These days, there always seems to be a new fad diet or trend going around. Atkins, Dukan Diet, gluten free…I could go on. I’ll admit, I myself have been pulled in by some of these, but trust me ladies, the thinking behind them is not sound. I can eat a stick of butter but not a grape. HELLO?! Are we even using our brains anymore??
This past summer, I started looking into going vegan because I had heard a lot about the book Skinny Bitch. Maybe this would be the answer to a healthy lifestyle, and not just dieting all the time? But what I found was so much more.
There are so many good reasons to become a vegan. A lot of people think that it’s stupid and weird not to eat meat, but if they knew what our consumption of animals is doing to our health and the environment, most would be shocked. For example, a plant-based diet reduces the risk of cancer, diabetes, and stroke significantly. Besides the health benefits, it is also good for the environment and the treatment of animals. Being a vegan or vegetarian makes a big difference in many different ways.
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I encourage everyone to do their own research on the subject and decide for themselves if being a vegan/vegetarian is worth it. At the end of the summer, I decided that being a pure vegan was not for me, and I needed to make the switch to just vegetarian. I missed cheese way too much, and I was about to go abroad to France for 3 months! (Trust me, the French are NOT vegan friendly). I felt great after being a vegan, and even after switching to vegetarian I felt like I still had much more energy. Being a vegetarian was the right decision for me, and it could be for you too.
The difficulty comes when you’re going out to eat. Vegan was much harder, as you have to be on the lookout for any sort of dairy product or eggs. However, nowadays, so many restaurants are creating menus that are vegetarian/vegan friendly. At Village Tavern, for example, they have numerous vegetarian salads and a great spaghetti squash dish that can be plain vegetarian, or vegan minus the Parmesan cheese. Whole Foods is also a great resource, as they label all of their salad bar and hot bar items with ingredients used.
Going vegetarian was the right decision for me, but it really isn’t for everyone. However, I feel great every day, not only health-wise but because I know I am contributing to our planet’s environmental health. Check in throughout the semester and I will be providing great vegetarian recipes and information!