From the title of this blog post I can feel what you’re all thinking: Geneva, you aren’t a doctor. Why are you telling us health statistics and facts?

That is a very good question. A very, very good question. And I will give you the reasons why:

1. I listen to my gut. Even on the blog posts I write. It tells you things.
2. I feel like this post will give ya’ll insight into the benefits this lifestyle has given me.

Keep in mind that this isn’t an attempt to make ya’ll go vegan. I believe it’s important to have a perspective on this lifestyle from a person who is has been living this way for three and half years. Also these are the benefits (both mentally and physically) that I’ve found to be incredibly on this lifestyle. It’s different for other vegans on this planet.

​So without further ado here we go:

Better Digestion
When I say this is number one on this list, you best believe it. I used to have the hardest time digesting food. I’m not kidding. I would always feel stuck and couldn’t move. At all. I realized that a lot of it was because I wasn’t consuming enough fiber (fruit, veggies, and starches). I would always consume way too much protein and unhealthy fats. Therefore when I went vegan I started eating more fiber which meant there was more bowel movements. Consuming more fiber made me take my time when eating so that it makes digestion easier and causes less bloating. Even more than that, I was consuming a balanced amount of protein, healthy fats, and starches.

If you would like to know more about good digestion on a vegan lifestyle, then check out this Alessandra Felice article out! It definitely explains this topic a little bit better than I can.
                
Gut Health

This is under the same umbrella as digestion but we’re just going to go with it. My gut feels cleaner and better after eating. That is I experience less bloating and discomfort because there’s more good bacteria than bad bacteria. Bad bacteria makes digestion harder and causes a person to feel tired and fatigued. Check out this article if you would like to know more about the gut. It’s something that definitely needs to discuss more, especially on our health journeys.
 
 I also take a vegan probiotic to assist in this process. If any of you are interested, here is a list of vegan probiotics. The probiotic helps keep the gut clean and, well, healthier. Ultimately, you will feel better and less fatigued after a meal.
 
 More Positive Outlook on Life
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I see my life as something to live, not pass by. I used to waste my time wishing rather than doing. I would use my shyness as an excuse to not do things. That sounds sad but it’s true. And I made even more negative excuses for doing life’s other “chores.” I would think that I “had” to do something as opposed to “getting to.”

Now I live in my body. Fully and completely and I am not ashamed. I have a taste and vibrancy for life that I didn’t think I’d ever have. I’m more outgoing and brave. Trust me, ask my family. They know. I’m outside all the time.

Now I’m not saying this kills your negativity or depletes mental illness all together. But it definitely lessens the bad days. I only realized they were bad days because I was making them bad. I was letting the doubters and nay sayers come into my life. I didn’t realize the powerful disconnect between the perceptions of myself versus how others saw me. Furthermore, I wasn’t living in the present and accepting now for now. That there’s beauty in the present moment.

Mental Clarity

This is another big benefit I experience. I can think and not get super groggy. I used to get super hazy in the afternoons. I couldn’t make rational thought to save my life. It was a part of me that I didn’t like very much. I’ve come to realize that I just get tired easily. Hence I sleep a lot (which leads me to my next point. See what I did there).

Sleep Better
 
I’m a Taurus and if you know anything about us bulls it’s this: we love sleep (and being stubborn but mostly sleep). I am grateful for its existence. In fact, I would marry it if it were a person. I literally make time to nap. Yes even for all the theatre shows I’ve been in, I’ve never had to pull an all-nighter (minus the times I’ve gone to shows or concerts). Why is this? Well my body has never worked like that. Even before I went vegan, I was taking early nights like an OG. Don’t get me wrong, I do have days where I don’t sleep well. I’m just talking about my sleep average.
 
The aspect about my sleep that interests me the most is having vivid dreams. I believe that dreams foresee the future. Yes I’m one of those hippie people that digs those things. I see some beautiful images but also some odd ones. An example of this is when I had a dream of someone dancing my freshmen year of college. Low and behold six months later I find myself in a beginning Modern Dance class. I do not believe this was a coincidence but a divine intervention in beginning my lifelong love affair with dance.
 
More Energy

When I say I have energy, I have energy. It scares people sometimes. I feel like I can lift up an entire building. No, wait that’s a little dramatic. I feel like I could literally bounce off the walls. At least when I’m not in class.  It’s the equivalence of Ellen DeGeneres or Richard Simmons, which might scare you.  
This is due to the amount of antioxidants and nutrients found in fruits and vegetables, but it’s also what happened when I changed my mindset about food. That it is energy and nothing more. It gives me nutrients to live and thrive. And more importantly, that it will always be there when I need it.    
 
I hope ya’ll liked this post! Again, this is not an attempt to make ya’ll go vegan. It’s to give you a perspective based my experience thus far. I’d also love to hear what you think of this blog post!

With that being said, make sure to sign up to get notifications for when a new blog post is up. Also check out my Instagram, Twitter, and more down below. Also if any of ya’ll are interested in veganism, make sure to share this post.

Last Blog Post:
The Ways That Veganism Has Changed Me

Happy Sunday ya’ll!
 
For those of you who don’t know, I am a vegan. This means that I don’t consume animal products (including honey). I went vegan the summer of 2014 and I haven’t looked back since. This lifestyle changed me for the better. As an individual, I found my inner power and courage that I didn’t think I had before. Even more than that, veganism changed my outlook on life. I went from a victim to the hero of my own story.
But before I go into a full life story mode, here are some ways that this lifestyle has changed me:

Greater Inner Peace
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Yes. This is number one for a reason. As someone who came from a self-destructive eating disordered background, this was something that was amazing to me. I found an inner peace that was unparalleled to anything that I’d ever felt before. It gave me a sense of purpose to live by example and compassion. Moreover, I found a lifestyle that didn’t restrict me in what I could and couldn’t eat. It made sense to me. I felt more in tune with my intuition and the things that I wanted.  
 
More Conscious of the World’s Problems

In other words, I’m more aware of the world’s issues including human trafficking, world hunger, and poverty. This isn’t to bring myself down but to simply inform myself on bigger issues going on. Learning about these issues makes me want to be of service to help end these harsh issues. This goes from buying from eco-friendly clothing shops to buying cruelty-free products. I do my best with the eco-friendly clothing (as it’s not the most in-style thing).

Present

This was a concept I had a difficult time with. It took me three years of being vegan to understand it. I’m being dead serious. Every time I thought about being present, it was a foreign concept. I would get super uncomfortable when I thought about it. I didn’t think I could ever master it. Until I read Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now. This book allowed me to truly be in the moment with everything. To understand that everything is temporary. That I can make it through every situation.

Outside More

What more can I say. I love being outside now, which is something I didn’t think I’d ever say to myself. Ever. I can’t see myself not living a life that doesn’t include being under the sun (or whatever sunny weather condition that is occurring that day) and running around. Nature inspires me and allows me to feel and be human. That I am imperfectly perfect. That I am enough.

Maintain A Child-Like State

This has been a life saver. I feel more alive and free. I go with the flow and can function. I feel like a simple human being who is living and present. As a theatre maker, this has been helpful as well. The only new material gets generated is by doing the things you did when you were a kid. Otherwise you’ll sink in the “too serious” category. And no one will like or respect you for that.
 
I hope this was some insight into what my lifestyle has taught me. These are powerful and important tools to have in life and I am eternally grateful to have learned them.
I hope ya’ll have a great day or night where ever you are. Namaste