The Thoughts of a Hobby-Vegan on Being a Vegetarian/Vegan or Eating Raw

Hey there everyone! 

This is a topic that has been in my life for up to three years now, and I never felt that I had the right to actually write about it. I am neither a full-time vegan with years of experience, nor do I have all the facts. What I do have, is my love for research and my interest in everything concerning these topics. I spent my entire day writing this post and going through all the links I found, so to me, this means that it must be one of my major interest or passions (especially if you consider how long this post is). 

Before you roll your eyes, this is not a post that will tell you what to do. It is the results of years of reading and doing some research, and it's not even cover all attempt. It's a quick alternative food-lifestyle 101 if you will :) 

But, I'll let the rest speak for itself, and I would love it, if you shared your thoughts and opinions. Just so you know: I only accept those opinions, which are based on experience, facts and genuine attempts to understand the subject, or give another perspective. I do not accept hateful comments, stupid comments, or uninformed comments. CaB is about finding the truth and basing it on information and experience (yours or others). 

Help me keep this a place of love, genuine interest in others and proper helpful information. :)

My Story

Let me confess something right from the start (and please have mercy): Thinking about turning to an alternative lifestyle, is not based on my love for animals (although I do love how I can protect them this way), or the environment (although I know how beneficial this can be to it), but solely on rebuilding my health. 

It is possible that someday I will actively look for vegan alternatives in clothing and hygiene products, and stand up for animal rights. For where I am right now, this is just too big for me. To consuming. 

Right now, I want to make it something that I can control, at least most of the time.

I know that the vegan-cause (or any attempts to save animals and our environment) is noble, but I get no motivation on something that I cannot see. I cannot focus on making a difference in the world. Its just too big. It's like thinking about what is behind the universe. 

What I can do, is focus on my own little world. What I do. How I can change. How I can inspire those around me. This might affect the bigger picture, but micro level is the goal for now, not macro level :)

For now, I am focusing on getting healthy again. Knowing that I can positively affect the world this way, is an amazing bonus.

Why change my lifestyle?

Because I can, because I know too much, and because it needs to be done.

After spending tons of money at the doctors, I know that I have a deficiency in nearly every important vitamin and mineral. My stress-levels are so high that they had to be checked twice, because the Dr. couldn't believe these were the results for a 22 year old woman. My iron levels are so low, you can already detect it outside of the blood serum. In addition, I should avoid all dairy products (especially cow) as well as gluten.

 This was a lot of information to process and it has left me with two questions: 

1. What am I doing wrong?
2. How can I change that?

As I have been a hobby-vegan for a while, and have read up on plenty of facts and benefits, I know that becoming a full-time vegan with raw food elements could do the trick for me, without investing more money into pills and medication. 

I believe that the body can heal itself, if it is given the right building bricks, and I have seen enough evidence in whole food vegans and raw food eaters to know where to find those bricks. In food. In real whole and healthy food. 

It has never been easier to change to a vegan/raw/vegetarian lifestyle, while still having an abundance of other food-options to turn to. 

Realistically, we do not NEED to eat meat and dairy in our western society, and there are great ways to cook food that can fulfill you in whole new dimensions! (I love stuffing my face knowing that what I am eating is actually working FOR ME) 

  

Changing this form of lifestyle is something very personal, and can only be done by you and your beliefs. This is why I generally don’t like being confronted with extreme/radical vegans. 

By this I don’t mean vegans that live radically and extreme (sounds like a paradox...), but those that constantly try to impress their own beliefs on you. It may be that they have found the truth, and they are trying to show you the light, but it's like people from different religions. You cannot force someone to see it as you do, and I have stopped trying. Change takes time, and it needs to be done from an inner conviction. 

Pushing negative comments and pictures into other people's faces, does not benefit your cause. I think that most vegans want to do good. They want to communicate what they believe in and what they think is wrong with the world. They (mostly newbies) just aren't doing it in a very psychological smart way.

Accusing other people for what they do, doesn't inspire anyone to consider your case. 

The first time I experienced this personally, was while talking to a friend who had just made the transition from one day to the other. She found other vegans on facebook, and  they quickly started forming this negative-accusations-human-hater-club. 

Just out of protest I would challenge their posts on facebook to find out if they even knew what they were talking about. I started doing research on facts, statistics, numbers and real-life experiences, until I knew more about the subject than most of them did.  

Most of them hand’t done this, instead turning to soy-products and replacing bad food, with vegan bad food, whilst glorifying their transition and putting everyone around them down. Everything they projected was deprivation and contempt. In a group, they would present themselves as the martyrs, the victims of our society.

And I just couldn’t understand it. 

So I did more research, and I started finding out what it really can mean to undergo this change. 

Freedom of body, soul and mind, new happiness and less depression. More energy for life, a purpose and a way to serve others.

Here is a discussion I had with her: 

Me: If you want to convince people that what you're doing is good, you have to target their emotions.

Her:  But by showing them the animal pictures and how they are treated, we are targeting their emotions? 

Me: Yes, you are targeting their negative emotions that are directed at you as a result. You are making other people feel bad about themselves, accuse them of being wrong and bad people, while expecting positive results. You have only been a vegan for two weeks, and already punish people for what you have been doing your entire life. They have not undergone the thought process that is needed to understand something like a vegan lifestyle. They don't have the information, only your attacks and pictures of skinned animals. It is impossible to get them to see what you mean by pulling up their defences. The only thing that result from this, is that people will delete you from their facebook friends-list and go eat a large steak, just to spite you. 

Her: So what? If they can’t handle it, maybe I don’t want to be friends with them. If they want to close their eyes to the cruelty they are inflicting and how ignorant they are, then let them delete me, what do I care?

Me: But then you are counteracting the point of reaching many people and getting them to think about your core message. Why don’t you approach it differently?

Her: How?

Me: Well, you say that what you eat is great and that there are amazing recipes out there, and that you have great results. Why not serve vegan food to guests, find out what they think, what could be better and start posting your amazing dishes and meals online, instead of tortured animals. This way, you will inspire a lot more people to want to have or do the same.

This is approx. how the discussion that set me on my own food-truth-discovery journey went. And in case you want to know: Many people were thrilled by this turn of events. No one was deleted from fracebook friends-lists. Instead, people started cooking things they had seen from friends, and thus not veganism, but healthy eating (that was vegan) started to spread.

I am happy to say that there are so many examples of the right kind of inspiration out in the Internet, where people do not judge others, but offer their help  to those, who want to make the transition. 

These are often amazing people, finding recipes, showing how it affects their life, and how they make this lifestyle possible on a daily basis. They manage to make it something exciting, exotic and not frightening, or full of accusations. 

Be the example, not the warning! (Sean Stephenson) 

Why even consider eating vegetarian/vegan/ raw?

This trying to outsmart my wise-ass friends on facebook, was the first time I really started thinking about what it meant to be vegan, what food is there for, and rethinking my own relationship with food. 

I even went over to my friend and demanded a taste or a meal of her choice. Back then she and I thought  that being vegan was about replacing processed food/dairy/meat, with vegan processed food and chemical substitutes, which is why the meal looked like this. (Although she did try to give me an idea of what sort of substitutions there were, so she did also cook differently)

 Since then, we've both come a long way, and I know there is more to changing what you eat. More than most people know, or even care to know about. Even vegans. (You can't say that about most raw foodist, because they tend to know their stuff)

To finish her story: My friend stayed a vegan for a very long time, (I think she still is) and she has grown with the subject and as a person. Taking on this lifestyle has changed a lot of things for her. She was a vegetarian before becoming vegan, but doing this transition really did the trick. She lost lots of weight and was glowing with energy and body/mind happiness. She even managed to get her mother on board, although I don't know if she is still sticking to it :) All in all, going vegan has enriched her life, and I am very grateful that she put me on the path. 

My goal isn’t to become a perfect vegan, my goal is to make a mental shift towards food that heals mind body and soul. I find that taking the focus off of the demand to have to be perfect, makes any transition easier. Setbacks/failures are stepping stones to what you want, already expecting them, saves you a lot of grief.

Vegan is one way of the ways I think I can achieve that, but the term vegan is also full of prejudices, wrong information and negative connotations for others. I prefer the description plant-based over vegan, because it takes away all the negativity and doesn’t confront people with their own discomfort or guilt straight away. It also doesn't give any indication of your political/environmental affiliation. Some might prefer this at first. It's like the word feminist for me. I don't consider myself a feminist, I consider myself to be a woman beyond emancipation (In a positive way - this might need a follow up post ;))

In order to stay out of the extreme myself, I constantly refocus on the reasons I am even thinking about these alternative lifestyles: 

Repairing myself and finding a new solution to my old problems. 

This has nothing do do with anyone else, and I do not judge anyone, or want to impose myself on others. It is purely for me. 

If anyone is inspired, it’s amazing additional bonus.

Known benefits

“[…]it's easy to forget, as we indulge in a Mocha Frappuccino or inhale a burger in the car, that food is energy and it fills more than our stomachs. It feeds our brains, our hearts and our spirits.” (Earthmother)

As my friend Tatsy has already covered in her guestpost, there are many environmental and animal saving benefits that make for some good reasons. 

Here's a great article on the reality of what our over consumption of meat and dairy products does to destroy and negatively alter our environment (even without our other active contribution)

But as I mentioned above, this isn’t going to be the focus for me at the moment. I need to see me making a difference FOR MYSELF now, or I’ll scream! (get the Charlie's Chocolate Factory reference?)

How can changing what I eat impact me? (A bullet-point list)

All these points apply to a whole foods vegan diet (focusing on plants and vegetables) and raw food diet.

1) Better relationship with food and your body

"I was a compulsive eater. I didn't eat in response to signs of hunger. I celebrated with food, mourned with food. I used food for pleasure, for comfort, for reward. I turned to food when I was sad, hurt, angry, bored and lonely. I had forgotten that eating had anything to do with being hungry. Food was the glue that held my life together" (Earthmother)

• Now:The foods that we widely eat in our society, don't make us feel good in and about our bodies, and often lead to overweight and obesity. We ignore what our body truly needs and we have lost all connection to REAL healthy eating. We seem to have forgotten that food is there for hunger, not for everything else. This is one of the reasons teenage girls start dieting.
• Benefit: Fueling your body with foods that work for you and not against you, will have many positive effects in this arena. You will have more energy, while your body adjusts to its own ideal body weight. Focusing on fruit and vegetables will give your body all the vital vitamins and minerals, and sets the scene for a healthy, working body

• Now: Many women count calories, and start omitting fruits or other products that are essentially good, to excuse a dish of pasta, or a cake.
• Benefit: Once you have made the transition, you can eat all you like (not from vegan trash-food) and there is no need to count calories. People can be super thin and lean while consuming 5000 calories a day. It's not about the calories, it's about what you eat that counts. While you eat the right foods in abundance, you can watch the toxic waste tumble from your body. 
• This might also mean that there is a lot of emotional processing that you need to do, if you have issues with food
• When we remove the toxins and relieve our body from the food induced stupor, all those emotions might have been stuffing down with our food will come back up again. You will have to start creating new coping-mechanisms for difficult or emotional situations.

• Now: Because more women decide to stay in the workforce (yay to all you amazing women out there) time in the kitchen is reduced to a minimum. This is were microwave dinners and processed foods come in. They are easy and quick to make, but they make us fat and zap all our energy. Our tummies are full, but our bodies are empty (it is possible to be obese and mal-nutritioned). These are the reasons we start counting calories (and often ditch the veggies and fruit for their high calorie count in favor of processed options). This is not what truly makes us and our bodies happy.
• Benefit: Eating loads of fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds is as easy as it gets. They are already your finished meal and if you want something more fancy, there are so many easy and quick recipes on the web. Preparing healthy meals can be simple, cheap and easy, if you invest the time to find out how

• Benefit: We stop hating ourselves for how we look and what we eat, instead we begin a journey of healing. We start healing from the negative self-image and abuse (women are experts when it comes to focusing on what they hate about themselves) and refocus on recreating our health and a working body. Its not about doing this to become skinny and end up eating nothing but an apple a day. Its about rekindling the love to real food that works for your body as soon as it passes your mouth, and your mind as soon as its on your plate. Even skinny girls have issues with themselves because no matter what we eat, or how we look, we need to be totally in tune with our body and food choices, in order to appreciate our bodies totally. I have not yet come across a plant-based eater, who doesn’t fully appreciate their bodies, and has dropped at least 98% of all self-directed body hate. Lets start appreciating and loving our bodies!

"Realize that wanting to look like a Hollywood starlet is a very narrow and Western ideal. Hollywood is not everything and that version of “beauty” isn’t beautiful to a lot of cultures. Don’t be afraid to be different." (Earthmother)

•       Benefit: Eating food that is obviously good for you (unprocessed, whole, live), will boost your energy and self-esteem. Knowing that you are actively loving yourself through your food, rekindles the good feelings towards yourself and your body
• 
  
•       Benefit: By doing some proper research and finding out about nutritional truths, myths and lies, you are open to listening to your bodies needs again. You will be able to tell when you are really hungry, or when you are just dehydrated. You can feel what your body needs, not your emotions. 

      "Take time each day to tune into your physical body and ask it what it needs. Treat it as a dear friend, rather than your worst enemy, and just as you will find with human beings, you'll receive far more cooperation from that which you love, than that which you hate. Your bodies have an intelligence all their own that if you listen, will tell you exactly what you need on any given day." (Earthmother) 

      2) Achieving YOUR ideal weight

• Benefit: Almost all people who turn to a vegan plant-base diet lose weight (as long as they don't substitute trash with vegan trash) 

• Benefit: Eating a raw or healthy whole foods plant-based diet reduces our weight to what OUR body should weigh and look like (not airbrushed people, or those with eating disorders) and to feel good.

• Benefit: Food becomes the fuel for a working body as opposed to some kind of enemy. You stop focusing on your weight, but start focusing on your health, which will naturally lead to a body you are happy in and proud of.

Here is video that shows how the wrong food (and fad diets) can impact your weight. It also uncovers some dietary myths. As I said in a post before, if you couldn't live a long happy life with the diet, it's not healthy (e.g. the Atkins Diet). FYI: Dieting is never the solution in the first place. Yep, it's true, even though I struggle with this truth myself ;)

Also, here is a great before and after from Freelee, which gives you a dramatic idea of what weight changes can lie in store, once you've made the change and give yourself time.

3) Finding new food and recipes

• Benefit: While finding out about this new lifestyle, many new foods and recipes will come your way. For me, this has opened up a totally new culinary experience. Usually, we prepare our stock of recipes on a regular basis, without considering the nutritional value or how it could be done healthier, or differently. As a hobby-vegan, I have already found many new recipes and foods that I have never used before my interest in food and nutrition. (Especially herbs and seeds)

• Benefit: By taking your time, you will start to build a repertoire of recipes which are healthy and tasty. This way it will be increasingly easier to fade out the junk from your menu, and retrain your taste buds to like what they are genetically built to like. 

4) Improved health and well-being

• Benefit: Your skin will clear up. I have noticed that as soon as I or P. start overeating in junk-food, the skin is the first indicator. Pimples, oily or dry skin are the results. Eating more greens (in a smoothie e.g.) will help you counteract this and let your skin glow long-term. 

• Benefit: Minimal risk of affluent diseases. Animal protein and junk-food promotes early death by heart disease and related heart issues. The same goes for many forms of cancer. By following a vegan or raw diet, you can reverse fatal diseases and keep them out of your body. To throw in the big argument: It can possibly reverse cancer! (More on this in detail in the ChinaStudy by Campbell) Also: Chronic illnesses will often take care of themselves and disappear, while mental focus and capability increase. (Similar to the benefits of a long water-fast) 

Here is a study on the effects of eating red meat

• Benefit: The days of malnutrition are over!

What would be my goal, if I chose to follow one of these lifestyles full-time?

1. Learn about my health, my mind and about the world I live in
2. Share it with others

Here is another list of reasons, why someone became a Vegan. 

What’s the difference?

Vegetarian

•       Chooses to omit all forms of meat
•       Sometimes will still eat fish (pescetarian)

Vegan

• Chooses to omit all animal products 
• Depending on beliefs: Chooses to invest in vegan clothing and hygiene products (living vegan).

Raw foodist

• Chooses to omit all forms of animal products
• Mostly does not cook food, or eat cooked and processed foods
• Focuses on eating raw fruit and vegetables

Technically, this list is a gradual development from eating a western-diet, to going raw. Most vegetarians at some point turn to vegans and those who want to squeeze the last drops of ultimate health and happiness out of food, tend to go raw. This is of course not always the case, many stay where they are, or go "backwards". 

Although, being a vegan or eating plant-based is already starting to become more and more mainstream/known/accepted (yey), there are still social difficulties you might face. Many people feel uncomfortable, if you do not conform to “normal” eating habits and confront them with something that might place them out of their comfort zone (even involuntarily). 

The problem is that food is often tied to emotions, and so it is harder for people to let go of old habits, or understand why you're not a nutcase, if you eat raw or vegan. 

Right now I am going to leave it at that, and there is no evaluation of any of these three versions, and it’s certainly not the deepest most researched information, but it’s a little sum up, so you can keep them apart. :) 

Where to start, what to do, what to cook?

I’ve spent an entire day (and night) browsing and searching the Internet today (in addition to about three years of random reading and research) and I have found so many inspiring posts and blogs that I am just awed (my bar is still full with all the different tabs to articles or insights I haven’t read yet.)

See all the tiny labels?

Getting into this subject can be VERY overwhelming. Where to start? What to do? What is right, and wrong?

First of all, there is no wrong. If you’re a vegan and have succumbed to a Burger King meal, so what? 

There is no one who honestly cares (there is no vegan police, except gleeful critics in your group of friends) – but you. 

If you feel that it revitalized you that it completed your day: Perfect! If you feel guilty, not well, and hate yourself for it, it’s a lesson learnt. That’s all there is. Only you, how you feel about it, how you want to live your own truth (in any area of your live, by the way) and how you are taking action.

You can only do one step at a time and take whatever pace you need. If you start by taking the skin off your chicken first, and replace normal milk with skimmed milk  – you’ve already proven that you love yourself. That’s enough. And then take other steps that you feel good about, or are ready for.

"Sometimes there's too much chatter about how to eat healthy that I get caught up in the details & accomplish nothing." (Dena Martin)

As a hobby-vegan, I like to replace certain meals with their vegan counterparts (VEGAN FRENCH TOAST, I’m addicted…), or replace snacks with vegetables and fruits. It already makes a difference to me and I can manage that.

I can manage these little steps. I like finding new recipes and trying them out. If I really like them, I write them down in my recipe-book. This way I create a book full of recipes that I already approve of, that aren’t too expensive (I am a student without a job) and that taste good. At some point I’ll have so many, that I can just fade out the rest. 

The thing I like best, is finding ways to recreate my favorite non-vegan foods with vegan/plant-based substitutes (later even gluten-free) and then not needing the “real thing” at all.

Some things to consider

1. Don’t set yourself up for failure – plan ahead. It think for the beginning it's important to understand that it won’t go overnight and that planning ahead is vital! You will need to start planning your meals, and what you shop, so that you don’t break down in the shopping alley, not knowing what to buy and succumbing to the bright packaging of your long-time comforters. It also helps you prepare your home, so that there will be no temptations lying around. 
2. You don’t need all the gadgets – keep it simple. Cooking vegan and eating healthy has to be the easiest thing in the world. You don’t need huge amounts of appliances, or any intimidating arsenal of special products. I admit that a blender does come quite in handy, but you can also do without. Eating plant based is about the simplicity and beauty of foods that are ready for you to eat, even if you don't do anything with them. It is totally understandable that you don’t want to invest the big bucks before you even know if this is what you want, and if it will work for you. Instead, look for easy to do recipes (I am doing baked courgettes tonight, all I need is an oven and a knife) that don’t cost much, and need little effort. It’s best to start small here, because cooking complicated, supply abundant and exotic meals will consume too much of your time and money very quickly. Food is important, but it shouldn’t be your time-, or money consumer. Keep it simple.
3. Do the research - knowledge is power! It has taken me ages before I even dared approach this subject in text form, and it 's already way too long, while covering a minimum of information. Instead of trying to tackle everything I have ever learnt about the subject, I am bringing you what has really stuck, and what I found today. You’ll need to do the rest. I am only one source. One interpretation. That’s not enough to make an informed decision, which is why I have the links down below. Feel free to delve into the jungle of sickeningly healthy people that feel great about themselves, because the live in tune with their bodies. :) 
4. Be critical - find things out for yourself. Be critical towards what I wrote here, towards what you find on the Internet, but also towards the reasons you are or aren’t doing this. There's a lot of great but also bad information out there, and opposing opinions. This is the amazing thing though: there are so many opinions because there are so many different lives and lifestyles. What you need to figure out though, is what you want for your life and if the other people are informed or not. This is what got me going on the Tracy Anderson challenge, because I was so annoyed by all these uninformed comments and obvious lies. So, whatever you do: Be critical. Think about what it is you are reading and figure out what is right for YOU.

Here is a nice post about being a victim and giving others the responsibility for your successes and failures, by Banana-girl. 

Also: Start by questioning the information you get about food on a daily basis. What we are eating is supposed to be good for us, yet affluent diseases and the over consumption of food, has never been higher. Why is it that if everyone is eating the right stuff that there are so many people suffering under their weight? Why are there so many diets that make you ill? 

I have started questioning this ever since  reading the China Study – my favorite go to for some hard facts – because it doesn’t try to sell me anything, except the book.

There is no need to explain or defend yourself – but you’ll know the answers to the questions.

Truly knowing what it is your doing, will also help you when you face criticism. I have encountered this so many times that at first I would get aggressive and defending (negative effect). What I have learnt from this is, that I just don’t talk about my dietary preferences. 

When someone asks me how I lost weight, or something related, I say its because of my food choices. If someone really wants to know, I start talking. If they get all skeptic and start laughing at me, I stop. 

It’s not my duty to save and conform every individual in the world, and I am not there to impose what I think is right on them. But, should they ask questions, and you’ve done your research, you’ll be able to give them proper answers that fill the gap of widespread popular nutrient knowledge. 

My favorite questions?

But how do you get all your vitamins? What’s with the PROTEIN????

-       My answer: Question: Do you think going to Burger King or McDonald's, or eating frozen Pizza with a glass of coke gives you all your vitamins and protein? That usually shuts them up….

Here’s a very informative video on the truth about why and how much protein we need.

Here another video, from the same girl that shows the desperation many vegans must feel when questioned about protein. 

Finally,

everyone has their own reasons for and spin on the subject, and there are so many amazing individual sites, I couldn’t cover them all even if I wanted to. Here are some sites that I found truly inspiring and uplifting today, and also some of my longtime favorites.

List of Sources

1. A lovely page on all things wellness and related to taking care of your body, mind and soul. There are gluten-free, vegan, raw, non-vegan posts alike and lots of extra things (dating advice, spiritual advice)
2. A list of 50 raw-food blogs that are considered visit-worthy
3. A good “what does going raw and eating raw mean?” page
4. This is a blog that I thought was very interesting, not because it was about food, but because its main theme is: to learn how to fall in love with YOURSELF! (Which is the base of all truly great things)

The next links are of special interest to me, because I haven’t encountered such outspoken/informed vegans/raw foodists before. I spent most of my day watching their videos and looking at their posts. 

What they say makes very much sense to me, although I have to say I have a less aggressive approach (now) towards those subjects.

1. Here is Freelee in her RawFitBitch channel, with a good Q&A video. Its good that she mentions that it's about health, not weight loss why she does it/started out. Check out the channel for other funny videos, like her how to vlogs. But, it could be that she offends you, or that you feel she is too much "in your face". I personally didn’t mind, because I understand where she is coming from and that she is generally promoting a good thing. Take the emotion out of it, and just enjoy what information she has to offer. I consider it to be a very genuine trustworthy source on raw-and vegan lifestyle. She has been through eating disorders and was overweight and has certainly done her research.
2. Next one is the same girl, but different channel. This is her as Freelee (the name she goes by) and is a more mellow channel on the same subjects. She has lots of other videos though, about workouts, health and weight loss.
3. Here is a blog by Durianrider, who is Freelee’s partner, as in boyfriend/husband(?). He has a male take on the whole subject, but is no less determined to make you understand why you should be vegan or eating raw. He has some great data from his own 11 year experience of being a vegan, and is wonderfully sarcastic and outspoken. He focuses on how it is possible to have this sort of lifestyle, but also be an athlete and busts the myths of diets, or other uninformed comments on the Internet. It is definitely worth a look.
4. And to top this off nicely, here is their joint project, which is a large forum based on their blog 30 bananas a day. It is focused on being vegan or eating raw and facing the difficulties, as well as benefits with others. If you are looking for a community, maybe you’d like this one?

To accompany that, here is a great list of athletes who are vegan, showing that the combination is really possible.

1. Another site that is more community and forum based. You can actively seek help, advice and people to share your journey with. It also has many recipes and other related info.
2. The next blog is sadly not being updated anymore, but it has great informational value. It is written by a woman who transitioned to becoming vegan and raw, and has documented her journey with lots of additional insights and related posts. She is very genuine and was at some point considered a go-to address for this kind of thing, on the Internet (maybe still is).

And this is the point where I want to share some great recipe-focused sites that I follow and look at, when I am in need of inspiration!

1. The first that really got me, because Miriam shows you how to make REAL food, was mouthwateringvegan. One of my best and loved curries comes from her page, and I love the cakes and desserts. (yeah, I just love sweets)
2. I have only recently found this amazing blog, but her story is inspiring and also how she refocused her life on her passion. She has a huge amount of interesting recipes for desserts and cakes and also gives you information on its nutrient value. I found her looking for gluten-free vegan options, and have been following her blog ever since.
3. After I was told that I needed to avoid gluten for a while, I went out in search for a gluten-free vegan source and I couldn’t believe it, it actually exists! I always find it amazing how many people are out there sharing what is important to them, so others can join in on the benefits.

For now, this should be it. It is impossible to have all the links and read all the blogs, but I think that this is an interesting array of sources, and that it will keep you going for a while ( and send you off to spending hours on other blogs and posts)  ;) 

I have loads of other sources I go to for recipes, but you can find them easily by just typing vegan or raw food into the google search bar, that’s how I found them.

Please note that I am not a professional on nutrition, nor have I any control of the content presented above. These are places that I consider inspirational, motivational and/or informative. Please think about what you are reading, and take what feels good to YOU. I also can’t read up on every single post in these sources, so I do not necessarily agree with every detail.

"[...] but it's knowing which bits are useful to you and which bits you can trust that's important." (Karen Knowler)

If you have any source that you love and that inspires you continuously, please share :)

What if you don’t want to give up meat, or dairy?

Then don't. 

The only thing I would like you to consider is: Is it because you are scared that you’re missing out, or because it seems too hard, or because you don’t have all the facts? Or for some other reason that has nothing to do with this lifestyle?

I am also struggling with these questions, although I already know that before me lies the answer, waiting until I am ready to apply it to my life.  

It is easy to fall back to easy options, such as fast food, junk-food, meat and dairy. It’s easier, because it is comfortable. But is it really in my best interest? 

Right now I am not a full-time vegan, because it puts me out of my comfort-zone. It’s scary, it takes some effort at first (getting the staples needed, finding tasty recipes, convincing myself) but it is doable. I truly believe that it does me good, and that I can build on this.

I remember being a vegan for 4 months last year, eating vegetables, but also vegan junk food, and I still felt better. With my workout I looked and felt fantastic in mybody. After I met my boyfriend, comfort and laziness took over and I slipped into an unhealthy, although normal, lifestyle again.  

If you do need meat, I won't judge you (because I believe that everyone has to make their own choices in life, and I'm not even there yet), maybe reconsidering your sources is more in tune with where you are right now? 

 I have been doing a little research into this area, and found a great comment from one of the raw food blogs:

“I agree that veganism is the highest and purest way of living, for your body AND for your mind and soul, it is not good or attainable for everybody. Some people need meat, not especially because their body needs it, but their mind. The mind has a big impact on the body.
There is a big difference between the dairy or meat of animals that have lived an extremely good, healthy and happy life, or the animals that have suffered so much. […] But we have a long way to go before we can achieve a society that doesn´t kill animals, simply because there are so many people wanting meat every day. In the mean while for the people who do need meat/dairy, lets do it as pure and kind for the animal as possible.
Furthermore it isn´t achievable to become a vegetarian or vegan overnight. Some need small steps, and its better to choose the purest and organic meat and/or dairy. “
There is a big difference between the dairy or meat of animals that have lived an extremely good, healthy and happy life, or the animals that have suffered so much. […] But we have a long way to go before we can achieve a society that doesn´t kill animals, simply because there are so many people wanting meat every day. In the mean while for the people who do need meat/dairy, lets do it as pure and kind for the animal as possible.  Furthermore it isn´t achievable to become a vegetarian or vegan overnight. Some need small steps, and its better to choose the purest and organic meat and/or dairy. “ There is a big difference between the dairy or meat of animals that have lived an extremely good, healthy and happy life, or the animals that have suffered so much. […] But we have a long way to go before we can achieve a society that doesn´t kill animals, simply because there are so many people wanting meat every day. In the mean while for the people who do need meat/dairy, lets do it as pure and kind for the animal as possible.  Furthermore it isn´t achievable to become a vegetarian or vegan overnight. Some need small steps, and its better to choose the purest and organic meat and/or dairy. “

 If you feel you would like to do something for yourself, or contribute to the vegan-cause, then this might be an option for you? 

Helping the economy of your own village/town, knowing where you get your meat and dairy products from, makes a huge change. Same as eating vegetables and fruits that are in season. 

It’s a mindful transition from the consumer of the cheap, faceless products, to a person who actively plans a meal and respects the life that is left for it. Keeping transportation and environmental costs in mind, this philosophy of eating says

 "[...] support your farmers market, eat whole foods, and limit your meat consumption to grass-fed, wild meats." (Mindbodygreen)

We’re not perfect, but to me it would make sense to invest a little more money into something that is directly tied to humanity (my Mam who is not at all into all this talk, is already doing it for years).

Instead of senseless consuming of these products for every meal (and often throwing leftovers away or meat that has gone off), we could make the change to be more mindful of what we eat, whatever it is we chose to eat.

Sounds a little whimpy and from lala-rainbow-land, but I do think that being grateful to this animal and really appreciating what it is we have, makes a difference. (In general, being grateful is the best thing we can do in all areas of life, no?)

What if you’re not ready?

Well, then you’re not. 

You don’t have to be ready for anything. If you like, just close this page and never return, no one is going to yell at you because of that. (I ignored this whole topic for nearly 5 years and there was no screaming anywhere)

Going raw, vegan or vegetarian, is a very personal decision that no one can or should make for you. It should never be about deprivation, or suffering, or a new group pressure cult. It’s about what you believe, how you feel about your decisions, your body and how you feel as a human in this world.

Turning to one of these lifestyles, or just playing with them (like me, hobby-vegan) can be about new excitement about yourself, the world and what you eat. There are many amazing people out there, showing what this way of living can do for you, and it’s just great fun finding them and being inspired. (Like me realizing there was vegan French toast or pancakes)

"Whether you want to dabble just-a-teeny-tiny-bit or dive right in with both feet, it really doesn’t matter. What matters is that you enjoy every aspect of your flirt with fresh raw and living foods and come to see it and experience it as an exciting adventure into a whole new world – which is what it really is!" (Karen Knowler)  

With me, it’s all about inspiration. Finding things that feel exciting that I want to do, that motivate me to want to be better to myself, based on actual facts. 

You know I love facts, and it took me quite some research to know that of all versions there are out there…eating more vegetables, fruits and real whole foods, seems like the most beneficial. 

Interesting that we need so much proof to believe this, huh?

Michale Pollan summarizes the whole thing pretty well: 

"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

Just writing about this topic today, has opened a huge tin of worms. There is so much happening out there for a good-cause and more sanity in our lives that I can't even imagine implementing at the moment: Proper seasonal shopping for vegetables and fruits, locating local and organic farms, or products in the shops, starting a home garden and living of my own produce etc. 

To be honest, knowing how much one can do in this life is scary, there are so many options and things to think about, I don’t even know where to start.

But I bookmarked so many inspiring links and posts that I know I can take one step at a time. 

Right now, it think I want to start making decisions that reflect the need to love myself and take care of my body.

In the end, no matter what you decide on, the best thing is, if it was really a decision YOU made. Not something you grew into, or are being persuaded into, because it seems easier in our society, relationships and families.

I am starting to make my own decisions, challenging my beliefs in all areas of life, and figuring out: 

"My philosophy about life is that we are in control and we can change things." (Nadia Petrova)

Knowing this, still doesn’t mean that I am there yet. I guess this is where the animal rights, environmental conviction helps. You are doing it to serve a purpose, to be there for those who cannot protect themselves. 

As right now my considering these lifestyles is a purely egoistic thought, it needs even more convincing. It’s easier to knowingly hurt yourself (we treat ourselves badly all the time) than to hurt others knowingly.  

And it often needs some transitioning. It doesn’t have to happen overnight, or even by next year – it happens when you are ready and you want it to happen.

I am getting more and more into the mind-set, by trying out recipes that are easy, cheap and fulfilling, so that at some point I will have many more healthy good recipes to fall back to, instead of unhealthy ones.

 It is a gradual process, but it allows me to feel I am in control, and it doesn’t trigger my fear of deprivation, or missing-out. I am still going to allow myself the actively placed indulgences until I feel that I can do without, or can find a substitute. (Just discovering almond milk for my black tea has already saved me a lot of withdrawal pains)

“There are lots of gray areas here, and it is up to you as an individual to do what you feel is best for you.” (Rawmodel)

I hope I could inspire you today, with something exotic and scary, but also worth some thinking about.

 I don’t have all the facts, but just wanting to find them has already helped me see a bigger picture and create this little collection for you.

I send you all my love,

(hobby-vegan) Shauna

PS: I am very sorry for all the formating mishapps, but blogger is really giving me a hard time. It's really not "what you see is what you get" - I'm working on it :)