Vegan and the Living Is Easy

Even if we don’t have pets, animals impact many areas of our lives.  When you become vegan you stop eating animals but what else?  It’s not just about the food on our plates.  With our guest, Edita Birnkrant, the New York director of Friends of Animals, we will to talk about all of it including why horse drawn carriages are not quaint but actually exploit horses.  Why, as Edita explains, “Human-disposed garbage, sewage, and overdevelopment into natural habitat are all massive problems that humans created, but government officials blame other species for conflicts that arise as a result of our irresponsible behaviors, and the “solution” they almost always come up with is a mass slaughter of the species in question.” And, of course, because Edita lives in fabulous New York City, we will talk about “the unique experience of living in or visiting a city that offers such an overwhelming, diverse and outstanding array of vegan cuisine.” Find out why going vegan is the only answer to end animal exploitation, and learn how easy it is to take that step (if you haven’t already). For over eight years, Edita Birnkrant has run the NYC Friends of Animals office and organizes, leads and speaks at demonstrations, rallies, press conferences, media interviews & outreach events in New York City and beyond on a range of diverse issues affecting animals.  She leads the opposition and efforts to change New York City's policy on killing Canada geese and other urban wildlife, educates the public about hunting, circuses and bull-riding events, and the importance of adopting and spaying & neutering dogs and cats among other things.

When you think about being vegan what comes to mind?  If you’re like most people your first impulse is to think about what you eat.  That’s great.  It’s a perfect place to start, but you don’t want to get stuck there.  Food is not the be all and end all of what it means to be vegan (despite what you might hear from the media and celebrity vegetarians). This is a vast topic and since the premise of our show is to help you understand how easy it is to be vegan, we’ve invited Professor Gary Francione, a leader in the abolitionist movement, to talk with us.  His approach is clear, simple and honest.  We’ll examine everything from the truth about cage-free eggs to pet ownership to dumpster diving and violet imagery in animal advocacy.  Trust us…there is so much more to being vegan than just what’s on your plate, and we’re going to address as much of it as time will allow. Please join us to expand your concept of animal rights, find your best next step in your vegan journey and learn how a few simple steps can reframe your outlook on life and open up a whole new world for you and for the animals. Gary L. Francione is Distinguished Professor of Law and Nicholas deB. Katzenbach Scholar of Law and Philosophy at Rutgers University School of Law-Newark and has been teaching animal rights and the law for more than 20 years.  He is also the author of numerous books and articles on animal rights theory and animals and the law, including Animals as Persons: Essays on the Abolition of Animal Exploitation and Introduction to Animal Rights: Your Child or the Dog? among many others.

So many people are confused about what vegan fashion means.  How it relates to cruelty-free fashions (and even what THAT means!), and if vegan clothes and accessories can truly be fashionable or will you have to settle for an unattractive, plastic-looking wardrobe. That’s what we’re here to talk about with the fabulous Sugandh Agrawal, the developer and designer behind GUNAS, Progressive Luxury.  Originally from India (Sugandh now shares her time between her homes in New York and India), she is well-traveled and extremely well-qualified to be designing gorgeous handbags (with degrees from Pratt Institute and FIT in New York among others) – which is exactly what she does with GUNAS.  Her styling is gorgeous and have been worn by celebrities such as Kristanna Loken and Rachel Lay of VH1. We’ll be talking about why vegan fashion is so important and why it is gaining popularity, how Sugandh came to design beautiful, vegan handbags and how they differ from other brands out there.  And, of course, what are her thoughts on the vegan fashion industry in general. Lots to talk about which will make for a lively discussion, and we’ll have so much to share with both budding vegan fashionistas and those of us who just want to look good and feel good about the clothes and accessories we wear.

Do you ever think, "I could never be vegan.  I don't know what they eat and it all seems so foreign and boring?"  Or, are you already a vegan who subsists on processed veggie burgers and other pre-made stuff from the freezer aisle?  If so, this show is for you (as well as all you folks out there who already love greens and cooking). Nava Atlas, cookbook author extraordinaire whom we have dubbed the Queen of Greens because of her latest book just released in June 2012 called "Wild About Greens," will join us as our guest. In our house, Nava's cookbooks are front and center.  When in doubt we grab "Vegan Express" and whip up something awesome fast.  How can you not love that!  You might also remember that Nava was the very first guest on our show several years ago, and we are absolutely delighted to have her back to discover all her new recipes and insights into cooking greens as well as setting new traditions for the holidays with delicious vegan menus -- from her other new book (she's very prolific) "Vegan Holiday Kitchen." So, get out your pad and paper and listen in for great new ideas about healthy vegan cooking and delicious recipes you and everyone you know will enjoy!

Take a deep breath...veganism is entering the mainstream, and there is no one better to tell us about it than best-selling author, Victoria Moran.  Victoria's new book, "Main Street Vegan: Everything you need to know to eat healthfully and live compassionately in the real world" takes us step by step through the journey of becoming vegan, staying vegan and (gasp!) having fun being vegan.  Although we will certainly talk about how Victoria suggests addressing the top questions would-be vegans are asked and look at whether it is financially feasible to be vegan, we will also talk about what it's like to raise a daughter vegan from birth (she's now the co-author of 'Main Street Vegan') as well as the "five fitness food groups," "incidental activism," and learning to engage your spirit.  Victoria, who has been a long time vegan, is engaging, smart and inspiring!  She is a two-time Oprah! guest who has also appeared on Good Morning America, The Today Show, and NPR's All Things Considered.  If anyone knows how to be vegan with distinction and grace, Victoria does.  Please join us as we learn more about how her newest book can change your life forever.

In our society, we’ve been taught (even if just by example) that aging is synonymous with sickness and decline. That may be true for some people but the truth is it doesn’t have to be that way, and our guest this month, Mimi Kirk, is proof positive of this. As Mimi says on her website www.youngonrawfood.com, “Feeling like you’re in your 20′s at age 73, is quite an amazing thing… I accredit this youthful look and spirit not only to my attitude, but really to my way of eating which is a raw vegan – living foods lifestyle.” Mimi has appeared on national TV including appearances on The Doctors, Fox, NBC, KUSI, the original Star Trekand many others. She has appeared on Bulgarian and German TV, and was the cover girl on a UK magazine calledGet Fresh, a Portuguese Magazine called LUX, and EVA a Bulgarian Magazine. She was recently interviewed for a documentary fittingly called Eternal Youth to be released this year, and has a second film she will interview for in spring.

What comes as a surprise to many people is that veganism is about more than what we eat (although that's certainly an important part on many levels).  It's a very rich experience, and, as a result, there are often a lot of unanswered questions about what veganism is (in our hearts, minds and everyday life) and a lot of questions as to why someone would want to go down that path!  So, that's what we are going to talk about with Barbara DeGrande.  We'll address why veganism vs. vegetarianism, a full view of what veganism means for animals, and what resources are out there for people who want to be vegan or are vegan and want support (hint: Barbara has been instrumental in organizing tons of support in this area and will share that with us) and so much more.  This is sure to be a lively discussion and super enlightening!   During her working life, Barbara DeGrande was a psychotherapist who developed and managed forensic mental health programs, incuding programs for juvenile offenders.  While a vegetarian for many decades, it was only a few years ago that listening to podcasts led her to become vegan and get involved in animal rights.  She now hosts a blog, recipe site and podcast (veganacious.com); is the developer of The Vegans Director (vegansdirectory.com); is an administrator for Animal Rights Zone (ARZone.ning.com); and is the organizer for Animal Rights & Rescue of North Texas (arrnt.wordpress.com), a vegan animal advocacy group.

Do you have a love/hate relationship with your makeup? As a makeup artist, women tell me (Ginger) all the time that, just for starters, there are so many choices available they don't know what to buy! Then, learning how to apply it is a whole other concern. How do you get a beautiful, fashion forward look without feeling or looking silly? Is drugstore makeup as good as the more expensive designer makeup? What do all those ingredients mean anyway? What does it mean when a makeup product is gluten-free and why is that important? And, what about animal testing and animal ingredients -- is "cruelty-free" makeup as effective as the well-known brands? This is just a sampling of what we'll talk about with Sally Malanga (Founder and President of Ecco Bella) and Darlene Zembrod (product specialist with Ecco Bella) during this special show. You might remember that Sally was our guest in July 2011 when we talked about skin care.  Now she's back with as much fabulous information about makeup, and she has brought one of her resident makeup artists with her. We'll also talk about makeup trends and how to use Ecco Bella cosmetics to achieve a gorgeous look! Listen for special offers as well. It is going to be a fabulous show!

Now that the holidays are nearly over, are you looking for a way to detox your body and restore your health and well-being?  Then you've come to the right place!  Most people have no idea what a raw vegan diet is, let alone what it can do for you, and that is exactly why we invited Natasha Kyssa, best-selling Canadian author of "The SimplyRaw Living Foods Detox  Manual" and founder of SimplyRaw to join us on the show this month.  She will answer important questions about how and why a raw vegan diet can make a phenomenal difference in your life just as it has with hers. A former international fashion model, Natasha adopted a raw vegan lifestyle in 1990 which was the catalyst in her recovery from anorexia and bulimia.  Since then the world of raw foods has changed dramatically and Natasha will share what it means to eat raw and how it can improve your health one meal at a time!

Whether you are mildly active or regularly running marathons and have ever wondered if a plant-based diet can give you the healthy results you want, then this special interview with professional triathlete, Brendan Brazier, will give you the answers and inspiration you need.  Brendan is recognized as one of the world's foremost authorities on plant-based nutrition (and creator of VEGA, an award-winning whole food product line) and was named one of the '25 Most Fascinating Vegetarians' by VegNews Magazine (sharing the page with Ginger!).  Please join us!

What's not to love about being vegan?  You get to save animals, protect the environment, eat healthy, and have fabulously yummy vegan desserts (yup, we did say yummy!).  So many people think that deprivation and boring food is the hallmark of making the choice to be vegan.  Not so!  And, Barbara Sitomer, owner and creative foce behind Gone Pie Vegan Bakery, will share the delicious secrets behind her wonderful creations (including how to make them gluten-free), vegan activism and how being vegan can change your life in more ways than you can imagine.  We can't think of a better (or sweeter) way to spend Halloween!  We hope you'll join us!

So many people start a vegan diet with great intentions and then get confused, overwhelmed or undernourished.  When you buck tradition and the Standard American Diet, you can sometimes feel alone and a bit lost. The good news is that none of that needs to be true.  It can be easy, fun, delicious and healthy.  All it takes is a little support and guidance which is why we are absolutely delighted to have Ginny Messina, a dietician specializing in vegan nutrition and the author of the new book "Vegan for Life" as our guest. Ginny is super knowledgeable so we are planning to use this time to gather as much information to support you as possible.  We'll address everything from withdrawal symptoms to processed foods and from planning a healthy diet to how to supplement and how to plan a vegan diet when you are pregnant or have young children.  It will be an information-packed show! Whether you are just exploring what it means to eat a vegan diet for the first time or have been a vegan for years, please join us!

There are so many myths out there about being a vegan athlete!  The most widespread is...don't you need lots of meat protein to be strong, have big muscles and lots of endurance?  We've all heard it but is it true? We are very excited to have Robert Cheeke (www.veganbodybuilding.com), Amazon.com best-selling author of the book "Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness: The Complete Gude to Building Your Body on a Plant-Based Diet" to answer those (and many more) questions. Robert is not a stranger to the vegan lifestyle.  He grew up on a farm in Corvallis, Oregon, where he adopted a vegan lifestyle in 1995 at the age of 15.  Today he is a two-time natural bodybuilding champion and has been considered one of VegNews Magazine's Most Influential Vegan Athletes.  He tours all over North America regularly, giving talks about his story of transformation from a skinny farm kid to champion vegan bodybuilder. Whether you are a body builder, budding athlete or just want to be a healthy, active vegan, please join us on Monday, August 29 at 8 pm (eastern) for "Vegan and the Living Is Easy" with our special guest, Robert Cheeke.

Skin care...hmmm...it can be hard enough to figure out what works for your skin type, lifestyle & budget, never mind trying to decipher the list of ingredients!  If you've ever wandered around the drugstore, beauty salon or Sephora, you know what I mean. That's why we have invited Sally Malanga, Presdient of Ecco Bella, to join us as our guest on "Vegan and the Living Is Easy!" I (Ginger) have had a passion for skin care all of my life (having had challenging skin as a teenager) and fueled this passion when I became a licensed esthetician 10 years ago.  So, this topic is near and dear to my heart.  Good skin care does make a difference on many levels. Marion and I will chat with Sally about the ins and outs of good skin care, what it takes to create an effective, cruelty-free line of products and what it means to be a pioneer in the vegan beauty industry.  You won't want to miss it!

We are not sure we’ve ever met a busier or more diversified vegan than Susan Daffron!  Want to know how to write a book (hopefully a vegan one!), then Susan is the expert for you.  Or, perhaps you want to know more about adopting a dog or cat from a shelter, Susan can help you there, too.  On May 30 at 8 pm (eastern), we will talk to Susan about all her many talents and sharing lots of valuable information with you. Susan Daffron aka The Book Consultant (http://www.TheBookConsultant.com) is the president of Logical Expressions, Inc. a book and software publishing company based in Sandpoint, Idaho. She is the award-winning author of 12 books (10 of which she published) and a contributor to 4 other books. The first book she published was Vegan Success: Scrumptious Healthy Vegan Recipes for Busy People (http://www.VeganSuccess.com). Susan is also the President and Founder of the National Association of Pet Rescue Professionals (http://www.NAPRP.com) an association that offers tools and information to help people working in humane organizations save more companion animal lives. Susan spends most of her time writing, laying out books in InDesign, or taking her five dogs out for romps in the forest. She also teaches people how to write and publish profitable client-attracting books and puts on the Self-Publishers Online conference (http://www.SelfPublishersOnlineConference.com) every May. This is bound to be a lively and informative show!  We hope you'll join us.