If you are reading this, it must mean that you are somewhere on the spectrum of interest in a more vegan-oriented lifestyle. Maybe this means you would like to incorporate more plant foods and reduce animal products in your daily diet. Perhaps you feel ready to completely overhaul your meals from the Standard American Diet, as fully explained in my book, “A Sane Diet For An Insane World” , and go cold turkey, er, cold Tofurky? Either way, this is meant to give guidance so that whatever transition you choose is easy and enjoyable.
Before getting into the subject allow me to put reality into focus. What would you do if you went into a restaurant and asked what’s for dinner and got this reply?
We have meat with antibiotics, bovine growth hormones, steroids, the remnants of the dead, dying, diseased and decayed animals not fit to be sold as food but fed back to the live animals and GMOs, which are regularly put into their feed, poultry immersed in feces but given FDA approval to be sold as long as the doo doo can’t be seen liquid fat in the form of milk and cheese that is devoid of nutrition due to pasteurization and homogenization, chicken’s menstrual cycles, also know as eggs, which will give you more cholesterol than you hope to achieve in your lifetime, and fish loaded with mercury, PCBs, toxic wastes, radiation, fluoride, plastics, and heavy metals. And then, because the human digestive tract is like a convoluted switch-back road, everything would remain in your body dispersing the poisons and eventually blessing you with a plethora of diseases that would turn you into a “trick” for the pharmaceutical/ medical fraud of profiting from your illnesses.
I think you would say, “Feet don’t fail me know”, and get your okole out the door so fast that you would probably set a world record.
So, one of the great things about venturing into veganism is there is an endless amount of knowledge to absorb about every facet of the lifestyle, from the food to the activism, from the fashion to the philosophy, and the fact that your health and immune system would take a turn for the better and most of what you are plagued with will soon be gone..
This means you can always find resources or communities that resonate with you and keep you excited about being vegan. The downside is there also tends to be a lot of misinformation and criticism out there by those that do not profit from it..
It’s important when researching anything to be able to separate the cold, hard facts from the sensationalism. Yes, it’s true: veganism may not the panacea for all health ailments but it will bring about results you never thought possible. It is equally important to rely upon or build some tough skin to face the critics of the world, or your own families and friends.
By keeping your curiosity alive and researching what furthers your interest along the way, you will solidify your place in the community at large and the personal meaning behind your transition.
Branching out to different blogs, forums and websites to find new and exciting recipes and staying up to date on what environmental, health or animal rights information empowers you the most, will be a blessing in disguise.
But also remember that being a student of your lifestyle does not mean being an expert. It is okay to not have the answers to others’ questions, and yes, you will receive a lot of questions, but to instead speak from your heart and say why your choice is important to you.
Before you considered a vegan transition, what were your eating habits? Mealtime routines? Kitchen skill set? Budgetary expertise? All of the things you already know about yourself will inform you on how to take care of implementing the change in the foods you eat.
If meal planning, meal prepping and a closely-watched budget describe your flow, then start looking up some recipes, make some charts and check out the prices of produce.
If you are more go-with-the-flow, ask yourself what types of foods you typically enjoy and consider veganizing some of your favorite meals and how to make the switch simple.
Many people may think that going vegan means buying expensive, exotic-sounding ingredients and relearning how to cook. If that’s your cup of tea, go for it, but for most of us all we need to do is make some adjustments to what we already know.
If your family enjoys Taco Tuesdays and that packs most of their lunches, then maybe it’s time for lentil or veggie fajita tacos and simple sandwiches, soups and stir fries that can be packaged to-go!
If you are more of a takeout type who only enters the kitchen to make Sunday brunch, well, start examining local restaurant menus and fast food options and make a plan for a fulfilling, delicious vegan brunch spread!
This advice I cannot stress enough: find at least one other vegan with whom you can connect for support and questions. Being vegan can be hard sometimes, largely because most the world is critical and still catching up.
Vegan folks can feel surrounded by eye-rolling and meaty menus and, therefore, isolated and alone—especially where there aren’t a lot of other vegheads around for support. Find an online community, local meet-up group or social media connection to feel at home.
Most of our daily life can begin to feel like a rat race from time to time. If you start to feel unenthusiastic about dealing with grocery shopping, meal prep or dealing with the same old questions from co-workers (“Where do you get your protein?”), remember that what you have to fall back on that brings you joy. Simply stated, protein is protein whether from plants or dead creatures. The only difference is that the plant-based protein, while being the same in content as the dead animal protein, is cleaner.
Perhaps getting creative in the kitchen is your thing and gets you out of a rut. Maybe you went vegan for your compassion for the animals just treated as “products” and taking time out of your day to connect with your companion animals or taking a trip to a farmed animal sanctuary brings you peace. Or, if your moment of zen is kicking back with a good book or film, there are so many informative and entertaining reads and documentaries on the power of veganism that will invigorate your soul.
Whatever it is that connects you to the reason you chose to become vegan, keep it close to your heart and take action to connect with it on a daily basis. It will extend your life, give you peace, and soften your heart.
We have meat with antibiotics, bovine growth hormones, steroids, the remnants of the dead, dying, diseased and decayed animals not fit to be sold as food but fed back to the live animals and GMOs, which are regularly put into their feed, poultry immersed in feces but given FDA approval to be sold as long as the doo doo can’t be seen liquid fat in the form of milk and cheese that is devoid of nutrition due to pasteurization and homogenization, chicken’s menstrual cycles, also know as eggs, which will give you more cholesterol than you hope to achieve in your lifetime, and fish loaded with mercury, PCBs, toxic wastes, radiation, fluoride, plastics, and heavy metals. And then, because the human digestive tract is like a convoluted switch-back road, everything would remain in your body dispersing the poisons and eventually blessing you with a plethora of diseases that would turn you into a “trick” for the pharmaceutical/ medical fraud of profiting from your illnesses.
I think you would say, “Feet don’t fail me know”, and get your okole out the door so fast that you would probably set a world record.
So, one of the great things about venturing into veganism is there is an endless amount of knowledge to absorb about every facet of the lifestyle, from the food to the activism, from the fashion to the philosophy, and the fact that your health and immune system would take a turn for the better and most of what you are plagued with will soon be gone..
This means you can always find resources or communities that resonate with you and keep you excited about being vegan. The downside is there also tends to be a lot of misinformation and criticism out there by those that do not profit from it..
It’s important when researching anything to be able to separate the cold, hard facts from the sensationalism. Yes, it’s true: veganism may not the panacea for all health ailments but it will bring about results you never thought possible. It is equally important to rely upon or build some tough skin to face the critics of the world, or your own families and friends.
By keeping your curiosity alive and researching what furthers your interest along the way, you will solidify your place in the community at large and the personal meaning behind your transition.
Branching out to different blogs, forums and websites to find new and exciting recipes and staying up to date on what environmental, health or animal rights information empowers you the most, will be a blessing in disguise.
But also remember that being a student of your lifestyle does not mean being an expert. It is okay to not have the answers to others’ questions, and yes, you will receive a lot of questions, but to instead speak from your heart and say why your choice is important to you.
Before you considered a vegan transition, what were your eating habits? Mealtime routines? Kitchen skill set? Budgetary expertise? All of the things you already know about yourself will inform you on how to take care of implementing the change in the foods you eat.
If meal planning, meal prepping and a closely-watched budget describe your flow, then start looking up some recipes, make some charts and check out the prices of produce.
If you are more go-with-the-flow, ask yourself what types of foods you typically enjoy and consider veganizing some of your favorite meals and how to make the switch simple.
Many people may think that going vegan means buying expensive, exotic-sounding ingredients and relearning how to cook. If that’s your cup of tea, go for it, but for most of us all we need to do is make some adjustments to what we already know.
If your family enjoys Taco Tuesdays and that packs most of their lunches, then maybe it’s time for lentil or veggie fajita tacos and simple sandwiches, soups and stir fries that can be packaged to-go!
If you are more of a takeout type who only enters the kitchen to make Sunday brunch, well, start examining local restaurant menus and fast food options and make a plan for a fulfilling, delicious vegan brunch spread!
This advice I cannot stress enough: find at least one other vegan with whom you can connect for support and questions. Being vegan can be hard sometimes, largely because most the world is critical and still catching up.
Vegan folks can feel surrounded by eye-rolling and meaty menus and, therefore, isolated and alone—especially where there aren’t a lot of other vegheads around for support. Find an online community, local meet-up group or social media connection to feel at home.
Most of our daily life can begin to feel like a rat race from time to time. If you start to feel unenthusiastic about dealing with grocery shopping, meal prep or dealing with the same old questions from co-workers (“Where do you get your protein?”), remember that what you have to fall back on that brings you joy. Simply stated, protein is protein whether from plants or dead creatures. The only difference is that the plant-based protein, while being the same in content as the dead animal protein, is cleaner.
Perhaps getting creative in the kitchen is your thing and gets you out of a rut. Maybe you went vegan for your compassion for the animals just treated as “products” and taking time out of your day to connect with your companion animals or taking a trip to a farmed animal sanctuary brings you peace. Or, if your moment of zen is kicking back with a good book or film, there are so many informative and entertaining reads and documentaries on the power of veganism that will invigorate your soul.
Whatever it is that connects you to the reason you chose to become vegan, keep it close to your heart and take action to connect with it on a daily basis. It will extend your life, give you peace, and soften your heart.
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