I'm a huge fan of Vegan Outdoor Adventures (VOA), owned by Jessica Ryle. If you aren't already following VOA, now's the time! She does all of the leg work so that you don’t have to spend forever searching for outdoor essentials that are vegan! She makes it easy for you to find everything to compliment your cruelty-free outdoor lifestyle, including:
* Links to vegan outdoor equipment 
* Interviews with nature-loving vegans
* Gear reviews 
* Forums

​I've been fortunate to write a couple of product reviews for VOA, including: My Love for Osprey Backpacks - GO VEGAN and Patagonia Layering System - Vegan Style. 

VOA recently launched the Seasonal Sample Box and it TRULY ROCKS! Jessica created this project to help others discover vegan outdoorsy snacks and products for their outdoor adventures. We all know how frustrating it can be searching for options, so having an expert do the research and personally test and approve everything is priceless! I just received the my Fall Box and WOW! This is such a brilliant way to be introduced to some great vegan products and snacks.

The fall box included 7 vegan, cruelty-free & US made snacks and products:

• Woodstock Herbal Products : Hikers' Guard Deet-Free Insect Repellent Spray and Hikers' Guard Deet-Free Insect Repellent Lotion.
• Nacheez Dairy-Free Nacho Sauce 
• Action Wipes 
• Outdoor Herbivore CinnaMonkey Chomps
• nuun ENERGY
• GoRaw Sprouted Bar
• ​Strawberry Hedgehog Soap

Be sure to stay connected and sign up for the VOA Newsletter so you don't miss out on the upcoming Winter Sample Box!

Follow Vegan Outdoor Adventures on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+

Edestin globulin protein found in Hemp seeds contains all 8 essential amino acids. This makes hemp the superior source for this protein in the plant kingdom. Edestin is a type of plant protein that is similar to protein found in the human body, and thus is perfectly suited to aid in meeting the body’s cellular needs such as DNA repair. Since much of hemp’s protein resembles that found in human blood, hemp protein is very easily digested and assimilated. In addition, another one-third of hemp’s protein is albumin, another high quality globulin protein. 

With a protein structure of 66% edestin and 33% albumin, hemp seeds (latin: sativa) contain all 8 essential amino acids plus 2 conditionally essential amino acids. In addition to its surprising protein profile, it also contains the perfect ratio of omega fatty acids researchers recommend for good health: 3- omega-3`s to 1-omega-6. 

​Why Are Amino Acids Important? 
A human being needs 21 amino acids to survive: Eight are essential and must be obtained from food; two are conditionally essential and can be synthesized if all the eight essential amino acids are consumed. No other plant or animal source, aside from hemp, contains the first ten amino acids necessary for health. Nor do any of them contain the fatty acid ratio essential for life. 
​

1. You have high levels of anxiety, racing thoughts and/or panic attacks
2. You are always feeling overwhelmed
3. You seem to be comparing yourself to others a lot
4. You are glued to your phone and social media
5. Negative talk gets your excited
6. You feel disconnected from the world
7. You tell yourself you don't have any friends

Do you relate to any of these? If so, be honest with yourself about your thoughts/behaviors and dive in and try a mind detox! I've included some suggestions below to help you move away from negative thoughts and towards a more positive and healthy mindset. 

1. Creative a list of positive experiences you enjoy/love for yourself
​2. Find a hobby you enjoy
3. Engage in daily meditation (traditional or active)
4. Start Journaing  and reflecting back on positive moments and experiences
5. Engage in physical activity
6. Spend time outdoors!
7. Unplug for a few hours
​8. Laugh

​Our skin is a reflection of the foods we feed it. By taking charge and nourishing our overall health with fresh vegetables, dark leafy greens, fresh fruits, super foods, healthy fats, nuts, seeds, whole-grains and legumes our skin will shine. Processed foods and animal products don’t deliver anything living or rejuvenating to our skin. Eat as close to nature, consuming a high whole-foods diet. Eat the rainbow everyday if you can. Fresh veggies, fruits and juices like carrots, avocado, celery, and cucumber deliver hydration and skin nourishing and rejuvenating fats, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Try to incorporate many alkaline foods into your diet as well.

Some Top Anti-Aging Foods:

• Cinnamon
• Lemongrass
• Coconut
• Pomegranate
• Oregano
• Oats
• Avocados
• Cucumbers
• Berries

​Staying active helps with many things, including: Elevation in mood, healthy blood circulation to the skin, improvement in immunity, and better quality of sleep.
 
Sleep is extremely important to overall health. When we rest, everything goes into repair mode– including our skin.  When you eat a clean, whole food plant-based diet and stay active, the quality of sleep improves. In addition, as you feel more rested and restored, you will become more energized to maintain an active lifestyle and plan for healthier eating every day. 

I was recently introduced to an incredible local company called Hana Organic Skincare. They make gorgeous products without harmful ingredients. 
 
I’ve always been very picky about what I put on my skin, so prior to Hana Organic Skincare, I found myself trying to make many of my skincare products myself. Now, I’m not only stoked about how well my skin enjoys these products, but I’m practically addicted with this entire line and look forward to my daily skin care regimen. Hana Organic Skincare was created on the gorgeous Bainbridge Island off the coast of Washington State. The line is 100% cruelty free (most products are vegan), gluten free and uses only the highest quality certified, Non-GMO ingredients. Created in 2011 by certified herbalist, Karen Ries and hand made in small batches, Hana Organic Skincare provides pure, simple products for your overall radiant health and well-being.

​Overall, I would describe the products as being incredibly delicate, gentle, natural, non-irritating and easy to apply. They are also very effective. My skin loves these natural ingredients! 

​Eye Oil
My favorite product from this line has to be the Eye Oil. I’m really picky when it comes to the area around my eyes, as it’s very delicate. Hana’s Eye Oil has certified organic jojoba and rosehip seed oils as well as vitamin E and rose essential oil – truly nourishing! The small drop will easily do one eye, sometimes two. It’s not greasy and it absorbs well. A little goes a long way.
​Ingredients: jojoba & rosehip seed oils; Vitamin E; rose essential oil.
Gluten-Free/Vegan product

​Luxe Serum
It’s always been hard for me to find a serum I truly like and works for my sensitive skin. After 4 weeks of using the Luxe Serum, I am beyond pleased. My skin has an even tone and is super soft! As little as 2-3 drops of this earthy, yet sweet combination is plenty to smooth over my face and neck. The skin rejuvenating benefits are priceless Ingredients include: certified organic jojoba, apricot and rosehip seed oils; Vitamin E; lavender, neroli, frankincense and rose otto essential oils.
Ingredients: jojoba, apricot & rosehip seed oils; Vitamin E; lavender, neroli, frankincense & rose otto essential oils.
Gluten-Free/Vegan product

Lavender Grains
This lovely combination of white clay, organic oats, almonds, poppy seeds, rose, lavender & calendula is easy to apply and very gentle on sensitive irritated skin. It works fabulous as a gental cleanser as well as a mask. As a mask I mix it up with toner in my hand before I gently apply to my face - leaving it on for about 15 minutes then use a warm washcloth to remove and follow with Gentle Toner and moisturizer.
Ingredients: white clay; oats; +almonds; poppy seeds; rose centifolia (rose); lavendula officianalis (lavender); calendula officianalis (calendula); lavender & rose essential oils.
​Gluten-Free/Vegan product

Gentle Toner
This product pairs very nicely with the Gentle Cleanser as it’s lightweight and easily applied in a convenient mist spray. The smell is lovely too including certified organic rose hydrosol, aloe vera gel, ylang ylang and lavender & lemon essential oils.
Gluten-Free/Vegan product

​Gentle Cleanser
Gentle indeed! This liquid cleanser leaves no soap residue, immediately leaving your skin moisture, refreshed and clean! Since it’s not soap based, it didn’t dry my skin at all either. The smell is crisp and light with rose hydrosol, castile soap, jojoba oil with geranium and neroli essential oils. 
Gluten-Free/Vegan product

Bonus: Hana also has cute essential travel kits available – I just love this! As many road trips as I do, this makes is super convenient. It’s also an excellent way to experience this incredible line for the first time.
​
HANA Organic Skincare is a wonderful innovative company with a commitment  ” to provide pure, simple products for your radiant health and wellbeing.”

I highly recommend you try this line - HANDS DOWN! - Kristin (aka Miss Bellevue Vegan)

Each year is a new beginning. And a new opportunity to improve your overall well-being. You can transform your health—even with the smallest changes. As you get geared up for 2016, here are some of the hottest trends in health and wellness. It’s going to be an exciting year, so embrace it by living in the moment!

THE CARB COMEBACK
Rice, oats, whole grains and even … tada… BREAD are back on the menu as we get smarter about carbs and learn to distinguish the types that provide nutrients and lasting energy and those that can add to our waistline. One study of 5,000 consumers released in November found that 1 in 2 could now distinguish between a “good” and “bad” carb. It’s exciting that we are also starting to understand and separate carbs into “slow-fuel” (vegetables, fruits, whole grains, etc.) and “fast-fuel” (sugars, processed and refined foods). Plus, just as you finally learned how to pronounce quinoa, a family of new supergrains is getting a lot of attention, including farro, amaranth and kamut. By not having consistent amounts of carbs, you’re messing with your blood sugar throughout the day, which can contribute to many other issues. You want to choose carbs that have at least some other nutrient in them. If the food has fiber, it’s going to digest more slowly. Your body depends on carbohydrates to function properly.
 

1. Carbs help your brain work better
2. Carbs help reduce bloating
3. Carbs make you happier
4. Carbs give you energy
5. Carbs contain essential vitamins
6. Carbs help prevent heart disease

EATING BFAST, LUNCH, & DINNER OUT OF A BOWL
It all started with the smoothie bowls. Now bowls are branching out into lunch and dinner too. They are becoming featured healthy items on restaurant menus – going by the name of macro bowls, veggie bowls, grain bowls, poke (sushi-style) bowls, etc. ​

SEAWEED IS THE NEW KALE
Suddenly, everyone is talking about this crazy underwater plant, for its nutrient profile, skin-care benefits, and incredible potential for combatting climate change. Seaweeds are amongst the most nutrient-dense plants on the planet, and as they have access to all the nutrients in the sea, they are an extremely rich source of minerals. We are even seeing manufacturers using seaweed as a healthy option to replacing the salt added to processed foods. The bioactive substances derived from seaweed provide a beneficial and functional role at the cellular level, contributing to healthy looking skin, hair, and nails. 

​MINERALS ARE THE REAL HEALTH ROCKSTARS
Vitamins may get all the kuddos, but in 2016 experts are going to be calling minerals the real health rockstars. The day to day “things” we experience in today's modern life that affects us all—stress, sleeplessness, and a dependence on stimulants—aren't just giving us something to complain about, they’re depleting our mineral levels, particularly magnesium. According to Functional medicine doctors, 80 percent of us are deficient in magnesium. This is a problem because magnesium is linked to improving your muscle and bone strength, helps regulate blood pressure and keeps our immune systems strong.

BEAUTY PRODUCTS YOU DRINK
2016 is going to be the year where sipping is part of your beauty regimen vs. what you slather on. Consumers are increasingly making the connection between skincare and nutrition. We will see a wealth of beauty-boosting beverages loaded with the nutrients that help promote a healthy glow from within, prevent signs of aging, fight acne, and more. Many of these elixirs will contain antioxidants and superfood ingredients linked to skin health, like turmeric, probiotics, zinc, and adaptogens like Rhodiola Rosea. 

​MEET ADAPTOGENS, THE NEW STRESS-FIGHTING SUPERHERBS
Everyone has heard of (and hopefully eats) superfoods. Well, meet the superherbs! There are superpowers present in some plants that can help our bodies adapt to stress and handle it in a healthy way. These are called adaptogens and they have the attention of respected physicians like Frank Lipman, MD, skincare lines and even juice companies. The potential of these stress-fighting superherbs to improve all kinds of issues related to health and beauty is super exciting. These superherbs can help your body adapt to its specific needs. Get ready to see adaptogenic ingredients like moringa, Ashwagandha, maca and ginseng in your juices, smoothies, chocolate, beauty products, and more. As we burn out on RX drug experiments and look to sustainable sources to help with stress and health, all arrows point to these herbs.

NUT MILKS GO WILD
Nut milks are getting tons of attention  - more than cold-pressed juices were getting even five years ago. Thanks to all the exposure around animal agriculture, dairy intolerance and the issues around soy, more people are drinking nut and seed milks than ever before. But now, people now want milks that are all natural and emulsifier-free (NO carrageenan). Customers are looking at ingredients. Get excited to see some new brands and improved brands! Have you ever made your own nut/seed milks? Here is a nice DIY plant milk recipe formula.

​ANTI-DIET! IT'S ABOUT THE BRAIN, NOT THE A$$
Thanks to a growing millennial philosophy about fitness—working out is not about chasing a dress size or for appearances anymore. It’s about working out to ease anxiety and feel strong rather than just to lose weight. The mental health benefits of fitness really are to experience how good it makes your body and brain feel. This stamps an impactful change in thinking about wellness as a holistic way to live versus always trying to look a certain way that leads to letdown and depression for many. Checkout the Anti-Diet Project.

OIL WILL BECOME YOUR CLEANSER OF CHOICE
Ready for a new skincare ritual that has a lot in common with your grandmother’s evening cold cream to remove dirt and makeup? Bring on nature! This modern holistic technique uses natural plant oils. You will see many beauty brands bringing in cleansing oils in 2016. It’s a gentle concept of oil cleansing – an oil cleanser effectively tackles the dirt and oil on your face – vs. water-based cleansers that need surfactants to provide suds to get your skin clean. The oil removes the emulsified oil, makeup, and pollution while leaving your skin balanced and nourished.

​Cheers to 2016!

Previous post: Why I'm Vegan, by Kristin Wuhrman

Childhood to Adulthood
When I was a young child,  I loved visiting my grandparents’ farm in Michigan. There were so many animals – cows, chickens and barn cats. I loved hanging out with, watching and petting them. I started observing their behaviors and understanding their needs for love, companionship and compassion. They were no different than me. My dad would let me hold the piglets – I wanted to take one home as a pet so badly. I grew up with having cats – there was Oscar, Smokey and Magic. I deeply loved, nurtured and cared for our cats – I felt like I really understood them. I would do anything to protect them, make them happy and keep them from harm. When they died, I was heartbroken, crying nonstop at their sad and unfair deaths. 

After graduating from Michigan State University, I started my career of 10 years in the animal health industry, volunteered at several rescues, was a heavily involved in helping feral cats and visiting sanctuaries. I also adopted my first cat, Lexi. I still have sweet Miss Lexi, who has welcomed my other lovely 5 cats I adopted over the past few years. Three of them have vision problems (one blind), due to being separated from their mother at only a few weeks of age. I rescued them at my grandparents’ farm and bottle-fed them to great health. 

Vegetarian to Vegan
​My reason for becoming vegetarian was simple: I absolutely loved and love all animals and I didn’t want to be involved in anything that lead or contributed to their suffering. I first gave up pork, beef and chicken, then fish. But I still didn’t feel right and wasn’t educated enough on commercial dairy and egg farms. I quickly learned that these loving and innocent animals lived miserable lives too, so why was I still having eggs and dairy? I was not eating and living in accordance with my beliefs that animals have their own lives, that they're entitled to their own lives, and that contributing to animal suffering was something that I would never ever be a part of. It was literally over night that I gave up all animal products and became a vegan. 

​In Love and Cross Country Road Trip
I fell in love with my amazing husband, who was from Seattle and moved out there with all 6 cats. After living out of our backpacks in France for 12 days, my husband and I flew to Michigan, built a "pet hotel" in the back of my FJ Cruiser and then drove 2,351 miles to Washington State with all 6 of our cats. We took advantage of all the natural beauty we possibly could as one big family. It was a road trip we will never forget! Lexi, Sammi, Ruthie, Lulu, Miranda and Chuck did extremely well and we are happy and healthy living in the Pacific Northwest now. 

Advancing in Veganism
​I continued to stay very active on educating myself about veganism and learning about health, climate change and the environment continually reinforced my knowledge. Thanks to many powerful resources like Cowspiracy, I learned that eating meat, dairy and eggs are highly responsible for people developing diabetes, heart disease and cancer. I found out livestock covers 45% of the Earth’s total land. I found out that 5% of water consumed in the US is by private homes and 55% of water in the US is for animal agriculture. I found out that 477 gallons of water are required to produce 1lb. of eggs; almost 90 gallons of water are needed for 1lb. of cheese. I found out that 1-2 acres of rainforest are cleared every second. I found out that there is 15 times more protein on any given area of land with plants rather than animals. And I found out that most of zoonotic diseases (SARS, mad cow disease, bird flu, etc.) are the result of animal agriculture. And as a clincher:  Each day, a person who eats a vegan diet saves 1,100 gallons of water, 45 pounds of grain, 30 sq ft of forested land, 20 lbs CO2 equivalent, and one animal’s life. 

My Vegan Business
As I studied veganism, health and the environment, the more eager I was to educate others. Also, being an athlete, I learned how much better my performance and recovery was when I ate balanced, plant-based whole foods. My passions were really becoming clearer everyday – animals and plant-based health. But how could I educate and softly influence others in order to get them to listen to the wealth of information and knowledge I had to share?  After attending the world’s largest nutrition school, Institute for Integrative Nutrition, I became certified as a holistic health coach and I started my own plant-based health coaching business called BEVEGAN® Grassroots Health (aka Miss Bellevue Vegan). I coach, support and help people and businesses transition into or better understand the benefits of a healthy vegan lifestyle. BEVEGAN® Boot Camp, my signature program is a 33-day 'clean-eats' cleanse program built around an unprocessed, nutritionally complete, whole food plant-based diet. Delivered by a realistic, down-to-earth approach, BEVEGAN® Boot Camp will help you discover your authentic self. I also hold local events to raise awareness and provide new experiences for both vegans and non-vegans. These include Vegan Food Crawls and Vegan Cooking Classes.

​In addition to my Vegan Health Coaching Business, I’m proudly involved with several incredible non-profits that support animal rights and animal welfare. I’m a District Leader with the Humane Society of the United States, a Community Member Benefits Provider with The Vegan Trade Council, a Feral Friend with Ally Cat Allies, an active volunteer and team captain with The Humane League – Seattle and supporter of Pigs Peace Sanctuary and Pasado’s Safe Haven.

I’m beyond honored to announce that I’m now a Cotopaxi Local Ambassador for the Pacific Northwest. For those of you who are not familiar with Cotopaxi, get ready to be excited, inspired and fascinated by this incredible company that creates high-end, innovative outdoor products and experiences. Cotopaxi funds solutions that address the most persistent needs of those living in extreme poverty. Giving is core to their model. Cotopaxi strives to lift humanity in all they do and believe in 'Gear For Good'. 

​Cotopaxi has made a commitment to creating positive social impact by focusing their efforts on global poverty alleviation. Checkout their partner organizations. Cotopaxi gear is only sold directly from their website, which helps deliver exceptionally designed and fairly manufactured gear without the traditional retail markups. They make their gear with ethics in mind, focusing their efforts on global poverty alleviation & give targeted grants to advance health, education, and livelihoods initiatives around the world. As the Local Ambassador for the Pacific Northwest, I will be sharing updates, wonderful news and events through my blog and social media channels. (Instagram, Google +, Facebook, Twitter)

As an avid outdoor enthusiast and adventurer, my personal experience with Cotopaxi products has been fantastic! The quality is top notch, the designs are forward-thinking and the durability is superb! I will be writing reviews and sharing my feedback on many different products in upcoming posts and via my blog and social media channels. The Cotopaxi designers previously worked at companies such as Nike, Columbia, Marmot, Dakine, The North Face, Black Diamond and Gregory. Because of their direct-to-consumer model, it allows them to take that additional margin, which would normally go to a retailer, and put it back into product. Cotopaxi uses the finest factories in the world, the highest quality materials available, and some of the most award-winning designers from the outdoor industry.

Have you ever "bonked" during a race or workout? “Bonking,” basically means running out of stored carbohydrate in your muscles (AKA glycogen). With a little planning, you can prolong the distance you can go before this happens, thereby enhancing performance. Whatever your activity or workout is, mid-workout nutrition is extremely important to avoid bonking.

​1 cup of shredded coconut
1 cup of almonds
1/2 a dozen medjool dates
4 tablespoons of cashew butter
2 tablespoons of raw cacao
​1 tablespoon of coconut oil

Directions:

1. Put the almonds and coconut in a food processor and blend for a minute or two, until a flour starts to form.
2. Add the cashew butter, coconut oil and cacao.
   
3. Blend for several seconds before slowly adding in the medjool dates.
4. Continue to blend until everything has been combined together to form a sticky mixture.
   
5. Mixture can then be rolled into balls and covered in more coconut.
   
6. Put in the fridge to firm up for an hour.

I will be at the upcoming Boeing Environmental, Health, Safety and Wellness Fair in Seattle on September 23 providing education and health strategies around whole-food plant-based health and GoMacro is supporting me by providing a wealth of bars for Boeing employees to sample while learning more about plant-based health.

Follow GoMacro and see what new goodness they are up to!

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Meet Katrina Ji, a professional vegan dancer in Seattle with a wealth of dance experience. Katrina teaches and perform Bollywood, Belly Dance, Bhangra and Rajasthani Folk Dance. She has numerous outstanding certifications. (Learn more here) A vegan of 18 years, Katrina truly values and respects her vegan lifestyle. "Being vegan means having a better quality of life"- Katrina

What sports, activities, adventures do you do? 
I'm a professional dancer. I teach and perform Bollywood, Belly Dance, Bhangra and Rajasthani Folk Dance 

Do you have any big events or races planned for 2015? 
Yes. My group is performing at Ananda Mela Festival in Redmond Town Square Sat Jul 25, we are hosting a Bollywood Dance Festival Oct 8-11, and performing at Seattle Children's Festival Oct 11. Follow us on Facebook to find out about more events Http://Facebook.com/cultureshakti

How does eating vegan improve your performance?
Being vegan keeps me clear headed and lean

What's your primary source of essential fatty acids (EFAs)?
Flax Seeds/Oil

What are you go to choices for complete proteins (including all essential amino acids)?
Hemp seeds

What are your other favorite plant proteins?
Beans (all varieties)

What essential tips do you have for athletes moving to 100% plant-based?
As long as you keep snacks with you at all times, it's easy and feels great! Almonds and fruits make great snacks.

In as few words as possible, what does being a VEGAN ATHLETE mean to you?
Better quality of life

What is your motto? Your mantra? Do you have a famous quote?
No negative inner dialogue