The hardest things about being vegan
In recent years, the popularity of veganism has grown. This is due, in part, to the surprising number of famous people who now identify as vegan, including Ellen Degeneres, Beyonce, Venus Williams, and Moby. Trends often pick up speed when the most visible among us, like actors, musicians, and high profile athletes, catch onto them. Perhaps more compelling, however, is the information that has emerged regarding the deleterious effects of animal farming on humans, animals, and the planet.
Like any big change, it can be hard to be a vegan in the beginning. You have to deal with learning to cook a whole new way when you’re at home and trying to find something you can eat when you’re out at restaurants. But you may be surprised to hear that making those lifestyle changes is often the smallest part of the struggle.
Many vegans feel one of the toughest parts about making the change to a plant-based diet is the reaction from friends and family. People tend to be judgmental when they discover that you’re a vegan because of false, preconceived notions surrounding what kind of person willingly opts for this lifestyle.
It’s not what you’d think
Tougher than being judged unfairly, though, is living with the knowledge of the cruelty that animals endure. One of the hardest parts about being vegan is that you’ve likely learned the unspeakable truth about what sentient beings like cows, chickens,and pigs are put through to end up on a dinner plate. It can be very difficult to keep quiet as you see your friends and family members blithely complicit in the cruel practice.
But advocacy can be a prickly path. It’s difficult for carnivores to separate your desire to educate them on the facts about animal farming without coming off as annoying or superior. You must learn to strike a balance between wanting desperately to get others to understand the negative consequences for human health, the environment, and animals themselves, and accepting that each person must come to this conclusion on their own.
Stick with it, and be rewarded
A less controversial way to advocate for the animals is to talk about the benefits you’ve experienced since choosing the vegan lifestyle. Weight loss, decrease in blood cholesterol, clearer skin, and increased energy are just a few of the positive results reported by people who’ve made the switch.
It’s also important to warn against the cold turkey method of going vegan. Taking a slower approach to such a big dietary change can greatly ease the transition. Finally, when advocating for the vegan lifestyle, don’t forget to recommend investigating adding helpful supplements, like a multivitamin, D3 ,and B12 to a plant-based diet.
Vegan Life Nutrition is proud to offer supplements that are completely free of animal byproducts so you don’t have to threaten the integrity of your diet with the vitamin supplements you take.
