Ellen Prior
Becoming Vegan
Changing For The Better
I am Ellen Prior, 70 years old. I was born in San Francisco, California and moved to San Jose, California when I was 12 where I lived until age 60.For the last six years I have resided in Covington, WA with my husband and one dog, a Pomeranian I rescued. I became a vegan because I was doing canine rescue and had done much also in the way of animal activism: protests at the rodeos in the Bay Area, circus, fur protests.
I realized after a few years that many of my friends were vegan, and there was no reason I should not be too. But I did not do it right away. Because I had kids at home, I kept eating the same old way our parents fed us in the 50's and 60's when we thought meat always had to be the entrée and that we did not have a complete meal without it.
I knew in my heart I should stop serving meat and dairy, but just felt safe doing what my relatives and kids wanted me to do - eat the way they liked.
It wasn't until my husband retired about six years ago that I made a full transition to total veganism. I felt I could finally choose what I wanted to do, no matter what. My husband did not complain if I did not serve dairy or meat, even though he would eat it if it was offered when we went out somewhere.
I realized that for me to try to persuade him would only go so far, and I had to let him slowly make up his own mind about what he would do. I just had to do right for myself. I never had any of my vegan friends ever try to twist my arm, but they were always good examples, and I remembered that.
I try to use every opportunity I can to educate others. I lost 100 pounds in the last two years which I had put on due to having not much exercise and getting lazy about eating sweets. I have had many, many surgeries. I want to say eating good, healthy food really does work without taking medication. And exercise, we know, does little to make you lose weight, but is very helpful for cardio and keeping fit otherwise.
Since, due to physical problems, I can't do a lot of exercising, it is more important than ever I make every calorie count, taste good and keep weight off.
I was astonished to find out how little most physicians know about nutrition, but I know a lot since becoming vegan. Being vegan is good for our planet, and it means I can feel I am doing my part to help climate change to have emissions from livestock reduced. I want to see our children in the future learn about what how eating a plant-based diet helps our bodies, the planet, and most of all the animals.
There is no humane slaughter of animals. All animals deserve to live their best lives where they are healthy, happy, and loved. No animal should be bred to be eaten.
People feel comfortable when they eat meat because they hate to change if their peers will pat them on the shoulder and tell them what they are doing is fine and that vegans are "crazy!" Politicians are afraid to say anything against Big Agriculture so the public must.
I feel frustrated sometimes that more people are not getting this awakening sooner, but I am happy that to know there are people like myself who, every day, are changing!
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