Just to be clear, I will never try to force my opinions or understanding of the scientific literature regarding a whole food, plant-based diet on anyone. Instead, I will always share my truth.
I became vegan primarily for health reasons (almost 2 years ago as my cholesterol levels were creeping up - it's since gone down 40 points). After seeing several documentaries during my year-long study at Institute for Integrative Nutrition, I realized that my food choices had a much larger impact on both animal welfare and the health of the planet. As a result, I began to really care about those issues.
I am always careful not to be too enthusiastic about being on a plant-based diet around others; people naturally feel challenged (or do they feel judged?) by any choice that's different from theirs, simply because it raises questions that they may be unwilling to consider at this point in their lives. Each time I recommended watching documentaries like "Peaceable Kingdom" (which truly touched my heart), "Food Inc.," Earthlings," or any film that educates us where our food comes from, the typical response is "I don't want to watch something like that. I enjoy eating meat." I leave the conversation there and move on to the next. People need to be ready to change their lives by changing their diets. It was the same with me.
However, looking at the "long view," I love where vegan-ism is today. I love that I can go into almost any restaurant and get a delicious plant-based meal and that I don't have to spend an hour explaining it. We've come a long way. But there is still further to go. One Day At A Time.
I became vegan primarily for health reasons (almost 2 years ago as my cholesterol levels were creeping up - it's since gone down 40 points). After seeing several documentaries during my year-long study at Institute for Integrative Nutrition, I realized that my food choices had a much larger impact on both animal welfare and the health of the planet. As a result, I began to really care about those issues.
I am always careful not to be too enthusiastic about being on a plant-based diet around others; people naturally feel challenged (or do they feel judged?) by any choice that's different from theirs, simply because it raises questions that they may be unwilling to consider at this point in their lives. Each time I recommended watching documentaries like "Peaceable Kingdom" (which truly touched my heart), "Food Inc.," Earthlings," or any film that educates us where our food comes from, the typical response is "I don't want to watch something like that. I enjoy eating meat." I leave the conversation there and move on to the next. People need to be ready to change their lives by changing their diets. It was the same with me.
However, looking at the "long view," I love where vegan-ism is today. I love that I can go into almost any restaurant and get a delicious plant-based meal and that I don't have to spend an hour explaining it. We've come a long way. But there is still further to go. One Day At A Time.
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