Top 5 Benefits of Becoming Vegan

When I first began hearing about the benefits people experience after becoming vegan, I was so skeptical. I figured there was no way changing your diet could impact your life in so many physical, mental, and spiritual ways. However, I proved myself wrong after I transitioned to a vegan lifestyle. The crazy impacts this diet can have are true! It is important to find the type of vegan diet that works best for you, and once you find it, you can have these benefits too! While the benefits of going vegan are ENDLESS, I am going to focus on just five in this post.

5) Clearer Skin. Throughout middle school and my first few years of high school, I suffered from severe, cystic acne all over my face, chest, and back. After seeing multiple dermatologists and trying every drug on the market for years, nothing was helping. I did end up going on two cycles of Accutane. If you are familiar with this medicine, you also know it is a hassle. It is dangerous to the body and every month involved blood draws, pregnancy tests, and online questionnaires. Each time I went on Accutane, my acne cleared up! But when I would go off it, it would come back. However, after eating a clean-vegan diet, my acne is completely gone from my chest and back, and I rarely get breakouts on my face! After cutting out animal products, which contain terrible, acne-causing hormones, my skin stays clear! If I do get a breakout here and there, I find it is usually when I consume too much oily-food. So as long as I’m not eating a lot of oil, a vegan-diet keeps my skin happy and healthy!

4) Endless Energy. Another of my favorite aspects of being vegan is the amount of energy I have. Before I transitioned to plant-based vegan diet, I felt tired from the moment I woke up to the moment I went to sleep at night. Now, I have so much energy to get me through my busy days! My brain and body are alert like I have never experienced before. Not only does this help get me through my classes and school work, but it makes me want to exercise every day as well! I perform much better and last longer during my workouts.

3) An Amazing Community. Becoming vegans connects you with such a wonderful group of like-minded individuals, whether online or in person. I have made so many friends by bonding over veganism that I otherwise probably would not have met. By searching vegan meetups online, I have found numerous vegan events that I have attended such as vegan festivals, potlucks, and hang outs. Joining vegan groups online is also so much fun because you can meet people from all over the world who all have at least one thing in common! Online and at meetups, I have met some of the most kind-hearted and inspiring people. Everyone has beautiful stories, shares recipe ideas, and just bonds!

2) High Immune System. Since I have not even been vegan for a full year while writing this, it may not seem like a huge deal that I have not been sick since adopting this lifestyle. To me though, it is incredible. I used to be the person who was constantly sick. A runny nose and severe cough would follow me everywhere. Anytime a cold was going around, you bet I got the worst of it. After going vegan though, I have never been sick and my runny nose and cough have subsided. Even when illnesses have spread through the college dorms, and even when all three of my roommates got sick, I have remained healthy and I feel so blessed! It sure makes life easier.

1) Sense of Purpose. I used to wonder if anything I was doing with my life was really making a difference. I would think, why am I even put on this Earth? Am I honestly doing enough to help this planet? After realizing the ethical aspects of living a vegan lifestyle, I know I am making an enormous difference to the innocent animals being slaughtered every day. I also know my choices are not harming our environment, which is a big deal to me. We only have one Earth and I am serious about keeping it a sustainable place for us to live.