My Vegan Journey began in 1998, after meeting my spiritual mother in Israel. I had recently met a group of blacks who were vegan, but it wasn’t until I met Rofah (Hebrew for doctor) TaminYah, that I was truly awe-inspired. I was convinced also that veganism would lead to reduced violence in the world. So, my reason for becoming vegan, you could say, was in response to world violence.
Since then, many many people have become vegan. There are tons of restaurants, grocery store foods, and even apps and clothing. I am excited, yet a little wary. It’s all happening so fast that this Vegan tide seems like a fad. The problem with fads is that they don’t last long, and people tend to return to wherever they were before the fad took place.
With me, veganism is not a fad. I’ve been vegan for 18 years. It is challenging and has requireddiscipline, but it’s so rewarding. As a vegan I have so much more strength than I had before I was vegan. I love preparing and creating new dishes. I also love the fact that I’m much less distracted and slower to anger than before my vegan journey.
My body looks better now than it ever has because I fuel it with mostly plants, and looking fit is the reward. I have energy to exercise and, in fact, I desire to move around. Being vegan gives me so much more energy that I have to figure where and how to channel it.
For me, vegan is a way of life. It is not a fad. I do it for myself and not for anyone else. If you don’t do it for yourself, there is always a risk of recidivism or backsliding, health-wise. For example, if a vegan eats only to avoid animal products that means fries, cookies, and an array of junk food is acceptable food. If a vegan becomes so for their personal health - even in addition to political reasons - then they will makefar better food choices. Better choices mean better health. Better health reduces the desire to return to the old ways of eating.
I have heard a few times that people were “vegan for a moment,” and then had to switch to meat because they were not getting enough of a certain mineral. I would guess that this switch back to old habits is due to ignorance - as in not knowing.
Careful research must be done to avoid harming one’s body/temple. As a nutritional consultant, I do a lot of research. I research for my clients as well as for myself. I realize that I am paving the way for vegan weightlifters to come, so I have chosen to adapt a long-term formula for success. As I research and learn, I share this knowledge with others. I do not promote things that I have no knowledge of. Trying things just because others are doing it could be costly.
I see myself being vegan as long as there are yummy crops and plants and farmers markets. I hope that the masses will educate themselves as to how veganism can be good not only for the animals, but also for their own human bodies.