The guilt-free way to keep yourself clean

   Sorry to go all Oprah on you, but I have a new favourite thing. Whilst doing my weekly shopping at Roath Real Food Market, I came across Sebon Soaps ('sebon' is Welsh for 'soap'). They make environmentally-friendly products that are free from palm oil, animal ingredients, artificial fragrances and artificial colours.
   After a chat with the lovely lady behind the stall, I couldn't wait to try some of their products. Unfortunately I'm allergic to soap (as well as garlic, I know - it's wierd), but there was lots more to choose from. As well as their natural soap, Sebon also make other artisan products such as lip balms, deodorants, aftershave and moisturisers. So far I can tell you that the spearmint lip balm is lush, and I was very excited to find that Welsh tiger balm exists. Since my brother brought me a tiny tin of tiger balm back from Thailand seven years ago, I have requested a fresh supply from anyone who I know who has been travelling in Asia. Tiger balm is a great cure-all. It clears your head and sinuses if you have a cold, you can mix it with baby oil and massage it into sore or injured muscles and it even soothes mosquito bites. Sebon's tiger balm isn't as strong as the Thai stuff, so it's great for massaging into pressure points when you have a headache or migraine.
   Although Sebon might seem pricey at first, their products last for ages so in the long run it's a real bargain. For more info check them out on-line www.sebonsoaps.com

The travelling plant eater

I'm planning a trip to Austria and Germany in March. The main reason for my holiday is that I haven't skied in two years, but I'll also be visiting family in Austria on my way back. As well as trying to organise flights, accommodation, train fares and airport parking (aaarrrgh!) my mind has also been on how I'm going to cope with my plant-based diet whilst I'm away. As a realist, I don't expect myself to avoid animal protein for the whole week. I would, however, like to eat plant-based as much as possible. As always, I think my best tactic will be to plan ahead. I'll keep you up to date on how I get on, and my adventures will also be posted on my travel blog thetravelbug.blog.uk.

A vegan cure for hungover hunger

This morning I tried out the Breakfast Homefries recipe from www.vegankickstart.org, and I discovered that it's a great hangover aid. However, it does take a bit of effort to make, so if you are genuinely hungover I'd recommend persuading someone else to make it for you while you stay in bed :)

Chewy Carrots

Due to work commitments, I was unable to make it to the real food market last week. As a result, by mid-week my kitchen was empty of food. So I went to the supermarket. As I needed some snacks to take to work with me, I thought I'd buy some carrots to nibble on. Unfortunately, I was unable to get organic, but they did have British carrots, so I bought a bag. I now understand the difference between supermarket and fresh produce. It's no wonder people say they don't like vegetables if that's all they think there is on offer. I'd never realised before that carrots can actually be chewy! Needless to say, I'm off to the real food market this morning to buy some carrots that taste like carrots. And all I have to say about the supermarket-bought carrots is - Urgh!

Forks Over Knives

Great news! Dr T. Colin Campbell and Dr Caldwell Esselstyn from Planeat have been working on a new project. Forks over Knives is a mission to teach the world about how to eat a plant-based diet and the health benefits associated with it.

Although the website, www.forksoverknives.com, is still in development, there will be a new film coming soon, and you can sign up to receive information by email.

Want to be a revolutionary?

One of my missions when I started this blog was to share my new-found confidence with as many fellow humans as I could find. Encouraging other people to try new experiences and venture out of their comfort zone really motives me.

It’s not easy to make changes in your life, especially if you’ve got into a long-term routine of doing the same things again and again. Don’t despair. Changes can be made. If you want to make a step towards a different way of life, but you’re not sure where to start or you’re finding it hard to find the motivation, Channel 4 have a great new website to give you a helping hand. www.channel4.com/revolution is a fun and inspiring one-stop shop where you can discover the new you. I first heard about the revolution whilst watching The Fat Fighters, a very entertaining show that’s based in a gym and aims to help people from all walks of life get fit. I’m addicted to all shows that encourage people to get healthy and change their lives, and the unique selling point (USP) of The Fat Fighters is the unusual methods the four trainers use with their clients. From cheerleading to bouncing on trampolines, their clients seem to genuinely train with a smile on their face.

As well as encouragement from The Fat FIghters team, you can also get tips about saving money and trying new things. If you sign up for one of the revolutions, they will even email you tips and ideas to keep you motivated.

Alternatively, why not ask a friend to write a list of new challenges for you? Or, think back to all the things you wanted to do as a child. What stopped you from doing them? Stop making excuses and give things a go. Today!

Plate to Planet

   If you're still not convinved that our dietary choices have such an effect on the environment, or you think it's all a conspiracy (although I can't think of anything they would be conspiring for), then the www.platetoplanet.org website should provide you with proof that factory farming is a very real problem. Here are just a few of the scary facts that platetoplanet highlight about the effect of factory farming in the US:

   * Agriculture generates 18% of greenhouse gas emissions.
 
   * Animals raised for food in the US produce so much manure that alot of it is stored in lagoons. When the lagoons leak, the maure enters into the environment and threatens water quality across the US.

   * Scientists at the Smithsonian Institute say that the equivalent of seven football fields is bulldozed every minute for animal agriculture.

   * It takes an average 16 pounds of grain to produce just one pound of beef and takes 11 times as much fossil fuel to make 1 calorie from animal protein as 1 calorie from plant protein.

   * It takes an estimated 4,000 gallons of water to produce one day of animal-based food for the average American. In comparison, one day of plant-based food only requires about 300 gallons.

   How mad is it that most factory plant farming is fertilised using chemicals, when the factory animal farms are producing tonnes of maure that goes to waste? Before any of my fellow Britons say 'That's America, not the UK', remember that the effects of factory farming are felt all over the world, the focus is just more on the US because they have more space in which to farm. Next time you're about to bite into your McDonalds burger, think about where the meat came from.
   You can also pledge to go meat free for a week, a month or forever on the platetoplanet website. So even if you only sign up for a week, please, please make a pledge today. You never know, not eating meat for a week might open up a whole new world of experiences for you.