Decision

So I decided to make the long arduous journey of becoming a vegan yesterday. The decision was not made lightly and I didn't have a sudden revaluation after gaining information about eating eat, but was a culmination of lots of info ration from different sources and my own internal battle. It'll be a challenge but is a decision that will not only improve my health but most importantly, to me, be a cruelty-free lifestyle.

The journey really began five years ago when I got my dog. I know you're thinking that that seems strange but when I got my dog I became an anxious parent. It was my first pet and I didn't know the first thing about really caring for a dog. So I loaded myself with information about dog training and was exposed to the knowledge that most big name brand dog foods aren't all that great. Anyway, along the way I stumbled upon an article on animal testing done of animals including dogs. After that I couldn't stop looking for information on animal testing on everyday products. Since then, I started exchanging the products I used for cruelty-free ones and have successfully made the transition as of two years ago. I know it took forever but it took a lot of research and trial and error from my part.

I also learned about the treatment of animals raised for meat since then but tricked myself into believing that it was okay to eat meat because humans 'need' meat to live a healthy life. In the back of my mind I knew the truth that there are alternative ways of getting the same nutrients from other foods but I pushed back the thought. It wasn't until three months ago that the I could no longer ignore these facts when I started taking a class on the evolution of the human diet. In this class we read not only about how humans evolved to eat meat but also about todays food industry and the fact that it is no longer necessary for us to eat meat since we have healthy alternatives all year round. Furthermore, I learned about the horrors of animals raised for meat and slaughterhouses and the environmental impacts this industry has.

It became too much to handle. Every time I looked at meat or read the label of a something and saw it had animal by-products I felt a pain in my chest and the stirring of an internal battle I had ignored for years. So now I am trying to change the way I eat and look at food to feel healthier and really also to not feel guilty about my meals. Like I said before, it'll be a hard journey since I'm trying to erasing 21 years of meat-eating habits. I might have slip ups and I might get overwhelmed with the continuing intake of information, criticism from family and friends, and trying to find budget friendly vegan foods.

I'm going to share the sources that: led me to this decision, gave me information on how to make the transition, the new foods and recipes I'll be trying, and the triumphs and woes of my journey to becoming a vegan. Hope you can tag along for the ride ;)