My Vegan Life
Since childhood I've had a spiritual connection to animals knowing that these souls were here with us, not for us. I had a deep sense of peace whenever I was around animals which cemented my love for them. I always saw them as sentient individuals with emotions; family units that I did not want to destroy by eating them.
As I progressed through my teenage years I began to do more activism and work in educating and teaching the public that we do not need to use or abuse animals for food or profit.
Such was my passion for animals I began to educate myself on the conditions in factory farms from documentaries like FOOD INC and learning about all the amazing attributes of a whole food plant based diet from FORKS OVER KNIFES which later prompted me to study in Vegan Human Nutrition AND heal my debilitating auto-immunity disease.
I began to remove ALL animal products from my plate, my clothing, cleaning products and ALL personal care products and make up.
Why you ask? I made the connection that for every pound I spent on animal products I was funding cruelty towards animals and I did not want to be a direct part of someone else’s suffering. After all, no matter how we sugar coat it…or justify it…there is NO way to humanely kill another living being that does not want to die!!
So, please enjoy your journey through my vegan page and get in contact for help in transition to a beautiful CRUELTY FREE LIFE.
The Psychology of Becoming Vegan
There is a misconception that going vegan involves incredible willpower and that on your first day as a vegan you will go shopping and have to make a superhuman effort not to put animal products into your basket.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Being vegan has nothing to do with willpower.
Vegans see animal products as someone else’s eggs, milk, flesh, fur, skin and feathers. We are not tempted to use them. We do not crave their taste or feel. We find their presence abhorrent because we are reminded of who they were and what they endured for products that we do not need.
Indeed, veganism is not about shopping or consumerism at all. It is a radically new way of thinking and feeling about other animals and those thoughts and feelings guide our behaviour. The misconception about veganism arises from inaccurate portrayal of it as a diet or lifestyle.
Before anyone can live or behave as a vegan they need to know why animals, the planet our health need us to be vegan.
by Jo-Ann Carey
Why Vegan?
CLICK ON AN ICON TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT VEGAN LIFE
Animals
Oceans
Planet
Rainforest
DEFINING VEGANISM
Veganism is the recognition of the fact that other animals can feel and value their lives and it is a way of living that respects their fundamental right not to be owned, used or killed. Vegans avoid, insofar as is practicable, all animal use for food, clothing, labour, entertainment, research or any other use and we recognise and work to end the intersectional consequences of animal use such as human health issues, species extinction, loss of biodiversity, environmental destruction, climate change, violation of workers rights in animal use industries etc
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VEGANS & NON-VEGANS?
The difference between vegans and non vegans, or those who eat a plant diet, is that vegans think about other animals and the injustice of using them and we boycott it because it is wrong. Non vegans do not consciously consider the injustice of using other animals and they prioritise taste, convenience and habit over the lives of other animals and they are enabled to do so because they categorise them as if there was a difference between companion animals such as dogs and cats, and farmed animals such as cows, sheep, chickens, pigs and fishes. Indeed, they categorise other animals as if there was a difference between human animals and non human animals when in all the ways that matter there is no difference that justifies what we do to them.
Three Stages of Becoming Vegan
Before anyone can be vegan they need to go through the necessary psychological processes of behavioural change. These processes are not limited to behaviour. Processing our thoughts and feelings are essential components before behavioural change can occur . The three stages to becoming vegan are:
KNOWLEDGE & AWARENESS
MOTIVATION & PREPARATION FOR CHANGE
PRACTICAL ASPECTS OF LIVING VEGAN LIFE
These stages are common to all behavioural change. In essence, going vegan does not begin at the supermarket. It begins when we learn information that counters the social norm and forces us to think about the injustice of using other animals. Veganism begins when we change how we think and feel about other animals. Once our thoughts and feelings change, behavioural change is very easy.
Read my full article The Psychology of Becoming Vegan to dive deeper into the Three Stages of Veganism
USEFUL LINKS
Animal Aid - Campaigns peacefully against all forms of animal abuse and promotes cruelty-free living
Peta - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
Eatright - Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Nutrition Society - Advancing Nutritional Science
Nutrition Facts - Latest Nutrition Facts
Let's Connect
Please reach out to me and connect, I will support and motivate you to achieve a beautiful ethical, compassionate life that your body, mind, spirit will rejoice in.
