Why I'm Going Vegan

My current transition from a vegetarian diet to a vegan diet will be the impetus for many posts, so I figure I should give the background here.

About two years ago I became a vegetarian. Prior to that, I had been a pretty average American meat eater. I stumbled across some facts about the meat industry, and it changed my life. I learned about the conditions in which animals are kept, the cruel slaughtering methods, the detrimental effect on the planet in so many ways: fossil fuel use, greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, etc., and the statistics regarding health. Let me take just a minute to elaborate on the health thing, as it may save your life: the leading killers of American adults are heart disease, cancer, and stroke. Vegetarians are significantly less likely to have the underlying problems that lead to these conditions, and they are less likely to die from these things. Vegans are even less likely to suffer from these awful (and oftentimes preventable!) diseases.

To be honest, the biggest motivation for me to make the switch was the Animal Rights (AR) issue. I love animals. I love all animals: dog, cat, pig, etc... I actually really love pigs. I think they're the cutest things! I learned what the lives of those animals that were now meat on my plate were really like. They're not off frolicing in some farmer's field, FYI. I couldn't support that type of industry. My undergrad was in business, and I am a fan of capitalism. So I put my money where my mouth was and I stopped buying and eating meat.

I consider going veg one of the best choices I have ever made. I feel healthier. Being a vegetarian costs less. I've learned how to make all kinds of amazing meals and I probably wouldn't have been so inventive if I wasn't vegetarian. I think the biggest benefit, though, is the sense of empowerment my choice gave me. Every day I'm standing up for something I believe in. Every day I am not blindly following the norm. I believe that this ability to throw off society's standards and truly evaluate what was right for me gave me the courage to leave my unsatisfying job in finance and find what I truly love: teaching.

My first step in vegetarianism was actually pescatarianism, meaning I would eat fish. This would be an occasional, out for sushi-type of thing. Eventually, though, I cut that out completely and was completely vegetarian. I also cut milk and eggs out of our household, but we would purchase products that contained those items, or we would eat them at restaurants. Cheese is the only direct animal product we would actively purchase.

About a month or so ago, I began thinking about veganism. I knew it was even better for you, but I had never had a strong desire to purse a lifestyle that I viewed as too restrictive. I wanted to try it for a month, just to see what it was like, but I didn't expect to continue such a lifestyle forever. Well, my thinking about veganism led me to do some research on the subject. Let's just say what I learned isn't pretty. That knowledge, plus my openness to veganism, if even only for what I viewed as a temporary time period, has caused me to begin going vegan.

The process has had a few setbacks, including a failed battle with chocolate covered macadamia nuts, but I have been pretty good about having meals that are cruelty-free! I really don't feel that my diet is restricted at all. The only things I can't eat are things I don't really want to eat! There are so many vegan options out there, from hot dogs to ice cream to ground "beef". These analogs are healthier and better tasting than the real thing, in my opinion.

I also should note that my husband has been very supportive of all my dietary decisions, and for that I am very grateful. When I went vegetarian, he chose to do the same. I don't think he'll go vegan, but he is completely supportive of having only vegan things in the house. That's really a big help because it's very difficult to resist food in your own fridge!