What I wish I knew when I became a plant based vegan
I love being a vegan on a plant based diet. I feel healthier, more compassionate to animals and more environmentally sustainable. There are some things I misunderstood in the early days. Here, I clarify by sharing the wisdom I wish I knew when I became a vegan.
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You don’t need to be a vegetarian or flexitarian before becoming a vegan
When I first discovered the vegan diet that uses mostly plant based whole foods, I liked what I saw. But I initially only became vegetarian because I didn’t know what I could cope with and I didn’t know how to eat out as a vegan. It was partly about location. Going to a little suburban cafe at the time, I didn’t want to look fussy. I attended a wedding and sent the dietary requirement of vegetarian when, by that time, I ate pretty much plant based at home. Even months after that, someone ordered pasta for me and they didn’t tell the staff I was vegan. The restaurant mixed parmesan all through the pasta. Can you guess what I did? Remember, this was more than two years ago. I ate the cheesy pasta. I would not do something like that now. Again, I worried about that fussy stereotype. In hindsight, I should not have cared about what other people thought of me. I should have confidently asked if a cafe will omit an ingredient to make it vegan. I could have joyfully shared my transitioned vegan lifestyle with relatives and event venue organisers. I should have proudly embraced my new lifestyle. But the point is, that was the only reason why I went vegetarian before becoming a vegan. If I could turn back time, I would have prioritised ethics and health above social image a lot sooner.
Here is what happened when I was a vegetarian in my everyday living. I compensated for the missing meat by adding dairy cheese. Lots of cheap dairy cheese. I probably had some yoghurt and milk around the home too. Unsurprisingly, I didn’t feel right. Physically. I felt yuck. It’s that simple. I did not get tested for anything so I can’t tell you a fancy technical label for how I felt. I simply felt better when I cut those animal products out of my everyday life.
What can we learn from this? We could nurture our selves and the world more when going straight to the plant based vegan way of life. Some people feel more comfortable with a transition. But you definitely don’t have to be just vegetarian first. Although if you are on a vegetarian diet now, I dare you to take the leap into a vegan life. If you’re on the standard western diet, go vegan now and it could save your life.
Whole plant based vegan food can be delicious. Image: Unsplash.
Proudly share the lifestyle and educate others
In hindsight, the socially awkward phase of dietary choices could have been labelled as flexitarian. My normal regular routine was plant based. But I became a different version of myself in public or around familiar faces. Now feeling more supportive of the reasons to be vegan and plant based, I would rather be peacefully proud about it because I can share the positive benefits with more people. If I would feel ashamed of what I believe in, other people might have even less confidence in the lifestyles and values. We can better advocate for this way of life by being open about it.
I gradually eased into sharing my vegan transition with close people and the broader world. Why? I felt genuinely nervous about the potential reaction. I did not grow up around vegans. If you are committing to a vegan ethical lifestyle, you will need to tell the people you are close to. And do it in an informative positive way. You can’t hide it if you want to avoid receiving leather as a gift, being expected to eat a non-vegan birthday cake or even being served a coffee with the wrong milk. The benefits outweigh these slight changes. You just need to be open about it.
One thing I wish I knew, that I really didn’t expect, is other people’s learning curve about what my vegan lifestyle involves. I wish I would have anticipated the knowledge-gaps so I could have explained some things in advance. In my earlier year or two as a vegan, a family member really didn’t understand. That person asked if I would eat prawns. I had to explain I didn’t use anything from an animal. A year ago, someone gave me a soap that contained honey. That person assumed the soap was ok because, ‘You won’t be eating it.’ Even after being a vegan for a while, I suddenly realised some people thought it was a diet when it is actually a broader ethical lifestyle. Then even later, someone else just really didn’t understand what ‘vegan food’ includes. That individual was mainly familiar with the processed products from the supermarkets and needed more awareness of the whole food plant based diet that can fit vegan ethics too. We can share our understanding of the lifestyle and reasons for it. Then other people could participate I the lifestyle if and how they feel ready.
Is this pig smiling? Image: Unsplash.
The vegan and plant based lifestyles are about the world and not just me
After learning more about the ethical and health benefits of these lifestyles, this understanding leads me to show more concern about the world and others. I live this way because of some very macro issues. We can give our attention and resources to the bigger picture.
Plant based foods are said to be more sustainable for the environment. If I care about the planet, I need to think about more than which food categories I choose to eat. There is a bigger picture. Food waste is a major problem for the climate. I am on the journey of trying to balance my lifestyle to prevent food waste. We could eat great plant based meals. But we need to only buy the food we need, eat what we have and hopefully compost what we cannot use. I hope to compost in my next home if there is a will and a way.
We also need to think about how other things impact the planet. I recently joined Bank Australia because it is said to be quite ethical. Although the zero-waste movement looks like an extreme ideal, simple swaps can make a difference. I like to drink my vegan-friendly coffee from a reusable cup. We can make quite a difference when eating plants. We can improve our environmental contributions even further by making more changes.
Meanwhile, the vegan ethics and lifestyle are about the animal welfare. I took a while to wrap my head about the needs of animals. I grew up eating meat and thought it was ‘needed’ when it is actually unnecessary. So I thought that industry was an unavoidable awkward reality. Here’s the thing. I don’t expect the entire world to become vegan overnight. That is not the world we live in right now. It’s now where humanity is in their awareness. But we can prevent suffering for many intelligent creatures by doing anything that is possible. This reality leads me to consciously avoid products that are made from processes of exploitation.
This is why I am now interested in other forms of vegan support apart from dietary change and wardrobe. We can help animal sanctuaries and shelters. If you are looking for a new pet, try adopting a peaceful rescued animal instead of buying from a pet store. We can support preservation of animals’ natural habitats. I try to now avoid supporting fireworks because they apparently distress wildlife. Sometimes fireworks are around and unavoidable. But I wouldn’t show enthusiasm for it on social media. We can look at broader issues and at least spread awareness or even support organisations.
Finally, the plant based diet can improve the health of many people and not just the self. We can do more to spread the word and help others’ wellbeing. I became a supporter of NutritionFacts.org because they provide such valuable information. I would like to improve the availability of plant based whole foods in widespread locations. I don’t know how just yet but it is a long term goal. When we live a vegan lifestyle and eat a plant based diet, we can think about the broader impacts beyond our own everyday lives.
Have compassion for yourself as much as others
Be kind to yourself. A complete lifestyle transformation may involve re-learning and un-learning lifelong beliefs and habits. It involves living differently than the cultural norm and relating to society in different ways. You will be ordering food differently and may visit veg venues. I went through a long journey of learning how to cook lentils, how to boil dry beans, where to find vegan shoes and so on. A relatively ethical life is not always an easy life but it is generally achievable. There are so many things to navigate in this world. It’s worth it. Most of the lifestyle, including the food and clothing, is actually quite easy. The broader social issues are just extra complicated. Whether you are navigating the big picture or still trying to adapt your daily habits, be compassionate for yourself.
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