I’ll admit, veganism isn’t a lifestyle made for everyone but the lifestyle shift that comes with going vegan isn’t as intimidating as it seems. I will have been vegan for a year this April and what I have taken away is that the changes you have to make are outweighed by the positives that will be added to your life.

Veganism, in broad terms it reduces water usage, methane emissions, CO2 production and the amount of grain used to feed animals which could feed the world. These environmental benefits allow you to live life with a clear conscious knowing that you are an active participant in the restoration of our planet.

Veganism to me is an easy solution that could be used to not only effectively make the planet healthier but yourself included. On a plant-based diet the food you are eating is comprised of ingredients you are familiar with. The majority of what you eat as a vegan (outside of dairy and meat replacements) are categorized as “whole foods,” in other words these are foods that have been minimally processed and are free from additives. Eating pure allows your body to get the nutrients it needs in a way that is practically free from impurities. Eating a plant-based diet  makes your body feel energized, healthy and restored.

When I made the shift from meat eater to vegetarian and eventually vegan, I realized that the farther I went into the world of plant-based eating, the better I felt, not only physically but mentally. I began to feel more confident and empowered. Eating vegan truly gives you the ability to be in control of how you feel. It gives you the incentive to make good decisions that have a chain reaction. By doing good for yourself, you do good for the animals and ultimately for the environment.

Veganism is a unique way to coexist with the animals, our surrounding environment, and the natural way of the world while still giving and gaining respect from the cycle of the food web. You learn to respect the way animals need to maintain their lives and by doing so, you gain your own kind of self-respect through the knowledge of the good you are doing for yourself and your surroundings.