My reason for creating this blog
Thank you for finding my blog! My goal is to be an information source for people who are interested in shifting their lifestyle from animal-based to plant-based. As I get older, I realize that we are all, in our own ways, trying to find a “better me”. The topic of plant-based eating has become my passion, and I would like to share what I know with you. I have discovered that through the changes I have made in my diet and lifestyle, I am finding a real sense of peace and contentment in my life. I know that the decisions I am making are having a very positive impact on my family’s overall health, the protection of animals, and the health of the planet as a whole. Really, what more could I ask for?!
I have made the transition over the past 15 years into a whole food plant-based diet. You might wonder what this means… It is a focus on foods coming from nature: fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts and seeds, with a minimal consumption of processed foods. It is incredible the flavor and variety that can be created from these fresh foods. People sometimes think we are “sacrificing so much” by not eating animals products, but in fact it’s the opposite! Whole food plant based eaters are fortunate in that we are able to experience more delicious tastes from the plant kingdom than the average person. In addition, according to PETA, as a plant-based eater, we are sparing the lives of nearly 200 animals each year.
My Journey:
In 2008, after reading the China Study, by T. Colin Campbell, I made the decision to become vegetarian. Dr. Campbell’s research offers a compelling argument for the health of a plant-based diet. I just jumped in and cut out meat as well as cow’s milk. It was a very easy transition. Don’t get me wrong, I still snacked, ate cheese, and loved my desserts and red wine, but I removed all meat from my diet immediately. Until 2012, I continued to have the odd serving of seafood as I rationalized that it was somehow “better” for me than other meats.
The more I read about the health benefits of a plant-based diet and the more documentaries I watched, the more I became convinced that this was the best thing for the health of my family. I explained my reasoning to our children, focusing mostly on the health factors of being meatless. I also started to delve into the issues of animal cruelty with them. I’ll never forget the day my four year old daughter said to me, “Mom, do chicken fingers come from a chicken?!” It struck me then, how as a society, we are conditioned to just follow our culture and not ask why, or how, these processes happen. It is even considered too harsh to tell our children about how our food is created and eventually makes its way to our plate.
My interest in big company foods, cultural norms and how sick our society has become, started to peak around 2013. I watched every documentary I could find about plant-based eating, the dangers of our processed food lifestyle as well as the influence of the pharmaceutical industry. I quickly realized that I wanted to do all that I could ensure that we could live the best, most healthful life possible. I did not want to become a statistic. My father died of Non-Hodgkins Cancer at the young age of 51… I was 20. He missed so many great years and we missed sharing those years, and his grandchildren, with him. Ironically, he was healthy, non-smoking, a very moderate drinker, ate well and seemed to have a happy, balanced, minimally stressful life. It is thought that exposure to agricultural chemicals is what ignited the cancer cells in his body.
As a child growing up on an acreage, we had a huge garden and my mom was a healthy cook. However we did eat meat everyday… It was the center of our meals. Meat was the item the rest of the meal would revolve around. We raised sheep, ducks and pheasants. They were our pets and companions and then they were on our plates. Deep down I felt a conflict – that there was something terribly wrong with this… We would never eat our horses or our beloved German Shepherd, but we would eat lamb stew. This was all to ensure we got our precious protein. Even to this day, my mother thinks my father would “roll over in his grave” if he knew I was subsisting on plants alone. Old habits and cultural beliefs die hard. On that note, have you ever heard of someone being protein deficient? Perhaps we should worry about diets being deficient in fiber. There is absolutely no fiber in animal products and ALL protein actually comes from plants… How do you think animals get their protein?
I have been pleased to learn that most illnesses are linked to environmental, controllable causes, and that only approximately 5% of the 5 main killers (heart disease, cancer, diabetes, stroke), are hereditary. We have a lot of control over 95% of the most common illnesses!
In May of 2016 I signed up for the online Whole Food Plant Based course through the E-Cornell University. The course was created by Dr. T. Colin Campbell. It was during that course that I was inspired to finally cut out all animal products from my diet and become a completely plant-based eater. As of October 2019, I have also completed the Nutrition and Healthy Living program through Cornell University and attended two conferences on Plant-Based Living.
I had always thought that “vegans” were a little different, too granola-y for me… Little did I know I would become a vegan. I must confess, the word “vegan” is probably my least favourite word. It has connotations of strangeness, of judgment and of limitations. I think, like any other label, it puts us in a box…
My goal in writing this blog is to remove the box, take away the rules and just focus on the good that a more whole food plant-based diet can deliver. I am going to steer away from the word Vegan and go with WFPB. I am not perfect in this transition, I still have the odd pair of leather shoes but I am making better decisions now with the information I have. To me, that is what counts. So, let’s move forward with no judgments, only the best intentions and the highest regard for our health and the welfare of the planet and its many residents of the two and four legged variety.
I have hesitated so long to start this blog because I was afraid of not getting it quite right, not pleasing everyone, and not being as professional as other blogs. I am putting those feelings aside to try to help anyone looking to become more plant-based and aware of resources available to be more in control of their destiny. So bear with my inexperience and I hope you find tidbits of information to help you in your journey to a healthier you!