Why Did You Go Vegan?

Alicia

I went vegan for a combination of reasons. Article continues below

The first was that I got to a point where I couldn't call myself an animal lover and eat them. My whole family has always been animal rights activists, yet they all ate meat. Finally, I was talking to a vegetarian and I said that I was an animal lover too but not a vegetarian. The hypocrisy of that statement hit me head on and I made the decision to stop eating animals.

The second reason was that I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, which absolutely debilitated me. I have two very small children and I was so weak I couldn't stand up to brush my teeth. It was maddening, since I've always been a do-it-all kind of person. I developed allergies to everything, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, migraines with auras, and absolutely excrutiating neck pain that never stopped.

After doing some research, I kept reading that a vegan diet helped some CFS patients. While it's been a rough year and I've had set-backs, my health is vastly better than it was a year ago. I still deal with daily pain and migraines, but the IBS is completely gone and my energy is much higher.

I also knew that I couldn't go halfway and be a vegetarian but not a vegan. A few years ago I read an article about possible links between milk and cancer, osteoporosis and other disease in "Discovery" magazine. That led to a lot of research and I became convinced that my mother's overconsumption of milk hastened her death (of cancer and a brain tumor). I don't feel that dairy is healthy for humans and I don't think it's fair that cows have to be treated cruelly so we can steal their babies' milk either.

I've found that here in the "heartland" it's very hard to go out to eat or visit friends for dinner. I often am stuck with a microwaved potato and lettuce and tomato salad at restaurants, which is discouraging. I'm doing my best to educate my friends and family, though, and I occasionally convince my husband to make the two hour trek to the nearest big city with a Taco Bell so I can have some tasty vegan fast food. :)

Cooking for my family has become easier and easier as I've experimented with recipes and created all new menus. My kids love my vegan meals and my meat-loving husband usually is pretty satisfied. I would never go back. I'm proud of myself and the example I'm setting for my kids, and I no longer feel like a hypocrite.

Besides, this old mama body has never looked better!

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