In celebration of World Vegan Month, I want to share with you what being vegan means to me, and why I am so passionate about promoting the lifestyle to you!
Vegan has been my way of life for over 18 years. Here’s how it all started… Twenty-five years ago, at age seven, I connected my love of animals with the food on my plate. I realized at a young age how powerful my food choices were and went vegan. My realizations started a lifelong journey gaining and sharing knowledge about the effect of our choices on our own lives and the world around us.
Vegan is more than a diet. It’s a lifestyle. It’s about moving through the world consciously. It’s about being aware of how our decisions affect our own health, the well-being of other people and animals, and the state of our environment. Let’s break it down…
Our Own Health
Eating a plant-based diet filled with a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains can not only prevent all kinds of diseases and health conditions, but also treat and even reverse them in many cases. This includes our top killers heart disease and cancer.
Going vegan is refreshing, energizing, and gives your body all the highest quality nutrients it needs to be healthy. By cutting out the bad fats, hormones, antibiotics, and bacteria found in animal products, and replacing them with the vitamins, minerals, and fiber found in plant foods, you’re body will say, “Winning!” You can drop extra body fat once your body is properly nourished, and your energy will skyrocket.
The Well-being of Other People
Living by example can be the most powerful and effective method of helping others adopt healthier habits. When the people around you, especially your friends and family, see you looking and feeling better than ever, they will be intrigued by your new food and lifestyle choices and are likely to begin making similar decisions. By improving your own life you end up improving the lives of others. It doesn’t get better than that!
The Well-being of Animals
The ugly truth is that factory farming of today’s meat, dairy, and egg industries is downright cruel. We live in an age where family farms have been wiped out, and big businesses and factory farming have taken over. The amount of pain and suffering the animals in this industry go through every minute of every day is devastating. Being vegan helps to give a voice to the voiceless, and stand up for animals who can’t stand up for themselves.
The State of the Environment
It may surprise you to learn that abstaining from eating animal products is the single most important contribution you can make to save our planet! Farmed animals contribute more to ozone depletion and climate change (from greenhouse gas emissions) than all transportation combined.The amount of natural resources that are used to raise just one cow is staggering. The vast destruction of our rain forests and contamination of our precious water supply due to livestock is detrimental to our planet and the people on it. Going vegan is one huge way we can do our part to preserve our beautiful planet for our children and generations to come.
For all these reasons, it’s clear that vegan is not just a trend. It’s here to stay! I’m dedicated to helping people see how going vegan is a win-win all the way around. It’s incredible that doing something so good for yourself and your body, is also so good for the rest of the world!
Interested in learning more? For more information on how to get started moving toward a plant based diet and vegan lifestyle, check out my new e-book, “Beginner’s Guide to a Sexy Fit Vegan Lifestyle”. In this guidebook I give you practical tools including easy-to-follow meal plans, shopping lists, vegan swaps for all your favorite foods, and delicious, healthy recipes that are quick and simple to make!
Happy World Vegan Month!
