VEGANISM
The Hardest Parts of Being Vegan
It’s not what you think.
I became vegan in November 2018, after watching thought-provoking documentaries and hearing a friend advocate for veganism.
This lifestyle (not only a diet as it also includes non-food items) bases its main motivation on three pillars: health, animal compassion and, the environment. This latter one was my first reason for taking this path, however, the more I learnt about all of it, the more confident I was with my choice.
Non-vegan food
Being French, I grew up eating many different types of meat (we are quite famous for our original recipes) and a lot of cheese.
To say I loved cheese is an understatement. It was a necessary part of my meal, if not the main focus of it. At the end of my exchange in Canada, after 4 months of overpriced tasteless cheese, we had a secret Santa party with my roommates. My gift was a French cheese and it brought tears to my eyes.
Therefore, one of my struggles with veganism is missing some foods. I am a pretty good cook so I get around most days and, in fact, eating vegan improved my skills and creativity. I sometimes get a mad scientist vibe from cooking and it’s pretty exciting.
Nonetheless, I do have moments here and there reminiscing about cheese and eggs. I don’t feel I’m missing out on too much though, I find fulfilment in aligning my values and my lifestyle, and those keep me going when I’m down the nostalgic road.
Knowing the “truth”
There is an excruciating frustration in feeling like you finally know the answer, and people around you don’t understand it. When I became vegan, I felt like it was a first step in changing the world and spreading my truth. But I quickly hit a wall and was faced with arguments I felt were unjustified.
Since then I’ve gotten used to explaining my reasons when asked by curious people. I find it funny when people feel like they need to justify themselves about their eating habits. And you’d be surprised how quickly it starts to sound like a broken record.
With time, I give people more grace, everyone is on their journey, and trying to rush them to meet me will only ruffle their feathers. It is entirely pointless.
However, keeping an open-mind doesn’t mean I always understand.
Remember our three vegan arguments? Health, animal lives, and the environment.
I can make sense of ignoring the health argument, even though there are some studies in favour of veganism for optimal health. But I am no doctor, I feel incompetent to advocate for it. Plus, even if everyone was convinced it was the healthiest option, it wouldn’t suffice to get everyone on board. We aren’t necessarily equipped to automatically choose best for ourselves. I made a habit of eating Burger King’s vegan burger back in Australia, even though vegan, it was definitely not healthy.
I can also understand ignoring the animal argument to some extent. I believe not everyone knows how bad they can have it in the farming industry, and I’m sure we would all be happier if animals were raised in good conditions. However, I can get how some people wouldn’t resonate with the animals’ struggles, maybe thinking it’s part of the circle of life. I don’t particularly agree but I can understand where people are coming from.
The hardest argument for me is the environmental one. It seems like people are invested in saving the planet and slowing down climate change. Therefore I find it difficult to hold this truth in one hand and not have it meet the vegan argument in the other. I don’t know if it’s a choice or a lack of information.
This one often gives me food for thoughts and even tests my patience sometimes. But I know I am by no means perfect and so I give my neighbour as much grace as he gives me when he disagrees.
The dietician calling
Last but not least, it amuses me when people suddenly turn into nutritionist after hearing I’m vegan. I never had so many people concerned about how much protein I consumed before!
Whilst it is true you need to be intentional with your protein intake when vegan, I believe that is true no matter your diet and with any nutrients.
Back in my omnivore days, I was never the biggest meat fan, so I’m now wondering if back then I might have had a protein deficiency? Or maybe I was lacking some vitamins as I wasn’t eating enough vegetables?
My point is you can’t necessarily assume someone is healthy or unhealthy based on his or her choice to consume certain foods.
And whilst I’m always thrilled to satisfy someone’s curiosity, I don’t need to hear your comment about your neighbour’s cousin who nearly died due to veganism.
I only ask to walk my path and hopefully, we can share the journey embracing our differences and making each other better for it.
