Vegan 101

Howdy there!
So before I jump headlong into this blog & everything, I wanted to give yall a lil background....what really does "vegan" mean? Why am I vegan?  Heck, I even had someone once ask me if bacon was vegan! (um, not quite....) But regardless, here's to a bit o' the basics.....

A vegan diet/lifestyle (pronounced Vee-gun, by the way), avoids using or consuming any animal product.  This includes dairy, eggs, meat, seafood, as well as products like leather, silk, & fur.  Sometimes you'll see the above & below logos on certified vegan items, but not always.

The biggest thing I've learned being vegan is that you've GOT to read labels religously! You'd be shocked how many hidden animal ingredients are in things like chewing gum, some soy "cheeses", bread, marshmallows, etc.  And if you're going out to eat, you can't be scared to ask questions. You won't know if your "fresh sauteed vegetables" were cooked in butter or olive oil if you don't ask!

Don't know about yall but I'm a very visual learner....so perhaps this food pyramid pic will help =)

Sooo, you're prolly asking "WHY vegan?!?" "What DO you eat??" "What are the benefits?"
Personally, I'm vegan for a couple basic reasons...(I'll just give you the brief summary, but if you have questions, comments, etc....feel free to ask me!)

• The Animals - I don't believe in the harsh treatment & production methods of acquiring animal foods. Even organic, free-range chickens are kept crammed in poorly ventilated coops (not much better than the small cages) and slaughtered the same way as regular chickens.
• The Workers - People involved in alot of today's commercial farms & slaughterhouses are treated just as poorly as the animals....given no voice or freedoms. Or suffering tragic wounds from the equipment, machines & unsatisfactory protection.
• The Environment - Did you know that 7 trillion tons of livestock manure is produced every year, & almost all of it ends up back in our water system?? Or that since 1967, an acre of forest is destroyed every 5 seconds to supply land for fast-food beef cattle alone?? ok....enough said.
• Your Health! - Talk about some incredible health benefits! Being vegan reduces heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, sinus troubles, migraines, kidney disease, obesity, cholesterol, etc.  And studies show it increases your life expectancy by 7 to 15 years!!!
• My Past Health Issues - Having had open-heart surgery when I was younger, heart health is definitely a priority for me! And by going vegan, you eliminate most saturated fats from your diet, & thus lower your cholesterol & improve heart health. (This is since all naturally occuring saturated fats come from animal products alone)

So why vegan you ask?  Why not?!? I'm definitely not trying to get preachy at all.  Simply explaining something I'm passionate about & that I firmly believe in.....the choice is personal & every person is entitled to make their own choice.

And ahhhh, I know this is one of the least exciting, thrill-seeking, jaw-dropping posts I'll make, but it's a necessary foundation.  Hope yall have at least learned something new or about myself. Cheers  =)