24 | THE VOICE NOVEMBER 17 - 23, 2016
Lifestyle
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GOING VEGAN IS ACTUALLY A PIECE OF CAKE! long as you eat a wide variety of tasty plant foods, planning a healthy diet that incorporates all the vitamins and nutrients you need will be a breeze. Check out our nutrition pages for more information, or seek advice from a registered dietitian.
The Vegan Society was founded in November 1944. The society works towards making veganism an easily adopted and widely recognised approach to reducing animal and human suffering. Life & Style this week highlights some tried and tested tips to help this exciting process go smoothly.
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ake it slow Keep your end goal in mind, but go at your own pace. Some people manage to go vegan overnight and if that’s the right approach for you, fantastic. But don’t be concerned if you feel you need more time. Like any other lifestyle change, going vegan not only takes getting used to, but it takes time to determine what will work best for you. It’s not a one size fits all experience and there are numerous approaches you can take. Making small changes to your everyday meals is one of the easiest ways to increase the amount of plant-based foods in your diet. You could start by removing meat or dairy one day a week and go from there. Or you could try changing one meal at a time, having vegan breakfasts during your first week, adding a vegan lunch during week two and so on. You could even try changing one product at a time by swapping cow’s milk for almond or soya milk or butter for coconut oil or margarine. There’s a plant-based alternative for almost every type of food you can think of, so you don’t have to miss out on any of your favourite foods. For more inspiration, check out our recipe section as well as food and drink and our sandwich and wrap filling ideas. On a budget? Our blog featuring the cheapest vegan meals may be able to help. Do it right Make sure you don’t miss out on essential nutrients. Just because you’re vegan that doesn’t mean you’re 100% healthy, as there are vegan versions of almost every type of junk food you can think of. As
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Try new things Treat your taste buds to new foods and new flavours. Leaving your food comfort zone will take you on a voyage of discovery of new cuisines. There are thousands of vegan recipes out there from every corner of the globe. Whatever your culinary preference, you’ll encounter amazing new dishes and interesting variations on your old favourites. Yet you don’t have to be an awardwinning chef to achieve this. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the number of meals you can easily prepare from things already in your kitchen or local supermarket ingredients. Check out our section on shopping for more information, including a list of specialist online vegan stores. If you’re based in Britain and not ready to enter out of your comfort zone just yet, our list of veganfriendly options at UK restaurant chains may help. Those of you interested in vegan cheese may be interested in this blog where we rate some of the different varieties against each other. Keep learning Remember that going vegan is a learning curve. To live as a vegan in a non-vegan world takes both courage and curiosity. Veganism has been around since 1944, but it’s still a relatively new concept to many people. It’s important you allow yourself time to learn about the various strands of veganism – and remember to pat yourself on the back along the way for the pro-
gress you’ve made. Remember why Keep reminding yourself of the reasons you’ve chosen a vegan lifestyle, and the benefits you’ve felt since going vegan. You’ll probably find going vegan a lot easier than expected, but if you do have a bad day or feel this whole vegan thing is too much like hard work – take a deep breath and briefly reflect on your choices. Reading books or regularly watching informative and uplifting videos about veganism can help, as does keeping motivating visual reminders like photos of your favourite animals. Or how about locating your nearest animal sanctuary? Spending time with animals who are traditionally farmed and getting to know their wonderful personalities is a great way to reaffirm your commitment to veganism. If you can’t do that, these positive videos of animals will do the same thing. Don’t give up If you believe in yourself, vegan living will soon become second nature. There is always a better reason to stick with your decision than to go against it. If you’re having issues with friends or family, don’t give up: our sections on socialising and solutions to these problems can give you some advice. Remember, there are lots of vegan groups online and off that you can join. Make sure that you do things along the way that remind you of the joy of vegan living, and take it one day at a time. You’ve chosen an amazing, exciting and profound way to live your life – be sure to enjoy it.
¢ This article appears courtesy of the Vegan Society. Visit: www.vegansociety.com
AMAZING: Vegetarian Dish Zionly Manna
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