Friday, July 26, 2013

Vegan slips and falls

If you are vegan (especially if you're a new vegan), you may find yourself from time to time slipping up with your vegan diet/lifestyle or even falling off the wagon altogether. I spent about a year eating cheese and eggs because I thought it would make my relationship easier with my omnivore boyfriend. What I found during that year, is that I didn't feel very well when I ate eggs or dairy, dairy especially.

I guess there is a new trend now for "naming and shaming" ex-vegans. I remember seeing/reading this when Natalie Portman reverted to vegetarianism (she didn't go all the way, folks) during her first pregnancy. As a vegan, I have no desire to force veganism on anyone else. Becoming vegan is an incredibly personal choice and no one can make that choice but you. I am, however fine with answering questions about being vegan or assisting someone who wants to add more plants and reduce the meat in their diet. I am in NO WAY okay with shaming people who have the occasional slip up or even decide to leave the vegan lifestyle. Each person needs to listen to their body and being vegan gives us a finely tuned station to listen to. If you're craving cheese or even meat and you decide to act on that craving, don't feel guilty, don't let others shame you. Do what you need to do and take note of how you feel afterward. Many people can't sustain the vegan lifestyle forever if they're not eating exactly what their body requires. Just like eating a diet of purely fast and processed food, the body will eventually give up, usually via heart attacks. Veganism isn't any different if the proper nutrients aren't being given to the body.

So remember, don't feel guilty, don't feel ashamed, just do what's best for you and be happy about the significant impact you're making on your body, the animals, and the environment by being vegan...most of the time ;-)


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