Hi there! I decided to create this blog after overwhelming my other blog, dedicated to my family and our travels, with vegan knowledge. Not everyone appreciated it, and that's understandable. So here I am, with a blog dedicated to my evolution into a Veganista.
A little background on me:
My entire life I have preferred vegetables to meat. I have never enjoyed a steak, hamburger, or any type of pork. Through my childhood and adolescent years I flirted with vegetarianism. I never really committed because of my love for seafood and chicken.
My Junior year of college I worked for The Auburn University Sustainability Initiative, dedicated to fighting climate change. It was there that I learned about the glory of farmer's markets, organic delights, and creating a healthy diet for myself, as well as mother earth.
About two years ago, I finally made the switch to vegetarian, and noticed how healthy and alive I felt. It was hard at first, as I adored Chick-Fil-A grilled sandwiches, but I learned to abstain. And through this, I saw I had the will power to change my life in other ways.
My husband and I also watched "Food Inc" and it cleared away any doubts I had about my new lifestyle choice. Then I started reading book after book on the benefits of vegetarianism, and I knew I would never go back.
But the icing on the dairy-free cake was the adoption of our dog, Patton. He has completely changed my life in so many ways, but the most telling to me is that by looking into his precious eyes, I know I can never eat another animal.
That brings me to my current situation. A few weeks ago I decided to go all the way. Full fledged vegetarian, or as it is more commonly known, vegan. A vegan diet consists of no animal products. I'm still learning the ropes, as yesterday I discovered that honey is not vegan. I think that's the hardest thing for me, though at first I thought it would be cheese.
So why vegan? I mean, isn't giving up animal flesh enough? For most people, of course. But there are many reasons I chose to become a vegan.
First of all, my health. I mean, cause it is all about me, right? Ha! Studies show that diets low in or free of animal products are consistent with lower risks of heart disease, hyper-tension, obesity, and many forms of cancer. But let's be vain for a minute. If you are a woman, you know how hard it is to lose weight, and then keep it off. As a sixteen year-old I had the metabolism of a rabbit. (Note to self, learn how to bottle adolescent metabolism, and make billions).
But seriously, you work so hard to lose that weight, and then cheat a couple of times with ice cream, which leads into two slices of cake, which ends up being an entire pizza. And I'm speaking from personal experience.
Erase the dairy products and what do you have? Well, you probably wouldn't eat all of those things. But, you could make the vegan alternative. And though you should still consume all treats in moderation, they are substantially better for you! There are so many baking and cooking alternatives out there, and I will address that in this blog. But to wrap this point up, I chose vegan first and foremost for my health.
Second, for our furry (scaly and feathered) friends. I forced myself to watch "Food Inc" and other videos on meat processing. After thousands of tears, I vowed to remember my baby, Patton, and steer clear of meat. Some people say,"Well, they're just animals. They don't think or feel". Really? Do you have a pet? What makes your dog/cat/snake/insert family friend here any different than a cow or a chicken? I challenge everyone to watch "Food Inc" and "Temple Grandin", along with clips of slaughter, if you feel up to it. I don't even want to address what these animals go through, because I'm on the brink of tears as I type this. But even if you think my lifestyle is a bunch of hokum, please connect with your food. It's easier to disconnect from any feelings so you can enjoy a nice meal, but I can promise you won't feel the same after watching a precious animal get slaughtered. Your hamburger is not just a sandwich. It once lived, more often than not, a very painful life to become your lunch.
And along with animals and personal health, I became a vegan for the well-being of the planet. This may be one of the most important points, seeing as we only have one. Raising cattle, chickens, fish, what have you, has a detrimental effect on the earth. From methane production, to pollution from processing plants into water sources, to the grain and water used to raise animals for their meat or by products. It's absurd how illogical it is to raise cattle like soy or corn, and so unsustainable.
Now I know PETA has a reputation to the displeasure of many, but please just take a look at this fact sheet for a second:
That kind of brings it all into perspective.
But I digress...
I became a vegan for several reasons, and not every vegan has the same views. But if you are looking to embark on a new adventure, like me, into a world of health and enlightenment, welcome!
I look forward to trying new recipes (especially baked goods!!) and posting them on the blog. The funniest part about trying new things is that you will inevitably screw something up. And my guinea pig, I mean, husband, will be beyond honest with me. So it should be interesting :)
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