 A Global Virtual Classroom Project : GVC1210 |
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Laura Stobbs, Vegetarian InterviewBy Andrea at SPLHSQ: What type of vegetarian are you?Vegan or total vegetarian, lacto vegetarian, lacto-ovo vegetarian or semi-vegetarian A: I am a vegan. I eat a plant-based, whole foods diet. Q: What is your personal definition of this category?A: Eating only plant-based foods. No meat, no animal by-products such as milk, cheese, eggs. No dairy. Basically, if the food came from something with a face, or it had a mom and dad, I don’t eat it! In addition to only plant-based foods, I try very hard to eat only whole foods. For example, this means I eat a plain apple instead of the packaged apple slices from the grocery store. I try very hard not to eat any food that has been processed in a factory. This can be hard sometimes, but I do it as much as possible. I’m about 95% successful with this. I do eat peanut butter, almond butter and almond milk, things like that. They are processed. But for fruits, vegetables and grains, I eat the whole food rather than a processed version. Q: How long have you been a vegetarian?A: I began my diet change on 9/03/2012. I used a program called “Vegan Kick-Start”. This is an on-line program offered by Physician’s Committee for Responsible Medicine (www.pcrm.org). It was a 3-week program, designed to help you understand what it means to eat vegan and to learn how to adjust your menu planning and shopping. I started the program as a trial for myself, to see how I would like it and if I could adjust to it. I liked it, so have continued the vegan diet as part of my lifestyle. Q: Why are you a vegetarian?A: I am very health-conscious and believe in preventing diseases rather than treating them after they occur. I want to remain healthy and not take medications for as long as possible. I believe this style of eating has improved my health and will continue to provide long-term health benefits. Within the first two weeks of changing to a vegan diet, I noticed changes in my body. My hands had been swelling overnight, and in the mornings it would be difficult to hold a coffee cup. It would take about an hour for that to go away and for my hands to become comfortable. After two weeks of my diet change, my hands were no longer swollen in the mornings and did not ache. In addition, I have noticed other positive changes. My energy levels are more constant through the entire day. I do not have spikes in my energy, and I don’t feel tired and listless after a meal. I am sleeping better. My fingernails are also much stronger and grow faster. Q: Do you have a relating story or anything else you would like to add about vegetarianism?A: I was inspired to change my eating style by a film called “Forks Over Knives”. It is a documentary that highlighted the effects of food on the body, and showed very convincing evidence of how our body responds to the types of foods we eat. The film highlighted doctors who had prescribed a “plant-based whole foods” diet for their patients, and the amazing health improvements of their patients. It seemed very logical and made sense to me. I want to be as healthy as possible, so I decided to change my eating to this style and see what would happen for me. The changes I saw in myself convinced me that eating a vegan or plant-based whole foods diet made positive changes in my health. I have decided that a vegan diet will remain part of my lifestyle permanently. I also have fun learning about new vegan recipes and the related nutritional information. I am fascinated by how the body can heal itself when given the right nutrition. I plan to continue my education about diet and nutrition, and hope to be able to teach others about lifestyle changes that can benefit their overall health and well-being. |