Why Did You Go Vegan?

Jenny

I went vegan because it was the next step towards living a life in accordance with my ethical and spiritual beliefs. I had been primarily vegetarian from the age of twelve upon my exposure to the cruel and horrific ways in which my yummy food was obtained. I was shocked and disgusted so that made it easy to avoid meat, as did the support and help from my mom and brother who were also vegetarian.

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A few years later my brother went vegan to be in compliance with his beliefs that exploitation of any living thing is wrong. I was seventeen at the time and decided that I would go vegan too. However, I knew little about nutrition and food at that point and began feeling sick due to inadequate intake of nutrients. I went back to dairy for two more years before going vegan the right way. I didn't blame the vegan diet for my feeling ill, it was my fault for eating nothing but potato chips and tofutti!

Going vegan the second time around was a lot easier and healthier for me because I was dating a guy who did it with me. His brother and sister had been vegan for a while so it helped to have the support. Not to mention we all worked at our local health food store where our managers were long time vegans! I started learning about nutrition and herbs and the physical and spiritual benefits of adopting a well-balanced, holistic lifestyle.

And after being vegan for a little under two years my boyfriend and I were surpsised to find out that I was pregnant. I guess we shouldn't have been surprised with all the unprotected sex, but we really were. It was at this point that my commitment to veganism was put to the test and had it not been for the support of my brother I would have failed. I was of course concerned about eating for two and getting all of my nutrients so I decided that just for my pregnancy I would eat free range eggs. I ate three eggs scrambled and got icky sick. My brother was very upset and when I told him I was doing it for the minerals found in eggs he brought me home a bag a hiziki and wakamae. That was the end of my egg drama.

I went on to do an entirely vegan preganacy and birth a beautiful, healthy baby boy who weighed 6lbs. 5 oz and was 21 in. When he was seventeen months old and still nursing we planned our second child who was born on his due date at 7lbs. 3oz, 21in. I breastfed my oldest guy throughout my pregnancy and until my youngest guy was 3.5 months. It was rough tandem nursing but it's quite possible with a lot of patience and constant reminders that child led weaning is ideal. When my little one was two months old I began the Chef's Traing Program at New York's Natural Gourmet Cooking School and will graduate when he is exactly one year, two months and two days old. I will feel so proud as my two strong vegan warriors watch their mama graduate and go on to have a career dedicated to enlighten people to the karmic wonders of living harmlessly. It is my dream to convert the masses to the ways of veganism. I think it's possible by showing people that a lifestyle free of products made by slaughtered beings is totally attainable!

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