Should I consider a plant based diet?
Ad- This is a collaborative post
Have you ever considered going Vegan? At the time of writing, I am, and always have been a meat eater. Whilst I don’t eat a huge amount of red meat, I do have quite a large amount of animal based meat products in my diet such as chicken, pork and fish, also consuming a fair amount of animal by-products such as eggs and cheese.
For longer than I care to remember I have also had challenges with digestion, with suspected irritable bowel syndrome and days where for no apparent reason I feel sluggish and tired with unexplained stomach pains. My diet is relatively good (although potentially a bit too much caffeine and sugar), but I have a very active lifestyle, having recently taken up running as a regular form of exercise. After completing the couch to 5k programme, I now run 4-5km three or four times a week and I love it.
That said, over the last few weeks in particular whilst we have been eating more meals at home (and trying to avoid regular visits to the supermarket) I have been thinking lots about the meals we eat as a family, reducing waste and making more dinners from scratch.
The thought of potentially having allergies to animal derived products, coupled with my concerns about the impact of meat factory farming and animal cruelty has recently made me consider whether a vegan diet, or at least a vegetarian diet, could be a positive lifestyle move for me. My sister has been vegetarian for as long as I can remember, and whilst I am fairly confident the removal of meat products wouldn’t be too tough, the lack off milk or cheese is something I am likely to find more tricky.
I recently came across HealthLabs.com who in the US offer fast, private and affordable lab testing to help you establish any allergies to animal related products, without needing to go to the doctor first. Unlike traditional allergy testing, there are no painful skin pricks or fasting required, and you get accurate results about any allergies within 1-2 working days!
Their vegan testing panel is a popular choice, and reveals what meats or animal products are causing your body irritation or what nutrients in which you are lacking that could be gained from a more plant based diet.
There are lots of misconceptions about veganism, however a plant based diet can be a really positive way to reduce animal fats that are linked to an array of illnesses and conditions, including diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and heart disease.
I won’t be making any rash decisions just yet, but once life has retained a bit of normality (if that’s even possible) it is definitely something I will be bearing in mind.
Are you vegan? I’d love to hear from people who have made the transition about how they found it and here any tips for a meat eater considering the move!
Lucy xxx
