You may be wondering why anyone would want to transition to a vegan diet. I had a hard time with the concept myself. I have eaten meat my entire life and I thought the idea of never eating steak again sounded like a world I wouldn't want to live in. However, making the switch has resulted in significant improvements in my health, and surprisingly, I do not miss eating meat at all.
I knew all about the health and environmental benefits of a vegan diet, but I did not think making that type of switch would be possible for myself. Much like a smoker, I made every excuse I could think of not to quit meat and dairy products. No offense meant against smokers, I was also that person who did smoke and did not want to quit. One thing my research did not tell me was that much like when I quit smoking, quitting meat and dairy products also gave me the same rage effect (yes, it does actually happen). However, it only lasted a couple of days.
Now that the warning section is out of the way. I watched many documentaries which finally ended up helping to push me to make the change for myself. There are two documentaries that specifically helped to get me to make the difficult decision to cut out a staple of my diet and stop eating my favorite foods (steak and seafood). Both films are available on Netflix.
I am 30 years old and have far too many health problems for my age. I found myself seeing my doctor every four months, and I knew there had to be some change I could make that would reduce the medication and medical treatment I needed to get through my days and not be in so much pain. After the transition I visited my doctor again, told him about all of the improvements and he doesn't need to see me again for an entire year. That may not sound significant to some of you, but it is a huge relief to me.
Some benefits I have experienced include:
- Much clearer skin
- Almost complete reduction in Carpal Tunnel symptoms
- No longer needing to use my rescue inhaler or daily steroids for asthma
- More energy
- Fewer headaches
-Soft skin and hair
The first question everyone asks me when they find out that I am vegan is how I get enough protein. I'll admit, I'm not lifting weights like I used to, but I have found other forms of exercise to be more beneficial to me. There are many different ways to get sufficient protein with a vegan diet. The primary source for most vegans is soy. Soy is used in the majority of meat and dairy alternatives. Other sources include grains, seeds, and beans.
Typically, I don't use a lot of meat alternatives. A lot of them either get the taste wrong, or the texture. Sometimes they make a good addition to meals, but they are not the "center of attention" like meat was for me. Honestly, my favorite meals I have made don't even have meat alternatives.
Now, none of that really talked about the environmental issues caused by the seafood, meat, and dairy industry. Everyone knows about methane created by dairy farms. The effect of methane on the warming of the environment is 80 times higher than that of CO2. It can also have significant health consequences for people exposed to it. The amount of water used for animal farming and cleaning the meat after slaughter (which, by the way, causes runoff and pollution) is between 20-33% of all the fresh drinking water in the world.
I'll admit, meat and dairy alternatives can be a little pricey, but if you choose to have a more natural diet, you will find yourself saving a significant amount of money.
Please, feel free to do your homework on some of the issues listed above. I have done my own research on these topics for years, but it wasn't enough to motivate me to change until my Carpal Tunnel Syndrome got so bad I could hardly read a book for more than ten minutes without having severe pain in my wrists. Also, it is (what I consider) fascinating and illuminating information.
The vegan diet may not be something everyone is willing to try, but even practicing in meatless Monday's can have a significant impact on the environment. If it is a change you want to make, I recommend adding vitamin B-12 to your daily supplements. This is produced by animals and is hard to find naturally in plant based products. However, you will find that you actually need to take fewer vitamins overall because most of your daily vitamin needs are in the foods you eat.
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