The monthly get-together of the Lancaster Vegan and Raw Food Potluck & Support Group is set for 6 to 8:30 p.m. March 20 at the Kinzer Fire Hall, 3521 Lincoln Highway E., Kinzers.

This is the first potluck meeting since December.

This months topic is Eat More, Weigh Less, featuring a discussion of calorie density.

For the potluck, singles, couples and families of two should bring a 9-by-13-inch raw-food dish or an equivalent amount of food. Families of three or more should bring two 9-by-13-inch dishes or equivalent.

These raw-food dishes should be made with only fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, sprouted grains, herbs and spices and seasonings. They should exclude all animal products. A recipe or complete list of ingredients must accompany every dish.

The meal will be held from 6-7 p.m.; the meeting, from 7-8:30 p.m.

Everyone should bring his or her own place setting, and a contribution of $2 per person or $4 per family toward the rental of the fire hall.

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Vegan, raw food potluck returns to Kinzers March 20; calorie density is discussion topic - LancasterOnline

Being a teenager is tough. The struggle to fit in, feel comfortable in a morphing body, and cope with seesawing emotions is something that we can all relate to. And for vegan teenagers, who are sticking their necks above an additional parapet, surely the world must be a lonely place?

But as rates of veganism climb upwards, its young people that are leading the way. In the decade since 2006, there was a 350 per cent spike in the number of people who identified as vegan. And almost half of vegans are aged between 15 to 34. Meanwhile, food-friendlyplatforms like Instagram andfellow devotees in celebrities from Ariana Grande to Beyonce make committing to a plant-based diet less niche.

And the social network the Teen Vegan Network (Teen VGN) gives young people who are vegan and aged between 12 and 19-years-old a place to belong. The website features forums, recipes, product reviews and opportunities for volunteering. It currently has 1,553 active members, and a reach of around 35,000 social media users, with 28,000 Twitter followers, over 3,000 likes on Facebook, and over 2,500 followers on Instagram. The founders say the group has seen a steady growth in the last four years as veganism has gone mainstream.

We realised that there was so many great campaigning groups that were directed at adults and none for young people, Laura Edwards, 26, who co-founded the organisation in 2013 tells The Independent. She and fellow vegan friend and former animal rights charity worker Kylie Fackrell, 29, created Teen VGNto plug a gap for children who didnt fit in with their peers.

Since then, the group has started sell-out summer camps for members can aged between 11 and 17-years-old.

I wasn't vegan when I was a teenager, but since starting TeenVGN we have noticed how many young people talk about being the only vegan at their school, and parents who are concerned that their children feel left out, says Edwards.

She adds: Our TeenVGN summer camp started in 2015 with space for 32 young people and we sold out within 34 hours. Our second camp we had to increase to 72 spaces due to demand and we sold out months before camp.

At 18, Asher Gilbert is one of the oldest members of the group. At first, I found being a vegan teenager quite lonely, Gilbert, from St Albans in Hertfordshire, tells The Independent. But at camp I met so many other vegan teenagers who I am still in touch with.

Others have had a less isolating experience - including 12-year-old Ella from Horsham in East Sussex. A vegetarian since she was seven, she has lead a plant-based lifestyle for a year-and-a-half after her mum was inspired by a close friend. When she took the plunge, she encouraged her best friends to do the same. Some are now also vegan, while others are dabbling with vegetarianism.I found out that dairy and eggs harmed farm animals just as much as meat, I wanted to follow my mums lead and stop contributing towards the cruelty, she says.

So, isturning vegan as a pre-teen tough?

12-year-oldElla has been vegan for a year-and-a-half

The only difficulty I have is fitting into school and getting people to take my lifestyle seriously, she says. Some girls at my school like to poke fun and think that my friends and I who are also veganare 'extreme'.

"We have learnt to not let it get us down and carry on saving animals lives and try to be excellent animal activists! I have found that it is more effective to be mindful of others who haven't yet made the connection with their food and not to be cross with them," she adds.

The Teen VGN, she suggests,has helped her avoid feeling like an outcast.

At the Teen VGN Summer Camp I met so many amazing friends. We all stay in touch and I know I can chat to them about anything that may be troubling me, they are so special to me as I feel we see the world through the same eyes.

Maia Fanson, a 16-year-old from Bristol, says that her parents were a little worried that she would miss out from staving off meat and dairy.

That hasn't been the case, she says.I actually think that since becoming vegan I've spent more time outside with my mates then I did before, she explains. In my language course we did a trip to France, at first I thought I shouldn't go but I went and when we went to restaurants I just explained to them what I didn't eat, which was hard because I'm not too great at french, and they helped me find the food I could have.

And all of the teens agree that, for now, veganism is a lifestyle they will stick to.

I definitely think I will be vegan forever, says Asher.

See the article here:

Teen Vegan Network: What it's like to swear off meat and dairy before you're 20 - The Independent

Travis Barker has just wrapped a two-hour-plus rehearsal with Blink 182, and his day is really just beginning. Next he is heading into the gym with trainer and friend Don Brooks for a customized 90-minute session before he steps behind the drum kit again with his friends from Goldfinger, as they prepare a set at his music-meets-tattoos festival, Musink. So what is Barkers secret to keeping up with his cardio-packed days without gassing out? Staying true to a gluten-free, vegan diet that he has cultivated over decades.

Though Barker had been vegetarian since the age of 15, he made the switch to vegan nearly a decade ago as part of a promise he made to himself after surviving the tragic plane crash that took the life of his friend DJ AM. So far, so good.

Honestly, ever since I found this way of eating I have endless amounts of energy, says Barker. I can go all day, and after it all I never find myself getting tired. No matter what kind of shows I have done, or workouts I do on top of it, I still have to force myself to sleep at night.

The drummer managed to put his relentless day on pause to discuss creating his own training method, shake recipes, and how he stays fit on tour.

How do you think your diet improves your performance?

Right from the first time that I started to really eat vegan I could feel how much it was affecting me. John Salley is one of the guys who I would run into a lot here in Los Angeles, and he always told me how the players who ate that way outperformed the others. I started to see that results for myself as well. Most recently I gave up on gluten, and that did incredible things for my functionality. I feel like there are a lot of people out there who may be allergic to it, but dont even realize, and it is weighing them down.

You train hard too.

Don and I have created our own workout that really pushes me, but also keeps me interested. We call it Tempo Training. The main principle is that you do it either to a metronome or whatever the music that you like to listen to is. Then we will go through supersets or circuits of push-ups, pull-ups, and dips, sometimes a little boxing. Every day we change it up. But it is always on the beat. The point is to push yourself hard, but to never slow down. You have to keep on the tempo. Creating that kind of workout has been huge to helping me get ready for tours, because each day I end up playing for about two hours straight, and I need that stamina. Then to cap it all off Ill do a little low-intensity workout, like an assault bike or an elliptical machine.

How else do you train?

I love to get into the boxing ring as much as I can, usually a few times a week. I will work a bit with Glenn Holmes, who has a gym in Los Angeles. I used to try to box while I was on tour, but when you work with boxing coaches that you dont really know, you run the risk of getting hurt. I would end up sparring and feeling pain in my wrists, which is not good when I have a show that night.

So how do you like to train on tour?

I am all about building myself as much as possible before I have to go out on tour. Trying to have a normal schedule while you are on the road is impossible. I fully dedicate to getting in as good of shape as I can before we start. Then while Im out I will do a lot of body-weight exercises in my room, or wherever I can. Lots of push-ups, pull-ups, and I will plank. Sometimes I am able to get out on a run. I also like to bring battle ropes with me, just in case I get somewhere to set them up. Then I can really work out.

Do you find it difficult to eat vegan while you are touring?

I will say that it has gotten a lot easier than it used to be. Vegan restaurants are everywhere now, especially in Los Angeles. (I am an investor in Crossroads, which has an amazing chef in Tal Ronnen.) There is this great app and website called Happy Cowthat helps you find all the vegan options that are closest to you. I use that all of the time. For snacks I will eat a lot of strawberries, blueberries, and acai berries. I find myself eating plates of broccoli or cauliflower at times. I also bring a Juicero with us on tour, and I will use that to make some pretty awesome juices.

Do you share with your fellow Blink 182 members?

Definitely. Matt Skiba is vegan as well. Mark [Hoppus] is closer to vegetarian. I also have everyone doing E3Live. We are full-on getting ready for this tour, and we want to bring the best show possible to the Blink fans.

Travis Barkers Go-To Shake

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See more here:

Blink 182's Travis Barker: Why I'm Vegan - Men's Journal

(HealthDay News) -- Ever wonder why environmental sounds are so relaxing? Just getting outside in nature has been shown to be therapeutic.

According to David Yaden, a research fellow at the University of Pennsylvania's Positive Psychology Center, "in a natural setting, people are more relaxed and less stressed."

In Japan, they call this practice of getting outside in nature shinrin-yoku, which is roughly translated as "forest bathing."

Indoors, environmental sounds remind us of being out in nature and may also be something for the mind to meditate on, no different than staring at a candle flame, or repeating a mantra or listening to relaxing music. So listening to a recording of environmental sounds or relaxing music that incorporates environmental sounds can be a soothing alternative to actually going outdoors and listening to the real thing.

Our minds often break away from the present moment and create stories that are sometimes stressful: We worry about the future and things that may never happen, and get angry about things that have already happened and can't be changed.

But when we focus on the gentle sound of a babbling brook, or any other natural sound -- like crickets or birds chirping, or even the sound of waves crashing on a beach -- we bring our minds back into the present moment. We are, in effect, practicing mindfulness.

And mindfulness has been shown to lower stress, reduce anxiety, boost the immune system and help with depression.

See the original post:

Stress Buster | Health | pantagraph.com - Bloomington Pantagraph

Here are some local events taking place today:

Art and Coffee,10:30 a.m., Philomath Community Library, 1050 Applegate St. Those 16 or over are invited to join in a relaxing morning of art, coloring, conversation, music and treats. Bring your own supplies or share the library's.

Coloring for Everyone,6:30 p.m., meeting room,Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, 645 NW Monroe Ave. Supplies, coloring pages and relaxing music provided.

Stakeholder Committee of Philomath Downtown Streetscape Project,7 p.m., council chamber, city hall, 980 Applegate St.

Corvallis Community Band: Topsy-Turvy: The Music of Edward Elgar and Gilbert and Sullivan,7:30 p.m., LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26th St. The band in concert, with assistance from the Corvallis Academy of Ballet and OSU vocal students. Information: c-cband.org.

For more information, see Thursdays E, the calendar in each days edition or http://www.gazettetimes.com.

Follow this link:

Today's Highlights (March 21) | F.Y.I. | gazettetimes.com - Corvallis Gazette Times

Photo courtesy of Pure Barre.

From the second you walk inside Pure Barre Montclair, youll feel inspired to create a stronger version of yourself. The studios interior design is modern, cool and sleek. The front desk is decorated with cute hair ties and socks. Athleisure Wear brands like Alo and Beyond Yoga line the wall adjacent to a small bar topped with fresh water and healthy snacks. Walk into Pure Barre a little further, and youll come across a cubby area where customers drop off their bags and coats and pick up their weights and bands. Glass doors open into the studio space lined with ballet bars.

Pure Barre has generated a strong customer base since its December opening at the corner of Valley Road and Bloomfield Avenue. Three highly qualified teachers instruct all ages in all different class sizes, usually around 23 people. The 55 minute classes sculpt your arms, chest, back and legs with small muscle contractions. Stretches between every exercise keep your limbs limber. Pure Barre teachers set the tone with soft lighting and relaxing music during the stretch. They also help you kick it into high gear as you squeeze out that last ab workout with upbeat music and encouraging words.

Pure Barre accommodates students with classes seven days a week. Class time ranges depending on the day of the week. Pure Barre starts at 5:15 a.m. most days and ends around 7:30 p.m. Exercises differ depending on the teacher and the music playlist, but there are no levels. Students are encouraged to only do as much as they can.

Co-owners Chrissel Battaglia and Wendy Vignali have known eachother for over 20 years. Battaglia broke her foot seven years ago and was on crutches for months. She joined Orangetheory in November of 2015 to rehabilitate her foot and get back into shape, where she learned the value of having a coach. Vignali brought Battaglia into Pure Barre one day, where the friends reconnected over their love of exercise and strength training.

Wendy said, Lets open our own Pure Barre! and began drawing up plans, said Battaglia. I just went along with it. I never thought it would really happen.

Pure Barre Headquarters approved their idea for a store right away. Suddenly, they had to find a space. Vignali did some work and found the space Montclair. Battaglia designed the studio. The co-owners looked for teachers to go through the Pure Barre training, and Vignali herself became a certified teacher. Soon, their far-fetched dream became reality.

This was like a big joke a year ago, and now its reality. Its amazing. Were excited to be in a new phase, we did it on our own and the community is responding well, said Battaglia.

Pure Barre is currently adding more teachers, classes and events to their schedule. They promote a juice cleanse, host mimosa Sunday and even offer classes called Bring on the Men. Now, Pure Barre is hosting a March Madness challenge for customer to attend 20 classes in 31 days for a chance at a prize. Whether youre a bride-to-be trying to stay healthy, a new mom trying to get back into shape or a busy professional seeking relief at the end of a workday Pure Barre can help you hustle. Walk in for your first complimentary class at 650 Bloomfield Ave., or call 402-882 2773 to see if youre ready to raise the bar.

Aloe, barre workout, Beyond Yoga, Bloomfield Ave., cardio, core, flexibility, healthy, low impact workout, montclair, muscles, Orangetheory, posture, Pure Barre, resistance, strength, studio, technique, tone

Read the rest here:

Pure Barre Classes Create Change - The Montclair Dispatch (press release)

Instant coffee brand Nescafe has partnered with Japanese bed manufacturer France Bed Co to stage a pop-up caf with beds, to mark World Sleep Day.

Nescafe's Harajuku outlet has been transformed into a 'nap caf', with the venue offering coffees alongside 10 comfy, reclining beds. Guests can take a nap for up to two hours, with relaxing music played through headphones and special lighting in the background.

Before customers go to sleep, they are treated to a free cup of Nescafe decaffeinated cofee and upon waking, are given a cup of regular coffee.

The caf will be open until 26 March, with World Sleep Day falling on the Friday before the March equinox.

More: Last year,US mattress start-up Casper opened a sleep-themed pop-up in London's Covent Garden, aimed at helping individuals to re-energise and recharge. Mattress brand Eve also hosted 'power nap pods' at its Nap Station at The Truman Brewery last July.

Comment below to let us know what you think.

For your daily hit of news from the brand experience community, weekly brand and inspiration updates or your monthly trend download,register and subscribe toEventandour bulletins.

Excerpt from:

Global: Nescafe creates Tokyo 'nap caf' - Event magazine - Event Magazine

ABU DHABI // A new government programme is making local organic produce not only more readily available in supermarkets around the country but also more affordable in comparison with its more expensive, imported counterpart.

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment has made a concerted push in recent years to subsidise farming equipment, provide expertise and connect local farmers with supermarkets to help market their products.

On Tuesday, Dr Thani Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, launched the programme whereby local produce will be made available in shops around the country.

"Its part of the countrys strategic goal to produce more food and we, of course, need to research new technologies and ways to make organic food a viable option for everyone," said Dr Al Zeyoudi at the opening of a Lulu hypermarket at Mushrif Mall.

Last week, he spoke at the Federal National Council about how his ministry would continue to support the sale of local produce, address the challenges the industry faced and that it soon planned to sign an agreement with Carrefour to market local fruit and vegetables.

Local produce becoming more prevalent includes zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes and eggplants. Dr Al Zeyoudi said the ministry had investments in other countries, and dates are being exported to 45 countries.

The idea is to work with farmers across the country using organic, hydroponic and commercially grown produce and support them in getting it into local supermarkets at competitive prices.

The growth of organic farm land in the UAE has gone from 2,360 acres in 2009 to 45,890 acres last year. The ministry also provided farming equipment, including tools for organic and hydroponic farming, at half price.

In some cases, support for the organic and local farmers from the ministry is allowing them to market produce at a price point equal to or lower than imported counterparts as is the case with tomatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, capsicum and cucumber.

"My dream is to have all the organic prices be lower than usual. We want to push nutritious products to the market," said Rashid Al Kitbi, whos been growing organic for the last 10 years on his farm.

He said that not much research has been done on the effects of chemicals used in modern pesticides and inorganic farming supplements, to the extent that being safe and eating organic not only provides more nutrition but also a safeguard against diseases.

Mr Al Kitbi teaches workshops around the UAE on ways in which urban farming can be done and ways to promote healthy diets in the country.

"Look at all these modern diseases, cancer and what not. It needs to be researched but, when you eat food the way it was intended, you feel it inside that youre doing something good for your body and good for your family," said the Emirati.

The organic UAE brand, which is mostly in line with European organic standards, is now available in Union Co-Ops around the country and in Lulu Hypermarkets in Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Tawfik Ibrahim, executive chef of Yadoos House, an Emirati restaurant, said that organic produce is sometimes at a reasonable price point that allows him to buy local.

"It honestly all depends but, whenever we can, we try to buy local as long as the quality is up to par. Of course sometimes, what we need is not available but we try as much as we can," he said.

Cooking Emirati dishes requires fresh ingredients but that is not an issue when buying local.

"Thats whats nice about buying local, you dont have to worry about freshness. But when it comes to organic, sometimes its too expensive," he said.

More supermarkets will soon be involved in the programme, allowing for more local products to be sold in those shops, said a spokesman from the ministry.

nalwasmi@thenational.ae

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UAE Government backs local organic produce - The National

Mayan farmers inthe states of Campeche and Quintana Roo have become players inthe global chewing gum market with their unique and organic product.

Sold under the brand Chicza Organic Rainforest Gum, the biodegradable chewing gum was launchedin 2009 and has since expanded to 26 European countries, Canada and the United States.

Introduced to the global market during BioFach 2009, the worlds largest trade fairfor organic food, Chicza was chosen as one of the top 20 original products.

Chicza is madefrom raw latex obtained from the sustainable harvestof the chicozapote tree by Consorcio Chiclero, an umbrella cooperativethat brings together 40 groupsrepresenting some 2,000 small producers from the two southeastern states.

The cooperativeprovidesgum producers with social security, scholarships and other benefits, improving the quality of life of their families.

The chicozapote, or Manilkara zapota, trees from which the latex is taken are located in a 1.3-million-hectare region of rainforest with organic certification.

Chicza chewing gum is produced in Campeche and Quintana Roo. (PHOTO: chicza.com.uk)

The cooperative produces 40 tonnes of flavored chewing gum annually, whilean additional 100 tonnes of raw gum are exported every year to Japan and Singapore, which have been buying Campeche and Quintana Roo gum for over 100years.

The processed gum comes in fiveflavors, lime, cinnamon, mint, spearmint and mixed berry.

With officesin Quintana Roo and the United Kingdom, Consorcio Chiclero oversees all stages of the production chain, from cultivation to distribution and exporting the finished product.

CEO Manuel Alderete Terrazas saysChicza is proof that the privatesector doesnt have to be at odds with the environment.

Source: mexiconewsdaily.com

Link:

Mayan chewing gum penetrates global organic-foods market - The Yucatan Times

By: Danielle Pucillo

Its not uncommon to hear people bragging about the fact that they only eat organic food. But what benefits does eating organic really have? This is something I ponder every time I step into a Whole Foods Market and see customers piling their carts high with organic brownies, cheese and frozen burritos. When you peel off the organic label and look at the nutritional facts, these foods are not any healthier than their conventional counterparts.

Any meat and poultry considered organic does not contain growth hormones and antibiotics. This is all good and plenty, but there seems to be a common misconception about many of these foods: apparently eating anything labeled organic automatically means its healthier than conventional foods.

When people go on a health kick, the first instinct is to look towards any food besides the staple junk foods. But it seems that its an increasingly common practice to replace the conventional junk food with organic junk food, such as organic Oreo cookies, Kraft macaroni and cheese and toaster pastries. Doing minimal research and simply throwing food into your cart that has an organic label is not enough to lose weight or be healthy. Everyone has different nutritional needs, and we all have an individual chemistry that affects how our bodies process the food we eat. Organic food may be free of pesticides and antibiotics, but it doesnt have any less fat, sugar or carbohydrates than conventional food.

Its been proven by researchers at Stanford that there is little to no evidence that proves organic food has higher nutritional value or fewer health risks. What determines if produce and livestock are healthy is the quality of farming practices involved with their production. For instance, vegetables grown in nutrient-poor soil or in unsanitary conditions are going to have a higher risk of causing health problems. But conventional foods have been proven to pose no more or fewer health risks than organic food.

Theres a difference between a trending fad started by a celebrity *cough* Gwyneth Paltrow and the cold hard facts derived from research done by actual scientists. Processed food can still be classified as organic, as long as there are organic ingredients. So sodas, macaroni and cheese, french fries, ice cream, cookies, chips and anything covered in chocolate can be organic. You can shovel as much organic macaroni and cheese onto your plate as you like; your arteries will likely hold it against you later in life. So do yourself a favor. Before you spend that $15 on an organic bean burrito, think about your options. You might as well pick up some chicken nuggets and call it a day.

Read more here:

Organic does not equal healthy - The Current - The Student-Run Newspaper of Nova Southeastern University. (satire) (registration)