Eating With Integrity Has Increased My Self Love

When I made the transition to a vegan lifestyle I felt something click. My entire life I had been hiding behind the idea that we are just “supposed” to eat meat as my attitude was very much a product of my society. I just accepted that this is the way it was and to change would be too challenging to overcome.

What is integrity?

Is it not the ability to overcome great challenges in order to honour what you believe in? When I made the switch a few things happened that were surprising side effects. I’ve spoken about the other impacts it’s made on my life like having more energy, food tasting better, pooping like a rock star, it’s effects on the environment, health, and of course reducing animal suffering, but these are other more indirect side effects.

Eating with integrity has become eating with sophistication.

The transition forced me to learn about nutrition.

I thought I would have to supplement the nutrients I would lose not eating meat and it turns out not only can I get all the nutrients I need from plants they are from cleaner sources! If I kept eating meat I would not have learned the things I have learned which has made me much healthier.

There is something soothing, calming, and confidence-inspiring when you live your values.

My choice to not eat or use any animal products has given me profound joy. I love and respect myself on a new level which appears in all aspects of my life. The way I speak with people at work or my family and the way I want to be a husband and father. The more you love and respect yourself the better you can love others.

The best way to spread the word is to live by example.

I’m not trying to recruit per se, but I do want to share the things I’ve learned about nutrition and moreover even a little less meat consumption means less suffering, better health, and cleaner earth.

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This post was previously published on Medium.com.

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