I have been vegan for a few years now and I can't imagine living the way I used to. It's hard to believe that I ate animals and animals products without even realizing what I was endorsing. I also didn't realize how sick I actually was. I didn't know how good I could feel until I went vegan. It's one of, if not the best decision I've ever made. Here are 5 reasons why I'm glad to be vegan:

1. Action and Belief Alignment: I never condoned or supported animal cruelty before I went vegan. The irony is I didn't realize that's exactly what I was doing when I ate animal products. Now I live my beliefs through what I eat and what I buy.
2. Feeling Good: I felt better right after I cut out animal products from my diet. I felt lighter and had more energy. I don't feel the need to turn to caffeine to stay awake. Overall, there's been a significant improvement in my health.
3. Helping the planet: Not only do. I improve my life and animals' lives by going vegan, but I can help the planet as well. Animal agriculture contributes to deforestation, species extinction, oceanic dead zones and climate change. It's great that by simply changing what I eat, I can help prevent our planet's degradation.
4. Empathy: After going vegan I have more empathy for animals and for other people.  I also think more about how my actions affect other people, especially my purchases. Everyday I am more conscious of my decisions and turn towards more ethical options.
5. Self-esteem: I feel more confident in myself and my beliefs since going vegan. I wasn't sure if I would be able to do it and now years later I couldn't imagine living any other way. I've experienced the benefits and living a cruelty-free life makes me feel better, giving me more confidence.

There are countless benefits to being vegan and it has positively changed my life in every single way. I believe that being vegan has made me make better choices and has helped me improve and grow as a person. If you are looking to make a positive change in your life, go vegan. You will help yourself, the animals and the planet. When you are benefiting your life and the lives of other beings, you can't go wrong.

If you are not vegan and want to experience the veganized life style, check out our next PDX event at SouthFork on August 30th. Get tickets here. 

Photo by Didier Weemaels on Unsplash

Step aside, there's a new gang in town! Apparently, there is a vegan mafia investing in vegan start up companies. The vegan mafia consists of people from different backgrounds and investment histories, from coconut water to self-driving cars. They all have one thing in common: wanting to change how we eat.

While many of these investors seem to be vegan, they are investing in companies that appeal to meat eaters as well. They have supported Veggie Grill, a chain restaurant, and Beyond Meat, a producer of plant-based meats that taste just like the real thing. An investor names Jody Rasch told CNBC: "A lot of people who are involved in our space are not vegan, but they view the current system as unsustainable." Investing in these companies is lucrative due to the growing demand for vegan food. People are starting to realize that if we continue eating the way we are now, we might not have enough to eat later. In Less Meat, and Taking Baby Steps Won’t Work, Richard Oppenlander explains that 1.5 acres of land can produce 375 pounds of beef or 37,000 pounds of plant food.
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It's comforting knowing that people are making it their mission to financially support vegan companies. We shape the future through our present decisions and with the vegan mafia around, things are looking bright! What kind of company do you think they should invest in next?

Photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash

I don't have to tell you that we are living in crazy times. It seems like now more than ever people are divided especially issues that will shape our future. We are at a crossroads of what kind of society we want to be. With everything going on it is easy to get discouraged and lose hope over people doing the right thing, but it's not the path we should go down. We have the power to change the world a little bit every day through the decisions we make. It is as simple and changing what's on your plate. 

Before I went vegan I never though about what I was eating or where it came from and it never occurred to me to care. I didn't think about how the animal suffered just so I could eat. Animals were not put on this Earth for us to use and torture; they want to live just like we do. They feel pain, happiness, joy and sadness and we shouldn't take advantage of that just to eat a hamburger. The worst part is that it's so unnecessary. There is no reason for humans to eat animals or animal by-products, in fact it's better for us if we don't.

These are important points to remember when we talk about the world, how messed up it is and how one person with good intentions can't change it. According to The Vegan Calculator, in 1 year of being vegan you save 401,500 gallons of water, 14,600 pounds of grain, 10,950 sq ft of forest, 7,300 pounds of CO2 and 365 animal lives. This is what a more sustainable and peaceful future looks like. 

This quote from Sharon Gannon sums it up for me: "Don't wait for a better world. Start now to create a world of harmony and peace. It is up to you, and it always has been. You may even find the solution at the end of your fork." 

​If you aren't vegan, but are curious about making more peaceful dietary choices, check out this 22 Days Vegan Challenge by 22 Days Nutrition. This recipe book is comprehensive, easy to follow and definitely proves that vegans don't just eat salad!

Photo by Alex Robert on Unsplash

I don't know about you, but I can get frustrated watching food related shows on tv. I love learning how chefs do what they do, but because most of them use animal products I have a hard time watching them. I get into them and then want to turn them off once I see the meat. Now, I don't have to do that!
The Vegan Road Show USA, which airs on YouTube starting August 12th, highlights vegan restaurants and cuisine all over the United States. They will start on the West Coast going to restaurants, trying the food and learning about recipes and veganism.

​This show is a great way to demonstrate how you can be vegan in any environment and veganize any type of cuisine. Some areas of the United States are more vegan-friendly than others, but that doesn't mean you can't find vegan food in certain areas. You can veganize any type of cuisine and still be vegan despite the meat-eating majority around you. The show also proves that veganism is growing and more and more people are exposed to the concept of veganism everyday. It's rare, but I still meet people that don't fully understand what vegan means. With more restaurants and outlets highlighting them, more people will learn about veganism and what it means to live cruelty-free.
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I am so excited to learn about vegan restaurants I've never been to and get some new meal ideas. In the meantime, I'll be following The Vegan Roadie and VeganTravel to get my vegan travel/food tour fix. What are you excited to see on The Vegan Roadshow USA?