21-Day Vegan
Yup.
I took the plunge.
I am following a vegan diet for twenty-one days. I am on Day 8 of 21 and so far so good. I was prepared to give up my grande nonfat lattes for Lent and figured that now was as good a time as any to give up dairy. The dairy-free decision is for an overall health benefit and experiment (testing for possible allergies.) In addition to lattes, I realized no dairy meant no grilled cheese, yogurt, or milk in my cereal, not to mention no butter! I hope that, at the end of this, I find out that I'm not allergic to dairy. The decision to forego other animal products and introduce the vegan diet is faith-oriented in nature. In an effort to consume the most natural products I could, I've also cut out sweeteners and yeast. It makes finding food an adventure. There are a lot of fruits and veggies, plus flatbread, hummus, and quinoa in my salads. Occasionally, curried tofu makes its way into my lunch, and soy, almond or coconut milk based smoothies are mixed daily. (Tried the hemp. It's grey like brain-matter and I couldn't handle that.) People warned me about detox symptoms, but ramping up to Day 1 of this vegan-cross-diet, I started cutting back the sugar, caffeine, dairy, etc. I'm guessing that helped to alleviate the headaches and other unsavory effects of detox.
So I explained a little of the "why" behind the decision. Beyond the at-home allergy testing, I thought it would be a good way to get a fresh start--physically, emotionally, spiritually. Life gets crazy and for me, this is like pushing a "reset" button. For me, this is a holistic approach to addressing many things I have been struggling with that have been holding me back. While clearing my diet, I am taking time to clear my mind of negative thoughts and feelings. Philippians 4:8 states: "you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious--the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse." (MSG)
It's another way of looking at the concept of "out with the old/in with the new." It could be viewed as a holistic spring cleaning. I'm marking the days as they pass because I am looking forward to more variety in my meals. Honestly, I don't think I could adopt a totally vegan lifestyle. However, decluttering--clearing away the distractions physically and mentally--will clear the way for new thoughts and ideas. It has helped clear my mind while helping me recognize what is truly important.
Fasting is a very personal decision and I would encourage anyone considering it to think about their motivation. What are you hoping to accomplish with the fast? I encourage you to prepare in advance. I read The Daniel Fast by Susan Gregory and Crazy Sexy Diet by Kris Carr in preparation for the fast. Don't set yourself up for failure by jumping into something you're not prepared for. The more you know, the better it will go. :)
So...one of my favorites: Here's to new beginnings.
That's something to which I'll gladly raise my glass of wheatgrass!
I took the plunge.
I am following a vegan diet for twenty-one days. I am on Day 8 of 21 and so far so good. I was prepared to give up my grande nonfat lattes for Lent and figured that now was as good a time as any to give up dairy. The dairy-free decision is for an overall health benefit and experiment (testing for possible allergies.) In addition to lattes, I realized no dairy meant no grilled cheese, yogurt, or milk in my cereal, not to mention no butter! I hope that, at the end of this, I find out that I'm not allergic to dairy. The decision to forego other animal products and introduce the vegan diet is faith-oriented in nature. In an effort to consume the most natural products I could, I've also cut out sweeteners and yeast. It makes finding food an adventure. There are a lot of fruits and veggies, plus flatbread, hummus, and quinoa in my salads. Occasionally, curried tofu makes its way into my lunch, and soy, almond or coconut milk based smoothies are mixed daily. (Tried the hemp. It's grey like brain-matter and I couldn't handle that.) People warned me about detox symptoms, but ramping up to Day 1 of this vegan-cross-diet, I started cutting back the sugar, caffeine, dairy, etc. I'm guessing that helped to alleviate the headaches and other unsavory effects of detox.
So I explained a little of the "why" behind the decision. Beyond the at-home allergy testing, I thought it would be a good way to get a fresh start--physically, emotionally, spiritually. Life gets crazy and for me, this is like pushing a "reset" button. For me, this is a holistic approach to addressing many things I have been struggling with that have been holding me back. While clearing my diet, I am taking time to clear my mind of negative thoughts and feelings. Philippians 4:8 states: "you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious--the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse." (MSG)
It's another way of looking at the concept of "out with the old/in with the new." It could be viewed as a holistic spring cleaning. I'm marking the days as they pass because I am looking forward to more variety in my meals. Honestly, I don't think I could adopt a totally vegan lifestyle. However, decluttering--clearing away the distractions physically and mentally--will clear the way for new thoughts and ideas. It has helped clear my mind while helping me recognize what is truly important.
Fasting is a very personal decision and I would encourage anyone considering it to think about their motivation. What are you hoping to accomplish with the fast? I encourage you to prepare in advance. I read The Daniel Fast by Susan Gregory and Crazy Sexy Diet by Kris Carr in preparation for the fast. Don't set yourself up for failure by jumping into something you're not prepared for. The more you know, the better it will go. :)
So...one of my favorites: Here's to new beginnings.
That's something to which I'll gladly raise my glass of wheatgrass!
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