Veganism is becoming
more of a popular topic and lifestyle as time goes on. Not only is it likely
one of the strictest diets, but also one most beneficial to your health.
"Those who follow a plant-based diet are found to have lower cholesterol
and blood pressure levels and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke,
cancers, type-2 diabetes and insulin resistance" (Palmer).
Surprisingly, not
consuming any type of animal product isn't the only hard thing about being
vegan, but the social side of it too. When going out to eat with non-vegan
people or any other social event, you can expect some form of criticism.
"When people get super self-conscious about eating around you because they
worry you'll judge them, when really you just want to quietly eat kale
alongside them." (Moore). Not only do you have to pick your food wisely,
but you have to deal with what anyone around you will likely say, usually in a
negative context.
A big part of being
vegan is the toll it could likely take on your love life. Dates (first's
especially) are almost always centered around food, so if your date is not
vegan, you'll often have issues finding places suited for both appetites.
Unless you have a large budget and don't mind the hassle of your clashing
diets, the relationship would be harder to maintain compared to two people of
the same diet. A woman who's been vegan almost her whole adult life experienced
this first hand: "When I told him (boyfriend) I was considering making a
switch to veganism, his response was blunt: 'If you do, I will break up with
you.'" (Eisenberg). Even if you managed to get through the first date and
the relationship progressed, maintaining the conflicting diets won't become
easier. Cooking meals together and buying groceries will always be an issue, no
matter how flexible you both are.
Personally, I think
if you can maintain a vegan diet, then you should go for it, considering all of
the health benefits and not to mention how eco-friendly it is. Although there
are some social issues you will likely face, it's not the end of the world and
I'd say it's worth it.
Palmer, Ilissa M. "The Statistics of Vegetarians Vs.
Meat-Eaters." LIVESTRONG.COM. Leaf Group, 12 June 2015. Web. 27 Feb. 2017.
Moore, Lane. "14 Problems Only Vegans Understand."
Cosmopolitan. Cosmopolitan, 06 Jan. 2017. Web. 27 Feb. 2017.
Eisenberg, Zoe. "3 Strange Social Challenges I've
Encountered Being Vegan." The Huffington Post. The Huffington Post, 16
Sept. 2014. Web. 27 Feb. 2017.
