One of the trends I'm noticing lately is people embracing veganism and vegetarianism because their favorite celebrity is doing it, or because they heard about the numerous health benefits.
Many of these people either quit a few days (or couple years) into their lifestyle, citing that it was "too difficult" or that they had issues with their weight. So what gives? Why are people flocking back to McDonalds for a Big Mac? It really all just boils down to lack of education.
You need to cut these people some slack, though. It's not their fault that there aren't many college courses offered on how to be a healthy vegan or vegetarian. Most of the time, if you want to be a healthy vegetarian or vegan you're going to need to do the work yourself, and start researching.
Why a vegan diet in the first place? Compassion for every living thing on the planet, of course. The road to the vegetarian and vegan lifestyle is often times a bumpy one, especially when the majority of people still consume animals and animal products on a daily basis. Finding a support group can be tricky, but not impossible. If you're the only vegan in your family, it's even harder. Add the pressure of venturing into a supermarket, along with jeering friends and family and you have yourself a real pain in the ass to deal with. Most people don't "get it." There are some people who will honestly ask you about your lifestyle choice because they are legitimately curious, but other times they may not be so kind.
A couple weeks ago my husband and I were at the supermarket and I was feeling particularly down that day, and so I was susceptible to the nagging evidence that I should be consuming chicken nuggets instead of my soy nuggets (which, in my opinion, taste exactly the same to me).
I was eyeing up the beef pot pies while my husband was retrieving some orange juice, and when he found me he raised an eyebrow and suspiciously followed my line of sight to the pot pies.
A moment later, he was pulling me away by my arm and telling me not to think about it, that what I was doing was great and that I can't fail now. I really appreciated that, because had he not been there to show support, I might've wound up falling off the wagon.
Having a support system is extremely important, and I can't stress that enough. It's even better if your spouse or boyfriend/girlfriend "gets you" and won't let you succumb to the animal eatin' ways. There are ads out there for milk and triple-beef patties topped with six strips of bacon, and at first glance this greasy shit looks honestly appealing. Is it within human instincts to eat other animals?
Other animals eat other animals, that's no joke. Everyone has seen those nature shows where hungry lionesses stalk gazelles. People will often use this as an argument against you on your plight to not eat animals or their products. While this is a true statement - animals eat other animals - it is not the same thing as a human eating another animal. I do not know of a single species on this planet other than my own that exploits other living things to the extent that they do. Battery cages for egg-laying hens were not built for the comfort of the hen, but rather to increase productivity and profits from the eggs they produce.
A lion stalks a gazelle because it is hungry, and when it catches its prey, she and her pride mates feast upon the carcass until their stomachs are full. But what about the canine teeth? Oh, the canine teeth! We must have these for a reason, many people say. Well, yes, we do. And many people will say they exist solely for the job of eating animal flesh. I would not be able to bite into an apple or a pear without my canine teeth. Some fruits and vegetables are very tough, and so our pointy teeth are helpful when it comes to eating them. They also come in handy as weapons, as displayed by teenage girls in high school when they get into "cat fights." They also go for the hair, but many times they bite their enemies. They're pretty useful!
Besides factory farming, animals are exploited for entertainment, scientific research and fashion. They are also exploited for companionship, which is one of the reasons why we have so many cats and dogs being put down in shelters on a daily basis. Puppy mills churn out dogs like they're products on an assembly line, and instead of going to their local humane shelter, many times a family will opt for a breeder dog. All of these examples are valid and relevant reasons for people choosing a vegan lifestyle.
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