Because I choose to eat vegan most of the time, I have done a little research, experimenting and practice to get familiar with the lifestyle to see what works for me. Ultimately, I let go of labels. More than the intention to be vegan, my approach with food is to look at my eating habits and move in the direction to include more living and whole foods instead of processed and packaged foods. I choose to look at the energy behind the food to judge if it’s best for me. For example, foods that are vibrant in color are more nutritious than foods that are dull. It’s possible that with a vegan diet including a variety of whole foods, all nutritional needs can be met.
As I discover more about the vegan lifestyle through experience, I have met many people curious, religiously practicing or even baffled by veganism. It may be true that, “like attracts like,” because I have increasingly met more and more people who practice a vegan lifestyle. Often, many people may think: vegan = healthy. However, just because something is labeled “vegan,” does not mean that it is healthy. As “vegan” is becoming a household name, and so are the safe and healthy vegan options, I want to share some reasons why I indirectly chose to practice veganism.
I would like to share some things from my perspective about the vegan lifestyle.
1.Loose Weight!
Over the course of 3 years, I have lost 40 pounds, through being physically acting and eating vegan more and more. Eating vegan can help someone shed pounds by.
- Eliminating animal products to lower calorie intake
- Increasing fiber intake, carrying out wastes and toxins in the digestive tract
- Sustaining nutritional needs, which reduces junk food cravings
Because each person’s body is different, consuming a vegan diet would not necessarily make each person loose weight immediately as they change their diet. Changing one’s lifestyle to be more active and eating for nutrition can help to activate your body system to let go of unnecessary weight.
2. Feel Great!
By focusing on high fiber and high nutrient foods, I have experienced subtle yet powerful benefits. But first, I will touch on some things that make it difficult to even get to the point of receiving these benefits. Transitioning from meat and dairy eating to vegan-eating can be extremely difficult by:
- Taking more time and effort to learn how to make foods in a new way
- Experiencing and properly identifying detox symptoms (skin breakouts, headache, fatigue, thirst, excessive urination, etc.)
- Not feeling satiated after a vegan meal (lack of comforting, “heavy” feeling)
- Craving for something greasy, sweet, or creamy… which is a detox symptom but cravings are also a sign of nutritional deficiency and can be addressed by eating high vitamin and mineral content foods.
Some benefits that I experience that make a diet of whole vegan foods worth the while include:
- Learning new recipes that I create into my own
- Great skin
- Increase in energy, even when sleepy, not feeling sluggish!
- Clearer thinking
- Emotionally more stable and not so quick to react
Some of the personal things that I have enjoyed experiencing while on a vegan diet includes:
- Feeling more in tune with elements in nature.
- Feeling more connected to my body’s sensations
- More closely listening and responding to my body’s needs.
- Subtle, yet powerful energy from a diet without processed foods.
3. Social Justice!
The vegan lifestyle is more than just what someone eats, it includes the nature of all the products a person has. This is where the world of veganism can get tricky for me, because I prefer not to take a leap in the direction of political veganism, instead, I am doing what feels comfortable and moving at my pace to decide my lifestyle habits and what is sustainable for me. Meanwhile, I believe as a discussion topic, it is very interesting the role that veganism can play in taking political action. Primarily, in a capitalistic and global economy, the industry involving animal products is a major source of production and consumption for many. As marketing feeds into the demand, many people also believe that animal products are necessary to eat for optimal nutrition. However, the production of animal products in the United States has many negative impacts, not only on the environment but on the quality of food product itself. For example, farms that raise cows tear down forests to make room for cows to eat grains, when their stomachs are made to process grass, so there are holes in some cows, that can allow for insertion of a human hand to move the grain along in the stomach. This is like the concept of a feeding tube but for animals. And this is to say that animals deserve less rights that humans. I can not help but think about the human rights that are forgotten about as we focus on a vegan lifestyle that does not buy products made from animal testing or skin. However, there are numerous products that people have no idea about the inhumane conditions that people are working in to create the products. Of course, it’s easier said than done… but I am responding to those who are critical of those not on a 100% vegan lifestyle. Of course, animals are important and so is our earth, but humans are important too, and we forget about the slave labor that is a hidden aspect of many of our clothing, accessories, and products.
noticed veganism becoming more popular.
Being vegan is not just an approach to eating, it is an approach to life. A vegan lifestyle asks us to consider what we consume and the energy behind it. Veganism is defined generally as not consuming animal products. In the industries of food, fashion and beauty, vegan products are increasingly being designed to satisfy the consumer’s need to have vegan products. Some companies have opened up simply to offer a vegan option. Living in Los Angeles, California, there are lots of vegan eateries and products available. There are many reasons why being vegan is popular. The reason why I use the word, “popular” to describe this lifestyle is because many people hear the term, and many, many assumptions may follow. Begin to believe that if it’s vegan, it’s healthy, when in fact, just because something is vegan doesn’t mean that it’s healthy. Also, being “vegan” is not just about FOOD. It’s also considering using products that have been tested on animals or wearing clothing made from animal flesh.
One reason that being vegan is gaining popularity is because it makes loosing weight easier, can increases overall health benefits and makes a political statement against the unsustainable production of meat and dairy in the United States. I admire the vegan lifestyle primarily for the latter. With a tendency towards idealism, the political statement that is made when one chooses to invest in products that respect animal. However, I wonder though, as a vegan, who wants to resist the inhumane treatment of animals with our buying power. I ask, what about products made by those incarcerated who did not have a trail but are used as slave labor? When will we view criminals as humans and also protect their rights by watching what we consume. Why is it that the criminal deserves a punishment in prison under the conditions that they work to create merchandise for major companies? Why is it that the demographic of people are majority black and latino? Why is it that over 90% of those incarcerated did not receive a trail and that if they all did receive a trail, the judiciary system would fall a part because the economy would not cover the cost of it? When will we all care not only about the energy that is within our food, but also the energy that is within our clothes? Not to mention how low wage labor happens abroad in slave like conditions as well. Devastating!