Why Veganism?

I began exploring the idea of vegetarianism while I was in high school, but it wasn’t easy. I can remember my mother momentarily complaining about the site of tofu and having to make separate meals for me. Although my family supported my decision and wanted to help, they didn’t quite take me seriously. I can’t blame them though, the normal American diet consists of 7% Fruits and vegetables, 51% refined/processed foods and 42% dairy and animal products (Fuhrman, M.D.) and the FDA’s food pyramid doesn’t help. Anyway, because my father recently made me an omelet with sour cream filling, I took up veganism.

Although I had many doubts about being vegan, probably due to many years of advertising and misinformation; one day I woke up and felt that I needed to be vegan, that my life would be better this way. I developed a nut allergy around the age of eight and this probably sets me apart from most vegans, who eat nuts almost everyday as a protein source. Because of my allergy I found myself hesitant to pursue veganism, however, I had also frequently heard that subtracting animal products from your diet could potentially lessen the amount of allergies you have. I wanted to test this, and also hopefully conquer my seasonal allergies somewhat since  I developed anaphylaxis when exercising outside last summer. I became a vegan a month ago and I will be keeping track of my progress as I go. I will provide helpful information on why I believe veganism is a better way to live for someone with allergies but also for individuals without allergies. I would like to help others who access this blog by giving them ideas and tips on how to begin a healthy nutrient rich vegan diet.

Of course I’ve been talking a lot about being vegan with my family since I started this journey a month ago. It’s always on my mind so they reap the benefits of the knowledge spillover whether they like it or not. I also live with my boyfriend, who has yet to turn to veganism, but is eats many vegan meals because we live together. He claims, and I agree that it’s very hard to access healthy vegan options when you out of the house and in a rush.  The problem  for us living in the city especially we have a busy life style and when we do not have the time to make a meal, we a forced to grab something in a rush and it usually isn’t healthy. Animal products are unfortunately overused and I believe that dairy is extremely addictive and it is hard to eliminate from your diet.

The main problem that many people have when they first start out being vegan is finding appealing substitutes for what they are already eating rather than incorporating more fresh fruits and vegetables to satisfy your hunger and also your nutritional needs. In this modern age, it is very common for individuals to be overfed but undernourished because of the amount of processed, refined foods and sugar a person consumes daily.

The main concern many people have with the vegan diet is getting protein. I don’t quite understand why everyone is so concerned about attaining a sufficient amount of protein. Although animal products tend to be high in protein, I believe that the average American is actually endanger of consuming too much protein rather than not enough. Excess protein consumption can lead to an increase in insulin-like growth which leads to higher rates of breast and prostate cancer in the long run. A good way to figure out how much protein your body needs, multiply your weight in pounds by .37 and that will you the amount of protein in grams you should consume daily. With that said, there are many, more natural ways of consuming the appropriate amount of protein even on a vegan diet.