Why Veganism?

So this is not a travel-related post, but it is a post about something very important to me. Vegetarianism/veganism. The first things that people think when they find out I’m a vegan are usually negative. I cannot express how many times I have been asked “how can you do that, don’t you miss cheese?” or “you must be really protein deficient, right?” All vegans have been asked these questions, and I think we can all agree that these are comments we wish would stop. As the popular vegan quote goes, “don’t ask me about my protein, and I won’t ask about your cholesterol.”

It is so easy for us vegans to get frustrated and mad when people laugh at us, or express their love of cheese and bacon to us. A lot of times, it is very easy just to lash out, and tell them that they are “heartless baby murderers.” But is hatred and rudeness really something that vegans should partake in? We pride ourselves in our compassion and caring for animals, so shouldn’t the same be said for fellow humans? I believe that when we are faced with hatred or mockery, we must remain calm and work to educate the public.

I am fully aware that I cannot make everyone in the world a vegan. But really, I am not interested in pushing my beliefs on other. I think that we need to individually analyze the facts of the situation, and from there we can make decisions based on our individual morals. I realize this is an unpopular opinion among vegans, but I think that veganism is simply not right for everyone. All people have something that they focus their time and energy into. As this point in my life, veganism and animal rights are something I care deeply about. But one can’t deny that following a vegab lifestyle is something that takes careful planning and time. So what if someone is fighting hard for equal education between the genders in Pakistan, or improving the quality of life for Syrian refugees. Are we really going to sit here and call them a heartless murderer for their dietary choices? Open-mindedness is so important.

All of that being said, these are just my opinions. And now I am going to list some of my PERSONAL reasons for becoming a vegan. Whether you agree with these or not, I just wanted to put these out there.

1.) The unethical treatment of animals on factory farms. Through watching many documentaries like Food Inc, Cowspiracy, and Vegucated, I have seen the cruelties committed towards animals on these factory farms. I will not go into detail, because I think these things should be explored by ones self to truly see the issue, but it is very disturbing and shocking. I personally do not believe that we as humans have the rights to exploit animals in this way.

2.) The effects the meat and dairy industry has on our planet. As shown in the film Cowspiracy, these farms are one of the leading causes of pollution in our world today. People are concerned with saving water, so they take shorter showers. But did you know that the amount of water it takes to make a single hamburger patty is over six months of shower water? Another shocking number is the water used to feed and process one pound of beef, as compared to the amount of water it takes to process one pound of rice or wheat. The numbers for beef production skyrocket above the others.

3.) My health. Heart issues are the leader killers in the USA today. Over 1/3  of our population is overweight, and the number is rising fast. Heart attacks and diabetes are definitely the most concerning problems facing us today. Heart attacks result when cholesterol builds up in the arteries, eventually clogging them. Where is cholesterol found, you may ask? Meat, dairy, and eggs. I have heard people say that you need some cholesterol to live, and that is true. However, our bodies produce all of it that we need.  Right now in the USA, obesity is a huge problems. With our sedentary lifestyles, the excess of fats and cholesterol in meats are not doing good for us.

So these are just the three main reasons that I am a vegan. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please don’t hesitate to let me know! I will happily answer all comments. Let me know also if you want me to talk a bit about FAQ’s, like protein, vitamin B12, and calories. Bye y’all!