Veganuary

We never try to push or force our beliefs onto our patients or buyers so this isn’t about ‘telling’ anyone to do anything. I’m merely setting out some thoughts on becoming veggie, or vegan and what impact it has had on my health and lifestyle

Firstly, a declaration. I’m not acutally veggie or vegan. I have been trying to be fully veggie for the last year or two but sometimes circumstances (travel or some social occasions) make having meat the simplest option. I’m not going to beat myself up about it, I just have work out ways around those situations by thinking ahead and being more prepared. If at all possible, I try to ensure that the meat I am going to eat is organic or, at least, free-range, but that is also not always an option.

I try to go with the flow on the occasions when there is no way around it. I suppose a ‘true’ veggie would choose not to eat at all but as I have low blood-sugar issues, this is not doable for me. When my body says ‘eat’, I just have to eat.

From a vegan point-of -view, I try not to consume any dairy. I drink oat milk, eat feta (goats) and halumi (sheep) cheese mostly and I do also eat eggs, for now (organic) and also honey, which I know is a thing for vegans. Once I’ve found a healthy way around these and some good alternatives I may slowly cut them out of my diet but I’m also wary of being too restrictive.

However, we know that the more we can cut down on animal products the better it is for us, for the animals and also for the planet. Intensive farming causes huge amounts of damage in terms of waste (see all the news items about polluted rivers in the UK) and also the production of methane. And if that’s not enough to sway you, think of the intolerable conditions the animals are kept in or watch a couple of youtube videos. You won’t need to see them twice. I believe that Intensive farming is something that has to go. It is an unsustainable practice of extreme cruelty and has no place in this world.

I have been feeling very tired recently and an experiment with some venison showed me my body finds it hard to do without a little bit of meat occasionally (I hadn’t had meat or fish for at least 6 months). However, I am going to go and buy some B12 supplements to see if that helps with the energy levels and would mean I can ditch the animal products safely. On a personal health note, my cholesterol is now in the ‘incredible’ range (it was slightly high previously) and this can only be down to my veggie attempts although eating more oats which probably contributed.

Basically, if you cut down on animal products it’s going to be good for all of us but I recommend planning in advance, trying out alternatives, seeing what you do/don’t like. Experiment with the options and make it a long-term aim, something to work towards. There are so many really tasty alternatives out there so try to see it as an exploration and something positive rather than a punishment. There’s not doubt it can be hard sometimes but the health and environmental benefits are undeniable.