Carnivore to Herbivore: Making the transition to veganism

A vegan lifestyle is filled with variety and countless choices of delicious food. It only excludes the use of animal products. In terms of diet this means no meat, fish, dairy, eggs, honey or other animal derived ingredients. This challenge is not about being environmentally vegan, as our ancestors wore clothing made from the skins of animals, as evidenced when YHUH gave the first man and his ashah clothing made from animal skin. (Brashyt 3:21).  However, it is healthier for your body not to use cosmetics, personal care, or household products that contain animal ingredients, as these things are readily absorbed into the body, via the skin. So you can keep your leather purses, belts and shoes.

The many benefits of becoming vegan, other saving the lives of many animals and being much more environmentally friendly, is that it truly is the lifestyle choice to make.  A well balanced plant based diet is the healthiest of all, is suitable for all ages and can significantly lower health risks, such as heart disease, strokes, cancer, diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol.

 "... vegan diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases, and are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life-cycle including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood and adolescence and athletes."  The American Dietetic Association, July 2009

So, for those of you who are not vegan, and are starting to make this self deserving change in your life, here are a few easy steps to taking your diet from being a carnivore to being an herbivore .

 Dispelling the myth that veganism is difficult

Vegan meal are easy to make, and can be as familiar and as simple as a pot of spaghetti or as exotic as falafel and hummus.

What I find odd, is that most people, whether vegans or meat-eaters, typically use a limited variety of recipes; the average family eats only eight or nine different dinners repeatedly.  So, the idea of switching from a meat based, to a non-meat based diet can be as simple as switching your meat for another protein source, or thinking outside the box and exploring with new, fun ideas and recipes!

The First step, would be to think of a few simple vegan meals that you already enjoy, such as stir fry or vegetable soup.

Next, think of a few recipes that you prepare regularly that can easily be adapted to a vegan menu. For example, a favorite stew can be made by eliminating the meat and adding great northern beans. Most any soup, stew, or casseroles can be made into a vegan dish with just a few changes.

If you are still at a loss as to what to cook, check out some vegan cookbooks from the library or purchase a few from the bargain section at your local book store, and experiment with the recipes until you find a few recipes that are delicious and easy to make.

After that, coming up with vegan options for breakfast, lunch and dinner is easy.

 

Making the switch to a vegan diet doesn't mean buying a lot of special vegan products, as the staples of your vegan pantry should be whole, unprocessed plant foods that are readily obtainable at your local supermarket or wholefood store. 

ELIMINATE JUNK FOOD!

This will be hard for many people.  Because for so many, eating junk food, eating on the go, making quick, non-nutritious meals is all they know.  Their taste buds crave the salt, sugar, and the fat. 

Vegans and omnivores alike often eat lots of junk food, white flour, and too much sugar and salt. My family made this mistake early on in our change to veganism.  But, through a ton of research, and with a depth of commitment to being healthier, most of us have changed.  After all, we only get one body and this lifetime to make it right, and get healthy. Consuming whole, natural plant foods and avoiding processed foods are the answers to achieving a long, healthy life.

For Your Health

 

Vegans have a lower risk of colon and bowel cancers, and some studies suggest a link between plant-based diets and reduced instances of Alzheimer’s disease. Going vegan also offers significant improvements to quality of life. “In our research studies, we see changes almost instantly,” says Neal D. Barnard, MD. “Within the first day or two, digestion improves. After a few weeks, blood pressure and cholesterol are noticeably improved, and if a person has diabetes, it is usually dramatically better too.”

Meal Ideas

 Breakfast:  Cereal or spelt granola with nut milk and fresh fruit | Fresh fruit salad and almond milk yoghurt | Fruit smoothie | Vegan pancakes with maple syrup

 Lunch and Dinner:  Bean soup with matsah | Vegetable Frittata | bean burger | Hearty salads using lentils or beans, quinoa, or pasta | veggie sandwich or wrap or a variety of salads, hummus, roasted vegetables, falafel|

Snack:  Fresh fruit | raw vegetable sticks dipped in hummus, or guacamole | raw almonds or other nuts | pumpkin seeds (pepitas) or other seeds | dates, other dried fruit | Green smoothie

Breads and sweets:  Gluten free, or ancient grain Blueberry muffins | Pumpkin and Walnut muffins | Raspberry & White Chocolate muffins |  | vegan chocolate or caramel