I had toyed with the idea my whole life, and finally this year I decided to put my foot down – I no longer wanted to eat meat.

Growing up, my parents implemented meat in my diet purely because I was a growing child, and I needed the protein in meat in order to be healthy – or so they thought.

As I got older, though, I talked to more and more people who were either vegetarian or vegan and I became more interested in why. Luckily, I never had any restrictions on my diet, but it interested me that the vegetarians I knew put these restrictions on themselves.

I began gaining more and more knowledge. I talked to people, doctors and more recently I’ve taken to the internet to read articles and watch documentaries about how meat is cultivated, and more specifically, how animals are treated.

Upon doing research, a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach began and continued to grow with every new documentary and story. Seeing images and videos of animals suffering in crammed spaced, being skinned and killed and knowing that for the past 18 years I was completely unaware, made me sick.

I finally decided to put my foot down and stop eating meat, while also limiting my dairy intake. For those around me - my friends, family members, and boyfriend - this "cold turkey" method was surprising.

I kept receiving questions like, "Since when do you not eat meat?" I would respond, "Only a few weeks ago," etc., and I would receive laughter in return. But little did those around me know how much thought and emotion I had put into making this decision.

As time went on, however, I noticed that those around me not only respected my decision, but also began questioning their own diets. At home, my family began trying new vegetarian recipes and using substitutes for meat without even knowing it! I'd hear my brother say to my mom in the other room that he didn't want chicken in his meal, either.

Nothing made me happier than seeing those around me making small changes in themselves because they saw a big change in myself.

Every single person has the right to their own opinion, just as they have the right to their own diets and food choices. However, my recommendation for all people is to do research and educate yourself about the food you are consuming - whether that be learning how many calories are in your meal, or learning how your meal reached your plate.