“Eating meat hardens blood vessels.”
” You can potentially die from E. coli poisoning.”
“Consuming dairy puts you at a 34% higher risk of developing cancer than those who do not.”
“Meat is not synonymous with protein”
“Eating meat ups your risk of Type 2 diabetes”
“Males who eat eggs have a 50 percent chance of developing prostate cancer”
“Eating meat puts your brain at risk of Alzheimer’s disease”
“Living off of a meat diet is as dangerous as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day”
I could literally spit fact after fact at you explicitly explaining how a vegan diet can turn your entire lifestyle around and transform you into the healthiest foodie your friends and family have ever known. However, that’s not the goal of my blog. I want to tell you why I became vegan in the first place- that is, the beneficial reasons why the majority of people dedicate themselves to this lifestyle, primarily- which is their health.
I didn’t first become a vegan for the animals, the environment, or other people in 3rd world countries. I did it for myself- which is a reflection of my deepest values:
In early summer of 2013, I got a call from my mother. Suspecting the she had called to tell me to start warming up the oven for dinner, I was met by a completely different utterance. She was furiously sobbing and shouting into the phone and I couldn’t comprehend what she was trying to get at me. I came to find out that my uncle had died while in the hospital the previous night. It wasn’t that much of a shock to us since he had had diabetes the last 5 years of his life and was on an extensive amount of medications. Later in the summer we went to his funeral, and while my cousins were wheeling his casket down the aisle I made a vow to myself that I wouldn’t end my life on a hospital bed. That is, I didn’t want to die from something that I knew I could prevent throughout the course of my life.
What can I possibly mean by that? I know I can’t protect myself from everything whether that be a drunk driver recklessly weaving through the roads or a mechanical failure in a plane. But I do know that I can protect my body from the harsh realizations of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity that most Americans, and their families have to face on a daily basis.
At the time of my uncle’s death, I didn’t really know what diabetes was, or what caused it for that matter. After doing extensive research, I found that the heightening of America’s cancer, heart disease, and obesity rates have a direct correlation with our over-consumption of red meat and dairy. Seeing what I was putting into my body scared the daylights out of me. Of course I knew meat and dairy were bad, but seeing straight facts right in front of my eyes completely turned my life around, and for the better I believe. After, I dedicated my life to a life of love, not only for the animals, but for myself, my body- and how good it feels to be healthy, happy, and kind all at the same time is one of life’s greatest feelings.
After 2 years in the making, I can honestly tell you that my body and mind has undergone some extensive changes. I remember when I was almost 200 pounds and my stomach would pour over the waistband in my jeans. Now, I’m 70 pounds slimmer. My hair, nails, and skin all look and feel smooth and healthy. The only con is that now my hair and nails grow so fast. In addition, I have a lot more energy- which is such a commodity as a college student. When I would eat a big meal consisting of a cheeseburger and french fries I felt the need to take a nap afterwards. Now, I have enough vigor to complete all my work, even my blog posts.