Believe me when I tell you that if just a couple years ago someone told me I'd be a vegan one day, I would have thought they were crazy. Now that I get asked all the time what ultimately influenced my decision to go vegan, I think it's only appropriate that I address those reasons here on my blog...
I grew up eating meat and dairy products but I think even early on I knew that on some level, I didn't want to eat them. I can tell you that I never, ever liked drinking milk or eating eggs on their own. I wouldn't even put milk in a bowl of cereal for breakfast. In fact, it wasn't until I went vegan that I had milk (rice) in my cereal for the first time.
Little by little, I stopped eating different meats. First it was hamburgers, then it was steak. I'll never forget when my mother told me that sausage was encased in intestines. There went that, too! Then I learned what hot dogs were made of (more like, what they aren't made of) and I stopped eating those too. By the time I was about 12 or 13, the only meat I ate was chicken and white meat only.
From very early on I was also an avid baker and couldn't even imagine how to bake without butter, eggs or milk. The thought of actually being able to use anything else didn't even cross my mind. I went on through life thinking that I had to eat chicken because I needed protein (where else would I get it from?). I also ate things with eggs and dairy in them because that was all I knew.
The funny thing is that I don't really remember what was going on in my life at the end of 2008 that made me decide that my New Year's Resolution for 2009 would be to convert my entire household to cruelty-free products. I guess I remembered how passionate I was when I was younger when it came to animal rights and wanted to do something to make a difference. (Side note: I'll also never forget how devastated I was when I applied to volunteer at my local chapter of the A.S.P.C.A. and was rejected because their minimum age requirement was 16 years old - I was probably only 9 or 10.)
I took on the task of changing out almost every product that I use with excitement and satisfaction. I felt like I was really making a difference and enjoyed trying new things. I admit that it probably got somewhat pricey at the time but I also didn't have someone to go to for advice on what the best cruelty-free, eco-friendly, safe laundry detergent was (Ecover!)... Or liquid hand soap (Mrs. Meyer's!)... Or shampoo and conditioner (Avalon Organics!)... Needless to say there was a lot of trial and error to determine not only what works well but that I also liked! Somewhere in the middle of it all, someone pointed out that I should really read the labels and avoid these horrible things called "parabens"and "sodium lauryl sulfate". But more on ingredients another time...
It was around this time that I also started reading books like The Omnivore's Dilemma, Animal Liberation and Diet For a New America. I also watched documentaries like Food Inc. (highly recommended) and did a lot of research on the internet. By the time 2010 rolled around my thoughts and views on the food I was eating had done a complete 180.
I'll never forget January 11, 2010. Why? Because it was the last day I ate meat. I sat there eating my dinner and could barely get through the first of two pieces of chicken. I forced the last bite of the first piece down and stopped. I said to myself (and out loud), "that's it. I'm done." And I was. I couldn't bear to eat it anymore after learning everything. There had to be another way.
Fast forward to June. I had just purchased the cookbook, The Joy of Vegan Baking by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. In the first few pages she explains her journey of becoming a vegan. Then, I read it - the sentence that changed me forever. And I quote - "There is no greater feeling than knowing that my behavior is aligned with my values." !!!! That was exactly what I had been trying to do in my own life at the time. I decided right then and there that I had to go vegan. My values included animal rights so I no longer wanted to participate in the pain, suffering or violence against any sentient beings.
I thought about it for a moment and decided to give myself until the end of the year to work it all out. I figured six months would be enough time to find substitutes that I liked. Ironically, my biggest fears (ice cream, cream cheese and other cheeses) wound up being the least of my worries. What's there to worry about when you have Tofutti and Daiya?! It was so much easier than I thought that I found my kitchen was already 100% vegan by Autumn.
I'm eating so much healthier than I ever have now that I care about what I put into my body. I've never felt better in my entire life. I have more energy. My skin glows. I've lost weight (and continue to lose weight). I feel wonderful not only in my body but in my soul.
And that right there is the best feeling in the world.
If you'd like more information on cruelty-free products go here!
Toying with the idea of going vegan? Here are 57 excellent reasons!
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