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I’ve recently shared with you how I was once a crazy unhealthy vegan and how I became orthorexic on a vegan diet, which may have left you wondering why I still choose to follow a vegan diet today. Hence, I figured it would be a great opportunity to explain the other ways in which veganism has impacted my life and why I still actively choose to follow a plant-based diet after 9+ years.
Going Vegan
On a typical afternoon when I was 15, I remember grocery shopping with my mom where we inevitably found ourselves in the meat aisle. Standing there, as my mom was deciding what to buy, I distinctly remember looking at the packaged meat on display in the coolers and feeling a pit grow within my stomach.
I want to preface this by saying, that I never had an issue with consuming meat up until this point, but as I was standing there, I started to think about the implications of what meat really was. I can't explain why at this particular point in time that I started to think about this, but as I did, it was something that did not sit well with me.
It was something that continued to weigh on my conscious well after that shopping experience, and ultimately, decided to go vegetarian.
A few years later at the age of 18, I recall watching an interview on the Ellen Degeneres Show where Ellen was interviewing author Jonathan Safran Foer in regards to his latest book Eating Animals. Curious, I decided to buy the book.
In this book, there was one specific story that resonated with me and still does to this day. To keep it short, it was a story about a cow whose picture hangs within a slaughterhouse. This cow, on its day to be slaughtered, somehow escaped and ran mile after mile for its' life, which sadly, came to an end when the workers caught up with her. This story, even now as I type those two very abbreviated sentences, still horrifies me today.
This book made me realize that by being vegetarian that I was still contributing to the needless harm to other living beings. So I went vegan and joined the all-plant consuming crew (we have jackets). 📷
Vegan at Home
My transition to a vegetarian and vegan diet all happened while I was still living at home with my mom and two older brothers. I consider myself to be very fortunate, as my mom was very supportive with my decisions of going vegetarian and vegan. In fact, my mom is even vegan today and has been for quite some time!
During this time, my mom took to buying vegan meat alternatives to easily make meals vegetarian and then vegan such as pasta and stir fry. Looking back, it also created a really great bonding experience as we experimented in the kitchen together trying new recipes, seeing what we liked and didn’t like, and had a lot of fun doing so. We still share recipes with each other today!
So needless to say, it had a positive impact on the relationship with my mom.
The Odd Man Out
It may come as no surprise, that being vegan usually makes you the odd man out and leaves you open to some classy cliche jokes, questions and unwarranted remarks: A lot of which, have not changed over the past 12 years, funnily enough.
So why adhere to a diet when you really don't have to? I mean, it's not like I have any food allergies or sensitivities resulting in my plant-based diet.
Despite some very uncomfortable encounters that I've had in the past, consciously/ethically/morally, I couldn't eat an omnivorous diet and feel good about it. But that's just me.
I think that is what they call, being true to yourself.
The great thing is - if you are a super awkward socialite like me - over time you learn how to operate in social situations much more comfortably and ease right in like you did before. For myself, when social gatherings are centered around food (which usually they are), rather than being concerned about food and if there will be anything that I can eat, I've come to think of it as an experience that I get to share with friends and loved ones. If you express to the host that you would love to bring a dish, they usually appreciate it and it also takes some stress off of them if they aren't accustomed to making vegan food.📷
My wife and I also love hosting dinners for friends and family, serving all-vegan fare.
As for questions, some people are genuinely curious and I take it is an opportunity to shed some light on either the lifestyle or sometimes nutrition, dependent on the question. Not everyone may want to be vegan, but they may know someone who is or may be looking to incorporate more plant-based foods into their diet, and who better to ask than someone from the all-plant consuming crew!
I've found that being the odd man out has actually helped me over time to embrace and interact in social situations more happily and openly than before.
Vegan Food
I know, this may come to you as a surprise, but one thing that I love about vegan life is the food!
Having already transitioned to a vegetarian diet, making the transition to veganism wasn’t terribly daunting as I had already changed a major part of my diet. However, there was still a learning curve as there are a lot more details to pay attention to when checking the ingredients on any given product.
Going vegan forced me to get out of my comfort zone when it came to food. I had to learn new recipes with ingredients that I have never heard of before, hunt down those ingredients, and ultimately, try new things that I would NEVER have had if it weren't for this switch. It was an exciting and creative process and one that still invigorates me today - you just gotta be open to it!
Another thing that I love is making and sharing food with others. Not only is it rewarding to see others enjoy the food you've made, but is also a great way to demonstrate that vegan food can be hella delicious, and helps to break the stigma that vegan food is either dull or bland.
...Yeah, we eat more than carrots and salad don't you know.
When I was Going Through The Health Struggles
When I followed those crazy vegan diets and my health was suffering, it was never a thought that crossed my mind not to be vegan. I was just so accustomed to leading a vegan lifestyle, that I just opted for different ways of eating a vegan diet overtime.
The Environment
There is one more thing that also holds me accountable to this lifestyle: the environment. Many factors contribute to the degradation of the environment, some of which include animal farming and waste production.
To keep it brief, animal farming utilizes a sh*t ton of land and water for livestock production, utilizing an abundant amount of natural resources, while also displacing other animal species. Of course, there are more factors to be taken into consideration, but that is a post for another day.
Waste production also has major effects on the environment and other living beings and recommend that you check out this article for simple ways that you can reduce your waste. After all, “there is no such thing as away. When you throw something away it has to go somewhere”.
Being Vegan Today
While being vegan is a daily active choice, it really isn’t one that I consciously think about anymore, it's just apart of who I am. For me, I truly believe that it has impacted my life for the better and is something that I am still overwhelmingly excited about. I'm also alive, healthy, and happy living this way. So why would I want to live any other way?
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