Before I was vegan, the concept of veganism was something that didn’t make sense to me. I often thought that vegans were malnourished hipsters who went around and terrorized people for eating meat. I would have never thought in a million years that I would be such an advocate for this lifestyle. But as the years went on and my health steadily declined, and it was the vegan lifestyle that turned out to be my saving grace.
Initially I did go vegan for my health and I will tell you why. Four years ago, I was fifteen years old and weighed 233 pounds at a height of 5 feet 9 inches tall. Yes, I did lose some weight following a non vegan diet at first, but I was not healthy. Every time I went to the doctor, they always told me that there was something wrong with me. Whether it be high cholesterol or low liver phosphatase levels. As a sufferer of IBS, eating animal products only aggravated my condition even further. So as I did my own research into alternative ways of eating that would help solve these problems, I discovered veganism and plant based nutrition through watching Freelee the Banana Girl. Many vegans may shudder at that name, but she is the person who introduced me to this lifestyle. At first I was still hesitant and extremely skeptical about being vegan, but at this point I was desperate and I just was willing to try anything. But actually taking that leap of faith and deciding to cut out animal products prove to be the best decision I have ever made.
It has been three years since I took this leap of faith and I now feel like a completely different person. I’m now nineteen years old, 105 pounds lighter, and I feel great. The decision to better my health not only prolonged my life, but it also made me aware of the ethical side of veganism. When one goes vegan, it’s impossible to not become aware of what the animals have to go through because that is what veganism is centered around. You get angry and you find that a passion grows inside of you to expose the truth to those who remain unaware of what they are supporting. For me, this passion manifested itself in the form of my college major and in the form of my Instagram account. I am now studying to get my associates of science degree, so I can then fully pursue my major of biology with my advising track being pre-med. It is my plan to become a vegan cardiologist, who not only promotes health but ethics. This may sound dramatic, but I feel as though veganism has revealed my purpose. My trials and tribulations of being unhealthy were really a blessing in disguise. My previous unhealthiness helped me to understand the importance of nutrition, what we put into our bodies, and how these food choices affect other living beings. As far as my Instagram account (@thesweettoothvegan) goes, as of today I have 11.1K followers and direct message people everyday and have converted many people to go vegan. It’s a great feeling when others message you and tell you that your words or posts are the reason they have stopped eating animals. It’s a win-win situation all around and it’s incredibly fulfilling to be able to help others, the animals, and the planet through my lifestyle. Instead of abusing my body, I now use it as a vessel to help others. My only regret about going vegan is that I didn’t do it sooner.
