Everyday more and more people are transitioning into a vegan diet, and for good reason! The documentary Game Changers has made a huge impact in the vegan community, causing loads of people to rethink their nutrition choices, me being one of them. Upon some research, these are the reasons why I am going vegan for a couple of weeks.
1. You will inevitably rely more on foods that are richer in certain nutrients. A vegan lifestyle is a plant-based way of life which basically translates to lots of greens and whole foods. Vegan diets contain plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Unprocessed foods are what we should all strive for anyway, and a vegan diet promotes this.
2. You might eat less due to the voluminous foods. Vegetables are low in calories which means that your meals will likely be much bigger. Also, complex carbohydrates, things like potatoes and whole wheat products, will keep you fuller for longer. This leads to eating less which could lead to weight loss.
3. You may be more energized. If your diet consists of lots of processed foods and fatty meats, your energy levels are likely very low. The simple switch to whole foods from processed foods will be enough to make you feel more energetic and won’t cause that post-meal crash. This highly depends on the quality of your food choices of course.
4. It may protect you from certain cancers and diseases. Animal fats are linked to diabetes, arthritis, hypertension, heart disease, and many forms of cancer. Animals who are raised to be slaughtered are in most cases treated poorly resulting in chemicals that will be transferred to you by eating their meat. Plant fats contain essential amino acids that won’t raise you bad cholesterol.
5. You will be saving animals and the environment. This lifestyle contributes less air pollution and puts less stress on our natural resources by requiring less land, fossil fuels, and water. And as far as animals, well, if you’re not eating them then you’re not contributing to the factory farming cruelties that many animals have to endure while being raised to be slaughtered.
6. Your skin will thrive. Dairy products have been linked to skin problems like acne. In addition, dairy products are often injected with hormones that mess with your body’s natural hormones, which can cause a whole load of issues, acne being one of them.
Here are some things to think about:
Cows are vegetarian. They rely on greens for nutrients.
Meats and dairy products are injected with hormones and will transfer chemicals to your body upon consumption.
Our earliest ancestors relied on plants, seeds, and nuts for survival, proving veganism has been around for a very long time.
Just one plant-based meal a day or one vegan day a week would save so many animals, water, and fossil fuels.
In conclusion, the reason why I am trying a vegan lifestyle and why you may want to consider giving it a go too is because following a plant-based diet is healthy for our bodies and the environment. The days of having to hunt and gather to survive are over and we simply do not need to rely on animal products to live and I for one do not want to contribute to the waste of mass amounts of natural resources or the unethical abuse of animals.
Mandi.