Good Lifestyle

I have always been an animal lover. In fact, growing up, I had a few different dream jobs (all animals) become a zookeper, trainer of dolphins or Jane Goodall so I could spend my days hanging with monkeys.

The sad part is that it does not hit me until much later how this was contradictory to my diet: I wanted nothing more than to keep living creatures and do not would hurt a fly (or a bee), but I was eating meat, dairy and eggs almost every meal. When the realization finally where these burgers and wings are those cows and chickens sweet and innocent, it changesall.

How my vegan journey began

I will never forget when I watched my firstdocumentary how farm animals are raised. From the time these animals were born in the meat industry and dairies until they reach the slaughterhouse, I saw how the lives of farm animals is totally awful.

Honestly, I had not thought much about where the food I ate was partly because I grew up in Iowa and animal products are a staple and partly because the American diet highly processed and American (I like to think is abbreviated as "sad" for a reason) is so disconnected from our food supply. You grow up thinking your cheeseburger as cheeseburger, not part of a cow.

The moment I pressed this video, I completely lost. After seeing the reality of what I was eating, change my habits was not even a decision to take into account. I never ate another bite of meat, and in the coming months, I continued to become more and more curious about other parts of my diet.

I'll be honest: at first I did not want to know where things like milk, cheese and eggs really come; I was afraid of the truth. But after the farm visited sanctuaries in my area and doing my own research, it became clear that the egg industry and dairies was just as bad, if not worse, than the meat industry.

No wonder there are laws preventing people from secretly filming the daily abuse that goes down in factory farms or slaughterhouses - if people knew the truth about how their food gets to their plates, they would not want to eat.

At shrines I saw chickens missing very sensitive ends of their beaks because of a painful painful process (something both poultry farmers and egg), baby cows that were separated from their mothers in the dairy farms and were sold for Veal and pigs that were rescued after being thrown into a dumpster and left for dead, all because they were not considered profitable. Knowing this - and much worse - happens to animals every day always makes me fall down and cry, and that's why I could not be vegetarian. I had to dive in all the way.

Navigating my new diet - at home and beyond

Now I will not lie: determining an entirely new regime was really hard for me at first, especially as someone who is not a big fan of vegetables - and it took me a long time to learn to become ahealthy Vegan, not just one whose diet was composed of 90% carbohydrates.

Going out to eat was a challenge at first. The restaurants appear vegans everywhere, but many restaurants still have no viable option as salads, without most of the toppings. The best thing I've learned is to plan ahead. If I do not know what I can eat at a particular location, I always call the restaurant before so I know what my options are and whether there aresubstitution I can do. Then I never feel out of place.

Veganism is not only affecting your eating, but it affectsallaspects of your life. I have never bought anything that uses leather, fur, silk, wool or any other material derived from animals. Sometimes it's easy, but other times, it's frustrating: I can not even count the number of times that a product otherwise vegan uses atiny Few leather, whether it is a logo patch or a zipper.

There are also beauty products and items that you use around the house to consider, and over the years, the things that have exhausted them, I replaced them with non-cruel options so as not to be wasted. This can be a process - it does not have to be a change you do during the night.

Getting vegan played a role in my career too. As an independent welfare writer (Nope, the dolphin coach was not panicked!), I cover a wide range of topics and many of my stories concern food. Previously, my job was simple: I took pretty much everything I've been awarded. Now, I can not even count the number of stories and money money - I refused because they do not say more with my beliefs. Have to say to someone "no" still feels annoying sometimes; You do not want to drop people or give them a reason not to work with you. But speaking for yourself (and animals!) Is so important and so far, all my publishers have been great understandings.

My life has changed, as well as others

My friends and friends were really favorable, although I was probably alittle Inordant, because I learned first, tracing facts in the hope of convincing them to change track and see the world how I saw it.

You may have treated a vegan that could be a small "preaching", but I hope you can put yourself in its place: it's hardnot Share what you know when it's so important for you that you have changed all your life because of that.

Finally, however, you calm down and let the curious come to you - and now, many people in my life have been cut or cut mainly on their consumption of animal products. (Except that my father, who I came to accept could never give up his steak. The crossed fingers!)

Also Ringard that it sounds (no word game), go vegan was a decision that really helped me feel like I'm finally to whom I am supposed to be. It made me even more kind, attentive and love, it'smade me a lot healthier, and it gives me so much confidence.

Of course, sometimes you feel like the oddball when meeting meets when you can not eat anything, but the Veggie tray, but you come home and refresh your favorite.Malbuffle vegetationAnd everything is good in the world again.