Cont’d From PT. 1
Part 2
As the hours went on and found out more and more about the atrocities that were going on in the slaughterhouses that were supplying the food I ate every day, I knew that something had to change.
Not only was I being exposed to the honest horrors of slaughtering animals for meat (as well as the horrors of the dairy and egg industries) but I was also being exposed the horrid and disease ridden conditions that our meat was being processed in. Everywhere, there images of diseased-ridden cows with giant, maggot-laden rotting abscesses on their heads and legs. There were pigs that were so diseased and genetically modified that they could no longer support their body weight and were spending their short, miserable lives lying in their own filth (which is HIGHLY toxic to humans…ie urea). I was absolutely disgusted with what I saw.
But more than anything else, I was in pain.
Seeing those animals suffer unimaginable cruelties was a dagger in my heart.
I had just gone through what I, at the time, imagined to be the worst pain I had ever experienced in my life. I had been pushed to a point in my life when I no longer wanted to live. I was in such a dark place that daily I would pray for death and dream of it of constantly. The pain in my heart was so real, so tangible and so raw, that I felt it physically, and just wanted it to end.
Knowing that kind of pain opened my eyes to the pain of these animals in such a way that I do not think that I could possibly explain. I’m sure that there’s some fancy, elaborate and touching quote about empathising when you are also in pain, but I don’t know it. All I knew at this point was that there were other living, sentient beings out there that were experiencing a pain so much worse than the one that I was experiencing. Not only were they suffering but they were completely defenseless. These were creatures that had no one to protect them, no one to stick up for them, no one to fight for them.
Suddenly, my pain seemed so small. How could I wallow in heartbreak when this was happening in the world? How could I feel so sorry for myself when these, essentially babies, were being slaughtered by the billions in the most unimaginable cruelty?
From there I began to research like a madwoman. I was absolutely flabbergasted by what I found. Not only was the slaughter of animals absolutely abominable, but the consumption of meat is, to many, a massive health risk.
The animals that we consume are pumped full of hormones and genetically modified feed that is specifically designed to grow the animals at a dangerous and alarming rate. These hormones and chemicals are also closely linked to the recent rise of cancer, autism, heart disease and many other health problems like diabetes. Many of our bodies are not meant to break down meat, so our digestive systems struggle, leading to lower metabolisms (therefore obesity) as well as digestive problems such as IBS and stomach cancer. Animal meat is also chocked full of cholesterol, which, as we all hopefully know, is the number one cause of heart disease.
The meat industry is also one of, if not the, biggest contributor to global warming. The methane emissions from factory farming of animals is greater than the total carbon output of every single motor vehicle on the entire planet. The gases emitted by the animals, as well as the carbon outputs from the vehicles used to transport the livestock was having an even bigger effect on the planet than anything else they were trying to scare us with on tv. It was all starting to make sense.
Becoming Vegan
I began to research just how to go about being vegan then and there. I looked first through a lot of websites like PETA, but was a bit put off by some of their crazier antics and misuse of information. I turned to blogs and articles by people that had gone vegan themselves, and discovered that the most successful process for me would probably be what I now call “The 3 Week Fade Out”.
This process called for the gradual exclusion of meat from the diet, starting with red meat and finally excluding “lighter” meats like chicken and fish at the end. It also included a slow exclusion of things like cheese and eggs. I lived in a very traditional southern family, so we had a diet that was very “meat and potatoes”. I had never eaten a meal in my entire life that had not had some type of meat in it, and at that point in time there were only 3-4 vegetables I would even consider eating (all covered in cheese, salt, cooked to soggyness, etc).
WEEK 1
The first week called for the exclusion of red meat from the diet. This was namely beef burgers and steaks. It did not, however, call for you “veganise” all those meals that would normally include red meat. Instead, it asked for you to replace that meat with a “lighter” meat like chicken or fish. This wasn’t going to be the biggest problem for me, as I had always been more of a chicken eater, but I still wasn’t relishing the idea of dealing with the family and coordination of meals around this new-found conscience exclusion.
The first week went relatively uneventful. I spent this time not worrying so much about modifying my diet, but learning more about what it meant to be vegan. I gathered a huge collection of research about what I could and couldn’t eat, what secret animal products were hidden in foods like as preservatives, gelatins and proteins, and what other products (like beauty supplies) needed to be excluded based on my new found conscience. I began to plan my life as a vegan, researching recipes that looked like they would be tasty, and acquainting myself with the new world of tasty veggies and seasonings that would now be my “bread and butter”.
WEEK 2
This was a much harder week for me. The second week called for the exclusion of all beef AND pork products, as well as cheese and dairy.
While I had never been a big milk drinker, I did love cheese. Also, being Southern, I was a massive fan of pork – especially pork BBQ. This week also asked that you not “replace” any meal that you would normally eat those items with, but rather find a vegan substitute, making the entire meal vegan. You could still eat chicken or fish if it was a part of a planned meal, but other than that you were required to veganise everything you ate. This was also the point when you were to start going through your closet and cupboards, ditching all your non-vegan attire and cosmetics, replacing them slowly with cruelty free products instead.
I made it through this week by finding products that were similar to the meat that I was craving. I was lucky enough (or unlucky?) to be living in Florida at the time, so finding “fake meat” was a relatively easy feat. Any time I began to crave pork or cheese, I simply ran to my nearest Publix Supermarket and found a substitute. By the end of the week I had sussed out my favourites and had come up with a wide selection of items that could replace the items I was missing, including rice cream, soy cheese, veganaise (AMAZING), tempeh back and even veggie sandwich meat.
This was also the stage that my body started to panic a bit, craving sweets and ice creams. My body was no longer getting the preservatives that it was used to, and it was craving its fix of all those addictive hormones and additives that it had received every day. Getting on a vegan multivitamin helped edge some of those craving and swings, and so did making sure I had plenty of well balanced meals full of products that were close substitutes to the foods that I was missing (I think my body was tricked by the similar tastes, thinking it was indeed getting the same food with the same additives).
It was also during this second week that I started to notice a significant spike in my energy levels. I had never been an early riser, but I suddenly found myself walking up naturally at 5 am, going for runs and getting things done around the house before other people had even had the chance to wake up. My skin was also much clearer, and I wasn’t feeling nearly as depressed as before. It was during this second week that I genuinely became sold on the benefits of a vegan lifestyle.
WEEK 3
And then week 3 happened.
This was it. The final week.
During the third week you cut all ties with your former carnivorous (or omnivorous) lifestyle and become a full blown vegan. This was the week that said goodbye to chicken, fish and eggs, which was the following of beef, pork, cheese & other dairy.
After coming up on the “This is so easy!” high of the week previously, this week was an absolute shock to the system. When I was suddenly hit with a wave of cravings so strong that I didn’t think I would make it through the week.
Along with cravings, I realised that I was suddenly hungry constantly. I have never been a huge eater, preferring to graze throughout the day on small snacks, or just having one full meal a day. This sudden, ravenous hunger was completely new to me and, to be honest, was a little terrifying.
The thing I like to compare it to is when you see a new vampire made in shows like The Vampire Diaries or Interview With a Vampire. I was ravenous and found myself suddenly eating throughout the day.
Although I haven’t actually officially researched this, I think I realised the pretty simple answer. My body was so used to being pumped full of dense, heavy artificial foods. Now, it was receiving fresh fruit and veg from local farmer’s markets, and instead of breaking down heavy, hard to digest muscle and flesh, it was burning through light and nutritional plants. Knowing that the food I was eating was so healthy for me, I fed these cravings, as I believe in listening to your body, and if it’s hungry, there’s a reason.
I also starting craving all the food that I had left behind. Suddenly I wanted cheese burgers and pulled pork every day! I was in the last week, and my goal was in sight, but all I wanted to do was to go back to that horrendous “Hamburger Helper” life. I started researching all kinds of recipes, and looking for something, anything, that would numb these cravings for the things that I knew were so bad for me.
And I found it.
Fruit.
Any kind of fruit.
I stocked up on an array of naturally dried fruit chips and fresh fruit from the local farmers market and supermarket. Every time I got a craving for a cheeseburger or pulled pork sandwich, I grabbed a handful of dried bananas and apricots, or stuffed a fresh piece of pineapple in my mouth. Fresh fruit is chocked full of amazing vitamins and nutrients that are amazing for our nervous, circulatory and immune systems. I had discovered that raw fruit and vegetables are actually far better for your body than cooked or baked versions, as they retained all their natural healthy elements, which would normally be destroyed or lessened greatly by cooking.
By the end of the week, I was riding high. I was no longer eating meat, cheese or any other dairy, and I had successfully learned how to manage my cravings and had learned so much about the food that we put into our body and how it affects us.
I was bounding with energy, and had gone from the girl who wanted to end it all to the girl who was embracing the sun each morning with sun salutations yoga and spending the day writing, reading and exploring the beautiful world around her.
By the end of that 3 weeks, I had also managed to drop nearly 20lbs. I know that sounds far too good to be true, but I had – doing very little to alter my lifestyle. I couldn’t believe how I looked or how I felt. The stomach pains that had plagued me all my life were gone. I was happy for the first time in years, and better than that, I felt that I was genuinely making a difference, though I knew it was a small one.
This last week was hard, but the reward was more amazing than I could have possibly dreamed.
Coming up in PT. 3: What I learned about food, health, vitamins nutrients and the hidden dangers on food labels. Plus, surprising vegan sweets and treats you can find in any supermarket!
Memoirs of a Pond-Crosser 