Vegetarian Star

President Barack Obama received a report that says Americans buying and eating organic can reduce their exposure to environmental chemicals that increase their risk of cancer.

In the report, titled “Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk: What We Can Do Now,” the President’s Cancer Panel says that exposure to these chemicals is minimal in organic foods and consumers should verify the product is organic by looking for the USDA label.

“The American people — even before they are born — are bombarded continually with myriad combinations of these dangerous exposures,” the letter said. “The Panel urges you most strongly to use the power of your office to remove the carcinogens and other toxins from our food, water, and air that needlessly increase health care costs, cripple our Nation’s productivity, and devastate American lives.”

“Many known or suspected carcinogens first identified through studies of industrial and agricultural occupational exposures have since found their way into soil, air, water and numerous consumer products… Some of these chemicals have been found in maternal blood, placental tissue, and breast milk samples from pregnant women and mothers who recently gave birth. Thus, chemical contaminants are being passed on to the next generation, both prenatally and during breastfeeding.”

Now that the government has given the thumbs up to organic, let’s hope for an overhaul in the food system to make it more affordable and accessible to all!

Possibly Related Posts:

• Chrissy Teigen Failed Vegan Experiment
• Mia Evans Is A “Masterchef Junior” Vegetarian Star
• Holly Madison Enjoys Vegan Smoothie From M Cafe In Beverly Hills
• Controversy Over Pro-Vegeterian Curriculum In Schools
• Ellie Goulding Creates Protein Bar “Everlasting Joy” With GoMacro

Journalist and author of Animal Factory, David Kirby, thinks Barack Obama should fight factory farming more aggressively and suggests taking this stance could even help him win votes in the next presidential election.

Obama was helped tremendously in the 2008 election by winning over Iowa, says Kirby in an article from the Huffington Post.

Kirby says Iowa sided with Obama due to his stance on changing policies in factory farming, which many conservative Americans see as an attack on hard working small farmers and personal property.

If Obama is to retain this support, changes in factory farm policies are needed, and Kirby provides a few ways in which the United States president can help both animals and constituents.

One way to do this is by limiting subsidies to corporate farms, which receive as much as 5 billion annually.

“If right-wing opposition to corporate bailouts runs so deep, then Obama should get some mileage from his promise to end the multibillion-dollar corporate farm subsidy boondoggle,” writes Kirby.

Kirby also thinks Obama should also tackle the monopoly big corporations have over the food industry and redirect programs to help small family farmers, something also valued by conservatives.

Read more at the Huffington Post.

Possibly Related Posts:

• Jon Stewart and Wife Tracey Stewart Adopt Horse
• Chrissy Teigen Failed Vegan Experiment
• Mia Evans Is A “Masterchef Junior” Vegetarian Star
• Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Elephants Retire To Sanctuary
• Holly Madison Enjoys Vegan Smoothie From M Cafe In Beverly Hills

Barack Obama doesn’t want to hear a lecture about his cholesterol, but Dr. Neal Barnard, president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, has given him one anyway.

Besides the gentle nudge to give up cigarettes, Dr. Barnard explains that the best way for the President of the United States to get his numbers to an acceptable range is to accept more vegetables–and less meat.

Dr. Barnard points out that going vegetarian, even part time, will impact Obama’s cholesterol more than genes and exercise.

“First, exercise won’t lower your cholesterol. It may bump up “good” cholesterol slightly and improve your basketball game or your stride, but you definitely can’t count on it to lower your “bad” cholesterol. It won’t.”

“Second, we almost certainly cannot blame genes. For the vast majority of people, high cholesterol comes down to diet.”

And while less red meat is great, you really need to go veg all the way to get the full benefits of diet on cholesterol.

“Third, switching from beef to chicken and fish has almost no effect on cholesterol. It lowers “bad” cholesterol only about 5 percent–and that’s not enough.”

“The answer is behind your house, in the White House garden. Foods from plants have essentially no cholesterol and are free of the animal fat that causes the body to make cholesterol. If you skipped meat, dairy products, and eggs for even a few weeks, chances are your cholesterol would drop right into the normal range.”

Hope Obama is convinced.

Possibly Related Posts:

• Chrissy Teigen Failed Vegan Experiment
• Mia Evans Is A “Masterchef Junior” Vegetarian Star
• Holly Madison Enjoys Vegan Smoothie From M Cafe In Beverly Hills
• Controversy Over Pro-Vegeterian Curriculum In Schools
• Ellie Goulding Creates Protein Bar “Everlasting Joy” With GoMacro

Barack Obama has just been given a warning about his cholesterol numbers, but that didn’t stop him from ogling the fried buffet presented to him when he visited a restaurant in Georgia.

“I don’t want any lectures about my cholesterol,” Obama said. “Don’t tell Michelle.”

Such a shame.

The First Lady may never read ABC News and learn about the fried chicken and mayonnaise drenched potato salad served, but the lipid tests never lie.

Let’s hope Mr. President didn’t give into temptation and only put baked beans and sweet potatoes between his lips.

Possibly Related Posts:

• Ellen DeGeneres Promotes Leather And Suede In New Shoe Line
• Slice Of Vegan Celebrity Birthday Cake To (Drum Roll)
• PETA Asks Obama Daughters To Consider Pardoning All Turkeys
• Slice Of Vegan Celebrity Birthday Cake To (Drum Roll)
• Bill Clinton Elected By Americans For The Grill On “TODAY” (Video)

The Humane Society of the United States gave the Barack Obama‘s administration a B- for its various steps toward animal protection, either from upholding current laws or passing new measures.

Some points of interest to animal welfare advocates:

The Postal Service may ban shipment of publications that will appeal to animal fighters, regardless of rain, sleet or snow, thanks to a proposed rule to comply more with the Animal Protection Act.

The Department of Justice defended the Cruelty Depictions Law before the Supreme Court. This law bans the commercial sale of videos depicting cruelty to animals.

And the Environmental Protection Agency revised safety requirements under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). This saved dogs from being the subjects of a study on the effects of feeding pesticides to determine the effects on human health.

Of course, the administration didn’t earn a 4.0, so obviously there were disappointments.

The USDA purchased meat for schools in the U.S. that had lower safety standards and underwent less rigorous testing than meat served in restaurants.

Making vegetarian food a standard option in schools is needed now more than ever.

Take a complete look at the HSUS report card to see how the administration scored in other areas.

Possibly Related Posts:

• Jon Stewart and Wife Tracey Stewart Adopt Horse
• Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Elephants Retire To Sanctuary
• SeaWorld Phasing Out Whale Breeding Program
• Best Vegetarian Stories Of 2015
• Morrissey Adds Vegan Touch To First In-Person Interview In Decade On “Larry King Now” (Video)

If you’re a vegetarian and animal activist, you’ve come a long way, and author Kathy Freston wants everyone to know!

With measures like Prop 2 passed in California to restaurants offering more than the salad bar and cheese sandwiches, you know the days of being offered chicken after saying you’re vegetarian will soon end.

And when big time names like Martha Stewart and Alicia Silverstone hit the news with their thoughts and opinions, people turn around and listen.

From Kathy’s article at the Huffington Post on several vegetarian authors who spent weeks on the New York Times Bestseller list:

“For some weeks now, Chef Tal Ronnen’s Conscious Cook and actress Alicia Silverstone’s Kind Diet have joined Foer and former model agent Rory Freedman (whose book convinced home run slugger Prince Fielder to adopt a vegan diet) on the list with books that make the case for vegetarian eating. You may recall Ronnen from his appearances on Oprah, which caused Oprah to exclaim, “Wow, wow, wow! I never imagined meatless meals could be so satisfying.”

And who would have thought the Domestic Diva would feature a segment on vegetarian food for Thanksgiving?

Obama discussing factory farming and Al Gore finally admitting environmentalists need to eat tofu while driving their Priuses are just a few of the advancements Freston discusses at huffingtonpost.com.

Possibly Related Posts:

• Chrissy Teigen Failed Vegan Experiment
• Mia Evans Is A “Masterchef Junior” Vegetarian Star
• Holly Madison Enjoys Vegan Smoothie From M Cafe In Beverly Hills
• Controversy Over Pro-Vegeterian Curriculum In Schools
• Ellie Goulding Creates Protein Bar “Everlasting Joy” With GoMacro

Self proclaimed environmentalists who still eat meat are criticized for their diet’s impact on the earth.

And a celebrity who claims to live green while owning seven private jets and flies their favorite jelly from Italy to Australia has some explaining to do.

The Times Online has featured an article on the top celebrity green hypocrites, but two stars were listed as the exception to the rule–vegetarians Woody Harrelson and Ed Begley Jr.

“Ed Begley Jr from St Elsewhere and Best in Show became a vegan in 1970, bought one of the first electric cars, and has lived for years in a self-sufficient house that uses not just solar and wind energy but a toaster powered by a stationary bicycle.”

“The famous neo-hippie Woody Harrelson lives in a sustainable community in Hawaii, grows most of his food, uses only solar power, wears hemp clothes, eschews animal products, and fuels his car with biodiesel.”

Not surprising that two veggies were spared from being blacklisted in the green hypocrisy database.

Any smart environmentalist knows that meat’s not green and meat and dairy production emits more greenhouse gases than all forms of transportation combined.

Read the article at the Times Online to learn about John Travolta‘s five private jets, Barack Obama flying a chef across the country just to make pizza (hello, Dominoes?) and other celebrity green hypocrite examples.

via greendaily.com

Possibly Related Posts:

• Meatless Mouthful–Stevie Wonder Says Vegan Helps His Good Looks And Planet
• Best Vegetarian Stories Of 2015
• Jesse Einsenberg Celebrates “Thanksliving” During The Holidays (Video)
• Meatless Mouthful–Liam Hemsworth Gives Veggie Advice Like Dr. Spock (Video)
• Pamela Anderson Saves Water Alfred Hitchcock Way In PETA Ad

Barack Obama and Michelle were set to host the very first state dinner banquet for visiting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

According to the UK Times Online, Singh is an abstemious vegetarian and the menu looks to be accommodating him quite nicely.

Although we were hoping for a total veg (damn those green curry prawns), Prime Minister Singh and the rest of the guest will have plenty of plant based items to choose from.

Check out this menu Ecorazzi posted after the jump… (more…)

Possibly Related Posts:

• Chrissy Teigen Failed Vegan Experiment
• Mia Evans Is A “Masterchef Junior” Vegetarian Star
• Holly Madison Enjoys Vegan Smoothie From M Cafe In Beverly Hills
• Controversy Over Pro-Vegeterian Curriculum In Schools
• Ellie Goulding Creates Protein Bar “Everlasting Joy” With GoMacro