I would like to live a long and healthy life, free of the main health problems that beset us in the West: heart disease, stroke, degenerative brain diseases, cancer and lung diseases. Would you?
I would like to protect the environment from the effects of greenhouse gasses, deforestation and ocean dead zones. Would you?
But more than that I would like to see the creatures we humans have domesticated be treated with love and respect rather than being tortured and brutally murdered. Would you?
Once I came to understand the overwhelming weight of scientific evidence that the best thing I could do to solve these problems was to become a vegan (eating plant based whole food) that’s what I did. I walked my talk and became a vegan over two years ago. I try not to be preachy about it, but I feel so passionately that we have all been lied to for so long, that I would like to give you the opportunity to look at the evidence and make your own decision about how you want to live in the world and what kind of footprint you want to leave on the Earth.
If you are immediately alienated by my blog this week – take a moment to reflect: why? We have a strong attachment to our lifestyle and changing it is a pain in the arse. I know, I’ve done it. But I feel so much happier and healthier for it, more energised and very joyful not to be contributing to the horrors of animal agriculture. My husband is a fell runner; when he went vegan his run times improved by 10%! Many top athletes are now vegan and see their well-being and performance improve.
The best source of evidence for the health of a whole food plant based diet is Dr Gregor’s website – NutritionFacts.org, or follow this link for a summary: Click here or watch the excellent documentary film ‘What the Health’.
The best source of evidence for the damage to the environment is the excellent film ‘Cowspiracy’. For a summary: Click here.
If you have a strong stomach and want to see some of the common practices in animal agriculture within the UK, watch the film ‘Land of hope and glory’: Click here
Otherwise you might want to watch the fiction film ‘Okja’:Click here to get an insight into how the animal agriculture industry operates.
For an overview of what has been happening in the world of Veganism recently watch ‘Vegan 2017’: Click here.
The main thing that helped me in making the change and sticking with it was hearing the following phrase – ‘It is hard to be a vegan when I think about myself, but it is easy to be a vegan when I think about the animals’ – I would amend this to say – ‘the animals, the planet and my health’.
For those of you who like to be hip and trendy, veganism is the new black! History will look back on the madness of animal agriculture with horror and disbelief. What is happening now is so much worse than the way the Tobacco Industry misled the world about the dangers of smoking. For a wry and witty mockumentary of a vegan future watch Simon Amstell’s excellent film ‘Carnage’ on BBC iplayer: Click here
There is no need to be black and white about it – start slowly with the aspiration of moving gradually to a vegan diet. Try Dr Gregor’s ‘How not to die’ cookbook or look at the great selection of recipes on the Vegan Society website. It may taste more delicious and be easier than you imagine!
Kind Wishes
Heather
To visit our website: please click here
To join our membership: please click here
Follow us on YouTube: please click here
Follow us on Facebook: please click here
Follow us on Instagram: please click here
When asked why I am vegan, I reply ‘for compassionate reasons’. Loving kindness for self & others took me on a path of compassion for all beings. ???❤???