It has been almost 3.5 years since I became vegan. The journey into this lifestyle change began back in December 2011, the day after I had my last meat burger.

The reasons why are probably similar to those of many: reducing my carbon footprint; being more environmentally friendly and living more compassionately. Though I may say, when I made the decision I didn’t know exactly how I would make an impact. It just felt good knowing that I would cut the demand for more resources to raise animals for food. The added benefits were learned later.

People used to asked me if I was going to switch to a vegan diet and my answer would always be: “Oh no, that’s too hard core for me. I admire people who do it, but I’m certainly not going to. I love desserts too much.”

It took a while - actually four years - since the start of my journey to give up seafood completely and then another year to become vegan. I hadn’t had too many vegan meals, so I wasn’t sure what was in store for me in terms of flavors and variety. However, I did notice that the less I ate foods containing animal products, the better it felt and the more I heard the voice in my heart.

These days I tell people how grateful I am for being vegan and for being able to try the most delicious recipes, fusions and creations of cruelty-free foods around the world. In fact, just a few weeks ago , I had an amazing vegan smørrebrød in a small Danish town called Svendborg. Who would have thought? (As a side note: when I lived in Denmark, I gained 12 Kgs in one year by mostly eating dairy products, pork, potatoes and cakes.)

Why is it Important to Stay Committed to Veganism?

After learning that my friend’s sister went back to eating meat after seven years of being vegan, I thought it would be good to share some thoughts on why being vegan matters.

Reflecting on the positive changes this healthy lifestyle has brought and looking back at how much better we look and feel helps us stay committed. And if that isn’t enough think about this: for every year you’ve been vegan, you’ve saved hundreds of lives, water, forests, etc. Here’s my impact so far.

To understand the reasons behind people like my friend’s sister go back to eating meat, I read this article by Living Kindly Co. which highlights that vegans, especially newbies, feel discouraged after a few weeks or months because the taste of the new food is so different from what they’re used to.

This other article by The Cut explained how some others were living with omnivores, which made it difficult for them to stay vegan. Another reason stated was that for those who forgo animal products completely from one day to the next, they eventually quit because the “all or nothing” approach does not work for them. The research of this data was funded by Faunalytics, formerly known as the Humane Research Council.

Other interesting reasons included: not being part of a community with similar lifestyle and feeling uncomfortable with standing out from the crowd. I understand both arguments because they were part of the reason it took me so long to become vegan. The good news is that it is now easier than ever to build that community - even if we’re expats!

What are the Reasons to Commit to a vegan lifestyle in 2020?

The most powerful reasons why our commitment to a vegan lifestyle is important in 2020 are:

1. Your body is nourished in a healthier, lighter and more nutritious way. nb In my case, the pain I had in my joints and abdomen, the acne and congestion drastically reduced after the first three weeks since becoming vegan. And for more serious conditions, there’s good news: A 2016 study by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health concluded that:

   “Consuming a plant-based diet—especially one rich in high-quality plant foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes—is linked with substantially lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes”

   In 2019, the scientific magazine Nature published this article called The Effects of Plant-Based Diets on the Body and the Brain: a Systematic Review, concluding that:

   “(…) there is an overall robust support for beneficial effects of a plant-based diet on metabolic measures in health and disease.”

   Some of the health aspects that were studied in this review included glucose and cholesterol levels, gastrointestinal biome, weight, insulin and inflammatory markers.

2. You live a kinder more peaceful life. Knowing each night that your body is free from the suffering and harm bestowed upon another sentient being is a great feeling. It is one that has not left my side ever since that night when I decided to remove animals from my plate. I can guarantee that you’ll have a feeling of peace and tranquility at the end of each day. And if you’re a spiritual person, the principle of no harm to others will resonate even more.

3. You save more lives than you think. Through the data gathered by AnimalClock.org it is estimated that every hour nearly a million (956,700 to be exact) land animals die for food in the US. This means every minute there are about 15,950 sheep, cows, pigs, turkeys, ducks, chickens are killed; 266 every second. Thousands have died in the minutes it has taken you to read this blog post. I was shocked to learn that since the start of the year (13 days only); nearly 2 billion animals lost their lives already. We haven’t even finished the first month of 2020!

4. Your preference for plant-based whole foods promotes a business model that is less destructive and more harmonious with nature. For example, animal husbandry in the U.S. utilizes more than 50% of fresh water. If we measure the amount of water and energy needed to produce a pound of beef versus a pound of tofu or oats, the beef requires anywhere from 2,000 to 8,000 gallons of water; whereas a pound of tofu for example, needs 220, according to the Environmental Working Group water guide. By choosing plant-based foods we’re also supporting a more sustainable way to feed the planet.

5. Your lifestyle inspires others. There are probably people that have influenced your thoughts and your decisions; people whose journey you admire or whose health has improved considerably since going vegan. Think about it: our environment, our friends, our experiences, new trends and travels - all have an effect on us. When we see those who are living a fun, healthy and creative life, we want to have that in our lives. In my case, my friend Amanda Midence had the lifestyle I wanted but I lacked the courage to follow her steps, and even though what she ate seemed so interesting, it wasn’t until I was introduced to Kris Carr and enrolled in her wellness program that I decided to change my life. A few years later, friends around me have either become vegetarian or have been reducing their meat intake.

6. Your tribe keeps you going. I’ve been living as an expat for several years now and became vegan while living in Nepal, a beautiful country where it isn’t easy to find staple products like nut milks or egg replacers. However, having supportive friends - even if not vegan - made the transition easier for me. Now in Amman, the variety of such items is impressive and so is the online community in groups like Vegans of Amman, which currently has 1.4K members and counting. By joining online groups or organizing meet ups, you’ll find your people. Another way to stay committed and motivated is to try out new recipes and host yummy vegan gatherings at home.

7. Build or strengthen your connection to animals. By spending time with animals in shelters or farms and getting to know them, you remind yourself why this lifestyle is not only great for you but how it saves the lives of so many animals. It is easy to loose the connection with those we don’t see, but if we make it a point to either volunteer, do activism online or be close to those animals, we will be reactivate that innate compassion that lies within many of us.

What are Some Ideas and Resorces to Promote the Vegan Lifestyle?

Food is a good way to spread the word about living compassionately. It is a simple conversation starter that enables you to share your thoughts on why this matters to you while at the same time sharing a delicious meal to make your point.

Here are some resources that can help you with the transition if you’re thinking about going vegan.  

♥    Documentaries

• Vegucated

• Food Inc.

• Forks over Knives

♥     Books

• The Humane Economy

• Crazy Sexy Diet

• Becoming Vegan

♥     Recipe Sites

• Oh She Glows

• Minimalist Baker

• Kris Carr

♥    People to Follow on YouTube

• Sadia Badei, Pick Up Limes

• Lauren Toyota, Hot for Food

• Dave & Steve, The Happy Pear

I hope you’ve found this week’s blog post useful. For more ideas on how to become vegan read: Going Vegan Overseas: The Challenges & Opportunities

Thank you for being here.

Namaste.

Diana

Citations

Satija A, Bhupathiraju SN, Rimm EB, Spiegelman D, Chiuve SE, Borgi L, et al. (2016) Plant-Based Dietary Patterns and Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes in US Men and Women: Results from Three Prospective Cohort Studies. PLoS Med 13(6): e1002039. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002039

Medawar, E., Huhn, S., Villringer, A. et al. The effects of plant-based diets on the body and the brain: a systematic review. Transl Psychiatry 9, 226 (2019) doi:10.1038/s41398-019-0552-0