Guest Post: Why I Chose To Go Vegan
Hello CNC readers! My name is Sarah and my blog is “Sarah Is Healthy“. Tina’s blog is the very FIRST fitness/health/balance/life blog I ever started reading. From hers I found several others. And from there, I decided to start my own blog because what can I say, I love food! I am newly vegan, as of December 2008.
I chose to go vegan for a number of reasons. My friend had been vegan for a while and she went on and on about how great it was, her acne cleared up, etc etc. I was skeptical but I decided to educate myself. I first read the Skinny Bitch book…which is entertaining and has definite shock value. It wasn’t scientificly based enough to justify me going vegan on a whim like that. I found Food Revolution by John Robbins (heir to Baskin Robbins empire) and China Study by T. Colin Campbell and read those. Now THERE was the information I was looking for. If I went vegan, I decided that it would be strictly for health reasons, that I would still consume honey, and I wouldn’t be super strict. Thus making me flexitarian I suppose. I eat fish occasionally…and I’m sure theres other things I eat that are not completely vegan…but the goal was to fix my health issue and not become obsessed about the veganism. The next book I read was by Dr. McDougall called “Digestive Tune-up”. This book is really what solidified my decision to try veganism.
I’ve been plagued with digestive “issues” since I was a child. I’ve been plagued with “mysterious” stomach pain (not cramps) which occur at random. All my issues as a kid were undiagnosed and chalked up to chronic constipation or slow moving bowels. I also have historically high cholesterol levels. Going mostly vegan has been the best decision I ever made. I have NO more stomach pain and I’m more regular than ever. And according to my recent cholesterol test, I’m at the lowest level EVER. Do I miss dairy? OF COURSE! Do I stay strictly vegan on vacations and special events – no, but if I indulge, its only a bite to taste certain things – I love good food aferall! Mostly, whats most important is try to stay away from as much dairy as I can. My husband tries to be supportive. He cracks jokes and snide comments but deep down he knows I need to be vegan for my health and obviously its the only way to keep my cholesterol low too. That being said, he LOOOOVES everything I make. He’s not a huge fan of tofu, which is fine because I’m trying to cut it out (the debates still out on soy).
Veganism maybe cholesterol free, but you can be a fat vegan. There are tons of delicious vegan baked goods and junk food and fake meats which are enough to wreck anybodys diet. I personally try to avoid soy, fake meats/cheeses, and processed foods – its a journey right?! If you’re thinking about veganism, give it 30 days and try it! Focus on whole, natural foods first and foremost. Don’t forget to read the labels – have you ever checked out the ingredient list for a SmartDog or vegan cheese? NASTY!!! I’d rather eat lots of fresh wholesome foods than that junk. Come visit my blog for other ideas on what I eat daily, as well as my current weight loss journey and my trainining progress for my upcoming 10 miler!
Posted by: Tina 18 comments
Posted in: Uncategorized, guest blogger
on Mar 26th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
Glad you’ve experienced health benefits and come to a place where you can be flexible! My skin is definitely better since I adopted a vegan diet
on Mar 26th, 2009 at 2:50 pm
Great insight!
on Mar 26th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
Great guest post! Interesting about all of the health benefits you experienced! I will check out your blog now!
on Mar 26th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
What a great guest post! Thank you for sharing that information with us! I will definitely be by your blog to visit
on Mar 26th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Very interesting post. I’d love to talk to Sarah some more about her GI problems, think I will contact her later!
on Mar 26th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Thanks for posting this! It’s interesting to hear about people going vegan for health vs. ethical/environmental issues. I too feel better when I eat less meat, but BF is a decided carnivore and I really enjoy sharing meals with him. I compromise by trying to eat meat-free meals when I’m on my own for dinner, for lunches, etc.
on Mar 26th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
I’m going to go check out those books right now! Thanks for the tips.
on Mar 26th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
I definitely would describe yourself as flexitarian rather than vegan. Maybe a flexitarian who gravitates toward vegan choices, but it’s misleading to say “I went vegan” when you still eat fish.
on Mar 26th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
Great Guest Post! I definitely agree that you can be a fat vegan and junk foods abound!! For me its more about eating a healthy, balanced diet that does not include animal products and their negative attributes, without being militant about it.
on Mar 26th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
I like that you’re not being super-strict or hard on yourself. It’s nice to do what is important to you and what you feel good about!
on Mar 26th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
Fabulous guest post!!
on Mar 26th, 2009 at 5:55 pm
I could never give up dairy. Never.
on Mar 26th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
I am struggling with stomach issues right now, just saw a GI specialist, still no answers yet. Maybe this is a problem? Thanks for posting this. I will have to check out your blog for more info!
on Mar 26th, 2009 at 6:54 pm
Great post! I love to hear about what motivated people to choose certain lifestyles! I am glad to hear veganism is working for you. I am not vegan or even vegetarian, but I am trying to make baby steps in that direction and make small changes to eliminate some animal products from my diet. I really admire those, like yourself, who are so committed to this lifestyle, as I am sure it takes a lot of planning to live that way. Good for you girl!
on Mar 26th, 2009 at 8:06 pm
That could be MY story! After years of suffering weird stomach cramps and then starting to have bathroom issues (not going for 7 days?!? Yeah, it’s as bad as it sounds) the doctors had no idea what was wrong with me.
I went vegan to see if it would help anything, and ALL my problems went away! Best decision I ever made by far. I wonder if we have the same “disorder”?
Congrats to you for taking your health into your own hands!
on Mar 26th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
I don’t want to sound rude or judgmental, but I do agree that, well, vegans don’t eat fish. I think your choices are admirable and that there’s nothing wrong with NOT being vegan, but it really fosters confusion about veganism to be misusing the word. So many people give me a hard time about being vegan (and talk about their vegetarian sister who eats beef and vegan friend who eats cheese sometimes), and I feel like I’m constantly trying to clarify what a vegan is (and, true enough, explain that NOT all vegans have a single position or share a brain), that I do get a little bit protective of the word.
I don’t want to cause Tina’s journal to be inundated with hundreds of, “Oh, for god’s sake, it’s just a WORD!” or, “Who CARES?” but I did just want to voice agreement.
But I admit it — I do get annoyed when “vegetarians” say they eat fish or chicken.
on Mar 26th, 2009 at 11:57 pm
well said Not Vegan 2. I also applaud Sarah for her food choices — it takes a strong person to not eat like the masses no matter what the reason — but the word vegan really does mean not using animal products in any way (including not just fish and honey, but wool, leather, gelatin, isinglass, cochineal, etc.). Calling a diet with animal products “vegan” throws up a wall that makes it harder (for those of us who dispute the semantics) to appreciate the super healthy food choices for what they are.
on Mar 27th, 2009 at 8:33 am
Not Vegans: I appreciate your comments and respect them. i totally understand that its confusing, my friend called herself vegetarian but i would see her chow down on a kielbasa. nowadays i think its less and less confusing and its easier to say I’m vegan when in a restaurant than to say, oh, I don’t eat dairy, but I’m cool with shrimp or salmon but no other fishes, and i’m ok with my rice being cooked in chicken stock, etc.
I suppose I am technically flexitarian, but for the general masses, I’m vegan, because most can’t imagine not eating chicken or meat or dairy.
thanks for the kind words everybody!!!