On Being Vegan

The vegan philosophy has grown significantly in recent years; and apparently, I was not immune to its influence. Many are somewhat surprised to hear what one of the primary motivating factors were for me in going Vegan.

I was a big fat hypocrite!

For the last few years, I have been vegan. Why? Well, I chose to go vegan as something just didn’t sound right about the statement. “I love animals”, while simultaneously eating them. Moral, ethical, ecological, and health arguments aside, that for me was the first step, of many, in my journey to becoming vegan. For me, it seemed like a rather simple and blatant contradiction as well as hypocritical.

I love science, reason, and logic:

As a rationally minded scientific person, I researched enough and realized also, that there is just no scientific basis to eat meat by most* humans in modern times. It’s primarily cultural, period. Far too many studies are revealing that a diet high in fiber, nuts and legumes is the best way to go and can in many cases reverse or lessen the severity of many diet-based medical conditions.

Why not be more compassionate?

I feel good in doing what I can to reduce the pain, suffering, torture, and needless death of sentient beings. As a vegan, I have found myself more compassionate and loving of most people and animals.

Vegan Haters

I have found it odd at the gross amount of hate and vitriol that I see against vegans online and in-person. I ordered a veggie sub at Subway once and the guy behind me commented, “Man, I can’t do that. I need meat! I’m a carnivore!” I didn’t say anything about his meal nor his ignorance about animal diet categorizations, but he chose to say something about mine. Why? Just the very presence of a vegan incites anger and uncomfortable feelings among some meat eaters. It’s odd. Could it be that, deep down, they know that they can do better? Be better? Yes, some vegans are real jerks. Most vegans, I think, are just compassionate and they extend to all animals the same love many pet owners share with their own personal pets. That said, how can a compassionate and caring vegan be silent when they see humans contributing to the needless pain, suffering, torture, and death of innocent beings?

My Health Has Improved

Though I entered this journey to just not be a freakin’ hypocrite, my health has improved. I sleep better and more restfully, my blood pressure has returned to normal, my cholesterol has lowered. I no longer have GERD and my esophageal H. Pylori has seemed to magically disappear. I also seem to have alleviated symptoms generally associated with hypoglycemia (Diabetes tends to run in my family.) Granted, I have picked up my physical activity which could account for my positive changes as well.

Fin

Well, this only a few reasons why I become a vegan and why I will most likely stay the path.

Extras

Films I recommend (please youtube): Lucent, Earthlings, Meet Your Meat, Okja, Food Inc, Forks Over Knives. I have found flaws in the docs I listed above; however, I still recommend them as I find them impactful and very accurate in crucial areas. Type “vegan” on Amazon and Netflix. Plenty of Free Content. For my scholars and academics, please visit google scholar to research “vegan diet”. I think you will be quite stunned at the latest research.

Thank you for reading. Can we please do what’s right by our animal cousins? 🙁

“As long as humanity continues to make excuses for harming innocent sentient beings, we will always be an unnecessarily violent species.” – Reginald V. Finley Sr