It’s been over 20 years since I became a vegetarian.
It’s been almost two years since I became a vegan.
The contrast is dramatic.
My shift from vegetarian to vegan was more of a transition than a switch, more a journey than a trip.
And that was intentional.
You see, I tend to be pretty resistant to change, so I know that if I want to make substantive changes, I have to start small and work may way up to the end goal.
I can’t say exactly when I decided to go vegan. But I can tell you that education played a huge part in my decision to do so.
Thinking back, I realize that I was pretty content with myself as a relatively uninformed vegetarian.
I love animals and thought that as long as the animal wasn’t killed in making my food, I was doing good. I ate eggs and dairy (no gelatin), but I didn’t really pay much attention to the source of my food. Kraft cheese and store-brand eggs worked fine for me.
Then, a few years ago, my husband bought me “The Kind Diet” for Christmas.
If I could point to a single epiphany, this was it.
Most of what the author had to say wasn’t news to me, and didn’t differ materially from what I’d seen and read elsewhere. What was different was the message itself – or at least the way the message was delivered. In fact, the message was delivered in quite a different manner, and my mind was open to what I was reading.
And that forced me to ask myself some tough questions – and to answer them.
For instance, could I really continue to tell myself that it was OK to eat eggs and dairy – knowing about factory farming and the abuse that animals go through – just so I could have egg salad?
I couldn’t. In fact, I gave up eggs shortly after I read the book.
And my journey of vegan discovery finally left the departure gate. Over the next year, I read, studied, and listened and became a very serious student of healthy vegan practices.
I discovered some amazing resources – blogs, books and podcasts – that helped me navigate. And I made changes – a pilot on a journey might call them “course corrections” – all along the way.
One of my earliest course corrections was a switch to non-dairy milk. That led to a reduction in cheese. Eventually I dropped cheese from my diet altogether.
Greek yogurt was the last thing to go, in part because it was something I really enjoyed. When I made that final change, I knew I was truly traveling the vegan path.
I have to say that – for me, at least – this has been a relatively easy journey … at least on the food side. I was well-prepared for the change. I can find my way around any grocery store. And I love discovering new products.
My diet is still not perfect, but it’s much healthier than it was before. My first round of medical blood-work came back great, and I haven’t been sick. Admittedly, I’ve found myself in a few situations where the food choices were pretty much non-existent. But whenever that happens, I remind myself that it’s “my” choice to be vegan. And I also remember that, for me, this isn’t about the food, it’s about the animals.
My family is not vegan or vegetarian, but they support my decision and don’t question my beliefs. That’s how it works in our house.
I do my best to buy products and clothing that fit my way of living. I’ve met some people in the veg community who make me feel welcome and part of something big. Interestingly, I think this has helped me become a more understanding person, realizing that none of us are perfect, and perhaps even becoming more accepting of people as they are.
As I look ahead, I’d love to see more vegan choices in the stores and less harm done to animals. But I’ve also become much more aware of the changes that are taking places. Helped, in part, by better education and the efforts of the leaders in the veg community (some of the veg authors, columnists and bloggers do a superb job with this), I feel that I’ve seen so much progress in such a short time.
We just need to keep the momentum going.
If someone tells me he doesn’t eat eggs, but he can’t give up cheese, I’m not going to judge him. How can I, when I once said the same thing? It’s a step in the right direction and that’s all good. The more we can educate and influence, the more we can change.
All in all, it’s been an amazing and fulfilling ride so far. And leaves me feeling excited, since I understand that my vegan journey has really only just begun.
.
Image from Wikimedia Commons.
