I’ve long been curious about the benefits of living a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle.
I ate vegan 2 days before and 2 days after my 5-day Master Cleanse, and subsequently felt wonderfully “empty” of many/most/all of what had built up in my body in years prior. As I emerged from the Master Cleanse with more energy and less weight, I decided to try eating vegan for a whole month to see what benefits I’d notice.
— Background —
For at least the past 15 years I’ve slowly learned more about food, personal health, my own values, and how I believe we as humans are spiritual beings interconnected with the rest of the planet. Having eaten meat, eggs, fish and dairy since I was a child, animal products were (and still are) regularly what’s on the table at most family and social gatherings.
I’ve watched first-hand as fish and other animals were killed in preparation for a meal. Most memorably, I remember looking in a goat’s eyes and hearing its cries just before slaughter. As a child I was taught the Biblical notion that God gave man dominion over plants and animals, which therefore justified our consumption of other non-human creatures.
Until only a few years back, I’d never questioned my consumption and use of animal products.
— Why Vegan —
A very personal decision, I decided to eat vegan for a month for both health and humanitarianism reasons.
Health:
- Nutritional Need: I’m not sure I need meat, eggs, fish and dairy to fulfill my daily nutritional needs
- Reduce Intake of Unhealthy Things: I want to limit my consumption of antibiotics, hormones, and cleaning agents used to prevent disease and expedite animal growth
Humanitarian:
- Respect for Other Living Things: I don’t want my dietary decisions to cause the death and/or unhappy life of another living being
- Connection to Our Food: I feel geographically and emotionally disconnected from the sources of my food
— How I Felt After 30 Days of (Mostly) Living Vegan —
In a word: great. I know I consumed more vegetables, grains, nuts and fruits in the last 30 days than in my past, and I attribute my heighted energy to my more nutrition-dense vegan diet.
My biggest post 5-day Master Cleanse concern was weight gain, and I’m happy to report I’ve maintained a healthy body weight and body fat percentage while eating vegan.
I felt less lethargic and bloated after (for example) eating veggie tacos compared to how I used to feel after eating steak or chicken tacos.
Given my health and humanitarian reasons for eating vegan, I also felt an emotional and spiritual lift for having persisted in eating only those foods which aligned with my beliefs.
— Going Forward —
I very much enjoy how I feel right now and the food choices I’m making. I’ll listen to and follow my body in deciding what to eat in the weeks ahead. While not predicting the future, my gut tells me I will continue:
- eating more fruits and vegetables
- eating fewer animal products
- drinking less alcohol
- consuming fewer overall calories
- daily meditation
- regular exercise