I've decided I really need to start taking care of my body and restoring my temple back to its lovely energized and healthy self. In October of 2010, I saw an episode of Oprah Winfrey's Show where a large number of her staff members went vegan for 30 days. It was a very profound show for me at that time. I also saw Alicia Silverstone make an appearance and talk about her book called "The Kind Diet". I ordered the book off Amazon immediately after the show aired and I decided I was going to go vegan.
At that particular time I had a restricted red meat from my diet for almost 6 months. I limited my intake of pork and chicken to once a week and I had a diet primarily of fish, grains, and veggies. The transition to going vegan would not be too difficult. I also decided to reinforce my radical decision by watching a feature length film documentary called Food Inc. The documentary was actually featured on the show and its an inside look as to how farm animals are treated shortly before they are slaughtered.
I'll be honest, I chose to go vegan for selfish reasons and there was no humanitarian effort or cause behind it. I just simply wanted to be healthy. Well I did go vegan for 3 months. I never intended to make it a lifestyle, because to be honest, I love chicken and I cannot go without an occasional trip to a sushi restaurant. However, I thought making the effort will at least be worth it.
The following changes happened in my body when I went vegan for 3 months:
-My fingernails were clearer and the enamel was harder
- My energy level spiked
-My skin cleared up dramatically (and I've had a long struggle with acne most of my life)
-I was regular (nuff said)
-My heartburn disappeared
-My chronic stomachaches and headaches disappeared
-Lost 15 lbs with very little exercise
I also did a body test from before I went vegan and after and my blood pressure and cholesterol levels dropped.
When I stopped I went crazy and started eating like a mad woman. McDonalds and I became best friends. I didn't get sick or anything with the sudden meat in-take, but I started feeling the symptoms I used to feel whenever I ate greasy processed foods.
What is very discouraging for me as someone who flirts with the idea of being a vegan is the fact that the lifestyle isn't exactly cheap. Also almost everything that sits on a grocery shelf has animal fats in it. Even Jell-O has animal product in it. The price of a stick of Earth Balance butter (vegan) compared to Land O' Lakes butter (dairy) is almost $2.00 more! The same goes for Veganaise compared to that of regular Mayonnaise. It's difficult being vegan on a budget. If there is a way to pull it off---someone let me know, because I still haven't figured it out.
In the Spring of this year, Whole Foods is coming into my neighborhood and that may change things. I absolutely love Whole Foods and even though its not exactly a cheap grocery either---I still feel it would be less expensive there than going to a specialty health food store to get my vegan treats. I'm going to start flirting with the idea again. I haven't crossed that bridge yet again, but I surely do miss the perks that came from the results of healthy eating.
