Today is 1 month since I decided to go from vegetarian to vegan and I couldn't be happier with my decision. You may wonder what being vegan has to do with being "green", and since you are wondering, I'll be glad to tell you. Meat and dairy production is the largest producer of greenhouse gases, namely methane. When cows pass gas, they are releasing methane into the environment, and with the obscene number of cows raised for meat and dairy, that's a lot of methane. Also the waste from the meat and dairy industry pollutes water ways. The Amazon Rainforest has been devastated from cutting down countless tress to plant corn to feed the cows. There are countless ways why being vegan is better for the environment and if it is something that interests you, you should really look more into it by ready any of John Robbins' books, visiting Peta.org or FarmSanctuary.org, or going to you tube and looking up factory farm videos. Education is the key to survival of our species and too many people are all to comfortable in their lifestyles to think that they might need to change.
I pretended for far too long that eating dairy was okay as long as I didn't eat meat, but the reality of that just isn't true and the documentary Forks Over Knives was the wake-up call that I needed. Now there are many ways you can be a vegan, not all of which are healthy. To truly be healthy and step lightly on the Earth, you need to adopt a plant strong diet. Well isn't that what being vegan is??? Not exactly. Being vegan means that you avoid all animal products meat, dairy, eggs and even honey. With that in mind... potato chips and soda would technically be considered vegan.. but while potato chips and soda don't cause animal suffering, they are going to cause human suffering because they are incredibly unhealthy! A healthy plant strong diet is one that avoids excess sugars and processed foods and relies on fruits, vegetables and whole grain, preferably organic and locally grown.
That is what I have been doing for the last month. I gave up all dairy and eggs, my Snapple or 2 a day habit, my Starbucks iced Caramel Macchiato, in place of lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, grains and the occasional Toffuti Cutie for dessert. I definitely feel better in soooo many ways. My biggest joy is that the skin on my face is so much clearer than it has been in a looong time. I have lost weight and have more energy and ambition to exercise. I generally feel better mentally and I know that my new choices are better for my health, my daughter's health (she is trying very hard to be vegan as well and doing very well, with the exception of a little cheese here and there) as well as for the environment. I'm not going to say that everyone should try to do this overnight... I have been vegan at other times in my life, so for me the change was not all that difficult as I was not a huge consumer of dairy to begin with. My suggestion to everyone is to educate yourselves. Watch Forks Over Knives, read some books on the subject, and try to make healthier choices one meal at a time. If you really want to try a vegan lifestyle, tell yourself that you're only going to do it for a month and then see how you feel after that time and if you want to continue. You must remember that making this switch is not just about taking things out of your diet, it is about adding in healthy alternatives. Find a good vegan cookbook and try out some new recipes. Wander around your local farmers market and see what new things you can find. I can promise that if you do make the switch you will be happier and healthier and your body and the Earth will thank you!
