Vegan Life

Name: Scarlet
Age: 26
Occupation: MBA Student
Status: In a relationship


4 years ago, like most people, I was a regular happy carnivore. Having grown accustomed to having meat on my menu for every meal of the day, there was a time when I could not even think about completely cutting out all of the familiar delicacies; bacon, chicken, steak, and ribs that I had been living with for 22 years. Then, one day I came across a New York Times bestselling book called Skinny Bitch by Rory and Kim, which talks about the healthy lifestyle of vegans. Furthermore, it opened my eyes to the cruel stories behind each piece of meat and the process the animals go through from being raised, to being sent   to a slaughterhouse, and it totally turned my life upside down.. I know many change their lifestyles for health reasons, which of course is always a plus, but all it took were some inconvenient truths to turn me into a real vegan.


Everybody in my family rolled their eyes when they first heard about my decision, and they even agreed to bet on how long I was going to last before I gave up. My mother--my best friend and biggest advocate, who always supported me in everything I did, put down the boldest wager--2 years. On the other hand, my brother, who needless to say still exhibited a severe case of ‘sibling rivalry’, only bet 3 days.  However, despite any doubt or adversity I may have faced, I had the last laugh, as I proved everyone’s wagers wrong. For 4 years now, I haven’t eaten any animal products, and I kept my hands off of my old vice with ease, believe it or not.  The best part about my new vegan life-style, is that I love it! I don’t have a daily stare down with a piece of meat contemplating my morals; I don’t miss meat for a second! Barring any extenuating, and extreme circumstances, no divorce will be necessary for my new marriage to plant-based foods.


Before I go further, I’d like to show you some statistics I found at PlanetSave.com (An excellent website for your green life):


If everyone went vegetarian just for one day, the U.S. would save:

• 100 billion gallons of water, enough to supply all the homes in New England for almost 4 months
• 1.5 billion pounds of crops otherwise fed to livestock, enough to feed the state of New Mexico for more than a year
• 70 million gallons of gas — enough to fuel all the cars of Canada and Mexico combined with plenty to spare
• 3 million acres of land, an area more than twice the size of Delaware
• 33 tons of antibiotics

I’m not trying to push any of you into giving up meat immediately, nor am I trying to convert you into a pure herbivore. I just want everyone to see that such a small action, such as going vegetarian for just one day, can lead to such massive results. I know it’s hard; it’s not a decision that most people just make overnight and stick to the rest of their lives. But what about trying to be a vegan just for one single day first? Think about the humongous amount of resources that are consumed just for the processing of meat.  Think about our earth, and our grandchildren. Don’t you want to do something to help even a little bit?


Don’t worry, being a vegan doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice the taste of your food anymore. There are now delicious vegan versions of almost every meat, dairy, and egg product with all the same flavors you’re used to. The only difference is that they are processed without causing any animal suffering or environmental degradation. We have soymilk, dairy-free ice cream, meatless burgers, chicken-free nuggets, vegan eggs and yogurt. For those newbies, you can just start from those vegan-adapted choices. That’s what I did at the beginning.


As a matter of fact, cooking vegan food is even more fun than cooking processed meats. Since you have fewer raw materials to choose from, it will require more creativity to cook up your ideal meal. My family and friends always find me caught up in creating new recipes, such as eggless egg salad (avocado), meatless meatball (tofu), or chicken-free chicken soup (chef’s secret!). It is challenging but also enjoyable and extremely rewarding when you feel like you have successfully “copycatted” a meat-lovers favorite meal with a recipe different in every way except the taste. If you could have your favorite meal without causing any detriments to your health, animals, or the earth, wouldn’t you?


Another pleasant surprise I came across as a vegan is Phix. Last year, I was so glad I found Phix, an energy drink that satisfies the requirements of vegans in every way possible. I was always looking for an energy boost that I could use for my workout, but those chemical-packed and health-threatening energy drinks in the grocery store constantly scared me away. Different from those regular energy drinks, Phix is all-natural and low-calorie; I use it not only for a lift but also for its multi-vitamin supplement, so I highly recommend it to my fellow vegans.


Vegan life is easier to achieve than most of you might think, and there’s also a lot of fun in exploring new revolutionary things that fit into my green lifestyle. If you are already my peer, let’s share our stories and ideas; if not, I welcome you to my healthy and happy vegan world.


In good health,
Scarlet