a comment on my latest post

My last blog post on the "good" and "bad" of my vegan habits lately wasn't all that clear, so I'd like to take a moment to clear up some things I may have made confusing.

I said that I had "tried" veganism, but I have not yet given up! :) I'm still going strong, although I have had moments where I felt tempted, but not nearly enough to actually eat meat or products that weren't vegan. When I said I was being a "bad" vegan, what I meant by that was I haven't been eating a healthy diet full of vegetables, fruit, beans, nuts, seeds, and the like. For example, right now, I am eating a Flying Apron peanut butter ball that is the size of my fist; basically, it's a giant ball of peanut buter and organic sugar, coated in chocolate and coconut with a happy healthy looking label on it to make you feel less guilty about eating crap for breakfast.

So, while I struggle with the healthy aspect of my veganism, I have stayed on the vegan path nonetheless. Although, I do have a bit of a struggle with not eating eggs. I've felt less energetic, and I have a hard time getting the notion of "PROTEIN" out of my head (you know, the idea that I need more protein, the one that's been ingrained into us since childhood). I feel like, if hens lay eggs anyway, and they lay hundreds of them all the time, and the hens are in safe conditions and they aren't being abused or killed - why not eat those eggs? Why not literally go to a local, organic farm and buy eggs from the farm? I don't see the harm in that. I'm not supporting a corporate agenda that is plotting to kill and abuse as many animals as it can for profit and gain. I'm just using a product the chicken naturally disposes of, for my own consumption. The local farmer gets the money, the chicken is happy, and I get the eggs. The only con I can see in that is that eventually, the chickens still are slaughtered, which I don't agree with. But if I can do my part in the least, wouldn't that be something?

I've been reading/skimming through this book Matthew ordered from Amazon called Thrive by Brendan Brazier. It's a really awesome book, to be honest. It's really in depth on what vegan nutrition can do for your life. But to be perfectly honest, I look at all nutrition books with a hint of skepticism. Because they all say the same things. Atkins, South Beach, Weight Watchers, Carb Lovers, Carb Haters, Sugar Busters, Cookie Diet - they all say "It changed my life!!!" and "You can too!" and "I lost 500 pounds in a WEEEK!" I mean, that MAY be a BIT of an exaggeration, but you get the jist, right? Every diet book and nutrition book I've read, and I've read about 50 of them, has had the same reviews. So I've come to this conclusion: It's all in your head. I know that sounds awful... it really does... God that sounds so cynical, like something a doctor would say. But it is at least partially true. Veganism is wonderful, because it isn't JUST a diet. It IS better for your body, your digestive system, your overall health and your longevity. But diet and health are largely your attitude. Every diet, every lifestyle and every change is about attitude.

So all in all, even though I haven't eaten the healthiest lately, I am happy about the changes I've made, because I am making a small, immediate change in the demands of what I need from my local grocers by not buying meat, dairy products or caged eggs. My choices do ultimately affect large chain grocery stores, however small, and these choices can have a ripple effect if enough people follow and start to at least buy organic or local products from health food stores.

And on that note...