Much easier than last year I have to admit...
Ever since I announced I am vegan I have been asked a few times WHY?
Why go vegan? you're already vegetarian, isn't that good enough? Do you still have health problems?
Seem to be the most popular "questions"...
Let me answer the last question first... No I do not have more health problems.... I am fine. MS is not acting up again. With the dispositions put in place in Life Happens I am fine... more than fine actually, I am GREAT!
And is it not a question of enough or not enough... not one is better than the other! It is not a competition!!!
I am going vegan because when I first became vegetarian is was for health reasons. I had investigated ways to overcome a slight cholesterol (and I am not overweight) and deal with MS. I read many books on the subject and many scientific studies... I am not one to take such a decision ever so lightly!
To name a few, here are the books I have looked into... they are all supported by multiple scientific studies that you can find also:
The Food Revolution by John Robbins
Skinny bitch by Kim Barnouin and Rorry Freedman
The China Study by Dr T.Collin Campbell
the get healthy go vegan cookbook by Dr Neal Barnard
Veganist by Kathy Freston
there were also some yoga books that recommended a vegetarian diet...
I also discussed it with my doctor and he supported me.
In those books, I came across some information on how meat can be really unhealthy for us humans.
(I will spare you details, you can look for yourself - if not this post will never end!!!) In general, in can be "responsible" for hearth diseases, diabetes, some cancers and some neurological and autoimmune diseases - suffice to say!
In those very same books, they also talk about dairy and eggs... how in the end they are not much better.... and also related to the above mentioned diseases (once again spare you the details)
But at that point, I was not ready for that... I was not ready to give up cheese... ice cream... eggs... it was convenient for me to cut meat which I never really liked anyway but not cheese, sour cream, ice cream and eggs... and you know what that's OK!!! But now I am ready to make the switch and change my diet further more. I know that MS can also be affected by dairy and eggs.... why take the chance???
And there is more to it.... eating meat implied killing an animal... and I did not like that idea!!! It was helping me not eating it.... Also as I became vegetarian, I stopped wearing leather, wool, feather and silk... I never wore fur!!!
I also realized that using dairy or eggs means mistreating some animals... they are not killed but they are not well treated either.... so as a yogi I cannot admit participating to such suffering... it doesn't make sense to me!
Then when you look further into it, there are some environmental issues... (here again I could list many reasons...)
So basically, I am vegan for 5 reasons:
1) Health
2) Suffering
3) Environment
4) End world hunger
5) Cooking and eating is much simpler
and they are all valid reasons... they are mine but valid!
Now...
Do I wish everyone would turn vegan overnight? Of course!!!
Do I think it is possible? Of course NOT!!! I am not that naive!
Do I judge people who are not vegan? No!!! It's their own choice... I respect that!!! But I also expect that they respect me back!
Do I understand people that switch slowly? Of course.... I admire it.... you better change your habits slowly one at a time and succeed than try and switch everything and fail because it is too difficult!!! Baby steps are the key! Most vegan were first vegetarian for years... and most vegetarians cut our red meat long before anything else...
Do I think this is the right thing to do? Of course... if not, why would I do it? It doesn't make sense to do something you're not convince is the right thing! You should always do what's right for you! I also understand that the right thing to do might change over the course of a lifetime... we need to be ready for it... I was not ready to give up dairy and eggs even thus I knew they were not good for me... it took me 6 years to be ready to assume it!
And honestly I can help others deal with their food issues.... I love to answer questions with facts and figures.... no preaching... I can talk about food forever!!!
So if you have questions, do not hesitate to ask me... here or on my facebook or twitter account... the link are below.... I invite you to connect with me...
love and peace,
nath
xox
www.thissavvylife.blogspot.com
http://www.nathaliebrisebois.com/
http://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=734016786
http://www.facebook.com/FanofLifeHappens
https://twitter.com/NathalieBriseb1
No comments:
Post a Comment