Based off the title, you probably believe this is going to be an annoying rant, trying to persuade you to become a vegan. While I do believe that everyone should take an interest in a whole foods, plant-based diet, that is not the purpose of my writing. Right now, my objective is to share my experience with the vegan lifestyle.
It all started three years ago; I was fed up. I had been suffering from allergies for what seemed like forever, and almost every day, my arms were covered in tiny red bumps called hives, causing constant discomfort. On top of that, I was a negative person, filled with anxiety, anger, and insecurity. When I started missing school, I decided that I needed to take action to resolve my health issues. Three doctors later, I finally discovered the culprits of my allergic reactions in a two-paged list. In addition to several different types of fruits, the list contained two crucial parts of the standard American diet: milk and eggs.
Now, the majority people my age would view this news as a burden. However, I accepted it as a challenge. I even took it to the next step and decided to cut out meat as well. When I first announced I was going to transition to a plant-based diet, everyone looked at me in disbelief. No one had faith that I could stick to it for more than a few days. This did not discourage me, but instead made me more motivated; I wanted to prove those around me wrong.
Once I was fully committed to the lifestyle and an extensive amount of research, I realized that I had nothing to worry about. A plant-based diet is not as difficult to follow as it is made out to be. Of course, I occasionally craved ice cream and pizza, but great changes were happening so fast it made missing out on these foods worth it. For starters, almost all my allergies disappeared. No longer was I breaking out into allergic reactions unexpectedly. Furthermore, a tremendous weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. My body felt lighter and energized. As my health increased, so did my happiness. My anxiety and stress levels decreased dramatically. The frequent panic attacks I suffered from visited me less often. However, what surprised me the most was that this “diet” didn’t even feel like a diet, it felt normal, something I should have been doing all of my life.
As much as I loved eating plant-based foods, I never intended on doing it forever. That is why I strived for just one year to rid my health problems and resume my normal eating habits. The second year came around so quickly, and I realized that I wasn’t ready to give up my plant-based diet. In fact, I became more intrigued with Veganism, and I wanted to educate myself further. I adopted the rest of the characteristics that make up the vegan lifestyle. I’ve always loved animals, and although it took me a year, I was finally able to make the connection between the products I purchase and animal cruelty. Therefore, I made the decision not to purchase or consume any more animal products, period. I found that this transition requires more effort than the diet alone. Despite months of research on beauty and skin care products that don’t perform animal testing or contain any animal products, I am still in this transition stage today.
As a result of all of my research, I also became more interested in eating less “vegan junk-food”, such as pastries and frozen dinners, and more whole food options. Preparing meals at home using fresh fruits and vegetables became a daily activity. Just this minor change resulted in perfect blood tests and a decent weight loss, which in turn boosted my confidence. I’m not implying that losing weight is necessary to increase self-esteem nor that I needed to lose weight, however, my weight loss made me feel that my body is in its healthiest state.
Two years later, I feel as if I am a completely different person. I’m no longer a miserable and negative teenager that was always putting herself down. My body and mind are finally healthy. Finally, I don’t carry around the weight of animal cruelty, making me a more peaceful and spiritual person. My hope is that more people join me on this journey to find their healthiest and happiest self.
