Growing up in a meat and dairy consuming society, I remember as a child feeling grossed out by meat, but I never really questioned it. It had been brainwashed into my young mind that eating meat is what we're supposed to do. Questioning the idea of eating meat felt like questioning the idea of taking air into my lungs, as if it were completely normal and natural.
Every time I ordered a burrito, I would pick out half of the meat because I could see veins and fat, but I always ordered it anyway, because I was "supposed to have all this protein." Somebody forgot to tell me along the way (or perhaps they didn’t even know!) that those beans and veggies had plenty of protein all along.
As a teen, I struggled with weight and acne. I believed the false victim mentality that so many do, thinking weight issues and disease just ran in my family, so there was not much I could do. You know what else ran in my family? Poor diet and lifestyle choices. I decided to empower and educate myself with reading materials and documentaries. First, I watched the documentary Forks Over Knives, which opened my eyes to the health issues associated with a meat and dairy based diet. And after watching the documentary Earthlings, my decision to choose the vegan path was solidified. I "woke up" to the inexcusable cruelties I had been supporting while consuming animal products.
I have been a vegan since that day, and it's the best decision I've ever made. I feel better ethically, physically, and look healthier and more youthful in my early 30's than I did in my 20's! When people comment that I look younger than my age, I always give credit to veganism. I began to get so many questions about what to eat on a plant-based diet that I now happily share my vegan experience on Instagram @thewhimsicalvegan.
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