I am asking myself - why go vegan?

Funny I never thought I would go vegetarian, let alone vegan. But sometimes in the course of life you gravitate in a direction that you could never plan or anticipate. That's life. If you could foresee your future, it wouldn't be all that fun or exciting right? Or you'd probably probably be laying on a beach, of your own island, doing skype psychic sessions right.

Meat just never sat right in my stomach. And it doesn't really go through the body as fast as I'd like - they say meat sits in your intestines rotting for months or longer.  Yuck.
Also, I seem to be plagued with bloating (and yes equipped with Gas X to help avoid public ramifications of this), which dairy and all animal products are known to contributed to.  Bloating doesn't feel good. And feeling good is kind of important for me.

When I ate meat, I tried to hide from the fact of it being an actual animal and all, which I think a lot of people have to do in order to eat it (the cheap frozen bag of chicken is just food, not a living breathing thing...ok then cool).

On August, 18th 2011, I embarked on a trip to India, connecting in Abu Dhabi. I was alone and new to the whole turban, everyone staring at white people thing (especially blonde women type, many days I wish I'd just had a burka handy). Well, I saw a little piece of home and comfort when I saw Burger King. Chicken nuggets and a conversation with an Aussie bloke before I continue to the unknown was in order.

I wish I could say my last meat was a delicious fillet mignon or better yet pork dumplings. But nope the good ole BK nugs was it.

I knew I wasn't going to eat meat in India; just set that stake in the sand when I decided to go. First, because the carcasses are still warm and hanging in view on the street. Two, I just wasn't keen on the idea of unsanitary-ness when it comes to meat. I knew I was going to have enough issues with the tummy as it was (and I did). Thirdly, the religious fabric of the country and culture makes you want to follow suit to really be immersed.

I got back to reality in the West. And thought why not continue this? I feel great. Lighter. Healthier. But bloody hell the menu's and access to food without meat is a pain.

People kind of look at you weird. What...now your a hippy freak - are you going to go throw paint on people wearing fur?  Yeah, maybe...and watch out I will be naked under the full moon in your front lawn. Well, that actually might come true.

I read a few books over the years - Skinny Bitch is one that stands out cause obvi its hilarious.
I took away one of many important things - first the idea that milk was a marketing ploy.  I am a marketer (not proudly) and this makes me mad - its is not good for adults and we are the only adult animal to have this substance past adolescence. Cows milk makes little baby cows into 2 ton creatures, why the heck are we putting it in our bodies. We think we need the calcium, but do we really?

Then I started watching documentaries because they were on Net Flix and sounded interesting. Funny how happy accidents are born - some in the form of knowledge.

I started to learn more about what is going into the animals that we are eating - the steroids, and poisons that make them grow faster.  The antibiotics to deal with the unsanitary and unhealthy conditions these animals are in. Its just not what food used to be and not good for us. And its all in the name of making a profit - industrialisation. Knowledge is power and lots of people just do not want to know.  And I was one, but now the old philosophy is out da door "what we do not know does not harm us"

Forks over Knifes is a great documentary review research of doctors into the need for protein from animals - everyone thinks we need meat for protein. But do we? Certainly not the meat we have access to with all the chemicals.
They are finding that we do not need it and can get the needs from other means. And 2nd that a lot of diseases and cancers are starting to be correlated to our diets and, in particular, meat.

Then I started reading about what this industrialisation is doing to the environment and some compelling realities about this industry, and some cruelties to animals. The natural cycle of cows, their poo, the flys, the grazing, the circle of life - doesn't happen naturally anymore.
The dirt no longer has the nutrients the veggies are in, cause of too many chemicals and cycles of growth...

Here are a few crazy stats:

1. Animal excrement is 130x that of the entire human population in the US.
2. Animals produce MORE global warming gases (carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide) than all the motorized vehicles in the world combined.
1. Switching to a vegan diet is 50% more effective than switching to a hybrid car
3. More than 1/2 of the water consumed in the US is used to raise animals for food.
1. Veggie diet requires 300 gallons of water per day, while a meat diet requires more than 4000 gallons daily.
4. 1 animal requires 16 pounds of grain for just 1 pound of edible flesh, thats a lot of food to feed the animals vs redirecting to starving people.
5. Dairy cows on average live for 5-7 years, where as they are able to live to 20 yrs+
6. Pigs are more intelligent than dogs, and have the intelligence of a 3-year old.
7. Egg-laying hens are kept without water and food for 14 days at a time to force their bodies into another egg-laying cycle
8. Beaks of chickens and tails of pigs are cut off with no pain relievers. Ouch.

I am seeing/hearing more people becoming aware, making changes which will shift out planet and society back out of the enivormental dark ages. That is this whole hoopla about 2012 Mayan calendar - consciousness, awareness, responsibility and action.

2 "hows":
- Buying local - supporting small businesses and farming. Why support major cooperations, paying the "man" vs the people trying to make it?
- Buy organic - not only is it better for you health wise, its better for the animals and the environment.

Its annoying that doing all this is more expensive, but the industrialisation caused the prices to go down. And cheaper is not better. It is supposed to be more money (=more value).  I am telling this to myself as well cause with a minimum wage job now, its hard to do.


I think each to their own. I hope for more people to be gravitate towards knowledge; better the world and themselves. How, what and when is all in due time and up to each person.



So as I take some time seeing if cheese and I can break up, I will continue to open my eyes and mind to the world around.

What can I do to help myself, others and the world?


PS - um chocolate has milk (light bulb momento), this vegan thing could prove to be difficult....slowly slowly