A vegan is someone who eats no animal products of any kind. No fish, cow, chicken, pig or things that come from animals. Such as: milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt.
At least that's my definition and that's why I'm really a sort of, kind of, a wannabe vegan. For the most part I'm vegan, but every once in awhile, I'll have a hamburger, ice cream cone or a delicious steak.
The reasons I'm a (wannabe) vegan are 3 fold and I will give 2 reasons for each one.
1. The damage it does to the planet
A. In the middle of the US there is a large aquifer starting in the northern US that goes all the way to Texas. It's being dried up at an alarming rate due to the raising of animals. It is estimated that for every pound of beef it takes somewhere between 2500-5000 gallons of water.
B. The Amazon forest, the "Lungs of the Planet", is being razed to raise cattle.
2. The way these farm animals are treated
A. Let's face it, if you like beef, chicken, pork, it just flat out tastes good. But at what cost? None of us likes the way animals are treated on our factory farms. Enough said about this, but we all know it's a very painful subject and it's best if it's kept swept under the rug. All I will say is that there is "cold evil" and "hot evil". If I pay someone to kill somebody, though I may not have actually committed the murder, I'm just as guilty.
B. Well, I said I'd give 2 points. I love my dog. If my dog had to spend one day like the average day of a pig, in a pen where she can't turn around, lay in her own excrement, and God knows what else....
3. For my health
When we're younger we can get away with not being careful with what and how much we eat. But it's in our later years that we reap what we sow of our choices made when younger. I argue that when we need our health the most is when we are older.
Also, I believe there are "Laws of Nature", or "Laws of God", what have you. It is my belief that we are not meant to eat the kind of food and the quantity of food that we eat on a daily basis. And if those "Laws" get broken, eventually the price will have to be paid. Mother Nature doesn't fool around. Her penalties can be stiff and demanding, but if we align ourselves with her, life is meant to be lived with joy and abundance.
Think of this: We are the richest country (or close to it) on this planet and we are the most obese. One would think that with this wealth, it would transfer into health. But it does not. If one wants to quantify wealth with the amount of medicines we consume, surely then we're #1.
Maybe I'm way out in left field on this. I could be completely wrong. God knows, I've been wrong many times before. All I know is that when I try to be as honest and true to myself as possible, this is what I know. Surely I'm in the great minority. It would be great to be like everyone else in their diet preferences, it would make my life much easier. But in the end, I must be true to my core beliefs or what's the use of living?
