5 Reasons Why Not to Go Vegan

For some people a trend, for others a lifestyle. It’s nearly impossible to avoid listening about veganism nowadays: from your Instagram feed to the new vegan restaurant down the street. Even though there’s been a 600% increase in people identifying as vegans in the U.S in the last three years, some people continue to be somehow skeptical about removing all animal products from their diets.

I went vegan for the first time in 2015 for about six months. Due to lack of time, I switched to pescatarian since it was more “convenient” (being an almost full time working college student barely leaves you any time for the kitchen, you must agree). After attending a class at school a year and a half after about environmental issues, I decided to give it another shot. This is what I can say about veganism:

Energy

I miss the days I could barely feel awake without my “morning coffee” (followed by a second cup after lunch and the third one around 5PM to get me ready for class). Now that I was vegan I was awake and aware from 6AM until 10PM without any energy boosters. (Who else can’t function without coffee). No coffee breaks with my coworkers, no more complaining about being sleepy, no feeling tired after digesting all that meat I used to consume.

Environmentally Friendly

All I was eating was fruits and vegetables from the closest farmers market. That made me not contribute to the 51 percent of greenhouse emissions worldwide annually, caused by livestock and their by-products. (Who cares about the increasing rate of damage in the ozone layer and the weather getting a couple degrees hotter, right?) On top of that, I wasn’t a contributor to the mistreatment of animals! I always knew I loved my pets but I didn’t know I could feel something about the cows, chickens, porks, etc. Weird. One more negative point was that I was using less packaging which means less plastic. I only needed my reusable bags every Saturday morning.

Health Problems

Since I had no chemicals and preservatives present in processed foods and antibiotics/hormones presented in meat, I was less prompt to have high blood pressure, the risk of heart disease, cancer, obesity. (Seriously, not even a cold!) Also, since I had this crazy amount of energy, I was hitting the gym more often. I also felt a clearer, faster mind. The vegan life made me not only care about what I was putting into my body but also the way I was treating it physically and mentally. I learned about meditation, yoga, I even got a journal. I was definitely not the same person!

Physical Appearance

Plant foods are rich in Vitamin A, vitamin C, antioxidants, vitamin E, and chlorophyll. Therefore, I saw an almost immediate change: I lost weight, my hair was shinier, my nails were stronger, acne-free skin and natural colors all over me. I thought it was all in my head, but people did notice! I was “annoyed” with all the compliments and people asking me about my secrets. I wasn’t being part of women that on average spend up to $300,000 in a lifetime in makeup (without counting the hair products, face cleansers and emergency visits to the nails salon due to broken nails).

Lack of Information

Reading about nutrition opened a new world for me. Nutrition not only motivated me to learn about calories but also informed me about fair trade practices. Fair trade directed me to fashion companies that made me look into my financial choices, the waste I was producing, etc. OVERWHELMING! Was I ready to change my lifestyle? I didn't think so. I was embarrassed by the changes I was making and friends and family questioning my new preferences.

But PLEASE do yourself a favor and do not go vegan if you enjoy energy boosters, spending unnecessary amounts of money, and believe global warming is a lie.

Otherwise, if this made you slightly curious, give it a chance and try it for a week (maybe two). You have nothing to lose :) you might even get surprised. Remember you don’t have to go vegan since day one. Removing one thing at a time from your diet will get you to the goal. Also, please make your research regarding what will you substitute the meat with. Here you can find videos about the food industry that might help!