You're a what??

So as if nursing school isn't crazy enough... let's take a mini moment to celebrate the fact that i am half-way done....I've decided to also challenge myself with a new lifestyle. After some research and thought, I've chosen to adopt a vegan diet or more correctly, an herbivore diet. I'm not here to try make anyone become a plant & veggie eater but rather at least start a conversation about it and to answer the question of why I've gone herbivore.

To be clear, I still have leather shoes & belts and wear wool but here is my one and only soapbox moment on this issue.... My main deciding factor for going "vegan" is the health benefit. I have cut out any/all foods that are animal based (meat, eggs, milk, cheese...). The most comprehensive study done (The China Study) clearly links a vegan diet with decreased incidences of cancer and heart disease. There is also research showing reversal of heart disease with a plant based diet. This info was enough to make me switch but, to my surprise, what I also learned was that meat production/farming has a greater detrimental effect on the globe than all of the transportation sector. I was shocked! In one year I can reduce my carbon footprint by an even greater amount by going vegan than by driving a hybrid...and it's a heck of a lot cheaper option. :) AND, if we redirected just 10% all the grains/land used to feed cattle to feed people instead, we could practically end world hunger. What?!?! How have I not known this! On a final note, as a Christ follower, I am compelled to be a good steward of the earth/God's creation and so this focus has also helped me make the switch. I can't afford an ecofriendly home, buy a hybrid car or donate $$$$ to world hunger relief but I can change my eating habits and I'm glad to know that it's good for my health and the globe. I will now step off the soapbox and I promise never to return to it unless you ask.  :)

So far it has been a relatively easy switch. Being single is a plus (for a change;) ) and I've found a amazing cookbook to help. My sister is vegan with her boyfriend and she has been blogging about it at MeganCooksVegan so I've also stolen many of her ideas. If anyone wants to try some vegan recipes, I highly recommend checking out happyherbivore.com or reading Megan's blog.

If anyone is interested in learning more I suggest watching:
Forks Over Knives (the health behind the vegan diet) you can rent it on itunes
The Last Heartattack (a CNN special - free to watch online)
Vegucated (the truth about animal farming and the global impact)
 There are also some interesting videos/link on this web site: http://www.meatalternatives.org/vegan_diet.php

 If you have questions about vegan recipes, how I still am able to bake yummy thing without eggs or anything else please ask. Because I love you all and want you to live long healthy lives I'd wish you all went vegan but I know that is impractical...this is not for everyone. I just wanted to let you know what I'm up to and why and encourage you maybe try swaping one meat meal a week for a plant based meal instead - its delicious, I promise :)

Happy Holidays!!

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