I have fallen off the blogging bandwagon almost completely. However, lately I've noticed how much I love to read others blogs, and how encouraged I am by the blogs that talk honestly about things that I'm interested in: food, weight loss, vocation, spirituality, art, design. The list could go on. So in the spirit of not wanting to only take and never give, I am returning to my blog; to give back to the blogosphere that which I have personally found enriching.
I've made a great deal of life changes recently, the biggest being that I've decided to become a vegan (for a month). Here's my story:
Flirting: After reading a couple of books and watching some films on the issue I made the decision to try it out for a month (September 10 - October 10). The decision is pretty much a result of two main factors: firstly, the meat/animal product industry at large (notwithstanding organic "happy" farms) is incredibly damaging to our earth and I simply don't want to be a part of what it's doing; rather, I simply
can't with a good conscience be a part of what it's doing to our planet. Secondly, though there are numerous theories about whether or not meat and other animal products are good for our health, there does seem to be more evidence that points to it being more damaging than healthy for our bodies. If I can get everything I need, nutritionally-speaking, from a plant-based diet then why wouldn't I? Especially if in doing so I am also doing my small part to make the environmental footprint of the meat industry smaller. It just makes sense.
The process: This has been quite the ride. The first week of giving up animal products was
the worst. Luckily, I was forewarned that the first week or two of becoming vegan can be full of some pretty nasty symptoms as your body is cleaning itself out of the crap that it's been fed for so long. In my case I was eating yogourt every day and at least some kind of animal protein every day (typically eggs and/or fish, but still...) So, I really didn't think the cleansing process would be that bad for me. I was wrong.
My physical problems were not terrible: some nausea, appetite loss, and a couple bouts of the big D. It was the emotional/mental journey that was the worst, it was the emotional/mental process
that I never, ever want to go through again! In my journal during that week are a lot of bad words, a lot of fighting with AJP, general and seething grumpiness, anxiety throughout the day and even worse at night, and this crazy mixture of boredom/restlessness that led me to drive everyone who lives in my house CRAZY. I went through about a week of this. I also had pretty much given up refined sugar and flour at the same time, which was something I had already long been going without, but never truly cut out of my life. This could have been a part of the crazy.
At present: I feel amazing. I have never felt so light and healthy and whole and full of energy in my entire life.
The final decision: Stay Tuned. I have no idea what I'll do after October 10th, I genuinely don't. Though the above provides me with resounding reason to keep on keeping on as a vegan, there are just so many things I love that are. not. vegan. The thought of never eating creme brulee again is just slightly overwhelming. The thought of never eating butter again makes me wonder about the point of being alive (if I can never enjoy bruschetta on a perfectly buttered and toasted baguette what's the point of living??!) so I just have to take it a day at a time. Today I can go without creme brulee. Today I can go without butter. And today I feel great. That's all I know. I also know I never want to go through that week from hell
ever again.
My biggest influences: Skinny Bitch (Rory Freedman & Kim Barnouin), The Kind Diet (Alicia Silverstone), Food INC.
Thoughts?
