Benefits Living a Vegan Lifestyle

 

Our dietary choices are the single biggest influence on our bodies. How we look, how we function, and how we feel are all heavily determined by what we consume, and yet we tend to worry less about the food we buy and eat than we do whenshopping for clothes. We’ve all heard of trends like juicing, detox teas, drinking six to eight glasses of water a day, etc., but many prefer to make more permanent lifestyle changes to get the full health benefits. These dietary lifestyles come in all kinds of variations, and each one has a label of its own.

Pescatarian, Vegetarian, Vegan, and Raw Vegan–What’s the Difference?

There are several different titles used to categorize the way people eat, and the most common ones that describe those who do not eat meat are:

Pescatarian – someone who may eat fish but won’t eat other animal muscle. An additional label they might use is “ovo-lacto,” which simply means that they will eat dairy and egg products as well.

Vegetarian – someone who eats no animal muscle whatsoever, but may still eat animal byproducts such as egg, dairy, and gelatin.

General vegan – someone who will eat none of the above. Anything that comes from or is otherwise produced by an animal is completely off-limits in a vegan diet.

Raw vegan – someone who will only eat things that are or were once alive (but are not animals), completely unprocessed. Another term used to describe “raw vegan” might be “plant-based” since their diets will typically consist of fruits, vegetables, nuts, fungi, and grains.

The primary differences between each label involve whether or not a person will eat certain animal byproducts as a rule. For some, this choice is based on personal beliefs about morality, finding the consumption and production of meat and animal products to be harmful to both living creatures and the environment. However, there are many who make this dietary change specifically because of the health benefits.

 

What Are the Health Benefits of a Vegan Diet?

The results may differ in specifics between individuals, but the overall consensus is that going vegan helps people sleep better, fight illness better, have more energy, and improve bodily functions such as digestion. Our guest speaker, Shelbee Williams, has even seen a documented improvement in her vision, which is truly impressive! When we consume products like dairy, we’re also consuming hormones that weren’t meant for human beings, which can have a serious impact on a young person’s growth (i.e. early blooming for women), which is a key factor in why people will choose to avoid animal milk in favor of nut, soy, or rice milks.

 

Is It Possible to Be Vegan While Pregnant?

It absolutely is, but it’s very important to do your research on what you may need to focus on, nutrient-wise. There are plenty of foods and vitamins that will be more than enough to give you a complete pregnancy diet.

Protein: Look no further than beans and nuts! Kidney beans, soybeans, and any number of tree nuts are a very easy way to replace the protein found in meat.

Calcium: This can be easily supplemented through leafy greens, soy milk, and other calcium-enriched products like milk substitutes and orange juice. Tofu is actually a good food for both protein and calcium, so it’s a great two-for-one deal!

Iron: An actual iron supplement is recommended in addition to iron-rich foods like spinach and kale, beans, edamame, pumpkin seeds, and dried fruits.

Vitamin B12: We’ve heard of the B12 shots and why they’re so popular–they help with energy, cognitive function, and even reducing headaches. But you can get the vitamin through fortified cereals and meat substitutes along with nutritional yeast.

Vitamin D: This vitamin you’ll likely need to rely on a supplement for. You can find Vitamin D in milk and fish in decent amounts, but the small amounts found in fortified foods like bread, soy milk, and orange juice aren’t going to be nearly enough. Even milk and fish likely wouldn’t be considered enough while pregnant, though, so your dietary preferences shouldn’t make much of a difference here.

 

What Stores Are Best for Non-GMO Products?

Farmer’s markets are always going to be your best bet for finding organic, non-GMO products to bring to your table, but even your bigger chains will have someone on staff who can point you in the direction of whatever non-GMO products they carry. The managers are supposed to know exactly how to answer those questions for you. Farmer’s markets are wonderful in that you can have real conversations with the farmers that are bringing you healthy and safe food. You can ask them exactly how they grow their crops, what pesticides they use (if any), and any other question that might help you decide where you feel safest buying your food.

 

How Do You Shop Vegan on a Budget?

The key to shopping vegan while remaining thrifty is buying in bulk! Shelbee Williams discusses how she uses mason jars to store large quantities of spices and herbs, nuts, and other goods so that she can both avoid dealing with processed packaging and take advantage of bulk prices. Believe it or not, eating vegan can be a lot less expensive than eating meats and animal byproducts! After all, all those frozen meals, meat packages, and processed foods are often more expensive than produce and nuts.

Before your next grocery run, do a search for cheap vegan recipes, make a list of ingredients, and see how much less you wind up spending on food that goes farther, is significantly healthier, and makes you feel worlds better than before!

 

What Are Some Alternatives for Popular Meals–Burgers, Wings, Sugar, Etc.?

There are all kinds of alternatives for meats, milk, and even sugar that are safe for vegans! The Beyond Meat brand is growing in the industry and it’s becoming a tried and true vegan replacement for meat. As for milk, you can use coconut, soy, rice, cashews, almonds…any number of milk alternatives exist, so you can try all kinds of different options until you find the one you enjoy the most. Even Starbucks has introduced soy, coconut, cashew, and almond milk alternatives for their famous blended beverages.

There are interesting recipes all over the Internet, including cauliflower BBQ wings, so you can find an alternative for just about any meal or ingredient that will be safe for you! For sugar, try agave, dates, raw honey and maple syrup, or stevia if you’re interested in something healthier.

 

How Should We Encourage Others to Embrace Veganism?

Ultimately, your own success will be the answer to this question. When you, yourself, are living vegan, you’re going to notice a significant increase in your energy, your health, and your happiness. All of these are noticeable improvements, so when people ask you what you’re doing that has you so upbeat and healthy, you can give them an easy answer. Veganism!

Unfortunately, there are a large number of vegans who act hatefully toward anyone who doesn’t embrace this lifestyle, which has given this dietary choice a bit of a stigma. It’s best not to put people down for the way they eat or their dietary preferences–instead, just educate them about yours! If someone asks, share what you’ve learned about your diet and how and why it has improved your daily life so drastically. This on its own should be enough to make someone curious enough to give it a shot since lack of information is a big part of what might be holding people back!

 

How Can You Live Vegan In Non-Dietary Ways, Like Bath Products and Makeup?

Buying handmade or homemade products is usually going to be the safest bet for bath products, and it isn’t difficult to find vegan-friendly makeup brands. Sometimes these can be a bit more expensive, but try contacting the brand’s customer service team directly and you can typically get a coupon from them to encourage brand loyalty. Burt’s Bees are recommended for your lips since their ingredients are natural and safe for your body, and there are plenty of other organic makeup lines. However, Shelbee Williams recommends using essential oils and all-natural products in your daily routine.

 

Essential Oils and Super foods You Should Introduce Into Your Daily Routine

Oil of Oregano – This oil is incredibly powerful, and it can be used to treat bacterial and fungal infections, reduce inflammation and provide antioxidants to the body, aid in the recovery of flesh wounds (dilute it first before applying it to the damaged skin), aid in weight loss and pain relief, and even fight cancer!

Grapefruit Seed Extract – This contains strong enzymes that function as antimicrobials and antioxidants and can be ingested or used externally. Clean your ears and nose with it or use it in laundry detergent and soaps.

Peppermint Oil – This is helpful in pain relief, reducing inflammation, and (of course) it smells wonderful! Use this in homemade toothpastes and mouthwashes.

Celery – Celery has been proven to reduce your blood pressure and is a healthy, water-packed snack.

Beets – These are vasodilators, which means they open your veins and help oxygen travel through the body.

Key Takeaways from This Episode

• Learn more about Raw Vegan Coach Shelbee Williams on her Instagram Account.

• Connect with Shelbee on her Facebook Page.

• Infuse your water with fruits for an easy way to add more flavor and nutrients to your diet.

• If you’re not ready to completely erase meat from your diet, try just having smaller portions. As Shelbee put it, make the meat your condiment and the plant-based part your main meal.

• Food is energy. If you’re eating food that makes you feel tired afterward, you’re probably not eating the right things for your body.

• “Eating beautiful makes you beautiful.” Nature provides a wide variety of beautiful, colorful foods packed with nutrients and flavor that are even visually appealing! Take a look at a rainbow salad–it’s hard not to want to eat something that looks so beautiful, and those kinds of meals will help keep you feeling and looking young and healthy.

• Eat to live, don’t live to eat. Feed your body the fuel it needs to do your life’s work instead of feeding it addictive chemicals that will sap your energy.

Where to subscribe: iTunes/Apple Podcast | Android | Google Podcasts | Google Play | Stitcher | TuneIn | Spotify | RSS