“For the individual soul, it is very freeing to be vegan.” Perhaps it was her gentle, soft-spoken way of conveying some of the awful realities faced by cows, dogs, and other non-human animals, but journalist Karen Asp holds the distinction of being the first Vegan Posse guest to make me tear up on air. In this Vegan Posse episode, Karen talks about her multifaceted writing career, her tips on anti-aging (or more accurately, aging BETTER), her world records(!) in Nordic walking, how she navigated going vegan within the context of a marriage that preexisted her plant-based, ahimsa-based lifestyle, and the challenges of being the lone vegan at the animal rescue organizations where she volunteers. The ultimate takeaway: dump the dairy – i.e., controverting the SNL classic, NO more cowbell!

About Karen:

Karen is an award-winning journalist and author who specializes in nutrition, fitness, diet, animals (companion and farmed), and travel. She writes for numerous publications, including Real Simple, Better Homes & Gardens, VegNews, Prevention, and Women’s Health. In her spare time, she volunteers with her local animal shelter and a golden retriever rescue organization where she rescues, transports and fosters goldens. An ethical vegan for over 12 years, Karen is also a vegan mentor, certified vegan lifestyle coach and educator, personal trainer, and athlete who holds world records in Nordic walking. She shares her home in Indiana with a rescue cat and two foster wins, a golden/retriever lab mix and golden retriever puppy. 

Resources and Links:
Web site:  https://karenasp.com

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/karenaspwriter

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenaspwriter/

Karen Asp books: https://karenasp.com/books/

Main Street Vegan Academy course: https://mainstreetvegan.com/

DeskCycle: https://deskcycle.com/

Fire kills 10,000 in Fort Wayne, IN: https://www.westernjournal.com/another-bizarre-fire-tens-thousands-chickens-killed-massive-farm-fire/

Saturday Night Live – Move Cowbell: https://youtu.be/cVsQLlk-T0s

Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/chrissy-benson/support