Why Going Vegan Saved My Life
Why & How I went vegan/ plant-based, Why I stayed that way, The benefits of veganism and how to best reap them.
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The most predictable title ever, I know. Is it unnecessarily dramatic? I dont know… but I do know that its 100% true for me.
Before going vegan
I was vegetarian ☘️ since birth, true story. Also I come from a community that generally abhors meat and alcohol (as the public narrative) so that upbringing did influence my choices a lot.
However I was HEAVY on dairy 🥛,Dairy centered dishes, baked goods 🎂 and eggs 🥚 played a central role in my diet. I knew about veganism but I didnt think i could give up cheese (I still haven’t 😶 so I was right).
I was also (and maybe still am🤨) that holier-than-thou vegetarian 😇 who thought they already saved the world 🌎 with their choice to be vegetarian and joining PETA.
How it happened
It wasn’t animal documentaries 🐄 and no I didn’t become “vegan overnight” 🌃 , In fact I have watched 0 animal documentaries till date because I might lose faith in humanity. The animal slaughter industry is a travesty, I have never understood its existence.
But this is how it did happen : I began to volunteer and do web development for 350nyc.org in 2018 , The NYC branch for 350.org.
They talked a lot about drawdown and it highlighted top solutions to pursue in order to reverse global warming . One of them was to eat more plant - based 🌿 or go fully plant based. I wanted to take the next step and I put that in my list of things to try. I went to our local store 🏪 (the one store that carried proper healthy food) and brought soy milk.
I remember being quite scared at first 😅 because I was almost trying to avoid learning and going through the changes that this new lifestyle would bring and I am not talking physical. ❤
My fear finally died down when I found vegan cheese🧀 by Daiya foods and I turned the packet and I saw 0g trans and saturated fat in its label & from then on I knew it was destiny 💖
How it saved my life
I remember falling off the wagon🚃 a lot (I still do, who are we kidding 😅) . Eating out as a vegetarian is restrictive enough in the states 🇺🇸 to begin with, So being vegan and eating out is like living on food which is not as hearty at all in most places 🥗, Good news is that the market place is changing and so is the perception about plant - based food.
What I learnt and I am almost mad admitting it 😤, I learnt empathy for people who dont share your dietary preference, I learnt that everyone is trying to do their best, from what they learnt and what they can access or think they can access. I also learnt that its quite hard to make a lifestyle change, in fact your preferences in food 🍳 might not really change, for example I was a dairy 🧈queen before and I still am, the dairy is now plant based🌽 that’s all.
Here is why it saved my life: When I first came to the US, I used to eat out a lot because I was free to eat as much fast food 🍔 as I wanted for the first time.
Because nothing was planned , I went hungry 😬 many days and then had a big meal at the end of the day which was food ordered from outside 🛎️ or home-cooked food piled with cheese 🧀, I knew I needed wholesome home cooked food more but boy did I go crazy for a while with the late night taco bell🔔 and the 99 cent pizzas 🍕 and quite honestly saw quite a drop in my physical capability and self esteem.
The first change I noticed after giving up dairy completely was that my brain 🧠 and body 🙎 were working at a level I hadn’t experienced in my entire life. I had become more level headed and much better at making decisions. As I stuck with it, I felt much more in tune 🎵 and at peace 😌 with myself. After I became more plant based 🌱 & giving up traditional dairy 🍼, I got a nutribullet and that allowed me to have a proper breakfast for the 1st time living away from my mom 💗.
For the first time in my life I felt physically resilient & vital, I experienced what mental harmony really feels like. I was well taken care of through me and that saved my life.
How I stayed plant-based 🥦
The way I was able to stay plant-based is I forgave myself 🧎, for falling off the wagon 🛒 over and over again and not giving up. I learnt to meal-prep 🍲 , It was the only way I was going to make sure I came home 🏠 to wholesome food and eat properly to then function properly, that little life hack has helped me keep my my newfound physical vitality.🌻
I had to move A LOT in 2019 🚛, move to a locality that didn’t have vegan cheese or alternatives in the local store (I try and buy from local shops to save 💰) and shortly after we were hit by the COVID19 pandemic 😷, I then learnt to depend on whole foods 🌾 more than processed foods 🥨 to satiate my need for flavor and nutrition.
I might have gone plant based to “Save The Earth” but it ended up saving me.
Biggest benefits of being plant based that I experienced:
Sustained Mental & Physical resilience.
MUCH More energy .⚡
Clearer and much better skin .
Healthier gut .😄
Peace and awareness with your body .
Being able to eat healthy, with meals made ahead of time. 🍱
Have a nourishing breakfast regularly .
Easy way to reap the same benefits without having to completely make a switch ☘️
Try and do a dairy cleanse for 10 days, If you are vegetarian I couldn’t recommend it more.
Try and eat a raw 🥕, lighter breakfast if possible
Eating more plant based in general but I certainly recommend doing less gluten and animal products during dinner or later in the day.🥗
Resources
In the beginning I watched normal cooking videos on tasty , I then made a mental note 📝 of what to substitute when they showed meat and dairy 🐄 but essentially make a similar recipe.
Now I look at more Plant based content that’s less dependent on processed foods 🧈
My favorite resources
Pick Up Limes
Avante Garde Vegan
Cheap Lazy Vegan
Rainbow Plant Life
Sophia Esparanza
Goodful
Tabitha Brown
NikkiVegan
Radhi Devlukia on Instagram
MinimalistBaker.com
What I hope you get out of this post 💖
I hope you find physical & mental harmony / vitality in any way you choose and I hope that this post helps you in thinking about how you can do that.🧘 This newsletter/substack website is a result of me learning to feed myself and properly nourish my body,
Or i as I like to say God feeding me inspirational food and loving on me 🧎. No matter how many times I fall down or give in to the fast food industry marketing 🌭, He picks me back up, makes sure I am well fed and helps me do better in life 🍎 . I hope to bring those blessings to you as well.
Being able to nourish myself and now all helping you all do the same for yourselves, who are reading is truly an honor of my lifetime 💞