“Why are you vegan?”
This is a question that I get asked often, but can never seem to answer to my personal gratification. Due to the fact that it is usually comes from skeptics of my lifestyle, it often seems like I’m at some sort of debate, given two minutes to state my argument in a way that is concise, clear, and indisputable. One problem I have with these types of situations is that I have a tendency to avoid talking about anything that is remotely controversial. This is a habit that I’m trying to get out of, because it is essential as a privileged member of society to use my voice when addressing important problems. Another issue I have is that I sometimes find it difficult to express myself coherently in conversation, especially when I am talking to people who are particularly adept at communicating their opinions. However, the main problem that I encounter when asked this question is that I don’t even know where to begin when it it seems I need to “defend” the concept of veganism.
There are so many multi-faceted reasons for choosing to follow a vegan lifestyle, and they all play a role in my decisions and my identity. I dislike having to choose just one or two points to explain in what is often a passing conversation topic. As you are reading this, be aware that every new thing I learn plays a role in reinforcing my routines and beliefs. That being said, there are a few reasons for being vegan that are especially close to my heart, and I am grateful for the opportunity to discuss them now in a way that is candid, detailed, and worded more to my satisfaction – who knows, maybe the next time someone asks me why I’m vegan, I will have a more articulate response!
Most vegans site three main “pillars”, or arguments for veganism: health, environmental sustainability, and ethics. Many people are drawn to veganism for one or two of these reasons, and stay vegan due to the compelling arguments from the other “categories”. I will elaborate on each of these arguments, then explain my relationship to this lifestyle as it relates to each of these “pillars”.
Health:
There is an ever-growing amount of evidence being gathered to support the idea that a whole foods, plant-based diet is ideal for our long-term health and longevity. Emphasizing minimally-processed fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, seeds and nuts while limiting animal products has been associated with reduced risk of developing heart disease, certain cancers, cognitive decline, and diabetes. Additionally, the high fiber content of most plant foods paired with their complex assortments of micronutrients and phytochemicals provide you with benefits you just can’t get out animal-based products. Many people on plant-based diets report looking, functioning, and feeling better as a result of these benefits.
Maybe it’s a little pessimistic to say, but I think the health side of veganism is what initially draws people to it the most, due to the fact that we are inherently self-centered beings. Of course, this definitely isn’t true for all vegans, but I find that it is often the ultimate deciding factor that causes people to take the plunge. Whether its for weight loss, athletic performance, or help dealing with a disorder or disease, many people first begin to seriously consider switching over to veganism for the benefit of their own bodies – Hey, it’s true for me!
When I was still in an awful mindset around food, I came across a vegan food account on instagram. I was drawn to the way that the account owner was so free about her food. She talked about how the inherently healthy nature of a whole-foods, plant-based vegan lifestyle actually allowed her to eat more abundantly than she ever had before. I was struck by the way she talked about food, as a source of life-giving nutrients as opposed to something that should be closely monitored and restricted. I think becoming vegan really helped me with adopting a similar mindset, due to the amazing nutritional value that can be derived from plant-based ingredients. My love of nutrition really blossomed from paying attention to the amazing properties of these natural foods. I started feeling better as well – I was never able to handle dairy very well, so the elimination of those products helped my body to function more efficiently, and as an dancer, I found the high-nutrition content of the plant-based foods that I was eating essential in fueling my athletic activity. I wish I could go more in-depth about vegan diets as they relate to nutrition, but there are so many different routes to take and complexities to explore with that discussion that I wouldn’t know where to begin when trying to fit them into a single blog post. Don’t worry though, there will be more blog posts dedicated to investigating these complexities further.
The health argument for veganism only goes so far, though. One can be plant-based, and even dairy-free, without calling themselves completely vegan. And it’s extremely hard to argue that being vegan is the “complete optimal” diet for our health. You can still be vegan and eat a lot of junk. Even if you eat highly nutritious food all the time, you still need to take a few supplements in order to stay healthy (though in my opinion, it would be a good idea for even non-vegans to take those supplements). So why go all the way? That brings us to our next point…
Environment:
Environmental sustainability is another huge argument for veganism. The impact of animal agriculture is absolutely catastrophic and wasteful on so many different levels, and refusing to contribute your dollar to these industries is an amazing thing that you can do every single day to help save our planet. A study published in the scientific journal The Lancet assessed six categories of environmental impact (land use, water depletion, climate change, respiratory inorganics, marine water eutrophication, and fresh water eutrophication) and discovered that nearly all categories were affected up to 84% less by a plant based diet as compared to one using animal products. A study from the University of Oxford found that switching to a vegan diet can reduce your carbon footprint by 73%. You’ve probably heard that “cow burps” contribute to methane gas emissions, but there are so many other impacts of animal agriculture that are just as harmful, such as land and water use (hello, destruction of the Amazon!!). Plus, there seems to be a reluctance to talk about it and to change it- just watch the documentary Cowspiracy for a glimpse into how drastic the impacts of animal agriculture are and how hard it is for a reporter to get leaders both in the industry and in environmental advocacy groups to open up about this issue.
I had always known that there was something to the statement that animal agriculture was bad for the planet – both of my parents used to be vegetarian and sometimes they would talk about how wasteful it was. For example, I remember my mom bringing up the fact that it takes up a disproportionate amount of land just to grow the crops to feed a cow, which in turn doesn’t feed very many people in comparison to the amount of resources it takes to be nourished. However, I didn’t fully realize the full implications of animal agriculture until they were mentioned in the first vegan documentary that I ever watched, called Vegucated. In this movie, which was mostly focused on the health side of veganism, the environmental argument for the lifestyle was mentioned extremely briefly. However, the fact was that hadn’t really known that such an argument really existed until then. After researching it and thinking about it for a long time, environmental sustainability turned out to be another one of the main reasons that I initially turned vegan. I have always felt connected to the natural world and thought that it was a place where the divine could be seen. I wanted something that I could do every day to contribute to preserving this beautiful creation, and being vegan is an easy way to vote with your dollar towards for environmentally-friendly practices.
Ethics:
It goes without saying that there is an ethical reason for choosing not to kill or steal from other living beings. As a vegan, I am often asked “do you just really love animals?”, as if it takes some one with an unnatural affinity for cows sheep and pigs to want to make such a drastic change in their lifestyle. Of course, I do love animals, but I don’t think people realize just how horrendous the practices of animal agriculture actually are. It doesn’t take an extreme animal-lover to realize that they are wrong. The issue is that people don’t see these practices on a day-to-day basis. If they did, I am sure that there would be a lot more vegans in the world. I will not go into detail here, but look it up if you can and watch some videos (I haven’t seen it and feel that I don’t need to, but many recommend the documentary Earthlings if ya want a real kick in the face). You would be surprised at what goes on behind the scenes. No matter what you argue, animals are real, sentient beings capable of misery, fear, and immense distress. Just look at your dog – most people wouldn’t trap their dog in a standing-room only cage, artificially inseminate it, separate it from its young, steal the milk it produces for said young, then kill it brutally when it’s no longer of use… so why do it to a cow?
I would say that the ethical arguments for veganism aren’t predominantly what initially tipped me vegan. However, they are definitely what help me stay vegan. Just thinking about the pain and torture inflicted on other beings for our simple pleasures makes me upset enough not to engage in the consumption of animal products if it can be avoided, especially now since they are coming up with vegan alternatives that are often equally as tasty and satisfying. Plus, there is something about not participating in the harm of other beings with my food choices that makes me feel more spiritually at ease and at peace with what I am consuming. Although that piece of meat may just seem like a piece of meat, I feel that there is always that underlying pain, fear, and horror that can’t be avoided when you choose to eat it. I’m not saying that you should be eternally guilty if you aren’t vegan (whatever the reason), but it is beautifully freeing when you don’t have to worry about the unethical practices that went into putting food on your plate.
Other Reasons:
Of course, there are many other reasons why I love veganism. One is the community – I have met so many lovely and beautiful people that I wouldn’t have formed an initial bond and connection with if we hadn’t shared a similar lifestyle. We vegans love to support each other, and often times are some of the most heartfelt, caring people that you will meet! Another reason is the sense of adventure that comes from being vegan. Rather than being limiting, as some may expect, being vegan has inspired me to get creative in the kitchen and introduced me to all sorts of new plant foods that I hadn’t heard of before. It also gets me out and about in new cities and around old ones – one of my favorite things is discovering amazing vegan food and vegan restaurants in unexpected places. There is something so satisfying about a successful hunt for a meal that is both delicious and in alignment with your values. I have found it to be a bonding experience to find and share vegan food with the people I love, especially when travelling somewhere new and exciting.
There is so much more I could write about, but this post is getting long so I am going to stop here for now. Like I said, these are the reasons for going and staying vegan that have been most relevant to me on my personal journey. However, there are endless stories and perspectives out there that can be accounted for. I hope you have gained some insight into the thought process that I went through to get me to where I am today… as you can see, it is a little more complicated than a simple answer in a short conversation in which the question “Why are you vegan?” is asked. That being said, to sum it all up, being vegan just makes me feel good, both physically and mentally, and I am eternally grateful for that.
Thank you so much for reading if you made it to the end. I know this post was slightly delayed (the beginning of my first year of college really just kind of slapped me in the face) but I appreciate you sticking around! If you have any connections, thoughts, concerns, or things to add to the conversation (I would love to hear your own reasons for being vegan!) please please please feel free to comment or message me! Also don’t forget to follow my instagram @plantbased_inpointeshoes for some more tasty vegan content and to vote for what you want to see on here next. I love you all and I hope that you are having a very healthy and happy beginning to your fall season, whatever that means for you!
– Olivia ❤
Source of Info: https://mercyforanimals.org/vegan-cheese-isnt-the-next-best-thing-its
Plantbased in Pointe Shoes 