Here's why becoming a vegan...
Have ever you thought that being a vegetarian or a vegan sounded like a cool idea, but didn't think you would ever have the will power to go through with it? So did I. When I first heard the term vegan seven years ago, I couldn't possibly imagine ever having the capacity to make such a change. I knew there would be benefits, such as being like all the stick-thin vegans I have ever known, but I just couldn't give up my milk and cookies. On a side note, when I tell people I'm vegan, it's a little bit embarrassing because I am definitely NOT stick-thin and don't very well fit the "vegan" image. They probably walk away thinking, "Hmmm, she doesn't look like a vegan." Well, I hope time will tell, but truthfully, weight lost was only a pleasant side effect of my decision to make this life-style change. The change first came about when I received this book from my daughter...
I really didn't want to read this book, but I did it for my daughter in exchange for her reading a book
I wanted
her to read. It's fun to trade like that. This book discusses how a plant-based diet is beneficial in three ways: it enables the ethical treatment of animals, it's the healthiest way to eat, and it is the number one thing one can do to help the environment.
The first section discussed what goes on in the behemoth factory farms throughout The United States. My stomach hurt through most of the reading of this section and that was when I first began to wonder if I might be able to abstain from eating meat as a way of not supporting this ghastly abuse of God's creatures. I read the book for a few days more before I decided I would stop eating meat. I hadn't finished the book yet, but I had learned enough to change my mind about the merits of consuming animal carcasses for dinner. I went on to finish the book and felt like a new world of information had opened up to me. However, this book was published nearly 20 years ago, and I felt like the studies cited weren't recent enough and that I would need to do much further study.
This was when my true education began. During my breastfeeding hours (between four and six hours a day) I googled everything I could think of about being vegetarian. At the beginning of this process I had decided that I would continue to consume dairy products and eggs as they were coming from our own livestock, who I knew were being treated fairly. However, as I continued to learn, I began to feel that perhaps giving up diary and eggs was the way to go. It seemed so difficult, though, as I was truly a milk lover, but I thought, you know what? I am going to go for one day being a vegan, just to see how hard it is. I prepared by making a batch of almond milk and making sure I had lots of fresh fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds on hand and I realized it wasn't so bad. The next day I thought I might try it again, then I went the whole week without consuming dairy or eggs. I soon began to realize that I could be perfectly happy drinking almond milk with my PB&J's and I could live without melting cheese all over everything. It felt good and it felt right.
The "nail in the coffin" so to speak came when I was given the following book for my birthday two weeks ago...
"The China Study" is the most comprehensive study on nutrition every done and I devoured the book. It is written by one of the most experienced nutrition specialists in our country, a man who worked in the top levels of the U.S. government in the food and nutrition institutions. Over the years, however, he became disillusioned with the perverse effect corporations had on government policies, corporations such as the meat and dairy industries and the huge pharmaceutical companies. As I read this book, it made perfect sense and it cemented my desire to no longer consume animal products of any kind. Dr. Colin Campbell also offers some very helpful advice for those who would like to try a plant-based diet. He says that by consuming a plant-based diet, you will be introduced to the "new" food groups. These are...
Viewing food this way has opened a whole new world of food preparation to me. Instead of a diet consisting of salad and birdseed, a diet on which I thought most vegans subsisted, I am able to enjoy so many things I never even knew exsisted. Things such as various nut milk, nut cheeses, raw confections, "pasta" made of zuchini and squash, whole grain cereals and snacks and so many other healthy foods. I used to have a love/hate relationship with my food, loving to put it in my mouth, but feeling guilty about all the fat, sugar and additives in it. I almost always felt guilty after eating. Now, I love my food, I love how it makes me feel and I know I am eating the most healthy things my body needs. And the pounds of fat are dropping off at a rate of about two pounds per week, so my body is thanking me! To me, preparing delicious meals and snacks has been the key to successfully integrating the vegan way of thinking into my life. If you are interested, a couple of great recipe and technique books you might want to try are...
So there you have it. I was certainly the last person anyone thought would ever seek after this lifestyle change, but after trying and seeing the results, i.e. losing weight each week, alleviation of various health problems and an overall sense of well-being, I'm not going back any time soon! If you've ever wanted to be a vegan or vegetarian but thought you lacked the motivation, leave me a comment and let's talk!
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Lunch: Leftover 15 bean soup with a sliced avocado, cilantro and tortilla chips, 2 pieces of a raw almond chocolate tart, and a glass of almond milk.
