Vegan Danielle

Please take a moment to check out Goldfinger's music video "Free Me." It just may change your life... Go VEGAN and No One Gets Hurt!!!Hi everyone! My name is Danielle Davis and I am a vegan. What is a vegan, exactly? Well, I embrace a lifestyle built solely on compassion and love. I don't use any animal products (like lotion made with lanolin which comes from sheep), eat any animal products (no pigs, chickens, cows, eggs, milk, butter, etc.), wear any animals (no fur or leather), support any forms of entertainment that use animals (like Sea World, the zoo, circuses, movies with apes, horse-racing, etc.), or support any forms of animal testing (for make-up, scientific research, m&m's - yes, Mars candy tests on animals, or anything else where vivisection is used. Animals feel pain and suffer just like humans do, and I will not take part in the suffering of an animal).I am also an environmentalist. I bring canvas bags to the grocery store instead of using plastic or paper, I re-use everything I can and recycle what I can't re-use. I try very hard to buy only what I need, and used items if at all possible. I only buy organic food and produce, since I don't want to pollute our planet or my body any more than it already is. Did you know that meat is the number one cause of global warming?? Yes, that is correct. To learn more about meat and the environment you can visit www.goveg.com.I believe that we are not too far gone to fix the problems we face as a country, a society, a planet. I believe that one person can make a difference. I believe in Ghandi's teachings, although I am not Buddhist. As he said, "Be the change you wish to see in the world." I am that change, and I hope you all embrace that as well. I continue to learn and grow everyday. I believe that everyone should vote. Your voice needs to be heard, especially during the next Presidential campaign. I am not a supporter of George W. Bush or the war that our soldiers are fighting. I am peace, not war. Love, not pain. I believe in talking and working through differences, not bombing nations and killing men, women and children.
Lets change the direction of the country, the planet--make a positive impact on our future and the future all life on this planet. The planet will live on even after all of us are gone, which at this rate might be rather soon. The fight to "save the planet" is really the fight to save all beings that are alive and on the planet at this very time. It sounds kind of hypocritical of the human race, doesn't it, when we kill off 200 species everyday? We can change that. We need to stop having mass amounts of children and take care of the ones that are already on the planet, stop the selfish consumerism that we all take part in, and reduce our pollution as much and as quickly as we possibly can. You can do this. I can do this. We all can be that change. I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. It is a very rare connective tissue disorder caused by a defect in collagen synthesis. I believe in finding cures for diseases without medical testing done on animals. Raising awareness about EDS is so important. More people will be diagnosed, instead of living in agony without any sight of hope, more doctors will become aware of EDS and treatment options (including homeopathic) will be more widely used and available, and people with EDS will be better accepted by friends, family, workplaces, etc. I will be blogging occasionally about EDS, so check back or subscribe. If you or someone you know has any of the following manifestations, they may be the symptoms of EDS. EDS is very under diagnosed and often times misdiagnosed as fybromyalgia, general arthritis, etc. It is autosomal dominant, which means only one parent needs to have it for their children to get it. Please visit EDNF.org to learn about EDS and find information to help. EDS can be chronically painful, debilitating, and/or life-threatening.I also want to just add here a bit about veganism. I was told by geneticists at Johns Hopkins hospital that I would not be healthy on a vegan diet and my EDS would be worse. That couldn't have been farther from the truth. When I went vegan, my pain decreased significantly. I still live in pain, but not to the extent that it used to be. One reason, meat and dairy causes inflammation. I have been vegetarian for years, but I was still eating dairy a few years ago. I have been vegan for almost three years, and the doctors have found no new arthritis, and I am in less pain than I was three years ago. I will blog on alternative treatments I have tried, so be sure to check in with me or ask any questions about this. (And, all of us EDSers are familiar with glucosamine. I refuse to take glucosamine since it comes from shellfish, and have instead chosen plant based MSM, which works wonders...please feel free to chat with me about any of this.)I love cycling. I love swimming. I love finding dresses at thrift stores that are older than my mom, and thinking of the life of the garment before I bought it. Alright, I love thrift store shopping, period. I love independent stores. I love local and small, not corporate and big. I believe in the power of MSM, aloe vera juice and mushrooms. I believe in treating ailments and illnesses naturally. Most importantly, I truly believe in buying organic, fair trade, and humane products. Please do not support companies that test on animals! Love you all, and keep fighting the good fight.My artwork is also featured on VEGANICAAbove are two videos to put some perspective on society as it is right now. The video on the left is about diamonds...and the fact that ALL diamonds are conflict diamonds. It is very important that you think about your actions before purchasing that band for the left hand or those studs for your ears. Is a diamond that important to you? So important you are willing to have bloodshed so you can sparkle? Also, there is a great video on YouTube that you should watch. I will provide the link, but cannot put it on my page due to its graphic content. You must have a YouTube account to view it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZrSc7d7g88. The video on the right is of a soccer game. Keep in mind, we all can help, even from this side of the big pond.Stand for change. Vote OBAMA 2008. Vote Obama for President. The above video is Obama's response to George W's last State of the Union.For those of you interested in learning more about animal rights, there is a great website---peta.org. It will give you information on all things vegan, the effects eating meat has on our planet, and the health benefits for you. There is also great info on goveg.com as well. Please think about what you are putting into your body before you take that bite of flesh. You are not a graveyard. The animals in the factory farming industry are abused and tortured, the animals in the dairy industry have it even worse. If you have any questions about veganism or want to learn more, then please at least give these websites ten minutes of your time, or feel free to leave me a message. On behalf of the planet, the millions of starving people, myself, and the animals...thank you for caring enough to educate yourself. Compassion is beautiful.