Is Veganism Possible For Spoonies? Part 1
I have mentioned prior posts that I am a "Spoonie" If you aren't familiar with this term, please do a quick search for "The Spoon Theory". I wanted to give some tips to other Spoonies who are, or are considering being vegan. A lot of people think veganism is challenging. Especially those with chronic illness, they may think it's damn near impossible. I have many, many chronic illnesses, both physical and mental. I truly believe that if I'm able to make this lifestyle work, anyone can.
It can be overwhelming at first, but you may find it easier to switch to vegetarian first, then choosing a date shortly after to go completely vegan. I prefer not recommending vegetarianism, as it's still contributing to animal cruelty, and I'm aware now of just how cruel all aspects of animal agriculture are.. However, it's a decrease in animal consumption, and eventually switching to veganism is better than never switching at all. There's no judgement from me. You have to do what works best for you, and your individual circumstances.
Others find it easier to take the "cold Tofurkey" approach, and stop buying animal products immediately. I did a modified "cold Tofurkey" method. I had been a vegetarian for 15 years prior to switching to veganism. The last few years, I had been living a mostly vegan lifestyle; decreasing my use of animal products in my diet, and personal care products, etc.
Shortly before Christmas 2016, I decided to completely take the plunge into veganism. I stopped buying any and all animal products, and used up anything that I still had. Anything else I didn't care to use, I gave to family. This is important to note here that veganism isn't limited to just the foods you eat; it impacts every aspect of your life--from your clothes, to your laundry detergent.
With that said, no one is a perfect, 100% vegan, since our societies seem to thrive on animal exploitation and cruelty. It's about doing as much as you can, If many people join in and do some, that's a lot better than tons of people doing nothing. Things seem to be moving in the more positive direction, though; with more people embracing a more cruelty-free lifestyle.
You will mess up, buy things containing animal ingredients, that are tested on animals, etc. Even I still mess up from time to time. Ingredient lists can be seemingly endless, it's easy to miss things. It happens. Try to not be too critical of yourself, move on, and do better next time. Just do your best! We're all fallible, imperfect human beings, simply trying to do our best. And this is totally OK!
One last point to emphasize: if you need medication for your illness(es), take it! I would never recommend anyone going without needed medication. That's a serious issue; not anything to mess around with, especially since you can go through withdrawal, and other nastiness when suddenly stopping some meds. You definitely don't need your health failing or worsening. You can't help animals if you're totally sickly. Be well, as best as you can be anyways. A lot of people have an improvement in health issues. I've had a mild improvement, which is definitely better than nothing!
One of the first, most helpful suggestions, is to find some fast food places that you like, that offer vegan options. Now, health nuts, you may wish to look away for the rest of this paragraph. Fast food may not be the best, or healthiest option; but my viewpoint is this: if you need to eat, you need to eat. It's not the greatest food ever, but it still has nutrition in it. And with chronic illness, you may not always feel up to cooking. So it's some food in your belly, until you feel up to cooking.
I think vegan fast food is healthier than the non-vegan option. with more fruits, vegetables, legumes, and so forth. vegan fast food options Now, I live in the U.S.A. and one of the best places I can recommend is Taco Bell. For no additional cost, you can substitute beans for the meat on anything, exclude any dairy, and replace it with pico de gallo (Fresco Style),. They also have TONS of options, and it's very wallet-friendly! I don't eat fast food that frequently, so I don't have much else to recommend, unfortunately. My go-to is Taco Bell, really. But I'm sure you can find some other good options if you do some searching.
Part Two will be coming in two weeks. Until then, be well. Peace, love, and veggies- Dawn.
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