My heart is vegan. What does that mean? It simply means I recognize the affliction caused when I eat meat not just to myself but to animals as well. In the beginning of my vegan journey I could only think about the health benefits and how seemingly healthy I would become. This thinking never really helped me stay on my vegan course. Of course, I wanted to be healthy. I have high blood pressure, pre-diabetic, PCOS, and no telling what else. Yet, with all of that, being healthy and getting rid of those ailments could not make me stay the vegan course.
In March of this year, I did a seven day vegan challenge and followed it up with a 21 day challenge. I cannot remember if I made it through the 21 days but I know for sure I completed the seven day challenge. During that time my blood pressure went down on its own and the headaches I was having stopped and the night/early morning heart palpitations stopped. I felt really good after those 7 days. I knew in my head that vegan was for me. I had yet to convince my heart. I attempted blogging and sharing with my family and friends and even had greater success when I went a full six weeks with no meat or other animal products.
I am the only vegan I know. I try recruiting others to walk with on my path. Maybe it will be easier if my partner would also be vegan. She has a host of medical ailments that I am convinced would go away if she ate a vegan diet. But in the end, I stand alone in this journey.
I woke up this morning and thought, it does not matter who is vegan around me. I am vegan for myself. I am vegan for the millions of animals that are harmed for my sake. And I am vegan for the environment. For me veganism goes beyond what I've been taught. It is about seekin a new truth and way of understanding and then living it wholeheartedly. It is about having a vegan heart.
I hear often in the GMO debate to vote with your dollars to send a strong message to food producers that what they are giving us is unacceptable. So too it is with veganism. Change the world slightly by not eating meat or animal products. Even if you are the only one! It is a challenge so take it one day at a time!
'Till Next Time
Angela
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