I have been reading some great stuff about people who are discovering the joys of being vegan. I received a poke from a social network friend the other day, thanking me for being the first to mention the benefits of a vegan diet to this person, about a year ago. Since then, this person has lost 200 lbs. 200 POUNDS! I am so thrilled! I wish I could give everyone I know an equally valuable and life-changing gift. Oh, wait, I can. I just can't make everyone accept it.
Maybe celebrities are more believable than a plain, old school teacher like me:
Woody Harrelson told Esquire magazine that his acne cleared up after he became vegan 27 years ago.
Jason Mraz says he feels much better after becoming vegan, and that the film Fork Over Knives was a "life changer."
Ted Danson became vegan while filming the TV show CSI, and says he has more energy now, since making the change.
I was watching a James Taylor concert awhile ago, and wondered where he got all his energy, at his age. He seemed so calm, and happy, and light spirited, with a much younger wife and a couple of young children. So I checked a list of famous people who were vegetarian, (the list did not distinguish between vegans and vegetarians) and sure enough, there was his name.
I have read an argument against accepting the scientific research that says eating meat causes cancer. It goes like this: People who don't eat meat usually have healthier lifestyles in a number of other ways as well. They are thinner, they exercise more, they don't drink as much alcohol, they don't eat as many sweets, and they don't smoke as much. So their lower cancer rates could be caused by any of these other habits, not necessarily their abstinence from meat. Duh! This argument completely misses a huge point. Not eating meat makes it SO MUCH EASIER to do all those other things. With more energy, it is easier to exercise. With balanced blood sugar, it is easier to avoid sweets and alcohol. Without stray animal hormones affecting your mood, it is easier to relax and feel good without tobacco. So the argument is a silly one, like arguing that when you drown in the ocean, it isn't the water that kills you, it is the lack of oxygen to your blood. Why split hairs, as you are dead regardless of the details?
I hope you are having fun going vegan, and look forward to hearing from you. Please share any insights with the team. We are all cheering for you!
Maybe celebrities are more believable than a plain, old school teacher like me:
Woody Harrelson told Esquire magazine that his acne cleared up after he became vegan 27 years ago.
Jason Mraz says he feels much better after becoming vegan, and that the film Fork Over Knives was a "life changer."
Ted Danson became vegan while filming the TV show CSI, and says he has more energy now, since making the change.
I was watching a James Taylor concert awhile ago, and wondered where he got all his energy, at his age. He seemed so calm, and happy, and light spirited, with a much younger wife and a couple of young children. So I checked a list of famous people who were vegetarian, (the list did not distinguish between vegans and vegetarians) and sure enough, there was his name.
I have read an argument against accepting the scientific research that says eating meat causes cancer. It goes like this: People who don't eat meat usually have healthier lifestyles in a number of other ways as well. They are thinner, they exercise more, they don't drink as much alcohol, they don't eat as many sweets, and they don't smoke as much. So their lower cancer rates could be caused by any of these other habits, not necessarily their abstinence from meat. Duh! This argument completely misses a huge point. Not eating meat makes it SO MUCH EASIER to do all those other things. With more energy, it is easier to exercise. With balanced blood sugar, it is easier to avoid sweets and alcohol. Without stray animal hormones affecting your mood, it is easier to relax and feel good without tobacco. So the argument is a silly one, like arguing that when you drown in the ocean, it isn't the water that kills you, it is the lack of oxygen to your blood. Why split hairs, as you are dead regardless of the details?
I hope you are having fun going vegan, and look forward to hearing from you. Please share any insights with the team. We are all cheering for you!