their animal companions to ensure giving them all-natural food, but for vegetarians this is problematic because we don't usually like to handle meat products or have the smell of it in our kitchens.

Perhaps one day I'll be able to afford a personal chef for my cat, but for now I just buy natural pet food without any byproducts. There are several on the market. Do some research online and check out the ingredients on the different brands on your next trip to the pet store. Sure, it will cost you a few dollars more but it'll definitely be worth it in the long run of your cat or dog's health.

Posted by Anna at 12:16 PM | Comments (611)