Vegan — the beginning and end of vegetarian
There is only one future and it is powered by plants Ⓥ
I’m a vegan because I respect the environment, and I will do my best to spread the importance of such an issue.
Back in my childhood days — I used to drink three glasses of cow’s milk every day. Our great-grandparents taught our parents the importance of calcium — a mineral that is a key building block for strong, healthy bones. Do you really think, Children as they grow older need calcium from milk for building strong bones and keeping them healthy? Well, that is what most parents are led to believe.
Not just plain milk — for as long as I can remember, our family diet was always rich in dairy products. Whether it was a deliciously cooked meal at home, a dinner outing or an extended reunion with family and friends; when we all gathered, you know there was going to be some good quality eating time.
The first noticeable thing across those meals was an ingredient that made it to everyone’s plate. It was milk — an animal product. There are a no. of dairy products whose taste and consistency made it pretty much an all-around wonder to work with, and the preparation looked as good as it tasted.
Milk is still considered one of the staples of an Indian Diet (and also a Western Diet), and the food produced from it constitutes our favorite dairy products — Curd (also Yogurt), Cheese, Butter, Ghee (the Indian style of clarified butter), Paneer (Cottage Cheese) and Ice Cream (Gelato).
A classic Indian four-course meal would look like this
- tomato soup with milk cream for that silky mouthfeel and rich flavor
- a couple of appetizers — most common is tandoori paneer; cottage cheese is cooked on a tandoor in butter and marinated in curd, with extra cheese and curd dip or curd chutney (cold sauce) on the side
- an entrée — most common is a paneer sabzi served with Indian bread or dal makhani served with rice; cottage cheese or lentils cooked in butter and ghee, in a variety of sauce preparations (tomato, spinach, etc..), with added cheese or milk cream
- a dessert — whether it is ice cream or any Indian sweet, they are all prepared with milk, dairy products, and sugar
Milk and dairy products are one of the most important of all the traded food products today and their production matters to people in India.
It is not a requirement to consume animal products, we just choose to do it, so it becomes a moral choice and one that is having a huge impact on the planet, using up resources and destroying the environment.
It is not uncommon nowadays that people consuming milk or dairy products in their diet are often diagnosed with borderline or high cholesterol levels. This is because dairy is high in saturated fats and it raises the LDL-cholesterol (bad cholesterol) levels beyond the optimal range. You may not notice symptoms related to high cholesterol today, but then cholesterol-laden foods clog up your arteries over time and increase your risk of cardiovascular disease.
More than 65% of the world population is Lactose Intolerant – due to their inability to digest sugar (lactose) in milk and dairy products. It means their body cannot produce certain enzymes required to break down the sugar in milk. And this is not a problem.
A lot of us experience symptoms in our day-to-day lives, and most of the time we don’t know the root cause. Symptoms like — Acne, Bloating, Diarrhea, Constipation, Gas; all these are stomach related problems.
If more than 6 out of 10 people suffer from some of the other symptoms from consuming milk and dairy products – it simply means that milk is not meant for humans.
You call it lack of awareness or just plain ignorance — A mother’s breast milk is meant for her infants; a primary source of their nutrition until they are able to eat and digest other foods. Similarly, a cow’s milk is meant for her calves to grow 2–3 times in weight in the first year and again it is not for humans.
Be kind to every kind.
I discovered Veganism in late 2018. One afternoon, while searching for a perfect movie to watch on Netflix — I ended up scrolling through the recommendations for 15 minutes until I came across a documentary Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret and this triggered a major change in my life.
The term “Vegan” was derived in 1944 by Donald Watson after his request to have a small section in the Vegetarian Society newsletter be devoted to non-dairy vegetarianism was turned down. He then set up a new quarterly newsletter and called it “The Vegan News”.
Animals on factory farms all face pain and fear, just like the animals we share our homes with, yet are repeatedly abused in shocking ways.
I was aghast at the state of the slaughterhouses and dairy farms, and the images I came across; I was really annoyed at the dairy industry and felt disgusted. Maybe — most slaughterhouses don’t run in the same manner, and all of them don’t treat the animals poorly, but that’s not the point. To treat these animals inhumanly is one thing, and to use them — slaughter them for their products another.
On that day, I knew somewhere deep down inside, that it was all wrong, ethically incorrect, and I don’t see why any being should lose their life just so that we can satisfy our palate.
Every living creature has the right to live ethically.
That feeling of frustration, wrongdoing, and regret — opened up a new door into an unknown world. I knew my lifestyle would never be the same again, and this was just the beginning. Veganism to me was not a sacrifice, it was pure joy. A joy of guilt-free eating every single day.
All my meals are 100% plant-powered ever since. I ran more than 3000 kilometers in a year, including three local Marathons and a World Major. I finished strong, outperforming myself every single time, and most importantly without injury.
Be Mindful and Eat like it matters!
I also do a lot of High-Intensity Strength Training exercises, practice Power Yoga regularly and there was not a single day when I felt weak or craved for animal-based products. I have never felt so good about my body, my disciplined lifestyle and myself.
Vegan because going to bed each night knowing that I did not contribute to any beings suffering makes my soul shine.
Don’t ask me why I’m vegan, ask yourself why you’re not.
