Before I begin, I need to emphasize that I do not in any way judge anyone for the food they eat. This article is not intended to make anyone feel bad about what they do or don't choose to snack on, but rather to help those interested in adopting a vegan diet. I frankly do not care what anyone chooses to put in their mouth. You do you.
Nearly two years ago, my younger brother spoke words that would change my relationship with food forever:
"I bet you couldn't last two weeks on a vegan diet."
As his sibling, I had a duty to prove him wrong.
At first, it was difficult to follow the restrictions—no meat, no eggs, no dairy. I had major cravings and got pretty sick of having to read the ingredients labels on everything I ate. The dairy part was especially hard, considering cheese was one of my main food groups.
Surprisingly, however, the two weeks went by rather quickly. Then another two passed. And another two. At this point, being vegan wasn't so difficult anymore.
Before I knew it, it had been an entire year since my brother and I made that silly bet. Let me just say, it was probably one of the best things I've ever done.
Prior to being vegan, my skin was awful (picture Mars, but on my forehead). I tried several different medications and cleansers but nothing seemed to do the trick. However, when I cut dairy from my diet, my skin began to clear up. Now, my skin landscape is completely different and consistently clear.
Another positive side effect of being vegan was my increase in energy. Often after eating a non-vegan meal, I would feel incredibly sluggish and tired. My body felt like it weighed one thousand pounds. Now, I get fuller faster and actually have more overall energy.
The biggest side effect of switching diets, however, has to be the overall change in my palette. As a young teen/tween, my diet consisted mostly of mac and cheese, pizza, grilled cheese sandwiches, and Whataburger. Anything green and leafy was a no-go, and don't even get me started on avocados. Now, two years later, I love virtually all fruits and vegetables and will try almost anything (within the vegan diet, of course). And as for avocados? I can't get enough of them.
Now, if you are interested in switching to a vegan diet, you have to be prepared to read food labels on nearly all packaged foods. Even if it seems like it would be vegan, it doesn't hurt to check. Also, it's important to ask questions when dining at restaurants, especially because butter and eggs are often used in unexpected ways. But if you're ever unsure about whether or not something is vegan, Google it.
Vitamins are also essential to your overall health. Certain vitamins, like B12, can only be obtained through animal meat, so it's important to take supplements to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
All in all, I can honestly say that switching to a vegan diet has made a positive impact on my life. It's not for everyone (trust me, my parents were not fans), and it can be difficult at times, but for me, it's been worth it.
