Displaying items by tag: Amanda Shea

Book review by EvG team member Amanda Shea: 

I love anything coconut: it's one of my favorite superfoods. Coconut is amazing and it is a super versatile ingredient to add into one's diet. I strictly use coconut oil for cooking and baking, and it can be used in multiple ways outside the kitchen from toothpaste to skin moisturizer. The multiple health benefits of coconut oil are astonishing: it has been found to help control blood sugar, control appetite, help burn fat and the list goes on. I am always looking for more ways to add coconut into my diet and thus I was very excited to receive the book "Superfoods for Life, Coconut". Note: not every recipe in this book is vegan or vegetarian, but a majority of the recipes are.

Product review by EvG team member Amanda Shea: 

I am picky when it comes to body and skin care products: I only purchase products that are cruelty-free and preservative-free. If you are anything like me you know it is hard to find natural products that are reasonably priced, which is why I was excited when I heard about Ora's Amazing Herbal - they offer products that I am on board with.

Product review by EvG team member Amanda Shea: 

As someone with long, wavy hair, I often find myself struggling to detangle my hair after a shower. Fortunately, Original Sprout sent me their 4 ounce bottles of Hair & Body Babywash, Deep Conditioner, and Miracle Detangler. The detangler works wonders. I squirted a little into my hair and was able to easily run a brush through my hair. The shampoo, conditioner, and detangler used in combination left my hair silky smooth, with no frizz in sight.

Product review by EvG team member Amanda Shea. 

Earth Science's products are a must try for anyone with sensitive skin. Their Multi-Therapy Ceramide Healthy Skin Lotion has lecithin and essential fatty acids to help heal dry skin, making it a wonderful product all year and excellent during the winter months. At $9.95, it's a great deal for the size and nutrients in the lotion.

Product Review by EvG team member Amanda Shea: 

If you are new to gluten-free, vegan baking Gluten-Free & Vegan Pie is a great resource, as the recipes are easy to follow with instructive directions. 

Product review by EvG team member Amanda Shea:

As a vegan committed to living a natural lifestyle, finding a great, non-toxic deodorant can be tricky. I have tried half a dozen over the years, struggling to find one that keeps up with my active lifestyle. Deodorants are unlike antiperspirants, which prevent you from sweating via harsh chemicals like parabens, aluminum, phthalates, and propylene glycol). These chemicals can also be found in deodorant, and I don’t know about you but I don’t want my body absorbing them! That's why I was thrilled at the results of the truly natural line from Schmidt’s.

Amanda plays a very active role on Eco-Vegan Gal, most notably via her wonderful product reviews. She and I have a lot of things in common, from living in Boston, MA to having a passion for the enviornment, animals, holistic living and organic, gluten-free food! Here's more about Amanda and her mission to take care of all species and the planet:

I went vegan in July 2012 after watching Food, Inc. and Earthlings, and doing my own research about the meat industry. I was a vegetarian for a couple of months and thought I would never go vegan. I was that person who said, “I could never give up cheese”, but learning about the dairy industry and chick culling broke my heart. Choosing a compassionate, cruelty free lifestyle is by far the best choice I have made in my life. The added environmental and health benefits are amazing! I was diagnosed with anemia during my adolescence and since going vegan it has been reversed. Removing gluten from my diet and losing twenty-five pounds has helped curve my PCOS symptoms. Overall, I feel healthier, lighter, and happier since going vegan.

I am a graduate of the University of Massachusetts Boston with a BA in women’s studies and psychology. Since college I have been involved with social justice campaigns from women’s rights to LGBTQ rights. Going vegan encompasses my commitment towards ending oppression for all living beings. Being part of the EVG team has inspired me to co-launch The Envi Girls, a site dedicated to eco-vegan living. When I am not interning and working on The Envi Girls, I work for Vegan Cuts and an app. In my free time I enjoy trying out vegan & gluten-free recipes, writing, reading, practicing yoga, and volunteering.

Amanda's favorite Eco-Vegan Gal video: "Eco-Vegan Gal plays a role in my life as a vegan committed to eco-friendly living. I find Eco-Vegan Gal to be the most informative, well-rounded site out there for eco-veganism. Whitney’s passion and dedication captures my attention, and I know other viewers feel the same. My favorite EVG video is Feel: How Your Emotions Affect Your Health. I love this video because it speaks to how much our emotions affect our overall well being. I know since going vegan my emotional health has improved and I have become a more positive person. Positivity is an amazing emotion that greatly affects our health versus negativity, which brings our health and others around us down. Optimism and positivity keeps me healthy, happy and productive."

Follow Amanda's journey:

• Website: http://theenvigirls.com/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/theecovegan
• Instagram: http://instagram.com/theecovegan

Product review by EvG team member Amanda Shea:

I am always on the look out for new healthy, great tasting bars, though as a gluten-free vegan, it can be difficult finding some that taste great. More often than not bars are full of preservatives and high in sugar. Thus, I was excited to hear learn about Taste of Nature, because all of their bars are vegan, gluten-free, and organic! Could I ask for more? Oh yeah, they're also made without additives, artificial flavors, or preservatives! Here's what I thought of them:

Product review by EvG team member Amanda Shea:

I am somewhat of a chocolate aficionado. I love chocolate, so of course I was excited to review PASCHA. The entire line is free of the eight major food allergens: nuts, dairy, soy, eggs, fish, wheat, and gluten. All the chocolate this company produces is vegan, and bonus it's organic and fair trade.  The prices of the bars are reasonable: for a full size 3.5 oz. chocolate bar it costs $5.00. Some people may think this is expensive compared to other brands but when it comes to chocolate you truly get what you pay for - the cheaper the chocolate, the more likely its been overly processed leaving out the richness of cacao.

Product review by EvG team meber Amanda Shea:

I am always excited to try out new, healthy vegan products to add to my diet. In all honesty, I have never heard of Baobab fruit powder before I received samples for Kaibae. I did a little research on Baobab fruit and found out it originates from Africa. The actual fruit is hard to come by; the next best thing is getting it in powder form. It truly is a superfood because of all the amazing health benefits.