Why yes, I do. Seriously. I've been vegan since July of 2006, and after making that switch, I've never felt better in my entire life. In fact, just recently, I went to yoga teacher training that went on for 9 weeks. We were advised to throw away all dietary restrictions and eat whatever we needed. I was one of the few "veg-heads." I am ashamed to admit I ate dairy cheese for the first few weeks, but I also realized those were the weeks I felt congested, phlegm-filled, and sluggish. I converted to eating avocados in wheat bread for protein. Right away my mind was clearer, my (yoga) practice better, my immune system healthier: I am proud to say I never got sick ONCE during those 9 weeks.
Animal by-products are not meant to be digested by our human bodies. Even less, we don't need it! With all the advancements in human technology, in nutrition and the medical arts right now, it is appalling and deplorable that we still stick to the SAD (Standard American Diet--yes, it is sad!). Where do animals get their energy? From plants, nature's powerhouses! There are an array of all kinds of produce from which we can gain all the nutrients needed in our body and more besides! In the food chain, carnivores eat herbivores to gain the plant energy, but also occasionally eat some plants themselves to supplement their diet. Our teeth are not sharp like carnivores (see wolf's sharp fangs, for example) but flat and blunt, like herbivores (see a monkey's teeth). Eating plants--vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, grains--are the way to go. Admittedly you do have to eat a bit more versus eating animal by-products, but I for one am not complaining. I can eat more without feeling guilty, without feeling bad, without feeling sluggish. That, for me, is a wonderful thing.
-themedusachild (aka Therese)
20 October, 2007
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Hi! Great post. I don't want to get into a fight or anything, but I'm in a Human Origins class right now. I asked my professor about the teeth argument for veganism; you have to remember that other primates, in fact, are omnivores/carnivores and have very, very similar dental structures.
ReplyDeleteI'm vegan, so I totally agree with the other points you made, but the teeth argument isn't going to convince omnivores since it has many exceptions.
I get the energy comment a lot from my coworkers. Strangely, I run circles around them, working a full-time job, attending school, and exercising daily. Meanwhile, my coworkers have taken to eaten pieces of cheese for “energy.” I find lots of humor in the situation.
ReplyDeleteAs always…thanks for the post!
I agree. I recently became vegan and I can say that I have been waking up at the same hour every morning (6:30) and I've been awake and ready to start my day.
ReplyDeletePeople always ask me "How do you get protein?!" and I just laugh, because people are so crazed about protein. When in fact we need carbs for energy, and as vegans, we know how to get our proteins, and we get good quality proteins, too! It's too bad all those crazy "diets" on the market don't tell people to go Vegan, because people would feel a lot less bored with their diets, and would feel more energized.
I guess you have to try it to believe it. =)