This post was originally published by The Odyssey on June 25, 2016. I am not a doctor, and the below is based on my personal experience and research. Eat however you feel best.
When you hear the word “vegan” you might think, “Why would someone ever put themselves through that?” Or you many not even know what it means to be a vegan. Furthermore, you may have a very negative perception of veganism. For many people, even the word vegan carries a negative undertone. Vegans are often the bud of jokes and are accused of being over-sensitive and impractical. I believe that the confusion about why vegans make the choices they do and the jokes would stop if more people understood the basic theories that make veganism a logical choice. It’s especially exciting because I understand that it is an uphill battle to convince people veganism has a rational foundation. So even if your favorite food is bacon, I challenge you to keep reading because you can’t make fun of something until you are informed about it, and who knows, it may resonate with you. Vegans choose to not consume any animal based products for three reasons – the well being of the animals, the well being of themselves and the environmental effects that the meat and dairy industries have on the planet.
It’s no secret that what goes on in slaughter house is not glamorous, but I believe that if slaughterhouses had glass walls, much less meat consumption would occur. The animals slaughtered there are kept in unfathomably uncomfortable conditions and spend their entire lives dehydrated and sick. Many animals are kept in such tight quarters that they cannot turn around or take a single step. It is illogical to feel bad for crating your pets for more than a couple hours and not feel the same remorse when supporting an industry that commits far more cruel acts upon animals. I know, this is what you would expect from a vegan, right?
While all of this information seems standard to the moral pushing vegan stereotype, it’s not the only reason that people go vegan. For instance, I decided to make the switch from vegetarianism to veganism because I found on the days when I mainly ate vegan I felt amazing. A vegan diet insures that you are getting your proper nutrients and will have naturally occurring sugars and proteins, which work great with your body. And unlike the majority of Americans, vegans are never short on nutrients like fiber or nutrients like magnesium or zinc. Finally, eating vegan ensures that you are eating food that is not overly processed. Sure, there are those frozen soy meals, but most seasoned vegans find that the best way to eat is homemade.
There is still one more hurdle too – the environmental affects that being an omnivore causes. Sparing the science, the commercial meat industry is responsible for 95% of the increase in the amount of ozone in our atmosphere, an amount that is astronomically higher than ever before in recorded history and causing great concern to scientists. Actually, the unregulated waste from animal agriculture industry has virtually ruined all aquatic life that is around areas where the waste is disposed. Such waste disposal causes dead zones in the water where no fish can live and only algae remains and poisons our water. Animal waste falls out of the jurisdiction of all major federal
statutes and is a leading cause of the pharmaceutical contamination of our nation’s waters.
Believe me, I know that everyone is not meant to be a vegan and I know not everyone can be vegetarian. It is not within all of our means nor is it within all of our desires. However, there are many who are willing and fortunate enough to make this choice. I will leave you with this: if the entire world ate the same amount of meat that America eats, we would run out in less than 10 years.
Stephanie Zielinski 