Veganism: Keeping an Open Mind

BY LAURA SPENCER

World vegan month is officially November, but January marks the beginning of many health journeys, as there is a natural willingness to start a new way of eating that can have great repercussions in your lifestyle in the long term. The most difficult step of them all is of course to start, and to start veganism requires keeping an open mind.

If trying a vegan diet has been in your mind you are not alone. Approximately 1 in 5 Canadians would like to reduce their meat intake, and in total vegans and vegetarians make up to 9.4% of the

Canadian population—the majority of whom are under 35 years old and live in beautiful

British Columbia.

The benefits of a plant-based diet are plentiful and bountiful, from decreasing cholesterol and lipids levels, reducing the risk of diseases such as diabetes and obesity, to increasing diversity in gut microbiome, which is closely linked to immunity response, mental health, and regulation of critical functions of the digestive tract.

But how do we combine the science-backed evidence of such benefits with the practicality of everyday life and the many dietary preferences as unique as each one of us? In two words, you should keep an open mind.

Let’s review the key points of what veganism is and how it has grown exponentially since its official creation in 1944 by Donald Watson, when he decided to use the first three letters and the last two letters of the word vegetarian.

Mr. Watson co-founded the first Vegan Society in Britain; at its core it is a philosophy of preventing the exploitation of animals for food, clothing, medication, and entertainment—as a way of not only eating, but also living. Veganism slowly made its way to the United States where the American Vegan Society was created in 1960.

LAURA SPENCER is one of Nature’s Fare Markets’ vitamin specialists and a passionate foodie. She believes we can be as happy, healthier, and fulfilled as we allow ourselves to be. As a certified Holistic Nutritional Consultant, she works with people to help them achieve a healthy lifestyle by focusing on modifying behaviours and eating habits that are not working. bonfirenutrition.ca | bonfirenutrition

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The concept is not ground-breaking nor novel in human history; eastern religions such as Buddhism and Taoism have similar principles around animal treatment and ways of eating. In modern times the term has evolved to include ethical, health, and environmental concerns. Veganism is not only a way of eating, but also a lifestyle, and taking a definitive stand on topics that are pressing and in need of addressing.

With its very strong strings attached to environmental changes from animal welfare to greenhouse gas emissions (GHGEs), the vegan diet is one of the alternatives and a possible solution to address both issues. Beef production requires 42 times more land use and 2 times more water use. It also generates 3 times more GHGs than its plant counterparts.

That is not to say that the vegan diet doesn’t come with its own environmental tab. In order for a vegan diet to have all the above-mentioned environmental benefits, it needs to be actually plant-based. This means ingesting foods that are locally and seasonally produced, with proper agricultural and minimal processing techniques. Cooking skills will also require a brush-up as many plant foods are well known for their anti-constituents that lock or harm the proper assimilation of nutrients: for example, phytic acid, lectins, and trypsin inhibitors, which limit absorption and digestibility of nutrients, respectively. In order to reverse such an antagonist’s effect, soaking, sprouting, and fermentation practices need to be in place, as well as paying careful attention to the range of plant-based foods consumed in order to ensure diversity.

Diversity is not only to use a variety of sources to provide adequate amounts of minerals such as iron and zinc, widely known to be lower in this type of diet, but also of amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein. At this point we have all heard that most plant-based proteins are incomplete sources of amino acids, and contrary to the belief of mixing different sources to create a complete protein, such as beans and rice, the idea has evolved to ingesting them throughout your day, not together, to avoid blood sugar spikes.

Grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds should all be included in order to create a proper amino acid pool for the body’s need for protein synthesis. Amino acids from plant-based sources tend to be less protein efficient and less nutritionally dense than animal sources, therefore it is important to make an effort to include different types of complete plant-based protein. My favourite complete plant-based proteins are amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat, hemp seeds, and tempeh.

Other nutrients that will need special attention are fats, as it seems these are the main macronutrients that are lowered when becoming vegan but are necessary for hormonal and mental health. EPA and DHA, important for normal growth and development, inflammation control, as well as cardiovascular and brain health, are also on the list. Iron, zinc, calcium, B12, and vitamin D should be monitored closely.

Special attention should be paid to how your body digests certain foods and how you feel not only after a meal, but also throughout the day. If necessary, start slowly, incorporating as many changes as you feel comfortable with, and monitor how you respond to the new changes.

Paying close attention to your body’s reactions is what makes a way of eating, your way of eating. Honouring your body’s needs and developing a sustainable way of eating that aligns with your beliefs and way of seeing the world is a remarkable task. Be patient and keep an open mind. Self-care is also choosing a way of eating that makes you feel vibrant, alive, and healthy.

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Donald Watson co-founded the Vegan Society in 1944.

VEGANISM IS NOT ONLY A WAY OF EATING, BUT ALSO A LIFESTYLE, AND TAKING A DEFINITIVE STAND ON TOPICS THAT ARE PRESSING AND IN NEED OF ADDRESSING.