World Vegan Day

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Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products, particularly in diet, and is an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals. An individual who follows this diet or philosophy is known as a vegan. Distinctions may be made between several categories of veganism. Dietary vegans, also known as strict vegetarians, refrain from consuming meat, eggs, dairy products, and any other animal-derived substances. An ethical vegan is someone who not only follows a plant-based diet but extends the philosophy into other areas of their lives, opposes the use of animals for any purpose, and tries to avoid any cruelty and exploitation of all animals including humans. Another term is environmental veganism, which refers to the avoidance of animal products on the premise that the industrial farming of animals is environmentally damaging and unsustainable.

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Well-planned vegan diets are regarded as appropriate for all stages of life, including infancy and pregnancy. There is inconsistent evidence for vegan diets provide a protective effect against metabolic syndrome; with some evidence suggesting that a vegan diet can help with weight loss, especially in the short term. Vegan diets tend to be higher in dietary fibre, magnesium, folic acid, vitamin C, vitamin E, iron, and phytochemicals, and lower in dietary energy, saturated fat, cholesterol, omega-3 fatty acid, vitamin D, calcium, zinc, and vitamin B12. A poorly-planned vegan diet may lead to nutritional deficiencies that nullify any beneficial effects and may cause serious health issues, some of which can only be prevented with fortified foods or dietary supplements.  Vitamin B12 supplementation is important because its deficiency can cause blood disorders and potentially irreversible neurological damage; this danger is also one of the most common in poorly-planned non-vegan diets. The word vegan was coined by Donald Watson and his then-future wife Dorothy Morgan in 1944. Interest in veganism increased significantly in the 2010s.

World Vegan Day, or International Vegan Day, is celebrated in continuity with Vegetarian Awareness Month which takes place the entire month of October, which begins with World Vegetarian Day on October 1 and includes other commemorative dates involving food security, reverence for life in all species, faith-based vegetarianism and animal advocacy, and more. World Vegan Day follows Vegetarian Awareness Month in October and initiates World Vegan Month which takes place all of November.

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World Vegan Day is an annual event celebrated by vegans around the world every 1 November. The event was established in 1994 by Louise Wallis, then Chair of The Vegan Society in the United Kingdom, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the organisation and the coining of the terms vegan and veganism. Wallis decided on 01 November because while the Vegan Society was established in November, the exact date was unknown, so she decided on 01 November because it falls exactly between October 31, which is Halloween, and the Mexican Day of the Dead, which falls on November 2. Since November 1, 1994, World Vegan Day has thus provided a welcome occasion for vegans in all parts of the world to celebrate and further promote veganism with all its positive aspects.

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If you are vegan, share your thoughts, and your vegan journey which is a great way to encourage more people to be vegan or treat vegan food. You can showcase the benefits and hardships of being vegan and also share delicious vegan recipes or food with others. If you are not a vegan, you can still celebrate World Vegan Day by finding out why some people choose to be vegan is a great way to start. You could also try vegan or vegetarian food options and I can assure you that they are delicious!

In My Hands Today…

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The Art of Rest: How to Find Respite in the Modern Age – Claudia Hammond

Today busyness has become a badge of honour. We want to say we’re busy, yet at the same time, we feel exhausted. Instead, we should start taking rest seriously as a method of self-care and this book can help us to work out how.

The Art of Rest draws on ground-breaking research Claudia Hammond collaborated on – ‘The Rest Test’ – the largest global survey into rest ever undertaken, which was completed by 18,000 people across 135 different countries. Much of value has been written about sleep, but rest is different; it is how we unwind, calm our minds and recharge our bodies. And, as the survey revealed, how much rest you get is directly linked to your sense of well-being.

Counting down through the top ten activities which people find most restful, Hammond explains why rest matters, examines the science behind the results to establish what really works and offers a roadmap for a new, more restful and balanced life.

World Savings Day

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Savings is something all of us do, or hope to do. Saving money takes discipline and some sacrifices.  Saving is one of the most basic, and most repeated bits of financial advice out there. Saving provides financial security, gives you the freedom to know that when you need money, it is available and lets you take calculated risks. Also, depositors who save money can help in the economic growth of the country.

Today and in some countries, yesterday World Savings Day was celebrated. Every year on October 31st, the World Savings and Retail Banking Institute (WSBI) and its members across the world celebrate World Savings Day. World Savings Day was established on October 31, 1934, during the 1st International Savings Bank Congress or the World Society of Savings Banks in Milan, Italy. The Italian Professor Filippo Ravizza declared this day as International Saving Day on the last day of the congress and in the resolutions of the Thrift Congress, it was decided that World Thrift Day should be a day devoted to the promotion of savings all over the world. As people were not sure about saving after the First World War, the idea was to make people aware of the significance of saving money. In their efforts to promote thrift, the savings banks also worked with the support of the schools, and the clergy, as well as cultural, sports, professional, and women’s associations. As people were not sure about saving after the First World War, the idea was to make people aware of the significance of saving money.

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Representatives of 29 countries wanted to bring to mind the thought of saving to the worldwide public and its relevance to the economy and the individual. World Savings Day is usually held on October 30 except in countries where this day is a public holiday since the idea is for the banks to be open so that people can transfer their savings into their accounts.

After World War II, World Thrift Day continued and reached the peak of its popularity in the years between 1955 and 1970. It practically became a veritable tradition in certain countries. In Austria, for instance, the official mascot of saving, the Sparefroh or the Happy Saver, reached a higher degree of brand awareness than the republic’s President and even a street was named after the mascot. In the 1970s, the Sparefroh Journal, an educational magazine for younger people, reached a circulation of 400,000 copies. In Germany World Savings Day is held on the last business day before October 31 since this is a public holiday in some states. In India, October 31 is the day the former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated and so the day is celebrated on October 30.

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For more than 90 years, this day has aimed to promote saving money and to raise awareness of the important role that savings and retail banking play within the general financial system. World Savings Day also highlights the ethical characteristics that banking institutions need to have to be responsible partners in communities, and serve households, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and local authorities. Today the focus of the banks that organise World Savings Day is on developing countries, where many people are unbanked. Savings banks play an important role in enhancing savings in these countries with campaigns and initiatives such as working with non-governmental organisations to double the number of savings accounts held by the poor.

To commemorate this day, go and save some money. Either drop by your bank or make an online transfer to your savings account.

2022 Week 43 Update

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This week’s quote from Walter Whitman, the American poet, essayist and journalist tells us to always keep our faces towards the sunshine and shadows will fall behind. What this means is that when things are bad, we tend to go into despair and feel that our world is ending. At this point, our future looks grim and we don’t see a way out. In such a case, we can continue to wallow in our misery and see life as a dead-end or we can turn our face and life towards the light and let the shadows of the past fall behind us with a sense of optimism and positivity, look at the glass as half full as opposed to being half empty.

In the last week, Singapore reported about 50,000 cases of COVID-19 and also confirmed four cases of the BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 Omicron subvariants, all of which were imported. First detected in Nigeria in July, the BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 subvariants are sub-lineages of the Omicron variant BA.5. The strains have since been detected in more than 50 countries. I am waiting for when I can become eligible to get the new Bivalent Moderna Spikevax Vaccine as a booster shot and hopefully can get it by the end of the year or early next year.

BB & GG are busy with their lives and school and there are days when I barely see them. We are all tense about GG’s university application and I keep praying that she gets into the university of her choice.

That’s all from my side this week. Take care and talk soon!

In My Hands Today…

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Hot Tea Across India – Rishad Saam Mehta

On Rishad Saam Mehta’s journeys — and as a travel writer and all-round road-trip junkie, he’s been on many — there’s a particular thing he noticed. There’s not a highway, road or dirt track in India where you can’t find a cup of chai whenever you want it.

And with those cuppas come encounters and incidents that make travelling in India a fascinating adventure. In this riveting book, which includes stories of honey- and saffron-infused tea shared with a shepherd in Kashmir, and a strong brew that revives the author after almost getting lynched by an irate mob in Kerala, Rishad takes you across the length and breadth of India, from Manali to Munnar, from the Rann of Kutch to Khajuraho, with a wonderful combination of wit, sensitivity and insight.