It’s that time of the year again—and no, I don’t mean the time when you start fulfilling new years resolutions, rather (if you’re anything like me), you’re beginning to recognize just how unrealistic your resolutions actually are. Luckily Her Campus Duke is here to help. Not only do we have an article on How to Keep Your New Years Resolutions, but if one of your resolutions is to be healthier this 2012, we have an option that may help you achieve that—veganism!
The term “vegan” was coined in 1944 after some members of the Leicester Vegetarian Society expressed concern over the dairy products still evident in the vegetarian diet—which they felt did not coincide with their doctrine that “man should live without exploiting animals.” Unfortunately the Leicester Society rejected their appeal to exclude dairy products from their meals, which prompted these members to form the first official vegan society—the British Vegan Society.
Now, don’t get me wrong—I’m a hard-core omnivore (and by that, I mean carnivore), but there is no denying the appeal of veganism. With a proper, monitored vegan diet, you can reduce the number of saturated fats in your meals, which improves cardiovascular health and can help lose some unwanted pounds, eliminate all dietary cholesterol and lower the chances of breast cancer, high blood pressure and colon cancer—pretty impressive right? To add to these already illustrious benefits, a vegan diet is also great for giving us sleep-deprived students a huge energy boost, and clearing spotty skin (which is important during stressful times like midterms and finals).
However, as Corinne Merriman (a junior at Duke University) can attest to, the decision to become vegan often has much more to do with personal beliefs than losing weight or clearing skin, just like it did when the term was first coined in 1944. Corrine says that she had always been interested in animal rights and animal welfare, but “it was only until about a year ago that it occurred to me that the easiest way to prove what I believe in is not to support the food manufacturing corporations that treat animals so miserably.” She made this decision after reading books such as Eating Animals and The Kind Diet, and watching documentaries such as The Cove, No Impact Man, and Earthlings—most of which show the unfair and inhumane treatment of animals by meat companies.
Another Duke student, Courtney Montgomery, chose to become vegan due to her extensive allergies to certain foods. “I am vegan because of my dietary allergies, so sadly it wasn’t exactly a choice but a necessity for me (I’m allergic to all things dairy and to eggs). The meat aspect of veganism, though, was my choice. I have never liked red meat, and the other types of meat slowly over time creeped out of my diet.”
This isn’t an easy decision to make, however. Despite the growing number of people turning to veganism as a lifestyle, many people still do not understand that a proper vegan diet does include all of the necessary vitamins found in omnivorous diets. Sometimes, as Corinne has discovered, this difference of opinion can be due to generational issues, “People my grandparents’ age, more than anyone, don’t understand how much farming has changed in the past few decades,” and thus cannot fathom her ethical reasons for choosing this way of life. Despite these difficulties, Corinne remains committed to veganism, maintaining that this will be a long-term lifestyle change.
In fact, both students interviewed said that this lifestyle choice would be long-term one, partly because they began to see the benefits so early on their diet. It is important, however, to see a nutritionist before pursuing veganism because a poorly planned vegan diet can have significant health consequences due to low intakes of vitamins B12, calcium, iron etc. To ensure you go about changing your diet in the right way, check out this step-by-step guide on how to become vegan, here.
Veganism is surely an appealing option for those with staunch ethical opinions on the way in which food corporations treat animals and for those who suffer from severe allergies to certain foods. It may not be an easy decision, as public opinion on the choice varies and it requires strict discipline, but with the health advantages mentioned above, it may well be worth it.
Are you vegan, or thinking about it? Feel free to send us your thoughts below!
Sources:
Courtney Montgomery, Duke University Senior
Corrine Merriman, Duke University Junior
http://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Vegan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veganism
http://www.nursingdegree.net/blog/19/57-health-benefits-of-going-vegan/
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