Eating healthy has been a part of my life at a young age. My dad is a personal trainer and my whole family takes health seriously. Yet, I have realized that most of my peers don't do the same.

I have been a vegan for almost three years now, but before you stop reading I promise I am not one of those crusaders who go around shouting that all people who eat meat are murderers. I just love the vegan lifestyle. Over the past three years, there is one thing I have fought more than cheese fries and that is culture.

To say that eating healthy in America is challenging is an understatement. Everywhere you turn there is another option to dive into a deliciously addictive and toxic food.

There are tons of fast food options within a five-mile radius of my universities campus. Not to mention college students are a higher risk. Free pizza in the dorms, parties include alcohol and the limited time students find to exercise. I feel like the weirdo who turns down free pancakes and ice cream gatherings. I don't want to miss out but I also really value my health.

Unhealthy options are also cheap. Grocery shopping has taught me that I could easily buy hot pockets and frozen meals at a low cost. Adding veggies to anything just ups the price on my total bill. Making meals can be difficult too. I know the last thing I want to do after a long day at working is cut up some veggies, or cook at all.

A couple months ago, I took some friends out to a vegan restaurant by accident. For me, this was a treasure discovery. For my friends, it was not.

The food was fresh and made to order. Yet, as soon as the word vegan was spilled, they had a conception of what the food was going to be like in the minds. The idea that healthy is not tasty. Once the food came out there seemed no difference in this vegan food than any other restaurant. Nachos, fresh guacamole, pasta, salads, and sandwiches. They enjoyed their food but over and over my friends said they needed to get some 'real food' afterward.

It got me thinking when did our society shift that 'real food' has become artificial preservatives, flavors, and high-fat foods. People used to eat natural foods all the time, but back then it wasn't bought in the organic section of Walmart. Instead, it was produced in backyards as a way of survival.

I don't believe that we could ever totally go back to the lifestyle of living off the land, but obesity is running rapid in America. That is nothing new.

But I believe it begins with a culture.

American culture should catch on. Healthy eating can reduce chances of cancer, improve joint pain, and longevity of life. Not to mention the number one killer in America is heart disease, which is almost entirely caused by a lack of proper nutrition and exercise. Our tax paying dollars are going to fix a problem that people could fix right at home.

I know that this is not the popular option. Most people want to eat what they want when they want. As a free American that lifestyle is entirely permissible, but it has consequences. Call me an idealist but I want to live in a culture where it is normal to take care of my body through health and nutrition.

A culture where ordering is salad does not indicate someone is on a diet.

A culture where bodies are not shamed for not fitting into a size 2 but simply encouraged to eat a balanced diet and get plenty of exercise.

A culture full of fresh fruits and veggies on menus and vegan options available.

A culture where people love their bodies because of what they can do not simply what they look like.

A culture where eating healthy is normal.