Veganism: What It Means To Become A Vegetarian

“There is no fundamental difference between man and animals in their ability to feel pleasure and pain, happiness, and misery.” -Charles Darwin. Veganism is a way of leaving which seeks to exclude all forms of exploration and cruelty to animals for food, clothing or any other purpose. In terms of diet, it omits any intake of animal produce, including meat, eggs and dairy. There are many benefits that come from a vegan lifestyle, some people want healthier skin or to loose weight. Others see the truth behind animal farms and slaughterhouses, the inhumane way they end the lives of thousands of animals.

To be a vegetarian is to live a life cruelty free. Vegetarianism is a lifestyle, which eliminates any type of meat from one’s diet. Public figure Ellen DeGeneres, a vegan, actually eliminated all animal products from her life once she found out the truth behind an omnivorous diet. She says, “I can’t participate in that. I can’t be a part of something that is suffering...It’s a very disturbing reality and it happens every minute of the day” (VitalVeda). And the number of people cutting off meat from their diet continues to increase. It is said that “veganism has grown 500% since 2014 in the US” (Veganism). As more and more research is conducted on the effects of eating dead animals, more and more people become aware of those effects, or rather, those damages, they can cause to themselves, morally and physically, and to the environment.

According to vegansociety.com, “ Veganism represents a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, other animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of humans, other animals and the environment.“ People that follow this way of living are called vegans. The vegan diet is more a lifestyle choice and a philosophy than just a diet. The vegan life is the best way to live because it’s healthier, helps the environment, and is kinder to animals.

Many people have misconceptions about vegans, specifically that they are weak and unhealthy while it is quite the opposite. Registered dietician, Ashley Koff, points out that “eating meat and animal products...has been associated with inflammation” (Hartke par 17). And inflammation is just one of many health problems linked to diets consisting of meat. Cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, and cancer have also been shown in higher rates among omnivores. Gary Fraser, PhD, MPH, who was a part of the Adventist Health Study observed that there was “12 percent reduction in risk of all-cause mortality in all vegetarians combined versus non-vegetarians” (Palmer par 21). Why would you want to pollute your body with the carcasses of animals and other by-products that we have stolen from them? The myth that cow’s milk makes your bones strong is just one of many falsehoods that agribusinesses and large industries have been telling us. Of course, they want us to buy their milk, cheese, and yogurt. But if you look into the effects dairy has on the body, you will learn the real consequences of consuming dairy and animal protein. In a study observing the bones in omnivore and vegan women, health researchers found that there was a “lower amount of bone formation in the omnivore women” which could lead to a lower bone density and ultimately end in osteoporosis (Wood par 16). Many of the strongest animals on the planet are herbivores. Many of the animals people consume are herbivores. We say that we eat meat to get the protein and to get the nutrients, but look at where these animals get theirs. Plants. If we want to be healthy and get our nutrients in their most pure form, we need to stop filtering them through animals. We’re not just killing the animals and our planet; we’re killing

Harvard Medical School defines a vegan as a person who does, “not eat meat, poultry, fish, or any products derived from animals, including eggs, dairy products, and gelatin.” (p.1). With veganism gaining more and more popularity in the media and in the western culture, debates have sprung up about whether or not this diet and lifestyle proves to be healthy. Countless studies and experiments have been conducted, and the results have shown that a vegan diet can prove to be a more beneficial diet then the standard American Diet. But, with large food corporations and drug companies in the way, Americans find it harder to switch to the plant-based diet. The vegan diet time and time again shows its outstanding power in reducing

disease, colon and lung disease, osteoporosis, diabetes, hypertension, and obesity have all been directly linked to consuming animal products (For Your Health 1). According to the Physician Committee for responsible Medicine, a vegan diet lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels, reduces breast cancer and

Veganism to me it's a lifestyle where a person chooses not to consume, wear, nor use any animal products. Even though going vegan helps million of animals around the world; which is so inhumane and I don't know how people, like my family, can claim to love animals but pay to kill them, it also helps and improves many more things. For example, our health; the article says that our energy would increase if we consumed a plant-based diet, which is very interesting because if we were meant to be eating a animals then that would increase our energy but since they take so long to be digested, they are actually taking energy that we could use for other things. Our environment it's another thing that

c. One misconception about being vegan is that you don’t get enough protein, but it is actually very easy to find nutrients, protein, and calcium in plant foods. d. I personally have noticed changes in my health: I am more energized, I never feel sick after I eat, and my health is just as good, probably even better, than it has ever been. (Connective: It also provides a good feeling mentally, to know that you are not contributing to the unnecessary harm to animals.) II. By choosing a vegan lifestyle, you are not contributing to animal abuse in any way.

The mere thought of abstaining from meat makes some revolt, an instinctive reaction to giving up something they enjoy so regularly, but lots of folks do it because they believe it is the healthier option. Though, when thoroughly looked at, that isn’t always the case.

In this day and age, people are very passionate about their beliefs. Many change their lives to do what they believe to be right. Many people are very concerned about animal mistreatment, so they do not use any food or products that come from animals or that harm them in any way. This lifestyle is called veganism. According to an article on veganism, the definition is "a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practical—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing, or any other purpose." Vegans are devoted to stopping all cruelty to animals, and therefore, are the voices for those who cannot speak for themselves.

Established in 1944 by Donald Watson, modern-day veganism has become an increasingly popular lifestyle through recent decades. Veganism is a very strict diet. It involves a strong commitment and can also restrict certain fashion statements in some way or form. Vegans avoid any consumption of any [animal related food or fabric that has been fabricated with animal skin]. Although many, do not see the vegan choice as a reasonable way to a healthy living, many Americans have seen their diet change being influenced by popular artists, such as Beyoncé, who endorse the idea of veganism.

Veganism is a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose. This includes not consuming meat, dairy, honey, eggs, gelatin, etc., as well as not using leather, feathers, wool, or products that have been tested on animals.

Craig, W. J. (2009). Health effects of vegan diet. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 89(5), 1627S-1633S. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2009.26736N

The first thing that usually comes to one’s mind when they hear the word Veganism is healthy. However, many points would debate against and for this very statement. There are many researches that prove the vegan diet is a healthy one and that this diet is better than a normal animal product eating one, however none proving that it is better than all the other diets, like some people claim the plant-eating one to be. Being a vegan means that you miss essential nutrients on a day to day basis such as vitamins, iron, zinc and calcium just to name a few. As well as this, when you get rid of all these animal products you are at a much higher risk of developing a nutritional deficiency and becoming under-weight. Looking

Some would not be able to live without eating any animal products in their diets, such as, meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy products, and honey. For vegans, however, this is a normal way of life. Vegans are frequently misunderstood as either people who have eating disorders, or an unnatural passion for animal rights. It is time for people to realize that veganism, a challenging yet rewarding lifestyle, goes way beyond being skinny or caring for animals. In reality, veganism can be extremely advantageous to anyone who adapts it as a way of life and has many different benefits that come along with it.