Eating plant-based: 3 months milestone

Going vegan was a long process for me. It started last year when I followed a course in Ethics. One of my classmates chose to write a paper about the way animals are treated, from the moment they are born till death, when they become food for humans. I was moved when I listened to her presentation, seeing gruesome pictures and appalling facts about the inhumane treatment undergone by animals.

Therefore, immediately after that, I decided to become a vegetarian. It felt good to know that there is no need for an animal to suffer in order to become “food” for me. On the other hand, I was still eating every now and then salmon. I thought then that I will never be able to live without tasting that amazing fish.

But 4 months ago I came across What the Health on Netflix. I did not know what to expect, so I decided to watch it. I was more than intrigued by all the arguments presented by the authors of the documentary. The decision to eliminate all animal products from my diet was taken abruptly. I did not want to have the feeling that I am killing my body step-by-step and that I am supporting the exploitation of animals for their milk, eggs etc.

This step of turning plant-based was harder than becoming vegetarian. In the case of the latter, I always had the cheese that could ornate my slices of bread, together with my favourite spread cheese, Philadelphia, or boiled eggs. Not being able to eat them anymore made me realise that I needed to come up with something else. As a result of my search, I found out that I love eating hummus. I had never eaten it before. And because I had taken the decision to not eat processed food anymore, I have started to make my own hummus. That proved to be a very nice activity. I have discovered that I find a lot of pleasure in combining tastes, colours, textures. I started eating more green veggies, vegetables, legumes and lots and lots of fruits.

With some things I needed more time to get used to. For example, sweet potatoes were one of those new discoveries that needed more time before I could finally say: “hmm, lekker“! However, I became totally enamoured with Kalamata olives. I cannot explain why but they taste absolutely delicious. I do not miss the sugary products anymore, nor do I crave food baked in oil. I now cook my veggies with a method called “water frying”.

I get inspiration from Youtube vloggers. There are tons of people in that community that freely share their ideas and creativity. I feel encouraged by their motivation and their love for eating healthy. That also helps me against the strange looks I get when I say that I eat plant-based. Even if, I am used to being different (because of being a practising Christian, minimalist), adding another aspect on that list, namely, vegan, seems sometimes too much. There are moments when I feel that I have nothing in common with the people around me. Those are really difficult times. However, I am still learning how to stand my ground, bear my creeds with confidence and pride, and how to respect others for their different opinions.

How do I feel after three months without any sort of meat, dairy products, eggs etc.? I have more energy, I had lost 6 kg, and I am happier. The latter is harder to quantify and more diificult to pinpoint its origin. I tend to believe that it is generated by the conscious decision not to harm other creatures for my well-being. I am still excited to try out other recipes, new fruits and vegetables and to explore more vegan restaurants.

I hope I will never come back to what I used to eat and that my lifestyle will continue to generate positive outcomes for myself, nature and the people around me.