step 3 - instincts

Walking through Whole Foods today, I realized the food cravings I once had have completely disappeared. As I strolled past the meat and cheese departments, I did not feel any urge to consume these foods - and these were foods I used to really enjoy, or at least I thought I did. In fact, if truth be told, now I am saddened by the journey of these foods as they make their way to our local grocery store - from the cruel treatment of the animals to the pasteurization process. Educating myself about these truths has been instrumental in helping me shift to a plant-based diet.

Why is this so important and why do I care so much? Having had digestive issues for the past 2 years was a huge frustration for me and something I was not going to tolerate for the rest of my life.  I had eliminated so many foods/beverages from my diet, but nothing seemed to have any effect. Somehow I stumbled upon some inspiring vegans and decided to give their diet a try - I truly felt like this was the last possible dietary option. Once I made the switch, my symptoms totally subsided - it was like a miracle! But at the same time, I felt frustrated that it had taken me almost 2 years to figure this out. With all the research I had done, how did I not know more about the amazing healing properties a plant-based diet had to offer?  And this leads me to why I care so much.  I don't want anyone to have to suffer with digestive issues as long as I did when they might be able to learn from my mistakes. 

When we were children and told not to cross the street before looking both ways, this was not something we debated. We instinctively knew this made sense. But most of us do not have the same instincts when it comes to food. After I listened to an interesting interview with Victoria Boutenko, I started to understand what drives our food choices. She talked about the history of our food chain and how we ended up where we are today, and about how the chemical additives in our foods make it difficult for us to alter our eating habits. If you are interested in making a healthy shift, I suggest listening to her interview. I have found that the more facts I know, the easier it is for me to make healthier lifestyle choices.

"It is increasingly obvious that environmentally sustainable solutions to world hunger can only emerge as people eat more plant foods and fewer animal products. To me it is deeply moving that the same food choices that give us the best chance to eliminate world hunger are also those that take the least toll on the environment, contribute the most to our long-term health, are the safest, and are also, far and away, the most compassionate towards our fellow creatures."

~John Robbins