4 Unexpected Ways Veganism Improved My Health
By: Genevieve Glynn-Reeves
Just after my 19th birthday, I decided I wanted to become fully vegan. I’d been vegetarian ever since I was a baby and had flirted with the idea of veganism from time to time leading up to that point. I had always known it was something I wanted to do and as I had just moved out of my parents home it seemed like the perfect time to give it a proper go. I decided to do it for ethical reasons initially. The building I was living in didn’t offer the option of recycling and as someone who had grown up in a very eco-friendly household I found throwing away my cans and bottles into general waste made me feel very guilty. I found through an online search that veganism was a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and I decided this might be a way to alleviate a little bit of the guilt. However, once I’d made the change I discovered a whole variety of health benefits that kept me from the temptation of chocolate.
1. Skin
The first thing I noticed is that my skin drastically improved. Although I’d never had any real, serious issues with acne or blemishes, I’d had the usual range of blackheads and spots. However, when I started eating a vegan diet I found my skin cleared up a lot. This is likely due to the higher amount of vitamins A and E I was eating and the fact that a vegan diet made me choose fresh food over ready-made, more often.
2. Weight Loss
I also lost weight. Though this one is different for everybody this was the effect for me. My sister who had been underweight previously, actually found she gained weight and became a much healthier size when she went vegan for a summer. Before turned vegan, I’d been eating a lot of cheese, chocolate and other fatty dairy products. Removing these from my diet helped me to become a much healthier weight.
3. Better Period
This is a bit of an odd one but it was so important to me that I had to mention it. Ever since my first period, I’d struggled with really bad symptoms whenever that time of the month came around. I had actually been given medication to help me cope with the pain and weakness I had to deal with. This was likely caused by hormonal issues that are common on my mother's side of the family but the problems surrounding my period became a lot more bearable when I became vegan.
4. More Energy!
This is probably my favorite health benefit. As a very ambitious and busy girl, I always became so frustrated with myself when I was too tired to complete my final tasks for the day. This is not a problem that I’ve encountered much since starting my vegan lifestyle. Obviously, I still have days when I feel run down but on average I have so much more energy to give to all the things I’m passionate about.
Are you thinking about going vegan? Or are you already vegan? What kind of topics would you like us to cover about veganism going forward? We'd love to hear what you have to say! Please drop us some comments down below so we can address some common questions or concerns in upcoming blog posts.
Paige
Hi Genevieve! What are the best vegan meat substitutes (and the best way(s) to prepare them)? I’ve only tried the Morningstar Farms Chik’n Strips and although the flavor is good, the spongy texture is a little off-putting. I prepared them as the packaging instructed: I basically steamed them in water in a covered pan, which I realize is what contributed to the re-hydrated texture.
Is there a better meat substitute? How should I prepare the “meat” to make it crispier? I’d love to read a comprehensive blog post about this!