Happy New Year! I can’t believe it’s 2018!
As I sit here in bed, I have unfortunately been taken down by the sickness that everyone seems to get. While I thought I was one of the “lucky ones”, it has hit me since January 1! This has definitely put a damper on my very motivated move into 2018 in terms of this blog. I took most of the holiday season off after Thanksgiving due to some personal reasons, and am ready to get back to it!
This brings me to this post.. Back in June, per the recommendation of a close friend, I watched the Netflix documentary called WHAT THE HEALTH. I am always interested in health related documentaries, and this one was very eye opening. While I do understand that documentaries like this are often one sided, so much made sense with this one. If you don’t have Netflix, you can watch it HERE.
In a VERY short summary, it talks about the benefits of a plant based diet, as well as the connection between foundations such as the American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association, etc. and their corporate sponsors. For example, dairy is linked to an increased risk in breast cancer, and Dannon Yogurt is one of the main sponsors of the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Just things that make you go HMMM. It also talks about the effects of the body’s reaction to animal products. An interesting documentary if you’re looking for something to watch!
Well, since I’m pretty in control of the food I put in my mouth, I always felt like I could be a vegetarian anyway (I was actually a vegetarian as a kid for 2 1/2 years, but my favorite food was cheese, so not vegan at all). I opted to give a plant based diet a try (since I don’t do dairy anyway) just to see how it made me feel.
Since I watched the film in June, I have been Veganish.. I say veganish, as although I don’t do any meat, fish, eggs or dairy, I will still have raw organic honey (on occasion), which isn’t considered vegan since it is an animal based product. I will also have an occasional egg ingredient from Paleo Bakehouse. This isn’t restriction, it’s just choosing a lifestyle that I’m happy with.
And the verdict of this change is… I LOVE IT! I genuinely feel really good, better energy, and it actually regulated my menstrual cycle, which is a miracle, since I’ve never, in my 30 years of life, been consistent (TMI, sorry!). I would recommend it to anyone. I eat A LOT, and I love veggies, etc. Making them the main ingredient vs a side has been simple and rewarding.
I even made it through Italy, learning to make vegan risotto and vegan gnocchi, and was pretty excited when I even ran across a vegan friendly bakery (on my birthday!) with almond & rice milk lattes, and vegan chocolate croissants!
I will continue to share vegan food on this blog and my instagram as I embark on this journey to continued health and education.
Lots of goals and resolutions this year! What are you health related goals!?
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