I went vegan after 42 years. My story and my "why" I became vegan have evolved in so many ways!
On April 5, 2019, I decided that for 30 days I wanted to go vegan to improve my health, and now as I write this it has been two years and three months. It is the best thing I have ever done. I only wish I had found the information earlier in life!
Going plant-based eliminated back pain that I had experienced since late teens. I have not had a cold, flu, illness or allergies since I went vegan. One of the most amazing things that happened was that I had no more allergies. I had suffered with allergies since I was a young child! For about four years, I had been experiencing terrible bronchial issues in winter, but has never happened in over two years since I started giving my body the right foods.
I am not overweight anymore. My energy level is through the roof. My skin has a natural glow that had been lost. I am in better health than I have been my entire life. This made me think of all the people out there who are bombarding their bodies with unnecessary medication, when all they have to do is make a few changes to their diet to vastly improve their situation.
It is common knowledge in the plant-based world that allergies go away, and skin conditions and even chronic diseases are reversed with a whole food plant-based diet. It's such a simple, logical solution to so many health issues one can have, yet most doctors or public service announcements rarely, if ever state this fact.
I started to read and watch videos about how raw foods (living foods) are so amazing for the body. So, I went all raw vegan! I would have one "power salad" a day - I had all of the nutrients in one meal. I still faithfully have that salad every night. I felt so amazing after the first 30 days that I just couldn't stop.
I added cooked foods back in October of 2019 because I had actually lost more weight than I felt comfortable with. I realized I needed to add some healthy whole carbs back into my diet to get me to where I am comfortable. Now I have an excellent balance. I still eat about 80% raw. I can eat as much as I want and continue to stay my optimal weight.
I learned that the reason I felt great and got rid of these ailments, especially the allergies, was mostly due to eliminating dairy! Yes, dairy - about which I had been pretty much, to put it bluntly, lied to my entire life, pushing the false idea that we need dairy to be strong and grow.
Dr. Milton Mills has some great information on dairy and the problems with it. To summarize, we are all lactose intolerant because cow milk is made for baby cows. Once I thought about it, something clicked like, "Why am I ingesting something from another mammal's breast!?"
Our body reacts to lactose the same way it would react to pollen or anything other allergen, contributing to so many gastrointestinal issues, skin conditions - even asthma and migraines are linked to reactions from dairy or lactose intolerance.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and other gastrointestinal issues are linked to meat because our digestive tracts and intestines are not designed to digest it. We are meant physiologically to eat fruits, vegetables, beans, grains, nuts, and seeds, yet we only ever hear about people getting an upset stomach due to lactose intolerance.
We now know that plant-based diet can heal so much. For example, it can reverse type 2 diabetes, reverse and prevent heart disease, has helped women with reproductive issues get pregnant, improved uncomfortable periods, stopped gastrointestinal disorders, and it reduces inflammation which causes pain and arthritis for so many.
Once I was vegan for a while, I started to read about how animals are abused in the process. I started to wonder, why do I love and cherish my cat, and we love our dogs but not the cows, chickens and pigs who end up on our plates. The animals we eat have hearts and feelings. They are scared, and just like a cat knows, they know what's happening to them. If you watch the undercover factory farming documentaries, the animals cry out in fear and pain.
I also learned about mother cows crying for their babies as they are taken away from them. In the dairy industry farmers impregnate the cows so they will lactate but then take the babies away because farmers use the milk for production so we can drink it.
The mother cows often develop mastitis and infections in their breasts because of over-lactation. It is terrible for them, and also adds pus to our milk. The Food And Drug Administration (FDA) actually allows a certain amount to go into each milk supply because it's so common. Yuk!
If you erase everything you have been taught and think about it, why is it ok to eat the flesh of animals and torture them for our food when it is completely unnecessary?
I learned that the food industry has so much money attached to it when it comes to the big business of meat and dairy. These industries pay for studies, and they pay to have things kept out of the mainstream that go against Americans needing meat and dairy. This is why we are not told of the benefits of eliminating meat and dairy more in the mainstream media.
I think most people do not know where to start and they think they have to give up everything. That is what I am here to change. I can help you with the transition. Trust me, I had no idea what the word vegan meant. I had heard of it but did not know what it was, nor did I think I needed it. But I realize now I was in the dark and was awakened to the truth.
After only a short time I realized the benefits of being vegan and that this is how we were meant to eat, to not only be healthy, but to also be compassionate and help save animals. The fact that we only pick and choose certain animals to love is a major hypocrisy that I do not want to be a part of.
A new world opened up to me when I saw there are so many vegan products. I love vanilla almond and vanilla soy milk. It tastes better than regular milk. You can have it on cereal and oatmeal. I don't eat a lot of replacement products because I feel that whole foods like vegetables, fruits, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and grains have so many delicious combos and are healthier choices.
If you are worried you will have to give up comfort food that is not the case. I have tried almost all of the vegan products on the market and yes, there is vegan ice cream that is really good. Ben and Jerry's makes many flavors for example. Hellmann's makes vegan mayo that tastes better than the original. That has even been verified by non-vegans that I have had taste-test it if you're questioning! LOL
There is a company called Beyond Meat that makes a meat substitute that has same taste and texture as meat that you can grill. There is vegan cheese. You can make or buy mac and cheese. There is vegan pizza and vegan lunch meat. So, you can still make the transition and not have to give up comfort foods when you're craving them.
I have delved into how foods can heal and their amazing benefits. I look forward to sharing these with you in my website and Facebook group. Help yourself, your health, your mind, body and spirit. You will feel great knowing also you're helping save the environment and most importantly the animals.
I hope you will at least open your mind to it. I would love to see you feel better than ever and have you share your story with me.
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