IM GOING VEGAN…. For a month.

If you could only see my face as I’m writing this, its kind of a frown with some fear thrown in, looks a little bit like I’ve got wind!

I’ve got a dog (Called Stanley, and he’s awesome) and I could never ever imagine eating a dog, it’s too strange. Then I look at cows in a field, think they look cute and all that but have no issue whatsoever eating beef. There doesn’t seem to be a switch in my head that links the food on my plate to the big mooing milk maker in the field. I love meat and try to get it in pretty much every meal so why on earth am I going to go vegan? Well, for an experiment. I want to see what happens to my body and learn more about what an increased intake of nutrients from non-animal products can bring to my life and exercise. I figure what better way to learn that to experience it right??

 

As everyone in the world knows, Veganism/Plant Based diets have increased in popularity HUGELY over the last few years. The ethics surrounding the killing of animals has never had more discussion. Facebook is full of arguments between the Veegs (as I’m calling them) and the Meaties (why not), and the more I read them, the more stupid each side of the argument sounds.

 

The Veegs obviously like to let everybody know of their views, I get that, if you feel passionate about something, you want everyone else to see what you see, and you want to protect living creatures from being killed unnecessarily. But it gets silly when frustrations run high and words like murderers and rapists get thrown in, farmers are neither of those things, well, not when it comes to their produce. Then on the other side, the Meaties compare our eating habits to that of our ancestors and the most common argument is that we’re at the top of the food chain and so we can eat what we want, Both true. But you can’t hide the fact that just because we as humans CAN do things, it doesn’t always mean that we MUST. We’re more informed than our ancestors ever were, we’re not hunting anything on our big shop at Aldi and certain diseases are much more prominent than ever before. We can’t hide that excessive consumption of certain food groups have been proven to influence the big C.

 

I fully intend on going back to meat eating after this is all over, I think. But will my eating habits change, will i cut my consumption? Will I feel any of the health benefits that are claimed? I plan on monitoring my sleep, performance in the gym, body composition and (gross) My “movements” if you catch what I’m saying.

These are 10 benefits the Express Online claim I can experience through my vegan diet, some measurable, some not so much. Either way, they are some VERY bold claims!

Taken from; https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/diets/549526/Vegan-diet-benefits

  1. Great if you want to lose weight or slim down

When you cut out animal products you’ll find that it’s easier to stay slim as you’re not consuming high amounts of saturated fats from dairy and meat products.

  1. It’s easier to get your 5-a-day

Never mind five, you can easily get double that on a vegan diet. Eating fruit and/or vegetables at every mealtime means that your diet will be much more nutritious than those making up a third (or less) of lunch and dinner with vegetables. Eating snacks such as N?kd bars also count as your 5-a-day, are totally delicious and vegan.

  1. Vegans are healthier

Vegans and vegetarians typically have lower cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, lower rates of Type 2 diabetes, lower body mass indexes, a lower risk of death from heart disease, and lower overall cancer rates. Science and research confirms that you don’t need meat to be healthy at all, in fact statistics point to quite the opposite.

  1. Going vegan can improve your sports prowess, not impair it

What you may not be aware of is just how many great and successful athletes are vegan. You may not be familiar with the name, but Scott Jurek is recognised as probably the greatest ultrarunner (distances of 50, 100 and more miles) of all time. He has been a vegan since 1999 and has won most of the toughest long distance races in the world, and many of these on numerous occasions. You’re more likely to have heard of Carl Lewis but did you know that he’s vegan? One of the world’s greatest athletes, Carl attributes his dominant and record breaking performances of 1991 to being vegan.

  1. Having a vegan diet boosts immunity and is anti-cancer

Since fruits and vegetables are rich in super nutrients and many have anti-oxidant purposes, they can bolster the immune system and help the body fight against disease.

  1. Vegans are more beautiful

Vegans who consume a large amount of fruits and vegetables are feeding and nurturing the health of their skin, hair and nails meaning that they literally glow with health.

  1. Plant-based diet can aid arthritis

Eliminating dairy consumption has long been connected with alleviating arthritis symptoms, but a new study by Karolinska University in Stockholm indicates that a combination of gluten-free and vegan diet is very effective in improving the health of those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis.

  1. Boost your energy levels

On a vegan diet, you will find your energy is much improved. NFL star Tony Gonzalez has talked extensively about how swapping from an omnivore to vegan diet has helped him gain energy while playing at the top of his career in the NFL.

  1. You’ll live longer

Several studies indicate that those following a vegan or vegetarian diet will live an average of three to six years longer than those who do not.

  1. No bad breath and less body odour

Eliminating dairy and red meat from your diet significantly reduces body odour, and vegans frequently experience a reduction in bad breath.

There you have it, I’m going to smell better and be more beautiful, can’t wait for that! I’m hoping that my impartial stance on all this will give you all an unbiased view on the Veeg World!

So here we go, next stop Veganism! I think I’m going to do some video vlogging of this… I don’t think I can do it justice in written format, as you can probably tell from the few of these I’ve done, I’m no JK Rowling. Plus, via video vlog you’ll hopefully see me become “More Beautiful” as point 6 promises me!

Wish me luck, and please, my Veeg brothers and sisters, send me over some tasty suggestions. I’ll need all your help.

Over and Out, Plant Power, JW.