You are invited to an amazing event at One World Theatre, January 15th, 2012, like none you’ve ever experienced. It’s called Symphony Awakening Concert Symposium, “Green” Expo and Benefit for SafePlace, ending domestic violence once and for all.

“Our goal is to support the grassroots movement to make self-reliance and “green” so profitable it would be silly not to pursue it.”

The Concert has been described as a “rock opera” meets Avatar meets the Daily Show meets Cirque du Solie “light”. The “theatrics” unfold as the telling of a true story. About an indigenous tribe. A rainforest. A threat. The legend of an eagle and a condor. A wombat. And a hero. It’s about our future. It’s about us. You will laugh, you will cry, you will be inspired.

Special guests include the Eggmen. The Drumsistas. Circus Texas. A Wombat. The Austin “green city” heros. A Cast of thousands. And you.

The Green Expo. Austin EcoNetwork Green Expo

This ‘sip, taste and discover’ party features ‘tastings’ prepared by local restaurants commited to a sustainable community. As you stroll, meet the Austin ‘green city heroes’ businesses, environmental organizations and government departments providing resources to advance a healthy, self reliant, energy efficient sustainable Austin community.

Come early. Good Parking. Good Seats. Good Food. Come Late. Adventure Parking. Interesting Seats. Leftovers.

$25 general admission. Includes the Symphony Awakening Concert and “sip, taste, discover” Austin EcoNetwork Expo Party.

Limited seating. Get your tickets here. http://www.eventbrite.com/event/2606425890

If you are a “green” business contact us now, we want to introduce you to the Austin. community.

PS. The graphic below is our website home page (isn’t it cool?). You can click “limited seating” to get your tickets. For more info check our website www.SymphonyAwakening.org or Facebook atfacebook.com/symphonyawakening

Entertainment. Delicious Food. Save the World. What else can you ask for?

You are at the ice cream section of your local supermarket and craving for your favorite flavor, but you just can’t because indulging in one will definitely cause your blood sugar to shoot up beyond the rafters.  If you love ice cream so much and definitely can’t resist a few scoops every now and then, vegan ice cream is for you.  It is a popularly growing kind of non-dairy ice cream and has drawn not only avowed vegans but connoisseurs, health watchers, lactose intolerant individuals and those who are plain and simple gifted with a sweet tooth as well.

A vegan ice cream is an incredibly healthy option as compared to those made of the traditional dairy mixed with a lot of sugar and other preservatives; a combination of which produces a choke-full of calories, fat and other not so healthy components. With an ice cream specifically following the strict ideals of a vegan diet, what you get is something that is not only all natural and free from harmful chemicals but also devoid of any form of animal products and substances. There are now several ice cream manufacturers that offer it using non-dairy products. A particular brand uses all natural and organic ingredients such as creamy coconut milk and soy in replacement for animal milk and other dairy products. Then nectar is added to provide natural sweetness and brown rice is put in for healthy texture. For its nutritional value, other all-natural and delectable flavours such as nuts, mint, maple and organic cocoa are added.

The best place to look for a vegan ice cream is to visit your local health store.  These are usually strategically located in supermarkets or in malls.  The internet is also a good source of information for locating dealers near your area.  Once you are introduced to the many healthy options of a vegan ice cream, you will be amazed at the variety of flavors available to choose from.

You can also easily whip up your specialty masterpiece using the recipes given.  Imagine yourself making your very own healthy ice cream and sharing it with the rest of your family and even friends.  It is not only good for the health but at the same time there is this real feeling that you also contributed to the promotion of the ideals of veganism.  Most of all, with vegan ice cream you can have guiltless indulgence as often as you want!

When a person’s digestive system is unable to digest and absorb lactose, that person is said to have lactose intolerance. When milk or milk products are consumed by people who are lactose intolerant, it results in gastro-intestinal disorders which include gas, bloating, stomach cramps, and diarrhea.

Understanding lactose intolerance isn’t very complicated, but it is amazing how many people’s bodies just don’t do well with milk. If you suffer from lactose intolerance you can at least take some comfort in knowing you aren’t alone.  It is one of the most common genetic disorders and affects more than half of the world’s total population.

How is Lactose Intolerance Caused?

Lactose, a disaccharide, is made up of two monosaccharides: glucose and galactose. When a person consumes any food that contains lactose, it is broken down into the simple sugars by lactase, an enzyme found in the small intestine, so that it can easily be absorbed in the bloodstream to form energy. For whatever reason, most people’s digestive systems do not produce enough lactase enzymes to split the lactose into simpler forms.  So it stays in their guts causing uneasiness and disorders of the gastro-intestine like abdominal pain, diarrhea, flatulence, bloating of the abdomen, and nausea.

Lactase deficiency is caused due to one of the following three reasons: congenital, secondary or developmental.

Congenital Lactase Deficiency

A person may be lactase deficient since birth due to mutation in the lactase producing gene. It is very rare to be lactose intolerant since birth.

Secondary Lactase Deficiency

The secondary reason for having deficiency of lactase is due to celiac sprue, a disease which destroys the lining of the small intestine which results in the destruction of lactase too.

Developmental Lactase Deficiency

The most common cause of lactose intolerance is hypolactasia, a decrease in the amount of lactase, which starts after childhood and continues into his adult life. Little kids are less likely to have intolerance of lactose as compared to adults. Some people may have it while still in their teenage years. People of different ethnic groups have different degrees of this disease.

People suffering from lactose intolerance must keep a check on their diet. They should not only eliminate milk and milk products off their shopping list but they should also be aware of some food products that contain traces of milk. It’s amazing where it’ll sneak in.

If you are lactose intolerant, you may have frowned when you realized that you cannot eat those yummy dairy desserts, especially the ice cream and cheesecake. However, you do have a reason to celebrate as there are amazing alternatives now that didn’t exist in years past. We think NadaMoo! is so good that you’ll never miss the dairy ice creams. Who needs lactose?!