Jane and I are struggling a bit. One of our kitties, our favorite, has terminal cancer. The vet has prescribed pain killers, along with some other fun things. And we've been instructed to pay careful attention to her level of comfort and when it appears she is suffering, we should euthanize her.

On a logical basis, I know this is the right thing to do. It is our responsibility to our pets to care for them as best we can. Personally, I would want someone to help me end it when the pain became unbearable. The only difference here is that I expect I would be able to communicate my desires when the time came. The thing that scares us both is that we won't really know when it is the "right time." So we are going to have to make the decision to kill a being. And realistically, it will likely be too early, or too late.

We got the pain killers today. We knew our kitty had been ailing. She has a mass growing on her face, and when she finished her first round of anti-biotics she started smelling really foul, as if she was rotting. (Which btw, is what the vet said is happening with her tumor.) Occasionally she would pass on her food and Jane would spend significant time coaxing her to eat. But our kitty still wanted to hang with us, and she would purr when we petted her. We had no idea she was in pain. After her first dose of pain killer, she was much more playful and her purring was louder. So is she stoned, or had she been suffering and we missed it all?

We love this cat. I mean, really love this cat. She is our child. Our other kitty is great, but he is a pet. This cat has a real personality. Neither of us is happy with the idea of putting her down. She's almost 16. She's had a better life than many people on this earth. But how do you actually make the decision to kill another being? Even if it is the compassionate thing to do?

It's All Veg Broth!

Hi Everyone,

It's Jane writing tonight.  As the "executive chef" here at the Vegan Bits household I need to clear up a little mistake Lane made in last night's post, the review of Temepeh-Tations.  (And can I tell you we've gotten quite a few concerned email messages about our status as vegans...)  I/We don't use chicken stock, and here's a photo to show you all what's in our pantry, at least as far as broth is concerned.  We've got Trader Joe's Savory Vegetable Broth Concentrate, Trader Joe's Vegetable Broth, and VEGETARIAN Chicken Broth (powdered).  It almost looks like an ad for Trader Joe's, eh?  I actually used some of the boxed broth in last night's dinner.  Hope that clears things up.

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has a petition going on Facebook that is worth signing (or at least taking a look at)!  They are trying to get  Congress to include more vegetables, fruits, vegetarian foods, and healthful nondairy beverages in school lunches.  Congress is currently revising the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act, which helps determine what foods are served in school lunches.

You can view more information about the petition and sign here.  Or you can sign on their Facebook page.

The American Institute for Cancer Research states:

Scientists estimate that if everyone ate a healthy diet, was physically active every day and maintained a healthy weight, the number of cancer cases would be reduced by about one-third.

Their recommendations for the prevention of cancer include the following:

• Eat more of a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes such as beans.
• Limit consumption of red meats (such as beef, pork and lamb) and avoid processed meats.

Recently the National Cancer Institute published a study in the Public Library of Science showing a link between eating red meat and a statistically higher risk of certain cancers at multiple sites including: lung, liver, esophogus. The researchers in the study stated "Statistically significant elevated risks (ranging from 20 percent to 60 percent) were evident for esophageal, colorectal, liver, and lung cancer, comparing individuals in the highest with those in the lowest quintile of red meat intake."  (See Public Library of Science - Study of Meat Intake in Relation to Cancer Risk)

For further reading:

• AICR Recommendations for Cancer Prevention
• Foods That Fight Cancer

You've probably heard that eating fish, especially oily fish (Salmon, etc.) helps improve your brain function and decreases the risk of dementia.  This is one of the things that gets pointed out to us frequently when we tell people we are vegan.  Our doctor, as a practice, recommends an overall vitamin supplement, baby aspirin, and fish oil for all his patients over 40.  Since we're vegans, we skip the fish oil and take a flaxseed supplement instead.  (You should consult your nutritionist for advice on what supplements may be right for you.)

Data from a trial of more than 800 older people initially showed that those who eat plenty of oily fish seem to have better cognitive function.  But factors such as education and mood explained most of the link.

Neil Hunt, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society, said: "One of the best ways to reduce your risk of dementia is by eating a Mediterranean diet rich in fruit, vegetables, grains, fish and poultry.  "However, we still do not know which components of this sort of diet help the most.

~ Source:  BBC News

So, the jury is still out on fish oil.  We'll be watching to see what the data shows in the next round of testing.  Until then, there is no reason to consider looking to fish to improve your brain power in your later years.

Thanks to Gary at Compassion4Animals.org for pointing us to this study.