A BATHTUB Isn't Big Enough for An ORCA | Munchkin Project Orca

As an animal advocate  I am willing to stand up and fight  for animals to have the right to exist without the fear of being mistreated, exploited or exterminated. The welfare of animals is constantly on my mind. Before I became a mother and now blogger, I worked for Best Friends Animal Society. Aside from doing my daily duties of a Veterinary Technician, this organization is helping fix the animal population by making sure pets are spayed and neutered and aiming for a "No Kill" status in our animal shelters. We worked to ensure that animals received proper care, treatment and respect, and created awareness among the public about animal exploitation and abuse issues. I was so grateful to work for such a compassionate company that held my same standards and values towards animals.

When I initially learned of Project Orca I knew I had to get involved and also inform you, my readers of this incredible Sea Side Sanctuary. As fellow animal lovers, advocates and compassionate people, I know this will touch your heart as much as it did mine.

Did you know that tomorrow is World Orca Day! July 14th, is proclaimed World Orca Day to celebrate and focus on campaigns, films, awards, conservation efforts, and everything else about Orcas, also known as killer whales. This specific date was chosen to commemorate the successful release of an Orca named Springer back in the wild, in British Columbia, Canada, in 2002. Springer, officially named A73, is a member of the northern resident orca community that frequents the waters off the northern part of Vancouver Island, BC, every summer. In 2002, Springer’s mother died and she was discovered alone and emaciated off the waters of Seattle, Washington, some 250 miles south.

I am ecstatic to announce a collaboration I have been working on that is very near and dear to my heart!!! I’ve teamed up with one of my favorite baby product brands, Munchkin, to bring awareness to the Orca whales that are in confinement and living in their unnatural habitats.

The amazing team behind Munchkin are bringing that same drive and determination that goes into making their colorful & bright products to a cause that is greatly needed: Project Orca.
After 10 years of making a little water toy Orca, they’ve decided to put their principles before their profits and have removed the top-selling toy from their Sea Squirt lineup...
 "Because a bathtub isn’t big enough for an Orca."

As a response to the harmful practice of keeping Orcas in captivity, a practice that is still sadly in effect today, Munchkin has decided to kick-start a donation of $1,000,000 to develop the first sea side Orca sanctuary in the United States... Project Orca!!!

Photo from Shutterstock via Whale Sanctuary Project

Why do we need a seaside sanctuary for whales?

While there are sanctuaries for many land animals who are being retired from zoos and circuses, there are none yet for whales and dolphins. Without permanent sanctuaries, they will be confined to concrete tanks for the next 30–40 years, or as long as they live.

Killer Whale performing at Sea World San Diego
Photo from Shutterstock via Whale Sanctuary Project.

What exactly is Project Orca you ask?

They are evaluating potential whale sanctuary sites in Washington State, British Columbia and Nova Scotia.  In 2017 they studied more than 100 potential sites through desktop study, prioritized those that looked promising based on their physical characteristics, and then visited more than 30 sites to get on-the-water understanding of the sites. 

They have now narrowed that list and prioritized sites of interest where they will be engaging with local communities to share the vision for a sanctuary, respond to their questions and better understand how the community and the Whale Sanctuary Project can, together, craft a location-specific sanctuary plan that is of positive benefit to the community and serves the best welfare of the sanctuary whales.  

The Whale Sanctuary team is currently engaged in this process on both the East coast (in Nova Scotia) and on the West coast (in Washington State and British Columbia.)

 

As I researched more about this new Sanctuary, l had the lovely opportunity to interview,
Mr. Michael Mountain from The Whale Sanctuary Project

What will the size of the open ocean sanctuary be?

The sanctuary will be a netted-off bay or cove with at least 65 acres of water space and a minimum average depth of 45 feet. It will have a natural bottom with living creatures with whom the whales can interact: fish, crabs and even birds to chase on the water’s surface. 

Do you have any orcas or other ocean life ready to intake once the sanctuary is open?

Lots of different factors will determine which orcas and belugas we bring to the sanctuary. These include results of veterinary exams, best combination of residents in terms of who would be compatible with whom, and which of the marine performance parks (here in the U.S. and also abroad) will be most open to working with us. 

So, while there are many potential residents, we’re not focusing yet on making a selection.

How will you go about intaking whales in the future?

It will be a matter of balancing those various factors and others, like:

a) who would benefit most from being at a sanctuary;

b) whether there are any health issues that might cause too much stress, or any other concerns in terms of transporting and relocating them;

c) what are likely to be the social relationship among the various potential residents. Bear in mind that social networks and family groups are very important to orcas and belugas. Much of the stress they encounter in their present circumstances is related to being housed in very confined spaces. We will need to ensure that whales in the sanctuary can all thrive together, and we will have the ability to create separation within the sanctuary as necessary. 

Will there be an exhibit/ or viewing area for visitors to come learn about the sanctuary?

Yes, people will be able to view the whales from a vantage point either at the sanctuary site or at a nearby location that does not interfere with their lives and activities.  (The wellbeing of sanctuary residents – not audiences, visitors, researchers, etc. – is always the priority.)

And we plan to create a visitor center that will offer an interpreted first-hand experience of the sanctuary, including state-of-the-art video feeds above and below water opening a window into the world of the resident whales for anyone with Internet access. Virtual reality 3-D technology will allow immersive experiences that teach people about the life and behavior of these charismatic animals. Depending on the sanctuary location, the visitor center may be located in a nearby community or other location that is accessible to visitors.

One of our goals is for the sanctuary to provide educational experiences and inspire a conservation ethic in people of all ages.

Killer Whale breaching near Canadian Coast
Photo from Shutterstock via Whale Sanctuary Project.

When I became a mother I knew how important it was for Sean and I to teach Graham compassion, how to be kind, and caring towards humans and animals. When he is older I will pass down my knowledge of animal rights awareness to him. But at 23 months old he needs to understand in a fun, kid-friendly way, and Munchkin's Project Orca program is a great way to start. Graham can flaunt his Project Orca shirt to playdates, the grocery store and share about this fantastic cause and what it means to him to save the whales.

We are able to turn bath time into a fun learning environment by reading our Munchkin Orca Puppet Bath Book. By teaching him about animal activism, I hope he will understand the importance of keeping Orcas and other whales in their rightful homes.

I would like to humbly ask my readers and fellow animal advocates to carry this message far and wide. We can help fundraise this project and expand the support for The Whale Sanctuary Project that Munchkin CEO Steven Dun his team at Munchkin have so generously initiated.

To donate to PROJECT ORCA click HERE
 

To shop Bath Toy Scooper click HERE
To shop Ocean Bath Squirts click HERE
To shop Orca Puppet Bath Book click HERE
To shop Duck Dunk bath toy click HERE

#ORCASLIVEINOCEANS GRAPHIC APPAREL
To shop Megan's sweatshirt click HERE
To shop Graham's t-shirt click HERE
To shop Megan's t-shirt click HERE
 

Photo by Katy Foster

ORCA FACTS:

The sad reality is that when Orcas and other whale are taken away from their home, the Ocean, and then put into concrete tanks on display, bred, and eventually birth their young into captivity... they experience many heartbreaking problems.

• Shorter lifespan
• Immune system dysfunction and increased infections
• Behavioral abnormalities,hyper-aggression, self-mutilation
• Difficulties raising their children to adulthood/high mortality rate because they are not able to learn how to raise their children within a natural social group. 
• There have been numerous incidents of orcas harming and killing each other and trainers in marine parks and aquariums and not a single instance of either in the wild!
• Family bonds are critically important to orcas.  Orcas are matrilineal – social life is dictated by older females.
• Orcas also experience menopause and grandmothers help raise their grandchildren. In some populations sons spend their entire lives with their mother. In marine parks and aquariums family groups are broken up and substituted for artificially-devised groupings of individual whales.
• Orcas populations in the wild have different cultures which are expressed as different social patterns, ways of hunting for food, dialects, and other behaviors.  These cultural traditions keep groups intact and separate from each other. In marine parks very little opportunity exists to create and maintain cultural traditions and even communication like echolocation is impacted negatively by living in glass/concrete tanks.

I am extremely grateful to Munchkin for their kind generosity in gifting Graham and I the items above, and I can’t thank them enough for all of the efforts they have put into Project Ocra… Munchkin is a lovely brand to work with and also use in everyday parenting life. We enjoy using their baby and toddle products, they are bright, colorful and bold. It makes it fun and easy for the littles to use because they are durable and above all they’re safe!

XOXO

Dairy Alternatives

Lets talk about Dairy. Health reasons and ethical reasons.

I initially became Vegetarian for the love and compassion I have towards animals. I believed by not eating meat and or animals I was helping reduce their suffering. I could not continue to participate in the many ways animals are exploited for food. It was a moral decision. 

I went on with my vegetarian ways thinking I was making a healthy choice for my body and for the animals. I LOVED CHEESE and ICE CREAM so much. I ate cheese daily, there was no way I was about to give up my delicious, grilled cheese sandwiches, cheese pizza, quesadillas, etc.

I had no real idea about the amount of suffering that was going into my coffee creamer or my cookie dough ice cream...

I always knew that most of the milk or dairy products I consumed came from a cow. But my thinking stopped right there. I never researched out why or how my block of cheese or yogurt came to be. Maybe I already knew and had just pushed the facts aside to satisfy my cravings.

Well I decided to stop being ignorant and learn the facts about Dairy.

The first thing I found out really made me think and scratch my head... Why are we "trained" to think that we need milk from a cow to grow big and strong? 

WE ARE NOT BABY COWS

Cows produce milk for the same reason that humans do, to feed their babies. I produced milk, and that milk was specifically designed for Graham, a human. 

However, on most dairy farms calves are separated from their mothers between 1-3 days after birth. Why on earth would they do such a tragic thing? Well so you can drink milk, eat cheese and yogurt. That milk was intended for the baby calf, but is now being consumed by humans.

So what happens to that baby that was pulled away from its mother? Well the female calves often share the same cruel fate as their mothers. They’re bred or artificially inseminated once they mature enough. And then they have their babies taken away from them and are treated as milk machines until they are no longer effective at producing milk and are then sent to be slaughtered.

Male calves are taken, chained in tiny stalls and raised for veal.

The dairy farms are not able to make any money if they keep a dairy cow alive once their milk production declines. So they are usually killed at 5 to 6 years of age. A normal life for a cow is 20 years.

I had never thought about this until I decided to become vegan. Did you know that humans are the only species to drink the milk of another animal? It would actually be more natural for any adult still drinking milk to drink human breast milk. If that thought turns your stomach, so should the thought of drinking cow lactate.

Let me say it again, It’s COW milk.  Again: milk from a cow!  Why are we all drinking milk from a cow when we wouldn’t drink the milk from our lactating dog or cat… or milk from a horse, pig or racoon?!

We are the ONLY species that drinks the milk of another species. And we also consume it long after we are weaned from our mothers breast.  I would never go across the street into my neighbors field and suckle from his cows! Would you? I don’t think so. 

Nutritionally speaking, dairy is bad news everywhere you look. Almost half of the calories in whole milk come from fat, and nearly all of its carbohydrates come from sugar—all of it in the form of lactose, which many people can’t properly digest. Worse yet, the fat in dairy products is every bit as saturated as the fat in beef. Dairy also has absolutely no fiber or iron. And if all that were not enough, you might contemplate why the FDA refuses to answer the question about whether there is pus in milk products. Yes I said PUS. Literally you are drinking pus from cow....

So if you oppose veal crates and the killing of young calves for food, you should know that buying dairy products helps to keep the veal industry afloat.

Lactose Intolerance.

Lactase persistence in humans only developed as an adaptation because we were consuming non-human milk and dairy products beyond infancy. Every other species weans and then never drinks milk again for the rest of their lives, because they don’t have an enzyme to break down the sugar in milk.

Hormones. 

Bovine growth hormones are given to cows to make them mature faster and produce more milk. And then as we consume that milk, we are also consuming that hormone.

A dairy cow can be given reproductive hormones and prescribed antibiotics by a veterinarian to ensure she produces an unnatural amount of milk.

A normal non injected cow generally only has two litres of milk in her udder at any one time.

But dairy farmers force her to carry 20 litres or more. Her udder becomes so heavy that she often develops an infection called mastitis. Now if you have ever breastfed, like I have. Mastitis is no joke. Its incredibly painful!

The strain this puts on her body means she is exhausted by the age of five. After so much stress her milk will soon dry out, and once it does she is no longer profitable. Once she is of no use she will be dragged off by a tractor, squeezed into a cramped truck, and driven to the slaughterhouse, to be killed and turned into burgers or baby food.

Some worry that the hormones in cow's milk could cause health problems in humans. People have suggested that estrogen in cow's milk might promote the growth of hormone-sensitive cancers such as breast or ovarian cancer, for example. Others worry that hormones in milk might cause early puberty in children.

http://www.fullsirclefarms.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/growth-hormone-cows.png

Calcium, is the first thing people say to me when they hear I am not drinking milk. How do you get your calcium? Are you worried Graham won't grow strong teeth and bones?

My answer to them is that we eat plenty of foods that are rich in calcium. We eat foods like collard greens, bok choy, and baked beans. Those are safer choices than dairy for obtaining calcium. I also mention that kale contains more calcium per calorie than milk (90 grams per serving) and is also better absorbed by the body than dairy.

 Other plant-food based foods that boost calcium include: beans, nuts like almonds and seeds like sesame, broccoli, collards, whole-grains, and tofu. 

https://www.lassens.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Vegan-Calcium-01-01.jpg

Skin

As I have gotten older my acne has decreased but I will still get breakouts on my chin or the side of my cheeks. When I quit dairy, I noticed about 2 weeks in that my face was breaking out. It was so bad that I felt like I was in junior high again. I messaged my Vegan support group and they informed me that, as the body heals it can excrete toxins in many ways and some do exit through the skin. Milk contains testosterone hormones, which stimulate oil glands in the skin and contribute to breakouts.  

Basically my body was detoxifying from all the hormones and toxins in the dairy prodcuts I consumed. Milk or cheese is an acne trigger. So since I have been going dairy free, I am becoming zit-free! It took my skin a little over a month to detoxify. Now, I have the smoothest and clearest skin I have ever had in my life!!

By talking about those points, my friends and family then ask how I enjoy food without Dairy, and if non dairy items taste good...

How to Go Dairy-Free

If the idea of rapidly removing all dairy products from your diet seems like a lot of work, then take it step by step.

Think about the dairy products you currently consume: chances are that there are one or two such foods you love, but a dozen others you eat regularly that you’re not crazy about. If, for example, you regularly consume whole milk, yogurt, ice cream,cheese slices, butter, and cheese pizza, it might be that yogurt and pizza are the only foods from this list that you could probably go without. After you decided, get rid of the other items, and you’re immediately halfway to being dairy-free! But the real key to success in eliminating dairy foods involves not cutting them out entirely. You simply replace them with tasty non-dairy alternatives. And oh my gosh are you in luck! There are all sorts of non-dairy products on the market that are truly wonderful.

Whether you decide to cut dairy out to reduce inflammation, figure out if you have an intolerance, or because you feel compassion for environmental and animal welfare, here are some ways to swap out your favorite dairy products.

ice cream: "Ben & Jerry's"! They have 7 non dairy flavors! The "So Delicious" brand has cashew, coconut, almond and soy based pints, ice cream bars and sandwiches. I love there salted carmel ice cream.

yogurt: "Kite Hill" brand has an almond milk-based. I love their raspberry yogurt.

milk: I drink Almond milk, coconut milk, cashew milk, and pea milk. My favorite brands are "Ripple", "Blue Diamond", and "Califia Farms". Graham has loved all of these and drinks his bottles quickly. 

coffee creamer: "Silk" Almond Creamer. We have tried Vanilla, Hazelnut and Caramel flavors.

butter: "Earth Balance" Original Buttery Spread. It works great in a my baking recipes. 

cheese: I have only tried these brands, and so far I love them!"Follow Your Heart" and "Treeline" "Kite Hill". I have had "Daiya" cheese and am not really a big fan of its flavor.

https://goinghometoroost.com/2012/simple-living/why-being-vegan-is-easy/

Dairy free is the way to be!

XOXO

Megan The Vegan Mom

Salt Lake City VEGFEST 2017

SLC VEGFEST! I was so excited to attend for my first time. I woke up and got in an early workout at Orange Theory Fitness, so I would be able to consume all the delicious Vegan food.

My shirt:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/536340509/vegan-shirt-cute-vegan-shirt-vegan?ga_search_query=vegan&ref=shop_items_search_1

Grahams shirt:

 https://www.etsy.com/listing/538581365/vegan-baby-onesie-vegan-baby-shirt?ref=shop_home_active_35

Sean, Graham and I arrived to VEGFEST, it was a bit rainy but ended up clearing up around 2pm. We went into the library to find information on when the speakers would be starting. We decided to listen to the 1:30pm speaker on Activism for Animals.

While we waited for the speaker to start we walked around the booths and checked out the food, merchandise, and information.

A sticker I bought for my car

Vic Sjodin talked about how to stand up for animals and be an advocate.

"Living one’s life as a vegan is a clear first step for many, but then what? There are countless ways in which motivated individuals can use their gifts to reduce animal suffering each day. The possibilities are limited only by our creativity.

There is no one-size-fits-all method of activism. While creative thinking and playing to one’s strengths can open up new avenues for promoting veganism, rigid adherence to doctrine can obstruct advocacy. Isn’t one’s time better spent distributing VO literature than tracing the origins of obscure ingredients? In order to be effective advocates, the decisions we make – both on a daily basis and long-term – should try to help the animals as much as possible. 

Vegans can remain true to their ideals regardless of whether or not they engage in traditional methods of activism. For example: although striving to acquire great wealth is seen by many as the antithesis of activism, those who earn large amounts of money through business can have an enormous impact on animal liberation when they contribute funds to organizations/activities aimed at reducing animal suffering. 

Diverse and committed people have lent their talents to all aspects of Vegan Outreach. However, if not for those who pursue other fields and financially support the printing of Compassionate Choices and Even If You Like Meat, we would be unable to reach anyone with our information. It is because of our members’ hard work in fields not directly related to animal rights that we have the funds needed to print and distribute literature around the world."

I left with goosebumps and wanting to help even more individuals learn about the benefits of being Vegan. I really enjoyed his speech. 

Next up, was to enjoy all the amazing food vendors. I didn't take photos of everything I ate because..... I was EATING! hahaha

I did manage to take a few. Be sure to head over to these shops and try them for yourself! Yum!

SMORES DOUGHNUTS FROM BIG O

http://www.thebigodoughnuts.com

LARGE SAMPLER FROM KRISHNA

https://www.facebook.com/KrishnasPrasdam/

NACHO PLATE FROM GARDEN CAFE

http://gingersgardencafe.squarespace.com

UNICORN MACARON & MINI CAKES FROM PASSION FLOUR

https://www.passionflourslc.com

JALAPENO JERKY FROM FUSION

https://www.facebook.com/Live-Fusion-Foods-Real-Veggie-Jerky-991878230922005/

Next up I stopped over at UARC and signed up to become a member. I received a tote bag filled with coupons and pamphlets. I also received my own membership card where I can take to local Vegan businesses and get discounts.

If you want to sign up or learn about Utah Animal Rights Coalition, click the link below

https://utahanimalrights.com

I also grabbed a SLC VEG dinging guide! It has may pages of all the Salt Lake City options for Vegans, can't wait to try them all.

A great afternoon spent of learning about activism and trying delicious vegan food! 

Thank you to UARC for putting on a great VEGFEST!

Until next year....

xoxo

Megan The Vegan Mom

Help the Animals of Hurricane Harvey

*Photo by Best Friends Animal Society.

As an animal advocate seeing distressed and displaced animals is so heartbreaking. My heart aches for them and their owners. 

Many of us are not living in Texas, and might feel helpless in not knowing how we can help all the animals, not just pets, of this horrible disaster. Texas is a farm land and there are many horses, cows, pigs, etc affected by this hurricane.

Before I became a stay at home Mom, I worked as a Veterinary Technician, for the non profit organization, Best Friends Animal Society.

I still am in contact with many of my previous co workers and am not surprised with how much love, time, and effort they are putting towards the displaced animals.

Best Friends Animal Society has sent down a team to Texas to help the animals, and deliver supplies to the shelters. They have even transported some of the shelter pets back up to Utah shelters.

If you are able to help in any way possible; by donating money, volunteering, purchasing items on their wish list (supplies, food, etc), or even sharing this information with others, to spread the awareness of how anyone can help.

For more information please visit

https://bestfriends.org/hurricaneharvey

https://www.usef.org/media/press-releases/equestrians-rally-to-aid-harvey-horses-usef

https://embarkvet.com/blog/embark-donates-100-profits-to-help-hurricane-harvey-dogs/

xoxo

Megan The Vegan Mom

Why I Became Vegan

I grew up eating similar to the average American. My childhood breakfast included cereal, or yogurt mixed with fruit. I ate turkey sandwiches and cheese sticks for lunch. We would have BBQ chicken, rice, and salad for dinner. But what I always looked forward to, no matter what time of day, was dessert and treats. I loved ice cream, cookie dough, brownies, you name it!

During my elementary school years I was diagnosed with having "Protein intolerance" its the digestive systems inability to process the proteins found in cows milk. I had constipation a lot throughout my childhood. When I entered Junior High School it luckily faded away. I believe that due to my protein intolerance, is the reason I never liked drinking just plain milk. I was fine with it being mixed into foods, but drinking it out of the glass, yuck, no way! But either way I consumed it, it made me uncomfortable and constipated.

(Lactose intolerance does not cause constipation; it causes diarrhea. Constipation after drinking or eating dairy products is the result of milk protein intolerance. The two conditions are commonly confused with one another but are very different in their cause. Lactose intolerance is a digestive disorder that occurs in the small intestine due to a deficiency of proper enzymes, while milk protein intolerance is the digestive system's inability to process the proteins, whey and casein, found in cow’s milk.)

Besides delicious treats, my love and passion for animals was endless. I have loved animals since I came out of my mothers womb. We had multiple house cats growing up that I smothered with love. I would even find a stray cat, bird, mouse, rabbit or even try to take someone elses pet home with me! (sorry to me 2nd grade friend and her gerbil) I was that 'friend' who would rather play with your family pet than the neighbor kids. Instead of knocking on the door asking to see if Lucy could play, I would ask to play with there pets!

As I grew older and moved out of my Mothers house, I experienced a few of the 'Fad Diets'. I tried the Paleo Diet, The Maple Syrup Diet, multiple juice cleanses, and The Mediterranean Diet, none of which lasted longer than 2 months or left me feeling healthy physically or emotionally. But I noticed that since I had left my childhood home and experienced different diets and food, I was slowly realizing how much I disliked the taste of meat. Even as a child I rarely ate hot dogs or hamburgers, I would always choose chicken or salmon. 

When I ate my meals, I knew where my burger came from or what animal produced eggs. I even remember feeling sad that the animal died and I was eating it, but then the thought process stopped there. I ignorantly pushed the thoughts back and never thought about what if I didn't eat meat or dairy. It never crossed my mind, because I didn't know that something other than my current lifestyle was possible. This is how I grew up eating, so this must be the way I should continue living, right? My family and friends were all omnivores, there was meat and dairy in about 90% of the food we ate at restaurants and family partys. Traditions play a large part in our eating; like Turkey on Thanksgiving, Ham on Easter, etc. I believe the culture you grow up around has a huge impact on your health and lifestyle. I definilty was not knowledgeable about my options.

A few years ago, I started working for a non profit organization, Best Friends Animal Society. I worked as a Veterinary Technician in their Kitten Nursey taking care of Neo Natal kittens and also at their Spay and Neuter clinic assisting in surgeries for cats, dogs, and rabbits. I absolutely loved the incredible work I did. I was able to walk away each day knowing I made a difference, in either saving animals lives, improving the animal community, or reducing the amount of animals entering shelters. This was obviously a plant based company, since our Sanctuary in southern Utah was helping save more than just cats and dogs. We helped save the lives of pigs, horses, chickens, rabbits, etc. By working for them I met a lot of employees that were Vegetarians and Vegans. I was introduced to a whole new world of eating! 

After talking with a few friends and looking at my current lifestyle I realized that this is what I had been wanting and looking for! I loved animals more than many humans and I rarely ate meat. If I did eat meat it was salmon or chicken. So I decided to start off being Pescetarian, meaning the only animal products I ate were fish and dairy items. It went smoothly and I was impressed by how much lighter my body felt. I wasn't trying to lose weight, but I definitely noticed I didn't have that heavy feeling after eating a meal. I was Pescetarin for 1 year.

During that year I asked myself why am I not Vegetarian? Why do I need to eat fish or shrimp? At the beginning I thought I needed the protein, but then I realized that all the vegetables and nuts I am eating are doing an excellent job for my body. I have been against hunting my entire life. It would make my heart hurt when family members would go fishing or out duck and elk hunting. I never understood even as a child how someone could think killing an innocent animal was a fun sport? I never participated in fishing while we were camping because I didn't need to kill an animal to eat, and I didn't find joy in reeling it in with a sharp hook. Once again another lightbulb went off in my head... a Vegetarian lifestyle was an even better choice for me! 

After being solely Vegetarian for 1.5 years, my body felt so much "lighter." I lost about 9lbs with out even trying, by cutting out just meat and fish. I was amazed at how easy it was. I could eat literally anywhere and there was an option for my lifestyle. I was so happy to know that I wasn't eating any of my furry friends. I kept asking myself why did I wait this long?

I became pregnant while I was a vegetarian, and my mother was so concerned for my baby. She demanded I ask my OBGYN if it would be okay for the baby. When I informed my Dr. I was a vegetarian, he was totally fine with it. He even said, "Your baby will be completely healthy due to your diet. Infact he and you are probably more healthy than the rest of us." I wasn't concerned, or even about to change my diet, I was just asking on behalf of my mothers sake. My Dr. never asked or mentioned it again, because there was no concern for it. 

Ironically throughout the past 3 years I had slowly stopped eating yogurt. My body just felt funky afterwards. But I was still loving all the cheese and ice cream! I had conversations with Vegans about there lifestyle, but I always said, "I don't drink milk at all, so thats not difficult, and Eggs would be easy for me to give up, I don't really eat them that often. But ugh, I could never give up cheese! I love cheese in and on everything!" 

I always walked away from these types of conversations with a guiltly conscience. Why was I making excuses? I already knew how fattening and harmful cheese was to my body. Once again I brushed it off all to quickly . 

I had just put my baby boy Graham down for a nap, and decided to put off cleaning the house and watch Netflix instead. I came across a documentary called "VEGUCATED" and decided to watch it because the description intrigued me, "a 2011 American documentary film that explores the challenges of converting to a vegan diet. It "follows three meat- and cheese-loving New Yorkers who agree to adopt a vegan diet for six weeks."

I thought hmmm, well I have been contemplating going Vegan but am hesitant, so I wonder how honest this documentary will be? 

After sitting on my couch for a little over an hour watching this documentary, I felt the need to change. I sat there and cried for the animals, the way I had contributed, and the need to understand why humans insist on living this way. I again felt guilty for eating milk products, and consuming eggs. My whole life I never wanted to cause pain to animals, and here I was, adding to the problem. I was a hypocrite! I knew where dairy came from, cows. I knew we milked cows and used it for our purpose. But never imagined the pain and sorrow these animals endured, for me to enjoy ice cream and cheese. My tastebuds were not worth another beings pain and torture. Ecspecaily since I do not need these products to survive in life. I was just to ignorant to put all the pieces together until now. I try very hard not to watch videos about animal cruelty  because it hurts my heart. The videos of animal cruelty, whether about cows or dogs never end. New ones are always popping up on social media. The only way to end them is to stop our use on animal products.

I decided I needed to learn more information about the impact of the animal food industry in the environment, and also about animal cruelty. I am a person who loves animals and nature. The articles I was reading made me think about taking responsibility for my impact.

The next night, my husband Sean (who is an omnivore) and I went out on a date to a local Pizza Pub. I told him about the documentary I watched and how I found a local Vegan Facebook support group. I informed him about how I was going to transition to Veganism. He was very supportive with my decison, but had a few questions about how our lifestyle at home would be...

Sean has always been a very easy going guy, one of the many reasons I married him. When I became Vegetarian, he was fine with it. He never complained or begged for meat at any of our meals. He ate whatever I made for dinner and ate what I bought at the grocery store. When we went out to restaurants that was the time for him to order meat products, like burgers or wings. 

My husband is not vegetarian and he asked me this question on our date...

"Where do you draw the line on your impact on the environment? If the goal of veganism is to not impact animal life... How can you be alive without impacting animals lives negatively? For example the homes/property we live in/on could have been an animals habitat and the roads we drive on impact their life. So how can you say you're full vegan without living off the grid and not impacting society. "

Unfortunately at the time, I did not have an educated answer for him. My response to him was, "I believe that if you do the best you, as a human, possibly can that alone will make a difference. One person is not going to be able to completely change the world, but each human can make an impact on their own health and help the environment. We can make conscious efforts to choose to not use animal products." 

Later that week, Sean and I watched two documentaries, "What the Health" and "Forks over Knives." We both walked away with even more questions about Veganism and an idea of what we wanted for our family lifestyle. I researched online, talked to a few other vegans, and read various articles regarding a plant based diet, environmental concerns, and animal cruelty.

A week after our date and watching these documentaries, Sean approached me and and said he would like to transition to a Vegan lifestyle with me. I was overwhelmed that I just looked at him and cried. I cried because I was so happy that he wanted to do this. During our relationship I have never asked him to be vegetarian or become vegan. I asked him why he decided to make this decision and he said...

"For me the decision to adopt a vegan diet came down to supporting you my wife and to the health benefits for my body. I knew that in order for you to be able to transition to a vegan diet would require my support, as it would be too much work to try and prepare a meal for you and then a separate meal for myself. Husbandry duties aside, the health benefits to switching to a vegan diet were a big factor in my decision to switch. The way that the human body has to digest dairy and meat products and the reactions that take place are similar to the way the body responds to a harmful disease. The body becomes inflamed and activates an increase in white blood cells, preparing to fight of a virus or infection. That amount of stress on your immune system and other bodily functions, I just could not see being healthy. It just made sense to switch to a plant based diet after learning about the way my body digested meats and dairy products."

We both agreed we wanted our son to be Vegan as well. I was overwhelmed with happiness for the future and thankful to be with such a supportive husband. The next week we raided our fridge and pantry. We threw everything out that had animals products in it. Since I currently did not eat meat, we only had to throw out dairy products. We then hit up our local grocery store and bought alternatives to replace the things we had thrown away. I was obsessed with the Ben and Jerry's non dairy ice cream and the Jackfruit bbq packets! I was even able to find a vegan cookie dough at near by vegan bakery, that I am obsessed with! Sean loved the jalapeño cheese and almond milk to replace his coffee creamer. Its amazing how many alternatives there are. It makes being Vegan incredibly easy. 

Its been 2 months and we are still going strong! The changes I have felt in my body and mind are outstanding. I have a lot more energy, I never feel bloated, weighted down or uncomfortably full. I feet statisfied and content after each meal. My perforce at the gym has increased. My depression and anxiety have decreased. I have not felt this good my entire 28 years of life.

We have had various friends and family members laugh and make fun of our decision or tell us that we are "weird". Some are very concerned for our babys health, and others think this is just a phase. Sean and I are learning everyday, we will make mistakes as we go along, but we are happy to be on this new journey together. 

What do I say when people ask me why I am Vegan? I am proud of taking responsibility as a member of our society and not contributing to the harm of our planet or the killing of animals. Animals are creatures that bring so many people happiness every single day. They are loving, compassionate and a friend to all. Animals make humans more compassionate, positive individuals who are happier in general. Animals help in allowing people to be more loving because of the compassion animals give to them. I also believe that this is the best diet for my health and living a happier life. I will also tell them I think it helps when a couple has the same goal and are able to make it fun by exploring new recipes, sourcing new ingredients and share in food preparation.

Many people have responded by saying that they feel sorry for vegans, thinking that we are sacrificing a delicious meal or that we are eating very little and our diet is in poor health. That is far from true. After being vegan for 2 months, I have felt and seen the changes. I workout about 10 hours a week doing interval training, and I found that a vegan diet gave me more energy and I recover quicker. I noticed the difference by just removing dairy, since I already do not consume meat.

My tip to anyone wanting to become Vegan is to give yourself permission to have an occasional non-vegan meal. It helps a lot when you're first starting out. There are many recipes out there, good and bad. Having an occasional fallback in your plan makes it seem like it's not a failure on your part. It gives you breathing room to experiment with substitutions and lets your body get over cravings so they don't push you back and make you give up. I believe it is possible to make a difference! If we each take it one step at a time. By giving this lifestyle a chance I truly believe you will be a happier person and live a longer healthier life.