The vegan lifestyle has received a tremendous amount of attention and credibility in the last few years. Droves of actors and actresses, musicians, entrepreneurs, TV personalities and even former President Clinton are now turning to veganism for various reasons. These individuals are further supporting the ideals of being vegan by making strides to spread the message to the public. A lifestyle that was once shunned is now capturing the attention of our nation and gaining supporters!
The health benefits of a vegan diet have begun to pave new ground for Western medicine. Clinical trials conducted by physicians and medical researchers such as Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Dr. Neal Barnard, Dr. T. Colin Campbell and Dr. John McDougall are providing scientific evidence that is taking the medical field by storm. Research proves that progression and symptoms of chronic diseases, a few of which include obesity, Type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease can not only be halted, but actually reversed through a plant-based diet.
These physicians, and their studies, have been seen on talk shows such as The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Real Time with Bill Maher and Larry King Live. CNN recently aired a one-hour special called ‘The Last Heart Attack,’ in which Dr. Sanjay Gupta supports the hypothesis that a plant-based diet may prevent heart attacks from ever occurring. Disease reversal and prevention have played a significant role in the exponential rise in popularity of veganism.
However, this lifestyle encompasses so much more than a clean bill of health, and most vegans are very passionate about delivering a balanced message – one that addresses the environmental and ethical as well as health benefits of a plant-based diet.
We have entered an era in which our meat and dairy industries are frantically masking the reality of how our food has been produced for several decades. The more people find out about it, the more people we see transitioning to a vegan lifestyle. The media and the internet have become excellent resources for uncovering the criminal behavior taking place on a daily basis in slaughterhouses and dairy farms. Thanks to the many exposés over the last several years, we are increasingly aware that the meat and dairy associations are proponents of suffering, violence, exploitation and filthy, unsanitary conditions.
In this new era of information technology, we are also privileged with a remarkable ability to congregate, educate and react against situations of injustice. This occurs almost immediately, due to the explosion of social networking and real-time media. As a nation, we have a powerful collective voice and we use it every day to influence good and weed out bad through education, voting and the products we purchase. We love to abolish injustice and work for a greater good. This is one of the beliefs our great country was founded upon – justice for all.
Americans, as a whole, are compassionate beings who do not support animal abuse. We become infuriated when we hear, read or watch instances of neglect and abuse of cats and dogs on television. So why is there still such an enormous resistance to make the connection that with the food (and clothing) choices we make every single day, we cast our vote, in support or opposition of animal abuse? How did this disconnect take place, where we retaliate against abuse of a select few animals, and turn our heads and ignore the widespread brutality directed toward farm animals – all sentient creatures – on a daily basis? The time is right now, for our population to stop falling back on “I don’t want to know about it” and start acting in accordance with our values.
There is a spiritual component to the vegan lifestyle that mainstream media has yet to embrace. It springs from a mindfulness that all creatures share this planet together. Humans do not own the earth, and it is not ours to destroy. Animals were never meant to be factory-produced for meat and dairy products. As a result of this mentality, the well-being of our population and our planet is declining at alarming rates. According to a 2009 United Nations report, the chemical wastes produced by our agriculture industry have become the number-one source of environmental destruction. Vegan spirituality involves a commitment to living progressively, not destructively. It’s the spirituality of doing our part – because our decisions can save our health, save our planet and save the lives of thousands of innocent animals each year.
It’s no longer a sacrifice to avoid a food we may have once enjoyed, clothes we once wore or products we once used, knowing that each time we purchase them we are voting for the death or abuse of an animal. Every time vegans think of cheese, we know cheese came from milk that was not produced by a “dairy cow”; rather, it was produced by a mother, for her newborn calf who she never got to see. Each time we think of an omelet, we know the eggs were produced by a hen, held captive under torturous, manipulative conditions and then killed after a year or so, when her egg-laying days are over. How is it fair to excuse the abuse of some animals, and not others? Vegan spirituality involves taking a stand for what is right by refusing to support one of the most widespread injustices ever to exist.
The good news is it has never been easier to become a vegan than it is now. For almost every animal product one could think of, there is an alternative vegan product now available. There are nearly a dozen different types of milk, all full of essential vitamins. There are cheeses which can be sliced, diced, shredded and melted. We have cream cheese, sour cream and ranch dressing alternatives. There are also delicious, protein-rich, plant-based alternatives to nuggets, boneless wings, beef tips, hot dogs, burgers, sausages, deli meats, meat crumbles, etc. For those who love sweets, alternative ice creams and dessert foods are abundant as well. Each of these products provides the same nutrients found in animal products, but without any saturated fat, cholesterol, hormones, antibiotics, chemicals… or abuse!
For me, vegan spirituality is about how great this lifestyle makes me feel inside. Along with veganism comes an elevated state of consciousness. I was a longtime vegetarian, but I ate cheese for nearly every meal. I was addicted to cheese and said I could never give it up. I turned my head to the abuse which takes place on farms. Once I made the decision to become vegan, I felt I was finally living in accordance with my values and beliefs. I became aware of how so many choices I make, such as simply choosing an alternative over an animal product, can truly impact the world. I love knowing that, because I choose not to purchase or consume certain products, I am living in a manner that truly honors and represents my love for animals. It has converted my way of thinking, improved my health, changed my life and opened doors for a completely new future.
There are plenty of resources available for those who are interested in learning more about the vegan lifestyle. Dozens of books have been written in the last few years which are full of information about being vegan and food choices, nutrients, recipes, chronic disease reversal, animal welfare and sustainable living. They can be found online and on the shelves of every bookstore. There are also informative websites such as www.PCRM.org, www.VegWeb.com, and www.VegSource.com.
There are also vegan support groups and social networks available. VegMichigan is the state’s largest nonprofit vegan and vegetarian organization, with over 1,000 members and nearly 7,000 subscribers to its free e-newsletter. VegMichigan hosts monthly dinner clubs, potlucks, classes, cooking demonstrations and library displays along with its signature event, VegFest, held each spring. For more information about VegMichigan, visit www.VegMichigan.org.
