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I’d like to start this vegan wellness article by saying that there are no wrong reasons for going vegan!
Whether you’re looking to improve your own health by eating more plant based or maybe you’re wanting to minimize your own ecological footprint, these aren’t bad reasons to go vegan.
Ultimately however, the main goal of veganism is to do the least amount of harm to animals. Which means that going vegan truly is about the animals & everything else, like our own health & the health of the planet, is a bonus!
That’s why it’s important to note that veganism truly isn’t just about what you eat. Veganism is a lifestyle, not a diet.
You could eat plant based but still participate in lifestyle choices that aren’t necessarily vegan, like fishing, or buying/wearing leather, wearing makeup & skincare that tests on animals or has animal ingredients, etc.
As mentioned in my article Go Vegan in 2022, the definition of veganism is this:
“Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.”
The Vegan Society
Veganism for Health
Many people look to veganism to help transform their current state of health. Which isn’t that surprising when you look at all of the studies that show how damaging the consumption of animal products are on the human body.
Within the past decade the World Health Organization announced that meat & dairy, especially processed ones, increases the risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, and osteoporosis. LDL Cholesterol (found only in animal products) & animal fat clog arteries, leading to heart attacks and strokes.
Checkout this powerful video by Dr. Michael Greger. I remember watching this over 10 years ago & being blown away by the information.
That being said, if you’re going vegan for your health, GOOD FOR YOU! You will most definitely notice a ton of changes & benefits if you eat Whole Foods Plant Based that is.
Just as there are “healthy” & unhealthy meat eaters, there can also be healthy & unhealthy vegans. And what’s important to note, junk food vegans are vegan for the animals, not their health.
So remember, veganism is a lifestyle, not a diet!
Vegan for the Environment
No matter your stance on climate change, if you really think about it, the more people, the more consumption, the more treading, the greater the impact & effects we have on the planet. That just simply makes sense right?
So if you care about the Earth then it only logically would make sense that you would want to try to minimize your impact on it as far as practically possible right?
And that is why many Environmentalist are/have transitioned to a vegan lifestyle as well. There is something quite contradictory when someone professes to care about the health of the planet but still continues to contribute to the greatest known pollutant…
Animal Agriculture!
Peta has put together a great article showcasing all of the ways a vegan lifestyle can help the environment but here are the main takeaways.
- Animal agriculture causes an estimated 18 per cent of all greenhouse gases.
- Raising animals for flesh, eggs and dairy causes 65 per cent of all nitrous-oxide emissions. Nitrous oxide has 296 times the global-warming potential of carbon dioxide.
- Even the UN admits that the animal agricultural industry is “one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global”.
- Meat consumption is thought to be one of the leading causes of modern species extinctions.
- Cows produce 150 billion gallons of methane per day.
- Emissions for agriculture are projected to increase 80 percent by 2050.
- If you eat meat, you’re responsible, on average, for the consumption of 15,000 litres of water a day.
- One steak takes 7,500 litres of water to produce.
- Animals exploited for their flesh or their feed covers one third of the Earth’s ice-free land.
- A dairy farm with 2,500 cows produces the same amount of waste as a city of 411,000 people.
- Three-quarters of the world’s fisheries are exploited or depleted.
- For every 1 kg of fish caught, up to 5 kg of unintended marine animals are also caught and then discarded as by-catch.
- Animal agriculture is responsible for up to 91 per cent of the destruction of the Amazon rainforest.
- A person who follows a vegan lifestyle produces the equivalent of 50 per cent less carbon dioxide than a meat-eater and uses an 11th of the oil, 1/13th of the water and 1/18th of the land.
- The world’s cattle alone consume a quantity of food equal to the caloric needs of 8.7 billion people, more than the entire current human population of the Earth.
- Producing protein from chickens requires three times as much land as producing protein from soybeans.
Vegan for the Animals
Obviously when you go vegan you immediately stop contributing to the exploitation and the cruelty that is forced upon animals day after day & year after year.
But did you know that going vegan also helps other people?
“Food (and land) security is becoming a major issue. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that one in nine people are chronically undernourished. With the world’s population expected to increase from 7 billion to reach 9-11 billion by 2050, one of the most urgent questions we now face is how we, as a species, will feed ourselves in the 21st century.”
The Vegan Society
“Quite simply, we do not have enough land to feed a growing population an animal-based diet. While 800 million people do not have enough food, we continue to waste valuable agricultural land by obtaining only a small fraction of its potential calorific value. The world’s population is increasing and viable agricultural lands are diminishing. If we are to avoid future global food scarcity we must find sustainable ways of utilizing our natural resource base. Industrial livestock production is not just unsustainable; it’s unjustifiable.”
Basically, if we were to repurpose the land used for AG, we could grow enough fruits, vegetables, grains & legumes to feed the entire world and then some.
So if Veganism is more than what we eat, what next?
Makeup & Skincare:
Fortunately many beauty companies are becoming not only cruelty free but also vegan! So shopping for vegan makeup & vegan skincare is getting easier.
I know that many people have their tried, tested, & true products but did you know that there are so many vegan & CF “dupes” out there of your favs?
Checkout my recent article on 5 Black Owned Vegan Beauty Brands to help you get started on your vegan products.
Fashion:
Most clothing is vegan thankfully but materials like leather, silk, wool, angora, down, etc. all come from the use & exploitation of animals. So when you’re shopping for new items, read the fabric list to ensure that you aren’t contributing to this type of abuse.
Another important thing to mention, fast fashion is everywhere. Fast fashion is usually supported by sweat shops & unfair labour. While that doesn’t necessarily mean animals are being exploited, it does mean that human animals are being put through hell as well.
Medicine:
Unfortunately we don’t live in a vegan world and many pharmaceutical companies still test on animals. Hopefully in the near future medicine will be vegan but mostly, it’s not.
BUT… medicine, we have to take it and this is where the “vegan as far as practically possible” steps in. Don’t feel guilty, it’s out of your control.
Entertainment:
We don’t often think about the choices we make as being vegan or not right?
Many people take their children to aquariums because they love to see their expressions & their intrigue. Aquariums however, are like tiny prisons for sea life. Imagine having an entire ocean one day & then moved to a pool for eternity.
Same goes for zoos & circuses. While we might think that these places are great learning tools to share with our children, what we’re really teaching them is that, if you’re not human, your freedom & your life on this planet does not matter.
There are so many other options to help teach your children about animals. One of them being visits to animal sanctuaries. This will allow them the same experiences but your money will be going to helping these animals rehabilitate & funding the eco systems that these animals survive in.
Checkout this article with some great kid friendly alternatives to zoos.
Also to note;
When you go vegan or start to transition to less animal consumption, you don’t have to purge all of your non-vegan items. That would just be wasteful!
It’s important to finish those skincare or makeup products. Wear those leather boots until you need new ones & then when the time comes, look for the vegan options.
Adding to landfills with barely used or brand new items doesn’t help the animals that have already suffered & it certainly doesn’t help our planet.
If you would like some extra tips to help you transition to a vegan lifestyle, checkout my article for Veganuary.
Remember, veganism isn’t about trying to be a perfect human being, that’s impossible. Veganism is solely about doing the least amount of harm to others, with others being all living creatures, including our planet.
“I don’t feel superior because I’m vegan. The truth is I am vegan because I don’t feel superior to others.”
Michelle McCowan
These items are great ways to start you on your vegan journey.
Travelling to NYC soon? Save my latest Vegan Travel article, you won’t want to miss these restos.
Such an important post. My own journey into veganism began because of my health. As that improved it became important to embrace caring for animals and also the earth by removing use all animal products. It is indeed a lifestyle.
It’s so wonderful that you were able to improve your health all while helping the health of animals & the planet. It really is such a gift once we start to unpack it’s details.
Going vegan was a separate choice from going plant-based for us. Plant-based came first and once I learned how this diet could impact the animal agriculture industry, the planet, and my health, it became a lifestyle choice and belief system. One that I honestly never thought I’d follow. But, here we are… and hopeful that we never go back. 🙂
Honestly, I think that’s the case with so many people. Obviously lots go vegan once they understand what truly happens to animals but I would say majority of people who go vegan start for health reasons. And it’s not to be ashamed of. I’m not down with the people who harp on those that go vegan for health. Bc I think that in time those vegans, just like your family, will also begin to see all the other avenues that veganism touches.