My Road to Veganism

Let me start by saying that I grew up in a meat-loving family. I was raised in Ukraine where one of the food staples and delicacies is pig fat, called ‘Salo’. Its prepared in a number of ways and everyone grows up eating it. So based on that upbringing, Ive had these stereotype of vegans, as someone who is a bit out-there and cuckoo. I didn’t have any vegan friends and tended to avoid them.

2 years ago though, the stars aligned - my husband decided to stay off meat for a bit (to loose some weight and get rid of the heaviness) and my best friend became a vegetarian. So with my husband not eating meat, I stopped cooking it, so by default we became about 90% vegetarian. My friend really shocked me though - I was mainly curious what she eats now. She shared some of her dinner ideas with me and it helped me see that it was actually possible.

With that, I got more and more curious about vegetarianism. I started reading about it, watching documentaries. Honestly, I was shocked to learn the truth. I felt so betrayed and realized that all my life Ive lied to! I learned about harmful effects meat has on human body - from blood pressure, cholesterol, heart issues to links to cancel and Alzheimers. I learned of the horrible environmental impact of animal agriculture (which is worse that air pollution caused by transportation) and the coverup by the meat and dairy industry.

What is became the real ‘no going back’ point for me though was seeing the way the animals are treated. There is no humane way to kill an animal. Its all pure torture from the day they are born, until the day they are killed. Most of us are scared to see those videos - but we really have to be honest with ourselves. You owe that to yourself! Being a mom, I just couldn’t partake in another being’s suffering. Years from now, we’ll be all ashamed and horrified as a human race at the way we treated these creatures.

Immediately after seeing that, I knew that there was no going back. My eyes were open, I knew the truth now and I couldn’t willingly cause any more harm to another living creature. I became vegan on the spot! It took a few months to get my husband (who is a 5’11” African man) to make the switch. I older daughter was 1 at the time and her main nutrition was milk-based Pediasure shares (she was going to feeding therapy due to her prematurity health issues). I took her off it and switched her to plant-based within a few weeks. I was also breastfeeding our youngest (who was a few months old at a time) - she didn’t notice any difference.

Now, we are 2 years in veganism as a family. I feel like it has been the best decision of my life and I wish someone would have gotten through to me sooner. Since then, I lost about 15 lbs and lowered my cholesterol to normal level. My husband feels great as well! My kids are now 2 and 3 years old and are thriving. My 2 yo is the height and weight of an average 3 yo! And my oldest went up from just over 20th percentile average weight to now around 50th percentile. She has was a micro-preemie but now has fully caught on with her peers!

So whatever objections and limiting beliefs you may have about veganism, I hope my example helps you overcome those. I encourage you to read about it, watch a few documentaries, talk to other vegans. I am convinced that once you learn the truth (as I did), you will make the right decision as well!

If you have any questions or would like to share your story, please feel free to drop a comment below!