Living Vegan For Dummies - Alexandra Jamieson [77]
Because no oversight committee exists to make sure that companies are truly living up to their supposed code of ethics, it’s wise to get acquainted with well-known vegan companies and common ingredients used in products. The more you look at labels, the more you become aware of which words are code for “cruelly obtained ingredient.”
One example is carmine, a dye found in many lipsticks and blushes, which is made from crushed red beetles. Lactose and casein are ingredients used in many skin care products that are derived from cow’s milk. You can always contact a manufacturer directly if you have any questions about its products.
The nonprofit Environmental Working Group has compiled a safety guide, titled “Skin Deep,” that provides toxicity information on personal care products and cosmetics. This independent research is the best available information with which to make safer purchasing decisions. Check out your favorite products at www.cosmeticsdatabase.com. You can also go to www.peta.org to find a list of ingredients to watch for and avoid.
Being careful with medicines and flu shots
One of the most common reasons that people cite for becoming vegan is that they want to be healthy. A sound vegan diet is better for protecting your body from the main causes of disease and death in the United States than any other way of eating. But what happens when you do get sick?
Medicinal drugs are certainly a miracle of modern science, and going to the emergency room for a broken leg is certainly more advisable than wrapping tofu around your compound fracture. However, lurking in those medicines, flu shots, and vaccines are many ingredients that don’t jive with the vegan ethics of cruelty-free living.
Boxes and bottles of over-the-counter medications are rarely vegan. That’s usually because of the coating or capsules, which often contain gelatin. Because these drugs also are tested on animals, they aren’t vegan even if they are void of animal ingredients. Seek out alternatives of the medicine in a liquid form that doesn’t contain gelatin.
Similarly, many forms of prescribed medicines and drugs are tested on animals and may contain actual animal byproducts. For example, Premarin, used to treat menopausal women for hormonal issues, is derived from the urine of a pregnant mare, hence the name. Flu shots are routinely tested on animals and contain animal byproducts and tissues. Vaccines are produced using animal tissues to grow the viruses. Chick embryos, gelatin, and cells from calf fetuses are common ingredients and growing media. Some vaccines also use human tissues like liver albumin.
Weigh your beliefs about whether these drugs are effective in keeping you healthy and whether they violate your vegan ethics. You may be able to find alternatives, so talk with your healthcare provider. Perhaps you can find a version of a pill that doesn’t come in a gelatin capsule, or perhaps you can see a homeopathic doctor or naturopath that can offer more natural, vegan options and medicines. Compounding pharmacies can make some prescriptions to order and may have vegan ingredients available to create the right dosage and combinations. However, call ahead and ask about the specific medication you’re looking for. If you can’t find a vegan medication, don’t be a martyr — protect your health and that of your family.
The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (www.pcrm.org) is steadily gaining ground in encouraging medication that isn’t tested on animals. Find out as much as you can, and maintain a healthy lifestyle so you don’t need as many medications in the long run. If you discover a vegan alternative, great. If not, ensure that your health isn’t endangered.
Because babies are given vaccines within the first few hours of life, it’s wise for expecting vegan parents to understand the issues and ingredients before making their choices on how best to protect their children. Because the vaccine ingredients aren’t vegan, parents must weigh the possible consequences of not vaccinating their