I know I’ve been the world’s worst blogger lately- thank you to those of you who haven’t abandoned me! I promise, there’s an explanation, accompanied by HUGE news. Which I’ll be sharing with you tomorrow or Saturday. But in the meantime, go vegan. You’ll live longer, providing you many more years in which you can help fix the world. We need you. xo, TK

I’ve become pretty obsessed lately with the simple act of consuming fresh produce (you know what they say about an apple a day!). My brother & I have been juicing up a storm (inspired by the incredible documentary Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead- which you can now watch in its entirety on YouTube or Hulu+!!), and I can’t speak highly enough about it.

It’s SO much fun to explore your local farmers’ market in search of fresh, local, seasonal produce. You meet great people, learn exactly where your fruits & veggies comes from, and come home with a basket of nutrient-dense whole foods. Not sure where your closest farmers’ market is? Check the map (and all the other amazing resources) on the Local Harvest site!

If you’re already a juicing pro, what’s your favorite fruit or veggie to throw in (my favorite are beets- they make everything pink and pretty!)?

…not to mention the widespread, well-documented animal abuse and the fact that one egg contains more cholesterol than a Double Whopper…

Use your dollars to vote for health & compassion; scramble tofu instead.

As a lifelong lover of pigs (the film ‘Gordy’ turned me veg at 8 yrs old), gestation crates are, for me, one of the most heartbreaking elements of the factory farming system.

More than 6 million pigs in the U.S. are kept as breeding sows on factory farms…For a 400-pound sow, it’s such a tight fit that she can’t turn around, lie down comfortably or take more than a step forward and back for most of her life.

- Farm Sanctuary

Because most humans prioritize a momentary experience of gustatory pleasure above not only animal welfare but also their own health, mama pigs are subjected to a lifetime of loneliness, discomfort, and confusion. 

We can fight this by choosing and promoting a cruelty-free lifestyle (it’s fun, I promise!).

Me with a beautiful rescue pig at Animal Acres

I’ve been dreading this doctor’s visit for a while. I know my vegan diet drastically reduces my risk of cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, and type 2 diabetes, but I also know most Americans think consumption of animal proteins is necessary for adequate intake of protein, iron, B12, and other vital nutrients. My Mom (who is now vegan, but is still neurotically obsessed with my health) talked me into getting a full blood test to make sure I’m doing alright. While I eat relatively healthy, I’m not obsessive about supplements or vitamins, so I had no idea what to expect.

My doctor ran a bunch of tests, but the highlights are below.

Spoiler alert: I’m disgustingly healthy.

In conclusion, while it’s very important to pay attention to nutrition (and I promise to do a better job), even if you don’t, a standard vegan diet can provide an exceptionally healthy amount of nutrients and saves you from a multitude of devastating and crippling diseases.

Also, you don’t have to unnecessarily murder any animals, and that’s nice too.

Interested in going vegan? Check out ChooseVeg.com!

Truth.

Dear All Men In The World:

Watch this. If you’re vegan, it will inspire you. If you aren’t, it will make you question that in the best way possible. (not at all graphic, no need to grab the tissues!)

“There’s effects on our water, our environment, our soil. There’s effects on public health and personal health. There’s a whole range of issues associated with animal agriculture. And when you take animal agriculture out of the equation, it helps solve a lot of these issues. it’s the only way to solve a lot of these issues. We can continue to put bandaids over it, but at the end of the day, if we don’t fix our appetites for animal based foods and fashion, we’re heading down the wrong path, and it’s just not sustainable.”

“The question is, what do you stand for? Do you have principles? Are there things that you believe, and are you the kind of person that’s going to stand up, and say hey, count me in, these are my principles, this is what I believe, and I’m going to defend them…and if you’re not that kind of guy, then you know, hey, maybe veganism isn’t for you. But what I’m saying is, if you’re the kind of guy that believes in compassion, you believe in mercy, you believe in right vs. wrong, then this is the right lifestyle for you, and this is what you need to be doing.”

- Robert Lucius, CEO of the Humane Party

“The Contiguous United States: Visualized by distance to the nearest McDonald’s”

The brighter the spot, the closer you are to a McDonald’s.  This is scary stuff (especially for those of us in LA!).  Help fight back against one of the world’s worst perpetrators of factory farming & heart disease: don’t give another dollar to McDonald’s.