The Fathers of medicine Imhotep and Hippocrates promoted “Let Food by thy Medicine”. Food and nutrition (plant-based, meat or meat-free, pescatarianism, vegetarianism, veganism etc) are individual choices. However, today is World Vegan Day so we are dedicating today’s article to veganism.
The word Vegan was coined by Donald Watson who started the Vegan Society in England around 1944. They invite everyone into the lifestyle and encourage that vegans have a great opportunity to save the planet, consume ethical foods, learn more about nutrition, and an improved diet. That it is possible to get nutrients from plant foods allowing for healthier options like whole grains, fruit, nuts, seeds and vegetables, which are packed full of beneficial fibre, vitamins and minerals.
Mya the American singer was diagnosed anaemic and cured herself through becoming a strict vegan after practising vegetarianism. Apparently, humans can alkaline their bodies with food, or make it acidic and a host for diseases through food.
Therefore, what is your food, diet, nutrition or lifestyle regiment? What do you feed your kids? Can kids be Vegans? the answer is in the affirmative. “Shine with Plants” a blogger/vlogger feeds her family and kid up to 90% raw foods and the rest cooked. She said “I switched to a totally plant-based diet, and this discovery has been life-altering. After eating this way for only few days, I started feeling the changes in my body, mind and soul. I noticed astonishing results in my health and weight, and I finally started to live a fully joyful and passionate life every day. My energy level skyrocketed like never before and exercising became a part of my daily routine. Today, I feel more aligned with who I really am by eating foods which not only make me healthy and slim, but also save the animals that I’ve always been in love with. I wake up every day with the excitement of taking a new step toward becoming the best version of myself.”
Vegans in the first instance follow a plant-based diet/nutrition and lifestyle. But how exactly are vegans and vegetarians different? Well, vegetarians avoid meat but eat eggs and dairy. While vegans, particularly in their diet, abstain from all animal products. Below are the popular categories of veganism.
1. Dietary vegans: Eat only healthy fruits, vegetables, starches, grains, seeds, and refrain from all animal products e.g. meat, fish, eggs, animal dairy products-milk, cheese, and all associated animal-derived foods.
2. Ethical vegans: Follow a strict vegan diet as above but extend the philosophy into other areas of life. They promote more kindness to animals and not patronising animal-based commodities e.g. fur, skin, animal farms and others. Ethical Vegans e.g. PETA oppose the use of animals for any purpose. Equally, environmental vegans, encourage the avoidance of animal products that the industrial farming of animals is not sustainable and damages the environment.
Many individuals and celebrities are adopting the vegan diet or lifestyle, but veganism is not a new practice. It’s been in existence from early man, and women. It is challenging for the modern or non-vegan to seek or comprehend that protein can be obtained from other sources asides meat because modern diet is filled with meat. However, human life started in Africa, and African’s were living off mostly plant-based diets before meat got introduced into the cuisine. The diet of many rural Africans today in much of West Africa is deliberately plant-based with rich green healthy chlorophyll filled vegetables. Furthermore, the Ethiopian diet is mostly vegetarian or vegan. Ethiopia the Horn of Africa was never colonised and is the site where the oldest skeleton of an anatomically modern human was discovered. Archaeologists believe that “humans” originated Ethiopian before spreading into other parts of the world.
Early Indians, Asians or Rastafarians do not eat meat. The Rastafari movement encourages followers as a sacred duty to only eat a plant-based diet i.e. food grown from the earth - unmodified and free from additives, chemicals and meat. This is what is termed Ital is Vital, a way to promote life energy.
Veganism will thrive because it is as old as humans, but as a diet movement it increases around the world given the need to live healthier. Dr Sebi was said to have cured all kinds of modern diseases (e.g. Anaemia, HIV, Diabetes etc) through African vegan plant cell foods and herbs. Research finds acidic foods (e.g. meat, milk, additives, processed food and certain starches etc) produce mucus that compromise cells and cause ill-health. That healthy vegans have less mucus than those who consume meat, milk and heavy starch diets. Vegans experience all sorts trying to discredit their methods sometimes offering worse alternative. However, some heal through knowledge, awareness, and action, it is not just a doctor, that has the final say regarding anything that goes into your own body.
Specificity implies you are unique so follow your heart and body. Eat what you can and listen to your body if it agrees to discontinue or continue. These are examples of experiences from different vegans.
(a) Asides from breastmilk for babies due to lactose intolerance it is best to use seeds as milk alternatives.
(b) Food supplements are derived from plants so when possible, find the original plants or herbs and take those instead.
(c) African-American’s call sweet potatoes ‘yams’, however the yam African's eat is different and a vegetable starch with a low glycemic index making the African yam a healthier starch option to cassava, sweet or Irish potatoes.
(d) Some vegans avoid white rice and wheat, sticking to consuming to ancient grains as alternatives.
(e) Strict vegans avoid soy milk or soya bean tofu products citing soy causes hormonal imbalances.
The nutrition journey is different for everyone. Everyone is responsible for their own choices and life. Thus, anyone that wishes to pursue a more vegan based diet should carry out their own research and investigate what is best for their body.
Whatever you chose to eat, food has physical, health and spiritual value. It is advisable that every human incorporates more, plants, fruits and vegetables in their nutrition. “Let Food by thy Medicine” said Imhotep and Hippocrates.
HAPPY WORLD VEGAN DAY!
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