In 2020, towards the beginning of the pandemic, I transitioned to a totally plant-based lifestyle. It started as a means to improve my health when I found out how harmful some of the foods I was consuming was for me. But a door opened and my research led me to the inhumane conditions of animal agriculture. I found a system that is biased and absolutely makes us blind to cruelty. We all say we love
animals and yet greedily put everything (and everyone) on our plates. Once I learned about the negative impact of animals on our health, combined with the conditions they are bred into and slaughtered for a few fleeting moments to pleasure our taste buds, I knew I could no longer be a part of the system of abuse. I realized that the least I could was try. My goal now is to try my best - 100% conformity to anything is always a challenge - but to the best of my knowledge, I try and make choices that cause less (or least) harm. In today's society, it's probably impossible to not harm animals (also showing our society is tilted so heavily towards abuse that very people question it) but for me personally, trying is better than not trying at all. It's also brought me a peace of mind which I wrestled with for the longest time (paying someone else to kill for me never sat lightly with me). I was pleasantly surprised when a whole new door opened in terms of food and cuisine. I realized how rich, varied and nutritious the world of plants can be. I discovered how wholesome food is and how many of our staples are plant-based. Unfortunately, we've been conditioned to add animal parts/secretions and bones to feel satisfied. I completed a Forks Over Knives culinary course and a certification from T. Colin Campbell's Institute for Plant Based Nutrition. Armed with new knowledge and confidence, I now try and find the best vegan/plant-based eats/cuisine wherever I travel. And I haven't been disappointed! I am hugely grateful to all the pioneers who put animals lives before their taste buds and increased the options for us today. We are where we are because of all forms of activism. And no, there's no extreme veganism. What we do to animals is extreme (they don't give up their lives willingly), not fighting against the horrors of abuse. I also try and find the best coffee wherever I go! And though I claim not to have a sweet tooth, a good vegan dessert always tests my will power :-)
I continue to hike, bike, run, do yoga, make pots, and have fun on this journey of life - that will probably never change. After nearly 8 years in California and Virginia, I am now based in Vancouver, BC.
