What Does Vegan Really Mean?
The word, “vegan,” is carelessly thrown around quite a bit nowadays as if it’s some kind of fad or trend. It’s great that people are starting to become more aware, but there is so much misinformation out there that it can be confusing for people. It’s really simple though. Veganism is living in a way that you don’t use animals at all. The definition as defined by The Vegan Society is: a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose. That’s it. It has nothing to do with health, wellness, or longevity. We can live vegan in a healthy way though or you can choose to live vegan in an unhealthy way. I choose healthy.
For the Love of Animals
Many people are vegan because they have a love and respect for animals. I’m vegan because of empathy. I wouldn’t want to be treated the way that so many animals are treated: abused, discarded, tortured, killed. I see them as living beings who deserve a chance to live and thrive, and I don’t see them as objects or property that we own. As you live vegan, you view things in very different ways than you did before. You have a whole different perspective. If you have a dog, rather than calling yourself an owner to the dog, I describe it as being a guardian to the dog, instead. We don’t say that we own our kids because they are not objects or property. So, I don’t say that I own animals either.
I don’t call myself an animal lover, but I do respect that they are living beings, and I believe that we share this planet with them. I don’t believe that they’re here for us. They’re here to live their own lives, whether they’re wild or domestic. I view them all equally, and I don’t see any difference in eating a cat, dog, or horse than eating a cow, chicken, or pig. Most people completely disregard fish, turkeys, pigs, chickens, and cows while they love dogs, cats, horses, goats, and dolphins. Before I was vegan, I never even thought about this. I became so aware through veganism, and I’m so grateful for that.
So Much More Than Eating
Veganism is about so much more than just eating. Obviously, eating is a huge part of it, but living vegan is a complete lifestyle. If someone describes themselves as being plant-based, this simply means that they only eat plants. Maybe they wear leather, go to zoos, use products that contain beeswax, use products that were tested on animals, or buy a dog from a breeder, which all do not align with being vegan. So, that’s the difference. In terms of eating, vegan means no animal ingredients at all.
Transitioning From Plant Based to Vegan
Sometimes, there’s a transitioning period from plant-based to vegan, although you can absolutely do it all at once. Most people go from plant-based first to vegan. They eat all plants, then they switch their products they use to vegan (no animal ingredients) and cruelty-free (not tested on animals) products, if they already aren’t, don’t support animal enslavement and exploitation anymore, no longer wear animal skins, fur, wool, cashmere, silk, etc.
Watching the gut-wrenching, heartbreaking, and disturbing documentary, Earthlings, will show you all of the ways that people use and depend on animals. It’s incredibly difficult to watch, but it’s tremendously important to watch for you to know and see the truth. I watched it a year after I went vegan. It’s so crucial to educate yourself on what’s really happening and going on in the world. The majority of people truly don’t even know. You will help yourself and animals by watching Earthlings.
Living vegan is completely doable, and it’s the most sustainable way to live. Period. It’s been the easiest thing for me, and I know it can for you as well as I show you how. With all of the misleading and conflicting information out there, people are left feeling overwhelmed and confused. That’s exactly why I simplify healthy vegan living for you because even though veganism has nothing to do with health, why not live a healthy vegan lifestyle since you definitely can?
Ending Thoughts
At times, plant-based and vegan automatically get grouped together just as gluten-free and vegan do, as people think they are the same thing. What you need to know is that plant-based is just simply the fact that someone eats all plants and no animals or animal ingredients at all. Vegan is a lifestyle that does not use animals in any way. Some people start off as plant-based for health reasons, then live vegan. Veganism has nothing to do with health, but you absolutely can live a healthy vegan lifestyle, so I’m simplifying it all for you. It doesn’t have to be complicated. I was ecstatic and excited to find a lifestyle to live that suited me perfectly, and I still learn every day. I am so in love with it all, and I know you can be, too, if you aren’t already.
