Why Vegan?
“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”
~ Gandhi
Vegan/vi ː g(ə)n
Noun. A person who does not eat or use animal products (Oxford Dictionary)
When I stumbled upon the word vegan, I couldn’t even wrap my tongue around it.
“What the hell’s a ‘vay-jen’?”, I bumbled.
And my poor hubby, clueless as ever, thought vegans were some extraterrestrial beings from Star Trek.
Little did we know, this harmless V-word would come knocking at our door again, revealing its true meaning and unleashing its colossal impact on our lives.
As a kid, I was always sick – I mean, constantly. I had a laundry list of ailments, including iron deficiency anemia. So naturally, the doctors insisted that I needed to chow down on liver and red meat to pump up my protein and boost those red blood cells.
My craving for meat was insatiable; I would have devoured a cow on a stick if given the chance. And the fattier and more gristly the meat, the more I relished it.
However, this meat-obsessed diet took a toll on my body and mind. I suffered from chronic fatigue and anxiety, and my concentration levels were abysmal, leaving me in a perpetual dream-like state.
My complexion was as dull as a lifeless light bulb, my hair looked like it was on an eternal bad hair day, and my belly was stubbornly holding on to its pregnancy souvenir. Meanwhile, my hubby, the all-time omnivore, was juggling with acid reflux, heartburn, headaches, and surprise sleep apnea episodes like a pro.
The Magic Diet
By spring of 2011, my hubby and I had reached our breaking point with our declining health and expanding waistlines. We were absolutely desperate and praying for a miracle to rescue our well-being.
That’s when we turned to the almighty computer and discovered an incredible answer within seconds. It was like a beacon of hope, offering us hundreds of results that we hadn’t even considered before.
We couldn’t help but ask ourselves, “Why the hell hadn’t we done this sooner?”
Among all the suggestions, one stood out like a guiding light – the raw vegan diet. It involved ditching all animal-derived foods and even threw in the wacky idea of embracing raw foodism, where food is consumed in its purest form, either raw or minimally heated.
Did I mention it was raw? And vegan?
Oh yes, we were stone-cold sober when we decided that this was the path for us. Our genius idea behind this diet was to keep our food in its natural state, raw and untouched, to unlock the ultimate nutritional power! And boy, were we over the moon with this mind-blowing discovery. It was like the universe whispered in our ears, “Hey, you need this!”
Now to everyone’s surprise, instead of being all skeptical like I usually am, the term ‘raw vegan diet’ didn’t make me want to run for the hills. It didn’t suck the joy out of eating like most diets do. Instead, it sparked a fire of excitement within me, igniting a desire to unravel the secrets of this new way of eating.
We dove headfirst into a sea of resources, borrowing every raw vegan cookbook we could find from the local library and devouring countless YouTube videos on creating delectable raw vegan meals. The more we learned, the more bewitched we became by the abundance of health benefits this diet offered.
And guess what? Adaptation happened in the blink of an eye, effortlessly. Our cravings vanished, leaving us satisfied and never hungry. No longer slaves to the allure of carbs and sugar, our taste buds were treated to an explosion of flavors that danced in our mouths. It was simply divine.
Goodbye dull skin… Hello irresistible Goddess!
Our new diet opened our eyes to a range of cool kitchen tools – from juicers and blenders to mandolins and dehydrators. We even got our hands on a spiralizer and a food processor!
And that’s not all. Our shelves began to fill with stacks of raw vegan cookbooks, making it feel like Christmas in July!
But the real gift was the incredible improvements we saw in our health. Within one month, dramatic transformations started to unfold before our eyes!
My husband stopped taking his medications, his sleep apnea and headaches vanished completely, bidding farewell to his CPAP machine. Not only that, but our skin started glowing, our energy levels soared, our sleep improved dramatically, and our taste buds became more refined.
The best part? We effortlessly shed excess weight, with me personally dropping four dress sizes! I couldn’t believe it, I had to rush out and update my wardrobe (any excuse for a shopping spree!).
I no longer felt anxious, and my ability to concentrate improved, effortlessly tuning in to conversations. It was as if I had shed an old cocoon and emerged with a rejuvenated body, feeling truly alive.
At that time, we were bursting with pride over our accomplishments, proclaiming to everyone we knew that we were raw vegans. However, as our dietary choices raised eyebrows and our dinner invitations dwindled, we remained unfazed. Like superheroes, we embarked on a mission, ready to conquer any challenge the universe threw our way.
We felt invincible. We conquered our day trips with packed yet simple meals, sipping on freshly-squeezed juice and date smoothies (aka the infamous ‘brown sludge’ according to my hilarious co-workers), indulging in an abundance of fresh fruit, and delighting in new and exciting recipes like lettuce wraps and ‘sushi’ rolls.
As the Christmas holidays approached, my husband and I made a bold decision. Despite our diligent diets, we decided to let loose and indulge in our beloved tradition – devouring a succulent, roast chicken with all the mouthwatering trimmings on Christmas Day.
Hey, a few days of tearing into an animal’s body, chomping on handfuls of milk chocolate-covered almonds, guzzling bottles of eggnog, and nibbling on a platter of exotic cheese won’t hurt, right?
Besides, we had a foolproof plan. As soon as the holidays were over, we’d snap back to our raw vegan diet. Piece of cake, or should I say, piece of roasted chicken?
Well, let’s just say it wasn’t as simple as we thought!
In just a few days, we managed to gobble up more than a Thanksgiving Tofurky. We devoured enough dairy and meat to feed a whole town.
But alas, we quickly fell off the vegan train and watched in despair as it chugged away, leaving us in its plant-based dust.
Excuses, Excuses, Excuses
Instead of hitting the reset button like we should have, we came up with every excuse in the book to justify our not-so-healthy choices.
We switched from red meat to white, thinking we were being healthier. And hey, swapping regular eggs for organic free range must count for something, right?
Oh, and don’t forget the age-old myth that cheese is a miracle worker for our bones. Besides, who wants to slurp on cold, raw soup in winter anyway?
Before long, the excuses started to stack up like pancakes at an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet. And the next thing we knew, we were waving goodbye to our raw vegan diet, like a fond farewell to an ex who couldn’t handle our kale obsession.
I’ll admit, there were a couple of times when a tiny voice inside me whispered, “Hold on, what’s the deal here?”
But that fleeting moment of doubt quickly vanished, much like a slice of pizza at a party. I couldn’t resist sinking my teeth into yet another succulent piece of rotisserie chicken, leaving guilt as my only companion on this journey of dietary chaos. Like anyone who caves and falters on a diet, I couldn’t help but feel a tinge of remorse for myself.
The Honest Truth
So why was it so easy for us to fall back to our non-vegan ways?
In all honesty, the harsh reality is that we only saw the raw vegan diet as just that – another diet.
We hopped on the healthy train solely for our well-being, which was awesome at first. But like with any diet, once we saw some results, we became easy prey to a world that practically worships dairy, meat, and extravagant feasts with turkey and all its festive friends.
Many of you may be on this same journey, following a vegan diet for health reasons. And that’s fantastic! It’s like taking a tremendous step towards embracing a vegan life if that’s where you’re aiming.
However, if you’ve also fallen off the vegan wagon, maybe you can relate to our struggle. Sometimes, just changing our diet isn’t enough to keep us on the plant-based path.
All Aboard the Veggie Express
Several more meat-eating years would pass before one night, it happened… You know, one of those hot, summer evenings where you’re mind-numbingly scrolling through Netflix, desperately trying to find something to watch.
And then, out of the blue, boom! Our eyes locked on to a documentary that made us question everything…
Holy cow, literally! This mind-blowing film left us speechless. How on earth can animal agriculture have such a devastating impact on our precious planet?
Can you even fathom the fact that it takes a whopping two months’ worth of water to shower just to produce a mere quarter pound of meat? It’s time for a wake-up call. Living in such a manner is no longer sustainable.
From that moment on, our curiosity was sparked and our passion ignited. The floodgates of knowledge burst open, fueling our hunger to delve deeper into the realms of the food industry, animal rights, and the wonders of veganism.
The mere thought of sinking our teeth into another sizzling t-bone steak no longer evoked desire, but rather a wave of repulsion. This time, our journey took on a newfound purpose, resonating with profound meaning and profound depth.
Our focus sharpened, as we eagerly devoured books like Vegan Freak and Becoming Vegan, thirsting for wisdom. Engrossed in the mesmerizing world of YouTube, we were particularly enchanted by the captivating realm of veganism.
I especially loved
We watched every food and animal rights documentary we could get our hands on including
But among the countless movies, books, and videos I immersed myself in, there was one documentary that shook me to my core with its unsettling yet profound message.
And it could change your life too. It’s called…
This film isn’t an easy watch. Some might even find it too gruesome, fear-based, or “dark.” But as Johnny Depp once wisely said, “If you don’t like seeing pictures of violence towards animals being posted, you need to help stop the violence, not the pictures.”
This movie deeply resonated with me, and its powerful message struck a chord within me. It is the driving force behind my decision to embrace a vegan lifestyle today.
The New Vegan Path
Imagine the incredible power within you to choose a path of compassion and kindness towards all living beings. All animals are sentient creatures who desire nothing more than a life filled with joy, devoid of pain and suffering. I could no longer be a part of the cruelty and injustices that have been inflicted upon them.
The moment I recognized that veganism symbolizes our commitment to ending the exploitation and immense agony inflicted upon voiceless animals, I truly comprehended the essence of embracing a vegan lifestyle.
There is no turning back from this transformative journey towards a more compassionate and conscious existence.
As a Healthy Goddess, I choose to nourish my body and soul while respecting and protecting the precious lives that surround us.
New Beginnings
If you’re ready to embrace the vegan journey, don’t worry about doing it all at once. Start by gradually eliminating one animal product at a time and enjoy one delicious vegan meal per day. As you feel more comfortable, expand it to one day a week until you’re proudly living the vegan life.
Remember, being vegan is more than just what you eat. It’s a beautiful lifestyle that honors our connection to others and our planet. It’s about spreading love to all sentient beings and living in harmony with our beliefs. This is what it truly means to be vegan — a transformative journey that the Healthy Goddess within you deserves.