Last week, Jen shared her journey with food, and how she is learning to find joy in a new, healthier way of eating. This week, I’m sharing my story…
4 years ago, I took a course as part of my Geography Major entitled “Global Agriculture and Food Systems”, where we learned about the intricacies and injustices of food production and distribution in our globalized world. It was the first time in my life that I really started to think critically about the role of food in our lives – not just as a determinant of individual human health, but also how it affected the health of our Earth, and the wellbeing of both the humans and animals involved in feeding a planet of over 7 billion people. I began to realize that my decision to eat a hamburger and fries for lunch had ramifications beyond the $8.50 charge on my Visa.
Armed with this new knowledge and a fire in my belly, I decided to go vegan. To my 20 year old mind, it was the only logical choice. I stayed vegan for 2 years, and on the outside, most people would have assumed that I was the healthiest I’d ever been – certainly I was the skinniest! But on the inside, I was suffering. The constant weight of reading ingredient labels, often skipping meals because there was nothing vegan available, and having to fend for myself at home while the rest of my family shared a meal – it was exhausting, and I was miserable.
Then, one fine summer day up at the cottage, I decided to join my mum in a snack of crackers and cheese. And suddenly, the weight began to lift off my shoulders. The next day, we all indulged in ice cream cones and watched the sun go down together – I remember it so fondly – and I suddenly realized what I had to do. I knew all the arguments in favour of veganism, but I finally came to terms with the fact that it just wasn’t right for me – the toll it took on my mind and body far outweighed any benefits.
And so today, my diet looks different. I still eat a mostly plant-based diet while at home, because I enjoy it and because I know it is a healthy choice for myself and the planet. But I also allow myself to eat some dairy, eggs, and occasionally fish, because I know that is a healthy choice for my mind. It took some time, and some trial and error, but I feel like I have finally found a balanced way of eating that works for me.
I am still a big proponent of eating a plant-focused diet – the research speaks volumes (see How Not To Die, NutritionFacts.org, The Planetary Health Diet) – but I know that I can only truly speak about my own experience, and everyone must make the choices that are best for themselves and their families individually.
To anyone reading this – I hope that you will make good choices. I hope that you will find your balance. But mostly, I hope that you, dear reader, will find joy in what you eat.
The Joyful Gingers 