What comes to mind when you hear the word “Vegan”? For the longest time I wanted to just say “plant based nutrition” because of the assumptions that seemed to sometimes come along with saying vegan. My main goal is to reach non
vegans and get them to open up their thinking about the subject, so turning them off to the topic isn’t my first priority. I have been vegan for about 8 years and in time I have learned to talk about it as if it is just my way of living rather than a label I put on myself. I strive to be approachable and non judgmental.
My first reason for turning to veganism came from health. I had never watched any of the videos demonstrating animal abuse, and always had a passion to be healthy. I thought using the standard American food pyramid was adequate enough and that I was as healthy as I could be. Looking back at that makes me laugh every time. I had a friend that was vegan and had talked to me about the health sides of it several times. I did not take it too seriously until I decided to do some of my own research. I struggled with stomach ulcers since I was about 10 years old and the doctor had told me I will struggle with them for life. When I was 16 I had made some diet changes that really helped. When I was 19 I finally went vegan and the ulcers completely healed. Since having that personal experience with veganism changing my health it has helped me connect with people who suffer from similar things. It is so empowering to realize that you have massive influence over your health through the foods you consume.
Animals have been at war with each other since the beginning of time, and I am mainly talking about humans. Yet we have the ability to understand other living beings and the choice to survive witho
ut causing animals harm or death. There was a point in time when we needed to based upon survival. Now we have an abundance of healthy food options that don’t involve animal products. At this point the need to kill something to survive is long gone, and we can choose to make compassionate choices for our bodies, animals, and the planet. Spending time with animals other than the average dog and cat is important to understanding why people advocate for their freedom, love and care. To shame others because of their lack of understanding only creates more problems. We must connect with people in a way that works for them. Meet them where they are. Not everyone starts in the same place and will open up differently.