Lifestyle

Go Vegan Or Go Home: The Health Movement And Why It's Taking Over

by Dina Zivojinovic

A vegan is someone who tries to live without exploiting animals, for the benefit of animals, people and the planet. Vegans eat a plant-based diet, with nothing coming from animals - no meat, milk, eggs or honey, for example. A vegan lifestyle also avoids leather, wool, silk and other animal products for clothing or any other purpose. - The Vegan Society

Going vegan has been a recent hot topic and you are probably being judged by its followers. I am not only talking about the food you buy, the restaurants in which you dine or how many times per week you exercise to stay in shape — no, this is a much deeper topic.

In addition to your nutrition choices, the vegan lifestyle influences the cosmetics you use, the clothes you buy and I've even heard that some people are searching for vegan tattoo artists. Not only does the tattoo ink not being tested on animals matter, but the tattoo artist's lifestyle should, apparently, also be considered.

Forget everything you've learned about being vegetarian and saving animals; it has become too much of a stereotype — not eating meat and refusing to wear animal skin is no longer good enough. It’s no longer just an ethically related issue, as health is involved too. New research has proven that milk is not that great for you. In a world where fast food is considered to be an acceptable way to feed one's body, being vegan may seem like an impossible mission. But it is not.

PETA’s new muse, Jim Morris, is a 78-year-old vegan bodybuilder who had previously won awards including Mr. America, Mr. USA and Mr. International. In 1996, he even won the Mr. Olympia award as a 61-year-old vegetarian. Since 2000, Jim Morris has been a vegan.

So, next time your friends ask you if you're up for a burger and fries, think twice and consider a vegan salad instead. Being vegan means more than taking care of yourself — it's also about caring for others.

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