Why would anyone want to eat plants?
I grew up on an acreage where my mom had a huge garden, a few chickens, horses, dogs, cats and whatever stray animals and wildlife would grace us with their presence. Life on an acreage, or a farm, is very different than growing up in the city and for that I am very blessed.
Like many people, I grew up eating animal products on a daily basis. Butchering chickens was something of a family tradition even though it never sat well with me. I never could understand why we were taking care of these animals, loving them like the others (like horses, dogs and cats) yet one day we were walking into their coup grabbing them by the legs and chopping their heads off. It just seemed weird to me. However, this was just how it was.
As the years passed and I grew into a young adult I became increasingly aware of my digestive problems. I often had brutal stomach cramps, bloating and low energy. So, I began to look up some solutions and came across a book called, Eat Right For Your Blood Type by Dr. D'Adamo. I am a type A blood and according to this theory should be eating a vegetarian diet. I had never considered this before but thought I would give it a try.
I started by cutting out red meat. I found it a bit difficult at first because I love steak and hamburgers but as I started to feel better it became easier to deny my taste buds. I then cut out poultry and felt even better.
As time went on a realized that even though things we better I was still having digestive problems. I figured the culprit was dairy. It was my favourite food group and one I did not want to give up. However, when a friend challenged me to cut dairy out of my diet for a week just to see how I would feel, I accepted the challenge, felt better within two days and haven't looked back since.
During this time I was training for a figure competition and knew I needed help from someone who was experienced with vegetarian diets for athletes. I soon found a great coach, Nathan, who lived in Toronto. He was a raw vegan. At the time I did not understand what that meant but soon learned.
He asked me to cut out fish and eggs, which were the last animal products I had left in my diet, and eat all my food uncooked. I was up for the challenge. Although, I loved fish and eggs and knew that there was still something I needed to change in my diet to get the results I was looking for.
Over time, I began to feel better, look better and had a lot more energy. Because of these
phenomenal results I wanted to learn more. I started doing more research into how I could become certified and help others. I found a small school out of Texas and received a raw vegan chef and nutritionist certification. As I had already been experimenting with new recipes I was in the process of completing a cookbook. This book, The Magic of Living Nutrition, was published in 2014. It is not only a cookbook but a lifestyle book where purchasers discover how to be more fit, gain more energy, have more self love and how to make the switch to a plant-based diet. It has sold many copies and, to this day, I still get people telling me how much they love the book.
Over the years I struggled with giving up some of my favourite foods, like eggs, cheese and fish; however, I spent the time doing my research into what it really means to be vegan and live a compassionate lifestyle.
From my research, and experience, I am now confident in saying that not only has making the switch to a plant-based diet given me better health and more energy, it has also changed my whole way of being. I am happier now knowing that I no longer contribute to animal cruelty and I am much calmer, not as angry as I used to be, which I contribute to the fact that my body is healthier, I no longer have the heavy karma of sick, stressed and dead animals, and I know that I am now living my purpose and contributing to the greater good by helping others transition to this lifestyle like I did.
You may think, "I am just one person, how could I possibly make a difference?" Well, you would be surprised at how many lives you can touch, or even completely transform, by just speaking to one person about making the switch to a plant-based diet. I am shocked when I think of how many lives have been changed because of the one or two people I inspired to go vegan. All it takes is one.
There are many reasons why you may choose to go vegan. A few of the main reasons include:
1) To no longer contribute to animal cruelty. Do you love your dog? Well, someone, somewhere likes to eat them just as you may like to eat a cow, or a pig. They are all sentient beings who deserve more than pain and cruelty in their life.
2) To enhance health. Plant-based diets have been proven through much research to be the healthiest diet.
3) To no longer contribute the earth's demise. Animal agriculture requires a lot of land, water and causes a lot of pollution.
If you are thinking of making the switch to a plant-based, compassionate lifestyle please download my latest eBook by subscribing on the website home page: The Top 10 Things You Need To Know Before Going Vegan.
Stay tuned to our blog for more information on plant-based diets, healthy lifestyles and mind-body-soul connections for better health and happiness.
Until next time,
May the magic of living nutrition bring you an lifetime of healthy abundance.
Rachel Joy Olsen
