Meat Lovers: So Why Am I A Vegan Anyway?

I am a relatively new vegan (just over a year). I was never a vegetarian and I loved meat, cheese and basically all things animal. One day at Barnes and Noble I picked up a copy of Skinny Bitch mostly because I liked the humor in the forward and on the cover and was intrigued. I had no idea that the Skinny Bitch would be a vegan diet until about 1/4 of the way through the book. However, as I read a lot of the health issues I had (and they were minor) started to make sense.

Around this time I also began volunteering at Angell Memorial walking dogs. I have always been a huge animal lover, especially dogs. One of my dogs,Titan, is a rescue from the Sonoma County Humane Society. I truly think he rescued me. Ten years later, Titan has always been the constant in my life and has led me to have an everlasting appreciation for the Humane Society. You should get involved with them if you are not already. I guarantee you it will change your life.

Ok, back on topic! So I read Skinny Bitch and I liked a lot of what I read, but at the same time I felt like a lot of it was sensationalized and simply aimed to give you the ICK! factor. I needed more facts before giving up my medium rare steaks and brie cheese. At a friend's recommendation I read Eating Animals and boy did that book open my eyes. I was slowly beginning to realize that the way that I lived my life was somewhat hypocritical. Ok, not somewhat....I was a damn hypocrite.

I always loved animals and considered myself a compassionate person, but the reality was that I was only compassionate to the animals that I had daily contact with. I didn't think about the cows and chickens that were needlessly slaughtered and mistreated just so I could have a delicious meal. When I really sat down and thought about it, I was a little saddened by my naivety.

Yes, that is right, I am one of those silly vegans who gave up all things animal because I refuse to be a part of our society's mistreatment of animals. Well, at least that is how it all started. I came home one day and decided that was it, no more animal cruelty for me and swore of all animals products. A vegan is born, but not yet complete.

I became voracious for information, reading everything from The Omnivore's Dilemma to The Kind Diet. The more I read, the more I realized all the harm that I had been doing to my body for so long. It's explained my digestive issues and my energy levels...suddenly everything seemed to come together. In my quest to be compassionate, I realized that I also needed to be realistic. I play roller derby and needed to make sure that my new diet would be compatible with my active lifestyle.

So I consulted my doctor and told her what I was thinking. She was extremely supportive and helped me learn what I would need to eat each day to maintain a healthy lifestyle. After all, I had heard horror stories about people who turned yellow and lost their hair after becoming vegan. Turns out, people that have those side effects don't really know what they are doing. After meeting with a nutritionist and talking about my lifestyle, I knew I was starting my vegan lifestyle on the right foot. I already felt better. I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders and that I no longer had to deal with the burden of living irresponsibly, but I also felt healthier. My energy level was more constant (no more highs and lows) and my digestive system finally, at age 30, was regular!

Here I am thinking I am doing great, and BAM! Joaquin Phoenix smacks me in the face with this video. I love you Joaquin, really more than you know, but now you want me to give up $350 leather riding boots. Damn you Joaquin, damn you!

That was a sad day, believe me. I went home and cleared my closet of all things leather...shoes, belts, boots, jackets, even my beloved Louis Vuitton collection. Let me just say, that was rough. Though my friends were quite pleased. But I stood steadfast in my believes and rid myself of all things animal including my Ugg's and all of my lovely cashmere sweaters. Man, being good is hard. But guess what? It is also rewarding.

I was now 100% animal free. I no longer used any products that tested on animals (this proved to be challenging) and I was happy. But being a vegan, I learned, is about way more than being compassionate. It is about helping the environment, preserving my health and being a part of my local ecosystem.

Did you know that there are only 1.3% of Americans are vegan? That number is alarmingly low to me. Especially with how many people seem to care so much about the environment and animals. Believe it or not, what we put into our bags at the grocery store has more environmental impact than whether or not we bring our reusable shopping bag or drive a hybrid to the store. Livestock is one of the MOST serious threats to the environment today. Here is why:

The methane produced from cows has a serious effect of the global greenhouse effect. According to the UN Population Fund, the average American consume 260 pounds of meat per year. Think about that. It is a lot of livestock.
There has been mass deforestation of US land to provide suitable land for grazing for livestock. Animal agriculture destroys thousands of acres of forests that help purify the air, reduce carbon dioxide, and are home to many species of insects, animals, birds, and plants. It is estimated that one acre of trees is preserved each year by every individual who switches to a completely plant-based diet. (From the IDA website)
It takes 8 times as much fossil fuel to produce animal protein as it does to produce plant protein. That's a lot of fuel.

Ok I promise, that's all the education for today. Sorry for the lecture, but I think that these are things that we often don't think of. Look, I am not trying to convince you that you should be a vegan. That is your choice to make. Instead, I am sharing my story and I hope you will look at it objectively. I don't think I am better than meat eaters or that I am more moral, I just think that I am doing what is right for me.

With that said, being a vegan has changed my life in the following ways (in no particular order):

I love my dogs even more than I used to (if that is even possible)
I discovered that I love cooking and am not half bad at it
I started this blog!
I feel stronger and healthier
I save money on groceries because I buy everything locally and veggies are cheaper than meat
I have a new cause to care about
I have lowered my carbon footprint without even trying
No more insomnia!
I went to the doctor for my physical and my blood pressure was text book (122/80). My mom and dad both have hyper tension and so did my grandmother.
I love to try new foods...the other day I had a Carrot Purple Haze Hybrid (look it up)
McDonald's? What for?
Cleaning up the kitchen, so much easier
I no longer get food coma
Climbing the stairs to my fourth floor apartment no longer makes me get out of breath
I love my Saturday morning routine of volunteering and going to Haymarket
So many people have been so supportive of me and I didn't think that they would!
I poop regularly!
I discovered that I LOVE spicy food

Really I could go on forever, but I won't bore you. In any case, I hope that this post was valuable and not boring. I am still learning about this lifestyle and love to hear about other people's experiences. Please feel free to share yours with me.

I will leave you with this: being a vegan has changed my life. If you are thinking of becoming a vegan, please consult with your doctor. This made all the difference in my ability to be successful and healthy. Thanks for listening to me rant ;)